Well everyone, here's the second chapter.

Disclaimer: Hmm... I don't really feel like it.

Chapter 1: Of Power and Prophecies

Three weeks later...

Namikaze Minato was a man who was both practical and idealistic.

Any normal man would have a hard time blending both of these aspects, but Minato is no normal man. Where others failed, he shined. He maintained the perfect degree of practicality and idealism in his daily life, never straying from that path while laughing in the faces of those who doubt him.

His idealism shined in times of peace, with his inherit belief that people were good at heart. He was a firm supporter of hard work and the "Will of Fire" that his three predecessors had righteously followed. His ideals and beliefs would surely continue to shape Konoha for many years in the future.

He also believed in his sensei's visions. True peace could be found in the ninja system. Former enemies who would've killed each other in a heartbeat could come together and live in this new era.

But, this is not to say that he is impractical. In times of war, there is no room for idealism, and Minato knew this well. The blonde haired man followed every mission the Elders had given him to a T, with maximum efficiency every time.

He was an integral part of the war with Iwa, often being called to the front lines to deal with hordes of oncoming Iwa-nin. His kill count in the war was even greater than his wife's, though her kills were significantly flashier and bloodier.

But thankfully, they weren't at war anymore, despite the heavy attack incurred by Uchiha Madara and the Kyuubi three weeks ago. Thanks to his efforts, Madara's plan was triumphantly thwarted, and the village avoided destruction.

And they had gained another gift. A hero. The little blonde haired baby who was sleeping on his desk at this very moment. His daughter Namikaze Haruki. The one he had sealed the rampaging Kyuubi into.

The man couldn't help but admire her. She was the center of their family; their family of shinobi, and of the entire village. He had announced his deed in front of the entire village, and to his great joy and relief, they had embraced her with open arms. Sounds and chants of both his and her heroism thundered throughout the village. Parties were thrown and honors were given to a brave man and his daughter.

Naruto had paid a little TOO much attention to his newborn sister. His curiosity never ceased, and his father could never tell what was so interesting about Haruki. Well, he could tell, but there's no way a two year old would ever comprehend it.

Whatever the case, Naruto wouldn't stop poking the baby, his small face becoming alight with childish glee everytime Haruki would react to it. And when Naruto did start poking her... THAT is when she would never stop crying.

He didn't know what was happening with Naruto. His son has been a complete enigma ever since the attack. He was quieter... more reserved. He wasn't the bright, young ball of energy that he was before the attack. The boy had been completely shell shocked for about a week after. Could he have been traumatized by the experience?

It was understandable. Being exposed to ninja combat at such a early age could traumatize the child dramatically. But Minato was sure the boy would come around eventually. After all, they were a family of ninja. He hoped the boy would come around; his actions were starting to get annoying.

Which is exactly why he had brought Haruki into the office with him this morning. To give her a break from Naruto's bothersome actions. Plus, couldn't a man spend some quality time with his newborn daughter?

Jiraiya was supposed to meet him in his office today, to discuss the attack and the mechanics of the seal he had placed on his daughter. But the pervert was already a half hour late, and Minato had a pretty good idea on what he was doing...

The Hokage thought of what his teacher would say. He'd probably be happy that the harbinger of destruction was out of the way, and that the child of prophecy could lead the ninja world to a path of peace without any struggle.

The office was silent, but as Minato sighed, more noise could be heard.

A tap and a drumbeat. They seemed to come from someplace unknown.

Another one. The rhythm became louder and more intense.

A puff of smoke appeared in the middle of the room, and Minato pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. A nauseating smell of what seemed to be a mixture of body odor and perfume came with the smoke.

A silhouette of a large man doing a ridiculous dance while singing some high-pitching lyrics was what graced Minato's eyes. Haruki fluttered opened her eyes and began to cry loudly, her screams increasing as she viewed the man in the middle.

Minato closed his eyes for a moment, drowning out the obnoxious noise of both his daughter and his sensei. When he opened them, he was greeted to the sight of the white-haired man grinning down flashily at him.

"What do you think of my new intro. Even better than my last one, right?"

Minato sighed heartily, before reaching down to coddle his daughter. The little girl continued to cry for a few seconds, before it finally died down to some near silent sniffles and hiccuping.

Jiraiya noticed the little baby, before he grinned even wider.

"So there's the little brat, eh? I'm surprised you even brought her into the office with you."

Minato smiled slightly as the baby stopped sniffling and began laughing.

"Well, Naruto wouldn't stop poking her. I had to give her a break from that. Not to mention, she has to meet her new Godfather." Minato lifted Haruki's pink flanel shirt to expose her slightly chubby stomach.

On the baby's stomach was a intricate black seal, in a spiral pattern surrounded by several strange black markings.

"Is that the seal?" Jiraiya asked, scrutinizing the markings closely, his eyes scanning the seal for any sort of mistake that could've been made.

"Well, I'll be. You really did seal the fox into her using the Shiki Fuujin. Coupled with the Uzumaki clan's special seals to form the Hakke no Fuin Shiki, it will give her the ability to access the beast's chakra in the future. That will surely help grow up to be a fine kunoichi. But, what really amazes me..."

"... is the fact that you survived using the Shiki Fuujin. By all means, you should be dead right now, Minato."

Even such a morbid question couldn't dampen Minato's good spirits, though he remembered how lucky he had been to survive on the fateful night. Feeling the cold arm of death itself reach inside your bowels and hold your very soul in a vice grip was the worst feeling in the world. It was the feeling of hopelessness. Of despair. The amount of shameful relief he had felt when the Shinigami began targeting Madara instead of him was staggering.

The Hokage forced a smile.

"I know. I know that I should be dead after using that forbidden jutsu. That jutsu guarantees nothing but death to all of its users. But... I'm not dead. The Shinigami chose to let me live, taking Madara's soul instead of mine."

Jiraiya's eyes widened substantially.

"I didn't realize that such a thing could happen. So, Uchiha Madara is forever out of the picture, is that right?"

Minato grabbed a document from his stack of paperwork, making a face at it before placing it to his right.

"Yes... the seal of the death god is absolute. Not even that man could escape it. His hold on the Kyuubi has been permanently broken as well. The fox is now safely sealed within one of Konoha's ninja again.

Minato stood up in his chair, and looked Jiraiya straight in the eyes.

"A few months ago, you told me that the masked man, who I later found to be Uchiha Madara, was the harbinger of destruction in the prophecy told by the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku. Haruki is the Child of Prophecy, the one destined to bring peace to the Elemental Countries. And if Madara, the harbinger of destruction is dead, that means that there is no one to oppose the Child of Prophecy anymore, right?"

His voice was nervous... pleading. Desperate for the proper answer that should be coming from Jiraiya's mouth.

Jiraiya looked at his feet. His student really seemed to have faith in his daughter's abilities. It would be hard to break it to him. The tall man bit his lip, trying to find the words to say to his protégé. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Minato sealed the Kyuubi into his daughter based on his statements. Granted, the village had taken kindly to it, but it was still quite a burden to carry.

"Minato... the Great Toad Sage's prophecy isn't exactly clear-cut. I was simply wagering a guess as to who the Child of Prophecy and Harbinger of Destruction were. Based on his deeds, the Harbinger of Destruction was most likely Uchiha Madara. But, I can't be sure. It's a different story with the Child of Prophecy. All the Toad Sage said about that was that it would be a student of mine."

Jiraiya winced when Minato adopted a frown on his face. The man looked lamely down at his daughter, who was giggling happily up at him.

"Then..." he started, but never finished his sentence. Jiraiya felt even guiltier.

"And, it's a strong possibility that your daughter isn't the Child of Prophecy after all. You are obviously going to ask me to teach her, which I will agree to because of my idiotic last hope that she is the Child of Prophecy. But the main reason your daughter isn't likely to be the Child of Prophecy is because she is a Jinchuuriki." he explained.

Minato glared at his sensei, anger becoming present in his eyes.

"That's it! That's the reason you believe she won't be able to save this world? Simply because she holds a demon inside of her! Part of my reasoning for sealing the Kyuubi away in her was in the hopes that she'll be able to use its power to protect the ninja world. And now you're telling me she won't be able to do that because of the demon she's supposed to use to protect anyway! Do you think she's a demon too?" yelled the Hokage.

Jiraiya said nothing, his face never giving away any noticeable reaction. He was already prepared for that kind of anger from Minato. Minato sat back in his chair, out of breath from his rant. Haruki began crying, her happy mood killed by her father's anger.

The Sennin held up his hand, trying to calm Minato.

"I do not believe Haruki is a demon, nor do I believe that it is her fault that she will not be the Child of Prophecy. Rather, I believe it is the ninja's world fault that she can't save them. The Bijuu are weapons used by the Hidden Villages. And the Jinchuuriki are the ones who utilize those weapons. As much as I hate to say, no matter how many people accept her. No matter how the village treats her, that fact won't change. Your daughter wields some incredible power, Minato. Power that you yourself want her to use. As long as she becomes a ninja, she will have to use the Kyuubi's power for some unsavory tasks." Jiraiya paused in his speech, to view Minato beginning to breathe heavier.

"If a war breaks out, the Council will put her at the front. As the most important weapon they have. And even you won't be able to override that. And even if war doesn't break out, she will still be involved in high level missions. In the end, she will be involved in too many deadly and destructive tasks for me to consider her the one who will be the savior of the world, no matter how much I want her to be."

Minato shook his head.

"It's not true. I won't let-" he was cut off.

"You won't let them? That isn't true. You are just one man Minato, and the council has the power to override you in times of crisis." said Jiraiya, a little firmer than before.

"It's not true. It's not. She's the center of our family. She has to be the Child of Prophecy! If she isn't, why did I seal the Kyuubi in her in the first place. She's not just some weapon; she's my daughter! I won't let them use her as a weapon for their own benefit!"

As soon as he stopped, Jiraiya grabbed Minato by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall forcefully.

"Listen to me, Minato. You're the Hokage. You can't just sit here with your finger up your ass and delude yourself that your daughter is the Child of Prophecy, because chances are she will not be. The best thing to do is help your daughter become a real ninja, instead of the Child of Prophecy. The council will want to use her eventually; that fact is absolute. But, what better way to help her have a happy life than to let your daughter take after you, rather than forcing this Child of Prophecy bullshit on her." Jiraiya said, inches away from Minato's face.

Minato pushed his sensei away lightly.

"No, I'll protect her from the council. If she can't be the Child of Prophecy, she''ll become Hokage at the very least. I will personally see to that. If I name her my successor, the council will be unable to interfere any longer. Then, we'll truly see if she is the Child of Prophecy or not."

Jiraiya banged his fists on the desk.

"Goddammit Minato. What will it take for you to listen to me. Becoming Hokage is fair enough, but you can't proclaim her the Child of Prophecy when she clearly isn't. What will you do if she fails?"

Minato sat back in desk, a smug look upon his face.

"This conversation is over. I will not turn her over to the council. She will be her own ninja, and she will not be trained by you. She will be trained by me and Kushina."

Jiraiya frowned, still looking unsatisfied by this answer. He stoutly turned around and opened the door to the office.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Minato."

Minato watched the white-haired man shut the door quietly behind him, before he turned to look down at his daughter, who was still sniffling from the conflict that transpired in the room.

Minato forced a grin onto his face at the sight of his daughter, gently stroking her cheek to soothe her.

"You are going to be the best shinobi I have ever seen before. I promise."

Kushina sighed, as she tried to get her son to move. Ever since the attack, he hadn't been doing much of anything except poking his sister. He was quieter too, and the loud, vibrant toddler from before seemed like almost a mystery.

There was no doubt that he had been traumatized by the events that had taken place not too long ago. She could understand; viewing lethal combat at the mere age of two could be traumatic.

She was worried about him, that was for sure. They were a family of shinobi, which meant that Naruto would definitely become one in the future, but she didn't she how he would. The boy was absolutely tiny for his age, and if he remained traumatized by combat, he would never become a successful ninja.

His chakra reserves were abysmal, and despite not knowing how much control he had over them, she knew very well that it would make no difference.

She thought back to her daughter. The baby had enormous chakra reserves for a newborn, courtesy of the Kyuubi. Coupled with her former Bijuu sealed inside, Haruki was perfect for being a ninja.

But... did that mean that they could ignore Naruto in favor of Haruki? She hoped not. They would at least try to give him the same training that they would give Haruki, but if he didn't progress at all, then she didn't know what they would do then.

Four years later...

Six-year old Naruto was not afraid. He was not afraid. He was not...

.

.

.

... Okay, maybe he was a little afraid. Afraid to be entering the institution that would turn him into a ninja. His father was a ninja, the Hokage in fact. His mother was a ninja as well, and second only to his father himself. Even his four year old sister was being trained as a ninja. So... wouldn't it be rather obvious that he would become a ninja as well?

He stared up at the building. This school where future shinobi meant to serve Konoha are trained. His parents had decided to enroll him in the academy a year early, and Naruto had been dreading this day for months.

His mother basically had to drag him out of bed so she could accompany him on his first day of school. The boy bit his lip, before latching himself around his mother's midsection.

Kushina grinned as she felt her son wrap his arms around her stomach and grip her flak jacket tightly. He buried his head into the coarse material, refusing to look at the building again.

Kushina pried his small arms off of her, bending down to grasp her son's shoulders.

"Now, Naru-kun, it's not as bad as it looks. The ninja academy can be a fun place, and the academy instructors will be sure to help you if you are having difficulties." his mother comforted him. For some reason, it didn't ease Naruto's anxiety in the slightest.

He didn't care about that. He was more concerned that he was going to become a ninja. In a few years, having experiences like that one four years ago would become an everyday occurrence for him. He shook himself free of those thoughts. He didn't want to think about that.

"Do you have to go, Kaa-san?" Naruto asked.

Kushina smiled lightly at him.

"You'll be fine, Naru-kun. Just hold your head up high and don't let anyone push you around."

Inwardly, the woman was slightly worried for her son. He showed a lack of zeal for being a ninja. He was still the same timid boy from four years, proving that he never truly got over his early experience. She would have to see how he adjusted to the academy.

Bending down, Kushina kissed her son on the cheek before disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto stared blankly at the spot where his mother once was, before nervously turning around to face the building yet again.

He looked down at his schedule to see he had the room 2-A, with some teacher name Umino Iruka. Around him, he vaguely noticed the other kid's saying goodbye to their parents and started eagerly shuffling into the building.

He heard the bell ring suddenly as he entered the academy, the blaring noise startling him. No, no no. He couldn't be late on his first day!

The boy began to run through the halls, his small legs not letting him go very fast. His classroom was at the very edge of the academy, so it was a good three minutes before he finally reached the door.

He could hear his teacher talking through the door, something about how they were going to proudly represent Konoha, and that they should study their hardest. He didn't really pay that much attention.

He turned the doorknob slightly, and all eyes turned on him as he entered the room cautiously. The teacher looked at him expressionlessly, but he could practically feel the taunts and jeers of his classmates, even if they didn't say anything.

He knew why. He was a year younger, and he was small and skinny, standing at only 3 feet tall. Not to mention he was the Hokage's son. All around the village, he knew the people criticized him. They said he was much too short and scrawny to be the Hokage's son. They took much kinder to his sister, who was healthy and tall for her age. She also didn't reject his parent's training. He just didn't get it. Why would anyone want special treatment? It just makes the merit worth less in the end.

Iruka tried to smile.

"You must be Naruto. Your father has told me all about you," the scarred Chuunin laughed nervously.

"But... you're three minutes late, and you've missed my introduction. Please, take a seat." Iruka gestured to the rows of much bigger students. As he walked down the rows, he heard one boy say...

"Look at that little weakling. He'll never make it as a ninja. I can't believe he was allowed to join the academy."

Naruto almost glared at him, until he heard the boy's friend say...

"Just leave it. His father's the Hokage..."

"Really!? Then no wonder he was allowed in here..."

Naruto took an aisle seat in the fourth row, before laying his head down on his desk.

"I am not going to like it here."

Minato expects several things to happen in his office throughout the course of a day. Things like paperwork, ANBU, and the occasional daimyo were all things he had gotten used to. His wife even popped even frequently to bring him lunch or keep him company.

But, this was the first time she had ever run into his office sweaty and out-of-breath. Her hair was all tangled and a mess, her flak jacket was undone, yet she seemed strangely happy at this prospect.

Minato put down his cup of tea and turned to address his wife.

"Kushina, what's wrong?" he asked.

Kushina said nothing, and simply walked over to his desk, throwing paperwork off so she could see her husband in full view.

"Kushina?" Minato asked when her face was mere inches from his own.

"Minato..." she started, looking at the questioning expression on her husband's face.

A big cheesy Uzumaki grin settled onto her face.

"I'm pregnant."

And Chapter 2 finished!

It's barely any longer than the Prologue, but I think it was done quite nicely. Of course, I'll never know for sure unless you review and tell me how I've done. So you go and make sure that you do that.

Poor Naruto's not adjusting so well to the life of a ninja, but unlike other fics, he isn't neglected. He actually turned down training from his parents.

Kushina's pregnant again, so it looks like there's going to be a fifth member of the Namikaze family.

That about wraps up this Chapter, so I'll see you next time.

Alban55