The next morning, Konoha was still uneased by this unknown catastrophe they had experienced. No actual harm had been done, except for some stray fires in some places caused by fire-breathing children who didn't know what they were doing, and one myopic villager who blamed Naruto for this and tried to kill him in his sleep but ended up killed by Kushina's claws instead.
Anbu went around town knocking on people's doors, telling them the Hokage wanted everyone to gather at the tower within the hour to hear an important announcement. No one decided this was something they didn't want to hear about, because even the childless inhabitants wanted to know what was going on.
Sarutobi was in his office, dreading what was about to happen. He had Anbu stationed everywhere and Kushina herself to fill in for him when he would be at a loss for words, but he could anticipate the disorder that was bound to befall the village before he even finished what he was about to tell them all.
"Don't wimp out on us now old man." Kushina, in her normal human form, told him in a friendly way. "Where's that Will of Fire now?"
"What do you expect from me? I've got to tell thousands of people that their children have become demons and hope no bloodshed starts before I finish. The thought alone makes me realize I'm getting too old for this crap."
"Well, I'd take the job for you, but I'm going to be busy helping the kids and I doubt Konoha's ready for a demon Hokage. Maybe someday, perhaps when this generation grows up, it will be possible. But not now." Kushina commented.
Sarutobi nodded. "I get the feeling you're right. What concerns me the most, aside from the potential riot, is I'm afraid that any hidden spies we have in our ranks may already be ready to tell their superiors about this. I can only hope that they waited to do so until after they've heard the announcement to come."
"A smart spy would. And leave that to me. I'm already on it." The redhead told him.
The Sandaime Hokage looked a tad bit unnerved. "I probably don't want to know how, am I right?"
"Not until after I'm done."
He shrugged. "Go ahead, as long as no one innocent gets hurt."
"That depends on your definition of innocent." Kushina commented, with a mischievous glint in her eyes. The kind that says 'I've got a plan and I am so looking forward to seeing it come to fruition.'
The whole crowd had gather at the base of the tower, standing in an open area around the foundation designed for important announcements such as the swearing in of a Hokage. Some people had to take a seat on the rooftops of nearby building instead, but there was enough room for everyone in the village.
Sarutobi stood on the balcony meant for the Hokage to address the citizens from, with his two former teammates by his side. Kushina was behind him with Naruto on her shoulders, neither of them able to be seen by the citizens from their angle.
Homura stepped up to his friend's right side. "This won't be an easy one, will it old friend?"
Sarutobi shook his head. "I think I'd rather face down Orochimaru personally than do this. I mean, I'm supposed to tell a crowd that their children are now a different species. Not exactly something they teach Hokages to handle."
"Well, we've got your back if it gets rough." Koharu told him.
Sarutobi nodded and stepped towards the edge of the balcony, allowing everyone to see him. The Anbu cast a jutsu meant to amplify his voice so everyone could hear what he was saying, and in return he could hear anything people wanted to say to him, as long as they spoke one at a time.
The murmuring of the worried crowd became silenced when people saw their leader. They listened attentively, hoping that he knew what the problem was and how to undo it.
"People of Konoha, as all of you should be aware by now, last night we experienced a rather strange phenomenon that affected all of the youngest inhabitants. This was caused by the death of a demon within our walls."
He was interrupted by some people cheering for that news, believing Naruto was finally dead. It caused him to frown, but continue nonetheless.
"Apparently some people in this village believe obeying the law is an option, not a requirement, and sought to do something very foolish last night. Their thoughtless actions last night resulted in one demon dying, but many more being born. That red glow many of you may have seen last night was released demon energy from the demon's death. That energy attached itself to anyone seven years old and younger, transforming them all into demons. Not half-demons, full demons."
The crowd was stunned silent and immobile, so the old man took this chance to get some more in before anyone did anything about it. "We have a source confirm this and they say such a change is irreversible. But they fortunately know how to ensure that your children can keep their new powers under control and function as contributing members of society. So those of you who wish to know more about how to help your child, go to the Academy today with 50 ryo and the informant will let you know what your child is, how you can best care for them now, and what to expect from them."
Kushina whispered something into Koharu's ear while the Hokage had been talking, and the old woman now took the chance to whisper it to himself. He nodded, and then spoke again. "I wish I could tell you more, but the expert is probably better suited for that than I am. I will let them address you all and settle any concerns you may have before they go to the Academy for personal direct information. So without further ado, I give you our demon expert, Kushina Namikaze."
The name alone made many people gasp, either from the Kushina part or the Namikaze part. They thought this was some sort of joke, but those that knew the Red Hot Habenero recognized her right away when they saw her step up and take the Hokage's place. They were so shocked to see this woman back from the dead that the fact that Naruto Uzumaki was seated on her shoulders was completely overlooked by them.
Kushina smiled. "Before I say anything, there's one thing I must do first." She put Naruto down and started a fast set of twenty hand signs and called out no jutsu name as she raised her hands above her head when she finished. Then she slammed her open hands on the balcony railing, and everyone felt an invisible shockwave throughout the village.
For most people, it was no worse than feeling a heavy amount of bass from a loud stereo or speaker on the ground. But apparently for a few others it was much, much worse than that. Some people started coughing up blood and random bones started snapping for no obvious reason. All of the sufferers almost immediately found they were unable to stand and collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.
A few onlookers screamed, and the elders around Kushina dropped their jaws at seeing her commit such a gruesome act. "Do not feel bad for those that just died. I just now cast a specialized jutsu that would kill any traitors to this village. Everyone who died was secretly loyal to another village or organization that sought to use this knowledge against Konoha or its governing body. So don't mourn those that died. Because of their deaths, your children are now safe from outside harm."
'We had that many spies and traitors in our midst's?' Sarutobi asked himself. He would have expected only four at the most, maybe five, but the number of deaths at Kushina's anti-traitor jutsu was closer to forty. Maybe even more.
"Now that that's out of the way, I just want to say that if you want to know more about your children, come down to the Academy with them in an hour and I'll answer any questions you may have about them. One family at a time though, and bring 50 ryo with you as a service fee. I also want to let everyone know that there is a new law in effect that makes killing any child for being a demon is punishable by death and it's a zero-tolerance policy. One I will enforce myself if I have to. And if for some reason there are any amongst you who cannot bring yourselves to accept your children and raise them, bring them down to the reinstated Namikaze residence and I can assure you they will be in good hands. Do not worry about your child's appearance, for I know a technique to make them look human so they do not have to go around in broad daylight as they do and make future spies and enemies curious. That is all."
She then turned away before anyone could ask her anything or object to anything she told them or did to the recently deceased.
She picked up Naruto who had been standing there. "Come along Naruto. We are going to go meet your new friends." She said as she started to carry him down from the balcony.
"Friends?" Naruto said, he sounded excited by hesitant as well.
"Yes, with so many demon children now, you are going to make so many new friends."
In the Academy, Kushina was ushered into one of the classrooms and sat down at the teacher's desk.
"Naruto, while we have some time to ourselves, I'll tell you a little about what we've become." Kushina said to get rid of the uncomfortable silence. Naruto listened on eagerly, since she didn't say anything about this last night. All they had talked about was what kind of person each one was, so they could reconnect. "There are four different types of demons, but some demons are more than one type. These types are animal, human, nature, and spirit. Animal-demons are obviously the ones that look like animals and human-demons are obviously the ones that look like humans in their normal form."
"Human-demons?" Naruto asked. "That sounds really weird."
Kushina nodded. "Yeah, it does. But there's no other name for them. They're called that because even though every demon to a point has the ability to take on human or animal form in order to hide, human-demons often don't need to disguise themselves as people to blend in. Or at least not as much as other demons do. Just like how animal-demons can hide themselves as animals really easily."
Naruto nodded and Kushina continued. "The other two types are much different than the first two. Nature-demons are the ones that are closely tied to the environment and elements. Sometimes they are called elemental-demons. These demons are close to nature and can impact it much more strongly than others can. They are often considered physical representations of the world around us in living form, like a storm or lake or tree brought to life. But they're not that common. Spirit-demons are the kind that can look like ghosts and spectres, and are often considered physical representations of the human spirit, like their emotions or motives. Those types are the rarest, and the hardest to get rid of most of the time."
"So what type are we?" Naruto asked. He didn't really understand everything his mother was saying, just enough to know there were several different classes of supernatural creatures.
"We are fox demons as you can tell, making us an animal-type demon. We can look like normal foxes but our best known form is that of a human with fox ears and tails. Fox demons can have multiple tails ranging from one to nine, the higher the number, the stronger their power. All fox demons are born with only one and later acquire more as they gain experience, but you have three, probably because of your own connection to me and the 'other' kyuubi. Among the most basic of our skills is illusion casting, fire spells, transforming, and when we're in a large group we can even control the weather to a small point. We can use most human jutsu too so in a way we're perfect for the job as ninja."
"Cool!" Naruto said excitedly.
Kushina nodded. "We are also considered to be among the strongest of the animal-demons. If not the strongest. Others can give us trouble, but a fox demon with several tails and good control over their powers is virtually unbeatable. However..." She placed her finger right between the eyes. "I don't want to ever see you act like you're invincible. Nobody is so strong they cannot be defeated. Look at the kyuubi; it was an S-ranked demon and it taken down by a single human. No demon is without weakness and humans love to kill demons once they learn what hurts a demon the most. A fox demon's biggest weakness is we have a hard time resisting sealing jutsu. Most seals can be quite painful or even lethal to us, so never let anyone claiming to be a seal expert put anything on you. Trying to break a seal on our own can either kill us or put us in a weaken state that could take years to recover from."
Naruto nodded in actual understanding that time. A knock at the door prevented him from asking more.
"Wow that was earlier than I expected. Come in!" Kushina told herself then shouted. The door opened to reveal Mikoto Uchiha with her son Sasuke. "Mikoto! What a pleasant surprise."
"Is it really you Kushina?" The Uchiha matriarch asked.
"Yeah it's me, back from the grave. I'd love to chat with you, but I"m going to have a full day today so we'll have to save it for tomorrow at earliest. So that's your son?"
Mikoto nodded. "Yeah, this is Sasuke. Is it true about him and all the others being demons now?"
Kushina nodded back. "Yes, but that doesn't mean he's not your son anymore. His body changed, not his soul."
Mikoto sighed. "That's a relief. I was afraid what would happen if that wasn't true. So what can you tell me?" She asked as she pulled out 50 ryo and handed it to Kushina.
The red-haired woman looked over the young Uchiha, checking his youki and sniffing him too. "Your son, Mikoto, is a vampire."
Mikoto looked like she had seen a ghost. "A vampire?"
"Yes, a vampire. A human-demon and considered the strongest one of it's class. Don't worry about what you've heard in books and movies, most of them only got it half-right. Vampires do need to drink blood but they can eat regular food too. They just can't metabolize it well enough to get all the nutrition they need out of it, so they drink fresh blood to get the proteins they need. It doesn't have to come from a person, donor blood from a hospital will do, but they tend to favor blood that's still warm. Animal blood will work just as fine. They only need to actually drink blood once a week, so you'll have time to figure out how to get him some."
Mikoto slowly nodded, still in a state of shock. Kushina continued. "Vampires also don't need to sleep during the day and can be out in sunlight. They just sunburn easily so they prefer being nocturnal, and they have night-vision so that's another reason. They can die from being out in the sun too long, but it's mainly from a really bad sunburn that kills them. So they tend to be more active at night for these reasons. They don't like garlic, but it's not lethal to them, just a strong allergy. They are incredible healers, able to help almost any wound in a matter of seconds and even regenerate lost body parts. The only wounds they can't regenerate are wounds to their hearts, which is why vampire slayers prefer to pierce their hearts to kill them. Decapitation is the only other wound they can't heal from, so that can kill them too."
The idea of someone killing Sasuke like that made both Uchiha look worried, so Kushina changed the subject. "Vampires are considered top-rank demons, often even the weakest of them being as strong as a B-ranked shinobi. They also can lift three or more times their own body weight and communicate with wolves and most vermin, like bats and rats. They can turn into bats, they can reflect in mirrors, and they can fly short distances in human form. Vampires do sometimes sleep in coffins, but there are two reasons for that. A coffin is the best way for them to sleep during the day and not be in the sunlight, and while vampires sleep, they tend to emit a defensive pheromone that smells like rotting flesh, which you may not want around your house. That scent is the main reason most people call vampires undead creatures rather than demons. Their biggest weakness, however, is not sunlight or garlic, but water. Not just holy water, but all water. Water takes away their ability to use their chakra or youki, rendering them completely powerless, and it numbs their body and mind too, making them slow down and want to sleep. So I'm afraid your son will never be able to use water jutsu or even the water-walking exercise. He's also especially vulnerable to anyone who uses those against him."
"Can that be changed?" Sasuke asked, his fangs visible as he spoke.
"It can, but I don't know how." Kushina answered. "All you need to know Sasuke, is that you should stick to the shade when you can, avoid water and garlic at all costs, and drink blood once a week."
Kushina then leaned in closer to him. "But when it comes to blood, there are two things I want you to promise me. Promise me that you will never drink from a person that didn't give you permission, and never drink enough to kill someone. This is important Sasuke. A lot of vampires became monsters by killing people like they were mere animals. Do you want your mother to see you become a monster?" Sasuke shook his head no quite enthusiastically. "Good. If you need fresh blood, ask a person first and if they agree, just take a little. And lick the wound so it heals quickly. Don't ever kill them, and most of all, never ever drink all the blood in the body. Any vampire who drains their victim dry... dies too."
"Why?" Mikoto asked, curious.
"I don't know. I think it's nature's way of keeping vampires under control. Oh, before I forget, if you put wolfsbane in water it won't have the numbing effect on Sasuke. He still won't be able to use chakra, but at least this way he can take a bath and not risk drowning in the tub because he was put to sleep."
"Thanks." Mikoto said. After that, the two women started having a friendly chat to catch up while Naruto and Sasuke kept busy by chatting with each other. Naruto did most of the talking though. After a while though they had to stop, when another parent wanted answers to what their children had become.
Mikoto left with Sasuke, and soon Hiashi entered with his two daughters. He walked with a type of regality, dressed in white robes, carrying his younger daughter in his arms while the other walked close behind him instead of in front.
"Hello Lady Namikaze, what can you tell me about my daughters?" He asked, his voice, although it showed some concern, was rather cold.
Kushina raised a brow at him for a moment and then nodded as she looked over them both.
The older one looked like she was trying to become invisible, hiding behind her father's leg. Her eyes were soft pale lavender, no traces of the standard white of the Hyuuga eyes, and her hair was light blue with a purplish sheen to it. "Hi there little girl, come on out. I don't bite."
The girl didn't move, so Naruto stepped forward. "It's okay, my mom's a good person. You've got nothing to fear." With that, she slowly took a small step forward. "My name's Naruto, what's yours?"
"Hi-Hi-Hinata."
"Hi there Hihihinata." The young boy said obliviously, making the young girl blush and his mother laugh.
"Son, she meant her name is Hinata. She just struggled to say it for a moment." Kushina corrected.
"Oh, sorry Hinata."
"It's okay."
"Hinata, stop hiding and allow this woman to look at you." Hiashi commanded, then stepped aside as to give Kushina a better view.
Kushina checked over Hinata and looked at Hiashi. "Hiashi Hyuuga, your daughter is a Yuki-onna. A human/nature-demon with power over all things cold. In a cold environment, they are the strongest demons of all, with only yeti's being an actual challenge to them. They can freeze all water around them and even use the moisture in the air if they have to. Examples of such abilities include but are not limited to lowering the temperature in the surrounding area, creating small blizzards and icy whirlwinds, and creating weapons and tools out of ice. Strong ones can even freeze the water in someone else's body, turning them into a icicle, although they often prefer to encase one in ice rather than actually turn them into ice. She can use ice jutsus now without hand signs and can do water jutsus with the skill of an expert even at her young age. The problem is ice, water, and wind are the only elements she will ever be able to use. Earth, fire, and lightning jutsus are now an impossibility for her."
"Won't living here be a problem for her? This is Land of Fire after all." Hiashi asked.
"She won't melt if that's what you're worried about. Yuki-onnas are vulnerable to heat and likely to suffer heat sickness and worse if not kept cool. Also, they are not totally immune to the cold, as it is possible for even them to get too cold, but their tolerance for heat is much less than their tolerance for cold. There's a recipe for a medicine that allows them to tolerate heat more, but it's going to take a while to make it. Until then, it's best to keep her in an air-conditioned room."
Kushina then got up to go grab a pen and paper and started writing on it. "Is there anything else I should know?" Hiashi asked.
"Nothing that can't wait, at least that is until she's old enough to have children of her own." Kushina answered, then handed him the paper. "Here, follow these directions and you'll be able to make your daughter's medicine. She'll need to have this daily for her to be at her best so make it in bulk. Now, let me see your other daughter."
Hiashi's other daughter had been carried in his arms. Kushina could see her eyes were normal for a Hyuuga and there was nothing odd about her hair or face, but the rest of her body was significantly different. "What's her name?"
"Hanabi."
"Hanabi here is a harpy. A human/animal-demon that's half person, half bird. But you could probably guess that already, given that her arms are wings and her legs are like an eagles now." Hanabi's arms were covered with dark brown feathers except at her clawed hands and her legs and feet looked just like those on an eagle, with her knees bending backwards. If one looked carefully enough they could see tail feathers behind her too. "She can fly when she's old and coordinated enough. Most bird demons can't fly when young, like most normal birds, so you've got time to figure out how to keep her contained when she can. I gotta say though, having the byakugan with a birds-eye-view will give her a great advantage."
Hiashi perked up. "That does sound good. A Hyuuga that can actually fly will make her a fierce foe"
The conversation did not go any further beyond a few other simple questions, and then Hiashi bowed his head and then turned and walked away. Hinata took one last look at Nartuo, who waved goodbye as the girl walked off after her father who had not stopped to wait for her.
More people came in after Hiashi paid and left. It was a long day, but Kushina covered all of the kids who would grow up to be the Rookie 12.
"Sakura, you are a banshee. A spirit-demon with powers over pain and fear. Banshees are best known for their screams, their greatest weapon. A sad wail from a banshee can make someone sad enough to kill someone, even themselves, and an angry screech can hurt a person so painfully they'll feel like their heads will explode. Banshees are very difficult to hurt because they can turn from solid flesh and blood bodies into mist apparitions at will in less than a second. Every time someone wants to hurt you and you see it coming, your body will become like a ghost so the attack just goes right thru you. You can also turn invisible and pass thru walls when like this. The only thing that can hurt you like that is a weapon or tool made from forged iron, which hurts you in either form and can kill you if it hits a vulnerable spot. Only these weapons, or an attack you weren't aware of in time would be able to hurt you. Also, you are not immune to the sounds of another banshee, so it's generally not a good idea to associate with your own kind a lot."
"Kiba, you are a werewolf. A human/animal-demon and one of the toughest ones there are. Unlike most other children, you won't need to disguise yourself all the time, as you'll look like a normal human the majority of the time. As you get older you'll have more control over your transformations and instincts, but for now it'll be involuntary for you. You'll be no different than most Inuzuka when in your human form, but on full moon nights you'll change into a wolf man creature with the instincts of a wolf. When you're older, you'll be able to do this voluntarily and keep control of yourself, but full moon nights will always trigger an involuntary change in you. You'll grow to be quite strong and fast even for an Inuzuka, but vulnerable to forged silver and wolfsbane. Overall, I don't think there's a demon more appropriate for one in your clan to become, and I think this means your bond with your dog partner may be strengthened, but make sure your dog can tolerate wolves."
"Shino, you are a spider demon. An animal-demon of the insect variety, Yeah, I know spiders aren't technically insects but they're classified that way in demon terms. As you can already tell, you've got six arms that can double quite easily as legs when you need to walk on all... eights? You can create webbing, from the mouth rather than the rear like a normal spider, and your skin can harden within an instance to give you a natural exoskeleton-like armor. As an insect demon, you've got one of the best regenerative abilities of all demons, able to heal from virtually any wound that doesn't affect your heart. Blunt trauma attacks are probably the most painful to you now while you'll barely feel pain from anything else. From what I sense, you're not a venomous type so you're a trapper rather than a hunter. I'm not sure how it will affect your ability to perform clan methods so you'll have to find that out on your own. If it does work, it may prove good for you, and if it doesn't, you have your own methods to compensate. And don't be afraid of other kids thinking of you as a bug more now. At this point all kids are in the same situation so now's not the time to turn against each other."
"Shikamaru, you are a crow demon, commonly called a Tengu. Don't worry, you won't grow a long pointed nose or anything like that. As a crow demon, you simply have crow wings growing out of your back and have crow feet too. Not like the lines on an old person's face kind of crows feet, the literal thing. You'll understand that comment when you're older. You can fly, and since your arms and wings aren't the same limb you can carry things when you fly with your hands rather than your feet, so you'll have significant upper body strength. You can also talk to birds now and have a stronger talent for taijutsu. Did you know some myths say taijutsu was invented by tengus? No? Well that means you've got an ace up your sleeve when you train. And don't give me that lazt male Nara garbage, I expect to see you work your feathers off."
"Ino, you are a siren. That's a nature-demon that's often confused with harpies, but the two are very different. Harpies cannot swim and sirens cannot fly. Sirens are aquatic demons that need to be around water most of the time. They can turn into various sea animals, control water and aquatic plant life, and even breathe underwater. But a siren's best attribute is their song. A siren song practically hypnotizes whoever hears it and makes them do whatever the song is telling them to do. It can also control what they see if the siren desires that effect. Because of their aquatic nature, sirens are also confused with mermaids too, but again they're both different. Sirens are more comfortable on land than mermaids ever are and can look like more than just fish."
"Chouji, you are a troll. Think of it like an oni, only shorter and with smaller horns. Trolls are classified as nature-demons with connections to the earth, often found in dangerous areas people don't like to go to. Such places are generally in the mountains and forests, and often include underground areas. Trolls are much stronger than they look and very hard to hurt, but they're slow so it's easy for a frightened animal or person to outrun them. This is why trolls prefer to ambush or trap their targets. The powers of a troll are based mostly on their location. Mountain trolls tend to be expert earth jutsu users, and forest trolls are said to even be able to possess a variation of the mokuton. Given Konoha's location, I think it's safe to say you're a forest troll, but we won't know for certain until you're a little older."
"Neji, you are a dog demon. An animal-demon that actually gets along with humans and comes in a few varieties. I'd say you're the type that likes to take on human form too, rather than the other types like the hellhound which look like monstrous dogs most of the time. As a dog demon, you have much better senses than any human, scent and hearing being the primary ones. You most likely won't get along with monkey demons or cat demons, but you won't try to kill them on sight unless you've got a personal grudge against them or they're trying to hurt one of your 'pack' members. Your powers can vary from chakra claw attacks to elemental manipulation, so we won't know the full extent of your capabilities until you're older as they tend to differ between individuals. Dog demons also often have a natural talent for kenjutsu so you may want to look into that when you're old enough."
"Tenten, you are a cat demon. An animal-demon with notorious death-defying abilities, enough that they are the reason people say cats have nine lives. Cat demons can come in several varieties, and I'd said you're the type that is commonly called 'catgirl' by others, given how you have cat ears and a tail now. You can enhanced senses and much better reflexes than any human, making you a potentially great kunoichi who can make a good hit while being hard to hit back. Cat demon powers vary between each individual so we'll have to wait until you're older to know what you've acquired. The most common ones are chakra claw attacks and fire control. Cat demons usually don't get along too well with dog demons or wolf demons, but not to the mortal enemy point unless one actually tried to kill you. Cat demons are capable of laying curses on others if angered enough so promise me you won't take advantage of such a power."
"Lee, you are a doppelganger. Unlike other demons, this one isn't classified as any type because it can be virtually anything. A doppelganger can take on the appearance and powers of anyone they've ever touched. They cannot match the strength or speed though, so you'll have to train yourself quite well to have your own strength and speed to make up for that. Another fact is that doppelgangers are incapable of making any form of jutsu in their normal state, only when they mimic another and even then only the jutsus that person knew when you touched them. Any jutsu that person learned later on is uncopiable to you until you touch them again."
It was hours later when they had finished giving out information on what each child had turned into and so on. Both Naruto and Kushina were just sitting together under the tree at the Academy where the swing was, both of them enjoying dinner. It was a good time for them to simply talk and enjoy the sunshine. For so long Kushina had longed to do just this with her son, she only wished she had her Minato with her as well.
Naruto munched happily on a jam-filled riceball while Kushina sipped on some refreshing tea.
It was very hot today, and the cold tea and sweet jam riceballs relaxed the two of them. However their relaxation came to and end when suddenly both of the Uzumaki's ears twitched.
"Well it seems that the two of you have had a busy day."
Both of them turned to see Danzo standing there, leaning on his cane, with an Anbu agent standing behind him carrying a small sealed chest.
"Danzo." Kushina said with a polite smile. Her voice sounded a bit strained from hours of talking to others. "Would you care to join us? I brought plenty of tea."
The older man held up his hand, with his cane still in it. "No, forgive me if I decline, but I am not hungry. I have come to return your property." He gestured towards the masked Anbu who walked over in a silent, almost zombie-like fashion, and placed the chest down in front of Kushina.
"What is it Mom?" Naruto asked as he stared at the chest.
"Your future my son." She said as she broke the seal with her kunai and opened the chest. Inside were a number of scrolls that were sealed with the Namikaze crest. These were Minato's family jutsus, ones that had been passed down from one generation to the next, and ones that he himself had personally developed, the ones that made him one of the most feared ninja's in all of the world, the Yellow Flash.
"Thank you Danzo, for brining these back and for keeping them safe." Kushina said as she closed the box. "I am sure it would have meant a great deal to Minato."
"I was a great admirer of your husband. He always sought the protection and continuation of the village, the same as I do. I regret not knowing your husband better beyond the council table, however I would like to remedy that. I would like to be your friend and ally."
Kushina considered it, and she could sense no ill intent or lies coming for the man. His statements were true, at least in some aspect, and while she did not completely trust him just yet, she nodded her head. "I would appreciate that."
Danzo gave a small smile and bowed his head. "I am glad to hear that, however if you would excuse me, I have a prior engagement that I must see to." He bowed his head again and walked away with the Anbu agent following close behind.
The two of them walked far from the academy, and when Danzo was sure that even Kushina could not detect them he whispered to the agent. "Go to every orphanage and foster family, offer them anything for their silence, and then take the pick the litter amongst the transformed ones, the younger the better. Have it done by tonight and move them to the ROOT headquarters. But don't waste time with those that won't be bought off; just move on to the next then. We can't afford to waste time on the fickle. That woman practically killed off our entire force this morning with her strange jutsu. Time is not something we can be careless with."
The Anbu bowed his head. "Yes, Lord Danzo. The Foundation shall be rebuilt." He said as he vanished. This Anbu had been spared Kushina's anti-traitor jutsu, which had eliminated all of the official ROOT members, because he hadn't officially completed his training and sworn his highest loyalty to Danzo over Konoha like the others had.
The old crippled man stood there silently for a moment and then started walking again. He had plans to make, so many plans.
It was nightfall, and at the Uchiha Compound, inside the Assembly Hall, a meeting was taking place. Special silencing jutsus had been set up, no sound could be heard coming out of the Hall.
It was dark inside, dark for dark news, where the only light came from an hearth that set in the center of a large square table, the glowing embers showing the cold faces of the Uchiha. They were the elite members of the clan, main family members, jounin ranked ninjas and high ranking officers in the Police force. And sitting at the head of the table, in front of a banner that displayed the crest of the Uchiha was the Clan Head, Fugaku.
Sitting at his right was his brother Nobu, and to Fugaku's left was his still-human child, his eldest son, Itachi. Only the males had been invited to this meeting that Fugaku had called for, symbolizing that this was a secret meeting, and that no information was to go beyond these walls. Also, it subtly symbolized that the Uchiha didn't trust their women to keep their mouths shut.
"Brothers, fellow clansman of the Uchiha, our ancestors helped to establish this village and for decades we have kept this village safe. We have defended it from threats both external and internal. And for our years of service we took what we needed to continue our noble work. We took our new headquarters, honorably and within the legal rights. And from the Namikaze mansion we were able to rebuild order after the Kyuubi attack, because as Uchiha we take chaos and bring order."
Every Uchiha there agreed loudly, for they knew they could not be heard here, although Itachi remained silent.
"When Minato Namikaze died, we thought one of the greatest threats to our power and authority in this vanished, and we had only to worry of the Hyuuga, who dare to think that they are more capable of protecting this village then we are." Fugaku said as he slammed his fist down on the table.
Long before Konoha had been established, when the fire country had still been torn apart by war, the Hyuuga and Uchiha clan, although they had been distant cousins, had been bitter enemies. If there was any clan the Uchiha hated as much as the Senju, it was the Hyuuga. And that had not changed even when they both swore their loyalties to the same village.
"But yesterday, something changed. One of our greatest enemies has returned, Kushina Uzumaki, the former host of the hated Kyuubi, and the wife of Minato Namikaze." Fugaku said.
It was then one of the Uchiha members stood up. "It was she and her bastard son who caused all of this! She turned our children into monsters! My own daughter... she has become some sort of mermaid! Every time she touches water, she grows gills!"
Everyone started shouting their own stories on the creatures their children had become, and they all pointed their blame upon Kushina and Naruto.
"Furthermore, this demoness of hell that is Kushina has been back for barely twenty-four hours, and she has already try to usurp us. Forcing us to move out of our headquarters in a single day, so that she and her brat can move in." Nobu said, joining his brother.
"Yes, six years we had been there, never mind the cost of having to pay to transport all of the equipment we had placed there. But we had to take several police units off duty in order to see its safe transition here to the compound. Our village has become vulnerable because of this woman." A young officer said.
"And the Hokage did nothing to stop this, he gave in to this woman." Nobu added on, looking to his brother who nodded and stood.
"My fellow Uchiha, this is a clear sign on how lax the power of the Hokage has become. Brothers, I suggest that a new Hokage is needed; myself." Fugaku said.
There was a sudden silence in the room. They all knew what their leader was talking about, a coup d'état.
"I know what you are all thinking, however this matter has been coming for many years now. Our village needs a strong hand to guide it, and who is stronger than the Uchiha? It is we who should rule, not some old man who allies himself with demons and risen dead."
Another clans member stood up. "Fugaku, while we do not disagree that a change in leadership is warranted, on what you suggest, could we not wait a bit longer? Sarutobi is old, he cannot possibly have that many years left, and there is a good chance you will be selected to be the next Hokage anyway. Why force him out of office when Nature will do it for you in due time?"
"If we wait that long then Kushina will continue to spread her poison throughout the village, and knowing Sarutobi he might even consider placing her in the Hokage Tower instead of one of us." Nobu told the clansman who had just spoken.
"But there is so much support surrounding Sarutobi. All of us together could not defeat every clan in the village. And you saw what Kushina did in the square today, how can we defeat that?" A rather young Uchiha male said.
"With our children of course." Fugaku said with a cold smile.
Itachi looked at his father then. 'Just what do you have in mind?'
"We shall keep our demonized children, and we shall continue to train them in isolation as we always have. We shall train them to become powerful weapons, our tools which we shall use to crush our enemies." Fugaku explained, with a mirth in his eyes and voice that a non-Uchiha could only describe as 'Monster!'