A tall figure of a man loomed over a sleeping newborn child. Using only the moon's presence as his source of light he made sure to check the nameplate that hung at the end of the crib. A simple mistake of taking the wrong baby would be crucial to the future of the whole village.

A fatigued sigh escaped his dry lips as he thought of how unfair reality seemed to some people. He was doing an act he didn't want to do, in a situation he didn't want to be in. But he had to. And this child, who will be a savior to thousands, was as much duty bound as he to their village.

He looks out the window to see a very peaceful scenery of the village. Hardly any buildings and houses were alit in that time of night and he took in what he can. This would be the last time he would see his village like this.

He could not help but clench his hands at the image of around two decades from now. Everything in flames, under the attack of a demon, Kyuubi, at this very moment in another time. The houses burning, the people dying, and here he was, wasting his time. He had to hurry.

The child was only a short reach away when a soft sound of movement caught his ears and his eyes traveled to the form of another newborn—another blonde, the brother of the one he was about to take away.

In a moment of hesitance, he made no other movement and considered to do something he promised not to do. He fought a war with himself inside his mind.

A grim expression appeared on his face as he walked over to the other child.

--

"IT'S THE ONLY WAY!"

Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato stepped back. His widened eyes stared back at similar sapphire eyes, surprised at the younger man's outburst.

"Minato…" The man turned his head away, his voice trembling with what Yondaime could make out as poorly sustained fear. But the next words came out with more resolve than he had ever heard come out of the speaker. "We don't have a choice. To save Konoha… we have to do this!"

Minato's expression turned to one of rage. "But I don't understand why it has to be you that would make the sacrifice! We could very well take another! There are many children out there that could very well—"

"Can you do it?! Would you allow yourself to take another's child? All for the sake of me?" The man was angry at his brother's selfishness. He walked over to the blonde situated on the opposite side of where he had been sitting.

Two slightly different shades of blue orbs stared at each other — one burning with fiery determination, and the other with intense defiance.

The older of the two sighed, and looked away from the eyes of the other blonde. He speaks, voice taunting and confident, but full of hidden fears. "I could very well take myself. You won't be able to stop me, you know."

"You won't do it. You're not allowed to, kind of." He sighed at the Hokage's quite childish threat. "It would be pointless for you do so anyway. If you take yourself away, what will become of the Yondaime? If you're not here, who will perform this very task that is to save the village." His lips turn to a thin line of unwanted dread and then continued.

"We are not sure if the one who would be taking your place as Yondaime will do what he has to do in this situation. We cannot afford that kind of risk. You of all should know that." He swallows his spit, his throat suddenly feeling dry. Yes, he was scared—for himself, for his brother, for the future. Never before had he felt this kind of fear.

Minato looked back at the eyes that never once left his, and all he saw was a plain expression of assurance and sadness from the younger man who resembled him far too greatly. He closed his eyes and a reluctant sigh escaped his barely parted lips.

His job as the kage was to save his village and people, no matter what the cost. He was a willing sacrifice, but he was not set to make another do so—especially this man.

But no other choice was available, he unwillingly agreed.

"Fine."

The younger grins like he always did — bright and a little too cheerful. He hugs him—his leader, his friend, and most of all… "My brother… Do what you have to do." The intensity of his embrace grew stronger and Minato could not help but return the gesture with as much strength and passion.

The tears that dropped to his neck, and the quaking of his brother's body were enough to make him want to cry. But he was the Hokage, he must be strong. He should not let a single tear fall… yet he did so.

Silent rows of tears fell from the eyes of the two brothers. Just this once, maybe it's okay. This would be the last time anyway.

--

Yondaime of the village of Konoha hurried away as he tried to dismiss the assault of immense regret. He tried to tell himself that sealing a demon into this child was a small price to pay compared to the destruction of the village and many thousands of other lives.

The thought of keeping this precious child alive crossed his mind. After all, there were times he felt the village a nuisance. A short glance down the sleeping boy in his arms made him think through if he should go back and take the other, but a memory invades him…

--

"Minato" The said man turned his head only slightly enough that his brother would see the corner of his eye, lashes, and a little of his nose and mouth.

"Make sure you don't do anything stupid." The way he said it—serious and surprisingly a bit sagely—he could've passed as the elder of them two. It was so uncharacteristic of him. Minato heard his brother's unsaid words. That what he wanted to say was 'make sure that you don't take anyone else but me.'

"Do as you promised, Yondaime."

"I never promised anything." As soon as that came out of his mouth, Minato realized that it was a mistake.

"Then promise me. "

He willed himself with all his might to restrain from breaking down into tears again at the evident tremble and distinct weakness of the voice. He tried to shut his hearing at the desperate plea that kept making haunting echoes in his head even after a long and silent minute had passed.

The Hokage did not answer, choosing to fully face the wall opposite his brother as they stood in the middle of the room. His brother glares at the back of his head, he felt it and with the sustained anger attached.

He finally chose to answer, but not the one his brother wanted to hear, nor what he really wanted to say.

"I'll do what I deem the best means to save the village."

Pathetic, he thought. The words almost tasted like poison.

He didn't want to stay there any longer, not wanting to hear anymore of what he knew his brother wanted to say. His hands proceeded to act upon the needed seals, and in a bright explosion of blue chakra, Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato was gone from the room, and entered the realm of what was, into the past of 20 something years ago.

"Baka" He briefly heard his brother's last whisper.

--

They had finally arrived at the chaotic area where the demon stands, and Yondaime summoned Gamabunta and looked down again at the wailing bundle of a baby. His thoughts were bothering him greatly. Should he have taken himself? But there was no time to return, every minute of hesitation meant more lives lost. He had wasted long enough.

The time came and he performed the hand seals. He gave one last look at his surroundings, every expanse full of utter madness and turmoil. He only wished that he could have seen the sky blue and the surroundings full of trees.

The sacrifice of this child would not be in vain. The boy would be a hero. How can he not?

He turned his eyes to the Hokage tower, where he was sure his brother had been waiting.

The loud roar of the fox overpowered every other sound and Minato thought he had gone deaf. Yondaime looked up at the fox and performed the required hand seals. His arms went limp and the baby fell from his arms to be caught by the Sandaime. And that was the last thing he saw.

--

Namikaze Naruto, younger brother of the Yondaime did not shed a single tear as he watched his brother's figure fall from the top of the great frog Gamabunta. From where he stood, inside the office of the Hokage, his brother was only the size of an ant, nevertheless Naruto was sure it was him.

He knew the exact moment Minato died, which was two minutes ago. He knew because he felt it, because they were connected. They were twins after all.

"Naruto-sensei." Said man turned to a child of fourteen, silver hair, one dark eye, and a mask covering his lower face.

"What is it Kakashi?" The boy never became his student, but he had taken a liking of calling him sensei for some unknown reason.

The boy did not say any more, and for that Naruto was kind of relieved and glad. The silence that followed lasted a long time. Who did his brother take? Did he even take one of them? He's an idiot if he took someone else's child. All Naruto could do was trust Minato.

And then before he knew it, everything happened so fast, and the last thing he saw before his eyes closed was Kakashis trying to reach him. He heard the boy's scream.

'I'll never forget you?' Do you think you'll even have that choice?

On that day, Namikaze Naruto disappeared from history.

--

12 years later...

Hatake Kakashi sighed as he tried not to listen at the annoying noise his students were making. The three boys—Sai, Naruto, and Sasuke—were arguing again.

A little to his right, under the shade of a large tree, was his sole female student, Sakura, who had had enough of trying to bring an end to the bickering and chose to sit beside Tenzo —Oops—Yamato, rather, who came to visit the team today. Although he always tried to deny it, Kakashi knew the man missed the team.

The boys were too noisy that he couldn't even concentrate with his precious Icha Icha. It was a new volume that he had bought only yesterday and he could've gone and finished at least half of it already were it not for the incessant bickering.

Sighing again, he takes out a picture of two newborn blonds sleeping side by side peacefully. He remembers. Namikaze Naruto's many great accomplishments may have disappeared in history, but not to him. The photograph was proof, the only one.

Kakashi doesn't know why he remembers, but he'll keep on remembering, and he'll watch his 'Naruto-sensei' grow to create a new history as Uzumaki Naruto.

The sound of a fight broke him from his ponderings. Finally having enough, the Copy-Ninja shuts his book close with a another tired sigh and ambles toward the three with the intent of gagging and tying them upside down on a cliff.


This was written sometime in the year 2007. I lost inspiration and didn't finish writing this. All this was written well before the revealing of Naruto's parents, and other stuff. And I don't know Yondaime's age. I just assumed he's twenty something when he died?

I hope you guys like it! Please review and tell me what you think. And if you have questions please don't refrain from asking.

I don't know if I will continue this, but for now, this is a one-shot.