Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto is the creator of Naruto. The only things which I own are my original characters and the plot.

Title: Konoha's Yellow Fang

Rating: M (If the story isn't exactly M rated now, then it probably will be by the time the story gets going.

Genres: Action, Adventure, Humour, Friendship, Romance (this is last because it only really features slightly later in the fic).

Pairings: Occur later in the fic (to be honest I have no idea what they'll be, I'll just let the characters emotions be the judge).

Author's Note: Well this is my first story and I hope it'll be a winner. I got the idea after comparing the similarities (or lack thereof) between Naruto and Kakashi. In this fic, Naruto will be 2 years older than the other Konoha genin (and therefore a year older than Gai's team). Anyway, please correct me on any spelling and grammar mistakes (they do happen sometimes). Oh and review (please? ). Reviewing will spur me to write more and it also gives you a chance to possibly see your ideas in the story (if they fit with my general plot). So please enjoy and review!

Summary: A careless mistake by Itachi leaves Naruto with a gift. With a sharingan in his left eye, Naruto will rise up the ranks and make a name for himself. A Naruto modelled after Kakashi.

Konoha's Yellow Fang

Chapter 1: An Unlikely Gift

The streets were ridden with corpses of varying sizes as deep red blood flowed freely and loosely through the streets. The only living being left in the area was currently sprinting through the carnage and slaughter.

Uchiha Itachi's feet were pounding the maroon-coloured ground as his breath, which was coming in frequent bursts, mixed with the blood mist in the air. Sweat was dripping down from his forehead, mixing freely with the tears which adorned his face. His eyes hurt from the overexertion of his newly achieved Mangekyou sharingan, but he pushed it to the back of his mind, as his task wasn't completed yet.

The clan was surprisingly difficult to kill quickly and quietly, which is why he had elicited the help of Uchiha Madara. Itachi did not trust Madara, but he knew that it was for the greater good. Uchiha Madara was a dangerous man who would have to be taken care of later. But Itachi was no fool. He knew that he could not defeat Madara in his present state. So he would watch and wait, and learn the secret of the man's immortality.

Frowning, he pushed Madara out of his mind, trying to focus on something else.

This brought his thoughts back to the faces of his clan. Each one guilty. It had hurt him deeply listening to his father and the rest of the clan discussing the coup which would have been attempted in the near future.

When the order came from the council to assassinate his entire clan, there was very little hesitation.

The Third Great Shinobi War was a sight which etched itself upon Itachi's eyes; a tattoo which refused to be removed; a permanent reminder of what could have and most definitely would have happened, if the Uchiha coup were to have occurred.

Itachi knew what war was: a crippling and unnecessary phenomenon which forced itself upon humanity every few years. If he could prevent another war occurring in his lifetime, he would do everything in his power to do so. Including removing his clan from existence.

All except Sasuke. Itachi had made it very clear to the councillors that if anyone harmed Sasuke, there would be hell to pay, and so he spared his brother.

Flashback

Itachi held Sasuke up by the neck, gripping tightly.

"Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me. And yet survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life."

With those words said, Itachi sent Sasuke spiralling into the world of Tsukuyomi.

Flashback end.

Itachi had performed his part immaculately. Every person was accounted for. The checklist in his mind of all the Uchiha was fully crossed. With tears freely flowing, Itachi sighed and performed an Academy Student error.

He relaxed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Uzumaki Naruto was a hungry boy.

He hadn't eaten a single meal (much less a bowl of Ichiraku ramen!) the whole day and his discomfort and malnourishment was clear on his face. He had spent all of his allowance which he received from Jiji (the Third Hokage), on a combination of Ichiraku ramen, instant ramen and a few pints of funny-looking milk.

In desperate times such as these, Naruto resigned himself to looking through dumpsters and (if he was quick), stealing from a stall. As it was night time, the stalls were closed, so he would have to go with the first option.

As Naruto lumbered quite unceremoniously through the streets and back alleys of Konoha, he found not a scrap of food. He knew that poor people were less likely to throw away food, and so, with determination, he started to approach the richer areas of the city, nearing the areas reserved for some of the more well known clans.

He started searching for some food, and found only small pieces of stale bread and other such substances. Not to be discouraged, Naruto steeled himself and started thinking (a rare, but not impossible, occasion). There were only two clans with such blatant over indulgence and self-satisfaction that they would throw away large portions of perfectly good food: the guys with the weird white eyes and the guys with the weird red eyes. Realising that he was closer to the red eyed guys, he made his way over to their compound.

Now Uzumaki Naruto was no fool. He knew from his adventures with the Konoha Military Police Force that the guys with the weird red eyes were dangerous. So, hushing his growling stomach and retrieving every bit of stealth in his small body, he went over the wall of the Uchiha compound.

As soon as his feet touched the wet ground below, he knew something was wrong. Naruto lived in the worst part of Konoha, and so, some of the sights which he saw were things which normally, a six year old boy shouldn't see. However, no amount of back alley debauchery and shadiness could prepare him for the streets of the Uchiha compound.

Naruto threw up what little food had snuck its way into his stomach and started dry heaving. After the retching was finished, a gruesome fascination filled him. Who did this? Why? And maybe he could get something to eat now? Naruto stood up shakily on his legs and walked through the streets of the Uchiha compound.

XXXXXXXXXX

The first clue Itachi had that someone was behind him came from the distinct smell of fear and vomit. For anyone besides an Inuzuka, to differentiate the smell from the blood would have been near impossible. Itachi though, being a genius, picked up the slight alteration.

The second clue was slightly more conspicuous: the sound of feet splashing in the blood soaked mud. The feet sounded as though they were children's feet: somewhere between the ages of three and six. Small unsure steps.

He thought he had killed every last one? His mind quickly going to his checklist, while finding no mistake. It did not matter anyway. He knew that the person had seen too much and therefore, must be disposed of.

These thoughts passed through Itachi's head in the milliseconds it took to draw his tanto, while cursing himself at his moment of relaxation. He pivoted on his left leg while slashing vertically downwards: a text book attack taught in the ANBU. If executed with enough force, the attack is supposed to cleave through the skull and through the brain underneath.

In his panic, Itachi miscalculated the position of his stalker and his slash was too shallow. The result was a deep cut through the left eye of one Uzumaki Naruto.

Itachi's panic skyrocketed. This was not supposed to happen.

He moved to check on the boy, but as he did so the moon resigned and the sun started to rise. Itachi's blood ran cold. He was not supposed to be here. Hoping that Naruto would be fine, Itachi took off in a series of shunshins.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his temples and sighed. It was becoming a favourite habit of his to soothe the headaches which came fast and frequently. He cursed the day Tobirama gave him the Hokage hat during the First Shinobi World War, but he couldn't do anything about it now.

He shifted his position on his chair in the hospital waiting room and his bones creaked in harmony with the old wooden chair legs. He knew he would have to find another successor soon, as he was too old for the position now.

"Minato..." He thought in melancholy, remembering his previous successor. He had died too quickly, forcing the Kyuubi into his son, and forcing Sarutobi into the Hokage hat once again. But Sarutobi would make sure to pick his next successor as someone who could stay alive long enough for himself to die.

Sarutobi brought his musings back to the reason he was in the hospital. It started when an ANBU had reported the death of every Uchiha in the village. He knew the problems that he had faced with the Uchiha for a few months were escalating and he had tried to make peace talks. The death of the whole clan solved the problem of the coup, but brought on so many more.

Even though the apparent Uchiha problem was solved, Sarutobi knew that this left Konoha as a whole very, very vulnerable, and so, his first heart attack looked as though it was about to hit. Luckily for him, another ANBU burst through the door, claiming that Uchiha Sasuke had survived. His imminent heart attack went away and he started going through plans in his head to cover up the event.

Before he could so much as start planning, a third ANBU burst through claiming that Uzumaki Naruto had been caught up in the attacks. Sarutobi's heart hitched and threatened to burst through his chest when a fourth ANBU had burst through the door claiming that the boy had been stabilized, thus saving the village from losing their Third Hokage to heart failure. He quickly calmed himself down and rushed to the hospital to check on both Naruto and Sasuke.

The door creaked open, relieving him of his musings and he snapped his neck in hope towards the Medic-nin. Yakushi Migaki was the head medic-nin in Konoha and had made it quite clear that he had no problem with Naruto at all. Therefore, most of Naruto's problems went straight to him.

"How are they?" The Third asked, hopeful and fearful at the same time.

"Well, Sasuke is fine," Migaki replied with a slight yawn in his voice. "He's been stabilized, but he's in a coma. It seems as though his mind has been broken down. It's a reaction you would expect from constant torture... or perhaps multiple layers of mind-altering genjutsus."

The Third was not surprised. Genjutsu was Itachi's specialty. But it did bother him that Itachi would use it on his four year old brother.

"I see... but how is Naruto?" He realised that Migaki hadn't mentioned him at all. "How is he doing?" The panic in his voice was evident.

"He's been stabilized as well, but..." At this point Migaki looked downwards and scowled. "He's permanently blind in his left eye. He can never see again from it. To be honest, he's lucky that the cut was too shallow to reach his brain. I'm sorry."

Sarutobi looked mortified. He didn't want to fail Minato's son, after all the trouble Minato and his wife had spent on the seal to keep the Kyuubi at bay. Naruto was like a grandson to him. His heart was pained as he refused to shed tears. The boy wanted to be the Hokage and without his left eye, it would be much more difficult, if not impossible. He didn't know what to do.

"Isn't there anything you could do at all?" Sarutobi pleaded, almost seeing the hurt on the boy's face.

"Well, there is one thing... but I would need your permission and, well... there is a slight complication..."

"Anything! As long as he can see from his left eye again!" The hope was rising in Sarutobi's chest again and his face was beginning to glow.

"Well, we could implant a new eye into his socket. It's not exactly difficult. You see, the problem is where to get an eye from."

This caused Sarutobi to frown. He knew that a donor wouldn't exactly want to give an eye to the "demon child".

"But that's not all. The eye has to be from someone in the same age range; preferably within a year or a few months. Luckily for him a large number of donors just came in last night."

Sarutobi paled. He did not like where this was going. He had a suspicion that he would not like the suggestion.

"Uchiha Kito was a six year old boy who, as you know, was killed in the massacre. As they are the same age, we can easily transfer his eye into Naruto's. Now here is the complication: as you know, when put into an extremely stressful situation, an Uchiha has the chance to unlock their sharingan. Due to the mental trauma Kito experienced, he unlocked the first stage of his sharingan before he was brutally slaughtered. Transplanting the eye into Naruto would mean he would have a constantly active sharingan. I'm sure you know the possible risks this carries. So it is your choice."

The Third Hokage sighed, feeling yet another headache approaching. Only once before had a non-Uchiha been implanted with the sharingan eye (although he had his suspicions of Danzo, but they couldn't be proven). The political backlash which Sarutobi had to face when Kakashi came back from Kannabi Bridge without a teammate, but with the sharingan, was a nightmare and he wasn't looking forward to another experience like it.

But he had to do it for Naruto; for his pseudo grandson. To see Naruto smile again and to see him take the Hokage hat, he would take the political backlash and thrust the boy into a chaotic world.

"Fine... do it," the Third announced. "Implant the eye into Naruto. Hopefully, if I'm not too much of a selfish old man, it should make his life better. How long will it take?"

"About four, maybe five, hours. It depends on how long it takes for his chakra system to fully adjust to the foreign organ. But with his... tenant... I can't tell whether it will take longer or shorter."

"That's fine Migaki-san," Sarutobi replied tiredly (after all, he hadn't slept very much). "I'll wait here."

XXXXXXXXXX

6 hours later

Sarutobi Hiruzen was woken up from his nap when he heard the door to the operating room open. Migaki came out looking even more tired than he did before.

"How was it?" The anticipation in Sarutobi's voice was evident. "I hope I haven't made another mistake..." he thought.

"It was a success," at this, the Third sighed in contentment. "We finished about an hour ago and we've placed him on some immunosuppressant drugs. Although I doubt they are needed. It seems as though he's adapted superbly, beyond expectations! His tenant must have something to do with it!" His voice was filled with clear excitement. "If somehow we can harness its chakra, we might never have cases of organ rejection again!"

"No," Sarutobi said flatly. "Although that is very good news. May I see him?"

"Sure, he should be waking up soon," Migaki frowned at the Hokage's complete dismissal of his idea.

They both entered the room and saw a drowsy Naruto trying to sit up in his bed.

"Jiji..." Naruto started, but was cut off by the Hokage.

"Don't try to move or speak yet Naruto! You still need rest. You've been through a lot and I'm sorry for it. What happened last night was something you shouldn't have been put through." Sarutobi said, feeling like he had failed the boy.

"I'm fine Jiji... but my head feels like it's splitting in two!" Naruto claimed feeling the most horrendous headache he had ever experienced. "What happened?"

"I'll explain that soon," Sarutobi replied. It was clear the boy didn't remember the massacre. "I called for Inu-san about two hours ago. So he should be here right about... now."

As soon as he said those words, there was a knock on the door followed by an ANBU with unnaturally silver hair. What was most strange was the interesting choice of literature he had firmly grasped in his hand.

"Ah Inu-san, thanks for finally coming. Why are you so late?" The Hokage asked, not expecting a solid answer.

"I got lost on the road of life," Inu answered, fulfilling the Hokage's expectations.

"Yes, well... Migaki-san, could you leave us for a while please?" Sarutobi asked the medic-nin.

"Of course," Migaki replied. "But please make sure that Naruto rests. He isn't ready for any kind of physical task."

"Kakashi, remove your mask," the Third said once Migaki had left the room.

Slightly stunned, Kakashi removed his dog mask to reveal a face hidden behind a face mask. He knew that ANBU weren't supposed to reveal their identities to anyone except the Hokage and their immediate family. Which was the reason Sarutobi had Migaki leave the room.

"So..." Kakashi said, slightly perturbed.

"Kakashi, do you know who this is?" Sarutobi asked, while pointing to Naruto.

"Hmm..." Kakashi mused while tilting his head. "I suspect that's a boy."

Naruto looked enraged, shouting curses and bloody murder, while the Hokage just sweat-dropped.

"Yes, but as you most likely know, this is Uzumaki Naruto. His... situation has been made even more... interesting." The Third intoned, causing Kakashi to lift an eyebrow, well aware of the Kyuubi sealed inside Naruto.

"Interesting? Interesting like this book," Kakashi asked, while pointing to the Icha Icha novel. "Or interesting like the recent turn of events in Konoha?"

"Very clever, Kakashi." Sarutobi answered. "It is indeed linked with what just happened. You see, Naruto here had... an accident. A run-in with Itachi."

Kakashi was immediately paying his full attention to the Hokage. Itachi wouldn't have dared doing anything to Naruto that would risk freeing the Kyuubi... would he?

"During Itachi's killing spree, he wounded Naruto, thus resulting in Naruto's left eye being useless," Sarutobi continued. At the mention of this, Naruto's uncovered eye went wide. Although whether in reaction to the killing spree or the lack of a left eye, Sarutobi didn't know. "As a result, we performed an emergency transplant. Luckily for him, there were quite a few donors..."

Kakashi's eye went wide. "He couldn't have...!" he thought.

"The only available eye was in the body of a certain Uchiha Kito. Unfortunately, it was an activated sharingan eye, with one tomoe... or maybe I should say fortunately?"

Naruto was in a mixture of relief and astonishment. "I dunno what that weird shariman or whatever does, but I know it's what makes those guys with the weird red eyes important and respected!" Naruto thought in excitement.

"Hokage-sama, do you realise what you've done?" Kakashi asked in anger at the old man's lax with the situation. "You've cursed the boy to a life of struggling!"

"I've done nothing of the sort!" The Hokage replied with frustration. "I've given a boy with a large dream but no hope, the ability to continue dreaming. It was not an easy decision! You know how hard it is for people like him to live in this world!"

"People like me?" Naruto thought in confusion.

"But..." Kakashi didn't like the thought of this. His eye had been a gift and he had taken the decision to receive it. But this sharingan eye was forced upon Naruto.

"I understand your apprehension Kakashi," Sarutobi sighed. He hoped he wouldn't regret what he was about to do. "Kakashi, I'm taking you out of the ANBU. You'll be reinstated as a regular jounin."

"What! Why?" Kakashi asked, put off by the thought of the whole thing, yet oddly enough fearing the answer he would receive.

"Naruto can no longer go through his childhood without a guardian. He will need someone to teach him who understands the uses of the sharingan. The list is rather depleted now that all of the Uchiha are dead. Besides, he needs a role model. Kami knows you're a terrible one, but you're a fantastic ninja, so it's a balance."

"But I can't take care of a child! I'm only seventeen!" Kakashi shouted in denial.

"Don't worry about that. I have no doubt you'll do a fine job. Besides, I'll have you on a little extra special allowance."

By now, Kakashi's head was swimming. He knew that it was a privilege to take care of his sensei's son, but he had no idea what he was going to do.

Naruto, on the other hand, was in a semi-coma at the amount of information he had to take in. The red eyed guys were dead. He had their eye. He was no longer going to be living alone. What was under that guys mask?

"Come back in a week's time Kakashi and Naruto should be well rested enough to go back to your house." Sarutobi said as Kakashi walked dazedly to the door, almost forgetting to put his mask back on. "I expect great things from him Kakashi. Make him proud."

At those words, Kakashi froze and if the Hokage had seen his eyes, he would have seen a steely determination. With his steps reinforced with confidence, Kakashi walked out of the hospital room, getting ready to prepare for a second person in his house.

XXXXXXXXXX

One week later

A week had passed, giving Kakashi enough time to assimilate back into an ordinary jounin's life. It had considerably less structure and Kakashi found he enjoyed the increased freedom. The lack of protocol and stiffness, initially, was difficult for Kakashi to return to, but he eventually managed, filling up a large majority of his free time with Icha Icha books and with the memorial stone.

Kakashi was currently in front of the Konoha General Hospital. He was supposed to have been here two hours ago, but that was nothing a little excuse wouldn't fix, Kakashi thought with an eye-smile.

He quickly went past the receptionist who was shouting at him, claiming that it wasn't visiting hours. Kakashi ignored her and walked up the stairs. He reached the door, knocked and entered. He saw the Hokage sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed, talking amiably with Naruto.

"Yo." Kakashi greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Why are you late Kakashi?" The Hokage asked, trying to keep the mirth out of his voice.

"Ah, you see, I had to help an old lady cross multiple streets." Kakashi offered in reply, with a lazy smile showing through his face mask.

Usually, Naruto would have had a few choice words for such a lame excuse, but today, his tongue was tied in anxiety.

"What if he's just like the other guardians and the people at the orphanage?" Naruto thought, with gloom evident on his face.

"Ah Naruto, you look hungry. I heard there's some kinda ramen store not too far from here. D'you wanna go?" Kakashi asked, picking up on Naruto's apprehension.

"Yatta!" Naruto exclaimed in delight. Any nervousness had disappeared. Anyone who liked ramen couldn't be evil. "See ya Jiji! Come on nii-san! You're too slow!" Naruto shouted in his excitement, almost dragging Kakashi away.

"Don't cause too much trouble Naruto!" Sarutobi offered in reply to an agitated Naruto. "Oh and Kakashi, make sure you take good care of him. I'll expect frequent reports on how he's doing."

"Mah, you worry too much," Kakashi replied in dismissal. "He'll be fine I'm sure."

Sarutobi smiled as Naruto dragged Kakashi out of the hospital, no doubt towards debt.

"You'll be great someday Naruto and I look forward to giving you my hat soon," he thought with a grin. "Now, as I'm alone..." he thought, while pulling out a copy of Icha Icha.

"Hokage-sama! There's an emergency!" Someone burst through the door to the hospital room.

"Damnit..."

A/N: Well there you have it. The first instalment in Konoha's Yellow Fang. I hope you enjoyed it and the next is on the way soon. I've seen a few bloodline Naruto stories and a few where he's also gained the sharingan and I just thought it would be nice to try my hand at it.

It's my first story so please, please, please review and don't hesitate to be harsh; it'll just make my next chapters better.

Jiji = Gramps/Old man

Inu-san = Dog

Yatta = Hooray/woot

Nii-san = brother/bro

Look out for the next chapter which, hopefully, will be even more interesting than this one.

See ya then! Ja ne!