A/n Hillo, it was brought to my attention that I made a rather large mistak
in the prologue, one I'd like to correct. The prologue takes place during the
events of the Chunnin exam shown in the anime, which occurs either at the
end of this story, or very nearly so. The first chapter details the arrival of an
O.C. character from the Western Hemisphere, where things are very different,
and occurs twelve years before the start of the anime.

This chapter picks up where the anime begins. I have left out the part where
Naruto finds out about the Kyubbi as well as the failed gennin exam. I have
not changed these events and as such figured the show describes them well
enough.

Also there is another small mistake in chapter two. In chapter two I used the
word banker to describe Fred Mortinson, I meant bokar. Sorry for that,
what that is will be explained in the next chapter.

Also in this chapter I refer to an even three years ago that never occurs in the anime...
I will most likely go into it in a flashback when it seems to fit, until such a time though
I plan on leaving it as described in this chapter... if either of these omissions really bother
any readers review and let me know and I'll work them into the next chapter. Sorry this
took so long but I wanted to make it longer than the last two.

I would love some more reviews. Currently I have only one and it feels lonely.

Oh also a warning there is some cursing in this chapter, I think this fic is still pg-13, but if
anyone is overly offended comment, let me know and I'll reclassify the fic as a mature fic.

0000

Now

A blonde blur raced across the town of Konohana. It jump and ducked, avoiding as many
innocent bystanders as possible, ignoring those that it knocked over during its mad dash.
Above the blur, dozens of figures raced across the rooftops, hoping to slowly close the distance
between them and the blond trouble maker. Naruto didn't make it easy for them. With a final
movement he ducked off the busy street and into an innocuous store.

Fred Mortinson stared off into the space of his store. It had been a slow morning and that was in
its own way somehow fitting. He wasn't sure exactly why, but it was definitely fitting that this day was both
boring and aggravating as hell. He'd just payed for a new shipment of foreign goods and of course not a
single customer waltzed through the door. He'd even payed extra to get the shipment sent over the day
before the gennin test. Oh well, he'd just have to make it to the end of the day and then tomorrow would be
better. After all, just because this day marked both the thirteenth year of his exile and the twelfth year of his
stay in this bloody village, that was nothing to complain about. Not in the least.

Well he might as well restock the shelves... again.

And he just might have done that if he hadn't been interrupted by his front door slamming open. The blonde figure
of Uzamaki Naruto raced into the shop, a sheepish grin already working its way onto his face. The grin was one
that Fred had grown far, far too accustomed to over the years. It meant the little blonde had at least half of the fucking
Jonins in the village chasing him. And if Naruto had ducked into the shop that meant the Jonin were close behind.
Sighing Fred jerked a thumb towards the staircase behind him.

"Alright go hide. I want details later."

Without sparing a word the blonde trouble maker did just that. Sighing Fred prepared for another troublesome
encounter with the village's jonin.

0000

There was a loft above Fred Mortinson's shop. It was a small affair, a single room with enough space for a small
kitchen, a sink, a bathroom, a bed, a couch and not much else. Currently it also contained an energetic blonde. His
name was Uzamaki Naruto and he was the village prankster. Well, he was more than that really. He was also the village
scapegoat. If a sign broke or a coin went missing the villages seemed to delight in taking it out on him and if they couldn't
find anything to blame him for they settled for glaring at him as much as possible and hurling slurs and insults at him. He
couldn't think what he'd done to deserve it. Okay so he was pretty much responsible for just about every prank that had
occurred in Konohana in the last couple of years, but that's just cause the villagers ignored him. If they just treated him with
respect, or even a little common decency he wouldn't need to prank them.

That was why he'd never pranked Hyyuga Hinata and Fred Mortinson. The odd girl and foreigner were a rarity in the young
boy's life.

Hinata had never once hurled an insult at him, though to be honest she'd never said anything nice to him either. Truth be told she
didn't say much of anything, just turned bright red and poked her fingers together every time he came close. At first he'd assumed
she'd been like the others, but over the years her quite encouragement, the whispers she didn't think he could hear, and
Mortinson-san's assurances that the girl was just shy, had convinced him otherwise. Right now she was the closest thing he
had to a friend. Besides Fred-san.

The odd shopkeeper was an even bigger mystery to Naruto. A mystery that the young boy had no way of solving. Naruto
had first met Fred-san about three years ago, maybe a little more and even then the odd shopkeeper had seemed familiar.
Well, he had first really got to know the man three years ago. He'd shopped at Fred-san's before. It wasn't like Naruto had, had
much choice in the matter. Fred-san was one of the few shopkeeper's who would actually sell to the boy. Mostly the shopkeepers
in town just called him names and threw him out, not caring that he had more than enough money to pay for what he wanted.
There was currently a grand total of three shops in the whole of Konohana that would not throw Naruto out: the boy's favorite
restaurant, the ramen stand; Hibake's, a rather small grocery store; and Merchant's Wares, Fred-san's shop.

Well all that would change when he became Hokage. Then the villagers would have to notice him and give him the respect he
deserved. There'd be no butts about it. When he was Hokage those snooty shopkeepers would have to let him in. Believe it!
He'd just have to wait and speaking of waiting shouldn't the Jonin have been gone by now? They'd never harassed Fred-san
for this long before. Of course Naruto had never defaced the Hokage monument before today.

As if on cue the yelling subsided. The sudden silence brought Naruto from his thoughts. He paused waiting to see what
would happen next. Was that voice he'd heard Iruka-sensi's? He hadn't been paying near enough attention. If he had he'd
know what was gonna happen next. Fred-san could handle any other Jonin, Naruto was sure of that. Iruka-sensi was another
story.

Iruka-sensi always managed to find Naruto no matter where the trickster hid and the blonde was perfectly aware of that.
Iruka-sensi was another of the rarity's in the village. While Iruka-sensi yelled at Naruto all the time, the young boy could at
least admit that it was warranted most of the time. Even Fred-san said that Iruka-sensi wasn't "an idiot", which coming from
the jaded shopkeeper was a major compliment.

"Hey Naruto it's safe to come down now. The hard assess left."

Smiling Naruto headed down the staircase.

He found Fred-san sitting on the stool behind the counter. The shopkeeper was staring out at the shop. The shop consisted of
two shelves that divided the shop into three isles. Goods lined both sides of the shelves as well as the two walls that did not
contain either the counter or the entrance to the store. The merchandise, as always, was quite varied. Fred-san made it a point
to carry an assortment of goods ranging from the common to the exotic. Inside the store Fred-san had accumulated a sampling
of the weapons and other cultural items of most of the countries on the continent. He even had some items from the West and
some items that could only be found at other hidden ninja villages. Even Naruto didn't know how he got them. And every time
he asked Fred-san would just smile an annoying smile and start humming. It drove him crazy! Believe it!

The merchant turned and smiled at Naruto as the boy descended the staircase, which caused the boy to fume on the inside.
He was so sure he hadn't made a sound. Heedless of Naruto's internal frustration Fred began to speak.

"Well it looks like I'll be getting another invitation to visit the Hokage. Not like the old man ever bothers to come here. Hey
look why don't I close up shop and then we can head off to lunch and you can tell me all about it. Ramen okay?"

A brilliant grin spread across Naruto's face as Fred-san asked the question. There was only one appropriate response to such
a question. Smiling and giving a thumbs up, the blonde energetically replied.

"Believe it!"

0000

Naruto was having a great time. Not only had he managed to pull off the ultimate prank, he hadn't got caught... yet. Apparently
Iruka-sensi hadn't been the one arguing with Fred-san. It was just a few Jonin, and as usual Fred-san eventually caused them to
go away, not that the boy had any clue how. Not that it had mattered, even if it had been Iruka-sensei Naruto would have gotten
away. It always took a few hours before Iruka-sensei managed to catch him, not including any time he spent hiding in Fred-san's
shop. He'd probably need to start running again. But no matter. Right now was a time for celebration. He'd pulled off his biggest
prank yet, managed to elude all pursuers for several hours and now he it was time for Ramen!

His excitement grew as another bowl was poured for him. With an incredible speed, he shoveled spoonful after spoonful into his
mouth, somehow managing to taste every morsel. He couldn't be happier. That is until he heard a throat clear.

Naruto paused mid-boast. He'd been in the middle of another loud tale of one of his hilarious pranks when the interruption had
occurred. Spinning slowly on his seat, turning away from the small shop, Naruto saw a familiar man. Glaring at him was Iruka-sensi.
Naruto felt a grin crack his face. Well it looked like his day was just about to get better.

Laughing the entire time Naruto bolted from his chair as behind him Iruka gave chase.

Sighing, even as a small grin made its way onto his face, Fred pulled out the coins to pay for the meal. At least the boy was happy.
It was too bad really. Naruto had such potential. Not only because of what was inside him. The boy was kind, caring, and strong in all the
ways that actually mattered. He'd have made a great bokar.

The errant thought sobered the man a little, stealing away some of his good mood. This effect ended rather quickly when he heard another joyous whoop
from the blonde boy. Fred's eyes met those of the chef of the little shop. They shared an expression that only those who
cared about the boy, and knew he was capable of great things, would understand. Then Fred carefully counted out only the amount asked
of him. He'd learned long ago not to insult the shopkeeper by trying to pay full price for Naruto's meals. The boy still didn't know that the
ramen vendor gave him a discount on his food, a discount that quickly added up considering the amount that Naruto ate. Instead, Fred
contented himself with giving the friendly chef a private discount as well. The chef often came in for exotic seasonings in a very successful
attempt to make his ramen the best in town.

Oh well nothing it to it but to return to the store. Hopefully Iruka would manage to catch Naruto in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise Fred
and Naruto would be having a late dinner. Normally the shopkeeper wouldn't care much, but seeing as how the Gennin exams were only a few
days away he figured Naruto should get as much sleep as possible, in order to be prepared.

000

Fred Mortinson sighed. A few days had passed since Naruto's little prank and of course the boy had been punished. Granted the punishment
was to clean up the mess, but still... Aw who the fuck was he kidding? He was biased as all hell. After all that was why he hadn't opened up
the shop for the day wasn't it? With Naruto safely at school and worrying about that gennin exam thing, he had the day free to prepare. He
had to make it good, after all it wasn't like anyone else was gonna remember the boy's birthday.

Well, maybe they'd remember the date, after all it was the date their village had been saved from a 'demon' but that wasn't the same thing as
saying happy birthday to a little kid who had no idea of the burden that had been placed on him.

Still hopefully the examine would go well. Either way though, Fred planned to prepare a celebration that naruto wouldn't forget. It shouldn't be
that hard, he thought bitterly. All he really had to do was actually say happy birthday and give the kid half a slice of cake.

Of course he was at least partly to blame. Despite the fact that Naruto had been living with him for three years he'd only managed to figure out
the day the kid had been born this damn year. Granted the stupid villagers didn't make it easy and Naruto refused to speak up on the subject,
merely frowning and plastering on a fake smile along with a subject change as quickly as possible. Sometimes Fred wondered if the kid even
knew when his birthday was. Well either way things were gonna change starting tonight. It had taken a large amount of: time, sucking up, and
outside the box thinking to figure out that Naruto had been born on the day the Kyubbi died.

Of course that piece of jealously guarded information had explained a lot. First off now Fred knew why the fourth was dead and how the idiot
had managed to bind the Loa into the boy. And he knew how far behind the stupid shinobi were in dealing with Loa's. To use that fucking ritual
of all rituals... If anything he'd heard about the fourth was true, then the ritual used on Naruto had to be the only one the fourth had known. Which
meant that these ninjas were far behind the curve on Loa management.

He could really use a drink... but then Naruto's cake wouldn't get made... oh well he could reflect as he baked. Time to start making up for years
of missed birthdays. He had a lot of work to do.

000

Despite himself Fred was starting g to get worried. Night had started falling and the exams had ended over several hours ago. When Naruto
hadn't burst through the door immediately after the exam, he'd figured the boy must have failed. That was the only reasonable explanation for
the lack of an enthusiastic blonde. Still, Fred had figured the boy would eventually make his way home. So Fred had waited. This was getting a bit ridiculous though...

There was a knock on the door and Fred relaxed figuring that would be Naruto home at last. Well considering the day, he could forgive the boy his lateness.
It was funny he was so relieved he wouldn't even bother acting angry at the boy. Totally unlike him, that was for sure.

Fred's relief faded. At the door was a helpful, earnest face that he had grown far too used to over the years.

"The Hokage wishes to see you," the aid said.

000

Night faded into day and the elation Naruto felt at being allowed to graduate faded. Even the joy of free ramen faded. He was a monster. That was why
everyone in the village hated him. Inside he had a disgusting horrible monster that had killed so many people... but Iruka-san had still saved him... why?
Well that bastard who'd tricked him had called him a prison. Maybe... just maybe if he died the Kyubbi would be free... was that why Iruka had saved him...
maybe it was because Iruka wanted to kill him one day... maybe Iruka really did care...

Naruto would have continued tormenting himself with questions and thoughts that he could not answer, but at this point he reached the small yard of the place
where he lived with Fred-san. The older man was waiting for him at the small picnic table that they kept out there. He gestured for the boy to sit, and Naruto
did so, too exhausted and miserable to argue.

A nasty thought flashed through his head. Would Fred-san want to keep him if his secret came out? Probably not. Maybe he already knew... but he couldn't...
Fred-san would have said something... they were friends. Naruto's thoughts died into silence as he realized Fred-san was waiting for him to pay attention.

The older man locked gazes with Naruto. Staring deep into his eyes Fred-san spoke quietly.

"So I guess you know now?"

The meaning of the words sunk in with comical slowness. Naruto couldn't be hearing what he thought he was hearing... and yet he was. Fred-san knew. How
long had he known? Had he always known? Naruto had to find out.

"How long?" the question came out as a growl, but it didn't seem to bother Fred

"Three years now."

Naruto's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it. Fred-san had known the entire time and hadn't said a thing. Not a thing! How could the stupid merchant keep
something like that a secret. There were supposed to be friends... no more than that. Fred-san was the closest thing he'd had to a family and the stupid baka
had lied to him for three years! How could the baka do that. Stupid fat old man. It wasn't right.

Well it wasn't the end of the world was it? He could probably get his old apartment back, even though it had been three years. Of course none of that answered
the important question, the one that was keeping the young boy from descending into a quagmire of rage and anger. If Fred had known this entire time why bother
to let him stay? Why didn't Fred treat him like the rest of the villagers? Why did Fred feed him, house him and clothe him for three years and still lie to him. It didn't
make sense. Why would Fred take care of a monster like him? It just didn't make any sense!

Fred sat across the table from Naruto, sighing softly, safe inside the confines of his own head. He knew this was going to happen, well not this exactly, but something
damn similar. Stupid fucking hokage and his stupid fucking rules. Never before had Fred wished more that he'd just spoken out, told Naruto about the damn fox when
he'd first asked the boy to live with him. Learning that you were the keeper of an incredibly vicious and powerful demon hell bent on destroying everything was hard
enough, but to learn the way Naruto had, at the lips of an enemy... Damn Saratobi and his stupid rule. And while he was at it damn him for even following it.

Enough self pity, he told himself. He could beat him self up later, preferably with the aid of a pint of rum. Right now there was more important things than regrets. The
boy across the table might think that he couldn't see the turmoil lurking beneath the surface, but he could indeed. He might have been retired for the last thirteen years
but some things just don't fade. Reading people was one of those things.

Right now he could easily tell the question Naruto wanted to ask. It was the only one left after the kind of betrayal the boy had suffered. Waiting, Fred decided to
answer it truthfully when the boy finally asked it, Hokage be damned.

For his part Naruto was still wrestling with his anger. In a sense he was losing. With each passing moment more anger appeared, but it erased the
fear in his heart, overwhelming it with a red hot question that needed to be answered, a question that he would demand be answered. Ready now
he sought to lash out with the question, hurling it and other epithets at the stupid bastard of a baka sitting across from him.

All that came out was a whispered, "why?"

Fred drew in a deep breath. Now was the time to tell the boy. Now was the time to step up. Dear G-d it had been a while. But he could do this.
He had to do this. For Naruto's sake.

"Why didn't I tell you? Why did I take you in knowing the entire time? Why you?"

The boy just nodded, his throat too tight to speak.

"Well... let's take them one in a time eh?" Fred said, without any real trace of humor in his voice. "First off why didn't I tell you? Well... the reason
is... well I was a coward. Sure Sarotobi made a law, and yes this is his domain and so on, as I'm sure you now know. But I should have told you
anyway. You had a right to know what was inside you, why the villagers treated you the way they did, and why you grew up alone. No matter
what I was wrong to keep that from you."

"So why did you?"

"It's not much of an excuse, Naruto, but I was frightened."

The boy deflated even more, this time physically as well as emotionally. Fred's words seemed to suck out too much of Naruto's energy, the boy
couldn't even put up a facade. It hurt too much. Fred-san was afraid of him? That could mean only one thing he really was a monster, a monster
that every one needed to be afraid of.

All this ran through Naruto's head in the short amount of time it took two words to escape his lips.

"Of me?" he whispered.

Shit! Was the first response to run through Fred's mind at Naruto's whispered words. The pain was so evident in the boy's eyes. He'd have to
clear it up, hope the boy was still listening.

"No. Not of you at all. Tell me do you remember that day we first got to know each other. The day I took you in three years ago?"

There was a slight head nod.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"We were attacked by enemy ninjas."

"Close... Naruto they weren't ninjas."

"But I saw them... they-"

"I know. But they weren't ninjas. I'll go into much more detail about what they were later tonight if you want, but first I'd like to finish answering
your first question. But just so you know it wasn't you that I was afraid of. Those men, what they are, has to do with my past and the reason I
came here in the first place. I was afraid of having to face it all again and I was afraid of exposing you to the same dangers I'd had to face. As
stupid as it sounds a part of me just wanted to keep pushing off telling you, pushing off plunging you into that whole mess, and I had a perfect
excuse in Saratobi's decree."

He paused letting silence sink in as he took in air.

"As for why I took you in... well to be honest, it's cause it was the right thing to do. That's it. At the time you were a nine year old living by
yourself. Dear lord I almost throttled fucking Sarotobi when I found out. And when I finally noticed how the other villagers really treated you,
especially those fucking shopkeepers..." at the boy's blank look he paused to explain. "With the exception of the ramen stand, and the bank
all the places we stopped that day: the grocery store, the general store, your apartment... you were being robbed. At the grocery store
they charged you double what the damn things were sold for. And as for that apartment of yours... well, I almost killed your landlord when
I found out how much you paid a month for that. Naruto, leasing the space for my shop cost less a year than that damn hovel. And he
had you thinking you were lucky to be able to get the place. The way you've been treated here is the most repugnant repulsive thing
I've every seen. Where I come from things would be different." He paused for a few moments, breathing in slowly. "Anyway," he went on,
calmer and slightly more embarrassed than just before, "it just wasn't right. So I did something about it. As for why then... well it was the
first time in nine years that I had managed to pull my head out of my ass and escape from my own self misery long enough to pay attention
to what was really going on.

"Now as to why the Hokage passed that law... well I don't know. I suppose he had his reasons. One might have been to keep the
villagers from turning their kids against you. Maybe he wanted you to have a normal life. Maybe he was worried you'd run away if
you knew. Truth be told I have no idea what the old man was thinking. I can tell you though that the day I met him, which turned out
to be only a few hours after your birth and the demon was sealed inside you, he looked as if he was struggling with something.

"And finally as for why you... well... I don't think you'll like it... but personally I think it's because the fourth Hokage was a idiot."
Despite the somber mood the look of shock on the young boy's face wrangled a chuckle from the merchant. "Don't get me wrong kid,
from the stories I've heard he was one of the best of the bunch. Unfortunately it was a stupid bunch to begin with." When Naruto did
not look amused Fred dropped the act.

"Okay, it's a little more complicated than that. I think the reason he chose you Naruto, was simply that he, through no real fault of
his own, was ignorant of the ways to deal with something like the Kyubbi. See, around here things like the Kyubbi are rare. You
don't deal with them often and frankly from what I understand of and have seen of the way ninjas are trained, you guys are poorly
prepared for things like them. And before you start yelling and wake everyone up... I do know what I'm talking about. Things are
very different in the West, where I'm from. The fourth probably only knew how to seal the Kyubbi inside a newborn vessel and in
doing so destroyed himself. As for why you, well you're the only twelve year old around here born on that day.

"Now you've had a long day and a lot to assimilate, but you have a right to have your questions answered. So you've got a choice
my boy, we can continue this conversation right now or we can break for the night and pick up first thing in the morning. Either way
I'll answer your questions and then we can go over your options."

"My options?"

"Well... now that you know you've got a few choices. Choices that begin with do we talk about all this now or later?"

"I don't want to wait till tomorrow,"

"Alright then, but why don't we take a short break then? After all I've got a treat for you inside."

Naruto's face scrunched up. A treat? What could the old merchant be talking about? His confusion must have been evident because
Fred just laughed.

"What?"

"For your birthday? You didn't think I'd forget did you? I just hope you have some room left after all that ramen. It's no big deal if
you don't. We can always save it for tomorrow."

Naruto couldn't' believe his ears. Fred-san wanted him to stay... and nothing had changed, had it? He should be angry, as angry as
he had been before, but the anger wouldn't come. Not after seeing Fred-san's face as the man had explained. Naruto couldn't help
but realize that the man did care about him... and it wasn't like Fred-san really lied... and what was the use of pretending. Right now
he'd forgive Fred-san anything. The man had remembered! Someone had remembered! After all this time someone had cared enough
to remember and after the day he'd had something as small as that seemed to matter even more. Smiling, for real this time, he followed
Fred-san into the house.