“Alright team, meet me the Hokage Tower at eight a.m. tomorrow okay,” says the one-eyed jounin with an eye smile. Kakashi then leaves in a swirl of leaves, leaving his genin subordinates alone in the area.

“Sasuke, do you want to go out on a date with me,” asks a pink haired girl, hoping to finally get a date with the number one rookie of the year.

Her response was from her ‘beloved’ crush was a, “humph,” as he walks away brooding the whole time.

“Hey Sakura can you cut me down please,” asks a short blonde haired preteen who is currently tied up to a post.

“Shut up Naruto, can’t you see I’m busy with Sasuke,” screeches out Sakura as she chases after her crush leaving her teammate all alone in training area seven.

“Come on guys, this isn’t funny,” shouts out Naruto hoping that this was just some silly prank that his sensei and teammates was playing on him. “Come on Kakashi-sensei joke’s over.” Soon realization dawned on his young mind, “they left me, they don’t care about me at all.” sigh “Sometimes I wonder if Mizuki was right about how nobody cares for me. I know I have Iruka-sensei and the old man, but that’s not enough, it can never be.”

It had been at least five hours and we still find the blonde tied up to the post like some sacrifice to wild animals that live in the forest surrounding the training ground. Naruto was awoken from his nap when his stomach began to growl in need of food. He lifts his head and begins to scan the surrounding landscape hoping to find someone that will help him, he soon notices that it almost dark, and the sun has almost set. “Looks like I’ll be here all night.” With that Naruto passes into a world known as unctuousness.

It was late at night when a man walks into the training ground; the man stood an impressive height with the ability to easily tower over everyone else in the village. The figure wore a black trench coat, under it he wore black baggy pants with a large amount of exterior pockets easily seen. On both of his legs were weapons pouches, which were easily secured by some white tape. His torso was covered by some strange armor, were he wore a skin tight black shirt over revealing his massive muscles. The sleeves of his coat ended at his wrist; on his hands he wore black fingerless gloves with metal plates on the back of his hand. His face could never be describes, for he wore an eerie mask that resembles a human skull that covered his whole head.

As he walked through the area with stealth that could never be rivaled, which is odd due to the huge steel-toed combat boots he wore, by any known predators in existence. As he made his way through the area he finds a child tied up to the post passed out. With a flick of his wrist he sends a kunai towards the blonde.

Thunk, the kunai finds its target, freeing the blonde from the ropes that held him prisoner. As he starts to fall forward he is easily caught by the masked man, who picks him up bridal style. After checking the young boy to see if he was alright, he then heads out towards the village.

As sunlight streams into a room, a young blonde hair teen wakes up in a warm and extremely comfortable bed. “Where am I?” The smell of freshly cooked food soon invades his senses, with the delicious scent attacking his senses his stomach begins to complain about the lack of food. Deciding to follow his gut, he walks into a small kitchen where a mammoth of a man was setting some food on the table.

Naruto couldn’t get a good look at the man due to the cloak with a hood that hid his face completely in shadow. “Who is this guy?”

“Please sit,” says the man, whose deep voice echoes with power, while gesturing to a chair at the opposite side of the table that he was standing beside.

“Thanks,” Naruto says while obediently sitting down in the chair assigned to him by his host. The man only nods handing Naruto a tall glass of milk, along with a large plate of rice, fruit, and some other types of food. When the plates landed on the table Naruto instantly began stuffing himself full, pigging out on whatever was available to him.

“You seem hungry,” stats the giant of the man as he sits himself down onto a chair, helping himself to some eggs. Seeing a child stuff his face like that disgusted him, he knew why the boy ate the way he did. One good look at the boy’s rib cage was more than enough of an answer; it surprised him that the boy was still alive with all the malnutrition that he suffered. “Tell me child, what is your name?”

“Naruto Uzumaki,” says the blonde between shovels full of food. All the man did was study him, or so he thought, like he was some kind of new discovery.

“Naruto please answer me this, why were you tied to that post like some sort of sacrifice,” says the stranger noticing a very subtle emotion of betrayal flash through the boy eyes.

“My teammates and sensei left me there after our test that made us official members of team seven,” says Naruto dropping his head low trying to hide the pain he felt. However, this did not go unnoticed by his host who was studying the boy trying to figure out what to do in this situation.

“Who is your sensei?”

“Kakashi Hatake.”

“Hmm, so that emotionally damaged brat is a jounin instructor of a genin team? What is that old fool Sarutobi thinks he’s doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Kakashi has always been unstable; his family put tremendous pressure on him since he was a small child forcing him to be a genius. At a very young age he had lost both of his parents, along with his teammates, and finally he lost his sensei the Fourth Hokage.” At the mention of the Fourth he notices Naruto flinch, “so you know, huh?”

“Yes, one of my teachers at the academy told me, when he had me steal The Forbidden Scroll out of the Hokage Tower.”

“You managed to break into the tower and steal a scroll that holds some of the village’s most guarded techniques?”

“Well I had help from Mizuki.”

“He went in there with you?”

“No, he just told me about the scroll and where it was located; he waited for me out in the woods a good distance from the tower.”

“So you went into a highly secured area by yourself and stole something of high value from the vicinity. That fit’s the description of an SS-class mission, especially if there was the ANBU.”

“Well, there weren’t many ANBU, but the old man was there.”

“Who?”

“Old man Hokage”

“Why do you call him that?”

“I don’t know; I always call him that.”

“Ha ha, I can’t think of anyone who had enough balls to call him that to his face!” thought the man to himself. “Interesting, were you able to avoid detection?”

“Well yes, at least until I was on my out; that’s when the old man found me.”

“What did you do then; I’m sure that a boy your age would be no match for a Kage level shinobi, no matter how old he is?”

“I kind ah, used this jutsu that I created,” says the blonde scratching the back of his head embarrassed by the attention that he was finally receiving after all of the years of neglect.

“Hmm, what is he so embarrassed about? He couldn’t have been treated so badly, that any form of attention could have him blushing.” “Naruto, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself,” he says trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. “I know I haven’t been in the village for a few years, and I just got back the day before. Sigh, this is going to be a looooong day.”

As the boy told him about his past the man couldn’t help but think, “Man, the fourth would be soooo pissed by how this village has treated this boy, his legacy.”

“From the way you were forced to raise yourself, I can just sense the potential rolling off of you. You said that you were to meet your team at the tower by eight, right?”

“Yup, hey what time is it,” asks the genin noticing how there were no clocks in the man’s house, since he did not have a watch, or knew how to tell the time by using the sun.

“Well according to the position of the sun, I’d say you have about twenty minutes until you have to meet your team and sensei at the tower,” says the man spitting out the words ‘team and sensei’ in great disgust.

“Just wondering, what part of the village are we in?”

“We are in the west part of the village about three and a half miles from the tower. You don’t need to worry, I need to be their about the same time as you to make a report to the Hokage about a mission I had.”

“Okay.” Naruto jumps in his seat feeling someone touching his shoulder; he turns his head seeing the man out of his seat standing next to him with his hand on his shoulder. Naruto does a double take, “how the hell did you get so fast?”

“Oh nothing special, just some weight training that’s all,” says the man using a body flicker technique to transport them to the tower. They reappear seconds later in front of the Hokage Tower in a swirl of flames.

“Man, you have got to teach me that jutsu,” shout out the energetic blonde still standing next to the giant.

“Maybe later,” says the man chuckling at the blonde’s eagerness to learn. “Minato would be so proud of you Naruto, his son.” “Why don’t you go and meet with your team, huh?”

“Okay meet you later, mister?”

“Please Naruto, just call me Skull-sensei,” says the man giving the boy a slight bow of respect. “It would be a great honor if you allowed me the privilege of training someone who has the potential to surpass all the other Hokages.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“I never kid, kid,” says Skull pulling down his hood to reveal his skull like mask. “Till we meet again my future Lord Hokage,” says the man with another small bow of respect to his student, who returns the bow to his new sensei with a true smile on his face and tears of happiness in his eyes.

“Thank you, my true sensei,” whispers out the blonde to his sensei as he heads towards the Hokage’s office.

Skull is striding down the hall towards the Hokage’s office, killing intent rolling off of him like waves in a hurricane. Each step, each stride; is a countdown to the end of someone’s life, it didn’t matter who it was, as long as the played a part in his apprentice’s abuse. “I’m going to kill that old fool for letting this happen to an innocent child.”

“Excuse me sir, how can I help you,” ask the secretary sitting at her desk, which is located by the door of the Hokage’s office.

“Yes you can, tell that old goat that I’m here to see him,” he says releasing a massive blast of killing intent, terrifying the woman.

“Yes sir,” she squeaks out running into the Hokage’s office to get away from this man.

“Come in,” replies a gruff voice as the secretary flies past Skull as fast as she possibly can to get away from him. Skull then returns his attention to the office that belongs to the old man; pulling himself together he steps into the office glaring at the Hokage through his mask.

“Ah Skull, I,” was all that could leave his mouth as he finds a hand wrapped around his throat. He is soon slammed against the wall behind his desk, swerving his eyes left and right he notices his ANBU bodyguard knocked out cold. When he opened his mouth to speak again, he is then met with such a blast of killer intent so intense it causes him to quiver in fear. He tries to open his mouth again for the third time, only to have a back of Skull’s hand to come across his face.

“Alright you senile old bat answer me this, why is Minato’s son being treated like shit,” barks out the giant of a man increasing his killer intent with every word that he speaks.

“Skull, I apolog-”

“Apologize, my dear Lord Hokage, I shouldn’t be the one you are apologizing to,” says Skull holding up a picture of Naruto he had taken while the boy slept, the picture showed of the boy’s ribs, along with a seal that he never knew existed.

“My sentiments exactly, you should’ve had let me take him with me when I was on that mission searching for Kushina,” growls out Skull raising the Hokage a few inches off the floor with his back still against the wall.

“Please Skull stop,” wheezes out Sarutobi while Skull still has his hand around his throat slowly applying pressure.

“Why should I,” Skull says still applying pressure to the old man’s throat, cutting off his air supply.

“Please, let me explain,” he pleads to the man whose out to end his life on this earth. His response, he was thrown across the room hitting the wall hard, knocking the air out his lungs.

“You have five minutes.”

Rubbing his now sore throat he explains, “Shortly after I sent you on that mission to look for Kushina I told the villagers, hoping that they would see him as a hero.”

The killing intent rises while Skull shouts, “You fool, what were you absolutely thinking in that pile of dust you call a brain!”

“I thought that the villagers would honor Minato’s wish that Naruto would be treated like a hero.”

“You old peace of shit, that isn’t what Minato asked you to do. He wanted you to keep it a secret from the village, so that he couldn’t be mistreated.”

“I had to tell them, rumors where spreading that he was the Kyuubi reincarnated, it was the only thing I could do to prevent him being executed.”

“You were the Hokage, you could have done something.”

“I guess nobody told you.”

“TOLD ME WHAT!”

“Before I was reinstated, the council passed a few laws.”

“What kind of laws?”

“Nearly all of my powers as a Hokage have been stripped from me, I can only do paperwork and assign certain missions.”

“Didn’t you have any shinobi loyal to you at the time?

“Yes, but we were totally out numbered so it wouldn’t have worked.”

“What do you mean outnumbered?”

“When Minato disbanded root, it didn’t really disband, it went underground.”

“So Danzo and the council run the village, huh?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Does Kakashi know about whom Naruto’s parents are?”

“Yes he does.”

“Then why did he leave Naruto tied up to that post.”

“WHAT, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!”

“He left Naruto tied up to one of the training posts, I found him last night close to about midnight.”

“What did you do?”

“Simple I cut him loose, and took him to my place. And when he had woken up I fed him some breakfast,” Skull says like it is the most obvious thing in the world. “Also, Lord Hokage, what is that seal on the back of my apprentice’s neck?”

The aged leader releases a sigh, “if what I saw in the photograph is what I think it is’ then it is a suppression seal that is used on the most dangerous of criminals.”

“Who would do that to him?”

“It’s hard to say, any one who has worked in interrogation, our prison system, or even the ANBU would have the knowledge to place such a seal. For Naruto to reach the rank of genin is nothing short of astounding.”

“How effective is this seal, sir?”

“From what I saw in the picture, I would say it is at its maximum level.

“How strong is that?”

“Let’s look at it this way, Jiraiya wouldn’t be able to mold chakra in any sense with that seal on him, a genin could beat him at taijutsu, and he his thoughts would be shot to hell and back.”

“Hmm, that would explain why he does so poorly at times, and yet does so extraordinarily well in others.”

“Precisely, it is my belief that the council want’s to sabotage Naruto’s ninja career.”

“And why would they do that, because I’m sure it has more to it than just being the vessel of Kyuubi?”

“Right on the money I see, yes it does; you do know of the Namikaze clan fortune?”

“Yes, it’s the largest known amount of gold in all of fire country, only the fire lord has a bigger account. But what does this have to do with Naruto?”

“The council has frozen all of the boy’s assets that he would inherit from his parents. However, because he is alive they can’t take it for themselves, yet.”

“So the boy has been living on welfare this whole time?”

“No, the council denied him that saying ‘why should we waste our money on a demon’, so he has been living off an allowance that I have been giving him since he had gotten his own apartment.”

“And when, might I ask, was that?”

“Shortly after he turned three, he was kicked out for supposedly starting a fight with a group of boys who just so happened to be ganging up on him at the time.”

“What do you plan for the boy now; surely you know that Kakashi will go out of his way to sabotage Naruto’s training?”

“Yes that’s true, but I was not the one who paired the teams.”

“Let me guess, it was the council who decided the teams, am I right?”

“Right on the money again I see. I’ve been secretly trying to contact Jiraiya, hoping that he would take the boy to be his apprentice.”

“I see what you’re planning, since Jiraiya is a sannin he has certain rights. And with those rights he can’t be bullied by council.”

“Yes, that was the plan.”

“OK, hang on. What do mean by ‘was’.”

“Jiraiya still has not gotten over the fact that his favorite student is dead.”

“So he’s blaming Naruto for what happened to Minato?”

“No it’s not simple, you see Jiraiya… oh what the fuck he is blaming Naruto for what happened to Minato.”

“So he won’t train the boy at all, right?”

“No, I believe that Jiraiya will train him, but he will only teach him summoning and the rasengan, if only in honor of Minato’s memory.”

“So the boy is pretty much screwed were senseis are concerned.”

“Precisely, I would train him myself, but you know how the council will react.”

“They’d probably make you stop teaching him, and somehow force you to train that spoiled brat of an Uchilla.”

“That pretty much sums it up right there. Before we continue lets sit down, this floor is killing my lower back.”

“Alright, but you better not piss me off again.”

“I don’t plan to.”

“Good,” Skull says while extending out his hand to the Hokage, who gladly took it. “Now on to more important matters, Lord Hokage I wish to take Naruto as my apprentice,”

“You know the council won’t be happy about this at all,” says the aged Hokage as he eases himself into his chair. “It’s a good thing you knocked out my bodyguards Skull.”

“Oh and why is that,” he says with amusement in his voice.

“Just look at their masks.”

“Ah now I see, let me guess the council forced you to take these root ANBU as your bodyguard to that they can spy on you?”

“That’s correct, and as for Naruto being your apprentice, I approve it. However, I want it to be kept a secret from Kakashi; I would absolutely love to see his face when Naruto beets up the precious Uchilla princess.”

“And so would I, also how are to keep this from the council?”

“Easy, Shadow Clones.”

“Hmm, that should work; leave a clone with Kakashi after missions while I take Naruto to train him.”

“Yes it should, as long as Kakashi doesn’t try to use Naruto as a test subject for Sasuke to practice jutsus on.”

“He’s that sick in the head isn’t he?”

“Unfortunately, yes he is.”

“How do we remove the seal from his neck?”

“You don’t need to worry about that at all, Skull. Bring Naruto by tomorrow, and I will remove the seal myself.”

“Well if there isn’t anything else you need from me,” Skull says standing up from his chair that in front of the Hokage’s desk, “I’m going to go and pick up my apprentice.”

“Skull,” seeing the man as he stops right at the door he continues, “I wish you luck in your training of Naruto. I also want that report by the end of the end.”

“Yes sir, my Lord Hokage,” says Skull as he bows in respect for the Hokage as he then turns and walks out the door.” “I’ll wait until they’re done with their D-rank missions, by then Kakashi should have taken Sasuke away for some private tutoring.”

Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, let out a deep sigh as he sat behind his desk finishing up this evenings worth of paperwork. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate on his work, two files would always find their way into his hands. These files contained what known records there were on Skull and Skull’s mission report on his search for Kushina, Naruto’s mother. “I’ve read millions of these before, but why am I so drawn to these? I know why for the mission report on Kushina, but why am so drawn to Skull’s public records.” As the old man runs these thoughts through his head, he can’t help but read Skull’s records for the fifth time that day.

“He was right; I should have let him take Naruto with him. At least he would have had a better life.” “I’m such a fool, believing that they would honor his wish,” says the aged leader with his face buried deep in his hands. “I should have known that he would never find Kushina, her hospital room was absolutely destroyed. She’d probably been killed by one of Minato’s enemies. She would have made such a wonderful mother, and Naruto’s would have much better with his mother there to love him.”

Not even thinking the Third Hokage could not help but to read the mission report on the search for Kushina. The mission itself took a better part of twelve years before Skull decided to call it quits, after which Skull had immediately returned to the village.

It was then that the Third Hokage remembered what happened earlier that evening when he had removed Naruto’s suppression seal.

“Alright Naruto do you know why I called you here,” asks the aged leader with a stern voice to get the seriousness across to the boy he had always considered a grandson.

“Yeah, you’re going to remove that seal that makes it were I such real bad at doing everything,” says the blonde who was feeling numb at prospect of learning that someone was out their trying to hamper his learning process.

“Skull did you bring him some clothes,” Sarutobi asks Skull who was leaning against the wall watching in fascination.

“Yes, I got him some baggy clothes, along with a bandana and mask so it will be easier to keep this form the council. Well, at least for a while anyways.”

“Uh, what are you guys talking about,” asks Naruto trying to figure out the situation that he had gotten into.

Deciding to break the news to the boy the Third Hokage, Sarutobi says, “Naruto you wondered why were always short?”

“Yeah, but you said that it was because of all the ramen that I ate.”

“Actually Naruto I don’t think that’s true.”

“What do you mean Skull-sensei?”

“What he means Naruto is that when you passed out from Kakashi’s test, Skull decided to check to see if you were healthy.”

“And…?”

“I found a seal that was placed on the back of your neck, just above your hairline. If I hadn’t felt it activate, I’m sure that I never would have noticed it,” says Skull in a very calm like matter still leaning against the wall.

“What do you mean activate,” questions the blonde with fear in his voice.

“Well, when I examined the seal… lets just say it was the reason why you are so short,” says Skull crossing his arms over his chest trying to control himself before he slaughtered the whole council, which wouldn’t be that much of a bad thing.

“How does it do it?”

“The seal prevents your brain from giving out certain signals, minimizing the amount of hormones that your brain sent out. These hormones are the type the body uses to grow,” says the professor, Sarutobi, as he continues, “It is my belief that if that seal is removed, you will reach your true height as long as you stay on a healthy diet.”

“Alright let’s do this, I’m tired of being a short loser,” shouts out the blonde who always knew that there was something missing.

“Well you heard the boy, shall he Sarutobi,” Skull says chuckling the whole time.

“Alright lets begin shall we, Naruto I need you strip down to your boxers okay.”

“Oh, alright,” says the blonde as he does what he is told.

“Amazing! He’s been given only three full meals and he already looks a lot healthier,” thought both men quietly to themselves. And it was true, no longer was his ribs showing, his skin and hair began to take on a healthier tone, and where he barely had muscle before, a fresh set of new muscles began to grow in.

Sarutobi then bites his thumb and starts to do a long strand of hand signs, when he finishes he swipes the bloody appendage against the seal. Not even a second after he swipes his thumb across the seal, Naruto bursts in to a sphere of red light. The light wraps itself around Naruto incasing him in a cocoon of sorts.

After waiting for five minutes the cocoon fades away revealing an all new Naruto.

Naruto now stood as one of the tallest boys in his class, his golden blonde hair had streaks of fiery red hair in it, his whisker marks darkened to become more noticeable giving him a feral look. Instead of finger nails and toe nails, there were a set of dangerous claws; his skin took on even a more of a healthy tone to it. All in all, Naruto looked almost demonic.

Shortly afterward, Skull dressed Naruto into the new set of, what would have been baggy, clothes; which seemed to have fit him nicely. Skull then took Naruto to his place, where it would be much safer for the boy to recover.

“This doesn’t make sense; I know that the fox would want a strong container. But what I just saw, was way more that necessary to secure its survival. The seal that Minato placed seems to be working at full strength, for the fox to do this it would require a lot of its chakra. Far too much for a demon to spend on a human even if it did depend on their survival. All this does was just raise even more questions, why would the fox want to help Naruto out so much?” “A good nights sleep will probably help, if not there’s always tomorrow,” says the leader to himself as he prepares to head home.

Elsewhere, on the other side of the village we see Naruto tossing and turning on his new bed. One good look at him and one could tell that he was having nightmares, all the while a veil of red chakra forms around Naruto calming him down. Forgetting all about his nightmares, Naruto fades away into a blissful peaceful sleep.

When the chakra recedes into the seal; however something happens that neither Naruto, nor the fox ever imagine would happen.

“Where am I,” whisper the blonde to himself from his seat in what appeared to be a floor of a sewer. Standing up Naruto begins to look around his surroundings, hoping to find some clue as to where he is. “Hmm, from the looks of things I must be in some kind of sewer system, but I’ve never seen a sewer system like this in Konoha before.”

Before he could explore his new surroundings, a muffled sound caught his attention. “It sounds like someone crying,” Naruto says to himself. “Is there someone else down here too?” Shrugging his shoulders, he continues, “Might as well see if I can help whoever else is down here.”

Following the sound leads him down a long corridor, he passes by many doors; all of which giving him the creeps by looks alone. Walking down the partially flooded hallway he nears an area where another hallway braches off of the original. When he turns to look down the adjoining corridor, the crying comes to a sudden stop.

“Now that’s-,” Naruto never got to finish his sentence as a deep rumbling sound fills the area. “What the hell is that, it almost sounds like something’s growling. Damn I just hope I’m wrong, because if I’m right then this bastard must be huge!”

Going against all known logic, Naruto heads towards the growling noise. Walking for what seemed to him a small eternity he comes across a massive room. “Holy shit all of Konoha could fit in here easily!” shouts out Naruto, noticing the sheer massive size of the room. Looking around the barren room for more information as to where he was he notices a massive gate, keeping the gate closed, were no locks of any kind but a piece of paper with the word seal written on it.

Walking up to the gates hoping to catch a glimpse of what’s on the other side. Noticing that something was moving in the cage, Naruto barely jumped out of the way of a massive set of claws.

“So this is my container, truly pathetic,” says a deep powerful voice that echoes in the room, increasing the fear that the voice alone instilled.

“Why isn’t it the stupid bastard of a fox, Kyuubi,” says Naruto discovering that he had somehow gotten inside of the seal. His comeback to fox is met with a growling from the most powerful demon in existence.

“Come closer to my cage pathetic human so I can feast on your marrow,” growls out the demon, revealing its red slanted eyes and massive razor sharp teeth.

“Let me see, how about no,” says Naruto imitating Kakashi hoping to piss off the fox that is imprisoned behind the seal.

“Okay that’s it you hairless rat!” roars out the fox thrashing against the massive bars that held it in place.

“Kyuubi, you have been in here for what, about thirteen years? What makes you think that you will be able to break out after all these years,” asks Naruto acting like this all bored him. “Crap that scared the hell out of me!”

“You think your brave don’t you,” says Kyuubi hoping to get a reaction out its vessel. “For your information boy, I’m-”

“The most powerful demon in all existence, yatta, yatta, yatta,” says Naruto in a very mocking manner, “let me guess, you also want me to let you out right?”

“That’s right mortal, release me!”

“Shut up, you know that I will never let you lose.”

“You will do as I say.”

“No I won’t.”

“Grrrr, yes you will you insolent whelp!”

“No I won’t.”

“Yes you will.”

“Make me,” shouts out Naruto looking the fox right in the face. “Cause the way I see it you owe me!”

“Grrrrrrrrrrr, I owe you nothing, brat!” roars out the fox slamming its whole body against the gate to get its point across.

“Oh really, if I remember correctly you’re the reason why my life is a living hell, you SON OF A BITCH,” shouts Naruto in a pain filled voice. “If it weren’t for you my parents wouldn’t have abandoned me,” says Naruto breaking down crying for the first time since he was five.

“Who told you this,” asks Kyuubi in a kind and very caring voice.

“Almost everyone, the old man told me they loved me very much, but everyone else said they abandoned me because ‘nobody can ever love a demon’,” says Naruto tears still streaming down his face. His head dropping low with his hands covering his eyes, he sits down on the ground with his back against the fox’s cage.

“Naruto, I didn’t leave you,” says a soft gentle voice of a woman. Naruto freezes on the spot as he feels thin, yet powerful; arms pull him a loving embrace. “Shh, it’s alright Naruto, it’s alright, “says the voice as a hand combs through his hair gently.

“Mom?”

“Yes Naruto it’s me,” says the voice pulling him in tighter into the embrace.

“Where where you, where were you when I needed you,” says Naruto nearing hysterics. He soon feels her kiss the top of his head, all the while whispering soothing things to him.

“I was in here waiting for you,” she says still running her hand through his messy mop of hair. “You look so much like your father,” she says with deep regret in her voice.

“What was he like?”

“Let’s see, he was a kind very compassionate man who helped anyone he could, he was also considered a total heartthrob, and; well there’s just to much so much that could be said about him.”

“Would he have been proud of me?”

“Of you yes, of this village fuck no!”

“Mom.”

“Yes Naruto?”

“Why did you attack the village,” asks Naruto trying to unravel the reason as to why his whole life went to hell and back.

Hearing this question she immediately stiffens, feeling this Naruto quickly apologizes, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked mom.”

“No Naruto, you did nothing wrong. It’s just that I’m still trying to figure it out myself,” she says pulling Naruto closer into her, trying to make up for all the lost time with her son.

“What do you mean?”

“Naruto, whenever a demon gives birth, she runs on pure instinct. She can’t really think straight, I think what happened was that someone tried to assassinate me after I gave birth to you.”

“Why would someone try to kill you mom?”

“Let me finish okay?”

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright, as I was saying. When a female demon gives birth we run purely on instinct.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because, during childbirth emotions are running wild, and our bodies are easily exposed to many dangers.”

“So it’s some kind of defense mechanism?”

“Correct, so I guess that when he saw me transform he ran off and I chased him out of my territory.”

“Territory,” questions Naruto.

“Yes, demons you see are very territorial. And my territory at the time was Konoha. Well anyways, after I chased him out of the village, some ninja must have thought that I was out to destroy the village. Since no one knew that I was demon, except your father.”

“Who was he?”

“His name was Minato Namikaze.”

WHAT, you mean that dad was the one who sealed you into me?”

“Yes he did?”

“Ah, how did you two meet?”

“Well before I lived in Konoha, I lived in Whirlpool. When Iwa sank it in the war, I decided to take the form of a twelve year old refuge until I can find my own place to stay.”

“How old was dad?”

“He was twelve years old?”

“What rank did he have?”

“He was just assigned to a genin team under his sensei Jiraiya.”

“What did you do when you first got here?”

“Well when I first got here I was temporarily placed with your father and his team before I was placed on my own team, that’s how we got to know each other. And not too long after that we made a promise to hang out as much as we could after that, as the years went on our friendship blossomed into love.”

“How’d he take the news that you were a demon?”

“He took it quite well.”

“What do mean.”

“He thought that me; having tails was kind’ a hot.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll tell when you’re older, okay,” she says with an embarrasse blush on his face.

“Alright,” he says, noticing his mother release a sigh in relief.

“So who is you jounin sensei,” she asks changing the subject before more can be said on the matter.

“Kakashi, but hates my guts.”

“What do mean?”

“When my team and I passed the bell test, I was left tied to the stump all night.

“WHAT, HOW DARE HE, I WILL RIPE HIM TO SHREDS FOR DOING THAT MY KIT!” She says starting to go demonic holding on fiercely to her son.

“Mom, you’re starting to scare me.”

“Sorry Naruto.”

“Its okay mom,” at this her hearts swells with joy in her chest.

“So is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“Well lets see, oh yea I’m now the apprentice of this guy who goes by the name of Skull.”

“What, it can’t be. Naruto does he like to wear black clothes a lot, and wears a skull like mask,” she says.

“Yeah, why,” he asks wondering what his mother was up to.

“Well he used your father’s best friend when he was in the ANBU.”

“So Skull-sensei was in the ANBU with dad,” asks Naruto trying to find out more about his parents.

“Yep, why else do you think he wears those creepy masks all the time,” says Kushina in a matter of fact tone.

“I don’t know, I just thought that he really liked wear those, you know for intimidation?”

“Yah, well that too, you know I don’t think anyone has really ever seen his face before.”

“Are you serious?”

“Well anyone alive anyways.”

“How can someone hide their face for that long,” Naruto asks with skepticism in his voice.

“I don’t know the only person I know who has seen his face was your father.”

“How did he get to see Skull-sensei’s face,” shouts out Naruto wanting to solve the mystery what laid hidden by that skull like mask.

“Your father and sensei were always sparring when they weren’t on missions, so one day your father tried a weakened version of the rasengan of him destroying his mask.”

“So, did dad tell you what he looked like,” asks Naruto excitedly.

“No, the asshole wouldn’t tell me a single thing, he kept saying that it was Skull’s secret and that he would respect it,” she says with a pout on her face.

“What’s the rasengan?”

“The rasengan was a jutsu that your father created, he created quit a few,” says Kushina.

“Mom do you think that I’ll ever be as good as dad,” Naruto asks.

“Why do you ask that?”

“Well one of my goals was to become the Hokage, and become the greatest of them all,” Naruto says in a dulled out voice.

“Do you still want to be the Hokage?”

Shrugging his shoulders, “I really don’t know anymore, I mean how I can be Hokage of a village that absolutely hates me.” Trying to ease his mom’s guilt, “come on mom you know that even if you weren’t sealed they would still hate me for being a half-breed, although if, I think about it my original reason to become the Hokage was somewhat selfish. I bet that dad would be ashamed to know that I only wanted to be the Hokage only for respect and recognition.”

“No he wouldn’t, he would be proud of the fact that you had admitted it, and you’re doing what you can to stay strong and be happy,” Kushina says in her motherly voice to her son.

“You think so mom?”

“Sweetie I know so,” she says jokingly ruffling his hair up worse than it had ever been.

“Thanks mom. So what do you do in here, I mean you stuck in here for some time?”

“Well for the most part I just sleep, since there is actually nothing in here for me to do in the first place,” says Kushina letting out a huff of boredom.

“Hey mom,” says Naruto getting his mother’s attention.

“Yes,” says Kushina calmly.

“If were inside my mind than can I change it, like I was in some kind of dream,” Naruto asks trying to make his mother’s living conditions to become a bit more comfortable.

“Hmm, well this is your mind, so you should be able to change it to whatever you want.”

“Well, what do you want mom?”

“Let’s see,” says Kushina in a thinking pose, tapping her chin. “How we just let your imagination run lose, then we’ll go from there. Okay.”

“Okay mom,” says Naruto closing his eyes in concentration, focusing on the task at hand. In a flash of white light the sewers were gone, in its place a beautiful forest clearing with a small majestic lake. The clearing was the perfect size for Kushina, even if she went into her giant fox form. Along the lake a sandy white beach spread on for what seemed to be miles with a beautiful sun reading to set. The clearing was magnificent itself; all types of beautiful wild flowers grew, in the middle of the clearing stood a training field full of what anything a shinobi needed to excel their training. On the far edge of the clearing, there stood a small simple cabin that radiated a feeling coziness. “So how did I do?”

Turning around Kushina spots her son with a big fox like grin on his face. “What?” Asks Kushina in shock, she then notices that there are not bars or fences separating her from her son. “Naruto,” shouts out Kushina as she latches onto her son tears streaming down her face, hugging him tightly, “it’s so beautiful, thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me mom,” says Naruto scratching his head in embarrassment.

“Yes I do, I’ve been nothing but a horrible mother. I wasn’t there for your birthday, holidays, or to protect you from the beatings that you got when you were younger,” cries out Kushina tears still coming down her face.

“No you weren’t mom, you did what you could,” he says hoping to make his mother fell better.

“Name one thing that I‘ve done for you,” shouts out the crying demon lord holding her son dearly.

Cycling through his memories, Naruto searches for anything to prove that his mother had tried to help him. Coming across one he says, “I remember when I used to get some real bad beatings, before the old man gave me some real bodyguards, that there was this red chakra that always appeared, before I pasted out, that would heal everyone of my wounds.”

“I still should have done so much more.”

“Mom how did I survive on an all ramen diet,” question Naruto hoping to get something to help him with his hysterical mother.

“I used my chakra to nourish your body,” says a hysteric mother, barely able to answer her son’s question.

“You see mom, all this time you were helping me even inside of this seal,” says Naruto rubbing his mother’s back in a soothing fashion.

“I guess so,” Kushina says calming down with her son still held tightly in her arms breathing in his scent.

“Good cause, I’m tired,” says Naruto letting out a mighty yawn as he lies down on the ground to sleep. His head never touches the ground as a giant tail wraps around him, snuggling into the fur of his mother he says, “Thanks mom.”

“Sweet dreams,” says the demon lord cuddling her son next to her giant fox form to keep him warm. “I wish things were different, I wish you were here Minato.” And with that the great Kyuubi no Kitsune went to sleep, using her tails and body to embrace her son.

“Does any of this strike you as odd,” questions the Third Hokage, taking another puff off of his pipe.

“Yes it does, the Kyuubi going out of its way to help its jailor,” Skull says leaning against a wall near the Hokage in his office. “How’d you get the council to let you keep your privacy?”

“I had to agree to some of the council’s demands, luckily the clan heads who tried to honor Minato’s wishes were able to prevent the demands from being too high,” says the professor leaning forward while webbing his fingers together placing his elbows on his desk resting his chin on his hands.

“And what, might I ask, were the council’s demands?”

“Just some things that aren’t really necessary anymore,” stats the aged leader a sly grin appearing on his aged features, “I was lucky Danzo wasn’t there. He would have probably would have figured out what I was planning, and would have shot it down in flames.”

“And that would be,” asks Skull rolling his left and in a form to tell the Hokage to keep going.

“Since Naruto doesn’t need any bodyguards, I offered that if they take root out of my office, that I wouldn’t assign the boy any bodyguards.” Taking a drag off his pipe he continues, “I also gave them an agreement that if they withdraw all of their spies that spy on Naruto, then I will guarantee that I will not force Kakashi to teach Naruto anything.”

“I see, since Naruto is my apprentice he will not need any bodyguards, because he will be around me all the time even at my house, which I have set up a room for him,” says Skull. “And with Kakashi focusing more on the Sasuke, it will make it easier to train Naruto without fear of interference or discovery.”

“That’s correct, however your forgetting that without the spies, keeping Naruto’s changes from the council will be easier than ever,” stats the aged leader taking yet another drag from his pipe. “It will also make it easier to keep the boy’s strength hidden from Kakashi. Since he is the Naruto’s primary sensei assigned by the council, he will be the on who makes the decision whether or not to let you continue the boy’s training.”

“Hmm, how strong do think he is, without the suppression seal in the way he should make immense progress,” he says rubbing his chin deep in thought.

“Yes, that is something that I would like to see myself. And I believe I will.”

“You care to elaborate Lord Hokage,” says Skull, “you are talking about my apprentice after all, and as a good sensei it is my duty to prepare him for what is to come.”

“I am merely saying that we should test the boy to see his true potential. With that I should be able to give you some help in the boy’s training; also I would like to personally teach the boy some of my own techniques. He is like a grandson to me after all,” says the Third with great pride in his voice for Naruto.

“And when do you plan do this little test?”

“In about two weeks, that should be enough time for you to get the boy used to his new body, since he did have a major growth spurt. I also like for you to teach Naruto a few low level techniques, so we can see how fast he can grasp onto a new concept. Another thing is that I would like for you tell Naruto the full use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, as it will allow him to relearn things that he never got in the academy, either due to neglectful teachers or the seal messing with his memory. However, I don’t want him to use it to learn new techniques during this time, to allow him to use clones would be like giving him a much larger time frame to work with, thus ruining the purposes of this test,” says Sarutobi taking yet again another drag from his pipe.

“Anything peculiar that you would want me to teach the boy,” asks Skull with his arms crossed, ready to take in any advice that the Hokage would give.

“Hmm, I recommend that you teach him some techniques that require average to even high chakra control. I also request that you teach him every chakra control exercise that you can think of; when he has learned water walking I would like you to teach him two or three B-class jutsus of your choice.”

“You do know with that type of arsenal at his disposal he would be at a level of a jounin, right?”

“Chuunin to be more precise, since he doesn’t have any real battle experience, however when the chuunin exams roll around I plan to have him promoted as soon as possible.”

“So that way Kakashi no longer has any control over who trains Naruto.”

“Precisely, with Naruto as a chuunin Kakashi has no immediate control over him like he would if Naruto was a genin.”

“What of the chance that Naruto is sent on a long term mission and he is still a genin, what do we do then,” questions Skull, “I’m just trying to be prepared for what ever comes.”

“Hmm, the chances of that happening are quit slim; however should that problem arise I’ll also send another jounin with Kakashi. I will also let you chose who you want to go,” says Sarutobi leaning back in his chair.

“Are my choices limited in any way, Lord Hokage?”

“Only those who you trust,” replies the aged leader.

“Good I will begin his training tomorrow,” says Skull disappearing in a swirl of flames.

“And I wish you the best of luck,” Sarutobi wishes as leans back in his chair again closing his eyes in thought. “So far everything seems to be going as planned, but why do I get this feeling that things have just started.”

It was a beautiful new day for the village of Konoha; the sun was rising, the birds were singing, and a sleepy blonde fiery red headed teen stirs in his sleep. Raising his head up from his new bed he notices that there is something lying on top of the seal located on his stomach. Opening his eyes slowly, giving them the proper time to adjust to the sunlight that’s streaming into the room. He notices that there is a small fury red object lying there, his soon adjusts to the light. There lying on his stomach was a small fiery red fox.

“Mom,” says Naruto in a very shaky voice. Noticing the fox’s ear twitch, he couldn’t help but reach out and scratch the fox behind the ear, causing the fox to lean into his hand.

“Y-ah, morning Naruto,” says the small fox opening her eyes. Her eyes soon shot open, noticing her son who appears to be quit a bit larger than her. “Naruto, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!”

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON” repeats Naruto? “Ow, what was that for mom,” asks Naruto rubbing his check where his mother scratched him with her sharp claws.

“That was for cursing YOUNG MAN,” shouts out the angered mother, “and if it makes you feel any better, I only meant to smack you, not cut you.”

“Yeah I feel loads better,” replies the blond rolling his eye. “Ow, what was that for?”

“For mouthing off and rolling your eyes at me,” growls out the demon lord her back arched, her fur standing on end, making her look pretty intimidating.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” shouts out Naruto starting to panic, memories of beatings that he received as young child coming to the surface after years of being buried in his subconscious.

Seeing her son beginning to panic she tries to think of a way to calm him down, “he’s having a panic attack, what do I do? I hope that I can still take my human form.”

“Shh, it’s alright, I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore,” Kushina says soothing her son while rubbing his back, effectively calming him down.

“I’m sorry mom,” chokes out a sobbing Naruto burying his face into his mother’s chest crying.

Continuing to rub her son’s back she says, “I’m sorry Naruto, I didn’t mean to scare you.” She continues to rub his back, all the while saying what ever she could to calm her son down. “Naruto you’re my baby, my son, and my life and I will gladly give my life for you to be happy.”

“Really,” asks Naruto reigning in his emotions trying to calm down.

“Absolutely,” says Kushina a very large fox like grin appearing on her face. “Naruto I’m sorry for scaring you just, please don’t cuss around me again, okay?”

“But you were cursing,” points out Naruto earning a groan of frustration from his mother.

“Yes I know I did, but you’ve got to understand that I’ve been living in your gut for twelve years. And next thing I know I wake up free from the seal, and as a small fox, might I add, is quit surprising.”

“Hey mom, can you still take your giant fox form?”

“You mean my Kyuubi form,” asks Kushina. Getting a nod of ‘yes’ she continues, “I’m not sure, I’m not a seal expert, and who knows what has happened to the seal. I’m just happy to be out, and have my human form.”

“So you not going to find out if you can transform into your Kyuubi form,” Naruto asks confused about why his mother would just be happy in her human form.

“Well… not any time soon, remember what I told you about what happened the last time I went into that form,” Kushina says all the while thinking about how to explain how a woman who was dead for about twelve years suddenly reappears claiming her son.

“So what now mom,” asks Naruto.

“Yes what now Kyuubi or should I say Kushina,” booms out a powerful voice. Turning their heads they see Skull standing in the doorway, with his arms crossed, making it to be a very intimidating stance due to his immense size.

“Skull I…”

“Shut it Kushina I heard you in the other room, and I have some questions that need some answering,” replies Skull in a tone that leaves no room for argument.

“Skull I…”

“Kushina I said to shut up,” Skull shouts out.

Dropping her head in shame she can’t help but think, “He hates me, because I’m a demon. He’ll probably act like those villagers.” Tears start to come from Kushina’s eyes at the lost of a person she once considered her older brother.

However those thoughts were short lived, due to a pair of massive arms that wrapped around her small frame. “I told you to shut up so you wouldn’t ruin the moment like you usually do,” replies Skull with a great joy in his voice.

“Hey when have I ever ruined the moment,” asks Kushina taking a few steps back placing her hands on her hips.

“Hmm, let’s see, oh remember when Minato proposed to you,” says Skull crossing his arms over his chest.

“What did she do Skull-sensei,” asks Naruto still sitting on his new bed.

“Oh nothing much, just humping your father like a dog in heat, with Jiraiya, Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, the Third, and me watching,” replies Skull, “and we ran the hell out of there. Hell, I bet all of Konoha heard the ruckus that you two made that night, which also, might I add, all fucking night long.”

“You don’t need to tell him that,” shouts out Kushina, “and I’m a fox not a mutt so get your story straight.”

“I DID NOT WANT TO KNOW THAT! I’M NOT LISTENING, I’M NOT LISTENING, LA, LA, LA,” shouts out the traumatized Naruto covering his ears not wanting to know any more about his parents sex life.

“Skull look what you did, you broke him,” shouts out the redhead pulling her son into a hug, rocking him back and forth, whispering soothing things to him trying to calm him down.

“I did not, I just told him what happened when you two got engaged,” says Skull doing everything in his power not to burst out laughing. “Besides isn’t the job of the older brother to embarrass the hell out of his little sister?”

“I-I-I-I thought that you’d hate me when you found out that I was a demon,” Kushina says with joy in her heart knowing that she still has her brother.

“Now why would I hate a demon that pretends to be human, while I’m a human who pretends to be a ruthless demon on the battlefield? That would make me into a hypocrite, which I am most certainly am not,” replies Skull. “However there is still this question that has been nagging me for a while.”

“What is it,” asks Kushina who is still trying to comfort her son.

“How’d you get out of the seal, make no mistake I’m glad to have you back but you should still be inside the seal,” Skull says rubbing his chin deep in thought.

“I don’t know either,” she says.

“I think I did it mom,” says Naruto who is now sitting up.

“Why do you think that,” asks Kushina.

“Well when I changed the inside of the seal, I kind a wished that you were out of the seal,” replies Naruto scratching the back of his head nervously.

“Naruto I don’t think that would work,” replies Skull.

“Why not, maybe Minato made the seal to where I can be released later on,” Kushina asks wondering herself how she had gotten out of that seal.

“Kushina, who do think the old man had convince the council that the seal would hold you until the day of Naruto’s death,” says Skull, “and don’t you forget that I know just about the same as Minato did on seals. However, there could be the possibility of a third party controlling the seal.”

“A third party,” asks Naruto.

“Yes a third party, it would explain why you were brought to your mother inside the seal, it would also explain why she is out all of a sudden,” Skull explains. “It also worries me greatly.”

“Why’s that Skull-sensei,” asks Naruto starting to get nervous.

“Naruto if they were able to camouflage those aspects of the seal from me, then how can I be sure of what the seal can really do,” Skull says as he leans up against the wall. “Hell, for all we know this person or persons is holding your life in the palm of their hands, or this person could use the seal to control you like he would a puppet.”

“What are we going to do,” asks Kushina fear for her son completely evident in her voice.

“Well for starters I’m going to examine the seal, along with the Third, to see if we can find out what the seal really does and who’s controlling it,” Skull replies in a calm voice. “And if we can figure anything out, it would then be a wise chose to alter the seal to where they have no known advantage over us in any way.”

“How do you do it?”

“Do what Kushina,” asks Skull turning his head towards her direction.

“Calm, when everyone else’s panicking, you always seemed to be the calm one. Heck, I remember a few missions were the only reason we survived was because you kept a level head,” Kushina says looking into the eyes of his skull like mask, however due to a special set of lenses, with an advanced array of protective seals, no one has ever seen his eyes.

“I’m not Kushina, there are just times where I just run on a mixture of instinct and intelligence, and while using these two I can temporarily shut off my emotions long enough for the mission to be completed.”

“You can turn off your emotions Skull-sensei,” asks the blond hair teen.

“Only for a while Naruto, however shortly after the mission I’m highly emotional, so I usually request a day or two off from high ranked missions. It’s the only way that I’m able to control myself, and Sarutobi knows to not push it,” replies Skull.

“So you’re like a woman on her monthly,” replies Naruto. “OW!”

“DON’T YOU EVER SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT AROUND ME AGAIN YOUNG MAN,” shouts out the angry demon lord, her eyes glowing an eerie blood red, her fist cocked back ready to hit her son again.

“Note to self, think before I open my big mouth,” thought out our blond hero. “Is it just me, or is there smoke actually coming off her fist that she hit me with.” Sitting up, which required him to pull his face out of the floor; he inspects the damage done to the floor. “Whoa, there’s an imprint of my face on the floor.”

Pushing her son out of the way, Kushina checks to see if what her son claims is true. “Hmm, it’s okay, but I was aiming for a much deeper imprint.”

At hearing this Naruto shouts out, “WHAT!”

“Naruto one thing you should know is not to piss off a woman, EVER. Especially if she is a ninja, even more if she happens to be a demon lord with the best training a shinobi can ever hope for,” Skull says all the while laughing at the stupidity of his young student.

“As much as you think its funny Skull it’s not, and we should go and tell the Third the situation that we seem to be in,” replies Kushina who has now calmed down enough to not murder her son.

“Alright Kushina your right like always, man your such a killjoy, Well except when you play your little vixen games with Minato,” shouts out Skull grabbing Naruto and using his favorite teleportation technique to get out of there just in the nick of time.

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU SKULL,” Kushina roars out, her eyes glowing eerie red again.

“Skull what are you doing in my office you should be out training Naruto,” the aged leader shouts hiding his orange book in one of his hidden drawers.

“There appears to be a slight inconvenience.”

“Oh, and what that might be?”

“Well for one Kushina is alive.”

“WHAT….WHERE WAS SHE, WHY WAN’T SHE THERE FOR HER SON!”

“She was just released this morning, and instead of just telling you I’m just going to use a genjutsu to show you my memory.”

Flashing through several different seals, he touches the Hokage’s forehead muttering the name of the jutsu, “Dream of Memory Jutsu.”

Skull appears back in his apartment using his fire teleportation technique, deciding to check on his apprentice he walks towards Naruto’s room. What he sees shocks him to the core, a red chakra wrapping around his new student. However as quickly as it came, it just disappeared.

“What’s going on? Is this the fox’s doing,” Skull mumbles out worried over his apprentice. “Well there’s only one way to find out.”

Flashing through twenty different seals, Skull then touches Naruto’s head. “Oh great, just great, his mind is a sewer. Might as well get to the bottom of this,” Skull says walking down the many corridors to find his apprentice.

“Mom…?”

“Yes Naruto it’s me,” replies a voice that he knew all to well.

“Kushina, how,” Skull asks himself hearing the voice of a person he had thought dead long ago.

“It was not long after Naruto had woken up that Kushina had discovered herself outside of the seal,” reports Skull. “I also discovered the seal placed on my student was not the one that the Fourth, Minato Namikaze, used to defeat his wife.”

“Hmm that would explain some things,” the aged leader replies leaning back in his chair taking a puff from his pipe.

“Explain what old man Hokage,” asks Naruto curiosity clearly written across his face.

“Why he chose you to seal your mother, he could have actually sealed her in himself; thus taking her with him to the other side,” Sarutobi says standing up from his desk and walking over to the window behind his desk looking at the faces of his predecessors and successor. “I thought that by sealing the Kyuubi, your mother, inside of you that he was making a weapon for the village, I was wrong.”

“YOU GOT THAT RIGHT YOU OLD FART,” shouts out Kushina who had just arrived in a swirl of leaves. “AND SKULL NEXT TIME YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN I WILL ENJOY slowly skinning you alive,” growls out the great demon lord.

“As amusing as this is, we still have a major security risk that needs looking into,” says the aged leader still looking out the Hokage monument. “Kushina I am glad that you are alive and a part of your son’s life. And as I understand it Skull and I need to examine your son’s seal, to check for any kind of threat to him or this village, right?”

“That seems to be the summed up version of why were here, also what is to be done about Kushina? If she reveals that she is alive, it will open a can of worms that none of wish to open of yet,” says Skull twirling a kunai in his hand.

“You must be anxious Skull, I haven’t seen you twirl a kunai in your hand since the death of your little brother,” replies the aged leader looking at Skull’s hand with great interest.

“I am Lord Hokage, I never really got over his death, however I will not let his death ruin the relationship with the family I have now,” declares Skull looking towards Kushina and her son. “They are all that remains of my family, I still remember when you were a genin Kushina, how I always acted like the older brother, instead of your jounin sensei.”

“Ahem, as much as I would hate to ruin this tender moment, but Skull has made a valid point. If you claim your son now a massive civil war will erupt, many will be wishing to commit mutiny giving the civilian council what they need to declare absolute power over Konoha. And we cannot allow that to happen, we will have to find a way to undermine their power to were we can take back control over our village with little to no bloodshed,” Sarutobi says turning back to look at the monument.

“Then what do we do Lord Hokage,” asks Kushina lost as to what to do.

“For now we play the waiting game, and wait for the opportune time to strike. I want to take out Danzo and the civilian council in one strike. Also from what you told me you can take the form of a small woodland fox,” getting a nod from Kushina he continues, “good, you will be the fourth unofficial member of squad seven as Naruto’s combat partner.”

“Hmm, I see so that way if Kakashi puts Naruto in a dangerous situation she will be able to protect, while I for instance wont be able to without blowing up this whole operation,” replies Skull. “Naruto spend the rest of your day with your mother, we will start your training tomorrow. Lord Hokage since I haven’t touched a seal of this caliber in over a decade I will trust you with this seal.”

With that Skull leaves the office in swirl of flames earning a shout from his student, “man I hopes he teaches me that!”

“And I’m sure that he will,” Sarutobi replies taking a seat behind his desk. “Naruto I’d like to inspect your seal later with Skull present, he is still a seal master, and the only one that I trust with this matter.”

“But he-”

“I know what he said Naruto,” interrupts the Third, “but the only reason he said that was because he is too emotional to really concentrate at the moment.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think of this way Naruto, he finally discovers that your mother, who he thinks of as a little sister, is alive after twelve years of searching. Furthermore, not even three days ago he finds the child he wanted to adopt shortly after his mother’s supposed disappearance, abandoned by his teammates. He’s going through a lot of negative emotions right now, some at himself, others at certain disgraceful leaders of this village. Right now he needs to work out his emotions, which I hope that he chooses area forty-four,” the aged leader says rubbing his temples.

“Any reason why you want him to use that training ground,” Kushina asks wondering what the old man was up to.

“Simple, it’s the only training ground that can handle him when he goes all out,” replies the professor as he shuffles through some of his papers.

“Oh yea, if I remember correctly the last time he went to sort out his emotions nearly all the ninjas signed a petition to have him banned from the training grounds,” says Kushina the last time her jounin sensei went out to ‘clear his head’, which usually meant a completely demolished training ground.

“And I remember that event most clearly myself, if I also remember correctly most of our shinobi went without a proper training ground for nearly a month,” Sarutobi replies with an agitated voice, due to all the paperwork that whole event caused for him.

“What are we supposed to do now old man,” asks Naruto.

“Well for one Naruto, you need to go and buy some new clothes. Those pajamas wont last very long if you try to train in those. Also we need to find a way for you to disguise your changes, your height, hair, facial, claws, and so on from certain villagers and shinobi such as Kakashi,” the aged leader says. “Kushina, I’ll leave in charge of that, along with getting to know your son better. I would you recommend that you go now, so that you’ll make it to your team meeting, if you can call it that.”

“What ‘changes’ is he talking about,” Naruto thought to himself; as his eyebrow rose in question.

Noticing the confusion on the boy’s face the Third explains, “Naruto when the suppression seal was released your body went through some changes to make up for what was taken away from it. If you want, there is a full mirror in the closet where I keep my spare Kage robes and hat.”

Taking up the Thirds offer, Naruto jumps out of his seat and runs over to closet. Ripping the closet door open he examines his reflection, gone was the sort child that he remember who was constantly picked on because of his size, in his place stood a young teen that was quit tall for his age. Gone was his sun kissed blond hair, in its place a mess of spiky dusty blond hair with fiery red streaks running through it. Gone were those puny arms that held no muscle, in its place where the arms of a healthy shinobi in his early stages of training. Gone was his baby face with his adorable little whisker that made people think of him as just a little kid, in there place a masculine face with a feral set of markings giving him the look of a dangerous predator. Gone was the horrendous orange jump suit, in its place a plain black t-shirt and black cotton shorts with many hidden pockets. The only that hadn’t completely change were his sky blue eyes, the only visible difference to the naked eye was that his pupil is now slits like a cat.

“Oh my little Naruto has grown up into such a big man,” Kushina says in a baby voice pinching one of his checks from behind as he stares at himself in the mirror.

“MOM, stop it,” Naruto shouts out in embarrassment to his mother, while the Third just laughs happily at the reunited mother and son.

“I’d hate to ruin the moment and all, but you two have some things to do. Naruto, Skull left you a bandanna, sunglasses, and a mask so you can run around the village for some time without having to wear some kind of illusion over yourself. I’m also going to have to look up for some kind of technique that will hide all of your physical changes from the Sharingan and Byakugan, which however I don’t know any that exist at this moment,” Sarutobi says letting out a deep breath of frustration.

“I know one,” replies Naruto nervously scratching the back of his head.

“Really who taught you it,” Kushina asks her son.

“Old men remember when I had trouble with the transformation technique in the academy,” Naruto says starting to look really nervous.

“Yes I remember that quit well, it took you almost a year for you to get it right,” the Third says, taking a few puffs from his pipe, wondering were this was going.

“Well the reason why it took so long was because I was creating a technique that actually transforms the user into what they want to, it isn’t an illusion at all,” Naruto replies scratching the back of his head again.

“Ha ha ha, I always wondered how you were able to hide from the Hyuuga and Uchilla when you pulled one of your bigger pranks on them,” Sarutobi says laughing so hard that he had to hold his side. “I still remember when you put hot pink hair dye in the Uchilla shampoo; they refused to leave their compound for a month. Oh I also remember that time you put itching powder into the Hyuuga’s laundry, they were walking like they had a kunai stuck up their rear for about a month.”

“Hey with most of the Hyuugas, you actually think that there is something stuck up there for them to act so snobbish. Well except for Hinata and Hiashi, they don’t treat everyone else like they’re dirt,” Naruto says in his defense.

“Well that solves one of our problems. Kushina,” the aged leader says turning to the woman that he starting a conversation with.

“Yes Lord Hokage,” Kushina replies.

“Kushina I also recommend that you go clothes shopping yourself, since a hospital gown is not appropriate attire out in public, unless of course you’re in your fox form,” he replies a sly perverted grin on his face.

Looking down, she notices that what the Hokage said was true. A deep blush spreads across his face, embarrassed that she’s caught only in a hospital gown. As soon as she gets control over her blush a question appears, deciding to go with it she asks, “Just wondering how, am I supposed to pay for a new outfit? In case you haven’t noticed I’m supposedly dead, so I just can’t walk into the bank and make a withdrawal.”

“You don’t need to worry about that Kushina,” replies the Third with a wave of his hand, “Naruto has been living of an allowance from me ever since he was three. You will also receive an allowance, you can pay me back if you feel the need to by doing some extra D-rank missions. Since you know the Shadow Clone Jutsu, you’ll have me paid back in no time.”

“Thank you sir,” Kushina gratefully says with a small bow of respect.

“Think nothing of it,” the Third replies tossing Kushina a small pouch stuffed full of bills. “There should be enough for both you and Naruto to get a couple of new outfits; I recommend that you both use disguises so no one will recognize you. Now get going and Naruto made sure that your disguise is properly in place.”

“Yes sir,” shouts out Kushina grabbing her son’s shoulder with her right hand disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Noticing that he was alone in his office, the third gets a large perverted grin on his face and shouts out in glee, “Now I can get some work done!” With that done the aged leader reaches into a secret compartment, pulling out a little orange book.

About fifty yards away from training ground seven Kushina and her son appeared in a swirl of leaves. Transforming into a small fox, Kushina jumps onto her son’s shoulders, wrapping herself protectively around his neck.

“Okay let’s do this, Transform,” shouts out Naruto being enveloped in puff of smoke. When the smoke clears, a short blond child in an orange jumpsuit is standing in Naruto place.

“Oh those whiskers make you look so cute,” cries out Kushina in a girly voice, “I’m surprised you didn’t have a fan club because of those.”

“It would have never happened mom, mostly everybody was told to stay away from me. The ones who weren’t were told to pick on me any chance they could get, and man did they try,” Naruto says scratching his mother’s ears.

“I’m sorry about that Naruto,” Kushina says all the while leaning into her son’s hand purring.

“Don’t worry about that mom; I’m more concerned about you purring. I mean, I thought you were a fox not a cat,” Naruto replies chuckling at his mother’s purring.

His smart remark was met with a sharp bite on the ear. “For your information I was growling in satisfaction not purring, and if you tell anyone about this. Oh lets just say, that you don’t want to know,” Kushina growls out, her eyes beginning to glow an eerie red.

“Okay, okay, I was just joking little kitty,” Naruto says laughing, “OW!”

“Naruto get going or your going to be late by that asshole’s standards,” Kushina says getting herself comfortable on her son’s shoulders.

“Yes mom,” Naruto says taking off running towards the training field that his team uses. “I just hope that no one notices anything.”
Arriving at the training field he notices his team doing the same as they always do. Sasuke was sitting there brooding, while his other teammate Sakura was practically worshiping the ground the Uchilla stood on.

Noticing the arrival of her other teammate Sakura decided to take her frustration out on him, “Naruto you’re late, you loser I-”

She never got to finish her sentence as the sound of an angered animal growling reached her ears. “What the hell is that?”

“Oh her, I found her in the woods a few weeks ago hurt really bad, I’ve been nursing her back to health. She seems to really like me,” Naruto says laughing happily as she licked his cheek affectionately. “She’s also really protective of me Sakura, so it might not be good to make any threatening gestures towards me.”

“Your still a loser, Naruto,” Sakura shouts out; turning around, and heads towards her precious Uchilla.

“Thanks mom, you know I can’t think of any reason why I really like her at all,” Naruto says scratching the fox behind her ears.

“You don’t need to thank me, Naruto. And as for the pink banshee, I think that seal really screwed with your head,” Kushina says leaning into her son’s hand enjoying having that spot scratched immensely.

“Yea, I think so to,” says Naruto trying to think up of some other times where the seal had messed up with his judgment. “Oh crap,” whispers out Naruto.

“What is it Naruto,” his mother asks whispering also.

“I’m or was or whatever was such an idiot,” Naruto says slapping his forehead in frustration. “Ah man, the entire time I had a girl who had a major crush on me ever since I can remember.”

“Who is she,” Kushina asks her son acting like any typical mother would when they find out their kid had a love life of any kind.

“She the only Hyuuga that doesn’t treat everyone like they’re dirt, she also the Hiashi’s oldest daughter,” Naruto tells his mother frustrated over the fact that he messed up.

“Oh is it that Hinata girl that seems so fascinated with you,” Kushina asks.

“Yes,” answers Naruto.

Before Kushina could asks her son anymore questions, Kakashi decided to make his grand appearance, appearing in a swirl of leaves.

“Yo,” Kakashi greets everybody with his upside down eye smile.

“YOU’RE LATE,” shouts out the pink haired banshee of the team.

“Sorry I’m late, but on my way here I saw this mime asking for directions, so I had to act them out for him before I remember that I wasn’t a mime and just told him,” Kakashi replies with a bored look on his face.

“LIAR,” the banshee screeches out.

“Whatever, we have a few D-ranks missions that we have to do,” says Kakashi with a look of boredom on his face, “Oh yea and Naruto.”

“Yes Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto says acting the young gullible child he was just a few days ago.

“And the academy award for actor of the year goes to Naruto, I’m so proud of him,” Kushina says to herself inside her head crying fake tears of happiness, while on the outside a foxy grin appears on her muzzle.

“Next time leave the mangy mutt at home,” Kakashi says returning his attention back to his book.

“Actually sensei, I have permission from the old man Hokage himself to bring her with me,” Naruto replies scratching his mother behind her ears, hoping to calm her down.

“Ah whatever,” Kakashi says shrugging his shoulders, “just keep it away from me.”

“Alright sensei, mom you alright,” Naruto asks his mother in a whisper.

“If Minato was here he would’ve shoved a Rasengan up his ass,” Kushina growls out in anger, her eyes glowing blood red.

“Its okay mom, all we have to do is put with for three hours then that’s it,” Naruto says.

“Why, when Kakashi was on your father’s team, Minato spent up to six hours training everyone on the team. Even after the training was done, your father had them do some exercises they had to do before they went to sleep so that they could stay in shape better, and also get stronger faster,” Kushina remarks barely able to keep her anger in check.

“You think that you can teach me those exercises mom?”

“I’ll be glad to Naruto, but I’ll let Skull be your sensei,” seeing her son’s head lower she continues, “and I’ll just cover anything that he can’t teach you.”

“What do you mean by that mom?

“Simple really,” Kushina replies, “he sucks at genjutsu, he can’t use any real complex ones due to the high amount of chakra control one requires to use those. However, those he can use, he uses them quite well.”

“What do you mean mom,” he asks.

“Skull’s favorite genjutsu has no real name, and if you have decent chakra control it requires no hand signs. This genjutsu screws with one’s sense of balance, if uses with taijutsu it insures a complete victory, unless your opponent has a doujutsu in their arsenal.”

“Couldn’t a simple release work,” Naruto asks his mother.

“Yes it would, but by the time you bring your hands into the sign you’re already dead. Just about the same amount of enemy shinobi lost their lives to this jutsu as to the Flying Thunder God, because of his stealth he left no trace that he was ever there to begin with. The only reason I know is because on a mission I’ve seen him take out a whole platoon of Iwa jounin.”

“How come the jutsu wasn’t as famous as dad’s?”

“Easy any simple academy student could do it with enough practice, also your father’s jutsu was mush more flashy and easier to recognize. I mean when was the last time you heard a whole shinobi nation went into a panic because of a genjutsu?”

“I guess your right; genjutsu is always overlooked because it doesn’t kill your opponent in a very flashy way. Hey if it was so easy then why didn’t they teach it to everyone, I mean wouldn’t it have made a big difference in the war?”

“You see Skull tried to teach everyone that technique, but nobody wanted to learn it. Everyone was always trying to learn some flashy powerful ninjutsu, after a while he decided to never teach anyone any of his personal techniques.”

“Any chance he might teach me some of his,” Naruto asks eager to learn something new.

“He might, you better hurry up before Kakashi starts to get suspicious,” Kushina says bringing her son back to the present.

Taking his mother’s advice to heart, Naruto takes off running to catch up with his team. “Hey wait for me,” Naruto shouts out. “So Kakashi-sensei what’s the mission, hope its something that’s really cool.”

“You’ll see,” Kakashi says chuckling to himself, his nose still buried in his book.

“I’M GOING TO KILL THIS CAT,” shout out the enraged blond, holding a cat at arms length.

“Come on Naruto be a team player,” Kakashi replies still reading his smut.

“THEN WHY DID I GET STUCK CATCHING THE DAME CAT, I MEAN LOOK AT MY FACE,” Naruto cries out pointing at his face that’s covered in scratches. “YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST WARNED ME!”

“I thought you were a ninja Naruto, if those scratches are too much for you, you might as well quit being a ninja,” Kakashi says turning a page in his book, all the while sending Naruto glares full of hate every so often.

“HEY ISN‘T IT THE SUPERIOR’S JOB TO WARN HIS SUBORDINATES OF THE DANGERS THAT THEY‘LL FACE OF THE MISSION,” Naruto shouts out to Kakashi, trying to the best of his ability to get in Kakashi’s face.

To everyone’s surprise Kakashi grabs Naruto by the front of his jumpsuit, and lifts Naruto up to his level, so that Naruto can look into his eye. “Naruto I’m a jounin and you are a genin, who do think is more qualified to call the shots. If you forget as your jounin sensei I can expel you from the shinobi program,” Kakashi says in an ice cold tone. “Now get out of my face, I don’t want to see you till tomorrow.”

And with that Naruto heads towards the village. “Sasuke come, I got a new fire jutsu to teach you,” Kakashi says walking away with Sasuke following him, leaving Sakura alone.

“Man what a jerk,” Naruto says in frustration letting out a sigh he continues, “oh well we might as well get our shopping done.” Dropping the jutsu Naruto reaches into his pouch placed on his right hip, pulling out what Skull left him Naruto puts them on.

“I agree with you,” Kushina says transforming into her human form.

“Mom, are you forgetting something,” Naruto asks pointing at her hospital gown.

“Don’t worry about that I’ll just use your transformation jutsu, from what I’ve seen it only requires more chakra to use,” Kushina says initializing the technique, “Transform!”

“There better now,” Kushina asks her son.

“Yeah, I don’t think anyone will recognize you,” Naruto says. Where his mother stood now stands an average size brown hair black eyed kunoichi, who wore the average outfit that most jounin chose to wear. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say that you’re someone else.”

“Thanks.”

“So you want to get some clothes first, since you’re really wearing a hospital gown?”

“Sure.”