I do not own Naruto that is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
"I am big" God, biju, summon talking
"I am normal" Human talking
"You can't hear me inside my mind" Inner thoughts of a person
First before we begin the story I want to thank everyone for reading my story so far. Also, to those who have reviewed, I in particular want to thank you. As a new writer on this site, your encouragement and at times constructive criticism has been greatly appreciated. But, you all didn't come here to read my thanks, so without further to do, here is Chapter six.
Chapter 6: Talks
"Yes, I believe we do." Mikoto answered Sarutobi after taking in the surrounding area.
Pointing to notably intact building that had so far escaped the fire and the scars of battle Mikoto addressed the Hokage. "Would that location be suitable for our needs?"
The Hokage sparing only a glance at the building nods. "Yes, that will do just fine. We shall speak privately inside." The Hokage spoke while putting extra emphasis on the word privately. This would be a talk without their respective guards, without witnesses.
Nodding Mikoto left the few surviving Uchiha and joined Sarutobi in his walk to the building. Once inside they moved to the dining room. They took seats on the opposite sides of the traditional table, sitting on the mats on either side of the low table.
"Mikoto-san, before we begin, let us not be coy. I have neither the time nor the patience for it tonight." Sarutobi says as he takes out his pipe and lights it, while not showing Mikoto the respect of her position.
"Very well, Sarutobi-san. What is it you wish to discuss? I believe what happened here would be quite obvious." Mikoto says, throwing off the sama suffix normally used when addressing the Hokage.
"I want to discuss the future of your clan. I believe we can both agree that what happened tonight was a disaster for both sides, don't you agree." It wasn't a question.
"The loss of life on this day is by far a regrettable thing and I don't believe that Konoha needs anymore blood spilt this night. I believe that a deal can be made, but first I would like to hear what your plan was for your little coup." Sarutobi states while looking calmly into her eyes as he blows a puff of smoke into the air.
"I thought we agreed to not be coy, what is this deal that you believe can be made?" Mikoto asks, frustration leaking into her voice.
"But Mikoto-san I am not being coy, this all ties together. Now if you would please, what was your plan?" Sarutobi insists.
"He's completely relaxed; he knows that I can't attack him. Even if I did, there is no guarantee I would win, in fact I'd probably lose, and what about the children outside. I have to play along." Mikoto thought as the urge to attack the old Hokage began to fill her before she pushed it down.
"The plan was simply to inspire a vote of no confidence in the current Hokage. We knew that the Uchiha clan could not oppose the might of Konoha. That was even before taking into account the various shinobi garrisons spread throughout our country and the samurai forces that would respond to our rebellion. With the knowledge that we couldn't beat you in combat we decided to not follow the Uchiha way of using force and try a more subtle approach."
Mikoto sighs before continuing. "We decided that we would sabotage the ANBU barracks and cause the assassinations of many key personnel within Konoha, ranging from the ANBU commander, to the head of the hospital, even the Hokage candidate Shikaku. The assassinations would be carried out by various Uchiha spread throughout the ranks that had access to the assigned targets. Mainly we would use the Uchiha inside of the ANBU for these assassinations while we used the military police to create favorable conditions. When the power vacuum formed from the loss of these key individuals we would call a vote of no confidence in your leadership and have you removed from your office. The next Hokage would then be replaced by an Uchiha backed candidate or an actual Uchiha. If the worst should happen and we lose the selection, we would take advantage of the gaps in power and ingratiate ourselves to the new Hokage, assuming a more influential role in the running of Konoha." Mikoto explains.
"It was a good plan. Konoha's manpower would remain largely unaffected and our leadership could be replaced before a war took place. My spies had told me something similar. Now we get to the root of our deal." Sarutobi says, his facing maintaining an expressionless visage.
"And what is this deal?" Mikoto asked.
"The deal is simple. While I cannot have one of Konoha's founding clans declared a minor clan, I can cull most of your remaining influence. The Uchiha clan shall surrender control of the military police; you may cite your losses as an excuse. The Uchiha clan will also be subtly discouraged from entering the ANBU again, with all current members still alive, retiring, or they shall find their missions to be of a certain dangerous variety. Finally, the Uchiha clan head, you, shall publicly declare Itachi-san the instigator of all of this night's events, and a traitor to both your clan and Konoha. These terms are non-negotiable." Sarutobi offers.
Mikoto takes a moment to think before she gasps. "You need us. If the Uchiha clan doesn't declare Itachi-ku…san a traitor then you may lose your office. The shinobi outside don't know of the coup."
"No the shinobi outside do not know of your treasonous actions." Sarutobi answers.
"Then you can't attack us. As we did not leave records of our actions, any declaration of our supposed betrayal will be met with skepticism. Our own lack of readiness to attack will be noted. You will look like your covering your own ass. Then there is the hell Kushina-chan will raise over our destruction." Mikoto responded in challenge. "He needs us."
"You will find that your clan is without allies Mikoto-san. Kushina-san's influence will not be able to help you." Sarutobi responds coolly.
"Kushina-chan" Mikoto thought worriedly. "What did you do to Kushina-chan?"
"Come now. Did you really expect Konoha to leave your collaborator alone? That Konoha would allow a kage level traitor with direct access and influence to our jinchuriki to live?" Sarutobi asks with an incredulous tone.
"But Kushina-chan wasn't involved" Mikoto answers in a biting tone as she hears about the death of another of her friends and loved ones.
"Then it seems that I have made a mistake, but don't worry I shall look after her son. No harm will come to him. That is my promise. But you can consider her death a product of your own actions. The Uchiha clan's treachery called the Uzumaki clan into question. Kushina-dono's loyalty wouldn't have been called into question if it hadn't been for your actions. Her death lies squarely on your shoulders." Sarutobi says with genuine remorse in the beginning before switching to anger at the end; while also attaching the dono suffix once more upon Mikoto's confirmation of Kushina's loyalty.
"Minato-kun, Kushina-dono, I will make sure Naruto-kun is safe. He will be a powerful and loyal shinobi of Konoha, just as you would have wanted. I hope the Sage can forgive me for my mistake." The third Hokage thought, making a promise to his dead successor/predecessor and loyal ally, unknowing of Kushina's own plans for betrayal.
"You kill my family and my friend, and you expect me to save your career. Do you really think I will support you?!" Mikoto more demanded then asked, as the quickly building rage from the night began to surface.
"I don't believe you understand. If you do not support me, I will order the death of your entire clan, starting with you, in this very room. If you do not agree to this deal then that is the end of your clan. I am perfectly willing to order the death of a clan of traitors. I think I can survive the fall out, and I am willing to take that risk." Sarutobi answered in a cold tone.
"So what do you choose? Do you sell out your eldest child, or do you sentence your clan to death? Choose now." The Hokage orders.
It is a choice that no mother would ever want to make. Does she condemn one child to save the rest of her family, including her youngest. Did she want to be responsible for the death of the remaining members of her family? "I…I have to say yes. Even if the clan somehow escaped, we could never survive on our own, not after we were declared traitors…Itachi-ku…san made his choice. He sided with the Hokage, he will protect him. No, I can't think of him, he killed Fugaku-kun, he killed parts of our family. I have to protect what I have left."
"Yes Hokage-sama, I will accept your deal." Mikoto finally spoke, saying the sama suffix as if it was poison.
"Fantastic. Now don't try anything funny, if you deviate from this deal, I will carry out my promise. Remember, you cannot tell anyone the truth of what actually happened tonight and it should be left unsaid that you cannot tell little Naruto-kun the truth about what happened to his mother. I don't have to tell you what would happen if the implied trust of this meeting were to be broken. I will be watching." Sarutobi threatened.
"Yes Hokage-sama." Mikoto spoke in a defeated tone as she rose from her seat, the Hokage joining her as she walked out of the building to address the surrounding shinobi.
"Fellow members of the Uchiha clan, honorable members of Konoha's shinobi force, we have been deceived. Uchiha, Itachi, my son and clan heir has for unknown purposes sought to cause a civil war in our homes. He dressed himself in his ANBU uniform and attacked us. In this confusion we allowed fear to cloud our minds, perhaps influenced by the Bloodline Massacre taking place in Kiri, but this is not Kiri and we should not have been so easily deceived. The Uchiha clan offers its apologies and sympathies to those who lost their lives from this betrayal. That is why, for his crimes we declare Itachi-san a traitor to the clan and with Hokage-sama's support, a traitor to Konoha and to Fire country. In accordance with this we strip Itachi-san of the Uchiha name and all titles that it had brought." Mikoto announced to the surrounding shinobi. Her eyes focusing on those not belonging to the Uchiha clan, the ones she was truly speaking to.
"All medical shinobi tend to the wounded, whether they be Uchiha or not. There shall be no more blood spilt this day. To all others gathered here today, I promise you Konoha shall have justice for this day. The traitor shall answer for his crimes. For now, collect your dead and extinguish these fires. Tomorrow shall be a day of mourning." Sarutobi spoke, before turning to head back to the Hokage Tower. He had a lot of work to do.
"Hokage-sama, I would like to oversee our dead. I do not wish for our clan's secrets to be vulnerable." Mikoto spoke to him, making sure her voice was loud enough for the surrounding shinobi to hear.
"Of course, it is your right. It is the right of every clan to protect its secrets." Sarutobi responded.
As medical personnel swarmed the wounded and ninja put out the fires in the compound, the death toll was counted. The Uchiha clan, once a clan with over four hundred people had almost been annihilated. Not even thirty people would now make up the Uchiha clan. The surviving clan would be made of sixteen children, eleven adults, and two elders.
Konoha's loses would also be devastating as the initial responders to the flares had not expected the Uchiha to attack. Of the shinobi that responded, slightly over two hundred and fifty had been killed in the resulting ambushes and battles. Genin, chunin, jonin, and ANBU were all killed during the fighting.
The news would only get worse as an ANBU squad arrived at the gates, carrying Kushina's body. While Kushina might have become estranged to the people of Konoha she had still been friends with a couple and fought alongside many others on the battlefield. To those that didn't know her, the loss of a kage level ninja would still affect their morale.
The Sandaime Hokage would call for a meeting below the tower, so that he could address the concerns of the public. This speech would take place after the Konoha Academy had finished its classes.
The sun attempted to break through the clouds and shine over a dreary Konoha. The village had had a rough night, and sleep had been hard to come by. The streets were filled with whispers of the Uchiha Incident as the news traveled from person to person. Families wept, as loved ones did not return last night, and Itachi's name was cursed.
Another piece of gossip would be of Kushina's death. It is to this knowledge that we turn our attention to Naruto. Naruto had awoken to this news after Mikoto had cast a genjutsu on him and the Uchiha children after her meeting with the Hokage was over, wanting the children to sleep and not see what lay outside the Naka Shrine.
After he had awoken he had heard the news and slipped out of the Uchiha compound and into the streets of Konoha. His face had tears running down it as he tried and failed to contain them. Despite the fact that his mother told him to never walk these streets alone, he was safe. Even with the lack of protection Kushina's death gave him, he would be left alone. Kushina's friends would make sure he was unharmed on this day.
Letting his feet guide him, the sad boy entered one of the many forested areas around Konoha and came across a collapsed structure. Curious, he wiped his tears and examined the building. The building was raised on stilts with a staircase leading to its entrance, which had collapsed some time ago. To the right of the building, its deck laid shattered, crashing into the ground, while the left looked unsteady, its supports chipped and broken. The rooftop is missing pieces, holes dot the area. But in the center of the collapsed entrance was his clan's symbol.
"That's the symbol of the Uzumaki clan. I wonder what's inside." Naruto thought as he slipped under the dilapidated entrance.
The inside of the building was not any better. It shows the signs of torn tapestries and stolen pieces of worship. Walking forward he approaches a fallen table in front of a wall covered in masks and examines it. By its overturned side he can see shattered glass and pieces of incense, evidence that this was a prayer table. Crouching down he tries to lift the table only for the cracked piece of furniture to break in his hand.
"What happened here?" The young Uzumaki wondered as he turned his gaze to the wall in front of the table. The one part of the temple that was still intact.
On this wall there are several masks. All similar in design, a face with horns on top and recognizable to the child Uzumaki. "These are Shinigami masks. That means this is a temple to the Shinigami!"
It is as he thought this that his feet began to move, carrying him before the mask in the middle. The mask bore a fanged grin and dark eyes. Slightly curved horns pointed towards the broken ceiling. Reaching his hands up he attempted to grab the mask but could not reach it.
Not deterred the Uzumaki turned to the broken table and approached it once more. Grabbing a broken leg from the table he went back to the wall. Aiming the leg of the table he attempted to knock the mask from its perch.
Once, he missed sliding over the mask.
Twice, he missed once more, knocking an adjacent mask to the floor. Stopping he checked the fallen mask before sighing in relief. The mask was unbroken.
Third, he succeeded; the mask came free and fell into his hands after he dropped the leg of the table.
Looking into the mask's eyes, Naruto swore he saw them glow, before shaking his head. It was just a trick of the light. Now came the final part. He began to raise the mask to his face, hesitating only a second, as he felt for some odd reason that everything would change once he put the mask on his face.
Seemingly compelled he dismissed the thought and brought the mask to his face and put it on. The world around him changed as a presence filled the room, the air changing, becoming cold to the touch. In front of him a power so massive that it produced a weight of its own enveloped him and nearly drove him to the ground before it faded, and the world went quiet.
The boy looked through the eyes of the mask before blinking, and reaching up to rub his eyes. The being before him wore white robes and had grayish blue skin. His body slightly translucent as his dark eyes somehow shone with power and his teeth were pointed and sharp. The being before him is the Shinigami, his god.
"Shinigami-sama." Naruto greeted, giving a bow of his head to the god.
"Uzumaki, Naruto. It is time you learn." The Shinigami spoke, its voice full of power.
"Learn, Shinigami-sama?" Naruto questioned.
"It is time to learn of your family's past. Long ago, before the rise of the Sage of Six Paths, the Uzumaki worshipped me, finding meaning in death. They never warded against death, never tried to cast me aside, the Uzumaki instead greeted me as if I were an old friend. Curious I appeared before them, and later blessed them with my gifts."
"As time passed the Uzumaki grew and despite the hardships that outsiders brought and discrimination against their views, the Uzumaki stayed loyal to their beliefs. Then they were betrayed. Your true home, the Land of Whirlpool was betrayed by the people of Fire, and an alliance born of Water, Lightning, and Earth, was created to destroy your home. Even this temple was desecrated by Konoha."
"Konoha helped to destroy my clan." Naruto muttered, his voice quiet at the news of who was behind his family's destruction hit him. Growing up as a child he had heard stories of his clan from his mother and come to love them. They were his family and heritage. He had even promised his mother that he would rebuild their clan, that he would not allow them to be the last.
"Even now your clan lies in hiding. Fearful of the other lands, declared infidels for their beliefs, my subjects live in suffering."
"There are other Uzumaki alive! We have to find them." If there were other Uzumaki truly alive then he still had a family. He had to find them. His family needed help and family watched out for each other. He would save them, make them safe. Naruto would not allow his family to be separate for any longer.
"Sadly I cannot help you, that is your task alone. You shall unite my followers, rebuild the Uzumaki clan."
"By myself, but how, I'm just a kid?" Naruto wondered. He had thought that the Shinigami would help him unite his family. Now the task seemed so large to his young mind.
"I cannot aid you directly in your task; the rules of the Gods forbid such things. But you have been gifted with much power and influence; you need only learn to use it. Ask your mother and you shall receive your answers and begin the start of your journey."
"Kaa-san? But kaa-san is dead, how can she…" Naruto began to question. "Is Shinigami-sama going to bring kaa-san back to life" The young boy thought in answer to his unasked question.
"Your mother's soul lies not in the realm of the dead. At the time of your birth, I gifted you with a special seal. Your mother's soul lies in there and will awaken in one week's time. Learn from her and of her death."
"Kaa-san." Naruto thought happily as looked down. He would be getting her back, at least in some form. Never again would he take her for granted, he would always be thankful to the Shinigami for this gift.
Naruto's vision turns hazy and he begins to stumble, as exhaustion began to settle in. Still Naruto struggles to stay standing refusing to appear weak before the Shinigami.
As the young Uzumaki attempts to remain standing, the Shinigami takes note. "It seems that our meeting is coming to an end. Your spirit cannot keep me in this plane for much longer. So I leave you with this final thought. Konoha did not only steal from me, it stole from you as well."
With that the Shinigami dispersed and Naruto fainted, his spirit tired from bringing the Shinigami into the physical plane. He would wake up with the dream to unite his clan once more and the strength to smile once again. As he attended the eulogy of all that died, the soul catcher seal that had been placed long ago began to softly glow. It would not be long before Kushina was with her son once more.
Alright we have met the Shinigami once more and Naruto is once more shown. From now on these chapters will be mostly Naruto centric, so hurray for the main character.
The next couple chapters will be quick. One chapter before the academy begins, one – two chapters involving the academy (if two, the second will include graduation), and then ninja life begins.
I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. I also thank all those who have stuck with me to this point. Review, critique, tell me what you think.
Finally, the poll for Naruto's summon will come to an end after Naruto graduates from the Academy and the Nix is currently winning, so if you have an opinion, vote now.