Naruto WhatIf - Kami's Experiment – A MPD Grenade in the Timeline

By: Brad Kucera

Disclaimer:

I do not own rights to Naruto or and original character.

I am publishing this for enjoyment of the fanfic community. I do not intend to use Naruto or any of its characters to make a profit.

This is my 2nd story, I appreciate any feedback and I would really appreciate active involvement from my readers.

Any ideas, concepts or questions are always welcome.

Prologue – A Bloody End

Naruto gasped as blood flowed freely from his mouth and streaked down the front of his black and orange jacket. Due to the pain his mind was still incapable of overcoming the shock that this was how it all ended. He fought 7 reincarnated jinchurikis, he defeated and befriended 7 biju, he defeated and converted Tobi, better known as Obito Uchiha. He played a key role in defeating Madara and subsequently sealed Kaguya away with the help of his onetime friend Sasuke Uchiha. He then fought to end the cycle of hatred against said onetime friend before he was betrayed by him.

The losses of the 4th Great Shinobi War were astronomical, and the world was in a state of turmoil when people escaped from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Naruto was hailed by some as a hero and feared by others as a superpower. When he fought against Sasuke and defeated him to ensure the bijus freedom, he thought that was it. Then, the one-armed bastard converted 2/3 of the shinobi world to his cause and prolonged the war. He should have finished him off at the Valley of the End.

For the past three years, Naruto has led a mix-matched coalition of outcasts that protected the biju and were against restoring the old status quo. They fought long and hard to convert people to their way of thinking with moderate success. They worked out of Sunagakore to lead a resistance against Sasuke, the Godaime Hokage, Darui the new leader of Kumo and Kurotsuchi the new leader of Iwa. The war was long and drawn out and Naruto never once asked the biju to fight on his behalf. He was adamant that the bijus' role in the 'New World' would be peaceful, and they would work alongside him.

He thought he was doing the right thing, the people who believed in him gave everything for his dream, the world Sasuke wanted would have been one that brought about the end of the world. Sure enough, Sasuke won and did bring about the end of the world. One by one his cursed Sharingan eye was able to enslave the biju, one by one Naruto's closest friends died fighting for what they believed in and all at once the end of the world was nigh. Sasuke used his Sharingan/Rinnegan combination take every last bit of Naruto's heart, piece by piece, bit by bit, until it was just him and Kurama left.

The last bit of sick satisfaction that Naruto got was watching from his position on a cross as Sasuke attempted to become the next jinchuriki of the Juubi. Sasuke's forces had strapped him to a wooden cross where they watched Kurama get ripped out of his boy. After the extraction, Sasuke attempted to become the Juubi's jinchuriki in a grandiose fashion in front of the allied forces of Konoha, Kumo and Iwa, and he failed spectacularly. He couldn't control the power and the Juubi was released upon the world. With the last bit of his life force, Naruto watched all of his enemies be ripped apart by the colossal beast before the Juubi unleashed cataclysm and his world went dark.

Before the colossal nature energy ended him Naruto closed his eyes and whispered a prayer to his loved ones.

"Kami, if you can hear me, please hold my loved ones in your hands and let them find rest in your embrace. Kurama, I am sorry I failed you, my last true friend. To those that believed in me, I will love you forever… I am sorry…"

Naruto closed his eyes to settle his heart before the chaotic combination of wind, water and lightning enshrouded him. He retreated to an unfamiliar emptiness of his subconscious and then everything went black. He remained in the darkness for an indeterminate amount of time while his soul tried to come to grips with all the suffering and loss he endured throughout his mortal life. He found it to be a nearly impossible task and his mind felt fractured, almost irreparably so. As his thoughts went in self-condemning circles, a brief light flickered in the darkness.

The flickering increased in frequency and power until his soul found itself hovering in a world made of white. A memory of the mindscape that he once talked to the chakra imprints of his mother and father flickered across his fractured mind and snapped him out of his endless musings. His soul began to take form, his mortal form, and he opened his eyes to find himself standing on a translucent floor in a world made of white light. He noticed dispassionately that his body retained all of his scars, bruises and tattered clothing. The landscape was beautiful and serene, but it was empty, and he found himself lost in the emptiness, but at least his mind seemed to have halted for a brief reprieve from its torturous thoughts.

After the world went white, he didn't have to wait too long until two familiar figures appeared in front of him. Before he could process who they were, he was wrapped in an embrace by a beautiful redhead. He was nearly 6inches taller than the ethereal beauty, but that didn't stop him from collapsing into the tender embrace of the woman that should have fulfilled the role of mother in his previous life. Tears filled his eyes before his mind could process the series of insane events and he couldn't stop from crying into the ample bust of the woman. He barely processed the comforting hand on his shoulder as his body was wracked with sobs. Eventually, he calmed down enough to choke out some words that symbolized reality had finally caught up to him.

"I … I am … I am sorry. S-so, so, s-sorry. I, I, I f-failed. Everyone, everyone is dead… I, I wasn't … I wasn't strong enough…" The words escaped his mouth in between sobs, snot and tears. The whole time the loving presence of these two people worked to calm him down and attempted to piece together his shattered soul.

"Shh, it's okay sochi. It is okay, my son. We couldn't be prouder of you." She bent down and placed a tender kiss on the top of his head, somehow penetrating the blonde locks of hair and reaching his soul. "Kami let us watch your life, we saw everything, sochi. It's over now. It will be okay."

As the woman continued to embrace him and kissed his racked form, the blonde man got down on one knee and rapped him in a hug from behind. Minato had fought alongside his son through the use of the cursed and forbidden 'impure world resurrection' jutsu. His ethereal heart swelled with pride at the man his son became, and Minato knew his son was so close to achieving his dream. He stopped the scowl from reaching his face at the thought of the Uchiha and all the pain they forced upon the world.

"Naruto, my son, you did more in your short life than I ever thought possible. You were so strong and such a brilliant light for the world. I am so proud of you." Minato said in a soft voice.

"D-d-dad? I-is that you?" Naruto's broken voice came out at a whisper until a firm hand turned him around and he was embraced in a much firmer hug than his mother's.

"Yes son, I am here." Minato simply tried to convey his feelings through his hug and bring any bit of peace to his son's broken soul that he could. "It isn't over yet either, son."

Naruto's breath hitched and his heart stopped. Fear overcame him, fear of needing to fight again, fear of failing again, fear of being surrounded by death again. Eventually he mustered up the resolve to overcome his fear and ask the question.

"W-w-what d-do y-you m-mean? I d-died, how is it not over?"

Minato extended his arms with his hands still clasping his son's shoulders. Brilliant azure blue met clouded azure blue and Minato's heart nearly broke at all the pain he saw in his son's eyes.

"Look, son, Kami gave us some time to catch up and then she wishes to talk to you. I need you to stay strong and remember who you are. You are my strong, proud, resilient, courageous boy that turned into a great leader that fought to do what was right…"

"Don't forget that he was a handsome lady killer, Minato-Kun." Kushina chirped in a lighthearted tone.

Naruto felt warmth returning to his soul and a slight bit of healing started at that moment. "I, I still failed…"

Minato lifted Naruto's chin up and forced him to look into his eyes. "Who did you fail, son? It wasn't us because the man I watched try to save the world did everything in his power to make the world a better place, and we weren't the only ones that saw it."

Naruto's eyes begged for an explanation, and he failed to force anymore words out, so Kushina stepped in. "Sochi, everyone that joined you along the way came here and Kami let us watch everything. Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kakashi, Neji, Gaara, Temari, Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino… we all watched and couldn't be more proud."

Naruto's eyes continued to drop as memories of his fallen comrades saturated his mind and thoughts. "So, everyone that gave their life believing in me watched me fail…" His voice was so shattered and devoid of the light that everyone associated with Naruto.

Kushina's hair flared up and she decided that it was high past time for tough love. She pulled Naruto's face to her and slapped his cheek with an ample amount of force to turn his head. She fixed a firm motherly look on her face, and her tone was stern.

"I will not stand here and listen to you berate yourself. You shouldered the weight of the world and fought valiantly. The blame is not for you to shoulder alone. Now, listen to me and listen to me well, sochi. This is the last time I will let you say you failed. Nobody blames you, in fact most of them wish they were stronger so they could have done more to support you."

"It … it's not their fault. I should have dealt with Sasuke before it came to all that. I wanted to believe he could change, that my friend was still in there somewhere…"

Minato ruffled his hair and spoke softly. "And that is why everyone loved you so much. That is why so many people rallied to your cause and why the biju believed in you. Your golden heart is why all hope is not lost, not yet."

"W-what do you mean? Why won't you answer me when I ask you to explain that?" Naruto's tone grew frustrated, and a slight bit of anger tinged his words.

Kushina smiled beneficently and rubbed the whisker marks on his cheek that even appeared on the representation of his soul. "Sochi, let's just say we were given instructions not to talk about it. Somebody else wants the right to talk to you about it first. For now, why don't we sit down, relax and catch up. There are some things I want you to know before the other person joins us."

Before Naruto could respond, Kushina clasped her hands together in a praying motion and closed her eyes in focus. Chakra flared around her, and the brilliant, white landscape shifted to a lake with a warm sun beaming down. They sat on a rocky ledge with their feet hanging in the water as they took the time to catch up. They talked for an hour and life returned to Naruto's eyes, which were always the representation of his soul. His tone got livelier, and his heart healed bit by bit. Toward the end of the hour, Kushina's tone changed, and she looked more serious.

"Sochi, there are some things I want you to know now that our time is almost up. First, you were not alone in the world and family was much closer than you thought. Not only was Tsunade a great aunt from my side of the family, but …"

"Kushi-Chan, shouldn't I be allowed to tell him?" Minato had a wry smile on his face as he gave a mock glare to his wife. After Kushina nodded, Minato spoke again. "Naruto, the fates were not fair to you, and they loved their ironies. Believe me, when Kami found out she was pissed. So, as for the big secret, it turns out that Tsunade was my mom."

Naruto jumped to his feet in total surprise as he pointed at his father. "You! You are Ba-Chan's son? Th-that means I… I am a Senju?"

Minato chuckled and Kushina puffed her cheeks. "You are just as much Uzumaki as you are Senju, Sochi!"

Naruto shot an apologetic look at his mother before he rubbed the back of his neck in his sheepish pose. "Haha, sorry Ka-Chan. It was just a shock."

Kushina smiled in a way that said, 'I know something you don't know.' At the prompting look on Naruto's face, she chuckled and added a second shocker. "Hehe, could you guess who your grandfather was then?"

Naruto seemed to think for a bit and his brows wrinkled in concentration. Eventually, realization smacked him in the face and his head snapped to his father with disbelief in his eyes. Minato nodded with a smile on his face before Naruto prompted him to explain with one word, "How?"

A wistful look fixed itself on Minato's face and he sighed before explaining. "Well, to be clear, we didn't know while we were alive. Tsunade and Jiraiya had a one-night stand after the end of the 2nd Great Shinobi War, and I was born. Due to the enemies they made, I was abducted as a baby and somehow found my way back to Konoha after a squad of Konoha shinobi rescued me from a camp of bandits and missing ninjas. I think you know the gist of the rest of my story."

Naruto was dumbstruck at the confirmation that his father gave him. "Holy shit." The words came out in a whisper as Naruto processed that he was close to both of his grandparents for a small portion of his life. "Mom was right, Fate was a massive bitch to all of us."

Kushina chuckled. "Oh, Fate is being manhandled by Kami right now. I should add that Jiraiya was the bastard son of Tobirama Senju, the Nidaime Hokage. Turns out his white hair and Tsunade's sandy blonde combine to make Sunkissed blonde."

Minato sighed. "And I did so much to make the Namikaze name. To be fair, I would have been massively different if I were a Senju and then we wouldn't have made you, Naruto. So, as much as I want to 'Hiraishin stage 3' all over Fate, I can't be too mad because she gave us you."

Naruto sighed, "Yeah, I guess so. These are all crazy revelations, but why are you telling me this like it matters?"

Minato decided to skirt the question again and explain something to Naruto since he sensed the arrival of the third party. "Look, son, there is a lot that will make sense soon. For now, I want you to know that your mom and I had a compound on the east side of the clan district just under the Hokage monument. The gate is blood sealed to recognize anyone of your mother's or my lineage."

Kushina ignored the confused look on Naruto's face. "Well, if he is saying that then I will add this. Uzushiogakore is my homeland and the wars prevented me from returning home. The Uzumaki clan had a failsafe in place to ensure that our clan knowledge would never fall into the wrong hands. Only a true Uzumaki can access it and you were the last heir to the royal line of Uzumaki."

All of the sudden, a regal, ethereal, entrancing woman with blonde hair that flowed freely to her waist appeared. The woman was the very definition of beauty and perfection, and Naruto felt his breath hitch and his lips grew dry. The woman's white yukata with golden trimming fit her shapely, womanly figure well and exposed just enough to entice the eyes. Her face was a fixed calm that radiated the warmth of everything good in this world and just looking at her was a blessing to Naruto.

"Oh, look at you two trying to spoil my fun. Oh well, I will allow it. Now, Naruto-Kun, I have waited a long time to talk to you, my child of prophecy." After speaking, the woman graced Naruto with an enchanting smile.

Naruto was so blown away by her beauty that he failed to respond as his whole body locked up in front of her magnificence. After a few seconds, the woman's beautiful chuckle broke him from his trance, and he laughed nervously while doing everything in his power to stop the blood threatening to trickle from his nose.

"I-I-I'm sorry, d-do I know y-you?" He asked in a totally uncool manner which earned him a heavenly chuckle that the woman hid behind the sleeve of her yukata.

"No, Naruto-Kun, sadly I am not allowed to interact on the mortal plain, which I am sad to say has come to an end as you know it." Her voice was soft as she tried to cushion the blow for the boy she had watched with such rapt interest.

Naruto balked at that, he thought that may be the case, but no human wanted to truly contemplate the apocalypse. It was sad, and yet pleasing at the same time. At least Sasuke-teme was proven wrong, and it bit him in the ass. That being said, it was still shocking to hear that the world had already ended. Naruto did his best impersonation of a fish on dry land as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly with no sound coming out. The lady laughed beautifully and didn't appear too sad about the end of the world.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto-Kun. That cycle had lasted a long time and it was stuck in a rut. My prophecy was that you would defeat Kaguya and save the world, which you did, and it was quite a spectacular show. However, the Uchiha's curse of hatred winning out was an unexpected turn. Why those silly humans trusted him over you was a cruel twist of Fate and it was why the world ended." She said the last part whimsically, as if it were a minor detail.

Naruto was still shocked, but he could no longer hold the question. "I am sorry, ma'am, but how do you know me and what is your name?" His confused yet earnest tone earned another chuckle from the mysterious beauty.

The goddess clutched a hand over her heart and the other covered her lips in a mischievous manner. "Ara, ara, how impolite of me. I am what you would refer to as Kami, the caretaker of this mortal realm. As for how I know you, hmm… well I suppose you could say I took a vested interest in you and watched over you. I dubbed you my chosen 'child of prophecy' and even granted those foolish toads the vision. The rules prevented me from directly intervening, but now that the cycle has ended, I can meddle all I want."

Once again, Naruto began stammering and he started to point at the woman before he jumped in the air and landed on his knees before comically prostrating himself to the goddess. This earned a round of laughter from the trio present as Naruto kept his head pressed to the ground.

"That is enough of that, Naruto-Kun. You see, I have kept your soul here because I wish you to lead the new cycle. It should have happened in your previous life but Fate, that bitch, stacked the odds so heavily against you that I didn't notice her final trump card, the Uchiha boy. She directly intervened at the end the fight with Kaguya and turned him against you, which led to the rest of those miserable events. As if that weren't enough, she played with those foolish survivors of Iwa and Kumo and swayed them to the emo boy's side. I do apologize on behalf of my daughter; I may have dropped her on her head a time or two."

Naruto did his best to take in every word and he didn't fail to miss the part where she said she wants him to lead the new cycle. "So, like, you are going to reincarnate me? In like, a new world?"

Kami adopted a sad look on her face. "No, Naruto-Kun, my realm is the one you lived in. I have a limited control of time since I handed over responsibility for it, so if I wish to use you, which I do, then I would need to do so from your timeline."

Naruto's face fell. "So, I would have to go through all of that all over again? All the hate … my childhood … every enemy …" Minato and Kushina placed comforting hands on his shoulders to give him some of their strength.

Kami smiled sadly at the boy. "Well, to be honest, Naruto-Kun, you could call this an experiment since I have never done it before. I have never restarted a timeline and allowed somebody to go back to change events since that would normally go against the time continuum. However, since the whole timeline came to an end, it wouldn't violate the rules."

Naruto's brows furrowed and he looked confused. "Rules? Aren't you Kami? Are you telling me that you were okay with all of that suffering? All of those innocent people suffering every day? Rape, slavery, murder, theft, the list goes on and you are okay with it?" By the end, he started to sound disillusioned and angry.

"I am sorry, my child. That is the price of giving humans power and free will. So that you may better understand it, I created the world and programmed it like a game. I did so in a way that people might find joy and meaning in life. They would be capable of achieving greatness and showing me new things. For instance, the rotation of the earth and the shifting of the tectonic plates underground are one thing that allows life on the planet. At the same time, the byproduct of that feature was earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. For every blessing, there is a curse. Yin and Yang, the balance of the world is all held up in the rules." Naruto looked down at the ground contemplatively before he resigned himself to accept her words. After feeling his acceptance, she continued. "It is not that I wish to allow the bad things of the world to happen, but I had faith in my creations to overcome their baser instincts. If things got too out of balance, I would grant blessings, such as Hashirama's Mokuton ability, to steer the world in a better direction. That was the extent of my meddling as I presided over the realm."

"I … I think I understand. But why me? Why choose me to get a second chance? To be honest, Kami-Sama, I … I am broken now. My soul feels fractured, and I don't know if I could do it all over again." He sounded dejected.

Kami took his head in her hands and placed a kiss on his forehead. Instantly, Naruto felt a flow of warmth wash over him and it healed most of the damage from the losses of his past. The fire lit behind his azure blues and color returned to his face.

"My child, I know that I ask much of you. Do not think that you will be forced to repeat the same old thing. I will grant you one blessing that would not upset the timeline. I am sorry to say that any attempt to alter the day of your birth would not be possible." She paused here to let Naruto soak that bit of information in.

"I figured, so I can't have my parents back…" Naruto said sadly, as that was his truest wish was to go through life with his parents and family.

"Sadly, that is not possible. I should tell you that the Sage of Six Paths did something with his chakra that will be undone this time. For many centuries, his sons Indra and Ashura, Madara and Hashirama, Sasuke and yourself, took on vessels that their chakra imprinted on. I will no longer allow this because it led to a loop in the sequence of things. However, since you are a Senju, would you like to have the Mokuton bloodline? It would help prove your heritage and I daresay it would change quite a few things for you." Kami suggested, actually interested in seeing how that time cycle would go with her chosen child wielding such an ability.

Kushina and Minato perked up at this. Kushina thought that it would be super cool to see her sochi wielding the Mokuton to save the world. Minato was calculating at a mile a minute to figure out how that would change the events that led to the destruction of the world. Naruto simply thought that it would be awesome, since everyone in Konoha practically worshipped the Mokuton bloodline.

Minato seemed to finish his calculations and offered some advice to his son. "Son, that would shift quite a lot in the timeline, and it would prove to be a very effective tool in your arsenal."

Kami chirped excitedly. "Oh, oh, oh that would be so exciting to see how that would shift the course of events. From pariah to village hero. Along with your memories, you would be able to get a head start this time."

Naruto considered the possibilities. Could he handle the tortures of the past when he saw everyone alive again? He wasn't that old; he was only 19 when he died and it seemed like his life was one big blur. One chaotic incident after another.

"Mokuton would be cool, but I have some questions. 1) Can I tell anybody about my previous life? 2) Am I free to change anything I want? 3) Can I just preemptively kill Sasuke and get it over with?" Naruto asked, still stuck with his brain working overtime to think out everything he would need.

Kami placed her hand to her chin and adopted a cute thinking pose. "Well, Naruto-Kun, since this is a fresh slate, I would request that you don't tell anybody, although I think we could tell a select few. That is part of the experiment for me, and it may create more issues than you wish to deal with. Yes, you are my chosen one and I will allow you to change what you will from your point in the timeline. Finally, no, the Sasuke of that timeline is not tainted by Asura, and he has committed no sins yet. If you killed him before he wronged you, then it would taint your soul and condemn you to Yami."

Naruto kicked the dirt out from under his feet in frustration. Dealing with the teme would be his hardest mental obstacle to overcome. "Are Tsunade and Jiraiya really my grandparents? Do they know? Would it be okay for me to tell them?"

Kami seemed contemplative once again before she smiled regally down at Naruto. "Yes, they are Naruto, I will grant you that, once you find them, you can tell them. They do not know, sadly it was a really cruel twist of fate that happened with your father, and it ruined both of their lives."

Naruto smiled and Kushina cheered from behind him. It would be a great solace knowing that her son will not be alone this go around. "What about Kurama? Will he have his memories? He is my best friend, so I need to ask. Can he have his yin and yang chakra? I know that may be more than one favor, but it isn't right to split his soul up like that. He was there for me from the start of the war to the end, so I beg your mercy on this, Kami-Sama." Naruto bowed his head as a sign of respect.

Once again, Kami smiled down on him before she snapped her fingers. A chibi 9-tailed fox was wrapped in Kami's arms and Naruto saw Kurama snuggle his head into Kami's breasts. Man, he was jealous of that. Kami looked down on the tiny fox form of Kurama.

"Well, Kurama-Kun, it is good to see you again. You biju were one of the things Haguromo did right." Kami pressed a finger to Kurama's forehead and injected the memories of the conversation to bring him up to speed. "Do you wish to go back with my chosen child and start a new cycle?"

The mini fox turned and locked eyes with Naruto, slitted, blood red met deep, azure blue before the small fox smirked. "Well, the brat is my partner, and we came pretty close last time. I don't see why not, although I really like it here."

Once again, Kurama snuggled his head into Kami's bosom and got bonked on the head for his second offense, which earned a snicker from Naruto. Kushina and Minato looked on with bemused smiles, seemingly okay with the biju that once caused their deaths. While Kami was chiding Kurama for his brazen actions, Naruto turned to his parents for their thoughts.

"Son, I know you can do it and I just want you to be happy. Remember that it was your friends that gave you strength and enjoy the ride." Minato kept it simple with that pleased, fatherly smile on his face.

"Sochi, I say go for it. I know you can do it and I would love some grand babies this time around." Kushina's face turned into a scowl here. "Actually, make sure you find Tsunade before you show off your Mokuton. That damnable council would turn you into a breeder if you don't have the proper allies and protection."

Minato responded to that. "Hmm, son your mother is right, as always." Naruto made a whip sound here, which earned a nod and a chuckle from his mother, but his dad shrugged it off. "If you blow the lid on that too early then they would force you into the CRA. I am not against you having multiple wives, but I can assure you that you do not want them controlling anything to do with your future."

Naruto saw his mother balling her fist but nodded at his father. "I … I know. I don't want that, but it will be weird. I will have my mature mind in a child's body. Wait, did Kami say when she is sending me back to?"

Both parents looked at each other before shaking their heads in the negative. They all adopted concerned looks on their faces and turned to see Kami was waiting for the question with a mischievous look on her face. Naruto recognized that look because he always saw it in the mirror when he was planning an awesome prank.

"It's a secret, Nar-U-To-Kun." She said tantalizingly slow. Naruto facepalmed himself. For a goddess, she sure acted weirdly. Maybe it was a side effect of being an immortal know-it-all? "That is not a nice thing to think, Naruto-Kun. And here I have been so nice and generous to you." Kami finished with a pout.

Naruto blanched, shit, Kami can read my thoughts. "S-s-sorry Kami-Sama. Please be nice, my childhood was pretty rough." He cocked his head and gave her his best, pleading grin, which simply earned him another enchanting chuckle. Never mind that he just made the understatement of the century.

"Okay, Naruto-Kun, I will put you back at some point in your childhood. Time magic is tricky, but it will be one of the pivotal events of your childhood. You will have you Mokuton bloodline activated, and I will make it so some of your descendants may carry it on. You will always have a whole Kurama with the seal array adjustable. I am sure you know not to open it too early since your body won't be able to handle it. You will retain your memories, I am sorry that is an all or nothing offer, but I want to see how you handle it. Now, I will give you ten minutes to say goodbye to your parents before I send you back. It was a pleasure getting to talk to you, Naruto-Kun. Next time you come this way maybe you could stop by for a chat?" Kami ended with a wink before she blinked out of existence.

Naruto let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding. He just me Kami, THE KAMI, and she is sending him back to some point in his childhood. The thought filled him with a sense of trepidation. His childhood was something he always pushed to the back of his mind. He rallied himself back to his senses so that he could enjoy the rest of the time with his parents. He forced a smile on his face before he turned to look at them, barely noticing when Kurama jumped onto his shoulder. Kushina smothered him in a monstrous embrace and tears fell on his tattered clothes. Naruto just noticed that even his soul representation still wore his battle garments, shredded as they were. Naruto rubbed his hands through his mother's lustrous red hair in a soothing manner.

"It will be alright momma. I will be alright. Just a couple more years and I will be right back here to catch up with you." He whispered in a soft tone.

Kushina continued crying, so Minato took over. "Look, son, as I said, I am proud of you, and I know I will continue to be proud of you. Just do what you think is right and enjoy this go around. Stay true to yourself and I am sure everything will work itself out. Remember that you will be able to enter our compound and the spare key is in the potted vase to the left of the door."

Naruto nodded before laying his head on top of his mother's. "I got it dad. Mom, I love you, just keep watching over me and I will make you proud."

Kushina looked up and placed a loving kiss on his forehead before she locked eyes with Kurama, who was just sitting on his haunches on Naruto's shoulder. "Kurama, I wish I took the time to get to know you. Please look after my sochi and in return I will tell Naruto where to find the scrolls to free you before his death."

"You already told me, Ka-Chan. They are in Uzu, and I know when I will go there. Don't worry about Kurama, I trust him, and things will be different this time around." Naruto butted in sarcastically.

Kurama smirked at that. "Look, Kushina, times were different, and the seal never allowed us to interact. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for killing you and torturing your kit for the better part of his life. Your kit has earned my trust and partnership, so you have nothing to worry about this time around."

Kushina smiled beautifully at the kitsune before turning to her son. "Sochi, I know you didn't have too much time but remember the three prohibitions of being a shinobi. Girls are good when the time is right, but you should only do those things with the one you love. Be careful when drinking, especially with your past. It will be tempting but remember everything is fine in moderation. Third, manage your money well. Never go into debt and work for the things you want. I know you lived a frugal lifestyle, but even if you get rich don't let money change who you are. Finally, watch out for your godfather/grandfather. I know you studied under him, but he really is a pervert, don't let him taint you sochi."

Minato buried his head in his hands at the mention of Jiraiya's perversion, but he couldn't help but agree with his wife. "Your mother is right again, if he goes too far just tell him that your mother will be waiting for him. He probably won't remember the beating he got from your mother once he arrived here in the pure world, but it was one for the record books."

Naruto laughed at that, Jiraiya was a terrible role model and sensei, but he was a great father figure. The nuggets of wisdom he threw out were lifechanging and redeemed him in Naruto's eyes. "I got it. Well, I think it is time to go so I will end with this. I love you both."

With one last, genuine and heartwarming hug, the lakeside landscape reverted to a brilliant white before things went black. The last thing Naruto heard was the whisper of his mother telling him that she loved him. That alone would be enough to get Naruto through this time around.