HI!

This is my first fanfiction for Naruto. I am a new fan of this anime/manga, having come across it only 4 months back. Since then I have read a lot of fanfictions and have finally decided to attempt one myself.

The idea behind this is having a fem!Naruto (Naruko) who is an Uzumaki, but not the daughter of Minato and Kushina, and neither is she a time traveller. She will be around the age of Itachi, and few years younger than Kakashi. The pairing... I have decided, but you will have to wait and see.

Now, this will not follow the canon, so you will have to wait and see how this story proceeds. Some ages will be altered and many events too, so please don't blame me for not doing something exactly like it happened in the original.

psss... I don't like having too many author notes, so this will be my only big one. I will give a hint of what's coming up in my next chapter though.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not wish to either, for I would never had come with such a tremendous plot on my own. All I can do is borrow the ideas and twist them to my own pleasure.

Though it did not show, he was instantly on alert the moment he came into awareness. And yet he kept his eyes closed and breathing calm. The smell around was 'home-like'. There were two other voices coming from another room, a male and a female. But his senses told him there were three people in total. He was on a comfy futon, and his pains were all but gone.

His brows furrowed as he remembered his last memories. He was on a mission along with two other jounin to free the captives of the third shinobi war from Kirigakure. That went successfully, but they were attacked on the way by bandits, and he was heavily injured in protecting the weak. So he had ordered the jounin to leave with them and, faced the bandits himself and won.

But then what? And how come I do not feel any pain now? What I unconscious for so long time? Whose capture am I in now?

He subtly tried to feel his movements as his mind whirled through the past for any memories. He stilled immediately when he heard a child's voice.

"Ka-chan, jiji is awake now."

He sensed someone approaching him and a female voice spoke soon.

"I know you are awake, sir. We are not enemies, Sannin Jiraiya. Please don't feel threatened."

Jiraiya opened his eyes. There was a simple family of three standing at the door. The father looked to be in his thirties, was blond and blue-eyed, well built and had a big smile on his face. The mother was younger, maybe in her early twenties, had fiery red hair and a beautiful build. She looked soft and shy. The third was most attention demanding personality. It was of a small kid, maybe 4 or 5 years old, who was a mix between her parents. She had messy shoulder-length blond hair and brightest blue eyes. She was built petite, dressed in yukata that was dark orange with fishes all over it. She had the biggest smile on her face, showing all her teeth (even the missing ones!), and was held tightly in her father's grip. The reason was apparent with all the bouncing and struggling she was doing to come to him.

He sat up on his knees and bowed, "You helped me when I needed it. Arigatō gozaimashita!"

The woman smiled and they all sat down in front of him.

"Do not worry, I know you are still wary of us, but we mean you no harm. I am Tiara and this is my husband Takamura Yoshitake. It was actually he who saw you lying unconscious with injuries and brought you here."

The young girl cut in immediately, "Yeah! You were all bloody and broken and your white hair was all dirty. But To-chan fixed you all up in no time. And then I washed your hair all white. I made it shining again, dattebayo!"

Jiraiya could not help but laugh at the girl, "And who are you chibi?"

She pouted and crossed her arms, "I am not chibi. I am the awesome Naruko Uzumaki, dattebayo!"

"Yeah, I can see that. You make a lot of noise. You are just like a wooden clapper."

She shook her head vigorously, "No no no, you got it all wrong; I am named after a volcano, dattebayo!"

The three adults laughed for a bit before coming back to serious discussion. Jiraiya had many questions.

"What were you doing out there near a fight. It was isolated enough."

"My Hara-chan told me I needed to go there, so I did." He said with a fond smile at his wife. "You see, my wife is a sensor, but more than that, she is a seer."

"And an Uzumaki?" Jiraiya more stated than asked.

Tiara nodded, "I am an Uzumaki. My mother was one of escapees from the Uzushiogakure massacre. She was sent because she was pregnant with me. In fact, she told me that all the younger generation and expecting mothers were the first to be sent off."

Takamura joined in, "Her mother settled here and soon had her baby. We grew up together, fell in love and married. I know that my family has no history like Uzumaki and I am proud to be married to one. We decided that our child would continue their legacy. And she does it already. She has the vast chakra pools and affinity with chakra that the Uzumakis are famous for."

"A little too much…" Tiara muttered to herself but did not elaborate. She looked at Jiraiya seriously, "I know you may call me selfish, but there is a reason I was determined to have you here before anyone else got to you. We need your help."

Jiraiya understood that already. An Uzumaki and a seer no less, would not divulge her identity for nothing. He nodded respectfully, "Anything within my capabilities."

She just smiled, "We are not asking for any secrets or anything impractical. We just want you to take our Naruko with you."

His brows furrowed, "For?"

"Forever." The father said calmly.

Confusion was etched in the sannin's face, "I do not understand."

Tiara smiled sadly, "Our time with our daughter has come to an end. I have had the feeling since many days that we will be attacked, and we will not make through it. I don't want that for my daughter. Her life ahead is not with us."

Jiraiya was shocked. His first instinct was to protect this family and village.

"I will stay and defend you then. I cannot let someone who cared for me to suffer; not when I know that I can stop it."

Takamura shook his head, "And do you know when we would be attacked? Are you sure that you are not needed back in Konoha? How long can you stay? You must understand that in the game of fate, every action has consequences. Just say that you stayed and helped us survive; could you live peacefully knowing that you could have saved the life of hundreds back in your village had you not stayed and carried on your duties? Life is never certain Toad Sage, and leaving in fear and doubt is no life in itself."

"She will be necessary there in Konoha, just believe me. Her presence is essential to a happy future. Just promise us that you will not let her fall prey to others' greed and machinations." Tiara added.

"What are you not telling me?"

"I am not telling you a lot of things, but whatever happens will lead to prosperity and not destruction. I cannot tell you more than that, for true emotions is necessary for things to happen correct."

Jiraiya could not believe in his ears. He looked at the young child in between her parents, who sat there subdued and resigned.

"And you chibi? Do you understand what is happening?"

Naruko nodded, "Ka-chan and To-chan told me that god has decided their time is up. They will have to go to him now. I cried you know, I cried a lot of days when they first told me. But then a few days back, Ka-chan had another vision, that someone will love me too; that many people will love me and I will not stay sad and be the happiness of others. That is my goal of life you know, to make my precious people happy, to protect them and love them. I will do just that. I will never forget my parents, but then again, they will always be with me, ne?"

"Of course darling." Tiara said as she and her husband hugged their daughter. Jiraiya could not prevent the few tears at the sight.

That night, after eating a hearty meal with her parents and packing up her belongings, Naruko stood beside Jiraiya facing her parents. Her mother kneeled down in front of her and handed her one scroll.

"You know the significance of this scroll, Naru chan. This contains all the knowledge of the Uzumakis, but only an Uzumaki can read it and only when they are in the right set of mind. Anger, jealousy, cruelty, greed and disgust have no place in this scroll. You will also be able to open them when you have right chakra as well as emotional balance. So stay strong, stay true and stay brave. Never do things that would play with your or your precious one's happiness, for that life will be full of regret. And follow your instinct and heart; they will never lead you into pain."

"I understand Ka-chan. I will always cherish you and never forget. You will be happy right? Here or with the god."

"Of course! And I promise we will always watch over you. We will always be in your heart and spirit."

With their final hugs and goodbyes, the sannin and the little girl walked away from the tearful yet smiling couple. They knew their girl would be safe, and that is all that mattered to them.

Coming up:- Naruko meeting the third Hokage.