Chapter One

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The smell of freshly-cooked food drifted through the air, tempting the sleeping boy out of his deep and comfortable sleep. Yawning, he sat up, stretching, then froze, eyes snapping open as he looked round at his unfamiliar surroundings.

"...?"

"Good morning, about time you got up, sleepy-head." a happy, teasing voice said. "There's a robe by your futon, just put it on and come on through."

Naruto blinked as the lady who had cheerfully greeted him vanished back through the door before he could get a good look at her. For a moment, he paused, unsure of how to proceed, then he noticed the pile of fabric by his side. Reaching out, he pulled it towards him and as it unfolded, he smiled. Most of it was orange. Not bright orange, more of a rusty burnt orange, but nevertheless it was indeed the most awesome colour in the world. And on the back was a golden fox, curled up with its tail surrounding it. Without any further hesitation, Naruto pulled on the robe and fastened it with the sash that almost seemed to fasten itself as he fiddled with it, then he trotted to the doorway, looking through to see the lady putting something on the table.

"There you are, come and sit, it's time to eat."

Somewhat befuddled by the friendliness being shown to him, Naruto sat down and watched as the lady placed a plate of food before him, then sat down and began to eat from her own plate.

"Gomen, who you?"

The lady glanced up, then lightly slapped her forehead.

"Oh, I am such a baka! Sorry, it's been simply ages since I last had a guest, I completely forgot. You can call me Sune, and I am the head maiden of this shrine. Well, the only maiden, actually. Welcome to Inari's Shrine... did I get your name earlier?"

"Ummm... Naruto..."

"Maelstrom, hmmm?" Sune smiled. "I can see you'll be a real bundle of energy once you've eaten up."

Naruto stared at the plate of food in front of him, then picked up a fork and tasted it cautiously. A moment later, the fork seemed to blur as Naruto ate as quickly as he could.

"Slow down, Naruto. The food isn't going anywhere, and if you eat slower, it tastes better."

Naruto blinked, then with a great deal of effort he slowed down. True enough, the already-flavourful food seemed to become even better as he caught the subtle spices that enhanced the flavours. All too soon, the food was gone, and Sune gathered the plate and walked off with it. Naruto followed.

"Thanks... I help?"

Sune smiled down at him.

"If you can get some water from the stream so that I can wash up, that would be very nice."

Naruto nodded and headed out, grabbing the bucket.

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Naruto sat, not daring to move and with his eyes wide, as Sune flowed through a complicated kata with such grace that it seemed to be nothing more than a dance. Her hands flickered through the air, tracing out shapes more sensed than seen while her feet seemed to glide across the gravel, not disturbing so much as a single pebble.

And she was doing all of it with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face.

After what seemed like an eternity of perfection, Sune came to a stop, opening her eyes. Naruto remained seated, almost afraid to move and risk breaking the perfect moment.

"That was the Dance of the Gentle Fox, did you like watching it, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and Suna laughed, her gentle laughter rippling through the air and inviting Naruto to join in.

"Would you like to learn the Dances?"

Again, Naruto nodded, this time with even more eagerness, and Suna held out her hands.

"Come on, then, let's start your first lesson, the Dance of the Joyful Cub, one of the nine Dances. Stand here, with me, then do what I do. First, the left foot, try to flow like the wind, smooth and light. That's good, now your right hand, circle it round, you're doing great!"

Naruto grinned back at Sune, trying his hardest to copy her graceful, flowing movements.

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"Eat up."

Remembering her gentle correction at breakfast, Naruto picked up the first onigiri and bit into it, pausing to enjoy the rich, almost divine flavour of the fish inside the rice ball. Sune smiled at him.

"Do you like that?"

Naruto nodded and Sune's smile broadened.

"Well, eat as much as you want, there's plenty and it'll help you grow to be big and strong."

Naruto took a second bite, closing his eyes as the wonderful taste flooded his senses. Swallowing, he took a sip of spring water from the cup in front of him, the cool water somehow enhancing the taste of the food. Opposite him, Sute popped a rice ball into her mouth and chewed it slowly, still smiling at him.

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The brush moved slowly across the flagstones as Sune swept the courtyard, moving with a slow, stately step. Nearby, with a cut-down broom of his own, Naruto helped. His early attempt had raised several clouds of dust until Sune, laughing at his sneezing, showed him how to do the job properly, gathering the dust onto the fabric squares with slow, steady sweeps of the broom, then folding up the fabric and taking it over to the small compost pile in the corner of the vegetable garden, shaking out the cloth before returning for the next load.

Naruto felt his heart fill with pride as he looked round, seeing that he'd managed to sweep quite a few flagstones. Although it was taking him longer than Sune, her approving smile kept him from feeling bad.

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"Now, this plant is a weed." Sune explained. "Look at the shape of the leaves, remember it. Weeds are plants which grow in the wrong place, which do harm. Left unchecked, weeds will choke the life out of the other plants, so we need to remove the weeds. There are many types of weed, and to pull them out, you hold them near the base, then gently pull, like this."

Naruto nodded, his expression intent as Sune eased the weed from the vegetable patch.

"Can you see another weed? Yes, very good, that's right. Now, hold it at the base like I did, then pull it slowly. Very good!"

Naruto smiled as he placed the pulled weed beside the one Sune had plucked, then he pointed at another.

"Pull?"

"Yes, that is a weed that needs pulling." Sune confirmed and Naruto turned his concentration to the task. No plants would be getting choked by weeds while he was around!

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Naruto knelt before the table as Sune placed the dish before him. Waiting for her to sit down and start eating, he followed her example and picked up the spoon by the bowl. Moving slowly to try and avoid getting his wonderful new orange kimono any dirtier than it was, he dipped the spoon into the bowl and tried it.

"Do you like it?"

Naruto's nod was almost unneeded as his face lit up with a second sip, he applied himself to the soup as Sune fought down her giggles at his sheer, pure, innocent joy.

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"What do you mean, he ran away?" Hiruzen snarled, his glare fixed on the head of the orphanage, a grey-haired woman who looked as if she was about to lose control of her bladder. "He's barely two, why in Kami's name did you let him go?"

The woman tried to speak, but her vocal cords locked up under the pressure of the Killing Intent that the Hokage was producing. A moment later, a blond appeared by Hiruzen's side.

"Inoichi, find out."

The Yamanaka nodded as two ANBU grabbed the woman and held her immobile as Inoichi stood before her, his hands forming the first seal. A moment later, the woman seemed to collapse as he dove into her mind, seeking any memories of the young Jinchuuriki.

"What are you doing, you little bastard, how dare a monster like you look at me?"

"No, you aren't allowed to play with them, demon brat!"

"No meals for a week, that'll teach you some manners!"

"Monsters don't get new clothes, so stop asking!"

"Stealing food? That'll be twenty strokes of the cane!"

"You broke your arm? Too bad it wasn't your neck!"

"Get out, you bloody monster, and never darken this building again! Why the Yondaime didn't kill you, I have no idea!"

Inoichi returned to his body and stepped away from the old woman, his face reflecting the total disgust he felt. Hiruzen looked at him, his expression worried.

"What did you find out."

Inoichi's mouth worked as he glared at the woman, then he took a deep breath.

"She chased him out. Forced him to leave. And before that, she… abused him. No food, no new clothes… she wanted him dead, but knew what penalty it would bring. Hokage, please don't ask me to do that again, her mind… it's a sewer of bile and hatred."

"Did she have any idea where he could have gone?"

Inoichi shook his head. "She wanted him out, dead. She didn't care what happened to him."

Hiruzen sighed, then turned and stalked out of the room. As he strode towards the front door, he spoke to the ANBU following her.

"Send the… bitch to Ibiki. Start combing the village, try to find Naruto."

One of the ANBU nooded and vanished and Hiruzen halted as he looked out at the setting sun.

"Naruto, where are you?"

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Sune smiled down at Naruto, who smiled back at her as he floated in the hot springs, half-supported by her hands under his shoulders. Slowly pulling him to her, she gently cradled him in her arms, letting his head rest on her shoulder as he yawned.

"It's getting late, Naruto." She whispered. "I think it's almost time for you to get some sleep. It's been quite a day for you, hasn't it?"

Naruto nodded sleepily and Sune rose, stepping out of the hot spring without jolting the dozing boy in her arms.

"You have a great destiny, Maelstrom of the Leaf." She continued. "I will help you achieve it."

As she walked towards the room where Naruto had woken up that morning, her form briefly seemed to change and for less than the time it took to blink, she seemed to be a glowing, golden fox.

Naruto didn't even notice, he was fast asleep, truly happy for perhaps the first time in his life.

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"Still no sign, Lord Hokage. The Hyuuga and Uchiha are all searching as well, but they are having as little luck as we are."

Hiruzen nodded tiredly as he slumped in his chair behind the desk, his hat resting on one corner.

"Rotate the forces to keep them fresh, keep searching." He ordered and the ANBU nodded before vanishing. Sighing, Hiruzen leaned forwards, pillowing his head in his arms.

"Minato." He whispered. "I've failed you…"

As he sat there feeling older than his years, Hiruzen didn't notice when he finally fell asleep.

.

"Jiji!"

Hiruzen jolted upright, finding himself in a grassy field dotted with flowers in colours that he didn't think were possible. A large pond fed by a small waterfall filled one corner of the field while a large mansion was in the background. A copse of trees to one side seemed to hold something large, yet the bushes around it promised that whatever it was would be no danger.

All of this Hiruzen noted in an instant, yet his attention was fixed on the blond figure running towards him.

"Naruto!"

"Jiji!"

Hiruzen caught Naruto as the young boy flung himself at him, swinging him up and embracing him tightly.

"Naruto! I was so worried about you!"

"He is with me." A powerful yet gentle voice said and Hiruzen turned to find himself face-to-face with a giant, glowing golden fox. For a moment, his mind seemed to freeze.

"Please forgive me, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure." The fox said, her voice filled with amusement at his reaction. "I believe you may have already guessed who I am."

"I… Inari…" Hiruzen whispered and the fox inclined her head in confirmation.

"I am. Naruto was worried that you would miss him, so I brought him with me to your dreams."

Hiruzen looked around him. "This is a dream?"

"The answer to that is both yes and no." Inari responded. "While you are asleep, this is my realm. I brought you here to my Garden so that you would know Naruto is safe."

"Where is he?" Hiruzen asked.

"Here!" Naruto laughed, giving him another hug, one which Hiruzen returned. Inari laughed.

"Again, yes and no. While he is here, he also sleeps in my shrine. By my will, Sune looks after him and will teach him what he needs to learn. How to read, write, count and other things. And when he is old enough, he will join the Academy as you want him to."

Hiruzen slowly lowered Naruto and smiled as Naruto started running around him.

"What about things like history? Do you have the scrolls? Does this Sune?"

"Gather the books and scrolls you wish the son of the Yondaime to learn." Inari said, earning a shocked look from Hiruzen. "I will tell you where to take them if you do not work it out yourself. For now, though, let him be. He is safe, you have my word."

Hiruzen nodded, then looked down as a little hand tugged at his robe.

"Flower." Naruto said, holding up a flower which, to Hiruzen's amusement, was bright orange. Hiruzen accepted it, tucking it into his thinning hair, much to Naruto's amusement.

"Walk, be happy." Inari said, starting to fade. "And be reassured, Fire Shadow. You will hold proof he is well soon enough."

"Jiji!"

Hiruzen stared at the place the giant fox had been, then looked down and smiled at his favourite orphan.

"Fish!"

"Yes." Hiruzen said as he let Naruto pull him towards the pond. "By all means, let's go and watch the fish."

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Hiruzen blinked as he woke up, feeling more refreshed than he should considering he had fallen asleep at his desk. Sitting up, he blinked as an ANBU appeared before him.

"Lord Hokage," the ANBU said, "There is… a… flower in your hair?"

Hiruzen blinked again, then he raised one hand and his questing fingers found something. Pulling it loose, he held it in front of him, eyes widening in shocked disbelief mingled with amazement as he recognised it.

"Not possible." He whispered.

It was the flower that Naruto had given him in the dream.