Original Summary: He was a Jinchuuriki who was murdered by his best friend. But Fate has other plans, and Naruto wakes up in his five year old body. KakaNaru Yaoi

New Summary: After his death in the Valley of the End, Naruto wakes up in his five year old body and the ideals and responsibilities of his father's clan fall upon his shoulders as he becomes the bearer of the impossible Yochigan. As his mind threatens to break under the strain of the legacy of the Kazama clan, his only hope in salvation lies in the hands of the one person he pushes away due to his overwhelming love for them. Can Kakashi get close in time to preserve Naruto's deteriorating sanity? KakaNaru Yaoi

SS's Notes: Sorry about the long hiatus. I have no excuse beyond the fact that I'd lost interest in the Naruto fandom. I'm more interested in reading other people's works than actually writing it lately, but I really do hate leaving things unfinished, so here's a new chapter. Sorry for the long wait, and thank you all for your patience.

Previously on Soundscape…

Tsunade received the reports of the ROOT ANBU being released in concern. The Oracle had sealed them to prevent them from causing damage, so why was he releasing them? She received her answer when a tired, but marginally more refreshed looking Oracle staggered into her office in the shelters.

"Nice to see you're awake," she said softly.

Naruto smiled tiredly and said, "Holding as many seals as I had was speeding up the deterioration of my mind. Releasing some of them has lessened the strain somewhat, but I will need more Anchors if I intend to stay sane long enough to see Konoha to the end of this ordeal."

"How many more do you need?"

"I can't be sure," Naruto sighed as he took a seat across from the Hokage. "The number varies from one Oracle to the next. All I can be sure is that the minimum of Anchors I require has barely been met."

"Then we must endeavor to find you all of your Anchors then." Tsunade smiled, "And within the quickest possible time. The longer you live, the better. Your well being is important, not just for your eyes, though goodness only knows how valuable they are, but because there are people here in Konoha who would miss you if you were to die. Now shoo. Get some more sleep, Naruto."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Chapter 36: ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Naruto sighed as his consciousness swooped low over the village, watching as civilians cringed as shinobi with cold hard eyes passed them on the streets, and flinched when masked ANBU flitted over the rooftops. If this was how they reacted to the ninja loyal to the Hokage, how must they act around the Hyuuga? He did not think he wanted to know. The release of all the seals but the ones that held Danzo had significantly lifted the burden on his mind, and Kyuubi was busy restoring every thing he could reach. It didn't mean that he didn't need more anchors though, which was why he was in Konoha. He needed to speak with Hinata and Neji about officially inducting Hanabi, Udon, and Moegi as Anchors, and then if he could find them in this mess, Ibiki, Jiraiya and Kakashi. He needed trustworthy ANBU or jounin level ninja to safeguard his Anchors if they were to remain in Konoha proper. There was also a matter about a pair of tokubetsu jounin and their potential to be anchors that he wanted to discuss with them.

"I'm tired of playing games," Naruto said gently as he drummed is fingers on the arm of the chair. "Forgive me, Hinata, Neji, but I am sending you back into the Hyuuga Complex. Execute the Council as well as the Head. Work your way upward."

"And Danzo?" Hinata asked carefully, "There is also ROOT to contend with."

"Leave that to Kakashi and the former ANBU," Tsunade suggested. "The only logical way to bring down ANBU is to use ANBU."

"I agree," Jiraiya said, "But if all the ANBU are pitted against ROOT, who will investigate the Akatski?"

"A conundrum," Naruto agreed, "And since Suna is having internal problems due to the change of power, we cannot rely on their help. We cannot reach out to our allies in the lesser Countries since it would alert Iwa and Kumo of our weakness."

"Naruto-sama."

Heads turned toward Itachi who was in the back of the room near the door.

"Yes, Itachi?"

"Allow me to deal with the Akatsuki, Naruto-sama."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "You, Itachi? After what you did to Kisame in order to come to me?"

"I am willing to take the risk."

"If your kinsman is willing to accompany you, then I will let you go."

Itachi's muscles tensed. "With respect, Sasuke is not coming."

"Takusen-sama was not speaking of your foolish little brother, Itachi-kun," a male voice said silkily, "rather, he meant me."

Heads jerked and hands flew to weapons pouches as the ninja realized that there was someone else in the room with them. His black hair was cropped short, and his face was covered by a swirled ceramic mask painted orange with a single eye hole. The man was dressed in entirely black with a dark grey cloak thrown over his shoulders and the only sign that he was a ninja were the sandals on his feet.

"Welcome back," Naruto said blandly, "although some in this room may feel otherwise considering the part you played in Konoha's History. You would have done better to knock. Nevertheless," his voice softened and his lips quirked upward in a knowing smile, "what is it that you have brought me, Uchiha Madara?"

Uchiha Madara bowed low, "I bring you the head of your foe, Takusen-sama." He reached under his cloak and drew out a scroll which he tossed to the floor. The scroll unfurled and once the seal was completely exposed, there was a burst of chakra. "Here is the head of he who would steal from the House of Oracles."

Naruto nodded slowly, "A fine gift," he murmured, "and I thank you for it." He waved his hand, and Itachi quickly resealed the head and brought it to set on the edge of the table in reach of Naruto's left hand.

"Well then, Madara," Naruto said softly, "I will take this gift as a sign of your goodwill to the Oracle. Now you will answer me. Why did you create the Akatsuki and allow it to run out of control?"

Madara's lips twisted unseen behind his mask. "I… I wished for vengeance against Senju Hiraishima, my lord."

"The First Hokage died long ago," Naruto's voice was cold. "And still you sought vengeance against him?"

"He gave the nine tailed beasts to the other countries, my lord, I hoped to execute my vengeance against him by retrieving all nine symbols of Konoha's goodwill to the surrounding lands."

"An act that would cause nine deaths and no one any great pain, except perhaps for the Raikage and the troops under the command of the Eight Tailed Jinchuuriki, and here in Konoha, perhaps those who rely on the Oracle may feel the lack."

Madara did not respond, but he tilted his head downward. Naruto studied him before he spoke again.

"Tell me about this Red Moon Plan I've heard whispers about and why you decided to change plans."

"My lord, you know there is no known way to extract a Bijuu from it's container without killing the prison. I had no wish to bring harm to the Oracle. "

"Hmph. Cease and desist, Madara," Naruto commanded, "Seeking vengeance against a dead man is unbecoming of you. Accompany Itachi back to the Akatsuki lair. I expect that between the pair of you, there should be no Akatsuki when we begin our counter attack against Danzo and the Hyuuga Clan. Return and bring me victory, and then I will consider the terms of your punishment. For now, prove yourself worthy of remaining in the Oracle's service. Itachi."

Itachi stepped forward so he was before the Oracle. "Takusen-sama?"

"I will allow you to go. Take Madara with you, at the end, report your observations to me. Go."

The two Uchiha bowed and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Takusen-sama," Hinata murmured, "If Neji and I are gone, who shall serve you? Haruno-san does not have the suitable temperament to serve the Oracle, Konohamaru-kun is too young, Yamato-taicho is needed elsewhere, and Sai-san is ROOT and obviously cannot be trusted, and all other Anchors have their own duties."

"I can adequately care for myself for a time," Naruto said dismissively, "However, this is a problem that may emerge in the future, and should be resolved now while we have the time. In three years time, Konohamaru's generation will be genin, and our generation and our Jounin-senseis' generation will be higher ranked and therefore attending to more difficult missions. I have selected the best qualities for my First Rank. Now I will put forth names for my Second Rank and I will accept names for potential Anchors."

"Takusen-sama's first choices have the best possible qualities," Ibiki said.

Naruto chuckled, "My choices are unorthodox. I have determined Mitarashi Anko and Aburame Shino as suitable for my Second Rank, however, I leave it you to determine the worthiness of several others. Jiraiya-sama has the list, talk among yourselves on this matter. In the meantime, Hyuuga Hanabi may serve me in the interim. It may well be safer for her here in the Mountain than in the Hyuuga Compound when the finial begins. You have until tomorrow to tell me your decision, in the meantime, I will swear in the first of my Second Rank Anchors." He paused and looked at Tsunade and the Sandaime, "Unless Hokage-sama requires my services?"

Tsunade chuckled. She knew that although Naruto spoke in a tone of respect and spoke of service to the Hokage first, he was the Oracle, and like many other Oracles, expected that his will be done. It was an inevitable change, every Oracle that Tsunade had lived to see had been the same way, developing a sort of arrogance that only ever came from getting what ever they desired, and having every whim catered to.

"No," the Sandaime said, "We have no need for the Oracle at the moment. Please do not allow our presence to prevent you from doing what you must."

Naruto inclined his head, "Very well..."

One month later….

Hyuuga Hiashi fumed as he glared into his tea. The Branch House member doling out the breakfast trays flinched as she approached the Hyuuga Head with the refilled rice bowl. It was becoming clearer with every passing skirmish that the Oracle had somehow returned to Konoha, and was guiding the defenders' troops from where ever it was that he was hidden. It galled him to think that the military head of the village was answering to the boy simply because of his name. Worse, the Hyuugas were beginning to loose standing, and the Branch House members were escaping, trickling out of the Main House and the Council's control like water through a sieve. He had no doubt where it was that they were all running; one needed only to see the bustle inside of the Oracle's residence to know where the deserters had gone, and worse, they couldn't be punished because his traitorous daughters had removed the Caged Bird Seal from the heads of every Hyuuga who sought shelter in the Residence. More galling was the fact that the Kazama Ward Seals were still going strong even after so many years of neglect, and there was no way for anyone to cross the wards uninvited when the Oracle was not present.

Kumo, not forgetting their previous humiliations had the hands of the Oracles and the trouble from their attempt to steal the Byakugan, had withdrawn their hand of alliance once it became clear that Danzo was still incapacitated and ROOT was only functioning off initial orders and doing the same thing over and over while the defenders acted against rather than due to the plans laid against them.

Iwa still remembered the severe and humiliating defeats from the war not too long ago, and refused to aide them for as long as a Kazama lived. No Iwa-nin was willing to risk loosing an entire army to one man again, nor were they willing to face two of the three Sannin and the only son of the White Fang.

Suna was more likely to spit on the Hyuugas and their supporters than they were to garrote one of the defenders. It as all that damned Jinchuuriki's fault. Hiashi knew exactly where the defenders were; the laundry hanging from trees on the Hokage's Monument was a clear indicator of where they were, and the fact that none of the defenders thought the rebels were enough of a threat that they would broadcast their location was a terrible blow to the man's pride. Worse, was the knowledge that as long as the defenders were within the Hokage Monument or even in the forest growing on top of it and there was a Kazama in residence, none could enter the Monument without invitation, and the damned Suna-nin and other ninja from anywhere the Uzumaki boy had been, like Spring Country, Moon Country, or even Wave Country, were shuttling supplies to him, and somehow, they had gotten Kiri to help them as well.

To make things brief, there was a massive blockade on Konoha by Konoha-nin, and while the defenders prospered and even took missions while sheltered in the Monument, the rebels were running low on food and amenities, and inflation was making their currency worthless. In fact, even the civilians were beginning to revolt, not against the Hokage and his loyal shinobi as had been the case at the start of the war, but against the Hyuugas. The Byakugan wielders were suddenly very aware that almost all the other Bloodline Clans were gone, sheltered in the Monument with the Hokage and the ninja forces loyal to her, and the Hyuugas, being the ones to start everything, were now the ones left holding the bag.

In short, the war was not going well, and the Hyuugas were screwed.

If he only knew about the bets concerning his obstinacy going around the upper echelons of the forces inside the Monument….

TBC …

Totally Random Babbling: Ok, another short chapter… Sorry I can't give you more, but life has been hectic, and my muses seem adamant that I work on BLEACH fics instead of Naruto fics. In either case, I will do my best to get out new chapters as often as I possibly can. No promises though. Real life comes first after all…

SanadaSayuri