Family was sometimes overrated, to be honest. That was Naruto's original opinion though, whenever people asked him what it was like growing up an orphan.
Ok, so maybe his parents weren't literally dead...but, as far as he was concerned, they were buried six feet under...figuratively. He considered them dead, as far as the defining term of a parent and supporting family in his head, went.
In other words, they didn't quite meet the standards he had set for any parent to a child...A, supporting and good-intentioned...his family never bothered to say "good job!" or even a "it could be better, kid"...hell, he would have settled with a "it's a peice of crud! Stop sucking at your assignments!"...actually, scratch that last one...that's just even worse. Anyway...oh, right...B, they had to spend time with their children...oh sure, they spent plenty of hours cuddling up to his younger sister, Narumi...but noooooo, they didn't have enough time for him, after all, Father had his duties as a Hokage, and the few hours he had off, had to be 100% Narumi's...and where was Mother? Buying Narumi present, makeup, clothes, and even ninja stuff like kunai and shuriken for the academy! And what did he get? His dad's hand-me-downs! Sure, the white jacket with a blue strip going down the arms was awesome, nd so were the pure white slacks...but really? He couldn't get a new pair, at least?
At any rate, most people would label their family as 'picture-perfect'...or the 'prime example of a Konoha family'...they didn't know anything. They didn't know what happened behind closed door, they didn't bother looking behind the smiles and photographs. How could they? They always wanted to see, what they wanted to see, and hear only what they wished to hear.
Oi! Quit your pathetic rambling and get to work, gaki! We don't have all day to get this done! barked a feral voice within his head.
Ah, good ol' Kyuubi...or Kurama, as he called himself.
Who knew bijuu had names?
What! I'm trying as hard as I can! Learning my own damn jutsu isn't easy, you know!
Quit your whining, and get to work! I want you to have at least excel in two Fūton jutsu by the end of the month!
It'd be easier if you would just let me use more then four Kage Bunshin at a time!
And let you get killed! If you die, then I die! And that's not something on my to-do list!
Sometimes I wish I had the other side of you...
Well, you don't, now do you? You get stuck with the more handsome, snarky, cynical, and demanding Kyuubi, huh?
Just go take a month long nap, you stupid fox...
You know what! I will! And when you come crawling to me, that you need help, you will get to bend over and kiss my orange furry ass!
Fine!...wait...no! I was just kidding! I need help on my Fūton jutsu!
...no response.
Naruto cursed his luck, as he snapped back to reality, where he was trying to focus his chakra, so he could hold a leaf on his forehead.
Normall, most kids would find this easy, but just like his luck...he had a vast reserve of chakra, unlike Miss Perfect Narumi Namikaze, who had just the perfect reserve amount, both to last just long enough in battle, while keeping excellent control.
"Come on...just six more second...five...four...three...two...one!...yes! Finally! I got it to stick for a whole minute!" He exclaimed happily, pumping his fist into the air, as he jumped up and down.
"Well, you seem rather excited, Naruto-kun" smiled a dark haired man, as he walked out of the shadows, form behind some trees. Naruto grinned sheepishly as he held out a leaf for the man to see.
"Look, Itachi-san! I held the leaf on my head for a whole minute! My chakra control is improving!" he laughed. Itachi nodded, a small feeling of pride swelling within his chest.
He loved Naruto like a younger brother. True, not as much as Sasuke at some points, but he truly wished Naruto and Sasuke were a single person...if Sasuke could just have Naruto's personality and sense of humor...maybe then Sasuke could be the perfect shinobi...but no, his father had to instill that signature Uchiha pride...
"Hey, Itachi-san...what are you going to teach me today?" asked the ten-year old Naruto, as he tugged on Itachi's Anbu armor. The Uchiha heir looked down and smiled.
"I'm going to teach you an ultra-secret technique I made just for you, Naruto-kun" he smiled, kneeling down to match Naruto's eye level. The ten-year old blonde giggled in glee, his more childish side popping out as Itahci mentioned the secret jutsu.
"Ooh! Is it a cool one? Do I get to become super strong and join the Anbu!" he asked energetically. Itachi sighed with a small smile, glad to see Naruto happy. If only Sasuke could smile like he used to, when he refered to him as Itachi-onii-san...or just Onii-san.
"No, not yet Naruto, you need to get even stronger and smarter for that" smiled Itachi. He reached behind his back, and pulled out a balloon, before blowing it, just enough to make it the size of a baseball.
"See this balloon, Naruto?...I want you to hold one in each of your hands, and focus your chakra into it...let it mix with the air..." explained Itachi, receiving a confused look from the young child.
"So...kinda like when you had me learn that Fūton bullet jutsu thing?..." asked Naruto, as Itachi nodded.
"Yes, almost like that...except, this time...I want you to trap the wind inside, and push it tighter and tighter, then use a small blast of chakra to push it outwards, away from your hands" he answered. Naruto nodded, slowly focusing on pushing chakra into the balloon...it felt weird though, as the air inside was already occupying the space, and unlike the air he breathed, he couldn't pushit outwards...
"Hang on, Itachi-san...I...I got it...almost...a little more..."
Just before Naruto could actually try to compress the wind with his chakra, the ballon exploded, a cool breeze blowing his hair upwards, much to Itachi's soft laughter.
"Naruto-kun, this isn't a jutsu you can learn in one try...try to calm down, and have you practice with your clones...ooh! Remember, don't overdo your training!" reminded Itachi, as he walked away, ready to receive his mission from Minato.
He failed to notice, however, Naruto's lonely look as he soon vanished.
...
Kushina sighed as she helped Narumi carry her shopping bags, smiling gently as the young girl beamed at her. They considered it almost a holy time, where they could spend time and bond. She always tok pride in the fact, that her and Narumi had a stronger Mother-Daughter bond then any other family in all of Konoha.
If only Minato could spend time with Naruo-kun...the boy was always...isolated?...distanced? It wasn't that she didn't love him, that was a lie, she loved both her children. But Narumi took a special place above Naruto, due to her housing the Kyuubi. It was a miracle that it hadn't tried to tempt her to break the seal...truthfully, it was relieving and shocking the bijuu hadn't spoken to Narumi at all.
Perhaps Minato's seal worked even better then he assumed?
"Hey Kaa-san! Look Ayame-chan and her Tou-san are opening up the new Ramen stand!" exclaimed Narumi, as she pointed at the famous ramen-makersn who were cutting a ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of their restaurant.
"Huh...they finally opened? C'mon, Narumi-chan! Let's go get ramen!" smiled Kushina, as Narumi jumped in excitement. She loved ramen!
As Kushina entered the brand new building, she took a deep breath, amazed as she looked around to find the decoration of the shop...amazing.
Ichiraku had apparently decided to use a Hokage-based theme, sporting pictures and famous items that were tied to each Hokage.
"Hey, Kushina-sama! Narumi-chan!" greeted Ayame, happily waving her hand. Kushina smiled and waved back, before Ayame looked around.
"Huh? Is Naruto-kun not here today again?" she asked, wondering where the boy was. He never came with his family, even when the three of them were togethern he never joined them. He always come on his own.
"No...it's just me and Narumi-chan...we went shopping for clothes today, and we figured he wouldn't like spending all his day at women's stores" replied Kushina, slightly frowning at how little time she spent with her own son. Hopefully Minato had taken him out for some Father-Son time. The boy needed to bond with his family more.
"Well that's a shame...we made a new style of ramen, and we figured he'd like to try it out..." added Ayame, also slightly disappointed the boy wasn't here.
"Oh, it's alright, he can come try it tomorrow, right?" asked Kushinan but Ayame shook her head.
"Wish he could, but this is our last amount...we won't be able to make more of the new flavor until next month, plus we'll be closed until next week" she informed, causing Kushina to frown.
"Kaa-san! There's only a bit left..." pointed Narumi, as both Ayame and Kushina took notice.
"Huh...well, we can all share then" smiled Kushina, as she placed three order. "Give me two meduim bowl of ramenn and one large" she asked. Ayame nodded, a wider smile on her face now, knowing Naruto would at least get a taste.
Kushina was in a slightly better mood now. She had placed two medium order, for Narumi and Minato, and a single large, to split between her and Naruto.
This will make him smile, she thought proudly, as she walked back home.
...
Minato was having a slow and headache-inducing day. First, he found out he didn't have the day off. Second, it cut in his time with Narumi's training. Third of all, he now had to plan Narumi's birthday, as it fell in just two days. It would also signal the start of her entry into the ninja academy, the beginning of her shinobi career. It would most certainly be a defining milestone in his life, her life, and their family's history.
She had shown plenty of promise, especially in ninjutsu and genjutsu, a fact he and Kushina were also highly proud of. Neither of them had ever shown anything special within that area of practice, so with Narumi's talent, she was broadening their family's reputation. People were now even beginning to label them as the Namikaze clan, even though there wasn't a single special jutsu or kekkei genkei to their name, aside from seemingly endless talent and future elite shinobi.
"Hokage-sama...there is a visitor here to see you...it is the Sandaime" buzzed his secretary, as he listened in to her words.
"Send him in!" replied Minato, almost immediately, as he pressed the reply button.
"No need to tell her, Minato-san" chuckled Hiruzen, as he wallked in, quietly closing the door behind him. Minato bowed respectfully, showing his reverence of the legendary man.
"Sarutobi-sama, it's a pleasure to have you visit me" smiled Minato, as he took a seat in his chair. Hiruzan nodded, before looking out the window, onto the crowded street of Konoha.
"It's beautiful, no?...I remember as a child, this village was not even a third the size of what it is now..." he sighed, happily enjoying the view and memories. He quickly snapped back to reality, however. There were important news to announce, as Konoha's prime abassador to foreign nations.
"What is the matter?...is something wrong?" asked Minato, slightly tensed. Hiruzen shook his head, smiling at the blonde Hokage.
"No, no...just came to visit you, and also announce that Konoha is being chosen to host the Chūnin Exams next year" he replied, shocking Minato.
"H-Here?" he asked, double-taking at the sudden news. Hiruzan nodded again, as he went back to looking out the window.
"Yes, and the Daimyo have decided a new manner to show talent and comradery amongst the villages..." added the elderly ex-Hokage. Minato leaned in, curious at the new development.
"What?...what's the new idea?" he asked. Hiruzen took in a deep breath.
"...aside from a single pair, all the villages' genin will be paired up with a genin from another village" he answered, causing Minato to shoot up from his chair.
"It's a plot to kidnap Narumi!" he roared, before Hiruzen held a hand up to calm him.
"As I saidn aside from one pair...this means each village will most likely pair up their most important or elite genin, with the second most powerful genin, both in an attempt to show off and to protect their prime shinobi prospects" he said, relieving Minato of his tension.
"Well...I guess that just leaves the problem of having to fix the preperations for the exams..." he groaned, knowing it would only bring more and more paperwork.
Hiruzen smiled, somewhat amazed that Minato hadn't figured out the key to finishing paperwork quickly.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the blonde Yondaime...he had, however, forgotten one important thing.
Naruto's birthday.
...
If there was one thing that Naruto was most easily irritated with, it was usually the lack of progress a person could make, despite how much hard work they put into something. And that was the case in this situation...he couldn't make crap's worth of progress.
No mmatter how much focus and intensity he put into channeling the chakra into the balloon, it always stopped as soon as he was about to start compressing the air inside...compressing?...he didn't even know that word, yet he still used it correctly?
I'm teaching you a proper vocabulary...imbecile...
Well, at least he and Kurama were on speaking terms again. The fox was literally the closest being he knew to a father-figure...which was pretty sad, when you thought about it...and ironic.
Tell me, gaki...what do you know of the Uzumaki? asked the fox, out of no where.
Naruto frowned a little, knowing only that it was the last name of himself and his mother, Kushina.
Uzumaki?...well...it's my last name...it's my mother's last name...and that's it...why?
Kurama couldn't help but silently laugh, as he realized he could have taken advantage of the boy so much sooner.
Did you know you belonged to a clan? A powerful one, too.
Wh-what? Naruto didn't believe the Kyuubi, after all, there was no way his moth would have kept that hidden, right?
Oh, of course they wouldn't have kept it hidden, after all, they love you SO MUCh like your precious little sister, right?
Sh-shut up...they do love me...I mean, if they didn't, why would they have kept me as their son? They could have left me as an orphan...
And? You're not good at blending in, brat...look at you, spiky sunshine blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes...who else has those damned features? You stick out like a sore thumb.
No! I know what your trying to do! Everyone feared you because of this! You're using me to weaken the seal!
Stubborn, pig-headed gaki...fine, if that's how you want it, then so be it, but let me at least tell you just how powerful your clan once was...
I...I don't know...how do I know it's not a trick?
What is the purposed of lying about your damn family name? What use could I possibly have of it?...ignorant pest...
Naruto let out a long sigh, as he crossed his legs, ready to hear just what the Uzumaki clan was, and why his mother hadn't let him or his sister know about it.
Or perhaps your sister does know, and your parents told her not to tell you...after all, they believe she holds all of my Yin chakra, and even soul...which we know YOU hold...otherwise we wouldn't have been able to talk.
Just get to talking, Kyuubi...
Fine...so the Uzumaki clan, is a cousin, even sister clan to the...
As the fox began to tell Naruto his clan's history, little did the blonde know that his heritage was being twisted to the bijuu's own plans.
If the Uchiha could fall prey to such insolant pride...why couldn't the Uzumaki, too?
Next Chapter: The Pride of a Prince!
