In another story, a child leaving an orphanage would be paired with yelling crowds of happy children, and a knapsack of goods slung over the back of the young man who walked off down the trail. The adventure has begun at dawn, and the hero steps into the unknown.
Having a kid kicked out of an orphanage at age four is the hallmark of a very different story. Here there are no cheers and very little in the way of supplies. For the tiny, blond-haired boy walking down the street in Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the story would be marked with seven years of hardship. For the next three days, he'd wander the streets, his protection by ANBU only a single diligent member who couldn't leave his post to tell his Hokage of the sudden eviction. Only then would he be approached by the old man who would become his Jiji, and given a small but serviceable apartment.
In this timeline, he didn't even get that far. Because, in this world, someone else was keeping an eye on him. Well, several somones, besides the very cautious Ne agent and the glares of hateful villagers. These someones were watching from across the dimensional gap.
As Naruto Uzumaki took a seat on a bench, stomach growling, he couldn't hear the conversation going on behind the curtain. If he could, it would have gone something like this.
"So, this is the human Inari wanted dad to keep an eye on?"
"Yeah, but I don't get why. I mean, he's just a little shrimp."
"Haha-ue said he's linked to one of her old friends. I don't see how."
"...wouldn't she wanna meet him, then? And the humans don't seem to want him, right?"
"Maybe not. But what are you getting at?"
"Well…"
Naruto groaned, leaning back on the bench. Being free from the nasty lady at the orphanage had been nice, but now he was hungry. Even the old lady hadn't stopped him from getting a little rice and fish with the rest of the kids, though she'd always given him less. The rice balls she'd given him were already eaten, and now he was hungry again.
...maybe he could grab something from one of the people with stalls? He didn't have any money, but they probably wouldn't mind him grabbing a piece of fruit or-
Naruto's thoughts jerked to a halt as something landed on him in a puff of smoke. Yelping, the little boy sat up straight, eyes fixing on the little creature which had just landed in his lap. The twin tailed, grey-furred fox looked up at him with a grin, and yipped. "I got him! Bring me back!"
"Gotcha!"
"Wait, wha-"
POOF.
Watching civilians started in some stupefaction as Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke. A now panicking ANBU agent shunshined to the spot he'd left, eyes peering around, while a dead-souled Ne agent broke off from his own viewpoint to make a report. Within minutes, search teams of ANBU and squads of stealthy Ne would be darting back and forth searching for the little boy, but to no avail.
Naruto Uzumaki had vanished from Konohagakure.
To anyone watching five seconds prior, Naruto had simply vanished. To him, it had been five seconds of gut-wrenching discomfort as he was reverse summoned to the summons realm, landing on the relatively soft tatami floor. Of course, he was surrounded by a litter of fox kits, who were crowding both the grey fox that had brought him here and himself.
"Welcome back Miyu!" Naruto heard one of the various fox kits crowding him say, "Otsukare!"
The grey fox that had kidnapped him giggled, smiling(?) at him. "Heya Naruto, welcome to Kuzonoha Valley! Home of the foxes. Sorry for startling you, but you seemed hungry, and the humans didn't really seem to like you, so I brought you here!"
"...what?" Naruto said, eyes twitching as he looked around. The crowd of foxes started cheering, their yips blending together as he took in the room, eyes finally landing on the massive polished silver plate on one wall, surrounded by scribed ink and carved kanji. "What?"
"We got a new pet!"
"First prank, so successful!"
"Dad's gonna be so proud!"
"About what?" Every fox and the young boy in the room froze as another voice, obviously male and older, came from the door. As one, nine faces turned to look at a much bigger fox with three tails, his mouth dropping open as he watched. "Kits… please tell me that's just an illusion, or a henge."
Miyu, the grey fox, gulped. "Dad- I can explain?" she asked, her ears drooping as her siblings backed away from her. "Great, thanks guys." She muttered as her traitorous siblings fled to the corner of the room, sending her smug grins. Turning to Naruto, she winced at his rather annoyed look. She wouldn't be getting any help from that front.
"I'm waiting, Miyamoto Miyu. Tell me why there is a
human sitting in your bedroom." The older fox practically growled.
"BecauseInarisaidtokeepaneyeonhimandIfiguredthatIshouldbringhimbackwhenthehumanskickedhimoutoftheorphanage!" She blurted, cowering behind the human in question.
The larger fox blinked, then ran his internal 'kid to adult' translation software. "...I don't
think humans are supposed to be sent from the den until they're thirteen or so." He tapped his chin with one paw. "But regardless, we're not supposed to bring humans here. Not without asking, anyway."
"But why?" Miyu tilted her head, Naruto blinking as he followed the conversation.
"I don't actually know. Something about some folk called the Sidhe and setting a bad example." He shook his head. "Alright, I royally screwed up this job, so I'll own up to it. Come on, Miyu. Since you did this, and I have no idea how-"
"Well, I-"
"We're gonna have to take this to Inari herself." The fox covered his face with one paw. "This will be interesting, at least."
As he spoke, the rest of the kits' tails stuck straight up. "Aw come on-" "Can't we-" "I wanna go-"
"No. I'm not dragging all of you into the Palace. You'd either get arrested or level the place if you got loose. Maybe both."
"No fair! Miyu always gets the good-"
"HEY! I
earned my second tail, thank you very much!" The grey kit snarled, "Can you all just
let it go already?"
"Enough!" The elder roared. "We are
not revisiting this topic again. Kits, let your mother know I'm at the palace when she gets back. I expect this will take some time." With that said, he turned and left, Miyu dutifully following behind her sire.
"You should go." One of the other kits told Naruto, his voice bitter. "Go follow Miyu and dad."
Naruto hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Thanks for bringing me here, anyway! It's kinda cool to get away from all those villagers, dattebayo! See ya around!"
All the other kits' ears perked up, before they yipped happily, their chorus of "you're welcomes." following Naruto as he headed out of the building. He emerged into hazy sunlight, an orange sky and drifting clouds meeting his gaze. "Whoa…"
"Come along, kit." Naruto nearly tripped as one long orange tail curled around his ankle, gently tugging him along. "We need to bring you to the palace."
"'M sorry that you had to see that argument." Miyu whispered from her father's side, "They get nasty towards me sometimes, for an admittedly good reason."
Naruto frowned, though he said nothing as he followed the orange fox, his wandering eyes taking in the rather beautiful sights of Kuzunoha Valley. Cherry Blossoms were in full bloom, and there were rice patties all around, being tended to by both foxes and… humans? No, they had foxy features, some of them with more than one tail, just like the orange fox and Miyu.
"Ah, I see you've discovered our relatives, the Kitsune." Naruto looked back at the older fox, almost expecting a swat but instead receiving a smile. "Kitsune are those of us who choose to dedicate a portion of our power, permanently, to gain true shapeshifting. They gain a human and half-human form, a real one, not just an illusion." He chuckled. "It used to be a right reserved for the nobility long ago, before Inari shared the secrets with all the foxes. But many of us would rather simply have more power, and see no need to take another shape."
Naruto briefly noted Miyu looking longingly at the kitsune woman tilling her field, before the little fox shook her head, looking sadly at her two tails. Then the young fox seemed to brighten, and shared a mischievous smile with him, as if letting him in on some great secret.
The trio continued to trot along, eventually coming to the mouth of the valley, where a pair of sturdy stone pillars held up a pair of wooden doors. Naruto peered to either side, puzzled- it looked like one of Kohona's gates, but there were no walls to either side, and nothing behind the closed edifice.
Miyu giggled. "Confused?" Naruto peered at her. "A quick lesson, human!" She said gaily. "Foxes are known for their tricks!"
"And there's no greater trick than hiding an entire castle." the older fox said. As the gates opened, he spoke. "Behold, the Invisible Castle- the Palace of Inari, deity of Foxes."
Naruto peered through the opening gates, his jaw dropping.
It was a traditional Castle in many ways. It was surrounded by a moat, then walls, each of the four corners sporting a yagura, with the center of the palace containing a tenshukaku and goten, where the Lord or Lady of the castle would reside. And it was
massive. Easily the size of Hi no Kuni's Daimyo's palace, if not bigger. Not that Naruto knew that.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Miyu chirped, "Wait till you see the inside! It's great!"
"We're free to enter, kits. Follow me." The older fox stated, plodding through the gates.
Naruto frowned, having seen the path to the Hokage tower a few times. "No guards?"
Miyu and the older fox shook their heads. "No, there are guards. You just can't see them." Miyu replied, pointing her muzzle towards the gate. "That's guarded by at least two foxes at all times."
"Or a fox and a kitsune, or two kitsune. We're not picky." All three members of the group jumped as a big fox, six tails flicking behind his scarred form, spoke from one side. Naruto's eyes widened as he noticed the five metal plates hanging off his belt- hitai-ate. "Mr. Miyamoto. Where did the human come from, why is he here, and why aren't you on monitor duty?"
"In order, the human is the one we were monitoring, Miyu decided he wasn't wanted by the humans, and I am on monitoring duty." the Miyamoto patriarch snarked, his own six tails flickering behind him. "I wouldn't abandon my post, nor would I bring danger to Kuzonoha. You know this, Guard Captain Irons."
"Right then." He eyed Naruto. "So write this off as a kit's prank?"
"If you would, please. But we do need to take him to Inari." Miyamoto frowned. "I don't quite know how Miyu pulled it off, and I don't know how to send him back."
"We can't." Guard Captain Irons grumbled, "Only the Toads have a link to the Human World."
"...definitely get him to Inari, then." Miyamoto murmured. "Come along, kits."
Irons nodded as the group passed him by. "I'll send a runner along. Let her know Kurama's on his way."
Naruto frowned. "Who's Kurama?" he said, his words echoed by Miyu.
The elder Miyamoto blinked, as did Captain Irons. "Wait, they
seriously didn't tell the kit?" the father growled, "What kind of- Nevermind. Good Kami above, why me?"
Irons barked out a laugh. "Have fun explaining that one Hikaru." With a flick of his tails, the guard captain retook his post, chuckling all the way back.
Which, Naruto thought,
was a little creepy, since the laughter continued after he'd already vanished.
Miyu frowned. "Seriously? Is he still using the ventriloquism jutsu? That got old ages ago. He should be more creative, he
is a six tails."
"He's not." Hikaru murmured. "I can't sense any chakra."
Miyu blinked. "Huh, probably a seal then."
"Also no. Or at least, I can't detect it."
"He's playing with us, the old bugger." Miyu grumbled, "Prank on top of a prank."
Naruto didn't comment. He was too busy snickering.
Half an hour later, Naruto had almost gotten jaded at the casual opulence on display.
Almost.
There wasn't any brilliant gold leaf on anything or giant statues, but everything was carved, moulded, or painted. The floors didn't squeak and looked incredibly shiny, the tatami he glimpsed in some of the rooms he passed was fresh and brilliant, and the doors swung open and shut without even a whisper of noise. The beings they'd passed in the halls had sleek-groomed fur or well-coiffed hair, and those that wore clothes wore bright silks and jade ornamentation. This place was rich, and didn't bother to rub it in anyone's face.
It was only the most recent set of doors which were anything more than carved. Silver mirrors were set in each door, held by a pair of carved foxes, the tails of each gilded with leaf. As these doors swung open, he gulped.
The room had a throne, a low one on a raised platform. However, the room was dominated by a low garden growing in the center of the palace, with nine stone dias arrayed around a brillant pool of blue water. On the largest stone, situated before the throne, was a massive white fox with nine tails. The fox peered at the entering group, scarlet eyes twinkling as it took in the two foxes before fixing on Naruto. "...how unusual. And unexpected." The fox spoke in a high contralto, coming to her feet. "Approach, and be known to us."
Naruto gulped, before moving forward. Then, there was silence, as the trio and the white fox stared at each other for a few moments, before Inari burst out laughing. "Nevermind child. You do not know the intricacies of the court. How fares Kurama, young one?"
Naruto's brows furrowed. "Who's Kurama?"
Miyu and Hikaru winced, beholding their leader's silent fury as they contemplated what the child had just said. "Of
course the idiot villagers didn't tell you. Why are we not surprised?" She paused. "Although you are rather young."
"Hey! Who are you talking about?" Naruto said, anxiety and confusion overcoming his fear.
"Ah. Yes."The grand fox straightened, then nodded. "I am Inari, god of Foxes and currently Empress of the Kitsune. I speak of an old friend, Kurama of the Nine-Tails. Or-"
"The Kyuubi no Kitsune." Naruto whispered. "I'm… what?"
"It is a long explanation-" the Goddess' speech was cut off as Naruto's stomach growled. "-which can be delayed. Take a stone, all of you, and I shall send for refreshment. And then we shall swap tale for tale."
Naruto took a seat, glancing around. Before long, he spoke up. "Erm… the Kyuubi?"
"Please do not call him that." Inari sighed, then seemed to shiver. Seconds later, a tall, elegant woman with nine white fox tails and a pair of fluffy ears sat in sieza on the largest stone. She settled into her white and pink kimono. "Kurama took the shape of a Kitsune in part to honor us. To have him saddled with the name of the most wretched of our kind, no, to have his name superseded by such is to degrade him."
Naruto swallowed. Inari hadn't raised her voice, but the cold, flat tone booked as much disappointment as anger.
"Inari sama, Kurama-sama doesn't advertise his name to the humans." Hikaru commented, frowning, "It is unfair to expect Naruto-kun to know it."
"Fairly said." Inari nodded. "I suppose after all that has occurred, he would not be fairly disposed to discourse."
"Perhaps it would be best to get Kurama-sama's opinion?" Miyu offered, "I assume you have a way to commune with him through the seal, Inari-sama?"
"I do, in fact. But let us explain the basics first." She turned back to Naruto. "To assuage your fears, Naruto; no, you are not Kurama. Pull up your shirt, child." Once he did so, the elegant woman casually lifted her hand to her mouth, set her fang to her finger, and slashed it open. As Nartuo yelped, she swiped the bloody finger across his stomach, the blood shimmering before a seal was revealed. Inari merely tapped her finger against the rock, sealing the wound. "See here, child. This is the seal wrought by a sacrifice of a powerful man, sealed by the blood of a loving woman. This is the seal which binds Kurama within you."
"Within me?"
"As a jar contains water, or a bag hides a sheaf of rice. The bag and the rice are separate, but one fills the other." She retook her seat. "Kurama is an immortal being, young one. Born of Chakra, upon dissolution he returns to chakra to be reborn. He would reform here, in the place where pure Chakra yet flows, and then he would be free to tear a way back into your world, or remain here for as long as he was able. To kill him is fruitless; the only option is to bind him."
"Huh." Naruto said softly, "That makes sense." He looked down at the seal. "But… why me?"
"Just as a bag can only hold so much before splitting, so too must the containers for those called 'tailed beasts' be large enough, or capable enough of growth to contain their power. The greatest of the Bijuu can only be sealed within a living thing." Inari scowled. "And, by sealing one of the Noble Beasts within a person, that person may draw upon the Beast's chakra. The Jinchūriki, those like you, are therefore wardens, weapons, and sacrifices all in one."
Miyu made a sound of understanding, then a frightened yip. "I just kidnapped someone
really important to the humans, didn't I?"
Naruto, in the meantime, was nodding in slowly dawning comprehension, before frowning. "Then why wasn't I treated so well? I'm holding Kurama back, right? From attacking the village, that is."
"People- I will not say humans, for other thinking beings may be the same- often look for scapegoats, or purpose where there is none." Inari said heavily. "Kurama attacked your village, but he was gone; and they required someone to blame. There is also the matter that fear breeds anger, and thus hate. They fear the fox, and you are the only way to get to it. After a time, they would try to justify it to themselves." She tapped her chin with a clawed finger. "Although, the sheer vitriol and lack of care shown is beyond my expectations. Something may have been amiss, but there is no way for us to check now."
AN: A Special thanks to my Patreons: Twt1, Omida, J Frost, Tale Swapper, and Adrian Tucker.
AN 2: Well, this is what
@Tale Swapper and I have been working on while my muse... refuses to work on my hiatus/unreliable updates fics, along with my Kancolle Muse dying horribly. We have one more fic sitting in the background, but it's nowhere near ready to publish yet. This fic will update on a bi-weekly basis, and we have plenty of backlog to
keep updating for a good bit.
