Naruto is sort of kidnapped, but somewhat grateful for it.

The flimsy rays of the setting sun illuminated his chubby face, whiskered checks contorting with the force of his frown. The village looked beautiful from up here, stately and full of life.

But he couldn't afford to take a moment to enjoy it. Jii-sama said one should enjoy the beauties of life. But he didn't think that held true when he had been taken away from his usual protectors and dropped off by someone he didn't know.

The man in question stood unbothered under the weight of his stare, facing away at the very edge of the Fourth's head. Naruto scratched his left arm softly, shaking out the gravel stuck to the inside of his sleeves. A frown still etched onto his pouting features. He was feeling a bit indignant over the silent treatment.

Though his blue eyes hadn't left the man's cloaked visage since he was first taken here, gently dropped upon the locks of the venerable Fourth Hokage.

It was a place he visited often himself. Whenever his protectors would allow it. To look over the village he loved, and would one day (he swore) love him in return.

The man was a ninja, that much was obvious, they were the village's fierce protectors, their foreheads emblazoned with the mark of their village. Flinging themselves onto roofs and hurtling into the sky with a wild freedom he envied.

The hitai-ate was an honor he had promised his Jii-sama (as the man looked at him with fond, sad eyes) he would receive one day, he had only a year to wait before he was of the age for it.

One of the villagers had been screaming at him again. Face red and spittle flying everywhere. He had accidentally bumped up against the merchant, on his way to see Jii-sama. The gravel had stung the palms of his hands. The man's yells had made his eyes sting even to his best efforts. He had promised to be done crying, done with tears. They never accomplished anything. Never made the hurt lessen.

In spite of the man's threatening, looming visage, harsh voice crackling with the force of his yells even as the scary ANBU pointed their swords by his throat. Naruto could see (sense) that he was more sad than angry. Devastated and hurting. The rumble in his stomach told him so. The thing that hissed and prodded at his mind and told him things he did not want to know.

There were tears in the corners of this old man's eyes. Haunted eyes that weren't really looking at Naruto. None of them were ever really looking at Naruto. Sometimes not even Jii-sama was. Those were the times that hurt the worst.

He was a smart child for his age, his Jii-sama told him so. He liked laughing, and loud colors and pranks and screaming out his fierce love for the world. He had a temper that made his blood boil and his stomach rumble for bad things. But he never got upset when the villagers got like this, not anymore.

Not when he could feel a grief so terrible, so gut-wrenchingly sad engulfing them all. They were hurting and he was the outlet. He'd made sure to tell Jii-sama not to punish anyone for it anymore.

It still wrenched at his heart in a way he had never been able to explain to Jii-sama, to receive that treatment when the other children were greeted with smiles and treats and fond laughter. But he accepted it, and he understood. (The kind Yamanaka with the long hair had explained it to him when Jii-sama started getting concerned over his growing resentment. He hadn't understood then. His stomach had been quiet.)

There was a monster trapped inside of him. And it had killed this man's wife and two children whilst he watched. One of the few it was directly responsible for, a flick of its tails rendered them smears adorning the pavement.

She pushed me out of the way, she was my love, my love, and you-you get to live and my baby is dead you took them all and this Jii-san that had loved his family with everything he had was left all alone. (The rumble laughed at the remembrance of beautiful, blood soaked streets and howling glory.)

He didn't understand why one of Jii-sama's Zoo people (they're called ANBU, Naru-chan) had whisked him away from that confrontation. It was not the first of the many he had faced. Nor would it be the last.

They had never interfered like this before; he knew they were only meant to if anyone actually tried to hurt him. Which had never occurred before. The villagers were grieving, but they were not stupid. Jii-sama would be really upset if anyone hurt him.

The Zoo person (he was a bird, perhaps, he had told Jii-sama that it wasn't really clear) had stood still, not a muscle moving, for over five minutes now.

He had wanted to show Jii-sama his Maths homework, to receive his promised ramen reward before the sun set down. Something made a bit difficult by this stray ANBU's antics.

The Kurama Clan servants would always cluck disapprovingly when he returned later than that. He didn't want to get lectured again.

"I am a traitor to the village for even considering doing this." the ANBU exclaimed. His young sounding voice coming from seemingly out of nowhere. Naruto's faint irritation vanished with a daunting realization. Traitor? They were far removed from prying eyes. The ANBU's alert position now conveyed anything but reassurance.

(Traitors are those who forsake their village, Naruto, they are scum.)

Naruto's blood froze to ice in his veins at that particular thought. Bird-san finally moved from his statue-esque position, inclining his head to glance down at the now gaping Naruto. He snorted at him, readjusting his painted mask and crouching down close to face Naruto, moving several meters within a blink of an eye.

Naruto tried to scramble away as quick as he could, but there really wasn't anywhere to go. And he couldn't do any cool ninja tricks to get away yet. Not that there was anywhere to run from an ANBU. The Bird mask concealing his features made the man's quiet staring more intimidating, somehow, not seeing a human face made the situation scarier. He couldn't even muster up his usual bravado.

The ANBU seemed to radiate confusion and concern at his reaction. Which didn't make sense since he was the one being creepy! Would he hurt him? Naruto didn't really want to be hurt.

"I won't hurt you, Uzumaki-sama, I would never." The ANBU's soft sounding voice tried to reassure. He was doing a poor job of it. All ANBU had a cold monotone they couldn't abandon until leaving active service. He'd had them following him all his life, so he knew. So Naruto just shook his head in response, arms trembling.

"I brought you here to tell you something." The man paused to take a breath, and what was going on here? Naruto fidgeted a bit on the spot, trying to look less scared than he felt.

"Because, you see, my senpai, he's the dumbest genius alive, and he doesn't deserve, or well you don't deserve not to see him, and I think he, gods." The ANBU continued on in the same stuttering vein, frantic rambling and stocky movements replacing his eerie silence and absolute stillness. His voice even lost some of its frigid nature.

So Naruto calmed a little bit at the sight. He felt silly for thinking that one of Jii-sama's Zoo people would hurt him. He had probably just tried to joke and failed miserably. The ANBU always were a bit scary and weird. He giggled a little bit as the ANBU started making rude hand gestures and muttering insults at his "senpai." It was funny to see an ANBU being so; human. Though his giggles made Bird-san startle and go quiet again.

But Naruto had never been good with silences. "ANBU-san you're funny! And silly. But why did ya say you're a traitor? You're Jii-sama's Zoo people!" he twittered out. It always noticed the ANBU guarding Jii-sama. The people protecting the Hokage couldn't be traitors. Traitors were rare and they were the worst.

The man sighed and reached a hand to the back of his head in embarrassed consternation, "Ah, yes, I am. I'm just a bit, unsure of how to tell you, or," his voice quieted into an almost choked up sounding whisper "or if I even should." His shoulders tensed, swaying a little bit in his crouched position. Looking as if he might bolt at the slightest provocation.

Naruto grew increasingly concerned at this strange behavior. He really just wanted some ramen and for Jii-sama to tell him a cool story. He hadn't planned on strange ANBU kidnapping him. But now that he was here, he figured he might as well find out what he wanted. So he looked up and into the ANBU's dark non-reflective eyes, giving him a decisive nod.

"I'll keep your secret Bird-san! I promise! Well unless it's somethin' real bad! Jii-sama says a ninja has to be super relinable! Otherwise, the people wantin' help won't trust us with the missions and we won't be able to help, ya know!."

He spread his orange-cloaked arms wide in excitement, thinking of the missions the adventures to come. And he grinned his best "be happy!" grin so the ANBU would cheer up a bit (and perhaps hurry up, there was ramen waiting. Teuchi-ossan had some new flavors he wanted him to try.)

He thought it might have worked. The stressed servants in the kitchens would always smile back at him and feel a bit better when he did this. But Bird-san just drooped down further, like a wilted plant, and looked away.

Keeping silent for a heartbeat before he spoke again. The ANBU clenched his gloved fists. Was he..scared? "You have an older brother, Naruto-sama."

Naruto choked on the question he had meant to ask at that statement, flinching so hard he fell backward. The world started spinning a little bit. Like it did when he ran a lot. He had to shove down his disbelief so he could think. He had been told that his family was dead, all dead. Jii-sama had told him so. But if it wasn't true then? What? What was happening here?

His chest started flipping and he thought he might cry at the mere thought of this being real. Hand over his now pounding heart he clenched his fist around the soft orange fabric. What exactly was going on here? A brother? Where was he? Why had Jii-sama not told him about this?

Before he could attempt to ask anything the ANBU swore fiercely. "I can't stay here any longer, the others are coming for you. If you're ever forced to reveal who told you all this, can you promise not to tell them it was me?" Naruto nodded over eagerly, head bobbing. He needed to know more about what had happened to his Nii-san! Why was Bird-san telling him of all this? Why was it a secret?

"I won't tell you unless you promise." Bird-san said sternly. Naruto rose to his feet almost frantic to know more. Quickly assuring the ANBU of his secrecy. He knew his parents were dead. He –it- had tasted their blood. But he hadn't been aware of a brother. No one had told him anything of the sort.

Bird-san leaned in real close; he could see the whites of his eyes through the tiny holes in his mask. "He isn't your brother by birth, but your parents raised him. And they adopted him into the Uzumaki clan by blood. But he hurt a lot of people when he found out that, when they told him that he wouldn't get to raise you or come close to you now –then- that your parents were dead."

The ANBU was now glancing around him frantically. His words tripping over themselves in his haste but Naruto understood what he was hearing. He had a Nii-san and his Nii-san was upset to be forcibly parted with him and he loved him there was someone that loved him enough to hurt others over it. And was probably in the bad guys' prison even though he couldn't possibly be bad. He was startled out his haphazard, panicky thoughts, sweat dripping down his neck, by a touch. He hadn't noticed himself heating up. Konoha was always warm and temperate. But it suddenly felt warmer than usual, in spite of night approaching soon.

The ANBU grasped for his shoulders, his grip was bordering on painful. The Zoo people didn't really know how not to be strong. "His name is Hatake Kakashi. Naruto flinched and started fiercely at that name. Looking up wide-eyed. For he had heard it before. Everyone had. White Wolf. Thunder God.

Though he only really knew he was a strong ninja everyone seemed to gossip about a lot where the Village rumour mills were the strongest. But that was his Nii-san! So cool!

Bird-san's already tight grip harshened. And Naruto smiled sheepishly at him. He had probably noticed his wandering thoughts. The ANBU simply nodded at him. More serious and grim than goofy now.

"Or well, formally he is Uzumaki-Hatake Kakashi. And ever stoic senpai was so excited for you to be born." His Nii-san had wanted him! He wanted him too so- "I'm leaving this to you Naruto-sama. The village has put senpai in chains, only ever letting him out to sic him on our enemies. But that isn't living. What he did was inexcusable, but he has been through so much, and he- I just had to do something I-"

There was a faint rustling from somewhere close. The ANBU flinched and straightened into a standard superior officer greeting. Hand to his heart. Staring silently at something behind Naruto. His other watchers had found him then. It was weird that they took so long, though it had probably only been 10 minutes. It was way too slow for them. Maybe they were slacking off again? Jii-sama would relish an opportunity to scold them again.

Swallowing through his choked disappointment at the information spree being cut short, he swiveled his head and was greeted with the sight of ANBU Monkey-chan. She (because the ANBU seemed to be a bit too short to be male) was one of his primary watchers. So he gave her his certified sunshine smile and stretched his arms toward her in a facsimile of a hug, for he knew ANBU were not to be touched. (They did not know how not to be strong.)

"Monkey-chan! Did you lose me? Jii-sama will scold you again, ya know!" He loved getting reactions out of the reserved, distant protectors. And if he was reading her correctly, (he knew he was, the rumbling always knew) she was a bit irritated. But she pretended she hadn't heard him and started harshly scolding Bird-san for taking him away without informing the rest of his watchers.

He stopped paying attention then. Turning to stare at the orange of the sunset, a slight wind rustling through his spiky locks. Imagining what his Nii-san was like. What he looked like. Suddenly, desperately, he wished he had more people to speak to.

By the sound of the snippets of conversation he had caught whilst walloping through the streets, Nii-san was always a topic of conversation. Some of it was praise, but some seemed to really hate Nii-san. He sunk into his thoughts deeply enough that he barely noticed Monkey-chan finishing her scolding, picking him up and starting the journey back to the Kurama Clan compound. He couldn't even muster up the strength to pout at the treatment.

Nor feel particularly upset at missing out on Jii-sama's company and the holy virtues of ramen. Within the tight grip of Monkey-chan, the wind musing up his blonde spikes and the dying light of the sun stinging his eyes. He couldn't stop thinking. About his Nii-san, about the prospect of family and someone who saw him for something other than the Jinchuuriki.

He felt like he'd eaten something spoilt, but also like he was happy. He had an older brother who loved him, who was a super cool ninja, who needed his help. So with a stubborn set of his chin (that he knew would have Jii-sama worriedly questioning him on what he had done this time), he resigned himself to a longtime mission.

He knew that family meant everything.

Hello!

To any new and old readers, thank you for giving my fic a chance! I felt the need to adress some things before anyone starts reading this story of mine. This fanfic is written in a non-linear narrative. Hence how chapters jump to different parts of the story - or even back in time to provide context. I'll try to make it clear when the story has skipped to a different time - so it is okay to generally assume that time is moving forward when we are not obviously in the past. I try not to make things overly confusing - but its hard to avoid when I don't want exposition to take reign. I want this to be an engaging read to anyone who decides to take it on.

This is Naruto's universe, so obviously many things will be familiar. But nobody should go into this fic thinking that it's simply a derailed or alternate events version of the universe Kishimoto built. I asked myself one question before I started writing this fic.

What would a realistic Naruto universe look like? A military dictatorship where children are raised from very early childhood as killers for hire? What would that realistically have to look like to be sustainable and functional? Kishimotos Naruto takes place in a universe I feel would never actually function properly as what it was meant to be.

So once again, realism and functionality is at play here. Therefore the very foundations of the Naruto universe have changed. Madara is dead. Obito is dead. The Rabbit Goddess and Otsutsuki do no exist. Characters backgrounds and morals have changed.

This is a story of a world where shinobi live. It still follows Naruto's journey, and I've tried to let the characters keep some of their very essences. But it is fundamentally a very different place. Some events will still be familiar - but will have changed in ways that will be continually adressed throughout the story.

An example is the third chapter. Imagine a military dictatorship like Kishimotos Konohagakure, where it seems like any human being living in that world is capable of becoming a shinobi - but only some who are not born into shinobi clans - like Sakura - actually join. Suggesting that becoming a shinobi is a voluntary act.

How would that be sustainable to maintaining a shinobi population? Since it is not realistic - the universe has changed. Here the ability to mold chakra is is not rare per se, but it is a gift that does not manifest itself into everyone and is rarer to find in a families that haven't had shinobi in them. Think of it almost as a genetic trait - it runs in families.

So the Hyuuga with their Byakugan eyes are sent out yearly throughout all of Fire Country and Konohagakure to bring back children at the age of 5 with the chakra potential to become shinobi. This is not voluntary. So as a consequence, Konohagakure has more than just one Academy.

I've rambled on for too long. I just wanted to clarify things to make the read less jarring. To anyone reading this, thank you again for giving my story a chance. Kudos and comments genuinely mean so much to me - and I appreciate every single one of them.

Thank you and enjoy!