Yes, this story is still a thing! I needed that break to redesign this fic's plot, as well as finish university, but now that I've done all that… it's time for publishing new stuff!
Apophenia
Contrasts
"And remember: don't get too far from the boy," the masked man reminded as he crouched down next to the one-foot tall demon fox.
"Yeah, yeah," Kurama grumbled. "Or the link between my sealed self and this clone-like body is interrupted, and you're not around to create a new one. Pesky meatbag. Just go already. You've already gotten your refill, and you've made enough fun of me as well."
"Sticking close to the kid also gives you the opportunity to get to know him a little. Who knows, he might grow on ya!"
"When Hell freezes over…"
"Ku-chan, why are you always such a meany?" little Naruto frowned. "Kaa-chan, is Ku-chan always like this?"
"Pretty much, but don't you think you should say goodbye, Naruto-chan?" Kushina chided her easily distracted son. She had taken the children and fox to the gates of Konohagakure so they could say goodbye to their unusual guests.
"Bye-bye Masked-mister, bye-bye Yuya-chan!"
"Train hard and grow strong, little ones," the masked man ruffled through the hair of both Naruto and Tenten. "And I think you'll need to keep your Nii-chan in control," he chuckled, nodding to Tenten. "Good thing you've got the perfect sensei in Kushina!"
"Come on Tou-san, we're late," little Tayuya sighed. "See ya next time, crybaby."
"I'm not a crybaby!"
"You are," Tayuya stuck her tongue out at him before trotting off.
"Be careful in Kiri," Kushina held the man by his arm, before he could follow his adopted daughter. "Yagura is dangerous…"
"I'll manage, somehow," he gently squeezed her hand. "We Uzumaki are too tough to be done in by a little bijuu! See you guys soon!"
"Idiot," Kurama grumbled, when the two were out of sight, the path taking a turn into the forests that surrounded Konoha. "If he underestimates Isobu, he'll get his ass kicked again. And this time I'm not going to help him out. Damn leech."
"He said he'll do it, Kurama, so he will," Kushina boasted, although she mostly feigned confidence to calm the kids. Naruto and Tenten were both confused by the way Kushina was acting. "Shall we go home? Itachi-san should be back today, so we can't leave him waiting!"
"Well, I suppose that I have to thank you for at least waiting until we got out of Konoha," the masked man chuckled aloud when Tayuya came to a sudden stop. It made him proud that the little girl noticed them; she'd definitely become a great kunoichi one day- although he already knew that. "Then again, you wouldn't have liked it if you had involved the wife and son of the Hokage. It would have forced me to be… unfriendly."
"Tou-san, who are these white-eyed idiots? Are they trying to pick a fight with you?"
"They are, Yuya-chan, so stay out of it," he chuckled. "After all, these spineless bastards seem to specialize in tormenting little girls. Anything older than that would be beyond their meager level of skill- such heroism."
"You arrogant-" one of the eleven Hyuga assassins made the mistake of falling for the taunt. The break in his concentration, if only for a second, proved to be fatal. Rage was a horrible advisor.
"One down, ten to go," the man wiped a drop of blood from his mask. The fallen Hyuga had been slain in one mighty punch, one which seemingly broke every bone in the man's face. "Seriously, I told Hiashi what would happen if you guys kept screwing around with those seals. I won't let your clan slander the art of fuinjutsu any longer. But, if I had to name one thing that pissed me off, I'd point at the treatment your clan's heiress was getting. It's a good thing at least that improved, or I would not have waited for you idiots to take the initiative."
The remaining ten glared at him, guarded after the display, though still upholding their typical coldness as befit their Hyuga reputation. The fools, in spite of their so-called all-seeing eyes, still had no idea who they were messing with.
The masked man sighed. "So be it. A few years ago, I warned Hiashi that I'd tear his clan down if he didn't change his policies, but apparently the guy is even dumber than he looked. Perhaps nine more deaths would be enough to get the message across… so, which of you ten idiots desires to be the unlucky one to survive and bring Hiashi the message?"
"…unlucky?"
Their byakugan registered the sudden shift in the man's chakra. But it was already too late. "Yeah, the unlucky one to survive will lose his ability to function as a shinobi," the predatory laughter chilled them. This wasn't what they had signed up for. This wasn't what eleven chunin-level shinobi were cut out for. "The lucky ones don't have to suffer for the rest of their miserable lives..."
In the days that followed, only one could manage to equal the frustration that Hyuga Hiashi felt. Kurama, poor Kurama, attempted to teach young Naruto how to control his powers. Obviously, that did not turn out well. With an attention span that rivaled that of a goldfish, Namikaze Naruto was distracted faster than Kurama could utter words. And in his current condition, the outer body being as tiny as a common housecat, the fox could not force the child to settle down either.
The tantrum that followed after a notably bad move on Naruto's side (Kurama didn't appreciate the child's attempt to dress him up) didn't achieve much either. Even Kushina had laughed when she saw the tiny fox trying to pull out Naruto's hair. Teaching the boy anything in the usual way seemed nigh impossible, so Kurama looked for ways to get the boy to pay attention. Then he found the most effective method of all: pranks. The spectacle at the office of the Hokage had been ingenious to the point that Kurama started to think that the boy actually had some brains, leading to the misconception and frustration when he tried to be a responsible 'sensei'.
Oh, how Kurama hated it when Kushina called him 'Kurama-sensei'. She was mocking him. The entire thing about him being tiny was one big joke to her.
"I'll make them all pay." Yes, by encouraging Naruto to become the grand prankmaster of Konoha, Kurama would eventually make Kushina pay for her mockery. Although the person who suffered most at this time was poor Itachi. Naruto was elusive to the point that Itachi nearly ate his hitai-ate when he lost the children again.
"Wah?" Naruto tried to look up, but considering how Kurama was resting on top of Naruto's head, this didn't really work out. The little fox had to struggle to stay on top. Kushina was taking Naruto and Tenten to some kind of playing field, after mentioning something about future classmates.
A ragged Itachi followed in the shadows, still recovering from Naruto's attempt to 'decorate' the main gates. Knowing that Tsunade would leave that morning, Naruto had thought that it would be a good idea to hang a banner with 'Bye-bye Baa-chan!' painted on it, a gesture that made a lot of people snicker; with each laugh Tsunade's mood had worsened. She was rather sensitive when it involved her age. Of course she was a complete sucker, and Naruto knew it, as she couldn't get mad at him. But then there was the one who was supposed to look after him, though… a ragged Itachi.
The anger of Tsunade wasn't so much due to the gate-prank, no… but the moment she could, she grabbed Itachi by his collar and dragged him off to whispering distance, so that the children wouldn't hear what she had to tell him. She demanded to know the truth: did Itachi really forget about something as simple as a Kawarimi no Jutsu, or did he not mind it if someone snatched Naruto away. Tsunade's words stung even more, though, when she told him that rumors were circulating that Itachi allowed Naruto to be taken away, even though Minato had somehow resolved the situation. Her inhuman strength could never hurt him as much as the knowledge that he had unintentionally fueled the anti-Uchiha faction, all due to his own inexperience.
That said, Yugao wasn't feeling much better, although her shame was caused by something completely different. It's not like Tsunade had a habit of randomly clobbering people, mind you. Naruto had tormented the girl in a more refined way. Although the boy was, naturally, completely oblivious about what he had done. Yugao was still thinking of hurting Hayate, whose poor stalking skills had led to Naruto calling out to him in the middle of a busy street. That the boy then began to prattle –loudly – on how Yugao and Hayate would soon be a Tou-san and Kaa-chan had made the situation even more embarrassing. The ensuing discussion between Naruto and Tenten on whether it was storks or toads that delivered babies had brought Kushina to tears, she hadn't had a laugh like that in a long time.
Hayate, or 'Hayata' as Naruto usually called him, had practically set a new record for fastest shunshin, while Yugao's blush had lit up right through her mask. Kushina had suggested naming her the 'crimson flash'. Little children could unknowingly be devils in the cutest disguises man could think of. And ever since the little Kurama had appeared, Yugao had seen Naruto's hyperactivity spike to unprecedented levels. The boy had way too much energy for his own good, and that was while Kushina and Tenten still slowed him down…
'I shudder at the thought of him becoming a shinobi. The stamina and excess chakra Naruto-chan has is just downright scary. I mean, no child his age should be capable of mustering so much chakra already. Even those from Kekkei Genkai clans only have weird spikes in their capacity, and not something as constant as Naruto already has,' Yugao sighed. If only the boy could let Hayate be, rather than keep chasing him away. 'But what do I… do I really want Hayate-kun to be my… my…'
With her fifteen years Yugao knew enough to have a very vivid imagination, while still retaining enough of her shyness and innocence to make her hesitate about every way she thought she could have a relationship with Hayate. The rather introverted and shy boy didn't have a clue either. Thus the two kept circling around each other without saying how they truly felt about the other. 'What do I truly feel about Hayate-kun?' Even hidden in the shadows the kunoichi couldn't hide the glow of her blush- so much for shinobi never showing their emotions.
"Ku-chan, why are you so grouchy?" Naruto wondered. "Is it because Kaa-chan gave you meat instead of ramen?"
"Not everyone lives solely for ramen," Tenten sighed, walking next to her 'brother'.
"They don't?"
"Don't look so surprised, feeble meatbag," Kurama grumbled. "Pandagirl is correct; as usual, she's smarter than you. I don't like ramen at all. Just give me some raw meat and I'm happy."
"You're funny," Naruto laughed.
"I. Am. Not. Funny." Kurama hissed. "Why do you keep mocking me, you ignoramus!"
"Ig… Igno… What?"
"Exactly," the foot-high fox huffed with no small amount of satisfaction at the boy's confusion.
The main event of the day was exactly as Kushina had told the children: they would meet others of their age group, those of the clans who'd join Naruto in class. Apparently some of the clans had aimed to get their children closer to the son of the infamous Yondaime. Kushina suspected the Yamanaka to be behind it, and was rather cautious as her overprotective-mother-senses shot up a few levels, knowing that even innocent games would soon deteriorate into something much worse…
The fact that Ino glomped Naruto the very moment she saw him didn't make Kushina's mood much better. Luckily, Mikoto was there to calm the impatient redhead down. The older Uchiha had come alongside Sasuke, her youngest son, because Kushina invited them. It wasn't like they would be here if they had depended on the Hyuga to invite them. No, vying for the position of Konoha's strongest clan, the relations between Hyuga and Uchiha were already bad enough – even before the rumors started after the night that the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. The rumors that an Uchiha was the one who caused it all had only increased the tensions. After all, everyone knew that Uchiha Madara had been able to control the bijuu. He was infamous for using the Kyuubi in his battle against the Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
Minato's refusal to clarify what happened that night only made the speculations worse, even though he urged that the clan could be trusted. Everyone agreed on one thing: the Kyuubi didn't act out of free will. It had attacked certain locations specifically, and had never caused any damage to the Uchiha compound. The consequence had been that the gap between the Uchiha and the rest of the village had only increased. Many clans, most notably the Aburame and Hyuga, already had a rather isolationist policy, but what was currently happening was something that worried Minato and Kushina a lot.
'Danzo had many supporters before he was forced to flee the village, many who agreed with him that the Uchiha were too dangerous to be left unchecked. And as they are the backbone of the military police, the Uchiha clan is not unaware of this fact. Why can't people just look past these silly self-imposed barriers and borders?' Kushina smiled while looking at the children frolic around. "If only the adult population could take these children as an example."
"And here I thought most of Konoha was already acting childish enough as it is," Mikoto joked, albeit rather mirthlessly.
"They do indeed, but they lost their innocence, their impartiality," Kushina sighed. "Perhaps the next generation will manage to do what ours could not."
"Fugaku and I hold high hopes for our sons. Itachi-kun is a prodigy unlike anything the clan has seen since the creation of Konohagakure, while Sasuke-chan… well, he tries to follow his older brother's example, but he is still too young. And far too impatient," Mikoto smiled fondly as she watched her youngest. Sasuke knew that Itachi was somewhere around, him being Naruto's guard, and was searching in every nook and cranny for his beloved older brother.
"Well, this time it'll be an Uzumaki who kicks Uchiha butt," Kushina huffed.
"Are you still sore about that?" Mikoto laughed. "I was almost a jonin by the time you left the academy. The only thing that can be blamed is your own big mouth."
"Naru-kuuuunnnn," it was the last thing Naruto had heard before Ino tackled him with a flying hug. Kurama nimbly jumped from Naruto's head, landing on the ground without getting caught up in the blonde mess of arms and legs.
"Idiot," Tenten groaned.
"They're both idiots, Pandagirl," Kurama groused. "They're practically made for each other. Two blonde morons…"
"What the… what kind of troublesome creature is this supposed to be?"
"Can it, pineapple," the fox snapped back.
"Shikamaru-san! You're here too?"
"Ugh… I was sleeping in perfect peace and quiet, only to end up being dragged away by my mother. Troublesome women…"
"You think all women are annoying?"
"Well… not all," Shikamaru hesitated. "Although you are starting to ask troublesome questions now."
"It seems that Pandagirl at least has made a more sensible choice when it comes to her mate," Kurama snickered, not that either of the children realized what he said- yet.
"What's with the little fox?" Choji joined in, with his usual bag of chips.
"Fox… nine tails… no way," Shikamaru gasped, suddenly realizing what this creature in front of him was. "But… the Kyuubi is supposed to be massive."
"I think Ku-chan has some issues about height, so best not say too much about-"
Tenten tried to be subtle, tried to whisper so that Kurama wouldn't be irked even more than he already was, but the fox had good ears. Jumping at Tenten, however, was not a success for the little fox. Naruto plucked him right out of the air, holding him up for Ino.
"Ino-chan, this is Ku-chan!" he chirped. "Ku-chan, this is Ino-chan!"
"Let go of me, you filthy meatbag!" was what Kurama wanted to say. He was, however, silenced by Ino's outcry about how 'cute' the little fox was, followed by the worst ten minutes of Kurama's existence. It wasn't just Ino; the other girls joined in too. Hinata might have been shy and indecisive, but she did pet the struggling fox just as much as Ino did.
"She's from the Haruno family, I think," Shikamaru frowned, when Tenten asked him about the children she had not seen before. He seemed to know about a lot of things, and unlike Naruto, Shikamaru gave at least a comprehensible answer- much more complete than the things Naruto usually exclaimed. "I think I saw Ino with her once or twice; do you remember Choji?"
"Wasn't she named after a flower or something?" the chubby youth mused.
"Sakura, yes that was her name. Huh, I guess she got clearance to enter the academy as well, otherwise she wouldn't be here."
"You already know everyone?" Tenten wondered.
"That loud kid over there, who tried to hold a contest with Naruto for who talks biggest, before Ino pushed him away," Shikamaru pointed at a rather brash-looking boy. "That's the youngest son of the Inuzuka clan head. Kiba is his name. You've already met Hinata, over there, and next to the tree she's hiding behind we have Aburame Shino."
"Where?" Tenten squinted, trying to find the person that Shikamaru pointed out. "That boy in that cloak and high-collared jacket? I can barely see him. Why is he hiding like that?"
"Most Aburame are like that," the young Nara shrugged. "Not sure why. Perhaps it has something to do with their abilities. Kaa-san always seems a bit disgusted when she talks about them. Never asked why, though," he scratched his chin.
"Anyone else I should know about?"
"I once met that purple-haired girl over there," he nodded. "That's Ami, I don't recall she ever said she was part of a clan or anything, although she acted arrogant enough for it."
"Says you, who hails from the Nara clan," Tenten smirked. "But the way she brushed Sakura aside wasn't very nice," she noted, the girl didn't manage to hold Kurama for long though, as he quickly escaped from her and her two friends. One of them had spiky red hair, but the other… Tenten had to laugh when she noticed the ginger afro, and how it contrasted with the girl's disgusted expression, as if she just stepped in a pile of dog poo.
"Bullies usually are flanked by others," Choji sighed. "Like that Unagi boy. I don't think that I like him."
"He called you fat, so you shouldn't even try to like him," Shikamaru shook his head. "They only picked on you because you're too gentle, Choji. You have to stand up for yourself."
"Yeah, just shove a stick up their-"
This gathering of cuddling children was hell. Kurama fled, but at each turn there was another who tried to pet him. Some were gentle, like the white eyed girl, and some were less subtle, like the blonde menace that followed his meatbag.
Thinking about him, Kurama realized that it was the only way out. So he tracked down the boy and jumped on his head, that at least gave him some safety. Only the blonde menace was bold enough to assault Naruto, as the others seemed to have some sort of respect for the boy. 'Must be his heritage. I doubt he would be respected because of me,' Kurama sighed. 'It is peculiar. On one end, the humans seem to have lost much of the reverence they once held for the most powerful bloodlines, yet on the other hand they worship their new heroes and their offspring. Perhaps it is due to the fact that the majority of the clans have failed to produce truly powerful shinobi, whereas someone like the Namikaze just popped up out of nowhere. Ah well, the less respect those accursed Uchiha get, the better…'
"Ku-chan?"
"Shut up. Just make sure all these snuggling felines stay away from me," Kurama grumbled. "And I think someone is trying to capture your sentinel."
"Sentiwhat?"
"Protector, guard, watch, sentry, what word do you prefer."
"Itachi-niisan?"
"That black-haired kit over there is chasing after him like a sad little pup…"
"Sasuke!"
"It seems like Sasuke-kun and Naruto-chan will be best friends rather than rivals," Kushina said with a slight disappointment. "Too bad, I was hoping I could finally get back at you."
"Perhaps they'll be both, Sasuke-chan was quite jealous when he learned that Naruto gets to spend a lot of time with Itachi," Mikoto laughed. "Perhaps my sons will show why the power of the kekkei genkai clan will always be superior, by beating yours."
"Some would disagree with that view," Yamanaka Yuriko cut in. The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans did not possess any specific bloodline traits, but instead were trained from their birth to fill a specific role with specific techniques. Their jutsu weren't kekkei genkai, but 'hiden': the secret tradition of a clan.
"Let's say we'll show them the strength of all our clans," Kushina shook her head, remaining diplomatic in spite of being annoyed that Yuriko would start such a discussion when they should be enjoying their time watching the children getting to know each other. "If it is about proving strength, why did you invite so many civilian children?"
"All are talented, those are practically ensured of a position at the academy," Yuriko shrugged. "You know the changes your husband endorses. No boundaries. After all, he's pretty much the poster child of that change."
"Yes, Minato is rather adamant when it comes to discrimination," Kushina couldn't help pointing out. "Like the treatment some give the Uchiha…"
"Discrimination or healthy suspicion, you never denied that it was an Uchiha who was involved that night," the Yamanaka retorted. "All you say is 'secret', even when it is a matter that involves the entire village. Do you even know how many people lost their-"
"I do not need a reminder of that, thank you," Kushina said icily. Suddenly a purple-haired anbu appeared next to her. "Your curiosity has always been a weakness, Yuriko. That matter was declared an S-rank secret for good reasons. You just have to learn to accept that you do not know those reasons. Know your place."
"That went smoothly," Mikoto frowned, watching the not-very-amused Yamanaka stride away.
"Nosy idiot," Kushina grumbled. The night Naruto was born was still a sensitive matter, and Yuriko had overstepped her boundaries. "Yugao, why did you reveal yourself? We don't want to give the impression that we're threatening anyone."
"My orders were to protect you, Kushina-sama."
"Rest assured, Anbu-san, I wouldn't let anyone exploit Kushina's fragile condition." The sharingan flared up as Mikoto showed a firm expression that Kushina hadn't seen since she had foolishly challenged the woman, back when she was just a kid herself.
After a rather annoying day filled with complaining elders, clan heads, civilians, and even jonin, Namikaze Minato was happy to finally be back home. It was a little late, he conceded, but Kushina had saved him something to eat in the fridge nonetheless. She had even waited for him, but obviously this day had taken its toll on her. It was only half past eight, but Kushina was fast asleep on the couch.
Silently, he sneaked toward the hallway cupboard, taking one of the spare blankets from the shelves. It wasn't a rare occurrence that Kushina took a nap after dinner, considering her fragile condition, so they were prepared. Minato knew she'd only sleep for an hour or so. What was more surprising to him, however, was that he didn't see the kids. Unlike Kushina, who still suffered due to Kurama's extraction, neither of the children had a shortage of energy- especially Naruto.
'Ah, right, I recall that they were to meet their future classmates today,' Minato remembered. 'Small wonder Kushina is exhausted. Knowing Naruto-chan…'
His suspicions were right. Little Naruto was snoring loud enough to pass for a grown man. Unsurprisingly, Tenten was still awake. Barely, but she was at least somewhat conscious. Enough to smile at him and mutter 'Tou-san', when Minato made sure she was properly tucked in, a habit he had fallen into because his unruly son always managed to kick his blankets away. Unlike Naruto, Tenten could actually get sick, which was a risk Minato wasn't going to take.
"Did you have fun today, Tenten-chan?" he whispered, not wanting to disturb Naruto.
"Yes. I met a lot of other kids… Shikamaru was there too," she said drowsily. "Seems like I'm not as troublesome as the rest of the class."
Well now, that killed the mood, for Minato at least. He had grown too fond of the little girl to think of… 'I suppose this is how Kushina feels when it comes to Naruto and girls? Perhaps I should stop making fun of her. Once I have finished the paperwork, Tenten will be our daughter in everything but name. I can't let her get drawn into that madness. After how the Senju were decimated, I refuse to take any chances with those I care about. If she carries the Namikaze name she would instantly be a big target, for people worse than the boys who'd get interested in her over the years. I've seen how insane people get, trying to stir up their daughters to get close to my boy. I can't let that happen to Ten-chan.'
Instead of going into 'overbearing-parent mode', as he dubbed it in his wife, Minato kissed Tenten on the forehead and wished her good night and sweet dreams. At least she finally called him Tou-san. 'Much better than that stiff 'Otou-sama'. Made me sound like a Hyuga… Then again, me being the Hokage would probably be a matter of reverence to her. And I don't get the chance to spend as much time with the kids as Kushina does.'
While closing the door, Minato vowed to arrange more time off in his schedule. He even considered using the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu on a more regular basis, but the feedback from the jutsu was rather straining. He already had the feeling he had too many thoughts crammed into one head, never mind doubling it.
"At least when they sleep they are somewhat tolerable."
"Yes, they…" Minato jumped, starting his reply without thinking, only now noticing the little nine-tailed fox behind him. "Don't sneak up on me like that, please."
"Don't blame me when you're too tired to pay attention," Kurama grumbled. "And don't close that door. Or lower the doorknob, which would be good too. And no jokes about my size…"
"I wouldn't dare," Minato smiled, amused by the idea of making a cat flap in the door for the tiny bijuu. "You don't sound too fresh yourself either, Kurama-san."
"Hours of torment- accursed children treating me like some kind of pet," Kurama spat. "I would've torn them all asunder, if only… Bah, that bastard warned me that I'd not be able to use much chakra, but this size is just infuriating."
"Just be glad you were dealing with the children, and not their parents," Minato sighed. "I've wasted a lot of time on all the complaints, demands, and questions that have flooded my desk ever since Naruto started carrying you through town. I'm glad you're as small as you are, or we would have had a lot of stupid people trying to kill you…"
"Beats getting hugged," Kurama sighed.
"If you wish to terminate this clone-like form, I would rather see you do it in a way that doesn't put my son in danger. He might have made some kind of strange port into the Saji Fujin (Surge Consuming Seal) in which you are held, but I doubt you could just create another body when this one gets annulled."
"I'm not planning to lose my freedom. I just need to make sure that the kid can sustain more chakra, and none of those fools would be trying anything against me."
"Perhaps, Kurama, perhaps you'll see that not every human is as evil as you seem to think. Perhaps Naruto-chan can sway your heart."
"When hell freezes over," the tiny fox scoffed. "Goodnight, human."
"Sleep well, Kurama," Minato opened the door for the little bijuu, so that it could rest near Naruto. Minato didn't fully understand how it was done, but this bunshin-like form did imply that Kurama couldn't stray too far from Naruto. Although he had noticed that the fox had some oddly protective traits as well, such as when Naruto nearly crashed into Kushina as she was holding a cup of boiling-hot tea. It made Minato wonder if the creature truly was as evil as he had presumed, and what could have happened for the creature to act like this.
It was a headache for another day. First, he had some overdue dinner awaiting his attention. Minato heard his growling stomach agree with that idea.
While Naruto and Tenten grew up in a life of happiness and safety, there was another child in the world who shared Naruto's burden, yet was treated very differently. Where Naruto was practically the little prince of Konoha, Fu stood lower in society than the poorest beggar. Where Naruto was accepted (although in many cases with reservation), Fu was shunned. His days were filled with education and pranks, facing punishments such as being grounded (a disaster to him) or a forced abstinence of ramen (the worst possible disaster). However, the little girl from Takigakure wasn't allowed to have any fun. Fun, to her, was finishing training and not ending up being reprimanded or punished for not doing well enough.
In the years which Naruto spent as a normal child, Fu was drilled to become the village's defensive weapon. She wasn't loved, nor cared for. She was a weapon, an object- not a person. Despite Shibuki succeeding his father some years after Fu had been 'damned', the jonin assigned to her were barely worth being called teachers. Her 'training' was often just a way for them to vent their anger and fear, only a few steps removed from torture.
The Nanabi had claimed quite a few lives over the years, especially in the vicinity of the higher-ranking shinobi of the village. After all, a jinchuriki was only chosen from a group of people whose allegiance the village was assured. Like Fu, who had been related to one of the wealthiest families, many of her predecessors had been children from the most powerful shinobi families.
While Shibuki meant well, especially considering that he too lost an uncle to Chomei, he was also powerless. Fu even went so far as to recognize him as the only friend she had, but Shibuki wasn't born with an excess of courage in the first place, and he wasn't that talented as a shinobi either. While being a leader in name, it was the council of elders who truly ruled Takigakure. Among those, there were none who had any good intentions regarding poor Fu. At best, they viewed her as a useful (yet dangerous) weapon, and at worst they saw her as a pest.
There was one among them, however, who was different.
In an unexpected turn of events, her uncle had suddenly gotten his hands on a substantial amount of money. His sister, Aoi, the woman who had once been Fu's mother, had found out about that money before she left. Thinking that he had stolen it, Aoi had invested the entire sum in order to cover it up, setting several conditions that the man had to fulfill if he ever wanted it back. Abstaining from alcohol was one of those conditions. Another one was that he would serve as an extension of his sister as Aoi and her husband had been unable to stay any longer in the village which had 'claimed the life of their daughter'.
It had hurt terribly when Fu had found out how and why her parents had deserted her. On the other hand, if they thought like that, Fu was glad that she hadn't really known them. Fu didn't like humans, but humans like that were really the sort she'd stay away from. When she was in pain, when she was devastated, Chomei was there for her. He treated her better than any human did.
It didn't change the fact that her parents abandoned her. Much like them, her uncle stayed away from her. When not inebriated, the man was as shrewd as his sister. With clever usage of the investments she had made on his behalf, the man had quickly climbed within the society of Takigakure. He even got a spot in the council. Fu suspected that he had been the one who had lobbied to force her to live on the edge of the village. He was ashamed of her, at least as far as she had understood from Shibuki's words. But Shibuki did not know about the deal which Shibuki's father had made with the man, which had resulted in Fu becoming a jinchuriki in return for the man receiving a substantial amount of money. Despite having invested it well on his behalf, his sister had never divined its origins.
It was a deal that the man never wanted to get out in the open, as it would permanently ruin his reputation, and undoubtedly result in his sister stripping him of all his wealth as well. Thus he also tried to push away Fu as far away from him as possible, and sought to permanently remove her if he got the chance. No one would respect a man who had sold his own niece. His need to hide that particular fact was now a reason for him to smile thoughtfully, not voicing protests like the other members of the council were currently doing.
"That is what the Yondaime Hokage offered." Jiraiya of the Sannin stood in the room, addressing Shibuki and his five councilors. Fu had not understood why she had been called to this meeting, never having attended such a thing before, but now she knew.
The realization made her scowl. Takigakure was not a nice place to live, but it was the only place she knew as 'home'. Bad as it was, it was still a familiar place.
"Why would we surrender our jinchuriki to you?" she heard one of the council exclaim. By now, it wasn't even insulting to Fu to be seen as a tool. The only one who acknowledged her as a human was Chomei, ironically. The Bijuu was her only friend, the only reason why she had endured the solitude. Personally, she even preferred not to be seen as a human, as she had grown little more than contempt for her own species.
"I'd suggest listening to the man," the second guest drawled.
Fu wondered why the man wore a mask without eye holes. 'Is he blind? And why did his chakra confuse Chomei so much?'
"Is that a threat?" another councilman bristled.
"You can take my words in whatever way you want them," the masked man shrugged. "Do you really think your secrecy is going to protect you? Jiraiya and I barely tried, yet we easily pierced your defenses. How do you think you are going to stop other S-ranked shinobi? Ones who do intend to harm you, unlike Jiraiya and me."
"We will not fall that easily."
"Care to try?" the masked man laughed. "I'll face your strongest jonin, and if I lose we will leave and never tell anyone about your village's location."
"Oi, you can't just go wild again," a young red- or perhaps dark pink-haired girl spoke up. Fu hadn't even noticed the girl at first. She seemed to be around eleven or twelve years old, and sat behind the masked man, from her point of view. His hair had a darker shade of red, but Fu presumed that these two were related, making her feel somewhat envious.
"Meh, I won't kill anyone," the man replied indifferently. The blank stare from the girl made him laugh. "Not this time. We're not going to repeat Kirigakure all over again, right?"
"Talking to the bastard really turned into a huge clusterfuck," the girl nodded while sighing wearily. "Why don't you let the old perv do it instead-"
"Hey!"
"Show some respect, Tayuya," the masked man snickered, completely ignoring the flabbergasted council. "But she is right," he turned towards Shibuki. "For the sake of fairness, I suppose it would be better if you picked five jonin."
That outraged the councilors even more than the previous challenge. No military power liked being looked down upon- it was an insult worse than the previous offer had been.
"Kozui," Jiraiya warned, using the codename they had previously agreed upon. "We are not here for conflict."
"We told them there is a group after the jinchuriki, we told them the group is capable of forming a serious threat to any of the five greater villages, so they must realize that they will never be capable of protecting themselves from the wrath of Akatsuki."
"As if they'd risk themselves to protect me," Fu chose to interject, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She looked at the man who had once been her uncle. "They would sell me out at the first sign of trouble." Well, he would, even if the others didn't want it at first.
"Be silent, creature," the former uncle hissed.
Jiraiya had to step towards 'Kozui', grabbing his arm, to stop him from doing something stupid. "Think before you act, dammit," Jiraiya grunted at him, before turning to the councilors again. "We think that our offer is fair. But if you decline and keep treating the girl like that, you will not have the full protection of Konohagakure, nor will you be able to expect that we will renew the current trade treaties. I would prefer not to resort to these sorts of methods, as they lie close to blackmail, but the threat of Akatsuki is too great for anyone to ignore."
"You shouldn't forget to add that my hothead of a Tou-san isn't tied to Konaha," Tayuya smirked. "It wouldn't be very healthy if you guys keep mistreating that girl…"
"Konoha has a jinchuriki of Fu's age, doesn't it," Shibuki spoke up for the first time, his statement catching Fu's attention.
She had never thought of that possibility, that she wouldn't be all alone in Konoha like she was here.
"Is it your intention to train Fu alongside the other jinchuriki?"
"Yes," Jiraiya nodded. "Like the scroll stated: young Fu would retain her allegiance to Takigakure, but can receive education from Konohagakure. That means she can enroll in the academy and undergo the same training as Naruto. Konoha has experience dealing with the strongest of the Bijuu, the Kyuubi, and we would like to use that knowledge to train Fu properly. No offense intended, but last I checked Takigakure has never once succeeded at keeping their jinchuriki alive for more than twenty years, and none of her predecessors have gained a proper measure of control over the Nanabi's chakra."
"This girl is different, though," the masked man remarked, his mask turned towards Fu as if he was 'looking' at her. "But it will not be enough. Nor fast enough. Not if Akatsuki will move against her. I presume you people have heard the stories about Kakuzu?"
"Kakuzu? That old traitor? He must have died years ago." One of the councilors shifted uncomfortably on his seat.
"You already know that is not true," Jiraiya shook his head as if he was disappointed. "So why would you attempt to lie? Akatsuki is filled with shinobi like him."
Still, even though they acknowledged the fact that someone like Minato or Jiraiya would be capable of protecting the girl where they could not, none of the councilors were willing to send the girl away. She was their weapon, their last line of defense. If Akatsuki truly was as strong as these men claimed, then they would give them Fu, and if not… well, like Jiraiya had already said: the Nanabi had always caused problems, yet never really given any return on their investments.
"Yes."
One simple word, but it silenced them all. Not often did Shibuki speak against them, and never as decisive as this time. "Shibuki-sama?" one uttered.
"Yes, we will agree. Our trade line will continue to flourish, and in the case of an attack, Konohagakure will protect us. They are stronger than Fu is right now, so their offer only holds advantages."
"But Iwaga-"
"Konoha might have a bad relationship with Iwagakure, but we don't have fond memories of them either. Or do I need to remind you of the last time the Tsuchikage sent an envoy? I remember my father going out to meet them…"
"But even still, we can't just surrender our-"
"Shibuki-sama is right. This proposition only benefits us," Fu heard her uncle agree. Of course, the man saw this as a golden opportunity to get rid of her. Shipping her off to Konoha would divert the ire of Akatsuki to Konoha rather than risk the safety of Takigakure.
"S-Shibuki… no…"
"Fu, I'm sorry," he looked into her pleading orange eyes. "But you heard them… they offer you a better life."
"But this is my home. You… You just want to get rid of me!" the eleven year-old girl exclaimed. She jumped up, intending to run out of the room, but the masked man got hold of her first. She hadn't even seen him move, and by the looks of it, none of the councilmen had, either.
"FuFu", Chomei's voice startled the girl more than the man had. She had never heard him speak this earnestly. "Follow that man. Their village can hardly be worse than this one, can it? But that man feels odd… He has been in contact… I can feel Isobu's chakra on him. And Kurama's. And unless I am mistaken even Shukaku's."
'What are you saying? That he is some kind of jinchuriki?'
"No. No, he doesn't have a bijuu sealed within him, so he isn't a jinchuriki. Perhaps he sealed my brethren, perhaps he fought against them, but I can sense traces of their chakra on him, just like other Bijuu would be able to sense my chakra on those who are often near you. But… I can't get a proper read on him. He's strange. Very strange."
'So this whole Akatsuki thing is a lie, and they are the ones who hunt the Bijuu?' Fu thought suspiciously.
"It doesn't seem likely. He is different. I haven't felt anything like him before. But his intent doesn't seem to be bad. Except for Isobu, none of my brethren's lingering chakra feels like they intended to harm him. Perhaps this man was involved with the fall of the Mizukage?"
"You know that staring isn't considered polite," the masked man chuckled. "But I presume you felt that my chakra is unusual?" He didn't need to see her nod to know it was true. "I am an Uzumaki. One of the few who survived the fall of Uzushiogakure, and my blood grants me some peculiar abilities such as healing people by imbuing them with my chakra. The same technique can also be reversed, using it to absorb chakra." He was so accustomed to lying about his origins and abilities that no one even knew he was just making it up on the spot- except for Tayuya, and she wisely kept her mouth shut.
Fu didn't know any of that. Did he know that she had been conversing with Chomei? Even Chomei didn't know, and it left Fu scared and uncertain. If his words were true, than it could explain Chomei's remarks regarding his chakra. She looked at Shibuki, who still had that sad grimace. She realized that he knew that he hurt her by accepting the proposal, and that he didn't like doing it, yet still…
It seemed like this path truly was the best option left to her. Like Chomei said, it wasn't like she would abandon anyone here. If Shibuki, her only human friend, thought this was the best option, then who was she to disagree?
"Fine," Fu sighed resignedly. She still didn't like leaving home, didn't like to give her uncle what he wanted. But what choice did she have?
Her orange eyes flashed up, wide in surprise, when the masked man ruffled through her hair. She could feel the oddly comforting chakra through his touch. "Don't worry too much, kiddo. Naruto has the same sort of idiotic personality as Chomei, so I bet you'll come to like him."
"H-How… How do you know…"
"That trash-talking fox has been surprisingly cooperative after Tou-san beta'ed his seal," the red-haired girl approached Fu with a big smile. "Hi, I'm Tayuya. Friends?"
"F-Friends?"
"Don't look at me that dumbly, you know what a friend is, right?" Tayuya frowned.
"Yuya-chan, give her some space."
"Oi, I'm not a darn kid anymore, Tou-san!"
"You certainly act like one, in spite of your foul mouth," Jiraiya snickered. "So, gentlemen, if you please would read and sign the agreement before noon tomorrow, we will take the documents and Fu-chan to Konoha afterwards. So, the most important question that remains: is there a good brothel in the village?"
Author's notes:
Yup, there was a time-skip in this chapter. Cute as they all are as little kids, I suppose it's best to move things past that stage. I've been thinking about this story a lot, and so far I wasn't really satisfied with the things I had in mind. Originally, I wanted to do more with Naruto's time as a child, but… well, what I wrote and what I had planned to write felt rather aimless, filler-ish. His bonds are developed enough to continue. They're students from this point on, busy with their final year at the academy, looking forward to graduate and become genin! But… how will Fu fit in that environment?
I thank the ever patient Illuminated! And I thank you if you leave reviews! Seriously, if there are things which you think need to be improved, please tell. Well, constructive criticism at least. Getting told to jump in front of a train (one of the friendlier things said in guest reviews) isn't exactly useful- apart from making me smile at how sad some people become when hiding under the anonymity of the internet.
For the record, Illuminated doesn't jump in front of trains either, though he does want to go Ice Bear on such people. Don't make him go Ice Bear!
-Z-
Additional notes and thoughts regarding Fu:
I think that the character Fu is a very interesting case. While most of her character is left unexplored, we have seen quite a bit on Takigakure in the anime, and she is one of the few of which we have gotten any information after her capture: like the remarks Deidara made, that Taki was happy to get rid of Fu, and that Fu despised humans. Still, that is manga!Fu, not the anime version which I'd like to call filler!Fu.
Because, in sharp contrast to those statements in manga, we got the way the anime team depicted her. While I usually take the stance that the anime team is too stupid to actually read and comprehend the manga (or simply doesn't give a damn about the story) to take their opinions seriously, I did find her bubbly character rather adorable. Sure, it was a ripoff from Naruto in how she acted, but I thought she was kinda funny. Still, with her background, it simply makes no sense to depict a 'bubbly' Fu in this story, just as it made zero sense to say that Hokage Naruto is 'too busy' with his paperwork, while he is essentially a one-man-army, or to say that Sasuke, who nearly destroyed the world to avenge his family, has been ignoring his new family for a decade… Studio Pierrot is idiotic, but Kishimoto has his fair share of stupidity too.
But I digress. Instead of picking either manga!Fu or filler!Fu, I have mixed the given information from both sources. Manga is what Kishimoto wrote himself, so obviously that takes precedence, it being the primary source. So 'my' Fu hates humans, like stated in the chapter, and I expanded her origins while staying as close to canon as I thought was realistic for the Naruto universe, for instance with her childhood. At the same time, I intend to keep the act-first-think-later mentality from filler!Fu. I do retain filler!Fu's wish to make friends, but my take on Fu will be much more restrained (distrustful, to be more specific) than in the anime, more envious as well. It simply made no sense to me that a half-traumatized girl would just jump at random strangers and ask them to be her friend, especially when the random stranger is named Kakuzu…
Now that I think about it, Kishimoto managed to make Naruto accept the murderer of his parents, even getting pissed at the fact that the bastard gets killed. Perhaps Studio Pierrot simply has a more accurate view of Kishimoto's disturbed mindset than I do?