Comments: Thank you to all my readers so far. This chapter began to become longer than I had thought, so I split it off. I originally wanted to get Sakura back into the story by the end of this chapter, but it didn't happen. There's a few manga spoilers if you haven't read the manga all the way to its present point. So be warned, and as always, I don't own any of this.
As of 23 March, I did a re-write. This chapter had a major change. Origianlly, Danzo told the elders he basically wanted them to consider impeaching Tsunade. Helpful comments from of some of my readers indicated either confusion or believability issues, I have now changed this. I actually think it fits a lot better. This chapter should flow smoothly now.
Naruto Uzumaki was in good spirits. Everyone who had fought on the last mission was now safe. His burns no longer pained him, as long as he didn't make any sudden movements. Even though the bandages itched, and even though he would have to where the cumbersome cast for several weeks, and even though Sasuke had gotten away yet again, he couldn't think of anything that could ruin his mood. It was only a matter of time before they found Sasuke again, as he was still a priority mission for the Hokage, especially now that she knew from the results of the last mission that there was another Sharingan user of unknown identity running around with the Akatsuki. And next time, Naruto and Sakura wouldn't be crippled and unable to do anything. But most of all, Sakura . . .
"Do your best, Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered. "You'll have us all fixed in no time!"
She turned and smiled at him. It was a smile that made him melt in his core, making his stomach flip and his heart turn to mush. Then she turned and walked away, and Naruto knew that if Sakura knew half the things he was thinking as he watched her go, or to be more specific, the lower half of her go . . . well, he wasn't likely to survive the experience in his condition. Still, he risked it anyway. She was the perfect model of grace and form to him, despite the naughty thoughts that sometimes came with that opinion.
And she felt something for him too! She'd kissed him, and Naruto was still drunk off the euphoria the experience had brought him. Thinking about it made Naruto feel foolish. Perhaps he should not have made Sakura think twice about what she had just done. Naruto tried to convince himself that the time they spent together now, as lovers, would be worth it. Even if she did go back to loving Sasuke when they got their old friend back, Naruto knew he would treasure every moment of being by her side, holding her in his arms, kissing her again. I could handle the pain, thought Naruto. I did it before, I could do it again.
Yet Naruto was used to being wary of his feelings for such a woman as complex as Sakura, and he had opted to consider her feelings first. It meant that he would have to be patient, and patience was not something Naruto was particularly good at. He could admit that much to himself.
How he longed to feel Sakura's lips on his again! He needed to hold her close again, to feel her touch. Every time she had come to visit him these past few days, he had yearned for her constantly.
Sometimes he thought he would go mad just at the sight of her, but he actually found her company to be soothing. They were times when he could truly relax, when his mind was most at peace. It was like her presence alone was enough to heal him of any ailment.
The ramen she had brought him today had been a nice consolation prize, and with the smell of his favorite food lingering in the air, Naruto lay back onto his pillow, closed his eyes, and prepared to daydream the afternoon away. Yes, Naruto would be patient.
The rustle of curtains announced the arrival of a new visitor. Naruto kept his eyes closed for the moment, pretending to be asleep but reaching out with his other senses. He tried to guess who it might be this time. Shikamaru and Chouji had come twice before. Those two seemed to have nothing better to do at the moment, and Naruto was glad for it. But this visitor was naturally silent.
Oh no! Naruto thought. Not Sai again. The creepy former member of Anbu "Root" meant well, but when he had come to visit two days ago he had tried to cheer Naruto up by doing some artwork on his cast while signing it. The picture he had drawn was a little too "fluffy" for Naruto's taste, but Sai insisted he had read in a book that furry animals and rainbows were cheerful to people. Naruto had tried to keep the cast under the covers ever since.
"Naruto." said a soft, serious male voice. "You should be well enough now to get out of bed, right?"
"Captain Yamato!" said Naruto brightly. Yamato had not been to see him yet, and Naruto was beginning to wonder if he was out on some mission. "Hey! How are you doing? Better than me I suppose."
"I'm good Naruto." said Naruto's ANBU captain. "I was lucky. We need to talk, but I thought it would be nice for you to get out of the room for a while."
That was Captain Yamato for you, Naruto thought. Always right to the point. Naruto could see that Yamato, though he wore a pleasant smile, had something weighing heavily on his mind. Something in his dark brown eyes gave it away. Naruto also thought it strange that
Yamato was also still dressed for action, complete with his special ANBU headpiece. Designed to hold his wildcat-like ANBU mask in place while also housing a handy communication system, the headgear covered his forehead and sideburns with dull grey armor, but let his brown hair escape wildly. Naruto tried to imagine himself wearing something like that one day, and decided he would look quite ridiculous.
What could be wrong? Naruto wondered. Was it something about the masked Akatsuki? Sasuke? Naruto could only guess. Whatever it was, Naruto was certainly going to hear him out.
"Sure." Naruto said with a cautious nod. Yamato's seriousness was a bit contagious. "I still can't walk properly in these bandages though, and they've been telling me I shouldn't move around too much yet while my skin heals. "
"Its been taken care of," Yamato said as he motioned to someone from out of view behind the curtain to come forward. A nursing assistant Genin clad in a white smock came forward into the room pushing a wheelchair.
Once Naruto was securely in the chair, Yamato thanked the young medical ninja apprentice and assured her he would watch out for Naruto from here on out. Naruto's apprehension grew as Yamato wheeled him in silence down the corridors to the elevator, and then out into the hospital's beautiful garden courtyard on the first floor.
"What is it?" Naruto turned to look over his shoulder at Yamato and ask as they neared their destination. Therefore, he didn't see the three ninja that were waiting patiently in the courtyard. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes," said a gruff female voice. "But we'll get to that. We have lots to talk about first."
Naruto's eyes went wide. The Hokage had done a large part of his initial treatment upon being admitted to the hospital after the battle, but he hadn't expected to see her again until he was to be released. She stood proudly at the center of the courtyard, her arms relaxed at her sides, her favorite green Kimono with the Kanji for "Luck" on the back adorning her busty figure. If Yamato had looked troubled, Tsunade looked positively heartbroken, her eyes sad and lined with dark puffy rings, as if she had not slept in days. Her youth jutsu also seemed to be slipping a bit, as her hair was lined with grey and a few wrinkles highlighted the corners of her eyes.
"G-Grandma Tsunade?" Naruto breathed. "What is this?"
Naruto was glancing from the buxom-blond village leader to the two masked ANBU that stood behind her, flanking her on either side. The one on Tsunade's left was definitely female, Naruto decided, and was casually leaning over one knee with a foot placed on top of one of the courtyard benches. The other stood unmoving with his arms folded, dark hair protruding in a decorative bun high above his bear-like mask.
A soft wind blew through the courtyard, carrying Tsunade's twin ponytail's to her left as it scattered leaves of all colors across the walkways and freshly cut green grass of the courtyard. The fall flowers of yellow and violet had already bloomed, and though they had started to fade, they still made the garden look lovely. But the cold wind blowing was ominous, a sign that winter was near.
Tsunade sat on the bench, looking tired, and gestured for Yamato to wheel Naruto next to her. Yamato positioned Naruto so that his chair was next to the village leader, and he was sitting next to her almost as if he sat on the same bench. Then he took up a position next to the only entrance to the courtyard.
"I think," said Tsunade after a moment, "Its time you learned about your parents."
"My . . . parents?" repeated Naruto. All this heavy seriousness couldn't be just about that, could it? Naruto thought. What else was there to learn? The Third Hokage had told him as a small boy that his parents had come from the former Whirlpool country, and that he was found near there shortly after the Kyuubi had virtually wiped that nation off the map. This was all a day before the Kyuubi had continued its rampage south toward Konoha. As far as Naruto understood, nobody ever discovered who his parents were, and he was labeled an orphan. Naruto had always assumed that was why the Fourth Hokage had chosen him to seal the Kyuubi, because he had no ties to speak of, and no parents to trouble with such a curse to place upon their child.
"B-But the Third told me . . ." Naruto began.
"The Third told you all you needed to know at the time." Tsunade interrupted. He had his reasons. They were reasons that I had felt compelled to honor. But now . . ." Tsunade's eyes glistened, and her voice lowered to almost a whisper. "Now things have changed."
Tsunade composed herself. "We will start with your mother, who like the Third must have told you, was indeed from the Whirlpool country. But she didn't die there."
Naruto felt his breath catch deep in his lungs.
"She was a ninja, Naruto. She immigrated to Konoha, following the man she had fallen in love with, your father, who was a ninja of Konoha. It is her family name that you have carried all your life. Her name was, Kushina Uzumaki."
"Kushina Uzumaki." Naruto repeated the name slowly, as if some lost memory of his mother would suddenly come to him. Try as he might, no secret memory resurfaced from the depths of his subconscious. Tsunade continued her story.
"Your father wished for you to take her name, both to protect your identity and to give you what he hoped would be a chance to make your own legend. He also implored the Third to make mentioning your status as a Jinchuriki against Konoha law.
Naruto's mind was reeling.
"I don't understand." said Naruto. "My own legend? My father . . . He knew what I was? I mean, what the Fourth had sealed inside me?"
"Your father," said Tsunade forcefully and with a hint of pride, "was a legendary ninja himself, known far and wide as the Yellow Flash of Konoha, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."
There was a time when Naruto would have hurried off to proclaim this news from the highest mountain top. He would have bragged to everyone he met in the street. He would have made sure to point out "I told you so!" to more than a few people. Although his heart did swell with pride, Naruto sat in stunned silence, letting the meaning of it all sink in.
"Somehow," said Naruto, "Its like I've always known this."
Naruto dug his left hand into his chest. "So my father, he . . . he did this?"
"Your parents both loved you very much, Naruto." Tsunade said. "It pained your father so much to do it, but with your chakra structure, you were our only hope." Tsunade placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Please forgive him."
Naruto's eyes burned with hot tears. He wanted to be angry, but could not be. Everything he was, everything he had become, it all lead back to a decision his father made. But Naruto was secure in himself; secure that he could achieve anything through hard work and determination. His father's legacy was to leave Naruto to make his own, and now Naruto was more determined than ever to do that.
"This damn, fox." said Naruto. "I won't forgive it."
"And yet you must live with it." said Tsunade sadly.
"Hokage-sama!" Yamato called from the entrance. "Someone's coming."
Tsunade let air seethe between her teeth. "Damn, already?"
"Naruto, listen to me," Tsunade said leaning in close to Naruto and talking urgently. Whatever happens next, you must remain calm. You must not lose hope, and you must trust yourself, as I trusted you."
Naruto followed Tsunade's gaze to the sliver of blue-green crystal dangling about his neck. He swallowed and nodded. So it wasn't just about my parents after all?Promise me!" Tsunade hissed.
"I- I promise. But what . . ."
Tsunade produced a scroll and pressed it into Naruto's good hand. Naruto stared the scroll for a moment, recognizing the type of animal contract immediately.
"This is . . ." breathed Naruto.
"The blood contract with you is already complete." said Tsunade. "Hurry up and summon him."
"But wh-" Naruto began.
"Just do it!" Tsunade snapped.
Naruto flipped the scroll in the air, bit his finger, and then unbound it in one motion. Slamming his palm onto the seal with perfect timing as it struck the ground in front of him, a large plume of smoke emitted from the scroll. When the smoke cleared, in its place was a medium sized frog about a large as Naruto's forearm. The frog's orange-brown skin looked leathery and old, and it had big bushy white eyebrows and a small pointed beard of the same color.
"Yo, kid." said the frog in a wheezy voice. "Nice to finally meet you."
Tsunade stood up and began walking towards the entrance.
"There's no time for pleasantries I'm afraid, honored elder," said Tsunade without looking back.. "He needs to know now, before . . ."
"Before what?" said a shrewd, contemptuous voice from the entranceway. The voice had come from a weathered looking old lady, a long hairpin holding her silvery hair in a neat bun. She peered at Tsunade, and then at Naruto with beady little eyes that seemed to be barely open. Naruto recognized the council member Koharu Utatane immediately. Naruto had seen the other council member with her before too, but couldn't place the name of the silver haired man wearing dark glasses. A third man that was in tow behind the two looked even more injured than Naruto. He walked with a cane, had only one arm, and his forehead was bandaged in such a way that it covered his right eye as well.
"Before there are any interruptions." Tsunade finished.
"You mean before we catch you going behind our back again. Don't you Tsunade?" said the male elder."
"This matter is a private one for Naruto," countered Tsunade. "And I treated it as such."
"Nothing concerning the Jinchuriki is a private matter, Tsunade" the man chided. "Surely you must realize that?"
"I don't remember reading that law, Homura-San" Tsunade spat.
Now Naruto remembered. The Man was called Homura Mitokado. He was the lady Utatane's team mate from ages ago. But the sickly looking man Naruto still did not recognize.
He just stood there, still in the hallway, watching the whole exchange without so much as a twitch to his expression. He remained passive, almost oblivious, but yet Naruto could see a keen mind working behind the one uncovered eye. If anything was certain, that man was dangerous.
Wanting to escape the tense moment building between the village leaders, Naruto eyed the old little frog who had jumped up into his lap after being summoned. A closer look revealed a strange series of numbers branded across its back. 9, 31, 8, 106, 7, 207, and 15. What in the world could these mean? Naruto wondered.
"Its not about the law, Tsunade." said Koharu menacingly. "Its about your reckless actions. Allowing Master Jiraiya to go on that foolish errand for instance. You threw away one of our best assets!"
Naruto felt a cold chill in the pit of his stomach. What had the elder just said?
"Hey, kid!" said the old frog in his lap. "Stop listening to the bickering of old fools. We got business you and I."
"B-But what did she mean by . . ."
The frog suddenly looked sad . . . well . . . for a frog anyway. Naruto was getting more and more used to the subtleties of the small amphibians. And this one was definitely upset.
"It's true, kid." said the old frog. "I was there with your teacher in the end. These numbers on my back were his last message to you. You'll understand what they mean later, but first . . ."
"No way." Naruto said. "Ero-Senin is . . . Jiraiya is . . ."
It couldn't be true. There had to be some mistake. He had to be just goofing off some pleasure house somewhere. He must have faked it. The cold feeling spread from Naruto's belly outward to his chest. He couldn't breathe. His eyes glazed over. He began to feel hot. The heat battled the cold, spreading from a place between his ears and rushing downward.
He'd felt it before. It was raw, untamed power, and already it wanted to consume him. But Naruto wouldn't, couldn't ever let that happen again. He took some deep breaths. Not this time, you damn fox! Naruto thought.
"But, how?" Naruto asked through gritted teeth.
"He went to gather information of the Akatsuki leader," said the frog. "But ended up running afoul of him. But nevermind that for now, first this is about your destiny! I have another summon for you and . . ."
"Damn it." Naruto growled. He gripped the arms of his wheelchair tightly, and the metal began to crack and bend. "Damn them. Damn them all! I won't forgive them! I won't!" Hot tears began to stream down Naruto's face.
"Get a hold of yourself, kid!" the frog shouted.
"Yes, I would advise that." Jinchuriki, said the one armed man. Who had slunk forward toward Naruto as the two women bickered. "Emotions will lead to your ruin."
"Stay out of this, Danzo!" Tsunade snapped.
Danzo! Thought Naruto. So this was the man who Yamato had thought might want to wrest control of Konoha for himself. Naruto looked at the man with burning red eyes. He could feel his teeth begin to grow and grind, pleading with him to let lose, to tear the traitorous bastard limb from limb. This was the man who had ordered an assassination attempt on Sasuke!
Still Naruto fought with everything he had to calm himself. He had to know what this old frog was after. Old lady Tsunade was obviously risking much bringing him here. But why had she taken so long to tell him about . . . about . . .
"Why do you resist, brat?"said a voice from deep within Naruto. "Let us dispose of this threat to your precious village here and now, hmmm?"
Naruto began to feel more and more like he was trying to stay afloat in a riptide. Something dark and menacing was threatening to pull him down into the depths of his own heart, to places he dare not go. He fought for control, but he could feel it slowly starting to slip away. Naruto fell out of the chair and onto his knees, and when he looked at his good hand he saw it had begun to glow orange. His cast disintegrated, and suddenly his wounds had no pain. The old frog leapt away from him and up on top of the bench, while the two ANBU took up strategic positions at the open roof of the courtyard.
No! Thought Naruto. I have to stop this!
"Yamato!" cried Tsunade. "Help him. Quickly!"
"Right!" Said a voice from the corner.
Even though Naruto's vision was clouded with red, he could see the spiked wooden stalks of Yamato's sealing jutsu begin to grow out of the ground around him. So Tsunade had come prepared. Naruto began to feel relieved.
"Its useless, brat." Taunted the Kyuubi within Naruto. The demon had a way of goading him when he least wanted it. "Your master is dead because you were weak. You are too weak without me. Why do you delay the inevitable. Together we can put a stop to all of this foolishness."
"You see, Tsunade!" the elder Koharu spat. "Now you have endangered us all!""I recommend council members," said Danzo. "That we withdrawal from this place. You see now how our Hokage's emotions have lead us astray. Of course, I expect you will take action to consider the steps necessary to place the Jinchuriki under my care? Just like I promised I can guarantee to keep him safe and out of the way."
Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing. And it enraged him further.
"You . . ." Naruto growled in an unnatural voice. "You mean lock me away! I won't allow it!"
"Danzo! You fool!" Tsunade screamed. It was the last coherent thing Naruto heard.
Naruto spiraled downward into blackness. His skin began to burn. This part always hurt so bad. But he hurt worse on the inside. Everything hurt. His master was gone. Danzo had the council in the palm of his hand, and now . . . now they wanted to lock him up! The fox was right, there was no escape.
"Nooooooooo!" Naruto yelled. His voice an unnatural demonic scream as he assumed a posture like a four-legged animal. He could feel the power of the tails forming behind him, and his face contorted and began to change. But he couldn't move, as if he was struggling against heavy chains. All he desired now was to break those chains, and lash out at his enemies.
"Hokage-sama!" A distant sounding Yamato called. "I can't hold it! Its like before, when the masked Akatsuki was around, like its adapting to my seal!"
"Yes, boy. They can no longer hold you back." Said the demon fox into Naruto's mind as if in response. "Its time to claim your destiny."