Tampering with Time

by Palaserece

When Kyuubi was extracted from Uzumaki Naruto, it was the Nidaime Hokage that came up with an unconventional solution. An experimental reincarnation jutsu on Namikaze Minato and a one-way trip, with his Kurama, to the past. (Minato-centric)

6. Of Barbecues and Stalkers

Senju Minato was bored. According to Kurama, that was an incredibly tedious state of affairs.

Back in prison of Shinigami's belly, after spending a few years taming the beast in his gullet, Minato had been left with little to do. There were only so many stories he could swap with Kurama before they had traded every store of interest. And there was only so much time one could spend working on jutsu and seals that Minato had naively believed would never see the light of day. Minato had truly come to empathize with the perspective of a tailed beast: being sealed away was painfully boring.

Now that he was not sealed away anymore, Minato felt the itch to explore Konoha again.

After walking in on their little lesson in chakra control, Fugaku had been surprised and a little bit too excited. It became apparent rather quickly that the father viewed accomplishment as an opportunity to push his children-Minato included by default-to their limits. The next day, Fugaku worked Minato, Sasuke, and Naruto into the ground with shuriken and kunai throwing. As if that was not enough, the slave driver pressed them into physical conditioning. Four year olds were not physically capable of strength training-thank god-which prevented some of the more strenuous exercises, but that had not stopped the man from forcing them to perform endless sit-ups, push ups, and throw at target dummies until their fingers trembled.

Mikoto had been more dismayed than impressed by their wall-walking exercise. The kunoichi had admitted that she was proud, but Minato had noted the strain around the mother's eye that seemed to twitch every time Naruto became too quiet. In a four day time span, Mikoto had removed a complaining Naruto from the roof over a dozen times and had forced the blonde to dismantle countless aerial traps that her keen eye had discovered. Sasuke had used his new skills to attempt to stalk his older brother, which ended in a tantrum when the older boy simply dropped him in front of his mother before executing a shunshin to escape.

At least the prank war with Shisui appeared to be settled into an uneasy truce. The last straw had been when a pail of neon green Jell-O spilled across the kitchen floor. A haggard looking Mikoto had rounded up Naruto, Sasuke, Shisui, and Minato-even though the Senju was entirely innocent of involvement. Needless to say, all four of them had spent three hours cleaning every last speck of sticky green out of the kitchen and weeded the clan garden as punishment. Since then, the trio had walked on eggshells and left the home prank free for the past two days. Not that it would last with an Uzumaki in the house.

Now, Minato was watching Sasuke and Naruto throw dull shuriken at a practice dummy that Itachi and Shisui had set up that morning. Sasuke was doing exceptionally well for a four year old; the boy threw with considerable accuracy and seemed to have a knack for understanding how to compensate for the weight while throwing. Not that he was making bull's eyes, but with some practice Minato could see the potential there.

Naruto was more of a diamond in the rough and that was being optimistic. His blonde friend threw forcefully, angrily, and his shots had nearly-and accidently, for once-took out Shisui's eye. This might have been impressive if Shisui had not been standing behind and to the right from where Naruto was standing. Still, the Senju was impressed by the blonde's stubborn resilience. Even when his throws flew wide, the boy kept on trying and he never, ever gave up.

Minato probably should have been over there 'practicing' his throws, but Itachi had thoughtfully provided him with an actual novel yesterday. When he confronted the older boy about it, the genin had smiled gently, poked him in the forehead, and told Minato that he thought he might like something to read. Considering how Mikoto foisted a pile of children's books on them more than twice a day, the Senju was reluctantly impressed by how perceptive the older boy was. To have noticed his dissatisfaction with the picture books reinforced just how perceptive Itachi was. Minato was positive that Mikoto had not noticed so that was rather telling.

The breeze tickled his neck and caused the pages to flutter slightly. Itachi shifted slightly across from him; Minato knew the older boy was reading the scroll in his hands, but somehow Itachi had mastered a level of hyperawareness that allowed him to keep a keen watch on Sasuke and Naruto while continuing to read his book.

Gravel crunched behind him and Minato flipped to the next page as Fugaku rounded the corner wearing his standard jounin uniform with his attention completely focused on the boys throwing weapons at the targets.

"Naruto throws like a civilian." Fugaku grunted out.

"Then teach him, Fugaku-san." Minato resolutely did not look up from his book despite baiting the Uchiha patriarch."Unless you're no good at teaching."

"You watch your tongue boy." Fugaku raised his voice and stepped closer until the man's shadow blotted out the sunlight. Minato almost smiled when Fugaku's chakra seethed like a frustrated beast from the small boy's utter lack of response. Finally, the Uchiha patriarch stalked away from the chairs toward Sasuke and Naruto while barking instructions at the pair of them. No doubt it would be an unpleasant beginning, but Minato suspected that his old friend would loosen up the more time spent bonding with Naruto.

"You speak your mind quite boldly." Came the frank observation from his reading companion.

Minato calmly settled the bookmark ribbon into place in the middle and turned toward the blank faced boy.

"Misunderstandings arise because of a lack of communication." Minato responded calmly, miming Itachi's expression. "Not speaking out would be worse than being dishonest because it would be enabling his attitude instead of prompting a change."

The Senju was pleased by the thoughtful nod on Itachi's face. Itachi needed a change in perspective before Danzo sank his claws into him.

Turning away, Minato's face lit up like the sun when he saw Naruto leap into the air with a bellow of victory. A shuriken was lodged in the target. Not anywhere near the centre, but hitting at all was a massive improvement. Minato watched Sasuke nod thoughtfully while his father adjusted his arm and the boy grinned when his own shot hit inside the inner ring. Minato's felt his vision narrow and his moisture blur his eyes, and his breathing may have stuttered for an instant when he watched Fugaku bend down and fix the alignment issues in Naruto's stance and whisper quietly in the blonde's ear.

'It should have been me!' he wailed, but already Naruto was gone and only an empty field, a false sunshine, and imitation fragrance of cedar tickled his nose.

'Don't tell me you've been falling apart while I've been gone, Minato.' The fox's chakra washed over his own like a warm familiar blanket and Minato turned and latched onto one of the bijuu's paws greedily. Minato had known it would take time, but he had been unprepared for just how long his old friend would be out of contact. It had been a week since they had last spoke and after being together constantly for sixteen years, to suddenly not have Kurama to fall back on had made the Senju feel incomplete.

'I haven't!' He answered far too quickly and Minato knew the fox would be able to sense any dishonestly on his part. 'It's just difficult seeing what my life should have been.'

'You're really pathetic when you mope like this.' Kurama's rebuttal stung painfully and all the more because it resounded with truth. 'Minato, that ship sailed. How long is it going to take for you to get it through your head that Uzumaki Naruto is not your son. Not anymore.'

'It sounds so logical.' Minato did not bother concealing the bitterness in his voice. 'But when things happen right in front of you...'

'Would you rather Naruto was alone in his apartment?'

'No.' He spat out, looking up from his furry nest into the large scarlet orbs of the Kyuubi no kitsune. 'No, I just-'

'You need to let go, gaki. The only thing you're doing by clinging to these emotions is hurting yourself and making it more difficult to transition. Take a walk, clear your head, but you need to let go.' Kurama snorted, leaning down to rest his head on his paws. Minato blinked, realizing just then that the giant fox's ears were drooped and that the massive bijuu radiated exhaustion.

'Are you okay, Kurama?' Minato edged closer, until he was directly in front of the fox's enormous, scarlet eye.

'Establishing a connection with my siblings was more taxing than I expected.' The bijuu snorted, his downy tails swishing up to curl around the enormous fox. 'We'll have to discuss the details later.'

Which implied that Kurama had expended too much energy and needed some time to recoup some chakra.

'I'm sorry, Kurama.' The boy retreated from the large fox, staring around the artificial landscape with its fragrant blossoms, false sunshine, and mimicked birdsong. Bending down, he ran a finger over the admittedly impressive recreation of a valley and fingered a single, pink flower and lifting the silky petals to his nose and inhaling memory itself.

'Letting go is difficult, Minato.' Kurama's tone dropped. 'I understand better than anyone how difficult it is to let go of something. For years I've been alone allowing my fears to fester in tandem with my hate. I'm not one to bother with something as paltry as regret, but I'm thankful I met you. If not, I may never have known what it was like to be free of my hate. I had to let go...just as you now must let go.'

'Kurama.' Minato froze, feeling tears again sting his eyes, but as they fell nothing but soft joy filled his being. Sometimes it was easy to forget how much they had been through together. And sometimes it took a bijuu to teach a human a lesson. 'Thank you.'

'Beat it.' Kurama deflected, sounding increasingly discomfited.

'Let go, huh?'

The Senju stared at his reflection in the dew of an imagined flower, but no matter how he looked at it, he realized that Namikaze Minato really was gone. The joys, the sorrows, and the knowledge was still there, but Minato finally was beginning to understand. There was no going back, but there was no going forward as long as he continued to cling to old pains.

Emerging from his mindscape was always interesting. But no more than a second had passed and Minato felt much more confident and much more collected.

"I'm going to the restroom." Minato murmured, a smile tugging at his lips as he offered the book to Itachi with a wide grin. "I'll finish later."

Itachi barely nodded when the Senju dashed inside and actually did use the restroom, but then he stopped by his bedroom. Rummaging through his belongings, Minato snagged the leftover ryo that Hiruzen had given him after a pricey shopping excursion that involved procuring several changes of clothing and a formal yukata for the upcoming clan barbeque that the Akimichi's were hosting.

Cash pocketed, the Senju extended his senses and discovered Naruto and Sasuke heading back toward the main door of the house. Perfect. Slinking across the hallway like a cat, Minato poked his head into the kitchen and called to Mikoto.

"We're going to go play outside, Mikoto-sama." Deliberately he did not specify where since he had no interest in lying to the woman.

"Are Itachi and Shisui outside?"

"They sure are!" Minato chirped. "I think Fugaku is going to work soon."

"Have fun." The matriarch was totally engrossed in her chopping and never looked up.

Taking a final sensory sweep of the back yard, he felt Fugaku's chakra distance itself from the others. Concentrating harder, Minato felt Shisui and Itachi were near each other and had yet to follow Naruto and Sasuke who were retreating toward the door. Even better!

Naruto and Sasuke were rounding the corner, about to step into the house when Minato breezed past, snagging both of their sleeves and rushing around the corner.

"Hey what-?" Minato held a finger to his lips and Naruto instantly quieted, eyes growing alert and much more excited at the prospect of something interesting going on.

"Shh!" With a finger he waved his hand and scurried down the back lane toward one of the back walls of the Uchiha Compound.

Minato was more than aware that it was reckless, impulsive decision, but he had never done well with being cooped up. The Hiraishin was an incredible military advantage, but it was also a tool that promoted freedom. He had forgotten what it tasted like so he was all the more determined to go have a little fun with his friends.

"We're sneaking out?" Naruto asked without objection, even looking kind of excited at the notion.

Sasuke looked slightly torn and Minato felt more than a little guilty for being the cause of such uncertainty.

"Stay." He dropped a hand to the other boy's shoulder and cocked his head with a light smile. "I doubt anyone is going to be very happy that we went out without supervision anyway so it may be for the best."

"Nah, kaa-chan will be fine!" Naruto blew off his concern with a dismissive wave before leaping at the wall and racing over. "Last one over is a rotten egg!"

"Sasuke-kun, you don't need to come, it's fine-"

The tiny Senju's reassurances were cut short when the Uchiha all but dragged him up and over the wall with neat, acrobatic motions.

"Where to?" Sasuke's nose wrinkled up as he surveyed the back lane that was empty save for a scruffy looking stray cat and a tipped over garbage can.

"Ramen!" Naruto cheered!

"No." Sasuke retorted flatly.

"Sasuke..." Naruto looked crestfallen.

"We had it twice this week! Twice!" Sasuke popped the blonde on the head with a heavy fist, while agilely sidestepping a retaliating strike. "We're not having it again."

"Today is an adventure." Minato murmured, drawing the attention of the other boys. "We can do whatever we like."

"Can we start at the monument?" Naruto asked while staring at the ground and scrunching his sandal into the earth.

"Yeah." Minato responded right away, unable to pinpoint the source of Naruto's sudden shift in mood but wanting to help his friend all the same.

"Sure."

The trio exited the back alley and joined the throngs of people going about their business. Konoha was vibrant and bustling in the early afternoon hours. The streets were filled with civilians and ninja alike going in and out of stores. Laughter spilled freely from where clusters of old women had tea at outdoor cafes. Small children clung to their mother's skirts and dodged wagons of goods and a genin team darting through the crowd after a speedy feline. Konoha was a happening place and one would never have known that such a peaceful place had ever been attacked.

To Minato's astonishment, no one seemed to connect the well-dressed blonde boy to the village pariah. The Senju was aware that it would only take a few outings like this before the cat was out of the bag and people connected the dots. For now though, Naruto had been afforded a brief period where he did not have to worry about misdirected anger.

The top of the Hokage Mountain was an unforgettable view and well worth the trek up to the heads of the Kage. Naruto lead the path and it was obvious that it was already familiar to him and the boy instantly lead them to the Yondaime's head.

"You can see everything from up here." Sasuke looked down, showing no indication that he was afraid of the falling distance. "Pretty cool, dobe."

"Someday my face will be up here." Naruto remarked with something more than bravado staining his voice.

"Then you better watch out, dobe." Sasuke moved forward until he was shoulder to shoulder with the Uzumaki. "Because you won't be beating me any time soon."

"That's what you think, teme!" There was no anger in the rebuttal, only the beginnings of a new rivalry.

"Let's all work hard." Minato took the place on Naruto's other side, staring down at the people he had already died defending. Seeing the screaming children with smiles on their faces, the Senju can't say his decision would have been any different. "I would like to see Naruto achieve his dream with us by his side."

"Together then?" Sasuke called out, his voice carrying on buffets of wind.

"You got it!" Naruto whooped, throwing his fist up in the air and hollering down at the disinterested crowds of civilians. "Look out everyone! Uzumaki Naruto is going to be the next Hokage."

---

From the relative safety of the rooftop, a tall figure crouched as three boys passed beneath the eaves of the building. The man had followed them to the monument and back down again, while keeping out of sight.

Flexing his fingers, the stalker made a formed signs faster than most could read before slamming his palm on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

---

"Well," Minato sidestepped a civilian carrying a tower of dangerously leaning packages. "I think I saw a neat place with cinnamon buns. Hinata is supposed to come over closer to dinner...we could get her one too."

"Eh?" Naruto questioned as he followed.

"Oh, she did mention she liked those." Sasuke sounded vaguely approving as they trouped along. "I'm not a sweet person, but Hinata seems to be."

"She does?" Naruto narrowly avoided colliding with an old woman who barely glanced at the jinchuuriki. It seemed nobody recognized the blonde who was sporting a new haircut, navy blue shorts and a matching shirt that had Uzumaki swirls on the sleeves. Mikoto had relented and allowed Naruto to pick out a pair of garish, orange sandals, but Minato had a feeling she had only conceded since Naruto would probably outgrow the garish footwear soon enough. Still though, unless someone looked hard and long at the whisker markings, no one was going to realize the well dressed boy was Naruto...at least for a few days.

"She does." Minato confirmed after they darted through a particularly crowded street. So far he did not sense Itachi or Shisui, though he knew they would be out searching for them soon enough.

"There!" Sasuke pointed to a small cafe and they all hurried across the lane.

Stepping inside to the welcoming tinkle of bells, the group collectively moaned appreciatively at the tantalizing aromas permeating the air.

"Can I help you, boys?" An older man wearing an apron called out to them from behind the counter where a display case showed dozens of different sweets to order. Naruto had moved instantly to place himself behind Sasuke; Minato exchanged a grim look with his other friend who shook his head once.

Appetite nearly lost, Minato walked up to the counter and placed a few, folded bills on the counter and quietly asked for a box of cinnamon buns to go. The exchange was quick and pleasant enough until Minato noticed a slight hardening in the baker's expression when he stared at Naruto for a few seconds too long.

"Thank you." Minato forced out, all but dragging his companions out of the stifling shop that no longer smelled so appetizing. At least Hinata would enjoy the box of goodies.

"What do you guys want to do now?" Naruto asked, once again vibrating with excited energy now that he was no longer under scrutiny.

"I don't know." Minato shrugged, gesturing down the lane of colorful signs from different vendors. "Want to explore?"

"Long as we don't go near another clothing store." Sasuke declared.

Minato shivered and nodded. "Let's head toward the park where we all met and see if we want to stop anywhere along the way?"

Sasuke just turned and nearly vanished into the crowd with Naruto quickly running after the Uchiha. Before the blonde vanished, Minato snagged Naruto's sleeve and used that to keep up with the other boy. There was a lot of weaving and darting before finally the crowd broke and they were able to walk side by side.

"Why is it so crowded?" Sasuke grumbled.

"I think it's always like this." Naruto replied absently.

Just as he was about to propose they just head to the park, Sasuke darted toward a store that lacked the overly bright signage and posturing of the other vendors. Following Sasuke over, the trio collectively gasped and pressed their faces against the glass.

Gleaming iron blades were suspended in the window showcasing sharpened edges. The sign above suggested the store was for shinobi customers in particular.

"Let's go in?" Sasuke reeked of hopefulness.

"Heck yeah!" Naruto exclaimed while Minato confined himself to a slight nod and followed the boys that were all but foaming at the mouth.

Right away, Minato turned his attention to the register and felt his jaw loosen. Kaiba Rei was a member of the old guard. The man was a retired jounin that had lived a long enough life to see grey hairs and become wise enough to retire early. While he had not been close friends with the man, Minato believed this individual would allow them to browse without chasing them out of the store simply because of what Naruto carried.

His instinct proved correct when the old timer simply, tracked Naruto and Sasuke to where they were drooling over spools of ninja wire and exchanging hushed whispers, and shook his head.

Minato ambled past a section devoted to trap construction, past the travelling sections with a range of camping gear to seasonal apparel, and finally made it to the last row that seemed...not exactly unkempt, but definitely under-stocked and easily overlooked. Fuinjutsu supplies were a dying breed after all. The Senju reached his fingers out and touched packs of pristine chakra paper and felt a longing inside like no other. More than anything, he wanted to plunk every last ryo on the counter and escape with his arms full of ink, brushes, and precious paper.

Perhaps it was his former life, perhaps it was the Senju blood, or perhaps it was an amalgamation of the two. From the day he read the read history of the Nidaime Hokage at the Academy, Namikaze Minato had been inspired. Initially it had been to satisfy his curiosity toward the Hokage that seemed to have been only a footnote in the shadows of the other two. What Minato learned had shaped the man he would later become.

The Nidaime Hokage had mastered suiton chakra to levels never before seen. Yin Release. Yang Release. Sealing jutsu that allowed for virtual teleportation. Kenjutsu and deadly genjutsu. The man was incredible but ultimately overshadowed by the sheer power of his brother...and forgotten. Minato had been terribly sad at that little realization, but had been determined to reach for a portion of that greatness himself. Jiraiya had been the boost he needed to understand and two begin the process of crafting greatness. Eventually rebirthing the legendary Hiraishin into his own improved format.

And now, Senju Minato was painstakingly talliying the cost of the supplies and was desperate to find a way to familiarize himself with his old friends. The store owner would never sell supplies to anyone his age, but there were always active duty shinobi that could make such a purchase. Hiruzen would probably do it, but the consequences of asking him would cost him the freedom of unhindered work. The parents were out for similar reasons. That left...Shisui or Itachi. Both absolutely loyal to Konoha and both liable to betray him in a heartbeat.

Staring at the pile of chakra paper mournfully, Minato froze in place as something familiar brushed his senses. Minato wiggled his toes and shook his head, attempting to get a sense of just what-there! Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a flicker of movement and a shadow through the glass. Whipping around to look, the silver haired boy gaped at the empty window and the lack of chakra presence.

Something...something was not right.

Following his gut instinct, Minato eyed his friends playing tug-of-war over some bauble that they were not going to be allowed to purchase anyway, and slipped outside. The noise had diminished and there was space to freely walk without worrying about colliding with someone. Still there was...something. ANBU? Perhaps. But still, Minato felt something small like a burr against his skin scratching away. Chakra but not typical it felt...fresh and vibrant. Fluid like-ah!

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw slight movement from a chair next to a particular bookstore. Before he could think better of it, the pint size Senju was running full tilt across the street. The seated subject stiffened in alarm at his approach and Minato's tactical mind ran a sequence of a thousand scenarios; first discarding one idea and then the next, until finally an idea clicks into place.

Skidding to a stop, Minato takes a deep breath and sidles almost casually toward his vested target, admiring the hitai-ate on the furry forehead.

"Hi!" Minato is not ashamed to play on childish nature. The brown pug blinked at him, before shifting into a sitting posture. Knowing who was more than likely inside and observing just made him play up his age just a bit more than normal with a bright smile. "I'm sorry to bother you...but I noticed you felt different. Are you a summon?"

"You sensed me?" The question came out in a low rumble and the dog tilted his head to the side.

"Your energy feels different than a persons." Minato chirped. Minato hardly imagined the slight movement behind the tinted glass of the specialty bookstore. "Closer to the world rather than separate from it."

"That's quite impressive." The dog replied finally, performing a full-body shake. "Most sensors overlook us as regular animals and are not able to differentiate the two. You must have quite a talent in that noggin of yours. What's your name, pup?"

"I don't think I'm that special." Only the rest of the world thinks that. Minato dropped to his knees so that he was eye level with the canine and extended a hand. "I'm Senju Minato!"

"I'm Pakkun." The dog extended a paw and pressed it to his home and they shook carefully like a pair of dignitaries.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Pakkun!"

Minato stifled a giggle as a tendril of the suppressed chakra in the store made an appearance before being squished down again. Poor Kakashi. His new aniki was probably having a panic attack and behaving in the only manner he found logical. It was a sad fate when stalking became the logical option, but he would never blame Kakashi. How could he when all of this was possible because of him?

"Likewise!"

"Minato-chan!" It seemed rather amazing that glass hadn't shattered. Pounding feet and his two friends arrived to flank him on either side, huffing and puffing.

"Pakkun, these are my friends, Naruto." He aimed at the spot to his left where the chakra was fizzing like soda pop. Flicking a finger toward the more temperate signature. "And Sasuke."

"You're talking to a dog?" Naruto's voice raised a decibel.

"I'm no common mutt, gaki!" Pakkun's fur stood up as the small, but lethal canine snapped forward until he was nose to nose with Naruto.

"GAAAAAAAAHHH!" Naruto surged a foot into the air and fell over with a startled scream. Minato and Sasuke exhaled mirroring sighs.

"Don't mind the dobe." Sasuke said blandly while falling into a short bow. "He's defective. "

"I'll show you defective, teme!"

It was amazing how different the reactions were between a clan raised four year old and a youngster like Naruto that probably never realized how many techniques were used every day by the shinobi around him.

"Naruto-kun." Minato said fondly and used the opportunity to reach out and drag the blonde down by the collar before he could do something foolish. "Pakkun is a special dog that works with a ninja as a partner."

"That's so freaking cool!" Naruto exploded, looking like stars were about to burst out of his eyeballs. "Can I be your partner?"

"Definitely not." The dog rebuked the blonde causing his son's face to screw up in some harebrained scheme of retaliation. "I already have a satisfying partnership and no reason to alter that contract."

"Oh."

Pakkun took a sniff, his nose twitching sharply as he eyed shrewdly. "Someone in your house summons cats!"

"My Kaa-san does."

"She does?" Naruto perked up hopefully.

"She does. But I've never seen her do it more than once because she says it's disrespectful."

"A summoner should only call their familiar when they require assistance. Frivolous summonings are not supported." Pakkun nodded thoughtfully. "You mother seems fairly wise for someone who spends time with...felines."

"Oh! Oh!" Naruto alternated bouncing on each foot with a wide grin. "Then you must be on a mission right now!"

Well done, Naruto! Son or not, Minato felt a broad sense of accomplished pride when Naruto put that together. Even if Minato knew that spying on a newly discovered little brother hardly constituted normal 'mission parameters.

Feeling inclined to save the canine before his eyes literally popped out of his head, Minato said. "Naruto-kun, if Pakkun has a mission he can't tell us! Missions are classified." Not all of them of course, but children rarely knew that.

"Too true, pup!" Pakkun sputtered, before smoothly recovering. "Speaking of missions...I really ought to get back to work."

"Makes sense." Sasuke shrugged.

"Ah, darn." Naruto looked somewhat crestfallen.

"Missions are dangerous, right?" Minato idly looped a strand of silver around his finger.

"They can be." Pakkun admitted cautiously. Minato simply smiled and ignored his tingling senses that were going into overdrive. "I was going to take my friends for anmitsu before the park. Are you sure you don't want to come? I would get one for you too?"

Minato knew he had already won the round. It had been a happy accident that Kushina had offered Pakkun a bowl at their house one afternoon. And an even more delightful day when Kakashi had stormed into his office snarling and accusing Minato of turning his dog into an addict. Kakashi's real objection probably stemmed from how overpriced the street vendor version of the dessert was which was probably impacting his wallet a little harder than normal.

There was definitely some movement behind the glass, but Pakkun appeared deliberately oblivious and hopped down in delight.

"Lead the way, kiddo! My partner can wait!"

For a moment, there is only the crackle of his sandals over dry grass, the call of birds, and the wind causing the branches to sway and leaves to rustle. As Minato runs, gusts of air tug at his hair and he runs away from the sound of racing footsteps with his heard pounding and his breath coming in hard gasps.

After procuring anmitsu earlier, the group relocated to the park to eat the fruity dessert. There, Naruto had been the first finished after gobbling his down with boisterous gusto. The blonde had instantly run over to the play structure and ran up the post vertically to the top. The other kids were quick to leave after Naruto started screaming like a loon from the literal top of the structure. After that, Pakkun had been quick to stay, citing a desire to see how talented they really were.

The dog had put them through their paces-after leisurely consuming his dessert, of course-and declared himself the enemy while their 'team' tried to escape. Eventually these tactics had lead to the trio racing into a copse of trees and starting to use the cover of branches, overgrown grass, and natural speed to evade capture. It actively raised the spirits and was a legitimate exercise in stealth. Much to his surprise, his 'team' was excelling considering their age and lack of experience.

"Well, well, well." Shisui's voice called out sounding sharp and frayed as it never had before, interrupting Minato's move to run up his tree again. "Look what we have here."

"Shisui-kun!" Minato abandoned his mission and raced toward the irritated looking Uchiha teen and wrapped his arms around the boy's knees and flashed him a smile. "We've had so much fun!"

The older boy's frown melt away to a hopeless smile while a hand ruffled his hair affectionately.

"You guys have been gone for a couple hours, little silver. Do you have any idea how much trouble you could have been in?"

"We're not going to be in trouble?" Naruto exploded out of a bush bringing with him a shower of twigs, dirt and leaves into the air. The blonde spun in a circle performing a happy dance. "Woohoo! We snuck out AND we got away with it! Best day ever!"

"I might still tell on you!" Shisui snapped, but Minato felt the fingers smoothing through his hair tremble a little less with each repetition so he just snuggles in deeper and rests for a moment and enjoys stealing a bit of the warm body heat.

Itachi appeared at Shisui's shoulder holding a bag and strangely enough, the cinnamon buns they had secured on the park bench before...blitzing off. The genin simply stares at the trees that rustle again before Pakkun's backside appears. A moment later and the entire ninken emerges leading a dishevled Sasuke by the hem of his shirt.

"He got me." Sasuke remarked with his eyes cast to the ground and hands balled into fists.

"If you managed to evade capture for any length of time, I'm rather impressed otouto." Itachi's voice was like a spell, banishing Sasuke's sullen mood and replacing it with joy.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke cried.

"Oh, so this one is your brother, Itachi." Pakkun snorted, looking mildly amused.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke looked like a startled bird. "You know, Pakkun?"

"Ah, we've met once." Pakkun deflected like a pro. "Got some pretty sharp kids here, Uchiha."

"Very true." Itachi replied gravely. "Thank you for watching over them until we arrived."

"No problem." The ninken stretched his legs. "I better be off. I'll be seeing you all around."

"Bye Pakkun!" Naruto shouted.

"Goodbye, Pakkun." Minato smiled, glancing to the tree line where Kakashi's chakra was nearly undetectable. "I hope to see you again."

"You can count on it,pup." The dog called, tilting his head slightly. "You kids are interesting. Later."

There was a distinctive poof of white smoke and the ninken was gone.

"So cool!" Were those stars in Naruto's eyes?

"I wonder if Kaa-san would let me sign her contract." Sasuke bit lip.

"No way!" Naruto's fist shot into the air jubilantly. "I am going to sign the cat contract."

"Not a chance, dobe!" 'Definitely not, Naruto. Bunta would croak for real.'

"Back on topic!" Shisui interrupted, snagging them all into a giant, squishy embrace that was far too tight across the ribs and made him squeak like a trapped mouse. This time at least, Minato would stop resisting and he would try enjoying himself. Maybe he did deserve that much after all.

"What are you guys going to offer me if I don't spill the beans on your little foray into the big, bad village?"

"Why would we offer you anything?" Sasuke's voice was brimming with accusation and suspicion.

"Because you little brats are the cause of my suffering and unless you want me to tell dear old mum and dad what you've been up to, you're going to cough up something that I want."

"Shisui-kun," Minato gave Shisui 'the look.' Rin had used it on him on more than one occasion and it had worked like a charm. The Senju felt a surge of triumph when a shimmer of guilt darkened Shisui's eyes for an instant only to be sabotaged by friendly fire.

"You're gonna do what we say or we're gonna prank you!" Naruto hollered.

"Yeah, I don't think so, tough guy!" Shisui leered dangerously. Naruto's bravado wavered and he retreated cautiously, while looking from the blank-faced Sasuke, to the stoic Itachi, and back to the grinning chunin. "You see...you're gonna lay off on pranking me for a while...or else Mikoto-sama will find out about your little trip into the village."

"Blackmail." Minato remarked flatly, not quite fast enough to dodge a gentle cuff to the side of his face.

"We should have expected this." Sasuke picked up a rock and chucked it at a tree.

In the blink of an eye, Shisui snatched the stone from the air and waggled a finger in Sasuke's direction.

"It's a fair deal. No pranks on me for a week." The stone was tossed into the air, while the chunin caught it again without looking. "Take it or leave it."

"We'll take it." Minato snapped. If there was a way of preventing punishment for something that had been his idea, he was all for it.

"Awesome!" Shisui cheered, the sun practically glowing around the fist the Uchiha threw up in the air. Perhaps a genjutsu? "I can sleep in without worrying! Extra winks are coming my way!"

"I can't believe you agreed to that!" Naruto was grasping his chest looking shocked and a little hurt. "No pranks for a week!"

"I didn't agree to that." Minato remarked nonchalantly. "We agreed not to prank Shisui. I'm sure Ebisu is still around if you get antsy, Naruto-kun."

"Who is Ebisu?" Naruto wondered aloud.

"The jounin babysitter that the Sandaime assigned us." Sasuke scowled cutely, neatly twisting behind Shisui when Itachi made a motion toward his upper face. The boy glared at Itachi who merely shrugged and lowered his hand.

"Oh yeah," Naruto's eyes lit up. "That bandana wearing jerk."

Minato shook his head and tugged lightly on Shisui's arm. The older boy lit up and turned with him to head back toward into the village toward the Compound. Suddenly Minato darted forward with a surge of inspiration.

"Let's walk back over the rooftops!"

"Yeah!" Naruto matched his speed with a full-tilt dash.

Sasuke, not to be left behind, sprinted forward and matched their pace and they surged up the nearest building and up to the top.

Minato faltered at the edge of the building, realizing the flaw in his plan. Wall walking was well and good, but crossing the buildings was a skill that could not be taught under these circumstances. A tumble from this height was not something that he could ignore either.

"Sasuke." It was the only warning the little brother had before Itachi had settled his friend atop his shoulders effortlessly.

"Alright." Shisui put his hands on his hips for a second and moaned dramatically. "I guess...that I can take you guys!"

Not to be outdone by his rival, Naruto scaled Shisui's spine like he was climbing a tree. Minato just shook his head before reaching out gripping the chunin's shirt and dragging himself up to cling like a limpet.

"I should have signed the Sandaime's contract." Shisui called cheerfully before running forward with a powerful surge of chakra and bounded across the distance.

"He never offered it." Itachi commented blandly.

"This is amazing!" Naruto yelled. Minato had to agree. The feeling of the wind lifting and whipping his long hair around felt...rather incredible. No wonder so many shinobi kept their hair longer.

"Then try this on for size!" Shisui laughed, the muscles bunching again before springing the chunin forward and past Itachi at speeds rivalling a shunshin. The wind battered and chilled their faces and the teen nearly-and definitely deliberately-ran them into a branch from a tree.

Across the village, Minato caught sight of the Hokage monument with the unchanging expressions of Konoha's predecessors. It was not his old face or even Tobirama's that drew him. It was not doubt just a trick of the light, but Minato could have sworn that the Shodai Hokage's face looked like it was smiling.

'Was this your will, Hashirama-sama? If wonder if you could have foreseen an outcome such as this. I know that's impossible but this moment feels like it's suspended in time.'

When they arrived back at the compound, everyone was sporting grins with chilled cheeks. Even Itachi had lost some stiffness and looked nearly relaxed.

"There you are!" Mikoto slammed the door open, jarring them out of their excitement as they all tensed and stared at the mother tapping a wooden spoon against her knee. Hinata was staring at them all with a shocked look on her face from behind the irate kunoichi. "You're almost late for dinner and just look at you all! Were you rolling in dirt?"

Since her first visit that week, Mikoto had taken a shine to the Hyuuga heiress-particularly after Hinata mentioned that she missed cooking with her mother. Proving there was nothing like a bit of sorrow to draw people closer together, Mikoto had insisted that Hinata join her for meal preparation. Minato had not known the girl for long, but he could already detect a noticeable improvement in the girl's outlook and confidence just for being around Mikoto. That and the girl obviously, painfully needed a maternal influence in her life since Hinata's mother had died so suddenly.

"Welcome back." Hinata piped up from Mikoto's elbow with a pleased smile.

"Yep! Hinata-chan! We got you a treat!" Naruto lunged forward with his arms open wide toward his kaa-san and friend. Mikoto extended her spoon and stopped Naruto's forward motions with ease.

"I don't think so." Minato cringed inwardly at the almost heartbroken look on Naruto's face, but like sunlight banishing the clouds, Mikoto clucked her tongue and ruffled the blonde's hair. "I'll give you a hug after you boys clean up. The lot of you, into the shower you go! Dinner waits for no one! You've got thirteen minutes! And if you're not done, Hinata-chan and I will be eating ourselves!"

Sasuke and Naruto broke into a mad dash and crashed into each other inside. Minato stared unimpressed while sandals went flying and insults were traded. When that finally subsided, Minato turned to shine a smile on the Uchiha teen who had wormed his way into his heart.

"I suppose it's safe to get inside. Thanks for carrying us, Shisui-nii!"

The older teen did not say anything, but he reached out and patted his cheek once before giving him a light pat on the back.

"Off with you then, kiddo!"

Minato neatly removed his sandals and raced past the bathroom that was full of rowdy disagreements and slipped into the bedroom he was sharing with Naruto. Quickly, he tugged out a crisp white shirt and blue shorts to change into and turned to head to the bathroom when something caught his eye in the middle of the bed.

Depositing his change of clothing on the side of the mattress, Minato reached out to brush a finger over one of two plush toys. One was of a toad with the implication leaning toward it being for Naruto. On the other hand, Minato touched the dog plush that looked incredibly similar to Pakkun with a thoughtful finger.

Kakashi. Underneath the dog, Minato noticed was a beginner's kit for fuinjutsu supplies packaged up with a simple unsigned note.

I hope you like it.

Minato's fingers skimmed the note and squeezed the edges of the paper until his knuckles turned white. It made him literally ill to know that his sole surviving student loathed himself so much that he was incapable of meeting in a normal fashion.

'Such pain and doubt in yourself, Kakashi...I can only hope that over time the both of us can heal together. I spent years trying to dig you out of the pain of your father's death and I saw what losing Obito and Rin did. I fear what my death cost you. But this time, things are going to be different. I promise.'

Without a word, Minato ran a fond finger over the top of the supply box and carefully stowed it in the closet before retrieving his clothes and dashing for the bathroom. Tardiness around Mikoto was just plain suicidal.

---

Minato roused to the sound of sheets rustling. Snuggling his pillow more firmly, he nearly drifted off again when the sheets pulled away to expose his shoulder to the naturally lower temperature of the bedroom. Reaching to tug the covers more firmly over himself, the weight beside him shifted. Extra bedding was tossed over the half-asleep Senju, and the room's other occupant sighed quietly.

Naruto.

Forcing himself to wake, the crimson eyed boy rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and forced his fingers to concede their death grip on his pillow. Still feeling muzzy, Minato rolled toward the source of the disturbance, lips morphing into a frown when he saw the hunched figure sitting alone on the opposite edge of the bed.

"Naruto?" The name is more mumble than an actual word and Minato feels irrationally frustrated with his lack of composure and roughly shook his head from side to side. Satisfied for the moment, Minato crawled across the bed to Naruto and drops into a seated position next to his friend.

"Naruto?" The Senju prompted the other boy carefully.

"Eh?" The sapphire eyes had been fixated on something no one else could see and Minato feels nothing but pain at the sudden burst of expressions that look absolutely forced cross the other boy's face. "Ah, sorry I woke you up. I was just about to go to the bathroom."

Naruto scurried out of the room and Minato allowed it without calling the boy on his absurd misdirection. Knowing sleep would be a while in coming, the Senju dangled his legs over the side of the bed and suppressed a yawn viciously. And waited.

Naruto was quick to return, sliding the door closed behind him, but Minato could see the boy's false expression slip when the blonde spied Minato perched exactly where he left him. Naruto looked uncomfortable and liable to take off running, so Minato stayed quiet but placed an inviting hand on the bed beside him and patted invitingly. The moonlight shone dimly through the glass paned window, lighting the hesitant footsteps that slowly padded across the room. Minato stared as his small fingers, inspecting them for no other reason except that it would hopefully set Naruto at ease. The ploy seemed to work because the blonde slowly lifted himself back onto the bed and their shoulders brushed from the closeness.

Still, the Senju allowed them to sit companionably in silence. Minato knew that saying anything at this point would undo his patience and set the conversation up for incidental failure. If he desired a genuine reaction from Naruto, Minato would have to let the blonde make the first move. It took Naruto an unprecedented three, perhaps four minutes before finally deciding to speak.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." An expected response really.

"I don't mind." Minato kicked his dangling feet in the air, unwittingly enjoying himself.

"That's just it." Minato halted his actions and paused thoughtfully as he analyzed the hoarse pain in Naruto's voice. "Why don't you mind? Why are you different from everyone else?"

It was a difficult question that could be answered in any number of ways. Lying was by far the easiest method, but it was a quick fix that would not solve anything in the long-term. That and any lie would eventually unravel once Naruto discovered the truth for himself. Therefore...diluted honesty was perhaps the best option.

"I like you." Minato cleared his throat, puzzling for a moment when he sensed a chakra signature flickering nearby. "The world isn't a fair place, Naruto. Not everyone is treated fairly and most people don't deserve it when bad things do happen. I can't tell you why people treat you the way you do."

Minato smells salt in the air and feels Naruto begin to shake next to him. Carefully, he puts an arm around the other boy's shoulder and supports him as best he can.

"Now let's see." Minato murmurs gently. "The moment I first saw you, I knew you were going to be special. Like me, you were alone. Playing with you helped me forget how lonely I'd been, Naruto."

'And seeing you helped me remember what your mother looked like. It's harder to remember and after so many years in darkness...it's difficult to recall the detail of colors. But when I saw you smile, I saw her again.'

"You were alone?" Naruto sniffed, rubbing his eyes furiously on his sleeve. "Like me?"

"I did have one friend that became very precious to me." Minato admitted with a wry smile, feeling his furry friend's chakra warm him from the inside. "At first he hated me, but after a long time, he became my friend since we were alone."

The scent of salt dissipated slightly and Naruto's shuddering had diminished.

"What happened?"

"Well," Minato skirted the issue carefully. "I was transported here by a jutsu and I was by myself on the streets until I found you, Naruto. If it wasn't for you, I might have gone hungry that night. So now, you're one of my precious people."

"I am?"

"Mhm." He hugged the other boy gently. "I'm going to protect you and our friends, Naruto-kun. Besides, someone has to be there to watch you take Sandaime-sama's hat, right?"

"R-right." Naruto returned the embrace with none of Minato's restraint and felt his ribs creak in protest. "You're one of my precious people too, Minato-chan."

"What else was keeping you up?" Minato felt confident enough to dig a little deeper as they pulled away and looked at one another.

"It probably will sound silly..." Minato rather doubted that, but shrugged carelessly just the same. "..but I guess I'm worried that someday and I'm going to wake up and I'll be back in my apartment."

"Do you not like living here?" Minato asked patiently.

"No! I mean yes!" Naruto raised his voice and Minato pressed a finger to his lips and Naruto recoiled with a sheepish grin. "I love it here... I just don't really understand why."

"Do you think Mikoto-sama is tricking you?" Minato reasoned, pleased to see Naruto's brow furrow in thought.

"No." Naruto returned after a moment.

"Fugaku-sama?"

"He's warming up to me." While Minato privately agreed with that assertion, the Senju could tell right away that Naruto felt much less confident about Fugaku. "I guess he's not all bad."

"Sasuke and Itachi?" Minato prodded. "Have they hinted that they don't want you around?"

"Itachi's been great even if he is a little too quiet and weird." Naruto grumbled quietly. "Sasuke isn't so bad..when he isn't being a teme!"

Of course, why settle for a little maturity?

"And Hinata?"

"She's great!" The enthusiasm practically radiates from Naruto, the moonlight bathing the blonde's face in a subtle glow. "Her family is...kinda weird, but she's great. I'm really glad I met her. And you guys."

"Don't be scared." He nudged the blonde gently. "I can't imagine how afraid you must be of everything disappearing. You must look at everything that's happening around you and secretly be waiting for everything to fall apart around you. I don't think the entirety of the village is going to suddenly behave perfect, but you don't need all of them. You have people that care about you now and we're not going anywhere. I know that it's a leap of faith, but I think the reward is well worth the risk. What do you think, Naruto?"

It was a little underhanded to play on his friend's emotions, but Minato did not have it in him to feel guilty when the his actions had beneficial potential rather than a harmful outcome. Naruto did appear to be improving; his rigid features had softened and an almost gentle smile graced the blonde's face.

"I'm glad I met you, Minato." There was a peaceful quality to the blonde that Minato rarely associated with Uzumaki Clan members, but even Naruto's chakra felt relaxed.

"Not as much as I am you, Naruto."

Before another word was spoken, Minato felt something brush against his senses. A sense of pins prickling raced over his skin and the Senju staggered off the bed, ignoring the sudden assaulting chill as his feet made contact with the chilled floor boards. It was like a tingle at the periphery-an invasive wrongness-that Minato pressed against helplessly.

"Minato?" Naruto's voice sounded like it was coming from off in the distance-far down a tunnel.

The moonlight was dim, but the room seemed to have become slightly more shadowed and...shadows! Racing toward the window blinds, Minato threw them open, catching sight of a solid white ANBU mask devoid of any decoration.

The observer leapt backward, while Naruto made a startled sound behind him. All of the sudden, the Senju was yanked backward by a powerful hand fisted in his sleeping clothes and all but tossed like a ragdoll backward. It was jarring since Minato had never really been manhandled by anyone outside of Jiraiya-sensei in a taijutsu spar, so the feeling of helplessness actually awakened long dormant panic that bubbled in his far too small body.

Still midair, Minato sucked in a breath as a flash of greenish chakra exploded upon the window sill and a malformed head of hair gave away his defender's identity.

"I've got him." The assurance was calm, but firm and suddenly Minato found himself snatched from the air and pressed into Itachi's chest. "Go."

Uchiha Shisui turned for a moment with a tanto in hand, moonlight delineating the contours of the enraged boy's face. The chunin looked every inch a predator as his body tensed and green chakra flared around him like a cloak. For an instant, the oddly patterned Sharingan rested on him before the other boy took off in pursuit of the fleeing shinobi.

"Wh-what just happened?" Naruto sputtered, looking rather terrified even if he was attempting to hide it.

The sound of skidding feet outside the room alerted them to incoming as Mikoto skidded to a halt brandishing a kunai with a wild look on her face. Fugaku appeared next to her looking like a grim spectre with his Sharingan active and roaming from Naruto clutching the blankets, to the open window, and Minato cradled in his eldest arms. The Senju can practically see the gears turning in Fugaku's mind before the man is across the room scooping up Naruto before Mikoto has a chance to react.

Naruto makes a startled sound, but wraps himself like a an octopus around Fugaku's arms and clings while the man strides to the window and stares out coldly.

"Itachi...was it?"

"No, tou-san." Itachi responded instantly.

Mikoto joined her husband and Minato unwittingly felt the corners of his mouth tug upward when the kunoichi rubbed Naruto's back for a moment. To his surprise, the woman crossed the room reached for him. Minato was not alarmed, but a moue of surprise escaped his lips when a pale hand reached out and caressed his cheek gently-perhaps even fondly-tracing the scarlet marking with a nail.

"I'll work out something with the Clan and discuss this with the Sandaime tomorrow." Fugaku growled, smacking the shutters closed with a violent thrust. "Tonight the sleeping arrangements will have to change."

"Understood, tou-san." Itachi inclined his head slightly and Minato tucked his face carefully against the older boy's chest, feeling rather surprised by how rapidly the heart was racing; an anxious pitter patter that seemed a stark contrast to the calm front his friend presented to the world.

"Naruto-kun, you will sleep with us." Fugaku spoke, moving to leave the room while Mikoto looked up with a bit of cautious happiness overtaking the concern.

"Um..okay." Naruto returned uncertainly, but to Minato it appeared that the boy may have clung a little tighter to his adoptive father.

Minato swallowed a lump in his throat and felt his eyes burn and deliberately turned his face into Itachi's neck. It was a silly thing to feel jealous. Minato was happy for Naruto. He was! It just still stung fiercely like an ache that never seemed to go away.

Let go. I need to let go.

A soothing hand lifted and began to rub soothing circles on his back. Minato shuddered as the patch of skin he was clinging to moistened.

"Is he alright?" He heard Mikoto ask in a hushed whisper.

Itachi's voice reverberated lightly. "I'll take him to my room. Shisui will sleep on the floor when he gets back."

He just wanted out of there and away. Thankfully fate granted his wish and he was carried out of the room and down the hall.

"I have you." Itachi murmured softly as they walked down the dark hallway.

The genin shifted his weight carefully and opened the door to his room before carrying him to a larger bed that Sasuke was half-awake on the far side of the bed, blinking with a look of confusion marring his sleepy expression. Itachi set him down with the care one might take if they believed something to be fragile. Sasuke rolled his direction and pressed himself up on one elbow.

"Minato?" Sasuke yawned, tiredly before he seemed to notice the puffy redness around Minato's face. "What's wrong? Nii-san, did something happen to Minato?"

"Nothing to worry about, but Minato is going to rest with us tonight." Itachi remarked, smoothly dousing the light and sliding into bed. A tanto may or may not have been moved to the side of the bed for ease of access, but Minato did not comment and only moved forward dully until he was more or less centred in the bed.

"Were you crying?" A fumbling hand of equal size to his own reached out to touch his face, faltering on the damp patches. "What's wrong?"

"I'm being silly." Minato mumbled into the dark, staring into the black emptiness that reminded him far too much of darker days in that void. Unbidden, the Senju felt shivers race down his spine.

"Me too sometimes," Sasuke replied quietly, his small arms reaching over until he had thrown an arm over Minato's shoulders in what was surely intended to seem comforting. It felt more awkward than anything, but the adult in the four year old felt less alone and less trapped despite the trap of limbs. "G'night, Minato. Nii-san."

"Goodnight otouto." Itachi's calm was infectious and he felt another heavier arm settle over the top himself and Sasuke. "Goodnight, Minato."

The extra weight was not a exceptionally heavy or muscular the way an adult's body might be, but it felt almost foreign to his small body. All the same, it was warm and it served a reminder that he was not alone.

'It's just like you to forget my presence, Yondaime.'

Minato sighed in relief, feeling the return of drowsiness ease him back into sleep. 'You're part of me Kurama. I can't fathom an existence separate from you anymore.'

'You've got a way with words, gaki. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow.'

Minato tried to nod, but he was whisked away into rest again.

---

"I don't see why we all have to wear black and white yukatas!" Naruto griped, throwing his arms up in the air and dramatically grinding his sandal into the rug. "We look like penguins!"

Minato, for once, was not supportive of his friend's tirade even if the identical black and white attire did have a boring look for lack of creativity. But to be honest, Minato was too busy standing still while the Uchiha matriarch fussed over his hair. There was something remarkable about the feeling of boar bristles gliding over his head; the effect made him want to arch into the tough like a feline and savor each moment.

"You don't even know what a penguin looks like." Minato hummed in agreement at Sasuke's rather skeptical tone. "You've never seen one!"

"Neither have you!" Naruto shot back. Far. Too. Loudly. Where was Fugaku to scold someone when you needed him?

"Traditional clan robes are practical for this sort of situation, Naruto-chan." Mikoto explained patiently, the comb continuing to transform Minato into a happy pile of mush.

"But just look at us!" Naruto shrieked far too close and Minato's eyes formed into scarlet slits as he stared down the blonde perpetrator that was gesturing at everyone. The Senju was sorely tempted to knock the blonde flying. "Seriously, all we need are a couple of beaks and we'd be set! We might as well pack up and move to snow country! Sasuke even has hair that looks like a duck butt!"

"Naruto, I'm going to kill you!"

The Senju treasonously hummed in pleasure when Sasuke made a wide motion as if to tackle the blonde to the ground. The brush tugged through his hair again before pausing on a knot and carefully working through the tangle before returning to blissful stroking.

"It would certainly explain our clan's propensity for nonsensical responses." Itachi piped in quietly just before Sasuke knocked Naruto sprawling.

"Nii-san, did you just make a joke?" Sasuke appeared torn between continuing the assault and utter shock.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Itachi denied smoothly.

"How come Minato gets to wear a different color?" Naruto attempted to sow a little more discord by pointing to the white and red yukata with a pattern of leaves on it that Minato had picked out-under heavy Mikoto duress-from the tailor. "His is less boring."

Good grief, that boy was demonstrating incredible persistance. Though, the Senju supposed, his mother had been just as tenacious and probably had been just as...trying at this age. Though, privately Minato may agree that while formal and appropriate, the Uchiha's selection was a bit less interesting than his own outfit.

"Because for some reason we were dumb enough to adopt you and not Minato!" Sasuke shouted back, shooting Minato a look that spoke volumes.

"Why you!" Naruto was on his feet, fist poised in the air.

"Are we ready?" Fugaku's voice broke the stillness, the man looking much calmer than he had at breakfast. No doubt a meeting with Hiruzen about last night had been beneficial. Minato could only hope that continued to be the case. Though the patriarch was shooting a dubious, unimpressed look at the pair that were just shy of brawling in the living room.

"We are." Mikoto stepped back and dropped the brush, much to Minato's regret.

"Thank you Mikoto-san." After a week of badgering, Minato finally followed the woman's direction to ease up on formality.

"Your welcome, Minato-kun." Mikoto responded warmly. "It's nice to have someone besides me that enjoys having long hair, though Itachi looks to be growing his out too!"

"I expect you all to represent our Clan with pride." Fugaku was obviously aiming most of his considerable attention on the two boys that were quelling beneath his unimpressed stare. "That goes for you too, Minato. You are a guest in our home so I expect you to behave accordingly."

"I made it!" Shisui slid into the room, waving at everyone with anti-Uchiha cheer. "Who missed me?"

"Why would we?" Fear of Fugaku long forgotten, Naruto folded his arms and shot a finger at the chunin.

"Hn." Sasuke's contribution.

"We're glad you're here." Minato took pity on the chunin, knowing that the other boy really did care. He moved up and settled himself so that he was right next to the older boy. "Are we going to use that jutsu?"

"You bet!" Shisui winked at the rest and scooped him up quick enough that he buried his fingers in Shisui's penguin colored yukata. "Catch us if you can."

In perhaps a dozen impressively executed bursts of precise speed, Minato reappeared with laughter bubbling from his throat and Shisui looking more than a little smug.

"That was pretty cool!" Minato complimented the boy who puffed up like peacock.

"I'm nearly as fast as the Yondaime Hokage." The boy grinned with evident pride at his achievement. And it really was...Minato had never seen someone master the shunshin to that degree. Obviously the Hiraishin would trump such a skill, but outside of that, this kid could level the playing field against almost any opponent.

"Keep working hard than, Shisui-nii!" Minato's scarlet eyes settled on the other chunin, knowing that the future of the boy that he had grown to care about was not guaranteed. Not yet. "There is always something new to learn, right?"

"You got it, silver gaki. Now let's go get some chow before the rest of them arrive."

The Akimichi Clan grounds were just ahead. The compound was settled in close proximity to the Nara's forest and rather close to the southern outskirts of Konoha. There was a pair of Clan guards at the pair of well-kept wooden gates that greeted them cheerfully and waved them in. The homes themselves were modest if a bit on the larger side with spacious doorframes and wide porches no doubt intended to comfortably accommodate the girl of the clan members. The streets leading down to an area crowded with clan signatures was not paved and no obvious signs of opulence were displayed like there were in the Uchiha district. Still, every porch was swept and everything looked well maintained.

At the end of the area, Minato's eyes widened in shock at the sheer amount of picnic tables and the immense line of outdoor barbeques that must have been brought in from every home in the clan. There was a firepit where a pair of beefy Akimichi kunoichi were slow roasting an entire boar while some of the Nara women were preparing greens alongside women from every clan in Konoha! Even a few Hyuuga women-some branded and some not-were kneading balls of dough with their hands.

"This looks amazing!" Naruto's voice was unmistakeable as footsteps raced up behind him.

"Fugaku!" Mikoto snapped, pulling a meat cleaver out of nowhere and twirling it."Behave." The man looked rather offended, but certainly was wise enough not to say so. "Shisui, go get those fish I bought. We're going to help out! Oh and tell Uchiha Asani to bring some of her leftover preserves. And if she claims she doesn't have any, tell her I'm not having her over for tea next week!"

"On it!" Shisui vanished in a burst of green chakra.

"And you three!" Minato and his friends flinch back as the cleaver extends challengingly in their direction. "No pranks...but go have fun!"

"Ok, kaa-san." At least Sasuke felt safe enough to reply, Minato just did not have it in him. Probably had something to do with a sensei that was constantly getting ripped apart by kunoichi and civilian women alike.

---

Hiruzen had escaped the growing pile of paperwork on his desk, but had not escaped the shackles of his robes. Even so, the Sandaime was determined to not allow the entire evening to be about business.

Following the scent of mouth-watering food, Hiruzen made his way to the barbeques where he was greeted heartily by a smiling Chouza behind a massive grill of meats.

"Hokage-sama!" The Akimichi saluted casually with a meat poker before wiping his fingers on a massive apron. "Let me get you a plate started! What'll it be?"

"Would I be right in thinking the sky is the limit, Chouza-san?"

"Hahaha!" Chouza chuckled. "We certainly do have a fine selection of almost everything."

"Lamb?" Hiruzen dared to hope. Far too often his secretaries provided the most convenient take out options or worse, the most healthy.

"Coming right up!" A truly impressive pair of lamb chops was dropped onto a dinner plate that would look like a serving platter to any other family. For an Akimichi appetite it was rather average.

Accepting the plate, the Kage leaned over and took a long whiff of the seasoned meat with an approving smile. "This smells excellent, Chouza. I better go get some sides from that lovely group of ladies though. I'm rather famished."

"We can't have that!" The Akimichi laughed boisterously, flipping a few steaks and hollering for more seasoning salt.

"Hiruzen." An aging voice called and the Sandaime cursed his own hearing.

"Koharu." He greeted his former teammate, noting that she had dressed up in a rather elaborate coral kimono and was daintily accepting a plate of steaming pork from one grill down. "You look lovely."

"Flattery doesn't work at my age, Hiruzen." The old shrew remarked with a dismissive sniff as she walked up and casually linked arms with him. "We need to talk."

"Can it wait?" Hiruzen asked without a trace of his anger showing. Anyone looking at them would see the Hokage accompanying any old friend-how far from the truth. They had been friends once, but at best they were colleagues now. At worst...Hiruzen knew she was far closer to Danzo.

"I've been patient long enough. Get your dinner and we will sit together." Koharu swept past him with the grace of a woman twenty years her junior and a deadliness that surpassed many of the present generation.

Perhaps he really ought to put Koharu in charge of the Academy. Standards had certainly slipped and the Iron Lady that Tobirama-sensei had helped fashion into a powerful kunoichi would certainly bust some heads. It was a pity that he could not trust her because he absolutely knew she would be brilliant in that role.

Back to business, Hiruzen smiled brightly at the working women, pleased to see every Clan represented behind the tables.

"I don't think I've eaten so well in a long time." Plates of sushi and onigiri, meat buns and spring rolls. Soups, sauces, and salads. Movement from the side and the Hokage spotted a flash of blonde and brown hair vanishing over the wall leaving behind a much leaner dessert table.

Ah, the very young.

"Hokage-sama." Hiruzen stood up a little straighter as Shikaku's wife Yoshino appeared, wiping her knife on her apron. "May I be of assistance?"

Almost ready to say no, Hiruzen felt a smidge of evil fill him and he smiled benevolently.

"You ladies have worked far too hard tonight." Hiruzen coughed slightly when a single Aburame male straightened and stared him down blankly. "And gentleman, sorry Ishiko-san." The trenchcoated chunin shrugged and returned to tossing his salad. "I'm very happy to serve myself and allow you ladies to get some delicious food for yourselves. But if you see Shikaku later, can you remind him that his paperwork was due yesterday? I was looking for his report this morning and he must have forgotten."

Yoshino's eyes lit up like they were on fire and there was a slight sound of teeth grinding before the dark haired woman yanked her apron off and smiled sickeningly sweetly. "Not to worry, Hokage-sama. I'll make sure that doesn't happen again. I understand how important it is to have everything on time."

"Thank you, Yoshino-san." Hiruzen smirked as the woman stalked off to perform an early execution. Sometimes his job had perks.

"Hiruzen, have you seen Naruto-kun?" The Kage flashed a smile at Mikoto who was balancing a pair of plates and looking around surreptiously.

"It's hard to say." He smiled genially. "But I thought I saw young Chouji and Naruto-kun visiting the dessert area earlier."

A dark look spread over Mikoto's face and the Hokage knew his work was done.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome." The pleasure is all mine.

Hiruzen set to dusting a nice salad with chunks of crab meat and taking a spoonful of melon balls. The Kage had to admire the sizeable spread the Akimichi's had provided. Even more, the man was impressed by the teamwork that was happening behind the scenes. A Hyuuga branch member was laughing with a member of the Inuzuka and Uchiha clan members. The Aburame and a tiny redheaded Yamanaka were discussing something together. And an Akimichi woman was tutoring a main branch Hyuuga on meat temperatures. It was...a little shocking and it made Hiruzen determined to dip into the village coffers to quietly sponsor additional clan events to promote more of this behavior.

Even glancing across the tables-deliberately ignoring a glaring Koharu-there was progress being made. Fugaku was in a deep discussion with Shibi and Inoichi while taking appreciative bites of his meal. Talk about unlikely dinner companions: how wonderful. Stuck up Hiashi in his standout white kimono looked like he was about to have a heart attack while Tsume grilled while Hyuuga Hizashi looked to be having drinks with an Uchiha! A chunin nearing promotion too! Either way, this evening had hardly begun and it was already a success in his eyes.

Mood too good to be ruined by Koharu, Hiruzen finally wandered over to his waiting teammate who was giving him a narrow look from over her half-eaten plate of greens.

"The food smells excellent." Hiruzen took a bite, the meaty portion almost melting off the bone from being so tender. Lifting his hand into the air, he saluted Chouza who beamed at the silent praise. And took another heartier bite.

"Danzo is unhappy with some of the decisions you've been making." Koharu saw fit to spoil his meal.

"Really?" Hiruzen remarked casually, dabbing his chin with a napkin and taking a long swallow of water. He could see his old teammate's jaw clench just a little tighter with each passing second and enjoyed the moment.

"So am I." There was anger in those aged eyes and something akin to hurt. Hiruzen almost bought the pained expression on Koharu's face. Perhaps in his age he really was slipping.

"I would have imagined you of all people would have appreciated the significance of strengthening our ties with the Uchiha Clan." Hiruzen was pleased to see that his barb had struck true, sometimes old pains were necessary reminders if change were to occur.

"It is not necessary to bring that up, Hiruzen." Koharu's reprimand was bitter and laced with a pain that had not aged so well.

"Are you so fickle that your feelings for Kagami have withered away like your good sense?" Hiruzen asked, taking another bite of steak.

"Kagami is not the issue." Koharu sniped back, a glimpse of the deadly force she used to be still there underneath the wrinkles and heavy robes to keep the chill away from thin bones. "And neither is my sense. This is your petty method of getting back at Danzo-"

"For what?" Hiruzen laughed, waving at one of his saluting shinobi with outward content. Seeing that he had successfully silenced his old comrade he took a bite of crab meat and closed his eyes to savor the taste. "Tell me, what sleights? Danzo, whether he understands this or not, has a necessary function in Konoha. Missions that I dare not accept for political reasons can be performed off the books by his faction. I ask you again, what do I have to get back at him for?"

"Danzo says you're not as sharp as you used to be." Koharu took up a mug of tea and stared at the brim without comment for a second. "I think you're just as sharp as ever, Hiruzen. But you and I both know you were ready for retirement when Namikaze took the hat." Hiruzen did not confirm or deny it the truth of that matter. "And I fear your sentimentality has made you lose all sense."

"And I think you've forgotten our sensei's will, Koharu."

Koharu recoiled as if struck.

"Protect those who love the village and those who believe in you. And nurture those to whom you can entrust the next generation." Hiruzen recited the words from memory, recalling his devastation and shock when the man he respected most of all went to his death. "All of our generation love this village, Koharu. But the care of the next generation is something that Danzo has forgotten...and so you have lost sight of it in his darkness."

Koharu set her cup down, tugging on her sleeve where Hiruzen knew she kept a kunai. It was the comfort of a shinobi to touch their tools of trade and draw strength from them, so the Kage was hardly concerned by the gesture. Nor was he moved by the stark paleness of her cheeks.

"Senju Minato is an unexpected legacy." Hiruzen spoke, remembering the proud man in blue armor with a happuri faceguard. "I do not ask you to always agree with me, but I ask you to abide by my decisions."

"You might be right, Hiruzen." Koharu pushed her plate back. "The consequences of being wrong are astronomical."

"All the same, it was sensei who chose the next Hokage." Hiruzen took another bite of his meal nonchalantly, not missing the flinch on his old friend's face. "If you were half as clever as you imagine yourself to be, you would know why Danzo was not chosen. Therefore my edict stands: Senju Minato will go into Tsunade's care."

"Tsunade." The name was spat like it was a vile substance. "That disgrace is hardly deserving of such an honor after she turned her back on this village."

"Careful Koharu." Hiruzen's tone suddenly glacial. "There are limits to my tolerance. Even Danzo appreciates the significance of having an asset like Tsunade back in the village."

"I know you think that I'm Danzo's lapdog." Koharu stood up, focused on something-or rather someone-in the distance. "But my interests and advice have always come from a desire to protect this village. If you're right about this...prove Danzo wrong."

"I will." Hiruzen promised, for once, fully intending to keep that oath.

"Good." Koharu moved to step away, leaning down so that her mouth was inches from his ear and her fingers pinched his robe. "But if you're wrong and something happens to that child, it won't be Danzo that comes for you, Hokage-sama."

"I would expect no less." Hiruzen puzzled the matter over before tossing a lure into the deep. "Koharu, if you still have something to offer, perhaps Minato could use some instruction."

Koharu paused midstep before her sandaled foot met again with the earthy ground. "Goodnight, Hokage-sama."

The wonders of the great game truly were astounding.

---

"How did you do that?" Shikamaru studied the board that had defeated him in disbelief. Tapping his jawline with a finger, he studied the perfect hierarchy of moves that had crept into what he had believed to be a solid defense. It. Just. Did. Not. Make. Sense.

"Don't you normally lose to your dad?" Chouji asked, extending his bad to offer Shikamaru one of his chips that the Nara heir accepted with a resigned sigh. Unfortunately, the crunch of the salty morsel did not ease up his inherent frustration.

"Yeah, but my dad is supposed to beat me." And whining about losing was pathetic, pointless, and a waste of time. Somehow, he was managing all three today.

"Minato-chan is pretty awesome though." Chouji remarked while stuffing another wad of chips into his mouth. "Maybe he's just super smart like you, Shikamaru."

Several things were out of place here. For as long as their parents had been friends which was before conception, opportunities to play with Ino and Chouji came several times a week. Sure they were pretty young, but Chouji had never spoken so familiar in regards to Ino. Chouji was naturally shy, which had been just fine with Shikamaru since they avoided domineering Ino like the plague. But his larger pal was defending Minato and placing the other boy on the same level as Shikamaru. Not that he was jealous, but what had changed?

"-chan?" Shikamaru queried, fishing for information.

Chouji just shrugged his shoulders. "It's what Naruto calls him."

That was hardly informative. The familiarity had to have come from something else...something like-

"He showed you how to use your chakra to walk on walls too." Shikamaru realized with a start.

"Well, he thought that Naruto and I would have a better chance of getting our snacks that way." Chouji responded nonchalantly, kicking his beefy legs in the air and nearly toppling the shogi board when he stretched his arms. "Talk about super useful! I can't wait to show tou-san and kaa-san! They're gonna be so surprised when they see I can reach the top shelves of the pantry!"

"Might be smarter if you don't tell them." Shikamaru pointed out, turning to watch the rest of the kids crowded Sasuke's brother Itasi. Or was it Akachi? Whatever.

"Good point!" Shikamaru jerked backward as his friend practically vibrated off the seat with a fiery leer. "Midnight snacks, here I come!"

Not exactly what he was going for...troublesome.

Suddenly, a burst of flame hit the unlit campfire and cast a halo of warmth around the area. Drawn like a moth to the flame, Shikamaru started trudging toward the fire with Chouji automatically following suit. With a put-upon sigh, Shikamaru dropped down onto one of the many enormous logs that the Akimichi had strategically placed around the firepits that were all glowing cheerfully around the extensive picnic area of the compound. The warmth was pleasant; the log shifted as Chouji settled close to him again and Shikamaru stared into the shadows of the flame-almost tempted to see if he could work out the stages of the clan jutsu.

"Isn't burning food gonna ruin it?" The whiskered blonde asked with a puzzled frown of the girl with bluish hair that was prompting him to spear a marshmellow on a sharpened stick.

"If you stick it inside the fire...it will burn." The Hyuuga confirmed as she added no less than three of the white morsels to her own stick. Shikamaru lifted a brow; apparently someone had a sweet tooth. "But if we are careful and only hold it close to the flame, it will become warm and sticky and will help melt the chocolate."

"Huh." It was clear to the Nara that the blonde was still clueless, but he supposed it would sound absurd to someone that had never had one before.

A blind man would have noticed that some of the shinobi among the clans reacted differently to Uzumaki Naruto. When they were called to come make plates, Shikamaru had instantly noticed the restless hesitance than greeted the blonde. The Clan heads, Shikamaru's mother included, had been kind and had not behaved like anything was unusual. Like sheep, most of the behavior eased or at least became less obvious, but even Shikamaru could see the looks and stares that looked almost resentful directed at the blonde.

Translating that behavior to the bubbly boy bouncing with a cremating marshmellow on his stick was...it just did not compute.

Redirecting his attention, Shikamaru passed over the Hyuuga male that looked to be engrossed in a quiet conversation with the Aburame kid in the sunglasses. Ino had moved so that she was standing next to Hinata and Naruto and actually appeared to be conversing with the pair without screaming. Across the flickering flames, the silver haired enigma was consuming his own s'more Shikamaru could see the Senju boy's chest shaking even if no sound was forthcoming as he stared at Uchiha Sasuke who appeared to have lost his second attempt at roasting to impatience.

Chouji had disappeared while Shikamaru was thinking, only to reappear armed with three sticks with easily half a dozen marshmellows on each. One was shoved into his hands and the Nara sighed and dragged himself to his feet.

"Are you going to honor the terms of our bet?"

Shikamaru nearly jumped out of his skin and he jerked back to glare at the troublesome boy whose eyes seemed to glow red in the flame.

"It's troublesome...but I suppose I'll have to." Shikamaru admitted grudgingly.

"You know, Shikamaru-san, there are plenty of practical applications for learning to walk on walls." The Senju boy spoke so soft that the Nara had to strain to listen and found himself curious as the other boy's gaze settled on Naruto who was moaning appreciatively as he bit into his dessert. It seemed strange how content the other boy looked-almost proud. "Do you think you kaa-san would think to check the roof?"

That suggestion certainly had potential...huh. But how did?

"I saw your tou-san getting a talking to earlier." The Senju dropped the information casually and Shikamaru cursed his transparency.

"Ah." Shikamaru remarked, not knowing what else to say, but still wondering what the other boy got out of this. "I still don't see why you care whether or not I learn this skill."

"Someday it might matter." There was something almost broken in the Senju's eyes that Shikamaru felt rather shaken by the emptiness. Swallowing down his questions and fears, he watched the silver haired boy force a smile that seemed to have been eaten away by grief until barely a husk of joy remained. "It might seem meaningless to you, but if it might help you someday, I have to try."

The other boy had turned away, focusing again on where a chocolate smeared Naruto had lifted a blushing Hinata onto his back and was giving her a piggy back ride. In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Sasuke had reappeared at the Senju's elbow radiating concern and effectively pinning the Nara in place with the intensity of his glare. Holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender and shaking his head vigorously, the ebony haired boy glared him down again before stepping boldly into the Senju's space and lightly nudged the other boy out of his trance. The pale boy made a sound like a startled bird and blinked questioningly at his friend, before offering a slower smile that crinkled his cheeks-highlighting the scarlet facial markings.

"I'll learn the wall walking thing." The pair turned his direction and Shikamaru coughed and shuffled a step closer to the fire, leaning over to place his treats in a warm spot. "It's troublesome, but a deal is a deal, Minato-san."

"Thank you, Shikamaru."

"It might seem meaningless to you, but if it might help you someday, I have to try."

The words haunted Shikamaru like nothing ever had in his short life. There was something fearful and afraid in those words and that left the Nara feeling disconcerted and motivated for reasons that he had no answers for.

Senju Minato was shaping up to be a the greatest puzzle of his life. Shikamaru may only be four-almost five-but he had his father's mind, even if he exercised it rarely. There was a mystery waiting to be solved and a sense that his time was limited.

Glancing over to Chouji, he sighed and wandered over to where his large friend was starting his second batch of s'mores.

"Chouji, I know it's troublesome...but I want you to show me how to walk up the wall."

---

Minato felt him before he saw him. Still, his small body instantly tensed when he heard the light brush of footsteps, the sweep of material passing over grass, and the tell-tale tap of a cane passing over the ground.

'Such darkness.'

The shift in realm was coming easier and easier at this point and it hardly took more than a second for Minato to adjust to the mindscape. Within it, Kurama was standing in that field with his tails lashing out in opposing directions and the large maw opened exposing razor-sharp teeth.

'What do you feel?' Minato asked, taking a step back before monstrous chakra could swallow him.

'This twisted intent feels like that treacherous student of yours.' Kurama chuckled dangerously, scarlet eyes seeking to pin him in place. It was a new accusation, but the Senju did not flinch when the massive bijuu lowered his head until they were snout to nose and he could feel the heat of the kyuubi's breath heating his skin.

'Obito may not be beyond saving.' Minato remarked carefully, lifting a tiny hand to pat the quivering, ebony nose that felt like wet sandpaper.

'Heh.' Kurama pulled back and settled into a mass of coiled limbs preparing to crouch. 'While I believe that notion is a fool's hope, the larger issue is that man. What will you do?'

'Nothing.'

'Nothing.' Kurama replied dangerously, eyes sharpening and his tails sweeping up cyclones in the air around them. The artificial sun seemed to dim in response to the bijuu's displeasure as the air buzzed with ill-will. Finally the massive fox seemed to calm somewhat, though a massive clawed hand lifted into the air and inspected him. 'What is your plan?'

'I'm not afraid. Danzo's subordinate was spying on me. I'm certain he intends to approach me himself. He won't make a move against us here. And my nii-san is here.'

'You accept your role as that boy's brother but are still struggling to accept being only Naruto's friend.' Kurama commented idly, finally tossing the Senju up until he was balanced between the long ears right on the bijuu's head.

It was a position that-by mutual agreement-was never discussed. Somehow the position made Kurama feel more comfortable when he was being pressured, but the large fox loathed any sign of weakness; therefore, mentioning it was something that was not done. From Minato's perspective, it was just a bit awesome to sit so high with his friend.

'Kakashi was always my little brother. From the moment he became my student, he was important to me. He was part of my life for longer than I was in a relationship with Kushina.' Minato explained. 'Being his brother, albeit the younger one, is not a stretch for me.'

'Will Kakashi be able to stand up to Danzo?'

Kurama sounded noticeably off leading Minato to suspect that the fox was genuinely worried. Perhaps for good reason since bijuu chakra can easily overwhelm the chakra system of a small child; no doubt his companion was worried they were potentially going into a dangerous situation. Best to reassure the bijuu before he riled up over nothing.

'Kakashi is going to be at his best when he has something to protect.' Minato scratched a giant ear with both hands vigorously, grinning when the fox's body shivered from his attention. 'Besides, Hiruzen is right here. It would be suicide for Danzo to make a move in a location that has both the Hokage and all of his best shinobi in once place. Don't worry.'

'Hmph.' Kurama definitely was buying into that. After centuries of dealing with stupid crap, a little paranoia was rather expected.

'So, how did your visit with the other bijuu go?'

'You seriously want to discuss this right now, gaki?' Even though Kurama was unable to look at him from this angle, the intensity of his friend's scrutiny was obvious from the buzz of chakra around his body.

'We have the time.' Minato rubbed the bridge of his nose to alleviate the itching from a bit of clinging fur that had migrated to his face. 'Besides, I'm tired. Being around my rowdy friends all day wears me out...I'm passing out as soon as I hit the bed.'

'You're unbelievable you know that.' Kurama insulted him openly and Minato just shrugged. 'I'm starting to see where Naruto gets it.'

'Be nice now.' He flicked the oversized ear, watching it extend and shift. 'Now tell me what happened when those three! I'm dying to know!'

'Fine.' Kurama griped, laying his large body down-slowly so as not to dislodge Minato-and rested under a canopy of large trees. 'Your idiotic plan for Shukaku might have worked. When that damn tanuki finally spoke to me, the uppity bastard kept flinging insults and growling. When I finally got him to shut up after nearly of listening to that pest rant, I insulted him and suggested that his inferior bond with his jinchuuriki would never become as powerful as mine. We fought, I laid out some breadcrumbs, and he inevitably severed our connection. As far as I'm concerned, I've done my best and Shukaku is on his own.'

'That poor kid.' Minato frowned, imagining the poor child putting up with what Kurama termed was his insane sibling.

'Poor me.' Kurama growled. 'I had to put up with that freak for nearly an entire day.'

'Sorry.' Minato apologized.

'Heh. My efforts to contact Choumei were troubling.' Admission of failure was not something his friend swallowed easily so that alerted Minato right away. 'I succeeded, but I got the impression that the conditions the jinchuuriki are living in interfered with our connection somehow. Some crude fuinjutsu from an outside source, perhaps, but it was like yelling at someone from a very long distance. The message may have been distorted, misinterpreted, or not received at all. I believe Choumei could hear me, but as to the clarity I do not know.'

'A barrier perhaps.' Minato mused, face scrunching as he wracked his brain. 'Without more to go on, I would have difficulty saying with any certainty, but if Choumei is in Taki...that village is incredibly suspicious of outsiders and I doubt they think much of jinchuuriki. I hope they got the message.'

'Saiken got it.' Kurama redirected with good news and Minato felt a surge of relief pass over him.

'He did?'

'A crazy slug, but he listened and he is going to do his best to work with his host to be prepared.' A rumble built in the massive creature beneath him and he could feel the hesitation in his best friend. 'We talked for a while. About our father. Saiken reminded me of some moments I had forgotten and I shared a few things.'

'You bonded.' Minato stroked the long ear again, feeling strangely pleased with the way the appendage quivered.

'Hardly. Putting up with you is difficult enough.'

'So sweet.' Minato grinned, feeling a tug from the outside. 'I think I had better get out there now.'

'Then go.'

Easy as that, the rest of the world reappeared and Minato heard the tapping sound once more before it stopped and a towering presence made itself known beside him. Fabricating inquisitive behavior was simple enough, so the Senju boy turned his head, angling his jaw so the fire bounced off the prominent facial markings, and held the gaze of the bandaged man that was looking him over with the reverence one might regard a priceless artifact.

Coming from Shimura Danzo, that look was creepier than hell.

"Want one?" Minato casually extended his marshmellow skewer to the observing elder. Off to the side, Itachi had moved to place himself within reaching distance without making the action look rushed.

"Senju Minato." The man paused as if tasting the name. "My name is Shimura Danzo and I am one of the Hokage's advisors."

The day Minato believed that was the day that Orochimaru became the next Hokage. Though it certainly would be a method of ingratiating himself with Minato-if only the Senju was actually naive and uninformed. It would be a cold day in hell before he made a deal with this particular devil.

"It's an honor, Danzo-sama." Minato used his Kage smile that was used to charm customers and psychopaths alike.

"Your name reminds me of a powerful shinobi that this village lost." Minato froze, not daring to respond and give himself away; Danzo continued to speak, almost more to himself than Minato and the gnarled fingers tapped the side of his walking stick over and over. "Your face reminds me of an even greater one. A greatness that I have no doubt that you will surpass given time and help."

Alright, so it was a recruitment speech. Nothing he had not anticipated and nothing he could not handle.

"I've been told I look much like the Nidaime Hokage, Danzo-sama. But Shisui-san mentioned that I look like my aniki too." The chakra signature hiding in the trees flickered slightly. "Hokage-sama said he would arrange for us to meet and I'm looking forward to it."

"Hatake Sakumo." Danzo murmured, something dark clinging to his voice that unsettled not only Minato but Kurama as well considering the sudden flash of anger from his companion. "What a perfect child you are."

Suddenly, a bandaged hand lifted and extended ominously in his direction. Three things happened at once; Minato's eyes dilated and he experienced a gut churning fear, Uchiha Itachi's chakra flared like a beacon to any shinobi nearby, and leaves whistled before an imposing figure in a jounin's vest and navy blue shirt and pants appeared. The familiar slant of a hitai-ate, a Hatake mask, and the tell-tale bedhead styled silver hair: Kakashi!

"Minato-kun certainly does resemble our father." The casual tone did little to conceal the killing intent bubbling beneath a transparent posture. "And while I'm pleased he was able to meet one of Konoha's esteemed elders, I'm afraid I'm going to have to borrow him for a few seconds. If you'll excuse us."

Before he could utter a protest or greeting, he found himself being herded away from the fire. And away from Danzo's grasp. Glancing over his shoulder, Minato saw Hiruzen had arrived-Itachi's chakra flare a success-and was exchanging words with an expressionless Danzo. Sasuke and Naruto had moved to pursue him, but had been held back by a worried looking Itachi.

The glow of the fire was dimmer from a distance, but Minato could still make out Hinata standing behind Naruto with her hands buried in the back of his dark yukata, while Itachi towered over the trio with a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"It's a really neat gathering tonight." Kakashi murmured quietly, masking his emotions even more deeply than he masked his face. The jounin dropped into a crouch while resting all of his weight on the balls of his feet and stared at him with his lone eye that was giving him a once over.

There were a thousand things he wanted to say, but Minato saw beyond the necessity of words. Kakashi flinched slightly when Minato stepped into his space, but the man did not run away as the Senju was certain he wanted to do. Instead, he remained still as a statue while the small boy slid his arms around Kakashi's neck and tucked his face into the masked neck that smelled of blood, sweat, and tea leaves.

"Hello, nii-san." Minato whispered, his mind flashing through memory after memory; an image of a devastated boy hovered over a cooling, bloody corpse, to the quirky team photo they took with Rin and Obito, to long dinners Kushina painstakingly prepared for the three of them in the months prior to the sealing. To Obito's presumed death. Rin's suicide via chidori. Kakashi had suffered far too much in his lifetime...Minato could only hope the boy-rather this man he helped raise-could make new, better memories now.

Finally a pair of trembling arms wound around him and lifted him off the ground. Minato was relaxed and unafraid of the sudden movements because above everyone else, Kakashi was a person that he believed in completely. So he just fisted his hands in the stiff, jounin flak jacket and stayed quiet.

"I suppose I am." The response was quiet, but the arms around him had tightened slightly.

"Did you just get here?" Minato asked with a slightly muffled voice since his mouth was near Kakashi's neck.

"Hmm, yep." The reply sounded a little more grounded this time.

"You're late." Minato admonished with a tiny laugh. "I've been waiting for you."

The arms tightened again before relaxing slightly. "I had to help an old lady take her groceries home before I came."

Obito really left a mark on you didn't he, Kakashi?

"Awful nice of you." Minato replied, pulling back to look at his masked brother who looked to be marvelling over him. Squirming slightly, he was pleased when the taller man obligingly put him down, but before the man could even consider escaping, he lashed out and snagged one of Kakashi's hands and gave it a firm tug. "Come on, Kakashi-nii. Come meet my friends."

"I...really..don't-"

Minato understood Kakashi's reservations on a certain level, but he also recognized the jounin really needed to move past his fears and regrets in order to heal.

"You're not a Senju are you?" Minato asked his brother while walking him closer to the campfire area. "Our hair is the same color and you look like the picture we saw of Nidaime-sama...without the mask."

"Not that I know of." Kakashi answered with a resigned hang of his head. "But my-our father had silver hair too. It was a trademark of the Hatake Clan."

"Guess silver hair was just destiny then." Minato remarked, waving at his friends with his free hand as he pulled up the reluctant Kakashi to the expectant group of observers. Minato tugged on his brother's arm, watching the lone eye jerk from where it had been focused on Naruto's glowing face. "Kakashi-nii, these are my friends. Hyuuga Hinata." The heiress fell into a perfect, formal bob. "Uchiha Sasuke." The small boy eyed Kakashi suspiciously but grunted-probably because of the look Itachi was giving him. "Sasuke's aniki, Itachi-san." The older boy nodded slightly. "And Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ha!" Naruto darted forward and planted himself in front of the stiff jounin. "You look really suspicious with that mask on dattebayo!" The innocent patch of flowers next to Naruto's foot had no chance as the blonde viciously-albeit accidently-squashed it beneath his hopping feet. "Are you really Minato-chan's brother?"

"Naruto-kun, this is Hatake Kakashi." Itachi remarked with a put-upon sigh.

"We look alike." Minato grinned up at the masked individual who eye-smiled in return before mechanically crouching down next to him.

"You can't know that unless he takes his mask off." Sasuke muttered.

"I suppose your friends are a package deal, pup?" The jounin looked in his direction and Minato felt his lips curve into a smile and he nodded. "Right then, it's nice to meet you all."

Okay! So, I will be private messaging anyone who leaves me a longer review from now on to prevent clogging this up. If a guest chooses to leave a longer review, I will take the time to respond. Please do review even if it's just to leave a one or two word comment. It really inspires me to write faster and better chapters. Love you guys!