(A/N) whoo-boy this took awhile lol Sorry for the long wait, if you want excuses and such go to my other fic that I just updated cus I don't feel like re-writing them :)

So for this one I split it into two chapters so you can expect the next part in a few days :D

IMPORTANT NOTE: I looked through like fifty-million different Naruto timelines and got different answers for all of them so this whole thing with Orochimaru and other random bits may be grossly incorrect but I don't care anymore :P

annnd that request for fanfic recs is still open, tho if you think I'd like something and it's on your favs just tell me and I'll check it out so no one has to write out everything lol

EDIT 4/3/12: Guess who got a beta reader? Meeeeeeee :D Everybody give it up for the awesome MutantRancor who has taken it upon himself to make my chapters less ugly lol

So read, review, and enjoy!

-One Year Later-

Kurama smiled pleasantly at the blonde Yamanaka manning the shop across the street.

Well, to a civilian who wasn't trained at reading body language or facial expressions it might have been pleasant.

The shinobi walking through the crowd and the Yamanaka it was aimed at could see the smug grin hiding underneath his polite exterior- they shuddered and quickly found something better to be doing. Mostly because, at the same time, Kurama was sharply pruning some incredibly finicky, (and notoriously deadly), vines into manageable shapes.

Without looking.

Yes, he was that good. No, he would not be sharing trade secrets anytime soon.

Luckily, the arrival of a customer broke the staring contest and released the paralyzed teen from his grasp- though not before Kurama got in a last quirk of the lips that sent the terrorized boy hastily dodging behind a nearby shelf of flowers. He'd be hearing from the boy's parents soon, he knew.

Gracefully charming a purchase out of the young girl who'd likely just walked into his nursery to talk to him, he mused on his actions.

'I've gotten mean in my old age,' he smiled and bade a short farewell to the tittering girl, 'no doubt it's only Yusuke and Hiei keeping me from behaving like a total demon.'

He hummed humorously. For some reason he couldn't comprehend, nobody believed him when he said that Hiei was the nicer one of the two.

Oh well, their loss. He tucked a loose strand of hair that had escaped his high ponytail behind an ear and went back to work.

Only to be interrupted again by Yusuke bursting through his door, grinning widely and still wearing his cooking apron.

At least his smile was completely genuine, prompting a real smile from Kurama in return.

"Kurama I just had an awesome idea!"

And there went the smile.

Yusuke stopped when he saw the other's disbelieving stare, "hey, don't gimme' that look, all my ideas are awesome and you an' Hiei are just too fussy."

He then, before Kurama could point out the flaws in his logic, began speaking in the Makai dialect- indicating that it was something pertaining to the mission and so 'not to be overheard', "so I was thinking, why not just adopt the kid?"

Kurama blinked, "excuse me?"

This only got a huff of exasperation from the hyperactive toushin, "you know what I'm saying. If we adopt the demon-carrier then we don't havta' keep listening in on everyone's conversation all the time an' we can figure out how to get the fox outta' there and back into the Makai!"

The redhead nodded calmly, confirming to himself that he'd heard correctly, "that's what I thought you said."

He smiled, "let me ask you something, Yusuke."

Yusuke looked peeved, already seeing where this was going.

Kurama continued anyway, "have you, in all of your long years of life, ever raised a child to adulthood?"

"No, but-"

"-And have you, in all the many years you have known Hiei and myself, ever seen us taking care of anything even remotely childlike?"

"No, but it couldn't be that hard could it? I mean, you take care of plants and, I guess, Hiei takes care of his weapons pretty well, that's enough right?" Yusuke looked put out but wasn't giving up the fight that easily, his idea rocked, ok?

A shadow flickered into existence outside the door.

Hiei stepped into the shop and, seeing Yusuke and Kurama's expressions, guessed at what they'd been discussing. He sent an annoyed frown at his allies, the look slightly more exasperated when it landed on Kurama. Kurama deduced that Yusuke had already been to see Hiei and, likely being shot down utterly, had decided to try his luck with his other ally.

"Oh, this should be good."

"Shut up, Hiei, lemme' at least hear how Kurama's gonna' completely dismantle my perfect idea before you join in too." Yusuke appeared to have given up for now, realizing that the other two had joined forces against his genius plan.

Kurama laughed inwardly at the acknowledgment and did as asked, "I fear for any children you may have if that's the comparison you apply to them."

He leant on the countertop and tapped it absently with a fingertip, "just where do you suggest we keep the child, with Hiei? Yourself? Me? I hardly think it fair that only one of us will be forced to stay up odd hours, changing the boy's diapers, feeding him every other hour, waking up to and calming his cries at every little thing."

Yusuke's face fell and Kurama smiled ironically, "there is a very good reason I am still a bachelor, Yusuke. Patience I have much of, but not that much."

Hiei snorted, "and let's not forget that the boy is watched by ANBU as well as the Hokage. We would be under even greater scrutiny than we can afford and my being one of their captains will hardly make a difference."

Then he glared at the two, clearly signaling he was finished with the topic, having actually had a reason for visiting, "I've been going through the less guarded minds of the ANBU and there appears to be another sect controlled by a councilmember without the Hokage's approval or knowledge."

Yusuke crossed his arms and looked at Kurama, knowing it was going to come down to whatever he deciphered from Hiei's information.

Hiei continued his report, "they are planning something. I don't know what yet. And the Third has been sending us on more information gathering missions to the other countries looking for a group called Akatsuki."

Kurama frowned, "did the Third tell you who they were? What were the specifics?"

Hiei shook his head, "nothing, just that they were comprised of an unidentified amount of missing-nin from various villages with a largely unknown goal."

His gaze wandered to the plants on the wall further in front of him as his mind turned inwards, shifting through the necessary information, "I believe this may have something to do with the jinchuriki. We've had spies trying to infiltrate Konoha and, through our own spies, found that the same had happened to the other villages with jinchuriki."

The next piece of information came in the same tone as the previous parts, but was infinitely more disturbing, "and children have been disappearing from the village, mostly orphans; some from the shinobi ranks. They've only just now noticed a pattern."

Yusuke looked troubled, "what, you mean someone's just going around stealing kids?"

Kurama's expression grew stony, "how did you hear of this, I thought it was the Uchiha's duty to deal with the civilians?"

Hiei shook his head slightly, "it normally would be but ANBU has been ordered to watch them as well; they've been acting secretive in their actions- well, more so than usual. The council and the Third have become suspicious and have had us looking more closely at that clan."

Kurama nodded, "and what have you discovered?"

Hiei grimaced, (nothing good then), "the Uchiha are planning a rebellion."

It seemed that, even after all their long years, they were still able to be surprised. He waited to give them time to overcome their shock.

"What?" Yusuke looked angry and incredulous, "how could they even think of doing that? Didn't these guys just get through a war?"

Hiei grunted in acknowledgment of the absurdity, "apparently they don't care. From what I picked up, they believe they are being treated unfairly in the village and plan to overthrow the Hokage and instate one of their own as leader."

Kurama was annoyed under his practiced calm but didn't let it affect his outward appearance overtly, "have you informed the Hokage yet?"

He was answered in the positive and gestured for Hiei to go on.

"He is the only one I've informed as I refuse to let the other council members in on anything," Hiei hated the useless government types, his time as Mukuro's heir had given him a deep dislike for them. It helped that the Hokage had earned his respect as a wise leader or he would have had a much more difficult time acting on his orders. As it was, Hiei found it hard enough following most people's orders. Luckily, ANBU had freedoms most other shinobi did not or he'd have been long gone back to the Makai, or so he'd threatened Kurama with when the career suggestion had been made.

No one had believed him.

"He's decided to stand back and observe the development of the Uchiha for now so he can root out the extent of their deceit," Hiei's tone suggested he didn't quite agree but wasn't about to get too involved in clan politics; that was the Hokage's job and the demon could see the endless stress it brought on in the leader.

"Well," Kurama started, "things sound busy on your end, I haven't had as much luck. Have you, Yusuke?"

Yusuke shrugged, "not really. The people who visit my stand tell me everything but it's all just gossip, you know, 'my next door neighbor's kid was playing with explosive notes so their house set on fire', and 'imported stuff from Wave is getting more expensive', and 'that demon brat was sent to some orphanage. I hope they forget to feed it so we can stop worrying about it growing up, getting loose, and killing us all'..."

Yusuke trailed off to Kurama and Hiei's stunned expressions, he pouted in aggravated embarrassment, "what? You guys asked me what I heard."

The two shared a look and Kurama exhaled, bring up a hand to run through his bangs, "well, perhaps we should consider keeping a closer watch on the boy. There's no telling what kinds of accidents might befall him at that place."

Hiei scowled, that meant more work for him. His Jagan would be the one to actually do the checking up on, although, "I can ask the Hokage to watch him as well, though he is probably already doing so. He has a crystal ball which lets him see those whose chakra he focuses on and he has already sworn to watch over the child."

Yusuke grinned, "well that's kinda' creepy, you think he watches the bath houses or is he just not that kinda' guy?"

Hiei glared at the toushin for his immature comment before deciding he'd been chatting long enough. Nodding to Kurama in parting, he left to continue his duties.

Kurama chuckled at the childish gestures and expressions Yusuke sent after Hiei's departing form, "Yusuke, as delightful and informative as this talk was, don't you have a job to be getting back to?"

The toushin's eyes widened and he snapped his fingers, "oh yeah, that's right! My job!"

He grinned sheepishly, "well, you know. I left Teuchi and his kid, Ayame, in charge so it's not like I completely abandoned it."

At Kurama's look he capitulated.

"Ahh, what the hell. I guess I'll go back," he huffed, stretching his arms before walking to the door of the shop.

The bell on the door rang and he waved a hand casually backwards, "see ya, Kurama."

"Take care, Yusuke."

(A/N) So if you're thinking that was too short, I know, it definitely was ^.^; don't worry though, the next chapter is a continuation of this, I just thought you guys have waited long enough lol