I do not own Naruto

pur·pose

/ˈpərpəs/

noun

The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists

Sarutobi sighed, his desk was a mess of scattered loose papers and he was sure that meant another late night. He didn't remember his days as hokage being this tiring and demanding. He could blame it on age, he was sure that back in his prime he would have been able to power through this and make it home in hopes of catching his family before they called it a night.

Leaning forward he grabbed a paper and quickly scanned it before setting it aside in a messy pile. That's what this job mainly felt like. Reading, calculating, judging, and categorizing. Categorizing everything for the better. For the sake of the village.

The village was separated into many different piles. Some that would help it prosper others that could bring down it's destruction in the blink of an eye. He had silly piles that never actually mattered in the grand scheme of things, but instead were used as a blanket to cover the eyes of the civilians. To hide the dirty work that went on beyond everyday life. He was looking over a request to rebuild a new play structure for some of the children in one of the outer areas of the village, apparently the other one was destroyed somehow according to the request. He knew it was actually blown apart because of a miscalculated deflection of a ninjutsu...but he agreed to give this group of civilians the plot of land they were requesting. He grabbed his rubber stamp, dipping it in ink before slamming it down on the paper and moving it into a new pile. He reached for a new folder opening it to see whose genin would get this mission.

He stopped mid sentence and looked up. He felt it before the others in the room reacted. In seconds a porcelain mask was in front of him, his markings resembling that of a lizard.

"Hokage-Sama." His deep voice stated, questioning the surge of power that hung in the air. Oh and it was a familiar feel. Something they might not be able to recall as it presented itself at a much smaller scale then they could remember.

"Hokage-sama training ground three just displayed a huge surge of chakra" A new voice spoke up, this mask resembling that of a mouse. Sarutobi lowered the paper, not caring for the low level mission about pigs anymore. No his mind was elsewhere, on a certain blond headed little boy and the many possibilities that could be playing out right at this moment.

"Seal the perimeter of those grounds down. I don't want anyone getting into that field."

"Hai" The many voices of the room sang out in unison as they all vanished.

Sarutobi gave himself a minute, a minute to react now that he was alone. Cursing he slammed his fist on the table, pushing himself up from his chair with speed that was foreign to his old age. He had hoped this would be something they would avoid. It was, or what he told himself, the reason he gave the young boy over to Danzo. To train him to harness this power and to never show it. He was a fool. A damn fool for turning a blind eye and not accepting the reality of what he was truly trying to mask. Shaking his head he made the familiar hand signs and watched his office blur into nothing.

xxx

The air was heavy, burdened by the animalistic chakra when Sarutobi stepped out onto the field. He was very aware of the destruction that lay out in front of him. Mature trees shattered into thousands of pieces like they were nothing. The earth was torn up, grass lay scattered in clumps throughout the area. Sarutobi picked up on the groans of pain coming from a boulder. He glanced over his eyes noting a dark haired boy clutching at a bloody stump that used to be his arm. He barely registered the severed limb laying a few feet from the boy. With a hand motion three medic nins appeared, rushing over to the child. Sarutobi turned to the other bloodied sight. He had seen lots of monstrous things in his lifetime. Hell he had even done many of those things himself, but what he looked upon made the old man flinch a little.

What lay in front of him was what used to be a boy, he only knew that from his experience of being able to recognize mangled bodies in the dozen during the past wars. He stepped closer, the blood soaked ground squishing as he did. The boy's chest was completely shredded, flaps of skin and organs hung on by a simple thread. Sarutobi inspected the animal like claw marks apparent on the arms, but he knew no animal around here was capable of this caliber of destruction.

"Seal what you can of this mess." He murmured to the anbu ninja behind him. They nodded, a puff of smoke revealing a body scroll in their hands as they approached the scene. Shaking his head, Sarutobi turned away, feeling for that familiar chakra source. He didn't have to follow the source for long though because the destruction led him straight towards the source. He tracked the bloody pools back towards the tree line, noticing a stray dirty sandal submerged in what he assumed was a mixture of blood and mud.

"Naruto-Kun." He called out. His voice was sharp, not knowing exactly who he was going to be greeted with. A light whimper came out from the tree, more like a sigh of pain. Sarutobi cautiously walked closer. He was well aware of the many other chakra sources perched up on the surrounding trees, posed and ready for things to go south. He was unsure exactly of how present the nine tails could still be in the boy. How long was he a slave to the chakras mercy before he had felt it? Before they had reached here? Was this done all in an hour or perhaps just minutes. Was the nine-tails able to muster up this much destruction in the span of a few seconds? Sarutobi recalled the destruction that took place in just one night. The state of the village the next day was nothing he had ever seen before.

He was finally able to look upon the blonde haired boy, except that was partly the case. His hair hung close to his head, crusted in a crimson brown. His own arms were similarly colored, making it hard to note if it was his own or someone's else's. What was odd, he noted, were his clothes, which seemed to have burned and melted into the poor boys own skin. The boy's eyes opened looking up at the hokage. What struck the old man was the color he was faced with. Gone were the bright azul eyes that held so much light and joy. Instead they were replaced with a red, animalistic slit that didn't belong on any face so young.

"Naruto." Sarutobi asked, his tone more cold and calculating. The young boy looked at him with a sense of recognition, a small smile tugging at his lips only to reveal lengthed canines.

"Hokage-sama..." He responded, his voice hoarse and sounding like it took him much strength to muster up that one word. His eyelids fluttered for a few seconds as he fought his own body to stay conscious, but sadly he was losing the fight. Sarutobi watched the boy's red eyes disappear as the boy sunk in unconsciousness, his body slumping against the ground. Nobody moved for a few seconds, they all sat watching, calculating, and making sure this small boy in front of them was really knocked out. Sarutobi advanced towards him as four anbu appeared behind him.

"We are gonna need to seal off his chakra while he is out and place chakra suppressing seals on him." He barked at them as he knelt next to the boy. He watched the other ninjas go through different hand seals before pressing their hands against the boy's skin. He watched a black spiraling mark sprawling across his exposed skin, sealing off his chakra points. One ninja looked up at the hokage, his eyes pearly white.

"They are all sealed in Hokage-sama." Sarutobi nodded, lifting the boy's shirt up. He flashed through a few hand seals before placing them upon the boy's navel. He watched as blank ink appeared on the red skin. Sarutobi knew he wasn't a master in any way with Naruto's seal. He did understand the basics of it and from what he saw nothing looked out of the normal. Sighing he knew he was gonna have to call in his student to take a look. Perhaps there was something he couldn't quite see or untangle form the many different intertwined black lines.

"I need someone to send for the return of Jiraiya immediately." He removed his hand, watching the seal slowly fade away. He stood up watching the medic nins swooping in now that the boy was safe. He watched as their hands glew with that familiar green glow. Minutes passed by and they informed the Hokage that Naruto was safe for travel. "I want him flanked by four anbu on each side, seal his room the moment you get into the hospital and guards around the clock." Everyone nodded as they knelt around the boy, each of the anbu taking their formation and on cue shushined away. Sarutobi stood in the training ground. He could still sense the chakra hanging in the air. It was heavy with despair, a reminder of his failure. He could have avoided all of this. If he had just listened to Danzo than maybe Naruto would have been better prepared to handle the turmoil of his situation. "We need to send for Danzo also, tell him to return at once."

xxx

Naruto was aware of the warm water against his back as he floated around the dark sewer room. He was looking up at the rusted pipes above him while also watching the scene unfold in a blurry haze. There was a young woman, her hair a dark shade of blue or black? He couldn't quite tell. She was dressed in a plain white uniform and held what looked like a binder filled with paper. She was talking, he knew that because her lips were moving but he heard everything as if he was underwater. It was muffled and far away. He heard a scraping noise and glanced over to the shadow within the caged door. He wasn't sure what was in there exactly. All he knew was that it scared him, but right now he felt no ounce of fear. In a way he felt bliss because he felt nothing. He drew his attention back to the women. She stood next to him, flicking at a bag before she scribbled something down in her binder. Something caught her attention and she looked up, her cheeks growing red and she bowed her head slightly, concealing her lips from his view. Naruto wanted to turn, to see who or what had caught her attention but he couldn't. He was stuck floating around in the same murky water for what felt like eternity. Another face popped up in his view, a face he recognized. He watched the Hokage look him over before saying something to someone. Was he talking to the women?

He glanced at the old man, realizing how tired he looked. His eyes seemed sunken and slightly puffy, but they still held a razor sharp edge in his stare. The women reappeared, this time holding a syringe. He watched as she approached him again, she smiled whispering something to him. She reached down for his arm but he didn't feel anything as she raised it. He was startled for a second as he looked upon a wrapped up arm. He brought his arm up out of the water, struggling to do so as his arm felt like it weighed a ton. He examined his freshly tan skin, not finding any sort of bandages like he saw in the scene above him. Dropping it back into the water he barely registered the splashing sound. The woman was hooking the syringe up to something and he watched as his vision grew darker and darker. The scene above him going in and out of focus. The woman reappeared, a small smile on her face as he was pulled back under the surface of the water.

XXX

"His memories have been blocked off for the time being Hokage-sama, but it's only temporarily and in time the block will fade by itself." The sandy haired Yamanake Inoichi reported, glancing at the boy in the hospital bed. Sarutobi nodded. He had thought if they could block Naruto's memories of the events they could delay any powerful emotions from taking control of him again. He knew it was too dangerous for Inoichi to use the mind walk jutus and see what had happened directly from Naruto. They had however been able to walk through the other boys mind.

"One of Jiraiya's toads said he should be here by tomorrow night. If at all possible I hope it will be able to make it until than" Sarutobi sighed, resting his hand on the younger boys arm. He was unnaturally warm, even through the many layers of bandages they had wrapped him in. When Naruto had arrived at the hospital they had immediately rushed him into surgery. He was told that many of his chakra coils were severely burned through by the sheer force of being pumped with such a high intensity of the nine-tails and by some miracle though they had started to heal themselves, as the doctor reported to him. They bandaged him up for his burns, but by the next day he was a fresh pink color all around.

"And how about Danzo-sama?" Nara Shikaku murmured from the corner of the room. Sarutobi looked up at the Nara. His arms lazily crossed across his chest, but the rest of his body posed and ready.

"He should be returning later this evening." The Hokage glanced back at Naruto. He looked peaceful and content. Unaware about his actions that took place less than 48 hours ago. "I already have the orphanage knocking at my door every hour. They want answers about the two missing boys." The Nara pushed off the wall, approaching Inoichi.

"You won't tell them what happened will you?" He asked. The Hokage scowled at the darker haired man.

"Of course not Shikaku. I understand exactly what that would entail. This is why I have chosen to say nothing for the time being."

"Shouldn't they be told about the one boy?" Inoichi murmured. They all knew exactly who they were talking about…..or what remained. The body scroll had been taken straight to the T&I unit, delivered directly into Morino Ibiki's hands. From his report he estimated that the young boy lasted maybe 5 minutes if that. All of his insides were basically burned away from the course chakra that ripped away at it. His mind was off limits for Inoichi to even attempt to walk because the sheer agony he endured before his death could immobilize the Yamanaka himself.

"With time they will know, but he has no family. No one who will truly care to notice his absence in the long run. It is unfortunate but it is the truth." Sarutobi sighed, removing his hand from Naruto. "For now he shall sleep." In some way the Hokage was still trying to delay the inevitable.

XXX

Naruto realized he was sitting next to Ryo. It was warm out, maybe mid summer. They were sitting next to an old tree that provided them proper shade from the hot sun.

"You know in a way we are each other's family." The older boy murmured, not taking his gaze off of the small little bird that landed on the branch above their heads. Naruto turned to look at him.

"A bunch of unwanted kids coming together to make their own misshapen family?" Naruto couldn't help the sarcasm behind his words. It was the truth. Wasn't a family a group of people that were wanted and came together from their ties? Ryo smirked, glancing away from the bird to look at Naruto. A slight breeze lifted the tops of his dark hair off his forehead.

"Don't you see that's the best kind of family you could have though?" His mouth still held his signature smirk. Naruto looked out at the tall grass around them as it moved in steady waves. There was something about their movements, synchronized yet independent as they swayed to the beat of the wind.

"How so?" He found himself asking. Ryo sat up a bit straighter, turning his attention to Naruto this time as he talked.

"Well it's like this. We are all looking for someone to want us, to feel like we have someone out there thinking about us. Whether it be out of worry or hate or whatever." Naruto barely registered the chirping of a few crickets nearby because he found himself entranced by Ryo's words. "The thought of someone out there knowing about you and actively thinking about you makes it to where you exist. Because if no one is thinking about you or wondering where you are….you don't really exist. You are just going through life as somebody that could slip away and no one would mind." The older boy caught a stray blade of grass that blew towards them. He broke it off and began absentmindedly knotting it together. "And we don't have to worry about being chosen out of family ties, like-like it's a commitment. We came together out of the sheer wanting and need for each other." He smiled here. "Yeah you could call it out of desperation almost...but we grew together. We became the people that thought of each other, that made it to where we existed." He chucked the knotted up blade of grass away from them. When he turned back to Naruto gone was the seriousness from his voice. "Don't go repeating this to Keiko now okay Naru." Naruto laughed, turning back to the open field. He knew what Ryo meant. If he didn't have him or Keiko or any of the other boys he would just be another name that lived at the orphanage. When he left another kid would come and take his bed and they would just be a name there also. Having each other they made it to where they were actually people that mattered to each of them.

Naruto grabbed at his sandals, his smile fading as he was struck with a pang of sorrow. He watched as the brightly colored sky and grass slowly diminished in color. Everything turned from the vivid picture he remembered to a hazy memory that was dug up. His back grew cold and wet as he realized that's what he was watching, a memory. He wasn't there with Ryo on that hill because that happened the summer before he entered the academy. The summer before everything changed.

"Finally getting it."

XXX

"You understand what will happen now don't you?" Sarutobi looked out on the village. He could see the market, bustling with activity today. He recalled that there was the nicest little candy store tucked away off of the main road. He always loved going there when he was younger, but he couldn't exactly recall when he stopped going. He took it as an example of growing up.

No one can really recall when their last was because when it's happening you don't think it will ever be your last. Funny the way life worked like that. You dont think it will be your last time seeing a loved one, your last time playing a child's game, or how it will be your last time stopping into an old lady's candy store. Sighing, he glanced back at Danzo.

"Yes..yes I know. He will be thrown out of the orphanage with nowhere to go." He knew this was very certain. With what happened to Naruto; the others would fear him. He was now putting the other children's lives at risk and that was something they couldn't have. Danzo approached the window, glancing out at the streets below.

"Word travels fast Hiruzen. They will know soon at the academy also." He hated it. Hated that the words his friend spoke were true.

"We can't let people think we are mutilating our civilians for the sake of our ninjas. It would look bad for her." Hiruzen spoke lowely. He knew he was right. If outsiders found out it would raise suspicion with the other villagers. With this unstable peace they were in it might make it seem like they were trying to prepare for something. Getting their people ready in ruthless ways. He also knew from a financial point of view it would be bad. No one would want to bring their business to the Leaf if they didn't feel safe.

"Give him to me completely," Hiruzen tore his gaze from the window meeting Danzo's eye, "Don't take me as a fool friend. I know how you are keeping some of him for yourself-"

"I am keeping him for himself," Hiruzen's tone was sharp, cutting off Danzo's words. "He doesn't even understand what just happened to him, doesn't understand why his clothes are soaked in his friends blood. If you had him all there would be nothing left for him to be." He swallowed, turning to look back at the village. "I do it for him because he has no say in his own life." Danzo turned away from the window completely. His eyes resting on the portraits of the previous Hokage on the wall.

"You have done a great deal for this village, let me lessen the burden and give me this task. I will shape him into something that people will fear."

"These are not encouraging words." Hiruzen spat, his hand coming up to touch the glass.

"But this promise is for his own safety. Once he reaches his potential he will fully understand what he is capable of, what was given to him and what people will want to rip from him." Hiruzen said nothing. Stretching the silence for what felt like forever. He couldn't forget his correspondence with his student some time ago. He knew there were people that seeked out the destruction of Naruto. That would stop at nothing to tear it from him.

"Hiruzen you've known the life of a jinchuriki isn't ideal. You know this will happen again and when it does it won't be on such a small scale," Hiruzen turned to face Danzo. His friend didn't show his age in his piercing gaze. "He will not stop the next time and he will bring her crashing down completely."

"You want him to succumb to the darkness?" Danzo caught the difference in his tone. He knew that the place in question wasn't what was asked.

"The darkness will suit him." Hiruzen recalled the night where a similar conversation took place. He had hoped all his problems were solved in that go, but of course you can't predict how the future will unfold. Sadly it didn't fold in his favor.

"When will you tell him?"

"I find it best not to let the mind wander and come up with it's own assumptions."

Hiruzen nodded, turning away from the room to look back out the window. If Minato knew the life he was sentencing to his son. He couldn't lie to himself either because deep down he knew this was all true. It was just something he squashed and tried to find something-anything better than this route. He would prefer for Naruto to finish out his Academy days. To learn his values of what being a person was, but his life wasn't meant to be that easy. He was given a great burden from the moment he was brought into this world. Something no one at that age should ever have thrown at them. He was their scapegoat. A way for the village to remain.

"I wouldn't leave him to wander anymore than." Danzo nodded, turning to leave. Hiruzen stood, listening to the tapping of his cane as he stared down at the old candy store, the sweet taste of freshly made dango on his mind.

XXX

Naruto was painfully aware of a stinging in his arm. He glanced up at the sewer ceiling only to flinch away at the brightness he was greeted with. Blinking away the tears he slowly realized the warm feeling behind him was soft and not wet. He was in bed he concluded. Within minutes the brightness died down and he was able to keep his eyes open for longer than a few seconds. He moved his arm away from the stinging, realizing that it was a slowed, choppy movement. Where was he? He glanced around the white washed room, flinching when he noticed a woman next to him. She looked familiar but he couldn't quite place her from where he knew her.

"Hello Naruto-kun. You have been asleep for a few days now." She murmured, her voice soft and comforting." Naruto opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a harsh choking sound. The lady smiled, reaching for a glass behind her and offering the water to him. He slowly sipped the straw, swallowing the uncomfortable, burning sensation away.

"Wh-where am I." He croaked out once he finished the glass of water.

"You are in the hospital." Another voice spoke up before the women could. This was a voice Naruto knew. He turned to locate Danzo, finding him sitting in a plastic chair just behind the women. The older man waved his hand at the woman who bowed slightly before rushing out of the room.

"Danzo-sama," Naruto whispered, "When did you get back? What happened?" Naruto tried to sit himself up, his body aching in protest. Danzo approached Naruto, leaning against the cane.

"I returned this evening upon the Hokages request." Naruto quickly wondered what the urgent request was before he continued. "Naruto-kun you were greatly injured at one of the training grounds a few days ago. You and two others were involved in the destruction. You have no lasting injuries and should be back to normal within a few days. You might notice that you can't feel your chakra, that is for your own safety at the moment." Naruto blinked a few times, trying to register what he just said. He tried to recall what he was talking about but couldn't. All he remembered was being at the academy for their first day of sparring. As Danzo said he couldn't feel his chakra. He reached out for the familiar warmth and felt like he was hitting a cold wall. Why would that be?

"You said there were two others?" Naruto asked, trying to raise his arms to wipe at his tired eyes, only to be met with resistance and a clanging of metal. He glanced down to see his arms restrained to the bed. Danzo watched the younger boy.

"Yes two other boys were with you. One was injured but will recover and the other will not." Naruto nodded, tugging at his restraints again. Why was his chakra sealed? Why was he in a big white room with his hands tied to the bed?

"Did I do that." He whispered, his voice coming out very small. Danzo didn't say anything for a few minutes. Instead he sat watching the younger boy, his face void of any emotions.

"Naruto why do you think I came to the orphanage years ago to speak to you?" Naruto dropped his arms, looking up at the older man.

"I don't know…" He murmured, not even hearing the words himself. He was acting like he was four but he didn't care at this moment. He wanted Danzo to tell him what was going on. Danzo leaned away from the bed and walked to the end of it.

"Naruto I always knew I was going to come to that orphanage when you were six years old. The Hokage and I knew that conversation was going to happen even when you were just a few hours old." Naruto flinched at the Hokage's name.

"But-but why?" He asked, aware that his eyes were prickling with tears. Danzo stood there, observing the boy who so obviously was fighting his emotions. He sighed, irritated that any training he had given him about emotions was completely lost on the boy. He thanked the Yamanka for sealing his memories for he was sure if he could remember he would be a mess right now.

"Naruto, you were born on the same night that the Fourth Hokage defeated the Nine-Tails fox. Now one can't kill a Bijuu….no they are sealed inside of something…..or in this case someone. Once this is done we call these special people jinchūriki." Naurto bit his lip, listening as he talked but not exactly sure he was understanding what he was hearing. "The Fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-tails fox inside of you Naruto. You are the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails fox." Naruto stared at the man he called sensei. The man he thought had come and saved him from being a nobody and turned into somebody. When in reality he was always something.

"The Nine-tails almost destroyed the village that night." Naruto mumbled, looking back down at the restraints as he felt for his chakra again. "I injured those people…..that's why I can't feel my chakra. You took it away from me because i'm a..a monster that was gonna destroy the town again." Naruto realized he was gasping for air, his mind spinning as he gripped at his palms. His mind flashed to the cage with the beast growling in it. That was the nine-tails. That was the thing that almost killed everybody. Danzo watched as the boy panicked, aware that he was lost in his thoughts. He knew that there was a possibility of this going a multitude of ways, but he needed it to fall in favor of him.

"Naruto." He called, getting the boys attention. Bright blue eyes looked up at him, begging for help or for anything he could provide. "I came to meet you all those years ago because you are someone special. I said that to you on that night." Naruto's mind willed for him to recall that conversation. He searched in vain his mind racing at a million miles a minute.

You have something special that this village needs

"So i'm just a tool for the village." Naruto spat, "An object that the Fourth Hokage wanted to use for power!" Danzo came closer, sitting at the edge of his bed.

"Naruto I won't continue to lie to you anymore. The Hokage put you into the orphanage when you were younger. I insisted you grow up with me! I wanted to be there to make sure I could properly tell you this, because you are different. You are something special and powerful and I want to teach you how to utilize this power the Fourth Hokage gave you!" Naruto gasped at this. The Hokage put him into the orphanage. Made him alone and scared for years and here Danzo was telling him that he didn't want that. That he wanted to give him everything he had been searching for this whole time. Any admiration he had for the Hokage quickly grew icey with hatred. How could he do that to him. How dare he choose this path for Naruto without any thought or consideration for how he would feel about it. Naruto was unaware that his fingers were digging into his skin. His teeth tugging away at his delicate lips, breaking the skin there as well.

Danzo watched the visible turmoil taking place inside the boy. Once glory he held the Hokage in slowly shattering to pieces. Danzo couldn't help the slow smirk that spread across his face. Yes, this was all falling exactly how he needed it. The machines around the boy were beeping rapidly as his panic escalated. Danzo knew any second the room would be filled with many people to see what the commotion was. He stepped closer to the boy, placing his hand on his much smaller one. Naruto barely registered the contact as he fisted at the sheets.

"Naruto you are going to leave the academy and come to train with me and my other students. The academy can no longer teach you anything that would be worth your time. Those kids will never be on your caliber, they will be nothing compared to the power you will wield one day." Naruto froze, slowly looking up at the man. Leave the academy? The one place he had felt like he had a connection with. He tried to consider what Danzo was saying but it was hard with the bombshell that was just dropped on his lap. It was true….lately he had been getting better at the academy and it was all because of Danzo's training sessions. Naruto let himself just imagine, for only a second, of what he could be like if he devoted his life to Danzo. He closed his eyes, envisioning how he would rise above all the others in his class….above Sauske. If what he was saying were true then he had to somehow come to terms with what lay inside him. The sickening thought made him want to hurl but he knew he had nothing to bring up. Naruto unclenched his hands, aware of how the beeping around him slowly died down.

"Yes sensei."

Like it wouldn't be so me if I didn't write a chapter so out of the blue, you know?

I really have like no idea of how this is going to go in a few chapters...but lets see. Any suggestions?

Thanks.