Well, this is my first attempt at a Naruto fanfiction, so I hope it turns out as well as it planned itself out in my head. At the moment, I am unsure of what the main pairing is going to be, only that it will not be NaruXHina, no matter how much I enjoy the pairing, simply due to the nature of the story. I can also tell you that it will not be NaruXSaku… god I hate that pairing. So cast your votes for pairings in your reviews with two rules in mind: (1) The above pairings are not allowed, and (2) NO YAOI!

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It was October 10th, the anniversary of the night that the Kyuubi no Kitsune had been defeated by the Yondaime Hokage. The villagers of Konohagakure no Sato were celebrating as they usually did, aside from two smaller factions within the village. The first faction was mourning the loss of loved ones that had perished in the fight against the great Nine-Tailed Bijuu. The other faction… was currently chasing after the newly eight-year-old Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

Kit. Run.

Naruto heard the voice of the Kyuubi speaking to him in his head, telling him to escape from the villagers. He could fight back if he wanted, and easily rend them limb from limb, but that would merely justify their hunt.

Yes, Naruto knew about the Kyuubi no Kitsune. On his sixth birthday, he had been beaten within inches of his life, and to save him the Kyuubi had to bring him into his mindscape and be granted permission to infuse the blond-haired boy with demonic chakra to accelerate the healing. Naruto had cried harder that night than any other night in his life.

In the months to come, Naruto had visited the Kyuubi in his mindscape various times. He had learned great truths about the Bijuu: Kyuubi was actually female, and her name was Megami. The reason for Kyuubi's attack was also nothing like anybody had thought. Megami had returned home to her den that night to find that her kits had been brutally murdered and dissected. The only glimpse she had seen of their killer told her that the man had yellow, snake-like slit eyes, and wore a Konoha forehead protector. In her outrage, Megami succumbed to demonic bloodlust and attacked Konoha in a blind rage. During all the years that she had been sealed inside Naruto, she had tried to repent for her actions, including by training him as she had done for the past two years. Yet there was nothing she could do to stop the beatings, especially those that occurred on his birthday, such as tonight.

Naruto heeded the Kyuubi's words, and ran from the villagers. Somewhere along the line, he had taken a wrong turn and wound up in an abandoned alleyway with nowhere to go. Turning around, the young eight-year-old turned to face the sadistic mob behind him.

"Now you can't go anywhere, you stupid demon! Now we can have our revenge for killing our loved ones eight years ago!" The infuriated, bigoted villager that had said this was wielding what looked to be a broken bottle in his left hand, as well as a rusty knife in his right. "This is for the Yondaime!"

With that, the rest of the mob yelled and charged Naruto. Half a minute later, ANBU and other shinobi that had heard the commotion the mob had caused arrived with the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, among them. But the damage was done. Naruto was covered in various wounds and lacerations, blood soaking his near-threadbare clothing and dying it a horrible red color.

"Naruto," the Hokage said softly, "what have they done to you… I'm sorry." The Hokage bent down to pick Naruto up, but cut his hand on a shard of glass that had imbedded itself in Naruto's skin. Before Sarutobi could react, a small amount of blood fell from his hand onto what for all the world appeared to be a mole. In actuality, it was a miniscule, well-concealed seal that was activated by blood other than Naruto's own.

Sarutobi jumped back in surprise as a cloud of smoke enveloped Naruto before disappearing and leaving a different-looking Naruto. His bright blond hair had turned several shades darker, and was now interspersed with ebony streaks throughout. The familiar whisker marks on his cheeks were gone, and his face bore a far more regal appearance than it previously had. If somebody hadn't known beforehand that this was Naruto, they wouldn't be able to recognize the boy.

Sarutobi drew in a sharp hiss of breath as he realized what had just happened. In his haste, he had accidentally removed a seal that the Yondaime had placed on the boy to modify his appearance and conceal half of his heritage. This is not good, the old man oft called The Professor thought to himself. I was hoping to tell him after he became a Genin… he's only in his first year at the academy. Oh, Minato… what should I do?

Sarutobi scooped the unconscious boy up in his arms before turning to the ANBU that were standing behind him. "I want you to go find Hyuuga Hiashi and send him to the Hokage Tower. Tell him it's urgent and an emergency." The Hokage was met with a short chorus of "Hai!" from all of the shinobi present, save for one. The odd shinobi out instantly rushed up to the Sandaime demanding answers.

"Okay old man, what the hell is going on with Naruto-niisan that you have to go and get the Hyuuga bastards involved!" The jounin in question was Mitarashi Anko, one of the only shinobi to form some sort of emotional attachment with Naruto. She had rescued him from a mob of angry villagers when Naruto was four years old, and after Naruto woke up at the hospital and the two of them chatted a bit, they were as close as to brother and sister as could be.

"Well?! Answer me!" Sarutobi shook his head slightly. If anybody else deserved to know the truth, it was Anko. She was one of the few who truly cared for the boy, and may have some input on what to do now that the appearance modification seal that Minato had put on the boy had faded. It was also time for the boy to learn the truth about his parents… and he needed the support of somebody who cared for him.

"Anko, you will come to the Hokage tower as well. After Naruto learns everything that we are about to reveal, he will need somebody to be there for him. What you are going to learn at the tower can be considered an S-class secret, so I trust you to keep the information to yourself." Anko nodded unsurely. There was something more going on that she wasn't privy to, and she intended to get to the bottom of it.

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Naruto awoke to find himself on a comfortable bed and in different clothes than he had been wearing when he lost consciousness. As usual, Megami had healed his wounds, but something about him felt… different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had changed between the time he had lost consciousness and when he woke up.

Megami?

Yes Kit? Naruto heard the great demon fox's voice in his mind, which surprisingly was a very pleasant woman's voice, with absolutely no evil or malice in it whatsoever.

Something's wrong with me, and I don't know what it is. Do you have any idea?

I'm sorry to say Kit but I have no idea. But as for your idea that something is wrong, I would have to disagree with you. If anything, something is right about you that hasn't been these past eight years.

Before Naruto could get the chance to ask the Kyuubi what she meant, the door opened to reveal three figures. Two of them he recognized as the Hokage and as Anko-neechan, but the third he hadn't seen before. He was a tall man with long brown hair and pale, white eyes. He wore what appeared to be a brown robe, and had a wooden cane in his hand, despite the fact that he didn't appear to need it. Naruto didn't have the time to ask who he was before the Hokage spoke up first.

"Good evening Naruto. How do you feel?" The Sandaime knew about Naruto's being trained by the Kyuubi. After he'd learned the truth, Naruto had immediately approached his grandfather figure in demand of an explanation. After explaining the truth, Sarutobi had asked Naruto to relay to Megami that he wished for Naruto to primarily be trained in chakra control and strength training, though the millennia-old demoness decided to add genjutsu to that list.

"I guess I feel fine jiji, but something doesn't feel right and I can't put my finger on it…" Naruto looked up and noticed that Anko was staring at him, her mouth slightly agape. "Neechan, what's wrong?"

"Naruto," Sarutobi interrupted, "this man here is Hyuuga Hiashi. He has come here to talk to you about something that he was supposed to tell you about in four years, but the villagers' attack has pushed forward our timetable. You see Naruto, aside from the seal that keeps the Kyuubi in check, the Yondaime also put a seal on you to hide your true appearance, and thus hide your legacy. He did this for your own protection and at Hiashi-sama's request, so that he might save you from the fate that had befallen his brother." By now Naruto was officially confused.

"Old man, what are you talking about, my true appearance?" Anko pointed at a full-length mirror that was in the corner of the room. Naruto rushed over to the mirror and, upon seeing his reflection, let his jaw drop open in shock.

Staring back at him was not the same person that he had been that morning. For one, the whisker marks that had been on each cheek were now gone, leaving him near unrecognizable. His normally bright blonde hair had darkened by a shade or two, and now had streaks of ebony interspersed among his spiky blonde locks. His skin also seemed to be a shade lighter, giving him a more fair appearance. But the most startling change was his eyes.

Where earlier that day Naruto's eyes had been a bright sapphire blue, his eyes were now a pupilless pale white with just a slight tinge of lavender, just like the man named Hiashi that was with the Hokage. Naruto stood staring at his reflection for a good two minutes before a cough from Sarutobi brought his attention back to the trio of shinobi standing in the room.

"My eyes look just like yours! Are you my dad or something?" Hiashi laughed, which was a surprising change from his usually stoic countenance, as well as the slight uncharacteristic smile that graced his face.

"No, Naruto-kun, I am not your father. I am, however, your uncle on your mother's side." Naruto's jaw dropped open before he turned to the Hokage, who just nodded his head. He turned back to Hiashi, who now had a sad look on his features. "I am sorry that I have not been present in your life, Naruto-kun. Every time I tried to take you in, the Hyuuga elders refused my request and thwarted my efforts. I know that this apology can never make up for the pain you have felt in your life, but I hope that it may be my first step towards actively being a part of your life like the uncle I should be. I also wish to begin teaching you in the taijutsu style of the Hyuuga clan, as well as show you how to activate your bloodline limit, the Byakugan."

Naruto was completely floored. Not only did he have a living relative, but also his uncle was willing to teach him a taijutsu style, and he also had a bloodline limit! But there was one thing still bothering him though.

"Ne, Hokage-jiji, if Hiashi-ojisan is my uncle, who were my parents?" Sarutobi's face fell at Naruto's mention of his parents. It was time for Naruto to learn anyways.

"Naruto-kun, before you learn who your parents are, I would like you to know that they both loved you very much. Your father died during the Kyuubi attack, and your mother is comatose due to complications during childbirth. Your mother's name is Hyuuga Hikari, and your father… well…" Sarutobi reached inside a pocket in his robe and pulled out a rather large scroll before handing it to Naruto. "This scroll was left for you by your father. It is closed by a blood seal, meaning only those of immediate relation to the writer can open it. After you read that, Hiashi-sama and I will be waiting in my office. Anko-san, perhaps you would like to stay with him while he reads the scroll?"

Anko nodded her head quickly. Naruto was like the little brother she never had. He would probably need her after all was said and done.

"Very well then, we shall leave you two in peace. Please come us when you two are done Naruto-kun, Anko-san." Sarutobi and Hiashi turned and left, closing the door behind them so that they could give Naruto and Anko some privacy. Anko turned to Naruto with a kunai in hand.

"Well, gaki, the scroll needs your blood to open it up. Shall we?" Naruto nodded vigorously before taking the kunai, slightly cutting his finger, and wiping the blood on the seal. The seal flashed blue once before deactivating, the scroll opening up in the process. Naruto and Anko quickly leaned in closely to read.

Dear Son,

If you are reading this, then I am dead and the Kyuubi has been defeated. As much as I would have liked to be there for you while you grew up, that is not the case. I can only hope that the village has treated you like the hero you are, although I seriously doubt that this is the case.

Since you are reading this, it is safe to say that either the appearance modification seal I placed on you has faded and you know of your true heritage as a member of the Hyuuga clan. After your mother Hikari fell into a coma, your uncle Hiashi asked me to change your appearance so that you could escape the fate of the Hyuuga Branch family's Caged Bird Seal, a fate which Hiashi's own brother unfortunately could not avoid.

Inside this scroll, I have left you the instructions to all of the special jutsus that I have created in my lifetime, as well as instructions on how to remove the Hyuuga Caged Bird Seal and replace it with a different seal that has the same effect, but is instead placed on the dominant shoulder blade of the recipient, and does not contain the same unsavory additions that the Hyuuga elders have added to their seal. I was planning on sharing my findings with Hiashi after you were born, but alas this was not to be.

Wherever you are now son, I can only hope you have somebody who cares for you. I hope, even though I am not there to witness it, that you grow up to become a powerful shinobi and make a name for yourself. Unfortunately my time is up; the Kyuubi is approaching and I must report to the front lines. Be safe, my son.

Love,

Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.

By the end of the letter, both Naruto and Anko had tears streaming down their face. Anko was hugging Naruto tightly as he cried into her shoulder, saddened by the fact that his father had had to seal the Kyuubi no Kitsune into his own son. However, a grim understanding had come over Naruto when he thought of his father's actions: how could he, the Hokage, ask anybody in his village to make a sacrifice that he himself was unwilling to make?

Naruto and Anko got up off the bed and exited the room, entering the Hokage's office where he and Hiashi were seated. As they came in, Sarutobi straightened in his chair as he took in the looks on the two's faces.

"Well Naruto-kun, what is your reaction?" Sarutobi leaned forward onto his desk, anticipating the newly-dubbed Hyuuga's answer.

"It makes sense. How could my dad ask anybody to make a sacrifice that he himself could not make?" Hiashi and Hiruzen were both shocked speechless at Naruto's response. He had demonstrated a level of wisdom that very few people ever show in their lifetime. "He also included notes on all of his techniques, and also how to remove some Caged Bird Seal. The letter says he wanted to tell you how Hiashi-ojisan, but he didn't get a chance."

Hiashi perked up at the last part, his eyes wide with shock. Namikaze Minato had found a way to remove the Caged Bird Seal that had plagued the Hyuuga family for generations? Maybe now he could remove the seal from his nephew Neji… and possibly repent for some of his actions in the past.

"I see. Naruto-kun, I would like you to show me that part of the scroll as soon as possible. I owe it to the memory of my brother to use the knowledge that your father acquired to make amends for a mistake from my past. Also, I would like you to meet me at training ground forty-four tomorrow so that I may begin training you in the Jyuuken, our clan's taijutsu style, as well as how to activate your Byakugan. I will be bringing your cousin Hinata with me so that you two may train together. Perhaps you can help her with the self-confidence issues that our clan's elders have caused."

Hiashi shook his head at the thought. As much as he detested most of the Hyuuga elders, there was nothing he could do to them.

"That being said, I would also like to create an alias for you so that you can enter the Hyuuga compound whenever you like. To do so we would have to dye your hair to a different color other than your current blond and ebony hair, because somebody may recognize you, and most of the Hyuuga clan is not very… supportive of you, unlike myself. When in that guise, you will go by Hyuuga Hitoshi, who was sent away at a young age to train under a seal master in the hopes of finding an alternative to the caged bird seal." Hiashi pointed at the scroll Naruto held in his hands. "It seems that whatever method Minato listed will suffice to 'prove' your past."

A cough from Sarutobi brought everybody's attention back to the Sandaime. "Now Naruto-kun, we will have to work on a disguise for you so that nobody realizes you are a Hyuuga. If that happens, then there might be a great political backlash in Konoha. For that purpose, I suggest we get you colored contact lenses, since a Henge can be seen through by a skilled enough shinobi. I will see to all of the necessary arrangements, but I would like you to stay in the Hokage tower tonight. If you would like to go to sleep, you may do so now. Good night, Naruto-kun. Happy birthday."

Naruto smiled, and nodded vigorously before returning to the room he had come from. He took off his clothes and crawled into the comfortable bed. He had an uncle who loved him, and a family…

With that thought running through his mind, Naruto succumbed to the peaceful darkness of sleep.

Happy birthday, Kit.

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So how was the first chapter? I've been trying to find stories with premises similar to the one I'm writing, but eventually got fed up and decided to write my own. I find it's a nice deviation from the usual 'Naruto has the Sharingan' or 'Naruto is an Uchiha', as well as the 'Naruto has the ultimate über bloodline'. Those ones are tired premises. There aren't enough stories where Naruto has the Byakugan, is a Hyuuga, or is adopted by Hiashi.

Okay, now onto the main purpose of this rant: Pairings Poll! The pairings choices are as follows:

NarutoxIno

NarutoxFemHaku

NarutoxTenTen

NarutoxTemari

NarutoxFemKyuu

NarutoxYugito

Please cast your votes for the option which you most want to see. I myself am partial to doing a NarutoxIno story, but I would like to see what you, the readers, think.

Oh yeah… Read and Review, onegai (please)!