Disclaimer/ Warnings: From now on I will only post these on the first chapter. I don't want to fill up the chapters with these things and annoy you, the readers. Sound fair?

"Family Ties"

By: Beloved Shadow of Light

+ Big Brother Iruka +

Food! Real food! I'm so glad we're actually eating in a restaurant. I know okaasan wants us to get there really fast but what's the big deal? I don't remember much about that village anyway, I left that place when I was like six or something. I look at everyone else over my menu. Gaara looks like he's bored outta his skull--nothing new there. Haku is quiet but he's not that talkative either. Ooh looks like Zabuza-san said something he shouldn't have! I try not to smirk but I can't help it; it's not ever day I get to see him like this all fidgety and stuff.

I met him when I was little and I still think he's a freak. I mean he's always wearing those bandages over his face! Is he trying to look like a mummy or something? I hate to admit it but he's really strong. I tried using that sword of his once but I could barely lift it. Gaara tried the same thing but he cheated using that sand of his. I shrug and look back down at my menu. Whatever he did okaasan isn't one to forgive easily. His fault though.

A mousey looking girl appears with a notepad and pen. "Good morning. What can I get for you all today?" she asks with a smile.

"Do you serve ramen?" I ask quickly. I can't remember the last time I tasted the hot soup and soft noodles in my mouth-

Hand. Knee. Digging. Pain!

"Never mind," I manage to grit out and stare at the table top. I can feel okaasan's hand slide off, letting me breathe easier. Geez she could've said something, not try to dislocate my kneecap.

"We'll take the breakfast platters for five," she points out as she sets her menu down.

"Any side dishes?" the waitress asks, writing down our order.

"Two of them with grilled salmon and pickled umeboshi," Zabuza adds, setting his menu down, soon followed by Haku.

"And some nori." He smiles when Zabuza looks at him. Gah I don't think I'll ever understand him or what he sees in mummy man. Mummy man. Heh. I gotta remember that one.

"I'll have the sweet tamagoyaki and aji!" I say with a big grin, holding my hand up as high as it can go. If I can't have ramen than I'll have this!

"Make his with pickled cabbage as well," the lady whom I've called 'mother' says without looking up.

"Okaasan!" Blech I hate that stuff! Why is she always making me eat that stuff?

"Quiet." Uh-oh she's using that tone. Fine but I still don't like cabbage. "Gaara." Man he never talks and when he does it's always so dead sounding. I know he's had it rough but would it kill him to lighten up once in a while? He should act more like me, believe it!

My brother is quiet then he sets his menu down and closes his eyes. "Pickled daikon radishes, sweet tamagoyaki, and unsalted salmon."

The waitress quickly jots it down and finally turns to okaasan who is still looking over her menu. I sigh but I can't complain. She's the most patient person I've ever known.

"For you, ma'am?"

"Natto, nori, pickled cucumbers, and umeboshi as well."

"And to drink?"

"Four green teas and one coffee." I can see Zabuza making a slight face that I mirror. I don't know why she likes drinking that stuff but she has to have at least one cup of that stuff, even if it's at night. Gaara drinks that stuff too but not that often and only in the morning. I remember asking if I could try some but she said I wouldn't like it. I don't like vegetables but she makes me eat them so I kept bugging her. She finally let me drink some. It was black like tea so I thought it would taste like that. Boy was I wrong! She said I could put milk and sugar in it but I said forget it. You couldn't put enough sugar in that stuff to make me drink it! Then she smiled and ruffled my hair, making me smile.

I like it when she smiles; she looks like she's free or something. Hidama is my mother and she's really pretty but she doesn't smile or show a lot of emotions even around us. She kinda looks like someone stole her heart or something. I wish she would smile more often though.

The girl bows and takes the menus away. The table is quiet and I'm bored now. I play with my chopsticks, trying to get them to stay standing when I let go. Gaara still has his eyes close but I can't tell if he's sleeping. Wadding up a piece of paper I flick it in his direction but a thing tendril of sand swats it back at me. I manage to catch it but smirk. He returns the smirk. We're not related by blood but hell Gaara is my brother (sometimes we argue who's the oldest) and he's really cool. I look at Haku in time to catch him rolling his eyes but I flick the same paper ball at him. He catches it and smiles lightly. Haku is cool too but he hates it when I refer to him as 'sister'. Not my fault he's all girly. Before I can get too bored I smell delicious food coming towards us. I quickly sit up and grin as the waitress comes back with a big 'ole tray in her hands. Wow, look at all that food!

"Enjoy your meal and if you need anything please ask," she smiles and bows then leaves. I quickly snatch my chopsticks but I can't dig in. Last time I ate before we were ready I wasn't allowed to eat for an entire day and had to wash all our dishes by myself. I learned the hard way.

"Itadakimasu," we say at once and pick up our chop sticks (I had to wait for the others before I dug in). As I'm eating I notice that Zabuza doesn't remove the bandages, he just shifts them around so he can eat. I still don't get why he always wears them but hey that's him; besides this isn't anything new, I've known the guy for like eight years and I've never once seen his face. I know it's impolite to talk while eating but it's too quiet! Sure everyone else around us is talking but not us. I'm not the only one who can feel the tension.

He's gonna break them if he squeezes any harder. Sure enough the big guy sitting across from okaasan is gripping them so hard I can tell they're just about ready to shatter. I wonder what he said to get her so mad--Hey what happened to the rest of my tamagoyaki!? I look up in time to see the culprit eating it.

"I was gonna eat that, Haku!" I yell at him.

"You were too slow," he replies as he takes a bite out of his breakfast roll.

"Is that so?" Moving swiftly I snatch the rest of his omelet and shove it into my mouth, smirking as I chew it then swallow. "Take that!"

He looks ready to stand, eyes going hard that I begin to stand as well but the pale woman next to me clears her throat. I look at her and slowly sit back down, Haku doing the same. We can settle this later, believe it. I look down at my cabbage and frown. I really hate that stuff so instead I push it around my plate. I wonder if the owner has a half-starved dog I can feed this stuff to...

"Naruto, either eat it or I will feed it to you."

Crap. I pick some of it up and glare at it before closing my eyes and shove it into my mouth. Eew gross! It tastes funny but after chewing on it for a bit I swallow. Ugh it tastes worse going down! I can hear snickering and glare at Haku. He's having waaay too much fun with this. Zabuza gives him a look and he quickly stops. Ha, showed you.

It doesn't take us long to finish but I ask the waitress for another order. She looks surprised but nods and goes to put the order in. Okaasan says nothing so I guess she doesn't min. Long as I don't have to feel her fingers digging into my knee again. That really hurt! As soon as the plate is set down before me I dig in but this time I make sure Haku doesn't seal anything from my plate. Once we finish completely we say "Go-chisou sama deshita" and get up from the table.

"Grab your packs, I want us to reach the village before noon," okaasan tells us. We just nod, racing back to our room and grab our stuff. I can feel my stomach doing cartwheels but I can't tell if I'm nervous or excited. We're going back to my home village, a place I was born and grew up in before okaasan took me away.

I frown and tighten the straps, making sure it wouldn't fall off but also not get in my way. I was little when we left Konoha but I remember that I wasn't happy there. I didn't have any friends and everyone always glared at me, like I did something wrong. Sometimes I heard them whisper behind my back but I could never hear them. But something happened, something really bad happened one night; I remember being surrounded, they were all mad at me, I was hurting all over, a soft and furry blanket seemed to wrap around me, someone was holding me, telling me not to go to sleep and that he was sorry... did someone other that my mother care about me?

"Naruto."

"Nani?" I look up only to find Gaara and Haku both ready and looking at me with concern. I know they want to ask but I just give them a big grin and shoulder my pack. One thing we have in common is we were all hurt a long time ago. "Race ya!" I managed to yell out before running out of the room. I hear footsteps behind me but I just grin. There was no way I was gonna lose this time!

I jump over the railing, landing easily and dash for the door but at that time the waitress who served us suddenly gets in my way with her hands full. I open my mouth to curse and quickly skid to a stop, looking at her sheepishly.

"Gomen," I apologize. She looks surprised but before she could say anything I see Gaara heading for the door. "Um sayonara!" We're almost at the door but at this rate there is no way the two of us are gonna fit so I push myself harder and step one foot outside-

-only to run smack into someone tall and strongly built. I try to keep my balance but bro chooses that time to stop by running into me. I think I cursed again and hit the ground. Who was the idiot that stood in my way?! I look up, ready to yell at him until I realize its mummy man. He glares at me silently but I snort and stand up, dusting myself off.

"I won," I smirk. It was a stupid race but the fact is I won, believe it!

"Afraid not, Naruto."

Nani? Haku smiles at me where he's still holding his rabbit Yuki. How the hell did he get down here before me? I follow his hand and growl. That sneak went out the window!

"You cheated!"

"You didn't say we had to use the stairs."

"Teme!" I should have known better but I almost never learn. I feel a stinging pain in the back of my head, making me lose my balance and end up sprawled on the ground. Again! I look behind me, thinking its Gaara but instead it was okaasan and she doesn't look happy. "Okaasan, I-"

"Apologize to Haku right now," she says coldly, crossing her arms over her chest. Why does she always get after me? Zabuza curses too but she never hits him! Grumbling I get up and bow to Haku.

"Gomen... oneechan." Oh man he looks so funny when he gets all red like that! He takes a step forward but Zabuza grabs his shoulder and turns him away.

"Don't get so worked up," I can hear him say but soon we're heading off. Man I can't believe it; we're going back to the place I was born. Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

A village of elite ninjas.

Like I said, I was little when I left. I don't think I had any friends and I didn't have any family besides okaasan. Actually, she's not even my real mother but she took me in when I was born. A lot was going on when I was born and during that time I lost both my real parents. Otakusan died in battle against some demon and okaasan died a few days after I was born. Hidama took me in and raise me but I always called her okaasan. I always wondered about my real parents but I never bothered to ask. I mean they're gone and I have her.

The trip there is boring but we manage to get some training done. When I heard what my parents were (before they died) I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to be a ninja, the best around! But I had to take some tests or something. Zabuza-san is a ninja from a village far from here. I can't remember the name but he and Haku don't mention much about it. I tried bugging them about it but they refused to tell me anything. In fact, Gaara is from a place called Suna. It was alright but too much sand and too hot!

The journey is quiet but before I can get too bored we're given the signal to slow down. I blink but obey and land softly on the ground. I like jumping from branch to branch, it helps me learn to be quiet like a shadow. Anyway now on the path I can see a huge gate. I can only think of one word as I stop and stare at a huge image that looks like a spiral only shaped like a leaf.

"Whoa."

Seriously this place is huge! I mean I've been traveling with my family for a long time but there's something about this place that makes me feel like--I dunno, like I've come back to something I really missed but I didn't know I was missing it.

I know it doesn't make any sense but that's how I feel.

"Kit! Hurry up and you'll be locked out," okaasan calls out to me. Yep a buncha guys in uniforms are standing before the open gates. Everyone else is already heading in but she's waiting for me. I smile and run up to her but I don't slow down and wrap my arms around her as tight as I can. When I was a kid I would hug her leg or she would pick me up, now my head meet about mid-chest on her. I remember how one time some drunk tried to grope her I thought she was going to kill him but she never got after me and Gaara. Well I kinda expect her to hit me in the head but she slowly wraps her arms around me. I just smile and hug her tighter.

"Arigato okaasan," I tell her. I can't see her face but I know she's smiling as her arms tighten around me. I can feel her hand run through my hair, letting me sigh in delight.

"Anything for my kit." We release each other but I stay close as the gates behind us close. As much as I wanna sightsee okaasan tells us we have an appointment we have to keep. I dunno know why she wants us all there but she says we have to hurry. Adjusting my pack we head off, all of us following her as we jump form roof to roof. I can tell people are staring but even with the jumping I look around.

Some stores. A flower shop. Buncha of houses and apartments. Hey wait--I don't believe it a ramen stand! Oh yes Kami must be smiling down on me. I'm sure okaasan won't mind if I just have one quick bowl. She's so busy trying to get to that meeting she won't notice me missing. I smirk and land in an alley. I wait and being as quiet as I can reach into my pack for my frog wallet. I got it as a funny gift my last birthday. It's kinda goofy looking but I like it. With my money in hand I quickly rush to the Ramen Stand.

Ooh the smell is so good! Ooh guess my stomach is glad for the break. I know I ate a big breakfast a couple of hours ago but I'm starving! "Hey, gimme one bowl of every ramen you have!" I order with a big grin on my face.

The waitress is a pretty girl a few years older than me with reddish hair and the guy in the back looks kinda old. Both look at me like I'm crazy. Didn't they hear what I said? "C'mon I'm really hungry!" I whine, shrugging my pack off with a heavy thump.

"Are you sure you want that many bowls? The girl asks me.

"Of course I'm sure! Look I can pay, see I have money!" I sit my fat frog on the counter where it's nearly brimming with ryo.

The old man's eyes seem to bulge but he just laughed as he sets some of the noodles in a bowl and comes over to set it before me. "If you say so kid, but don't blame me if you get sick!" I just grin before yelling "Itadakimasu" and dig in. Oh man it has really been too long since I've had ramen and the meeting and everything else just flies from my mind. I really should have given okaasan a message but if I asked I knew she wasn't gonna let me have any ramen until much later. Besides, I was paying! By the time the eighth was set down I was prepared to dig in I felt a hand grab me by the back of my jacket and lift me right into the air.

"You have better start thanking Kami that I'm not Hidama right now," Zabuza says in his deep voice. Even though I know it's him I struggle and try to slip out of my jacket but the zipper's stuck. Again!

"Lemme go, I'm not done yet!" I yell at him but I stop when I hear a crash. I open my eyes and stare at the pile of shattered bowls-one of them being the bowl I was just about to eat--and yell out every curse word I know. The waitress--Ayame, she told me her name after my third bowl--is as red as a tomato and the old man--turns out he's the owner of the place and Ayame's otakusan--stares at the guy holding me up. "Zabuza-san, look what you made me do!" I yell at him, trying to get him to let me go.

He snorts and somehow manages to sling me over his shoulder. Luckily his sword is in its sheath on his other shoulder but what am I, a sack of potatoes? Before I can yell I watch as the ramen stand gets smaller. He's walking away! "W-Wait a minute, I left my money and my pack!" I yell, struggling to get loose. "Put me down, mummy man!"

"Would you rather I drag you?" he asks. Okay being dragged doesn't sound fun but damnit I can walk! I smirk and prepare to do my ultra secret move but before I can make the last sign he says "Try that jutsu and Hidama will seal you for three months."

Three whole months!? There's no way I could survive that long! Sighing I cross my arms as much as I can and glare. Oh he is so getting it later, believe it! I can hear some of the people whisper and pointing but I can hear Zabuza growl and they scurry off like frighten mice. Ha serves them right. I see some kids younger than me pointing and laughing but I grin and make faces at them. Nyah Nyah can't get me! Great now I can see some kids my age and they're watching but whispering too. I just ignore them and prop my elbows on Zabuza's back, resting my chin in my hands. "Hey, where are we going anyway?" I finally ask.

"Since you missed the meeting you also missed what was going on," he begins to tell me. "Hidama is calling in a favor and seeing if you can take the ninja exams along with the students for this year. Since we've been traveling you haven't had any school training and because of that you have to be tested on to see where they should place you. You were suppose to meet the hokage and he was going to give the final word."

"Yeah and?" I snort, trying to look where we're going but he refuses to let go. "Hey, what's that place?" Looks kinda like a school I guess but I would be able to read if I wasn't hanging upside-down, slung over some mummy man's shoulder like a sack of potatoes!

"To meet your sensei." He pushes the front door open and walks in.

"Not like this!!" Okay I'm sorry I missed the meeting but there is no way I meeting whoever like this, believe it! I continue struggling, making it harder on him but I guess he could read my movements. Then again this guy has been traveling with us for eight years. Before I know it I'm still slung over his shoulder but this time I'm on the opposite side and I can actually see where we're going but his stupid sword is digging into my stomach and chest. "Grrr put me down already, my stomach hurts!" I yell, watching as he heads for some random door.

"If you puke on me I'll kill you." He won't really kill me but sometimes his punishments make me wish I was dead. The door opens and we go in. Well, I always love making a grand entrance but not like this that's for damn sure!

Hey, the classroom's empty. Well good, I sure as hell don't wanna be embarrassed on my first day here. The room is big, split up into levels with long desks on each row and big windows along the opposite wall where the door is. I wonder where I'll be sitting? I look around and find a guy standing up from a desk I just noticed. He seems like an alright guy, dressed in a green and black uniform, long air pulled into a puffy ponytail, and dark eyes but it looks like he's trying hard not to laugh at me. I find myself resisting the urge to grin. I like him but I'm not comfortable, believe it!

"Umino Iruka." The guy nods; Zabuza grunts and grabs my arm when my elbow comes close to hitting his nose. Damnit almost had him! "I'm Momochi Zabuza, and this is your newest student-"

"I can say my own name and for the last time put me down, mummy man!!" I yell. Seriously I feel like I am gonna be sick. I can feel his hand tighten and I close my eyes but I can feel myself moving and my stomach does twists and turns. Ooh bad idea but then I can feel solid ground on my feet and slowly open my eyes. I take a deep breathe and looking at the new guy I grin. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna be the best ninja around, believe it!"

He blinks and smiles. "Nice to meet you Naruto. Classes were let off early today so I'm afraid you won't meet your classmates until tomorrow," he says with real warmth in his voice. I really like this guy; he's like okaasan--only a guy!

I just grin but frown when I felt Zabuza's hand on my head. "I'll go tell Hidama I found you so don't bother running off." I knock his hand off and he's gone. I just stick my tongue out where he last stood and turn when I hear a stifled laugh. "Nani?"

"Nothing. So Naruto, why don't you tell me some things about yourself?" That's how okaasan found us. I kinda expected her to arrive really soon and berate me for leaving without saying anything but she didn't. When mother came to pick me up later I found out Iruka-sensei knew her. Turns out she had lived her way before I was born but I was having a little bit of trouble remembering why we left when I was little. Haku told me that we tend to lock away memories that are really painful so we don't get hurt.

Yeah really painful...

I met the hokage but I didn't see how he was the strongest ninja in the village. He's so old! I didn't see Gaara or Haku or mummy man there but he asked me what I knew. I just shrugged and told him all I had learned. He didn't say anything except smoke his pipe. Grrr I hate smoke, it makes my nose burn! Then he asked me if I knew any special moves. I grinned and made ready to do the signs but before I could do the first one I felt a fist on the top of my head, making me see stars. I think okaasan was talking but I just sat on the floor, wincing. Geez she didn't have to hit me so hard! Luckily we left and headed down the street, giving me a chance to look around the place and wouldn't you guess we pass right by the ramen stand!

"Okaasan, can we have some ramen?" I quickly ask, praying she'd say yes.

"From what I heard you had several bowls earlier," she says without looking at me.

"H-Hai..." Damn mummy man has a big mouth!! "But I forgot my pack and wallet there!"

"Zabuza took your pack to the house and I have your wallet and I am not giving it back to you. Let's get going."

"But okaasan!"

"Naruto."

"..." Man I can't get a break! As we're walking we pass by a deserted area of the big city. It looks like no one has lived there for a long time: the houses are falling apart, gardens are overrun with weeds, but under that I can faintly smell old blood. I stop but look up to realize okaasan has stopped as well. I want to ask if she knows about the area but before I can she continues walking. I quickly follow but look back. Wait, there! I can see a guy around my age looking at me. He's pale like Gaara and has dark hair and eyes like Haku but something about him makes him seem like he's angry and sad at the same time. I want to yell at him for staring at me but I just shrug it off and run after okaasan. Whoever he is it's not like I'll see him again, that's for sure.

Wow! I didn't know okaasan lived in a town house! And it's really nice and big! Looking up at her I grin when she nods and run inside, yelling that I was home. I snicker, kicking my shoes off at the foyer and run inside to explore. Zabuza scowls at me as I run by him but I don't care. Grinning I race upstairs and inspect all the rooms. Haku throws his stupid senbon needles at me when I run into his room without knocking (he was changing) and Gaara doesn't do anything (he was meditating) but there was one door that was locked. Ignoring it I run into another room and with a grin big enough to split my face, I yell loud enough for the whole village to hear:

"MY ROOM!!!!!"

"NARUTO!! SHUT UP!!" I just laugh and throw myself on the large bed, slowly falling asleep with the same foxy grin on my face.

I don't know how long I slept for but by the time I woke up it was dark and the moon was hanging high in the sky. I found a throw blanket covering me and my pack sitting in the corner, I just smile. Since I'm up I put my stuff away, adding my own touches to the room but as I reach the bottom I pull out a small leather book. Scratched into the cover is written 'Memories'. I got this a few years back for my birthday and it's filled with lots of pictures of my family ranging from okaasan to yours truly to mummy man to my brothers to my sister. Yeah I have a sister but she had to go visit her uncle or something like that. I hope she comes back to us soon, I miss her.

As I skip through the pages I can hear what sounds like a faint alarm. Frowning I go to my window and push it open. It's still faint but as I look around I can tell it's coming from the hokage's place. I know I shouldn't even think about doing what I want to do but I quickly change into some black clothing with a hood, pull on my spare shoes, and jump out the window. I landed easily on the ground but once I gain enough distance I begin jumping from roof to roof, heading closer. Finally I stop and listen to a large group of shinobi and the old man. Man they all look so uptight.

"How could this have happened?!" one of them yells.

"The Scroll of Sealing is dangerous! It has all the secrets all the way from the Yondaime to the Shodaime!" another yells.

I blink. Scroll of Sealing? I think I might have heard something about it but I just focus on what they're saying.

"Who could have stolen it though? That was guarded so well yet all the guards are dead!"

"That damn brat! One of the guards said it was him, he's positive!" another guy. Man if looks could kill this thief would be six feet under- "It was that Uzumaki kid!"

What the? How could I have stolen something when I fell asleep?! I am not a thief!! What the hell is everyone's problem with me?! I growl angrily to myself, ignoring the rage that wants to be let loose but instead I head into the forest. I'll prove I'm not the thief; I'll get the real criminal and drag him back if I have to!

I run harder and faster but I stop when I catch the scent of blood. I don't know why, but I have this really strong urge to find the source. I jump from branch to branch, barely making a sound as I hone in on the scent. As I get closer it becomes stronger until finally, I can hear voices. Now I stop and nearly fall off a branch when I recognize one of the voices.

Iruka-sensei! I finally found them and all the blood in my body freezes. It's a small clearing but my newest teacher is literally pinned to the side of a shed by several shurikens. He's bleeding badly, so that's where the blood is from but who the hell is the guy across from him with the biggest shuriken I've ever seen and in his hand in a really huge scroll.

"Mizuki-san...Why?" Iruka pants weakly, trying to remove the weapons from his body.

The man laughs, making me growl deeply in my throat as I clutch at the trunk of the tree I was currently hiding in. "How else was I to get the scroll? Sure I could have easily taken it but then the entire village would be after me," he explains while smirking evilly; "Then I saw the kid was back in town, everyone had thought he was dead and what better way to make sure he never becomes a ninja by framing him. You know what the penalty for stealing something this valuable is. Right, Iruka-san?"

I watch as his face turned into an angry scowl, holding a bloodied kunai in his hand. "Death. But I will not let you get away with this! Naruto is my student and I won't let anything happen to him!"

Mizuki scowls and reaches up to take one of those huge shurikens off his back. "Then I'll just deal with you myself!" he yells and runs at my bloodied and weaken teacher. I don't care if okaaan gets made at me, I don't care if I get in trouble with the hokage; the only thing I care is to save jikei!

I leap out of the branch and headed straight for that bastard, I kick him so hard he goes flying off only to crash into a tree a bit off. I know Iruka-sensei is looking at me with wide eyes but I just stare at the other guy as I slowly stand, holding onto the scroll tightly. I remember acting like this once, when someone attacked my family from behind. I don't remember much of what happened but I saw red then I woke up and found out the guy had been literally cut to ribbons.

"If you ever, touch Iruka-sensei again... I'll kill you!" I growl angrily.

The bastard gets up and I smirk. Looks like my kick knocked his jaw out of place and he spit a wad of blood on the grass but that's the least he deserves. He glares at me hatefully with those hate filled eyes but I don't care. "You cursed demon! You should have never come back!" he yells at me angrily.

Whoa hold up! Did he just call me a demon? I blink but listen as he tells me just why I've been getting so many sour looks from the villagers. I knew I was born here in Konoha but okaasan took me away. But that asshole said the Yondaime died for the village, by sealing the lord of the tailed-beasts within me. I can hear Iruka-sensei telling me to ignore him but I don't say anything. Slowly, I lift my hand and place it on my stomach.

A blonde little boy runs into a rented home, running into the kitchen where a pale woman stood before the counter. "Okaasan!!"

Hidama looks up as a blonde boy runs up to her. "What is it, kit?" she asks calmly.

He grabs his shirt and lifts it up to reveal a large spiral surrounding his navel, strange markings along the outside. "How come I have this but no one else does! Everyone calls me a freak!"

Her hand stops cutting the food and looks down at him. Setting the knife down she kneels before the boy and tugs his shirt down. "Naruto... that's something I have to tell you but I don't know if you're ready to hear it or not."

"I wanna hear it! You said I'm a big boy now!" he says with a cute pout.

"Hai, you are a big boy." Standing she lifts him up only to sit him on the counter next to the cutting board. "Wait here." Leaving him for a moment she returns with a large book and shows him a page of a drawing of a huge animal with multiple tails. The trees seem so tiny, even the mountains are dwarfed by it's immense size. "That, is the fabled Lord of the Tailed Beasts, the most powerful demon the world of humans has known. Youko no Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox."

"How can a fox have nine tails?" he asks cutely, folding his legs up so he could hold the book easier.

"Take into mind he is a demon fox and for every hundred years it lives, a fox gains another tail. Once they have lived for nearly 1,000 years that are considered immortal. Kyuubi was the only demon alive to have lived for so long but something happened... he attacked a human village out of spite and anger. No one knows by but a lot of people lost their lives that night." She looks at him with calm ice blue eyes. "That village was Konoha, your home town." She nodded at the wide-eyed look on his face before continuing. "The Yondaime couldn't stand to see so many people die so, he went to face the demon alone. There was a bright flash of light and when it was gone, nothing was left. It wasn't until later the village understood what had happened." Reaching out she lifted his shirt and gently traced the markings along his belly.

"This mark, shows that you have Kyuubi sealed within you, Naruto."

He blinked and reached down to cover her hand. "Why me? Why didn't he do that to himself?" he asked softly.

"It's a forbidden jutsu that cost him his life. The Yondaime thought the village would see the infant as a hero, as a savior but humans are so narrow-minded they saw the opposite. Kyuubi is still alive but you are still Naruto. You are still my kit no matter what." She lowered the shirt and hugged him tightly. "I may not be your birth mother, but I am still your mother just as you are my son and no one can ever take that away from us."

He didn't realize that such an unusual mark could have such a powerful meaning but he didn't care at the moment. Reaching up he hugged her as tight as he could, closing his eyes as tears fell down his scarred cheeks. "Okaasan..."

"Okaasan..." I say softly, feeling tears run down my face. Looking at that Mizuki asshole I smirk. "You're talking about Kyuubi, right?" I ask. He looks like he just crapped his pants and I know Iruka-sensei is in shock but I don't give them a chance to speak up. "I know all about him and what he did that night. I wish so many people hadn't lost their lives, but I am not Kyuubi!" I can feel so much charka filling me, a growl emerging from my voice I roar out loudly enough to send the animals fleeing for their lives. "I am Uzumaki Naruto! The next hokage!"

Mizuki doesn't look happy, like a big part of his planned failed. "Then, I'll just kill you myself!" He grabs his remaining huge shuriken and lunges at us, his full intent on killing us. "Die nine-tailed fox!!"

"N-Naruto!!" Iruka shouts but I don't pay any need. Quickly my hands go through the seals, using this power filling my body. Reaching the last smirk I shout as loud as I can the jutsu.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!" At first nothing happens but before I can panic one by one an exact clone of myself appears before multiplying faster than rabbits. Before I know it, there's an army of me surrounding the jerk. We all smirk as several of them cracks their knuckles.

"You want a fight, you got one!" one of them yells out.

"You're gonna pay for hurting, jikei!" another threatens.

"Yeah, a thousand times worse!!" Lunging as a group, our attacks aim true. It doesn't take us long to make this jerk wish he had never even thought of doing anything against my teacher before we step back. He looks like Hell warmed over and satisfied, I release the jutsu. I feel so damn tired but instead of falling I stumble towards Iruka and fall to my knees before him. He looks so shocked, what if he hates me? I try to say something but my throat feels so dry.

"Iruka-"

"Naruto." I blink at the gently tone in his voice. "Do me a favor and close your eyes, just for a moment. I want to give you something."

Oh man! I hope he doesn't hit me! Hesitantly, I close my eyes, preparing to get hit but instead I can feel him wrap something around my forehead. I want to look but I close my eyes tighter as I feel his hands leave my head. "C-Can I open them yet?" I ask. Yeah I'm nervous, what if he hits me as soon as I open my eyes?

"Hai, you can open them." Slowly I do and blink as he smiles at me. Hey what happened to his Hitachi? "Congratulations, Naruto-kun. You're now a genin for Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves," he says proudly.

Slowly I reach up and find his Hitachi had been placed on my head. I can feel tears welling up in my eyes I do the only thing I can think of. I tackle him into the shed and hug him tightly. "Domo arigato, jikei!!" I shout. I can hear him cry out in pain but he hugs me back.

I felt like I really was home and I'll prove to everyone that Kyuubi is not evil.

Author's Notes: Well this has to be the most pages so far! 11 pages thought I think the terms take up most of the room. Anyway what did you all think? Yes I used some parts form the first episode to help me here and further along it will be explained how Naruto mastered the Kage Bushin (Shadow Clone) like that. And pairings have already been decided for later on. And from now on, I will be using the original names of the jutsus from the website 'Naruto Chaos' instead of the English terms. If you want to know what the jutsu is called or what it does then check out the site. No I will not link you since ff hates links. Laterz!

miso: soy bean paste

natto: fermented soy beans

nori: dried seaweed

tamagoyaki: rolled omelet

aji: dried horse mackerel

umeboshi: sour plum

Itadakimasu: Said before eating
Go-chisou sama deshita: Said after eating

ryo: the currency used during the series (1 ryo 1,000 yen)

Nani?: what?

hai: yes

iie: no

arigato: thank you

domo arigato: thank you very much

okaasan: mother

otakusan: father

jikei: affectionate elder brother

imouto-chan: younger sister

oneechan: big sister

Kami: god/goddess

-sensei: is for a teacher (male or female)

-san: is for an adult (man or woman)

-kun: is for a boy (for people you know)

-chan: is for a girl (for people you know)