It was with a heavy heart that Hiruzen Sarutobi carried the two year old Naruto Uzumaki away from the orphanage for the last time. He had wanted the child to have a normal life- well, a normal childhood but it seemed that his mistakes were the very cause that it wasn't to be- or well, part of them. Announcing the fact that the boy was a Jinchuriki was his biggest mistake. Thinking a single law would be sufficient to allow the boy to live in blissful ignorance was his second. But, the strangest thing, was that it seemed his plans were doomed to fail from the start- because the boy wasn't normal.

Now anyone would claim that the son of Minato Kamikaze and Kushina Uzumaki couldn't possibly be anything else but abnormal, they'd be right… But, even that wouldn't be enough to conceive how abnormal the boy truly was. Two year old Naruto couldn't live in the orphanage because the caretakers hated him- but because everyone there feared him. Hiruzen on the other hand couldn't help but see the boy- the future Shinobi- as gifted.

The boy had the unnatural talent of being able to sense every single negative emotion, aimed at him or not. He could barely speak but the boy understood people far better than one could with simple words. The Sandaime was grateful for this gift; already it spared the boy from attacks. But, it was worrisome, because word had started to spread of this talent… It started simple enough, the boy crying whenever certain people approached. At first, the reports just claimed that he was sensitive- wasn't that an understatement- but things changed when the child was able to walk. He walked everywhere, innocent eyes watching. The children would never notice him, but a few of the caretakers had seen him lingering in shadows, in places a child shouldn't be able to reach.

He was a quiet child from the start, but when he started speaking he held insight that was spot-on. Shinobi children grew and matured rapidly, but Naruto was years ahead of the prodigies such as Itachi and Kakashi- even Orochimaru. His sentences were short and too the point, but they were coherent. Factual. And they were delivered from a mouth of a babe. Even now the observing eyes of the Namikaze-Uzumaki union stared at him silently. He could feel the gaze on his own face and couldn't help but look down at the toddler in his arms. The appearance of Minato, the tenacity and intensity of Kushina. A perfect union of two premier shinobi… He thought of the tragedy of the death's of the boys parents- and realized his mistake too late.

"…You're sad because my parents died. You loved them." The voice sounded unnatural coming from one so young and Sarutobi would've balked if he had not already read through reports of the boy's insight.

"I love all of those within the walls of Konoha. Even you." The boy's eyes blinked up at him owlishly and he nodded in agreement. This was almost getting too much surreal for him.

"I'm sorry I scared them. I won't be going back there will I?" Ahh, so even now the boy had some perception as to the consequences of actions. He understood the nuanced regrets Sarutobi held within himself and connected that to the feelings he had unmasked inside the orphanage. The boy was two years old, and yet Hiruzen knew that he could topple countries to their knees. All he had to do was bring the boy to a banquet of a Daimyo and watch as all of their political schemes and intrigue fell around them-

"People are really that…mean?" The aging Hokage sighed. The boy's innocence wouldn't last for long-

"Oh… I'm young. But I'm growing up? Faster than…'normal'. That's weird." …The boy had no chance of having anything close to resembling a childhood. All of Hiruzen's plans regarding the boy would have to be scrapped- he was too dangerous left alone. He had no option but to raise the boy himself- to help him learn how to control this…power…of his. He'd rarely be able to see the boy but it was the best route to take. Left alone, there were all sorts of players that could seek to take advantage of the boy. Danzo alone would-

"No- I don't like him either."

It was going to be a gruelling few years for Hiruzen Sarutobi and his new charge.

Kurama observed as his host was brought to the office of the one the humans called 'Hokage'. He remembered the man from the night of his release, possession, and subsequent re-sealing. He was the second Hokage he had ever fought; and from what he remembered was close to his last prison.

His time within Kushina was; well, painful. By design of the seal he hadn't had much comfort in his tenure as her prisoner. Neither did they talk. As his second Jinchuriki, that had seemed to become the trend. Everything seemed to be going along just as his time inside Mito Uzumaki-Senju had...when Kushina had gotten pregnant. She wasn't the first Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune to get pregnant, and so it wasn't really the first time that Kurama experienced the full gestation of a newborn growing inside of another living organism- but it was the first time that he wasn't raging mindlessly from his seal as the child grew. Being a chakra construct meant that there was always a slight curiosity that he held to the workings of the more organic lifeforms of the planet he inhabited- when they weren't trying to seal him or enslave him for his power.

As the fetus slowly grew he had discovered that he could manipulate it minutely with his chakra; and that brought upon him wicked glee. He could devastate his prison for what she had done to him! But, as he was about to, he realized that this new life- even if it was human- had committed no sin to anything. It was the definition of innocent. The words of his father rang through his memories and he could not find it within himself to destroy it.

That had been an extreme blow to his enjoyment.

He was unable to attack the growing organism and some of his interest in it faded away. Then one day, the boredom had grown so high that he inspected the baby again and identified a gene that led to a rather lackluster feature. Almost mechanically, Kurama instructed his chakra to correct the wayward gene. It was only after the fact that Kurama had realized he had inadvertently helped a human. His disgust with himself led him to spending a few weeks doing nothing but thinking of all the ways that humans were pathetic, weak, and terrible.

But… the child was none of those. At least, not here where he couldn't be tainted by those in the great world beyond. And it was that fact that sparked Kurama to pause and think of his current situation. He knew that it was only the cursed Clan of Uzumaki that could contain him- but, there was only a handful left of them in the world. There were no Senju with the wood release. His container, Kushina, wouldn't live forever.

The Child was going to be his next prison- whether the baby knew it or not. Kurama accepted this and didn't hold it against the boy. Indeed, it wasn't his fault the status of the outside world. He was just as much a victim as Kurama himself was.

That made him pause again. The Child was going to be his prison. The Child, the one that he could strengthen and enhance with no reason to, would be his prison. He had an opportunity before him; he could shape it so that the boy was strong. That the boy grew wise. That the boy would be above the depraved around him. He could enhance him so that he could sense the evils around him. Of course, none of these powers would be able to be at their fullest until he was sealed into the Child, but he could lay the foundation for his tenure right now. So he set to work. He would make his next vessel worthy of being such. He'd gift unto the Child a great advantage over any fellow human- shinobi or not.

Kurama's work was increased as he began to look forward to the day he'd be able to speak with the Child. The one he'd had as much a hand in growing as the boy's own mother. At first he desired to form a more suitable and comfortable prison… But, towards the end, Kurama had realized that he had grown affectionate for the babe. And the day grew ever closer to the day of his birth.

And what a catastrophe it had been…

Sealed within the Child- within Naruto upon the very day of his birth was a boon to Kurama, but he knew it to be a tragedy to the boy… It took a day to get used to his new prison, the work of the damn Yondaime slowing his work even further. But, he had nothing but the best of intentions towards the boy now, and he was assisting in the seal's function so he wasn't stopped. The foundations he had laid were immediately acted upon and built upon. The boy would know all the evils of man- a monumental burden to any normal human- but this one would need it…He needed to have it to understand Kurama. To know that the Kyuubi's rage was justified, but not endless. That his hatred was born of fear, frustration, and regret. That was the only way to make the boy understand…

The only way to ensure that his prison….would be a friend.

While being summoned to his Kage's office was not a new pastime, it was unfortunately still one that he was struggling to get used to. His sensei's office was still the same. A few of his portraits and mementos were still in their spots. But, it wasn't his anymore, it was once more his predecessor's, the Sandaime.

As with every loss of a precious person in his life, Kakashi had taken it very hard. Very hard. After all of the progress he had made in dealing with the loss of Rin- and Obito…To lose his sensei and father-figure, and being unable to stop it was terrible. He'd gone headfirst back into the Anbu, quickly achieving his rank of Anbu Captain and taking mission after mission for two years. Hiruzen had understood, not approved, but allowed him to cope in his own way nonetheless. That was why today was out of the blue. An unknown. Something about it was making his gut twist uncomfortably and he didn't know what.

He jumped upon the windowsill- and came face to face with the blue eyes of Minato. Kakashi stopped dead in his tracks and couldn't help but look at the blonde hair and innocently inquisitive look that stared back and think upon Minato. His leader, teacher, father-

"You miss your father?… My father." Kakashi's blood ran cold and the surprise kept the lid down on his instincts to push away. The boy- Naruto, for who else could it be- was still looking at him, seemingly staring into his very soul. He was so unsettled that he couldn't even decide if the boy could or not.

"You've lost a lot of friends. A lot of family… I lost my family too. I'm sad too. I don't blame you, Nii-san."

Kakashi could still say nothing as the boy spoke the truths he tried so hard to lock away. Was this his punishment for failing the boy? Having all his failures laid bare to have judgement passed on them? He hadn't forgotten about the boy- he'd just felt so guilty. So fractured. So broken. He couldn't have raised the boy. He wasn't his father- no one could possibly replace his father. And it was his fault-

"No. It's not your fault, Nii-san. I forgive you, though. I think you're nice… you're a good person."

It was at that point into the one-sided-verbal conversation that Kakashi's instincts kicked back into gear and he looked around. Besides the amused Sandaime, they were alone. Good. The boy was spewing secrets that even he shouldn't have known about. He'd have to be taught to be more quiet, he wasn't a child anymore he was-

He was two years old. Kakashi hadn't been doing missions for that long. He picked up the boy in his arms and looked him over, making sure his sensei's son was alright. He gently turned him this way and that, looking him over…He couldn't see anything wrong with the boy. He lifted up his headband and looked over the giggling child once more with his- Obito's- sharingan. He seemed fine.

"Whoa- that's an awesome present." The boy stretched his arms and held his face still so he could look at the eye. Kakashi didn't know what was more unsettling- the boy talking this way so young, or knowing things without them being said. He looked to the Hokage and the Old Monkey gave a soft grin and gestured for him to sit,"Naruto here, Kakashi… Won't be living in the orphanage anymore."

The silver-haired man nodded silently as he sat down, keeping Naruto on his lap. The boy couldn't possibly stay there. Something was wrong- or different with him and they'd have to find out what.
"Did sensei leave anything that hinted at what could be the cause?" The Hokage shook his head.

"I'm afraid that we're very much in the dark about what brought about this in our dear Naruto-kun. Perhaps, it may have to do with his tenant-" Oh no. Both men paled and looked to the boy whose face was scrunched up in thought.

"Something your scared of- is…inside me?"

Well, Kakashi Hatake had learned many things, but how to censor his subconscious train of thought was not one of them. Not even his Sharingan could help him with that. Gods forbid if he started thinking about clandestine operations that the Anbu were so happy to perform.

Naruto's face scrunched up like he had tasted something sour and Kakashi couldn't even fake an innocent look as Hiruzen stared at him coldly.

This would certainly take some getting used to. The Hokage sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose,"The boy is going to be taken care of by me. I'll need your support and assistance as I do so. Congratulations on your promotion."

Ah- so that was the plan. If Kakashi was the Anbu Commander he wouldn't as frequently be off running missions- and could spare some time to watch over the boy when the Hokage couldn't either. The plan was good, but there were sure to be times the both of them couldn't look after the boy.

"And when we're both busy, Hokage-sama?" His question had Naruto gazing at the Hokage curiously as well, knowing that his answer was to be the identity of someone new Naruto would be meeting.

"I have a few ideas." Naruto stuck out his tongue suddenly and made a gagging sound.

"Not him, Jiji- he doesn't seem like a nice person."

Kakashi watched as Sarutobi and Naruto seemed to have a discussion about additional supervisors and care-takers. The boy was amazing. Terrifying, even. The boy, if he could even be called a boy, was beyond gifted. It could be a kekkei genkai, but it wasn't from the Uzumaki. Minato was always perceptive, but even he wasn't anything this astute. How'd the boy do it?

A thousand theories bounced around Kakashi's head and they all lead to the same conclusion. Naruto Uzumaki was special. The two year old sitting on the Sandaime's desk having a conversation, completely oblivious to the surrealness of the moment, was precious. He had to be protected. Kakashi had few friends, and no family. That was what his guilt had convinced him at least. He hadn't deserved getting close to the boy. He'd only bring tragedy to him.

He knew better now. The boy needed safety and he needed guidance. Kakashi may not have been as old as the Hokage, but he was an expert shinobi at this point. The boy needed to be surrounded by those that could care for him… It was funny that it was Naruto's words that made Kakashi realize this. He needed the boy too.

They were family. Minato was a father to both of them, in different ways. Kakashi had a purpose again. He'd teach and nurture his sensei's legacy. A warmth blossomed in his chest and he smiled as Naruto began to giggle as Hiruzen once more accidentally thought of a state-secret.

"Kakashi, could you take Naruto to my home and watch over him for the rest of the day?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Naruto turned to him, arms outstretched, and Kakashi picked him up. The hands that had killed thousands of men quite easily gingerly lifted up the child and held him close. He may have been gone from the boy's life up to now, but that would change. Even if he couldn't constantly be there, he'd always protect him.

That's what older brothers do, wasn't it?

Naruto's eyes opened and he looked around in wonder. This was not the bedroom that his new older-brother Kakashi had left him in. No, this was some kind of dark-place- and it was wet. A wet dark place. Naruto stood slowly and brushed the water off his back. It didn't feel good- it made him feel not comfortable. The dark wet place was also cold. That was too long of a name though, the dark wet cold place. The not good place?

Well, that was fine. He took his first few steps in the not good place and realized that it was long. There wasn't a door in sight and Naruto was starting to get scared. He slowly made his way down the hallway and gotten more anxious the deeper he went. After a long long time he made it to a big room, where a big gate was. Beyond the gate….there was something that was very very large.

Two big eyes opened in the darkness and peered curiously down on them. Most children would have been scared or at least unsure of the nature of such a being… But Naruto could sense it. There was a lot of bad feelings that the animal had. A lot. Too much for Naruto to single down… But, there was only one bad feeling directed at Naruto. Fear. Fear of… being alone?

"Hello…Naruto." Naruto blinked in surprise and took a few steps closer. He shyly looked closer and saw more details of the great beast as it slowly crawled further into the light.

"Hi. How do you know my name?"

"I was there when your parents named you." The boy's face widened in surprise and he took a few more steps forward.

"You knew my parents too? Were you friends?"

"No- they didn't like me."

"Oh." The boy wasn't as exuberant anymore and slowly shrank back into himself, but still stepped closer,"What's your name? Are you what Jiji and Kakashi-nii-san were scared of?"

"Yes. I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

"That's a long name." Kurama peered down upon the boy, still not passing any judgement. Things were actually looking good. This had been the longest and most civil conversation he had ever had with another human, besides his father.

"It is a title. A name people call me. My real name, is Kurama."

The child nodded instantly, oblivious to the importance of the moment. This was Kurama's first step towards trusting a human for the first time in his life. The child may be taking it as if it was merely a new meeting, but for Kurama himself… he was on the cusp of making a bond with another. A friendship.

"Why are you in here, Kurama? This place doesn't seem really nice."

"I am stuck inside of a seal, Naruto-kun. Inside of you. This is the manifestation of the seal."

"Can I change it to something nicer?" The Great Fox blinked. He was not used to this. A large part of him still expected to be manipulated or taken advantage of- it was…nice. Refreshing.

"Indeed. You can think and will the seal to change. If that's what you want."

"Well.. This is your home, right? Do you like it like this?" Kurama gave a toothy grin and shook his head.

"No, Naruto-kun. I am not fun of this sewer we find ourselves in."

Sewer! So that was the shorter name for wet gold dark place! Naruto found himself nodding in agreement. He didn't like the sewer either. But, he didn't like the orphanage either, and he doubted that Kurama would. Kurama was too big for people-houses. And he was a fox- so maybe a park?

Their surroundings rumbled and shifted. A great expanse of green grass and trees surrounded the two. In the distance were mountains- all of which had their own Hokage Monuments, but it was impressive for the imagination of a two year old. The boy was still learning about the world around him, it seemed. That was fine. Kurama could deal with having to look at the faces of four humans. Honestly, after Naruto left he might take some joy out of firing a Bijuudama at one or two of the monuments.

Suddenly, Kurama felt Naruto climbing onto one of his paws and he nearly flung the boy off in shock. As it were he jerked slightly upwards, and Naruto laughed as if the bijuu had done it to amuse him. This- he couldn't have foreseen this. The boy was laying down on his fur with eyes closed… And seemed to be almost purring in contentment.

"I know you were scared…Don't be. I'd love to be your friend." Kurama couldn't even reply. He didn't know what to say. He just looked at the boy for a second and then closed his eyes and laid his head down. He felt the boy climbing up his neck and flopping down to lay on top of his head. All things considered, he could get…accustomed to this.

In the two years that Naruto Uzumaki had made his home at the Sarutobi Clan Compound, something always seemed to be happening. Whether is was other Sarutobi members talking to him about his young charge walking the grounds in the dead of night seemingly talking to himself, to the boy walking up to other members out of the blue and conversing with them about their fears and grief. Just as things started to be settling down, the boy had taken it amongst himself to start wandering around the village. There were quite a few times where worried civilians had brought the boy to the Hokage Tower after having seen him wandering by his lonesome on the complete other side of the village. After the third such incident, and realizing that Naruto just wouldn't immediately be listening to his orders, he had decided that it was necessary for an Anbu squad to always be guarding the child. It was necessary; it was a protection of a future asset and a vital player in the village. Naruto would grow up- and he would change things. Of course Inu wasn't able to constantly be apart of the guard, but the Anbu Commander joined in from time to time. The honor usually fell to Cat, Weasel, and Boar.

It was amusing to hear their first report. How the boy always seemed to sense their presence and would look for them. After a few hours of them constantly moving around and almost dancing away from his sight, the boy seemed to pause- as if he realized that they couldn't be within his sight because of their job- and he never looked towards them again.

Of course, the group knew that he was aware of their presence from the tells he subconsciously gave. It was infuriating to all of them, Weasel especially, at how their skills meant nothing in evading from the boy. Hiruzen realized that the boy was a perfect exercise for new Anbu recruits. It quickly became a normal routine for trainees to be tasked with guarding him and staying out of his sight. They always questioned why the exercise wouldn't immediately fail after getting caught once. They quickly learned that the boy was just too good. He seemed to recognize people after a few times of being near them, but he was always wary of new presences. Remedial Naruto Guard quickly became an informal punishment. Of course, to the three regularly scheduled to guard him, it honed their skills. The three of them could not figure out how the boy did it, and Hiruzen had no intention of telling them. To be honest, he also found himself testing just how close he could get before Naruto would notice him.

It seemed that speed was his greatest aid in circumventing the boy's senses but even that wasn't perfect. The boy may have matured quickly but he was still a child. He didn't have the knowledge, experience, or skills to be an actual threat to any shinobi over the rank of Jonin. That was, until he realized that Naruto was using these practices and times to train himself. It would take an experienced eye to note- but the boy's reflexes were growing as was his range of sensing. He was three years old at that point, and he'd already begun training… It prompted him to sit down and teach Naruto the basics of chakra and their usage.

Only to be told that his friend had already told him. Fearing for the worst he had nearly interrogated the boy before he found out the real identity of his friend.

The Kyuubi no Kitsune. That had been quite a discussion. In the end, he could not sway the boy- and he found himself helpless to deny that the boy truly did have far greater insights into a person- or being's- character than he did. This conversation also cemented that it was the Kyuubi's doing that granted Naruto this empathy. He'd heard reports of Jinchuriki taking upon various styles and gifts of their 'patron' bijuu, but those always seemed to be more ninjutsu orientated. This was on a whole new level. Leave it to the Kyuubi to inadvertently give his host what could amount to the greatest gift among the nine tailed beasts.

And so he began to train the boy at the young age of three. The youngest to train in Konoha since it's founding. He led the boy through his lectures of the Shinobi world and of chakra and jutsu theory. The boy absorbed it all. His chakra stores were miniscule. His body, weak. But his mind and senses; unnaturally advanced. The boy took to training with a vigor that reminded him of his old Genin team- the Sannin. He was always training.

After a few months, it was brought to his attention that the boy had roped Weasel into training with him. Apparently, Naruto coerced him into assisting after three hours of constantly making Weasel evade his senses. Weasel became his senpai with a vicious fervor, as revenge for being used so by the boy. Hiruzen chose to leave them to settle it out themselves. It would be good for Naruto to have yet another role-model…And it was good for Itachi to have some sort of social interaction. That was the difference between the prodigies like Itachi and Kakashi and Naruto; Naruto was becoming more and more out-spoken and optimistic. Kushina's personality was starting to appear every so often within the boy, but he still mainly operated under Minato's calm and analytical behavior.

After six months of training, the four year old had become a Shinobi. An inexperienced and amateurish shinobi, but one all the same. His age was the only thing holding him back. He hadn't learned any jutsu, not any from his human teachers at least, but he had been starting to practice the katas of the Uchiha Interceptor style- as per Weasel's request. It seemed Naruto's senpai had taken supreme interest in his career and wasn't above disregarding a few clan laws to aid him. In the time he could spare, Hiruzen had also started the boy along the path of the Monkey Claw Style, and bojutsu. Truth be told, the Hokage found himself taking great pleasure in instructing such a willing student, and had found himself beginning to lecture upon the basics of jutsu creation without realizing how advanced of a topic it was.

The boy was coming along just fine, and Sarutobi found himself allowing him to sit in on diplomatic meetings here and there. They would dismiss the child as only a child; and that was a grave mistake.

That was what led up to this meeting between Hiruzen and the Ambassador from Kumogakure. A treaty had been reached, signed, and officiated. All that was left was to discuss plans between the two villages and host a celebration, send the ambassador back to Kumo with the good news, and they were on their way to having an alliance with yet another Hidden Village.

Hiruzen wasn't naive, but if a treaty- a tangible peace- could be achieved by three out of the five Great Nations- it'd be the first true step towards realizing the Shodaime's dream of global peace and unity. Yes, he was wary of the treaty, but he was also allowing them the benefit of the doubt. He may not be the Yellow Flash, but he wouldn't be remiss to remind Kumo why he was called the God of Shinobi.

In the corner of the room, Naruto sat silently watching the meeting continue with narrowed eyes. The man from Kumo was an okay man- but, he had something planned that would hurt someone within the village.

And as a Shinobi of Konohagakure, Naruto wouldn't let him enact his plan.

AN: Made an edit about Kushina being the first Jinchuriki of Kurama to be pregnant. Tune in next time.