46The Golden Fox
I don't know how to begin. Just thank you so much : 15 reviews, 50 favs and 84 follows for only the first chapter ! When I adopted this story I had no idea that readers would like it so much. Just know that I read each and every comment, even if I do not always answer. And it made me sooo happy ! Sadly I really have no much leisure time this year, with my studies and all. But I always have the ideas for this story in my head so don't worry, I will NOT discontinued it.
I made some changes in the first chapter, after realising that a four years old Naruto was talking like a twelve-years old... Ouuuppss... Even if Boy-Wonder-Kakashi graduated at five, I just can't see Naruto like that, especially with the neglect he lives with. So I corrected it. Minor changes. And sorry if this chapter is a bit (a lot) short but I really don't have much time (already 1:11AM , damn... O.O) and I felt it was the best part to cut. So you will learn a bit more about Minato's past these few last years and a cute scene with Naruto to boot. I hope you will like it ! ;)
Edit 30/07/15 : This chapter was too short for my liking so I wanting to write a bit more as soon as I could. And I FINALLY had the time to last saturday ! I added 406 words in the end, still short I know, but now something seems to have happened in the chapter this time. And some good news : I will soon have some holidays so I will have time to write the next chapters ! Yeh ! :D
Chapter 2 : A life-changing decision
Naruto woke up wrapped in a warm blanket. He turned with a happy smile on his mattress. His somewhat hard mattress. Which was strange, since Jiji had bought him a new mattress the last time he saw him.
No matter. He was happy where he was and decided not to move an inch. Something fluffy suddenly touched his face. He creased his nose but did not move. The same thing happened several times. When he decided at least to open his eyes, it was only to meet two bright blue eyes. And a curious looking golden fox head. He froze.
The fox cutely moved its head to the side before a large mischievous smile broke through its face and he pushed the boy on his back before giving into the task of licking all of his face.
"Aaahhh !" shouted the boy before beginning to laugh when the fox chose to press his wet nose everywhere there was uncovered skin. Which was a lot since it was the summer and the blond was only wearing a tee-shirt and a short. "Ha ha ha ! It tickles !"
The fox eventually stopped and sat on his back legs. He looked at Naruto with a pleased look. The boy got back up with a big goofy smile. It was not everyday he had a good laugh like that. Then he looked at his arms and took an horrified expression.
"Yeurk ! I covered with 'lobber !"
The fox only grinned (could a fox even grin ?) and pointed with his head towards the pond. The blond went near it to wash himself while loudly complaining about crazy foxes. And a large smile on his face.
ooOOOOOoo
Minato watched his son washing with careful eyes. He initially didn't plan for Naruto to spend the night with him. Yet, when the boy fell asleep on him, he couldn't find the courage to wake him up. Fortunately, the summer's nights were warm and his fur more than enough to be comfortable.
The playing scene earlier made him feel like his heart could break from happiness. His son. He had spent the night with his lovely son curled on his side with his tail as an improvised blanket. Then he had had the joy to wake him himself, after all those years of longing !
He had lost the count long ago. Truth be told, he had kinda lost his human side the first months. Or was it years ? Pushed aside at the back of his head, the fox instincts took over, in order to get away from the grieving villagers and shinobis who simply developed a deep-rooted hate against all foxes. He had had to hunt for his food, to find shelters and avoid the other predators. Food. Sleep. Flee. Food. Hide. Sleep. Fight.
After some time, his memories started to come back. He put the few ninja tricks he remembered to use and began to train his body to sustain higher speed and a good endurance. The other animals slowly started to acknowledge him and let him alone. He tried a few times to come back to Konoha, only to barely get away with his life from some encounter with a few shinobis. Nobody recognized him, of course. Hell, he himself had no idea how he got into this situation. He should by all rights be dead and in the Shinigami's stomach. Well, obviously, if the village was still here and his son was alright, the sealing had been a success. Anyway, he couldn't contact Sarutobi or Jiraya since the two were always either in the center of the village, inaccessible to Minato, or away somewhere in the Elemental Countries. And Kakashi had seemingly disappeared from the village. The former Yondaime had a sinking feeling his pupil had sadly joined the ANBU forces in order to forget the loss of his loved ones. With close to no chakra, the man-turned-fox had simply no way to contact anyone able to help him.
So he had resigned himself to watch from afar and get stronger in order to be able to stealthily infiltrate the village. Until yesterday.
If his outer appearance was peaceful, inside he was downright furious. Nobody had come searching for Naruto. Konoha's four-or-five years old jinchuuriki had spent all the night outside of the city walls and NO ONE had come to get him home. And with every minute he spent in Naruto's company, he discovered new details about his son's daily life that sent him in a fury.
Naruto was malnourished. He was obviously not well cared of, and strived of any kind of attention. He had difficulties speaking whole sentences, proof that he wasn't spoken much to. And worse of all, he had some reflexes and instincts that Minato only saw in street children, who stole to eat and were always on the lookout for some danger. What the hell was Sarutobi doing ?! And Jiraya, as the boy's godfather should be here to protect his son, dammit !
His decision was taken. He could not stay here a second longer while his son was being neglected like that ! Naruto would soon be getting back to Konoha, and no one would stop him from going with him. He would let NO ONE hurt his son anymore, and the one trying would soon be facing the Yellow Flash's fury.
ooOOOOOoo
It was early morning and the village of Konoha was slowly awakening. The two guards in front of the village's main doors were eagerly waiting for their replacement. The night had been long and as boring as usual.
"Oy, Katsuo !" the first asked with an exhausted face. "What do you think Oremi and Kore are doing ? They are late, damnit ! I only want to go to sleep, especially after yesterday's drinking contest. Hun… my head feels like it could split open any moment…"
"Not my problem if you had the fabulous idea to go drink before work. If the Hokage hear about it, you will be on Academy assignment for the rest of the year. As kunai target." The second answered with a no-shit face. "Imagine what could happen if you had somehow missed an important event due to your tired state. Like an enemy ninja or worse, an attack on the village ! The Hokage and the villagers count on us to keep them secure. It's shameful for a shinobi to disrespect his duties because of a reunion time with friends !"
The first hung his head down and didn't respond, suddenly ashamed of his actions. He hadn't thought that going drinking with friends endangered the village. He truly had been an idiot this time. Well, from now on, he would put the village first and his friends after. He would behave like a true shinobi of Konoha !
Nothing happened this time, after all. The travelers all had their identification papers, awaited ninja team all came home intact and in time and not even the smallest sign of anything remotely suspicious.
Well, he vaguely remembered something strange. A blond blur that came from the village the precedent evening. Katsuo had been at the time occupied with checking the papers of a traveler and had his back turned. And he… well… his memories were not really coherent. Not enough to do his job, that was for sure. What is an effect of the light? A jutsu ?
Lack of sleep and hungover were assaulting his mind and the shinobi put his head in his hands, eyes closed. Trying to remember what it could have been, he never saw the blond boy pass behind him through the gates. Or the huge blond fox following said boy. His partner didn't either, having to work for two in order to compensate for his drunk friend.
The sleeping villagers didn't know at that instant that this particular day was the beginning of a huge storm that would shake Konoha and the whole ninja world to its roots.
ooOOOOOoo