~A trumpet sounds before a figure dressed in black with a pair of white gloves on hand appears out of the shadows~
"Good day, good day. White Glove Literature here once again." He paused, looking around before continuing.
"First, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed since I posted the first chapter. I'm very touched by the love. I'd love to thank everyone who read the story so far and take this time to respond to some of the reviews before we get on with the main course."
"Dear BJJF691, I am grateful for your review. I haven't decided yet whether they will be in the harem. I have seriously considered it and there is a strong possibility that they will, but it's not 100% certain yet. Ino will certainly become friends with Naruto if all goes well with the story. As for Fem. Sasuke, I've not quite decided. I admit it does make an appealing idea."
"Dear FairyMagic239, I want to thank you for your review. I do hope all goes well in that regard. I just don't want to step on any toes regarding the premise I borrowed. As for Fem. Sasuke's path, well there will certainly be some issues with desiring revenge on Itachi. I don't think you can have Sasuke go through the murder of his clan without him feeling angry and wanting vengeance/justice on the person who killed them. With the killer being Itachi, it becomes that much more personal and an even greater betrayal."
"And finally, but most certainly not the least, I want to thank Hazeleyes180, who was generous enough to allow me to use the suicide premise from his story. It's never easy to write a story of your own, as I myself and many others can attest. I read a number of Naruto stories over the years before deciding to start one of my own. However almost all of them seemed to feature Naruto being attacked and left for dead early on, which while it was a valid premise was very hard for me to use. So, again, thank you for helping me out."
And now my dear readers, on with the sumptuous literary feast. Bon Appetit.
Chapter 2:
Naruto's Mindscape
Naruto woke slowly, sitting up and looking around, confused by his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep in the uncomfortable hospital bed the night before after a brief visit from Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-neechan who had brought him a bowl of his favorite food, Ramen, the gift of Kami to mortals. Like always, they chuckled and smiled when he made this bold declaration before eagerly eating the noodles. Ayame-neechan had brought him a few comic books that he had been excited about immensely. He must have fallen asleep while reading them he assumed.
Standing up, Naruto looked around. It looked like he was in some kind of sewer-like place. There was water everywhere and it was hard to see due to the dank and dismal lighting. He decided to wander about as he searched for a way out of this place, uncertain of where he was and how he got here. He supposed one of the doctors could have been offended by his presence at the hospital and tossed him down into the sewer, but he didn't think that Hokage-jiji would allow that. He had never let on, but he was aware that the old man had kept him under constant guard by a number of ninjas over the years.
Naruto possessed a very keen sense of smell and although he could not see them, he had often caught their scents, surrounded by a slight aura of controlled power. Naruto assumed they had been there from as long as he had been alive. They differed on a day-to-day basis, but it was always the same group of people. Not a very large one either. They followed him as he moved about the village, and he could often sense them outside his apartment when he entered the abandoned building that was his home. He often wondered why they were watching over him but had never worked up enough courage to ask his Oji-san about it. Surely, he would know right? But something always held him back. Perhaps he was afraid of the answer. He wasn't sure.
Striding down a darkened corridor, Naruto sensed a strong presence up ahead of him, and could dimly make out a small but steadily growing light source. As he got closer the presence grew stronger and he grew more afraid. The presence had an unwelcome, and slightly ominous feel to it. Part of Naruto wanted to turn tail and run but another part, a more curious part of him was eager to find out just where he was and what was going on. Little did he know or suspect that what he was about to discover would play a pivotal role in the turning of his life.
Konohagakure Hospital
The Third walked into the hospital, flanked by two ANBU on either side, each a few steps behind him. They kept careful eyes on passersby as they followed their Hokage towards his destination, careful to remain unseen or heard. The Hokage nodded to the receptionist who quickly stood to greet him with a small bow as he passed before continuing on his way. He strode calmly down the hall heading towards the staircase and made his way briskly up, towards the third floor. After arriving on the correct floor, he strode down the corridor and arriving at the door to Naruto's room, knocked on the door. The Third briefly acknowledged the two Chunin standing guard outside the door of the room, dismissing them and sending them on their way. The pair bowed and quickly left to go about their business.
Entering the boy's room, the Hokage smiled as he saw Naruto resting in bed. He appeared to be lightly dozing now and the Third was reluctant to disturb him from his rest. Occasionally the boy would twitch or appear to mutter something, but it was never audible enough to make out. Hiding in the ceiling inside the room, the Third noticed Kakashi, in his ANBU uniform and Inu mask, maintaining his strict vigil over his sensei's young son. The Third had to admire his devotion to the boy. Few enough seemed to care, and the boy was going to need all the support he could get. The Hokage had tasked a squad of ANBU to go about "dealing" with the shop owners and local businesses that had refused to sell to Naruto. It was a surprisingly long list and Hiruzen cursed the Civilian Council yet again for their prejudicial behavior towards an innocent child.
The result was that the shops had been "persuaded" to at least do business with Naruto, even if they were unhappy with the prospect. Reminded that the Hokage's word was law and if word got back to him that they had defied his decrees and continued to mistreat Naruto, they could expect a session with Ibiki in the I&T department. A prospect they were keen to avoid at any cost. Even if it meant tolerating the hated demon brat. At least until they were sure it was safe to ignore him again.
Back in Naruto's mindscape
Finally reaching the end of the long, depressing corridor, Naruto entered a large open area, with a domed ceiling high overhead. There was water all over the floor and even as he waded through the water, he was dimly aware that he didn't appear to get wet. Shrugging it off as a thought for another time, Naruto looked around the room. There were numerous lamps along the walls of the room filling it with an eerie light and casting frightening shadows about the place. Turning as he heard a slight rustling sound, Naruto stopped cold. The first thing he noticed was a set of massive iron bars stretching from the floor all the way up to the high ceiling above. On a gate built into the bars was what appeared to be a sutra charm with the kanji for "seal" inscribed upon it. The second thing he noticed was that he was not alone in the room. Despite the poor lighting, Naruto could make out a pair of massive glowing eyes in the shadows behind the bars of what he now realized was a cage. The eyes were a sinister red color with slitted pupils.
Hesitantly, and entirely uncertain about why he wasn't simply running away, Naruto began to walk closer to the cage. Immediately, a mouth appeared with rows of fangs, each appearing the size of a sword and ending in razor sharp points. The mouth opened in a loud and angry snarl as the voice spoke in a fearful tone that made Naruto nearly second guess the wisdom in his decision to not flee the room in terror.
"So, at last my jailor has the nerve to appear before me," the angry voice said.
"J-jailor? I don't understand." Naruto said sounding confused. "What is this place? Where are we and who are you?"
"Don't you though? You're completely clueless?" the voice said with a sneer before pausing, considering the blond carefully and realizing with a start, that the boy indeed had no clue what was going on. It didn't lessen his hatred of the situation he found himself in or lessen his insurmountable fury towards the human who had sealed him in here, but it did imperceptibly shift his hatred for the boy, who appeared to have no obvious part in his imprisonment. It didn't make him innocent in the Fox's eyes, simply ignorant.
"This place, boy, is your mindscape." The voice continued.
"M-my mindscape? Does that mean this is all in my head?" Naruto asked looking around. He was confused by what the voice had said. "Does that mean that this is all just a dream then?" he wondered to himself.
The voice snorted before replying, and as though the entity could read his thoughts, it spoke. "Yes, we are in your head, but no this is not a dream, boy. This place we are in is the center of your mind. Not a very pleasant place for anyone to be, especially myself."
"I see. But I'm curious. Who are you? Are you a part of me? Like some crazy weird voice in my head or something?" Naruto asked, eyeing the entity suspiciously now.
Another snort was heard as the entity fixed its large and intimidating gaze squarely on the blond in front of him. "Little human, I am not some stupid figment of your imagination." The entity said, its voice now filled with irritation as it continued to speak. "I am Kurama, or as you humans foolishly call me, the Kyuubi no Kitsune."
Naruto tensed up suddenly in fear, as recognition of the name suddenly hit him. "T-the K-Kyuubi? But that's impossible. You c-can't be. The Kyuubi is dead. Yondaime-sama killed you." Naruto stammered shaking his head.
The Kyuubi let out a menacing laugh before speaking again. "A mere human killing me?! HA! As if. No, boy. He didn't kill me. He sealed me away inside an infant human just before he died. He sealed me into you, brat." The Kyuubi said speaking in a loud and rumbling tone of sinister derision.
Naruto froze, unable to believe what he was hearing as his world came crumbling down around him. He didn't want to believe it could be true, but suddenly it all started making sense. The hatred and contempt of the villagers. Their scorn, ridicule, the hurtful looks and angry scowls when they saw him. The whispers to their children not to go near the demon boy. The drunken vandals writing hateful slurs on his door. It all finally made sense now. This was why they hated him. Because he was a monster. Tears began to pool in the corners of Naruto's eyes as he tried hard not to cry. He didn't want to let the villagers win. To admit that they were right all along about him. It hurt too much. "Why? Why did it have to be me?" He wondered in a brief bout of self-pity. "Had the Yondaime thought he was a monster too? Was that why he was chosen to contain the Kyuubi? Were the villagers correct when they said he was no good?"
The Kyuubi scowled again, watching the boy start to cry. He despised the weakness in the boy. What right did he have to cry after coming so close to nearly ending both of their lives with his foolish attempts at suicide a few days ago? Deciding to interrupt the oblivious boy's thoughts, he spoke. "Snap out of it, you little brat. Stop that bawling at once!" He roared.
Naruto glared up at the creature, scowling angrily before speaking again despite the tears. He slowly managed to pull himself under control again. "Is that why you brought me here? To throw it in my face that the villagers were right all along. To tell me that I really am the "demon brat" they hated all along?" Naruto asked wiping away fresh tears from his eyes.
The glowing eyes merely appeared to roll as the huge mouthful of fangs let out a sigh before speaking. "Spare me the self-pity you little brat. I didn't bring you here to listen to your whining. I brought you here to ensure you don't continue to behave like a fool and a weakling. My survival is dependent on your survival, and I refuse to die because of a weak container like you. After what happened, I have decided to ensure that you become stronger so that I don't die before my time."
Naruto forgot his woes as he began to process exactly what the Kyuubi was telling him. "You intend to help me become stronger? How do I do that?" He asked looking inquisitively up at the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi smirked in an ominous manner that made Naruto very nervous, feeling as though he were about to meet a very unfortunate fate. That feeling was confirmed when the Kyuubi spoke.
"That's very simple really. There are a number of steps we will take to provide you with a reason to live and grow stronger." The Kyuubi said with a sinister smile, making plans in its head before continuing.
"Firstly, you're going to get rid of those filthy orange rags you're wearing. I'll not have you wearing those hideous outfits. While I'm sealed inside of you, you represent me. My container must dress to impress, and you won't be scoring any points like that. You're going to have to get some new clothes." The Kyuubi said.
"What? But I like orange. These clothes are awesome!" Naruto said feeling the need to defend his wardrobe.
"Silence, boy! Never interrupt me when I am speaking," The Kyuubi snapped before resuming where he left off moments before.
Secondly, you're going to have to start exercising and eating properly. A steady diet of ramen won't make you stronger. In fact, it will stunt your growth and inhibit your development." The Kyuubi said, ignoring the twitching, spasming blonde boy in front of him who appeared horror-stricken at the prospect of not eating ramen anymore.
The Kyuubi ignored this with an air of indifference as it spoke. "Starting today when you leave here, you are going to start a regular work out regimen designed to make you stronger and more fit both physically and mentally." The Kyuubi said, pausing and letting out an impatient huff waiting for the blonde to take the hint and quickly agree.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, there's the second reason I brought you here. After the incident the other day, you were badly injured and on the verge of dying. To save us both, I utilized a great deal of mt yokai to save us." The Kyuubi paused, studying the blonde.
Naruto tilted his head, trying to recall in more detail the incident that had landed him in the hospital. He remembered trying to save the girl who had fallen while climbing but didn't realize that he had been hurt so badly while trying to catch her. He supposed he must have hit his head harder than he thought he had. He looked up noticing that the Kyuubi was becoming rather impatient waiting for him, so he nodded and replied to the expectant look on the Kyuubi's face.
"Yokai? I'm not sure what that is exactly," Naruto replied somewhat clueless.
Surprisingly patient with him, the Kyuubi responded with a neutral tone, speaking so Naruto could keep up. "Yokai is the demonic equivalent of the chakra humans utilize to cast their jutsu. However, it is much stronger than human chakra, so much so in fact that it had a number of unexpected side-effects on your body."
"Side effects? What kind of side effects?" Naruto asked with some trepidation in his voice.
The Kyuubi paused before speaking to gather his thoughts while the blonde fidgeted uncomfortably in front of him, shifting from one foot to the other, and back again. "The first side effect was that it blended your human chakra with my yokai, permanently altering your chakra coils. This will have the effect of allowing you to more easily utilize my chakra when such need arises.
"I see." Naruto said quietly before looking up. "Anything else?"
The Kyuubi scowled again more deeply than before. It nodded its head as it spoke. "Yes. As a result of your body being exposed to such large amounts of my chakra, a dormant bloodline in your genes was activated. You have a kekkei genkai, boy."
Dumbfounded, Naruto froze for half a second before grinning and pumping his fist in the air with a loud whoop, causing the Kyuubi's scowl to deepen even further. "Ha! I have a Kekkei Genkai. Take that you stupid villagers." Naruto cheered excitedly before calming down and peering up the Kyuubi with a ponderous expression. "Err, what's a Kekkei Genkai exactly?" He asked confused.
The Kyuubi sweat-dropped while groaning in despair. "Kami help me," he muttered under his breath before deigning to answer the clueless blonde in front of him. "A kekkei genkai, or bloodline limit is a special ability that allows the wielder to use unique techniques. There are many different types of Kekkei Genkai in the world. Most kekkei genkai are passed down between generations of a clan, however there are occasionally some exceptions, two of which are your Shodaime, and Nidaime Hokages. Each were from the same clan but had different and unique bloodlines."
"Oh, okay. I guess I understand what you're saying," Naruto said scratching the back of his head as he absorbed what the Kyuubi was telling him. "So, you're saying that I have one of these bloodline things then." Naruto took a moment to think before asking a following question. "Err, do you know which one I have then?" He asked and for the first time he saw a truly murderous expression enter the Kyuubi's eyes before it spoke.
"A unique doujutsu that for reasons I will not share with you, I am not at all fond of. Still, it does have its uses, and it will help you to become much stronger as time and your training progress if you utilize it properly." The Kyuubi replied and then took a deep breath before speaking again. "The doujutsu you inherited is the Sharingan, the signature kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan." With that said, the Kyuubi allowed Naruto to process this and answered a few of his questions about the Sharingan, telling him about its various abilities, how it could be utilized to copy techniques and help one learn jutsu at a much faster pace. He didn't go into its more advanced forms and abilities at this time, deciding to wait until later to bring his jailor up to speed on that. Instead, the Kyuubi continued by making suggestions about training methods he should consider using before finally interrupting him.
"As much as I would like to continue this conversation with you, you need to return to the waking world now. Goodbye for now. I'll speak to you again soon. Remember what I said."
With that, the Kyuubi's voice faded as Naruto slowly woke up.
Back in Naruto's hospital room
The Hokage had taken a seat in a chair near the bed, idly musing to himself as he waited for the boy to wake. He looked up, his face twitching briefly into a small smile as he heard the boy mumble something in his sleep about ramen and quietly chuckled. It was no surprise that the boy liked the delicious, if unhealthy noodles. His mother had practically worshipped Ramen too and Naruto had clearly inherited that love from her. After about a half an hour had passed, and just as the third was considering taking out his favorite orange book, he heard the boy shifting on the bed and smiled, shelving the notion for later as Naruto sat up and looked around. Spotting him by his bedside, Naruto immediately smiled.
"Oji-san! You're back." Naruto chirped excitedly.
"I am indeed. You're going to be leaving the hospital today and I wanted to be here to greet you when you woke up. Are you feeling well, Naruto?" The Hokage asked with a warm and genial tone as he watched the boy that he considered a surrogate grandson. Naruto paused considering whether or not he should tell the Hokage what he had learned before deciding that it couldn't hurt any. If the Kyuubi was correct in its assumptions, then the aged Hokage was probably already aware of the Kyuubi being sealed inside of him.
Fixing the Third with a serious look on his face, Naruto swallowed before speaking. "Hokage-jiji. I-I know about the Kyuubi." He said quietly looking up at the old man. If the Third had been expecting anything, it certainly was not that. The look on the Third's face was one of absolute shock and surprise. "How exactly do you know about the Kyuubi, Naruto?" He asked with a worried voice, his features taking on a grave and wary look.
"I, err, sort of met the Kyuubi. It spoke to me while I was asleep, Oji-san." Naruto sighed, speaking quietly. "It told me some things that were very surprising to hear." Naruto said looking up at the man he considered a grandfatherly figure.
"I see." The Hokage paused and took a moment to discretely activate a privacy seal around the room to ensure that they wouldn't be overheard before turning back to face Naruto. "What exactly did the Kyuubi tell you, Naruto?"
A short time later, Naruto's hospital room.
The Third was still trying to process everything he and Naruto had discussed over the past hour. It was a huge shock that he was still trying to come to grips with although he had to admit it was becoming easier to handle. So far, Naruto hadn't asked to many questions about why the Yondaime had chosen to seal the Kyuubi into him instead of anyone else, but the Third knew it was only a matter of time. He would have to have find a way to explain that particular bombshell to the boy before too long whilst making sure he was protected should any potential threat arise. Still, he was troubled by Naruto's ability to speak with the fox. "I'll have to get ahold of Jiraiya and have him inspect the seal for any weaknesses. It wouldn't be a good thing if the Kyuubi tried to influence Naruto into anything overly sinister or nefarious. The boy's pranks were enough to deal with though they were relatively harmless, and he would privately admit, somewhat amusing. Still, to inherit the Sharingan, a bloodline found only in members of the Uchiha clan?"
The third wasn't sure how Naruto came to possess the Sharingan, but he was dreading the report he would have to give to the Council about it. "I can just imagine the headache that will result from that. The Civilian council will be up in arms about this. Especially with the recent massacre of the Uchiha clan. Only one had been spared. A young girl, Setsuna, if he recalled correctly. Itachi's one condition for dealing with the threat of their planned coup de tat had been to spare his little sister. Returning his focus to the present conversation, Hiruzen smiled as he listened to Naruto's words. "The Will of Fire lives on in your son, Minato. You would be proud."
"And that's why I want to train to become a shinobi, Oji-san. So, I can validate my existence and prove myself to the village. I want to show everyone that I'm not the fox reincarnated, but a human being they can trust and admire. I know it won't be an easy road, but if I don't, I will never be able to truly live a normal life. The villagers would always see me as a demon that might suddenly snap and try to destroy them all." Naruto said with a look of conviction in his eyes as he spoke to the Hokage who watched him with a mixture of sadness for all that he had endured and pride for the person he was determined to become despite the overwhelming hatred directed towards him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Inu, still at his post in the ceiling nodding his approval as well. "This gives me an idea for at least a partial solution to some of the problems Naruto has been forced to endure," The third privately mused.
As Naruto finished his speech the Hokage smiled. "That wonderful, Naruto. I'll do all I can to support you as well. Starting with finding you a capable mentor to help train you. I've also taken a few steps to make it easier for you to get by in the village. I've spoken with a few of the local businesses in Konoha about their treatment of you, (see threatened with terrible punishments,) and I've managed to convince at least one grocery store as well as a few shops, whose owners were less obstinate than the others, to sell to you at reasonable prices. I'm sorry it took so long for me to act before now, Naruto." The aged Hokage said with a sad sigh. "It wasn't much but it's a start. I was lucky to achieve that much. That blasted civilian council has gained too much influence over the village's economy, since the Kyuubi attack five years ago. What was Tobirama thinking when he gave Civilians a seat on the council?"
Sensing approaching footsteps, the Hokage stood up and deactivated the privacy seal as a doctor carrying a chart entered Naruto's room. He was dressed in scrubs with a standard white doctor's coat on. On his head the man had a hitai-ate. He was about 5'9 with neon green hair and cerulean blue eyes. He adopted his best bedside manner as he addressed Naruto. "Hello, Naruto. I'm Dr. Cilan. I'm here to perform a final exam before we discharge you, to make sure you're completely recovered. Is that alright?"
Naruto nodded ambivalently as he observed the doctor while he went about his task. He glanced briefly at the Hokage who was perched beside the bed in Naruto's room, watching as the doctor preformed a final lookover of the much happier boy, who thankfully appeared to have no memory of his failed suicide attempt three days before. The Hokage, dressed in his white full-length cloak with red accents, a deep maroon haori underneath along with matching hakama and black shinobi sandals smiled at the happy young boy. Naruto shifted anxiously on the bed, as the doctor finished his thorough check up of the boy. He was eager to get out of the hospital and get back to his apartment to sleep in his own bed. The hospital room was much nicer than his apartment, and naturally cleaner, but it just wasn't the same as being at home. Besides, who knew what a few drunken villagers might have gotten up to in his apartment while he had been away. It wouldn't be the first time they tried to destroy his few meager belongings.
"There we are young man. I think you're all set to go now." The doctor said with a surprisingly genuine smile when compared to many others among the hospital staff. This particular doctor was a medical ninja in the Third's confidence and being one of the few who was able to see the difference between the Kyuubi and an innocent child had been appointed to care for Naruto during his stay in the hospital.
"Thank you, Cilan." The Hokage said as Naruto eagerly scrambled out of the bed, dressed in his white hospital gown and looking about for his clothes. On his head, the Hokage's conical hat was perched, slightly askew. The Third had allowed him to wear it temporarily to put a smile on the boy's face shortly after he had woken up from his ordeal.
"Now listen, Naruto. When we leave here, we are going to see about taking you shopping to buy some of the basic necessities you've been lacking due to the intolerance of the villagers. I've had a look at your home and found that most of your food is far past its expiration date so we will definitely be making a stop by the grocery store I mentioned earlier. It's near your neighborhood so you won't have to travel far to get to it. I've also scouted some basic necessities shops that will sell you other things you might have need of including some new clothes." The Hokage said with a shudder, eyeing the hideous orange jumpsuit the boy was now wearing.
"Hey! Why does everyone keep dumping on my clothes? Orange is awesome. Believe it!" Naruto said with a childish pout.
The Third sighed and shook his head before explaining to Naruto as gently as he could. "I know you like that color, but if you want to be a ninja you have to be stealthy. Ninjas operate unseen, in the shadows. And you can't blend in wearing that outfit. You'll stick out like a sore thumb." Naruto took a moment to consider the Third's words before nodding. "Alright, Oji-san. You win. I'll get some new clothes. And one day I'll be the greatest ninja the village has ever seen, as well as the greatest Hokage of all time. Believe it." Naruto said with a happy grin on his face.
The Hokage smiled as he saw the cheerful, spirted grin on the much happier boy's face. "I don't doubt you will succeed, Naruto. But you know, becoming a strong shinobi takes a lot of hard work, and even more if you want to become Hokage. You're going to have to train every day to become stronger if you want to wear this hat again one day," The third said as he took the hat from Naruto's head, much to his chagrin and placed it back on his own head, hiding his gray hair from view. They left the hospital and strode out into the village, followed by an unseen Kakashi in his ANBU uniform as they headed towards the shopping district to begin purchasing everything Naruto would need to live including decent food.
Later that day…,
Naruto and the Hokage had just left the grocery store, the last stop after an afternoon of shopping and were making their way towards Naruto's apartment. Naruto wore a happy smile on his face while the Hokage did his best to hide his own smirk at having scored a small victory against the civilian population who had made it their mission in life to make Naruto's life a living hell. Several of the store owners they went to had run to the Civilian Council after having been threatened by the Hokage if they didn't agree to not only sell their wares to Naruto, but also at the same prices they charged everyone else.
The Civilian fools had raised a bluster thinking they could force their wishes onto him, but after a strong dose of killing intent from the Hokage, many of the civilians had immediately panicked and fled looking as though they were about to soil themselves in fear. The Hokage chuckled as he recalled the look on the faces of the shopkeepers as he accompanied Naruto through the stores and helped him with his purchases. At the till, one salesgirl looked like she had been forced to swallow something particularly foul as she was forced to ring up Naruto's items and charge him the correct price. Something he was secretly pleased about. After warning the store owner that he would be keeping an eye on the place, the Hokage sealed Naruto's purchases in a storage scroll and led him out of the store.
When they reached Naruto's apartment, he opened the door and stepped inside, nervously looking around. Surprisingly, the place appeared to be undisturbed since he had left it. Meanwhile, the Hokage had followed him inside and removed Naruto's new belongings from the storage scroll before helping him properly put them away. About fifteen minutes later they were finished, and the Hokage bid Naruto farewell before leaving, saying he had to get back to work. He would be calling a meeting of the council soon. Despite dreading the report, he was about to make, and wishing he could forgo it all together, he knew that Naruto having the Sharingan would eventually get out and he would have to deal with the fallout sooner or later. "Better to get the nightmare over with as soon and as quickly as possible, I suppose."
While Naruto set about making himself the first nutritious and fulfilling meal he had ever had, apparently ramen didn't qualify as a proper meal, at least according to his oji-san, the Hokage had shunshinned to the Hokage tower in a swirl of leaves and strode into his office after first telling his secretary, a Chunin by the name of Izanami, to inform the Shinobi and Civilian council members of a meeting to be held later that evening. Taking a seat at his desk he took out his pipe from a drawer and filled it with tabaco before lighting it and closing his eyes. He reclined back in his chair as he savored his pipe, while simultaneously dreading what he knew was soon to come.
The Uchiha District.
Setsuna lay numbly on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She wasn't sure how long she had laid there. Certainly, since she had gotten back home early that morning. Shortly after the confrontation with her traitor of a brother, who had since disappeared to nobody knew where, a squad of ANBU led by the Hokage had come to investigate the scene of the massacre and found her collapsed upon the floor next to her mother's body crying, heartbroken and alone. She was devastated by her brother's betrayal. A betrayal she hadn't seen coming. Despite their faults, she thought hers was a happy family. How had she been so clueless. The Hokage had her brought to a building she had never seen before, and she was kept there while a woman she assumed was a medical ninja check her over for injuries before a heavily scarred man asked her a series of probing questions that she struggled to answer in her grief-stricken condition.
After what seemed like an eternity of relentlessly probing questions, they appeared satisfied with her answers and the scarred man took her to see a man with blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. She didn't remember her encounter with him in vivid detail, but he seemed satisfied with whatever he had learned and left her alone in the room with her thoughts, to go and make his report. When she was finally released, she was offered accommodation at a hotel in the village, but she had declined. Instead choosing to return to the Uchiha district where she had returned to the only home she had ever known. A home that could hardly be called that anymore. The Uchiha district was entirely devoid of life. No sounds of any kind save those she made herself. There was nothing, no one. Only silence, save for the voice in her head shouting. Screaming. Demanding to know why. Why had he done it? Why had he killed their mother and father and the rest of their clan? Why had the beloved brother she worshipped turned into a monster and killed their family and friends?"
She decided that she didn't care why he had done it. It wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't bring them back. Setsuna clenched her fists tightly enough that her nails bit into her palms, drawing blood as she swore to herself that she would grow stronger. She would get justice for her parents and her clan and bring her traitor brother back to Konoha to answer for his crimes if it was the last thing she did in her life. Sitting up, she dried her tears and changed into a pair of old clothes before setting out to the private training ground her family used to hone their skills. She had a long way to go if she wanted to defeat her brother and get justice for her clan. But she would do it.
However, she wasn't the only girl to experience the pain of losing family in Konoha in the last few days. In another part of the village another girl struggled to deal with a terrible burden of her own.
The Hyuuga Compound.
It was nighttime and the young Hyuuga clan heiress was finally left alone with her thoughts after being subjected once again to the criticisms of the Elders. Hinata had been granted a precious few days reprieve from their harsh and unforgiving comments as she grieved for her mother. Her father had done his best to comfort her and shield her, but he had his own grief to deal with even as the clan elders continued to put pressure on him. Her mother had been one half of the bedrock of her life, protecting her from the pressures the clan elders inflicted on her, teaching her to garden and make herbal remedies, and reading her stories before bed. She was always there to comfort her when it all got to be too much her mother would hug her and tell her that she loved her. Hinata loved her mother dearly. Her father was the other half of her support system, but as the clan head, he was under a lot of pressure himself, and while in private he was always loving and supportive to a fault like any father was who doted on his daughter, in public he had to maintain a certain persona, to uphold the honor and dignity of their family and clan.
But eventually, she had been forced to face them again. Wishing for nothing more than to simply curl up into a ball and never have to face the world again, she tried to hold back the tears threatening to spill forth, once again. An experience she had been through more times than any child should ever have to suffer. She was forced to endure the whispers and scornful glares from the Hyuuga clan elders, that she never quite measured up day in and day out and it was devastating, especially since they were her own family, albeit extended. There were a number of people openly saying that she should be replaced with her younger sister, who couldn't possibly turn out to be any worse than her.
It wasn't her sister's fault. And silently, Hinata vowed to herself that she would protect her sister from them at all costs. Thinking of her sister, she was once again reminded of the loss of her mother and heartbroken that her sister would never know the joy of having a mother who loved and cared for her. She promised herself that she would make sure Hanabi was protected and encouraged and that she knew every day that their mother had loved them both very much. She would share her memories of their mother so Hanabi would know what a special and amazing person she had been. Hinata's new resolve didn't help to lessen the pain, but it did make things a little bit easier to bear.
Late night session of the council.
Several loud obscenities followed by numerous shouts of outrage all blended together to create a cacophony of indiscernible fury from the Civilian Council as the Third simply sat back in his chair and sighed, once again cursing the Nidaime, his predecessor for his foolishness. "The man had to have been drunk. It's the only reasonable explanation."
To passersby outside the Hokage Tower, the sudden volume of shouting was startling that many paused and looked up, fearing some sort of attack on their leader and village.
"What do you think is going on?" One asked.
"Who knows," Another answered with a shrug.
"Do you think it could be an assassination attempt on the Hokage?" Another worriedly asked.
"Impossible! Who would possibly be foolish enough to attack the Hokage?" the first responded.
"I'll bet it's that demon brat. Finally revealing its true colors at last." The second swore angrily.
"Yeah! The Third was always too soft on that monster. Far too trusting for his own good, he is." The third said before adding as an afterthought. "We should put the Kyuubi brat down once and for all."
The others froze before hurriedly whispering. "Quiet! You know we're not supposed to talk about that. Do you want to get us all killed?" They waited but got no response, and when they turned about, they saw an ANBU standing over the fallen form of the man with a bloodied kunai clutched in hand. Terrified they all backed away slowly before turning and running off.
Meanwhile, inside the council chambers…
The Civilian Council members were tripping all over themselves as they made threats against Naruto, each more outrageous than the last, boasting of what they would do to the "boy" who had presumed to far above his station by stealing the Kekkei Genkai of a prominent shinobi clan in the village.
"I always said he was no good." One civilian member of the council said, shaking his head. The man was a clothing merchant of some small wealth who had somehow managed to land a council seat.
"Yes. He must be punished. He's a criminal. A murderer. I'll bet he had a hand in the Uchiha massacre and stole their eyes. How else could some no name brat get his hands on the Sharingan." A second member of the civilian council, a woman who owned a series of bars throughout the village spoke up thunderously.
"I AGREE. IT'S BAD ENOUGH WE'VE HAD TO PUT UP WITH THAT THING LIVING AMONGST US ALL THESE YEARS, AND ENDURE IT VANDALIZING OUR BUSINESSES, BUT STEALING A POWERFUL BLOODLINE FROM A NOW NEARLY EXTINCT CLAN IS GOING TOO FAR! HOKAGE-SAMA, I DEMAND YOU TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS BOY, ONCE AND FOR ALL." Screeched one Mebuki Haruno, a retired Kunoichi and member of Konoha's Allied Mother's Force.
The inhabitants of the council room blanched, covering their ears at the sheer volume of the woman while looking at the Hokage for a response. Hiruzen exhaled slowly before speaking in a quiet, yet deadly serious tone. He leaked enough killing intent that the Civilians quickly paled and fell back into their seats, afraid of their Hokage's wrath.
"That is enough! I'm sick and tired of all this whining and hatred directed towards a defenseless child. THIS IS A SHINOBI VILLAGE AND YOU ARE CIVILIANS," The Hokage thundered angrily, his volume rising in mounting fury before he pulled himself back under control. "You do not get to tell me how to run this village or how to deal with the members of its shinobi force." He continued in a quieter yet no less intimidating tone.
"Shinobi? The boy is a civilian. A ward of the village, not a ninja." One of the more daring civilian members spoke up only to be silenced by a glare from the Hokage.
"No longer. From this day forth, Naruto will be given special status as an inactive member of the Village's shinobi forces," the Third said, smirking at the shocked looks on their faces. Meanwhile, the shinobi council members who had been silent up until now made their opinions clear. While some were unhappy with Naruto having obtained the Sharingan, as well as being apprehensive about the manner in which he obtained it, they were all thrilled to see their leader stand up to the Civilian council, whom they felt had gotten too arrogant for their own good in recent years. They were thrilled to see the furious looks and impotent rage on their faces as the Hokage finally put them in their place, though they were positive it wouldn't last. The civilian half of the council still held a great deal of influence over village affairs. This would certainly be only a temporary victory.
The Hyuuga clan head, Hiashi, normally quiet and reserved was smirking. Next to him, Tsume Inuzuka, the head of the Inuzuka clan, was barking with laughter. The Aburame clan head remained stoic, but the man rarely if ever displayed emotion. Still, the corners of his eyes were slightly crinkled with what could possibly be interpreted as amusement. Further down the table, Choza Akimichi was laughing so hard he had spilled the bag of chips he was eating. Shikaku of the Nara clan was too lazy to make any clear opinion on the matter known, and appeared to be on the verge of dozing off. A quick jab to the ribs from Choza brought him about, but only enough to glare briefly at said Akimichi. Inoichi Yamanaka, at the second to last seat at the table, the last being the vacant Uchiha seat, was smirking albeit it for a number of reasons and not just at witnessing the smack down of the Civilian council which was a long time in coming. He was thrilled that with Naruto gaining shinobi status, albeit inactive due to his age and lack of training, he would gain more protection from the Civilian population of the village who had been unceasing in their abuse of the boy.
Inoichi resolved to take the opportunity and introduce his daughter to Naruto in the near future, in the hopes that the two would become close friends. He would also speak to Choza and Shikaku about introducing their children to the boy as well. Between the three families, they could work together to ensure that Naruto had a better life in the future. It was the least they could do for Minato and Kushina whom they had all been friends with when the couple were alive. He deeply regretted failing his friends by not doing more for their son, but he vowed that that would change starting now.
TBC
Author's Notes: I know it's not perfect, but this is my first Naruto story so please be gentle. Your love and support for this story means a lot, but I will also welcome any and all helpful criticism, as well as tips and advice in your reviews. I also welcome suggestions and ideas, since this story isn't currently set in stone though I do not guarantee that I will use them. I've got most of the groundwork laid out for chapter 3 so writing it shouldn't be too hard though I may wait a bit before posting it since this second chapter was posted so quickly. I couldn't help myself, being so inspired by all the support. Anyhow, I've still got some ideas for the harem, but nothing is set in stone save for Naruto/Hinata/Hanabi as that is my favourite pairing. I have received many suggestions for adding a female Sasuke and am considering it but that isn't why I made him a girl in this story. I would also like to point out that at the moment, I don't want to make Setsuna an avenger like Sasuke was though that may change later. For now, her goal is to grow stronger and bring Itachi back to the village to face justice for his crimes.
With all that said, thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing my story so far.
Always devoted to your service and pleasure,
WHITE GLOVE LITERATURE.
