"I'm a what?!" shouted Naruto with shock and confusion written all over his face. Kakashi should have known that this was too much, that this was something that Naruto wasn't expecting to happen to him. Not that he could blame him really, all the years he had lived, he had thought that he was a human and now, he learns that he was a demon, but not just a demon, but their prince. "I think you have the wrong guy here. I'm a guard." Naruto said with a frown.
"No, you are the only true heir to the throne. The only one that remains." Kakashi said, not lifting his head from his bowed position.
"Kakashi get up. This is too weird for me." Naruto said before he rubbed his head, briefly feeling his newly acquired fox ears. Kakashi lifted his head before he sat down and let out a soft sigh as he gazed at the confused prince. "How am I a prince? If I was, wouldn't people have been looking for me all this time?" asked Naruto.
"If it wasn't for the fact that the kingdom is being overrun by a man who believed himself to be the true ruler. He has his own followers and those who still sided with your parents and their beliefs he kills them off." Kakashi answered with a soft sigh as he looked up at the man who reminded Kakashi so much of Minato.
"What happened to them? To my parents?" asked Naruto, his eyes shining with fear. Most likely fear for the answer that was to be spoken.
"Ryu, the current king of demons had killed them. He had tried to kill you as well but I was able to hide you where he would never think to look. Out in plain sight so to speak." Naruto just stared with wide eyes as tears started to pool in his eyes. "I had risked everything in order to protect you." Kakashi whispered as he lowered his head. Letting out a deep shuddering breath as he ground his teeth together under his mask in the hopes that he didn't let himself cry from the pain that remained in his heart.
Taking a deep breath, Kakashi hoped that his voice wouldn't crack as he went on to explain. "I was assigned as your parents guard, adviser and should the need arise, your protector." Kakashi explained as he kept his gaze on the grass below him. "You lived a normal life for a demon child, you were to be trained when you were five but it seemed that it was not to be."
Digging his claws into the grass, Kakashi went on with his tale, no matter how much it hurt his heart. "Ryu had gathered an army to try to take you out along with your parents." He looked up for a brief moment, seeing that Naruto's ears lowered on his head, a sign that this was also hurting him. Even though he didn't remember the events yet. "I ran with your parents to the secret passage, it was one thing that the king never learned. He never knew where the tunnel was and I was hoping to have stayed with your parents in order to save them as well but they told me that they would have caught up with us. I believed them, I did… but…"
He could still hear it. The tunnel closing but, thanks to his eye being uncovered at the time of their escape, he had seen everything. The sights of blood spilling, their bodies falling to the ground as Ryu killed them. Naruto, in his arms sobbing but thanks to the walls being made to block sounds from going outside or in, he knew that they were safe for the most part. Yet, he couldn't stop himself from shouting their names out of his own pain and misery.
"What about me though? Why did I appear human for so long?" asked Naruto.
"After we managed to get out, I knew that I had to find a way to keep you safe. I had to think of something, anything that would keep you safe from Ryu. Even though life for demons was going to be hell, I wanted you to live a life away from us." Kakashi whispered before he lowered his gaze a little more, only to close his eyes from his own pain. "Then, I had figured it out. What better way to keep you safe, was by making you appear human." Naruto frowned a little at that.
"I thought that if you could live a normal human life, at least until I could officially be free of Ryu and find a way to take him down I could just get you back and have you take back what is rightfully yours." Kakashi said with a small smile on his face. Even though Naruto couldn't see it, he knew that this was something that sounded rather selfish. "I was in such a rush, fearing that Ryu was searching for you when he hadn't found any traces of your body, I had hoped that the seal would have been perfect but sadly, the seal was… incomplete."
"Incomplete?" asked Naruto with confusion.
"Yes. Should the seal be proper and complete, then you wouldn't have had any issues, you would have been a complete human with no traces of your demon powers seeping out." Kakashi said with a soft sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yet, I had seen your fight with that monkey demon. I saw that you were, indeed, stronger than the average human but still far weaker compared to demons you still held your own. Yet, I saw how you managed to held that demon back with a power that shouldn't have been awakened."
"You mean my demon heritage?"
"Yes, because the seal had, cracked, so to speak I knew that I was starting to run out of time. Your body has reached true maturity and was needing to adjust your body for your power as it started to overpower the seal that was placed on your body." Kakashi explained. "I managed to return to the castle, getting ready to find a way to return so I could keep a better eye on you. But Ryu wouldn't let me out of his sights for very long. It was amazing that I could escape just once a year to check up on you."
"Check up on me?" asked Naruto with a frown.
"I have wanted to make sure that you were alright. That you were faring well without your parents but I had seen so much in you Naruto. So much that reminded me of your parents. You have Minato's smile, your mother's personality along with her temper." Kakashi could faintly hear the shuffling of Naruto moving closer to him, though the older man just held up his hand. "I'm fine." Taking a deep breath, Kakashi looked up at the sky for a brief moment as he whispered "I knew that I had done the right thing, taking your memories of your parent's deaths, of your time as a demon and only left you your name."
"My name… What about this on the back of my hand?" asked Naruto, causing the older man to look over and watched as Naruto removed the glove from his left hand showing Kakashi the birthmark. Of course Naruto would be confused about that, it was something that only a demon would know, a demon that would know what that mark meant.
"It's simple Naruto. That, is the royal birthmark of the kingdom of demons. As the true heir, you bare such a mark to be the next in line." Kakashi explained, causing Naruto to stare in shock.
"So… I really am a demon." Naruto whispered.
"Yes, and I am so sorry. I had hoped to have much more time in training you to control yourself, but your powers were going haywire with your concern for Princess Hinata. It seems as your intended mate, your inner demon went a little mad there and lost control." Kakashi said with a frown on his face.
"Inner… demon?" asked Naruto with a frown.
"An inner demon is as a way of a voice in our head. The voice of our demon blood so to speak, a means of motivation that pushes us past our limits in order to survive or protect what we deem worthy of our protection. In your case, you were worried about Hinata because you love her." Kakashi explained as he let out a soft sigh.
"But, not I have more of a reason for not being allowed to love her!" Shouted Naruto.
"Naruto…" Kakashi whispered.
"No! I know for a fact that I can never have Hinata, I may be a prince, one of royal blood but I am a demon! I can't be with her! I knew for a fact that I was different, that I could never be with her and now this proves it! Hinata's human, I'm a monster, a demon, the very thing I've been protecting her from and now this shit happens!" Shouted Naruto, tears streaming down his face.
Kakashi frowned before he reached out and pulled the blonde to him and hugged him. "Naruto, I can't say I know shit about love but if there is one thing I know for a fact is that you are allowed to love who you love. Loving Hinata, in a way makes you happy, makes you more powerful. Love is stronger than hate that much I know for a fact. Your parents, they loved you enough to give up their lives and that was what save you all those years ago."
"I should be dead!" Shouted Naruto.
Pulling back, Kakashi slammed his hand on the blonde's head, causing him to yelp out in pain as he held his head. "What the fuck?!"
"That was for saying such things! Your parents, if they were alive to see this they would be so very disappointed in you right now! They gave up their lives to see you live Naruto!" Naruto just stared at him with wide eyes, just staring at the older man before him. "Naruto, there is much that you need to know, but sadly we don't have all day to talk about it such as your powers over fire and wind."
"I can control fire and wind?" Naruto said in shock.
"Yes, you got them from your parents. Your father had wind, while your mother had fire. You can also create illusions though, as you don't have any control over that either, your parents did manage to create this as a means of protection which also have their illusion power within it." Kakashi said as he held it out for the blonde man. Naruto tilted his head a little as he grabbed a necklace with a bluish green crystal on it. He couldn't help but stare at it with wide eyes, though that wasn't the only thing that clicked in his head.
"Daddy, when can I have a necklace like that?"
A chuckle, so warm and soft that it made Naruto feel safe and protected.
"Well, when you are ready to take over of course. It isn't just your birthmark that is a symbol of your heritage as prince my son, but also this necklace. When you receive this, it means that you are truly ready to take the throne."
"Will I be a good king daddy?"
"I believe so, so long as you remember your kind heart and spirit."
Kakashi, himself didn't know what was going on in his head, but had a feeling that he had a memory as he saw tears streaming down his face. "You alright?" asked Kakashi.
Naruto nodded his head as he sniffled and wiped at his eyes with the palms of his hands trying to wipe them all away. "I… I remember my father's voice. This was a sign that I was a king, ready to take over the lands but… I don't feel ready to take over." Naruto started to cry. Kakashi expected this to happen, even though he only got bits and pieces of memories, it was still a lot to take in. He suffered so much, emotionally and physically just to get where he is today and he finally hit his breaking point.
Letting out a soft sigh, Kakashi pulled Naruto to him as he calmly said "Naruto, you are ready. You have your parents to guide you, and I will guide you. After all, I was their adviser, guard, and friend. As their final wish, I am to protect and guide you through your kingdom."
"How can I be a king when I don't know the first thing about being one?" asked Naruto.
"Did you know how to be a guard at first?" asked Kakashi.
"Well, no…"
"You learned right?"
"Yeah?"
"That's how. You learn Naruto, you can learn to be a king and that is what will happen. I will teach you and plus, I'm sure you've learned a thing or two from Lord Hiashi." Kakashi chuckled a little, causing the younger man to give him a faint smile. "Now, let's get you looking like a proper human again alright? I'm sure Princess Hinata is concerned as to where we are."
Iruka though, even though he had wanted to cut in so many times he knew that this was something that Kakashi had to do for Naruto. After all, Kakashi was the only one that knew of Naruto's true heritage, and his tale, he had seen the pain on the man's face. So much pain that it had all but broken him down into tiny shards. It was amazing, that he had been able to hold so much pain in his heart for so long. How it was that he could keep it bottled up for so long and now, of all times break down?
He knew that Kakashi was many things, it was that he was simply a man, regardless if he was a demon or not, he was only a man that had to go through so many hardships of his own and lose his best friends in the process in order to keep his promise.
Spilling his own heart out, was another matter that Kakashi had to deal with now and Iruka knew that he may have to help the man when the time comes.
Though he had a feeling that it may come sooner than they had expected. After all, if this is the first time he is even speaking of the past, of the horrible death of his friends then it was bound to take its toll on the poor man's soul. One person, regardless if they be human or demon, can only take so much heartache before it consumes them to the point of tears.
Closing his eyes, Iruka looked over as he saw Naruto put the necklace on, Kakashi explaining to him that since it has his parent's power within it, he would have to tell the necklace what it was that he would want. As his parents had made sure that they would only be able to work for him, as it would sense their son's demonic aura and presents as it was still a fusion so to speak, of their power.
In an instant, Naruto appeared as a human and he couldn't help but reach up and touch his head where his fox ears once were. He frowned a little, and it made Iruka wonder if the man could even still feel them in the first place even though he looked like a normal human.
"You'll still feel them, but no one can see or touch them." Kakashi explained.
Okay, so that made sense, though Iruka turned his gaze back to the silvery white haired man as he started to shift back into a human appearance as well. Though his was a little more difficult, most likely due to the potion that he had to ingest in order to appear human.
This whole thing was rather interesting, and confusing for Iruka. The whole time, Naruto was a demon, and not just any demon but their prince of all things. A demon killed his parents just so he could rule the lands and now had no idea that Naruto was even still alive in the first place. Only that he was either dead or at the very least not planning to come back. Though, if that man was any other power hungry man, he would do all that he could to ensure his position.
That would mean finding Naruto and killing him if that time ever came about.
Iruka was going to have his hands full, that much was for sure, though even then he knew that he and Kakashi would have to help Naruto with his training should the time come when the king of demons would come for the man and try to kill him or enslave him. Whichever the king would prefer but it didn't sit well for Iruka with any idea really.
"How is he gonna live a life here though?" asked Iruka.
"Sadly, now that the seal is broken his demonic aura will be sensed by some demons. Though, because his power hasn't been sensed in a long time, there is a good chance that they may sense him but think of him as any other demon. Though that may be wishful thinking on our part." Kakashi explained with a shrug of his shoulders before he looked back at Iruka. "But, we'll have to make sure we prepare him for when that time comes. If anything, Ryu will learn that Naruto is alive and well, and try to come and take him away as only Naruto's power itself is enough to open a few of the secret passages that even I can't get through, for in those other tunnels it contains treasure that Naruto's family had left for when he would rule and he will need that money to repair all the damages Ryu has done during his rule."
It seemed, that Naruto indeed had a long road ahead of him.
just gonna point out, this story is still on hold, but I figured that since I had finished Utopia, and hadn't updated this one in a while, I would at least give you one update before putting all my energy into a different story. I haven't given up on this story, but because I am running out of ideas, it may be sped up a little bit, I do plan to do a flashback of Naruto's family maybe in the next chapter. Later.
