Hi no Ishi (The will of Fire) - Five Ninja Academy Students

I do not own Naruto as a game, Manga, Anime series or a character. All original characters are mine though :P
It's been a week since the Ninja-tag games. Class is back in full swing. However, it seems that certain students are holding back some painful secrets. What are they hiding? And why?
All underlined terms are explained at the end of the chapter.

~Naruto's POV~

"The construct of the intermediate symmetric seal is based on the variables of the appropriate symbols balancing the algorithm of the eventual operative task of the seal." I mumbled, wondering why people like to hide simple principles behind fancy jargon. All that says is: plan what the seal is going to do, pick the matching symbols and draw it out in a symmetric pattern. That's it. Idiots.

"Naruto-nii, how is the studying going?" Yuuna asked me. It was Tuesday again, a full month after the trio had started dragging me everywhere. Tuesday is an important day for me, because that's fuuinjutsu day!

After I got the basics down - which took three weeks - Yuuna has been bugging me about everything I thought I learned. Comparing notes with her was like arguing with a living encyclopaedia! The girl simply knew EVERYTHING about seals.

"Meh, once I understand what the writer actually meant, it's easy... I guess." Best not tempt her to test that.

"Oh? And how are you getting along with this book then?" It's weird now that I think about it. Whenever Yuuna is around someone she doesn't know, or trust, she goes hyper-bimbo on them - or when she simply wants to tease the people she does trust... or if she's nervous. Other than that, she talks like normal people do. I think I'll ask her about that one of these days.

"Chapter two. Took me a full week to figure out how to translate chapter one into something I can understand." I admitted ruefully. 'Wow, ruefully? I'm really starting to think like Tatsuko-nee-san. Wait... 'nee-san'? When did that happen?'

"Yeah, Mito-sama does have a funny way of writing." Yuuna agreed happily.

"How come all the good books on sealing are written by only Kushina and Mito?" I wondered out loud. I mean, if the Uzumaki clan was so big and prosperous why only two writers?

"Well, all jounin that mastered a specific skill are asked to write a 'how to' guide on that skill. Mito-sama, and... Kushina-sama are the only two Uzumakis that were jounin in Konohagakure." She explained rubbing her knuckles. That kinda makes sense, other than the pause. Why would she pause right before mentioning Kushina? Jeez, that analytical psychology book Nee-san had me read two weeks ago is really starting to mess with my mind!

"Well, that makes sense. What do you know about them?" Uh oh, she is playing with her earlobe now! She is getting nervous.

"Um, Uzumaki Mito was the Shippuuden's little sister when she was sent to Konoha for an arranged marriage with Senju Hashirama. She was the top fuuinjutsu specialist of Uzushiogakure when she left and only became better in her studies here in Konoha. She wrote a total of sixteen guide-books; four on fuuinjutsu, four on suiton native to Uzusio, four on kekkei genkai traits and how to harness them and the last four are known as the 'Sacrificial Autoguides'." She smoothed her hair as she explained the last set of books... Odd.

"Sacrificial Autoguides?" Sure, I am curious about the other ones too, even though she writes old fashioned and really professor-like, she knows what she's talking about.

"You'll totally read them when your ready." Huh? ... 'totally'?

"And Kushina?" She smoothed her hair again, only this time she was looking down on the library desk we were sitting at and slowly started rubbing both ears. Something about Kushina troubles her.

"Ku-ku-kushina-sa-sa-sa-sama-"

"Uzumaki Kushina wrote a number of books on seals, time-space jutsu, customising an existing jutsu to better suit your needs and specialized battlefield analysis and tactics." Nee-san explained, obviously covering up for Yuuna... Hmm.

"I see. So how do these two individuals relate to me? I mean, all three of us are Uzumaki after all."

"All things in time, Otouto-kun."

Okay, let's take a step back (jeez all that fuuinjutsu training is spilling into the rest of my life) - Yuuna is nervous about Uzumaki Kushina, Tatsuko-nee-san refuses to tell me anything about her and no one ever wants to talk about my family, let alone my clan. Add to that that there were only two Uzumaki jounin in Konoha, factor in that Mito was brought here to marry the Shodai Hokage... and what do you get?

Why is no one telling me anything concrete about Kushina? Kushina is related to me, that much is obvious, but how is she related to me? I dunno, too little information. Well, we are in a library; I'll just see what I can find about her here. Otherwise I can ask Hokage-jiji about her.

Early morning training is the best way to start the day. I always come to training ground twenty-six, seeing that it is the closest one to the group home. Kami-sama, I hate calling it that, but 'The Alley of Broken Dreams' sounds even dumber - and it certainly isn't anyone's home. I can't wait to get my own place away from the depressing people that are always hanging around that place.

Honestly, Reimi-san, and the demon trio - as the villagers like to call them - are the only sane people in that building. The rest of them are all out of their minds! But then again, seeing that they were all orphaned by the Kyuubi attack, or just traumatized by it... it's kinda hard to blame them.

"Hey, Naruto-kun, just the guy I need." Mizuki-sensei huffed as he came to a sudden stop a few metres in front of me.

"Mizuki-sensei... what's up?" The silver haired chuunin was always giving the taijutsu classes, and since Hikaru and me were taking the extra classes, we were spending a lot of time with the odd teacher.

"Well, there is a mission of sorts that I need you to execute." He began. Gee, why don't I believe that? "Are you interested?"

No, not really. "What kind of mission?" And where is the catch?

"Well, seeing that only the best of the best are asked to take on these types of missions, I would assume it would be a very challenging one. I am on my way to get the final details from Hokage-sama himself. It might even be enough to help pass you with your bad grades in the Academy." Right, do I look like an idiot? "By the way, the person that takes the job is allowed to learn some of the coolest jutsu Konoha has to offer."

"I'm in!"

'Well, here I am, playing the fool again! Jeez, why do I always get suckered into this?' Mizuki told me about three hours ago what he wanted me to do, but this idiot is clearly setting me up!

The mission is simple enough, sneak into the Hokage Tower and take a scroll left on the floor in the Hokage's personal library. He explained that it was meant to test the Tower's security - which was obviously lax. After that, I was meant to sneak out of the main proper of Konoha and into the woods, while still remaining within the outer walls, and simply wait to be contacted.

I decided to open the massive scroll to see what was really going on, but I wasn't too surprised to see jutsu after jutsu written on it. 'Tajuu Kage Bunshin no-jutsu, Edo Tensei, Hakke no Fuuin Shiki, Shiki Fuuin, Edo Tensei-Kai, Jikuukanton, Hachimon - Kai... These are all Kinjutsu! That son of a bitch had me steal the Forbidden Scroll! Nee-san is going to kill me!'

True to what any panicked kid would do, I ran.

Hours... Why does everything I do take hours? Hikaru could learn a jutsu from scratch in twenty minutes, Yuuna takes a minute to make a seal too complicated for me to even understand and Nee-san is practically the queen of jutsus! She already created over sixty personal jutsus! Yet here I am fighting to learn a single one! It's frustrating...
At first I wanted to simply wash my hands with the situation, but some things aren't that simple. So here I am trying to learn and master the Tajuu Kage Bunshin no-jutsu while the clone jutsu was simply my worst skill!
'Better to aim for the moon and reach the sky, than to aim for the sky and land in the mud.' I hated Nee-san's similes for popping into my head at times like this. They always made sense! I hate that!

"It's all over." Iruka-sensei snuck up on me. Jeez, this guy is only a chuunin, but he sneaks up on me like that better than the ANBU taskforce!
"Heeheehee." I rubbed the back of my head, slightly embarrassed but pleased none the less. He looked at me funny while I started standing up.
"You found me already. Not bad sensei, you know... you're pretty quick. I only had time to learn one technique, and it isn't even all that good yet."
"You were out here practising? The whole time?"
"Of course! Mizuki-sensei said that if I did the mission and learn the jutsu, I wouldn't be sent home from the Academy because of my bad grades." Which he did, more or less. He was always threatening to send me home because my Taijutsu was the worst in the class!

"Mi-zu-ki..." Suddenly Iruka-sensei hits me off to one side with an open palmed strike.

/ "Sometimes you have to use force to maintain peace. Striking an ally just hard enough to get them out of the way of danger is not wrong, in fact it is sometimes the only thing that could save their life... perhaps even the lives of many others." Iruka-sensei explained during one of his lectures. "The hardest to understand as an individual, is why we suffer for the greater good. Shinobi take on the harshest punishments during even the simplest and most routine missions, not because we are evil and Kami-sama wants to punish us... no, instead it is because we take on the punishment of others so that they may live on in peace. Every Shinobi that gives his or her life for the greater good is celebrated as a hero. Both among the Shinobi ranks, and the civilians alike./

His words made no sense at the time, but here... now... with me flying away from him and that scared but determined look on his face... and the rain of kunai and shuriken flying where I stood no more than a second ago...
I tried to call out his name, but he hit me hard enough to wind me. So all I could do was stare as kunai after kunai ripped into his arms and legs. True to his training, he was already in a defensive stand to protect his face with his arms and bent forward slightly to keep the worst of it from his belly - and therefore all the vital organs there.

Still, in total I counted six kunai wounding him.

"So you found our little hide away... Ne, Iruka-kun?"
"So that's the way it is." Iruka-sensei coughed up some blood. "I should have know." Mizuki-sensei was in one of the lower branches of a nearby tree, leaning forward and poised to strike again any second.
"Good work, Naruto. You've successfully executed the mission. And as a bonus you even managed to corner a traitor to the village!" Mizuki-sensei announced.
"Traitor, what the heck are you talk-"
"Iruka tricked me into believing that Hokage-sama ordered this mission. He told me about this place and how to convince you to come here." He looked up at Iruka-sensei. That man's eyes were dark; his face was shrouded by his hair and the shadow cast by it. He simply looked evil.

"Wha..."

"Don't listen to him Naruto, he is trying to trick you again. That scroll contains forbidden jutsu, he wants it for himself! He wants to-" He coughed up some blood again. After looking at him a bit closer, I noticed that one of the kunai had stabbed him in his chest... upper right corner, just below the... collarbone? "he wants to take that scroll for himself! He's lying!"
"Ha, me lying? I'll tell you who's lying. Everyone has been lying to you from day one, Naruto. Don't you want to know why people avoid you, hate you?"
"Mizuki, don't! It's forbidden!"

"Even now, Iruka would do anything to shut me up! Do you see who is truly lying? He doesn't want you to know the truth!"
"What truth? What the heck is going on!"
"Ever since the Sandaime made that decree, no one has been allowed to tell you what's really going on..."

"JUST TELL ME ALREADY!"

"The decree is that no one is allowed to mention you being the Kyuubi no Youko!"
"Mizuki NOOOOOO!" Iruka shouted, obviously trying to overpower that man's voice. It's a shame that my hearing is so good...

/ "You demon, get away from our children!"

"What's the Youko-gaki doing here?"

"You'd think that Hokage-sama was smarter than allowing that thing into the Academy. Imagine what would happen if he became a ninja!"

"Are you going to kill me... like you killed my daddy and grandpa?"/

"... so that's why..." All these years... all these years... and all they saw was the kyuubi...
"You are the same beast that killed so many people in Konoha... including poor, poor Iruka's parents." I looked at Iruka-sensei in complete shock!

'His... parents...too?'

"Don't you see, that is why you will never be accepted in this village!" I'm not crying... I can't cry... Demons don't cry... right?
"EYES FRONT!" Nee-san? I looked up, shocked that Nee-san was out here too - just in time to see a Fuuma shuriken flying at me. It was coming to fast for me to run, I wasn't fast enough to dodge...

'I guess this is it. I wonder if Hinata-chan will be mad at me... for not fulfilling my promise.'

/ "Why do you want to be the Hokage so bad?" The eight year old Hinata asked. We were training together in the woods just North of the school - it was the only place no one would see us and get her in trouble. Still, it took her almost a year of meeting her weekly to get comfortable enough to stop stuttering as often - it didn't go away entirely, but she could manage most sentences without it.
"Because everyone acknowledges the Hokage for his strength and wisdom. No matter what, people would have to acknowledge me then too! That's what I want!"
"But isn't being the Hokage about guiding people too? And p-p-pr-protect-ting y-y-y-your lo-l-l-lo-loved o-ones?"
"Stuttering again, Hinata-chan?" I teased her, but I tried not to lay it on too thick - she gets really shy even when it's just us. "Well, I guess so. Don't really have any loved ones to protect."
"Wha-what about your family?"
"Don't have any. I've been on my own for as long as I can remember."

"Oh..." She was looking down again. Then after a minute she started blushing. "Maybe I could be one of your loved ones, then?" I just stared at her... did she really just say that? "I-i mean... I-i-i-i-"
"When I become Hokage, then everyone will be my family, Hinata-chan." I interrupted, explaining what Hokage-jiji told me a few days ago. "But I will need someone I can trust with my life. Someone to start a family with - whatever that means... I promise you, you'll be that person - dattebayo!"/

The supersized shuriken is flying at me. Seeing that I am seeing my life flash before my eyes, it isn't hard to figure out where this is going.

/ "What were you doing in the Uchiha district?" One of the interrogators ask me. His face is scarred beyond belief, his hitae-ate is worn like a bandanna to cover his head and his long black trench coat makes him look like a terrorist. Strangely, his sitting down with his arms and legs crossed, but the look on his face is dead serious.

I instantly decided I needed to keep on this guy's good side.

"I was pulling a prank! I was setting up a henge on the windows to make it look like everyone you saw through it was walking around in their underwear! That's it!"
"And how could an Academy student know about such a jutsu?" His tone didn't show any emotion - no anger, no surprise, no admiration... nothing! I spent my whole life reading people to know who was trying to hurt me, but this guy was a blank page!
"I get these scrolls from Hokage-jiji on chakra manipulation and some jutsu that he wants me to practice. So I use them to pull pranks on people. That's it, I never hurt no one!"
"You do realise that we found you between two jounin level Uchihas. Both of which were slowly tortured to death."
"What the heck are you talking about! I was in the Military Police HQ setting up the prank when the lights went out! I couldn't see anything! Let alone anyone! Besides why would anyone be dumb enough to think that I could take on a jounin, let alone two!"

"The lights went out?" He asked.
"Duh! Why else would I stay there after setting everything up? When you have everything set up for a prank, you leave. You don't stick around and wait to get caught!" What kind of idiot was this?
"So you say the 'lights went out'?"
"Yeah, it was so dark that I couldn't see anything! So of course the lights went out!"
"And what happened after the lights went out?"
"I started trying to figure my way out. I went as far to the right as I could until I started smelling some people that crapped in their pants, but I figured I would avoid them, seeing that Hokage-jiji told me to not get caught no matter what I started looking for another way out. But they were everywhere!"
"They...?"
"The Uchihas. They all either wet themselves, or crapped in their pants... a few of them puked I think. It was dark, so I couldn't see anything more than that... After a while I just got tired, so I decided to take a nap."
"And Hokage-sama told you not to get caught? So he knew you would be there?"
"Duh! If he tells me something, I would think that he would know I was there."
"I see..."/

Well, that flashback was no fun! Why can't I have fun flashbacks before I die? Like that time I-

"Ototon - Kagote no jutsu!" Someone needs to stop interrupting my flashback scenes! Who knows how long I have left!

Just then, I heard two awful sounds: one was metal clanging against something solid - like concrete - while the other was metal digging into awaiting flesh. I know that last one, because that was the God-awful sound that I heard each time a kunai hit Iruka-sensei.

"Dammit, Otouto, when I say 'eyes front', I don't mean for you to space out!" Nee-san was obviously pissed. I looked in front of me, wondering how I was still alive... Only to see... fuzzy. I was like my eyes were out of focus, but Nee-san was there, not in the least bit blurred.
"Heh..." I rubbed the back of my head, trying to play it off, still wondering why everything else was still out of focus...
Then, Tatsuko-nee-san released her jutsu... Yuuna was tending to Iruka-sensei, having him sit down comfortably until help arrived. And Hikaru... was standing over Mizuki's lifeless body. Even from this distance I could see the senbon that entered his left eye and went clean through the back of his skull.

I passed out almost immediately.

'Am I dead?' I wondered. Nah, dying might hurt, but death isn't this painful. Speaking of painful, opening my eyes hurts! "Itee..."
"Well, well, well... look who's back among the living?" Hikaru teased.
"Well, now I know I'm not dead. The Shinigami would never let you in, Hikaru." I teased right back.
"Damn, you figured out my tactic. Now what will I do?" He deadpanned. Well, I'm not dead... now what?

I looked around the room. Yuuna was drawing something in the corner, Hikaru was standing near the door (first line of defence, he calls it) and... "Are you upset with me, Nee-san?" I asked her. I used to wonder what Hikaru meant when he said that she had the power to make him feel like a child, but that 'mommy is not happy with you' look on her face was all the explanation I would ever need.
"Yes. Do you know why?" I tried sitting up, not feeling in the least bit tired or disoriented. I tried to take in the rest of the scene, trying to understand where I was.

'The hospital? I hate the hospital! Kuso!' White walls, white sheets on the bed, white everything... A perfect cover up for the black hearted people that work here! "Not really..."
"Liar." She said evenly. Her eyes seemed to be evaluating me, and I got the feeling she was not happy with what she saw.

"It's because I trusted Mizuki." I knew better than to blindly trust someone, she taught me better than that, even in the short time we had.

"Iie. I am upset because you didn't come to me when you got into trouble. You knew that was the forbidden scroll before you got to that place, but you didn't come to me for help."

"What makes you think-"

"The same way I know everything else I know, Otouto-kun."

"I don't understand." I told her honestly, meeting her gaze in earnest. That girl was simply too secretive for anyone to figure her out.

"It's a jutsu I use. Ototon - Shinseina Shoukai. I can ask your subconscious mind anything I want, and it will always answer truthfully. Anything you know, feel, suspect; anything I want to know you reveal... whether you are sure about it or not." That is sooooooooo... AWESOME!

"So then you know about-"

"The Kyuubi? I've always known." Huh?

"Then why are you still here? I'm a demon."

"Baka! Did you really think that Mizuki was telling the truth?"

"But you just-"

"All I said is that I always knew. Mizuki told you what he thought." Kami-sama, how does that girl do that? Oh, right... Divine Inquiry, I gotta learn how to do that!

"Then what am I?" She took her time, carefully thinking about that. I hate it even more when she thinks about her words before answering, it means she isn't going to tell more than what she wants you to know.

"You are a Jinchukiri." Was all she said. Jinchukiri? Doesn't that mean...

/ "She wrote a total of sixteen books; four on fuuinjutsu, four on suiton native to Uzusio, four on kekkei genkai traits and how to harness them and the last four are known as the 'Sacrificial Autoguides'." /

Jinchikiri means 'the power of human sacrifice'. Uzumaki Mito wrote books calls 'Sacrificial Autoguides'. 'Auto' can be taken to mean 'self', so Sacrificial Self-guides... four books. Just like her other topics, four books. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Master; genin, chuunin, jounin and kage. She carefully chose the number of books to match levels of skill... She was also a jinchukiri? What does that mean? What am I missing from this picture?

I opened my mouth, waiting for a thousand different questions to pop out at the same time, but she held her hand out to stall them. "I cannot tell you more than you already know. Only Hokage-sama can answer your questions."

"Ah, Naruto-kun, I was about to call it a day and come check up on you. How are you doing?" Hokage-jiji smiled at me, as he always does. He somehow always makes a little time free for me for little chats, no matter how busy he is.
"I'm fine, but I wanted to ask you something, Jiji. You gotta promise to tell me the truth though." I answered, trying to get right to the point. Too many years of things being hidden from me, it was time to end that.

His eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. If I wasn't paying very close attention I would have missed it entirely. "I will answer if I can." He smiled. A very political way to answer, too vague to corner him... he knows something I don't. A lot of somethings if that calculating look in his eyes is any indicator.

"Mizuki told me that I was the Kyuubi, is that true?" Best start with the worst and work my way forward.

His eyes widened in shock, but I could see understanding there too. He understands, even if only very vaguely, what I am going through right now. "No, it isn't. Yes, the Kyuubi no Youko is imprisoned within you, in the seal around your navel to be exact, but you are not him. You are actually the Bijuu's jailor, its Jinchukiri." There was that word again.
"So there were others than were his jailor before me?"
"Yes, two others that I know of."
"Who were they?"
"I'm afraid-"
"You've kept enough from me in the past, Jiji. Please, I need to know."
"No, Naruto, I'm afraid you don't fully understand what you want me to reveal."

Fine, I'll try something else then. "How did he get in there?"

"The day the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, the Yondaime sacrificed his life using a forbidden jutsu, the Fuuin Shiki, to seal it within you."
"If there were others, how did it get out to attack Konoha?"
He was silent for a long time again, stroking that puff of white hair on his chin. "That is exactly what I cannot reveal, it endangers you too much."
"More than having the strongest Bijuu in my gut? More than having all of Konoha hate me for something I never knew about? Do you really expect me to believe that?" He was quiet again, carefully weighing his words, carefully planning his next step. "Stop plotting against me, Jiji. I know you know what I want to know. I know you think you are protecting me, but you weren't the one protecting me from Mizuki. And you won't be able to save me from the next Mizuki that comes around."

"I know that, why else would I have you guarded around the clock?" Huh? I knew the shock was plainly visible in my face from the sad smile on his.

"I am... I mean, I was... I mean... What the hell!"

There was a firm knock on the door, followed by Jiji's permission to enter. Tatsuko-nee-san, Hikaru and Yuuna walked in with knowing smiles on their faces. "Considering the looks on your faces and your timing in showing up, I am guessing this is not entirely unexpected."
"Iie. He has been suspicious for some time now, but we are still under orders to keep our mouths shut." Nee-san, the designated spokesperson, replied.
"I see, care to fill me in?"
"Fill you in...?"
"On what has been sparking this. You know that your orders were to keep him in the dark to protect him." Do they know I'm still here? I doubt it.
"Simple, too many unanswered questions. And the natural Uzumaki talent for fuuinjutsu demands he analyse everything he sees." Jiji stroked his beard again.

"And what did you reveal to him?"

"Nothing, Hokage-sama."
"Then what have you been letting him read? I know you better than that, child. I am not upset, I just need to know what he knows and he will not likely tell me."
"A most intriguing problem, seeing that he now knows that you don't want him to know. Which will only make him more curious than he was. Well, that is none of my concern. He has been reading all available Fuuinjutsu books for his Intermediate level of skill with the subject."

"Intermediate? All available books?"

"That's two questions, Saru-ji-chan. Yes, from Mito and Kushina. Who else would write books on it?"
"And you wonder why I refuse to let you into ANBU? You'll turn me grey before my time." A bit late for that, ain't it? He smiled warmly at her. Okay, I am obviously no longer in the same room with them, and they are obviously not in the mood to care.
"Woe is me, whatever shall a girl do without her ANBU uniform?" She playfully exaggerated. "Seriously though, Saru-ji-chan, it's time to let go. You cannot protect him, not from the ones that want him most. Only he can do that."

"I am starting to see that. You do realise that he is not going to be pleased with either of us for this."

"Yondaime-sama will be more than pleased that we kept his boy safe, sane and strong. What else can a shinobi ask for?" Huh?

I could see their lips moving. I knew they were telling me something; and from the stern looks on their faces, it was something important. So why can't I seem to focus on it?

Shock, that's why.

"Huh?" I noised, trying to take it all in at once.
"Simply put, Naruto, you are the heir to both the Uzumaki and Namikaze clans, both of which are in dire need of a strong leader to rebuild." Hokage-jiji explained again.
"Yeah, I caught all of that, it's that other part that has me running around in circles." I pointed out.
"What, about you being the Yondaime's son? What is so shocking about that? You are practically his twin!" Hikaru laughed at my situation, again. Teme!

"No I mean..."

"Regarding Yuuna?" Tatsuko rescued me. It's times like these I learn to not complain about her mind reading thing. "What is hard to understand?"
"Not hard, just... a lot to take in."
"Naruto-nii, I wanted to tell you, I really did!" Yuuna was in tears, her body racked with violent and heart crushing sobs.

"Im... Imou... Imouto-chan..." Speaking the word was not easy... at all in fact.

"Please don't be mad at me!" Tatsuko embraced Yuuna with what I could only identify as motherly affection.
"I... I don't get it." I admitted, still chasing my own tail mentally. "I thought-"
"One of the traits of being an Uzumaki is multiple offspring per pregnancy, just like the foxes that your clan so revered." Tatsuko explained evenly, patting the redhead's hair softly.
"Foxes?" I thought back to the book I red on my clan, there was a mention of a summoning contract, but nothing more on the subject. No mention of foxes were made in the least.
"Yes, Uzumaki Kushina, the Akashi, had a summoning contract with foxes. One of the reasons she was so close to the Inuzuka clan."
"How the heck do you know all of this! Why was I never told!" I didn't want to be upset right now; I wanted to be happy. Just the thought that all this was kept from me my whole life; the Kyuubi, my parents, their clans that I was supposedly the leader of (even though there was almost no one left alive from either clan)... it was just too much.
"My father, Yukikami Tatsuhi, was your father's most trusted shinobi. Yondaime's last order was to keep his family safe at all costs." Tatsuko explained calmly. "So with his last breath, Tou-chan ordered me to succeed him in his mission... I've been guarding you ever since."

"..." I wanted to say something. I don't really know what, but something. Still, all I could do was work my jaw mutely, hoping that I just couldn't hear my own words.

"Naturally, Nee-chan decided to drag me along for the ride." Hikaru laughed at his own words. Meanwhile, I was just staring at the three of them. Yuuna still clung to Tatsuko's shirt, carefully eyeing me to see what my reaction was going to be. Hikaru was standing nearest to the door, obviously still in 'bodyguard mode'. Tatsuko-nee-san was simply staring back at me, probably awaiting what I wanted her to do.

'What I want her to do? Jeez that is so awkward! The smartest person I know is willing to do anything I ask her! All because of who my father was...' That was a power I didn't want.

"Listen you don-"
"If you try to tell me what I can or cannot do, then I will have to remind you that I am not following your orders; never have." Jeez, she could at least let me finish my sentence.

"Nee-san, I could never look at you as a-"
"I am not your servant, otouto. I am not your bodyguard. I am not even your friend..." She petted Yuuna on her head again, kissing her forehead lightly. "I am your big sister; and I will always try to guide you and defend you. No matter what."

"What about Kuroikage-san?" I wondered out loud. For the first time I was getting answers, and there were so many questions that needed them.
"Who?" Nee-san turned to Hokage-jiji, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"The guy that was writing all those scrolls to help train me, who is it?" I tried looking at both the old man and Tatsuko at the same time, hoping one of them would answer me.

"All things in time, Naruto-kun. All things in time." I hate it when he says that!

Later that afternoon I found myself on a park bench, trying to understand everything; I found I simply couldn't. . 'Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage, Konoha's Yellow Flash... and Princess Uzumaki Kushina, second jinchukiri of the Kyuubi, The Red Death... my parents?' It was almost too much to take in. Sure, I had some idea. I mean, there were ever only two Uzumakis in Konoha other than myself. Mito died nearly thirty years ago, while... Okaa-sama... died the day of my birth.
Another interesting, and perhaps even more mind blowing fact: Yuuna was adopted by the Main house of the Kitsunaga clan... she is in fact... my twin sister... I had family, living family, living in the same orphanage as me for nearly a year. And even before that, a stone's throw away, my entire life!

'Imouto-chan...My Imouto-chan...' That one thought rolled back and forward in my head for so long that I stopped bothering to fight it. I have a family. Small, yes. Fragmented, yes. But mine.

So where did Hikaru and Tatsuko fit into the equation? I asked, of course, but they just laughed at me.

/ "Give the boy a finger and he claims the whole hand." Hikaru laughed, patting me on the back. I am quite used to his teasing by now, thank Kami-sama.
"No, but really. I mean, Yuuna calls you Nee-chan, is there-"

"You call me Nee-san these days too, is there a reason for that?"

"Well, not really-"

"Exactly. I love Yuuna as a little sister, just as I love you as a little brother." Suddenly there was a frog in my throat. "Blood ties do not strengthen or diminish that."

"I-" I began, then cleared my throat, trying to work out the catch, "I understand. Is there any other family that survived that we know of?" The silence in the room was louder than s bolt of lightning striking right next to your ear./

'I have more family out there. They don't want to tell me about them, but I will find them some day. I will find them.'

End chapter 18

A/N: A bit longer than my average, but there was simply more to cover in this chapter. Mixing Cannon with Fannon is not always simple ;)

As always, I want to thank my beta Kiravu. Without her, my chapters simply wouldn't measure up to anyone's expectations! As well, I would like to thank RedRangerBelt for her reviews! I can always count on her to let me know what my readers are thinking! And just so you all know, I have decided to write a special release for the next chapter just to answer one critical question that she asked in her most recent review!

I was originally going to work the event that Naruto got himself into into Sasuke's portion, which was originally designed to be the next student (btw, did anyone notice that Naruto's chapters are backwards?), but I simply can't write his perspective. My views are simply too contradictory to capture him as a character and emo-tastical teme he is known to be. No, I am not a Sasuke fan, not even pre-'Sasuke retrieval Arc' Sasuke warmed me up to him. So instead I am going to give you all another POV to enjoy.

However, as I said, that next chapter release will be slightly different. Instead of giving you Student Five (who ever that student might be *grins evilly*), the next chapter will be:

Chapter 19 - The day the sun refused to shine

I hope you all are looking forward to it; I know I am. Be warned though, it will be quite a bit more graphic and intense than you are accustomed to from my previous writing. You have been warned!

Ototon - Shinseina Shoukai - Sound release - Divine Inquiry.
Ototon - Kagote no-jutsu - Sound release - Hands of Divine Protection technique.