A/N: Well here is chapter 2.
Chapter Two:
Naruto opens his eye to see a white ceiling. Quickly finding his left eye wont open because of the bandage covering it. He smells the antiseptic soap used to clean the place. 'Joy I am in the hospital again.' A quick flex later 'Well everything is working right. A little sore and stiff because of the bandages but healing as it should. Now to get out of here before the nurses try to change that.'
"Awake I see, Naruto-kun." says the grandfatherly voice of the Third Hokage.
"Ah, you scared me old man." yells Naruto getting a chuckle out of Sarutobi.
"Sorry Naruto but I've been here awhile to make sure you didn't sneak out before Dr. Uzuki had a chance to check your wounds. And I wanted to talk to you some first in a quite place."
Naruto sits up and looks at his bandaged hands awhile before whispering "Why?"
"What was that Naruto?"
"Why did you not tell me my father was the Fourth Hokage? Why old man?" he asks with a look of anger and pain in his visible eye.
"I didn't tell you because I was trying to protect you from his enemies both outside and inside the village." Sarutobi said with extra weight on the word inside. "Your father made a lot of enemies many that sit on this village's very council. Enemies he made when was changing things from the old ways. Had I made who your parents are public those enemies would have made your life far worse then they did. And if I had told you alone you would have yelled it out at the first beating making them hit harder. For the pain of not knowing I am sorry." Sarutobi says looking emotionally drained. He sips a cup of tea to try and calm his nerves as he waits for Naruto's response.
After several minutes of absorbing what Sarutobi said Naruto looks him in the eye and says "I understand why but you are not forgiven yet." Naruto takes a big breath and asks "Did you know my mother was the fox's prison before me?"
"Yes, I did know that she was the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Kitsune." Naruto's response is a look of confusion. With a chuckle Sarutobi continues "Jinchūriki means power of human sacrifice it is the title given to those who bear the burden of holding one of the Bijū or Tailed Beast. As the Kyūbi no Kitsune has been removed from you you no longer carry the title."
"Do you know how the fox got out of my mother?" Naruto asks with an odd gleam in his eye that the old man can't seem to place the meaning of.
"No I don't Naruto. All those I know who could answer that are dead and gone."
"Well the Kyūbi said a traitor that the village thinks long dead attacked and unleashed it on the village."
"A traitor thought to be long dead. Do you know anything else about this traitor?"
"Only that he is strong enough to place a genjutsu of control on the Kyūbi no Kitsune."
"So what you are saying is that the Kyūbi is just another victim in some mad man's plan." A simple nod being his only response. "That leaves the questions of 'what is that plan?' and 'who is this mad man?' Anything else Naruto?"
"Yeah, I need a place to live and train that is truly safe. Not the orphanage or that crummy little apartment that you got me that the civilians break in to at their whim." Naruto states underscoring the truly safe part.
Sarutobi breaths steadily as he looks in his cold cup of tea while he contemplates his answer to Naruto. "Well there is your parents' estate which you can not officially claim as part of your inheritance until you are eighteen years of age or chūnin in rank but you can have access because you are a Namikaze. It would be a safe place because only a Namikaze can get in. Everyone else needs permission either by a Namikaze opening the door or by having their blood added to the correct seal. You can live there Naruto but you need stay quiet that you are living there to everyone but those you truly trust because if the council finds out they will cause trouble I will not be able to protect you from. Do you understand Naruto?" asks Sarutobi in a serious tone.
"I understand the keep quiet part but why can't I claim what is mine?"
"You can't claim your inheritance til then because that is the rule put in by the First Hokage Hashirama Senju himself and his rules are not easily overridden. They need the whole council to vote in favor of overriding the rule." he spoke with emphasis on the word whole. "And that is a vote that will never happen for you because of their misguided hatred. Also that is a vote that will never happen against you because there are some on the council that see you as you." He stops and looks toward the door as if he heard something. "Well Dr. Uzuki will be here soon. After she checks your injures I will get you some Ichiraku Ramen and take you home."
Shortly after Sarutobi finishes speaking the door opens and in steps a female doctor. She is about five foot four inches tall with tan skin. Her eyes are green with her shoulder-length hair being a dark purple. She is wearing an off-white robe over a red shirt that shows off her C-cup breast and black with gold trim pants that hug her curves. She is Dr Shion Uzuki. "Morning Naruto-kun." she says with a smile " Morning Hokage-sama." she says with a slight bow to the Hokage.
"Morning Dr. Uzuki" responds Sarutobi.
"Morning Shion-chan" beams Naruto getting a blush out of her with the chan sufix.
'Bad Shion, no thinking perverted thoughts about future Naruto he is only five years old and you have a daughter that is almost ten years older then him. Hm, maybe when he gets older I can try and get them together. I will have to wait a couple of year before I can really start but yeah that is what I am going to do try get him to be my son-in-law. He he he he.' Shion thinks as she tries to hide her blush and ends with a smirk as her plan begins to take shape in her head. With a deep breath she places her smile back on her face. "Well Naruto-kun time for your check up." she says as she walks toward him and her hands glow with light green chakra.
After several minutes of scanning Naruto's injuries. She begins removing the bandages that cover him. She frowns as she reveals a scar that goes from over his right eye across his nose to below his left eye. 'What did they use to leave a scar with his healing ability?' thought both Dr. Uzuki and the Third Hokage at the same time. Shion finishes unwrapping him revealing no more reminders of the beating from the night before. "Well Naruto-kun you can get dressed and go now. I have to get back to my rounds." she says with a sad smile as she leaves the room.
Naruto quickly gets dressed. "Lets get you some Ichiraku Ramen." says Sarutobi as he places his hand on the boy's shoulder and with a smile they disappear in a swirl of smoke.
In a swirl of leaves the two appear outside of the stand known as Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto quickly runs in yelling "Hey old man I'll have a miso ramen with pork, one with beef, and one with chicken to start. All on old man Hokage's tab."
'Well he has partially forgiven me. That's good.' thought Hiruzen "I'll have a miso with pork Teuchi-san." he spoke as moved the flaps of cloth that is the entrance to the open air ramen bar.
"I am not that old Naruto!" yells Teuchi as he turns around to face the boy. He is a man in his mid thirties about five feet five inches tall. His hair is dark brown with his skin having a slight tan. He is wearing an off white cook's coat with a simple cook's hat. "Oh! Hokage-sama it is an honor to have you grace my humble establishment with your presence." Teuchi says with a bow. "Your orders will be up in a minute or so." he says quickly turning back to the stove getting a chuckle from both Naruto and the Hokage at the dramatic difference between his two reactions.
The two sit on their usual stools. "So what will your new teachers be teaching you?" asked Hiruzen.
"Many things their weapons and techniques. Also what a child should learn from their parents." the last part said with a mixture of sadness and joy on Naruto's face.
"So who are these new teachers Naruto-kun?" asked Teuchi as he sets their order down with a bright smile at Naruto.
Sarutobi quickly answers before Naruto's panic at the question shows. "They are some travelers that I have met before who have agreed to take care of and help train Naruto for a few years in exchange that I take care of their living expenses while they are here in the village. They are good honorable men and skilled warriors."
"Yeah, we are going to go meet them after I finish eating." yelled Naruto with his classic enthusiasm. "And more ramen." causing the old men to chuckle as they see his first three bowels all ready empty and stacked.
'Its good to see the old Naruto back. I was beginning to get worried with him acting all somber and serious since this morning.' thought Hiruzen.
The three of them chat about many topics as Naruto eats bowel after bowel of ramen for about an hour. "Thanks for the ramen old man. See ya later." Naruto says loudly as he steps out of the stand.
"Here you go Teuchi-san." Sarutobi says as he lays a good amount of money on the counter "This should cover the bill and then some."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
"Come on grandpa." Naruto yell while bouncing on his feet cause the two men to chuckle at his ever present energy.
Sarutobi steps out and places his hand the boy's shoulder. "See you later Teuchi-san" just before the two disappear in another swirl of leaves.
The two find themselves in front of a large gate. The gate reaches up twelve feet and appears to be made of wood with the only decoration being off white paint and a symbol at about chest height of an adult. The symbol is a yin yang with the upper part being light blue taking the form of a gust of wind with the kanji of nami(wave) in dark blue where the dot would be. The lower part is dark blue taking the form of a wave of water with the kanji of kaze(wind) where it's dot would be. The yin yang is surrounded by five gem like spheres. The colors going from top clockwise are red, green, yellow, purple, and blue with the kanji of fire, wind, lighting, earth, and water in each of them. The gate is anchored to walls of stone that reach just has high as the gate and is the same off white color.
"Naruto this the main gate to the Namikaze estate. The home you should be growing up in." After hearing that Naruto takes a look around and sees that they are on edge of the village not that far from the Hyūga clan compound. "Naruto." Sarutobi spoke to get his attention back on him. "In order to open the gate I need you to put some of your blood and chakra in the symbol. After that all you will need do is put a little bit of chakra and the gate will open for you." Hiruzen hands Naruto a kunai and picks him up so he can reach the needed height. Naruto to quickly does as instructed and the gate silently swings open for them.
What the open gate reveals is a compound like house that covers a full acre by itself and is surrounded by a massive yard/garden. If one had sharp enough eyes one could see multiple full size training grounds on the far side of the buildings. Naruto had a look of shock and amazement at the shear size of the estate that he would be calling home from now on. He turned to the old man "Why is it so big?"
Chuckling at the boy's expression "The Namikaze clan is one of the four founding clans of Konokagakure and was fairly large at the time. They also really liked their space. Hm hm hm."
"What happened to all of them?"
"War. Their numbers were whittled down till only your father was left. And now only you are left Naruto. War is a horrible messy business. One I hope and pray every day the youth of this village never have to know." the old Hokage spoke in a somber voice with a cloud of sadness over him. After a deep breath and a moment to collect himself. The old man speaks with a smile and a happy tone to his voice. "Now no more of that depressing business. Lets go see your home Naruto." Which causes him to jump with joy and runs for the door not noticing the gate closing behind the two of them. They enter the main house. Everything is covered in a thick layer of dust.
"Wow this place sure is big old man." says Naruto as he tries to take in the whole place at once, causing him to faint. Cloud quickly appears to catch him before he hits the ground.
Chuckling Cloud says "You just can't stay conscious can you boy." He stands up with the boy in his arms and turns toward the Hokage. "Greetings Hiruzen Sarutobi. My name is Cloud Strife. I am one of Naruto's new teachers and guardians. Now what's this about you covering our living expenses?"
"Yes, well I admit it was an on the spot excuse but it will do nicely as a way to get you and Naruto some extra money to work with and gives the council no grounds on which to stop Naruto from having enough money to live on." responds Sarutobi. "Speaking of which here is the first payment." he says as he pulls out a roll of bills. "This is the pay of a mid B-rank mission. Which is what I would rank what you are doing due to the amount of trouble you are going to be put through to protect and train Naruto if I made it a mission. So I will be giving this amount once a month. Also is it to much trouble for me to meet Naruto's other teachers?"
"No. Of course not." answered Cloud as Edge, Zidane, and Squall appear next to and around Cloud. "Now if you would be so kind as to show us to the master bedroom and then give us a tour of the estate."
'Good at least one hold himself as a ninja. Though the others don't appear to be slouches themselves.' thought the old Hokage as he looked over the four after they appeared before him. "But of course I will. Right this way gentlemen." he said as he began their tour.
A/N: Please read and review.
