For the Love of His Son

Disclaimer: Not mine. Bummer.
Summary: Lord Sasuke Uchiha believes that he has lost something precious to him and struggles to convince himself everyday that it didn‘t exist. What will he do when a blond haired peasant arrives at his doorstep claiming he has something the Uchiha “misplaced.” (SasuNaru)


Author’s Note Part 3: There is so much talking in this chapter that I think I might have actually worn down the quotation key. Sorry… sometimes dialogue can be boring, but sadly, I’m told plot development is important. Well, at least I hope this could be called plot development. Hopefully it will answer some of your questions. I promise next chapter Sasuke and Naruto will finally stop dancing around each other and finally start a little something, something… I’m really excited. (See heart shaped eyes)


Oh, one more thing…. WARNING: There is some icky-ness at the end of this chapter. Suffice it to say that Orochimaru and Itachi are bad, bad men. You have been warned.


For the Love of His Son
Chapter 5


Sasuke had told Naruto that they would need to talk later and Sasuke was man enough to admit that ‘later’ had just walked up and bitch slapped them in the face.


Sasuke ran both his hands through his hair, unwittingly causing it to stand up in all directions. Gone were the controlled spikes of the Uchiha heir, having been replaced by the black chaotic tresses of a man faced with the biggest quandary of his life. Naruto was a prodigy. There was no denying that. Having seen just this small sample of what Naruto was capable of filled Sasuke with confusion, trepidation and, oddly, insane pride. He needed to know how and why Naruto was this strong. Why didn’t Naruto see or understand that? Why hadn’t Orochimaru? And then Sasuke realized that Orochimaru probably did know and was purposely holding Naruto back. Hadn’t Naruto said that he had trained himself? To leave someone with this much potential untrained, why? And, if Orochimaru knew, Sasuke was sure the man would want him back. Sasuke didn’t allow himself to think about what that would mean for Naruto, him and everyone standing in the yard or living in his castle. Not yet…


Sasuke turned his weary, onyx gaze to Naruto. The Rasengan that the dobe had so flippantly created with such innocent pride and excitement, had dissipated and the young man stood, shoulders bend and head down in what could only be interrupted as total defeat.


“Naruto.”


“….”


“Dobe, we need to…”


“Yes, I know.” Was the whispered reply. Naruto didn’t even look up as he turned and started walking toward the castle doors. Sasuke felt a tightening in his chest watching him. Here was a young man with more power than imaginable, more courage than could be measured and more heart than the angels in heaven and he walked as though he were climbing the last steps up to a hungry guillotine.


Sasuke sighed and turned to the group standing around him that were his knights, his advisors and most importantly, his friends. He caught each of their eyes and watched as they all gave slight nods. Sasuke turned to follow Naruto knowing they were right behind him, in this instance and in anything that life threw at them.


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‘Shit, shit… shit, shit… shit, shit, shit…’


“Kit, is that the tune to ‘Twinkle, twinkle little Star’?”


‘…..’


“You’re upset. I get that. You need to calm down. You didn’t do anything wrong. Hell, you didn’t even use MY chakra back there.”


‘Huh, I’ll be sure to mention that. It seems like they would all be ‘really’ excited to hear that.’ Naruto rolled his eyes. ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me that what I could do wasn’t normal?!’


“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you and I‘m a demon! I wasn‘t privy to what you pitiful humans, with all your inane weaknesses, considered normal.”

Naruto‘s snort could be heard even outside of the mental dialogue with his furry parasite. ‘Sarcasm is all I have and I learned it from you!’


“Yeah, and I’ve never been so proud. What are you going to do?”


‘Whatever I have too. I am Naruto Uzumaki after all.’ Somehow, Kyuubi noticed, it just didn’t sound like it used too.


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Iruka watched as Naruto walked silently in front of him. He knew the boy was amazing. Scary for sure, but amazing. Plus, he was so full of life. Somehow he had started a fight with Kiba and walked away with a new friend. Iruka looked over to see Kiba walking right next to Naruto, sending his new friend encouraging smiles that Naruto didn’t even seem to notice.


Suddenly, almost as if Naruto had woke up, he shook his head and turned to Kiba.


“Hey, is there a dungeon in this castle?” Naruto inquired in a hushed whisper. The rest of the group was so subdued they could have been in a funeral march. Iruka knew they were all thinking about recent events and the impending conversation that had them trekking to Sasuke‘s study. How could they not?


“Well, yeah, why do you ask, kid?” Iruka knew Naruto was really upset when he didn’t even twitch at the ‘kid’ remark.


“Oh, nothing. So, let’s say someone did something wrong or was really dangerous… what would you guys do to then?”


“Well, I guess we would take care of them. Lock them up, maybe. Maybe something more permanent. Naruto, why?” Kiba raised an eyebrow. The others liked to say he was stupid, but Kiba knew Naruto was holding in something big, so big he was worried about what they would do to him when they found out. Whatever it was, Kiba knew Naruto wouldn’t hurt anyone. Sure, he had riled the boy but Akamaru was an excellent judge of character. He had said Naruto was tremendously powerful, but kind hearted. In his interactions with Naruto and what he had witnessed and heard from others, Kiba had no reason to doubt his furry pet.


Naruto shook his head, blond locks falling into his cerulean eyes, eyes that said Kiba‘s question would go unanswered for now. “Thanks, Kiba, you know, for back in the yard. You didn’t have to stand up for me. It meant a lot to me, so thanks.” With that, Naruto sped up slightly, leaving Kiba to stare at his back.


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They all filed into Sasuke’s study taking seats where they could find them. Along the way, Neji and Hinata had joined the group, getting details of the episode in the yard as everyone sat down. In the end, only Sasuke and Naruto were standing.


“Naruto, no one is mad. I, we, need to know more about you. We need to understand. How is it possible you are that powerful? Who taught you how to apply chakra into techniques if you had no teacher? I need you to trust us so that we can help you learn to reach your full potential but mostly so that we know what we can expect from Orochimaru. I can’t imagine him being happy that you are gone.” Sasuke finished his questions and finally turned his eyes to the man who had saved his son.


The Naruto in the courtyard and who walked through the castle with them was wary and scared. Sasuke was shocked to see that the Naruto standing in front of him now was none of those things. He stood straight and looked right into Sasuke’s eyes. His stance was hostile but respectful to the circumstances, his blue eyes blazing a hole right through Sasuke’s soul. This was a Naruto that held an endless cavern of power and had faced an entire life of solitude and abuse. This was no boy, this was Naruto the man. Sasuke found himself captivated.


“In order to answer those questions, my lord,” Sasuke wasn’t able to stop the flinch at the formality, “I will have to tell you everything, things I don‘t truly understand myself and haven‘t shared with anyone until this moment. However, before I do, I will have your word that whatever happens, you will let me say goodbye to Chibi.” The commanding tone of his voice and defiance in Naruto’s eyes felt palpable to Sasuke and everyone in the room.


“Dobe…”


Naruto slammed his fist onto the wooden desk, causing on ink pot to topple and black ink to ooze ominously across the desk, “Dammit, teme! I will have your word!”


“Yes. You have my word.” Sasuke nodded slowly. Realization hit Sasuke, Naruto thought that once he told the truth, Sasuke would force him away or worse. Sasuke wondered, could Naruto’s past be so horrible that Sasuke would consider keeping Ryuu from his “mother”? Sasuke mentally huffed… why could nothing be simple?


“I don’t remember anything about my life until I was five. I guess I have flashes of different things. A woman with short black hair, I think she may have been my caregiver. I know that she wasn’t my mother. I felt safe with her. Then, he came.”


Naruto paused in his telling. He shook his hands, opening and closing his fists. Then, as if realizing he was showing a major weakness to those in the room, he crossed his arms across his chest and locked eyes with Sasuke.


“Orochimaru came in the night, he killed my caregiver and took me to his castle. I remember her screaming, pleading with him… When we reached his castle, he locked me in a cell and everyday his ‘doctor’ came in and performed tests on me. I begged to be told what was going on. The pain was like nothing I had felt before, but have felt many times since. Everyday was worse and worse because no matter what Kabuto did during the day, the next morning I would be completely healed.”


Naruto once again paused hearing the murmurs of shock, maybe even disbelief. He looked around the room, his eyes falling on Kiba.


“My I see your knife?” Naruto asked, walking over to where the shaggy haired boy sat. Akamaru whined and nudged Naruto’s palm. Naruto smiled sadly down at the dog, giving him a gentle pat. Kiba nodded to Naruto’s request and handed him his knife.


Before anyone could move Naruto raked the razor sharp knife deeply across his wrist. Blood spurted onto the floor. Hinata gasp and Iruka ran to the boy. Naruto held his uninjured hand up to stop them both. He then held up his bleeding wrist. The blood was only oozing now, the room watched as the blood stopped and the potentially fatal wound disappeared. Naruto wiped away the blood to reveal smooth, tan and seemingly untouched skin.


“You’ll have to believe me when I say that I ‘know’ I can survive much, much worse.” Naruto absentmindedly wiped the blade on his pants and handed it back to Kiba with a small smile of thanks. Kiba nodded, face pale.


“Finally, I guess Orochimaru learned what he needed from his ‘tests’. I was eight.”


Hinata whispered, “Oh my god… three years.”


“Orochimaru called me to his study. As I was lead from the cell that had been my home for three years, I noticed that the other knights and servants in the castle either backed away from me, fear in their eyes or taunted me, some tripping me and others just jeering at me. If possible, the fear and hatred in their eyes was worse than those that just ran away.”


Naruto took a deep breath, he raised his eyes to look into the eyes of those around the room. Would he see fear yet? Did they know what was coming? He paused when he reached Sasuke, before he could see his expression, Naruto closed his eyes. He couldn’t look at him yet, not yet.


“He had me sit down. He asked how I was enjoying my time there.” Naruto gave a weak laugh, “Can you imagine? I just started. I might have been able to heal overnight, but I still remembered the pain, that didn’t disappear.” Naruto rubbed his recently healed wrist.


“He smiled at me, it made my skin crawl and asked if I knew what I was. I opened my mouth to answer, but after what I had experienced in my time with him, I must be something terrible, right? Good boys weren’t locked into dungeons. I must have been a bad boy to be taken away from my old life and thrust here, with him.” Naruto once again wrapped his arms around himself, seeking to comfort himself. Sasuke stepped closer to… well, he didn’t know what, he just wanted ‘that’ look off of Naruto’s face immediately. As if sensing Sasuke’s approach, Naruto snapped his eyes to him and jumped away.


“No, stay there.” Naruto’s voice carried an underlying tone of panic. Sasuke nodded and sat in on the empty chesterfield under the window, directly across from Naruto. He raised an elegant, black eyebrow, maybe to signal Naruto to continue, maybe to ask if he was alright. Neither boy could know for sure.


“He told me of a village that had been attacked eight years prior by a demon. A nine-tailed demon fox. He explained that a man had discovered a way to end the demon’s rampage, but at the cost of his life.”


Kakashi leaned forward so quickly that the book he was reading clattered onto the floor. Noticing that he had drawn all the attention in the room, he chuckled, “Sorry, thought I saw a black cat. I‘m allergic, you know.”


Everyone looked at him in disbelief and silent curiosity. What was that about? They all knew this story. How the Fourth had saved not only his village, but those all over the country. The demon had been stopped and the most powerful man to be seen in years lay dead as a result. One life forfeited to save them all.


“Orochimaru told me that everyone thought that the demon had died or at least ceased to exist, but that wasn’t the case. The demon didn’t die. The fox was sealed away. Never to escape.”


“How is it that no one knew this? How did Orochimaru?” Neji asked. Naruto looked at the dark haired man. He was one of the two people in the room that Naruto had yet to meet.


“I knew.”


Once again, Kakashi found all heads turned toward him. “I was the Fourth’s student. The night that he defeated the demon, he called me into his office. He told me that he had found a way to stop the devastation but that he needed my help. He needed me to deliver a baby to him, a newborn baby.” Sasuke’s eyes grew wide. No, it couldn’t be. Kakashi turned toward the blond haired boy, his eye curling from his hidden smile, “Orochimaru told you that you were that baby, didn’t he, Naruto.”


“Yes. I hold the demon Kyuubi. The red chakra that you all saw at the gate was his.”


Finally, Naruto turned his gaze toward Sasuke, he needed to know the lord’s reaction. What he saw made him gasp, fear causing his face to whiten, his breathing became quick and shallow. Sasuke’s eyes were red with fast spinning black commas, looking at him, no, through him… just like ‘his’.


“No! No, stay away. How? How are you here… stay away!” Naruto back away so quickly he fell backwards, hard onto his tailbone, but that didn’t stop him from scurrying back until he hit the far wall.


Hinata ran to Sasuke, shaking his arm, “Sasuke! The Sharingan. It is like your brother’s.” She whispered harshly, concern tinting her voice.


Realizing his mistake, Sasuke deactivated his blood limit. He couldn’t even remember consciously activating it. He looked to see Naruto on the floor staring at something no one else could see, fear etched in his face. Sasuke knew Naruto was once again reliving past experiences with his brother and had to fight to keep the Sharingan for activating again. Damn Itachi.


Sasuke stood, approaching Naruto cautiously, “Dobe, it’s me, Sasuke. He’s not here. No one will hurt you. I’m here.”


Naruto slowly blinked his eyes and to the shock of everyone in the room the blond launched himself at Sasuke, “Bastard,” Naruto mumbled into Sasuke’s chest, “What the hell was that!?”


Sasuke held the dobe close for a moment. If only he could keep him here, safe, away from those that would hurt him, had hurt him. “Hn, dobe, it’s a family blood line limit. It’s called the Sharingan. I didn’t mean to scare you… I should have known that Itachi,” The shiver that raced through Naruto did not go unnoticed, “would have used it.”


Naruto nodded, offering a weak smile. He started to pull away from the dark haired lord, but before he could break away, he found himself being helped up and directed to the seat Sasuke had just vacated. Sasuke sat Naruto on one side, taking the other for himself, their shoulders barely touching. Both boys found themselves acutely aware of the fact.


“Naruto, my name is Neji. I examined you after you fainted,”


“Passed out.” Naruto interrupted. Kiba snorted and then choked.


Neji smirked, “Of course. After you lost consciousness, I examined you and saw the two chakras.” Naruto’s eyes widened.


“My family, Hinata included, has the Byakugan, an optical ability that allows us analyze chakra networks as well as see chakra that is invisible to others.”


Naruto nodded. They had known. They might not have known what the other chakra was, but they knew he was different and yet, they still talked to him. Sasuke still permitted him near his son and to walk free.


“I noticed that the demon’s chakra had started to merge with yours. How is that possible if he was sealed? How can you use that chakra at all?”


“I’m not sure. I don’t know anything about how the demon was sealed or how it was supposed to work? When I ask, Kyuubi tells me that ‘the damn brat had one lucky moment in his whole life’ and Kyuubi stupidly walked right into it. But I know when I first…”


“Wait, you can talk to Kyuubi?” Kakashi asked, although his voice gave away no emotion, Naruto could tell he was shocked. Great, another oddity. Once again Naruto heard the annoying chuckle in the back of his mind. Stupid, stupid fox.


Naruto sighed, “Yes, I can. I take it that I shouldn’t?” Naruto glanced at the other occupants in the room. Shikamaru looked to be asleep and Iruka looked worried. Neither reaction was different from what Naruto had seen up to this point. Kiba stared at him wide eyed, but when he noticed Naruto’s gaze, he offered a wide smile. Shino and Neji were blank faced. Again, no surprise. The girl, Hinata, smile shyly and Lee was opening and shutting his mouth like a fish… odd. Kakashi and Sasuke just looked at him, obviously waiting for him to continue.


“Ah, anyway, yes, I can. I have been able to since I was about ten. I was running from, well, I was in a life and death situation and suddenly I found myself in a dark room. In front of me was a large cage and inside, pacing, a red demon, who I realized must be the demon that Orochimaru had told me about. At first Kyuubi was rather hostile, but after explaining how we were about to die, he offered to give me his chakra. I agreed, we lived and he hasn’t left me alone since.” Although the words implied that the demon was a bother, the tone spoke of appreciation.


Sasuke thought how horrible it was that Naruto’s only friend had been a demon whose last action, prior to being sealed, was to destroy humanity. How was he still sane? How was he still innocent, caring… Naruto?


“So, you made a deal with the demon and now you have access to his chakra.” Neji stated, encouraging Naruto to continue.


“Yeah, but I only use it when I ‘need’ it. Life and death, mostly. For instance, getting here from Orochimaru’s castle. Before I left, I had used nearly all of my own chakra on Ryuu.” Hinata and Sasuke shared a look that Naruto failed to notice, but the others in the room raised an eyebrow at. “Circumstances made resting up before we left impossible. Kyuubi supplied the chakra that kept my body up and moving until we got here. Being so low on my own chakra and using so much of his is…” Naruto was mentally interrupted by Kyuubi who screamed, ‘dangerous, not to mention fucking insane’ “Difficult on my body.” Naruto finished.

“Meaning life threatening… yes?” Neji supplied. Naruto stared wide eyed. “We all saw you. Me most of all. You should have been dead. You shouldn’t have been able to move at all when you left Orochimaru’s castle. Am I right?”


“Maybe.” Naruto found a blood stain on his knee quite fascinating.


“And the reason that your injuries didn’t heal, unlike your little stunt earlier, was because Kyuubi was using all his energy to get you and the baby here, without regards to your health.”


Naruto fidgeted in his seat.


“Dobe.” Sasuke ground out. He was internally conflicted. Naruto had saved Ryuu, but he had literally chosen between saving Sasuke’s son and his own life. He had chosen saving his son. How was it possible to feel thankful and possessively pissed off at the same time? How dare Naruto gamble his life that way!


“I did what had to be done! I refuse to apologize for my decision or wish I had done even one thing differently. They wanted Ryuu dead. All of them. Fuck, they commanded me to kill him at the moment of his birth. I had the means to save him and I did. I dare any of you to stand where I was and choose a different path.” Naruto’s speech was met by silence.


The silence was broken when Lee spoke up, “My youthful friend,” Naruto raised an eyebrow in askance to Sasuke. An emotionless shrug was his response. “You said that you only used Kyuubi’s chakra when you needed it, so just now, in the yard, that was you? Only you?”


The only people who didn’t look surprised at the question were Kakashi and Shikamaru. Why hadn’t any of them questioned that?!


“Yes, that was me. I realize now after talking with you or rather taking in your reactions, that I am special in some way. I didn’t realize it. I had known that chakra existed. I had seen it used by Kabuto, Orochimaru and the knights of the castle. I recognized that I had my own. No one told me how to use it, Kyuubi said that demons just imagine the outcome and their chakra would respond. I suppose that was my only lesson. If I could pick up the hand signs things certainly were easier, like with my clones, but otherwise I just force my chakra to respond.” Once again, the shocked silence. Naruto listened while Kyuubi snorted and started in on stupid humans…


“Kid, why did you stay with Orochimaru. Once you had learned to use your chakra why didn’t you just kick his ass and get the hell out?” Kiba asked, entering the conversation.


“Of course I wanted too, dog boy, but at some point when Kabuto was performing his tests, Kyuubi says that another seal was put on my personal chakra. I have no memory of this. I can’t use any of it around Orochimaru and once Itachi came, well, he would use his eyes… and that was that.” Sasuke watched, seething, as Naruto had pulled himself flush against the arm of the chesterfield and away from him. Fucking Itachi.


“Huh, that doesn’t answer the question we really need answered. How are you that strong to begin with?” Shikamaru sighed lazily, staring out the window at the slow moving clouds, completely undermining the importance of the question.


“I don’t know.” Naruto had noticed the flash of emotion that jumped across Sasuke’s features when he had pulled away from him. He forced himself to relax, his shoulder once again pressed against the youngest Uchiha’s warmth. He smiled softly when he felt Sasuke relax as well.


“I know.”


“Kakashi!” Sasuke glared at the man. Apparently he knew plenty about Naruto’s situation and Sasuke couldn’t help but be upset that he had been keeping it hidden and was only releasing tidbits of information at his leisure. Who was the lord here?!


“Now, now Sasuke. No need for dramatics. Surely you understand that I had a life before my sole responsibility became the care and feeding of the youngest emotionally stunted Uchiha.”


Sasuke’s response was a darker, more menacing glare. Oh, that the Uchiha’s in the heaven could see Sasuke now. The pride they would feel.


Iruka stepped in before Sasuke could see if he could mentally melt Kakashi’s face off. “Perhaps Kakashi, you should tell us your story. I’m sure it would benefit not only our understanding, but Naruto’s as well.”


“Of course you’re right, Iruka, but it doesn’t look like Naruto will be benefiting from it today. And I finally had something that might shock the kid as much as he seems to enjoy shocking us. That really is a disappointment.” Kakashi shook his head sadly.


Iruka and the rest of the room turned their heads to see what Kakashi was going on about. They saw Sasuke staring shocked down at the blond head laying in his lap. Apparently Naruto had fallen asleep and fell into Sasuke’s lap, nose nuzzled against his abdomen. His legs were curled up and a tan hand reached out to grip Sasuke’s shirt. Sasuke thought he was… adorable! And with that thought, the pride the fallen Uchiha clan felt earlier crashed harshly into the ground.


Sasuke looked up when he noticed the silence. “Hn.” Again with the dark glare, Sasuke dared his friends to say anything.


Hinata took the hint the young lord so subtly threw at them and redirected the conversation. “Well, obviously Naruto is still recovering. To think that he was using Kyuubi’s chakra for nearly three weeks… amazing.” She shook her dark head and then smiled shyly, “Kakashi, I think you should enlightened the rest of us, all the same.”


At the muttered agreements, Kakashi did just that.


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“Lord Hokage, you summoned me?” A young Kakashi asked, bowing low to his lord and mentor.


“Ah, Kakashi. Yes. I need your help. I have discovered a way to end this.” Minato paused, looking at his only remaining student carefully. The boy seemed exhausted, blood spotted his clothing and his face. The Hokage could see a slight twitching under the head band covering the boy’s left eye. He had been over using the Sharingan. Minato closed his eyes. This had to stop.


“Of course, my lord. Anything.” The Hokage’s own state of exhaustion didn’t go unnoticed by the Hatake genius either.


“Jiraiya has located a sealing jutsu that I have adapted to fit the circumstances and power of the fox.” Once again Minato stopped. Kakashi looked up concerned. It was alike his teacher to be anything but one hundred percent confident, why the sudden insecurity.


“In order for the sealing to be accomplished, I will need to seal the demon into a newborn baby.” Kakashi looked as though he was going to interrupt, the Hokage held up his hand and pushed on, “I will also need to sacrifice my life as part of the bargain with Death, for allowing me to combined our powers to end this nightmare.”


“What? No! There must be another way, sensei. There is, we just need to look harder.” Minato smirked, Kakashi must be exhausted, that was more outward emotion than he had seen in the boy in a long time.


“Kakashi, there is no other way and even if there was another way out there, would you have me wait while more and more people died in order to find it. I became Hokage because I love this village and all of its people. By wearing these robes I have taken on the responsibility to protect all those who look up to me. In order to live up to that responsibility, I knew I had to be willing to sacrifice everything I am, including my life.” Minato looked to Kakashi, praying that he would see understanding and support, he really didn’t have much time left.


“Of course… sensei. You mentioned a baby? Will it die too? Where is this unfortunate babe?”


Minato chuckled humorously, “As luck would have it, I became a father today.”


Kakashi wrapped his arms around his middle, “Nooo.” The word was moaned out. The Hokage had been so excited when he learned of his impending fatherhood and now, in one day, he was walking to his death and using his precious child as a living cage to a rabid beast. “There must be… must… another way.”


“Kakashi, that is enough. Kushina died early this morning giving birth my son.” Minato stopped to breathe deeply, “I need you to fetch the boy and bring him to me in the forest east of the village where Kyuubi was last seen. Kakashi, look at me.” The Hokage ordered softly.


Kakashi looked up, pain evident in his uncovered eye. “My son will live. He will be a hero. Because of him, we all will be saved. I need you to be strong now, stronger than you have ever been. We will both need you, now and later.”


Kakashi could do nothing but nod and leave the office.


Later, Kakashi raced through the forest. The bundle in his arms so light he could barely believe that it held a living person. He was so fragile, so easily hurt, so easily killed, how could he possibly withstand holding Kyuubi’s power.


Kakashi slowed down as he approached the clearing where he knew Minato was waiting for him. He walked slowly up to the Hokage. The man’s blond head was bent forward and Kakashi would swear that he could almost see the weight of the world on the man’s broad shoulders. Hearing his approaching student, the Hokage looked up, smile splitting over his face.


“Ah, Kakashi, there you are! And my precious chibi.” Kakashi handed the baby gently to his father, “Isn’t he the most beautiful thing you have even s-seen?” Kakashi eyes grew wide at the show of emotion. Sensei couldn’t do this. He had to stop this.


“Sensei, please….” he began.


“Kakashi, leave. Leave and don’t come back until you can no longer feel my chakra.”


“But, sensei…”


“I said LEAVE NOW! That is an order.” Minato cradled the baby in his arms and with one last look at Kakashi, turned his back on his silver hair student and never looked back.


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“I watched as the Kyuubi roared and the forest was ripped about by harsh chakra backlash. Later, after I could no longer feel Kyuubi’s or the Fourth’s chakra, I went to find the baby. I didn’t expect him to be alive. I didn’t expect anything to be alive. When I reached the center of the destruction, Minato lay dead, but the baby was no where to be seen. We looked everywhere, for weeks. In the end, the Third was forced to concede that Minato had been wrong and the baby had died. The Third decreed that how the demon had been stopped wouldn‘t be made public knowledge. Without being able to produce the dead baby, he feared people wouldn‘t believe the demon threat was over. Soon, we all moved on. I mourned my teacher and his son, and soon I came here.”


Kakashi looked up, “And that is all I know.”


Kiba broke the ponderings of those in the room, “So, Naruto is Minato Namikaze’s son. The Fourth’s son. Holy shit.”


“I’m afraid I’m going to have to agree with Kiba’s statement.” Shikamaru muttered, closing his eyes, “It’s so very troublesome.”


Sasuke for his part just stared down at the sleeping dobe in his lap. Occasionally Naruto would whimper in his sleep, snuggling closer to Sasuke. Sasuke had taken to running his long fingers through the golden silk of Naruto’s hair. Finally he looked up.


“Now we know where Naruto gets his power from. I want some theories on how Naruto is able to manipulate chakra through will alone. I thought hand signs were fundamental in channeling chakra out of the body. Furthermore, have you noticed the way he can just turn it off. When I gather that much chakra, let’s say in chidori, it has to go somewhere, I can’t just call it back.”


Neji stood from his chair, “It’s imposs…”


“Don’t! Do not finish that sentence. From now on I will not hear that word. You can all add it to the “Words Not to Say List” after Itachi and before Sakura. Obviously it is possible, we, in all our ‘genius’, ” Everyone in the room looked at Kakashi, Neji and Sasuke “just haven’t seen it before.”


“Imagine being given all that power with no one ever telling you what you could and couldn’t do. In fact, your only ‘advisor’ told you just to think it and make it happen. You would be left to experiment and define your own boundaries and limits. No preconceive notions, no fear of failure. It’s no wonder his ability and potential are beyond anything we have seen.” The room looked at Shino. No one had ever, EVER, heard him say that much.


Any reply was cut off as a blood curdling scream penetrated the air.


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Naruto lay against the bars of Kyuubi’s cage, enjoying the warmth the fire demon provided him. He smiled, “I think that went well. I almost can’t believe it.”


Kyuubi smirked down at his kit. Maybe he finally found someplace to belong.


Suddenly Naruto sat up.


“What kit?”


“The clone I left at Orochimaru’s castle… I’m getting his memories, I had totally forgotten about him. He lasted so long…” Naruto cut off with a gasp. Kyuubi could feel the anxiety and fear facing through his kits mind.


“Oh no, no, no, no…” Tears started to stream down Naruto’s cheeks.


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The clone stayed in his room for a week and a half before a rather rude female servant knocked on his door, “Get up and out of this room, you monster! You’re ‘vacation’ is over.”


The clone got out of bed and headed to the main hall. He knew that if he was within Orochimaru’s immediate vicinity that he would ‘poof’ away, Naruto was unable to maintain chakra around the snake, including clones. He walked past a dark hallway only to be grabbed, harshly by the wrist. He looked into red eyes.


“Ah, Naruto is just full of interesting surprises.” The monotone voice stated. The clone felt something squeeze his wrist. He looked down to see a chakra fused bracelet locked around his wrist. Time to go, he thought and attempted to return to Naruto, he had lasted as long as he could. Nothing happened. He looked up in surprise.


“Oh, you won’t be going anywhere soon.” The clone shuddered as he was pulled away.


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The next thing the clone knew he was in a dungeon chair, staring up at Orochimaru and Itachi.


“My, my, Itachi, this is interesting. My sweet Naruto isn’t quite as smart as I gave him credit for. As if this would have fooled me.” Orochimaru walked slowly up to the clone who was by now tied to a chair. The snake bent down until he could whisper in the clone’s ear. “I know how this jutsu works, its weakness and its strengths. I know that I cannot hurt you without you disappearing back to the little monster. But I also know that everything you see and experience also goes back with you.” The clone could feel the evil smirk, even if he could not see it. Orochimaru stood and backed up a step.


“Itachi, let’s send little Naruto our warmest greetings.”


“It would be my pleasure.”


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The clone lifted his head when he heard a shuffle in the hallway outside his cell. Orochimaru walked in, smile across his disgusting face. Following him was a tall, thin man and a petite, doe eyed woman the clone recognized as the cook and his wife. Then came a blank faced, emotionless Itachi, but his eyes, oh god, such sadistic anticipation.


The cook and his wife had always been kind to Naruto, perhaps the only ones in the castle. He would always make sure that Naruto received food and had even taught Naruto to cook his beloved ramen. The wife would come to his room and take care of him after his many encounters with those who would hurt him. The clone could remember the feel of her gentle hands as they pushed his hair back from his face in the way he always imagined a mother might.


They were both bound and gagged. Orochimaru looked at them with all the concern of someone looking at a cockroach. The smile had yet to leave his face.


“Before we begin, I want you to know that everything that happens to you is his fault.” He nodded toward the clone. “He is a monster and you are being punished because of that.”


The man tried to say something, so Itachi roughly yanked the gag off. “He is not a monster! You are!”


“Ah, this is going to be fun.” Orochimaru sneered. The clone’s eyes widen when Itachi began to chuckle.


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For the next two and a half weeks the clone watched as the cook and his wife were subjected to every form of humiliation and torture the two black haired men could imagine. He watched as the cooks forearms were skinned bare. He watched as Itachi captured them in his wicked eyes, performing unknown horrors on them. He watched as they were released only to fall to the floor, silent screams tearing out of their throats.


He watched as the wife was brutely raped repeatedly by Itachi and Orochimaru and when they were tired, by foreign objects of all shapes and sizes. The clone listened as the husband screamed out for them to stop, words that could barely be heard over the woman’s screams and the tormenters moans and laughter. The clone watched as they then turned their sick sights on the cook. Subjecting him to everything he had just watched his wife endure.


He watched as the young couple’s fingernails were wrenched from their fingers and toes and then as the fragile appendages were pulled back until a sick crack could be heard over the tears and weaker and weaker screams.


At night, Itachi and Orochimaru would leave the clone alone with the two beaten and broken people. Tears slid out of his eyes as the couple attempted to hold and comfort each other without hurting one another in the process.


Finally the end came. Orochimaru entered the cell, walking directly to the misshapen cook. “Do you still believe he isn’t a monster?” Orochimaru hissed.


“No, you are. You’re sick! Sick and I’ll see you in hell.” The man rasped out, blood and spittle hitting Orochimaru’s face.


“Hn. And now?” The three occupants turned to Itachi who had the wife in his arms, knife gleaming against her bruised neck. Her once lively, innocent eyes were dead.


“No, please don’t! Yes, he’s a monster! A monster! Please don’t.” Tears streamed down the man face.


“That’s all Naruto needed to hear.” With that, Itachi slit the young woman throat. Before her husband could scream, Orochimaru had snapped his neck.


“Ah… well, now. I think that about wraps up our message, wouldn’t you say Itachi.”


“Hn.”

“Naruto, my sweet, I’ll be seeing you soon… and your little traveling companion.”


“Say hello to my foolish little brother.“


With that, Orochimaru shoved his hand through the clones chest.


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Naruto woke up screaming. He pushed himself off Sasuke’s lap, landing hard on the floor. He tried to stand, but just fell to his knees, his legs unable to hold him up in his horror. After several failed attempts, Naruto scrambled to the trash container like a man possessed and vomited violently, tears, sick and sobs choking him.


The room looked on, paralyzed at Naruto’s actions. Sasuke ran to his side. Naruto was still attempting to be sick, but nothing was left to come up. Sasuke paled as he noticed the blood running down Naruto’s chin.


“Naruto…” Sasuke whispered, wrapping his arms tenderly around the shaking boy.


Naruto finally looked up, meeting Sasuke’s concerned charcoal eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks, sobs making it hard to breathe, but he managed to choke out, “H-he knows…. They know I’m h-here… And they know about R-Ryuu.”


Naruto lost consciousness and lay limply in the lords arms.