Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 4

Answers

Jiraiya sighed from his perch in the tree. That could have gone better. He jumped down and made his way quickly to his first student. Minato didn't look at him or acknowledge his presence. He was just watching his son, huddled on the ground, falling apart.

"Minato…" he started.

"Don't," the blonde man interrupted. His voice was devoid of any emotion, blank.

Jiraiya shut up. The Yondaime had to deal with this on his own, and he obviously didn't want any input. Fine. He would just stand here and lend silent support. To both his students.

Naruto couldn't control the tremors wracking his body or the sobs escaping from his throat, although he was trying. But what did it matter now? Nothing mattered now.

His squeezed his eyes shut and dug his fingers into the grass, leaving gouges in the earth as he shook. He was biting his lip so hard it was bleeding in a desperate effort not to scream. He wished the earth would open up and swallow him.

He'd ruined everything. He had been doing so well. He had actually gotten the bell. His father had been impressed, and he was sure Jiraiya would be proud. He hadn't even had to use his kekkei genkai. He would have explained things to his father, told him what to expect, before he used it. But it was all too late for that now. Everything he had accomplished, all the progress he had made, gone, erased, destroyed, in one instant when he had lost control.

He knew it would be hard for him if he drew his father's blood during the fight, so he had tried to avoid that. And he had managed it, up to the end. Even then, it had been such a small amount, he thought he would be ok. And he had been, although only barely. It had been infinitely harder than he thought it would be. When the scent of his father's blood had reached him, it had been all he could do not to taste it. It trigged a desperate, burning thirst in his throat. It sang to him, although the call was fading, the energy it contained dissipating the longer it sat on the blade, drying in the late afternoon sun. He had been able to retain a thin thread of control, although it took every ounce of concentration and he couldn't do anything but stand completely still. If he made any sort of movement, he thought he would snatch up the katana and taste the blood. It was hard, desperately hard for him, but he had done it. The longer the blood was out of the body, the less he wanted it. He only had to hold on a little longer, and he thought he would be able to move to disperse the jutsu and get rid of the clone and the blood. He'd deal with the fresh blood scent coming from the Hokage after that.

But the clone, the stupid clone, had tried to taste the blood itself. He should have dispersed it immediately, even before the blood scent had gotten to him, but he had been so happy to get the bell, he hadn't even thought of it. And once the blonde had tasted the blood, he was lost. The roar of his instincts had brushed his control aside like he would brush a wisp of cobweb from his face.

But, oh kami, it had tasted so good. It had been the most amazing thing he had ever had, and it wasn't even fresh. He immediately wanted more. One more taste, of fresher blood, wouldn't hurt. His father was already bleeding…

The wound he had given the Hokage was shallow and the blood had already stopped flowing. It was easy enough to make it start again and draw more blood out than would normally appear. It was also easy to hold his father still, so he wouldn't move away. Humans were so oddly squeamish about having their blood consumed…

In the back of his mind, he was a little surprised his powers were working at all against his father, but he didn't pay the thought much attention. He was too focused on the blood.

When he had tasted the fresh blood, it had been ecstasy. He had never felt so incredibly alive, the energy in his father's blood transferring to him. It tasted the way his father smelled—warm and spicy and clean and home, on top of the metallic taste only blood had—but 100 times more intense. He had savored every drop.

And it sang to him. The way he had felt his father's voice in his bones, he felt the song of his father's blood in his veins. His own blood had answered the song, trying to match his own energy to his father's, like making a harmony to match his father's melody. His heart had skipped a few beats to match the rhythm of his father's heart. It wasn't perfect, because the blood wasn't directly from the vein. But it was close, and Naruto had yearned to complete the ritual, to finish the bonding, to cement the connection.

But it wouldn't happen now. He was certain, absolutely certain from the depths of his being, that his father would reject him. That his father would want nothing to do with him. Jiraiya was probably disgusted with him too, after that display.

His father's voice, as soft as it had been, had gotten his attention, and the look on his face when Naruto had glanced up…

The horror and shame Naruto felt, when he realized what he was doing, had snapped him out of his state in an instant. He had desperately clamped down on his instincts, released his father, and leapt away, but the damage had been done. He had apologized, but words were fairly useless in this situation, and he didn't think it would matter in the slightest that he had meant them from the bottom of his soul. He had seen the look on his father's face. Fear had dominated the Hokage's expression, but there had been something else. Naruto had seen it often enough to know exactly what it was.

Disgust.

It hadn't been very obvious, but it had been there. And it had broken his heart and crushed his spirit. His father was just like all the others. He was happy to have Naruto around when he thought he was normal, human like everyone else. But the moment Naruto showed his other side, showed his kekkei genkai, that changed.

Fear and disgust. He was used to it by now. It was the reaction he always got. Even Jiraiya felt it, at least at first. But he had always been able to ignore it, to get over the pain of rejection by others, because he had clung to the belief that his father would be different. That, as long as he worked hard enough, as long as he showed his father he was valuable, as long as he was careful about introducing his father to his powers, his father would accept him. Even the other part of him. His purpose in life would be fulfilled and he would finally be home. Some days, that had been the only thought that had kept him going.

And he had just wrecked his only chance. It didn't matter how good he was now, how valuable he might be. Because he knew where fear and disgust led. Where they had led every other time someone had seen his power. Hate. His father might not hate him now, but he would. He is, after all, only human. The bitter thought raced through Naruto's mind.

And that would be the end of it. The Hokage would never allow Naruto to stay in the village, to stay with him, let alone be a ninja. Now, he had no purpose and no home. No place he belonged. It was his worst nightmare come true. Despair crashed over him in waves and he thought he might drown in it. He had not the slightest hope.

Minato stared at the teen crouched on the ground for what felt like a long time, his face blank. He didn't know what the hell was going on, not at all. But damn it, he was going to find out.

"I am really tired of being confused," he said. He spoke quietly, only talking to Jiraiya. His eyes narrowed. "So you are going to tell me everything you know. Because I know you know what's going on."

Jiraiya sighed. "I know some of it. Where should I start?"

"How about with whatever-the-hell that was."

"We call it his kekkei genkai, but that's not really what it is."

Minato snorted. "No kidding. I've never seen anything like that before."

Jiraiya ran a hand through his hair. He really didn't want to be the one to explain this. "To understand about the power Naruto has, you have to understand he's not…" Jiraiya trailed off. Minato looked at him expectantly. The Toad Sage tried again. "Look, Kushina-san wasn't…" Why couldn't he just say it?

"Wasn't what? Wasn't from Whirlpool? I kind of get that feeling," Minato said sarcastically. An idea was forming in the back of his mind, but it was so…so…well, suffice to say he really didn't want to contemplate it.

Jiraiya gave a short bark of laughter. "No, she most definitely wasn't from Whirlpool," he muttered.

"Well, where the hell was she from then?!" Minato yelled. He was really, really on his last nerve here and his sensei was beating around the bush. It felt good to yell, to get some of his frustrations out. "Just spit it out!"

"Naruto should be the one explaining this!" Jiraiya yelled back. "I don't understand half of it myself and it's really not my place! This is between you and him!"

"Naruto is in no condition to be telling anybody anything!" Minato replied, pointing at the form huddled on the ground. He and the Toad Sage had both seen broken men, those who had reached their limit and had been pushed beyond it. Naruto looked disturbingly like those men. He had stopped sobbing, but Minato didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"It's alright, Yondaime Hokage-ue. I will tell you whatever you want to know," a voice said. The men turned to face the boy that had spoken. He was still kneeling, but he had lifted his head from the ground. Now he simply sat, his eyes downcast, his hands sitting lifelessly in his lap. He was still trembling, but it wasn't nearly as violent as before. His voice was scratchy, as if he had torn up his throat with his sobs, which Minato thought was entirely possible. It was also empty; devoid of any emotion. A trail of blood from his lip was drying on his chin. He made no move to wipe it away.

Minato narrowed his eyes a little. "You don't have to do that, Naruto. Jiraiya-sensei can answer my questions."

"Forgive me, Hokage-ue, but he is correct when he states he doesn't understand everything. I am the only person who could possibly provide you the information you need. He is also correct in the fact that this is a matter between you and myself. I am the proper person to be answering your questions."

Minato blinked. The whole speech had been delivered in that expressionless tone. And the phrasing…it was so formal, almost archaic.

Jiraiya sighed next to him. "He only talks like that when he is nervous. But that voice isn't like him."

Minato nodded, but didn't say anything. Instead, he walked closer to where the young blonde was kneeling. Jiraiya followed him. He stopped about five feet away. "Naruto, look at me," he commanded, his own voice carefully blank.

Naruto instantly complied. Minato heard Jiraiya's small gasp, and he knew he himself showed some surprise.

All the life had disappeared from Naruto's face. His features were completely blank and his eyes were dull. The spark, the fire, normally contained in them was totally gone. Minato had only been in his presence for a few hours, and he already knew that Naruto was a bundle of energy, of life. That even in his darkest moments, he still burned brightly. Jiraiya had been with him for seven years, so the realization hit him harder. But both men knew this was bad. He was broken. Now, if they could only figure out why…maybe they could put him back together.

Naruto didn't react to them at all. He simply looked at Minato.

"Very well, Naruto," the Hokage said. "Jiraiya-sensei was trying to tell me something earlier. Did you hear that?"

Naruto nodded.

"Will you tell me what he was trying to say?"

"He was trying to say that in order to understand my power, you have to understand that I am n-not—" he stuttered a little and looked down at the ground again, "not–en-entirely—h-human."

Minato said nothing. He was trying to absorb it. He wasn't exactly surprised, not after what he had seen and felt, but this was the possibility he hadn't wanted to consider.

"You're not a Jinchuuriki," he said. It was a statement, not a question. He was grasping at straws and he knew it.

Naruto shook his head.

"Then what are you?"

Naruto flinched slightly, but answered. "I am a hanyou."

"Hanyou…" Minato breathed. Half-demon. He thought that was just a legend. But it explained things. Some things. Well…actually, nothing. It didn't explain a goddamn thing! "If you are a hanyou, then Kushina…" he couldn't finish the thought.

Naruto finished it for him. "My mother is a demon."

He started to sway, and Jiraiya caught him, which was good because his legs wouldn't support him anymore. "The only demons I have ever heard of are the Bijuu. How is this possible?" Minato whispered. The woman he had known had been a powerful ninja, yes. She had been somewhat aloof, with a wicked temper, yes. But a demon!? His only experience with demons was the attack of the Kyuubi, almost sixteen years ago. Kushina did not seem at all like the Kyuubi.

"There are others besides the Bijuu, Hokage-ue," Naruto answered. "Konoha is part of my mother's territory. She was visiting here and met you. She was very intrigued by you, which is no small thing, to excite the interest of a demon. Traits like courage, loyalty, and dedication are very important to demons. They also value battle skills. She was very impressed by the things she saw in you. She even went so far as to enjoy your company. I cannot stress how unusual that is. For a demon to actually seek out a human is nearly unheard of. You must be a very exceptional person."

"She was…impressed by me? She enjoyed my company?" Minato repeated, pushing away from his sensei to stand on his own two feet again. "Did she love me at all?"

Naruto didn't say anything for a moment. When he answered, his voice sounded sad. "No, Hokage-ue. She did not love you. She does not love me. Demons do not feel emotions such as love. They are incapable of it." He paused. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Minato rubbed his eyes. Ugh. He wanted to know more about Kushina, but really, it was of secondary importance. She wasn't here. Naruto was. He was the issue that had to be dealt with now.

"So, whatever her feelings were, she felt enough of them to honor me with a 'gift'," he said.

"Hai, Hokage-ue. There is no higher honor. For it to be bestowed on a human is extraordinary," Naruto said, repeating his words from earlier.

"I take it there aren't a lot of other hanyou running around, then."

"No. My mother knew of no others. There may be one or two she didn't know about, but no more than that."

So Naruto was most likely one-of-a-kind. No other like him in the whole world. At least each Jinchuuriki had up to eight other people in a similar situation as they were. What a lonely existence.

Minato sighed. "And this attitude about…offspring being objects to be used is common to demons?"

"It is universal."

"What about a desire for family? Or passing on knowledge to a new generation?"

"Demons have no desire for family. They do not much like company of any sort, actually. They are not social creatures like humans are. And there is no point to passing on knowledge. Demons are basically immortal. They do not age and they do not get sick. They can be killed, but, for the most part, it is difficult to do. So they do not feel the need to have children. The only purpose for offspring is as a gift."

"Which is why, after you were born, your mother only stayed with you for four years?"

"Hai. Most demon children are born as full-grown adults with all the skills and knowledge bestowed on them by their parents. It doesn't take them very long to become strong enough to be useful. Because I am half-human, my creation was different. Okaa-sama carried me for only a few months before I was born and I grew much more rapidly than a human child for awhile. I have also been…aware from the moment I was born. Okaa-sama was able to start training me right away. When I was four years old, she deemed me ready to go out on my own. Then she left."

That comment Naruto had made earlier about never being a child had confused Minato. Now he understood, at least a little. "And you went to find Jiraiya-sensei."

Naruto nodded. "Okaa-sama couldn't help me with any of the human traits I had, like your affinities for wind and water, or my emotions."

"Your emotions?"

"It's not just love that demons can't feel. They are devoid of many emotions. So okaa-sama really had no idea how to deal with mine. She couldn't even name most of them."

Minato was getting a headache. A really bad one. This was all too much for him. He rubbed his eyes again. "Ok. Alright, so you found Jiraiya-sensei and trained with him. What about what you did a little while ago? That was definitely not something you got from me."

Naruto shook his head. "No, that was entirely my demon half. Demons have affinities like humans do. They just have more elements they can possibly be aligned with. My mother's primary affinity, and, therefore, mine as well, is blood."

Minato stared. "Blood?"

The teen nodded. "I have a…connection to it. It calls to me. It gives me energy. I can do simple things like control it, and more complicated things, like absorb a person's memories with it."

Minato blinked. "Control blood and absorb memories?"

"Among other things."

"So it was you making my cut bleed."

"Hai, Hokage-ue." He sounded sad again.

Jiraiya cut in. "He also stopped the bleeding."

"Huh?" Minato looked down. The cut was, indeed, no longer bleeding and had actually formed a scab. It looked like he had gotten it a day ago instead of less than an hour. Not only that, there was no dried blood on his skin or in his clothes like there should have been. Naruto had somehow gotten rid of it. That must have been what he was doing when he made those motions with his hand before he leapt away. "Oh. Did you stop me from moving too?"

Naruto nodded. "I don't know why my powers worked against you, though."

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Demons don't really trust each other. A gift is made in such a way that it can't turn on the recipient it is meant for, unless it is given a direct order by that recipient."

"That's why you had me command you to take the bell."

"Hai. It was the only way I could fight you."

"Well, then, doesn't that explain you being able to use your power on me?"

"No, Hokage-ue. I had obtained the bell. I had fulfilled the command. The directive no longer applied. I shouldn't have been able to do it."

"I have an idea about that," Jiraiya said. Minato turned to look at him. "I think it worked because Naruto wasn't threatening you in any way. He wasn't seeking to hurt or kill you. He made a shallow cut bleed more than usual, but you were in no danger of bleeding out. He stopped you from moving, but he didn't stop your heart or your breathing. Again, uncomfortable probably, but not actually life-threatening. I've seen him when he does intend to hurt someone, and that was nothing like it. Why do you think I didn't intervene? I knew Naruto would never, never harm you."

Minato looked back at the boy kneeling on the ground, thinking hard. He had felt threatened, especially when he couldn't move, but that was really because he had been so afraid. There was no doubt in his mind that Naruto could hurt others, badly. But really, what had he done to Minato? Scared him. And licked his blood off his fingers. He sighed. "Naruto, is that possible?"

Naruto shrugged. "I suppose, Hokage-ue."

"Fine then. You had the bell. Your command had been fulfilled, as you said. So why did you use your power?" Why did you lick my blood?

"I lost control." It was a small whisper of sound. Minato barely heard him.

"Lost control?"

"I-I-" Naruto started. He paused, took a shaky breath, and tried again. "I said I have a connection with blood. It's more than controlling it. I…can hear it. I can hear the heartbeat of every living creature. I can hear the blood moving in their veins. I can hear the sound of the energy contained in blood. It calls me. To…taste it, to transfer a little of that energy into myself. And I need it. I crave it. I have to satisfy that need."

Minato was staring at him. "You drink blood from people?" He tried to keep the distaste out of his voice, but didn't quite succeed.

"No!" Naruto's voice actually had some force behind it for a minute, but it quickly disappeared. He flicked his eyes up to look at Jiraiya, then dropped them to the ground again. "Animals," he said softly.

Jiraiya understood. That was what Naruto was doing on his 'walks.' Hunting. And he hadn't wanted his sensei to know. He had been afraid of what the Toad Sage would think. He shook his head a little.

The boy was speaking again. "I drink from animals so it's easier to control my instincts around people. It's one of the first things okaa-sama taught me. I haven't tasted human blood in years, except for enemies'."

"That's true, Minato," Jiaiya interjected, trying to help his young student. "I haven't seen him lose it like that in a long time."

"If it's true, why today? Why my blood?" Minato asked. He had to be sure Naruto wasn't a threat to the village. He couldn't have a half-demon running around drinking peoples' blood.

"Your blood is…different from others'. Special. Because you are my father, the recipient of the gift. You are whom I am…meant for. Your blood sings to me like no other. It's the most… beautiful…music I have ever heard. I couldn't resist it. I knew it would be hard, the first time, but I underestimated just how hard. And then the clone…" he trailed off and shook his head.

"So it was the clone," Jiraiya murmured. "I thought so, but I wasn't sure."

Minato was looking between the teen and his sensei. "What about the clone?"

Jiraiya replied. "Naruto was controlling himself. He was having a hard time, but he was doing it. Then the clone tried to taste your blood. Naruto is very…territorial. If someone tries to take what he considers his…well, it's not pretty."

"It's a demon instinct," Naruto said. "You defend what is yours until death. It didn't matter that the clone was, technically, me. The instant he tried to take your blood, I saw him as a rival. A competitor for my place with you. No way would I let him take your blood before I did. I didn't even think about dispersing the jutsu. He had to be shown that I was the dominant one. And once that instinct was triggered, I wasn't able to hold back."

"Before you did?" Minato repeated. "You were expecting to taste my blood at some point?"

Naruto hesitated, but nodded. "I had hoped to," he whispered. "It's the final bond."

"Final bond?"

"When a gift is accepted, there is a…bonding that takes place between the gift and the recipient. Connections related to the five senses are forged. The deepest and last one to form is the bond of taste. For me, that means tasting your blood."

Minato narrowed his eyes a little. "So this connection has been made then."

Naruto shook his head. "Not really. The blood has to be fresh from the vein. Even the little time it spent out of your body was enough to dissipate some energy and make it too weak to form the bond." The young blonde paused. "Don't worry. You have no obligation to me."

Minato narrowed his eyes further at that statement, but only asked, "What about the other bonds?"

"In place. The first time I saw you, the first time I heard your voice, the first time I smelled your scent, and the first time I felt your touch."

"And you didn't think I should have been informed of these connections before they were made?"

Naruto flinched at the anger in his father's voice, but replied in the same dead tone. "Forgive me Hokage-ue. It is not usually done that way. All demons know what receiving a gift entails. I know you are not a demon, but I didn't know how else to go about it." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I didn't see the harm in it. The first four connections only affect me. Only the final one would have had an affect on you."

"What affects do the bonds have?" The Hokage sounded a little less angry.

"You will never be hidden from my sight. I will be able to hear your voice no matter what, and I will always obey it. I will always be able to track your scent. I will be able to sense your thoughts and feelings when you touch me, if you want me to. After the final bond, you would have had all those abilities too, as well as been able to sense my thoughts and feelings without needing to touch me."

"I guess that explains why you could track me so well," Minato muttered. Then he sighed. "But what does that mean in practical terms? I'll never have any privacy?"

"No, Hokage-ue. It means that no henge or disguise or clone will ever fool me. It means that if you call to me, I will hear you speak, even if you are on the other side of the world. Your scent cannot be hidden from me, even if you cross through water or it rains. And you can speak to me without words through touch if there is something important you want to say without anyone hearing it. And you would have been able to do all the same things with me, after the final bond. Except you wouldn't need to touch me to hear my thoughts and feelings. And you would be able to hear my speech with out me calling you. You would be able to do those things any time you wanted to."

Minato shuddered a little. It sounded like Naruto was the one that wouldn't have any privacy. "So I could tell if you were plotting rebellion, huh?"

It had been a sarcastic remark, but Naruto didn't seem to pick up on that. "Hai, Hokage-ue, among other things."

Minato stared at him. He was doing a lot of that. "And you're ok with that?" he asked, anger once again seeping into his voice. "You don't mind me just picking out your thoughts or listening to your conversations without your consent?"

Naruto looked up at him, surprise flickering briefly in his eyes before dying out again. "Of course not, Hokage-ue. Why would I mind? I want to be of use to you. If you are bothering to listen to my thoughts or speech, it means that I have fulfilled my purpose. Nothing could be of greater importance to me."

Minato exploded. It had been a long day, a very long day, and he couldn't take it anymore. "Stop it! Just stop!" he yelled at the boy. Naruto's eyes widened, but he made no other move. "Stop talking like you are some object, some tool, some weapon for me to wield! You have your own life, your own soul! You are your own person! Humans are not—" he stopped his rant abruptly, breathing hard.

Naruto's face hadn't changed, but his eyes were suddenly and completely full of a deep, desperate pain and Minato felt his gut twist with guilt. He had caused that pain, with his lost temper and stupid words.

Naruto lowered his gaze. "Humans, perhaps, are not tools. But I am a hanyou," he said. "As such, I am a tool. My mother created me specifically to serve you. She even made me to look like you. It is the purpose in my life. I want nothing more than to stay by your side and to be of use to you. That desire is a part of me and I cannot change it. I cannot bond with another. You are my home. I belong nowhere else."

Minato watched the boy in front of him for a long moment. "What if I don't want a tool for a son?" he asked quietly.

Naruto seemed to shrink in on himself. "Then refuse the gift," he whispered. "I don't know how to be anything else, but what I am."

Minato said nothing. He stood there a moment longer, then turned to Jiraiya and plucked his coat off the man's shoulder, where it had been the whole time. He put it on, turned on his heel, and began walking out of the clearing. Jiraiya watched him go, but Naruto never lifted his eyes from the ground.

When Minato reached the trees, he paused. "I have to think about this," he said without turning his head. "Stay here. I'll find you when I have made my decision." And he leapt into the trees.