Chapter Four
Naruto was walking down the worn path that he walked almost every night when he felt unease at some point or just wanted some time alone to clear his mind on things. It was just one of those things parents wished to do when their kids didn't annoy the freakin hell out of them.
Lucky for him, he had Inari, Tsumani and Tazuna to help. 'Yeah they've been a real help to me for all these years, right Kyuubi?' He mindspoke to the demon. Kyuubi just barely replied with a 'Yeah sure whatever' and went back to whatever the demon was doing before, most likely sleeping or something. Naruto sighed as he looked up towards the sky and saw the full moon beaming down the wayward path on which he was walking on. The same road that he had run on when he first arrive five years ago. Again, he close his eyes and remembered the time he came here.
Flashback:
Naruto ran for three days, not stopping long, only for short breaks with having food in his stomach, then puking it out, and had a two-three hour rest before running again. He was running very low on supplies and charka as he was using both his and Kyuubi's to cover up their track in case any hunter-nins were sent to get him. Luck was on his side as there had been no sense in presence to his escape.
Escape, it was strange to call, running away would have been his first word to call but escape seem to roll right off his tongue perfectly. Escaping, escaping what he had always dreamed when he was small when everyone stared coldly at him and wanted to run from those hateful looks. It wasn't just his escape that he had longed, it was freedom.
Freedom that made him live in a new place where everyone accepted him as one of theirs. I always though that in time that I would be in that village, but after what happened….Naruto thought as he continued to remembered what happened when he reached the wave country on the third day and went to Tazuna's house.
Naruto was tired and drained, his charka used up and his stomach, carrying too much to bundle as he knocked once, twice on the door before falling to the ground and lying there. Just as he saw darkness creeping inside his sight and fading out of the world, he saw the door open and two pairs of feet standing in his view. He could hear the person calling his name and then bending down to check him. Inari's face was all Naruto saw before falling into unconsciousness.
Naruto woke up later, lying in a futon on the floor with three people beside him, two on one side and Inari on the other. "Finally, about time you woke up." Tazuna said as he breathed in a sigh of relief at seeing the young boy finally wake up after fainting on the doorstep in the last two days. Tsumani was getting up and gather a wetcloth and bowl that she used when she had found him having a close brush with a fever. She said that she was going to fetch some food for Naruto and left the three in the room. Inari was beside himself with pride as he went over to his nii-sama and gave him a big brotherly hug.
"Naruto Nii-san!" He cried, squeezing his ribs tightly as Naruto felt the life choked out of him. He patted the boy on the head and turn to look at Tazuna who had a look in his eyes, a knowing look. Naruto wanted to talk to him alone for this could be something he might understand, hopefully. Tazuna turned to his grandson and told him to go help his mother in the kitchen. When Inari was gone and the door closed, Tazuna turned to him. "Why are you here? Is something the matter?" Naruto nodded slowly. "Yes. I was raped and now I'm pregnant." And he told everything to Tazuna from where it start to where he ran away.
When he told Tazuna everything, things would be a lot complicated than it should. With Naruto as a boy with a bundle carrying it would be difficult to keep secret. So Naruto promised to stay indoors while Tsumani or Tazuna went to town. Inari, who he later told of his being carrying child, was a little bit shocked but overcame it when he asked, "Can a guy seriously become pregnant?" Naruto laughed and was glad he had someone beside him that truly lifted his spirit. Soon his happiness was to be given more as when he gave birth to his nine little kits.
End Flashback
Naruto laughed. 'Nine kits, nine kids, did you think that was even possible Kyuubi?'
'No Naruto, but I am a fox and fox give birth to many kits.'
'Yeah but man that was the most painful experience in my life. I thought I was going to die for sure.' And he did died. He remembered dying and coming back when he saw him. His father.
Flashback:
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and time seem to certainly fly out the window as Naruto's stomach grew bigger and bigger. He looked to be as big as a whale with the stomach he had and the way he was chubbing food down like that. Soon Naruto was just lazing about, playing cards sometimes with Inari or other games or spend time with Kyuubi seeing how the kid was or should I say kids.
'So many charkas,' he whispered, 'how many are there?'
'About nine at least.'
'Nani!?!' Naruto was going to be in the shock of a lifetime with having to raise nine kids at such a young age. But this was new life, new life waiting to be born out in this world, wanting to learn and feel around the many wonders and beauty of it all. Naruto wouldn't trade it for the world for these little tykes.
When the ninth month came, Naruto was suddenly compulsing in bed and pain reach all around, announcing it was time.
"Inari! Tsumani! Tazuna!" He screamed. All three came as soon as they heard Naruto's scream. Tsumani saw what was happening and ordered both Tazuna to fetch some boiling water and for Inari to fetch her medical kit.
"Relax Naruto, just breath everything's going to be fine…" She whispered, holding his hand while Naruto wince in pain again. Tazuna and Inari came back with what she ordered and began to do what she had to do; Naruto's body was male and wouldn't have a bigger opening for the kids to come out, so a C-section was in order. Naruto tried to ignore the pain as Tsumani went to work on his stomach. Naruto's breathing was in labor and he was starting to see black in his sight.
God, I think I'm dying.
'Don't give up Naruto! They still have to live, you have to for you kits!' But as Naruto was seeing darkness, he saw a bright light approaching him. 'Am I dead?' He wondered. He suddenly saw the light changed and turned into a figure who looked exactly like him.
'Naruto,' He spoke, 'It's not your time yet, go back. Go back, you are still needed.' Naruto saw that the uncanning resemblance between this stranger and himself were a lot closer than he thought.
It can't be, can it? The man nodded, "I will see you again someday son." And disappeared and Naruto opened his eyes as he saw three faces peering into his. "Naruto?" Inari asked. Naruto turned and looked and stared at Tsumani. "The babies?"
She nodded. "Hai, they here. All nine. Five boys and four girls." She then lifted the two small kids in her arms and handed them to him. They looked exactly like him and were his firstborn ones. Kyuubi could tell and so could Naruto. Both had light fuzz of blond hair on their heads and whisker marks on cheeks. Two Kitsune ears that had lain flat popped open and flicked in the air once, twice before staying up. Naruto looked at the boy and girl in his arms and then at Tazuna and Inari, each holding two or three in arms. Naruto smiled again as he went to look at his son again in his arm. The residing dream he had and looking at him, he whispered the one name he could to name his son after his namesake.
"Yondaime. Yondaime Uzumaki." His son, hearing his name for the first time, opened his eyes and stared at him with the most beautiful blue eyes he had.
End Flashback.
Naruto took a different cut to the road where he ended up on the hill that overlook the town below. It was also where the graves of Zabuza and Haku were. He bent down on his knees and bowed to them. "Hello Zabuza, hello Haku. It's been a while hasn't it?" He looked at Haku's marker and saw beside it a bowl of fresh moochis standing by its side. "Seems my son, Kohaku pay respect to you again." He said smiling. He knew his son was very honored over his namesake which he visit everyday by himself or with his family. Naruto remembered when he saw Kohaku up here by himself for the first time.
Flashback:
Naruto had been going on his walks most regularly, spending time with his three year olds was a very stressing business but he found it relaxing. They remind me so much as me, he thought, all excited and filled with light, well some. Half his children were hard to read under the mask they wore and that made him think that they certainly held his trait. Just as he was walking up the cliff, he was surprised to see someone up there. Kohaku.
Kohaku wasn't home very much and he kept disappearance for most time and this was the first time he saw his son sitting by the graves, by himself. He stood a distance as he heard his son whispered something.
"Haku, why is it, why is it that difficult to being different?" He sniffled then said, "Why is it that people saw you different because of your blood. Papa, papa told us what you told him at the bridge. Your family didn't care for you and I'm sorry that happened. If people found out about what my family was, they probably look at us different too, but we have people who care for us to.
Papa, aunt Tsumani, grandpa Tazuna, Inari and others. But you found someone else to care, even if he didn't realized until the end. But I'm glad you did. I'm glad you did find someone precious and I have precious ones too to protect. I'll protect just like you Haku. I'll train to be strong to not let anyone hurt my family or friends. That's what I'll do, that's my way of the ninja." Naruto step out of his hiding place and went to his son. "Kohaku…Haku." His son turned around and stared at him. "Papa?" He went over and embraced him, holding him and telling himself that this was a sacred vow he had said, that they shared in common. Our way of the ninja.
Their father's son.
End Flashback
Naruto patted the grave's marker with one callous hand and felt the smooth granite and coldness of the stone. Naruto stood silently before he said something to greet his unwanted visitor.
"Hello Jiraya, I was not expecting you to find me so quickly."
Jiraya stepped out of the shadow that his illusion created and walked towards him. "Hello Naruto, it's been a while." Both men were silent and a cold gale blew softly as Naruto turned slightly to stare at his ex-sensei. "What is it you want?" But he knew what the answer was to be. Jiraya stared sadly at him and uttered, "I came to get you and return you to the village."