He sees darkness but smiles like the light.
By: The Un~Wanted Angel and Beta by: Carrie2sky.
We don't own Naruto.
CHAPTER 5
"Naruto, keep your scarf on you'll catch a cold!" Minato scolded while bending down to wrap the red scarf around his small child. Naruto groaned and let his Tou-san wrap it twice around his little neck.
"Papa! I'm not cold!" Naruto insisted.
"It's forty-degrees outside, Naruto. It's pretty chilly." Minato ignored his son's statement. "I don't want you getting sick. I can't have a sick little baby, can I?" Minato teased him, and then pinched his cheek. Naruto swatted his hand away.
"Not a baby," he mumbled.
Minato couldn't help but chuckle at that, Naruto was just too cute dressed in his little orange coat with his red scarf and yellow mittens. He looked cute as a button. Minato himself threw on his black pea-coat and started putting on his scarf. It was chillier this season. It was nearing the end of September, the nights became colder and the days didn't get that warm. Minato picked up Naruto and they started walking out of the house.
"Where are we going, Tou-san?" Naruto asked.
Minato looked up at Naruto, then he hesitated. How could he tell Naruto he was going to another doctor's appointment? He shivered at the last memory. Then he told himself, Naruto had to get used to these visits at least until he could learn how to use his Chakra.
"Kit, you're going someplace you won't like." Naruto drew his attention to the voice that spoke to him. "Why do you say that?" He asked the voice, Minato stopped walking and looked at Naruto.
"I didn't say anything, Naru-chan," Minato spoke.
"No. Not you..." Naruto answered. Minato was a bit worried now.
"Naruto...who are you talking to?" Minato asked. His voice full of concern and worry, he had hopped that it wasn't the fox Naruto was talking to. It better not be that fox! Minato gave off an angry look, but Naruto must have sensed something was wrong.
"No one, just myself, Papa," Naruto lied; he thought his Papa would be mad if he found out whom he was talking to. But, then again if he explained to his father that it was a "friend" he was talking to, would he be mad then? Naruto wondered. No, He'd go into an over-protective mood. Naruto felt glum. He sighed sadly, to cheer him up, Minato placed him on his shoulders, it seemed to work.
Naruto sniffed the air. It smelled strange and yucky. He knew that smell!
"No! I don't wanna go!" Naruto yelled trying to jump off of Minato's shoulders. Minato kept a firm hold of Naruto as to not drop him, his heart racing every time Naruto went to leap out of his arms.
"Naruto, it's just a check-up," Minato informed him.
"That's what you said, last time!" Naruto cried. "And it hurt!" He stuck out his bottom lip and Minato sighed, feeling more than guilty for Naruto's pain.
"Kit...I think I can stop the pain when it comes." The voice spoke again.
"You can?" Naruto asked out loud, confusing his father.
"You'll have to trust me with this. Just let your idiot of a father take you inside and once the bitchy-doctor puts on the cream I can stop it from burning."
"MY PAPA ISN'T AN IDIOT AND BITCHY IS A BAD WORD!" Naruto yelled. Then he stopped and realized he was talking out loud again. He gulped.
"Naruto?" Minato asked. "What was that?"
"N-nothing, let's just go inside," Naruto answered and with that, he took his red scarf and wrapped it around his face, not wanting to talk anymore. Minato started to panic; it was true; his son was talking to that damn fox! Minato grit his teeth but then realized-there's nothing he could do. But what if what Kyuubi was telling Naruto wasn't actually that harmful? No way was he going to risk that chance, though.
"Well...don't say bitchy, that's a naughty word, Naru-chan."
"Yes, Papa."
xcx
Tsunade looked at Minato, who nodded while keeping a tight hold on Naruto. Tsunade came closer to the bandage-less Naruto ready to apply the cream on Naruto's eyes. Minato felt something bad was going to happen, but Naruto wasn't fidgeting or screaming. In fact, he stayed put and waited patiently for the cream to be applied. Both strange and a good sign for progress.
"Okay, Kit, tell me when and I'll make your face numb so you won't feel a thing."
Naruto nodded. Tsunade started applying it on the cotton ball and when she came close to Naruto with the cream, Naruto screamed:
"Now!" Startling both Minato and Tsunade, but the fox took this as the sign and Naruto's face felt a bit tingly and he giggled at the new feeling. Tsunade stared at Naruto, wondering what he was talking about then Naruto spoke.
"Um...you can apply it now." He spoke softly, feeling a bit embarrassed. Tsunade did just that and Naruto didn't scream, try to wiggle away or even cry. He just sat there in his father's lap. Minato was shocked and both utterly happy when new bandages were tied around Naruto's eyes.
"Good job, Naruto. I'm proud of you." Minato smiled, cuddling into his son.
Naruto smiled and returned the cuddle.
"Thank you, Kyuubi." Naruto whispered softly.
"You're welcome, Kit."
Minato watched Naruto slowly eat away at his ramen he earned for not throwing a fit at the doctor's. He stared long and hard at Naruto. Minato knew that Naruto knew of the fox. What Minato wanted to know was what was that fox telling his son? Naruto looked up from his bowl and smiled.
"Are you okay, Papa?" Naruto asked.
"I'm fine, baby." Minato smiled and rubbed his hand against Naruto's small hand. Naruto shrugged and went back to his hot ramen.
When the two arrived home, Naruto went to work planning his mask for his project at school. He wanted his mask to be really cool looking, but he had no idea how to start on it. He groaned and felt hopeless.
"Need help, Kit?" The kind fox asked.
"Kyuubi, I don't think Papa likes you," Naruto spoke, off-task forgetting about his mask.
"Of course he doesn't," Kyuubi answered. "Now, about your mask, what do you like? Like any specific animal?" Naruto thought for a moment. Then he smiled.
"I like foxes. K'ashi brought me a stuffed fox. I like it, it's soft and plushy." Naruto smiled. Kyuubi smirked from his cage deep in Naruto.
"Very well, let me control your hands, Kit." Kyuubi commanded. Naruto didn't know what to do with that, so he just held out his hands. And he was shocked to see his hands were moving! And what Naruto found to be freaky was he wasn't doing anything! Kyuubi used his Chakra to control Naruto's hands, grabbing the paintbrush that had orange paint, glitter and glue. When he was done, Kyuubi stopped his chakra flow to Naruto's hands and Naruto felt his hands go limp.
"Kyuubi?" Naruto asked. "Is it finished?" The fox didn't answer. Naruto picked up the mask, smiling. Kyuubi must have finished, he thought. I want to show Papa! Naruto walked out of his room, and let one of his hands run along the wall of the house, counting his steps to where his Papa's office was, he knew his Papa would be working in there. Naruto came to a door and knocked on it.
"You may come in, Naruto." Minato sounded happy. Naruto smiled and opened the door.
"Papa! I finished my mask!" Naruto smiled brightly and went to place it on his father's desk, but the mask was placed at the very corner of the desk and was about to fall, but Minato caught it in time. He looked at the mask and was amazed! It was so colorfully detailed; the orange was so vibrant and bright. But what Minato noticed was it looked like a fox...it looked like that damn fox he sealed into Naruto six years ago!
"N-Naru-chan. I'm so happy that you were able to make this mask, but honey I don't think you should wear it," Minato confessed. Naruto felt confused and heartbroken.
"Why Papa?" Naruto asked.
"Well...you see the fox that you painted on this mask looks identical to the fox that harmed our village six years ago. It might offend people," Minato told him. He hated to see Naruto pout and he didn't want to discriminate his son's art work, but this was just too close to what the nine-tails looked like.
"Naruto...tell me the truth. Did you have help making this mask?" Minato asked. "I want the truth, Naruto."
Naruto bit his bottom lip, then holding his pointer finger to Minato. "Uh...one minute." Then he turned around. Minato raised one eyebrow. What was his son doing?
"Kyuubi...should I tell Papa about you?" Naruto asked himself.
Minato became very worried. Then Naruto turned around.
"He says you already know him," Naruto slapped himself mentally.
Of course I know him! I just want to know what the hell he's trying to belittle my child into!
"Well, yes and no Naruto...is it possible that I speak to Kyuubi?" Minato picked up Naruto and set him on the couch and sat next to him. Naruto shrugged.
"Kyuubi...Papa wants to talk to you." Naruto whispered. Minato began to get a bit worried, he wanted to take Naruto into his arms and tell him to stop. But Naruto's bandages started to unwrap on their own and "Naruto" opened his eyes and Minato saw the bloody red color of the demon Kyuubi.
"What do you want?!" Kyuubi spoke.
Minato gulped, and frowned. "What are you telling my son? And I swear if you're lying to him-" He spoke dangerously.
"Relax you over-protective human. I haven't said...much." Kyuubi made "Naruto" smile an eerie smile. "What you should be concerned about...is how lonely that boy is." And with that, Kyuubi must have left Naruto, because Naruto's eyes were not a blood red, but back to the pale blue color. Naruto smiled.
"Did you talk to him, Papa?" Naruto asked. Minato bit his bottom lip and sighed.
"It's dinnertime, Naru-chan. Would you like to help me?" Minato asked seeing Naruto look excited. He nodded and Minato led Naruto to the kitchen. Of course Naruto wasn't allowed to touch the knives but, Minato this one time, let Naruto use the knife to cut up the small bits of vegetables (of course he was watched closely) that would go into their dinner. After their supper, Minato helped Naruto with his mask, making a new one. It wasn't anything like what Kyuubi helped with (which saddened Naruto a bit more). Instead it was a pale green with a frog look.
"There. Much better." Minato said, placing the mask over Naruto, then he grinned.
"Oh! You're just so cute! I need a picture." Minato started looking throughhis desk until he found the camera and snapped a few pictures of Naruto's frog mask.
When Naruto next went back to school, was the day the masks were due. Naruto sighed and turned his in. Iruka smiled.
"Aw, Naruto, it's so cute!" Iruka grinned.
"I don't want 'cute' I want cool," Naruto silently sighed to himself. Other children smiled and giggled looking at everyone else's masks. Sasuke was kind and handed Naruto his mask. Naruto felt the glue stains and fluffy substance.
"What is it, Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"A panda!" Sasuke smiled. "Itachi helped me. I didn't see your mask, Naruto, which animal did you choose?"
"I originally had a fox, but Tou-san said I couldn't have the fox, so he helped me make a frog," Naruto replied glumly. Sasuke sadly smiled then placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder in a comforting way.
"It's still a very nice mask," Sasuke told him kindly.
Naruto shrugged. He hadn't been feeling that great all day. Even at recess, he just sat sadly on a swing while his friends all watched him. Sasuke wasconcerned. Naruto was usually a happy-talkative kid. Not this sad person.
Later that night, lanterns were hung and lit, fireworks were blasting; Adults and children were wearing their best kimonos, while their children also wore their masks. Some old, some new, but all creative. Naruto sighed, while holding his Tou-san's hand. Minato looked down and was worried. Tonight he should be having fun, not sulking.
"Naruto...is something the matter? Do your eyes hurt?" Minato asked, already checking Naruto's eyes under his bandages.
"I'm fine,"he replied, quietly.
Minato smiled a small smile and continued to wrap the bandages back.
"Tou-san? Can I go without them, just for tonight? Please? I'll let you put new ones on when we get home, I promise," Naruto begged. Minato sighed. He wasn't supposed to let Naruto take off his bandages, the cream that he applied earlier that night (without a fidgeting or crying Naruto which more than pleased him) would dry out if the bandages weren't on. Not only that, but he felt safer knowing Naruto had bandages.
"Naruto...You know the answer-"
"Please?! It'll be just two hours! I promise to be extra careful!" Naruto begged. "Plus, I'll look like a dork with my bandages on AND my mask. Please?" Naruto let out his lower lip as to add more to his pleading. Minato sighed and started to slowly unwrap the bandages.
"Alright, just this one time. I want you to have new ones on, so come to me in NO less than two hours so I can put new ones on," Minato told him firmly.
"YAY!" Naruto smiled, once his bandages were off, he opened his eyes, to show his pale life-less eyes. Minato smiled and playfully put Naruto's mask on. Obviously, he on purposely put it on upside-down as to be funny, Naruto only giggled and put it on right. Minato handed Naruto his plastic black children's lantern that changed colors and held on to his son's hand once more. Minato was greeted both formally and professionally (as was Naruto) as the two walked into the village. Naruto smelled new smells and could hear new sounds. For one night the weather was warm and Minato was glad he didn't have to pester Naruto about wearing any extra articles of clothing.
Minato and Naruto walked some more until Minato stopped. Something was wrong. He narrowed his eyes and started looking around. Everyone was having fun and everything was perfect, but SOMETHING was wrong. He picked Naruto up off the ground and carried him the rest of the way, much to Naruto's protests.
Lurking in the shadows among the mist of the forest, a snake-like lover slithered in his silver snake form. He came closer and closer to the village. He smiled.
"Ah, it seems the party has started without me." He smiled. Deep down, his anger only arose. Then something caught his attention; he had spotted the Fourth Hokage! He seemed to be with a little boy, taking off some bandages that were wrapped tightly around his head. The snake hissed, causing the Fourth to stop walking. The Snake was ready to fight, if he was spotted. He grinned when he noticed the retarded older blonde hadn't spotted him, but Orochimaru wasn't about to let his guard down. He slithered along the tall grass coming closer to the village.
If I just get close enough to the fox-child, and take him, then I'd have the true power of the Kyuubi.
Minato watched Naruto closely; it would be half an hour before he (and the Third) gave their speeches. Naruto was currently with Sasuke and Itachi inside the Hokage tower. (Sasuke was given permission to be with Naruto as long as Itachi was with him to watch him and make sure he didn't run off like what happened at theAcademy) Minato watched Itachi light sparklers while Naruto and Sasuke twirledthem around. Naruto didn't exactly know what a sparkler was, soof course he didn't realize that it would be so hot when he reached out to touch it, when he did, he screamed in pain and dropped his sparkler on the floor.
Minato was there in a flash."Naruto! What happened?" He asked.
"He touched the sparkler." Sasuke replied.
"Oh, Naruto. You can't touch things like that. You'll hurt yourself." Minato replied, placing Naruto's hands under the sink of cold running water in the attached bathroom.
Naruto sniffed, that feeling, he never felt it before. It was hot, hotter than anything he ever felt.
"Okay, Papa," he whimpered. Minato sadly smiled and placed a kiss on Naruto's cheek.
"Feel better?" He asked.
"Yes." The fox-carrier answered. Minato safely helped Itachi light more sparklers for Sasuke and Naruto, and this time Minato kept his eyes on Naruto while he played with his sparkler. When the time came, he told Naruto to wait in his office while he went to make his speech, he knew how bored Naruto would become during his speech, so he figured he'd leave him in his office where some of his toys were. Itachi and Sasuke, however were to go back to their parents. Sasuke gave a small goodbye to his friend, which Naruto replied softly back.
Minato started putting away a few items, when Kakashi walked in with the Third.
"Are you ready, Yondaime?" The Third asked with a small smile. Minato nodded, he gave Naruto a kiss on the cheek.
"Stay here, Naru-chan and when I come back, we'll play some games, would you like that?" Minato asked.
Naruto shrugged. Before Minato left, he whispered to Kakashi: "Watch him. Make sure nothing happens, okay, Kakashi?" Minato told him.
"Obviously I will, since I don't have a death wish if anything should happen to him." Kakashi meant to be funny, but Minato took this as an insult and he grabbed the new orange book that belonged to Kakashi. Kakashi was heartbroken; he hadn't finished reading that!
"Your punishment," Minato replied, coolly. "Now, watch my little boy, or I'll burn it." Kakashi gulped, knowing the over-protective father was serious. He turned his attention to Naruto, who looked up knowing someone was in front of him, he smiled.
"Hello, Ka'sh," he spoke in the most adorable voice.
Kakashi smiled his eye in a 'u' shape. "Hello, Naruto." The Third and Fourth had left to do their speeches. All were unaware of the snake slithering deeper into the village.
Orochimaru was still in snake form when he reached the walls of the Hokage tower. He quickly slithered into a bush once he heard vibrations. He narrowed his yellow eyes when he saw the Fourth and Third walking silently. ANBU members were stationed far, but close enough incase of an attack. But he wasn't interested in them (well, he was, but not at this particular moment) instead; he was interested in the fox-carrier.
"Just a little bit closer" Orochimaru smiled, as he slowly and quietly slithered under the door entering the tower.
Kakashi was moping, don't get him wrong, he loved to watch Naruto and was always happy when he did. He loved Naruto. Naruto was a parent's dream and a baby-sitters easy-A, but he also loved his "literature". He had just bought that book too! And Minato told him that if he hadn't done a good job, then he'd burn it, well not in those exact words but Kakashi knew he was screwed if Naruto even got a splinter! But Kakashi was a bit curious on this job, Naruto would usually be bouncing off the walls and happy today, but now he was quiet.
"Naruto...are you okay?" Kakashi asked.
"Not really," Naruto answered, truthfully.
"Well, what's the matter? Maybe I can help?" AsKakashi spoke those words and Naruto's head snapped up, getting an idea. Naruto smiled mischievously.
"I left my mask at home...can you go get it?" Naruto asked politely.
Kakashi wanted his book back badly. But he knew he couldn't leave Naruto.
"I'm sorry, Naruto but I can't-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Naruto started crying. Kakashi got worried, why was he crying? But then he realized, he wasn't really crying.
"Naruto, stop," Kakashi begged.
"Not until you get my mask at home!" Naruto yelled back.
"Naruto! You're dad will kill me if he finds out I left you alone!" Kakashi told him.
"He'll really kill you when he sees I'm crying," Naruto smiled, evilly. Then he went back to "crying." Kakashi bit his bottom lip, knowing Minato (and how paranoid he would become when it came to his son) Minato wouldn't notice the differenceif Naruto was faking or not, especially when it came to tears.
Kakashi plugged his ears when Naruto screamed once more.
"Okay...stop, Naruto!...Naruto! NARUTO, SHUT UP!" Kakashi yelled, causing Naruto to be quiet. "I'll get your mask, but you have to stay in this room!" Naruto smiled and nodded. He really wanted his fox mask. And he intended to get it. Kakashi became nothing more than a cloud of purple smoke and Naruto happily went back to making a castle out of his toy blocks. He started humming a small song he had heard on TV when he heard a small chuckle.
"Huh?" He asked. "K'ashi?"
"No...I'm not Kakashi." That evil and sinistervoice that belonged to Orochimaru spoke.
"I knew I should have put a camera in that room! That way, I'd know exactly what Naruto was up to!" Minato told himself out loud, catchingthe Third's attention. The Third turned to Minato.
"What are you talking about, Yondaime?" He asked. Minato and the Third stopped walking. Minato let out a sigh.
"To tell you the truth, things have been weird," he replied. "I don't have time to tell it all, but Naruto is changing ...and it's all because of that damn fox!" Minato grit his teeth at that last part. "I'm just scared of something bad happening to Naruto."
The Third sighed, he was a father and a grandfather, he knew the feeling of having to worry about a child, but sometimes Minato went overboard.
"Mianto...your son loves you. He always will, all you need to do, is remind him that you'll always be there for him," the Third told him. Minato nodded, feeling a bit better.
"W-Who are you?" Naruto stuttered, a bit scared now.
"Dont' worry...I'm an ANBU and your father sent me to retrieve you," the snake spoke, obviously lying.
"Why?" Naruto asked. His father had told him to stay here.
"He changed his mind and wants you to hear his speech. He has a surprise for you," Orochimaru told the boy.
"Alright," Naruto answered, believing the lie. Orochimaru smirked as his plan worked. He put his pale and pasty hand on Naruto's small tan hand and took the child out the back window ofMinato's office. He chuckled. Too easy, he thought.
Thank you to my Beta and co-writer Carrie2sky for anything that I either misspelled or goofed up on. And a big round of cookies being passed out to my reviewers, anyone who put this story on alert or added to their favorites. Thank you all so much.
Until next time this has been Angel and Carrie.