The Dishonored Raven, the Fox that Never Was, & the Man that Wept

By Pyro Yuki

Author's Note: Okay! So NOW we are getting into the story! :D I'm probably just going to have them 7 years old in this chapter, then skip over to 12 years of age...then again until they are 16. I'll be writing flashbacks to fill in the missing gaps so the chapters WILL kinda be long, but I promise I'll trying to make a story instead of just skipping to the end. The next chapter shall hold conflict.

Also, I did forth some effort in some Japanese suffixes in this one. I like some of them better than others. ;)

Enjoy!

… Tends to mean a tiny time skip

Italics are thoughts or a flashback. "." Are words.

(Comments from me)

All original characters and story belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 1: Naruto's New Classmates

7 Years After Obito's attack…

The sun was rising up in the morning, casting all of the former night's gloom away from the Leaf Village- just as it had every spring morning. The pink cherry blossoms were in full bloom on the trees and new beginnings were everywhere in nature. Not so much for the people in the Leaf. Not many people were happy at all because they've been under the 'Fifth Hokages' thumb for almost 7 long years. Almost everyone was struggling to make due.

But as a long red haired mother opened the door to her son's room just a crack, she couldn't help but smile at her sleeping baby boy. He was the spitting image of his father already, and that have her both sadness and hope.

She remembered all those hard years of raising her son alone. She had wept over Minato for a time, but kept a stiff upper lip in front of her son now. She would be here for Naruto and Minato, where ever her husband was.

"Naruto…time to get up for school. It's almost summer vacation." She told him gently as she always had. She wasn't one to go bursting through the door to get her son up. She'd hated that as a kid and didn't want to do that to her only child.

But the child was pulling a cover over his blond and spiked hair. A rebellious act.

"Naruto…If you don't get up soon, I'll have to dump a bucket of water on you like I did two days ago." Her smile remained on her face, but wickedness had crept into her voice, waking her son.

The boy pulled back his covers and sat up, his bright blue eyes startled. "I'm up, mom! I'm up!" He yelled, not wanting another bucket of water on him and his bed. He hopped out of bed.

Kushina let out a small giggle as she turned around to go get breakfast started. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Naruto bustling around his slightly messy room to get dressed. He had been given the 'grown up' responsibility of keeping up his room and getting himself ready in the morning. Kushina let out a slightly louder chuckle. Kids were so funny sometimes.

As she cooked, she realized once more that here, in her own home, she could have happiness that even Obito couldn't take away. And no Hyuga either. The thought of those traitors made her stab the meat she was cooking hard.

The once proud Hyuga Clan was now Obito's willing puppets and army. Sure there were probably 40 or 50 members total while there were scores of other ninja, but the Hyuga had somehow regained their ninja abilities to their once fullest. But they didn't fight for the Village like everyone prayed. Instead, they became enforcers to Obito's rule. Obeying him without mercy to the people they once called friends.

Thinking about the other Clans, they were little better off. Most were torn between saving the Village or joining Obito's side. Why battle for a losing side? Luckily, there were still some friends around her. Minato's best student, Kakashi, had grown into an even finer man. Kushina had even teased him into trying to find a girlfriend. But after a slight blush, the man just shrugged and returned to his thoughts. She had Anko, Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma as well.

As for Naruto going to school, it wasn't at all like the ninja Academy she grew up in. It wasn't a ninja school at all, in fact. Obito didn't want any younger generations pulling one over his leadership or causing any trouble. So he destroyed the very foundations of all young ninja and turned it into an average school. One that taught math, anatomy and other sciences, spelling and writing, languages, history, and one small class on the chakra network. Nothing about being a ninja. No Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, or weapons classes. In the younger children's eyes, ninja were just in history classes. The only evidence that the shinobi world existed were the Hokage Head Memorial where Obito's face now shown beside Minato's, his sensei. It disgusted the red head to the core.

Possession of any ninja tools outside of the Hyuga Clan meant death to the holder. But like Kakashi, Anko, Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma, Kushina had put all her tools and the ones she could find in a secret place under the house. They were the only defense they all had.

Not that it did any of them any good when Obito brought in a large group of men and one woman. They were all as deadly as the next. Every ninja who carried a black BINGO book knew who they were and how many countless lives they've ruined or taken. A bright haired man who called himself Pain, seemed to be the leader of their little group. The man's eyes were like the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths. His right hand companion was the only woman, Konan. A deadly blue beauty. Then there was Sasori of the Sand, a plant man named Zetsu, a zombie named Kakazu, an immortal named Hidan, an explosion expert named Deidara, a shark-like man named Kisame, and finally Itachi Uchiha, the Clan killer, youngest and newest member. They all terrorized the people at night far more than any of the Hyuga.

But even that wasn't the worst of it. Kushina had lived a semi happy life with her son, but soon every young person in the village started to give her and him horrible looks. They blamed the wife of the Fourth Hokage for not saving them and blamed Naruto for being a reminder of his father. But Kushina had never told Naruto just who his father really was. The boy only knew that his father wasn't there for him, or his mother. She could see growing resentment in his eyes. She had always tried to tell him that no matter what, she loved her husband and him.

Naruto came from the hallway bathroom, hair slightly wet from washing his face. He sat down in one of the chairs at the table. Kushina set down a plate full of eggs and bacon and a glass of milk.

"Isn't today when you get back your test scores from your history class?" She asked while he gave her a slight nod as he dove into the food hungrily.

"It better be a better grade than last time, 'ya know." She warned him, ruffling his damp hair with one hand.

"Believe it." He promised while Kushina laughed. They both ate in silence, then the clock chimed and she quickly cleaned the plates.

"I'm off, mom." Naruto called as he walked over to the door entrance to put on his shoes and school bag.

"Be a good boy, Naruto. Make friends." She called from the kitchen. She had said that for the last 2 years.

Naruto turned the door knob and ran out the door.

Hyuga Clan Compound…

Hiashi stared out at his 7 year old daughter as she did her normal morning Taijutsu practice with a boy with raven black hair and confident black eyes. Every morning they practiced their skills as a ninja, but today was their first day of class with the other normal kids. They had been home schooled and taught in ninja ways as only the Hyuga Clan could openly practice them.

"Hinata, firm up your stance. You leave yourself open for attack if you spread yourself out." He called to her, arms folded from where he sat.

Hinata turned to look at her father with pearl-like lavender eyes. She nodded, then tightened up her stance. "Yes father." She called back strongly. Once more, Hiashi had pride for his first born. She was always ready to learn and try new things, but she always remembered her respect to her elders and family.

"Your stance isn't going to beat me, sister. I'm still out of your league." The boy smirked with confidence, holding up his hands just like hers.

"I came close yesterday, Sasuke. Don't take me lightly." The blue hairred girl narrowed her eyes at the promise and sprung forward to attack.

Hiashi watched Sasuke just as he always had. As a watchful father, even though the boy that stood but a yard away wasn't his true blood. The boy's real name from birth was Sasuke Uchiha, the third remaining Uchiha left in the world. But the boy didn't know that. To him, he was Sasuke Hyuga and brother to Hinata Hyuga.

He could still remember that night 7 years ago…though not all of it.

Flashback…to the Hyuga's Safe House

Hiashi slid the door behind him, closing it shut. But he could still hear his wife's crying from the room behind him. He had just finished telling her everything he had done with Obito hours before he saw her. He kept no secret from her. Tears of shame and sadness poured off her pale cheeks. She hadn't screamed at Hiashi or hated him. She knew that he had saved all their lives by exchanging the Leaf Village's lives. But she probably wouldn't speak to him for a few nights after.

Hiashi walked across a wooden bridge and sat down on the wooden floor patio in a medium shrine overlooking a Japanese pond that the Hyuga Clan had kept for generations. It was something calming in a troubled time and when any member used the Safe House, it was indeed a troubling time. He stopped to take in the night sounds of crickets and then looked up at the night sky and the full moon.

The Clan Head crossed his legs and rubbed his eyes, trying to get some of his stress out of his head. The wind picked up slightly and the soft sounds of the weeping willows nearby could be heard. Hiashi opened his eyes but sat solid as a rock as he called out, "I know your there. Show yourself, Intruder." He declared over the wind.

A shadow from the bushes jumped out and landed at the end of the bridge. Normally, Hiashi would have jumped up and struck this intruder down instantly, but as the whole world was without chakra now, there was little to worry about. Especially since he and Obito were the only ones with powerful chakra at the moment.

He did, however, scowl at the black haired boy in front of him. He had long raven black hair pulled back in a low pony-tail, but his age couldn't be over 10 years. His bangs covered his eyes but not his whole face. He was dressed as an ANBU but was carrying some bundle in his arms.

"Itachi Uchiha…I'd recognize the face of the heir of the Uchiha Clan anywhere. Though it doesn't look like you're the heir to any Clan now." He narrowed his eyes dangerously. Chakra or not, the heir was a dangerous genius in a boy's body.

The Uchiha killer raised his head to look the Hyuga Clan Head in the eyes. They were blacker than any pit in hell. "I'm not here to discuss my actions, Hyuga-sama." He had the nerve to give him respect.

"I know what actions you did, boy. I was fighting close enough to the Compound to see the whole thing. You blew up the entire Uchiha Clan with S Class bombs. Every house, street, building was riddled with bombs. Didn't have the stomach to kill them yourself." He looked back at him.

Itachi didn't respond to that. He had no emotion on his face like always. "I know what you did with Obito Uchiha. You sealed your own fate to protect the lives of your Clan over the Leaf Village's, Hyuga-sama."

"Watch your tone with me, boy. If you saw that much, then you know I have my chakra back." The Hyuga stood up intimidatingly. He would not be called a Village killer by this boy.

Itachi bowed his head again. "I know. Please excuse my words."

"Why did you come here, Itachi? You should be as far away from the Leaf Village as possible."

"I couldn't leave without giving him a new family." The strange words hung in the night air until Itachi loosened the bundle into revealing a baby boy with wisps of black hair.

"Is that-"

"He is my baby brother. He was born the same night the attacked happened just like the Fourth's child. I wouldn't kill him. Not Sasuke."

"But your own mother?"

Itachi didn't answer.

"I see. That still doesn't explain why you're here in front of me." The Clan Head frowned at the two remaining Uchiha besides Obito.

"I need him to be taken into your Clan. To be taken in as Sasuke Hyuga and not Uchiha. Your seal would prevent Obito from killing him." He told him like it would explain itself.

"You expect me to take in your brother? What makes you think I want anything more to do with the Uchiha than I already do?" The man snarled. "Why can't you raise him?"

Itachi held Sasuke closer as the boy started to whimper a little. The brotherly act stunned the Clan Head.

"He should grow up with a family that could love him and not be pressured by Clan titles. If he had been older and brought up in the Compound, he would be as Clan-crazy as the rest of the Uchiha. My father would never have allowed him to forget about being the second son. Second to his older brother."

"You realize that in the following years, he WILL be hated. By the Village as a Hyuga and by the Hyuga for not being blood related."

"But he will be safe. The only good thing about the Uchiha besides our skill is our stubbornness. He won't give up in trying to fit in. The Hyuga Clan are closely tied as a family, but not in a war-like state like the Uchiha have been in for years. He won't have an age difference with your daughter too."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed at the mention of his daughter. "He'll ask questions if I take him. And not just him. Obito, the Leaf, the Clan. They will all want to know who he is."

"I have little doubt that they won't. But there is no record of him being kin to any Clan. I made sure of that. Sasuke Uchiha doesn't exist. But Sasuke Hyuga can. I won't ever act like I know him should I ever met him as he grows up. I'm leaving the Leaf after this, Hyuga-sama. I won't be returning for 6 years from now. But I need to know that Sasuke is safe."

"…If I raise him as my son, then what will you do for me in return?" He asked.

"I will kill Obito Uchiha for you."

"I can't turn traitor to him, Itachi. I'd have to kill myself or let the seal kill me. I have to kill all traitors to Obito." As he spoke, the seal began to glow a painful red and he felt his heart shudder. It was beginning just by talking to Itachi, a future traitor.

"The seal activates if you are conscious of your treason, Hyuga-sama. I have enough Genjutsu to fix that. But you should know…you're going to die at the end of all this. No matter what."

"I'm aware of that. So is my wife." He gasped. "I agree to those conditions." He looked at Itachi, who stared back with his Sharingan into Hiashi's mind. He would forget everything after he asked Itachi what he would do in return. All he would remember after that was 'I agree to those conditions'. His pearl eyes clouded over in confusion as his memories were put far away. He leaned on the railing of the shrine to compose himself.

Itachi's eyes bled after putting the man into a strong Genjutsu. He had used whatever extra chakra he had left and his body was going numb with withdrawal. But he just whipped the blood from under his eyes and stood up. He placed Sasuke on the ground and then vanished once more. Sasuke Hyuga's cry followed after that.

…Flashback Ended…

"It's time you both go to school! Don't dishonor the Hyuga Clan by showing up late." He told his children.

Hinata and Sasuke were both panting slightly but bowed to each other, honoring the end of the fight. Then they both dashed ungracefully for the bathroom to wash up before dressing for school.

"Me first!" Hinata shoved Sasuke out of the way and closed the door in his face.

"Ow!" Sasuke cried, rubbing his aching nose from the ground. "Damn. I can beat her in a fight, but when it comes to getting the bathroom first, she beats me?" He grumbled, getting up and just dashing to his room to get dressed.

He had made his bed already and a servant had laid out his new cloths. He stripped quickly and replaced the new ones with his work out outfit. He put on a black shirt with the Hyuga family crest- a cool white eye in the middle. (Think of his outfit as the same when he was a kid but with a different crest on his back. Yes, I made up the symbol. I didn't think it'd be very fitting for a Yin-Yan symbol to be on an enforcer's back) He pulled up a pair of white pants and ran out of the room to get his bag and put on his shoes. He heard Hinata still in her room as he passed it.

He smirked as he got to the door first. He sat down and pulling on his socks and shoes. "You better hurry up, Hinata! Or I'm leaving without you!" He threatened playfully.

"It's easy for you! You're a boy! You don't have longer hair to comb or even think about what you are wearing." She panted, hurrying over to the door and placed sandals on her feet. Sasuke gave her a look. "Why are you wearing something so formal? Like the other kids are wearing kimonos as well."

Indeed, Hinata was dressed up in a lavender kimono with powdered white sakura blossoms printed on it. It wasn't something she normally wore but she had to at least for her first day in a normal kid's school. She had to show pride as the Hyuga heir. At least it wasn't an expensive and flashy one.

"Because I want to look good. Is that a crime? 'Cmon! We're going to be late!" She told him, getting her hand bag and shuffling out the door as quick as she could without ripping anything. Sasuke quickly followed her.

…

Naruto slumped down into his chair onto his desk when he got to school. He had hurried so quickly out of bed; he was beginning to have sleep withdrawal or something. He rubbed his eyes for the fifth time when his teacher, Iruka-Sensei, walked into the class room for homeroom. Everyone took their seats and watched as the man with the scar across his face took out a folder for row-call.

"Sakura Haruno?" he called out, looking up briefly.

"H-here." The pink haired girl squeaked out like she always had every year. Naruto turned his blue eyes to her. The girl couldn't have been any more timid if she tried. Everything about her stated that she wanted to hide away from the world. Her long bright pink hair was always braided down her back and she wore glasses, though Naruto had a suspicion that they were fake. She wore a red sweater and brown pants. She looked fairly plain compared to the other girls in Naruto's class. She was also fairly smart, but only if she dared to open her mouth. (crazy, right?)

Iruka-Sensei continued down the list of students.

"…Alright, good. Everyone's here. I have a special surprise for all of you today. New students shall be joining our school and classroom from now until you graduate. I don't think I need to remind you to be on your best behavior, because you might recognize them all from their respective Clans. So don't insult yourself, me, or your parents." He gave them a warning glare.

"Come in!" He called, turning to the doors. Everyone's eyes darted there too.

The doors opened and 7 kids walked into the classroom, making everyone dead quiet.

"Welcome," Iruka-Sensei nodded his head in a slight bow, "please line up by the board and write your name out for everyone to see." He gestured to the black board behind him. Without a word, the 7 kids wrote their names by each other and stood a little ways off the side so everyone could see it.

"Thank you. The first one down the row, please say your name and maybe something about yourself."

A cocky boy with wildly spiky black hair stepped forward with a white and brown dog on his head. He gave everyone a toothy grin.

"I'm Kiba Inuzuka. Heir to the Inuzuka Clan, so you better show me some respect. This is Akamaru." He growled out to every classmate while the dog barked in agreement. Naruto frowned and glared at the boy. He hated his guts already.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka and heir to the Yamanaka Clan. My hobbies are shopping and working at my mom's flower store." The blond haired girl with small pupil-less sky blue eyes looked around the class room. Almost like she was scanning it. She was wearing a purple tank-top and black shorts. Her hair was short and layered so that it curled with her face. ((Think Fairy Tail's Lisanna's hair style if you need a picture))

"I'm Shino Aburame…also heir to the Aburame Clan….I don't have many hobbies." A boy with black spiky hair and even blacker shades started to talk. His voice was collected, reserved, and calm but a shiver passed through Naruto and the class. Gezz this guy was creepy! He even had piercings up his ears! How was that allowed?

"I'm Choji Akimichi, only son of the Akimichi Clan Head….so I guess I'm an heir too." That was all a pudgy boy said before eating a potato chip from his bag.

"I'm Shikamaru Nara. I'm the heir to the Nara Clan, though it's a pain in the ass. I like sleeping and playing video games." The grumpy voice came from a dark brown haired boy. His head was shaved so that he probably only had half an inch of hair on his head. He had narrowed and sleep deprived black eyes. He was dressing in punk clothing. Black and with chains on his pants. The kid looked like a gangster.

As the only second girl of the group stepped forward, the whole class gasped. The girl's hair was an odd blue color between black and blue. Her hair was clean cut, but it hanged down and just barely touched her shoulders. (Somewhere between short haired Hinata and long haired) She was dressed in a very pretty lavender kimono, which made her look almost like a princess. But it was her eyes that turned everyone's attention. She had pearl colored and pupil-less eyes. The eyes of a Hyuga Clan member. Everyone but Naruto shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"My name is Hinata Hyuga, heiress to the Hyuga Clan. My hobbies are working out, reading, going on walks through the forest, and shopping. I hope we can all be friends." Her voice called out strongly and in a refined manner. But silence echoed for a time after she spoke.

Then a boy stepped forward, almost protectively, and got everyone's attention. Every girl, even Sakura, did a doubt take and a short gasp. A handsome boy in a black and white outfit got EVERY girls attention. His black hair was spiked out towards the back, but he also had bangs down the sides of his face. His dark black eyes were like staring into darkness. A vision of "Dark Beauty" one could say.

"My name is Sasuke Hyuga. I'm not going to be the heir, but Hinata is my older sister. My hobbies are working out and watching over my Clan." Even his voice sounded cool. But after the minute and a half of fantasizing about Sasuke, the girls' broken dreams could be heard like shattered glass. He too, had just become unapproachable.

Naruto snorted. He didn't know if he wanted to be his guy's friend, or punch him.

"Alright, thank you everyone. Now let's get you seated…" Iruka-Sensei looked at the chart and distributed the Clan heirs and Sasuke around the room. Ino and Shikamaru sat by each other, Kiba and Shino sat by each other, and Hinata and Sasuke sat down by each other. Naruto was just a row under them. (The seats are just the like Academy ones. That hasn't changed)

The day continued but Naruto could swear that he could cut the tension in the air with a butter knife. Everyone was naturally scared of threatening the other Clans of the Leaf, but to have two Hyugas, one of which was an heir, in the class? Everyone would be running for the doors the second the bell rang.

But as lunch began, Naruto turned his head to Sasuke and Hinata. Hinata had just opened a bento box she brought from home while Sasuke was unwrapping his.

"So you guys were homeschooled, or somethin'?" Naruto asked them. Both stopped what they were doing and looked at him. Someone had finally spoken to them that wasn't Iruka-Sensei.

Naruto held that look. "Well?"

"Uh, yeah. For two years." Sasuke answered for Hinata while she took a bite of her food.

"Hm…wanna eat together?" Naruto suggested, while both Hyugas eyes widened in shock. So did on-lookers. Whispers followed.

"What's that traitorous brat think he's doing?"

"Well you know, he might just be kissing up to them for his father."

"That would make sense."

Naruto slammed his hand down hard and loudly on his desk, standing up. Everyone stopped talking and looked at him.

"I'll be over by the playground if you change your mind." His voice was steady, but hollow. He took his lunch and stomped out of the door, slamming it behind him.

"Look at that! He ran away!" Their voices picked up again. Not bothering to restrain themselves.

"Serves him right. Kissing up to the Hyugas. He'd probably hit on Ino or Hinata if given the chance."

"What are you guys talking about?" Ino scowled at the bullies. She hadn't even known Naruto enough to hate him…yet.

"Ino-san, your new here, but Naruto's father left him and his mother to fight against the Fifth Hokage. His father's a traitor." A girl nodded in respect to Ino.

"What does that have to do with him?" Sasuke asked and the girls giggled. They had regained some of their lust for him.

"Sasuke-sama, when the Fifth Hokage came into his position, Naruto's father had tried to assassinate him. The grown ups say that because he looks just like his father, he's going to become him too. Naruto is also a bit of a prankster to all the teachers in this school. He's nothing but a filthy traitor's son." Everyone else either nodded or turned their backs.

Sasuke, however, narrowed his eyes. It all sounded like pure speculation to the Hyuga. He had been friendly enough towards them. No one else had come over in fear of their Clan. But not Naruto, the Clan-less boy and branded 'son of the traitor'. Sasuke glanced at the other Clan heirs, who looked like they always had- unconcerned.

Sasuke stood up to everyone's gasp. Hinata looked at her brother.

"Sasuke?"

"It's unfair to Naruto to say such things about him. I'm going. If he's as bad as you say, then I'll make him regret talking to us, but I won't strike him down because of your fantasies. Hinata? What about you? You coming?" He asked, wrapping his lunch up to follow Naruto.

Hinata nodded, wrapping hers up at well and followed Sasuke outside towards the playground where the blond boy was crying alone under a tree. It honestly made the Hyugas very sad to see him like this, but Sasuke was the first to shake it off the only way he knew how.

"God, stop crying. I didn't come to eat with you to get my lunch salty." Sasuke taunted the boy as they were two feet away. Naruto looked up in surprise, tears still rolling down his face.

"W-what are you doing here?" The boy choked out finally, quickly rubbing away his tears.

"To eat lunch. I'm starving and you offered, dumbass." Sasuke smirked, sitting on the ground in the shade with Hinata.

Hinata gave Naruto a giggle and nodded.

"B-but-"

"Look, if you didn't want us to eat with you, don't ask us next time." Sasuke growled, eating some rice on one side of the boy while Hinata ate on the other.

Naruto stared in shock at them for a while longer…then his face broke out in a huge grin. Something in the boy's heart warmed up into his body. He opened his lunch and began to eat it too.

"Naruto-kun, try this." Hinata broke the silence after a bit. Her voice wasn't formal anymore.

She picked up a bit of the fish meat he was eating and dipped it briefly in the sauce in her lunch before holding it out for him to bite. Something in Sasuke's chest felt threatened when he saw Naruto bite the meat from Hinata's chopsticks, but he ended up ignoring it as the boy gave an amazed gasped.

"Wow! That tastes great! What is that sauce?"

Hinata taunted Naruto by putting her single finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

Sasuke chuckled at Naruto's dumbfounded face. He didn't feel the green eyed stare on him then, or for the next several years as Sakura Haruno watched him timidly from beside the school building, wanting to have the courage to go over and join the group.

…

Naruto ran back home as fast as he possibly could. For once, he had friends…REAL friends! It may have just been one afternoon, but he felt a bond forming between him and the two Hyuga. He didn't care at all that they were in a whole class above him. He was just happy to have friends close to his heart.

He opened the door in a hurry and kicked off his shoes.

"I'm back!" He said as her burst into his living room. His mother was reading a book on the couch. Because of his excited voice, she looked up quickly.

"Naruto, did something happen?" She asked, putting the book down and getting up. He ran over to her and gave her a huge hug with a big grin.

"I did it! I made two friends!" He told her excitedly. His mother's eyes widened for a moment, and then she bent down and hugged him tightly.

"That's wonderful, Naruto!" She looked as happy as she felt. Finally…FINALLY! Finally someone hadn't been intimidated by their reputation! Someone had honestly wanted to be friends with her baby boy! And by the sound of it, there was more than one person!

She always remembered that dark moment in their lives when Naruto would come home crying…always crying.

…Flashback…

Naruto was crying and bruised as he came home from his third day of school. He had been bullied again.

Kushina was furious. If she was any sort of the woman she used to be, she'd have taught Naruto to beat those people up. But any sort of retaliation from her would mean the death of her and her son. They were the one family that Obito never took eyes off of.

She took him into the bathroom and began to clean him off and put band-aids on his worst bruises. She kept telling Naruto that he was a brave, kind, and good boy, no matter what they said. But unlike all the other times, Naruto didn't hug her back or give a small smile. He looked up at her with a glare.

"Is my father like what they say? A traitor that abandoned us?" He demanded. In her shock, she dropped the hand towel.

"…No. He's not."

"But why do they say that?! Why haven't I ever seen his pictures? Of you and him? Why isn't he around?!" Her little boy demanded. Each question was crushing her from the inside. She looked away, not wanting to answer.

But Naruto wouldn't have it. He pushed harder. "He's just as they say, isn't he?! He's a traitorous asshole who betrayed the Leaf and us for his own selfish reasons and didn't even think about us and left! He-"

*Slap*

Kushina's hand had slapped across Naruto's face. She looked in shock of what she had done. She had NEVER shown violence to her boy! Even when he was angry at her! But she had just lost it and slapped her 5 year old son. She couldn't take it…she never wanted her son to say such words against Minato.

Her voice was shaking with heartache as she spoke. "Don't….ever say such things about your father, Naruto. He was a good man. An honest man. He would give his life for everyone in the village without blinking. N…No matter what anyone says, I'm glad I married him and had you with him. He didn't leave because he wanted to…." Kushina began to sob at the thought.

Naruto, however, was too shocked to even cry. He had NEVER seen his mother so torn up. But Naruto's view of his father never got better as he grew up. He just didn't voice his opinions to his mother like before.

…Flashback Ended…

Kushina grabbed Naruto's hands and pulled away from the hug, but held his hands. She looked at him in the eyes, smiling. It was time he knew.

"Naruto? Remember all those years you asked me what your father looked like? I never gave you a straight answer for an important reason. Every adult knows your father's true name, but branded him off as a traitor to protect us."

Naruto frowned, happiness fading fast as his father was brought up. But at least his mother seemed to be giving him some closure.

"What do you mean? How could that protect us?" He scowled.

"Because if the younger generation thought of you as his son that way, they couldn't do anything more than glare at you and me. But if they knew the truth, they would have done so much worse."

"But I still got hurt…we both did." He let out a sniff, fresh tears coming.

"That's right. It wasn't easy, but it saved us." She told him gently, looking over his face. "But now I think you should finally get to see his photos. You might recognize him."

Naruto stiffened. He had wanted to stare into those photos for lifetimes, but in the past three years he only wanted to rip them in half. The only living reminder of his existence. It confused him further when his mom told him that he might recognize him. Had he seen his father this whole time but neither of them knew it? That got his blood boiling.

Kushina let go of one hand but kept the other, like they were walking down the street. She led him into her bedroom and sat him down on the bed. She turned and went to the dresser, but instead of pulling out a drawer, she tapped the side of the dresser lightly with her fist and a side door popped open. A secret compartment.

Naruto stared from where he sat as she drew out a few picture frames and closed the hidden door. She pressed the photos next to her heart as she turned to her son.

Minato…our boy has grown to hate you, but only because he only knew that you weren't there. But now that he has friends of his own, it's time he knew your face.

Kushina sat down in front of Naruto on the bed and handed him the biggest picture frame that was also her favorite.

Naruto turned the frame around and gazed with wide eyes at the picture.

Naruto saw his mother at once, but she was 7 years younger and pregnant. Her smiling face was looking down and was slightly embarrassed as a man was hugging her belly, the unborn baby Naruto. Naruto stared at the man he could only guess was his father. Naruto finally understood WHY the Village saw him as his father's copy. Because he practically was! Same blond spikey hair and similar features. His father's eyes were closed, but his smile was happy, soft, and joyful. He was hugging his mother and unborn Naruto so lovingly, tears ran down his eyes the second time that day.

"T-this is…him?" His voice was tight.

"Yes, Naruto. His name is Minato Namikaze."

"You didn't take his name?" Naruto asked before he realized it. His eyes stared hungrily at the picture, trying to soak it all in. Both he and his mother were Uzumaki, not Namikaze. And something about his father reminded him of something…like something he had seem every other day without noticing for a short while. HAD he passed his father somewhere before?

"No, but our names were going to be Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze and Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze." She told him. Naruto's mind tried to take in that strange last name.

"Why didn't we?" He asked, looking at her.

She tensed. A sensitive topic. "Because it was to protect us."

"From who?"

"I can't tell you yet, Naruto. It's too much for me right now. I'll tell you someday. I promise." Kushina told him, avoiding the rest of the story for later. He frowned but was now looking at the other pictures she held. One by one, she handed them to him. He would scan them into his brain and heart each picture. In the other pictures his father, Minato, was always smiling at the photographer or Kushina. Naruto noticed right away that they had the same eyes too, not just hair.

A memory began to flick on in Naruto's brain. A memory of the Hokage Head Memorial. The Fourth head on the right.

"He was the Fourth Hokage?!" He voiced out in huge surprise.

"Yes. Minato Namikaze was the Fourth Hokage."

"B-but the Fourth died in battle with the Nine-Tailed fox! That was in history class! How come he was branded a traitor?"

Kushina knew she couldn't say yet…not yet. "I can't answer you right now, Naruto. I know you must be frustrated, but please don't ask me that yet…or anyone in public. There's a reason these secrets are made into lies. You can't talk to anyone about this, Naruto, or the both of us will be killed." She told him steadily. His eyes widened, finally grasping the notion that if he ever told anyone, even Sasuke and Hinata, about this fact, he and his mother would be killed by someone he didn't know.

"You can't tell anyone that you are the son of the Fourth Hokage."

End of Chapter~

Hope you all liked the chapter! I tried really hard to think up good flashbacks and such. Time has changed Kushina, and the other Clans. Their children are just highly respected, but are still second Class to the Hyuga Clan. That will shine through in the upcoming chapters.

I hardly scratched the surface of the Akatsuki because none of them show in this chapter. While the Hyuga Clan are like the police for Obito, the Akatsuki are his assassins. They kill important people or just abuse their powers on any unwilling Leaf people.

I still like the nice twist that Sasuke has grown up with Hinata as his 'sister'. What do you think? Please review!

Next Chapter: The Price of the Clan

Will Naruto get to be close friends with Sasuke and Hinata? Or will their parents/Clan have something to say about it?

Will the other Clan heirs end up in the mix?

Will Team Gai make an appearance?

Will Sai ever appear in this story? Answer: No

Thanks for Reading!~

Edit- OH MY GOSH THERE WERE SO MANY TYPOS! I'm going to re-read each chapter from 1 to 11 to rewrite out the typos. (3-4-14)