Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > Naruto Uzumaki: The Fūinjutsu Sage
Chapter 2 - Meeting
0 reviewsNaruto meets an entity inside him and learns about his heritage
1Original
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the related characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto, and various animation and production studios/companies. If I did I’d be dang rich. This is written solely for entertainment, not for any form of money.
A/N: Hey everyone, back with the second chapter. Naruto gets to meet an entity within himself, and learns about his ancestry. Thanks for all the great reviews last time, all you who reviewed. Have fun with this chap, please read and review!
Chapter 2 - Meeting
Konohagakure, Land of Fire – 8 Years after defeat of Kyūbi no Yōko
Naruto blinked when he suddenly found himself in the sewers of Konoha, in a room with an enormous metal gate. The bars gleamed in the dim light, and a large piece of paper, reading “seal”, crossed over the two doors.
Another thing he noticed was the complete and utter lack of pain, and a quick pat check showed his clothing intact and skin unburned, so clearly he wasn’t in the real world. The question was – was this a dream? Or was he dead?
He heard the sound of very heavy breathing coming from behind the bars, hidden in the shadows of the cell. He crept forward carefully, wondering what could be making so much noise – could it be, somehow, the Kyūbi sealed inside him?
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a soft clearing of a throat behind him. He whirled around, only to find himself facing a beautiful woman in her early thirties looking back at him, standing barefoot in the cold water covering the floor.
She was tall – relative to him at least – and wore a long, flowing red kimono with flower print across the front, held by a dark obi tied around her waist – and did little to hide some rather impressive curves, the sort he’d seen in magazines while researching his Oiroke no Jutsu to deal with perverted adults.
She had long red hair – so long it reached down her back and nearly to her calves – that seemed to flicker and shine in the dim light of the room. It framed her face neatly, held back on the left side with a hair-clip. Her face was kind, a warm smile across it. Her bright violet eyes contrasted starkly with her pale, crème-colored skin, and twinkled at him as she stared down at him.
Naruto took a step back, eyes widening, and he jabbed a finger out, pointing at the woman. “K-Kyūbi? What the hell? You’re a woman?”
The woman stepped forward and swiftly bonked him lightly on the head with her fist. “Baka! Do I look like a fox?”
Naruto winced, and rubbed his head. “Ano, I guess not. Then who are you?”
The woman blushed slightly, and then scratched the back of her head nervously in a disturbingly familiar manner. “Hehe, sorry about that, I can have a short fuse sometimes. I hoped you’d get your father’s temperament, but I’ve seen that you have mine.”
Naruto gaped at her, his mind trying to process what she was saying.
“Naruto,” the woman said, smiling and placing a hand on his cheek. “I’m Kushina Uzumaki – I’m your mother, dattebane!”
Naruto’s head jerked back, face frozen for several long moments. “K-Kaa-san?”
She smiled warmly and nodded, tears visible in her eyes. She was almost knocked over backwards as he slammed into her, hugging her so tightly she almost couldn’t breathe.
She heard him mumbling “Kaa-san” over and over into the fabric of her kimono, as sobs wracked his smaller frame, and that knocked her over the edge as she joined him, resting her chin on his head, her tears streaming down to land on his wild blond hair that reminded her so much of Minato’s.
She’d been forced to watch him grow up, forced to experience everything he had, every hate-filled look, every nasty mutter, every fist and broken bottle thrown, and now, finally she could take him into her arms for the first time since he had been born, and simply hold him.
This hadn’t been the life they’d wanted for him, hadn’t been the life they’d planned, but they hadn’t expected those in the village to behave like this. They hadn’t expected them to not have been told just who Naruto was, the son of the Sandaime, the person protecting the village from the Kyūbi.
She didn’t know, and didn’t care, how much time had passed, but eventually, Naruto pulled back, sniffling and wiping at his eyes. “Kaa-san, is this real? Are you… d-dead?” He asked softly, looking up at her with pained blue eyes.
“Hai, Naruto-kun, this is all real. And… yes, my physical body died years ago.”
Naruto looked down. “So I’m dead too? They finally got what they wanted?”
Kushina choked back a sob, and tilted his chin up with both hands, leaning down to softly kiss his forehead. “No, you’re not dead, Naruto, and they didn’t win. You’re unconscious now, and you’re here in your own mind.”
“H-How are you here then? Am I going crazy?”
“No. I’m really here, or at least my spirit is. I was sealed in here along with the Kyūbi – I… I’m sorry you had to learn about it the way you did.”
Naruto smiled slightly at the fact that she really was there with him, and this wasn’t just some dream or figment of his imagination, but then his grin faded. “Kaa-san, why? Why did the Yondaime choose me to seal the Kyūbi in? Was I bad? Did he hate me, or hate you or tou-san?”
Kushina cut him off by placing a finger over his lips. “Shh, it wasn’t like that, Naruto-kun. You’re simply continuing a tradition – you’re not the first Uzumaki that has held the Kyūbi,” she said softly.
He looked at her in shock. “I-I’m not? Who else? I didn’t know there were others?”
Kushina grinned widely. “You take after me in more than just personality and love of ramen, Naruto-kun. I was the second container – we’re called Jinchūriki, which means the ‘power of human sacrifice’. Mito Uzumaki was the first – she sealed it up inside herself when Madara Uchiha brought it to battle the Shodai Hokage. She ended up marrying the Shodai, so we’re actually related to the first two Hokage, distantly.”
“I was sent from my birth village, to Konoha, to become the next container when Mito grew too old. I… I would have stayed the container, but my own seal became weak when I gave birth to you, and that same evil man, Madara Uchiha, attacked and freed the Kyūbi, and we had to seal it in someone else.”
“Wow,” Naruto whispered in wonder, realizing his mother had been the same as him, easing any fears he had that Mizuki had been right about him being a demon himself. “But, why-“
Kushina grinned and ruffled his hair with her hand. “See, told ya you’re impatient like me. The Yondaime would only seal the Kyūbi in someone he trusted completely, someone he knew could handle the Kyūbi, and control its power to protect the village. That’s why he placed it inside of you, my Naru-kun. Who could he trust more than… his son?”
Naruto’s eyes flew open, and he teetered dangerously at the brain overload, and Kushina gently helped him sit down before he passed out – at least as much as he could in his own unconscious state.
“The Yondaime… the Yondaime is my father?” Naruto asked, feeling numb. He had always looked up to the near-mythical figure of the Yondaime, wanted to be like him, protect the village with everything he had, wanted to even surpass him to become the greatest Hokage in history, and now he found out he was not only related to the first two Hokages, but was actually the son of his idol?!
“You’d better believe it, dattebane!” Kushina exclaimed, and then glomped onto him. “You look so much like Minato when he was a kid!”
She glanced down when she felt wet droplets land on her chest. “Naru-kun, what’s wrong?” She asked, as tears flowed freely down his cheeks.
He gave her a bright smile. “N-nothing kaa-san, I’m just so happy, you’re here, and I know who my dad was…. You didn’t abandon me for being a monster like everyone at the orphanage used to say…”
Kushina grimaced as she remembered the cruel things so many had told him, and smiled sadly at him. “No, Naru-kun, I could never abandon you. Your dad was so proud of you, and he’d be even more proud if he could see you today. And I’ve never been so proud of anyone as I have been watching you grow up. We – we never thought they’d treat you like that. Just watching you every day made me wish I were out there and still alive, wish I could hurt all those people who hurt you. I’m so sorry, Naru-kun, that you had to go through so much pain and loneliness.”
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
Naruto nodded slowly, tightening his hug for a few moments. “It’s okay kaa-san, you didn’t know. And I’m doing alright anyway, and now I’ll keep trying to make you proud of me, dattebayo!” He said with a large grin.
Kushina kissed his forehead lightly. “I am glad your father and I decided to change the seal at the last minute, so I can be here for you in some way.”
“Ano,” Naruto said, his face scrunched up in thought. “The Kyūbi is in here, but how did you get here?”
Kushina nodded, and sat down, pulling Naruto onto her lap, nearly crying in happiness at finally being able to do it.
“Naru-kun, we Uzumaki have special gifts, that we pass down from parent to child. They’re special powers – I’m sure you know others in your class like that, like that pale-eyed girl, Hinata, and her family’s Byakugan?”
Naruto nodded, and then his face lit up. “Y’mean we have cool eye powers too?”
Kushina shook her head. “No, our powers are not dojutsu like theirs, ours are spirit and mind powers. The Uzumaki Clan has enormous chakra reserves – something that will be even larger with the Kyūbi inside you. Our mind powers involve sealing, like the seal on your stomach, or on an explosive tag.”
She paused for a moment, making sure he was grasping what she said – she knew at times he could be a bit dense, but was glad he seemed to be following her explanation.
“The art of sealing, and seal-making is called Fūinjutsu, and our bloodline helps our minds develop so we have an almost natural understanding of seals. We still have to learn the basics, but we eventually are able to simply make up seals just by thinking of the effect we want from them.”
“So, I’m gonna be a really-really-really smart ninja and able to invent cool seal stuff? Awesome!” Naruto exclaimed.
Kushina chuckled softly. “Something like that, Naruto. But it is our chakra, our energy powers, that make us even more special. We’re able to create chains of pure chakra, and with enough practice, use them to temporarily seal things until we can construct an actual seal to take care of them.”
Kushina sighed. “That’s what I was forced to use on the Kyūbi that night. I was weak from giving birth, and the Kyūbi being ripped from its seal, and when I used the chains to protect you and your father it was too much for my body to handle. That’s when Minato and I decided to try sealing me in with the Kyūbi while I was binding it.”
“We’d thought of the possibility but had no idea if it would work or not. The original plan was for your father to use the seal and a ceremony to call forth the Shinigami and seal away the Yin half of the Kyūbi’s chakra along with himself in the Shinigami’s realm, and the Yang half within yourself.”
“Instead, he took the Kyūbi’s soul, its mind, down with him, and sealed me and all of the Kyūbi’s power inside of you. Right now you have little to fear – the Kyūbi is little more than a mindless beast, without the intelligence that made it so dangerous. Now that the seal has been weakened enough, I’ll always be able to help you, and from now on I can help supply the Kyūbi’s chakra to you if you ever need it, and help you to control and use it.”
Naruto pouted, his eyes squinted, and she had to resist the urge to pounce on him and pinch his cheeks for being so cute. “Sooooo, the Kyūbi is just stupid now because tou-san took its brain, and left you in here to help me control it instead of a baka fox?”
Kushina nodded, and sighed, pulling him closer, letting him rest his back against her chest as she hugged him tightly. “But now we have to talk about your future, Naru-kun. You were badly injured by those two men, and it’s taking a lot to heal you. I… I’m not sure how bad the scarring will be, but there will be some with this bad of an injury to your back.”
Naruto shrugged. “It’s okay, kaa-san, I’ve got some already, one more won’t hurt.”
Kushina blinked back a tear. “That’s what I want you to talk about. I’m going to train you.”
Naruto’s eyes widened to the size of ramen cups. “Really?” He leapt up off of her lap, and started jumping around the room, cheering. “Woohoo, you’re gonna teach me to be a super-powerful Ninja, right kaa-san? This is gonna be awesome!”
Kushina’s eyes sparkled as she watched his antics fondly, and waited until he eventually calmed down.
“Yes, Naruto,” she said holding down a chuckle. “But… It is going to be very hard. You’ll have to do everything I ask you to, even if it’s boring to you. You’ll have to train every day after the Academy, and even some before, and pay attention to what you’re being taught while you’re in school.”
Naruto pouted slightly. “Aw, man, I guess I can….”
Kushina grabbed his hands in hers, and looked into his eyes. “I need you to grow strong for me, Naru-kun, and I need you to do it fast. Right now there’s a limit to how much of the Kyūbi’s power I can use to help you, so if you get hurt very badly you could die. You’ll be able to handle more when your older, but right now you need to grow strong enough to protect yourself while I can’t.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and she swiped it away.
“Maa, maa, don’t cry, kaa-san, I’ll do it, I’ll train for you, and get really strong.” Naruto said, feeling a flash of guilt he’d never felt before for causing her to cry like that. And a stab of happiness that he actually had someone now that would cry like that for him.
“Thank you, musuko, I would hate it if you died and I couldn’t help you. I love you, Naru-kun,” she whispered softly.
Naruto sat completely still, mouth opened in shock at hearing those words that he’d always wanted to hear someone say to him, before his face crumpled, and he dove into her open arms, crying softly. “I-I love you too, kaa-san.”
She hummed a low tune softly in his ear, stroking his hair gently until he started to calm once more. “Now, it’s time to wake up,” she said quietly, and felt him tense, about to protest. “Don’t worry, I’ll still be here, and now that the seal is weaker I can talk to you while you’re awake, too. Now we just have to explain things to the Sandaime, and figure out your training….”
xxxXXX--XXXxxx
Konoha Hospital, Konohagakure, Land of Fire
“The burns are very bad, Hokage-sama, but he’s healing as quickly as he usually does. Anyone else would be dead or near-death right now,” Itachi said, standing next to the bed that contained young Naruto who at the moment looked more like a mummy with blond hair poking up through his bandages, than the young boy they both knew so well.
A nearby heart monitor beeped softly and slowly, and Itachi rested tensely in one of the chairs at the bedside, alert for any further assassination attempts, feeling guilty for missing the one that had landed the boy here.
Also putting him on edge was the hospital staff itself, and as usual when he’d burst into the hospital, he’d practically had to force the doctors to treat Naruto, until finally one of the head doctors came to the main floor to see what the uproar was about – he was one of the few there who actually cared about his oath when it came to ‘the demon’, and provided care to the best of his ability.
Sarutobi sighed, fiddling with his unlit pipe between his fingers – he’d already been firmly scolded by the head doctor about smoking not being allowed in the hospital. “It seems what we feared is truly the case – once we extinguished the fire, we determined that it happened inside Naruto’s apartment, near his bed. And we still don’t know where his Chūnin guard is – I have several men looking through the schedules to figure out who they were.”
“They are growing bolder, Hokage-sama.” Itachi said quietly.
Sarutobi nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, when the heart monitor changed its beeping rhythm, becoming faster each second. He turned to look at Naruto, and was greeted by a slow opening of the boy’s bright blue eyes.
Naruto blinked rapidly, before his vision cleared and his eyes came to rest on Sarutobi and Itachi. He moved, trying to push himself up in the hospital bed, and managed that while achieving a hiss of pain and an agonized groan as the bandages moved against his burns.
Sarutobi was saddened that he had developed enough of a pain threshold to not even cry out at what would have sent even many Shinobi into a scream. “Naruto-kun, how are you feeling?”
“Hurts,” Naruto mumbled.
“I’m sure it does, but you are healing quickly. Naruto, did you see who did this to you? The fire seems to have been started inside your apartment.” Itachi said softly.
Naruto nodded painfully. “Th-there were two of them, dressed like ninja. They held me down and poured oil or something on me and my bed, and used fire jutsu on me.”
Sarutobi frowned, barely keeping a leash on the killing intent that was trying to escape him – he didn’t want to scare Naruto while he was like this. “What did they look like, Naruto?”
Naruto closed his eyes for several moments, and Sarutobi started to lean forward to make sure he hadn’t slipped into unconsciousness, when he started to talk. “One, he had really short red hair. He said I burned his parents so he was gonna burn me…” A tear trickled out of Naruto’s closed eyelid, and ran down his cheek as he thought back to the incident. “T-the other one had these creepy red eyes with black stuff around the center – his hair was black and was at his shoulders, and he had a weird scar that went back and forth on his chin.”
Itachi’s hands clenched into fists, and Sarutobi could see even with his ANBU mask on, that he was enraged and knew exactly who had attacked Naruto.
“Hokage-sama, he described Uchiha Michi, a distant cousin of mine, and his friend Deguchi Ren, a civilian-born Shinobi. They must be the Chūnin that were on watch who are missing now. May I have leave to hunt them down?” Itachi said, voice low and angry.
“Yes,” Sarutobi said with a sigh. “But take them alive, and leave them with Ibiki. Tell him ‘no restrictions’. He’ll take care of the rest.”
Itachi bowed, and then disappeared in a flurry of leaves.
“Jiji?” Naruto questioned, his voice sounding old, much older than any child should sound. “W-why didn’t you tell me?”
Sarutobi sighed again, and raised a hand. “Just a moment.”
He walked over to the hospital door, and turned the lock, ensuring it wouldn’t open and break the privacy seals he had already set up on the room when he’d arrived. He walked back over to Naruto’s bedside, and sank into one of the chairs next to it.
“I’m truly sorry, Naruto. I planned to wait until you became a ninja to tell you about the Kyūbi, when I was sure you could handle the news. I want to be clear, so you now – you aren’t the Kyūbi. Mizuki lied when he said that. You simply contain it, and protect us from it.”
Naruto nodded. “I already know that, Jiji. I understand why you didn’t tell me ‘bout the Kyūbi. I was talking about… Why’d you lie to me? You told me you didn’t know who my kaa-san and tou-san were, when I asked you. Why didn’t you tell me?” Naruto asked, tears on his cheeks and a look of betrayal in his eyes.
Sarutobi looked at him with a mixture of confusion and dread. “Naruto, what are you talking about?”
“You lied to me,” Naruto said. “You knew my tou-san was the Yondaime, and my kaa-san was Kushina Uzumaki. You made me think I was just an orphan whose parents didn’t care about him, Jiji. Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
Sarutobi rocked back in his chair, looking pale. “Naruto, where did you learn that? Who told you that – that is a secret very few know about.”
Naruto looked away for a moment, his words confirming the old man had known. “My seal got weakened when I almost died.”
Sarutobi sat forward. “You spoke to the Kyūbi? Naruto, that is very dangerous – please tell me you didn’t make any agreements with it – the Kyūbi is a trickster, and can’t be trusted.”
Naruto scoffed. “The Kyūbi? It’s a stupid bunch of chakra without a brain. Tou-san made sure of that. Probably can’t even talk. I talked to kaa-san.”
“Kushina?” Sarutobi muttered. “Naruto, the Kyūbi is likely tricking you into believing that.”
Tell him where I was in your dreamscape, outside of the seal, Kushina’s voice echoed in Naruto’s mind, and he smiled, glad she’d been right about being able to talk to him.
“The Kyūbi was stuck inside its cage, sleeping like the stupid lazy baka it is. Kaa-san was outside of it, Jiji, on my side of the seal. She said the Yondaime decided at the last minute to take the Kyūbi’s soul instead of part of its power, so he sealed her in to help me control it.” Naruto paused as his mother spoke again in his head, and then blushed. “Kaa-san says to stop being a stubborn old monkey.”
Sarutobi’s eyes widened at the familiar retort she had used when she was angry with him. Could it really be possible? He knew Minato and Kushina were geniuses when it came to seals, but could Minato really have rendered the Kyūbi basically harmless, and sealed his own dying wife inside?
“Chakra chains,” Naruto muttered at the prompting of his mother, who had a good idea of what Sarutobi was thinking given his expression.
Sarutobi frowned, mulling the idea over in his mind, knowing the Uzumaki’s Kisaifūin kekkei genkai was powerful – Mito Uzumaki had used the chakra chain ability to hold the Kyūbi in place to seal it inside herself – so it was a very real possibility that Minato could have used the temporary seal the chains created to bind her soul into Naruto as well. The fact that she had appeared outside of the Kyūbi’s cage, and the fact that he’d already checked to make sure his seal was still intact albeit not as strong, was pretty decent evidence that this wasn’t the kitsune playing tricks.
“Is it really you, Kushina? You can hear her, Naruto?”
Naruto nodded. “Yup! She says it’s really her, and that you’re lucky she doesn’t have a body now because if she did she’d shove her foot so far up your-“ Naruto stopped, eyes widening in shock as she apparently finished the sentence in his head. “Kaa-san! I can’t say that to him!”
Sarutobi shook his head and chuckled. “It’s alright, Naruto, I get the idea.”
Naruto blushed brightly, and looked down. “Anyway, she’s mad at how I grew up and how everyone treats me.”
Sarutobi sighed sadly and rubbed at his forehead. “I’m sorry, Naruto. I didn’t tell you about your parents because I wanted to protect you. I was worried that enemies of your father would hear he had a son, and hunt you down. But… I could have at least told you about your mother, and for that I am truly sorry.”
Naruto glanced away, barely hiding the hurt on his face. The man he’d thought of as a grandfather had lied to him. He could have even said something, like that he knew who his parents were but couldn’t tell him yet. Anything would have been better than not knowing.
Naru-kun, he- he made a mistake. I’m still angry with him too, but I don’t think he meant to hurt you. But you need to let him know that you’re going to take on your father’s name and legacy and re-establish both our clans. Let him work for our forgiveness, Kushina said.
Naruto sighed, and looked back over to the Hokage who looked the oldest Naruto had ever seen. “Jiji.. I understand. I’m still a little mad, but I understand. But kaa-san is going to help me train, and get stronger, and when I graduate and become a ninja, I’m not gonna hide who I am anymore. Ev’ryone’s gonna know I’m Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, son of the Yondaime, and that’s a promise, dattebayo!”
Sarutobi winced, knowing that Naruto wouldn’t be backing down from that promise. ‘Ah, well, at least it will be four or five years for him to grow strong enough to help protect himself. I’ll have to work on strengthening our defenses – many won’t like the news that the Son of the Yellow Flash is alive.’ He smirked slightly. ‘Though I can’t wait to see the faces of the Village on the day I announce that the boy they’ve mistreated for years is the son of their hero.’
“Very well, Naruto, I’ll have a few years to work on a plan to deal with the dangers that may come with announcing that. For now, we have to figure out where to have you stay…. I’m sorry but the entire apartment building burned down. Right now everyone is rushing to find someplace to stay, so it’ll be difficult to find you a new place.”
Naruto was silent for a moment, thinking of everything he lost in the blaze, and then perked his head to the side as his mother spoke to him. He looked up. “Jiji, kaa-san says you have to give me her old house that she stayed in when she first came here, until everyone finds out I’m a Namikaze.”
Sarutobi’s eyes lit up and he nodded. “Of course, very good idea. It’s a small house, but bigger than your apartment. I’ll give you some money to get it back in shape, and get some new clothes and anything else you lost.”
“Kaa-san also says that she wants you to give me a tutor, to help me out besides what she’s gonna do. She said someone called Yūgao?”
Sarutobi frowned. “She’s an ANBU now, and may not have much time for training, but I’ll do what I can to convince her to do that work on a more part-time basis and give you some help.”
He wouldn’t normally do that, but Kushina seemed convinced he needed the help, and he owed it to her and to Naruto. It made him begin to wonder if he was being taught properly in the Academy. Perhaps a look with his ‘telescope jutsu’, more often at least, was called for.
Sarutobi patted Naruto’s leg. “I have to go now, I’ll be back in the morning. The doctor said if you feel up to it you can get out of here tomorrow afternoon. You’ll be able to go to the Academy the day after if you wear your bandages then.”
Naruto nodded eagerly – he’d come to the hospital so much he hated being stuck in it.. “Okay, Jiji. Can you show me my new place tomorrow?”
Sarutobi nodded, and then stood, placing the end of his pipe into his mouth. “Rest well, Naruto.” He walked slowly out of the room, still seeing the betrayal in Naruto’s eyes even as he left. He knew it would take a lot to get his full trust again – that was something Naruto gave freely, but if it was betrayed, he was loath to give it back again.
Well, that went better than I’d expected, Kushina said. Naruto, what I’m going to teach you, you’re going to have to limit how much you show off in school. I don’t want anyone getting any ideas with you suddenly getting much stronger.
“Aww, c’mon, kaa-san, what’s the point of getting stronger if I can’t show Kiba and Sasuke and the others that make fun of me how strong I really am?”
Because, Naru-kun, then they will underestimate you. They’ll think you are weak, and when you need it you can surprise everyone. Besides, you don’t have to hide everything. You can do better with your target practice, or your school work, or even show some of the basic Taijutsu I’ll teach you, enough that you don’t have the worst grades anymore. The Sandaime will know, if Yūgao teaches you, and he’s the only one who really matters because he’s the one that decides teams. Even if you don’t have the best grades and don’t show everything at the Academy, he’ll know how strong you really are.
Naruto thought that over for a long moment, remembering Iruka-sensei talking about being a ninja being all about deception. “O-okay kaa-san, as long as I get to still show off some.”
He could almost hear her smile as she responded.
Besides, I want to see their faces when I let you go all-out on the graduation exam, and show you’re better than all of them, she said in his head, before cackling madly.
Naruto sweatdropped.
Hehe, sorry, Naru-kun, got a little carried away. Er, you should get some sleep now, so I can get your body healing faster.
Naruto yawned, and winced as he shifted again on the bed into a more comfortable position for sleeping. “Okay kaa-san, g’nite.”
Good night, musuko, I love you. She said.
He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warm feeling that bubbled up through his chest at finally being able to hear those words.
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
xxxXXX--XXXxxx
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
Musuko= My Son
A/N: Well, hope you liked it (hope I surprised you a bit with who the woman in his mind was). I’ve never seen a Naruto fic that has Kushina ‘survive’ in this way. Usually I’ll see a fic with Kushina showing up alive, or being brought to life, so I decided to go a different route (and also I wanted to not bring in the whole Female Kyūbi in his head thing which has gotten a little old for me).
So, Naruto meets his mom and finds out a bit about his bloodline. Basically Kisaifūin (translates crudely to Great Talent of Seals) is more of a mental thing, easing someone’s understanding of seals and their workings. It’s something that you still have to work for, and work to keep up, but basically it gives you an aptitude toward the sealing arts. That and I decided to put Kushina’s chakra chains into another perspective using the bloodline.
Hope you like my little change with how the Kyūbi was sealed. That is one thing that bugs me with the series – half of the Kyūbi is sealed in Shinigami’s stomach, so I really don’t know how Pein’s plans were going to work, nor Madara/Akatsuki’s plans are going to work.
Sure Madara could make the Juubi somehow, but it wouldn’t be as powerful as the beast that the Sage of Six Paths was Jinchūriki for, because it’d be missing half of the most powerful demon that makes it up. And we’ve already seen confirmation from someone(Kabuto I think) that even Impure Resurrection can’t bring back someone that’s sealed in Shinigami, so in the series Kyūbi seems to be permanently stuck at half power. Perhaps Kishimoto will pull something out of a hat, but right now it doesn’t make sense to me, so I decided to go this route (one I also haven’t seen before).
Anyway, next chapter, Naruto gets a new home, goes to the academy starts a bit of training, and meets Yūgao (depending how the chap goes on this last one, could be the chap after). Please review, until next week, Ja ne!
A/N: Hey everyone, back with the second chapter. Naruto gets to meet an entity within himself, and learns about his ancestry. Thanks for all the great reviews last time, all you who reviewed. Have fun with this chap, please read and review!
Chapter 2 - Meeting
Konohagakure, Land of Fire – 8 Years after defeat of Kyūbi no Yōko
Naruto blinked when he suddenly found himself in the sewers of Konoha, in a room with an enormous metal gate. The bars gleamed in the dim light, and a large piece of paper, reading “seal”, crossed over the two doors.
Another thing he noticed was the complete and utter lack of pain, and a quick pat check showed his clothing intact and skin unburned, so clearly he wasn’t in the real world. The question was – was this a dream? Or was he dead?
He heard the sound of very heavy breathing coming from behind the bars, hidden in the shadows of the cell. He crept forward carefully, wondering what could be making so much noise – could it be, somehow, the Kyūbi sealed inside him?
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a soft clearing of a throat behind him. He whirled around, only to find himself facing a beautiful woman in her early thirties looking back at him, standing barefoot in the cold water covering the floor.
She was tall – relative to him at least – and wore a long, flowing red kimono with flower print across the front, held by a dark obi tied around her waist – and did little to hide some rather impressive curves, the sort he’d seen in magazines while researching his Oiroke no Jutsu to deal with perverted adults.
She had long red hair – so long it reached down her back and nearly to her calves – that seemed to flicker and shine in the dim light of the room. It framed her face neatly, held back on the left side with a hair-clip. Her face was kind, a warm smile across it. Her bright violet eyes contrasted starkly with her pale, crème-colored skin, and twinkled at him as she stared down at him.
Naruto took a step back, eyes widening, and he jabbed a finger out, pointing at the woman. “K-Kyūbi? What the hell? You’re a woman?”
The woman stepped forward and swiftly bonked him lightly on the head with her fist. “Baka! Do I look like a fox?”
Naruto winced, and rubbed his head. “Ano, I guess not. Then who are you?”
The woman blushed slightly, and then scratched the back of her head nervously in a disturbingly familiar manner. “Hehe, sorry about that, I can have a short fuse sometimes. I hoped you’d get your father’s temperament, but I’ve seen that you have mine.”
Naruto gaped at her, his mind trying to process what she was saying.
“Naruto,” the woman said, smiling and placing a hand on his cheek. “I’m Kushina Uzumaki – I’m your mother, dattebane!”
Naruto’s head jerked back, face frozen for several long moments. “K-Kaa-san?”
She smiled warmly and nodded, tears visible in her eyes. She was almost knocked over backwards as he slammed into her, hugging her so tightly she almost couldn’t breathe.
She heard him mumbling “Kaa-san” over and over into the fabric of her kimono, as sobs wracked his smaller frame, and that knocked her over the edge as she joined him, resting her chin on his head, her tears streaming down to land on his wild blond hair that reminded her so much of Minato’s.
She’d been forced to watch him grow up, forced to experience everything he had, every hate-filled look, every nasty mutter, every fist and broken bottle thrown, and now, finally she could take him into her arms for the first time since he had been born, and simply hold him.
This hadn’t been the life they’d wanted for him, hadn’t been the life they’d planned, but they hadn’t expected those in the village to behave like this. They hadn’t expected them to not have been told just who Naruto was, the son of the Sandaime, the person protecting the village from the Kyūbi.
She didn’t know, and didn’t care, how much time had passed, but eventually, Naruto pulled back, sniffling and wiping at his eyes. “Kaa-san, is this real? Are you… d-dead?” He asked softly, looking up at her with pained blue eyes.
“Hai, Naruto-kun, this is all real. And… yes, my physical body died years ago.”
Naruto looked down. “So I’m dead too? They finally got what they wanted?”
Kushina choked back a sob, and tilted his chin up with both hands, leaning down to softly kiss his forehead. “No, you’re not dead, Naruto, and they didn’t win. You’re unconscious now, and you’re here in your own mind.”
“H-How are you here then? Am I going crazy?”
“No. I’m really here, or at least my spirit is. I was sealed in here along with the Kyūbi – I… I’m sorry you had to learn about it the way you did.”
Naruto smiled slightly at the fact that she really was there with him, and this wasn’t just some dream or figment of his imagination, but then his grin faded. “Kaa-san, why? Why did the Yondaime choose me to seal the Kyūbi in? Was I bad? Did he hate me, or hate you or tou-san?”
Kushina cut him off by placing a finger over his lips. “Shh, it wasn’t like that, Naruto-kun. You’re simply continuing a tradition – you’re not the first Uzumaki that has held the Kyūbi,” she said softly.
He looked at her in shock. “I-I’m not? Who else? I didn’t know there were others?”
Kushina grinned widely. “You take after me in more than just personality and love of ramen, Naruto-kun. I was the second container – we’re called Jinchūriki, which means the ‘power of human sacrifice’. Mito Uzumaki was the first – she sealed it up inside herself when Madara Uchiha brought it to battle the Shodai Hokage. She ended up marrying the Shodai, so we’re actually related to the first two Hokage, distantly.”
“I was sent from my birth village, to Konoha, to become the next container when Mito grew too old. I… I would have stayed the container, but my own seal became weak when I gave birth to you, and that same evil man, Madara Uchiha, attacked and freed the Kyūbi, and we had to seal it in someone else.”
“Wow,” Naruto whispered in wonder, realizing his mother had been the same as him, easing any fears he had that Mizuki had been right about him being a demon himself. “But, why-“
Kushina grinned and ruffled his hair with her hand. “See, told ya you’re impatient like me. The Yondaime would only seal the Kyūbi in someone he trusted completely, someone he knew could handle the Kyūbi, and control its power to protect the village. That’s why he placed it inside of you, my Naru-kun. Who could he trust more than… his son?”
Naruto’s eyes flew open, and he teetered dangerously at the brain overload, and Kushina gently helped him sit down before he passed out – at least as much as he could in his own unconscious state.
“The Yondaime… the Yondaime is my father?” Naruto asked, feeling numb. He had always looked up to the near-mythical figure of the Yondaime, wanted to be like him, protect the village with everything he had, wanted to even surpass him to become the greatest Hokage in history, and now he found out he was not only related to the first two Hokages, but was actually the son of his idol?!
“You’d better believe it, dattebane!” Kushina exclaimed, and then glomped onto him. “You look so much like Minato when he was a kid!”
She glanced down when she felt wet droplets land on her chest. “Naru-kun, what’s wrong?” She asked, as tears flowed freely down his cheeks.
He gave her a bright smile. “N-nothing kaa-san, I’m just so happy, you’re here, and I know who my dad was…. You didn’t abandon me for being a monster like everyone at the orphanage used to say…”
Kushina grimaced as she remembered the cruel things so many had told him, and smiled sadly at him. “No, Naru-kun, I could never abandon you. Your dad was so proud of you, and he’d be even more proud if he could see you today. And I’ve never been so proud of anyone as I have been watching you grow up. We – we never thought they’d treat you like that. Just watching you every day made me wish I were out there and still alive, wish I could hurt all those people who hurt you. I’m so sorry, Naru-kun, that you had to go through so much pain and loneliness.”
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
Naruto nodded slowly, tightening his hug for a few moments. “It’s okay kaa-san, you didn’t know. And I’m doing alright anyway, and now I’ll keep trying to make you proud of me, dattebayo!” He said with a large grin.
Kushina kissed his forehead lightly. “I am glad your father and I decided to change the seal at the last minute, so I can be here for you in some way.”
“Ano,” Naruto said, his face scrunched up in thought. “The Kyūbi is in here, but how did you get here?”
Kushina nodded, and sat down, pulling Naruto onto her lap, nearly crying in happiness at finally being able to do it.
“Naru-kun, we Uzumaki have special gifts, that we pass down from parent to child. They’re special powers – I’m sure you know others in your class like that, like that pale-eyed girl, Hinata, and her family’s Byakugan?”
Naruto nodded, and then his face lit up. “Y’mean we have cool eye powers too?”
Kushina shook her head. “No, our powers are not dojutsu like theirs, ours are spirit and mind powers. The Uzumaki Clan has enormous chakra reserves – something that will be even larger with the Kyūbi inside you. Our mind powers involve sealing, like the seal on your stomach, or on an explosive tag.”
She paused for a moment, making sure he was grasping what she said – she knew at times he could be a bit dense, but was glad he seemed to be following her explanation.
“The art of sealing, and seal-making is called Fūinjutsu, and our bloodline helps our minds develop so we have an almost natural understanding of seals. We still have to learn the basics, but we eventually are able to simply make up seals just by thinking of the effect we want from them.”
“So, I’m gonna be a really-really-really smart ninja and able to invent cool seal stuff? Awesome!” Naruto exclaimed.
Kushina chuckled softly. “Something like that, Naruto. But it is our chakra, our energy powers, that make us even more special. We’re able to create chains of pure chakra, and with enough practice, use them to temporarily seal things until we can construct an actual seal to take care of them.”
Kushina sighed. “That’s what I was forced to use on the Kyūbi that night. I was weak from giving birth, and the Kyūbi being ripped from its seal, and when I used the chains to protect you and your father it was too much for my body to handle. That’s when Minato and I decided to try sealing me in with the Kyūbi while I was binding it.”
“We’d thought of the possibility but had no idea if it would work or not. The original plan was for your father to use the seal and a ceremony to call forth the Shinigami and seal away the Yin half of the Kyūbi’s chakra along with himself in the Shinigami’s realm, and the Yang half within yourself.”
“Instead, he took the Kyūbi’s soul, its mind, down with him, and sealed me and all of the Kyūbi’s power inside of you. Right now you have little to fear – the Kyūbi is little more than a mindless beast, without the intelligence that made it so dangerous. Now that the seal has been weakened enough, I’ll always be able to help you, and from now on I can help supply the Kyūbi’s chakra to you if you ever need it, and help you to control and use it.”
Naruto pouted, his eyes squinted, and she had to resist the urge to pounce on him and pinch his cheeks for being so cute. “Sooooo, the Kyūbi is just stupid now because tou-san took its brain, and left you in here to help me control it instead of a baka fox?”
Kushina nodded, and sighed, pulling him closer, letting him rest his back against her chest as she hugged him tightly. “But now we have to talk about your future, Naru-kun. You were badly injured by those two men, and it’s taking a lot to heal you. I… I’m not sure how bad the scarring will be, but there will be some with this bad of an injury to your back.”
Naruto shrugged. “It’s okay, kaa-san, I’ve got some already, one more won’t hurt.”
Kushina blinked back a tear. “That’s what I want you to talk about. I’m going to train you.”
Naruto’s eyes widened to the size of ramen cups. “Really?” He leapt up off of her lap, and started jumping around the room, cheering. “Woohoo, you’re gonna teach me to be a super-powerful Ninja, right kaa-san? This is gonna be awesome!”
Kushina’s eyes sparkled as she watched his antics fondly, and waited until he eventually calmed down.
“Yes, Naruto,” she said holding down a chuckle. “But… It is going to be very hard. You’ll have to do everything I ask you to, even if it’s boring to you. You’ll have to train every day after the Academy, and even some before, and pay attention to what you’re being taught while you’re in school.”
Naruto pouted slightly. “Aw, man, I guess I can….”
Kushina grabbed his hands in hers, and looked into his eyes. “I need you to grow strong for me, Naru-kun, and I need you to do it fast. Right now there’s a limit to how much of the Kyūbi’s power I can use to help you, so if you get hurt very badly you could die. You’ll be able to handle more when your older, but right now you need to grow strong enough to protect yourself while I can’t.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and she swiped it away.
“Maa, maa, don’t cry, kaa-san, I’ll do it, I’ll train for you, and get really strong.” Naruto said, feeling a flash of guilt he’d never felt before for causing her to cry like that. And a stab of happiness that he actually had someone now that would cry like that for him.
“Thank you, musuko, I would hate it if you died and I couldn’t help you. I love you, Naru-kun,” she whispered softly.
Naruto sat completely still, mouth opened in shock at hearing those words that he’d always wanted to hear someone say to him, before his face crumpled, and he dove into her open arms, crying softly. “I-I love you too, kaa-san.”
She hummed a low tune softly in his ear, stroking his hair gently until he started to calm once more. “Now, it’s time to wake up,” she said quietly, and felt him tense, about to protest. “Don’t worry, I’ll still be here, and now that the seal is weaker I can talk to you while you’re awake, too. Now we just have to explain things to the Sandaime, and figure out your training….”
xxxXXX--XXXxxx
Konoha Hospital, Konohagakure, Land of Fire
“The burns are very bad, Hokage-sama, but he’s healing as quickly as he usually does. Anyone else would be dead or near-death right now,” Itachi said, standing next to the bed that contained young Naruto who at the moment looked more like a mummy with blond hair poking up through his bandages, than the young boy they both knew so well.
A nearby heart monitor beeped softly and slowly, and Itachi rested tensely in one of the chairs at the bedside, alert for any further assassination attempts, feeling guilty for missing the one that had landed the boy here.
Also putting him on edge was the hospital staff itself, and as usual when he’d burst into the hospital, he’d practically had to force the doctors to treat Naruto, until finally one of the head doctors came to the main floor to see what the uproar was about – he was one of the few there who actually cared about his oath when it came to ‘the demon’, and provided care to the best of his ability.
Sarutobi sighed, fiddling with his unlit pipe between his fingers – he’d already been firmly scolded by the head doctor about smoking not being allowed in the hospital. “It seems what we feared is truly the case – once we extinguished the fire, we determined that it happened inside Naruto’s apartment, near his bed. And we still don’t know where his Chūnin guard is – I have several men looking through the schedules to figure out who they were.”
“They are growing bolder, Hokage-sama.” Itachi said quietly.
Sarutobi nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, when the heart monitor changed its beeping rhythm, becoming faster each second. He turned to look at Naruto, and was greeted by a slow opening of the boy’s bright blue eyes.
Naruto blinked rapidly, before his vision cleared and his eyes came to rest on Sarutobi and Itachi. He moved, trying to push himself up in the hospital bed, and managed that while achieving a hiss of pain and an agonized groan as the bandages moved against his burns.
Sarutobi was saddened that he had developed enough of a pain threshold to not even cry out at what would have sent even many Shinobi into a scream. “Naruto-kun, how are you feeling?”
“Hurts,” Naruto mumbled.
“I’m sure it does, but you are healing quickly. Naruto, did you see who did this to you? The fire seems to have been started inside your apartment.” Itachi said softly.
Naruto nodded painfully. “Th-there were two of them, dressed like ninja. They held me down and poured oil or something on me and my bed, and used fire jutsu on me.”
Sarutobi frowned, barely keeping a leash on the killing intent that was trying to escape him – he didn’t want to scare Naruto while he was like this. “What did they look like, Naruto?”
Naruto closed his eyes for several moments, and Sarutobi started to lean forward to make sure he hadn’t slipped into unconsciousness, when he started to talk. “One, he had really short red hair. He said I burned his parents so he was gonna burn me…” A tear trickled out of Naruto’s closed eyelid, and ran down his cheek as he thought back to the incident. “T-the other one had these creepy red eyes with black stuff around the center – his hair was black and was at his shoulders, and he had a weird scar that went back and forth on his chin.”
Itachi’s hands clenched into fists, and Sarutobi could see even with his ANBU mask on, that he was enraged and knew exactly who had attacked Naruto.
“Hokage-sama, he described Uchiha Michi, a distant cousin of mine, and his friend Deguchi Ren, a civilian-born Shinobi. They must be the Chūnin that were on watch who are missing now. May I have leave to hunt them down?” Itachi said, voice low and angry.
“Yes,” Sarutobi said with a sigh. “But take them alive, and leave them with Ibiki. Tell him ‘no restrictions’. He’ll take care of the rest.”
Itachi bowed, and then disappeared in a flurry of leaves.
“Jiji?” Naruto questioned, his voice sounding old, much older than any child should sound. “W-why didn’t you tell me?”
Sarutobi sighed again, and raised a hand. “Just a moment.”
He walked over to the hospital door, and turned the lock, ensuring it wouldn’t open and break the privacy seals he had already set up on the room when he’d arrived. He walked back over to Naruto’s bedside, and sank into one of the chairs next to it.
“I’m truly sorry, Naruto. I planned to wait until you became a ninja to tell you about the Kyūbi, when I was sure you could handle the news. I want to be clear, so you now – you aren’t the Kyūbi. Mizuki lied when he said that. You simply contain it, and protect us from it.”
Naruto nodded. “I already know that, Jiji. I understand why you didn’t tell me ‘bout the Kyūbi. I was talking about… Why’d you lie to me? You told me you didn’t know who my kaa-san and tou-san were, when I asked you. Why didn’t you tell me?” Naruto asked, tears on his cheeks and a look of betrayal in his eyes.
Sarutobi looked at him with a mixture of confusion and dread. “Naruto, what are you talking about?”
“You lied to me,” Naruto said. “You knew my tou-san was the Yondaime, and my kaa-san was Kushina Uzumaki. You made me think I was just an orphan whose parents didn’t care about him, Jiji. Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
Sarutobi rocked back in his chair, looking pale. “Naruto, where did you learn that? Who told you that – that is a secret very few know about.”
Naruto looked away for a moment, his words confirming the old man had known. “My seal got weakened when I almost died.”
Sarutobi sat forward. “You spoke to the Kyūbi? Naruto, that is very dangerous – please tell me you didn’t make any agreements with it – the Kyūbi is a trickster, and can’t be trusted.”
Naruto scoffed. “The Kyūbi? It’s a stupid bunch of chakra without a brain. Tou-san made sure of that. Probably can’t even talk. I talked to kaa-san.”
“Kushina?” Sarutobi muttered. “Naruto, the Kyūbi is likely tricking you into believing that.”
Tell him where I was in your dreamscape, outside of the seal, Kushina’s voice echoed in Naruto’s mind, and he smiled, glad she’d been right about being able to talk to him.
“The Kyūbi was stuck inside its cage, sleeping like the stupid lazy baka it is. Kaa-san was outside of it, Jiji, on my side of the seal. She said the Yondaime decided at the last minute to take the Kyūbi’s soul instead of part of its power, so he sealed her in to help me control it.” Naruto paused as his mother spoke again in his head, and then blushed. “Kaa-san says to stop being a stubborn old monkey.”
Sarutobi’s eyes widened at the familiar retort she had used when she was angry with him. Could it really be possible? He knew Minato and Kushina were geniuses when it came to seals, but could Minato really have rendered the Kyūbi basically harmless, and sealed his own dying wife inside?
“Chakra chains,” Naruto muttered at the prompting of his mother, who had a good idea of what Sarutobi was thinking given his expression.
Sarutobi frowned, mulling the idea over in his mind, knowing the Uzumaki’s Kisaifūin kekkei genkai was powerful – Mito Uzumaki had used the chakra chain ability to hold the Kyūbi in place to seal it inside herself – so it was a very real possibility that Minato could have used the temporary seal the chains created to bind her soul into Naruto as well. The fact that she had appeared outside of the Kyūbi’s cage, and the fact that he’d already checked to make sure his seal was still intact albeit not as strong, was pretty decent evidence that this wasn’t the kitsune playing tricks.
“Is it really you, Kushina? You can hear her, Naruto?”
Naruto nodded. “Yup! She says it’s really her, and that you’re lucky she doesn’t have a body now because if she did she’d shove her foot so far up your-“ Naruto stopped, eyes widening in shock as she apparently finished the sentence in his head. “Kaa-san! I can’t say that to him!”
Sarutobi shook his head and chuckled. “It’s alright, Naruto, I get the idea.”
Naruto blushed brightly, and looked down. “Anyway, she’s mad at how I grew up and how everyone treats me.”
Sarutobi sighed sadly and rubbed at his forehead. “I’m sorry, Naruto. I didn’t tell you about your parents because I wanted to protect you. I was worried that enemies of your father would hear he had a son, and hunt you down. But… I could have at least told you about your mother, and for that I am truly sorry.”
Naruto glanced away, barely hiding the hurt on his face. The man he’d thought of as a grandfather had lied to him. He could have even said something, like that he knew who his parents were but couldn’t tell him yet. Anything would have been better than not knowing.
Naru-kun, he- he made a mistake. I’m still angry with him too, but I don’t think he meant to hurt you. But you need to let him know that you’re going to take on your father’s name and legacy and re-establish both our clans. Let him work for our forgiveness, Kushina said.
Naruto sighed, and looked back over to the Hokage who looked the oldest Naruto had ever seen. “Jiji.. I understand. I’m still a little mad, but I understand. But kaa-san is going to help me train, and get stronger, and when I graduate and become a ninja, I’m not gonna hide who I am anymore. Ev’ryone’s gonna know I’m Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, son of the Yondaime, and that’s a promise, dattebayo!”
Sarutobi winced, knowing that Naruto wouldn’t be backing down from that promise. ‘Ah, well, at least it will be four or five years for him to grow strong enough to help protect himself. I’ll have to work on strengthening our defenses – many won’t like the news that the Son of the Yellow Flash is alive.’ He smirked slightly. ‘Though I can’t wait to see the faces of the Village on the day I announce that the boy they’ve mistreated for years is the son of their hero.’
“Very well, Naruto, I’ll have a few years to work on a plan to deal with the dangers that may come with announcing that. For now, we have to figure out where to have you stay…. I’m sorry but the entire apartment building burned down. Right now everyone is rushing to find someplace to stay, so it’ll be difficult to find you a new place.”
Naruto was silent for a moment, thinking of everything he lost in the blaze, and then perked his head to the side as his mother spoke to him. He looked up. “Jiji, kaa-san says you have to give me her old house that she stayed in when she first came here, until everyone finds out I’m a Namikaze.”
Sarutobi’s eyes lit up and he nodded. “Of course, very good idea. It’s a small house, but bigger than your apartment. I’ll give you some money to get it back in shape, and get some new clothes and anything else you lost.”
“Kaa-san also says that she wants you to give me a tutor, to help me out besides what she’s gonna do. She said someone called Yūgao?”
Sarutobi frowned. “She’s an ANBU now, and may not have much time for training, but I’ll do what I can to convince her to do that work on a more part-time basis and give you some help.”
He wouldn’t normally do that, but Kushina seemed convinced he needed the help, and he owed it to her and to Naruto. It made him begin to wonder if he was being taught properly in the Academy. Perhaps a look with his ‘telescope jutsu’, more often at least, was called for.
Sarutobi patted Naruto’s leg. “I have to go now, I’ll be back in the morning. The doctor said if you feel up to it you can get out of here tomorrow afternoon. You’ll be able to go to the Academy the day after if you wear your bandages then.”
Naruto nodded eagerly – he’d come to the hospital so much he hated being stuck in it.. “Okay, Jiji. Can you show me my new place tomorrow?”
Sarutobi nodded, and then stood, placing the end of his pipe into his mouth. “Rest well, Naruto.” He walked slowly out of the room, still seeing the betrayal in Naruto’s eyes even as he left. He knew it would take a lot to get his full trust again – that was something Naruto gave freely, but if it was betrayed, he was loath to give it back again.
Well, that went better than I’d expected, Kushina said. Naruto, what I’m going to teach you, you’re going to have to limit how much you show off in school. I don’t want anyone getting any ideas with you suddenly getting much stronger.
“Aww, c’mon, kaa-san, what’s the point of getting stronger if I can’t show Kiba and Sasuke and the others that make fun of me how strong I really am?”
Because, Naru-kun, then they will underestimate you. They’ll think you are weak, and when you need it you can surprise everyone. Besides, you don’t have to hide everything. You can do better with your target practice, or your school work, or even show some of the basic Taijutsu I’ll teach you, enough that you don’t have the worst grades anymore. The Sandaime will know, if Yūgao teaches you, and he’s the only one who really matters because he’s the one that decides teams. Even if you don’t have the best grades and don’t show everything at the Academy, he’ll know how strong you really are.
Naruto thought that over for a long moment, remembering Iruka-sensei talking about being a ninja being all about deception. “O-okay kaa-san, as long as I get to still show off some.”
He could almost hear her smile as she responded.
Besides, I want to see their faces when I let you go all-out on the graduation exam, and show you’re better than all of them, she said in his head, before cackling madly.
Naruto sweatdropped.
Hehe, sorry, Naru-kun, got a little carried away. Er, you should get some sleep now, so I can get your body healing faster.
Naruto yawned, and winced as he shifted again on the bed into a more comfortable position for sleeping. “Okay kaa-san, g’nite.”
Good night, musuko, I love you. She said.
He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warm feeling that bubbled up through his chest at finally being able to hear those words.
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
xxxXXX--XXXxxx
xxxXXX—XXXxxx
Musuko= My Son
A/N: Well, hope you liked it (hope I surprised you a bit with who the woman in his mind was). I’ve never seen a Naruto fic that has Kushina ‘survive’ in this way. Usually I’ll see a fic with Kushina showing up alive, or being brought to life, so I decided to go a different route (and also I wanted to not bring in the whole Female Kyūbi in his head thing which has gotten a little old for me).
So, Naruto meets his mom and finds out a bit about his bloodline. Basically Kisaifūin (translates crudely to Great Talent of Seals) is more of a mental thing, easing someone’s understanding of seals and their workings. It’s something that you still have to work for, and work to keep up, but basically it gives you an aptitude toward the sealing arts. That and I decided to put Kushina’s chakra chains into another perspective using the bloodline.
Hope you like my little change with how the Kyūbi was sealed. That is one thing that bugs me with the series – half of the Kyūbi is sealed in Shinigami’s stomach, so I really don’t know how Pein’s plans were going to work, nor Madara/Akatsuki’s plans are going to work.
Sure Madara could make the Juubi somehow, but it wouldn’t be as powerful as the beast that the Sage of Six Paths was Jinchūriki for, because it’d be missing half of the most powerful demon that makes it up. And we’ve already seen confirmation from someone(Kabuto I think) that even Impure Resurrection can’t bring back someone that’s sealed in Shinigami, so in the series Kyūbi seems to be permanently stuck at half power. Perhaps Kishimoto will pull something out of a hat, but right now it doesn’t make sense to me, so I decided to go this route (one I also haven’t seen before).
Anyway, next chapter, Naruto gets a new home, goes to the academy starts a bit of training, and meets Yūgao (depending how the chap goes on this last one, could be the chap after). Please review, until next week, Ja ne!
Sign up to rate and review this story