Disclaimer: ¿quién es el propietario Naruto?
No mí! tú estás loco, yo no!
(Who owns Naruto?)
( Not Me! You're crazy I'm not!)
"Sleep is good, death is better; but of course the best thing would be never to have been born at all."
-Heinrich Heine (1797-1856)
German Poet
"Morphine"
Chapter 4
"I have something that will interest you. I have something from your father" Jairaiya reached for his drawer and from it produced a neatly wrapped package sealed with wax. "But before that," he said as he called for the maids who brought 2 glass which contained a funny looking liquid.
"Drink it," Jairaiya ordered.
Naruto obeyed, he tasted the liquid's bitter taste and felt the warm sinking feeling on his stomach. He quickly finished and looked at Jairaiya expectantly as if he would get a gift on what he did. And on that Oni Kyuubi 'Kit' Naruto drank his first shot of vodka.
Jairaiya laughed, "Well child I can see that you had your father's appetite and tolerance for alcohol. Now open the package."
When the seal was broken and waxed paper spread across the desk it contained a little black book, a letter and a key. Naruto quickly opened the book and read slowly.
"Your father wishes for me to be with you the time you read the letter."
"Well?" Jairaiya asked as poured himself another glass.
Naruto finished the first few pages and looked up, "These are the list of all the transactions of the Oni clan on the last decades. It says here that the key was for the vault containing all of the records since ancient times."
There was a long pause. "What else?'
"He says by the time I read this he will be dead," Naruto said thickly.
Jairaiya sat on his leather chair silently playing with a silver fountain pen. "You want to know why, don't you Naruto?" he said quickly. "He never forgave himself for the consequences of the war."
Naruto searched his head for a reply but none came.
"You were the last and only thing he cared about. The last and only thing in his life that he cared about," Jairaiya said quietly. "He doesn't care about the rest of your clan. He doesn't care about the business, for him you are the only thing left in his life. He only lived because you needed him. Many times this he told me."
Naruto sat still staring on his father's liquid like writing. So big and free-flowing words scrawled on black ink. They were full of life. Not the scribble of a dying man.
"He lost it all Naruto. His life was all used up," Jairaiya savagely continued.
When Naruto looked up, his eyes full of anger. "What happened on the war? He never told me. I want to know."
Jairaiya poured another glass for himself, "You're too young to know Naruto. In time, in time."
Then, Naruto just lost it.
"YOU KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE! YOU KNEW! YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED HIM! HE'D HAVE LISTENED TO YOU! WEREN'T YOU HIS FRIEND?"
Jairaiya said, "I didn't know, but I'm not surprised either. It was cocaine. Your father was an addict. I'd been supplying him since your birth."
Naruto couldn't believe it. His father an addict? His father could never be…wouldn't…couldn't. Then it finally hit him, his father's sudden loss of appetite on such days and his order on having him locked on his room. It all fits…it fits perfectly…too perfectly it was killing him… mocking him for believing.
"Then you killed him." He said as he folded the letter into the envelope.
"NO, Kyuubi killed himself. I just made it easier, if he hadn't had the drugs to drive the demons away, he may end up asking Itachi or Iruka to put a hole on his head."
"They would never do that," Naruto countered. "They're not like that traitor, they're not like Kakashi."
"Iruka would definitely not do that, but Itachi might. Itachi is loyal to your father, and he would do anything your father asks. Believe me he would. He knew he lost you and when you're gone, he had nothing… And there's the possibility of suicide. Knowing your father, it would be the best thing."
It was the last straw, the next moment all Naruto knew was the warm arms around him and the voice that soothes him on one of darkest days of his life.
Aeaeae
If the Oni Clan was the Holy Church for the many Mafia empires scattered around the world, then the head of the Family, Don Oni Kyuubi Naruto, was the Pope, admired not only for his intelligence but for his looks and strength.
The late Don Oni Kyuubi was also revered for the strict moral code he enforced in his Clan. Every man and woman and child was responsible fore his or her own actions, no matter the stress, the remorse, or the hard circumstances. Payment for sins in this world, forgiveness in the next. Every debt had to be paid, and he was strict with that.
The Don had not built his empire so that his child and his grandchildren would someday recede to a mass of helpless society. He built and kept building power so that the Clan name and fortune would survive as the Church does. What greater purpose does a man have in this world than to earn his daily bread, then in the next world to present himself to a forgiving deity? As for the Clan members except for his son and loyal friends, they could all rot in hell.
Foolish vultures of money! Thinking that they could inherit anything from him. No, he would not let it! Let them rot and burn in hell! He doesn't care for them! And his loyal brothers would make sure of that. Iruka would make sure that all of his Clan members except for his child could all burn in hell. Literally.
Don Kyuubi led his Clan-against his will- to the very heights of power. He did so with a Borgia-like (1) cruelty and a Machiavellian (2) subtleness. But above all a patriarchal love for all his followers. Virtue was rewarded. Injuries avenged. A livelihood guaranteed.
The economic genius of his 'brother', Umino Iruka, cemented the Don's power. Like some divine laundress, he washed the black money and turned them white, away from the criticizing eyes of the 'clean society'. Above all, Iruka strove to keep the Clan away from the gaze of the authorities and public. So the Clan existed, like some UFO. There were random sightings, rumors, tales of horror and bloodshed –for the Don was famous for his bloodlust- , and there were mention on police department and the feds. But there were no newspaper stories, not a single one. All of this the great work of the benign, Umino Iruka. A living proof to never judge a book by its cover.
And there was the Army. Iruka, Itachi and the Don always had a pool of enforcers who lived in an enclave of the Army that had always been Japanese. This enclave of forty square blocks could have used in a film of Ancient Japan. The Don, Iruka and Itachi- the Don could not afford to let his midget family members - owned or controlled all real estate in the area. And they always see to it that the family would never sprout a progeny that are rebels.
Uchiha Itachi was the very essence of what was called the Qualified Man. He was very strong physically, of good height and with intimidating looks. He was of course, expert with firearms and explosives. All this aside, he was a cold and mysterious man with a very odd sexual appetite. Often having girls at Jairaiya's Hotel, and then leaving them almost dead in the morning. Rumors were circulating about his unholy sexual escapades, all of them too much for the Don to bear. But the Don believes that it was his way to 'ease' the hurt and pain Itachi felt towards Iruka and Kakashi's affair. An unholy outlet to let out his fury. His fury to himself.
But even so, the Don was not a man that did not know the bitter taste of treachery. It was Hatake Kakashi, who taught him of the word known as betrayal. It was on the middle of autumn that the Don knew of Kakashi's perfidy. The piercing words coming form Iruka's mouth himself. Then came Kakashi dragged by the guards and Itachi. Not a look of remorse or shame on his mismatched eyes. Those eyes looked closely on the Don, not a look of fear on what may come, not a look of shame for all the times wasted. All of it, just for a single dead man named Obito. Uchiha Obito.
The Don sighed as he remembered that day; it was a good thing that Naruto was asleep; hence his innocent mind will not survive the blow. The Don looked at the time, 4 years since Naruto left, 10 years since the war. How fast time flies. Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around in a while. You could miss it.
Then, there it was again.
The screams.
The fire.
The blood.
His beloved's blood tainting his hands.
His beloved's eyes.
Eyes that clearly imitates the colors of the cloudless sky.
Slowly, the Don injected cocaine on his veins. The feeling of euphoria washed through him. Chasing his demons away. Kyuubi almost laughed as he remembered a saying from a book, 'Cocaine is god's way of saying you make too much money'. Perhaps he did, perhaps he makes too much money, and this is god's way of punishing him.
He looked at the picture of his son. Smiling in such a way that reminds him of his beloved. Smiling behind a pool of golden flowers that match the color of his hair.
He sighed as he remembered the memories of his son. And tonight he would leave him. Alone.
NO!
Not alone, his child would never be alone; he would make sure of it. Iruka would make sure of it. Yes, Iruka would. And so would Itachi. They would fulfill his last wishes on every detail, every single one of it. Every single one of them.
He wearily looked at the sharp dagger on his bedside table. The dagger was the symbol of the leadership on their family. A dagger that had been passed down from generations to generations. Many times it had saved the lives of the past leaders of the Clan. Kyuubi curiously asked himself whether there had been any records on the long history of his family whether the dagger had been used to kill the life of the leader himself.
If there was, Kyuubi is happy that he is not alone. Another worthless and incompetent leader of the family had killed himself with the family dagger.
And if there wasn't, Kyuubi is proud to be the first one.
He tightly clutched the dagger's handle and thought of the certain things he had done in his life. He never regretted any of it.
Alone in his bedroom, the Don pulled the dagger's sharp edge closer to his throat. Pushing it closer a little bit more. Death was approaching, and he was too wily not to detect its nearness. He would die without regret on his life.
He would die knowing that his son could escape the life that his family had led for hundreds of years. He may not be the one that would fulfill it. But he is sure it would be followed on the very least detail.
He is sure of it. Too damn sure, that Iruka and Itachi would do it.
And all of it would start on his death. On his death.
And before the Don could put himself to rest, he had one last and final vision. His son and his grandsons would finally be safe from the clutches of fate and destiny. Living a life away from the haunting memories of the past. He would not blame himself for the heartaches and loss his plans could accumulate. After all, it would set his son free.
Then Kyuubi poised the dagger above his head on a certain angle. He thought of his riches, the great mansions scattered around the globe.
All his possessions for a moment of time.
The air is quiet, the house still, the breeze softly whispering sweet words on his ear, the sea roaring requiems in the distance, the leaves bidding him farewell, all on the same Mansion on the Caribbean where he had first fell into the deep debt of darkness. The same mansion where he bid farewell to two of the most important men in his life. His son and his beloved.
Now God be praised, he will die in peace.
Then with one swift blow, the dagger was on Kyuubi's stomach tainting its loyal history by killing one of the greatest leaders of the Clan. The Kyuubi felt a sharp pain quickly replaced by a feeling of numbness.
If this is dying, he didn't think much of it.
His work is done why wait?
Besides, no one lack a good reason for suicide.
Aeaeae
In the years before the death of Oni Kyuubi and the demise of almost all the members of the Clan, Itachi, Kyuubi and Iruka tried to prepare Naruto for his entry into adulthood.
Kyuubi had learned in his own dangerous life to look far ahead. It was one of the reasons for his success. Early on he saw past Naruto as a child to Naruto as a man. He doesn't want that future man to follow on his footsteps. Or perhaps, he just doesn't want his son to suffer as he did. To suffer on the unjust laws of nature and society.
And so he trained Naruto, taught him all the tricks of gambling-Kyuubi loves to gamble-, took him to Vegas every weekend with Jairaiya so that he could hear of the different ways a casino could be scammed.
Itachi took Naruto hunting, taught him how to skin and gut animals, made him know the smell of blood; see his hands red with it. He made Naruto took karate and 'special lessons' on the mountains on a cult specializing on the art of agility and surprise so that he could know the feeling of pain and see death, taught him the use and care of guns and never drew the lines on the different ways to torture a man, all under the Don's watchful eyes.
The Oni Clan owned a huge hunting lodge in the mountains of Lake District, and Kyuubi used it for his family's-Naruto, Itachi, Kyuubi and Iruka- vacation. They took Naruto hunting. On the hunt Naruto easily shot deer and hares and even some wolves and dingoes. It revealed that Naruto was capable, that he had a good aptitude for guns, was always careful with them, always calm in danger. Naruto was never squeamish.
Kyuubi briefed Naruto with right behaviors. Never show anger at a slight, tell nothing about yourself. Earn respect from everyone by deeds, not by words. Never gamble for more than an hour a day. Find a woman that will bore you children. And when that happens to you, you are entitled to give them their daily needs. And if you happen to love someone from the same sex or the opposite, never ever let your wife know about this. Or else, hell will break lose.
Naruto was such a good pupil that the Don and his brothers doted at him. They also loved it that Naruto was such a good looking and fine man with the looks of an angel.
Itachi and Iruka had never believed on the Don's dream of the younger child to leave the illegitimate; they didn't even believe it to be the best course of action. They didn't doubt the Don's genius but it was the desperate part of the Don. After all, the Don had it tough.
Normally, fathers wanted their sons to be like them. Blood was blood that was never changed.
And that time, Naruto was four.
Aeaeae
To say that Itachi had an odd sense of raising a child is an understatement.
The maids demand that he never strike Naruto left him bewildered. Young children were animals; how could you make them behave in a civilized way without flinging him against the wall. He was never careful to hurt him.
And Iruka raised Naruto on the other end of the spectrum. He taught Naruto singing, dancing, music and good manners and also self-defense. He enrolled him on a fencing school to learn the gracefulness and deadliness of the sword.
Naruto loved Iruka, but looked up at Kyuubi and Itachi: Iruka because he was smart and gentle, the two of them because they were strong.
The three of them were excellent teachers. From Iruka, Naruto learned all the social graces, good manners, dancing, how to dress, grooming. Kyuubi taught him the ways of the world, how to gamble and train his body in athletics. Itachi taught him how to protect himself. Never resented his father and Itachi for being rough, only to discipline, never got angry when they did so, never held a grudge.
And so Naruto grew up to be was fearless, but could bend.
It seems like as if they were just normal, until the assassination of Vigliacco. The greatest mob killing of the decade.
It was in the middle of spring when it all took place. Naruto was playing in the garden when FBI cars parked at the huge front doors of the Oni Mansion.
The FBI and talked with their butler and asked where his-Naruto's- father is. There were shuffles screams.
It must have been a traumatic experience, for the next thing Naruto knew is his father telling him that they would go to the Caribbean because there are men who wanted to have the house.
"Don't worry my love; everything will turn out just fine."
"Then, where are Iruka-san and Itachi-san going?"
"They would stay here."
"Will I see them again?"
Kyuubi smiled a little, "Perhaps you won't, but fates will have time and place where you will meet them again." He leaned to touch his son's cheek. "And by that time, things will be different."
"You promise?"
"I do,"
And the rest as they say is history.
Aeaeae
Naruto enjoyed the life with his father. Indeed, no matter how ugly the decision that had been made-Naruto may not see Iruka and Itachi again-, it seemed to have turned out to be the right one. Kyuubi proved to be a good parent, and he made Naruto in his image.
And when Kyuubi died, Naruto was sent to live with Jairaiya in his Hermit Hotel in Vegas. Then, that was when Jairaiya decided to send Naruto on a school in England, on Oxford to be exact. Even at such a young age he had excelled on academics that he learned ahead of boys his age. He entered collage at the tender age of 15 and studied Business there; he graduated at the age of 19 having Gaara and his siblings as his closest friends. At that age, he started working as Jairaiya's assistant on the Hermit Hotel in Vegas.
It was same time when his innocence is slowly rotting away. Rotting away as time flies as his azure eyes slowly opened to what the world really is. To what the world is, unlike what his father had painted on his mind years ago. Years, that seems like eons.
Naruto loved the workings of the Hermit Hotel, the manipulation of the costumers, the fight against scam artist. And Naruto did have an abnormal-meaning too much- appetite for showgirls-He got a bunch of showgirls as Jairaiya's gift for him when he graduated with flying colors- ; Jairaiya also took Naruto on golf games with high-rolling gamblers of the Hermit, always pairing them against Naruto and himself. Naruto at the age of 19, had a peculiar habit of doing his best when the stakes are high.
When Jairaiya made his foray at the tables of the Hotel, Naruto sat watching with interest. Jairaiya instructed him with all he needs to know about gambling-things that Kyuubi didn't have time to teach him- the management of the bankroll, never to play when you're unwell, never to bet heavily when he was on a losing streak, and always ride a streak with intensity.
"Nerves of steel, nerves of steel," Jairaiya would always say.
But what Jairaiya approved of most was the kid's good judgment, his ability to know the proper thing to do without being told. Jairaiya fondly remember the time when there was a gambler who lost nearly $500,000 the night before. The next day he was on a bad sullen mood while playing golf with them.
And they played-a grand for every hole-. The man shot well. So did his partner. So did Jairaiya. But Naruto failed. He played the worst game the 4 of them ever saw. The man 500,000 richer, his ego restored, insisting on sharing breakfast.
That was when Jairaiya decided that he would make this man his heir.
Naruto was aware that Jairaiya had some special interest in him, showed extra consideration. When Naruto graduated high school, his gift was a luxury ship. From the time he was seventeen, Jairaiya introduced him to the showgirls with obvious affection, giving him some 'weight'. And Naruto, over the years, came to know that Jairaiya himself, often had women to his penthouse suit for dinner, and from the gossip of the girls, Jairaiya was an extreme hentai and a catch. He never had a serious love affair, but he was generous with gifts to women. (Made them coming back for more, Jairaiya said with a grin).
Once on their teacher-student talks, Naruto asked him about women in the context of employee relations.
Jairaiya smiled at him, "If you're asking advice about your love life, I must tell you this. An intelligent, reasonable man in most cases had nothing to fear from women. You must beware of two things, either on your love life as a gay or a straight-Jairaiya knew that Naruto is a bi-. Number one and most dangerous: the woman/man that is fixed on a single objective that he/she would carry out anything to get it done, Two: a man/woman who has more ambition than you do. I was lucky; I loved the Hermit more than anything else in the world-Tsunade was the 2nd-. But I must tell you I regret not having any children."
"You seem to live the perfect life," Naruto said.
"You think so?" Jairaiya said. "Well, I pay the price."
Aeaeae
The final mystery about his father was revealed to Naruto on the Easter Sunday 3 months before the news of his father's death reached him.
At the mansion at the Amagansett, the family made a great fuss on the young Naruto's developing good looks. At the age of six, his youthful manliness is starting to develop-handsome, graceful, strong, talented, and surprisingly courtly.
In the vast walled estate of the mansion, Naruto saw a group of men dressed in black tuxedo suits and looking grim as they went towards where his father is. Coincidently, Dan one of his cousins went towards him.
Dan was a simple plain looking man lacking the necessary wit to be successful and like the others like him, they clutch tightly on his father for support and major financial backer. Literally, as far as Naruto could tell, there were only a handful of family members that actually work. And like the others, Dante seem to fill his lack of ability by ego, ego and ego. And like the others, they all think that they could do better on running the clan than his father.
"Creepy men, huh?" Dante asked.
Naruto just nodded as he watched the men talk to his father and Iruka with formalities. Dante noticed this, and commented.
"They seem to be a regular guest in here."
"Father said that they were his friends."
To Naruto's confusion, Dante snickered. "You old fool! They're FBI agents! You live with your father do you?"
"Yeah," Naruto said. "So?"
"Do you know what your father does?"
"He works as an electronics business man."
Dan shook his head. "You have to know. Your father's the underground kingpin. You're dad's a Mob."
It seemed to Naruto that all the mysteries of his life were blown away on a sorcerer's wind. Everything was very clear. The black dressed men's frequent visits on the house, the respect shown to Kyuubi, his father's mysterious disappearance for weeks at time, the long private meetings, all of it dismissed from childhood memory, every time his father took his hands. Then, sudden warmth for his father washed through him, a feeling that he must protect him in some way now that he was so naked.
He said to Dan. "No I don't know that. And you don't know that. Nobody knows that." And he almost said, And you could fuck yourself you little twirp, but instead he smiled at Dan and said, "And you could drown at the bottom of the ocean."
When Naruto and Kyuubi were left alone again on their mansion, things were different between them. Kyuubi obviously knew that the secret was out. Naruto was surprised that his feelings toward his father had not changed, that he still loved him. He could not imagine a life without his father, without Jairaiya and the Hermit Hotel.
This was the life he had to leave, he told himself after his father died-in some insane and strange way, the death of the Kyuubi was still unknown to the outside world, all of this just as Kyuubi had planned- and he was not unhappy to lead it. But there began to build up an impatience. Another step had to be taken. Another step had to be taken to fulfill his mission.
But what is his mission?
Or is there any?
Aeaeae
"Why don't you just tell me your damn name, before this nonsense?" Naruto said irritated at the red haired man in front of him.
The being smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair back on its proper place. He looked at Naruto with blood-red eyes full of mirth. "You're attitude never fail to interest me,374."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "For the umpteenth time, my name is Naruto not 374, okay?"
"Sure," the being said. "My name is Kit."
"Kit," Naruto breathed. "So let me get this straight. You're planted to me ever since the day I'm created?"
Kit nodded.
"So what did this mean, that I'm a test tube baby?"
"Exactly." Kyuubi answered, he knew exactly where this conversation is going.
"And I'm stuck with you no matter what?"
"True."
"And the origins of my genes are 'special' as you put it?" Naruto walked around the room.
"Correct."
"And my genes are altered."
"Wrong, they're mutated. There's a difference between the two. You're mutation allowed you to have strength, intelligence, agility, and senses surpassing that of an ordinary human. You are special."
"'Special' my ass! Just say that I'm not human!" Naruto said.
"You are a human, a developed and revolutionized one; you have everything men dreamed of for years." Kyuubi reasoned.
Naruto sighed and looked at Kit in the eye. "I guess it would be senseless to say that you're lying. But still!" Naruto ran a hand on his soft tresses. "It is insane! I don't….I don't…I mean why? Why did my father created me? Did…did he have a reason?"
Kit sighed and crossed his arms around his massive chest. "I do not have the answer to your question, Naruto. The answer you seek is not in my program."
"Then who! Who could answer them?" Naruto asked slightly desperate.
Kit contemplated for a while before answering. "I think what you are trying to ask is… whether your father truly loved you…. whether he just did it because you are his responsibility. Only you can answer those questions Naruto, for are you not the one he most treasured?"
Silence engulfed them as Naruto tried to hold back the tears lingering in his eyes.
"Tell me," Naruto whispered. "Am I the only one?"
The question has a double meaning. "No, you're not alone."
Naruto put a hand on his mouth to muffle the sobs as tears flowed freely down his cheeks.
"I am but a child, why do I have to suffer like this?" A few seconds later Naruto composed himself threw back his shoulders and wiped the lingering tears away. "How many?"
Kit smiled, the child has been trained well to control and overcome his emotions.
"There are over hundreds of you who are created and yet, there are only three of you who survived.
Find them and make them your ally, for only they can you count on, only them can you trust. For they are your kin, for they are your brothers, your family. Trust only them for they are the only ones that can fully and truly understand you."
"How am I gonna know if they are like me?"
"Simple, all of you had a snake like mark on your left shoulder," Kit smiled sarcastically. "An odd remembrance from your creator, Orochimaru."
AN:
(1) Borgia, noble family originally from Valencia in Spain who became politically prominent in affairs of state and Church in Italy in the 15th and 16th centuries. Two of the family, originally called the Borja in Spain, became popes: Alfonso as Callistus III (1455-1458) and his nephew, Rodrigo, as Alexander VI (1492-1503).
(2) Machiavelli, Niccolò (1469-1527), Italian historian, statesman, and political philosopher, whose amoral, but influential writings on statecraft have turned his name into a synonym for cunning and duplicity.
I love this man's book entitled 'The Prince' he makes a man read and think. The book talks about his belief that a ruler is not bound by traditional ethical forms. I love the passage:
"Is it better to be loved than feared, or the reverse? The answer is that it is desirable to be both, but because it is difficult to join them together, it is much safer for a prince to be feared than loved, if he is to fail in one of the two"
See what I mean?
Machiavellianism, as a term, has been used to describe the principles of power politics, and the type of person who uses those principles in political or personal life is frequently described as a Machiavellian.