Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Naruto either… It's strange how life works sometimes.

The Tale of Uzumaki Naruto

Many have asked about my story. Whether it's for the sake of curiosity or something else, I do not know. It is quite a well know story. A hero's story. A warrior's story. It is the story of the elemental nations. Of shinobi. Of sacrifice and pain. It is a story of symbolism, gods and demons. It is the story of two brother's feud one thousand years old.

Where the story truly begins is highly debatable. Some would say it starts with the beginnings of shinobi. With old man Rikudou Sennin and his journey. With his search for peace and the sealing of the Juubi. With the birth of his two sons and the origins of the Senju and Uchiha. Some would go even further back, to the age of war before Kaguya, and the supposed beginnings of chakra.

In some ways, it does. In that vein, I should probably start this story with something similar to 'There once was this really, really big tree.' However, then we have to jump over centuries with nothing but conflict and boring battles that never led anywhere.

Some would say that the true beginning of the story lies with two boys who met at a river. Two young boys that desired peace. Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. Friends, rivals, enemies, brothers. The two founders of Konohagakure no Sato and the two main reasons the world had any semblance of order at the time of my birth.

However, those that ask for my story, ask for my story, and not everything that came before. Therefore, I will tell you my story, and although everything you just read is paramount to this tale, it is only what came before the beginning. After all, it is the duty of children to clean up after their parent's messes. That's what my father told me at least.

My story, as many other stories, starts with two people who loved each other. A man and a woman. My parents. Their names were Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato. Somewhere in there is a giant fox with nine tails, but that furball isn't really important until later. Yeah, he sort of killed my parents, but I long since forgave him for that. And to be fair, he did have a good reason. He also apologized a few decades after the fact, and if you know him, you know how rare that is. Even so, my parents died and I grew up an orphan.

I never really knew my parents. In fact, for most of my early life, I didn't even know who they were, but I love them all the same. They are my parents, and I am their son.

This is my story. My tale. The Tale of Uzumaki Naruto.

Chapter 1 - Jiraiya:

A white haired middle-aged man walked through the ruined streets of Konohagakure no Sato, the village hidden in the leaves. All around him people scuttled about. Civilians and shinobi alike running around frantically, trying to fix and salvage as much as they could after the disastrous Kyuubi attack a few days ago. One thought kept bouncing around in his head. One word. Dead. Dead. Dead. Namikaze Minato, his sole surviving student, the child of prophecy. Dead. It felt like someone had stabbed his heart with a thousand daggers of ice, scraping at the bottom with inescapable pain. Yet nothing showed on his face, he wasn't the only one who had lost someone.

Shinobi are those who endure.

Then he was standing before the Hokage Tower. The familiar building looming overhead. He hadn't even noticed when he'd arrived. A voice in the back in his mind chided him for not paying attention, but it was easily ignored in favor of the reassuring, repetitive action of movement. Far too early for comfort, his feet led him to the Hokage's office.

The toad sage lifted his hand to knock, but before he got the chance, a gruff oh-so-familiar voice called from within the office. "Come in, Jiraiya."

Without further preamble, Jiraiya stood before his old sensei. Hiruzen stood there, pipe in hand and clothed in the Hokage robes once more. Sarutobi's gaze burned into him as it had done so many times before. The Sannin didn't know how long they stared at each other, sensei and student.

After a while, the third hokage averted his gaze, looking towards the window almost wistfully. "You didn't use your usual entrance." The third remarked.

Jiraiya sighed heavily and let the stoic mask fall. "Didn't quite feel up to it."

A heavy silence loomed over them, neither saying a word for several minutes. Finally, Jiraiya simply couldn't stand it anymore. "What now, Sarutobi-sensei?" the Sannin asked. He was far too realistic than to expect his teacher to have all the answers, but it was all he cared to ask at this point.

Sarutobi walked over to the window overlooking the village. He puffed on his pipe, eyes unreadable to all but a few. "Konoha is weakened." He started. "This might very well be the greatest calamity the village has ever faced since its founding." The old Hokage answered with a weary voice. "Still, the Will of Fire burn strong. We shall rebuild in time. We will grieve, but we will prevail." A cloud of smoke followed this declaration. "We cannot afford another war so soon after the last one. To prevent this, we need all the information we can get our hands on. The village needs its spymaster. It needs you."

The toad summoner swallowed, he had been dreading this moment. "What about Naruto?" The Hokage looked away from his beloved village, studying his students determined face. With a small gesture, he dismissed the ANBU currently guarding the office.

"Over there, in the corner." Sarutobi gestured behind his desk.

Jiraiya walked forward as if the floor was made of burning coal. In the corner was a small crib just large enough for a newborn human. A head with thin golden locks stuck out from a couple of blankets. Three whisker marks branded each chin, giving the boy a faintly animalistic look.

Hesitantly, oh-so-carefully, Jiraiya reached down and lifted the small child. The baby was still entangled in blankets, and it ruffled against the crib as he moved. The movement woke the baby, and two disproportionately huge eyes stared up at Jiraiya with avid curiosity.

Minato's eyes.

Jiraiya almost dropped the baby in shock. His heart ached, and his resolve almost faltered. He wasn't ready, would never be ready.

A memory of Minato and Kushina telling him what they named the baby surfaced in his grief stricken mind, and his eyes hardened again. It didn't matter how much it hurt, he couldn't betray Minato like that. He wouldn't. "I…" He gulped, and took a deep breath. "I will take him. It's the least I can do."

Only silence reigned after his declaration.

"No." Came the short but astute reply. Jiraiya's head snapped around to stare at his teacher. "Uzumaki Naruto isn't only Minato's child, but the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. Not only will he be targeted by his father's enemies, but by anyone who wishes to harm Konoha as a whole. Or by those who wish to take the Kyuubi for themselves. He cannot leave the village."

Thoughts tumbled around in his head as Jiraiya tried to comprehend what his teacher was telling him. Anger and disappointment reared their ugly heads, but with them came relief, followed quickly by shame.

"U… Uzumaki?" The white haired Jounin repeated. It was the only thing he managed to get out. Everything else seemed too out of proportion to fit with his world-image.

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes, Uzumaki. As you know perfectly well, Minato and Kushina's relationship was not common knowledge. Only a handful of people knew about it. By giving the boy his mother's maiden name, we can at a least give him protection from Iwa, or others out for his father's blood."

Jiraiya stared at his teacher, emotions raging within him. "I am the boy's godfather. You can't just take away that privilege." Jiraiya shook his head in denial, or perhaps stubbornness. His long white locks came just within range of Naruto, who proceeded to grab them and tuck them into his mouth."Look at him! He is already a splitting image of Minato. Who are you trying to fool!?" The younger man almost shouted.

Hiruzen smiled sadly, his eyes heavy with a burden no man should be forced to carry. "He is a jinchuriki. I have forbidden anyone from speaking of it, but most adults already know. The few that don't won't stay in the dark for long, law or not." The third Hokage sighed and continued. "The human mind is a strange thing. We see only what we wish to see, and ignores what we do not. Even shinobi are human." Sarutobi seemed to age several more years in the span of a few seconds. "As far as the public is concerned, Minato had no girlfriend or wife, and certainly no heir. As such, they will not look for one. Least of all in the village jinchuriki."

Jiraiya's eyes had widened the more his sensei kept talking. "Then… who?" He asked in a low voice, already dreading the answer.

Hiruzen took another drag of his pipe, appearing as a mountain ready to weather a storm. "He will grow up an orphan. At five he will enter the academy, and graduate at twelve."

Killing intent flooded the room, making little Naruto cry. "I. Will. Not. Let Minato and Kushina's child grow up a jinchuriki orphan! I have failed them once already. I do not intend to do so again!"

Hiruzen appeared unruffled by his student's ire and only looked at Jiraiya with something akin to amused affection. "Then what would you have me do? No civilian would take him. There are precious few shinobi I could trust him with, and the few I could are all unsuited to take care of a child. I cannot give him to any of the clans, as that may severely destabilize the internal power structure of Konoha. He may very well be used as nothing more than a political tool."

The Third Hokage sighed again and continued puffing on his pipe. The killing intent receded as Jiraiya awkwardly tried to soothe the crying babe. "Give him to me. I am his godfather. I promise I will take care of him. I am one of the Sannin and an S–Class shinobi. I can protect him." Jiraiya insisted.

Hiruzen only continued looking at him with pity. He was beginning to hate that look. "Even you can't raise a child, run a spy network, and protect a high priority target for years without slipping up. Even if you decide to stop your more… extracurricular activities."

Jiraiya wanted to protest, but the words died on his lips. "I… I can't fail them with this as well. They entrusted him to me."

The Third Hokage turned around as he continued to study his beloved village. "I won't forbid you to see him, but he stays in Konoha, and when you do visit, be sure to be discreet."

"Raya!"

"Ji-rai-ya."

"Raya!"

A two-year-old Naruto waved his hands excitedly. Grinning as the white-haired sage tried in vain to get the excited toddler to pronounce his name. Jiraiya palmed his face and almost gave up when a thought hit him. "You are doing this on purpose, aren't you?" He asked seriously.

Naruto just grinned foxily at him, neither confirming nor denying his suspicions. "Nah! Nah! Raya! Tell me story!"

The toad summoner rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Now, what story do you want to hear? What about the story of the evil Salamander, and how the Gallant Jiraiya and his two trusted sidekicks kicked his ass?"

Naruto shook his head violently. "Yellow Flash!" Jiraiya hung his head in mock disappointment.

The two of them were currently sitting on the roof of Naruto's orphanage. The two year old toddler was trying to balance a newly summoned toad on his head. He wasn't doing too bad, all things considered.

"Hmm… about my great student you say? Well, I know more stories about him than anyone else in Konoha!" Naruto looked on wide eyed as Jiraiya began to recount the story of the kidnapped red-haired princess and the Yellow Flash's rescue mission.

"Nah! Nah! Raya! Did they get married?" Naruto asked after the story.

The Sannin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… who knows, maybe they did. In secret!" Jiraiya wriggled his fingers dramatically towards Naruto as the child giggled with unrestrained laughter.

"Hey, Raya... Why does no one want to play with me?" asked a three-year-old Naruto. The two was currently looking down at the village from atop the spiky locks of the fourth Hokage.

The toad sage hummed thoughtfully as he studied his godson's face. "It's because they can't see who you really are." Jiraiya replied eventually.

"Who do they see then? I'm just me, right?" Naruto asked, his wide blue eyes showing everything that he was.

The Sannin stared over the village as he replied. "Of course you are Naruto. Of course you are."

A four-year-old Naruto stared at the children playing from across the playground. He was sitting on a swing, feet kicking at the air. Wondering for the hundredth time why no one wanted to play with him.

"Need a lift?" A familiar gruff voice asked from behind.

Naruto turned around so fast he nearly fell out of the swing. "Raya! You're back!" He shouted excitedly as Jiraiya smiled down at him.

An hour later, Jiraiya was jumping from rooftop to rooftop with a laughing Naruto on his back.

They settled down on top of their usual place, the Fourth Hokage's head. Each had a stick of ice cream eagerly awaiting consumption. After a few minutes of silence and ice cream eating, Naruto spoke up "Jiji told me the hokage were the greatest heroes the village has ever had! He said everyone respects them and looks up to them."

Jiraiya looked at the blond boy as he nodded slowly. "Well yes, they are. Of course, they aren't quite as great as me though!" He finished with boisterous laugh.

"Then…" Naruto jumped to his feet as the sun began to descend. He pointed out towards the village, no hesitance in his movement or voice. He spoke with absolute conviction as he shouted out his declaration. "I'm going to be Hokage one day! Dattebayo!"

"So class, let us introduce ourselves." A nervous Umino Iruka started, standing before his newly assigned class of academy students. The already loud classroom became even louder as two students jumped up before everyone else had a chance to do anything.

The overexcited Inuzuka and the blond… boy stared at each other, a silent battle of wills commenced. Apparently they both decided they won, and began at the same time, both shouting at the top of their lungs.

"MY NAME IS-" "HEY EVERYONE-" "INUZUKA KIBA-" "I'M UZUMAKI NARUTO-" "THIS IS AKAMARU!" "AND I'M GOING TO BECOME HOKAGE ONE DAY! DATTEBAYO!" The two boys stared at each other, lightning flashing between them.

Iruka slowly dragged his hand across his face. This was going to be a long seven years.

"Hey, my name is Uzumaki Naruto? Do you want to play ninja with me?"

A six-year-old raven-haired boy looked up from his book on shuriken techniques. Studying the blond in front of him. Uchiha Sasuke shrugged and smiled "Ok."

Later that evening, Sasuke smiled to himself, thinking about the new friend he had just made. "What are you thinking about little brother?" Uchiha Itachi asked as he sat down next to Sasuke. "Nii-san! I made a new friend today!" Sasuke smiled excitedly.

Then he scrounged up his face as he recalled the rest of the day. "He's very loud, but nice. I like him."

Itachi smiled down at his brother as he recounted the day in the excited manner only children can. "Does this new friend have a name, Sasuke?" Itachi asked mildly.

Sasuke nodded fervently. "Uzumaki Naruto, a blond boy with really blue eyes."

Itachi got a faraway look in his eyes as he looked around. Making sure no one else overheard. "Hmm… That's nice Sasuke, but I don't think you should tell Otousan about him."

Sasuke's confusion was evident all over his face.

"Not everybody likes Uzumaki-kun, and you might be told to stay away from him." Itachi explained.

If possible, Sasuke only became more confused. "But… but, why?"

Itachi became silent for a moment, staring out over the Uchiha grounds. "I guess… they just don't see the real Naruto."

"Hey! Hey! Sasuke where have you been? I haven't seen you all week?" Naruto shouted, running up to his friend during lunch-break.

Sasuke flinched as if he'd been hit. He looked over at Naruto with bloodshot eyes and eyes that belonged on a cornered animal. Naruto stopped dead in his tracks, unsure of how to proceed. After a moment, the wild look settled and the Uchiha boy looked away. "Leave me alone, Naruto."

Naruto looked at him with wide eyes and a bit of hurt. "But…"

Sasuke turned again to Naruto. This time he was angry. "Leave me alone! Just… Just go." He finished feebly.

Silently, Naruto left.

A few hours later, a blond boy trudged into the Hokage's office looking utterly miserable. Sarutobi looked up from his paperwork as the young jinchuriki dragged at his sleeve. "Nah… Jiji, when does Raya come back?"

Hiruzen lifted the young boy into his lap and patted his head softly. "It's still a few months Naruto, you know that."

Naruto sniffed and buried his head into the old man's robes. "But I want him to come home now!" It was such a childish request that Hiruzen couldn't help but smile.

"Now, now, Naruto, even I can't force time to go faster than it already does. However, I am still here, and I will listen if you have something to tell me." The old man said.

Naruto was silent for a few seconds as Hiruzen waited patiently. "Wha… What do I do if my friend doesn't like me anymore?"

The Third Hokage waited for a long moment mulling over his response. "Who is your friend, Naruto?"

Naruto sniffed some more as his body began to shake against the old man's frame. "Uchiha Sasuke." He said at last.

Hiruzen sighed. "Sasuke has just experienced something horrible. His entire clan was killed before his very eyes. Don't be too hard on him."

Naruto looked up at the Hokage with wide eyes. "Who… Who killed them?" His voice was very low, as if he was almost afraid to find out.

Sarutobi eyes focused on something far away, but he did answer the question. "Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother."

"Hey, Sasuke. Do you want to play Ninja with me?" Naruto asked a little hesitantly.

Sasuke's face scrounged up in distaste. "I don't have time to play ninja with you, Naruto."

The blond looked down. When he looked up again. A steely glint had entered his eyes. "Then… Do you want to spar?"

Sasuke frowned at him, but after a few seconds of deliberation, he stood up with a quiet "hn."

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Umino Iruka slammed his ruler down on the sleeping boy's table.

"Huh? Huh... whacha want?" The Uzumaki mumbled with tired eyes.

Iruka groaned. "Be awake for class, Naruto, or else you will never become a ninja. Your Taijutsu and physical scores are good, but you fail every single written test."

Naruto straightened in his seat as Sasuke managed to hold in a spectacular face-palm. "But, Iruka-sensei, studying is BOOOOORING! And Shikamaru is asleep as well, why don't you shout at him?"

Iruka just sighed again. "Because Shikamaru knows the subject a lot better than you do. And no matter what I do, I can't seem to get him to stop."

That probably wasn't the best thing to say to a child if you wanted him to listen, but Iruka had his own methods. "All the previous Hokage studied a lot too, you know."

Naruto just stared at him as if he had just proclaimed the moon was made of cheese. "WHAAAAT!? Why didn't you just say so!" Naruto shouted, managing to wake the other sleeping student two rows further down.

"Keep it down Naruto, there are people trying to sleep here."

Naruto nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Ah… Sorry Shikamaru."

"Hey Raya, Iruka-sensei said all the Hokage before me studied hard. But… Studying is so boring. Why can't I be a great ninja without studying? I will learn a bunch of cool jutsu, and defeat all the bad guys! Why do I have to study for that?"

Jiraiya only listened with half an ear as he continued his research, giggling and writing down new ideas for future books. "Hmm… did you say something brat?"

Naruto pouted and crawled onto the toad Sage's back. "What are you doing?" The child asked, focusing on the wall before him as if he could see straight through it. Unfortunately, he didn't have the Byakugan, so it ended as nothing but an exercise in futility.

"I am admiring the beauty of the female form, gaki. Unfortunately for you, you are too young to comprehend the value of heavens valley or the gate to paradise just yet." Jiraiya answered truthfully.

The blond boy just tipped his head sideways, a confused look on his face. "Huh?"

Jiraiya ignored him in favor for his research.

"Did you study?" The blond child asked again, a frustrated pout forming on his mouth. He didn't like to be ignored.

The Sannin snorted. "Sure I studied. If you want to be the best, you got to give it your best."

Naruto crawled inside Jiraiya's long white hair and curled up to the smallest ball he could. He was a bit too big to do it effectively though, and two sandaled feet stuck out of the Sannin's mane. A bit of golden hair peeked through as well.

"Then… Then I will study really hard and become the best ninja ever!" The muffled exclamation came from inside the older man's hair. Jiraiya smiled fondly as he stood up, ignoring Naruto's indignant protest and subsequent 'thump' as the blond hit the ground.

"Well then, Naruto! I will help you with that. From this day forth you may call me Jiraiya-sensei!" The toad sage declared.

Naruto just looked up at him with incredulity. "Raya-sensei sounds stupid!" He shouted back.

The white-haired Sannin left eye developed a dangerous tick as he looked down at his newest student. "Ji-Rai-ya-sensei. That doesn't sound that bad, does it?"

Naruto just continued to look at him as if he was an idiot. The blond boy scourged up his face as if he was thinking about something very important. After a few seconds, he nodded to himself. He stood up, pointed at Jiraiya. "You are Ero-sennin!" The proclamation was made with the same surety he used when he said ramen tastes good.

"Hey Ero-sennin, we are doing these jutsu in class, but I just can't do the Bunshin…"

Jiraiya scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Can't do the Bunshin, eh? Well… I have a technique that may fit you better. It's called the Kage Bunshin. It may as well have been made for you."

"Hey Raya? What's your dream? You said all shinobi should have a dream, and try their hardest to make it real."

They were sitting atop the fourth's head again, overlooking the village during a particularly beautiful sunset. Naruto sat in Jiraiya's lap, trying to eat the blue ice-cream Jiraiya usually got him. Unfortunately, it was a bit too hot outside and it was melting faster than he managed to eat it. The young boy looked up at Jiraiya with childlike curiosity, waiting for an answer.

"Hmm… My dream… huh." Jiraiya answered slowly. "Well… I can see that there is too much hatred in this world of ours. People kill and kill and kill in an endless cycle of hate and revenge. Many may say that true peace is impossible. However, I believe that one day, humans will truly be able to understand each other. People from every nation will come and stand together under a common goal. That is my wish, my dream."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Ehh… I don't get it."

Jiraiya just smiled down at the young blond, so reminiscent of his father, yet so unlike him at the same time.

"But if it's your dream, I'll help you!" The young boy beamed up at the older man with a smile that put the sun to shame.

Jiraiya snorted incredulously "HA! You? You're just a little squirt. What do you think you could do?"

Responding to the challenge the only way he knew how, Naruto jumped up and pointed at the white-haired ninja. "Just you wait! I'll be the hokage one day, and then I will make everyone understand each other! Just sit back and watch old man!"

"Your turn Naruto, please do at least three bunshin." Naruto frowned at Iruka and Mizuki. Raya said it would be fine, but he was still very nervous. Ero-sennin told him to keep the technique secret until graduation, or they would both get in trouble.

"Ehh… I can't do the bunshin Iruka-sensei." Naruto admitted with a nervous scratch behind his head. He quickly followed up that admission with another, "But Ero-sennin said this would be ok instead."

With that, he put two fingers in a cross seal and called out. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ten perfectly solid clones burst into existence around the room. Iruka fell out of his chair and Mizuki's jaw dropped.

Iruka managed to gather himself first. He poked at one of the clones, checking its legitimacy.

The clone began giggling. "Stop that Iruka-sensei, it tickles."

Iruka simply stared at the clone with wide eyes. Then he smiled proudly. "Congratulations Naruto, you pass!" Mizuki clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood.

Naruto beamed up at his favorite teacher. "YATTA!" Ten Naruto's shouted as they jumped into the air.