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Wanderlust

Summary:

The village never saw him again. At least, not as they knew him.

Chapter 1: Birth of a Wanderer

Chapter Text

It was a simple matter of false hope. He knew he was different, the giant chakra construction sealed within him proved that, but on a much more subtle level. Growing up a pariah stunted his emotional growth; well, more like his ability to trust people. Even the Hokage, a person trusted by the entire village, was not on that list. Neither was the sensei he had had at the academy for the past several years.
While the man had grown to accept Naruto as a person, there was still that hint of apprehension within his gaze. Naruto couldn’t entirely blame him; people feared what they didn’t know, especially if the subject of ire had killed close relatives and friends of many. But it wasn’t just that. The man seemed to coddle Naruto, holding him back, not helping him improve on what he needed to graduate from the academy. Not even helping him with the very bare basics aside from theoretical work. Well, that did help in his drive to survive. A lot of damn theories and skills swam in his head thanks to said survival drive.
No one, not a single soul except four ever truly felt pride towards him, and those people he would truly treasure for his entire life. Even if one was technically not a human. Though there was always a tingling notion in the back of his head he wanted to squash down any time it even remotely crossed his mind. The simple idea that no one truly cared for him, not even in some roundabout way.
However, those people overtime left, saying they couldn’t stay in a place that would treat an innocent child as they did. First, it was his older sister. After her father died, she had to close down the one place that treated him like a person. Becoming an orphan with skills to make ramen, but not old enough to keep a business up, nor the experience of handling the ideas of financing and budgeting. She left several years ago, leaving him with only three people.
Next, was a man in a mask. When he was younger, it reminded Naruto of a pumpkin, and it made him laugh a lot. He was always coming during the night, never during the day, and the last time he ever saw the man was the night of the Uchiha massacre. There was an inkling in his head that the pumpkin man played part in the massacre, identified by the Sharingan Naruto would catch a glimpse of every once in a while. The guy seemed to have multiple personalities. Sometimes he acted like he was on drugs, always making disturbingly weird analogies, his voice high pitched and cracked like a boy going through puberty. The other times, he was met with a man who regaled him with tales of his former idol, his voice a baritone he always liked the sound of, it was soothing to fall asleep to.
The third one was what others called an ANBU. The guy’s hair always reminded him of the moon, the locks a pretty silver, even under artificial light. Naruto never got to know his real name, but he always called him Inu-nii or Dog-kun. Inu-nii never spoke, but was able to communicate with Naruto via a type of shorthand he picked up quickly, using paper and pencil to help him understand. Naruto considered him one of his closest human friends, but then one day, he mysteriously disappeared without a word to the young boy. That was one that really tore him down.
But the fourth person could not actually leave him unless he decided to strip away the seal and set him free. But he didn’t have access to such knowledge, so that couldn’t happen… yet. Kurama was the first person to show any form of affection to Naruto. Even if it was a form of beration for him not taking care of himself with the stealth skills he had somehow developed at the age of one and half years old.
His emotional development is what happened to lead him to his current situation with a giant scroll in his grip, doing his best to muffle his breathing and suppress his chakra as Kurama had taught him. In a desperate moment of insanity, he ignored his feelings, the past between him and Iruka, and believed that the man was trying to make up for past years of neglect by allowing him to do something so risky. Nope, stupid scheme planned up by a bastard wanting more power from a pedophile.
This is an incredibly stupid idea, but one can hope. Ne, Kurama-nii?
Yeah, no duh brat, the giant chakra construct replied in his head. That ‘teacher’ of yours barely did anything to help you. What makes you think he would suddenly stick up for you against a traitor?
He wouldn’t, would he? Naruto thought wryly. He shifted his mind back into reality, straining his ears to listen to the conversation between his academy instructor and the traitor, not knowing what to expect.
“Defending that demon brat?” Mizuki asked, eyes narrowed.
Iruka was silent for a moment before replying. “Only because he was my student.”
A sick grin spread across the face of Mizuki. “Oh, so a sense of obligation? How bold.”
There was a pang in Naruto’s chest. He knew something like this was coming. He knew. But again, he couldn’t help but hold on to the childish hope and dream that his teacher would say something or have another reason for doing something like this.
“That, and because I don’t want to be blamed for the loss of the village weapon,” Iruka responded simply. “Holding that brat back helps in molding his loyalties.”
Mizuki could honestly say he was impressed. “That’s some metal there Iruka,” he grinned. “Never expected that from the goody-two-shoes demon-lover!”
“Deception is a shinobi’s greatest tool, isn’t it?” he smiled grimly.
The conversation was tuned out as Naruto’s senses went into an emotional overdrive. His mouth went dry, his nose flaring in a torrent of emotions, his vision went hazy as splotches of purple appeared behind his eyelids. His ears were deafened by the roar of his heartbeat, the sound growing steadily quicker as the words he overheard started to settle in. Their meaning poured its toxic tendrils through the crumbling emotional mortar of his will.
Every part of him began to wail in both sadness and fury, blocking out every other form of will close to him. Even the growing concerned shouting from his chakra fox went unheard. Kurama was standing on all fours, eyes wide with fear, tails thrashing around wildly behind him. A shrieking wind was howling around him, the water in the mindscape forming small waves. The seal blocking the bars of the cage, as frail as it looked, was furiously gripping onto the gate lock as it whipped around in the wind.
Slowly, the wind began to take on a navy blue hue, the shape turning from uneven swirling tides of air, into tendrils similar to that of Kurama’s tails. They lashed out, first being random, before becoming into coherent units attacking the gate, attempting to reach through the bars. Kurama felt his metaphorical blood run cold as he began to understand what was happening. Something he hoped would never have to happen.

“Ne, Kurama-nii?” a small voice asked timidly.
The great beast’s eyes moved down to look at the small child laying against his crossed paws. He huffed slightly, ruffling the boy’s blond locks. “Yes, you insufferable child?”
The blonde child giggled slightly. “I was going through some of the chakra theory books at the academy library and came across an old book that stated something about sentient chakra imprinting. It was only a passing mention, but it made me curious.”
The chakra beast took a moment to think. “While I am not familiar with your kind’s views and knowledge of chakra, it does remind me of something I learned a couple of centuries ago while in my human form.”
The child leaned his head back and stared in the crimson eyes of his giant friend. The fox sighed as he continued, understanding the questioning gaze of the young boy. He flicked one of his tails to project something akin to an open scroll. Images in a style similar to that of ancient art began to move along it. “Chakra, as you ningen know, is the energy flowing throughout your body,” Kurama began. A blue flame appeared on the scroll, flickering.
“Simply stated, it is a combination of two aspects, spirit and body.” The blue flame split into two smaller fireballs, one green, and the other red. “The topic of interest falls under that of the spirit aspect, seeing as it combines with your inner mind, down to the very subconscious.” The red flame disappeared, the green one being brought to the forefront.
“Those with vast chakra reserves, and with a deep connection to said reserves, the chakra can act on its own to an extent. It acts in the interest of the body and mind of its host,” Kurama explained.
To simplify the point, the outline of a person appeared, the green flame fading into blue to represent chakra as a whole. “What I mean, is that I think the host is in danger.” The outline of a kunai appeared next to the person, the point aimed towards the body. “The chakra will take on the form of something to defend the host, mostly due to the subconscious thought of wanting to survive.” The blue flame morphed into the shape of a shield, moving to sit in front of the point of the kunai to highlight the statement.
“So that would be the sentient part,” the blonde mused.
“Right. Now as for imprinting, that is a much more… complicated topic. The simplest way I can put it is that imprinting is when the sentient chakra marks those as friend and foe, something much rarer than sentient chakra itself.”
The blonde hummed, absorbing the topic and mulling over the information. “So if it can identify threats, and mark people as either friend or foe, is there a….” he breathed, thinking of how to word his question. “Is there a possibility that if something of tremendous influence happens to the host, can the chakra reach out for help on its own?”
Kurama mused over the question. “I’m not sure, kit. Something like that has never been recorded, nor even heard of.”

Kurama had to smile wryly to himself. Of course, the damn brat is capable of proving his theories. But he had to force that thought away for the time being. He knew the chakra tendrils were reaching out to try and latch onto Kurama, the only thing it knew could help its host, from here and twenty ways to Sunday. But for some reason, the chakra was being repelled from reaching into the cage.
“Damn seal!” the fox roared, realizing that the seal was preventing the chakra from reaching out to Kurama’s own. He lunged forward in desperation, head banging against the bars, shaking the mindscape. He began to pace back and forth, wondering what to do to reach out to his kit.
The chakra outside grew erratic as it wasn’t able to get to its goal of Kurama’s comforting chakra, its unease resonating with the emotional pain of its host. As it began to thrash around, parts of it began to form into sharp blades of wind, swinging wildly. With the wild thrashing and cutting, a mix of blade and chakra tendril attacked the paper seal, practically tearing it off. An influx of chakra surrounded the area.
Kurama paused his furious pacing, noticing the influx. As his eyes settled in the light of the outside of his cage, he couldn’t help but growl lowly. “Namikaze,” he said simply.
The blonde man looked around confusedly as his hair was whipped around by the force of Naruto’s chakra. He looked towards and up at the Kyubi, ridiculously unsure of what was happening. “What is going on?”
“As usual, Naruto is doing the impossible. But that needs to be put aside for right now,” Kurama replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. “The kit needs me right now, and I can’t do jack shit with this seal in the way.”
Minato’s eyes narrowed. “And just why should I completely unlock the seal?”
Kurama roared furiously, making the Yondaime take a step back. “This isn’t the time for your stupid games, ningen! My kit needs me! All thanks to the stupid actions of that damned village!” The chakra construct could feel himself begin to cry, becoming incredibly desperate. “If I don’t do anything, he will tear his mind apart from the emotional strain!”
Minato, in a moment without hesitation, undid the seal. “I have my reasons for placing my trust in you for Naruto, but I demand an explanation afterward.”
Kurama completely ignored the human, barging through the gates and unleashing his chakra full force, overwhelming Naruto’s own and flooding the boy’s chakra network. “PLEASE NARUTO!” Kurama yelled with the force of his entire will.
Outside of Naruto’s seal, the boy was numb as he stared into the gleeful eyes of Mizuki, and those of guarded interest from Iruka. The boy had blood dribble from the corner of his mouth due to having received a kick in the chest. Hands were bound behind his back as his clothes were tattered and shredded, his jacket thrown aside, leaving him bare-chested with a multitude of deep gashes. Naruto didn’t make a single sound though, much to Mizuki’s ire, and slightly to Iruka’s grudging respect.
“Cry out, you demon! Give me the same sounds that my friends made as I watched you tear them to pieces!” Mizuki shrieked hysterically.
Naruto received a boot to his face, spitting out blood after the foot was retracted. He just stared at the two, a gaze so devoid of emotion that it unsettled the two chunin. “What difference would it make? You’ll only continue to hit harder the more I cry,” he responded numbly.
Mizuki gave a growl of frustration from the lack of screams, even from the increase of strength behind his attacks. The chunin dug a kunai out of his hip holster, gripping it with the blade facing the ground with the arm hanging limply to his side. A sadistic smirk gripped the corners of the mouth, eyes wide with maniacal glee. Mizuki used his left foot to push Naruto onto his back, foot leaning heavily against his stomach. Blonde hair layed mishappedly across his head as glazed eyes stared up at the chunin. Mizuki bent down, raising the kunai to the top of the child’s temple.
His mouth opened in a silent scream of pain as a blade was plunged just above his right eye before it was dragged across his temple and over his nose and across his left eyelid and down to just the edge of the left side of his face near the corner of his mouth. Blood pooled from the deep gash on his face and fell down the sides of his head and seeped into the ground.
Though that attack seemed to be the final push needed for something. As the blood began to pool out, a deep blue chakra began to pour out of the gash along with bubbling red and gold whisps. The chakra seemed to magically stitch the skin back together enough to leave vibrant red flesh. After that, the total amount seemed to grow a thousandfold and combine into a whirlwind of crimson, navy blue, and a shining gold. The colors coalesced into a mass of swirling royal purple with hints of gold whips scattered throughout. It lit up the entire clearing, and the mass of wind built up from the display pushed back Mizuki and Iruka.
The mass of chakra began to implode on itself, collapsing down into a ball hovering just above the unconscious blonde. It slowly sunk down, encasing the boy in a shroud of chakra. It started to pulse in a gold color before flashing so bright, blinding the other two shinobi just enough that when they regained their sight, the injured boy was no longer seen within their range of vision, and neither was the scroll. Somehow, the boy was gone.

Chapter 2: Dysfunctional Aftermath

Summary:

Naruto continues being the most unpredictable person Kakashi knows

Notes:

I follow my whims of writing, and that includes newer elements that don't exactly line up, or when I update the story.
Enjoy!

Chapter Text

He was a simple man just in the beginning chapters of his adult life. His lean frame was accentuated with a simple, yet sturdy, sleeveless undergarment that seemed glued to his skin. Atop the garment was a gray piece of armor, connected by straps going over his shoulders. Both forearms were dressed with clawed gloves that reached to the middle of the upper bicep with gray armor plating on the outside and ninja tape under the upper edge of the glove. He stood at six feet tall, his imposing figure furthered by his long, unruly hair as he had both eyes open. Though one glowed red in anger, the tomoes inside spinning viciously.

“Care to explain as to why Uzumaki Naruto has disappeared?” he asked, his tone calm and posture lax. Behind him were a pack of Shinobi summons, most glaring and growling at the council before them. While they were usually relaxed and calm around people, the news of one of their adopted kin having gone missing had them on edge; a feeling shared by the Inuzuka head and her clan.

Kakashi hated the tension brewing in the room. He took note that several of the clan heads on the Shinobi council were either grim or downright furious. It was easy to tell when he looked at the direction half of their gazes were aimed. The civilian council was smiling, some even slightly drunk due to free drinks being passed around in the main streets of the village. Some of them were even carelessly cheering for the ‘demon child’ finally having been rid of.

When he realized no one had responded, he stalked forward and slammed his right fist on the table, the piece of furniture cracking slightly under the force and emitting a loud bang that garnered the attention of everyone in the room. “I asked,” he growled loudly. “Care to explain why Uzumaki Naruto has disappeared?!” The civilians cowered under his gaze while the shinobi and elders just stared, taken aback by the sudden emotional reaction.

It was the man in charge that spoke up, albeit with reluctance. “It has come to my attention from both Umino Iruka, a direct witness, and Uzumaki-san’s ANBU guard attempting to trail the boy, to learn that he had taken the Forbidden Scroll of Seals and Techniques from the Hokage’s vault under the tower.”

“It is believed by us and the council,” an elderly female stepped forward, gesturing to herself and the others in the room. Kakashi noted that the shinobi side, aside from one, all tensed, looking like they were trying to bite back some snide remark. “That the boy has been taken over, or at the very least influenced, by the Kyuubi.”

“Are you stupid?” Kakashi asked blatantly.

The elder woman bristled at the words, her eyes flashing with fiery anger. “Listen here, boy,” she scowled. “I demand the respect owed to us–”

The silver-haired ANBU let out a hollow laugh. “Respect? You deserve about as much respect as horse shit rotting in a ditch.”

“You insolent-!”

“ANBU Hatake Kakashi, you are to keep your mouth shut and refrain from speaking your mind for the rest of the meeting!” Sarutobi Hiruzen yelled out, effectively shutting up everyone. The civilian side looked pleased, while the clan heads and ninja representatives felt disgusted.

He couldn’t hear it the best, but seeing the look on the Inuzuka Matriarch’s face, he knew he heard right. The Hokage had muttered something about how Danzo’s grooming methods would have been better, in the long run, to keep ninja under control. That was a piece to file away for another time.

Kakashi had to keep his breathing under control, lest he acts out in a fit of righteous fury. Seriously? Danzo, and now Sarutobi? How many old flesh-bags are pedophiles? he asked himself, eyes glancing in the direction of the mummy of an elder.

“My apologies,” Kakashi started, paying close attention to the elder Sarutobi’s expression. He despised the smug satisfaction he saw in the other’s eyes. The twisted smile that formed on his face as he took in the expressions of everybody from his next words. “For having the balls to state my own opinion, you dick-faced, wrinkly shit-rag, old-ass monkey son of a bitch. For I seriously don’t give a rat’s ass about how my words make you feel. I might have more remorse if you were a kid, but seeing as you are a leader hardened by war. I. Could. Care Less.”

The reaction was something he reveled in. Because damn, he has wanted to get that off his chest ever since he was banned from any close contact with Naruto, and it was satisfying. The old coots were gaping in abject horror, not thinking that someone would even have the guts to say something like that to their faces. The civilians’ jaws dropped to the floor, their eyes bugging out comically. And the shinobi side had him wanting to lean back and kick his legs up on a table. Most of the clan heads were smirking, the exception being Inuzuka Tsume who was downright cackling like a madwoman while clutching her stomach with one hand and pounding the table with a fist with the other. Other shinobi representatives such as the Civilian Shinobi representative and the Shinobi Conflict Orphan representative were trying to hold back their laughter, failing quite miserably as there was a cacophony of coughs, snickers, and snorts.

“Aside from all of this,” Kakashi began, his voice a deadly type of monotony. “You have failed Yondaime-Sama.” His gaze leveled on the now confused and angry civilians and elders.

“How could we have failed our village hero?” The head of civilian trading asked. He was a whale of a man with a pudgy face and bald head. Though we closely resembled a blueberry, an unfortunate comparison for the delicious fruit.

“If anything, we should be celebrating that his job is finally done! The demon fox is finally gone from this prestigious village!” another civilian screeched.

“Shut up you horse-faced bitch!” Kakashi shouted, hands coming up to massage his temple. “This is exactly why a civilian council is entirely unnecessary in a military settlement! You don’t understand any part of the shinobi arts, much less the finess of Fuuinjutsu. The kunai does not become the scroll it is sealed into!”

“What the hell does that mean?” the horse lady asked.

“Naruto is only the container, not the bijuu itself!”

The woman scoffed. “So what? It would just be easier to get rid of the demon altogether, even if that child still retained its mind.”

“Did… you just call an… innocent child… an… it?” Kakashi was a bit surprised to see the Inuzuka head speak up, albeit stammering.

“Well, that’s what it is,” the civilian continued, blissfully ignorant to the rising malicious intent aimed in her direction. “It was a useless orphan child Yondaime-Sama sealed the demon beast into. A no-name kid with nothing special about it.”

“What about the fact that Yondaime-Sama wished for Naruto-kun to be seen as a hero from keeping a massive chakra construct at bay?” Kakashi asked. His hands had fallen and were clenched into fists at his side, his nails digging into his palms. They almost drew blood despite the cloth layer in between.

“As if! A child that small cannot keep something like the Kyuubi at bay! That cursed child would have had its mind taken over by now.”

“Well, it looks like you have no faith in a sealing master’s, by Uzumaki standards may I remind you, fuuinjutsu capabilities. That man sold his soul to keep this village safe, and yet, here they are, spitting on his legacy,” Kakashi hissed in response.

“Legacy? How the fuck is the Kyuubi brat that man’s legacy?”

“Looks like everyone here has the IQ of a walnut,” Tsume muttered in utter disbelief. It was just further evidence why the village was a shinobi-dominated settlement.

“That’s giving them too much credit, Tsume-san,” Kakashi replied offhandedly.

“How the hell can you not tell who the boy’s father is? The kid’s a fucking carbon copy of the man, despite the infamous Uzumaki temperament.”

“What are you hinting at?”

“I would suggest you watch your next words carefully, Inuzuka-san. We do not want to cause any political issues,” Hiruzen warned.

“Fuck you, monkey man. This isn’t going to really be any different from when the kid’s Jinchuriki status was leaked,” Tsume scoffed. “Why the hell should his lineage matter? You don’t even enforce your own law of silence.”

“Okay,” Kakashi started, eye smiling. That set everybody on edge, and he wasn’t emitting any bloodlust. Oh, did he love reveling in chaos! “Naruto is the child of the Yondaime, Namikaze Minato. His mother also happens to be the Bloody Princess, Uzumaki Kushina.”

 

 

The sky above was a midnight purple with stars shining sparsely within the dark expanse. There was the sound of cheers and laughter that faded into the background, the sound of fireworks still deafening despite being so far away. Cans and other forms of trash littered the ground, an occasional clang coming from the random pebble colliding with the aluminum. Street lamps were evenly placed, casting light on the almost abandoned street. The light crunch from gravel under feet was accompanied by a chilly wind as two individuals walked side by side together in contemplative silence

“Y’know… I’m worried for the pup,” Tsume murmured. “Not to mention how distraught Kiba’s going to be. Not to mention all the animals the pup has saved.”

Kakashi gave her a sideways glance. “I’m worried for him too, but… what do you mean by ‘all the animals he saved’?”

Tsume let out a small chuckle. “That kid has a love for animals unlike any other. We have an entire veterinary and kennel wing each just for the animals he’s saved.”

Kakashi let out a low whistle in amazement. “That sounds just like him… he has always had a soft spot for anything that wasn’t human. Very few people fall under that list…” His voice trailed off as he slouched forward and narrowed a tired eye at the ground. “This village screwed him over. I’m honestly happy he isn’t here anymore.”

“He doesn’t have to worry about stupid people anymore,” she responded tiredly. “And he knows how to live off the land if his physique is anything to go by.”

“Again, people being idiots of this millennia!” Kakashi groaned exasperatedly, his head leaning back. “He was a damn kid.”

“Unfortunately, the civilian populace seems to disagree,” Tsume responded with a wry smirk.

“I swear to whatever superficial power that exists, that those whale-faced blubber fuckers get what’s coming to them!” Kakashi growled.

Tsume let out a chuckle as she shook her head in amusement. “You have your unique insults.”

The young adult gave her a sideways look and shrugged. “Comes with the territory of having Kushina-nee in your life almost 24/7.”

The clan matriarch took a turn to the right, entering through a curved doorway into a compound. “Come, there is a reason I asked you to accompany me here.”

“To help break the news to Kiba?”

Tsume snorted. “I’ve dealt with that brat his entire life. I know how to handle him. But there are a couple of other things.” She gestured for him to follow her.

The two of them walked down the cobblestone path that led into the main area of the compound. It was surrounded by low-hanging trees, with small lights hanging from the higher branches. Lining the path was an assortment of different colored flowers and many types of green shrubbery. “This area is beautiful,” Kakashi murmured, mesmerized by the main compound area.

Tsume smiled at the other with unabashed pride, a chortle making its way up her throat. “Naruto came up with the idea.”

 

Tsume was pacing in front of the bed, her friend Kuromaru was curled up beside the boy with his head on his small chest. Her youngest sat in a chair, his head sat on his crossed arms as he slept soundly, small snores were one of the few sounds in the hospital room. His canine partner, Akamaru, was letting out a quiet, high-pitched whine as he sat on his haunches staring at the comatose boy.

They were the only visitors left, the main family of the Auburame and Nara clans having left a little over an hour ago. Visiting hours were drawing to a close, and she didn’t want to leave until the young pup woke up. “Why can’t they just leave the boy alone?” she asked herself quietly. It was followed by a soft growl as she clutched at her head in frustration.

“I swear, the next time I get my hands on that damn Sarutobi–!” She was cut off by the sounds of someone stirring from sleep. Her eyes landed on the bed, seeing that Kuromaru had his head raised while Akamaru was standing on all fours, his tail wagging rapidly.

Her surrogate pup was shifting his arms, his eyelids fluttering as he groaned. She raced over to the side where Kuramaru was and sat on the side of the bed. “Naruto,” she whispered gently, her hands laying on his chest and stomach as she looked him over.

He opened his eyes, his vision blurry. “Tsume… Okasan?” he croaked.

She gave the blonde boy a fond smile before grabbing the conveniently placed water glass on the table next to her. The young child sat up slowly, clenching his eyes shut as they finally registered the blinding light of the room. He positioned himself to be more comfortable before opening his eyes once more and blinking rapidly to allow them to adjust. When he noticed the offered glass of water, he grabbed it and drank it greedily.

The boy coughed when he finished drinking. “Oi, don’t drink so fast brat!” Tsume scolded lightly.

After he cleared his throat, he chuckled lightly, though hoarse. “Sorry-” he coughed again, his voice sounding more normal. “Sorry, Tsume-San. My throat just felt like it was on fire.”

She ruffled the kid’s hair. “It’s fine, just be careful pipsqueak.”

The boy pouted, his lips pursed as he gazed at the older woman. His gaze left her as he looked around the room, confusion starting to form on his face. “Where am I?” he asked.

The Inuzuka matriarch turned her head away for a moment, taking a deep breath to keep herself from exploding with rage. She turned her head back to the boy, noticing the frown. “Don’t worry, I’m not upset with you, I’m upset with the dumb-dumb grown-ups of the village.”

He smiled slightly at his pseudo-mother's word choice. She smiled back before sighing, suddenly feeling very tired. “You’re in a place called a hospital. It’s a place to help those who are badly hurt or really sick.”

She could see his face turn sour, as if having just eaten an entire lemon. “Then why wasn’t I brought here before?”
“Because of those bastards— I mean…” Tsume trailed off, smacking her forehead. “Shit,” she muttered.

The boy, however, to her surprise, didn’t seem bothered or confused. At her questioning look, he answered, “I’ve heard those words before, and it is sorta easy to figure out what they mean. Or at least when to use them.”

Tsume let out a low snarl. “Idiots!”

She felt a small, tentative hand on her forearm. Taking in a shaky breath, she managed to calm herself slightly before looking at the boy. “Naruto,” she asked calmly. “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?”

Naruto crossed his arms, his eyes squinting in concentration trying to remember what happened. He jolted a bit when he felt a small influx of energy in his head. Almost right after that, he was able to see memories. “I.. remember now… Though I don’t know how, I felt like I was pretty, er, loopy? When I was attacked?” he rambled slightly, really confused.

She noticed the flinch and decided to worry about it later. “Naruto, I need you to focus pup,” she said worriedly. She placed her hands on either side of the boy’s face. “You said you were attacked. Do you remember who did it? Why it happened?”

Naruto stared up at her, his face scrunched up as he thought. “Well, it was a small group of people… none of ‘em had the swirl-leaf metal thingy anywhere on them…”

“Okay, so a small group of civilians. That’s a good start,” Tsume encouraged.

“They were talking funny. Their words weren’t understandable. It was as if their lips were legs and stumbling,” He scrunched his nose and stuck his tongue out. “They smelled disgusting too. Blegh!”

She stroked his hair. “They were something grown-ups call ‘drunk’. It means they drank too much of something that made them stupid.”

Naruto nodded in understanding. “So whatever that smelly stuff they had made them stupider than they already were?”

She nodded. “You said you were ‘loopy’, do you know why? Did they do anything, perhaps offer you something?”

“Yeah… They gave me some funny-looking water. I couldn’t smell anything, but the water was foggy and tasted like sticks.”

Naruto saw Tsume mutter a litany of creative insults under her breath. She looked at Naruto before talking once more. “They gave you a scentless something that disappears when in contact with water. It was supposed to limit your thinking ability.”

“Oh,” was all the boy said, his face downcast. “Why would they do that?”

“Were you able to make out anything they said?”

“They said a lot of things, but the most I could understand was them saying something about ‘demon fox’ and something like ‘demon child’.” Tsume tensed as the boy continued speaking. “But that doesn’t make sense! I mean, I have seen a really big fox in my dreams every night, but he wasn’t a demon!”

She choked on air.

“He always seems to be sad any time I see him,” Naruto said, starting to brighten up, not noticing the shock on Tsume’s face. “He called himself Kyubi, though I know that’s not his real name. That thing is just a way to describe him. He’s really big and looooooves telling me stories from his memories!”

She coughed, causing Naruto to look at her in concern. It was a miracle to her that Kiba wasn’t waking up somehow. She DID NOT want to explain what Naruto was talking about. “I,” Tsume choked. How the hell was she supposed to tell a kid that he was talking about the most powerful thing on the planet?!

“I keep hearing his voice tell me to hide in the forest place on the other side of the village! It has HUMONGOUS trees!” he exclaimed, waving his arms wildly, stars in his eyes. “Of course, there are some of these really pretty ones around a small pond in a part of it.”

“Did… did…” She was at a loss for words. There was a small inkling in the back of her mind of where the child was talking about. She cleared her throat. “Did it have a tall, metal fence surrounding it?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I see these giant signs with red paint on them every few feet, but I can’t understand what they said.” He pouted, upset he couldn't read yet.

“I really want to know what his real name is, but he isn’t ready to tell me!” Naruto whined. “He’s awesome and my friend! Even though he won’t admit it.” He paused to think. Then he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Not that I’ve asked him to be my friend. I keep forgetting with his stories he keeps telling me.”

This child was just babbling on and on about dangerous things as if they were everyday occurrences for him. How the hell was he not dead yet?! Especially since he was fucking four.

“He also suggested I find a place to create something like my pond place in the forest with the big animals. He says it would be better because then my original hiding spot would be less easy to find!” He grinned wildly as Tsume just looked at him dumbfounded, her mouth agape.

 

Kakashi, for his part, was somehow well-put-together after hearing the most ridiculous story he had ever heard. “Let me get this straight,” he said. “Naruto was, or is, in constant contact with Kyubi, the embodiment of destruction, and has a safe haven in the Forest of Death? And that the main entrance of the compound is based on that area?”

Tsume shrugged. “Half of the animals we have treated here are victims of giant insect attacks from that place.” She shuddered. “I went with the kid once, and I swear, that kid terrifies me with how easily he can decimate one of the giant centipedes there.”

“I… I really have no words,” Kakashi deadpanned.

“He calls the giant bugs, and I quote, ‘the spawns of the pits of hell that deserve the wrath of Amaterasu’,” she replied. She put a calculating finger on her chin. “Hmm, he also calls them something along the lines of, er, ‘bug fuck’?”

“That kid is definitely Kushina’s son. Doesn’t help with the amount of time he spends here either. Your clan has the mouth of sailors despite being landlocked.”

Tsume just shrugged. “Come on, I need to give you something in my office.”

There was a moment of silence before Kakashi spoke up, disbelieving. “You have an office?”

Chapter 3: The Hanyo Child

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“I want answers,” a man demanded. His hair seemed to have been touched by the sun’s golden rays, and his eyes blessed by the ocean. His face had a sharp, yet rounded jawline framed by two long strands of spiky hair. His skin was a well-developed tan, almost a type of caramel color. He wore a muted navy-blue two-piece outfit. The shirt was long-sleeved and had two lighter blue bands that lay on his wrist and just below his elbow. His pants were fairly loose to allow for a wide range of movement, the pant legs tapered off with standard shinobi tape and sandals. A high collared, short-sleeved cloak lay across his shoulders, red flames licking the open hem at the bottom.

The other huffed, not having the energy to argue. “Ask and you shall receive,” he replied, tiredly waving his hand in his direction.

“He’s my son,” the man growled slightly, eyes narrowing dangerously.

Dark orange hair swayed slightly from the movement of a head. The man looked straight into his eyes, unblinking. “I am aware, Namikaze Minato,” he replied, shutting his eyes. “I am just tired. Recent events have left me drained of most of my chakra.” He then gestured to his raggedy appearance. “Hence the human form. What energy I have left is easier to maintain this way.”

The now named Namikaze Minato crossed his arms. “I didn’t ask for the reason for your current form, Kyuubi. I asked for answers regarding my son.”

A weak chuckle escaped the tired man’s chapped lips. “I doubt he is even male now.”

A dangerous aura started to encompass the two. “What. Did. You. Do. To. Naruto.”

“He has become a hanyo,” the man replied simply. “The kit’s chakra was so restless, it was starting to become harmful for even him.” His eyes closed as he began to shrink down, his hair seemingly
becoming a second skin as it surrounded his body. “I was one of the only things that could calm him down when he was younger.” His form molded into that of a small fox, the only different feature being
his rabbit-like ears.

“However, this was incredibly different. He was extremely emotionally distraught, all thanks to that worthless village of yours,” he growled as he opened one eye, a crimson eerily similar to that of a Sharingan glaring up at the man. “So when his chakra went as wild as it did, I had to reach out my own chakra to his. It was trying to seek out the one thing it knew would calm him down.”

“Alright,” he answered slowly, cautious of what this could mean. “But that doesn’t explain why so much of your chakra combined with his.”

The small fox huffed. “It was so the boy would be able to actually register my presence.” He laid his head atop his front paw-like appendages. “Unfortunately, the side effect was most of my chakra reaching out and being dragged and molded into his own system.”

The blonde man’s face became worried. “Isn’t that dangerous?! The excess amount of bijuu chakra could destroy his chakra coils! Or even kill him!”

“And what we got instead was his chakra rapidly transforming his entire DNA code into something that would be able to handle such dense and potent chakra,” the fox replied. “In other words, he is officially biologically related to me, despite me being a massive chakra construct with a conscience.”

“You mean…”

“He has officially become a half-demon; a hanyo.”

“Oh… So he would fall under the category of hermaphrodite now?” Namikaze asked, an earlier comment registering in his head.

The fox started to grow in size as he nodded. “Yes. And sometimes that can affect one’s perception of their gender.” Then he snorted. “Not like that wasn’t already happening to the brat.”

“I…” the man trailed off, unsure of what to say to that. It was usually older shinobi who specialized in infiltration that ended up questioning their original perceived gender. “Just what has he gone through?”

A flash of anger passed over the fox’s face, his lips curling into a snarl as his eyes glinted with maliciousness. “On the most basic level,” he growled harshly, his bloodlust rising to incredible levels and leaving even the former Hokage sweating. “That pathetic excuse for a village you gave your life for, condemned your son to the life of a pariah! Of a man worth less than the ground they walk on!”

Minato’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I… what?” he asked dumbly.

A wry smirk crossed the demon fox’s snout. “Yeah. The only exceptions to that would be the lazy-asses, the bug users, and the Inuzuka,” he listed off. “Oh, and that prodigious student of yours.” Then the fox scoffed. “The damn brat is absolutely infatuated with that silver-haired pervert.”

Minato blinked. Once, then twice. His eyebrows had risen past his hairline, a feat within itself. “I… how?”

The fox gave him a curious gaze, before smirking. “Y’know, for a prodigy and a Hokage, you sure are stupid right now.”

Minato dropped his arms to his side and let out a tired sigh. He looked blearily up at the fox and threw his arms up in exasperation. “How else am I supposed to react? I know nothing about my son other than the fact he is the jinchuriki of the yang half of the Kyuubi.”

“Full Kyuubi.”

“Huh?”

The fox let out a roar of a laugh. “The full Kyuubi, dumbass. You should know how chakra works.”

“Uhm…”

Kyuubi sighed, smacking his forehead with one of his human-like paws before glowering at the human. “When there is something as skewed as there being more yang or yin than anything, the body or surrounding area will attempt to balance out the ratio of yin to yang. Balance and all that.”

“So… you somehow naturally regenerate your yin half?”

“Congratulations on figuring out something that should be stupidly obvious. Want a cookie?”

The former Hokage sweatdropped at the sarcastic comment. He sighed, again, as he crossed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. “Is… is there a way that… that I can see his life up until now? Could I see?”

Kyuubi’s eyes seemed to have glazed over for a moment before he shut them. His tails thrashed slightly behind him, showing his agitation. Then his entire form seemed to slump as if a weight had been dropped on his shoulders. “Fine,” he huffed tiredly. Kyuubi lifted his right paw-hand and touched his index claw to his forehead. “Just…” The fox trailed off, something highly unusual for the chakra beast. “Just don't expect a lot of pleasantries. Most of the events are after his third birthday. It was when he began to comprehend what was going on around him.”

Minato felt a surge of energy rush through his body, he clutched his forehead in pain and his eyes clenched shut as he stumbled back and groaned. Every nerve ending in his corporeal form felt like it was on fire, as if molten lava was flowing through his coils. It seemed to burn away his body from the inside, what still existed folding in on itself. Everything stretched and compacted into something smaller, but still felt like him somehow.

His eyes opened to look up to a dark ceiling. Blinking several times to adjust to the light levels he moved his head left and right, realizing he was laying down. He attempted to sit up but winced harshly.
Using his legs and lower back he managed to shuffle himself against the closest wall and used it as a way to sit up. His eyes flicker down to the body he was in and they hardened.
“This is what the Kyuubi meant by ‘not pleasant’,” he snorted in contempt. “Understatement of the century,” he muttered to himself. He knew he was experiencing this memory from Naruto’s viewpoint. There was no other possibility.

The boy’s body was covered in what could only be described as rags. It was practically an oversized pillowcase with the hem in tatters. The entire thing was caked in dirt, dust and something that looked suspiciously like dried blood. There were holes scattered throughout the upper chest of the diritied shirt where a dried liquid dripped down slightly, and the implications made Minato’s blood run cold.

His analytical gaze traveled to the grubby hands attached to his arms. They were small and fairly dexterous; the palms were calloused while the fingers had several splinters scattered throughout the skin. The nails were uneven and slightly ripped at the tips with dried blood residing under them. He looked up next to him and saw scratch marks in random patches next to where he sat. He tried to scratch his way out?

His attention was quickly drawn away from his child’s physical state and perusing of the room by a harsh banging coming from the wall parallel to him. A heavy wooden door was cracking under the pressure before being harshly ripped off of its hinges as an angry woman stomped in. She was built with broad shoulders, and a heavy-set lower half, a tribute to her years of a harsh shinobi life. Her face was lined with several wrinkles, and her gray-streaked hair up in a tight bun. Her face had a deep scowl on it as she came closer.

Despite his years of facing enemies, and even the strongest Bijuu at full power, he felt himself pushing up against the wall, the rough wood scratching the thin arms of the young body. His hands scrabbled against the worn wall trying to find something to grasp, while his feet scrambled in an attempt to make himself seem smaller. He felt the slightest bit of Bijuu chakra flash behind his eyes, knowing they turned red. A defense mechanism? Minato wondered to himself.

His thoughts were confirmed as he saw the woman falter slightly in her steps, but her efforts were redoubled when she saw the flash of crimson slitted eyes of the young child. Her eyes narrowed dangerously before letting out a throaty grunt of displeasure and reaching for the mop of blonde hair. His hair was grabbed roughly before being pulled up harshly. He let out a cry of pain before being slammed into the wall, leaving him whimpering with tears in the corner of his eyes.

Minato knew this isn’t what he personally felt, it was the memory of his child, his child that faced such contempt and treatment at the meager age of three. Every sensation, every little detail of the memory, and it tore his heart to shreds to know that something that was his pride and joy, was treated like, like a monster. He despised every moment. He felt himself fall into the background as he just relived Naruto’s memory.

“I think this is the perfect time to get rid of you, fox-child,” she hissed. She dragged the child by his hair as he let out cries of pain and pleas for help. His tiny hands grasped at where her hand was gripping his hair as his lower half felt every splinter and harsh edge of the floorboards beneath him. There were slight trickles of blood when a large piece of wood managed to nick his skin and tore it open. He let out muffled whimpers when he felt every piercing lump of the rough wood.

He managed to open his eyes enough to take in his current surroundings. It was a long hallway with a few doors on either side. The aged wallpaper was peeling down from where the wall met the ceiling, curling into itself. The floor was a rough wood that at one point had been smooth to the touch. Old doors were closed, boarded up, or missing completely. A few had numbers on them, some gone leaving an imprint, or hanging by a loose screw. There was barely any light aside from a dimly lit lamp at the opposite end.

Slowly, but surely, the woman finished making her way to the end of the hallway. He heard a click and the opening of something on unoiled hinges, if the loud and grainy squeak was anything to go by.
There was a sudden gust of cold air stirring up dust on the rough grains of the floor, signaling an open window.

At the realization, he redoubled his efforts to rip himself free from the crazy woman’s grasp. His eyes were glancing around in panic, trying to find a way to free himself. They landed on a holster attached to the woman’s lower calf. In pure desperation and chance, he managed to unsheath the short blades from the holster and used it to try and stab the woman’s hand.

The woman looked surprised at the sudden appearance of a specialized sharp object. To avoid being injured she let go and jumped to the side as Minato felt the body roll away and quickly stood to his feet, clutching the blade handle in both hands in an offensive stance. His entire body quaked with fear as he glared shakily at the older woman. His hair was long, and mishappedly laid in the way of his vision, adding to his appearance of a wild animal.

His throat tingled, taking a moment to realize he was letting out a growl of some sort. However, its tone was deeper than whatever a three-year-old should be capable of making. He glared at the woman and could feel chakra starting to worm its way throughout the body. It was every single cell of muscle that was bolstered to an unbelievable degree.

The woman saw the scene in front of her and was growing more and more terrified. Despite the shaky offensive stance the boy held himself in, she was scared by the idea that the Kyuubi was coming back for revenge. When her eyes took in more detail of his body language, she saw he was tensing, as if readying for an attack. The boy let out another demonic growl before springing forward.

He ran towards the direction of the woman and the open window. About a foot in front of the woman, there was a surge of chakra at his feet as he sprung up almost seven feet in the air. He curled up into a ball as he directed the blade away from himself. His body sailed over the lady, and as he unfurled himself, he landed on the thin ledge of the window frame and lept out and down several stories with the short blade in his hands.

There was a tug on his mind as he felt the air tickling his skin as he fell closer to the ground. His vision seemed to be sucked in by something, as if traveling backwards through a tunnel. There was a surge of pain as his body seemed to stretch out, almost like elastic. Several things felt like they popped into place. His eyes fluttered closed as he let it happen.

A moment later he felt himself stumble forward. It was only his years of experience that prevented him from falling flat on his face. He opened his eyes and blinked momentarily before righting his stance and glancing around. He saw Kyuubi was still there, but much larger and healthier looking compared to before.

“When was that?” Minato asked simply.
“It was the early morning of my third birthday,” a new voice replied.

Minato whipped his head around to come face to face with… “Naruto?” he asked, dumbfounded.

“Who else? The muffin man?” he replied raspily.

Minato had come to face a haggard hanyo. The half-demon’s face seemed sunken in due to the pale complexion and hollow cheekbones. His lips were chapped and his eyes glazed with bags under them. A traditional casual yukata hung off of his shoulders, revealing ribs with skin stretched over them. He had hair almost a crimson blood color. It draped over his shoulders like a veil, and fell just past his neck line. On top of his head was what proved him to be a demon; two twitching fox ears that fell forward a bit, shadowing violet eyes. What was most surprising, however, were the five long and bushy fox tails that were dragged along the floor.

“What happened, Kyuubi?” Naruto asked, disregarding the stare of the blonde Hokage.

The blonde man turned around and was greeted with quite the comical sight. He had to take a step back and blink to fully register what he saw. The Kyuubi, one of the most feared beings to humankind, had a gaping maw with his eyes bugging out to almost astronomical proportions. It was a very good impression of a catfish out of water. Minato glanced between the two and decided it would be best to just fall back for now and watch all this play out.

It took a moment for Kurama to compose himself. After he managed to unscramble his thought process, he coughed into a fisted hand to clear his throat, looking to the side in embarrassment. “Well, Naruto…” he sighed, deciding it would be best to be blunt. “You are now a hanyo. A ridiculously powerful one at that.”

Naruto simply raised an eyebrow. “So that’s what that old man meant.”

Kurama face-faulted at the lack of, well, anything. It wasn’t everyday someone learned they were a half-demon. He raised himself up with a sweatdrop on the back of his head. “How are you not freaking out?”

Naruto simply shrugged. “Already did my round of running around like a headless chicken.” He crossed his arms and pouted. “I was really embarrassed when Hagoromo-jiji laughed at me after I finally realized he was there. Well, when I realized he was floating.”

Kurama wheezed when he heard that name, and was once again gaping like a fish out of water. “You…” he choked, trying to process what unpredictable events accompanied Naruto this time.

And apparently it was meeting the Rikudo Sennin.

“You met my father?”

Naruto blinks. “Huh. So that’s why he knew you so well.” He smirked and crossed his arms. “Though he seemed to almost fall when I called you by your given name. That was honestly kinda funny.”

“Only you could laugh at the most legendary person to walk this Earth,” Kurama sighed, face palming.

“And this is news to you?” Naruto replied, raising an eyebrow and placing a hand on his hip. “If I can call the old monkey fart a ‘Dickless raisen’, or something along those lines, to his face, what the hell do you expect when it comes to Hagoromo-jiji?”

The two heard something that sounded half like a wheeze and half a cough. They turned their heads to see Minato who was wide eyed and gaping, and slouched forward like an old man with too many back problems. Naruto scoffed and rolled eyes. “Dad, pull your shit together. You really shouldn’t be surprised.”

The former Hokoge went rigid. “How… do you… know?” he asked slowly.

“I talked to the Rikudo Sennin?” Naruto deadpanned, an eyebrow twitching slightly. He let out a sigh and walked towards Minato. His back leaned against the wall and he crossed his arms as he looked at his biological father.

“That man is all knowing in a sense,” Naruto started. “And as it turns out, he has seen everything I have ever experienced, including the moments right after my birth. Though that was after digging through my subconscious.”

There was a keening whine that came from the opposite end of the room. Naruto and Minato turned their heads to see Kurama laying down, his head resting on his hands with his eyes closed and his ears flattened and pulled back. His haunches sat on either side of him with his tails drooped. While Minato was slightly confused, Naruto knew how Kurama was feeling.

With a gentle smile and kind eyes, he pushed himself away from the wall and walked over to the giant fox. He stretched his arms out and hugged his muzzle. “Kurama-nii,” he said gently. “You were already forgiven.”

“I was the one who made the village hate you,” he whispered in response. “The amount of times you almost died-” he choked, tears welling in his.

“While you may be the reason I lost my parents, you are also the reason I am still alive. Why I have been able to survive for so long,” Naruto replied, looking into Kurama’s opened eyes.

“But those damn hairless monkeys always tried to attack you!” Kurama cried, his eyes clenched.

He felt something hit him on either side of his muzzle. He opened his eyes to see Naruto glaring up at him with a pout. “Dumb fox!” he shouted. “Those brainless shitbags don’t know the difference between an eggplant and a peanut! So obviously they don’t know the difference between the jailer and the tenant.”

Kurama huffed a small laugh, his ears perking up slightly. He lifted his head up a bit, making Naruto let go. He maneuvered his body into a sitting position and smiled down at Naruto, who smiled back. In a bright flash of light, Kurama was once more in his human form. He moved to sit on his knees and pulled Naruto into a hug, wrapping his tails around him. His forehead pressed against Naruto’s and let himself smile as he whispered, “Thank you.”

Minato watched the proceedings in amazement, but it quickly faded. A wry smile crossed his face as he clenched his fist where his heart was. He could feel a lump form in his throat and tears prick at his eyes. “I really screwed him over,” he whispered to himself.

Notes:

I would like some creative insults to use against Konoha because mine aren't all that great. Thanks!