The Family That Grows Together

Chapter 7: True Lies: Part II

Written by: Jaeromaru

Beta Editor: Starfire201

Jutsu

"Talking"

Thinking

(Konoha Marketplace - En Route to the Village Park)

"Oh, no..."

Everyone froze mid-step, casting inquisitive looks toward a groaning Naruto.

"What is it, Naruto-kun?" asked Ino.

Said boy simply raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, while wearily responding, "You guys remember that time when I said that Sasuke was, by far, the biggest douche I had ever met..."

"Ha-ha, yeah, that was priceless. But what's that got to do with anything?" inquired Kiba.

Shiro however, knew exactly where this was going....and he couldn't help but grimace at what it meant.

Crossing his arms while cursing god for his misfortune, Naruto sighed, "Well, you're about to meet the former grand champion of that title..."

"Hello, b-b-b-boys...."

Looking over in the direction of the haughty voice's origin, most of the small entourage gaped in pure astonishment upon seeing perhaps the most over-dressed, androgynous looking teenage boy any of them had ever seen.

Naruto and Shiro settled for groaning in familiarity.

With a hairstyle similar to Hinata's, the young man's brown hair was cropped to about shoulder length, but had it styled far too much like that of a female to be considered appropriate for his gender. With eyeliner, blush, and black lipstick, the boy was sporting more makeup on his face than Ino..... And that was saying something.

Finally, the young man's outfit.....Well, let's just say that the puffy, frilly outfit spoke less about nobility, and more about "alternative lifestyles."

"Gouzen....I see you're still a fan of parachute pants." dryly greeted Shiro, flicking the toothpick around in his mouth in annoyance at seeing the unwanted ghost of his past. "Hey Spaz, did you know it was Hammer time?"

"Ah, little Shiro-chan." Said boy choked back the bile that rose in his throat upon hearing the older teen's slimy voice. "I see you're just as droll as ever." Turning to the other Sarutobi, Gouzen mock gasped upon laying eyes on the blond. "And Naruto-kun, my you've grown. You could almost pass for middle class now....if I squint that is."

"What are you doing here Shijimi-teme?" growled Naruto. "I didn't know they were having a transvestite pageant in town."

The blond definitely wasn't in the mood for dealing with this condescending prick, and quietly wondered if he could get away with wind-tossing the pompous ass across the village.

Probably not....

Wishful thinking aside, Naruto tensely observed Gouzen sauntering over towards Ino and Hinata, both of whom looked to be intensely creeped out by the older boy's silky approach.

"Well hello. My, my, you two are quite a sight to behold. Would you do me the honor of telling me your names?"

Restraining from openly gagging at the lame pickup, both girls swallowed their pride and responded with forced politeness.

"H-H-Hyuuga Hinata..."

"Yamanaka Ino."

"Heh, you know for a second there I thought he was asking Kiba and Shino...." chuckled Naruto.

Everyone, including Hinata and Shino, couldn't help but laugh at the open jab at the boy's questionable sexual preference.

Of course, the insult was lost on the sheltered Fire prince, who simply ignored it in favor of continuing his advances on the disinterested tween kunoichi.

"I am the Lord Daimyo's oldest son, Gouzen. Now I understand how overwhelming it is to be in the presence of such prestige, but it shall pass in time."

"Just like a kidney stone." snorted Shiro.

Once again, everyone chuckled at the insult at Gouzen's expense, while said boy remained clueless and continued to address the girls.

"Here, allow me to take you lovely ladies away from this inferior commoner scum and treat you to a proper luncheon at the five-star restaurant down the street." At this, both Hinata and Ino narrowed their eyes sharply at the feminine teen. "After all...such beauty should not be wasted on the unworthy."

"Thanks, but I'll pass." sneered Ino. "I happen to enjoy being in the company of "commoner scum" as you so gently put it."

Hinata, without a stutter, firmly declined as well. "I refuse your offer, Gouzen-san."

Briefly, the girl's pale eyes drifted towards a certain red-eyed medic, before narrowing back again towards the shocked and indignant face of Shijimi Gouzen.

"Denying the son of this country's lord is not an intelligent decision." growled the indignant teenager. "I'll give you both the opportunity to rethink your words...."

And as he let his threat hang, the stuck-up young man proceeded to commit the worst mistake he could have ever made in his short, privileged life....

He grabbed Ino's arm...

"Well how about this then.... FUCK OFF, CREEP!" and before the foolish prince could react, Ino expertly maneuvered Gouzen into a reverse arm bar clutch, before thrusting him violently into a nearby stucco wall face first.

"BOOM! Head-shot!" cheered Naruto.

Kiba turned to Shiro and breathed out, "Hawwwt....."

Damn... it's like Spaz but without the Y chromosome....

Shiro's ongoing thoughts on Ino's "kickass display" were soon interrupted by the shrieks of a bloodied Gouzen.

"Bwah....y-you brutish whore!" Some of the boys couldn't help but compare the fire prince's shrill tone to that of a certain Haruno girl. "Nobody makes me bleed my own blood! NOBODY!"

After hocking up a large clot, the royal "pain-in-the-ass" made to aggressively advance on both girls again, but soon found his path blocked by a wall of four, very pissed, shinobi-in-training.

Being vastly outclassed physically, the boy decided to employ his skills in diplomacy to remedy his predicament.

"Stand aside, you impudent trash!"

Very diplomatic indeed...

"Ah ah ah... you didn't say the magic word." chided Shiro, waving his finger in a "no-no" motion. " And today's word just happens to be....assault."

"Looks to me like you need some help leaving, rich-boy..." With Naruto's threat hanging, the boys took one synchronous step forward, forcing an apprehensive Gouzen to take one reflexive step back.

"So I see, you caught the scent of a lesser stag in your nostrils, ignorant girl." scoffed the effeminate boy, as he wiped more blood away from his nose. "Pity. I'll let you have your little moment, Sarutobi. But this is far from over."

With his final piece being said, the scowling Gouzen swiftly snapped his fingers, where out of nowhere a giant, muscular, dark-skinned man appeared ridding atop a comically small donkey.

After giving the group one last "harrumph" of contempt, the "noble" teen hopped atop the man's back, like a fly sticking to flypaper, before the dark-skinned rider lashed the reins to his ridiculous steed to carry them off.

The Sarutobi brothers and their friends could only stare dumbly at their retreating forms, just barely containing their confusion and disgust.

Snapping from his daze first, Shiro simply shrugged. "Well.... at least that wasn't weird..."

(Atop the Hokage Monument- Dusk)

"So what's up man?" asked Kiba, his tone laced in confusion. "What's got you wound up so bad that you had to have us come all the way up here?"

The trip to the park was a fulfilling experience for everyone. While Shiro, Shino and Hinata had spent most of the afternoon off to the side, relaxing in each other company with idle conversation, Ino Kiba and Naruto went about engaging in more....physical activities.

After eight, very intense rounds of acrobatic ninja frisbee, the exuberant trio felt incredibly satisfied, as well as exhausted, by the day's end. Of course, had it not been for Akamaru intercepting and tearing apart the plastic disc in the middle of round nine, the games would have most likely kept going well into the evening.

Having had such a great time with all of his friends today, Naruto came to the grim realization that he couldn't put "it" off any longer. As much as he dreaded the outcome, he knew in his heart that it would only get harder the more he prolonged coming clean.

So now here he was, Sarutobi Naruto, standing atop the Hokage monument, trying desperately to think of the best way to go about telling his four friends about his deepest darkest secret.

Fortunately he had his brother up there with him, offering up his own special brand of support through this tortuous ordeal....

Lounging nearly twenty feet away under a weeping willow tree, shoveling chocolate truffles into his mouth....

Sigh.....I guess it's his way of telling me that I need to do this on my own. But still.... he didn't have to be a bohemian dick about it....

"Heh...I don't really know how to begin to be honest...." trailed off the blond, his voice slightly tremoring in apprehension. "Wh-what do you guys know about...um.....about the Kyuubi attack.... the one that happened about fourteen years ago?"

Surprisingly, it was Hinata that was the first to speak up. "Ano....we were told it was an intense battle. One that nearly destroyed the village..."

"Oh, yeah! I remember now!" interrupted Kiba, grinning excitedly at having recalled a faint memory. "My mom used to tell me this as a bedtime story when I was a little kid. The Yondaime Hokage swooped in and saved the day." with his enthusiasm escalating, Kiba cackled as he let his hands animate some of the action he was describing. "He straight up, hammer tossed that damned demon! Dude was a total badass!"

"While that may be true Kiba-san..." interjected Shino flatly, as he readjusted his sunglasses. "You seem to be forgetting just how he beat the nine-tails. The story goes that he sacrificed his life sealing the essence and spirit of the beast into his newborn son using a Forbidden technique. A son who died soon after due to poisoning from the demon's overwhelming chakra."

Smiling somewhat somberly, Ino added in her two cents regarding the old legend. "Yeah...I always did find that to be a really sad story. A baby boy, never given a real chance at life.... sacrificing what little time he had on earth to protect the village and the people inside." blinking away a few lose tears, the blond girl gave a mirthless chuckle. "Never really could get through hearing the ending without tearing up a bit..."

"I don't understand though." the feral Inuzuka couldn't help but feel perplexed by such an irrelevant subject matter. "What does that old folktale have to do with why you brought us up here?"

Taking one long look at the four questioning glances being directed his way, Naruto swallowed away the last retches of his fright before he laid it all out there.

"The Yondaime's son never died...."

With looks of complete bewilderment, Shino, Ino, Kiba and Hinata had absolutely no idea how to go about dealing with such a HUGE revelation.

After all, it's not often you hear how such a well known tale from your childhood was misrepresented in such a big way.

"Wha...what do you mean, man?" stuttered Kiba disbelievingly. "If that's true...how could you even know something like that?"

Naruto couldn't help but turn away in shame. Just how was he supposed to tell these four that this whole time, they were spending time with a demon container?

That he had misled them in his own desperation to make friends...

I don't know what to do! It's like every time I try to talk, it feels like I'm choking...

As Naruto continued to mull over his troubled thoughts, Ino began staring intently at the blond boy's face, as if searching for something that up until now, had been buried in the back of her mind.

As the girl wordlessly approached the startled boy, her mind drifted back to something she remembered hearing from one of the Uchiha when they attacked her and Naruto.

----"I guess I gave you far too much credit, nine-tails"----

Nine-tails....nine-tails....like the nine-tailed demon fox.....the one the Yondaime sealed into....his....son.....

With a look of quiet realization, Ino slowly raised her hands gently to Naruto's whiskered cheeks, directing the pensive boy to face her. With a soft grace, the blond girl began roaming her hands along his cheeks, as if to mold the boy's appearance into that of somebody else's.....somebody she had seen before.

Upon covering up the boy's trademarked whisker marks, Ino couldn't help but gasp in tearful astonishment at having finally figured out just what all of this was about.

"Y-you're alive.....all this time......"

"Ino, you're not making sense, of course Naruto's alive." Between the face groping and the abstract ramblings, Kiba was pretty sure the girl had gone batshit nutty. Seeking clarification, the feral boy turned to Shino and Hinata.

"Guys what's she...talking.....about......" it was here that Kiba noticed the pair were now acting just as strange." Guys?"

Shino, having dropped his normally stoic demeanor, raised a shaky hand to his shades, before removing them to reveal wide, stupefied eyes.

Hinata was shaking like a leaf; a look of awe and recognition plastered across her delicate face. "N-N-Naruto-kun.....he's the Yondaime's son...."

Floored by that statement, Kiba whipped around to face Naruto before breathing out, "H-Holy shit....."

"It's really you." The whole time, Ino hadn't released her gentle hold on the boy's face. But upon noticing Naruto melancholic expression, the blond girl somberly realized just what else came with being the Yondaime's son. "Then that means...."

Naruto pulled away in shame while muttering, "Yeah....the furball is still alive too." At this, the boy clutched at his abdomen angrily. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the Yamanaka mind-walker.

"B-but why?" piped up Kiba, having finally gotten over his daze. "Why did everyone say you were dead? Why did you leave Konoha? You're a legend around here man!"

Naruto couldn't help but let his tone become downcast and forlorn. "I only know bits and pieces about everything that happened after the sealing but, from what Super Ojii-san told me.....I had a lot of people trying to kill me thinking I was the demon reincarnated." Here, Naruto gave a mirthless chuckle. "Heh....he even told me how they thought because I looked a lot like my birth father, that it was the demon's way of perverting the image of their great hero."

Turning back around, Naruto cast a tearful gaze toward his dumbstruck friends. "In the end.....there really wasn't much choice. It was either stay in Konoha and end up with my throat slit, or leave until it was safe to come back."

"Is that why you were scared to tell us?" sobbed Ino, barely containing the anger she felt toward her village. "Because you thought we'd react like those....those idiots?!"

"No! That's not it. I.....I just......" Naruto couldn't help but trail off as his body was racking itself in restrained sobs. "I didn't want to lose the only friends I've ever had!"

Ashamed at having startled everyone by his emotional outburst, Naruto looked down and continued in a more subdued tone. "You're right... I was scared....scared that word would leak out about me and that you all would end up on the chopping block because you were associating with a......a demon....." sniffled Naruto, his voice quieting into a whisper. "A monster...."

Ino couldn't help but wince at that statement. Memories of the Uchiha attack were still fresh in her mind, and even a week later she still got nightmares of the horrifying experience.

But to hear Naruto refer to himself as a monster.....Ino couldn't believe that he bought into that ridiculous trash!

A monster wouldn't risk his life to protect a frightened girl.....

A monster doesn't encourage people to better themselves.....

A monster doesn't give a person strength with just a smile and a few kind words.....

Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Ino lunged towards the stunned Naruto, burying her crying face into his chest.

"I don't care what anybody else says or does! Never again! You're not a monster! Y-you're.....you're a great and kind person who stood up for me when nobody else would!"

Pulling away slightly, Ino raised her tear-stained face to smile brightly at the speechless blond Sarutobi. "You protected me.....gave me inspiration....gave me a reason to better myself...." and with a look of blazing determination, the Yamanaka girl shook the boy slightly to get her point across, "A monster would never do these things!"

Pausing, Ino couldn't help but blush and look away as she added, "A-And the Yondaime and his son were the first people I ever grew up admiring...."

Smiling sadly at the blond girl in his arms, Naruto shook his head, "Ino-chan....that story....I....I'm no hero. I never was. I was cannon fodder.....a sealing scroll....nothing about that is worth admiring...."

"Ino-san is correct in her assessment, Naruto-san." interrupted Shino, gaining everyone's undivided attention with his uncharacteristically emotional tone.

"The story may have been somewhat fabricated..... but the theme and message of it still remain true. I may only speak for myself when I say this but, much of my aspiration...... my desire to become a ninja of Konoha has been my way of living up to the deeds of the Yondaime and his son in that story."

With his sunglasses still off, the soft appreciation in his eyes was very easy to see. "I did not want to waste the second chance that I was given. So I pushed myself to the limit, preparing for my time to protect the village, just as the Yondaime's son did."

"A monster? Never." With his tone becoming firm and absolute, the stoic Aburame re-affixed his shades before continuing. "You, Sarutobi Naruto, were the inspiration for an entire generation of Konoha's youth. The fact that you have endured all this time to protect us all from the dire threat of the nine-tailed demon fox, living as its eternal jailer.....this is what makes you a hero in our eyes. For all of these reasons, there is no finer honor than to have you, a legend of my childhood, as my good friend and comrade."

Bringing his heartfelt statement to a conclusion, Shino straightened up before giving a deep meaningful bow of gratitude. "Arigato."

Naruto couldn't help but feel flabbergasted by the boy's words and actions.

He had expected disgust, anger, and possibly even words of betrayal for beguiling them into believing he was someone else......but to receive genial gratitude?

That was by FAR the last thing he ever expected to get out of all this.

Giving off what sounded like a laugh mixed with a sob, Naruto smiled at the bug user, "Heh....you know. I think that's the most I've ever heard you speak there, Shino."

Said boy simply shrugged at that.

Laughing in both relief and happiness, Naruto pulled Ino back into another tight embrace; one the smiling girl was more than glad to reciprocate.

"You guys have no idea how relieved I am right now.....that you accepted me." Despite being so elated, Naruto couldn't stop his voice from shaking as he buried his head into Ino's shoulder. "You're all seriously, the greatest friends a right-bastard like me could ask for. I don't think I can ever repay you for this...."

"Hmmm....well.... how bout you treat me to a nice dinner and we'll call it even." smirked Ino.

Softly dislodging himself from Ino, Naruto couldn't help but laugh, "Why not? Consider it done."

"Hey! What about us?" playfully grinned Kiba.

Adopting a mock thinking pose, the blond Sarutobi decided to "one-up" the dog-boy's tomfoolery, "Well even though I'm not a "man's man," dog breath, I guess I can treat you to dinner, too....just don't get any funny ideas."

"Hell yeah!" Then Kiba realized exactly what was being implied by his friend's statement. "I mean.....wait.....NO! No not like.... I didn't mean....you....GRAHH! God damnit, I'm not gay!"

"Ano...Kiba-kun he never said you were...." quietly added Hinata, with a slight amount of humor in her tone.

"Burn." supplemented Shino, earning laughter from everyone, including a distant chuckle from Shiro who had been silent up until now.

"Well....it's getting late." sighed Ino, cursing herself for being stuck with a curfew. "I should head home before daddy starts getting antsy wondering where I am."

"I should head out, too....I don't want my mom and sister tearing me a new asshole for being late for dinner." muttered Kiba, while he scratched his head nervously.

The last thing he wanted to do was give those two troublesome women a reason to pound his head in.....again.

"Ano....I better go as well. Thank you again, Naruto-kun, for......for confiding in us something I'm sure was very difficult for you to tell us." softly thanked Hinata, as she gave the blond boy a shy, but friendly hug.

Turning somewhat hesitantly toward Shiro, who was still lying down in the grass, seemingly unaware of everything, Hinata blushingly stuttered out, "H-H-Have a good night....S-Shiro-kun..."

After opening his eyes, Shiro slightly turned his head to smile softly at the bashful Hyuuga, "You too, Hinata-chan."

The poor girl couldn't help but faint at the added personal suffix, before being caught swiftly by a sighing Shino.

"You did that on purpose."

Shiro slightly chuckled, "Maybe, but you gotta admit she's getting better. Besides...." here the red-eyed boy shot his friend a knowing leer. "You don't seem to be complaining about her lying your strong, welcoming arms."

Shino's flustered face only made the raven-haired Sarutobi laugh even harder. "Think you can get her home alright there loverboy?"

After nodding somewhat nervously, the stoic Aburame thanked Naruto one last time before calmly departing with the sleeping Hinata in hand.

"Well, there's my cue to skeedoo! Later all!" and in an instant, Kiba also took off with a yipping Akamaru trailing after him, leaving Ino as the last person to leave.

"Thursday. Six-o-clock. My house. We'll discuss the details on the way." smirked Ino, with her hands planted smugly on her hips. "Think you can handle that, whiskers?"

"Ja, mein Fuhrer!" saluted Naruto mockingly, earning a playful slap from the giggling Yamanaka. After giving the boy one last affectionate hug, Ino smiled kindly before she too withdrew and headed for home.

Releasing a breath he felt like he had held in for the last hour, Naruto dragged a distressed hand slowly across his emotionally exhausted face, as he parked himself down next to his brother on the grassy knoll facing the setting sun.

Wordlessly, Shiro reached into his lapel before procuring two filtered cigarettes, lighting both up and handing one to his thankful brother.

"Mom would throw a fit if she knew about this." Even though this little ritual of theirs was a once in a great while thing, Naruto couldn't resist the slight shudder that ran down his back thinking about how his mother would react to them indulging in one of their father's filthy habits.

"Much love to ma, but what she doesn't know.....can't hurt her." replied Shiro, in a relaxed tone. "Besides, you earned this."

"Heh...and you call me disrespectful." chuckled Naruto.

Shiro simply breathed out a soothing stream of smoke. "So I'm a hypocrite...sue me."

A pregnant silence soon filled the clearing as the orange light of the sun dipped past the crest of the horizon.

"So...are you gonna tell them?" Naruto's voice was even and calm.

"Eventually." Shiro's voice was just as placid.

"They're your friends too, you know." remarked the blond, sending his brother a knowing look.

Shiro's face became slightly crestfallen at that, "Yeah... they are."

"Never get a break....do we?" sighed Naruto, as he turned his remorseful gaze back to the setting sun.

"Mmm....c'est la vie mon frere....." hummed Shiro, as he took a long drag of his cigarette. "C'est la vie...."

Facial LaFluer! Total facial!

I really am a pop-culture referencing whore aren't I? But be honest folks.... would you have me any other way? Eh, on second thought, don't answer that.

Let me just say, this was one of the roughest chapters I've written so far. It wasn't so much the length of it, but rather the number of re-writes I went through before I was satisfied. I really wanted something fresh and new for Naruto's "Kyuubi confession"; something nobody has done before in any other fanfic.

So I opted to turn the tale of the Yondaime's sealing into a heroic folktale, where the sealing and the heritage of the container was never kept hidden, but the true status of his son living through the sealing was.

A story where the Yondaime's son was revered by most (not all) of the younger generation for his sacrifice (you'll remember in Chapter 1, how most of the ninja clans tried to adopt Naruto, since they respected the Yondaime's skills – so it'd make sense that they'd raise their children to honor the boy) . Plus it made a good cover story cooked up by Sarutobi on why the container "disappeared" after the sealing. As for the heritage reveal, Sarutobi had nothing to fear if the boy was declared dead.

I'll also mention that Naruto had no idea about how well-received the story was by his generation. Gotta remember he grew up away from Konoha, so he had no indication that he would get such a positive response from his friends when he admitted who he really was. The only info he had to go on, was how he was taken away from the village because idiot villagers were trying to kill him.

I really, REALLY want everyone's feedback on this since this was a huge gamble on my end. I just want to know if you guys liked how I went about taking the "road less traveled" with my idea.

"C'est la vie mon frere" is french for "Such is life my brother." Keep in mind the boys aren't smokers. They light up only once in a while after undergoing a rather stressful trial, as a way of bonding (think military). I actually hate smoking, so I definitely don't condone it, especially with kids. But I really felt it added to the atmosphere of tension after Naruto confessed.

Next Time: The Value of Life – Cash or Check? The Shinigami only accepts Master Card mutha fucka!