Chains of the Maelstrom

Prologue: Chains

Konohagakure no Sato

The rain was pouring the night, the orphanage kicked him out. The night of the Kyūbi festival, in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Naruto Uzumaki is four years old, and hated by almost every adult, within the ninja village. He does not know why he is hated, for him hatred is as the sun in the sky; there, and why it is there is an irrelevant question. Tonight, he was kicked out of the orphanage, and told never to return. That happened about four hours ago, and it was the nicest activity to occur, this night.

The orphanage threw him out very close to sunset. Naruto wandered around, as the Sun sank closer to the horizon. The people were different tonight than normal, when he studied their faces, the hatred was there as always, but most of the times before tonight it was coupled with indifference. Not this night, on this night when Naruto considered the faces of the civilians of Konoha, something else was in their eyes. He did not know what to call it, but somewhere in the dark recesses of his mind, he knew that tonight, harm was coming his way.

The Daystar disappeared to the other side of the planet, indifferent to what it's disappearance would cause. The revelation that harm was on its way, had lent wings to Naruto, as he raced for the Hokage Tower. He never made it. The journey from the orphanage, to the most powerful places in the village, was epic for his four-year-old legs. He made it as far as the park that was a third of the way there, when a crowd numbering fourteen, surrounded the last Uzumaki in Konoha. Made up mostly of civilians, there were some ninja, all from civilian families, sprinkled into the mix, though none higher than Chunin. The rain was now coming down in sheets, and the lightning providing all the illumination there would be tonight.

It began with the crowd closing in on the doomed, little boy. They began to shove him, though that soon turned to punches, which knocked him to the ground, soon they began taking turns kicking, and stomping on him. The only thing, Naruto could do was cover his head, close his eyes, and pray it would end soon, one way or another.

Mindscape

Naruto's eyes open, blurry for a second. He is resting in what appeared to be liquid of some kind. He gazed up at the ceiling, that had pipes and valves intermittently. He sat up and looked around, the walls appeared to be concrete, with interlocking stone slabs. Naruto did not know where he was, no matter where he sat, he was relieved to be away from that mob.

Naruto heard heavy breathing coming from down the corridor and debated with himself whether to follow the sound or not. He had just gotten out of a bad situation; he did not need to go looking for another one. Yet, whomever was making that sound, even if they were as bad as the mob, would at least know a way out of here. Uncertainly, Naruto travelled through the passageway, out of the gloom huge metallic columns came into view. They were obviously a part of some cage but meant to retain something huge. In the center of the section of bars, a weird drawing on a metallic plate could be found.

Naruto stood gazing at the drawing; he could not remember but he has seen it somewhere before. There was a puff of air, like a small inhalation, then a deeper mouthful, followed by a long blow out. Naruto felt the gust of air stream past him, back down the hallway. From the gloom of the cage, a voice snapped out at him, "So, my container has come to speak with me, at last." Naruto scrambled back into the wall, well away from the cage. Naruto stood as far as he could get from the cage, but he still had to tilt his head to look up at the largest animal, he in his four years of life has ever seen. That it was a fox was obvious.

Plucking up his courage, "Who… are… you?"

The fox considered the boy before it, He doesn't know we're in his mind, since its imprisonment the Kyūbi no kitsune has witnessed the animosity the village had toward its container. Confusing the container for the contained, was a mark of ignorance, and condemning a kit like Naruto a form of cowardice. Kyūbi really did not care about Naruto, except for the fact that if Naruto died, Kyūbi would die as well, good thing nobody outside the Hokage and the elders when they were still in power, knew that or the boy and I would be dead a long time ago. Thus, with a small expenditure of its own type of bijuu-chakra called yoki, kyūbi no kitsune would heal the wounds of its jailer. "I cannot tell you, my name. I have been trapped here for so long… I have forgotten it."

Naruto looked at the face of the fox but could not tell if the fox was lying or telling the truth. "How long was that," Naruto asked?

The giants fox' head drooped, "I've been trapped since, your First Hokage, I believe."

Naruto's eyes widened, though he did not know much about the history of the village, he knew enough to know the Shodaime was Old Man Sarutobi's sensei, the Third Hokage. Who was at least the oldest person in the village? "Wow, you're older than, old man Sarutobi," Naruto yelled, "you've been here since then?

The fox's own eyes widen, "has it been so long," it whispered?

Naruto looked upon the fox in sympathy, "How were you trapped down here in the first place," Naruto asked?

"It was a man with red eyes, then my mind was cloudy, all my thoughts were muddled. The next thing I know, I'm here trapped in this cage," the fox said with a growl.

"Is there any way to open the cage, and let you out, kitsune-san," Naruto asked in resolution?

"Why would you want to know that, kit," the fox asked, a fleeting hope entering its voice?

Naruto looked at Kyūbi like he was looking at an idiot, "because, I'm gonna free you, of course."

Kyūbi rose to its full height, "Why would you do that for me, we have only just met," it asked, doubt in its voice?

Naruto nodded, "I'm not doing it out of the kindness of my heart," he said, "I'm doing it, because we can help each other out. You help me, I help you."

The fox grunted, He's not as gullible as I thought, "What do you want to let me out of this cage," it asked warily?

"I don't want anything, except a ride out of this village," Naruto declared.

The fox was taken aback, so many times humans have only ever thought of it as a battery, demon, or a weapon, no one has ever asked it to help them escape. Well, death is a sort of escape, especially from the kind of life this kit has had. "Deal, kit, set me free, and you will escape your life in this Kami-forsaken village," it extended a claw the size of a tree trunk through the bars of its cage.

Naruto neared the cage, took the tip of the claw, and shook. Well, more like his arm shook, the claw did not budge. If Kyūbi allowed as much it would have bisected the kit. "Now," how do I free you," Naruto looked up at the bars inspecting them for weaknesses.

Kyūbi raised his claw up to the metallic plate, with the paper with the drawing on it. "This is known as the eight trigrams seal, it is what keeps me locked away," it explained.

Naruto nodded, you cannot live in a ninja village and not know what seals are. "If I pull this seal off it'll free you," Naruto asked for confirmation?

"Yes," the fox replied, "just reach over and peel it like a sticker," it said eying the little boy intensely. And, do not worry, kit, the demon fox thought, as soon as you free me, I shall take revenge for both of us upon the village. I shall strike down with terrible vengeance and furious anger, those who have sought to destroy us. When I am finished not one stone, in the village shall stand atop another! And, I shall leave alive only those, who treated you with respect!

Naruto reached up and took hold of a corner. The seal flared bright then, flashing brightly causing him to flinch back. Two pairs of arms grabbed him, and roughly pulled him away from the seal. He struggled valiantly, and the Kyūbi roared in frustration, at being so close to freedom, only to have it stolen away. Naruto looked at the two holding him, he believed it was another group coming to beat him again. Until he heard what they were saying to him, words he had heard before, but never directed at him.

"Not so fast, my son," said a rich, loving bass.

"Oh no you don't, baby boy," a clear, warm, feminine tenor added.

Those words stopped his resistance immediately, as he looked, and saw a man and woman holding him by the shoulders. He only recognized the man as his idol, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. For a second Naruto thought he was looking in a mirror, because the Namikaze looked quite a bit like him, except for the eye color, which were blue, he had spiky, blond hair, and his face was without whisker-marks. Minato also had jaw-length bangs framing either side of his face, only the shape of the face was different. He saw the face whenever he looked at Hokage Rock. His attire consisted of a standard Konoha uniform with two bands on both of his sleeves, a green flak jacket, blue forehead protector, and blue sandals. The Fourth Hokage, also wore a short-sleeved long white haori over his normal attire, closed in the front by a thin, orange rope. The haori was decorated by red flame-like motifs on the edges. "Lord Fourth Hokage, what're you doing here?"

"Is that anyway to speak to your dad, Naruto," the woman asked, a slight smile on her face? Which brought Naruto's head whipping around, to stare at the woman. It was there that he found the rest of his face, including his violet eyes, still without birthmarks. She had a slender, but feminine build, fair skin, violet eyes, and tomato red hair that reached her ankles, and shoulder-length strands that framed both sides of her face and a black clip that parted her hair to the left. She wore a high-collared, sleeveless blouse under a long, loose-fitting dress with a wristband on her left wrist and standard shinobi sandals.

Naruto's head kept swiveling, between the two-people holding him away from the cage. "The Fourth Hokage, is my father?"

"Yes, Naruto, and I'm your mother, Uzumaki Kushina," the woman answered. "Now, we do not have much time, so I will tell you the story of the Nine-tailed Fox, and the sacred duty, we, as Jinchuriki, bare. Your father will tell you about the events of the night of your birth."

That was where Naruto found out about his heritage, and who his parents were. The fox did not lie to him even once, it merely omitted certain parts that would have changed Naruto's opinion of Kyūbi no kitsune. They told him, they were in his mindscape, and how it worked, including the time difference. The longer they talked to him, the weaker they became. "What's happening to you, mom," he looked from her to Minato, "dad?"

"We are just chakra constructs, created by the real Minato before his death," the avatar of his dad, explained, "the chakra we were given is fading, we can't remain with you for much longer."

"No, no," Naruto yelled frantically, trying to hold them, "I need you, your help, you can't come into my life like this and just leave, again!" Naruto's pupils changed becoming vertical slits, like a cat's or fox's, and an orange-reddish aura infused his 'body'. He lashed out arresting the disappearance of his parental avatars, then behind them a blue fire came racing up from the passageways and captured them. The energies merged, becoming violet, and enshrouding them for several seconds. When they emerged, they were full, and substantial, appearing even more solid than when they came out of the seal. They looked at each other, and themselves, feeling their own 'bodies', Kushina groped and goosed herself, she even gave her own backside a smack.

Their eyes were wide, and Naruto lay slumped to the floor, as whatever he had done took a lot out of him. Kushina looked from her son to her husband, the question in her eyes. Minato looked back in wonder, "We appear to have been brought back to life, dear. Our son, was somehow able to access his own chakra and the kyūbi's yoki, got them to merge and infused that energy with our own chakra. There must have been enough of our own chakra left to allow it to bring us back." Minato put two fingers on his wrist, "we have a pulse," he brought his hand up to his face and exhaled, then stuck a finger in his mouth, "we breathe, and our bodies are moist. We are alive here, as if reborn into a new world."

They gazed in wonder at the boy they brought into the world, who had apparently just returned the favor. They would get a second chance to raise their son. What they did not understand was why he would need them. Naruto should be living the life of a hero within the village, which was what Minato intended when he sealed Kyūbi into his son. That was Minato's intention at least, however, Kushina knew some of the realities of being a Jinchuriki. Their son was out completely, their only source of information was Kyūbi. Since, Kushina was its container before her son, she decided to get some answers from the one other source in the room, it was also time to deal some judicious punishment for almost killing their son.

Minato turned to his wife and nodded, before heading over to check on his son. As, Kushina stalked ominously into Kyubi's cell. The mindscape was their world now, and Naruto was its master. It was an interesting dynamic, as far as Minato knew no other parent they knew, could tell what their children were thinking. Of course, no other beings have ever been brought back to life or a semblance of it, at least no beings they personally knew.

Meanwhile, at her husband's nod, Naruto's mother entered the cage. She looked up at it, while cracking her knuckles ominously. "Now, fuzz-ball, you are going to tell me about my son's life.

Reality

Naruto lay moaning, as the crowd beat him and beat him. It was only the healing factor provided by Kyūbi and his own Uzumaki resiliency, that kept him alive. The ANBU and Uchiha Police Force (UP-Force) were seconds away, the Hokage had been watching the whole village, when she noticed the disturbance in the park. She had been using the crystal ball jutsu, and witnessed what was happening, with disbelieving eyes. Her own people beating upon a small child, some were even ninja, who should know better. While the antipathy of the village toward its Jinchuriki was expected, this was a blatant attempt on Naruto's life. She had immediately dispatched a squad (six ninja) of ANBU, and someone else must have alerted the UP-Force.

UP-Force was officially called, the Konoha Military Police Department, but made up exclusively of one clan, the Uchiha. They were called by many names: Uchiha Police Force, Uchiha Police, UPF, but the most common name for them was UP-Force. They enforced the Laws of Konoha, protecting the village and citizen's, civilian and ninja alike, from the criminals of the village. Ninja often handled criminals on their missions, and could if pushed, do the same here in Konoha, but while here in the village most shinobi and kunoichi, preferred to let UP-Force handle it. ANBU and UPF caught sight of each other, though not a requirement, many UP-Force ninja came from ANBU, before fulfilling their clan duty, and thus knew how to work together.

The two forces that ensured peace, and security reigned in Konohagakure no Sato, came in sight of the mob. UP-Force moved to encircle the crowd from the north, ANBU deployed to the south. They were poised to strike, when something happened. In the blink of an eye a pair of chains shot from the battered, bloody, little boy, skewering two of his assailants in the neck. The UP-Force and ANBU turned to see Naruto on his feet, eyes blazing in vengeance, another pair of chains whipped around to wrap themselves around the necks of two Chunin. The chains lifted the struggling ninja off the ground, ringing their necks like chickens, then began using their dead bodies as bludgeons. These Chunin, while alive weighed about 150 and 125 pounds. Naruto's chains were flinging them around like dolls. Naruto took out another four assailants while holding his makeshift weapons, then threw them into another pair, delivering a ballistic level of lethal force. The last two, seeing that their victim was not as helpless as they had hoped tried to run, only to run head long into the two official, security forces of the Leaf Village. They surrendered to the Konoha forces rather than face the wrath of a demon.

Meanwhile at Hokage tower, the Fifth Hokage had watched the whole thing. When it happened, Fifth Hokage, Mikoto Uchiha, aka, Devil Woman (because of the power of her katonjutsu), and a certain implacable ruthlessness, that Counselors, clients, and the other Kage have come to respect, almost dropped the crystal ball. She remembered a similar technique, exactly four years ago, by Mikoto's best friend, Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze, just before she died. In a fugue state, the Hokage set the ball down, "ANBU, on me," she ordered curtly, before stepping out of the window!

Back at the scene, the rain finally stopped, the security forces of Konoha were securing the area, and Naruto was getting checked out by medic ninja. Naruto lay unmoving on the stretcher, except his chest heaving like a bellows. His body was exhausted, after expending so much chakra reviving his parents. The chains had retracted into his body, while not draining on his chakra were still physically draining upon his skin and bones body. Only two of his assailants had survived his retaliation, they were in custody, awaiting transport to the gaol. "How are you feeling, Naruto," his mother asked him within his mind?

"Still, tired mom, like I have been running all day instead of just a few hours," he replied.

"Running in fear and running for other reasons is different, son," his father supplied. Naruto nodded, as he listened to the revived Minato, "Not to mention, returning us to life, in a manner of speaking, and then using the Uzumaki Bloodline Limit: Adamantine Chains, to protect yourself. I think that would have exhausted me and your mother in our prime." Naruto's father continued explaining his thoughts.

Kushina was nodding, adding her own observations, "They may not use any chakra, but the chains still take a toll on physical endurance, they're the equivalent of swinging your fists for a punch."

After recovering from the exhaustion in his mind, and after Kyūbi was punished for manipulating Naruto, they talked and taught Naruto how to control his mindscape. He altered the scape, to make it a more pleasant environment. He altered it to mimic the Konoha forest, it was the only landscape he knew, and formed his parents a home to their specifications. They learned that food produced in his mind, was as nourishing to them as food in the outer world is to Naruto. In addition to Naruto's actual memory which he would develop, Minato and Kushina would record his day from waking to sleep and create an easily accessible archive. Minato and Kushina would share Naruto's senses, and act as a secondary memory archive. That would be their daily task, outside of training him.

They would train him in their ways of the ninja. Kushina would train him in Uzumaki kenjutsu, taijutsu, fuinjutsu, kekkei genkai, chakra control, and other traditions of Uzumaki. Minato would train him in Namikaze taijutsu, fuinjutsu, including the Hiraishin, and help complete the Rasengan, and other Namikaze traditions. Both would teach him ninjutsu they knew, depending upon Naruto's nature affinity.

They made three covenants, while talking to their son. They promised the training would be harsh and they would be tough on him, but it would benefit him. They get to see all his thoughts and memories, Naruto could not keep secrets from them, therefore they promised never to keep secrets from him. They promised to raise him with love, whether outside his mind or in, they were his parents and expected Naruto to listen to them.

There was a disturbance near the edge of the park, Naruto turned to look, and there standing on the edge of the park, was the Hokage. Kushina gasped, "Koto-chan, is the Hokage of the village?" Kushina remembered seeing her in some of Naruto's memories, but never paid attention to anything beyond how it pertained to her son.

"Yes," Naruto confirmed, "I don't know when she became Hokage, but she has been making changes," he explained.

Mikoto demoted the Civil Council, to below the Clan Council, they are now only there to administer the non-ninja citizens. They are the bureaucracy that keeps Konoha running. They collect the taxes from civilian businesses, but no longer set them. Process applications for starting a business, and collect processing fees, again they do not set the fees. They run the day-to-day procedures that keep the village economy healthy and administer the civil court, for issues not of a criminal nature. They answer to the Clan Council, who enforce the Hokage's laws, and decrees.

The Clan Council also acts as a criminal court, the only civil matters they hear are those concerning ninja, mediate disputes between clans, and any other shinobi business, including the Academy. They oversee the education of prospective young ninja, it is tough now to graduate, but the caliber of Genin had been raised according to many ninja, and even some civilians.

Minato was laughing his ass off; the Civil Council were a thorn in his side from the time he took office until his death. The Civil Council is essential to the health of the village, since they allowed ninja to be free to conduct ninja matters. Minato never thought of demotion. Naruto continued, "That's not all the changes since your deaths. Old man, Danzo was caught with some kind of root, and killed for something called… sediton…"

"Sedition," Minato asked?

"Yeah, that's the word, sedition. Anyway, she said she couldn't trust them anymore, and had the elders retired, she's been looking for their replacements, ever since. So far only old man Sarutobi was choosed." So, Danzo was still running ROOT right under my nose. Minato explained to Naruto what ROOT was and why it was officially cancelled.

"How is it, you know so much about the village, you are only four," his mother asked?

"Before tonight, most people would pretend I wasn't there, and talk as if I wasn't. I remembered what they said," Naruto explained.

Their entire conversation took place at the speed of thought, the Hokage still at the entrance to the park, was just starting over toward Naruto. As she neared him, Mikoto could not get over how frail he was, as if he had not eaten in some days, and the rags that passed for clothes on his thin frame. The orphanage, she had placed him in was reputed to be the best in the Leaf, she tried to stay abreast of his condition through reports. Uchiha Mikoto had tears in her eyes, when she looked at her godson. All civilian advocates, who were members of the Civil Council, were responsible for a specific district in Konoha, and the Hokage specifically tasked the advocate of the district, which contained the orphanage Naruto lived in, with making sure of his well-being. Mikoto received weekly reports that exclaimed, the health and happiness of Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, apparently, she had been lied to, by Advocate Oshiro. The orphanage where Naruto lived, received a stipend from his parent's estate, to take care of his needs. "UP-Force Lieutenant," she roared!

Uchiha Shisui (19) shun-shinned to her side, "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"I want the administrator of Oak Leaf Children's Home in this park in thirty minutes," she commanded. That would give the civilian plenty of time to get here.

"At once, Hokage-sama," he shun-shinned away.

"Raven," she barked!

A short ANBU ninja with a Raven mask (11) appeared next to her, "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Please, ask the leader of the Senju, to come here, then go get Advocate Oshiro, I have some pointed questions for him, have him wait outside my office. Ask Ibiki, to wait with him," she commanded.

"As you command, Hokage-sama," Raven replied.

Mikoto moved to sit next to her godson. She could not look at him, feeling so guilty for failing her best friend. She read the statement Naruto gave the UP-Force and ANBU commanders but had questions of her own. "Naruto, please, tell me what happened tonight, from beginning to end." Therefore, he told her everything that happened outside of his head tonight. His eviction from the orphanage, his perception of the change of the citizen's reception of him. His attempt to make it to Hokage Tower, when the attack started. He told her how he defended himself from the attack with the chains. "Those chains are what I want to talk about, Naruto. They remind me of…"

"Of what, Koto-chan," Naruto asked whispering for her ears only?

The Hokage's eyes went wide, her mouth agape as she looked at him. He was staring straight ahead, only peeking up at her to see if she understood. Only three people have ever called me, 'Koto-chan' and then, only as a code, when we couldn't communicate in the open, and of those three, only two were yet living. The only others who knew of it, were her teammates and their sensei, Mikoto looked up as an older kunoichi shun-shinned into the park.

Tsunade of the Senju, member of the Clan Council, and administrator of the Konoha Shinobi Hospital, also the most knowledgeable physician of the Elemental Nations. Quickly suppressing her expression, "excuse me, Naruto," Mikoto stood up face expressionless. Making her way to her sensei, Mikoto Uchiha began addressing her mentor. "Tsuna-chan, would you do me a favor, and give Naruto here a check-up."

Tsunade nodded, "Of course, Koto-chan," she answered in the same manner, remembering her team's mode of address, when open communication was impossible. It meant they needed to speak in private. Tsunade's eyebrow arched, using our Team code to let me know, she wanted to speak privately. She could order me to her office, which is the most secure facility in Hidden Leaf Village, that means it's team business, not village.

Tsunade began channeling green, medical chakra, then passed it through Naruto's body. Her initial surprise at her student's mode of address, was erased in shock at the condition of this little boy's body. "When was the last time you ate something, son," it was rhetorical, her chakra told her exactly how long ago he ate? She leaned forward and pulled Naruto into a hug. Then turned to a nearby UPF officer, pointing at her, "You, go to Ichiraku's ramen stand and get a large bowl of miso, UPF can bill the Senju estate." The UPF officer turned to the Hokage, who nodded her confirmation.

Lady Uchiha drew close, eyes questioning the doctor, "What can you tell me about his condition, sensei?"

Tsunade remained kneeling before Naruto, staring into his eyes. Naruto was loving all the attention; he rarely got any but negative. "Other than the fact he hasn't eaten for three days," she said looking up at Mikoto directly, "he's very healthy, not even a bruise. We can think his tenant for that," she said, quietly.

Mikoto turned to Naruto, I have failed you, Kushina-chan, she wrapped Naruto in her arms, and quietly allowed her tears to fall. "I thought, I was doing the right thing for you, Naruto. I have been lazy in my duty to you as my godson, Naruto. I thought my trust was well-placed in those I detailed to take care of you, I was wrong." Mikoto sobbed into his chest, the ANBU and UP-Force ninja pointedly ignoring the leader's weak moment.

"It's okay, Hokage-sama even a kid like me understands you have a whole village to care for, you don't have time to take care of me," Naruto said in forgiveness, returning her hug. The UPF officer returned shortly with his ramen, and set it before Naruto, whose nose twitched at the smell of food. He set to and devoured this food of the god's in minutes. He let out a contented sigh, and burped, which made him blush and said, "Excuse me, ladies," causing the women to smile.

"Thank you for your consideration, Naruto," Mikoto said back, "We'll have to find you a better place to live, once I'm done…" she turned her head, as Uchiha Shisui entered the park, he indicated the person the Hokage wanted to see was behind, getting checked for weapons, and other deadly implements, "…taking out the garbage," she hissed. Turning back to the head of the Senju clan, "Please, conceal Naruto out of the way, while I attend to this, sensei," the Hokage ordered the Clan Head.

Tsunade had been briefed on the reason Naruto was in the park, It's a good thing I ain't the Hokage, I would just as soon kill the bitch, as listen to her excuses. She took Naruto back behind a brick wall and sat him down next to her.

They could not see what was going on, but they could hear everything. They listened as footsteps came timidly up the path. "Ah, Inoue-kun, welcome, please have a seat."

Another bout of shuffling later, and a different voice, one Naruto knew quite well. "Th… thank you, Hokage-sama," the voice of a middle-aged woman replied, the voice sounded different than it normally would, to Naruto it was hesitant and soft, usually when directed at him, it was either raised in anger, or it hissed with venom. "The word you're looking for son, is meek," Minato's voice growled in his mind. Kushina was off in the back of his mind, ranting, which she had been doing, since hearing how emaciated Naruto's body was. She was using words Naruto should not be listening to, he could also hear Kyūbi whimpering at the anger of his former host. "It's how bullies act around their betters, but the old bat better start covering her fat ass. I remember, Mikoto, she's my maternal cousin, and can see right through ass kissers. Even as a Genin, she could see through any bullshit flung in her direction. Minato was not much better than his wife, after hearing how the village chose to honor one of their heroes, his son. He was just better at concealing his feelings than Naruto's mother, and was not as quick to forgive the current Hokage as his son. He was also wondering where Naruto's godfather, Jiraiya was, if Mikoto could not look after Minato's son, then Minato's sensei should have.

There was a long silence, between the two women, "The reason, I called you here tonight, a prominent citizen was attacked tonight, and I'm here to clean up the mess. I was in the district and decided to take your weekly report in person." Mikoto's voice was disarming, she was waiting to see what lies, if any, the old woman would try to tell her, "so, how is Naruto tonight, it's his birthday after all? Turns four today, did you know that?"

"No, I did not know that, I've never put much stock in celebrating birthdays, no sense in accepting praise for doing nothing, but growing one year older, it coddles children if you do that," Inoue said, speaking down to the Hokage. This is where Naruto begins to rant in his mind, "What a big liar, just last week she threw a huge birthday, for one of the older kids at the orphanage, who had only been there a little while. I've lived there forever, she never throws me a party, all she ever does is yell at me when I am bad or ignore me. It's not fair, it's not fair…," he continues to rant in his mind, as tears roll down his face.

"Really, I am a mother too, you know," Mikoto asked? "I have two boys, eleven and four, one is already a ninja, and is considered the most powerful of his generation, the other is just starting his training, and already he is showing promise." Another silence fell between the two women, then, "besides, you were supposed to tell me about Naruto."

"Naruto is doing fine, he was being taken care of the last I saw of him," her voice dripped with satisfaction, as if she had done her duty to the village.

There was another pause, this one ominous, "Would you care to know the name of the prominent citizen, attacked here tonight, Inoue Kyou," Mikoto asked, a short pause followed, where they assumed the orphanage manager just nodded her head? "It was Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, Clan Head of the Uzumaki and Namikaze clans. The Uzumaki, together with the Senju, and the Uchiha, they helped found the Hidden Leaf Village. He is the son of my predecessor, the Yondaime, Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. Naruto is directly related to Tsunade of the Senju, and consequently Senju Hashirama, through his wife, Uzumaki-Senju Mito, and when Tsunade-sensei passes, because he is related to her via marriage, and we do not find another Senju, he will inherit the Senju clan. The only reason she did not take him in and raise him, herself, is because he has his own legacy, and they didn't want to distract him from it." Naruto was looking at the woman kneeling next to him, eyes wide as he looked at her to confirm what the Hokage was saying. Tsunade looked at him with a huge grin on her face, and nodded, put a finger to her lips to quiet his questions. "Why didn't you guys tell me, about this," Naruto asked his parental avatars?!

"We'll tell you as the secrets become relevant, Naruto, if we told you everything at once it would just overwhelm you," Minato explained.

"That's right, we'll tell you all our secrets as you need them," his mother continued, "you need to trust us to tell you what you need to know, when you need to know it."

"You're right, sorry mom," he submitted, "sorry dad." They mentally hugged him, making him feel warm.

The pause now was like a canyon, "Luckily, the attack on Naruto was thwarted, and all but two of his attackers were killed in the attack. They've been taken to Torture and Interrogation, it won't be long until we know every disloyal action they've ever performed, and who they performed them with, against our village. If Morino Ibiki is working tonight, they will tell us where their grandparents hide their money."

The night air was pregnant with menace, but the manager kept quiet, not intimidated enough at the veiled threat, leveled by the Hokage. If a veiled threat did not work, the Hokage decided to go for direct threats. "Now, that we know Naruto is not in your custody," the sound of Mikoto's voice shifted, "you will tell me, who told you to put him in harm's way tonight, or Morino-san's treatments will seem like a pleasant dream, compared to what I will do to you." They heard a choking sound coming from over the wall, Mikoto had obviously grabbed Inoue by the throat.

"Osh… Osh…" Inoue was trying to say a name, Mikoto loosened her hold, but did not let go, "Oshiro, he said nobody would care, and we would be doing the village a favor by getting rid of the boy," she was blubbering by now.

There was a crash to the dirt heard from behind the wall as the Hokage let go of the woman's throat, she coughed and inhaled rapidly. Then they heard a grunt of pain, then another, followed by three more in rapid succession. Tsunade and Naruto stood up just in time to see Uchiha Mikoto kicking the orphanage manager repeatedly. "You make me sick," the Hokage shrieked, "how many, how many other children have you deemed not worth your time? They've been through enough trauma, with the loss of their parents, and you who is entrusted to protect and care for them until they can fend for themselves, deem their lives not worth protecting!" By this time, Mikoto had begun to stomp Inoue Kyou in the face and gut. Mikoto was going in for more kicks when she felt a hand on her arm. Looking around with fire in her eyes and a snarl on her face.

It was Naruto looking at her with pleading eyes, "You're too pretty to let this woman make you do ugly things, Koto-chan. The Hokage is supposed to seek justice, not reap vengeance, believe it."

Mikoto closed her eyes and turned her face away from the woman groveling at her feet, as if she had just stepped in something, that she wanted to wipe off her shoe, "UP-Force, get this greedy, pig of a whore out of my sight, keep her safe and alive until she can act as a witness at Oshiro's trial," she yelled! Then she raised a hand, "she must be alive and able to speak to be a witness, she doesn't need to be ambulatory," she added with a smirk. "Inu," a silver haired ANBU captain appeared beside her, "send a message to Ibiki, he should be in my office, and Advocate Oshiro should be with him! Tell Ibiki to take Oshiro into custody, and during their conversation, let Ibiki know that he has my permission to be as exotic as he wishes, as long as Oshiro is competent to stand trial!" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before letting it out slowly, releasing her anger and contempt.

Mikoto turned to Naruto still clutching her arm, she took his hand in hers, "Naruto, please accompany me, I will be taking you to your new place of residence. Tsunade-sensei, please come with us, I think something momentous has occurred and I want you to verify it with me.

HOME

Three-people walked along a lane, leading into a residential neighborhood. The houses were close together, many sharing walls with their neighbors. While the neighborhood was not as affluent as the districts, around the Uchiha, and Senju Estates, it was still worlds better than the area around the orphanage.

They came to a five-meter-tall, by ninety-meter-long stone wall, which was broken up in the middle, by a six-meter tall, by three-meter-wide gate. This section housed a huge, wooden gate, it was plain and non-descript, without any form of ornamentation. The wall itself was unadorned, it was whitewashed from top to bottom, with wood paneling, half the height of the wall. The wall and the gate section were topped with a pointed eve-style roof.

Naruto's parents had grown quiet as they approached the gate. Naruto recognized it as the house, he conjured for them earlier tonight, while in his mindscape. Stopping in front of the gate the party of three, gazed at the enormous gate before them. Now, Minato and Kushina, began issuing instructions to him. "Bite the pad of your thumb, son," his father said. Naruto did as he was instructed, "Place your hand upon one of the doors," Minato continued. When he did, the doors glowed blue for a second or two, and when the light faded the door was ajar. "You may now, come and go as you please, without biting your thumb again," Minato informed his son.

Naruto may have been four, but he was a precocious four, perceptive, intuitive, and not a fool. "This was your house, wasn't it, mom and dad?"

"Yes, Naruto, this was where we lived as a couple, and where you would've grown up if we had lived," Kushina answered her son.

Naruto opened the door the rest of the way, allowing the Hokage and the leader of the Senju, to enter a ten-by-ten-by-six-meter area, stone courtyard, which led to the front door, a sliding door made of metal, which had a small oval on the door-frame, the oval was made of chakra metal, according to his parents. He closed his eyes, calling up his chakra, they instructed him, and he channeled his chakra into the oval. The door unlatched and slid open, and the gate closed behind them, "Now, you can enter and exit as you see fit, Naruto," his mother explained, "the house now recognizes you as its owner and master. Any seals placed on the grounds will respond only to you."

"Welcome home, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze," they chorused.

When Mikoto thought of a place for Naruto, her first thought was to bring him here, if he proved unable to enter, she would have found an apartment for him, elsewhere. Tsunade and Mikoto looked at Naruto, as he moved through the house like he had lived here all his life. They shared a look of astonishment, they had no idea how, but he seemed to have access to Minato and Kushina's knowledge. "Naruto," Mikoto said, "how do you know how to do all of this, you move around this house like you've lived here all your life, and that can't be true? No one has entered this house in four years, we've tried but the true owners of this house were seal masters of the highest order."

Naruto turned to look at the two women, and both his parent's sigh in his mind, "While, I don't think, it would be a good idea to let the public know your dead parents live in your mind," Kushina decided. "I can think of no two people, I've trusted more in my life than these two women, excepting your father, of course."

Minato added, "I feel the same, and add my sensei Jiraiya, and student Kakashi Hatake into the mix."

"You two really trust them," Naruto asked his parental avatars? He felt their nodding heads and sighed in acquiescence. "Okay, I will tell you, but only inside the house, will you please tell your ANBU bodyguards to wait outside, Hokage-sama? They may stay in the yard, but may not enter the house, until I am done revealing to you and Lady Tsunade, all that I am about to tell you." The Hokage summoned her ANBU detail and relayed the same instructions to them that Naruto asked her to.

Naruto showed the ladies in and looked around his new home. The foyer was sunken with clay tiles for flooring, and a shoe rack, there was also a crucifix nailed to the left wall, to bless those who entered. They took off their shoes, Naruto placed his in one of the racks, while the ladies left theirs neatly by the step, toes pointed in the direction of the door.

Together, they explored the rest of the house. It was a two-story dwelling, the entire ground floor had hard-wood flooring, and was set in a rectangular configuration. A short hallway straight ahead led them to the living room, which had a comforting feel to Naruto. Above the mantle over the fireplace, a pair of frames held some sort of designs, the one on the left kind of reminded him of the sun, the one on the right was a spiral. The furniture consisted of a Navy-blue 3-piece sectional, a plush chair the same color and a tan leather reclining-chair, they were surrounding a coffee table made of dark wood with two drawers.

Back at the entrance, they turned right, and went down a long hallway, at the end of which was a kitchen, that had everything a kitchen needed, including a breakfast nook. Turning left took them to a dining room, a compact, dining set, filled the space with a streamlined table, surrounded by four ladder backed chairs. There they found a sliding door, leading from the living room.

Opposite the entrance to the living room, another sliding door, led them into a 28-by-9-meter square room. There were more sliding doors, to the left and right, but directly ahead at the front of the room was a 2 Sword Display Stand, and on the top rack was a tsurugi, with a double-edged, black blade, and a tsuba, that was a replica of the sun-like design in the living room, and a white, ivory handle, carved like a dragon, the bottom-rack, held the sword sheath that followed, the design of the handle.

"Totsuka-no-Tsurugi," he heard his father breathe, "I've never used it because I was never interested in kenjutsu, but the Namikaze taijutsu can be used with or without a weapon. The empty-hand movements translate perfectly, to the use of our family blade."

"I remember when you would practice your kata, how fast your hands would move was breathtaking, Minato, my love," Kushina added, "I can't wait to try to combine the circular movements of Uzumaki taijutsu, and kenjutsu, with the speed of yours."

Naruto listened to his parents as they discussed the fighting arts of their respective clans. Their conversation occurring in his mind in less than a second, did not impinge upon his talks with the two women in his house. They returned to the living room, "Naruto, offer the Hokage, and Tsunade-sensei a drink, please," his mother asked him?

"Mother, any food here must be toxic waste by now," he reminded her.

"Not to worry, son, the preservation seals we place on all our storage compartments should still be holding strong," Minato explained, "any food and drink should remain viable for another ten years, regardless of sell by dates."

"Would either of you ladies, care for something to drink," Naruto asked his guests?

Thinking the same as Naruto regarding food viability, they quickly but politely declined. "We need to be getting back to our evenings, so please, let us get on with our discussion," Mikoto requested, while they got comfortable on the sectional, facing each other.

Naruto closed his eyes and formed his hand into a Ram seal, and said, "Kassei-ka suru!" The already strong privacy seals now became impregnable, and nobody outside knew it. "You wanted to know, how I knew so much about this house, and how I was able to use those chains, to fight off my attackers tonight, right," Naruto guessed?

"Yes," Mikoto replied, "as well as, how you knew to call me, 'Koto-chan'," Tsunade gasped, "to get my attention, and speak to me and any team 7 members, privately."

Tsunade spoke up at this, "Naruto, how did you know to do that, even if you were somehow able to see and read Team 7 mission reports, that way of saying Mikoto's name is not in any of those reports," Tsunade explained, "it was Team 7's covert way of communicating with each other, never was it an official form of communication. So, how did you know about it?"

"Because, my mother told me about it, when she saw you," he turned to the Hokage, "while looking at you through my eyes," Naruto replied, then turned to the other woman in the room to show the sincerity in his eyes. He could see they still did not believe him, so he gave more evidence, "Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato were married in a private ceremony, officiated by the Lord of the Fire Nation himself," he said, turning back to Mikoto, "you, were her maid of honor, and since she had no family, all of Team 7, gave her away."

"How," the last Senju asked, "those records were classified by the Daimyo, himself. They were sealed because Kushina is…"

"…the Daimyo's niece, making me the Daimyo's great nephew by marriage, and a legitimate heir to his throne if none of his children can do it, or choose not to do so," Naruto finished.

"Again, how is this possible," Tsunade asked, "the only other person to know is Hitomi Hyuga, the fourth team member of Team 7, and there is little chance the two of you have ever been in contact? The Hyuga blowhards would never allow her to meet with a lowly orphan."

Naruto sighed and began the story, "It started tonight, right after they began beating me…"