In existence, there are only two things that are certain: life and death.
An artist is given a canvas, and a brush, and he is to paint the canvas. What one may paint on their canvas is subjective; from the colours to the intricacy of each stroke, can a painting truly ever be replicated?
Throughout the vast tapestry of art, each and every symbolization of life, as one might call art, is inherently unique. Even an incomplete one, you may say, holds meaning.
Signs of discolouration may appear, or vivid hints of damage, or even destruction. But, like all else, do these paintings ever fade? If the painting of one imitates the aspects of the painting of one else, does the intricate enigma ever fade away?
The endeavour and will of an artist lives on through his painting, to reach out to another artist, one inspired by his work.
But that also begs the question, more of a glaring contradiction, in fact; what if art is never acknowledged?
It is apparent that even a painting, albeit not held in the highest of regards, exists. It will forever exist, for it is acknowledged. It has existence. No matter how its existence is portrayed, no vice or virtue will ever alter the fact that it is art, and therefore, exists.
If a painting is never acknowledged, its colors never able to resonate with other paintings, what significance does it hold? Can it even be considered, "art", anymore? After all, art is a symbolization of existence.
Perhaps, that is what it means to exist.
—————————————————————
Existence felt blank. It was as if, he was experiencing the absence of existence, odd as that may sound. A momentary beeping sound ensued, awakening the first of his senses.
Next, his eyelids fluttered open, revealing icy blue eyes. Eyes, that would unsettle even the reaper. The second of his senses.
A.. hospital room?
"Lord Fourth.. he's awake..!"
He would hear, albeit not understand. As if he was seeing the world through the eyes of a mere newborn, he COULDN'T understand.
The beeping sound continued, from a patient monitor, he deciphered, as he looked over.
Weighed footsteps could be heard, followed by the imminent bashing of a door. "Lord Hokage.. y-you're awake!" The doctor celebrated, the rest of his words being ignored by Minato.
'Hokage.. huh? Why.. am I here?' Forcibly sitting up from his bed, Minato scrutinized his surroundings, and his hand.
'D-damn.. It hurts..' It does.
Suddenly, Minato feels himself succumbing to grim memories.
—————————————————————
Situated just inside an expansive cave, led by a concealed entrance, decorated by torches and a lone, cold slab of stone, upon which Uzumaki Kushina was laid; she was due to become a mother in moment's time. But, as all good things happen, they take effort of equal proportions.
Childbirth was far beyond what any person could handle.
It is said, that love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Emotional turmoil, paired with excruciating agony, was not something that one experienced on a daily basis.
In fact, there was no way of dealing with such sheer pain. Except one; garnering your deepest, most primordial emotions. Love, or hate.
Love is viewed as a virtue of extreme righteousness, resonation and respect; an untrammelled emotion, which could never truly be erased from the hearts of those who have fostered it.
Love, is permanent. As long as one exists, their love will forever be felt.
But, the same way, love could always be taken away from a person, oblivious to, and uncaring of, any chants, wishes or superficial rituals.
Rain; those who do not wield an umbrella, unprotected by the luxury of comfort, will soak under the unforgiving rain. Weather is something, that we, as humans, were conditioned to expect from the very inception of our abode.
Weather is a phenomena that can never be controlled. So, we simply stop trying. We accept it as it is, knowing that we are far too incapable to control that which is uncontrollable.
The dark clouds glean aloft the sky, releasing bolts of lightning at intervals, producing thunderous roars. To think that a few hours ago, it had been the sunniest day that both Minato and Kushina had experienced in a while.
Precisely how unpredictable life is. There is no further agenda; unfortunate things happen, and they are as contrasted to this world as nature itself. Vices deprive, and virtues nurture.
And thus, love can be swayed, from a virtue to vice. Hatred.
Hatred, a feeling with compassion equal to love. True hatred can only be found in the hearts of those who have once loved. True hatred, is different from a dispute or grudge.
How ironic.
At the moment, Uzumaki Kushina was emboldened by her love. By her hope, desperation of evolving from a loving wife to taking on the role of a loving wife, and loving mother.
Alongside Kushina, fought her distressed husband. Pouring every ounce of his concentration in fighting to keep the demonic nine-tailed fox at bay, alongside controlling his own emotions, made Minato a wreck of a man, at the moment.
At times, he felt the presence winning over him. Minato felt so hopeless; alternating between being encouraged by the thought of him becoming a father, and then feeling fear at the sight of his wife's agony, and the experience of her harrowing screams.
Amongst this inner turmoil, the only thing keeping Minato together was his resolve. He would not let it shatter, not when he was just mere moments away from becoming a father.
"Lord Fourth, you better keep yourself together! This is unbefitting of the Hokage..!" An elderly women chided him, causing Minato to come back to his senses.
"R-right, Lady Biwako.. But.. Kushina.. will she be alri-" Minato said, only to be interrupted by a venomous glare from the elderly women.
Minato narrowed his eyes, taking full control over Kushina's seal.
"Kushina, push! The baby's almost here!" Biwako shouted, urging the soon-to-be mother to fight on.
Shortly, the cries of Kushina halted, only to be replaced by new cries.
"N-Naruto.." This was it. Minato's eyes widened, full of pride and joy. Abandoning Kushina's seal, Minato instantly went over to take his newborn in his arms.
However, fate had different plans. The unexpected should always be expected. Minato would, soon, discover the extent of fate's reach.
"Lord Hokage, you should know better. Mothers get to hold their children first!" Biwako said, holding the crying infant in her arms. Alongside her stood Taji, guarding the two.
Minato looked dejected at this; extremely so. But, he decided to suppress his emotions, finding logic in the woman's words. Following Biwako in her steps, the both of them made their way over to Kushina.
The pain from delivering a child had still had its affect over Kushina, as was evident in her tired eyes. But even within those tired eyes, one could see immense relief, and a resonating feeling of love. Warmth.
Minato spaced out, reflecting on his future as a father. No matter what, he WAS going to be there for Naruto. Beyond leader and shinobi, he was a father. Tears formed in his eyes, although not of sadness.
Suddenly.. Naruto was gone. And, so was Biwako. And Taji.
"Naruto!" A weakened Kushina shouted. Minato was broken out of his trance, to find Naruto held up by a lone wooden tendril.
"Lord Fourth.. it is shameful how easily you were caught off guard. Your inadequacies will now, lead to the death of this child, at the ripe age of one minute." An ominous voice whispered.
Minato had not even noticed the masked man, adorning a dark cloak, standing besides the now held up Naruto. Before he could reply, the wooden tendrils holding Naruto formed into a constricting wooden cradle, as Naruto dropped into the mysterious man's arms.
"W-wait..! Leave the child alone, please calm down!" Minato pleaded, fear evident in his eyes. He was not one to serve his emotions to another on a silver platter, no. He had killed thousands of shinobi, without batting so much as an eyelash. But still..
He couldn't be robbed, like this, of his wife and son.. How.. could this be?
Fate.. had a cruel way of inflicting pain. Pain develops not from the event itself, but rather, the unpredictability of the event.
"I see it now; you are to lead this village to ruins. To surrender so easily.. pathetic!" The masked man said, tightening his hold on Naruto, to which the child responded by letting out painful weeps.
"N-no.. NO!" Suddenly, an ominous chakra surrounded Kushina. Enraged by the sight of Naruto's agony, Kushina went into a primordial rage.
Only to.. feel her chakra being siphoned. She, too, had been confined by wood release. The chakra cloak around Kushina receded, as she fell unconscious.
Minato, losing his composure, instantly shot forward at the masked man. With blistering speeds, to which the mysterious attacker couldn't even react, Minato planted his fist into the man's jaw. The man was sent away by the punch, crashing into a wall.
The sheer impact of the punch had made the man lose control over his wood release. His chakra was.. disrupted?
Minato stood there, examining the man, through icy blue eyes. Soon, he realized that his wooden mask was.. broken?
"Who.. are you?" Minato said, regaining his composure. "I don't recognize that face.. yet, you possess Mokuton."
"Who I am.. doesn't matter. I do not exist. I never have existed. I am, but, a mere tool." The man said, glaring at Minato.
Empty eyes. Spiky, brown hair. A scarred face. All of it, together, was not a beautiful sight.
Glaring daggers into each other, Minato was posed to strike the mysterious attacker then and there, and the man himself was prepared to kill Minato.
"Killing you goes against my orders, Lord Fourth. I require the Jinchuriki; back off." The man said, breaking the tension between the two.
Hearing this, Minato started forming a jutsu in his hands. "Fuuton: Rasengan!" A concentration of wind chakra appeared in the Hokage's hand, one that he aimed to smash into the masked man.
"Mokuton: Jukai Heki!" Several wooden branches erupted from the ground, forming a net-like wall around the Mokuton user.
Before either of them could make their move, familiar wicked winds grazed their skins. This feeling.. Minato dissipated his Rasengan, looking over at Kushina.
Suddenly, the same ominous chakra that Kushina had harnessed before was beginning to resurface. She wasn't conscious. This time, there was no Mokuton to suppress her tailed beast's chakra, either.
"Kushina!" Minato shouted, making his way over to Kushina. Damnit.. the seal! Minato never had the chance to reinforce it.
The mysterious man's eyes widened. "You fool, Fourth Hokage! The beast was not supposed to come out now.."
Using the branches that he had formed to make a wall around him, the man willed the branches into sharp-edged javelins, sending them forward at Kushina.
The sheer intensity and potent of Kushina's chakra shattered the wood. It was clear that the Mokuton user was not too skilled in using his bloodline.
It is said that Mokuton requires life, after all.
Five tails.
Minato rushed forward at Kushina, aiming for her seal. He would place a seal on top of it.
But as he attempted to do so, the enraged Kushina swatted him aside, setting his sights on him. 'Damnit..'
Minato quickly recovered. This wasn't the first time he had to face such an enraged Kushina. But this Kushina.. she was weak from delivering new life. Minato didn't know what to do.
"Mokuton: Hokage-Shiki Jijun Jutsu - Kakuan Nitten Suishu!" The masked man yelled. Reaching forward to touch Kushina with his palm, taking advantage of Kushina's focus on Minato, the masked man succeeded in doing so.
Kushina's chakra was being drained away, as ten pillars situated around the room ominously glowed. They were containing the Bijuu's chakra.
The room was surrounded by ten pillars.. a detail Minato never noticed. Almost as if the room was a setup? The jutsu seemed to be a conditional one; relying on the pillars to contain a Bijuu's chakra.
But the problem was.. it didn't work. The pillars were destroyed, from the mere strength of Kushina's chakra.
Eight tails.
Kushina was completely submerged in the demon's chakra. She had lost herself to the vile chakra.
Going on a rampage, Kushina let out a thunderous roar, one that shook the entire infrastructure that they were in. Sturdy rocks were rumbling.
Naruto.. was still here! Minato quickly rushed over to Naruto, keeping him out of danger's way, as debris was about to crush the little child.
In a yellow flash, Minato and the child were gone.
—————————————————————
A tri-pronged kunai, attached to a rope on the ceiling, slowly rocked back and forth, as Minato utilized his technique to arrive to one of his safe houses.
Holding his son in his embrace, Minato looked at the boy with a poignant expression. The boy had stopped crying, seeming content in the arms of Minato.
"Naruto.. it'll be alright." Minato said, with a barely visible smile gracing his face. He couldn't waste any time.
Walking over to the bed in the room, Minato tried to rest Naruto there, as the little child tugged on the fabric of his father's shirt, pleading for him to stay.
A child so attached to his father from the moment it was born.. It was a rather uncommon sight. Most children preferred their mothers.
With a heavy heart, Minato kissed the boy on the forehead, pulling a blanket over the frail newborn's body.
"Your mother needs me, Naruto."
Minato went over to a compartment; taking out a toolbox which contained several kunai. Minato took the kunai with him.
Closing the toolbox, and putting it back into the compartment he had gotten it from, Minato grabbed his Hokage haori from a nearby wardrobe.
Putting on the Hokage haori, Minato looked one last time at Naruto.
This was it. He had to save Kushina. With a determined countenance, Minato teleported back to the scene.
—————————————————————
Amongst the rumbling walls and ceilings of the cave, appeared a faint yellow flash. Minato appeared, gritting his teeth. This was bad. Kushina was wrecking the place, even further.
"Kushina! You have to stop this! For the sake of our son!" Minato shouted, hoping that his words would reach Kushina.
Truth be told, there was no hope left. Minato knew this, but he did not want to accept it. The seal was almost completely destroyed; Kushina was no longer in control of herself. Minato doubted he could restore the seal, at this stage.
Those who love, must bear the risk of hate. Minato, despite his confident facade, was still a boy. A boy, who felt like a man when with his wife. His world revolved around her.
He couldn't lose her.
Kushina did not halt. Upon seeing Minato, the beastly apparition of Kushina grew even angrier. Charging forward at Minato, Kushina tried to slash at him.
However, Minato ducked under the slash. Using the Hiraishin seal he had integrated into Kushina's eight trigrams seal, the two of them teleported just outside the remote location, to a lone kunai buried into the ground.
"Kushina.. I know you're in there, somewhere! Don't let the beast take control!" Each word seemed to enrage 'Kushina' further.
Kushina lunged forward at Minato, aiming to slash him. Minato retaliated by trying to slam his palm into her gut, taking advantage of the momentum; however, a tremendous shockwave sent him back.
"I love you, Kushina. Naruto needs his mother! Please.. just come to your senses, damnit!"
That was the tipping point
From eight tails, to nine.
The chakra cloak evolved from a mere layer of chakra, to forming the giant head of a fox. Slowly, the chakra went out to form the contours of a massive, nine-tailed fox.
And then, it happened. Nine enormous tails swished wildly, highlighted by the full moon. A thunderous howl ensued, developing into a demonic roar. Surrounding wildlife and vegetation had completely withered, causing a drought to reign upon the nearby land.
An unconscious Kushina was due to fall to the ground, only being saved by Minato catching her.
"Rest, Kushina. You truly are strong.." Minato said, with a ghost of a smile gracing his tormented face.
A massive paw swung at the two of them, aiming to end their lives then and there. Minato leaped forward, carrying his wife, resting her nearby, where she would be safe. He couldn't take eyes off of the Kyuubi.
Besides, he couldn't let anyone get their hands on Kushina. Not when suspicions plagued his thoughts. Minato shoved those thoughts at the back of his mind for now, knowing what he had to do at present.
Minato closed his eyes for a split moment; a moment which felt like days to him. Nature chakra was rather refreshing, after all.
"It's time to settle this, Kyuubi." Orange pigmentation appeared around Minato's eyes, as he revealed them. Instead of his regular icy blue pupils, Minato now adorned toad-like slit pupils.
As the enormous Bijuu used one of its tails to crush Minato, Minato dodged, throwing a kunai at instantaneous speeds behind the fox's back.
Suddenly, a yellow flash could be seen; a speck, in comparison to the giant being it appeared above.
"Senpou: Cho-odama Rasen Jou no Raimei!" Minato yelled. A massive sphere of concentrated lightning chakra bore into the Kyuubi's back, leaving a dark, scorch mark on its back, while immobilizing it.
The Kyuubi released a thunderous bellow of agony, startling Minato. As he bit his thumb, Minato slammed his palm onto the Kyuubi's back right as he landed.
In a white poof, appeared a massive toad, Gamabunta.
"Kid.. Why is this vile beast here?!" Gamabunta said, confused at first, but then softening upon understanding what happened. Minato's silence was further proof of it.
The Kyuubi needed to be sealed.
The Kyuubi was not constricted for long. Unparalleled hatred, and distress at being harmed by a human, had empowered the fox. The fox pushed Gamabunta's substantial weight off, releasing yet another howl.
This time, Gamabunta unsheathed his tanto, looking to strike at the Kyuubi. However, the Kyuubi managed to effortlessly hold it with his paws, snapping the blade of the tanto in fractions.
The enraged fox charged up a black concentration of chakra just infront of its mouth, swallowing it.
"Gamabunta-san, retreat!" Minato shouted, knowing the danger the fox was about to unleash. Grabbing Kushina, Minato dodged the tailed beast bomb sent his way by the Bijuu.
The sheer force of it had affected several kilometres spanned away. Everything within its radius was absolutely decimated.
'Shit.. not even Gamabunta was enough to keep him in place..'
"M-Minato.." A weak Kushina exclaimed, awakening in the arms of Minato.
He had never seen her this weak. Tears pricked his eyes. Now was not the time to cry.
"You're awake.." Minato muttered, staring into her eyes that were once so full of life.
"The beast.." Kushina weakly breathed, continuing, "Naruto.. is he safe?"
Minato knew, that she felt guilty. Guilty at the fact that she thought that it was HER fault for letting the beast out. Minato hated it.
Kissing Kushina on the forehead, Minato said, "Naruto is fine. He's sleeping, without a worry."
Kushina gently smiled at that.
"Kushina. The beast.. it needs to be sealed back into-" Interrupted by a massive tail flinging itself at Minato, Minato teleported to a nearby kunai to dodge, Kushina in arms. "-you."
"No, Minato. There's no point in doing that, ya know.." Kushina said, hoping that Minato would understand the rest of it; hoping that she doesn't have to say it herself.
However, seeing the confused and conflicted look on Minato's face, Kushina's heart folded over itself.
"I don't have much time left.." Kushina whispered. Minato, at first, lost all expressions. And then, a lone tear trickled down the corner of his eye, as he said, "It's alright.. You'll be fine, if the beast is sealed back into you!"
He was creating false hope for himself. But, ultimately, he knew. He knew, for a long time. To hear it from her aswell..
"Minato, please! Hell if I care about the village's systems and what not," Kushina paused, taking in a deep breath. "but even I know how precious a Jinchuriki is for its village.. These are times of war, Minato. I'm too far gone.." With the last of her strength, Kushina snapped, her expression eventually softening.
With that, Kushina channelled several adamantine chains to constrict the fist that was thrown at them. More adamantine chains erupted from Kushina, entangling the Kyuubi.
Minato couldn't hold his tears back. Behind the front of the 'Yellow Flash', stood a fragile man who was infinitely empowered by his wife. He had never even thought that he would have to go even one day without her.
It was her, who comforted him after he killed hundreds of children and adults alike.
It was her, who was everything for him.
Minato didn't want to live without her. But he knew he had to. He had a new purpose; Naruto.
How cruel fate is.
"Kushina.. who are we sealing it into?" Minato murmured, not finding the strength to breath out more than just a whisper.
"You, dummy! There's no better person than you.." Kushina said, struggling to keep the beast at bay.
Minato looked surprised at this. He, was not an Uzumaki. He had nowhere near the amount of physical, and spiritual energy they did. He'd die!
"But, I'm not an Uzumaki like you, or Lady Mito.. I don't have the same vitali-"
"Shut up!" Kushina said, "None of that matters.. you're strong. You're practically an Uzumaki, anyway.. you're my husband. That makes you family, y'know!"
Minato sighed, knowing that he'd never win an argument with her. There was no other choice, was there?
"Fine. Keep the beast at bay." Creating a shadow clone, Minato stood still. The shadow clone lunged forward at the constricted beast.
Placing a seal on it, the beast roared, trying to break from the chains. But he couldn't..
"You.. DAMN HUMAN! I will NOT allow myself to be sealed again!" The Kyuubi said, its voice laced with a venomous hatred.
"Kushina, now!" Minato yelled, urging Kushina to tug at the Kyuubi's chakra with her adamantine chains.
Minato stood still, as the chakra made its way over to him, integrating into Minato.
And at last, it was sealed. The Eight Trigrams formula marked Minato's stomach.
Loose adamantine chains receded to where they came from. Kushina coughed up blood, unable to even crouch anymore.
It felt like, as if he was poisoned. He had never felt such an ominous chakra before. Minato clutched at the locks of his hair, looking to find relief amidst the intense sensation of pain that was overruling his body.
"Minato! It'll be alright.." Kushina said, mustering the last of her strength to stand up one more time, feebly hugging her pained husband.
The pain had faded away. It was but a temporary side effect, it seemed.
"Gah!" Coughing up blood, Kushina, too, fell to her knees.
"Kushina.." Minato said, throughout laboured breaths. The look on his face displayed a grim, mortified one. The look that one would expect from a scared, uncertain boy.
It was time.
"Minato.. nurture Naruto-" Coughing up more blood, Minato instantly went over to her, using what little knowledge of medical ninjutsu he had in a futile attempt to save her. "-into a fine man, just like you. Make sure he eats properly.. make sure he grows big and strong, don't let him adopt my habit of picky eating."
Minato, couldn't stop the tears now. He was trying his best to keep her alive.
Through more laboured breaths, Kushina forces herself to continue. "Make sure he sleeps well.. don't let him stay up like you do.. Be the best father you can.. y'know?"
Minato stopped. His expression went blank. The tears halted. Several ANBU appeared nearby, catching trace of the Nine Tail's appearance and sudden disappearance.
Minato glared at them, as if to command them to stop.
"And lastly.."
"L-live, idiot.." Coughing up blood, through laboured breaths, "Naruto.. needs his papa."
With one final smile, followed her one final breath. With all life exiting her body, smile dissipating, so did her strength. In the cold embrace of her husband, had she been grazed by death.
In that very moment, along with the life of a compassionate woman, did the spirit of a man shatter.
Using what little of his strength he had left, Minato left in a yellow flash. He had to keep Naruto safe; he was all alone. Minato didn't have it in himself to keep standing for much longer.
—————————————————————
Blood.
A strong, metallic taste struck Minato's tongue. Shit.. he had bitten his tongue.
He was shaking..
'Kushina..' She was gone. Tears pricked Minato's eyes, that were devoid of any emotions prior. Ripping off the mask he had on his face, and electrodes, Minato made his way out of bed.
Standing up, Minato never felt so weak. But that didn't matter.
"Lord Fourth, please don't-"
"How long have I been here for?" Minato said, maintaining eye contact with a doctor, practically glaring at him.
"Two days, sir.."
..what? Two days..?
Minato experienced visible shock. This wasn't good.. Where was Naruto?!
"Where is my son..? Where's Naruto?!" Minato snapped. He did not know any further; he knew only to see his son, at the very moment.
An ominous chakra began bubbling around a distressed Minato, only to be suppressed as it came.
The doctors, feeling mortified, said, "Your son.. He's at the pediatric room downstairs."
He needed to see his son.
Opening the door, and slamming it closed, Minato made his way downstairs. His weak body did not permit for reckless movement; he had to leverage the walls for support while going down the stairs.
Soon, he opened the pediatric room that Naruto was lodging in.
Hope, and joy, filled his eyes at the sight of Naruto sleeping peacefully, without any harm.
Accompanied by doctors, Minato made his way over to the child.
"Your son is sleeping peacefully, Lord Fourth. He is unharmed. The both of you were admitted by Lord Jiraiya."
The only thing Minato had left of Kushina.
"Naruto.." Minato leaned over, kissing Naruto on the forehead. He was the only thing he had left. Minato knew nothing else.
'Kushina.. why did it have to be like this? Why does Naruto have to grow up without you?' Minato felt conflicted.
Shattered pieces could be gathered and joined together. However, a shattered vessel never holds the same gracefulness as an intact vessel.
Visible cracks will always stay.
Minato vividly remembered teleporting to Jiraiya with his son, using the Hiraishin, right before he fainted.
"What happened to me..?" Minato asked the doctor next to him, wondering what it was that knocked him out for two nights.
"Chakra poisoning, and extreme exhaustion, Lord Hokage." The doctor said, drawing in a deep inhale as he continued, "The chakra poisoning was nothing like we'd ever seen. There was no solution left, it almost seemed like; but, the chakra poisoning was cured on its own.. A miracle, perhaps."
Minato nodded. A momentary side effect of having the Fox sealed into him, integrating with his chakra, he assumed.
"Lord Fourth.. you should rest. You still haven't recovered." The doctor suggested.
That was the truth of it. He hadn't recovered when he woke up; he was simply a husk of himself. But now.. he felt normal..? Even stronger than before, in fact.
How..?
"Thank you for your hospitality, but I do not require rest. If you may, we shall be taking our leave." Minato gently said. The doctor sighed, knowing that it was not within his power to withhold a Hokage. The doctor soon nodded.
Minato picks the sleeping infant into his arms, unperturbed by anything. Minato stares at him, with eyes of love and sorrow.
"I'll do my best, Naruto, as your papa.."
As the two aim to leave, the door is slammed open. Minato takes a deep breath..
'Bastard.'
Why was he here?