Hello all Storm here with another rewrite! This is a rewrite of my old "Black Cat" story with a completely different, and hopefully better, beginning of how Naruko will eventually become Black Cat. So, without further ado.
I own nothing
'There are times when I really regret taking this job.' Thought Minato Namikaze, as he sat within the Hokage's Office, his office, signing paper after paper.
When he had first become Hokage, it had been one of the happiest moments in his life, being named the Yondaime Hokage. That is until he discovered just what it meant to be Hokage.
Constant meetings, settling disputes between clans, and of course the endless amount of paperwork that never seemed to end!
The worst part was that he could no longer go on missions, instead simply handing them out to his subordinates. The feared Yellow Flash, being reduced to what's basically an over glorified secretary.
After a few moments, Minato sighed and decided to take a break, before turning to look out at the village through the window. Looking down at the village, the Hokage could see dozens of people out enjoying the day, friends conversing, Ninja out patrolling, and families spending time together.
Though Minato soon took notice of a family of three, a mother, a father, and their young daughter in between them, holding their hands.
Seeing this, Minato looked down, before turning back to his office with a pained expression.
'How long has it been, sixteen years?' Minato thought sadly, not believing it's already been that long since that night.
The night his and Kushina's daughter was born, and when the Nibi Attack happened.
It had all started when Kushina had told him one day that she was pregnant, which had been one of the greatest moments in their lives, to find out they were going to be parents. Though it also came with risks as well, given all the enemies they made in their lives, along with Kushina being the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi. With there also being the risk of the Kyūbi escaping, when she gives birth.
Minato had done everything he could to ensure everything went as smoothly as possible. For the duration of Kushina's pregnancy, he had his student, Kakashi, who had just recently joined Anbu, guard Kushina. Both to make sure she was safe and to help Kakashi come out of the darkness he's been descending in, since Rin and Obito's deaths.
When it came time for Kushina to give birth, Minato had recalled both Jiraiya and Tsunade to help. Jiraiya to help keep the seal containing the Kyūbi locked, and Tsunade to make sure Kushina, as well as their child, were perfectly safe. Along with setting up Perimeters and Barrier Seals around the location they'd go to, when the time came.
Minato made sure nothing would go wrong for when Kushina gave birth.
Eventually, Kushina's water had finally broke, and it made the Yondaime worried at seeing his wife in so much pain. As well as terrified, when she started going into all the ways she'd torture him for doing this to her. It was truly horrifying, just how much detail Kushina had put into everything, that Minato even resorted to sleeping with one eye open for two years, out of fear that she'd go through with them.
Thankfully, it all ended soon, with Kushina's screams being replaced with a crying baby, their daughter. They had decided to name her, Naruko, after the main character in Jiraiya's first book, and neither of the new parents could be happier to finally meet her.
Unfortunately, that's when everything took a turn for the worst. As not even a moment later, an Anbu had shown informing them that the Nibi no Bakeneko was attacking Konoha, shocking them all.
At first, they had believed Kumogakure was attacking, given Kumo was in possession of both the Nibi and the Hachibi. But when Minato arrived at the scene, he saw Kumo wasn't in fact attacking, and instead, the Nibi was being controlled by a masked stranger, possessing the Sharingan.
Minato engaged the Masked Man, with some difficulty after learning he had an ability to turn intangible. But he had eventually managed to mark them with his Hiraishin Formula, and break their control over the Nibi. The Masked Man then escaped, but not before swearing he'd return for both the Nibi and the Kyūbi.
He had then gone off to fight the Nibi with Jiraiya and Tsunade, alongside their summons, drawing it away from the village. Knowing he didn't have any other choice, Minato sealed the Nibi away into Naruko. Thankfully it wasn't that difficult to seal the Nibi, with it only requiring the Eight Trigrams Seal.
Afterwards, they had returned to the village, which thankfully hadn't taken much damage due to Jiraiya and Tsunade keeping the Nibi busy, until Minato arrived. Though Minato had decided against revealing Naruko was the Nibi's Jinchūriki, given plenty of people were still killed by the Bijū, instead telling them the Nibi was sealed away in a secure location.
He also avoided mentioning the Masked Man, knowing it'd either cause people to panic, or even start blaming the Uchiha Clan.
Thankfully, things had settled down afterwards, with the Uzumaki/Namikaze family living happily together, for exactly five months.
Not even a year had pass when the Raikage, A, himself came marching into Konoha and demanded the return of the Nibi. Something Minato had immediately refused, given the Nibi was sealed in his daughter and he wasn't going to let anyone from Kumo near his family, especially given they already tried kidnapping Kushina, when they were kids.
Minato didn't tell A this though, instead simply saying the Nibi was locked away where no one could get it and that given the attack, he wasn't inclined to tell anyone where it was. Of course, the Raikage didn't care about this, only demanding that they return Kumo's "property", or else.
For the following three years, things had been tense between Konoha and Kumo, with the Raikage always demanding the return of the Nibi, and Minato always refusing each time they met. Eventually, the Raikage realized they wouldn't get the Nibi back and so demanded they be given something of equal value as compensation. Minato initially agreed to this, wanting to stop things from escalating further than they already have.
That is until he heard several of what they demanded in exchange.
The Byakugan, the Sharingan, the Forbidden Scroll, they had even been brave, or foolish, enough to demand the Hiraishin and the Rasengan. All of these demands were met with refusal, given how ridiculous they were, not to mention impossible without causing further conflicts within Konoha.
Finally after three years, Minato decided enough was enough and sent a message to the Raikage for a final meeting. Minato had brought Jiraiya and Kushina with him, the latter only coming after seeing Minato had several Anbu teams guarding Naruko in their absence.
Once they had arrived at the meeting spot, seeing the Raikage had brought his own guards, including his brother Killer B. During the meeting Minato had made it clear that A could either let this go and accept that the Nibi is gone, or he could continue and face the only person who can surpass him in speed, and someone strong enough to surpass the Kyūbi.
The message had been very clear, either back off or you'll die.
While Minato normally didn't like using his fearsome reputation, he wasn't above using it to prevent a possible war from happening, and he knew someone like A would only respond to such threats.
Thankfully A had, with reluctance, agreed to let the matter end and both groups returned to their villages.
Unfortunately, this is when Minato and Kushina had gotten possibly the worst news they could have gotten.
Naruko was missing!
After hearing this, the two had rushed home and began searching everywhere for Naruko, in the hopes that this was just another one of the child's pranks. Only to come up empty handed and expanded the search to the entire village, only to find the little girl nowhere. Minato then sent out dozens of teams to track down where Naruko was, and who had kidnapped her.
At first Minato and Kushina had believed Kumo was responsible, either having discovered Naruko was the Nibi's Jinchūriki, or simply out of spite. Only to discover Kumo had nothing to do with it, given Jiraiya had snuck into Kumogakure to see if Naruko was in fact there, only to find nothing.
That had been thirteen years ago, with all the following years being met with no sign of Naruko, anywhere. They didn't give up on trying to find her though, with Minato constantly sending teams out to find her and Kushina going out on her own searches, while out on missions. Both refusing to give up trying to find their daughter, and refusing to believe she might be dead.
It was the fact that the Nibi hasn't reformed, been spotted anywhere, or sealed in a new host that gave them hope that Naruko was still alive.
Minato was then pulled from his thoughts, when an Anbu wearing a Neko masked appeared in his office.
"What is it Neko?" Minato asked.
"Hokage-sama it's urgent, a stranger has just entered the village." Neko said, with Minato raising a brow and feeling a little annoyed that she considered this urgent.
"And why exactly did you feel the need to inform me of this?" Questioned Minato, given unless it was a powerful enemy or an S-Rank Missing-Nin, it didn't seem he was needed.
"The strange claims to be Naruko Uzumaki." Neko revealed.
This made Minato's eyes widen in shock, before he shot out of his chair.
"Show me now." Minato ordered, wanting to now meet this stranger, and see if they were in fact his daughter.
If not, and this was just some joke, there'd be hell to pay.
*Later*
Minato stood outside an interrogation room, with Kushina and Jiraiya beside him. Looking through the one-way glass, they saw the girl who was claiming to be Naruko. Given the girl could possibly be a threat or imposter, she had been taken to the Konoha Intelligence Division to see what she knew.
Thankfully, if this was in fact Naruko, she hasn't been tortured yet and was simply asked the basic questions that all prisoners are asked.
The girl was sixteen-years-old, the age Naruko would be right now. Though where Naruko had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Minato, this girl had long silver-white hair, green cat-like eyes with narrow pupils, and pale skin. The one thing that the girl and Naruko had in common were the three whisker marks on their cheeks, which Naruko had been born with.
Her attire consisted of black Ninja sandals that went partway up her legs, black pants with blue flame patterns, and a long sleeved black and blue blouse.
Aside from the questions, several tests had also been performed on the girl to see if she was in fact Naruko. The blood tests all came back as matching Minato and Kushina's, she also had the Eight Trigrams Seal on her abdomen, with Inoichi Yamanaka confirming that she did have the Nibi sealed inside her, with the Bakeneko expelling him from her mind, before he could see her memories.
She also seemed to have a talent for Fūinjutsu, as given all her possessions that had been confiscated were Storage Scrolls, sealed shut by Blood Seals. Along with Security Seals that if anyone tried tampering with them, they'd self-destruct.
All this pointed to girl actually being Naruko, but Jiraiya was skeptical of the girl's claim.
"She could just be a convincing imposter, as there are ways to fake a blood test. Besides, anyone with enough knowledge in Fūinjutsu could have freed the Nibi, and sealed it into a new host." Said Jiraiya, not believing this was actually Naruko.
"Maybe." Minato muttered, stuck between skepticism and hope.
"It's her. It's Naruko." Stated Kushina, absolutely sure this was her daughter.
"Don't get your hopes up Kushina, for all we know, this could just be a ploy by an enemy village, or even Orochimaru." Said Jiraiya, only to reel back when Kushina glared at him with red eyes.
"That's my daughter who I have searching for, for thirteen years. Do you honestly think I'd let myself be tricked by a fake?" Kushina retorted, before going over to enter the interrogation room and speak with the girl, herself.
Entering the room, Kushina inhaled sharply, when the girl looked up at her and saw a younger version of herself.
'She looks just like me.' Kushina thought sadly at having missed so much of her life.
"Hello." Kushina said softly as she sat down across from her.
"H-hi." Said the girl, shyly.
"Do you know who I am?" Asked Kushina, with the girl nodding.
"Yes. You're Kushina Uzumaki, the Red Death, the Yondaime Hokage's wife. You're also my…" The girl said, before stopping herself and looking down, with Kushina reached over and put her hand on hers.
"I'm your Kaa-chan, Naruko." Said Kushina, smiling at her daughter, while Naruko looked at her in surprise.
"You, you believe me?" Naruko asked.
"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" Asked Kushina.
"It's just, everyone else I met didn't really believe me, when I said who I was, a few even got angry. But I guess it's understandable given, ya know." Naruko said, while motioning to her hair and eyes, with Kushina nodding as just her physical appearance would cause doubt in Naruko's claim.
"Well, I know my own daughter, even if you have different hair and eyes. I still remember you as the adorable little girl who always loved hearing stories. Your favorite was how I met your father, right?" Kushina asked smiling, Naruko returning the smile, though hers was laced with sadness.
"Actually my favorite is when you told me the time laxatives in the entire Hyuga Clans food to "help get the sticks out of their collective asses". It's also what made me start pulling pranks, with my first one wanting to do better than yours, so I put super glue and pink dye in their shampoo." Naruko corrected, with Kushina laughing lightly with tears in her eyes.
"Yeah, that was the proudest I've ever been, even better when they found out about the itching powder in their clothes." Kushina said, now knowing without a doubt that this was really her daughter, wanting to just be sure and see if she knew something only, she and Naruko would know.
"Naruko, I'm sorry, I just-" Kushina started, wanting to apologize for tricking her.
"It's fine Kaa-chan, you just had to be sure. I understand, you wanted proof." Said Naruko, smiling sadly that she had to prove who she was to her own mother.
"You shouldn't have to prove anything." Said Kushina, getting up and hugging her daughter tightly, feeling a weight being lifted off her, now that she could finally hold her little girl in her arms again.
Naruko hesitantly returned the hug, before smiling contently at the warmth she felt from the embrace.
"As much as I'd love to stay like this, Naruko. I have to ask, what happened?" Kushina asked, wanting to know what happened to her daughter, years ago.
"I don't know the exact details; I just remember something covering my face, before falling unconscious. When I came to, I was strapped down to a table with a pale man that looked like a snake hovering over me." Naruko answered.
"Orochimaru." Kushina muttered darkly, while swearing to skin the bastard the next time she sees him.
"Yeah him. After that, I only remember pain and screaming, a lot of screaming. I lost track of how many times they cut me open, injecting things into me, seeing how far they could push my healing factor. There were times I just begged them to kill me, but that just made the sick bastards laugh, before simply torturing me for the hell of it. Whenever they weren't cutting me open, I was locked in a cell with no light, left with my own thoughts and not even knowing how long I was locked in there, whether it was minutes, hours, or even days." Naruko explained, shaking as she recounted her imprisonment.
All while Kushina's anger grew with each word, her eyes a burning red color with slit pupils as she swore that she wouldn't just kill Orochimaru. She would slaughter every single bastard working with that snake, before slowly torturing him and everyone else that dared hurt her baby. And Kushina swears, she'll make sure they stay alive for days, before cutting out their hearts.
"I don't even know what they were trying to do, but whatever it was, I was eventually able to do, this." Naruko said, just as Kushina's chair suddenly broke underneath her, surprising the woman as she stopped herself from fall onto her butt.
"What was that?" Kushina asked, confused as to why the chair broke, out of nowhere.
"I can manipulate Back Luck. When I first got it, I couldn't really control it and it just caused bad luck to happen to those around me. Eventually, I learned to control it and focus it to certain people or objects, I can even project it around me and the surrounding area, like a field. But it only works if it's possible for bad luck to happen, like a chair suddenly breaking. Sorry by the way." Naruko said, as Kushina was surprised at learning her daughter at such an ability, to actually manipulate a person's luck.
"When did you escape? And how did you escape?" Kushina asked, with Naruko shrugging.
"Three, four months ago. It was after I overheard Orochimaru talking with some Ninja wearing headbands with clouds on them. He planned to give me to them in exchange for several Ninjutsu Scrolls, including one called Black Lightning. When I learned this, I made my escape by using my Bad Luck, while also stealing what the snake would have gotten in exchange for me. After that, I mostly just spent my time running and hiding, not wanting to risk being captured again. I got by, by stealing food and money when I needed to. It was after I met a team that was searching for me, that I came here." Said Naruko.
"But, why didn't you just come home?! Why did you wait this long?!" Kushina asked, upset and hurt that Naruko waited this long to come home.
"Fear. I was afraid you wouldn't believe who I was, that you wouldn't want me, even if you did believe me, that you'd reject me. I didn't even think you'd be trying to find me, since Orochimaru certainly enjoyed reminding me that no one was coming to save me." Naruko muttered, while looking down solemnly.
'I swear, when I get my hands on that snake-faced fucker, I'm going to sending him screaming to the deepest pits of HELL!' Kushina thought, before she held her daughter close.
"We never stopped trying to find you, and we'll always love you Naru-chan, don't ever doubt that. I'm just sorry we couldn't find you sooner, but I promise, I won't lose you again." Said Kushina, while kissing the top of her head.
She finally had her daughter back, she won't ever lose her again, and anyone who tries taking her, won't live to regret it.
Meanwhile, outside the chamber, Minato was scowling while clenching his fists so hard that blood began to slip through them, as he heard what his daughter had gone through at the hands of the snake. He had intended to investigate and confront Orochimaru, when he heard reports of him performing illegal experiments. But the disputes that they were having with Kumo had kept him from doing so, and now his child paid the price.
'But no more...' He mentally swore, as soon as he made sure his daughter was alright and protected enough, he would go out and make sure that damn bastard would never threaten his family, ever again!
All while Jiraiya looked at Naruko in pity, given how sadistic and cruel his former teammate had become. Especially after his time under Danzō's command, back when he was in the Foundation. Only to shaking his head of those thoughts, not long after. Believing that this was just some kind of elaborate sob story to play on Minato and Kushina's emotions, so she can infiltrate Konoha. Especially now that he knew that she had ties to Orochimaru.
*Later – Senju Compound*
After getting Naruko released and returning her possessions, Minato allowed her to keep the Jutsu Scrolls she stole from Orochimaru, when they took her back to their home in the Senju Compound.
Though while Kushina and Minato had wanted nothing more than to be with their daughter, they still had responsibilities and duties to take care of. But they told Naruko when they get back, they'll do anything she wants to do before leaving.
Currently Naruko was sitting on the couch in the living room, looking around the home, her home. Having been told that her sister, Shio, will be back from the Academy.
Having learn that Shio was born, a couple years after she was kidnapped, due to her parents had taken comfort with each other, after failing some failed searches in finding her. With them having been extra precautious and secretive, when Kushina was pregnant to Shio, since they didn't want to take any chances, after losing Naruko.
'This is going to take some getting used to.' Naruko thought, given for most of her life, her home was either a tiny cell, or wherever she managed to rest, after escaping
"I still say this was a bad idea, Naruko. We were better off on our own." Said a voice in Naruko's head.
'I know Matatabi, but is it wrong to have hoped that there is someone who genuinely cared about me, besides you of course.' Naruko thought.
"Personally, yes. You know how I feel about hope, it breeds eternal misery." Replied Matatabi to its host.
Naruko had been in contact with the Nibi, or Matatabi as she learned the Bijū's name was, for years; ever since she had first been kidnapped. It was the reason Naruko didn't give up on the chance of taking back her freedom, why she didn't go insane, whenever she was locked in the darkness. If there's someone Naruko trusted unconditionally, it was Matatabi.
Matatabi was also the reason Naruko was able to escape, having trained Naruko in her mindscape with the skills her previous Jinchūriki possessed, having seen in their lives. And it was those skills, along with her ability to manipulate Bad Luck, that allowed Naruko to finally escape Orochimaru, three years ago.
Yes Naruko had actually been free for three years, rather than just a few months, like she told her mother. The reason Naruko lied, was because she had trust issues, even with her own family, along with being afraid of being hurt again.
So instead Naruko stayed on her own, with Matatabi as her only companion. Naruko did also steal, but not just to survive, but because she enjoyed it, the thrill it gave her. And for a time Naruko was happy, she had her freedom back, she got to do what she loved, and no one to tell her what to do.
But there are had still been part of Naruko that longed for someone to love her, to care about her, besides Matatabi. She hadn't lied when she said she ran into one of the teams searching for her, and it surprised Naruko that her parents were trying to find her, even after all this time. It also gave her hope that maybe she could finally have a real home, with people that loved her.
Though Matatabi had been against it, believing they were better off on their own. While it was one of the friendlier Bijū, compared to its siblings, Matatabi still despised humans for everything they've done to it and its family. With Naruko, and its previous Jinchūriki, Yugito, being the only exception. It had relented though, when it saw how desperate Naruko was at wanting to finally have a true home, and not constantly being on the run anymore, and Matatabi couldn't fault her for that.
So, it agreed to go along with Naruko's desire of going to Konoha and meeting her parents.
'Well, so far they've been welcoming.' Naruko thought, as she laid down onto the couch to get more comfortable.
"Perhaps, but I saw how that perverted toad, Jiraiya, looked at you. He thinks you're lying about who you are, or maybe that you're one of that snakes minions. Be careful around him, Naruko." Matatabi warned, with Naruko sighing and nodding.
She'd seen the way Jiraiya watched her suspiciously, and figured he'd be keeping an eye on her. Naruko expected this, some people not believing who she was, or that she's a spy. But she learned to not care what others thought of her, and besides, her parents believed her and that's enough for her, right now.
Besides, another bonus is that if she becomes a Ninja, she'll be able to take missions and still be able to steal stuff. Naruko just hoped she didn't make a mistake coming back to Konoha, she's already been hurt enough and has a hard enough time trusting people, as it is.
Matatabi sighed quietly as it heard Naruko's thoughts, before lying down. It still believes this was mistake, and knows that something will eventually happen that'll destroy Naruko's hope of a better life. And when it does happen, Matatabi will be there for her.
No matter what, it won't abandon its friend.
So, what did you think, good. Yep Naruko's parents are still alive and rather than the Kyūbi she has become the Jinchūriki of the Nibi instead, with Obito having kidnapped Yugito instead after seeing the increased security around Kushina. This has lead to a less damaging attack, due to Jiraiya and Tsunade's presence, along with Minato not needing to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. However while no one died here, Kumo is angry at losing one of their Bijū and wants it back or something of equal value. And while this is happening Naruko has been kidnapped by Orochimaru and experimented for ten years, granting Naruko the ability to manipulate Bad Luck and receiving training from Matatabi. Naruko is able to escape finally, along with stealing some useful scrolls from the Snake Sannin, before going on her own for three years until she eventually returns to Konoha, desiring to have a real home and people who care about her. With her family gladly welcoming her home, with the reveal of Naruko having a new little sister, but also being met with suspicions of those who doubt her claim of being Naruko. So, review if you liked go away if you didn't.
Storm out