Chapter 6: Discoveries

By Hibiki

Naruto owned by Kishimoto, and used for entertainment not profit here.

Ino's smile was the biggest it had been in a week. There were two very obvious reasons for it. One was the pair of blondes sitting next to her upon the Yondaime's monument. They had been chatting with her for hours. And two was the very real smile resting upon the man's face, one that warmed her even in the dying sun. It was interesting talking to the two as they would underplay large events, hiding their discomfort (Not that she would let them) but yet exaggerating small events. How two S-classed missing-nin were not as terrifying as Tora, she would never know, but his face as he talked about nothing with such gusto she couldn't help but laugh. Hitomi was so much like a real girl, like Naruto's sister, more than once Ino forgot she was talking to the boy's Henge transformed Kage Bushin. Hitomi's life, 100% fabricated by the man next to her, was so realistic it was hard to think of her as just a clone. As she listened to Naruto and Hitomi converse (Almost like Naruto had never even heard anything Hitomi was talking about before?) she made a promise to take Hitomi when she had a girls night. It just… felt right to.

"…so I walked around the lake and I saw Sakura sitting where Sasuke-kun liked to… think." Hitomi finished.

"Really? I didn't think Sakura-chan knew of the teme's brooding spot." Ino blinked as she refocused on the conversation. Was it all in her head or did it sound like Hitomi has a soft spot for Sasuke?

"Sasuke…kun?" Ino murmured however the two other blondes caught it.

"Yeah Tomi-Oneechan thought he was cute with the teme's duck butt hair." Naruto half grumbled. Ino blinked. Did that make Naruto gay? (Well his first kiss WAS with Sasuke…) Or did he make Hitomi's life THAT realistic?

"So what if I thought the jerk was cute!" Hitomi looked rather adorable flustered. "He still hurt my otouto! I can never forgive him!" Naruto made a face, something so broken and sad Ino knew he was remembering the times he had tried to capture Sasuke. Hitomi saw it too and before the boy had realized the girls had wrapped him up in a hug.

"Hitomi… Ino-chan." He looked stunned then smiled and wrapped his arms around them thankful. It had been one of the best nights of his life.

But all good things must come to an end, and as two full squads of Anbu landed around them, this moment did as well.

"Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruto. You are ordered to follow us at once. The Hokage demands your presence immediately." There was no question or hesitance. It was follow them or die. This was something serious indeed.

"I guess it's time for me to go." Hitomi nervously commented looking at the shoulder to shoulder circle that stood around them. Two arms wrapped around her as Ino gave the pseudo-girl a hug.

"I'm glad I got to meet you Hitomi." Ino's breathed into her ear earning a gentle hug back. With a poof Hitomi dispelled leaving Ino and Naruto alone in the dark robed figures around them. Naruto jerked and made a noise and when the girl looked to him he was bright red. "Naruto..?"

"Y-your boobs smooshed up a-against hers." The boy stuttered out. Ino's face when scarlet.

[SMACK!]

"OUCH!"

"Pervert!" Seemed even the threat of death didn't deny female righteous fury.

* * *

Shikaku's rigid body rested upon the Yanamaka's couch, his eyes closed and arms crossed as his son sat on the floor beside him, the younger Nara's eyes closed as well as he held his hands before him in a unique handsign. Inoichi, familiar with the Nara's thinking poses, knew not to bother the men but paced helplessly before them as he nervously awaited an answer. After several minutes Shikamaru gave a exasperated huff and relaxed. A few moments later his father also relaxed, however to the blonde's displeasure neither looked particularly thrilled at their answers.

"It risks them." Shikaku remarked as he leaned back, seemingly calm in all but his own mind.

"I know but with over seven hundred different possibilities…" Shikamaru responded. "…and only eight have a chance to work. Without a Fuujin master it drops to four. Oh those four only two can work without the Hokage knowing of the danger."

"What are they?" Inoichi urged and Shikamaru sighed looking slightly pained by the pressure.

"Banishment of those affected and affecting the seal. With Akatsuki still prowling around along with Taka's Konoha hunt, their lives would be forfeit as soon as they stepped out of the village walls. We'd be sending them to their deaths, effectively." Inoichi swallowed hard at the thought of those monsters who had killed Ino's sensei getting a hold of her and the Kyuubi, the last remaining 'free' bijuu. Inoichi ignored his apprehension and asked for the other option.

Shikamaru went quiet. The nerve addled blonde was about to ask again when the younger Nara spoke.

"We end their lives to keep the Kyuubi free of Akatsuki hands." Inoichi was frozen by the cold chill rising from his plummeting stomach. "Better it be by hands of their friends and families than an enemy nin or extraction jutsu." The stone cold killer, the Yondaime Kazekage, Gaara no Sabaku, had shown fear and aches at the mention of his time being drained of the Shukaku. Apparently the pain was so strong you actually begged for death by the end.

"I cannot allow such a thing to befall two innocents, let alone one being my daughter. Shikaku, you've known me all my life, you KNOW how much our baby girl means to me and my wife. What do you suggest that has the best option of keeping them alive?" Inoichi could, when it came to his princess, be a very selfish man, but despite that it was not just Ino's life at stake anymore. Uzumaki Naruto's life hinged on what sort of action they took, if captured, the chance of Konoha along with the rest of the elemental five being at risk grew. The Uchiha traitor could rejoin Akatsuki should such a thing happened to get back at them for the work of the now deceased Danzo. The frown on Shikaku's face pulled on his scars, the very scars given to him by the swipe of Kyuubi's claw.

"Tsunade-sama needs to know, any action we take will have to go through her and the council. Perhaps they know of Fuujin master or a technique that would allow a separation of the minds. The three of us are too limited to provide any reasonable chance of aid.

"Mendokuse. Only Naruto or Tsunade-sama can give out Naruto's secret." Shikamaru hunched over, his laced fingers moving to rest above his chin on thought. "Given what is happening to her, Ino needs to know. This concerns her now and part of any decision needs to be made by her." It was a hint to Inoichi, that maybe Ino wasn't a helpless little girl, but a Kunoichi of the leaf. It fell on mostly deaf ears, but the blonde man nodded and together the three men leapt from the roof towards the Hokage tower.

* * *

Tsunade was set to meet the two blondes deep inside the Anbu headquarters in a smallish barren room. At first glance it was hard to see any difference than any of the others, but mixed in the black walls were hundred of small capacitor seals and capture seals. Interrogation Room 43, the chakra room, was built for the sole purpose of depleting any source of chakra that enters it unless the room's seals had been keyed to that person's blood.

Minato was the Yondaime Hokage, the very man who developed the seals, his blood was the first on the list. Uzumaki Kushina, Anbu captain of her days, used this room to interrogate high powered missing nin. The list of who could enter this room could be counted on both her hands and Tsunade's pinkie toe. However if Naruto's seal was breaking any excess chakra could be stolen from the Kyuubi while they evacuated the civilians before the room broke... And with any luck the backlash of so much power would kill the Kyuubi along with them in the blast.

In any regards, it didn't come as a large shock when Naruto strode in without a single ounce of chakra being taken from him. If there was ever a sign of who his parents were it was the lack of reaction of the room. It also brought home the reminder that he was all that was left of Minato, Kushina, Sarutobi, Nawaki, Dan, and Jiraiya. Tonight, it seemed, she could end up loosing the last of her precious people unless a miracle happened. She turned for a moment to shield her allowance of the fear that gripped her heart and the prayer for all those who left her to watch their successor through this moment. It was only then that she turned to face the confused looks of both Yamanaka Ino, and her dear 'grandson'.

"Baa-chan, what's going on?" He looked around the room. "Why are you and Lazy-ass, his dad and Yamanaka-san here?" He struggled to keep calm as everyone's face was solemn. After a few seconds of silence he turned his worried glance to

"We have a problem Naruto." Tsunade looked at the boy, into his crystal blue eyes. "I'll cut right to the chase. The seal is being compromised. IT'S escaping."

Ino stood in mute horror as Naruto's worried face became flush with a myriad of emotions ranging from anger to absolute fear. The very same look Sakura gained when Ino had pushed her about the secret she was hiding. What was IT and why did it have her father, her 'uncle', her teammate and her Hokage looking at the two of them with such pity she felt like a terminally ill patient.

"B-but don't we have a seal master who can fix it!? Why now!? Why did you bring Ino-chan here!? W-what if something happens??" Naruto began hyperventilating, his hand grasping at his stomach as if a monster was trying to rip itself from it (Little did Ino know). "What about Yamato-taishou?"

"Yamato is out of reach on a mission, once the seal slips he'll be alerted but it could be hours I doubt we have. Jiraiya was our last true Fuujin-jutsu specialist, to allow someone of a lower skill tamper with the seal could cause the very thing we're trying to avoid. As why Yamanaka-san is here, Ino accidentally created a bridge between you two with her Hakoushin, it could allow the fox a way out of the Shiki Fuujin." Ino grabbed her head as a twitch of pain took her sight away.

"You were sealed by the Hokage you admire…"

"STOP IT!" A voice interrupted but the other , Iruka.

"And you have been lied to by EVERYONE! …Didn't you find it odd how everyone hates you?" A flash of a boy standing before a crowd, hiding his crying face, but only now his shadow has been twisted. Nine tails erupted from the boy's silhouette. "IRUKA IS THE SAME! HE ALSO HATES YOU!" Chakra flared all around her/him, trying ANYTHING to block out the sounds of Mizuki's voice. "NOBODY WILL EVER LOVE YOU!" HATRED… PAIN… ACCEPTANCE… "THAT SCROLL WAS USED TO SEAL YOU UP!" She/He was knocked down. The unmistakable sound of metal slicing through cloth and flesh.

Drip… Drip… Something was leaking on her/his face. Her/his eyes opened to see Iruka, blood dripping from his lips. To Ino/Naruto's horror, a fuma shuriken protruding from his back.

"Why?" She/He begged. Iruka stayed silent for a moment before telling Ino/Naruto about how he acted after his parents died.

"You also must have been in a lot of pain." Tears had joined his face but Iruka continued on. "I'm so sorry Naruto… Had I done a better job you wouldn't have to feel that." Overwhelmed, Ino/Naruto turned and fled, running away from the man as he called out for them to return.

Ino gasped… When had that happened? Larger pain enveloped her. Oh god, it was happening again already and nearly twice more painful!

"Hehehe, you'd even Henge into thing that killed your parents to protect it…"

"I won't hand over the scroll to someone like you!"

"You fool." Mizuki sneered. "Naruto and I are the same." Naruto froze at hearing that as did Iruka.

"What do you mean?" Iruka questioned cautiously.

"If you use the scroll's techniques, you can do whatever you want. There is no way that demon fox wouldn't try and use it to destroy the village. So unlike what your naiveté assumes."

"Yeah…" Hearing Iruka agree was like someone shoving a metal pipe through Naruto's heart as he listened in.

'Iruka-sensei… Even Iruka-sensei deep down doesn't acknowledge me…' He truly was alone. Did that mean Ayame-chan, Techui-san, and Sandaime-Jiji were lying as well? Madness, the kind that can only come from pure despair reached out to him, and he would have embraced it. But right at the moment he felt he would burst from the pain Iruka's words reached him again.

"The Demon fox WOULD do that… but Naruto is different… He is… One of my precious students. I've acknowledged him… He may not be the hardest worker, and no one might accept him, he still knows the pain that loneliness can bring your heart… He is no demon fox, he is… A member of Konoha." Unbeknownst to both men, the turmoil of the night had finally broken down years of walls the boy had built up. Like a flood Naruto's tears, held at bay by the mighty defenses washed unashamedly down his face.

"HE IS UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

Ino awoke from the memory with a start. It was so close. Something about a demon fox and Naruto… a seal… The villages hatred. All the clues where there but it was so jumbled up she couldn't make sense. It didn't help that headache was growing rapidly. Was she the only one affected or did Naruto feel and see these too? She looked over to find the blonde man swaying drunkenly his face shrouded unseen in the shadows of the room before he grabbed his head and collapsed before everyone.

"NARUTO!" The room was at once a flurry of activity, it's black walls began to glow ominously with malevolent red chakra, clearly defined by the black seals that stood out amongst it. Anbu rushed to begin the evacuation, and in the chaos no one saw until too late Ino touching her hand to Naruto's temple.

"INO NO!" Inoichi screamed and rushed forward his own Hakoushin being prepared when a iron grip settled on his wrist.

"Inoichi! Restrain yourself at once!" Tsunade's voice broke over them, freezing the Yamanaka Clan head in his tracks. "If Naruto and Ino cannot stop this…" Her head lowered and her shoulders shook with restrained emotion, yet her voice remained clear. "I will not loose three of my people today."

Inoichi looked to Ino and Naruto both laying on the floor unconscious. Everything in his heart was demanding he rush in, try anything to help his baby, however his resolve to abide by the Hokage's rules forced him at bay.

"Shikamaru, Shikaku, Inoichi. Your in charge, evacuate with the rest of the populace. I will remain and try my best to keep the fox at bay." The three men before her flinched. To abandon their loved ones and their leader was unforgivable. Ino's body began to be enveloped in red chakra and the girl started to cry out, calling for help in pain that tore at Inoichi's very soul.

"Hokage-sama, be reasonable!" But Tsunade, ever the stubborn woman that she was refused.

"If a miracle happens I'll send word. Head to Suna. Now HURRY!" With that she forced green chakra into her hands to heal Ino's breaking body. The men were forced to comply and with one last look at Ino and Naruto they fled, feeling ashamed at being so helpless.

"Idiot brat, stupid girl you better not get us all killed." The seals around the elder Hokage began to hum with the excess power.

* * *

With a shriek Ino fell into the blackness as she followed Naruto's mind. What seemed like forever suddenly and painfully came to an end as she splashed down into shallow water, and into the concrete below it. As she shrugged of the sting of her shoulder slamming into the concrete floor two hands all but dragged her up then shook her slightly.

"Ino-chan you gotta go! Run, remove the jutsu, whatever, but you just gotta go! NOW!" Her eyes met Naruto's as he tried to shake the sense back into her.

"Well, Well, Well…" A dark and ominous voice broke over them, causing Naruto to grow both afraid and angered at the same time. "Now then, since we're all here, I suppose we can now begin." Ino trembled against the amount of blood lust that flowed from the cell before her. Suddenly red chakra quicker than lightning shot from the cage and into Naruto making him fall back, hurt.

"Y-you bastard! G-get outta my mind!" Naruto screamed in pain. His eyes once a sky blue were now red as blood. The very color of the monster before them, one Ino recognized. The beast had risen and the light of his chakra filled the seal, showing the fox in his full horrible glory. Behind the towering beast nine tails whipped around violently smashing into the sides of the seal with tremendous force. A cruel laugh filled the chamber.

"HehehHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I intend to." The sickening feeling inside Ino grew as the demon's blood soaked eyes turned to face her. The grin, twisted and malevolent, shook her to her core. "The little vixen has given me the perfect way. Such a pity she'll die, as I'd enjoy eating her puny soul!!!!"

It was then, as if a wall of fire had enveloped her body, a unforgivable pain seeped into her. Her head tilted back and an unholy scream erupted from her throat. Unbeknownst to her Naruto, whimpering at the pain flowing from his now failing seal watched in horror as her beautiful eyes darkened into purple then fading into a red that haunted his dreams.

"MOMMA! DADDY!! NARUTO!!! HELP ME!" Ino agony filled shrieks filled Naruto's ears. Her screams alone made him call out to her, desperate to find the strength to move to aide her in some way, but his body refused

"I-INO! K-Kyuubi, me, not her l-leave her outta this." Naruto's begging fell to only the sounds of malicious cackles.

Blood poured from the torn flesh of his belly as he tried to reach the girl, Naruto groaned as more pain flooded his wracked body. Red Chakra flooded the room, and Ino's screams grew with every increase. His eyes felt weaker, his heart was slowing. Containers, he knew, could not outlive their bijuu. He was dying.

"Seeing your suffering, dying, body before me makes me so very satisfied, human. Too long have I had to deal with your insignificance, now I will be fr--ARGH!!!" Suddenly a shadow stood before him, the pain dimmed then vanished as the fox howled in pain. Naruto ignored it, thankful for his reprieve of death, dragged his haggard body to Ino's who was still writhing in agony.

"Foolish Fox." A voice behind him commented.

"You." the fox growled, his voice so filled with hate Ino felt she would die from it. It was then an freezing cold hand touched her stomach and the burning cooled, then faded away unto nothing.

"Ino-chan…" Naruto murmured.

"Do you feel better, Ino-san?" A distinctly different male voice called out. Ino's cornflower eyes flickered open to see two sets of storm blue ones peering at her worriedly.

"Y-you." Ino's eyes widened. Following her look, Naruto looked up for the first time to see the man kneeling next to them.

"Yondaime… Hokage?" Naruto's voice called out softly. Minato Namikaze, the fourth Kage of Hi no Kuni, looked down at his son and smiled. Kyuubi roared in rage behind them.

Next Chapter: Chapter 7: Revelations

'I'm a jerk' is probably what I'll get from this cliffhanger, a very very short one at that, but honestly it had an appeal to me. I already have half the next chapter planned and a third of that written so we shall see if I can extend the chapter. Hopefully when work starts back up the hours will be normal enough to allow some work on this and the other stories.

I am very sorry for the late update. I have been busy building our new store location and it wasn't until this week I have had a chance to work on it.

edit: some of the glaring errors taken care of. Sue me it was 3:30 in the morning and I was tired of this chapter holding me back... any more errors please PM me with them not review.

Also noticing how close I am to 100 reviews the hundreth reviewer will get a special reward.

Chapter Seven IS done, however I am not doing a 2 chapter combo like I did before and recived no response from it. I want review to gauge hoe each chapter is responded to in order to better know what is liked and disliked. Chapter Seven will be up August 29th at 12:00AM central.