My Dolphin's Love

Chapter 2 “To Honor the Fallen”

It had been an exhausting night. Soon after their introductions Kakashi fell unconscious in Iruka’s arms. The pre-genin nearly panicked but he could feel that the ANBU was dangerously low on chakra. He could also feel the blood seeping through Kakashi’s shirt and armor. Iruka managed drag Kakashi to the guest room and while blushing he stripped him of his uniform looking for the worst of his injures. Kakashi must have been running pure adrenaline because these injures were serious; Iruka had to get his father’s healing scroll out as well as his mother’s medical senbons. Lucky for him he had practice in healing jutsus from helping his father tend his mother’s injures and his mother had trained him in acupuncture.

The young ANBU had three broken ribs a fractured wrist and multiple stab wounds and lacerations all over his body. It was almost 10 o’clock in the morning when he had finished healing Kakashi and Iruka was drain and tired at the end of it. As he fed the sleepy Naruto a bottle of warm milk Iruka couldn’t hold back anymore he broke down and cried. He cried for his parents, who died at the hands of a traitor, he cried for the Yondaime and the sacrifice he made, he cried for Naruto and the life that he was destined to lead. Iruka cried for Kakashi a kid like him pushed to the limit by this war. He even shed a few tears for the future yet to come.

That’s how it went for the next three days the two boys and baby. They slept till their chakra levels evened out. Iruka was the only one getting up and moving around feeding and changing Naruto or changing Kakashi’s bandages. He was acting on autopilot cleaning and washing and he no longer blushed when he attend the nearly naked ANBU. On the fourth day he tested all their charka levels and happy that all their levels were strong enough that he could take down the outer wards and hang some laundry out to dry.

Naruto cooed at the butterflies that tickled his nose while his young foster father hung the wet sheets on the line. Kakashi was still sleeping and the only sounds that could be heard were the birds chirping and Naruto’s happy gurgles. Once the washing was hung the growling of a tiny tummy was complaining it was time for lunch. Iruka laughed as his stomach growled in response.

“It seems that we’re both in need of some lunch.” Iruka laughed as he picked up the laundry basket with the hungry chibi in it. Soon they were in the kitchen with Iruka at the stove making their lunch when the kitchen back door slammed open with a “BANG!”

“KAKSAHI!” the pre-genin jumped in surprised as a green blur came running in and crushed him in a big bear hug. “KAKASHI! MY ETERNAL RIVAL!”

“Eeep!” Iruka squeaked as the air was crush out of him. Naruto began to wail of the loud yelling.

“I HAVE LOOKED EVERY WHERE FOR YOU!”

“Gai…”

“I KNEW THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE FALLEN IN BATTLE!”

“Gai…”

“MY HIP AND COOL RIVAL!”

“GAI!” the Spandex wearing chunin stopped ranting and turned to see his eternal rival leaning against the kitchen door frame in his uniform pants and bandages wrapped around his chest and arms with a makeshift mask out of a clean spare cloth diaper.

“IF YOU’RE THERE; THAN WHO IS THIS?” Gai looked from Kakashi to the smaller boy in his arms.

“Gai…” Kakashi sighed as he walked over to the basket to try and calm down the crying baby. “That is or was Umino, Iruka a pre-genin. I think you have hugged the life out of him and you’re upsetting Naruto.”

“OH SORRY!” Gai dropped the crushed boy like a hot brick and Iruka crumple to the ground. Kakashi was starting to worry as Naruto had yet to quiet down and he didn’t dare pick him up. He didn’t how to hold such a small fragile thing as a baby, he might drop his sensei’s son!

“Iruka wake up Naruto is crying.”

“Naruto?” the dazed boy asked as he tried to remember how to breathe again. “Oh! His bottle!” he jumped up and took the hot bottle from the water then using his charka he cooled it down to the perfect temperature for the chibi. Naruto cries went from wailing cries to whimpering sniffles as Iruka lifted him out of the basket and fed him his much wanted milk.

“So that is the Kyuubi Child.” Gai said as he watched the baby feed.

“He is not the Kyuubi.” snapped the Pre-genin. “This is Naruto a baby boy with a healthy appetite. Who are you and why did you break into my house?”

“I am Maito Gai! Kakashi’s Eternal Rival! I have been looking for him since the end of the battle. The Sandaime said he was with a friend, but he did not say who the friend was. So I ensued a mission of my own to find my eternal rival! I’m sorry I did not mean to damage your home.”

“As you can see I’m fine Gai. I was just resting up I over use the Sharingan and my charka was depleted. Umino-san was kind enough to let me stay here.”

“Then I am also indebted to Umino-san, for protecting my eternal rival! Let us train together and put our youth to the test!”

“Uh… thank you for the offer Maito-san but I have to take care of Naruto. Please you don’t have to be so formal you can call me Iruka.” The pre-genin said as he shifted the baby to his shoulder to gently patting the infant till he gave a tiny burp.

“You may call me Gai!” The smiling Taijutsu-master announced slapping the smaller boy on the back almost knocking him to the floor if Kakashi wasn’t there to catch him and the baby. “Your youthfulness is strong and vibrant with love for this lonely chibi. You both shall train with me and we will bring your youthful spirits to its full potential!”

“Uh…” Iruka was at a lost for words he had never encountered anyone like Gai. The teenage boy must have had a screw loose or something. He wanted to train a baby for Kami’s sake. It was true Naruto would be powerful one day because of the Kyuubi sealed inside of him. Iruka smiled as he could feel the strong charka in the tiny body he held. It was Naruto’s chakra not the demon fox’s. That battle depleted the fox as much as it did the Yondaime and Naruto. It would be many years before the fox’s charka would truly awaken for use until then Naruto’s own charka seemed to be strong like his father if not stronger.

“Gai, training is going to have to wait. He is only four days old beside Iruka is still only a pre-genin he wouldn’t be up to your levels of Taijutsu.” Kakashi drawled as he sat at the kitchen table ignoring the glare he was getting from the younger boy.

“Thank you for the offer Gai-san I would happy to train with you some other time. Naruto and I are still settling in. Can you tell me what is going on in the village right now?” Iruka asked as he shifted Naruto so he could enjoy the rest of his bottle more comfortably.

“On the morning after the attack, villagers were brought down from the hideout and groups were formed to assess damages others to find and recover our fallen and injured comrades. Among the Leaders was Uchiha, Fugaku he told the villages of the Kyuubi’s entrapment in the body of Uzumaki Naruto and to beware of it’s presences in our village. The villages were ready to riot until the Sandaime stepped forward and declared the boy not to be killed. He made it a law that no one was to ever talk about the Kyuubi or where it was sealed.” Gai said gravely as he sat at the table with the other to boys.

“He’s trying to give Naruto a chance to be happy.” Iruka smiled sadly.

“The villagers won’t allow it. They are too narrow minded as a whole to allow the kid to have a happy childhood. They will blame him for the mistakes of the beast he carries. It doesn’t matter that it wasn’t his fault. All they will see is the beast, the destruction it had caused and their dead love ones in his face.” Kakashi’s voice became hard and bitter. He knew the life the boy was going to have because he had lived it himself. That was why he wore the mask so people might see him and not his father or his father’s mistakes. The elders who knew the Great White Fang of Konoha saw disgrace his face. He had taken to wear a mask to hide from that shame, the Shame of looking like the man who betrayed his village for the lives of his comrades. He didn’t want to be seen as anything but a loyal Shinobi but the villagers couldn’t forget and they wouldn’t no matter how hard he trained or how many missions he risked his life for. They would always see Hatake Sumo. Yes Kakashi knew exactly the life Naruto would have and there wasn’t anything he could do to change that fate.

“I don’t care what you think Hatake-san I am going give him a happy childhood.” Iruka said stubbornly. He knew the young ANBU was right but he would not let it affect how he raised Naruto. He lifted the chibi on to his shoulder and patted the chibi’s little back earning a tiny burp.

“I shall help you in this youthful endeavor!” Gai smiled giving him a thumbs up.

“Arigato Gai-san. Would you care to stay for lunch?” Iruka offer as he set the chibi in the baby hammock by the window.

“I wish I could but I must meet Asuma and report to the Sandaime. Kakashi I will see you soon My Eternal Rival!” Gai cheered before disappearing in a Green Blur.

“Who was that?” Iruka asked as he began to prepare their lunch.

“That was Gai my self-appointed Rival. He turns up from time to time imposes these ridiculous challenges and insane self-penalties should he fail. So far we’re tied.”

“Oh well it seems that he missed you very much. You have been a sleep for a few days now maybe you should contact your family and let them know you are alright.”

“They dead.”

“Oh I’m sorry. I lost my parents too.”

“But I should get going my captain is going to want a briefing.” Kakashi shifted in his seat uncomfortable with tension in the air.

“After you eat something and take that diaper off your face you look like a thief.”

“I usually wear a mask but you have taken it along with most of my clothes.”

“Oh!” the Pre-genin blushed. He then fished some clothes out of the basket. “I cleaned your armor and washed your clothes.”

“Arigato Umino-san.” Kakashi said as he inspected the ANBU armor that was already sitting on the kitchen table. “You do good work.”

“My mother showed me. She was ANBU.” Iruka said sadly as ladled out some miso soup.

“I thought your mask looked familiar. I’m sorry, Raven was a strong ANBU. In the ANBU we don’t know our civilian names. We leave them behind when we put on our masks.”

Iruka nodded but said nothing. He placed the meal on the table and the two ate in silence. Today was the start of a whole new life for Konoha and for the three boys that had been hidden away. Once the meal was over Iruka cleaned up while Kakashi dressed and got ready to leave. Naruto woke from his nap and was now gurgling happily in his foster father’s arms.

“I have to be going. Thank you for your hospitality Umino-san.” Kakashi said as he slipped his mask back on.

“You can call me Iruka. We were glad to have you with us.” The scarred pre-genin smiled. “Please stop by and see us again some time.”

“Maybe, I’ll see where the road of life takes me.” The ANBU bowed and was gone in an instant.

“Well Chibi it looks like it’s just you and me.”

XxXxXxXxXxX

“Wolf! Where have you been I’ve has scouts looking for you for the past two days.”

“Sorry Hawk I was injured and recovering.”

“That’s Captain Hawk to you. Now seal the door so you can report.”

“Hai.” Wolf performed the ANBU seal on the door locking him and two others in. Once the seal was in place they all removed their masks. Kakashi was glad he stopped at his place for a fresh masked shirt as his other one hat the mask ripped off in battle. It was strange that he allowed young Iruka to see his face but that did not change the fact he still hated his face. He would still keep his father’s face forever buried behind his mask. Yet he found he didn’t mind that Iruka seeing his face, but only Iruka and no one else. “Congratulations Ibiki.”

“Thanks but this was not how I wanted to get the promotion. We lost a lot of Shinobi as well as ANBU. We are severely short on defenses and the Sandaime is handing out promotions left and right. He might not wait until winter for the genin test.”

“Hn.” Kakashi’s thought went to Iruka and Naruto. He wondered how this was going to affect them.

“So Kakashi just where were you holding up the last few days? We were afraid you were dead.” The senbon chewing teen smirked but Kakashi could see the worry in his eyes.

“After the Yondaime seal the Kyuubi I returned to the tower. I was then ordered to escort the Kyuubi container and his caretaker home.”

“You saw the Kyuubi contain? Did it have fangs and a tail? Was it hairy and blood thirst?”

“Genma shut yup and let Kakashi talk.” Another teen with half of his face bandaged stepped forward and pull the smaller teen off Kakashi.

“Oh fine Raido spoil my fun.” Genma pouted.

“To answer your question you must all swear this does not leave this room. I ask for your silence because this is for protection of the village as well as the container and his Caretaker.”

“We swear.” The Three ANUB vowed seriously.

“The Yondaime seal Kyuubi no Kitsune into his own son. For the protection of the child from his father’s enemies he was given the name Uzumaki Naruto. He wanted Naruto to be viewed as a hero for his unknowing deed but that is not likely. I fear there will be no protection from the villagers other than his caretaker and myself.”

“No he’ll be protected by us as well. As my first Official duty as Captain of the ANBU I assign Wolf, Eagle and Coyote to watch over the Uzumaki Naruto until he graduates from the Ninja academy.” Ibiki barked

“Hai!”

“Fear not Kakashi. Yondaime’s wishes will be held with honor by his faithful ANBU.”

“Arigato Ibiki, Raido, Genma.” Kakashi bowed to his comrades in arms.

XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

“Sensei I tried to get here as soon as I could.”

“I know you did Jiraiya but even if you had gotten here in time I doubt Minato would have changed his mind. He did what he had to, to protect our home and our people. His wife Kushina didn’t survive the birth of her son. Tsunade said there was too much bleeding and Kushina use all of her Chakra forcing his premature birth. Soon after her death Minato took the babe into battle and used him to seal the Kyuubi.”

“So they’re gone, all of them.” The toad sage said in despair. He lost not just a student but a surrogate son. He lost Minato, Kushina, the lovely young bride and their child. They had written to him telling him he would be named the godfather and that he would appreciate the baby’s name. Now it was over and he felt every cold inside.

“No not all one them. The child survived.”

“What?!”

“He survived the sealing. Even though he was early he had strong Chakra and a lot of it to help his father take down the Kyuubi.”

“Where is he? I have to see him.”

“Calm down Jiraiya there are some thing that we need to discuss. The child is safe at least for now with his Caregiver. The boy is not going to have an easy life Fugaku made it clear that night after the attack.”

“Damn, Uchiha, on his high and mighty Blood limit horse. That bastard won’t stop until he is Hokage of the five nations.”

“Be that as it may we need to be on guard. That attack was not just an invading forces attack. We were weakened from with in. Kyuubi was summoned here but with out proof we are at a dead end.”

“Hai. My sources say that Danzo has left since the fight and is traveling collecting Orphans.”

“So he is actually doing it. I never thought he would.”

“Would what Sensei?”

“He approached the council a few years ago will the Idea of forming a Shinobi stronger than the ANBU. The Elders were in favor but Minato was not. Danzo was not deterred from this and petitioned again. This time the elders overruled me and the wishes of the Yondaime. They consented as long as the Shinobi were loyal to Konoha more importantly them. This new group is called ROOT and is not to be trusted.”

“Hai. Also after the defeat of the Kyuubi all the Nations have pulled back with no plans to return to war. Every nation had, had a spy among them that were weakening them just like Konoha. So far the each nation has eliminated their spy but there could be more. There are talks of starting the Chunin examines again this summer. That will give all of the lands time to heal from this war. This war has been a draw no victors and a lot of death and lost.”

“Peace at such a high price for us all but for how long? This means I’ll be going to the Kage summit with in the next month to meet with the others. I’ll need you and Orochimaru and Tsunade, to watch over things here while I’m gone. You know Orochimaru has decided to take a team this year maybe you should think about taking another team.”

“No Sensei I think not. Maybe when the Brat’s brat is older but for now I have to keep an eye on his stubborn ANBU student. Besides I have research to do.” The Sage brushed off the thought because it would to be too painful to take another team.

“He looks just like Minato and he has Kushina’s mischievous spirit. He will be a handful.”

“What’s his name Sensei?”

“Uzumaki Naruto.”


A/N: Hello and thank you for reading another chapter of MDL. Still working on MCD and hopefully will be posting soon but I make no promises because the muses are still being stubborn. Sorry the chapter is a little short but it’s still warming up so hopefully it will get longer as the chapters go by. Thanks for reading Keep reviewing.