Vanex: Hello all! Here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"Normal Talking"

"Normal Thinking/Dreams/Flashbacks"

"Demon Talking"

"Demon Thinking"

*Scene Change*

Chapter 2

One day later...

Standing in a forest just outside the village in Nami no Kuni, Kakashi and Kurenai stare at their teams.

Kurenai clears her throat. "Okay teams, you've been full of questions since before we reached the village and now you'll be given answers. Kakashi and I believe that there's a chance that we won't have to worry about Zabuza coming after Tazuna again, as he backed off and let us go instead of defeating us. It seems he's a plant placed in Gato's organization by someone else. However, he might be ordered to continue working for Gato, so he might come after Tazuna again. We also believe that whoever Zabuza really works for might have him capture or kill Naruto."

Sakura is confused. "Why would he come after Naruto? He's just the dead last! There's nothing special about him!"

Kurenai shakes her head. "There are reasons that people would come after Naruto that none of you are aware of. I can't speak of them, as they are classified."

Naruto looks down as she says this, putting a hand over the Kyubi seal.

Kurenai continues. "Remember when Zabuza backed off? It was after Naruto told him his name. He obviously knew enough of Naruto to know that the person he works for would be interested in knowing that Naruto is here. As such, Zabuza may return with Naruto as his new target, so Kakashi and I are going to step up the training of our respective teams. This is to prepare us for any upcoming battles. After all, even if Zabuza is no longer after Tazuna, there may be another Jonin level missing nin in Gato's forces. If Zabuza betrays him, Gato is sure to send in that ninja if he or she exists. Now then, come with me Team 8."

Kurenai leads Team 8 away as Kakashi looks at Team 7. "Okay, team. Before we get started, I want to talk with you three about chakra."

*Scene Change*

Haku has just gotten the injured Zabuza into his bed, when the door opens. He turns to look at the two samurai bodyguards who walked in, along with a short man in a suit.

Gato looks at Zabuza and Haku. "So even you have come back defeated. It looks like the Kirigakure ninja are pretty pathetic. You can't even avenge your men? And you call yourself a devil? Don't make me laugh."

Zabuza remains silent.

Gato walks towards Zabuza. "Hey. There's no need to stay silent." He reaches towards Zabuza. "How about-"

Haku suddenly reaches out and grabs Gato's wrists, an angry look in his eyes. "Don't touch Zabuza-sama with your dirty hands!" The bodyguards move to defend their boss, but suddenly find themselves having their swords pointing at their necks, held by Haku. "You shouldn't do that. I'm pissed off right now."

Gato, despite the fact he's sweating heavily, tries to reestablish his authority. "One more time! If you fail one more time, you won't be welcome here anymore! Remember that!" Gato quickly leaves with his bodyguards.

Zabuza looks at Haku. "Haku, you didn't have to do that."

"I know. But, since I'm going to be busy on my mission for Lady Kushina, I didn't want to leave you here having to put up with him."

Zabuza laughs.

*Scene Change*

Kushina looks over the railing of the boat towards the horizon. "Naruto. Is it really you, my baby boy? Is it possible that you've really been alive this whole time?"

"Mom?"

Kushina turns her head to see Mito walking up to her. "What's wrong Mito?"

"Well, I've been thinking about my brother. How could he be alive, Mom?"

Kushina looks back at the horizon. "I don't know, Mito. The leading theory in my head is one that I don't like at all."

"What is it?"

"My leading theory is that the Third Hokage had that ANBU lie to me about Naruto's death."

Mito's eyes widen. "But you told me he was a great man who believed in the Will of Fire! Why would he do something like that?"

"I don't know. The Third Hokage was a friend to both your father and me. I sincerely hope he isn't involved in this conspiracy. But, I do have a second theory."

"What's that?"

"The ANBU that told me about Naruto's death was an imposter. The problem with that theory is that the person did have the ANBU tattoo. I couldn't sense a henge, but then again, I was weak at the time."

Mito is puzzled. "But if it was an imposter, why didn't he just kill both you and me? Why would he leave us alive and have us believe that Naruto was dead?"

"If we were killed, Konoha would have investigated our deaths, even though they had just come out of fighting the Kyubi. We are the family of the Fourth Hokage after all."

There is a moment of silence. "Mom?"

"What?"

"I'm nervous about meeting my brother. How will he react to us?"

Kushina nods in understanding. "Good question. It could go either way. The best case scenario is that he will welcome us with open arms, but that's only if he understands that we didn't actually abandon him and that we truly love him and want him in our lives. The worst case scenario is that he will despise us, reject us as family. He'll believe that we abandoned him, that we don't really love him, and are only coming back due to a guilty conscience. Who knows what he's been through in the last twelve years?"

"What do you mean, Mom?"

"You wouldn't understand. If Naruto is alive, that means the sealing was successful. That means Naruto is the current Jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Yoko. Jinchuriki are treated horribly in their villages. I speak from experience. However, it's worse off for Naruto. He contains the beast that killed so many loved ones that night. I wouldn't be surprised if the villagers took out their grief and rage on Naruto."

Mito gasps in horror at the thought. "And we left him to face all that alone."

Kushina nods, her face grim. "We have a lot of time to make up with Naruto. No matter what, I won't rest until he's in my arms again. I won't rest until Naruto is where he belongs. With us. With his family. With the people who love him. Our family will be whole, and whoever is responsible for taking Naruto from us will pay. I promise you that."

Mito stares at her mother in awe as the boat continues on it's way.

*Scene Change*

In Konoha, the Hokage reads the scroll sent to him from Kakashi and Kurenai. He pushes the button on his desk for the intercom. "Kasumi, could you send Team 9 to my office, please?"

He didn't have to wait long before Team 9 entered. Maito Gai gives his usual smile. "What do you need from us, Lord Hokage?"

"I recently got a scroll from Teams 7 & 8 about their mission. The mission parameters were false and the mission has risen to A-Rank. I'm sending your team to back them up."

Gai gives the Hokage a thumbs up. "Don't worry about a thing, Lord Hokage! My team and I will use our powers of youth to assist Kakashi and Kurenai's teams! Team 9, move out!"

Team 9 leaves the office. Hiruzen sighs before pulling a certain orange book out of his desk. "Time to relax for a while."

*Scene Change*

Naruto is panting as he looks up at the tree he had been using. Kakashi took Sasuke with him elsewhere, while instructing Naruto and Sakura to learn tree climbing. Sakura finished on her first attempt and ran off to find Kakashi and Sasuke, leaving Naruto alone.

"Hello there. What is a ninja doing out here in a forest like this?"

Naruto turns to see a black-haired girl in a pink kimono walk towards him. "How did you know I was a ninja?"

"The headband gave it away. My name is Haku."

Naruto grins. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"

Haku chuckles at Naruto's enthusiasm. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing out here?"

"I was training."

Haku is puzzled. "By yourself? Shouldn't you be with a team?"

Naruto sighs. "Yeah, except I have the worst team ever. One of my teammates, Sasuke Uchiha, is an arrogant bastard who believes that he is above everyone else, due to being an Uchiha. My other teammate, Sakura Haruno, is his biggest fangirl. She doesn't care about training. All she cares about is trying to seduce her way into Sasuke's pants. My sensei, Kakashi Hatake, hates the fact that I'm alive and only cares about training the Uchiha. Right now, Kakashi is training Sasuke, while Sakura is watching them."

Haku frowns. "That's not how Konoha teams are supposed to work. The sensei is supposed to teach all the genin of the team, not just the one that is his or her favorite."

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "And how is a civilian of Nami no Kuni so knowledgeable about how ninja teams work?" Naruto pulls out a kunai. "Who are you, really?"

Haku curses his slip. "Okay, I'll tell you. Just put away the kunai. I'm not your enemy."

Naruto nods as he puts away the kunai.

Haku clears his throat. "Like I said, my name is Haku. I work for Zabuza-sama, who you've already met. Before you pull that kunai back out, know that if I was actually your enemy, I would have killed you already."

Naruto freezes when she says this, before dropping his hand from his kunai holster. "What do you want with me?"

"I'm just interested in getting to know you, Naruto. It's at the request of the person I work for."

"What does this person want with me?"

Haku starts to answer, but stops. "Actually, this is something you'll want to here from her instead of me."

"Wait, this person is a woman and she's coming here?"

"Yep. Just to see you and confirm you are who you say you are."

This confuses Naruto. "Confirm I'm who I say I am? I'm just a random orphan from Konoha named Naruto Uzumaki. Why would it matter to her if I really am Naruto Uzumaki?"

Haku looks at him. "So you don't know who your parents are?"

"No. Nobody in Konoha knows. Then again, if they did, they wouldn't tell me anyway. You avoided my question."

"I can't answer if for the same reason as before. You'll want to hear it from Lady Uzukage."

"Lady Uzukage?"

"Yes. I work for the leader of a recently rebuilt village called Uzushiogakure. Ask your fellow ninja about it. Konoha was an ally of Uzushio. But, don't tell them it's back. They will reveal their return soon enough."

Naruto nods. "Very well, I guess."

Haku notices that it's getting late. "We'll continue our talk tomorrow, okay Naruto?"

"Sure."

Haku begins to walk away before stopping. "Oh, by the way, I'm a boy."

Naruto's mouth drops. "What? But you look like a girl!"

Haku chuckles. "It's due to my clan. We are born looking very feminine. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto."

Haku walks away. Naruto ponders for a few moments, before turning to head back to the house.

Some time later...

The remaining members of Team 7, as well as the members of Team 8, have returned to the house. Kurenai notices that Naruto is deep in thought. "Is something wrong, Naruto?"

Naruto looks up at her. "Yes. Do you know of a village called Uzushiogakure?"

Kurenai nods. "Yes. They were our allies back during the Third Shinobi War, but they were wiped out by Kirigakure."

"Why were they wiped out?"

"The main clan of the village was feared for their knowledge of seals. They were masters of the art of fuinjutsu. It's said that Jiraiya of the Sanin and the Fourth Hokage learned their fuinjutsu skills from that clan."

Naruto is curious. "What was the name of that clan?"

Kurenai thinks about it for a minute, before her eyes widen. "Now that I think about it, they were the Uzumaki clan."

Everyone else is paying attention by this point. Naruto looks at Kurenai. "Are you sure about the name of the clan?"

Kurenai nods. "Positive. It was the Uzumaki clan. But they were wiped out along with their village, so you're probably not actually related to them."

"Were any of them ever in Konoha?"

"Two of them. The first was the wife of the First Hokage, Mito Uzumaki. She's been dead for years. The second was Kushina Uzumaki, the wife of the Fourth Hokage. She hasn't been seen in twelve years."

"What happened to her?"

"Well, from what I heard, she and the Fourth Hokage were expecting twins. She gave birth on the same night as the Kyubi attack. When the battle was over, both the Fourth and his son were listed as dead. Lady Kushina left Konoha in grief, taking her daughter with her. Like I said, she hasn't been seen since. There was one odd thing about that."

"What was it?"

"While the Fourth's body was found and the cause of death was listed, his son's was not. No body was found, and no cause of death was listed. All that's written about the child was that he died. There wasn't even a name written. If the boy was alive, he would be your age."

Naruto's eyes widen as he thinks of something. "The boy is listed as dead, even though no body was ever found. If no body was ever found, then who the hell declared him dead? Is it possible that the boy could still be alive and someone covered that up?"

Kurenai looks at him in shock. "Well, it's possible. But who would gain anything from doing so?"

"I don't know. But I do know this. The child was born on October 10, during the Kyubi attack, just as I was. He disappears that same night and is declared dead. On the same day, I turn up in the orphanage, with no record of who my parents are or where I came from. There isn't even a description of whoever brought me to the orphanage. I just happen to have the same surname as Kushina Uzumaki, and I have the same hair and eye color of the Fourth Hokage. Is it possible that I am the lost son of the Fourth Hokage?"

Everyone stares at him wide-eyed, before Sakura and Kiba burst out laughing. Kiba points at him. "You, the son of the Fourth Hokage? There is no way you could be his son! You're too much of a loser!"

Sakura nods. "Yeah, you're the dead last! Besides, if you are his son, why would it have been covered up? There's no reason that someone would!"

Kurenai sighs. "She has a point. Why would it be covered up? Though I admit, there are some strange coincidences."

Hinata speaks up from the chair she's sitting on. "Um, we could always try to find Lady Kushina and ask her."

Kurenai nods. "True. She could still be alive out there. If anyone would know, it would be her. I'll talk to the Third Hokage when we get back to Konoha."

Naruto nods, though he's still deep in thought. 'Is it possible? Could I be the son of the Fourth Hokage? But then, why would he seal the Kyubi in his own son? But if I am his son, they why would it have been covered up? My life would have been much better if the village knew!"

Sasuke is brooding in a corner of the room. 'The dobe being the son of a Hokage? Yeah, right. Even if he is, he's still nothing compared to an Uchiha!'

Kakashi is leaning against a wall. His fists tighten. 'No! You aren't Minato-sensei's son! The boy died that night and you stole his body, you demon! I won't let you take away the last vestiges of the boy's identity! I'll kill you! Then, Minato-sensei and the real Naruto can rest in peace!'

Vanex: Well, Naruto stumbled onto the truth, but has no way at the moment to be sure it's the truth. You people are probably still screaming at me to hurry up and reunite Naruto's family, as well as screaming at me for having them stumble on the truth, only to have it shot down. I better go hide from the possible rage directed at me. See you all next time! (Runs away.)