Blue Eyes and Butterflies

by Novus Ars

Naruto is dragged away from everything he knows by the Kyuubi to a new world frightfully similar to his own but major things have changed and, worse, he is forgetting everything he had once known, some of which could be helpful in this new world. femNaru - This will not be finished. I was asked to put this back up as is.

2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Most Honorable Daughter

That evening Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime, casually treaded back to room 120 of the hospital where an odd, little three-year-old lay resting. The old man sighed sadly as he paused to watch some fireworks fill the sky. It had been a rather stressful day, a most distressing day. Little Naruto was dead. The instance it had become common knowledge, and there had been no indication of the Kyuubi reappearing to kill them all, the law that had unsuccessfully protected Naruto had been broken permanently.

Everyone old enough to understand now knew of the Jinchuuriki that had been amongst them for a short three years. They were now celebrating, and wanting the day to become a proper holiday. It wasn't going to happen as far as the Hokage was concerned. In fact it was time to tell the village exactly who they had killed. The villagers of Konohagakure no sato would learn that they didn't kill a monster but a child, the Yondaime's son. The Sandaime should have done that from the beginning. He would have done it if only he had known.

Tired eyes closed as stress lines deepened from the pained frown that sat seemingly permanently on the elder's face. Namikaze Minato's wish for his son to be seen as a hero would become reality, even if it was after the child's death. Some of the greatest hero's were celebrated after their deaths. Sarutobi wished that this hadn't been the case for the boy.

Entering the hospital the Hokage blinked at a rather excited, bubbly nurse as she rushed over to him and bowed. "Hokage-sama here is the blood test you asked for! Would you like me to come help you with one of our most honorable children! I would have been at the room but no one has been allowed in since you left! Not even the doctors."

"That quiet alright I can handle this myself." The Sandaime smiled as he took the envelope from the nurse he knew to be new to the faculty. Most knew not to try entering ANBU guarded rooms unless asked by said ANBU.

"Hokage-sama! Can I-"

"No, no it's perfectly fine. I am sure nothing else will be needed."

"I.. Of course Hokage-sama." Gasped the woman as her face flushed. The elderly man continued his rather casual tread towards the room of a little girl that had seen too much already. She was a cute little thing. Tiny really, even for a three year old as the doctors had guessed she was. There was indication of malnutrition on the poor girl and her hair was rather odd. The Hokage paused for a second in amusement as he vaguely noted the bubbly nurse talking excitedly and far too quickly to be understood to another nurse.

Sarutobi chuckled as he continued on his path. Her hair was similar to Jiraiya's if it wasn't for the odd spikiness to it. A devilish grin flickered across the old man's face at the sudden thought of Naoko being the love child of Jiraiya and Tsunade. Wouldn't that be entertaining? Admittedly, it was extremely unlikely. It was impossible actually. Tsunade would have informed him if she had gotten pregnant, gave birth around the time of the Kyuubi attack, and then lost the child in the chaos that the kitsune had created.

The old man paused at the door to room 120 and realized belatedly that he hadn't gotten dinner yet. Oh well, he'll take the child to Ichiraku's after the matter of her relations, name, and residence was taken care of. With that thought the Hokage calmly entered the room, amused by the scene before him.

AUAU

Naruto frowned as he sat up. He was in a grassy area. Blue eyes wandered over the white skies and purple clouds. What a strange place. The little girl rose to her feet to wander. For a long time there was nothing but field of turquoise, then Naruto turned right and found himself standing in a rice field where three figures stood amongst the growing rice. Running towards them Naruto found his father Namikaze Minato and the Nidaime, Senju Tobirama, standing behind another, rather naked, feminine figure. The figure turned and regarded Naruto with a smile.

"Konichiwa Naoko-chan. I thought I would explain some things before you go into shock from the blood test." The figure smiled as Naruto finally got a proper look of the androgynous person. There was no way that a person could be a man and a woman at the same time, yet this being was. The figure was feminine if you ignored the lack of plump breasts but the voice was a low tenor, too deep for a woman to possess.

"Huh."

The figure chuckled before waving to the two Hokages. "When I gave you the gift of life that gives life, there was a slight problem with creating your physical form. I couldn't stick you back into the chibi Naruto form and then change its sex as it was unfit with the harsh extraction of the Kyuubi from it. So I went to the dear Shinigami and he gave me access to your father but that was where I hit a snag. See, I couldn't take your father out of the Shinigami's gut nor could I go get your mother since the Shinigami wouldn't have let me leave and come back. So I improvised!"

Naruto just stared blankly at the being before him. Why was he having such strange dreams lately?

The figure grinned as a fluffy, white tail slowly flicked back and forth around the figure's feet. Where had that come from? "I had to choose from someone amongst all the people in the Shinigami's gut to be your figurative mother. Figurative since there weren't any females to choose from. And well I rather like white, all my servants are white unless they try and betray me like the Kyuubi did. So I decided your mother figure would be Senju Tobirama, DNA wise mind you since I would have to guess that neither of these fine male specimen would be particularly inclined to be the bottom in such a relationship. So here are your parents! Talk, hug, be merry! You'll be stuck in this dream-scape for a good eight hours dream time. Oh and don't worry, this will be something you'll remember properly forever. Bye!" The Figure waved lightly at the little girl before vanishing without a trace.

Naruto blinked slowly at the empty space, his mouth a gap before turning to his apparent parents. "Uh."

Namikaze Minato gave a sheepish grin at his son turned daughter. "Well, while this is a strange turn of events I claim you for the first four hours to talk and properly get to know you. That alright with you, Nidaime-san?"

The Nidaime nodded with amusement gleaming in his dark amber eyes. "Aa. I'll be around." With that the white haired shinobi ran off. The two Namikazes turned to each other.

"I can't say this was what I expected to have happen if ever someone tried to extract the Kyuubi from you but I'm not displeased with it." remarked the Yondaime quietly his grin turning into a soft smile.

Naruto frowned. "I don't remember what happened. I don't understand."

"Well," Minato reached down and pulled the little form of his son turned daughter into his arms, settling her onto his hip. "You don't know how much I've want to hold you like this. Anyways, Inari-sama-"

"Inari-sama!"

"Yes, that was Inari-sama, the kitsune deity of rice, blacksmiths, fighters and such." The Yondaime began wandering amongst the rice plants, his feet treading over the water with barely a sound. "Inari-sama explained that you stopped the extraction process of the Kyuubi but the Kyuubi took control and, because of the seal, dragged your soul with him as he fled to this other existence. Once you got there you figured out how to break the seal. Luckily you broke it where you did, since if you had broken it when you were between the existences you and the Kyuubi would have ceased to exist in all existences. The other reason it was good you broke it when you did was because you gave Inari-sama the ability to capture his wayward servant. In thanks Inari-sama gave you a new life in a sense."

"Oh. But why did Inari-sama have to make me a girl? Why do I have white hair? Why am I three? Why did the Naruto in this existence die? How do I have two dads but am a girl?"

The Yondaime blinked owlishly at his daughter before laughing warmly. "Inari-sama is a fertility deity so the kitsune must have a thing for females. Inari-sama said uh... himself that he likes the color white hence you getting Senju's hair color, I guess. You have my hair textured still though! Nice and spiky but not too spiky." Minato grinned happily at that as he hopped onto solid ground. "Uh, I believe you're three because the Naruto in this existence was three. It makes sense to make you the age you would have been. Naruto had to die because of the Kyuubi being pulled out of him. I have no idea how Inari-sama made you a girl with two fathers."

Naruto frowned as he thought over all the answers and which questions they corresponded to. "Huh, but why would the Kyuubi be extracted from Naruto in this world when it was the Kyuubi from my world?"

The blond man frowned over the answer as he set his daughter down under the shade of a tree that hadn't been there a moment ago. "Well Inari-sama tried to explain that. He said something about there being one Kyuubi in all existences that was simply split amongst the worlds. It was one part of many that was dragged to Inari-sama once he got a hold of one of the pieces, the one you had freed where Inari-sama could get to."

"That doesn't make any sense." Muttered Naruto.

"No it doesn't." Agreed Minato, "Now I want to get to know my daughter!"

Naruto wrinkled his nose at his chichi when he said daughter. Grumbling, he muttered. "I can't believe Inari-sama made me a girl."

Minato laughed warmly as he grabbed his daughter and sent her into a fit of laughter from a sudden tickle attack. The Yondaime only ceased at the cry of defeat that came from his tiny child.

"Tou-chan?"

Minato smiled widely as he lay besides his three year old, "Hmm?"

"Since Kaa-san isn't my Kaa-san anymore does that mean I'll not be me?"

The Yondaime sat up at that and regarded his daughter seriously, "It does in a sense. You're going to forget. That means you'll lose some aspects about yourself that had been from Kushina. I think, though, that you'll subconsciously retain the cute parts."

Naruto blinked up at his Tou-chan. "Eh?"

"I think you'll still love bright colors. I know you will always love ramen. You'll be a prankster just like your mother, again. Maybe you'll even give the same excuse for all the pranks. I don't know for sure, but I am willing to bet that these aspects will stay."

Naruto hummed in interest. "Ero-Sennin always said that I had Kaa-san's personality but your looks."

Minato shook his head lightly, "I don't know about that. Maybe Jiraiya saw it that way because Kushina was always so loud it was hard to ignore her and you definitely had gotten that from her."

"But I'm still like that. I'm an idiot, I'm brash, I'm loud!"

The young man shook his head at his little girl. "Naoko-chan you were brash, you were loud but never were you an idiot. You simple never paused long enough to have a chance to think things through. Your mother was the same way, but she learned to control that as she got older. Admittedly, I don't think you'll have that problem this time around."

"Nani?"

Azure eyes meet similar blue. "You haven't been loud, brash, nor haven't thought before acting since you have come to this existence, Naoko-chan. You have been relatively calm, quiet, and thoughtful throughout the process. I would think you would have exploded the instance you saw the Sandaime or your male equivalents dead body, but you didn't. Maybe it's just everything being too much for you right now but I think you'll be more like me or the Nidaime personality wise this time around."

Naruto frowned at all that. It was strange thinking about that but true. He hadn't done anything stupid since waking up in that alleyway. But then again..."It has only been a day since I got to this world," Scowled Naruto as he looked up at his father.

Minato smiled, "True."

"And I'm Naruto not Naoko!"

"Iie." Minato frowned lightly at Naruto. "You are Naoko, Naoko-chan. You are my daughter. You are a girl and you will always be one. Uzumaki Naruto is dead. My son is dead but I gained a daughter in the process. You may have the memories of Naruto but Naruto and Naoko are different people."

Naruto glared at her Tou-chan. "But I'm Naruto!"

"You are but you aren't." Minato sighed as he reached out and brushed white hair from Naoko's face. "You will forget, though a vague sense of what has been will remain. You are Naruto in a girls body now but soon you will become Naoko with an almost deja vu sense when you meet someone you've known or a major event occurs. You need to start thinking of yourself as Naoko, Naoko-chan. It will bring questions if you don't respond to your new name."

Naruto frowned as he thought about it. He didn't understand what he meant about all that but he was stuck in a girls body so Naruto guessed that his dad was right in the fact that he was going to have to start thinking of himself as Naoko, as a little girl. Moving away from the serious conversation, something Naruto held little desire to continue, the little girl asked something that had been on her mind for a good while, years actually. "So Kaa-san likes ramen too? Does she eat as much I do? What's her favorite flavor? What's yours?"

The Yondaime laughed heartedly at the sudden bombardment of ramen focused questions. "Hai, Kushina liked ramen. I think you're the only person who has ever eaten so much ramen in one sitting, probably because of the physically taxing demand of the Kyuubi's seal. Her favorite flavor was miso beef. Mine is simply miso. What's your favorite flavor Naoko-chan?" With that the serious conversation they had just had fell to the back of the three year olds mind as she learned about her father and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with him.

As the fourth hour ended the Nidaime appeared before them regarding their laughing forms with a curious expression. "I hope you don't mind me taking Naoko-chan now."

Minato nodded as he stood up and stretched. "She's yours now." The blond man knelt beside his daughter and gave her a hug, whispering, "Love ya, see you soon." Naoko blinked away tears as Namikaze Minato faded from existence. He hadn't expected that.

"Naoko-chan do you have any important questions or did Minato-san answer them for you?" Asked Tobirama quietly, looking faintly uncomfortable.

"Iie Otou-san." Naruto blushed as he looked down. This was a legend! Yes, his Tou-chan was a legend and hero but Naruto had gotten a chance to get used to the idea of the Yellow Flash being his father. The fact that the Nidaime was also his father was mind blowing. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to act? Naruto had gotten the sense of who Namikaze Minato was through Jiraiya and so hadn't been too worried about his actions and words but this was absolutely different!

"Maha, Naoko-chan do you know how to play Go?" Naruto looked up, startled. There sitting between them was a beautifully carved Go board.

"No. I.. uh… I never got a chance or...um…"

"It's alright. I'll show you the basics." Naruto sat down and listened carefully as the rules were explained. This game was very complicated. Why were they playing it? Naruto wanted to get to know his new father and this wasn't making things any easier.

After a good hour of explaining and playing a game, the board was cleared and Naruto found himself shyly staring through his white hair up at the Nidaime. He couldn't understand what had gotten into him, he was never shy! Or, well, he had never been shy before. Naruto stifled a squeak of surprise when his eyes suddenly meet Senju Tobirama's ember orbs.

"Now that you know the basics, this is what we're going to do." The Hokage lifted one of the small white pebbles that were his, "For each stone we place on the board we get to ask the other a question. Make sense?"

Naruto's eyes widened for a second before the little girl grinned up at her Otou-san. "Cool! Since I'm black I go first huh?"

At the slight nodded from the Nidaime, Naoko placed her first bead and asked, "What is your favorite food?"

Tobirama blinked at her before he chuckled softly and answered, "I would have to say Sukiyaki." The man than casually placed his piece, "So what is your favorite past time, hobby?"

Naruto blinked at that. "Umm, training!"

Amber eyes blinked almost lazily at the little girl, "Maha, I meant outside of training."

Naruto blushed, "Oh, well I like to hang out with my friends and…" Naruto frowned as he paused to really think about it. What did he do outside of training? Anything? A sudden thought popped into his head. "I like gardening."

The Nidaime smiled at that. "That is a good past time. I never got into it since it was more Hashirama's thing but it is a good hobby."

Naruto smiled at that, he had missed his plants strangely enough during his three year training trip with Jiraiya. Or maybe he had missed the peace and joy of being able to care for something. Naruto shook his head before placing his next piece and turning to his Otou-san to continue with this game of questions. Hours past as they soon found themselves talking and playing around like a normal father and daughter, the Go board long sense forgotten.

Naoko jerked her head up as she moved from her hiding place for their game of hide and seek. The world was fading just as her Tou-chan had done when he had left. Senju Tobirama suddenly appeared before her. "Well the eight hours are up. I… Till next time, sweet heart." Naruto blinked as his Otou-san hesitantly hugged him before fading with the world.

"Bye Otou-san."

AUAU

The Sandaime regarded Saru and Buta as the two ANBU tried to stand to attention. Only Saru was successful as Buta had to stop rising to his feet when the sleeping child began to roll into his seat, towards the edge of the hospital bed. She was spread across the bed, her head leaning against the pig ANBU, and her feet resting on her pillow.

"How exactly did she get into that position?" Asked Sarutobi as he watched the little girl shift around until her arms snagged onto one of Buta's thighs. Buta shifted uncomfortably as the little girl snuggled up against him.

"She didn't want to play any games so we ended up having a couple rounds of Shogi. At some point she had started to watch and ended up falling asleep during it." Explained Saru, amusement coloring his words.

"Aa. Well Buta if you'd be so kind as to wake her, we can begin this."

Buta nodded and carefully nudged the three year old. As the little girl began to wake up, the pig ANBU pulled the arms off his thigh and rolled the little girl onto her back, into the middle of the bed, so that he could get up.

Blue eyes blurringly blinked open as the little girl muttered, "Otou-san."

"Naoko-chan, can you get up? We have your blood test results." Said the Hokage as he watched the little girl begin to curl back up to sleep.

"Five more minutes…" came the mumbled answer.

"Hmm, Naoko-chan the sooner you're up, the sooner we can take care of your blood tests, place of residence, last name, and the sooner we can go to Ichiraku's for ramen."

The little girl was suddenly sitting up, wide awake. She's just like Naruto-kun mussed the Hokage before he went back to the subject on hand. Holding out the sealed envelope the elderly man explained, "Here's your blood test. It's only proper for you to see it first."

The little girl nodded slowly as she took the yellow envelope and ripped it open. Sarutobi Hiruzen watched as sleepy blue eyes widened in shock for a second before a rather familiar smile stretched across the little girl's face.

AUAU

Naruto grumbled in his head as he tried to ignore his Ojii-san and the two ANBU that were trying to wake him up. He didn't want to get up. He hadn't wanted to leave that dream. It had been amazing to get to know his dad and the Nidaime. It was too bad that it was just a dream, something he had made up. Naruto had never thought he had such a vivid imagination but his dreams of late have been so very strange and amazing.

"Hmm, Naoko-chan the sooner you're up, the sooner we can take care of your blood tests, place of residence, last name, and then the sooner we can go to Ichiraku's for ramen."

Naruto shot up in bed at that, all thoughts of his strange dreams going to the back of his mind, though oddly enough he could remember this last dream perfectly still. The little girl focused onto the Hokage or more specifically the yellow envelope as the elderly man held it out to her. Taking it, Naruto ripped it open and curiously looked it over. While he had been told who his parents were, Naruto had never actually gotten to see physical proof that his parents were Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. It was nice to finally get a chance to see proof of who his parents were.

Blood Test #231043G432U323N

Gender: Female

Age: 3

Estimated Birthday: October 8-October 13

Blood Type: B

Father: Namikaze Minato ERROR ERROR

/:::/::#232413G324R235:: Father: Senju Tobirama

Mother: ERROR none found ERROR

Note: Test was done ten times. The test has indicated that this child has two fathers and no mother. Impossible as it might be, this is the result. Possible genetic alteration could explain this occurrence.

Naruto held his tongue as he read the paper for a third time. This was impossible, but here it was. Blue eyes blinked slowly as his dream jumped back to the forefront of his mind. It had been real. It hadn't been something he had made up. Naruto slowly looked up to the Hokage and the two ANBU with a helpless smile. What was going to happen now?

"Can you read it Naoko-chan?" the Hokage smiled warmly down at Naruto. Blue orbs blinked at that. That was right, he was three. Did three year olds have the ability to read? Oh well, he did. Naruto really had no desire to claim otherwise. This way was easier.

"I don't understand it Oji-Hokage-sama. It says I don't have a mother but I know my Kaa-san was called Kushina!"

Naruto watched as the Hokages eyes widened fractionally at the name. "Well Naoko-chan it must be that your mother wasn't in the data base. May I see the paper?"

Naruto silently handed the paper over to his Ojii-san. It was time to see what the old man did about this. Blue eyes watched the utter shock that spread across the Hokage's face.

AUAU

The old man stared down at the paper, his mind exploding with all the possibilities. It was utterly impossible what the paper was saying. But it was true. Sarutobi looked back down at the little white haired girl. She had sensei's hair color. She had Minato's hair texture. Her eyes were Minato's. Her skin was the pale peach of the Nidaime's. Her smile had been so familiar because he had seen it many times on Minato's face. She was the Yondaime's and the Nidaime's daughter.

He had to hide her. People couldn't know about her until she was able to protect herself. He stared into the deep blue eyes for a second before turning to his ANBU. Where to hide her? What to do?

The nurse! The Sandaime sucked in a sharp breath. The bubbly nurse had asked if she could help one of their most honorable children! Only Hokage children and grandchildren are given the title of most honorable. She knew and she was not the type of girl to keep it quiet. The girl hadn't even known not to try and enter an ANBU guarded room for Kami sakes.

But she wasn't one of the nurses that had taken care of Naoko earlier. She could still be hidden but where? He couldn't place her within his home or with any of the shinobi or kunoichi that he trusted since that would be too obvious. Danzo would be demanding access to her. She would have to be hidden amongst the citizens. He wouldn't even be able to visit her unless he placed her somewhere he visited already.

Tsunade would be outraged if she wasn't allowed to at least meet her niece. That was it! Tsunade could take Naoko in but until than where to put her?

"Hokage-sama?" Saru interrupted his thoughts.

The elderly man regarded his ANBU and Naoko. "Take Naoko to the ANBU Headquarters and hide her in one of your rooms. Then one of you go get all the ANBU and the interrogation team that had met Naoko and have everyone stay in the room with Naoko-chan. Collect ramen for dinner and have Yamanaka Inoichi join you in the room.." The Hokage took Naoko's folder and placed the blood test into it before handing it to Buta. "I will be there momentarily."

"Hai." The Sandaime watched as his ANBU took little Namikaze Senju Naoko to safety. Leaving the room the elderly man found the list of doctors and nurses that had taken care of Naoko and requested all of them to be brought to him in one of the larger hospital offices immediately. Damage control had to be taken care of now.

AUAU

Naoko stared around the ANBU headquarters that was hidden inside a rundown apartment building in the red light district of Konoha. It was a cozy building on the inside. It was a place that you could call homey if it wasn't for all the masked figures casually popping out of nowhere. After numerous turns and stairs that made it impossible for Naruto to figure out how to get out, they stopped before a plain door. Inside was an equally plain room.

"I don't usually stay here." Remarked the monkey ANBU that had brought her here while Buta went to take care of everything else.

"Oh," muttered Naruto as he was set onto the bed. "How will everyone fit in here?"

Saru shrugged as he settled besides her. They sat in silence for some minutes until the door opened without any preemptive request for entry. Yamanaka Inoichi entered followed by many of the ANBU from earlier.

"Know what this is about?" Asked one of the ANBU, the off white coat marking him as the captain to the squad, as he leaned against one of the walls, his arms folded across his chest. Any answer was interrupted by the door opening again, allowing Morie Kyoko in.

"Well?" asked Inoichi as he claimed the one chair in the room.

The answer was interrupted again, this time by Kyoko squealing at the sight of Naoko. Naruto blinked as he found himself suddenly in Kyoko's lap. "You're as cute as ever Naoko-chan."

"What's the kid doing here Saru?" Asked the captain his voice tinted with annoyance at the gushing one of T&I's best interrogators was doing.

"This is about her." Saru explained.

The room fell silent again as everyone waited for the rest, and most specifically the Hokage to come. A good twenty minutes later the door opened, letting in the last of the ANBU all of who were carrying some Ichiraku's ramen. Buta sighed as he dropped Naoko's medical folder onto the desk and helped hand out the ramen bowls to everyone.

"We got chicken miso, beef, and just plain miso," Explained Buta. "Hokage orders. He's paying for it all."

"I'd like a chicken miso!" grinned Naruto, his blue eyes gleaming. Buta shook his head at the child before handing over the requested bowl. Soon everyone had claimed one, leaving a couple for seconds and the Hokage.

The sound of slurping was interrupted by the sudden choking sound coming from one Yamanaka Inoichi who had decided to pursue Naoko's medical folder. The paper on top was the blood test results. Before Inoichi could recover from his choking fit, Kyoko had grabbed the top paper and read it out loud.

"Blood test # 231043G432U323N... you're a girl, that good. You are a tiny three year old sweetie. Oh, October birthday. That sucks. Hehehe, we got the same blood type. What the hell... Your dad and... You got two dads? Damn you're like rol-"

"Kyoko, shut up," Choked out Inoichi. "This isn't the time or the place for that."

The young brown haired woman flushed. "Right, right. Sorry."

"No, do continue." Kyoko jumped as she turned around to find the Hokage stand there by the door. "Everyone might as well learn why they're here. This will make things make a little more sense." She flushed and quickly placed the paperwork back in the folder.

"Uh, I.. I think you should probably tell everyone Hokage-sama."

The third smiled grimly before he took a ramen bowl and settled into the chair Inoichi vacated. The room fell into silence again. Naoko watched as she felt her eyes grow heavy. It was stupid, he had just had a nap not too long ago. He hated being so young and small. Naruto pinched himself to keep from falling asleep as the Hokage finished his ramen bowl.

"What Kyoko-san was in the process of telling you all is that Naoko-chan is somehow the daughter of Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime, and Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime. The blood test was done ten times and came up with the same results. She doesn't have a mother by blood, though I believe her mother was Uzumaki Kushina before whatever genetic experiment was done to her. That makes her the twin sister of the late Uzumaki Naruto. The nurse who did this test for us had foolishly spread the news of Naoko-chan to the rest of the hospital already though, luckily, the nurse didn't know her name or appearance. The village will soon know there is a little three year old girl out there with the Nidaime and Yondaime as parents. We need to protect Naoko-chan without letting people know who she is."

No one moved at all as they digested their leader's words. Finally Inoichi spoke up. "When was the genetic experiments done do you think?"

"I can't be sure but the doctors that took care of Naoko all agree that it had to have happened before she was born. If it had occurred after there would have been at least some indication of who her mother was. Orochimaru was present in the village for the first couple of months of Kushina's pregnancy before that long triple s-ranked mission he was sent on by Minato. Of course he did also have the two years after the Kyuubi attack to experiment and hide her from us. But this isn't the important part right now. No one can know Naoko is who she is. Inoichi-kun the doctors and nurses that were taking care of Naoko earlier are all waiting in room 323 at the hospital. Make sure they do not remember what she looks like or is called."

Yamanaka Inoichi nodded and left.

"ANBU, the Central Children's Orphanage is to be caught on fire by a stray firework or two in an hour. No one is to die but the children will have to be separated into two groups to be sent to the other two orphanages. Naoko will be in the group that has the new caretaker with them. One Akiko. She doesn't know all the children yet. Afterwards you will come back and some of you will be heading out to find Tsunade. She will want to know about her niece. Everyone understands that no one can know about who she is?"

A resounding "Hai." filled the small room. A second later Naruto found himself being carried back through the halls and out towards a very old building that was apparently the orphanage. It was going to be a long night.

AUAU

Uzumaki Naruto stared around the small room he had been brought to after the fire. It wasn't bad. The room had two rows of beds facing each other from parallel walls. It was plain, but workable. A loud squeal shook the eighteen year old from his thoughts of how to incorporate orange into the room decor. The sudden influx of tiny little bodies reminded him that not only was he sharing the room but he was sharing it with a large number of little girls. He was going to perish. Multiple pairs of eyes settled onto him. Yes, he was most definitely doomed.

"Hello," smiled one of the older little girls. Naruto guessed she was about five years old. "What's your name? I'm Yuki and this is Moriko, and this is Ume and this is Tori and this is…."

AUAU

Sarutobi watched as the courtyard filled with citizens and shinobi of Konoha. This wasn't going to end well but it had to be done. He was going to tell them about the truth involving little Naruto. The elderly man focused on a large group of children crowding into the courtyard. The orphanages were present. His eyes scanned over the children until he spotted a head of white amongst the youngest. She was safe.

"Hokage-sama, the courtyard is nearly full. Another few minutes and the available citizens and shinobi will be present for you announcement."

The old man nodded to his ANBU guard. It was almost time.

AUAU

Naruto stared around the crowded area with tired eyes. He had barely gotten any sleep at all. Yuki and all the other five year olds decided to make it a huge overnight party in their dorms. And since the caretakers were busy figuring out where to place the other children, making sure the children were alright, and calming down the babies of the group they hadn't noticed until the early hours of the morning.

Now they had to be present for this! The little white haired three-year-old stifled another yawn when she suddenly found herself being held. Looking sharply over revealed a twenty or so year-old man holding her up so she could see above the crowd.

"Hello kid, have an alright night?" Warm black eyes regarded her. Naruto stared blankly for a second before it clicked.

Blue eyes widened. "Saru!"

"Aa, no mask, I'm Toshi." Smiled the young man. Naruto nodded, he wasn't supposed to call him Saru unless he was in his ANBU gear. He couldn't help but wonder if Toshi was Saru's real name for a second before shrugging.

Toshi shifted Naoko around until the little girl was resting her head on his shoulders. "We can't protect you openly but all of us will be watching over you. I know you're young but please understand that you need to keep quiet about everything that has occurred these past couple of hours. Can you do that for us?" The ANBU whispered into Naruto's ear.

Naoko nodded in understanding. The ANBU smiled in response before turning to the Hokage as he stepped out onto the balcony. His usually kind face was grim.

AUAU

The Sandaime stared out across the crowd, taking note of all the people he knew personally and the larger amount of nameless faces before him. "Yesterday you celebrated the death of a demon."

He paused as the crowd yelled in joy from the reminder. "Today I will tell you a story of a man who trusted his village with his family. This man gave his life protecting the village and in return hoped that his children would be protected and loved. It didn't happen."

Hiruzen fell silent as he watched the rowdy crowd grow quiet, uncertain faces looked up at him. "That man chose to place a heavy burden on his son to protect the village. He asked that his son would be called a hero. I'm standing here today to tell you that the child was a hero but no one saw it that way. I'm here to explain to you exactly what you were celebrating the death of yesterday."

Whispers filtered across the shifting crowd. "Uzumaki Naruto was that boy. He was given the burden of holding back the Kyuubi. The seal wasn't supposed to be strong enough to hold the demon back at his death until Naruto went into his twenties. I don't know why it held. I don't know how. But I do know that you all celebrated the death of an innocent three year old hero last night. I know that you celebrated the death of the son of Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime."

Silence filled the courtyard before suddenly there were screams and horrified cries. The shinobi stood at the side of the crowd their bodies' stiff, faces blank as they processed what their leader had said. The civilians were screaming everything from denial to the demon taking one of their precious children. The Sandaime watched in silence for a few minutes before shouting out for attention. The silent shinobi helped still the horrified crowd.

After another ten minutes the courtyard was quiet once again. "It is painful to know that such a young hero of Konoha has been taken but last night also revealed the existences of a little girl. I believe most of you have heard of the strange blood test that revealed that there is a little girl who possesses two fathers and no mother. I am here to confirm this rumor. I will also confirm that the child is somehow the daughter of the Yondaime and Nidaime. She is hidden and protected. You will not meet her officially for years to come. I will not have her killed like little Naruto, her twin. I can tell you that it is believed to be a result of one of Orochimaru's genetic experiments."

The Sandaime watched the crowd as it struggled with celebration and grief. He had given them two very opposing facts. The elderly man could only hope that the village learns from their foolishness.