Gift of Fire Chapter 4: The Other Half Of The Coin, a naruto fanfic

Gift of Fire

Gift of Fire

By: Black Saint

I know I said DOAD was on the forefront of my mind, and in retrospect it was, but as soon as me, my muse, and my good friend DASM (for those who don't know that's Dragon and Sword Master-sama, the all powerful editor and beta of these fics, and the all round responsible for more than half the ideas I come up with. Really without him I think I would still be in the stone ages of writing lol). However after a few talks, some idea bouncing, and an all round good time I realized that I have to get this chapter off my chest before I explode, so enjoy, because I know I did when I wrote it.

So here it is the other half of chapter three.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Demon Talking"

'Demon Thinking'

Don't own Naruto, never will yadda yadda yadda

Chapter 4: The Other Half Of The Coin…

An audible buzz could be heard as Naruto looked back at both the perplexed Hokage and his Anbu guard at his side. Both men heard and comprehended what they were told, however neither man could fully wrap their mind about what was presented. Not that Naruto words were unfounded, no his explanations fit every mystery they had inadvertently solved within the village. For instance the emergence of bloodline limits had always been speculated to be of some foreign origin; however many believed that some sort of foreign people, not angels and demons, were responsible for the various biological changes in the elemental countries' populace.

Drawing in the last wisps of his long burning pipe, Sarutobi realized that he would need some sort of proof before he could accept all of this. It was that he didn't just the blond boy's words; it was just in his years he'd taken the phrase 'seeing is believing' to heart. Motioning with one hand for the blond to go on with his actions, the Hokage steeled himself for the worse. No matter what Naruto reported about the fox nor any amount of historical story telling, could take the steel out of the third Hokage's spine when he thought of summoning the Kyuubi.

"Kage Bunshin," Naruto uttered dramatically, actually excited to showcase one of his new found abilities. A soft pop was heard, and the room filled with a thin veil of smoke obscuring the effects of the jutsu from all eyes, well except one that was…

With piercing red eyes a young girl appearing no older than Naruto, once taking into account his new body, emerged from the smoke. Her eyes long since trained onto the Hokage, silently evaluating the man on everything as far as appearance and age to ki and chakra capacity. Grinning a feral grin, Kyuubi found that the man had more than enough chakra to carry out the Shiki Fuin or any similar imprisonment seal, and from his disposition he was more than ready to use it.

"Greeting Hokage-san, I bid you welcome after thirteen years in the dankest corner of the Shinigami's prison," Kyuubi explained jauntily, even including a flamboyant curtsy for the elder. The Hokage was not amused, and the lack of respect was jarring however he realized to a demon such as herself, the accomplishments of man must seem like nothing more than the work of ants.

"A fate too merciful for one such as yourself, however given the current circumstances I find myself in your debt. For that I will abstain from letting any past differences strain our current relations. However be warned if I sense even the slightest amount of subterfuge on your part, I will not hesitate to take you into the Shinigami's stomach and finish what the fourth Hokage started," the Hokage threatened, never breaking eye contact with the demoness. Neither figure wavered; the Hokage masking his emotions with a visage of iron determination and Kyuubi having her smirk flash tauntingly as if tempting the Hokage to move.

"Terms I can agree to, seeing as I have nothing to hide. Naruto has told you my story, I'm here only to confirm it," the Kyuubi replied, and confirm it she did as now, both the Hokage and Iruka had irrevocable proof that Naruto had indeed contacted the Kyuubi. Only thing they needed to worry about was if the contents in which Kyuubi spoke of were entirely true.

"Excuse us if we don't trust a demon's words. You only destroyed half our village and blighted even more lives," Iruka spat angrily, having spoken for the first time since Kyuubi's summoning. Naruto was almost shocked to see his kind and benevolent sensei so angry, but then again he wonder what he would do if he ever came face to face with his parents killer. The thought stung Naruto, because he would have already been over the edge, but moreover it stung because he didn't even know who his parents were much less if they had been murdered.

"Ah a bitter one I see, then again I would be bitter if I was ripped away from my most beloved in a blink of an eye. To you it doesn't matter what my cause was for, or how many lives it could have saved, all that matters to you is that you lost that what was most precious to you, doesn't it?" Kyuubi questioned. Her words were almost mocking, but her tone was what really portrayed her meaning, it was as if she was speaking from experience and it was then that Naruto wondered how much did the fox queen long to run in the forests of Tenkai again?

Shaking the thought from his head Naruto went back to focusing on the conversation at hand, or better yet the Hokage's stern command for the chunin/Anbu to calm down before he charge him with insubordination and have him discharged for national endangerment. That settled the chunin down, if only by a margin, and Iruka just settled for glaring harshly at the red head for the moment. The crisis had been averted.

"Kyuubi I will ask you one time, and one time only, do not goad any of my subordinates for I will not be held responsible for their actions, no matter how drastic and warranted they may be," the Hokage uttered lowly, his voice like molten fire and her words like the forge in which they became harvesters of death.

"Duly noted, however that will not stop me from pointing out the flaw in their thinking no matter how painful it may be. As for the trust issue you have with me, why don't you enlighten our younger guest here on a few key facts heavily pertaining to him and maybe then you may find yourself with more than a second hand explanation of my reasons?" Kyuubi asked insinuatingly, her words holding a slightly sharper edge than normal.

Naruto looked curiously at the red head flanking him before turning his gaze toward the eldest shinobi in the room. Naruto's silent plea was met with a tired sigh, thus adding fuel to the anxious fire burning inside him. It was then that Naruto really began to entertain the thought that Sarutobi hadn't been totally forthcoming with him. Thinking back to all the warm memories he had of the elder man, Naruto knew without a doubt that the Third loved him like a grandson. However those thoughts were stained by the image of learning of his tenant second-hand, by the mouth of a filthy traitor nonetheless.

Contemplating where that put his level of trust in the old man, Naruto's attention was pulled away from his internal debate when the Hokage began to mold his chakra. Even though the man's ancient energies had been constantly refined through the years, its sheer volume was more than enough to catch the attention of Naruto's heightened senses. Hell to them it was like a flash tag detonating right in his face. However as dizzying as the rush was, Naruto felt a small pocket of excitement well up within him; whatever the Hokage was preparing to do, it was taking a lot of chakra.

A poof, similar to the one that summon Kyuubi, flooded the room with a thick sheen of smoke. Half expecting some sort of ancient weapon and half expecting a power summon to appear, Naruto couldn't deny that his heart dropped when his eyes fell upon a dusty mahogany chest with gold fixtures and several compartments. Watching as Hokage peeled back wooden top and dug into the shadowy contents of the trunk, the wizened shinobi pulled out a scroll and lied on top of his desk. The pristine scroll was in stark contrast to the weathered chest, and Naruto could feel something akin to nervous excitement bubble within his chest. And that feel only grew stronger when the Hokage made eye contact with him.

"Naruto I have looked upon this day with torn emotions for as long as I've known you. Partly because I've always wished you'd never had to be ignorant of this knowledge and partly because I myself am responsible for your ignorance…," the Hokage started; eyes never straying blond's and words flowing directly from the heart. Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but the Hokage just raised one hand before continuing.

"Naruto you are the son of Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina, or as they are more commonly known as the Fourth Hokage and the last Lady of the Uzumaki clan," the Hokage finished and as predicted Naruto's face was the incarnation of shock. Although he could read underlying levels of happiness in the boy's aura the Hokage could discern much more from the swirl emotions other than that and an intense pulse of sadness.

'So their dead… One sealing the Kyuubi in me, and the other during the attack… I guess that means they didn't abandon me,' Naruto concluded humorlessly, marveling how much he could miss people he'd never met. It was a wonder really how the relief of finding out who his parents were filled the hole in his heart he had been carrying for thirteen years. Well that was before another, larger, hole was formed when it dawned on him that he was truly alone.

"Naruto believe when I say they loved you more than anything, well almost anything…," the Hokage muttered as his eyes dropped yet again. He knew this would hurt the blond, but he had to know. The Hokage couldn't find it within himself to lie to the boy any longer.

"What the village?! Jiji if you think I'm bitter that my parents gave their lives for their home…," Naruto practically shouted before surging from his wheelchair. The anger overrode the pain and the unease that filled his legs, and for the first time Sarutobi saw Naruto stand tall for the first time since his accident. The boy had grown at least ten centimeters, thus growing out of his boyish body and into a man that looked strikingly like the Fourth. Never in his life did Sarutobi find a sight that scared him quite like this one; he was seeing the dead, he was seeing the legacy of the 'Greatest Hokage'. As awe invoking as the sight was, Sarutobi was still Hokage and with an impressive amount of will he steeled himself and pressed on with intentions.

"No, you are far too selfless for something like that. No, the only thing your parents loved as much as you was your brother. And I pray that his spirit is at peace in the presence of Kami…," the Hokage revealed much to the dismay of Naruto. The blond could only stare blankly as the Hokage explained that he was the eldest of two. That during the attack his brother disappeared along with his mother, presumed killed in on of the raging, youki charged fires the ravaged the village.

'It hurt,' that was all Naruto could manage to think as he realized he was missing another piece of himself. A piece identical in everyway to him, a piece that was his other half…

As raw and as painful as the knowledge was Naruto was glad. Because now he knew, the answer of a question that had rung in his head for as far back as he could remember. Now only the only thing left to do was to find out all he could about those people that he would never meet.

"Is there anything else? What of my mother's family, and my father's?" Naruto asked, almost hungrily, hoping to find some sort of solace in the world.

"You mother's relationship with her family was strained to say the least, you'll probably want to hear about that from her if anything, but your father's family… Well there just as famous as him, if not even more so," Sarutobi said with a small smile, when he saw a truly happy light flicker in Naruto's eyes at the mention of his father's family.

"As a Namikaze you are one of the direct heirs to the Senju family, in particular the Second Hokage; who is your father's grandfather and your great-grandfather," Sarutobi revealed much to the astonishment of the wide-eyed heir.

"You're telling me that my father as well as his grandfather were Hokages?!" Naruto exclaimed excitement visible in his eyes as well on his face. Sarutobi's nod was all that was needed before Naruto jumped up singing a string of praises to the heavens. The room watched silently as the blond continued to cheer, none of them having the heart to usher him in. Slowly however the blond calmed down, deciding that knowing more about his family outweighed his lineage.

"Question though? How is it that my father's name is Namikaze when the Second had the surname, Senju?" Naruto asked, after one last 'hooray'.

"The answer comes from the complex relations that all clans such as yours must endure, but for time's sake I will make this short. Your great-grandfather and great-granduncle, the first and second and first Hokage's respectively, were of the same clan; and that said clan had two branches. One your great-granduncle headed was the one that controlled the growth of trees, while your great-grandfather's had complete dominance over the forces of water and wind. Upon coming to Konoha the two branches split, and thus the name Namikaze was coined to honor your family's skills. However that is not to say Senju blood doesn't flow within you; no, that rich blood that courses within you is shared with some of the greatest shinobi on this continent," the Hokage finished, and if possible Naruto felt more proud of his blood than ever. If everyone is his father's family were half the people he and his grandfather were, than Naruto had a name worth having.

However realizing what that meant, Naruto mind drifted back to his mother's family and the word's Sarutobi had used to describe her relationship to them. A scowl marred his once happy face when he thought of what that could mean, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get an definitive answers until he 'heard' from his mother like the old man had said before.

"So what of my mother's family?" Naruto finally asked after the countless dead-ends became too much too handle.

"Here this will explain it far better than I ever could," Sarutobi said before motioning to the scroll. Naruto wasn't the sharpest student, but he knew when scrolls required a blood sacrifice and by the looks of it this scroll would need just that. Whipping his thumb along his row of pearly whites, Naruto was vaguely aware that his new canines were far sharper than his last set before the taste of copper filled his mouth. Letting the precious lifeblood spilled out the scroll, lighting the pristine canvas with crimson symbols. The scroll unraveled revealing many sealed sections all circling a center seal array that as faintly pulsating with power. Running his bloodied hand across the central array, Naruto watched in amazement as it sprang to life and a light array took the form of his parents.

"If you're reading this then you are of my and your mother's blood, so to whomever you are hello from the dead," a jubilant smooth baritone called out from the light show. Not questioning how exactly how sound borne from light was possible, Naruto was too enraptured by the sound of hearing his father speak to focus on anything else in the room. It was just like he imagined, but at the same time much, much more. Minato had a sense of goofy sense of humor that he knew deep down was part of his prankster ways, but there was something else about the man, something unreadable that put Naruto mind at ease. Maybe it was the underlying love that filled the man's voice that banished all his worries, but all Naruto knew was that this man was his father and he was more than he had ever hoped.

"Don't be stupid we aren't dead yet," another voice cut in, as his mother's form elbowed his fathers. Just from that small act Naruto could tell the woman had a temper, and he knew that's probably where he got his. Watching as the beautiful figure turned its gaze on him, Naruto wondered if the warm feeling that surrounded him when he looked into her eyes was the feeling of a mother's love. Accepting it as just that Naruto felt a true smile grace his features, it was like they were right there with him.

"I know I know dear, but can't I just have a little fun? I'm Hokage is all work, work, and more work! I never get a chance to train anymore, and sadly I think I'm dreaming of paperwork in my sleep," the Hokage groused, his pleas even accompanied with mock tears. Watching his father, the 'Greatest Hokage', being reduced to a pleading child was humorous if not insight on his parents' relationship. A thing that made Naruto even more curious to hear what they had to say.

"Well then start using shadow clones like Sarutobi suggested. I know you'll have to deal with the memory of the work, but you get to train at least," Kushina practically yelled after a bit of banter between his two parents. Naruto could faintly hear his father say 'brilliant' under his breath, before he turned his blue eyes back on him.

"Sorry you had to see that, but the station of Hokage has made me even more a scatter brain than usual. I guess they are bigger shoes to fill than I had originally thought, something I'm sure your familiar with now that you know exactly where you've come from," the Hokage added with a smirk, before wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulder. The woman did an admirable job of hiding her blush, but that didn't keep the lovely glow from emanating around her body. I was then that Naruto acknowledge that his mother was pregnant, pregnant with him in fact. The thought was exciting and terrifying at the same time, it was like seeing what could have been in store for his life hadn't things gone the way they did. However his parent's smile put him at ease once again; because it was obvious they were in love with one another, and even more so that they were proud of the child they created, something that warmed Naruto more than even the best bowls of his favorite ramen.

"Well not exactly, there is my family…," Kushina said as her eyes fell at little. So thing stirred within Naruto, and for a second he thought he was angry but after seeing his father's reaction he realized what it was.

"No those people are not your family. They are just shallow ingrates, who just happened to give me the greatest gift of my life," Minato said passionately. Naruto saw the protectiveness in his father's eyes and he realized that what had stirred within him. Smiling, the blond chalked it up to another similarity between the two of them.

"Yes they are, but I still carry their blood and so will all our children so they must know where they come from," Kushina argued back, her tone somber and her eyes glinting with a serious edge. Minato just nodded as his wife continued to explain what she meant.

"The Uzumaki clan is the governing body of the small country of Uzu. Found along the coasts near the Mist, this country relied on the strength of its clan to provide them with both military strength and commerce. Their ultimate weapon and commodity, seals…," Kushina uttered in a taciturn matter. It was as if she were reciting her words out of text. There was no pride in her voice when she spoke of her home, only a desolate void where that emotion should have been. And as shocked as Naruto was when he realized that his mother held no love for her homeland, Naruto was even more shocked about what he heard next.

"Uzumaki seals are of a special breed, usually far more complex and complicate than those seen around the elemental countries solely for the fact that Uzumaki can interpret seals on a higher level of understanding, mainly due to our private kekkei genkai, the Seishogan (1). To you reading this, you are indeed an inheritor of this bloodline limit and have already opened the first stage, the ability to control your eight celestial gates instinctively. Be warned though this power does not come without a price; you can open all of the gates, but if you are to cross the threshold of the final gate you will die like any other shinobi," Kushina warned in her conclusion. With that the light array began to flicker, but before dying fading away the two faux-parents gave their orphan son one last loving gaze before disappearing into nothing.

"There are many more messages have sealed for you in this scroll along with various other, more personal, scrolls. All of which are kept safe within your family's trunk, and will be available to you at any time," Sarutobi cut in after a moment of silence. The blond only nodded his head as he continued to stare into the space that his parent's memories had once filled. Slowly the blond's eyes fell back on Sarutobi, and Hokage found himself waiting for what Naruto had to say.

"Thank you, that meant a lot to me…," Naruto croaked out, his throat closed up as an effect of all the emotions that were bubbling under the surface of his control.

"You are welcome Naruto-kun. However before you go there is still the matter of your tenants story that we must go over," the Hokage mentioned as he cast his eyes to Kyuubi. He had originally intend for this meeting to be with Naruto, and Naruto alone, but as circumstance had it Kyuubi had to be here to see that scene as well. The Hokage could only guess, what as happening behind the swirling red eyes of the fox demoness, but somehow he knew that the woman would bring no harm to the child in front of them. Now that truth had been through conveyed in Naruto's retelling and in Kyuubi's actions, but still her reasons were a mystery to him.

"Very well Hokage-san, you are fulfilled my request and now it is time for me to fulfill yours," Kyuubi said as she flooded the room with her youki. In her proxy body she was limit to the amount of youki she could access, comparable to a raindrop in a thunderstorm, but that was just enough to project her thoughts on the walls in image like she had done for Naruto before. So after saturating the room with her power Kyuubi, began to play back the scenes; and so her story began once again.

The Hokage could sigh as a myriad of thoughts cluttered his mind. He had seen, though the eyes of Kyuubi, the exact origins of Konoha's most dreaded day. Everything fit along with what Naruto explained earlier, but seeing it with ones own eyes was a different experience. The sights invoked far more emotions than just words, and even the Hokage couldn't refute his contempt for the fox queen had been lessened, for only slightly. Drawing upon his vast knowledge, the time-tested Hokage assessed the situation as best as he could.

"So what are your intentions now? Your mission is incomplete, and although I understand your reasons I cannot allow you to attack Konoha citizens because of their relationship to you and this Tengu King," the Hokage ventured, leaving out any information on the Uchiha Massacre. This would be his last test for the woman, and if she passed he may be able to work something out for her.

"My intentions are to help Naruto as much as I can. As of now he is the only one with any possible chance of defeating the Tengu threat should the need arise. As for the Uchiha they will only be a danger if they come into contact with their 'father', however if and when that happens I will no longer be responsible for my actions," Kyuubi replied with a dangerous edge. Her hatred for her childrens' bastard father was as intense and raw as it was all those centuries ago, but she realized she would have to compromise in order to maintain her 'status quo' with Naruto. Given the destruction of the seal, the balance between them was delicate and if anything where to happen while it was trying to stabilize, it would spell the end for both her and Naruto.

"That may not be a problem we have to deal with, because as of last night the Uchiha clan has endured near-terminal losses," The Hokage uttered, and for the first time shock spread across Kyuubi's face. The emotion was not missed by Naruto who gave the woman a sympathetic glance. They were in the same boat; they both had come to find out they indeed had a family, only to have them violently taken away from them in the very same breath. For Naruto just learning about his family was like a bittersweet joy, one he cherished but at the same time brought him pain. Whereas for Kyuubi learning about her family invoked to things: a deep sadness, as well as an all encompassing rage; and unfortunately rage took precedence over sadness.

"If that was the case then why even ask me my intentions?!" Kyuubi fired aggressively. Her proxy-body's muscles coiled tightly as they began surging with youki, but to the naked it eye it just looked like a red haze beginning to envelop her body. The haze was more than enough to put both the Hokage and his Anbu on high alert, and for good reason because if the circumstance had been any different the two may have found themselves fight the strongest demon their side of the world barrier!

"Precaution. You may have told us your past and gained Naruto's trust, but that doesn't mean I will not be weary of you. There is far too much that this village has gone through because of you, for me to even consider trusting you so soon. However I will admit your answer as acceptable, and for that I am granting you this," the Hokage said as he pulled out a scroll from his robes. Along the ends it bore the Fire Lord's imperial seal and along his length it was emblazoned with the Hokage's own personal seal.

"This here makes you an official citizen to the Leaf Village, but unlike most civilians will be given access to shinobi marked zones as well. As of now this scroll gives you the equivalent rank of a Konoha genin; and while that isn't much, you do not have any immediate superiors to answer to other than myself," the Hokage explained as Kyuubi as the fox looked at scroll with a passive eye. She supposed it was an act of good faith and it did give her a surprising amount of freedom, given the details she knew about a normal shinobi, but she also realized that in taking the scroll she had made herself subordinate to the Hokage. Not that it mattered as she had aligned herself with Naruto, who essential had done the same thing when he became a shinobi, but in this respect she was now fully accountable for anything that may involve her, and more specifically her power. Bounding the scroll to herself with youki, Kyuubi spirited the scroll into the remnants of the seal for safe keeping before looking up at the Hokage.

"Suppose you are being generous with that act, but be warned if I detect any subterfuge from this agreement our contract will be voided and I will exact any vengeance I deem necessary," Kyuubi promised, never once breaking eye contact with the Hokage. The old man just nodded, knowing that it was the best he'd probably get out of the demoness.

"Same can be said for you, and my vow to take you into the belly of the death god still stands," the Hokage shot back before getting a nod from Kyuubi in return.

"Now with that settled, I request to find out all the details to the Uchiha Massacre. If I recall you said the losses were near terminal, and I'd like to know who survived," Kyuubi said calmly. Naruto had to bite back a smirk when he realized Kyuubi was already using her new status to her advantage, and with a subtle smile realized she was only doing what he had done earlier. She was doing everything in her power to find out what happened to her family.

Prepared for that question, Sarutobi slid a thin folder across his desk and into Kyuubi anxious hands before the fox woman tore into the file without a moment's hesitation. The demoness' eyes literary flew over the papers as she quickly processed all of the information she had been given. Upon completion, Kyuubi let a deep scowl mar her otherwise beautiful features. The thought of her clan being wiped out in the space of a night wasn't too shocking, given the world they lived in and more importantly the same thing would have happened twelve years prior; however the thought of one of their own as the culprit behind the attack, which was staged to stop one of the most unhanded ploys she had ever heard of, was far more infuriating. She didn't know whether to mourn the lost of her children and scorn murderer and kin; or to condemn her children to a griefless end and see Itachi's actions as they really were, a man's attempt to stop more bloodshed before it happened?

The ultimatum proved to be a ceaseless source of ire for the demon, and its very existence made her question whether or not her blood deserved what they got? And even if the moral fibers that brought out the good in all of Kami's creation, human, beast, and demon alike, were missing in her kin?! Apparently, seeing as it took one of their own to stop them from casting all of the land into a bloody spiral of hated and murder. Letting out a tired sigh, Kyuubi lowered the portfolio back onto the desk as she silently collected her thoughts…

'At least now I don't have to worry about that half bird bastard, stealing a new body from right under my nose. No, one Uchiha may be all that's needed until this conflict is over… What you read was only the mission report, and confession, Itachi left before his flight from the village. Recently however our sweeps of the area have uncovered more survivors," the Hokage uttered cutting into Kyuubi's line of thought and shaking loose all the consoling thoughts Kyuubi had been so desperately trying to conjure.

"More lies! Itachi's report states only one Uchiha remains, other than his forever scarred brother, left alive. Or was that last bit of information a test as well?" Kyuubi demanded with a near visible edge in her tone. A moment passed as the Hokage calmly refilled his pipe and lit its addicting contents before looking up to address the angered fox.

"In a sense yes I was testing you, but not like before. Mostly I was testing to see if you know of your children's customs, and more specifically if they got them from you or your kind. However it seems that's not the case so I will inform you of one, and my, interpretation of what Itachi could have meant…," the Hokage explained as a smoky halo shrouded his features.

"And what could that be?" Kyuubi shot back impatiently.

"It's customary in the Uchiha for their youth to complete a C ranked ninjutsu as a right of passage before they are recognized as an adult. This is to ensure that all members of the clan are at least versed in the ways of the shinobi and that all the 'unworthy' are weeded out. The survivors are all too young to have taken the Uchiha 'right of passage', and are thus no recognized as Uchiha yet," the Hokage explained as Kyuubi absorbed the information quietly. Although she could honestly say she had never heard any human use strength to determine pedigree. Kyuubi could easily draw a parallel between demon kind 'tests' and the 'trials-by-fire' the Uchiha used. The mere thought of it sent shivers down her spine, and almost assured her the fact that the Uchiha were her children in Kyuubi's mind.

"However, the boy's actions continually perplex me. He obviously wasn't working alone, and although I do have my hunches on exactly who was behind the attack, I am positive they had no intention of leaving anyone other than Sasuke alive. That would mean by sparing these children Itachi went against a direct order, leaving me to wonder what exactly is his aim?" the Hokage thought aloud.

"Maybe he missed the children, or Kami-forbid he actually has a heart and wouldn't kill anyone he knew had no place in the Uchiha's plot," Naruto cut in. As hard as it was for him to believe Itachi had butchered his clan in the dead of night, Naruto also knew the Hokage would never lie about something this serious. And from the thoughts he was able glean from Kyuubi, as her mind lay scattered from the distress; he knew that any that put a boy like Sasuke in intensive psychiatric care was nothing to sneeze at.

"No, the children were placed as far I as I can tell; possibly even hours in advance. However the only a frighteningly small amount children were spared, and as far as the relationship between them goes; they are all of the Uchiha's business family and they are younger than Sasuke," the Hokage concluded as he met Kyuubi gaze once again. A moment passed, and an unspoken message passed between the two as silence consumed all.

"So how many does that make that survived?" Kyuubi asked quietly, as if preparing her heart for pain.

"Less than a dozen. Uchiha culture doesn't promote procreation in the 'business caste', and because of many of these children will have to be adopted seeing as they most likely won't be able to carry on the Uchiha name… Thankfully,' the Hokage added silently after he explained the situation to Kyuubi.

"So other than Sasuke how many do you think will be able to pass the Uchiha's rite of passage?" Kyuubi asked, refining her question even more.

"One, and her case is a special one," the Hokage answered cryptically.

"Special how?" Kyuubi ventured cautiously, not want eons of battle scenes to mutate the image of an innocent child into some sort of casualty in her mind.

"I think it would be better if I showed you," Sarutobi answered as Iruka signaled another Anbu who was watching the whole time outside the window. Naruto saw Kyuubi's eyes narrow, before he too picked up the residual chakra that had been left behind by the spying shinobi's departure. The blond figured the Hokage had a point when he issued Anbu guard to watch from a remote location given the seriousness of the situation, but he also sympathized with Kyuubi who had, in all intents and purposes, just spilled her most precious secret to the Hokage. Torn between the two sides Naruto opted to stay silent and watch how the next interaction played out; vowing to only interfere if anyone stepped out of line.

"Don't worry this room is outfitted with the best seals our village has to offer. No sound is permitted to leave the room without my expressed permission. However sights on the other hand are a different story…," the Hokage muttered, having ignored the 'rock nin' in the room long enough. It was true when they said the way of the ninja knew no gender, but staring at a naked woman for the past hour had taken toll on the Hokage's control. Unfortunately with the knowledge of a small child arriving soon, the Hokage couldn't risk scarring the little one anymore than she already was.

Kyuubi summoned up a bit of her youki and summoned some of her old wandering cloths from her private 'void stash'. The technique was along the lines of summoning and storing items, but instead of them being hidden away in a scroll or other inanimate object, this technique actually brought cloths from another spot on this vary plan, making the technique more like a summon/kawarimi hybrid than anything else. Once clothed, Kyuubi noted that summoning her clothes had taken more out of her than she ever thought possible but she hid her exhaustion with a coy smirk. Catching Naruto's reluctant eyes, Kyuubi could tell the boy was embarrassed, but was there really to reason to feel that way?

'This just goes to show that we are comfortable around on another naked,' Kyuubi rationalized with a giggle making sure that Naruto caught that particular train of that as well. The boy's face went scarlet and Kyuubi's smile just widened.

However before any more banter could pass between the two the Hokage's double wooden doors opened revealing a small girl that stood only half as high as Naruto. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with the girl. She had deep brown hair that was pulled into a long ponytail on the left side of her head. Over her clan robes she wore a fuchsia jacket that blended surprising well with her blue robes and dark ninja sandals. However once the girl lifted her head, everyone noticed the shikomizue scabbarded in a glossed finished mahogany sheath that she had tucked away in her jacket as well as shining eye to match.

"So this is what you were talking about Hokage-san. Is this the Sharingan I've heard so much about?" Kyuubi asked. Despite her intimate knowledge of how the eye worked, via Tenkai's briefing before the Konoha Attack, Kyuubi had never once seen the Sharingan in great detail. Studying the girl's eye even closer, Kyuubi noticed that the kekkei genkai was not like the one her son received upon his birth. No this eye seemed to be struck somewhere between black and red, slumber and activation. It was as if her I was a smoldering piece of coal just barely holding on to its last embers…

"No, that is not the Sharingan most Uchiha have but is something entirely undocumented. Akane-chan's eyes are entirely something new. Their appearance could possibly be do to the girl's age her bloodline has finished forming, or that she received some sort of mutation as a direct result of Itachi's tampering. However what we do know is that the eye's reacts keenly movements accompanied with ki and it currently takes up no chakra for the girl to use," the Hokage said, verifying Kyuubi's suspicion. As the Hokage's words confirmed, whatever the girl possessed was not of the same line as her son's Sharingan but in fact something else. Something that looked like a cross between her eyes and that treacherous Tengu's…

Shivering at the thought Kyuubi looked down at the girl whilst washing all of her negative emotions away. Whatever the child possessed, she did not deserve any anger or hatred from her. Those emotions would be saved for the blasted bird and his followers.

"So what happens to the child now?" Kyuubi asked, once she realized that the girl had no other family old enough to support her.

"She will be staying with my family. Currently the village is in too much turmoil for me to release a child with such a sensitive situation into the open. Do not worry however all of the other children will be accommodated and have been chosen suitable foster families that can protect them if the need should arise. And as for Sasuke, he is the current clan head of the Uchiha and as such he can have no legal guardian, so once his month of rehab his over we will discuss suitable arrangements for him," the Hokage finished, before receiving a nod of approval from Kyuubi. The man left no visible loopholes in his plan, and for that she was thankful. Having a wise leader in a time of crisis was a commodity too few had…

"I'VE GOT YOU NOW OLD MAN! YOUR TIME AS HOKAGE IS OVER!!" a shrill, obviously prepubescent, voice cried as a thick cloud of chalky smoke erupted from behind the doorway and two shuriken few from out of the smokescreen. Acting quickly Naruto reached down and grabbed two of his wheelchair's spokes, and as if pulling tissue paper he ripped the metal bars from out of the wheel! Now acting on pure instinct the blond threw the rods at the flying stars, catching both in their vacant centers thus rendering them harmless to their targets.

'It seems as though your nervous system meshed together nicely. I was worried for a second given the ki the child was using, but it seems your 'automated defense' has finally kicked in,'Kyuubi explained, while Naruto looked down at his hands curiously.

'Automated defense?! What does that mean? Or better yet what does that have to do with how I stopped those shuriken?' Naruto asked realizing that he's never reacted that fast, ever…

'I really need to work on this kid's deduction system,' Kyuubi thought silently before moving on to explain the situation to Naruto.

'When I rebuilt your nervous system, I completely rewired your senses overlay to your nervous system. So now whenever you detect killing intent your body will react in the fastest possible way,'Kyuubi verified, watching silently as Naruto computed the information.

'So basically you ingrained reactions to danger in instinct! Perfect that is the perfect tool for any shinobi,' Naruto concluded excitedly.

'Almost I've merely routed it so that when you sense any possible danger to you or your comrades, your body will react in the best way it knows how. Making it more like muscle memory in that mind set. This way if you learn a better method of defend against something, for example shuriken, you won't have the ineffective method so ingrained in your body that you can't adapt and become better,' Kyuubi restated. Unsurprisingly a cheer filled her mind, and Kyuubi realized that Naruto may be smarter than he first lets on.

'Kyuubi one more question though. You said this defense system works off of ki detection…,' Naruto started hesitantly as if testing the water.

'Yes?'Kyuubi said reassuring Naruto that he wouldn't be punished for asking questions.

'So why did I react so violently. I mean I know the attack was using a deadly weapon, but he's a kid and I can't believe a kid can produce an authentic ki burst,' Naruto finished, drawing a sigh from Kyuubi. Fortunately the demoness kept her annoyance silent; she was going to have to murder all of Naruto's teachers. For they, Iruka being the only exception, willing kept one of their own ignorant out of some twisted form of hate and revenge.

'Naruto, I'm going to only say this once so I need you to pay close attention. A child no matter what the age can be a threat. As it stands there are kids out there who could be half your height but have killed more men then they can count! Never use age as a discriminating factor in your judgment. And for the record, even though the child's ki was almost nonexistent, to merely take aim and throw a weapon is a expression of killing intent,' Kyuubi finished evenly, her rage continually mounting at Konoha's teaching staff.

'Huh?'

'Pht… Look at it this way Naruto. When you throw a shuriken you are usually doing so to either kill your opponent or move them into a position where you can better kill then correct?' Kyuubi asked, her impatience finally becoming evident.

'Yeah, but there's more too that! You could be setting off a trap or signaling reinforcements…,'

'Yes, but the point still stands?' Kyuubi cut in, wanting to finish this conversation as quick as possible so she can brood on fitting ways to kill those who've wronged her human…

'My human?! I need to slow down before I become a cougar…' Kyuubi rationalized before settling back into her previous train of thought.

'Yeah so?' Naruto asked unaware of Kyuubi thoughts of him, and his little Namikaze…

'Well if that true, well isn't it true that on some level the boy knew he could have taken the Hokage's life with the shuriken? Thus is why you reacted, because any threat to you or your comrades' lives are considered ki by default,' Kyuubi concluded, inadvertently setting Naruto off.

'That idiot! Whoever he was he could have killed the Hokage,' Naruto seethed before peering angrily into the smoke while waiting for it to dissipate and give him an outlet for his rage.

'Let's not forget Akane as well. No of those stars were flying rather low, and would have nearly hit her if not for your actions,'Kyuubi piped in adding more fuel to the fire.

"What so you have a new body guard old man. He's good but I think he'd be better if he put some clothes on!" the boyish voice taunted as he charged Naruto. Again Naruto's body reacted instantaneously, and before the blond knew it he was half way into a submission kata he learned in the last years of the academy.

"Get off me you bully!" the boy cried as Naruto lifted him off the ground, arm still behind his head, putting just enough pressure on the boy's arm to keep him from moving.

"Not until you apologize for what you did. Because of your stupid move, Akane here could have been missing an eye and we as a village could have been missing a Hokage!" Naruto countered as he met the boy's fierce glare. Little did the blond know though, he was leaking a semi-potent ki from his eyes, thus subduing the brat without lifting a finger.

"I was just playing," the boy mumbled bitterly, as he looked away. Satisfied Naruto released the boy from his grip, and with a sigh he eased back into his wheelchair.

"Well it finally seems you've met your match Konohamaru. Someone who won't back down just because you are my grandson," Sarutobi offered at that exact moment, causing the boy's eyes to light up in glee and Naruto's in horror. It seemed as though Konoha's newest genin just got a new rival.

Once the business with Konohamaru was over, the Hokage and Kyuubi hammered out a few more details dealing with the Uchiha's case. Kyuubi needed to maintain an activate role in their lives, one so that she could keep tabs on them in case their 'father' moved against the, and two because her motherly instincts would never let her live without getting to know her children. Albeit long-since bastard children, but children nonetheless. Once completed however the Hokage had one more gift to present Naruto and that gift was the biggest one of them all.

"Are you sure this is all mine?! Seriously I think even if I made a thousand clones I wouldn't be able to fill this place up," Naruto asked in disbelief as he looked at the old style walls before him. The Namikaze estate was as old as the Senju estate, current the Hokage's tower, and actually predated Hyuuga Estate! In its entirety there were four main houses that connect to one grand building that served as the clan head's home. That home alone would shelter dozens in case of emergency and the complex itself was made to provide a safe haven for villagers during attacks.

Once passed the complex walls Naruto stared in awe at the heavenly gardens that surrounded his ancestral home. His family's namesake hadn't just been for their jutsu apparently. The design was in a class of its own, as water flowed from the tops of buildings and into the flora all around in a timely, almost clockwork, like fashion. Naruto's perception of beauty was forever altered as he stared at the marvel that lay out before him, not once ever wondering how exactly everything still worked after over a decade of negligence.

'By Kami's name! The 'hanging gardens' of old (2) ! No, these aren't those gardens, this is something else entirely…,' Kyuubi thought cryptically, not knowing that her surprise had rendered her thoughts readable to Naruto, via their soul link. The marvel that stood before them predated anything seen in this era, hell Kyuubi had thought all type of architecture this complex was lost during the Era of Chaos during the demon horde's relentless purge.

Needless to say anything that even remotely resembled anything that magnificent, were precious wonders to the world; and even though Kyuubi was awed by beauty of the work, something in the back of her mind, kept bugging her about these coincidences. Who was Uzumaki, no Namikaze Naruto? And why was it that she was place inside him, of all the people in the world. Something was fishy she just didn't know what…

After the one grand tour of the main building, for exploring all the other houses would take too long and would be a waste of time, Naruto had fallen in love with house he intended to make his home. Everything was perfect: from the fully stocked kitchen to the assorted hot springs all around the house, which fed into one master spring in the midst of the house's hanging gardens. Keeping his mind off of the various scenes that came to mid thanks to a certain orange little book, Naruto's mind wandered from the only book he had really read and recalled the library that store vast amounts of information. Information that he'd be sure to know thanks to a little technique he liked to call his trump card. With that Naruto cracked a sinister smile as they settled into the clan meeting room.

"Now Naruto I hope you've enjoyed the tour around the house and everything is to your liking," Sarutobi asked humorously. Naruto just gave the elder man a vigorous nod before going back to scheming.

'And with this palace of a safe house, no one will be safe!' Naruto thought dramatically drawing a raised eyebrow from Kyuubi. Smiling sheepishly at the fox woman, Naruto merely scratched the back of his head while the Hokage looked on in silence, trying to decipher the unspoken words that cross between the two.

"I'll take that as a yes… Therefore I proceed with the next part of your parent's will," the Hokage said as he brushed his hands across a seal on the table and his family chest from before appeared over the seal. Opening the top of chest once again, the Hokage saw Naruto watching attentively as he pulled out two items from the mysterious contents of the chest.

'Maybe it's a technique scroll, or maybe it's a sword, no better yet maybe it's a bloodline limit scroll that'll teach me to use a sword!' Naruto thought excitedly, ignoring Kyuubi's look as his body coursed with anxious energy. Unfortunately for the blond however, the items Sarutobi retrieved were neither a sword nor a scroll, but were in fact a cloak and a pair of gloves. Feeling his heart fall a little at the revelation, Naruto quickly squashed his disappointment amending that if they were something his parents' left him, then it was something worth having.

"These Naruto, are two of your parent's most treasured possession, and per their directions they are now yours. The gloves are a gift from the Sandaime Kazekage, when your father went to the Suna as my envoy. They were originally intended to be a gift for the Fourth Kazekage, but your father impressed the Sandaime so much that he deemed him more worthy of these gloves than his own predecessor," the elder shinobi explained, genuinely heartened when he saw Naruto face glowing with pride and awe. To the blond the gloves had gone from a lost memento to a priceless artifact in his eyes, for they were something that physically linked him to his father other than just his looks or blood.

Gripping the ecru gloves in his hands, Naruto eyes scanned over the flawless padding before slid his hands into them. The gloves, for lack of any better term, fit like a glove and although he was sure they hadn't been used for over a decade, Naruto swore he could still feel the impression his father's hand had made before him. The feeling was comforting and chilling at the same time.

Once fitted over his waiting hands, Naruto quickly spotted the faintly glowing gems on the backside of his gloves. Throwing a questioning look to the Hokage, the man just smiled and explained that those stones, which were known as kazeishi, made his gloves worth more than the house he lived in! For those stones, when charged with chakra, naturally emit wind aligned energies! However it wasn't for their powers alone that they were so expensive; the stones could only be cultivated in an area that experienced a high level of winds at all times. These places were usually deep ravines and hollowed caves in wind country, areas that weren't normally accessible to miners which made the low supply sharply contrast the steep demand. However before his eyes Naruto had four perfectly matching kazeishi stones arranged in a diamond array on each of his gloved hands, all as a gift to his father from the Kazekage nonetheless!

Turning his attention away from his newest accessories, Naruto eyes wandered back to his second gift, the gift from his mother. Reaching for the cloak, Naruto was surprised to find that garment didn't brush against the ground but instead hung perfectly at his ankles. Fastening the cover around his neck, Naruto immediately noticed the same spiral pattern that had adorned the back of his favorite jumpsuit was now on the none-reflective metal that clasped this cloak around his neck.

"That is the Uzumaki spiral, a mark your mother wore with great pride and dignity even though she had her difference with her family. Incidentally that is the same mark you wore on the side of your jacket, and like your mother I've always believed you carried that mark with pride and dignity, despite your ignorance of its meaning," the Hokage said answering Naruto's unasked question.

Naruto was flattered by the Hokage's words, but he couldn't help but feel a little embittered towards the old man for leaving him in the dark so long about his heritage. It was a dark realization he didn't like acknowledge, but he knew it to be true. Stuffing that bit of self discovery away for the moment, Naruto basked in the warmth that came from his mother's cloak. Looking into one of the story tall mirrors that decorated the room around him, Naruto noticed that his image, although clearly visible, was blurred ever so slightly. Peering harder into his reflection, Naruto noticed that the distortion wasn't coming from the mirror, but the affect his cloak was having on his reflection.

"Distortion, it was one of the special properties of your mother's cloak. Although I can't say I understand it fully, I wasn't genjutsu or seal specialist like your mother, from what I understand the cloak takes any residual chakra the wearer may be emitting a creates a field of sorts that hides the wearer. Although not entirely original, the ability is incredibly usefully as it saved her life on more than one occasion, and yours as well," the Hokage explained before getting another pointed look from Naruto.

"Naruto this was cloth in which you were born onto, and it was the cloak that hid you away before the sealing," the Hokage explained, eyes dancing from Naruto to Kyuubi. Although it wasn't an intentional barb, the secondary meaning was obvious to all those in the room. However Kyuubi's stony expression and lack of commentary, both aloud and mental, were key indicators that the fox woman didn't care. Or was just quieter in her disposition than she let on…

"Really now, I guess I'll have to research my mother's notes from the scroll you gave so I can find out all the things this baby can do," Naruto cut in after the silent became just a bit too unbearable for him to stand.

"Well I will leave you to that. I can't put off my responsibilities as Hokage any longer, and I fear that stack of paperwork I left in the office has only gotten bigger. Enjoy your mementos Naruto, for they prove, without a doubt, who you are and where you've come from," and with that the wizened Hokage rose from the cushioned seat he'd been sitting on and made his way to the door.

"Oh and Naruto, your first mission as a new genin of Konoha is to report to my office at 0700 hours. From there you will get your first assignment," the Hokage said at the door before shunshin'ing out of the complex.

"I'd advising getting some sleep, because I doubt any mission you will have from now on will be easy," Kyuubi suggested before disappearing into the seal; the Hokage's last words having a more profound affect on her than she wanted anyone to realize.

'I wonder what's the matter with her?' Naruto asked himself before he made his way towards the master bedroom. Crawling into the same bed his parents' had slept on, Naruto couldn't help but feel a resonating sense of kinship as he different off to sleep, still wearing his father's gloves and his mother's cloak. And for once in his life, Naruto actually felt like this was where he belonged…

Read and Review

(1) – Yes I know doujutsu are so cliché, but honestly I really couldn't move a lot of the plot around the way I plan to unless Naruto had a few of these specific powers and the best way I knew how to do it was with a kekkei genkai. Don't worry though this won't be another counter-to-the-Sharingan doujutsu, but will have its own assorted strengths and weaknesses that will be addressed in its own manner. However I will say the doujutsu part of the kekkei genkai isn't its most powerful aspect, and to readers who paid attention well half the answer is already on paper for you (muhahahaha). FYI Seishogan translates out to be Energy Lord Eye but can be translated out to be Law/System/Command Lord Eyes as well, so take that into consideration as you plan your predictions.

(2) – Just an indicator of exactly how old Kyuubi is, and moreover how much she has actually seen. And for those who don't understand the allusion, look up Babylon's Hanging Gardens and you'll understand what I'm getting.

A/N: Well there goes another one, and good news most of this filler stuff is done! But alas, now that the foundation is set it only gets harder, seeing as now I have to take all of the things I have prepared for, both hinted to and hidden away, and make this all work out in a timely fashion. Believe me when I say if I could, I would have all of this done in the space of a few days, but in my heart of hearts I know that for what I have planned, finishing in a years time would be a dream.

Aside from my current fancies for this fic, I will say a lot of stuff manage to sneak into this chapter that was planning to introduce later. Oh well, I guess it just more dramatic irony for me (the writer) to hold over your (you the reader's) head. Don't worry I've never been able to keep a secret for long and I promise that I will tell all as soon as I can.

Lastly, I was recently asked a question regarding the pairing of this fic, specifically who is in the harem. Although up until recently I would have said Kyu/Hin/Ten/Ino a sudden idea made me reconsider Ino's place in the harem. Personally I like her character and even if she isn't in the harem, I still plan to do so character development with her (and her team by extension); but if you could, let me know how you feel about a change (PM would be preferred). Other than that my current muse is telling that in her place I should put a Fem Haku, so if you have any thoughts or comments don't be afraid to speak up. And like always 'twas a pleasure and until next time…

Black Saint

Completed 9/25/08