Chapter 2: Adoption
The crossing gates generated by Yukari was a very unpleasant experience. Even after years of practice, it was very difficult to get used to the dark void, the abyss in which you stared, silently observing what was most deeply buried in everyone.
Naruto felt uncomfortable. He felt stifling in an unhealthy lake, crushed and milled into fine subatomic particles, as if he was drowning in a thick ink wished pull it down, wanting more than anything in the depths swallow .
When it emerged that broke the darkness, he felt reborn. He stumbled awkwardly on the floor, trembling hands who were resting on the polished floor the barely restrained, as he did violence to not dump the contents of her stomach. The boy, an unusual pallor given his tan, straightened with difficulty.
- You're pretty resistant to what I see, said in a singsong voice behind him. In general, they vomit the first time.
The pale boy turned, seeing the elegant lady with a long white dress with a purple coin struck yin and yang.
- What do you want from me ? he asked with suspicion, even if the concern was dominant in his voice. And who are you?
- I would hope most of gratitude to your saviors whispered melodiously the youkai. My name Yakumo Yukari and you are in my house. To answer your second question, I have to admit that you intrigue me, you clear a familiar energy, but hijacked and corrupted. I want you lift your shirt, I want to check something.
The tone of Yukari had been less winning, resuming his usual domineering coldness, when giving orders.
The boy hesitated, but the inquisitive look of this powerful woman urged him to obey. He undressed partially revealing her slender belly. Yukari slid a finger on the skin, sighing to the pleasant sensation of stroking the soft, warm flesh. During his exploration, she was attracted by a point which seemed to concentrate a powerful magic. Wishing to test his theory and satisfy his curiosity, the former sent a slight discharge of magical energy that allowed to materialize a strange seal formed by a spiral surrounded by eight trigrams.
- Interesting, she noted analyzing every detail of the sequence beautifully designed, especially for a mere human being. Ran, touch this seal and tell me what you feel.
The Kitsune human form obeyed, feeling a familiar but strangely beneficial energy.
- No. Kyûbi Yoko sealed within him, abruptly declared Ran, more shocking Naruto. But it misses a game. Looks like someone has sealed this creature by removing the Yin half of its power.
Naruto felt annihilated. Suddenly, he understood everything. Now he knew that the devil lived in him, like a parasite, he understood why he was treated like a pariah. It was the creature that had destroyed Konoha, smashed hundreds of families and taken countless lives.
- So it was true, he whispered a voice defeat. I am a monster.
- Do not talk nonsense, cut Yukari with disdain. You might be the receptacle of the demon fox with nine tails, but you're not the creature sealed in you. In reality, you're only as her guardian and you have done nothing wrong, you do not have to feel guilty for the crimes committed by this beast. By cons, if you're looking to discover a real devil to face with a monster, I invite you to look before you. I Yukari Yakumo, the great mistress yōkai borders and I know very well differentiate my kind of like, human simple.
Finally, there she was lying. She was well aware that the boy was not a mere human. She had felt the bluish current flow in the body of this young boy. This energy was different from the natural energy that abounded in Gensokyo, she was more similar to the flow circulating in the most powerful people in the country. She would have sworn it was the magic that would have compressed, deliberately purged of the natural influence and violently blown into humans.
Naruto shivered, while Yukari continued his scrutiny. He felt that behind this elegant face with elegantly carved cheekbones, hid an abomination. The fact that one of the eyes of Yukari veered to scarlet in a split second confirmed his impression.
- What do you want from me ? again asked he with a slight concern in his voice timid.
- As I've already said, you intrigue me, Yukari repeated remaining deliberately vague about his intentions. Your power can cause a lot of harm, but also cause a great good, if you learn to use it correctly you. However, you should rather ask my maid what it intends to do with you. After all, it was she who felt that you were in danger and it is this which terrified the idiots who pursued you.
Ran watched by sending him a small smile and Naruto bowed politely, in the most formal way possible, thanking her for saving his life.
- I wish I could go home, whispered the child.
Ran eyebrows rose, but to a point where they were almost halfway between his eyes and the roots of her hair.
- You really want to go back there? she asked with dismay. You want to live it, so that the village wanted to kill you?
- Not all, he admitted with a unhappy. There jiji-sama who likes me, even if it is very busy.
- And your family ? asked the vixen who felt rising in her this protective instinct towards youth.
The expression of sudden pain that was born on the face of the boy told him that she had touched a nerve. She even had no need to ask other questions that obviously struck. This kid, hated and detested by all, had not even family to comfort and protect. The woman at the sown azure dress sighed, lowering to watch Naruto in the eye as an equal acknowledging her suffering.
- You know, Ran confessed casting a fleeting glance towards Yukari, silently seeking approval, you should please you here with us. No one will judge you for what you're you, nobody will kill you to host a demon and above all, we can offer you a home.
- Not to mention that if you go back there and you die, Yukari added, it would be wrong to thank Ran who bothered to save your life. If you need to return to your village, you nieras our risk-taking and it would not be a proof of gratitude. Besides, if you die, you never will realize your dreams, since I guess you wish you would realize. We offer the opportunity to express yourself, so tell us what are your dreams, kid.
- My dreams ? the boy asked, regaining a semblance of a smile. I want to become stronger than all the Hokage! I want all surpass like that, everyone will respect me!
- It does not work like that, Yukari cut with a slight bitterness tinged with regret ounce. I would not break your hopes, but the power is useless if it has no objective. Respect is not inherited, it is deserved. It is not obtained by force, he wins by helping or protecting others. If you throw yourself on this path, you will end inevitably failing. The only thing you'll succeed is to end up being feared and hated by all and you will recover solitude. However, I have an offer to make. We can help you become stronger, but in return I ask you to put that power to our contribution. The Yakumo is not a single clan with its own interests. Together we form a family.
The words struck Naruto. He had always wanted to be loved like the others, to have parents to help him and hold him in their arms. Above all, he was tired of being alone and receive insults and disgust looks every day.
Without him noticing, tears began streaming down her round cheeks. He had the opportunity to have what he had always wanted to get. Finally, he could achieve the deepest and most desperate desire of his heart.
The words could not come out consistently, as its conflicting emotions mingled and muddled.
Finally, he stopped crying, too shocked by the gesture that Ran had done. The vixen had to shake the child against her dress that hid her little chest opulent, slipping his arms behind his back to calm, while its tail around the boy, a maternal and protective gesture.
- Tell me, little whispered Yukari. What's your real name?
- I am, stammered the child wiped his face brat, I'm Uzumaki Naruto.
- So, Uzumaki Naruto, Yukari smiled, would you accept my offer, that of belonging to the clan Yakumo?
The child nodded, shy.
- What should I do ? he asked.
- Our family has few rules, explained she briefly including obligations to the people of this world, but for the rest, we are not really limited. Out of Gensokyo, our policy is not to judge the members of the clan, nor their actions. The family counts most, except our duty to protect the Hakurei barrier. However, there is one rule that I do not transigerais. Our secrets should not be revealed and treason is punishable by a fate worse than death.
Naruto was not really surprised. A Konoha, he had seen the various clans keep their secrets. The Hyuga with their arrogant air and pale eyes, and Uchiha blood and their eyes were living in fortified complex, behind the imposing city walls. He knew that the great ninja families jealously hid their techniques, keeping a few secrets out of reach of the Hokage. He had heard things during his innumerable escapades.
- I accept your offer, the boy whispered excitedly.
- So said the matriarch with a solemn tone, I accept you as a member of Yakumo. Now you will be known as Yakumo Naruto, son of Ran Yakumo.
The youkai turned to his servant and gave him a simple nod.
- Ran, I leave to your care. Explains everything he needs to know, presents its new sister and please, give him a bath. I have a lot of work to catch up, she said imperiously, before returning to his room.
Many sleep to recover would have been fairer, Ran thought, but it was unnecessary to mention chronic laziness Yukari before the young man. He would realize sooner or later, probably when ask why the matriarch spent half his life in his sheets.
An hour later, after a stint in the onsen that made the young man wince, Naruto found himself wearing a gray kimono, the tails were folded not to drag on the ground. Ran was nothing more flattering to the young man, but later she had to hire a tailor to dress the new family member, there was no way he continues to be wearing this orange horror .
Naruto obediently followed Ran, who took him to visit her new home. She showed him a simply furnished room, devoid of personality and every soul, which would be his new room. The place was almost the size of the small apartment that Sarutobi Hiruzen had assigned him, when the orphanage had decided to expel the boy, hoping he died in a squalid corner.
- Now that you have gone around the house, she said with a knowing smile, almost maternal, I'll introduce you to the newest member of our family. Chen! she called with a shrill voice that made Draco wince.
The called a little discreet way was not long in coming. It was a young girl wearing a red dress and wearing a green hat and mischievous and full of happiness seemed contagious.
- Who is it ? she asked, pointing to the boy with one of her long nails and scarlet lacquered.
- I told you not to point the finger people, calmly lectured Ran. To answer your question, I present Yakumo Naruto, Ran said with a smile. It's your new little brother. Why would so do not play outside, get to know until dinner is ready? Am still careful, he is ignorant of our methods of combat.
The face of the young shikigami brightened as she clutched her new brother by the hand, leading to the courtyard.
While the two children, at least from a perspective of the spirit moved away towards the backyard, the fox got busy preparing the meal. She knew Chen fond of fish, but she did not know if the little blond appreciated vegetables. Probably not, but she doubted that a child abandoned would not hesitate to search the trash for food, she would not let him choose. He needed to have someone to fix her limits and someone should teach him to distinguish good from evil, so as not to create sociopath. It was his new responsibility and she had never failed in any of his tasks. She had managed to Chen, at least until now and she could not imagine failing, although his adopted son gave the impression of being really unpredictable.
Ran kept mainly in mind the impressive tracery that appeared on the abdomen of his new child. After a few centuries alongside Yukari-sama, she had acquired some knowledge in seals. It could analyze the whole and concluded that having realized this sequence was a genius. The energy of evil fox could be absorbed by the boy, giving him amazing abilities, while blocking the beast. This seal could be forced, but use the key might yield more conclusive results. With a little work, it would even be possible to merge the child's energy system with the red substance that hate fox secreted massively.
The human child could even become a youkai, at least a Hanyo. The operation would be beneficial for the clan, since its strength and longevity would be increased. There are centuries Ran was just a fox. Since his status had changed from that of a wild beast than civilized youkai, she remained alongside Yukari-sama.
The Kitsune knew his new child was an ephemeral creature, when comparing his life with that of other fantastic people and youkai of Gensokyo, not to mention the immortal gods.
However, before any experience to make humans one of them, we should learn the young Naruto to control his power and live in Gensokyo. Or first to survive.
The same evening, Ran thought it should first learn to Naruto manners, including those to behave properly at the table. The indecent attitude that his son had had before Yukari was mortifying.
Yet despite the shame that overwhelmed the when his son swallowed his soup faster than would Saigyouji Yuyuko, the hungry ghost, the Kitsune knew she could not blame his son. Naruto had never been loved and had accumulated considerable delay in many areas, since almost no one had bothered to teach her anything and it was obvious he had shortcomings. It would be essential to review everything and deepen many points, so he can finally have access to an education worthy of the name.
Vixen sighed after its first report on the psychological state of the boy. Indifference and neglect often gave the impression that it was nothing more than a nuisance not even worth the trouble to exist. This solitude weighed heavily on the child, who had begun to develop a knack for stuffings and rampage. At least, hatred and hostility he received after these antics managed to overshadow the impression of being nothing.
Ran sincerely hoped to repair the damage and make the blond streaked cheeks have a happy childhood, if not normal since this word seemed to have no real place in Yakumo
