SURPRISE!
IT'S A DOUBLE CHAPTER UPDATE!
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But I bet you're all going to say that this chapter's lame.
Or something.
Well it can't be helped.
Sorry about that.
Here's Chapter 10! (Can you believe it? It's 10!)
Chapter 10 – Day 3 (Part II): Revelation!
Back to the bedroom, and still no electricity.
There was not much to do except play all sorts of card games and a hundred rounds of rock-paper-scissors. They stopped when it got too dark and they couldn't see what they were playing. Minato and Kushina each won 45% of the games, while Naruto won a measly 10%.
They'd know because they tallied it.
Why?
Because there's nothing else to do.
Huuh. Tou-chan is sharp; he can probably predict some of our moves. Kaa-chan…well…it's either she's used to these games, or she has exceptional luck, or she's also sharp. Ooorrr, tou-chan might be letting her win. Me on the other hand…
A gloomy aura fell on him.
Because the results were tallied, the difference is like a slap on the face.
Make that double.
It isn't surprising actually. Naruto loses to his Kage Bunshin in these kind of things anyway.
But still… huhu.
"Haha, take that, Naruto!" Kushina's so full of her victory, she forgot her manners.
"Kushina…" Minato looked at her.
She stuck her tongue out at him, but she stopped bragging.
Then he turned to Naruto, "Neh, neh, Naruto-nii, there no need to feel sad! These games are just about luck…well, okay, there's some strategy here too, but… that's all."
Her mom ignored Naruto's sulking at defeat, saying, "Neh, if we don't look for candles soon, we're going to have a hard time. It's really getting dark."
"You're right," Naruto stood up, and shook his bad vibes away.
It's just a game.
Naruto quickly navigated through the short hall, while Minato and Kushina have to feel their way around.
"Here!" Naruto produced a candlestick and a matchbox from the cabinet under the sink.
He promptly lighted it and set it in a candleholder, to prevent wax spills.
"I guess it will be good if we eat dinner already," Kushina suggested.
"Hmm! So we could sleep early!" Naruto agreed.
Kushina glared at him, "Sleep. Again?"
But Minato sided with him, "Well, unless you'd like to suggest something we could do, we'd better be off sleeping, so we could wake up early tomorrow…" then he fired up, you could almost see him glow in the dark, "and start training!"
"Yeah!"
Actually I just want to sleep, it's really comfy, and the pillows are cold…
But tomorrow… My insides are twisting just thinking about it.
It was also that way with Sasuke, wasn't it?
"Okay, okay, I get you," she surrendered and took out the food from the fridge to heat.
After dinner, tidying up the table, and washing themselves, they were back at the bedroom, in their pajamas. They had put out the candle light since they didn't really need it anyway (They are ninjas after all.), and to prevent risk of fire (ironic as it is, since it's raining).
"Can I sleep with you in the futon?" Minato suddenly said.
"Aren't you comfortable in the bed?" Kushina, skeptical, while Naruto with utmost eagerness, "Of course! But I think it will be a little cramped or something."
"The bed's okay, but it's kinda lonely. And chilly. We could squeeze in and keep warm. If it's okay with you that is."
Even in the darkness, Naruto could see his dad blush.
Ooooh. But they're too young…
"I'm okay. How about you, ka—Kushina-chan?"
Naruto's question was met with silence.
"Kushina-chan?"
"It's okay…"
Yes!
"…Only if Naruto-nii would be the one in the middle. Like earlier after lunch."
"Yosh!" Naruto happily said, "Tuck in then!"
They did and certainly, soon all of them were comfortably warm.
The question hit him like a humongous log trap.
Only he was expecting to be hit.
"Neh, Naruto-nii, why do you live alone? There's no picture of them in your house, not even one! And nobody thought you to cook—"
"Minato! That's—"
Actually, she wanted to know. She knew they were dead, but beyond ordinary curiosity, she wanted to know what happened to them.
There's just something in my gut feeling… she thought.
"It's okay, ka—Kushina-chan. I knew you two would ask anyway. Even before you asked me."
"Eh, Kushina, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it's not for me to talk about," she replied, staring on her lap.
Minato didn't ask further, and for a while, the only sound was the patter of the rain on the roof and its sloshing on the window, the fall of water from the gutters, and a far away thunder.
This is really awkward. Maybe I shouldn't have asked. he thought as he slowly cringed from Naruto.
"Neh, sorry if I'm being to nosy—"
"Ah, where should I begin?"
Silence.
"Naruto-nii, if you don't want to talk about it, just forget my question and let's just get to sleep. It's okay. Gomenasai."
"No need to be sorry… Actually… I wanted to share it with the two of you anyway."
"Eh? Why us?" Kushina pulled on his sleeve.
Because you are my most important people.
"Maybe… because I trust you enough to do so."
That's a weird reason, but I'll take it.
"Are you ready?"
Naruto felt the both of them nod.
"Okay… I'll put it simply. I grew up, alone. Without parents. And worst, outcast by the villagers."
Outcast… Like I was before. Kushina thought.
"They wouldn't let me near their shops, their children. Like I had a disease or something.
"They threw things at me, or painful words.
"It's offending… I was hurt… and often I'd go home and cry myself to sleep," he stopped and chuckled uneasily.
"There was even a time I hated them so much."
Them knowing this… is it really okay?
He immediately attempted to lift the mood, "But there were people who weren't like that. People who were always kind to me from the start, like Sarutobi-jiji, Teuchi-san from Ichiraku—"
"Hokage-sama," Minato, awed.
"Oh, Teuchi-san! I always eat ramen at that place. He really is a good man," Kushina piped in.
"Yeah… I was a prankster, a major headache to both Sarutobi-jiji and the ANBU actually. My favorite target is the HokageMonument actually—"
"The Hokage Monument! But that's a village landmark, tampering with it is prohibited!" his dad interjected, a tiny bit of anger in his voice.
"Sorry, to—Minato-chan, but that's exactly why it's my regular target. It's something everyone could see! I wanted everyone to see that I am not going to be discouraged by their calllous actions and words.
Neh, tou-chan, I also painted your face on the Monument, but your face was always a degree better in state than the others… since you are my idol…
"That I'd never ever going to give up!
"That was also the time I decided that I want to be a Hokage, and be recognized by the villagers."
Hokage… Just like what I dream to be. A great Hokage whom everyone acknowledges.
Hokage… That's what I said at my orientation. But of course that was…
"And by the way, even the ANBU can't chase me down. That's how good I was!
"Even as I entered the Academy, there was a lot of opposition. From the teachers to my classmates' parents. I could hear everything from where I sat alone on the swing in front of the Academy.
"They said I shouldn't be allowed in the school. That I was trouble. That I would be a danger to their children and the village.
"I was alone.
"But then, Iruka-sensei, my homeroom teacher, was the first to understand me. I was extremely glad of course.
"After that I made friends, from my classmates.
"You should know them! I'd invite them to a party or something, and introduce them to you!"
"Just a few, whom you could really trust." Like you wished, kaa-chan.
"At first they were apprehensive around me, but when we knew each other better, they proved to be the best bonds I ever formed! Especially with my first team, Team 7. You've met two of them, Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei. The other one, Sasuke… he's not here now."
A long pause.
"In the Chunin Exams, I met someone who had exactly the same situation as I did, when I was young and alone. The thing is, he never found frientds. I understood him so much it hurts. Gaara from Sunagakure.
"But now he's got friends like me, so don't worry!
"Though the time that we met, everything was a mess. Konoha almost fell to ruins after an invasion. We lost Sarutobi-jiji that time—"
"Sandaime-sama died?!" Minato was shocked.
That's impossible…
"Yeah…sorry…. That was… when I had to set out with Ero-sennin to look for Tsunade-baa-chan. To have her take on the Hokage seat."
"So that's how you knew Jiraiya-sensei. You called him Ero-sennin the other time and I was wondering how you knew about his… pervertedness."
"Yes, and he was the one who thought me the Rasengan."
Which you created, tou-chan.
"Eh, sugoi…"
I'd totally ask him about it when I see him, and have him teach me!
"Soon, Ero-sennin took me in as his student, and we left Konoha for 3 years, to train me. To prepare me for enemies who were after my life."
"AFTER YOUR LIFE?!" Kushina exclaimed.
Identical to the time Kumogakure had me kidnapped! There must be something about Naruto-nii…
"The training was successful, I believe, since I defeated most of the bad guys now anyway… But tou-chan warned me of something bigger and badder…
"Bigger and badder?" Minato wondered.
What can be more sinister than people after his life?
"Yeah, well…about that can we skip that?"
"Well okay… but how did you meet your father? Wasn't he dead?"
"Yeah well…
This is getting difficult. But I'd tell them the truth, without lying, just leaving out parts…
"You see… he was the one who sealed the thing which the villagers despised me for. He tweaked the seal so that I'd meet him and kaa-chan somewhere in the future."
"What is that 'thing'?" Kushina (of all people) asked.
Here goes nothing.
Naruto let out a shuddering breath.
"It's the Kyuubi."
And there goes nothing!
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"Bigger and badder" is an understatement.
Avid followers of the manga should know!
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Oooh, I wonder how this will turn out.
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Reviews appreciated!