Standard Disclaimer: I own Mantarou. But that doesn't sound as good as a title as 'Naruto'…so yeah.
Author's Notes: I just have one thing to say.
Rin x Mantarou 4eva! (shotshotshot)
Also, for those concerned that I'll go the same route as Sasuke with Mantarou (as in, people forgive him despite his wrongdoings), I just have to say…are you flippin' crazy? This guy created AKATSUKI, a criminal organization that's the Narutoverse's equivalent of the Mafia, the Yakuza, or the Cartel! Not only did he send a bunch of Nukenin to Konoha just to stall for time, but he killed Anko! He'll get his dues. Eventually. Maybe. I don't know. C.C (runs)
Oh, and there's been a slight title change for this chapter.
Begin!
xxxx
Night of the Nine Tails; The Birth of Uzumaki Naruto!
xxxx
/Present Day/
/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/
Mantarou paused for a moment to stare at Naruto. "That was the night where you were conceived, son."
Just like that. Answers to questions Naruto had long thought of…questions long dreamt of…and they had been answered. Just like that.
Answered by the leader of Akatsuki, one of their deadliest enemies…and to be honest, Naruto didn't much like it. It was just too offsetting. "So…I was conceived by accident then?"
Mantarou sighed. "If you want to be literal, then yes. You were not planned for…so yes, you ARE an accident. That night itself was an accident…but it was a GOOD accident, make no mistake."
Naruto snorted.
ACCIDENTS USUALLY END UP BEING FORGOTTEN.
This isn't a good time. I'm trying to think.
'ACCIDENT' PERFECTLY DESCRIBES YOU AND YOUR LIFE.
I'm THINKING.
LIKE I'D LET YOU.
Hmph.
"So, is that all there is to tell?" asked Jiraiya, hurryingly writing notes in a small pocketbook.
Mantarou unexpectedly snarled. Moments later, an orange chakra spike erupted from underneath the ground, stopping a mere inch away from Jiraiya's groin. "I'm tired of your perversions. The particular details of what happened that night will REMAIN a secret, a secret that I'll only tell to me, myself, and I. Now be quiet…or else you'll be looking into a career as a eunuch."
"Fine," grumbled Jiraiya as he put away the notebook. The chakra spike retreated into the ground.
Tsunade, of course, had to chew him out for this. "What are you DOING?" Her voice barely came above a whisper. "This is Rin, your student's student we're talking about here! Save your perversions for some other unfortunate victim!"
The Toad Hermit chuckled as a strange glint came to his eyes. "But I'm just trying to see if there's anything else to the story…nothing more."
Tsunade recognized that look in Jiraiya's eyes. He was trying to upset Mantarou to the point where he might reveal something he wouldn't want to reveal, even though he was telling them a lot already. She crossed her arms and huffed, "You could choose a different method."
"And where's the fun in that?" joked Jiraiya.
Sasuke was silent as he stared at Naruto, who was still in his three-tailed form. The Uchiha found himself rather fascinated by this little tale of Mantarou's…and it was actually giving him some new insights into Naruto's life as well. Never knew his parents…but it turns out that one of them was the teammate of our sensei…and the other was a Jinchuriki who would eventually become the founder of Akatsuki. Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle. Sounds crummy.
"In any case…" Mantarou kept his gaze on Naruto. "Morning came."
xxxx
/Mantarou's Flashback/
This bed is too small for two people, thought Mantarou, an oddly bemused look on his face. His blue eyes gazed upward towards the house's only window, taking in the rays of the morning sun.
Then his eyes drifted downward.
He was lying next to a naked girl, his right arm splayed across her bare chest. The girl was lying on her back, her right arm lazily clutching to his own…and her left arm was resting against the pillow. Their bodies were covered from the waist-down by the blankets…and the sun's morning rays lanced across their exposed bodies.
Mantarou stared at Rin's face for a few moments. Had he been THIS attracted to the young medical ninja? Perhaps he had…had he really not known this whole time? Or had he been deluding himself on purpose? Or…
The Jinchuriki paused as he turned his gaze to the ceiling. The full implications of what had happened last night finally hit him.
He had made love with someone.
He had made love.
Why am I finding this so hard to believe? Have I really become THIS unaccustomed to normal human behavior? After all, it was how humans reproduced…it was what husbands and wives did. It was what his mother and father had done to conceive him…
Conception…was it possible that-?
Rin suddenly sat up, her eyes surprisingly clear considering the early hour. Mantarou gazed at those brown irises with silence, waiting for her to speak first.
Finally, she muttered, "I made a mistake."
"Needless to say, that wasn't the first question I had expected."
Mantarou arched an eyebrow out of curiosity. "How so?"
Rin's lip trembled as she clutched at the blankets pulling them over her naked form; it was as though she was trying to hide herself (her shame, maybe?). Finally, she stuttered, "I…I am…a ninja of Konoha. I can't be doing this sort of thing at my age…not when I can still fight…"
The demon vessel briefly contemplated the words. She did have a point; ninja were expected to serve their village. For years. And she wasn't even in her physical prime yet; there was still a long way for her to go. From what he had gathered over his time spent here in Konoha, ninja that wanted families waited until 'retirement' before pursuing them. The earliest age at which the average ninja usually retired was around their late 30s. 16 was a fair time away from that.
Family.
Mantarou sat up, his eyes drifting to the seal on his left arm. The seal of Kyojini. "…"
Was the life he had chosen the correct one? A life to kill all demons, to erase their very existence?
Yes. He hadn't chosen wrong. He didn't regret his choice.
But…perhaps he could make another choice…?
"We won't know if you're pregnant for a little while…until then, just act normally." Mantarou got out of the bed, reaching for his pants. "I'll know if you are pregnant."
Rin blinked as she watched Mantarou – hey, his body looked kind of nice… - put his clothes back on. "How?"
"I just will." Mantarou scratched at his hair before taking a few steps toward the door…then he stopped. "Rin."
"Yes?"
I can't believe I'm about to ask this, thought Mantarou with an odd look on his face. "Was…that your first time?"
Rin blushed out of embarrassment. That was an ODD question to ask. And yet, she answered. "Um…yes."
For some reason that Mantarou couldn't quite finger…he was glad. He quietly replied, "Well…I'm glad."
"About what?"
"That my first time was with you." I guess. He needed time to sort these tumultuous emotions out.
As Mantarou walked away, he didn't see Rin's face. It was probably redder than a tomato.
"I believe roughly…24 days passed until I spoke with her about that night again."
Rin sighed as she walked into her house, feeling rather beat. The day had been tiresome; a part of the wall had been structurally unsound, falling down upon some unsuspecting farmers. Fortunately, nobody had been killed…but she had expended a lot of chakra that day to heal wounds and mend broken bones. "I need to sleep…"
"Rin, you're pregnant."
"AH!" yelped Rin, caught off-guard by Mantarou's sudden words. He was sitting on his bed, eyes staring at her stomach. "Uh…huu…um…how do you know?"
"Chakra." He stood up, slowly walking toward the medical ninja. "I can sense…two distinct chakras. Yours…and that of the child growing within your belly."
Rin was silent.
Then she walked over to her bed and sat down, resting her head in her hands. Her mood had just taken a definite downturn. "So…I'm pregnant, huh? And on my first time too…"
"You say it like it's a bad thing," stated Mantarou.
Rin sighed, staring at her belly…which, she now knew, was going to become rather plump in the next few months. It would be impossible to hide her unborn child…and people would judge her accordingly, whether she liked it or not. Rumors would circulate. People would guess about who the father was. If she was lucky, she'd only be called a whore maybe once or twice.
That's prejudice for you.
She sighed again, leaning back against the wall, slight pain in her eyes. "…mmm…what to do, what to do…?"
Mantarou said nothing as he sat down on his own bed, staring at Rin from across the small room. Finally – with great difficulty – he said, "Would it be possible to surgically remove the child?" There was faint, nearly imperceptible hint of malice and anger to his voice; the idea of destroying an unborn child just because the boy – or girl – would be inconvenient did NOT sit well with him.
"No. I'm a medical ninja. Preserving life is what I do." She looked at Mantarou with an odd look in her eyes. "To destroy this baby would be hypocritical…but still…" The pain returned. "…it's not going to be easy."
Uzumaki Mantarou was silent, staring at Rin, yet not looking at her. He was focusing on something else; what was needed now was a plan. He had revealed himself to only two people since his stay in the village…the Yondaime…and Rin. And he had connected with Rin in a way he had never thought possible.
Then the answer came.
"We'll speak with the Fourth Hokage."
Rin looked up at Mantarou. "Hmm?"
"He's the only other person in this village who knows everything about me. Also, he was your former sensei. He'll be more understanding…he might even have a solution." Mantarou stood up, offering his hand to the medical ninja. "Shall we go?"
Rin, at first, didn't say anything. For a moment, she wondered if she could even FACE the Yondaime…if anything, her shame might be even GREATER when facing him. And yet, he was the Hokage…a powerful, yet kind Hokage. He would be understanding to her.
The answer was clear.
"Okay."
She grabbed the boy's hand, and they left.
"All the while, I was thinking of a solution on my own…and it was finalized in my mind by the time we reached the Hokage's Palace."
The doors creaked open. Mantarou and Rin slowly walked inside.
The room was rather small considering whose office it was; then again, it DID have a very nice view of the village. Near the windows was a wooden desk – ornately crafted and designed – that was littered with paperwork on one side. Apparently, being a Hokage meant being more than just the village's greatest ninja.
However, the Fourth, instead of finishing the paperwork, was reading a small book titled Icha Icha Paradise. An odd grin was on his face as he read.
Mantarou arched an eyebrow. "What book is that?"
Kazama Arashi glanced at the two over the top of the book's rim. "Oh. It's a book written by my former sensei. Not for kids though." He quickly hid it in his desk drawer before saying, "So…how long?"
Rin blinked. "How long?"
The Yondaime suddenly grinned. "How long until you give birth?"
A lightning bolt of shock ran through Mantarou and Rin. "You…figured it out?" murmured the medical ninja.
"I can sense the baby's chakra. It's not that hard to do," remarked the Yondaime.
Not that hard? thought Mantarou with a wry grin on his face. To sense the chakra of a baby – and it wasn't a LARGE amount of chakra to begin with. It was downright puny! – your senses would have to be able to sift through the chakra of the mother. Not anyone could do it; you had to have finely honed senses in order to do it. This man truly is exceptional…
"And I assume you are the father?" asked the Fourth as he stared at Mantarou.
The boy nodded.
Yondaime sighed. "I see…" He stood up, glancing out his large windows at the village below. "It's not often a case like this happens…where a ninja becomes impregnated. After all, they're usually disciplined enough to not let this happen to them…"
Rin gulped as her head tilted downward, her heart starting to tremble with shame. Mantarou, as odd as he found it, was starting to feel a little…angry. "You weren't there. What happened happened. There's nothing else to say…but don't get angry at her."
"Oh, I'm not angry. Just a little shocked. I mean…come on. Rin getting in the sack," He pointed at Mantarou. "With you? Definitely unexpected."
Rin blushed. Mantarou ignored his embarrassment and said, "Does it matter?"
The Yondaime shrugged. "I suppose not. How DID it happen though? You two weren't doing anything naughty that might've led up to the 'main event', so to speak?"
Rin shook her head. "No…we were just…talking. Mantarou told me…everything. And after that…it just…happened."
"Everything?" The Hokage suddenly blinked out of realization. "You told her about your past?"
Mantarou nodded.
"So you trust her?"
"…I've been here for quite a while…and I know the kind of person Rin is. She isn't the kind to reveal secrets…or to break promises."
The Fourth smiled. "Is that so?"
Mantarou nodded.
The Fourth leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers together. "Interesting…very very interesting…but it still doesn't change the fact that, for the next nine months, Rin will not be able to serve as a ninja…and probably for even longer than that. After all, a baby has its needs. And we'll be short one ninja…and she still has planned missions to go on." A sigh. "What to do, what to do…"
"The solution that I had thought of…it was time for me to implement it."
"Then…I'll serve in her place."
Rin's eyes widened as her head turned towards her lover. Had she heard him right?
The Yondaime slightly smiled before looking at the Jinchuriki. "Really?"
"Yes."
"But I thought you didn't WANT to become tied to one particular village."
"That's what I had said, yes…" Mantarou sighed inwardly. This was proving to be rather hard to say. After all, he was essentially ending his mission – which he had spent half his life carrying out – voluntarily before it was complete. The Tailed Demons still weren't his. Demons still EXISTED. Why was he stopping now? Why?
Because of a girl. A girl that he loved. And the child that she now carried.
A child. His child. Their child.
His father – Uzumaki Keihan – had abandoned his life as a ninja…because of a love for a woman…and for his child. As such, he abandoned Iwagakure for a simpler life.
And now he – Uzumaki Mantarou – would abandon his mission…a mission that had consumed his whole life…all because of a love for a woman…and for his child.
That was his choice. And he would stick to it.
"…but this is my choice." He calmly stood up and walked towards Rin, pulling off the Leaf headband protector wrapped around her forehead. He glanced at the symbol on the metal plate. The symbol that he would now be swearing allegiance to.
He wrapped the hitai-ate around his forehead. "In Rin's stead, I will serve as a ninja to Konohagakure."
The Yondaime Hokage smiled. "Very well then. For Rin's sake, she will stay here at the palace in a special room starting next month, before her body starts changing physically. On the outside that is. This way, Rin can avoid any unpleasantries…and it'll give me some time to come up with an excuse as to why she'll be in hiding for the next several months."
"And so that's how it happened."
/End Flashback/
xxxx
/Present Day/
"In Rin's place, I would serve in her stead. I would serve as a ninja of Konohagakure." Mantarou finished by reaching into his cloak…and pulling out a Leaf hitai-ate. Unlike the rest of Akatsuki, it was not slashed across. "The reason I never slashed my hitai-ate like the rest of Akatsuki…was because I never abandoned Konoha to begin with."
"BULL," growled Naruto, his three tails twitching with rage. "Didn't abandon Konoha? YOU CREATED AKATSUKI!"
Mantarou was silent.
Kibamaru grinned. "You tell him Naruto!"
Kakashi's eye narrowed. Something else just came to mind. "Hmph…Mantarou. You remember?"
Mantarou looked at Kakashi…and he suddenly remembered. "Ah…you're talking about the confrontation five months later?"
"Yes."
Jiraiya blinked. "What confrontation?"
Mantarou answered, "A battle between myself and Kakashi…apparently, he was none too happy when he discovered Rin was pregnant…"
xxxx
/Mantarou's Flashback/
/Southeast of Konohagakure, Fire Country/
"It was five months after I became a Konoha-nin…with only four months left until Naruto's birth."
Uzumaki Mantarou stared at the Honorstone in silence, staring at the name of Hyuga Hiatari. It was a cold day, so he wore a black cotton vest over his long-sleeved blue shirt and black pants. His demon seals, like always, were hidden. "I suppose it's odd that I'm even talking like this to you…" After all, you left Konoha. And I swore allegiance to Konoha. How odd things are…
"In the five months since I had become a Konoha-nin, the Hokage had sent me only on secret, solo missions. All of them had been B-Rank missions, due to my abilities. All of them had been successful. And I had never taken a human life. After all, I didn't like to take human life."
Mantarou's ear twitched. Then he glanced over at the trees.
Kakashi was standing there, reading the Yondaime's old copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
"Hello Hatake Kakashi," remarked Mantarou.
"Hello Mantarou," remarked Kakashi, his lone eye staring at the pages of the booklet, which had been a present from the Yondaime (Jiraiya: Model perverts after my own heart!). "How unfortunate that I don't even know the rest of your name yet."
Mantarou replied, "You'll never find out." At least, not for now.
Kakashi focused on the hitai-ate on Mantarou's forehead. "So…rumors have been going around that you're a Leaf ninja now…which I find odd. I'm a Jonin, so I have access to classified records…but you're not listed in any of them. No name. No birthdate. No home village. No nothing. You're still a blank, just as you were when you arrived."
"So what if I am?" remarked Mantarou.
"Although Kakashi did not know, there was a reason that Yondaime kept me hidden. I was still listed as an S-Class criminal in the Earth and Lightning Countries. Spies and informants would be able to find my public records…and then things would have gotten messy. That's why I was hidden…both to the public eye and to the paper records."
"Not only that…but I haven't seen Rin in the past few months. She hasn't gone to her house…I was told that she had gone on a long mission of good will, to heal the wounded and deliver humanitarian aid overseas." Kakashi's eye suddenly narrowed. "It was only by sheer chance that I ran into her at the Hokage's Palace…and imagine my surprise when I saw her belly."
Mantarou said nothing.
Then, he smiled slightly. "Well congratulations. You just bore witness to my future child."
Kakashi's hitai-ate was practically thrown off; his Sharingan swirled rapidly as the Jonin leapt straight at Mantarou.
The Jinchuriki, his mind immediately reacting to the charge, quickly utilized his chakra aura. Kakashi's body was grabbed by the aura and tossed aside. The Jonin landed on his feet, performing hand signs as he did. "Doton; Doryuudan no jutsu!"
An earthen dragon suddenly erupted from the ground, charging at Mantarou. The teen said nothing as his aura pierced through the dragon, obliterating it.
Kakashi had been right behind it, his right hand charged with electricity. Although Mantarou didn't know it, that was the Jonin's infamous Chidori.
Mantarou solidified his aura, thickening it as much as he could.
The energies met, and a crackling sound echoed through the air. The two glared at each other, neither of them moving an inch.
Mantarou growled, "What's your deal with me? Why do you hate me?"
Kakashi growled back. "Because of your power. Because of your mystery. You suddenly come out of nowhere one day, and you're too damn secretive for anyone to trust. And yet, you end up impregnating my teammate, and you've somehow convinced the Fourth to cover for you! And you expect me to NOT be angry?" Kakashi pressed forth with even more power. "For God's sake…I don't even know your full name! AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER A YEAR!"
Mantarou was silent.
Then he grinned. "I have my reasons. Initial Gate, OPEN!"
Then, Mantarou came forth with more power, pushing Kakashi away. The Jonin landed on his feet, coming to a stop several yards away.
Finally, the brown-haired teen said, "I'm sorry if I seem so secretive. But let's just say my past has some rather unsavory ghosts…and I'm not quite ready to face them yet. And this is not just for my sake…it's for Konoha's sake as well. If you knew everything about me…then you'd understand why I'm so secretive."
Kakashi frowned. "Then why not tell me then?"
"Because I don't trust you yet." Mantarou calmly rubbed his neck, walking away. "But don't worry…I'm not going to betray you or anything. I wouldn't be wearing this headband otherwise."
Kakashi said nothing as Mantarou walked back towards the village.
"Of course, that turned out to be one big lie, didn't it?"
xxxx
/Present Day/
Mantarou sighed with annoyance as he glanced at Kakashi. "Do you always have to interrupt?"
"He has a point though," remarked Tsunade. "You said you wouldn't betray Konoha. And yet here you are, fighting us, as Akatsuki's Leader."
"I gave you all a choice. You chose to stand by Naruto's side. That was your folly, and yours alone."
That's when Naruto snapped back. "Just shut up. I'm tired of all the stupid crap that doesn't mean anything…I mean, why are you wasting time talking about a worthless fight with Kakashi? I don't wanna hear about that! Just get to the important stuff."
"…of course. My apologies." Mantarou sighed as he kept his gaze on his son. "Now we fast forward to the day where everything changed yet again…I'm sure the demon fox knows this time well…for it was the day he struck Konoha."
Everyone was silent.
I LIKE THIS PART.
Shut up!
xxxx
/Mantarou's Flashback/
/Rooftop Balcony, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure/
Rin stared at the sky quietly. The sun was now rising over the horizon, and it was a rather chilly day.
She glanced down at her belly, which had become considerably more rotund in the past several months. Her breasts had also swelled, filled with the nourishment that her baby would need. To compensate for her figure, she now wore a green XXXL T-shirt and gray sweatpants. Not very womanly clothing…but hey, she was pregnant. What are you going to do?
The medical ninja smiled as she rubbed her bulbous stomach; the baby was only two weeks away from birth…the thought of it was exciting now. Though she WAS getting tired of the odd hunger cravings (miso soup…mixed with crackers, milk, and diced beets? Weird.).
Suddenly, Mantarou clambered onto the balcony, using chakra tendrils to traverse the wall. His appearance had once again changed; his feet were adorned by black boots, which fit in well with his dark blue pants and white T-shirt. His left arm was bandaged – to hide the Kyojini seal, of course – and he wore a black cloak (complete with a hood) to hide his body. All in all, it was perfect attire for his next mission.
His next mission was important. For not only was it his first A-Rank mission…but it would be his last secret mission. After this, he would finally go public as a ninja of Konohagakure…and it would no longer matter what the response of the Hidden Cloud or the Hidden Stone would be. He and the Leaf would face it head-on.
In a way, it was exhilarating. He was now ready to fight for the Leaf…for his home.
His home.
He hadn't considered any place to be his home…since the Hidden Valley.
Things were different now.
"I'll be heading to the River Country tonight," said Mantarou as he stood in front of Rin. "There's a group of Nukenin that have been smuggling soldier pills…soldier pills that have been 'enhanced', so to speak. These new pills have been mixed in with the regular supply, and they have some side-effects."
"I know," remarked Rin. She had been privy to the medical reports of some unfortunate ninja that had used these illegal pills. The results had not been pleasant. "It's an effective way of crippling a village's ninja force."
"It won't be around by tomorrow." Mantarou calmly pulled out two kunai from the inside of his cloak, plucking a hair off of both his head and Rin's head. He then tied one hair strand to each kunai and performed an old, familiar jutsu. "Ukiyoenka no jutsu; Life Beacon."
Rin marveled as the kunai began glowing white. Mantarou explained, "The kunai serves as a medium between the genetic material attached to it and the person who possesses said genetic material. So long as a chakra link is maintained – essentially, as long as one lives – the kunai will continue to glow." He handed the kunai with his hair strand to Rin. "This way, you'll know that I'm still alive…" He then pocketed the kunai with Rin's hair. "And I'll know that you're still alive."
"You could just have faith."
Mantarou smiled. "It is faith. Just with a little insurance."
"There."
Mantarou blinked. "Hmm?"
"You smiled."
"…and?"
"…that was the first time I've ever seen you really smile." Rin smiled in return. "I like it when you smile."
Mantarou was struck silent by Rin's words. He couldn't help but grin in reply. "The last time I ever smiled was at home…and now Konoha is my home."
Home. Where he belonged.
Yes…home.
A home with a woman. His lover.
A home with a child. His child.
He was going to be a father.
Oh God…he was going to be a father.
He knelt down, placing his forehead against Rin's stomach. "You behave…okay son? Or daughter…whichever one you happen to be. We'll know in a couple of weeks." He stood back up, staring into Rin's eyes.
They shared one more kiss. One more embrace.
Mantarou separated, a small smile on his face. "See you tomorrow." As he pulled the hood over his head, he leapt over the side of the balcony, his body spawning four orange chakra tentacles that carried him at high speed from rooftop to rooftop, over the village wall, and finally into the western forests beyond.
"Little did I know then…that that would be the last time I would be able to kiss her…"
/End Flashback/
xxxx
/Present Day/
The look of slight fondness on Mantarou's face immediately faded as a pained scowl came to mind. "Because that was the night when it all ended."
Everyone else was silent. No one dared to say a word.
Suddenly, someone spoke. That someone, oddly enough, was Sasuke. "One question…if you were away during the night when the Nine Tailed Demon Fox struck Konoha…then how would you know how the events transpired?"
"That's a good question." Mantarou reached into his black-and-red cloud cloak. "One that I think will be sufficiently answered by this."
He pulled out a scroll. A large scroll. On the outer layer of the old paper were two symbols. Two characters.
Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Tsunade paled at the sight of those characters. Those were the characters for 'Yellow Flash'.
"That's…the Yondaime's personal journal," muttered Jiraiya with a low growl. "We never found it after the Nine Tails' attack…we always assumed it had been destroyed. Where did you get it?"
"Even back then, Orochimaru had his spies and agents in Konoha." Mantarou pocketed the journal scroll once more. "During the Kyuubi's attack, one of his agents used it as an opportunity to obtain very important documents. The Yondaime's scroll was among them…"
"And what about it…?" asked Naruto.
Mantarou sighed, his eyes showing…sadness. "The Yondaime, before he sealed the Nine Tails within your body, wrote down a personal account of what happened before…including the event of your birth. This is how it happened."
xxxx
/Mantarou's Flashback (Well, technically it's the Yondaime's…)/
/Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure/
Nighttime.
A bright moon.
A clear sky.
And a deadly roar.
The Yondaime grimaced as the walls shook. The Kyuubi was causing earthquakes now; parts of Konoha had already collapsed…and he had no doubt that more buildings would be joining them. Bad…bad bad bad bad…!
"According to the Yondaime's account, the Kyuubi had emerged near the Hidden Grass Village in the Grass Country, north of the River Country…which was why I had no knowledge of the event. I was too busy dealing with my mission and the Nukenin…and I had no idea that the Kyuubi had been slowly making his way to the Hidden Leaf."
The Yondaime swung around the corner, his feet moving at full speed. He had to make sure everyone had evacuated; several of the supporting beams to the palace had already broken under the strain of the fox-induced earthquakes, and he had no intention of letting anyone being around if the building did end up collapsing.
Rin. Gotta check on her. She's pregnant after all! He quickly dashed toward her private room, opening the door…
And he got a rather nasty shock.
Rin was lying there, on a makeshift cot. Three nurses were tending to her.
The Yondaime muttered, "Uh…Rin?"
Rin grimaced as she managed to choke out, "I've…been in labor for a while…the baby's coming…"
The Yondaime paled. "WHAT! But the baby was due in two weeks!"
Rin, in a fit of anger due to her own great pain, loudly roared, "WELL THE BABY SAYS IT WANTS TO COME OUT NOW!"
"Eep," murmured the Yondaime with a scared look in his eye.
"The Fourth was quite descriptive about that particular outburst…"
"AAAH!" shrieked Rin as more pain gripped her. The contractions had gotten worse by this point. "Ah…ah…AAAAAH!"
The Yondaime sweatdropped, now feeling rather out of place. "…uh…"
"The head!" yelled a nurse.
The Hokage quickly stepped to the side, watching as a baby slowly started to emerge from the vagina (well, it wasn't like he hadn't seen one before; he could thank the picture-edition of Jiraiya's second Icha Icha Paradise volume for that!). Although he couldn't offer any medical assistance…he could offer support. "Come on Rin…you can do it! Push!"
The Yondaime sweatdropped. A Biju is attacking Konoha, and I'm here watching my former student give birth? The absurdity of it all struck him as odd.
Moments later, Rin's piercing wail split the air.
The last push.
Crying.
A scalpel slicing through the umbilical cord.
Crying.
"It's a boy," muttered the nurse.
The Hokage was silent as he heard the baby cry. For a moment, he briefly forgot about the attack of the Nine Tails.
A new life had come into the world.
But then reality knocked back with a sledgehammer, so to speak.
For another earthquake struck.
The floor splintered and cracked.
"THE BABY!" shrieked Rin, ignoring her pain.
The Hokage impulsively grabbed the young boy as the floor gave way. He leapt back as it shattered and fell.
"Oh no…" muttered the Hokage as he hopped down. The three nurses were buried under a pile of rubble; their frail bodies had been crushed.
Rin had been luckier – she had landed on top of the pile – but she had a wooden fragment impaled in her stomach.
The Hokage froze at the sight of the blood leaking from the wound. "Rin…hold on, let me-"
"Hokage-sama…I'm too tired from childbirth…to heal myself…" Her tone was one of…acceptance.
She knew she was destined to die. She had known the moment the floor gave way.
"No…we can still get you to the hospital, and-!"
"I'll be dead by then anyway…and the demon fox is attacking, right? You need to go." If only Mantarou had been there; he was the most capable person in Konoha when it came to fighting demons. Oh Mantarou…I'm sorry…
The Yondaime clenched his teeth out of anger. It wasn't fair. Why had the Nine Tails decided to attack Konoha? Why? What was the point? And now…Rin… "Damn it. DAMN IT."
"…Hokage…" Rin coughed; blood was starting to trickle out of her mouth. "Can you stop the Kyuubi…?"
"…I don't know. It's more powerful than anything else I've ever faced." The Yondaime, however, had one trick up his sleeve. "I do have the Fuuinjutsu Shiki Fuujin…but who would let me seal the demon inside them…?"
Rin was silent.
Then, she uttered, "My son…use my son."
The Yondaime was silent.
Finally, the Hokage said, "You know what you're asking for…right?"
Rin barely nodded. "I know…that this seems like a horrible decision…that I'm cursing my child…but…" She coughed again. "His father…he is also a Jinchuriki…" She smiled bitterly, her eyes drifting to a shelf on the wall; the kunai with Mantarou's hair strand continued to glow. "He will know how my son will feel…more than anyone else in this village. He will take care of him."
The Fourth frowned, sorrow evident in his features. "…are you sure?"
"I am…" She gingerly reached for her baby boy; the Yondaime relented, letting her hold him for the last time. The young boy continued to cry, his head of blonde hair – the hair of his grandfather, Uzumaki Keihan – was wet, and his face bore marks shaped liked whiskers; perhaps it was the influence of the demonic energy that filled his father's genes?
Either way…he was going to grow up…without her. Without a mother.
It just wasn't fair.
"Oh my boy…my sweet little boy…" She started to cry, thinking of the name that she and Mantarou had agreed to call him, should the child be a boy. "…my dear Naruto…you will be a hero to this village…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…so sorry…"
Then the roof began to creak.
The Yondaime hurriedly took the baby from Rin.
CRASH!
Then she was buried in the rubble.
And she moved no more.
The Fourth's lip trembled as Naruto started to wail even louder.
There was no time to mourn. He had a mission now. To stop the Kyuubi.
"Rin died…and Naruto lived."
The Yondaime quickly dashed out of the palace, heading towards the place where he knew Sarutobi was. He needed to look something up real quickly before employing the Demonic Soul Seal technique…
He found the old man atop the village wall, staring to the northwest. The Kyuubi could be seen, wreaking havoc upon the ninja fighting against it. "Sarutobi!"
The former Hokage turned toward the Fourth. His eyes fell upon the blonde boy in his arms. "Who is that?"
"Uzumaki Naruto. His mother died…she told me to use him as a vessel for the Kyuubi."
The Third arched an eyebrow. "Who's the father?"
"Unfortunately, the Yondaime had never revealed my existence to the Third…"
"There's no time to explain!" The Yondaime handed Naruto to the Third. "I want you to put a Hakke no Fuin Shiki seal and two Shisho Fuin seals around Naruto's navel! I'll be right back!"
The Third blinked. Then realization hit him. "I see…then hurry."
The Yondaime quickly dashed back to the palace.
"Two Shisho Fuin…Four Symbol Seals. Those would seal the Kyuubi into Naruto…while the Hakke no Fuin Shiki…the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style…would leak the Kyuubi's chakra back into Naruto's own. It was done under the pretense that one day, Naruto would be able to utilize the Nine Tails' chakra, to help him…"
Inside the Yondaime's office, Kazama Arashi quickly wrote down the details of what had just happened in his journal. This way, a written record of what had happened would remain. People would know of how Rin sacrificed her son for Konoha…and how her son would be remembered as a hero. A hero that would live as a Jinchuriki.
He recited his own words to himself. "And so…Uzumaki Naruto…will be remembered…as a hero. Kazama Arashi, the Fourth Hokage." The golden-haired man calmly rolled up his scroll, putting it within his desk. He quickly looked back over the scroll detailing how to perform the Demonic Soul Seal, which would call upon the God of Death…and in exchange for his own life, the Kyuubi would be sealed within Naruto. The Four Symbol Seals would actually keep the Kyuubi sealed inside Naruto…while the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style would eventually allow the chakra of the demon and the boy to slowly fuse in a symbiotic fashion.
The Yondaime was ready.
He calmly left his palace…to personally face the Kyuubi for the first and final time.
Minutes later, a shinobi in black calmly entered the office, scouring over the papers and documents, taking anything of value. The Yondaime's journal was one of them. "Orochimaru-sama will be pleased…"
Earthquakes. The palace rattled.
The shinobi cursed as he jumped out the window, moments before over half of the palace collapsed upon itself.
And with that, the spy left Konoha.
"You know what happened after that…everyone does."
/End Flashback/
xxxx
/Present Day/
"The Yondaime Hokage called upon the God of Death to seal the Nine Tailed Demon Fox into Naruto…his life was lost, and he become immortalized as a result. He will always be remembered as the one who saved Konoha…yet no one would remember the girl who asked him…" Mantarou paused to stare at Naruto. Pain was evident in both of their eyes.
Naruto's pain was one of anger and sorrow.
Mantarou's pain was one of loss and regret. "…the girl who asked him to use her own son as a vessel…so Konoha would be saved. She asked him that he be remembered as a hero…but no one listened." He stared at Naruto. "That is the fate of all Jinchuriki…the demons within us…the very power we possess…we are cursed by it. We are destined to always be alone…and any happiness we manage to find…is torn away."
Naruto said nothing.
AH…SO LOVELY. GETS YOU ALL MISTY-EYED DOESN'T IT?
Naruto suddenly burst. "Shut UP you frickin' fox! ShutupshutupshutupshutupshutupSHUTUPSHUTUP! Keep your damn mouth shut, and STOP TALKING TO ME!"
The outburst silenced everyone. Even Mantarou couldn't help but stare.
THINK THEY HEARD YOU?
…just shut up. Naruto scowled bitterly; all of this information was proving to be too much. Now it appeared that his own mother – his freaking MOTHER – was the one who basically said 'here's my son. Seal that pesky fox inside him!'?
He supposed it wasn't fair to judge Rin so harshly…but damn it all, how much crap was he supposed to endure in his life?
From the sidelines, Rock Lee kept clenching and unclenching his fists. "What sorrow. What loss. I truly do not know what to think anymore."
"I do," muttered Kakashi, his eye still glaring at Mantarou.
Hinata, meanwhile, was focusing on Naruto. His body was shivering…his eyes...they were aching…even though turned red by the demon's power, they showed such sorrow. Naruto-kun…
Sasuke, however, was calm and collected. He asked, "So…what happened to prevent you from raising Naruto? Surely your mission didn't end badly for someone of your caliber."
Mantarou replied, "You are correct. It was actually quite easy."
xxxx
/Mantarou's Flashback/
/Warehouse, Outside Sawagakure, River Country/
A warehouse. It stood on the outskirts of the Hidden Marsh Village…and it served as a meeting place and storage facility for the pill smugglers.
Right now, the bodies of fifty Nukenin were strewn about inside the warehouse, which now was without a roof. The worst of the injuries came in the form of missing limbs. No deaths. All wounded and unconscious.
And authorities from Sawagakure were in the warehouse now, looking at the carnage. The supply of enhanced soldier pills had already been obliterated. Taped to the wall was a list of clients.
In one right, the whole pill-smuggling ring had been shattered.
Mantarou smiled; he was at least four miles away from the warehouse now, heading back to Konoha. The mission had been rather easy. Sure, the Jonin-level missing-nin with a taste for Metal element techniques had been SOME trouble…but all in all, it had proceeded flawlessly.
Now to just head home. He casually took out the kunai with Rin's hair on it.
IT WASN'T GLOWING.
"I felt fear for the first time in a long time. Before I knew it, I was racing back to Konoha as fast as I could."
Uzumaki Mantarou panted heavily as his legs moved as fast as they could. His mind was in such a frenzy that he didn't even think about using his chakra to increase the length of his stride. His crazed and hurried thoughts were dedicated to Rin.
What happened? Why isn't the kunai glowing? Is she dead? She CAN'T be dead. How? Why? There's no way she died. Something else must've happened. Something. Anything. Notdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdead…no. NO. NO! She's not dead. CAN'T be dead. She gave me everything. She gave me happiness. Light. Comfort. Love. Everything. All. Can't be dead. NO. Our child. Oh God, OUR CHILD. Is he dead? Or is it a she? NO. Not dead. We were happy. Our child is going to be born in two weeks. A matter of DAYS. I'll be a father. Keihan was my father. Yonagi was my mother. Both great parents. I want to be a parent. I'll be a GREAT parent. So will Rin. Because she's alive. NOT dead. NononononononoNONONONONONO. Not dead. Not dead. CAN'T BE DEAD. NO. I won't believe it. I performed the jutsu wrong. I had to. I did. It's been years since I used it. YEARS. I did it incorrectly. Of course. It's obvious. Because she's not dead. She can't be dead. She's alive. ALIVE…oh God she's dead…NO. SHE CAN'T BE DEAD! NONONONONONONONONONONO! Not dead. NOT dead. Oh God what's happening to me I need to calm down and think rationally she's not dead of course she's not dead I'mjustoverreactingandpanickingthere'snowaythatRinisdead-
Mantarou cleared the hills to the west of Konoha.
He thought his feet had frozen in place.
A good portion of Konoha's wall had fallen. Buildings had collapsed upon each other. Half of the Hokage's Palace was in ruins. A path of destruction was visible, leading all the way to the Grass Country.
What…what happened?
His frenzied pace turned into a slow walk, his legs moving slowly as he strolled into Konoha. His face was hidden by the hood…but his ears picked up everything the people were saying.
"Such a horrible attack…"
"…why…?"
"-stop moving him around! He's got internal bleeding!"
"The Nine Tailed Demon Fox destroyed my entire farm…"
"…where's mommy? Where is she?"
"-the Hyuga have lost at least thirty-"
"-why? Why did we have to lose the Fourth?"
"The Fourth sacrificed himself to destroy the Kyuubi…"
"Damn it all. DAMN THAT MONSTER!"
"Why?"
"The Nine Tailed Demon Fox deserves to rot wherever it is-"
Mantarou ignored the words. He kept going on towards the palace.
"The Third Hokage hadn't revealed the truth about the fate of the Nine Tails to the village populace yet…that wouldn't happen until two days after the attack."
"Let me finish Kakashi."
Mantarou paused at the sight of the palace. Half of it had collapsed, with nothing remaining but rubble and ruin. The Fourth Hokage is dead…then the only one let in this village who truly knows me is Rin…oh God, she can't be dead…NO. SHE'S NOT DEAD.
Then his eyes fell upon a body bag being zipped up.
Just before it was closed, he saw the face.
The face belonged to Rin.
Rin's face.
RIN.
A tired man calmly hefted up the body bag and tossed it with a group of others, his hands returning to the rubble to find the bodies of the dead.
Mantarou had already turned away, fleeing as if his life depended on it.
"My mind became an utter blank. I only wanted to get away from Konoha…I just wanted to get away…"
Uzumaki Mantarou kept running. He was at least twenty miles away from Konohagakure by now. His legs screamed for rest. He didn't care.
Then they cramped up.
SLAM!
The Jinchuriki fell on his face.
And for the first time, his mind stopped running.
He thought about everything.
Rin was dead. And with her, their unborn child.
"I didn't know that you had been born Naruto…I didn't know at all…so I sank into despair…"
Mantarou couldn't help but cry. His home was gone. The Yondaime Hokage, an understanding and respectable man, was dead. Rin…
Oh God, Rin…
Dead. Gone. His lover…his happiness…the bright light that warded off the darkness of his blood-soaked past…GONE.
And why?
Because…of a DEMON…
Nine Tailed Demon Fox. Kyuubi. The Biju. Demon Fox. Demon. Nine Tails. Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails NINE TAILS…
Mantarou's fists clenched. He raised his head from the dirt.
His face…was contorted into an expression of absolute fury. Fury he hadn't felt to such a degree…since Kyojini and his army of ogres had attacked the Hidden Valley.
"I faltered…I got sidetracked from my mission…and because of it…my loved ones…my family…they're dead…AGAIN…" Uzumaki Mantarou snarled as he willed himself to his feet.
Kyojini the No Tail had attacked the Hidden Valley. He had ended the lives of his family and friends. He had destroyed his home…and had ultimately put him on the path to destroying all demons.
Kyuubi…the Nine Tails…had attacked Konohagakure. He had ended the lives of his family and friends. He had destroyed his home…and now, had ultimately put him back on the path to destroying all demons.
"I swore from there on that I would continue my mission. I would succeed. I would do whatever it took to eliminate those monsters and all of their kin. I didn't what depths I had to sink to…from that point on, I swore that I would do what whatever it took…to do what had to be done."
xxxx
To be continued…
Next time…
Mantarou's Descent; The Rise and Fall of Akatsuki!
xxxx
Author's Notes: Next chapter is the last of the Mantarou flashback chapters. Promise.
And be honest…did anyone cry when reading this chapter? Be honest.
See you soon, and please review!