It had been four years now since the attack on the village and the repairs were nearly complete. Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his office finishing the last of his paperwork when he felt a sudden spike of chakra. One he hadn't felt in four years. He stood and called for his ANBU.
"Dog, Weasel, Bear!" in a swirl of leaves the three-shinobi appeared kneeling before him. Dog speaking for his team.
"Hokage-sama. You summoned us?"
"Find Naruto now. I fear something has happened." With that the three-shinobi disappeared.
Jumping from roof to roof the team split apart to search different parts of the village. Dog had already been looking for Naruto when they'd been summoned, he'd felt the spike as well as his team. He was just about to jump to another roof when he heard noise coming from the alley below him. Jumping down what he found made him pause. There lying amongst bags of trash was the boy he'd been looking for, covered in a cloak of red chakra. He immediately sent a pulse of chakra to alert the Hokage that's he'd found him. Not even thirty second Hiruzen shunshied next to him only to stagger back at the sight.
The boy was lying unconscious atop bags of trash, his clothes ripped and bloody. His left arm was bent the wrong way, same with his right ankle. His usual bright blonde hair was more orangish red with all the blood in it. Thanks to the steam coming off his skin you could see he was covered in what looked like burns, cuts, and even a few stabbed wounds. To say they were shocked was an understatement. Hiruzen was furious.
"Dog. I want your team to find whoever was responsible. When you do they go straight to Ibiki. When he's done with them they are to be executed."
"Hai Hokage-sama." With that he sent the signal for his team to regroup.
~In Naruto's Mindscape~
When Naruto woke up be was lying in water but, yet he wasn't wet. He didn't know where he was, and he didn't know what the things all along the wall were either. Even being as young as he was he knew panicking wouldn't get him anywhere. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down when he noticed a warm breeze coming from his left. He figured that might be the way out, so he walked that direction. When he got to the end he found himself inside a massive space with what looked like bars cutting through one end. He cautiously approached them but stopped dead in his tracks when someone spoke.
So, my jailor has finally graced me with his presence. To say he was terrified was an understatement. He could feel the hate rolling off the speaker in waves. Then he noticed something coming towards the bars. He took a couple steps back out of fright.
Who are you? do you know where I am? Whatever was walking towards im suddenly stopped before it came into full view in the dim light. There behind the bars was a fox as big as a mountain. It's tails all swaying agitatedly. Its fur was a rich orangish red, and it had black fur around his eyes. Surprise flashed in it's eyes before being it was gone.
To think a mere child is enough to keep me trapped in this hellish prison. Why have you come? To say he was surprised to see the young boy, but soon his resentment gave way to curiosity. He wanted to know what brought the boy.
I woke up here. Does this mean they did what they said… Am I dead? The fox looked at him in surprise, then narrowed his eyes at him.
Why would you think you'd died? And what did you mean by they? He asked as he hadn't been able to see what was going on outside of his prison since he'd been sealed inside the baby.
Some men from the village saw me looking at a mask through the store window and they chased me. I tried to get away, but they caught me. they started hitting me then pulled out these weird knives and started to cut me and poke me with them really hard. When I tried to scream they hit me hard in my head. Then everything started to go black and I woke up here. They kept saying I was a monster and that I killed people. That I didn't deserve to be alive when I didn't do anything wrong.
Kurama looked down at the boy as he cried. The fear and confusion evident in his voice. He was fear and destruction incarnate, he left carnage in his wake but the look on the child stirred something in him. He didn't like the look of fear and mistrust in the young boys' eyes.
How old are you young one? He asked in a softer tone than he'd thought he was capable of. Whatever had stirred within him brought out some weird protective instinct towards the child.
I turned four today. He told the fox as he held up three fingers. He seemed to realize his mistake and he help up a forth with a small look of triumph. The fox let out a small chuckle at that.
What is your name?
Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. What about you? the boy watched as surprise flashed in the fox's eyes again before he chuckled.
I believe you are the first to have ever actually asked me. I am Kurama. I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The Nine-tailed Fox.At the boys' blank face, he realized the boy hadn't ever heard of him. How would he explain this in a way the child would understand? His thoughts were interrupted when the boy spoke again.
Do you know where we are? Are you sure I didn't die? Kurama closed his eyes and tried to get a sense as to what was happening outside. He found that he could, and realized the boy was lying in a pile of trash surrounded by his chakra. Upon closer inspection he found his chakra was healing the boys' wounds, but at the same time making it so no one could touch him without being injured.
We are inside you mind in your mindscape. And yes, you are in fact alive. It appears my chakra is healing your wounds as we speak. You will still be unconscious for some time though. You were severely injured.
What's chakra? And how are we in my mind. Do you live here too?
Yes, I live here. I was sealed inside of you when you were just a baby. A mindscape is what your mind looks like. Chakra is mental, and physical energy that everyone has.
Why does my mind look like this? What are all those things on the walls? He couldn't believe how uneducated the young boy was to not even know what a pipe was called.
They are called pipes. And I don't know why your mind looks like a sewer young one. Before he could continue he was interrupted again.
Kyu… what's a sewer? Can I call you that? Kyu I mean…
Um. How does he explain what a sewer is when he's never actually been in one? A sewer is usually underground. Its where waste goes. They aren't really a good place to go, you could get sick in a real sewer. This is just set up like one.
Can I change it? It's cold and scary looking.
Close your eyes. Naruto did as he was told. Picture this place, then picture some place else that you want it to look like.
Soon enough sky replaced the ceiling and tall grass replaced the water covered floor. The walls melted away to reveal tall trees, and a small creek. When Naruto opened his eyes, he looked around in wonder a smile spreading across his face. He looked back at Kurama only to frown when he still saw the bars.
Why are you still behind those? Did I not do t right? Kurama realized he'd picked this place more for him than himself. He looked down at the boy with what could only be called affection at the gesture. No one had done something like this for him.
You did nothing wrong pup. Its because of the seal that the cage is still here. The only way to get rid of it is if you have the key. There's nothing either of us can do about that.
Naruto sat there for a few seconds thinking when he closed his eyes again. His lips formed a thing line and his brow furrowed in concentration. For awhile nothing happened. Then slowly the cage bares thinned and spread out until the were far enough apart for him to fit through. He could only look at the boy in surprise. After another few seconds he opened his eyes smiling wider than before.
I did it Kyu! You can come out now right? He slowly stood and walked his way though the bars. He looked around in wonder at the space the boy had given him. He even had room to run if he so pleased. He looked back at Naruto who was looking at him nervously if his fiddling fingers were anything to go by.
Thank you pup. It's more than I could have asked for. You should be waking up soon, but now that you have been here I believe we will be able to speak in your mind. All you'll have to do is call out for me in your mind and I will answer. My chakra healed all your wounds, but you will still wake up in the hospital. You should also be able to come back here whenever you wish by thinking about being here.
You'll still be here right? I'll be able to see you again? He sounded so scared that I would be gone. Just what happened to make the child so fearful. He figured with time he'd know but it'd have to wait as he was starting to wake up.
Yes pup. Don't worry I will be here when you decide to come back. Until then be careful. With that the boy smiled and waved enthusiastically to him.
Bye Kyu! See you later. Then he was gone.
~At the hospital~
Naruto tried opening his eyes only to be blinded. He immediately closed his eyes and put his arm over his face. He remembered everything with Kyu and knew he was in the hospital. A shuffling to his left caused him to look over through squinted eyes as he was still trying to adjust.
"How are you feeling Naruto? You've been out a few hours now." Naruto would recognize that voice anywhere.
"Jiji?"
"Yes Naruto. I'm here. I know it's tough, but can you tell me what happened? If you'd rather not talk about it yet we don't have to yet."
Naruto went on to explain what had happened to him. Hiruzen had sat on the edge of the bed and held him as he cried. Naruto was sobbing by the time he finished so Hiruzen gently placed him in his lap and gently rocked him. He rubbed soothing circles on his back and whispered sweet nothing to comfort the hurt child. Soon enough Naruto's breathing evened out and he gently placed him back down and covered him up. He bent down and kissed his forehead before turning to leave but was stopped by a soft sleep spoken question.
"Jiji, can I be a ninja like you?" Even spoken as it was you could hear the uncertainty in the young boys' voice.
"Yes, you can be a ninja like me Naruto. You'll have to wait a year before I can enroll you into the academy, but I'll make sure you've learned enough to do well in class before then. Get some rest and tomorrow I'll introduce you to your tutor. He'll teach you to read and write, along with helping you learn chakra control. G'night Naruto."
"Thank you Jiji. G'night." Once he'd it back in his office he called for Dog.
"You summoned me Hokage-sama?"
"Yes. Dog I have a mission for you. It will be a year long mission and you won't need your mask. Please remove it." Dog removed it and held it against his heart.
"Hatake Kakashi. Starting tomorrow morning you will be tutoring Naruto. You will teach him to read and write. Once he has grasp that you will begin teaching him the basics of being a shinobi. You will teach him chakra control as well as basic taijutsu, genjustu, as well as kenjutsu. I want him to be a ready as possible for his admission into the academy next year as possible. Do you accept?"
"Hai, Hokage-sama. I will do everything in my power to make him a great shinobi." Kakashi knew the importance of the task. Knew it showed the Hokage's trust in him. He trusted very few when it came to the boy and he would not let him down. With that he was dismissed.
Kakashi went home and immediately got to work planning. He made a list of the things he'd need to tech the boy to read and write as well as making a training schedule. He would have the boy prepared for the academy and then some. About forty minutes later he had everything he'd need and decided to get some rest. Tomorrow would be the start of many long days.
