Author's Notes: For those hopping over from my other stories, I know, I should be focusing on my other two stories. The reason I'm starting this one is mainly due to me not wanting to get burnt out writing my other two fics, but still not wanting to stand idle. Thus, here we are.
For the specifics, this story will involve some themes that I've never attempted to write about before this. Naruto/Harem will be one of them, although I will have to plan it out further. For this story, expect Naruto to be out of character in many situations, and be considerably overpowered and intelligent in certain cases. Finally, I will include bashing in this story, which I've never done before. Besides the themes, this story will also start in a way that is... Different from my other stories.
Harem - Fem!Kyuubi, Anko, Fem!Haku(Obviously), Temari, and Fem!Deidara.
It's smaller than other harems I've seen... But I am open to suggestions for further pairings if enough people ask for it, as well as how Naruto will meet them.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"'Talking or thinking by the Kyuubi or berserk Naruto'"
-6 Years after the Kyuubi's Attack(Inside an office)-
A figure sat at his desk, before flipping open a multi-page report.
-October 10th(Naruto's Age: One)-
Many children come about unique in appearance, especially in a Shinobi village. In Konoha, no toddler was more telling of this fact than Naruto Uzumaki, son of Konoha's Late-Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, a man known to outsiders as the Yellow Flash, while known locally as the man who followed in Orochimaru's footsteps, and the Hokage who proposed a eugenics program as a solution to the shortage of skilled Shinobi.
When it comes to appearance, there are several glaring abnormalities concerning Naruto's appearance. He was a tiny child, one who had short, spiky blonde hair covering his scalp, that much was normal. Curiously, however, Naruto had several features... Unique... To himself. He possessed a set of whisker-like markings on each cheek, likely attributed to Naruto's housing of the Kyuubi within himself. Besides that, Naruto possessed fang-like canine teeth, with a pair of slightly longer ears, most likely due to Minato's constant experimentations upon himself, while not affecting his anatomy, the foreign blood and genetic code would likely have passed down through the two's shared blood.
One could only wonder, behind those closed eyes... What was this blonde toddler thinking?
-October 10th(Naruto's Age: Three)-
Naruto is developing well, he has grown up to be physically healthy and can comprehend certain books. Worryingly, however, he has yet to speak. While running across a field, Naruto reportedly fell a considerable height, before standing up again and continuing his run. On a visit to the hospital, an extraordinary discovery was made. Naruto's bones were far from normal, with them being at least five times as dense as the bones of others his age, while the bones themselves still retained the same weight.
When questioned about how he felt, Naruto persisted in his refusal to speak.
-October 10th(Naruto's Age: Five)-
It's Naruto's fifth birthday today, as well as his second year in the Orphanage. It was reported that he remains silent when he isn't required to speak. Besides his social situation, Naruto has shown great interest in the subjects of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and History, and has shown great intelligence despite his closed-off nature. In all regards, it is best for us all for Naruto to not develop into the kind of person his father had once been.
The figure closed the book, before placing it on the desk. He looked out of the window, taking account of the downpour which had just begun, before standing up to leave his office, smoking through his pipe as he shut the door behind him.
-October 10th, 6 Years after the Kyuubi's Attack-
As the great rainfall continued outside his window, Naruto sat at his desk as he flipped through a thick book regarding the anatomies of several animals, reading each page with intense focus. Before he had been able to continue reading through the book, Naruto had been able to hear several footsteps as they creaked up the wooden staircase of the orphanage.
"Is this his room?" An old, gruff voice said from the other side of the door to his room.
"It is," Came the voice of the matron of the orphanage.
The rain came to a halt, as the door slowly opened from the outside, before both the matron and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, walked into the room.
"Could you leave the two of us alone?" Hiruzen requested.
"Of course, Hokage-sama," The matron replied, "Be aware, however, that he does not respond via speech often." The matron walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Hiruzen walked towards Naruto's desk, before greeting the boy. "Hello, I assume your name is Naruto Uzumaki?"
Naruto did not answer, as he flipped a page in his book, scribbling notes in his notebook throughout.
"May I have a look?" Hiruzen requested, giving a soft smile.
Showing slight bits of hesitation, Naruto cleared his throat, before finally speaking up. "My apologies, Hokage-sama, but could I finish writing my idea first?"
"Of course, Naruto. Take your time," Hiruzen assured, 'He clearly keeps to himself, and only speaks when he needs to...'
Minutes later, Naruto passed the notebook to Hiruzen, who curiously flipped through the pages.
'Incredible...' Hiruzen mentally remarked as he fell into a slight trance in sheer amazement, clearly impressed by Naruto's writings.
Before long, a certain page caught his eye. Hiruzen tapped Naruto's shoulder, causing the blonde to turn around.
"Did you come up with this?" Hiruzen asked, pointing at several chemical formulas.
"I did," Naruto replied, clearly not particularly comfortable with speaking. 'He's gonna think I'm weird, just like how the kids and the caretakers think I am, isn't he?'
"This is brilliant!" Hiruzen declared, shocking Naruto. "You should continue developing this one, you might just come up with a massive breakthrough."
Naruto said nothing, continuing to read through his book.
"Why do you have such a fascination with science?" Hiruzen questioned.
As if reading from the book itself, Naruto formulated his answer. "The purpose of Science is to explain and understand the natural world. The purpose of Biology is to understand the nature of all living things. The purpose of Chemistry is for one to understand how the elements of the Periodic Table react with each other and the properties of the compounds-" Naruto began to say, only for Hiruzen to cut him off.
"That's the book's explanation, what's yours?" Hiruzen asked.
"To... Become better?" Naruto rhetorically asked. "It's more of me being inspired by a singular person... A singular entity."
"And that person is?" Hiruzen asked.
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze," Naruto replied, all to Hiruzen's dismay. "Most of all, I was inspired by his studies into Chemistry."
'Not good...' Hiruzen thought, before turning to Naruto, who faced his book throughout the entire conversation. "Do you know of his... More unethical ideas?"
"Unethical? That's up to debate, but yes, I do know of his Eugenics Project," Naruto replied. "It was most fascinating, albeit, it does sound rather bland. The systemic breeding of the best people would eliminate everything unique about humanity."
'Something's wrong...' Hiruzen thought, 'Most kids his age don't just sit alone in their room, completely closed off to the world... He reminds me of...'
Hiruzen walked to the side of Naruto's desk, before looking at Naruto's face. Hiruzen's eyes widened, he saw it, he saw him. Naruto looked up at Hiruzen, whose eyes saw something different. Behind that pair of lifeless eyes, and emotionless facial expression, Hiruzen could see the specter of Orochimaru hanging behind Naruto, one that had haunted him for the last twenty years of his life.
"Naruto... Do you like living here?" Hiruzen asked.
Naruto looked at the old man for a few seconds, before turning back to his book. "None one here appreciates me for who I am. The kids my age always push me around, they call me a freak, they say I'm destined to be alone, the best ones are indifferent to me. When the boys kick me or punch me, or even beat me over the head with sticks and pipes, the matrons do nothing. The wounds heal all the same, yes, but what changes?"
Hiruzen's features darkened, before standing up to leave. "Excuse me for a moment, Naruto, I'll be back in a moment."
"Hokage-sama," Naruto spoke up, "I need to get something from downstairs."
Without waiting for Hiruzen's reply, Naruto left the room, before running down the stairs and towards a closed door. Cautiously, Naruto opened the door before walking into the room. Before he was able to take any further steps, a thunderous crack could be heard as a lead pipe was brought down on the back of Naruto's head, knocking him to the ground.
"Knew he would be here today..." A boy said, kicking the downed Naruto in the face, causing the blonde to cough up blood.
"How's it going, freak?" Another boy asked, bringing his pipe down over Naruto's back. "Still refuse to talk?"
Naruto remained silent, not even bothering to get to his feet.
"Don't worry..." The first boy stated, withdrawing a knife, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. "We'll see if this makes you click."
Before Naruto was able to do anything, the second boy smashed his pipe into Naruto's head, knocking him unconscious.
-Naruto's Mindscape-
Pain. That was all he felt. Naruto felt himself lying in a pool of something, a liquid.
'Is this... My blood?' Naruto thought, placing his hand on the ground, before lifting it into view. 'It's... Transparent?'
Naruto looked around, before noticing the change in his environment. Instead of him lying in a pool of blood within a dingy room in the old and decrepit orphanage, Naruto now found himself in a sewer-like environment, one which had large cage-like bars in front of him. No longer feeling the pain of the attack, Naruto slowly crawled to his feet, before approaching the large metal bars.
'What is this?' Naruto asked himself. 'It's as if... Something was meant to be... Contained here...'
As if on cue, a large shadow approached the cage, before lunging into view, slamming its large claws into the bars, surprising Naruto. The Kyuubi showed its face, revealing its ferocious, red eyes, before roaring at Naruto. The Kyuubi fell silent, slightly confused at Naruto's unflinching nature.
'Fascinating...' Naruto thought, looking at the large beast, who returned his stare.
"Finally... My jailor comes to meet me..." The Kyuubi began to say, "To what do I owe this honor?"
"Jailor?" Naruto asked back, barely any emotion in his voice, "I know nothing of that part... But as to why I'm here... I guess an attempt on my life is to blame..."
The Kyuubi's eyes widened, before leaning in closer to Naruto. "You... Do you not fear me?"
"What's there to fear?" Naruto asked back, "If anything... I find myself more comfortable conversing with you... You are one of few beings that I've held a conversation with for this length of time..."
The Kyuubi blinked, "Does... Does this form not terrify you?"
"It does not in the slightest, although..." Naruto began to reply, "It does feel... Unnatural to speak to a large fox."
"In that case... You must promise me... To never tell anyone of this form of mine..." The Kyuubi requested, "Is that alright? Would that make you feel more... Comfortable?"
Naruto nodded before the Kyuubi vanished into a cloud of white smoke. The smoke cleared after a few seconds, just as Naruto laid eyes on the far smaller figure that stood before him. Standing before him was no longer the Kyuubi, but a young woman dressed in a loose red kimono, a kimono which barely obscured her gorgeous figure. The woman possessed long, black hair, while still retaining the characteristic nine tails flowing behind her.
"Are you usually this quiet?" The Kyuubi asked, this time in a rather feminine voice.
"I don't enjoy talking..." Naruto began, "I'd much rather spend time alone, reading books regarding science."
"Are you... Currently wondering why you're here now?" The Kyuubi asked once more.
"In regards to historical precedence... I assume you're currently sealed within me," Naruto replied, "And judging from the types of attacks I had suffered earlier... I'm currently unconscious, hence why I'm talking to you?"
"More specifically speaking... We're currently inside your mindscape," The Kyuubi explained, "Although, you're not just unconscious right now... You're near death."
Naruto's eyes widened, clearly alarmed by this information, and the Kyuubi could sense it too.
"This feeling... What is it?" Naruto questioned, "I feel my heart beating as if I had just run five marathons, I feel myself sweating more, my stomach has a strange sensation, I'm breathing quicker..."
"This, Naruto-Kun, is fear," The Kyuubi stated, "You're scared, terrified, frightened, all at the prospect of your life coming to an end..." The Kyuubi explained, 'But one has to imagine... Has Naruto-kun never felt fear before this?'
"Fear? What is that?" Naruto asked. "Is it like how I don't like some of the boys in the orphanage?"
"Now's not the time!" The Kyuubi suddenly snapped, "You see that seal there?" The Kyuubi questioned, pointing towards a paper seal.
"Do I tear the entire thing off?" Naruto asked.
"NO!" The Kyuubi roared, "It will kill you! Just tear a small bit off!"
Hesitating, Naruto nodded, before walking towards the seal. With a firm ripping noise, Naruto tore a tiny piece of the seal off, a piece tinier than his thumb.
"That'll only get you so far," The Kyuubi stated, "You won't heal just from that-"
"I won't, but it will keep me alive," Naruto suddenly stated, cutting off the Kyuubi. "I want answers, mainly... What's wrong with me?"
"What?" The Kyuubi asked in confusion.
"With my anatomy. It is not normal for any person, let alone a boy, to be hit many times over the head by a lead pipe, yet remain alive, any normal person would've suffered concussions or broken bones at that point," Naruto explained, "I want to know why."
The Kyuubi said nothing at first, clearly hesitating.
"Please?" Naruto pleaded, "I just want to know..."
"There is no easy answer for this," The Kyuubi explained, "You want the good part first or the bad part?"
"Give me the bad part first," Naruto requested.
"Your blood... Is tainted, Naruto-Kun," The Kyuubi began to say, "It is impure, and it is diluted. Your veins do not just course with your parents' blood... Your veins are coursed by the blood of many family lines, many... Bloodlines... If you will."
Naruto paused, attempting to wrap his brain around the newly received information. "Who were my parents?"
"That's the good part, or well, the worse part, depending on how you see it..." The Kyuubi explained, "You possess a legendary lineage... One that promises great power and longevity... But one that might cause you great pain, great suffering, a great sense of... Guilt. Guilt towards something you never did."
"Who were my parents?" Naruto asked once more.
"Your mother was a good woman, a kind woman... She was my former hostess... A truly loving person." The Kyuubi continued to explain, "She possessed chili-red hair and was known to the shinobi world as the-" The Kyuubi attempted to be continued, only to be cut off by an irate Naruto.
"ENOUGH!" Naruto yelled out in rage, before immediately composing himself, and falling to his knees, with tears streaming down his face. "Please... Just tell me... Who were my parents?"
"Perhaps..." Came the loving voice of a woman, as Naruto felt a comforting hand being placed on his shoulder. Naruto looked up, before facing a red-headed woman with violet-colored eyes. "Perhaps I can provide a satisfactory answer... Musuko."
"Kushina..." The Kyuubi muttered, her voice trembling and cracking, as drops of tears fell to the ground.
Without further speech, Naruto jumped up, before hugging Kushina's feet. Kushina smiled, before ruffling Naruto's hair, as she felt her blouse slowly becoming wet. Kushina broke up Naruto's tight grip over her legs, before crouching down to his level, cupping his face with her right hand.
"Naruto..." Kushina began to say, looking at Naruto's teeth and gently touching the blonde's long ears. "What has Minato done to you?"
"Minato?" Naruto questioned, "The Fourth Hokage? The Yellow Flash? The... The Butcher?"
"Yes, he was your father," Kushina explained, "A man who constantly drew the line between insanity and genius. Some of the things he did... There was no question that they were terrible, but his actions and ideas did stem from a good heart, albeit one that had cracked under the scars of war."
"Is that his justification? Or is it his defense?" Naruto questioned.
"It's neither, it's my attempted explanation," Kushina explained, as her left arm began to disperse.
"Kaa-san, what's happening?" Naruto asked, secretly already understanding what is happening, a tear slipping from the edge of his pupil.
"I don't have much longer left..." Kushina stated, "I'm sorry, Naruto, I'm sorry for the genetic situation you were born into, I'm sorry for the great burden you have inherited... I'm sorry for all the beatings you have suffered because of that burden... I'm sorry, truly sorry, for not being there for you when you needed it the most..." Kushina touched Naruto's face one last time, before turning around, "There's nothing wrong if you stay closed-off like this, but there are times where you just won't be able to do things alone... You must learn to trust, to befriend... To love..."
Naruto began to fully tear up, his feeble attempts to stop the tears all failing.
"You are the last son of two families, while still holding the blood of many other bloodlines..." Kushina explained, her lower half fading from sight. "I will not urge you to do anything you don't want to... But I do hope you marry someone eventually, who knows? Maybe you'll charm more than one... Perhaps... You might even be able to tame the great Kyuubi..."
"Hey!" The Kyuubi protested, blushing furiously.
"If it means anything, Kurama... Take care of Naruto, train him in the Shinobi ways... And prepare him for this cruel and violent world..." Kushina stated. "Naruto... Please... Restore the legacy of the Uzumaki name... Carry on your scientific studies... And punish the man who tore our family apart... As your mother... Those are my final requests..."
Naruto stood up, before giving a slight smile, one that he rarely bore before this.
"I'm... Happy... Glad... Grateful, to be your son..." Naruto stated, "I always will be..."
Kushina smiled before fading from sight, leaving Naruto and Kurama alone in the blonde's mindscape.
"She was a loving woman... Even to her last moments..." Kurama explained. "Naruto-Kun... Do your best to honor her memory..."
"Could I ever accomplish that? Can I fill the shoes she left behind?" Naruto questioned.
"I believe in you," Kurama stated, giving the surprised blonde a foxy grin.
"Th-That was the first time... That anyone said that," Naruto revealed, "Thank you, Kurama-chan."
Slightly blushing due to the suffix applied to her by Naruto, Kurama stammered in her speech. "N-No problem, Naruto-Kun, it's time to go... The old man is expecting..."
-Real World-
Naruto awoke in a jolt, finding himself in a hospital room with a breathing apparatus placed over his face. Naruto slowly turned his head, noticing a sleeping Hiruzen sitting next to his bed.
'Did he... Hokage-sama, sit by my side all this time?' Naruto thought, his eyes welling up before he tugged the Hokage's cloak. 'Does he care that much about me?'
Hiruzen slowly awoke, his weary eyes opening slowly as Naruto removed his breathing apparatus.
"Naruto, you're awake?" Hiruzen exclaimed, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied softly, "Could we talk in private?"
"Of course," Hiruzen assured, giving a hand gesture before the Anbu guarding the room walked out the door.
"Why... Why did no one tell me?" Naruto asked.
'I hoped it wouldn't come to this...' Hiruzen thought, before sighing and giving an answer. "Naruto, please try to understand... Your parents had many enemies... And you knew how the public felt about your father... What do you think would happen, if everyone knew that you were his son?"
"How did you know I was talking in regards to my parents?" Naruto asked.
"In your slumber, you had glowed with an orange gleam... The same shade as the Kyuubi's chakra..." Hiruzen explained, "I suppose the Kyuubi told you about your heritage?"
"Yes..." Naruto murmured.
"What do you intend to do with this information?" Hiruzen asked, curious in regards to the boy's answer.
"I'll become a shinobi," Naruto concluded, "I'll continue studying science... And I'll be better than my father."
Hiruzen smiled, before patting the boy on the head. Hiruzen pointed to a bag.
"I've packed your things, and I've got you an apartment to yourself," Hiruzen stated, "It has everything a normal apartment would... As well as your laboratory."
Naruto's eyes widened before he lept up to hug the Hokage.
"Get some rest, Naruto," Hiruzen stated, setting the boy on the hospital bed, before walking out of the room.
'You'd better get some rest, Naruto-Kun...' Kurama whispered, 'Your training begins when you recover...'
-October 6th(Naruto's Age: 6)-
Naruto will be leaving the orphanage today. In his eyes, a pair of blue, soulless orbs, I saw the eyes of Orochimaru, except this time... It isn't someone who was born a prodigy... Instead, it's someone who became a prodigy through his hard work... Someone whose talents lie in his incapability to give up... He now knows of his father and swore to become better than him.
There is simply no longer a reason for this report to continue existing. And I will see to it that it does not.
Hiruzen put down his pen, before closing the report. The old Hokage stood up, walking towards the lit-up fireplace before throwing the report into it, watching as it gradually burnt into embers and broke apart. Hiruzen sighed, he knew the boy's life will be hard from now on. The old man swore to Kami, if he ever discovered who let slip the boy's jinchuuriki status to the common public, he would ensure that the rascal burns in hell.
Author's Notes 2: And that's it for chapter one!
To establish some things, yes, I stole parts of the final line from Midnight Lost, he did permit me to use it, but I might as well put it out here.
Secondly, and I know this may sound confusing, Naruto would close himself off to most people, aside from a few, as the story goes on.
Lastly, Minato will not be bashed in this story, and would rather be seen as someone who Naruto fears he would become.
With that all out of the way, I hope that you've enjoyed the first chapter of this story. Feel free to let me know what you think about it in the reviews!