I wrote this story about 3 years ago - but it was a rushed thing and I wasn't wholly pleased with it. I've fixed what I needed to and now it's in(what I feel anyway) is its final form. No beta as usual. Feel free to let me know if you see anything out of place and thanks for reading.

achitka

This is a story of the sometimes-odd choices parents get to make for their children and how and why Naruto got named the way he did... why the death god jutsu worked on the kyuubi in the first place and one rather random frog...uh yeah - anyway work on assumption there are spoilers in this. I just hope Iruka will forgive me for what I did to his parents.

Uzumaki Naruto, eh?
by achitka

What's the boy's name?" the frog next to him asked.

Lost in concentration the Fourth Hokage looked away from the scroll he was working on. "Name?"

"Surely you weren't planning to do this and leave him without a name...Minato?"

"Name..." The infant on the cushion nearby let out a yawn then began to cry and Minato set down his brush. Reaching out to the infant, he was momentarily surprised by how strongly the infant gripped his proffered finger. The baby quieted and watched him with eyes bluer than his own and Minato thought, Yes, you need a name...a strong one to match your will.

"The medic says it only for a few weeks until the baby is strong enough to make it on its own," Minato said as he looked out the window of the small house on the outskirts of Konoha.

"It's your fault I'm stuck here, you bastard."

Minato looked back at the woman in the bed nearby and grinned as the baby picked that moment to roll and she twisted a little to find a more comfortable position. "As I recall, Kushina, you were a willing participant in the endeavor. It's still hard to believe that in less than a month, I'll be someone's father."

"I know what you mean, and I don't mind really. I'd hang upside down if I thought it would help. It's just..."

"Just what?"

"I had the worst kind of premonition last night..."

"Is that why you've been drinking tea all day? Reading your leaves again?"

Minato sat on the bed and rested a hand on her swollen belly as he leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Do you remember what you told me your leaves said about me?" Kushina didn't answer, but she did blush. "Things are not always what they seem."

"I know I'm being silly, I know that, but...I still can't shake this feeling I won't..."

"You're just on edge is all, how about we change the subject to something useful."

"Such as?"

"A name, you must have one or two in mind by now."

"Oh we can't pick out a name for the baby yet."

"And why not?"

"I haven't seen its eyes."

"You are such a difficult woman, Kushina."

The sound of snarling pulled Minato out of his thoughts as his eyes refocused on the baby in front of him. The baby still held his finger but now, had fallen asleep. The small smile that found its way to Minato's face as he watched his son, faded as a random doubt filtered through. The baby shivered and Minato picked up the blanket that had fallen off the cushion nearby and thought, So trusting and completely unprepared for what was to come.

"It can still go wrong, you know," it was the frog speaking again.

"You're a bit of a pessimist, today. Don't worry, I've made provisions, you'll be well cared for," he said as he settled the blanket on the baby, No need for you to be cold while we wait, he thought.

"It's not me I'm worried about."

Another rumble from the nightmare behind him gave Minato pause and he said, "My fate has already been decided. Step one, is now complete."

The frog made no comment and there really wasn't any time to waste since the next step was already underway. After a second glance at the baby, Minato went back to working on the half-empty scroll.

Iruka pressed his ear as close to the door as he could. He needed to know why the Hokage was there.

"You can say no to this request, I know you have a family, but I'm in need shinobi I've worked with in the past for this."

"All the more reason, Hokage-sama. People are already dying so you can rely on us to do our part as well."

"Thank you, both. Please take these," the Hokage said and Iruka heard the dull clank of a pair of kunai being laid on the table, "Meet at the assembly point in 30 minutes."

Though Iruka heard his father's answer, the meaning did not set in. Carefully sliding the door open, Iruka was surprised to see the Hokage gone and his parents removing the weapons from their leg holsters and replacing them with the kunai they'd just been given. They were a lot bigger than the ones he used at the academy for practice and both had some kind of writing on the handles.

"I'm going to check on Iruka," he heard his mother say and Iruka quickly slid the door shut and scrambled back to his bed. Something was wrong, his mother hadn't come to check on him since he was five and Iruka struggled to keep his breathing even as she came into the room. Thinking him asleep, she gently arranged his blankets as his father stepped quietly through the door. Sitting on the bed next to him, she kissed his cheek while his father stroked his hair, then with out a word they slipped back out the door and were gone.

An overwhelming feeling of panic paralyzed Iruka and he kept his eyes squeezed shut. His shoulders shook and he pulled his pillow over his head. A loud crash in the distance startled him as his eyes flew open and he fell off the bed in his haste to reach the window. Something was definitely wrong and determined to find out where his parents went; Iruka took off into the night.

Minato dipped his brush into a small jar of blood and carefully traced out various symbols on the stomach of the still sleeping infant. This was proving difficult, since the baby would often kick unpredictably between brush strokes. Examining the completed image, Minato compared it to his notes and decided it was done enough.

"Step two is complete," Yondaime murmured.

"So, you figured one out yet?" The frog sounded bored. Minato ignored the question and turned his attention to the candles set up around the cushion, marking each with a separate symbol.

"Well?" the frog croaked.

After lighting each, Minato favored the frog with a withering glance as he gazed again at the baby and answered, "No."

"It's not like you to waste time like this."

"It's not like you to be so chatty, but I suppose I'd best get on with the next step." Picking up his ink and brush Minato continued his work on the scroll in earnest. Half an hour was not much time and though he tried to ignore it, his mind wandered back to earlier in the evening. He was beginning to doubt he'd come up with a proper name for his son in time.

"Is she alright?"

"I'll tell you honest, she had a rough go of it, the boy was breech. We got him turned the right way, but the cord was wrapped tight 'round his neck...I've never seen a baby so blue that weren't dead."

"What are you saying...?"

"I'm saying, she and the boy are lucky to be alive, I thought for sure we were going to lose them both. As to that, Yondaime, you look a bit beaten down yourself, are you alright?"

"I too am lucky to be alive, but am well enough for now. Can I see her?"

"As long as you promise to keep it short. It's still touch and go so she'll need to rest if she's to recover, but don't mention what I said about him being blue, it will only upset her."

Minato nodded and opened the door to the darkened room only far enough to poke his head inside. Kushina was awake. Propped up with pillows, her head lowered, as she gently coaxed the infant in her arms to eat. It was unlikely she was unaware of the baby's potential problems; it showed in her face, as her expression was pensive almost wary. That quickly disappeared when he opened the door the rest of the way and Kushina saw him. She schooled her features into one of her made up smiles, that he so disliked. A distant explosion caused them both to turn their heads toward the window and Minato stepped all the way into the room, closing the door behind him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Tired," Kushina said.

The resignation in her voice surprised Minato, it was unlike her to sound so sad and defeated. Her gaze remained locked on the window and Kushina shifted the baby closer to herself as Minato approached the bed. He paused as he passed a small table with a tray of dishes and immediately noticed the teacup, carefully set aside from the rest of the dishes on the tray. Turned down, it rested on a napkin and Minato tipped the cup.

Damned leaves.

Normally he didn't put much stock in such things, but the swirling pattern of the leaves reminded him of something he'd been trying to work out for the past few hours and was so unusual, Shishou..? he thought. The remaining liquid stretched itself from the outer edge toward the middle stopping just short of the center in a series lines, but it was what he saw at the very center held his attention. The leaves had twisted themselves into what looked a lot like one demonic eye. Is that even possible? Minato wondered. As he stared at that eye, the beginnings of an idea bloomed in his head.

Tapping the cup, he set it back in its former position and pondered while he rounded the bed. Another slightly less distant explosion shook the tiny house and Kushina's tentative smile fell back into that thoughtful expression Minato noticed when he came in. Time was not his friend in this, but he sat on the bed next to her anyway. He stroked the infant's wispy blond hair, trying not to disturb the baby that had now fallen asleep.

"He's beautiful, Kushina," he said and when Kushina's head dropped, he thought, She definitely knows. Minato lifted her chin and was surprised to find her skin unusually cold as he gently brushed aside the hair from her eyes and said, "He's perfect just the way he is. Thank you."

A roar echoed in the distance and Kushina's sadness instantly turned to anger. "Minato, I know you'll have to leave soon, but you're going to take the baby with you."

It was an odd request considering the chaos outside, but Kushina was a creature of her instincts and more often than not, she was right. "Why?"

"He knows we're here."

"How could he know something like that?"

"He just does." Her tone was flat and Minato noticed her attention had returned to the teacup. Looking down at the newborn asleep in her arms, she traced one of the baby's eyes with her finger and Kushina said to the infant, "This isn't exactly how I imagined this day would be, little one, but I am glad you and I were able to finally meet."

"If we're leaving then you are coming along too, Kushina, right now."

"No."

"What? Why are you picking now to be difficult, woman. We can't stay here, it's too dangerous." Minato froze as he pulled the blanket back. The bed sheets were soaked with blood, a lot of it and as he turned to call the medic, Kushina stopped him.

"Don't Minato; it's too late for that now."

"But you're-"

"I'm...I'm happy."

"Happy?"

"I know. It sounds strange, doesn't it? But since I had that premonition, I got to thinking on that story...you know which one..." Kushina faltered as she carefully tended to the newborn. Her movements were slow and deliberate; it was becoming more apparent she was having trouble keeping herself upright. "I told myself that if you came then it was meant to be this way...but I've had doubts...doubts of how this could possibly work out for the good." When Kushina finished tending to the boy, she wrapped him carefully in a blanket and said, "But even with those doubts...if there's a chance...even a small one for our son to do more than just survive..."

This was not something he fully considered and if he were to do what she was suggesting...if he used that jutsu and sealed up the fox demon within this baby, there were no guarantees the boy would survive the process. He already had serious doubts that jutsu would work at all in dealing with the kyuubi, but sealing it in a person might just make things worse. Jinchuurikki were never treated well, regardless of who their parents were and there would be no way for him to know, since this jutsu would definitely kill him. Minato's thoughts turned back to those eight spidery lines on the napkin and he looked again at the baby.

Maybe if...hnn, the boy really was too small a container for so much monster and Minato realized his brain was already working out a way to modify the necessary hakke seal to suppress the kyuubi's chakra, but would it be enough? An extra step would surely be required, but what?

As if reading his thoughts Kushina said quietly as she offered the baby up to his father, "He is your son...but you are the Yondaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. It falls to you to do what is necessary to fulfill your vow and protect the village. Even at this cost..." The baby slept on and Kushina's anger drained from her expression as Minato gingerly took his son from her. Easing back into the pillows, Kushina's smile returned and she said in a sleepy voice, "The only real regret I have...he never opened his eyes for me..."

"It's amazing how much he favors you, Minato," the frog said as it hopped to where the child lay and stared down at him. There was a long moment of silence before the frog said, "You never mentioned what became of the boy's mother."

"She is...at rest with her family," Minato said quietly as he put the finishing touches on the scroll.

"I see..." the frog said, "then it is doubly important you name the boy properly."

"Yes, but it will have to wait until we get back, the offensive is about to begin."

"Will there be time?"

"Time enough," Minato said as he lifted the frog and set him on his shoulder. The frog disappeared under his cloak and settled on the middle of his back. The Yondaime Hokage placed five of his special seals in a semi-circle on the floor near the cushion. Sandaime should arrive soon, but if everything went as Minato planned, he'd be back before then. He paused and watched the infant as he slept and Minato was strangely hesitant to set the final stages in motion. And again, Minato wondered if there wasn't some other way he'd overlooked. The frog shifted, reminding the Hokage they needed to get going and Minato sighed as he walked out of the room to do what was needed.

Iruka ducked behind a tree to keep from being seen. He'd found his parents amongst a group of shinobi standing in a circle in a nearby clearing. There was a voice, but Iruka couldn't hear a word and still had no idea what was going on. He shimmied up the tree and positioned himself above them to see if he could hear better. Iruka felt a moment of panic when he hard the Hokage's voice again...Iruka knew he shouldn't be there, but his curiosity kept him where he was.

"You will all need to get into position within the time frame I've laid out," Yondaime said to the eight shinobi who had gathered around him. "When its close enough, I'll need you to aim the kunai I've given you for these spots I've marked on this diagram. You'll travel in two man teams, but only one of you has to hit the mark. I will be positioned here and don't bother with a signal, there's no need to draw attention to yourselves. I'll know it when you release them so once you've thrown the kunai I want you to move as quickly as you can away from the kyuubi. Don't look back and don't stop for anything. Understood?"

"Hai!" they all shouted.

"Good luck and be careful." The Hokage said as he stood up and raised one arm. The shinobi separated into their teams and when they appeared ready, Minato dropped his arm and shouted, "Go!"

Four sets of ninja disappeared into the trees and the Yondaime turned to leave but paused when a voice said, "Yondaime."

Iruka heard it too, but it didn't sound like the Hokage's. His eyes went wide when a small head poked itself out of the Hokage's cloak and looked right at him.

"There's a boy in the tree above you." When the frog spoke again it was enough of a surprise that Iruka lost his concentration as well as his already tentative grip on the tree and came crashing to the ground. "You don't have time for this, Yondaime."

The Fourth sighed and asked the frog, "Then why did you bother telling me?" the frog did not reply as the Yondaime Hokage turned to face him. "Umuino Iruka..."

"Hokage-sama...where are my mom and dad?"

"They are on a very important mission for the village, Iruka. You have to leave and head home, it won't be safe here for much longer."

"But I want to stay!" Iruka shouted even as he felt two large hands fall on either shoulder. The shinobi to whom they were attached gave him an understanding smile, and one lifted him off his feet. Both were covered with several serious looking injuries and Iruka got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Take him home and make sure he stays there," the Fourth said to the man holding him. To the other he said, "I regret having to ask you to do this, but I need to hold this line as long as possible so round up whom you can and I'll return shortly." Even as the Fourth abruptly disappeared, the world exploded in a cloud of dust and debris.

"Kyuubi..." the man holding him said in awe.

When Iruka saw it, he just wanted to run and hide. There standing taller than the trees was a creature so terrible, it burned itself into his memory. It was the legendary nine-tailed fox demon and Iruka feared his parents were doomed. Its roar chilled him to the core and the late night air was filled with the cries of the ninja hit when the monster snapped and swatted at the landscape. The other shinobi the Hokage had spoken to was still nearby and shouted orders to the other retreating ninja as they backed into the clearing. Iruka could see the fear clearly in the man's eyes even as he relayed the Hokage's order to hold the demon as long as possible in that place. No one argued as the ninja all stopped and quickly reformed their squads. When the demon swung its head toward the clearing, the shinobi refocused their attention on the demon and set themselves for the onslaught they knew was coming.

Iruka felt himself moving as the ninja holding him took off toward the village in earnest and Iruka cried, "Nooooo! Let go of me!" He tried in vain to twist his way out of the larger man's grasp. "My mom and dad are still fighting!"

Minato watched his kage bunshins disappear into the trees. Taking up his own position in the forest, he wondered again if there wasn't something he'd missed. The frog, which climbed up on his head for a better view of things asked, "So you gotta name yet?"

"No."

"Not good, Minato."

"I know, and unfortunately I am at a complete loss on this one. Any suggestions?"

"Hmmm, events will surely swirl around the boy his whole life...if you accomplish your task," the frog noted.

"True enough," Minato said and knelt on the forest floor, hand poised, waiting for the last kunai to find its way to its mark.

"You could name him after yourself."

"No, that would never do. He'll need a certain amount of anonymity if he's going to thrive as his mother wished. Being burdened with this as well as my name would make that...impossible."

"You think?"

"Hn."

"Then perhaps something of his mother clan then?

"Step three is now complete. Hold on, it's time," Minato said and dropped his hand to the ground. "Summoning no jutsu!"

The sensation of lifting from the ground whenever he summoned Gamabunta was something Minato always got a thrill from. Whatever the situation, every time was like the first. It really was something he was sure he would never have gotten tired of. The boss toad looked across the valley at the kyuubi even as the demon fox stopped its rampage long enough to return the glare.

Gamabunta shifted one eye up and said to the passenger on his head, "Yondaime, that's quite a problem you have."

"Yes, but I think I've found a solution. How close do you think you can get me?"

"Mmmmm...200 meters...possibly."

Minato figured he'd say that so he added, "How about a hundred."

Gamabunta let out an uncharacteristic chuckle, "Just what do you plan to do?"

"Contain him."

"I see. I'm sure you know this, but to do that you have get a hold of him."

"Yes and I believe I've come up with a solution for that was well. This shouldn't take long once it begins."

"Very well, since you have it all worked out...a direct charge will be best, the kyuubi won't be expecting it."

For the first time that day, Minato allowed himself a smile as he thought of the additional surprise he had in store for the kyuubi. "When you are ready then."

"Hn, we're going," Gamabunta said as the frog boss dropped low and jumped straight ahead. Minato held off completing the hand sign he was making, the last would have to wait until they were much closer, but he could already feel it behind him. Gathering his chakra, Minato watched for his bunshins. None had been detected as yet so there was a good chance this would work out. Gamabunta's first leap almost brought them within distance and Minato heard the smaller frog now on his stomach say, "It's now or never, Yondaime."

"Understood," Minato said as he completed the last sign and thrust out his hands fully releasing his chakra into the jutsu.

Gamabunta ducked to avoid an assault from the kyuubi. Still moving forward the frog boss returned fire in the form of two water bullets causing the kyuubi to snarl as it hunkered down preparing to launch itself at them.

Now or never...

A grunt escaped Minato as the Death God's hand passed through him and the frog on his stomach made a similar noise as the hand appeared through its back. On the very edge of his hearing, Minato heard the cheered of relief of the shinobi on the ground and in the trees all around him. Burning pain wreaked havoc with his concentration and Minato found himself unable to move as the grief he'd been holding back, now threatened to overwhelm him. He thought again of the small child he'd left behind and, preparations or no, Minato knew the boy would be shunned, hated...and so alone.

Did he really have the right to do this?

"... You are the Yondaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. It falls to you to do what is necessary to fulfill your vow and protect the village...even at this cost..."

Since the day he accepted his role as Hokage, they were a part of him and Minato was inundated by an odd sensation of connection to the people of the village. It really is now or never, no more hesitation was acceptable...No one else need die this night; no one else sacrificed. The villagers believe in me, and I must believe in everyone...even if there is only one that will accept the boy, then I have to believe it will be enough.

...even at this cost...

With that deadly clarity filling his senses, the pain dissipated and the Yondaime Hokage willed himself to move. Leaping from Gamabunta's head, Minato landed squarely on the kyuubi's. At the same time his bunshins appeared, landing neatly next to a previously thrown kunai grabbing firmly a hold of the kyuubi's fur. The hand of the Death God feeling the resonance of his chakra instantly split itself five ways and four of the 'fingers' embedded themselves into the kyuubi through the bunshins. The kyuubi thrashed and snarled beneath him and Minato grit his teeth drawing further into the Death God's power to reach deep within the kyuubi. He was looking for something, and he needed to find it quickly.

Looking into the blackness stretching ever further before him, Minato recognized he was wandering without purpose. This was not the time to doubt his decision, but there it was and Minato focused his attention on his only light in the mass of shadows. The small chakra crystal in his hand, glowed dimly and though it held the bulk of the kyuubi's poisonous chakra at bay, enough of it leaked through to make every movement, however small, extremely painful. At this rate Minato knew he wouldn't last long. He was running short on time. Finding the 'heart' of the kyuubi was proving more difficult than anticipated but now that he'd started down this path, there was no turning back and Minato willed himself even deeper into the void.

"Are we there yet?" the frog on his stomach asked in a rather petulant tone.

"Almost, be patient."

"Easy for you to say, Yondaime."

"Hn..."

In truth, just breathing was becoming more and more difficult, as Minato felt the burn of the kyuubi's chakra in his lungs every time he inhaled. There was no escaping his chosen fate and deciding he no longer needed to be as cautious, pushed a little more chakra into the crystal. The relief was immediate, and with his senses cleared, Minato came to an abrupt halt and said to himself, "Step four is complete."

Sarutobi Sandaime kept a wary eye on the battle raging just outside the walls of Konoha. So many good people were dying. Dying to defend the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The Yondaime Hokage asked him to hold himself in reserve should his chosen strategy fail. A strategy Minato did not fully explain, but left Sarutobi with a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. The kyuubi's appearance was never an accident of nature as people often thought. It was a summoning of the highest level, but why?

When Gamabunta appeared within the crystal ball, Sarutobi gasped in horror as an overwhelming feeling of death washed over him and thought, Oh no! Even as Gamabunta leapt forward, the former Hokage was out of his rooms and into the street. Looking toward the gates of the village, Sarutobi realized the resonance of that feeling was not strongest in that direction. Turning back the Sandaime stared a moment at the Hokage's tower. It was definitely there and without a backward glance took off toward it.

The kyuubi heart revealed itself at last and now that Minato was within sight of his target, he willed the Death God's hand forward. It pushed through him, consuming his chakra at a horrifying rate, but Minato ignored the pain as he watched the kyuubi struggled in vain against the large fingers that had wrapped themselves around its chest. He pushed forward again but the resistance was too great. You will go no further, a deep resounding voice echoed in his mind.

I go where I wish, demon. It is you that will go no further.

Something akin to snarled laughter made its way out of the fox demon. It swung its many tails in irritation, but ceased its struggle. Pitiful little man, you cannot hope to contain me with this worthless jutsu. Death is meaningless to one such as I.

Even if you do not fear death, you will learn to fear me soon enough, Minato thought at the demon fox, almost grateful for the connection. At least he wouldn't have to inhale more toxin to shout. It still surprised him how calm his words sounded. He certainly didn't feel calm. You should not have come here.

The kyuubi fixed Minato with look of pure contempt and hatred. Its voice felt hard and harsh against his senses, Your attempt at flattery is laughable, little man, since my will in this is even more limited than your own. The kyuubi paused, sniffing the air as an image of the baby appeared between them. Aaahhh...I see it now. This was your true intention all along. It even smells of you. I wonder how it tastes...tell me little man why would you sacrifice one so small? It is sure to die...

When Minato remained silent the kyuubi sniffed again, this time its nose passing within in inches of the boy's face. The baby, who up until that moment slept peacefully, shocked awake and started to cry. Minato unconsciously tightened the Death God's grip, pushing the demon fox away. The demon's eyes flashed at the interference but sat back on its haunches regarding the Hokage with a curious expression. The emptiness again filled with the demon fox's laughter as it asked, Can it be that you actually care what happens to this whelp?

I care a great deal...but that is no longer my purpose here.

Interesting...no matter, you will not succeed. Others have tried and all have failed.

Believe as you must, but I will not fail in this.

The kyuubi again tilted its head, apparently unused to such opposition and after another short pause the kyuubi asked, Why do you throw away your life and his for nothing? Do you really believe the worthless rabble of that puny village will accept any child blessed by my greatness? They will never truly understand the pain of his burden and yet you are willing to let this child suffer enormously because of it.

Minato did know it as he realized the light of the chakra crystal was fading and he was finding it hard to breath again.

"Doubt is the killer of hope, Minato. It knows this and is striving to use yours against you." The frog was speaking to him again, it could not move from its spot on his stomach and its voice was hollow to his ears, but Minato strained to hear him. "Don't listen to his words, they are only meant to confuse and sway you from your task. It is your bond with your village that will be its undoing...and it fears that part of you, Yondaime. It fears your love and hope."

Love and hope? Minato thought and he reigned in his guilt, it was far too late for regrets now but couldn't decide in that moment whether his growing feelings of understanding were for the kyuubi, the boy or himself. The chances of things going badly for his son were great, but either way, Minato decided, it didn't matter. The boy would have the potential to become as powerful as any force of nature. People would naturally be drawn closer to him and if his heart is big enough, then he'd be an almost irresistible one. It would be up to his son to decide whether to grab hold of those opportunities for something more. Minato's task was to do his best to leave behind a place where Kushina's hope for her son would be possible. A place where he could do more than just survive. A place where his future would hold some good things along with the bad.

Tapping into the last of his chakra reserve, Minato let that feeling of love and hope muffle the last of his lingering doubts. The crystal once again shone bright, dispelling the darkness around them both. No longer in the mood for useless banter, his need to end this overpowered the last of his hesitation and Minato extended his chakra into the light of the crystal until it resemble the short sword it was intended to be and he whispered aloud to the kyuubi, "Step five is complete."

The Yondaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf now simultaneously activated the special seals he left behind, while raising the sword, launching himself at the demon through the Death God and splitting the kyuubi's heart.

Sarutobi paused as he raced up the spiraling staircase when he heard a great cheer arise from the outside the village. I'm too late, he thought and checking his bearing for the deathly resonance sped quickly into the building. In and down, he thought as he continued to make his way through the building. It's closer, he thought as he turned another corner.

An open door at the end of the hall showed Sarutobi candles arranged around a small cushion in the middle of the room and the Third froze when he saw the small hands of the baby on it. Sarutobi's earlier misgivings brought home the realization of just what was happening as he sped toward the room. Were things really going so badly that Minato would try something this desperate?

Reaching the door he halted again when the Yondaime and four of his bunshins appeared circling the cushion each with a matching ghostly hand holding something small over the baby. The infant let out a pain filled scream just as two of the Yondaime's bunshins completed their seals and disappeared. The other two vanished a moment later and the object they held glowed with a curious light before it too disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sarutobi entered the room just in time to watch the Yondaime sink to his knees in front of the still screaming infant.

Minato's eyes locked on the blood seal that now glowed very bright as it burned itself into the baby. The child shrieked as if his lungs would burst and Minato reached out and grasped both of the small hands, relentlessly pushing his remaining chakra into the seal in an effort to ease the flow of the kyuubi into the infant's stomach.

As the last of the bijuu was absorbed in it, Minato closed his eyes. Staring at the kyuubi as it returned the glare through the bars of its newly constructed prison. Minato placed a hand on the seal and forced the last of his strength into it. He let out a slow breath and said in a very tired voice;

"Step six is now complete."

Such pride, such arrogance. I'm impressed, I'd give you more but this battle has left me bereft of energy so I admit my defeat to you. You are the first to succeed and the only shinobi I've met that was truly worthy of that title, the kyuubi chuckled, slit eyes half closed. Leave me...Hokage

Minato's own eyes snapped open as the Death God pulled at his soul, reminding him that payment for his services were now due. Gathering up his son, he was surprised how quickly the baby settled down once he was wrapped back in his blanket. Wide-awake the baby once again watched him...waiting.

"What's the boy's name?" the Third asked.

Minato stared down at the baby. This was the most time since taking him from his mother he'd had to look at his son. Seeing the shape of Kushina's eyes, genuine regret for the time they'd never share filled his heart and he said softly, "I am so sorry to leave you alone with this burden, and now I am out of time. I know you'll find a way to live up to that name." Another tug from the Death God urged Minato to get a move on and he reluctantly handed the child to Sarutobi.

"Minato?"

"Naruto...Uzumaki Naruto," Minato said quietly and shifted himself a little farther from them. "Sandaime-sama, please...help him grow to be the hero I know he already is and help the villagers see...what he is not." The Third Hokage nodded and Minato took a deep breath before he said, "Thank you. The final step is now ready..." Minato took one last look at his son as he smiled and said, "Naruto, whatever the future holds for you...do your best" and willingly passed his soul to the Death God as payment for Kohona's salvation.

"Seal."

Blue eyes blinked up at him and Sarutobi looked back at the still form on the floor. The resemblance was striking, but Sarutobi understood why Minato named the boy to another family. Sarutobi cocked an eyebrow noticing the small whiskers on the infant's face. Shifting the child around he wondered at the smile that crept onto the baby's face and he remembered what the newly christened baby's name actually meant. Fishcakes? No...Minato couldn't have meant that. Though Sarutobi had to admit Minato always did have an odd sense of humor and most never 'got' his jokes...Maybe he meant a whirlpool? The Sandaime shook his head and sighed, probably Jiriaya's influence.

"Uzumaki Naruto, eh? Let's hope you never turn out to be as chaotic as all that," Sarutobi said to the infant. The baby just stared up him with that sleepy grin still on his face.

15 Years later...

Returning to Konoha after a particularly long and tiring mission, Team Kakashi entered the village late in the evening. Yamato led the way through town, and they were shortly joined by Kakashi as he carefully avoided other pedestrians while he listened and continued to re-read his book. Sai, Sakura and Naruto followed a short way behind.

"How does he do that?" Sakura asked waving a dismissive hand at the jounin.

"Eyes in the back of his head," Sai stated in his usual deadpan manner.

"That would certainly explain a lot."

Naruto stopped listening to his teammates as he took a deep breath, letting his eyes droop a bit while he took in the smells and sounds around him. When his stomach growled, Naruto decided his first priority after their report was to get some ramen in him as he made a mental list of everything he planned to order. With that important detail out of the way he looked up at the stone monuments letting his eyes sweep over them.

...Naruto...
whatever the future holds for you
...do your best...

Naruto blinked. There it was again...that voice...

"Eh, Naruto, you paying attention?" Naruto's attention refocused on Sakura as she asked, "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, Sakura-chan...I just thought I heard something."

"Oh? What was it?"

"Aaah, it's nothing..." Naruto didn't even want to try to explain it. It was just something that always happened on his birthday. Besides, just how do you tell people about a voice that you know you know, but can't remember why you know or even when you heard it to begin with without it sounding completely idiotic? Sakura-chan already thought he was stupid beyond reason, so why add to that?

"But you had such a surprised expression...were thinking about..." her question trailed off into nothing when she noticed the grin he'd forced onto his face. Did she really think he needed to be reminded the damn thing was there? For as smart as she was, Sakura-chan still hadn't figured out that he really didn't want to talk about it. Her worry always sounded a little too much like pity and that was something Naruto definitely didn't need or want, especially from her. A bit angry now and not really wanting to shout at her, Naruto shrugged picking up his pace.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Sakura said catching up to him, "I shouldn't have brought that up, I just...what were you thinking about?"

Naruto shrugged again and continued up the street. He really just wished she'd drop it already. This was definitely one of those times Naruto regretted ever opening his mouth on the whole kyuubi subject. Just too damn confusing to sort out and it was times like these that Naruto just wanted to go home and forget that day ever happened.

"It must be a very important memory for you, Naruto," Sai said behind him.

Naruto came to a halt. A memory? That thought never occurred to Naruto as he turned and asked Sai, "Why do you think it could be a memory?"

"It affects you deeply, only a true memory can do that."

For all his initial dislike of his new teammate, Naruto decided he was pretty smart sometimes. Naruto didn't quite smile, but he didn't comment either as he glanced up at the image of the Yondaime Hokage carved into the mountainside. Even though he was the man that sealed the demon into him, Naruto felt a curious sense of loss as he almost wished that voice belonged to...

Naruto...whatever the future holds for you...do your best.

A smile crept onto Naruto's weary face as he mentally picked out a spot for himself on the mountain and thought, For all the crap I put up with in the past, it really is good to be home.