"Genjustu?" Gai asked. Kakashi nodded. Naruto was in bed, still unconscious, most of him wrapped in gauze. At a nearby table were his parents, Kakashi, Yamato, Gai, Iruka and Kurenai. After Sakura had healed as much as she could, she was instructed to stand guard at the tent and was told she'd be called if there was any change to Naruto's condition.

"Who could've done this?" Iruka asked.

"I don't know one-hundred percent, but I have a theory." Minato said. The others compelled him to continue. "At the meeting to reinstate me as Hokage, there was one person who was adamant about him becoming Hokage and not me. Danzo. He struck me as someone who I should keep an eye on."

"You think he made Naruto rampage to make you look bad?" Kushina asked.

"That's exactly what I think." Minato replied.

"It would make sense." Kakashi commented. "Naruto is your son and if the villagers saw the Hokage's son like that, they may turn against you and force you out of power."

"I'm sorry I put that burden on you."

The seven adults turned around to see Naruto's eyes open. He tried to sit up, grabbed his stomach in pain then lay back down. "Don't apologize, this isn't your fault." Minato said. "I'm the one who sealed it inside you."

"Did I hurt anyone?" Asked Naruto fearfully.

"Just a bunch of trees and empty buildings." Iruka responded reassuringly. Naruto visibly relaxed. "What did you see in the genjutsu that made all of this happen?"

Naruto really, really didn't want to think about it again but he knew he had to tell what happened. "Mom and Dad came by with a plate of food since I stayed behind. They sat down on either side of me while I ate and then, and then," A haunting look crossed Naruto's eyes as he stopped talking. Everyone knew how this story was going to end.

"We died." Kushina stated.

Naruto stared at his lap and nodded. "A shinobi in a mask. It all happened so fast, there was no time to react." The adults looked on in pity. Those of them who have been under genjutsu know how horrifying it actually is. "I hope I didn't scare any of you. I wish you didn't have to see me like that." Above all else, Naruto's voice was tired. Even Kushina, who had the Kyuubi sealed inside her for many years, never had this happen to her so she had no idea how exhausting it really was to rampage like that.

"What may have happened scared us but we're not afraid of you." Iruka said.

Naruto closed his eyes in exhaustion. "I'm glad." He fell asleep once more.

Naruto slept for three more hours before waking up again to find the adults still there, chatting amongst themselves. Naruto kept his eyes closed and listened on. "I'm more afraid of the villagers rejecting Naruto once more than me losing title as Hokage. I couldn't care less about that right now." Minato commented.

"I'm afraid too." Iruka agreed. "The things they did to him. Even when he could fight back, he didn't. I can't tell you how many times he showed up on my doorstep needing medical attention. He always refused to go to the hospital."

"Why would he never fight back?" Kushina demanded.

"He told me he didn't want to prove them right. They'd call him a monster and this was back when he didn't know the kyuubi was sealed inside him." Iruka responded resentfully.

Naruto opened his eyes and saw a look of unfathomable guilt on his father's face. He wished it wasn't there, his father only did what he thought was right. That was nothing to feel guilty over besides, Naruto doesn't resent having the kyuubi sealed in him, and it made him who he is today.

Naruto closed his eyes again to help him think. Danzo sabotaged him and made him go on a rampage in revenge of not being Hokage and in hopes that this will help his case to become Hokage. It makes sense considering he tried to kill Naruto's dad in his sleep.

Naruto's eyes shot open. That's the rest of the dream, except it wasn't a dream! Had Naruto not scared him away, he would have killed the Yellow Flash. "He tried to kill you, Dad!" Naruto blurted out. The adults turned to him like he was crazy. Just what was he talking about? "I thought it was a dream but it wasn't"

"What are you going on about?" Kakashi asked. Naruto proceeded to tell the happenings of the night before.

"A pissed off Naruto mixed with glowing kyuubi eyes in the middle of the night is enough to scare anyone away." Kurenai said.

"That's probably where he got the idea to make Naruto go on a rampage." Gai added.

"Were you already awake when he snuck in?" Yamato asked.

Naruto shook his head. "No, just a voice telling me I needed to wake up. I thought it was the kyuubi at first, since that's the only other voice in my head I hear, but then I realized he'd want dad to die so he could go on a rampage. That and he doesn't like dad very much. I think it was just a gut feeling, ya know?"

"I see." Said Yamato.

Though in pain, Naruto sat up and just as he did, his stomach growled. He laughed sheepishly, "Guess I haven't actually eaten anything yet today, huh? Maybe we could go to the food hall?"

"It should be around dinnertime right now," Kushina mumbled to herself then looked to her son. "But you need to rest."

"I'm fine." Naruto stated. He swung his feet onto the floor and stood up. "This has happened before and I've walked it off with less rest, less medical attention in fact. I'll be okay."

"If you insist." Kushina said. "But if something happens I reserve the right to say I told you so."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto replied, taking the bandages off his face before putting his shirt back on.

Naruto walked out of the tent to see Sakura standing just outside. "Sakura-Chan."

"Are you okay now? You really scared us." That was a horrible way to phrase it. "I mean we were worried about you. Lee came by multiple times, so did Hinata and the others came by a couple of times. They'll be so relieved to see you're fine."

Naruto smiled. "It's all thanks to Sakura-Chan and her awesome Medical Ninjutsu."

Sakura shook her head fondly. "Let's go." She, Naruto, and the others who were in the tent made their way to the dining hall. To be frank each of them, and though he didn't show it, Naruto, was worried about how the villagers were going to react. Naruto kept a relaxed face on, though in reality, he was the most frightened out of all of them. He really, really, really, didn't want things to go back to the way they were before. He worked so hard to get to where he is now and he doesn't want it to be in vain.

They got to the tent and with a deep breath, walked in. The second Naruto was noticed, all speaking ceased. As Naruto walked to his seat, people were staring and some were whispering. He stared straight ahead the entire time, never faltering and giving in to the temptation of looking to see the people staring at him. He sat with his parents and Sakura sat next to him with her parents.

Naruto was tense. Anyone who was actually looking would notice it too. All was silent as Naruto grabbed the ladle to the stew. Naruto was about to tip it over into his bowl when it happened, he felt something hit the back of his head. Someone had thrown a cup at him. Fight back. Yell at them. Do SOMETHING, ya know! Kushina thought in her head. None of this happened. Naruto had frozen in surprise but for only a moment. He resumed pouring his food into his bowl, replaced the ladle then picked up his spoon.

Naruto picked up some of his stew with his spoon and began to blow on it to cool it down, all the while repeating the words in his head: Do not prove them right, do not prove them right. Naruto put the spoon up to his mouth… Then stopped. Another cup hit his head.

Deeply repressed memories started to bubble up. Naruto calmly stood, grabbed his bowl then proceeded to walk out of the dining hall, three more cups hitting him on the way out.

Once he left, no one said anything. No one knew who should speak first, unluckily that decision was made for them by a certain resurrected mother. Kushina stood up. Her blood was boiling. "THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT HIM AFTER HE SAVED ALL OF YOUR LIVES?! YOU'RE SCUMMY PEOPLE, YA KNOW! HE DIDN'T HURT ANYONE AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS AN ACCIDENT, JUST IMAGINE HOW HE FEELS, YA KNOW! THE FIRST THING HE ASKED WHEN HE WOKE UP WAS IF HE HURT ANYONE, HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE VILLAGERS BEFORE HIMSELF, YA KNOW! YOU SHOULD ALL REEVALUATE YOUR LIVES IF THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT HIM, YA KNOW!" Kushina was absolutely seething with anger as she finally stomped out of the dining hall.

Her feet made their way back to the work site without even realizing it. She had the urge to punch a wall, scratch that, a person right now. More specifically, all the people who dare hurt her son. But for all the anger that she had, it all completely vanished when she saw Naruto sitting amongst the rubble, eating his stew alone. She made her way to him and sat down next to him. They sat in silence as Naruto continued eating. Only when he finished and set the bowl on the ground next to him, did Kushina speak up.

"All those people can go fall in a pit if they can't see you for who you are." She seethed.

Naruto, to her surprise, smiled. "Mom, that's not a nice thing to say."

"Huh?"

"They don't understand it, so they're afraid. I'm not upset about that nor am I about the fact that it can never be explained to them." Naruto's face was happy. "It's only natural to be afraid of something you don't understand, why do you think I'm afraid of ghosts or how Sakura-Chan is afraid of bugs? I'm not upset so don't be so grim, Mom." Kushina almost had to cry at the earnest in his voice, at the wise old soul in his voice. "I'm happy. They can't take that away from me anymore. I'm older, I know better now."

"Naruto." She sighed, hugging her son close to her. "I was so worried about you. I knew life was going to be unfair to you from that day forward and I wasn't going to be there to help you or say hello when you came home, or be there for your first day of school or graduation, or when you had a cold. You went through it all on your own and you didn't let it knock you down, you let it shape the wonderful person you are today and I couldn't be more proud, ya know."

Naruto chuckled as he leaned against his mother. "Ya know."

Kushina chuckled too. "I was hoping you wouldn't get that trait from me, ya know."

"You said it again." Naruto smirked, poking her arm.

"And you'll say it again too, just you wait." Kushina challenged.

"I will not. I happen to know when I'm about to say it, ya… Never mind." The two burst out laughing. It was a good night.