Naruto: The Birth Of Fenrir and his Keeper

Keitaro kept walking behind his brother as they made their way out of the forest. Neither of them said anything to the other and walked in silence. It was uncomfortable for Keitaro  but he didn’t want to upset his brother anymore than he already might have been.

He wanted to run up and make sure his brother was okay. So what if he lost a little fight, he was still the only one to push that guy to his limits anyway. Even if he wasn't the best he was definitely the second best, besides the guy had technically cheated so the fight shouldn't even have counted anyway. 

But he also knew that in a fight between kids facts didn't matter. Once a winner was crowned nothing else really mattered anymore. 

He sighed to himself and clenched his hands. He trusted his brother. There was no reason for him to be so afraid of what his brother might do to him, no reason for him to be so worried about what would happen next. Yet everything he had experienced before told him that’s things were bound go downhill from here on out.

It didn’t take much thought to realize that the last fight had held significant importance especially from the last comment he had heard. They weren’t just fighting as just kids, no it was a fight between ‘civilian-ninja’ and a ‘clan-ninja’.

Even though he had only been reborn for three years Keitaro had already noticed the subtle undertones of conflict within the village. The few times he'd managed to get out of the house with his father and brother and actually interact with people outside of the clan compound had been eye opening for him.

Clans and their respective members held a lot of sway and even if the clan member wasn’t a ninja, just wearing a clan crest was enough for others to treat you with respect. He had once asked why his father never wore the clan symbol and he had simply smiled and said it wasn’t a big deal. A small lie to placate a small child. A lie that he had seen right through.

The importance of your clan was something that he could still remember played an important role in the strength of a ninja, and even if everything in his new world didn’t exactly follow the story that he had read all those years ago, the significance of clan was something that hadn’t changed.

He pushed his restless thoughts away and simply kept following his brother. Even if his older brother started hating him for causing him to eat a loss, regardless of how unlikely that might be, it wouldn’t matter. He’d already lived a life scorned by all those around him and he would simply have to do it again. Maybe he should run off and live in the mountains like a sage or something.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a groan and managed to look in time to watch as his brother clutched his side before crumpling to the floor. He quickly ran up to him and could only watch as he curled up in pain. He'd never seen his brother look so feeble before and the fact that he didn't even notice him shaking him while he chocking back sobs was reason enough to make Keitaro very worried.

“Nii-san are you okay?!” He went to move his brothers shirt only to notice that the skin on his side had started turning blue. He knew the signs of internal bleeding, he’d spent a good few nights in hospitals for it before, and could tell immediately that the injury was bad.

“What the you’re bleeding, damn it you need to get to the hospital!” Keitaro didn’t waste anymore time and promptly started dragging Kentaro towards the forests entrance that he could just barely make out in the distance. Thankfully the ninja on duty noticed the two of them struggling and came to assist them. He didn’t ask any questions and simply grabbed Kentaro before another ninja appeared and grabbed Keitaro before flashing towards the hospital area.

***

A few hours passed without any news. Keitaro sat quietly outside of the operating room anxiously fiddling with his fingers. He wondered what would have happened had he not realized what had happened to his brother sooner, but quickly pushed that thought out if his mind. Kentaro had to be alright. He was the first person who actually gave a damn about him and if he died because of him then he wasn't sure what he'd do with himself. 

Not to mention how much worse his life was bound to be if Kuma ended up losing his son because of him, the child that cost him the life of his wife. it didn't take much thought to come to the conclusion that he would be lucky if  he simply end up out on the streets.

He glanced once more toward the closed doors before getting lost in thought once more. He had already been seen by the medical-nin, he’d forgotten that he still had a shuriken sticking out of his chest, and was still struggling with the realization that he had seemingly awakened his chakra.

He only noticed when he had been healed. He’d experienced being healed by medical nin-jutsus before and at that time the only thing he felt was a warmth followed by the itchiness of his wounds rapidly healing.

He'd been fascinated as he watched his skin practically stich itself back together back then and had truly been amazed at the marvel that was medical-ninjutsu. Especially when he thought about one day being able to the same thing in the future.

Yet this time he had felt something...more.

It didn’t take long to come to the realization that it was chakra. He could feel as the foreign chakra of the medical-nin  had entered his body and influenced his own chakra and body to heal.

It was a novel and interesting experience and he was tempted to try to fight against the foreign influence but he stopped himself in time. He wasn’t sure, but the fact that he had awakened his chakra years in advance might not necessarily be a good thing to put on display. Espcially when his fathers position in the clan and by extension his own seemed uncertain.

That and the fact he had no idea how to control his own chakra in the slightest at that time.

He glanced around and after making sure that no one was nearby he closed his eyes in concentration. It took a while but he could feel it. A flow of energy running through his body. He tried to simply speed up or slow down its flow and was pleasantly surprised at how easily it responded to his commands.

He kept increasing and decreasing its flow rate in fascination, not sure what else he could do and whether pushing beyond this was wise. Afterall he was still a kid and he didn't plan to end up passed out on the floor from chakra exhaustion as that would invite a set of trouble that he was not prepared to deal with.

Finally when he grew bored of messing around he let his mind relax and sat back in his seat with his eyes still closed. He had a slight headache and wasn’t sure if it was due to blood lose from his earlier wound or his rushed attempts at chakra control. Regardless a short nap seemed in order.

Keitaro awoke some time later to find himself not in the corridor like he expected but in one the private rooms of the hospital. He looked around in confusion until he saw his older brother laying on the bed in the corner.

He scrambled up to his brothers side, poking at him when he didn’t get a reply after calling out to him. The fact that he was laying here could only mean that the operation was a success. Still it seemed that Kentaro was still unconscious and  Keitaro quickly lifted his brothers shirt to checked on his side. Just to make sure there wasn’t any lasting damage.

“If you keep poking at me like that I might start bleeding again.” Keitaro jumped when he heard his brother voice and saw his open eyes staring at him.

The two of them stood there looking at each other as a slightly awkward air hung between them until Keitaro finally couldn’t take it anymore. He lowered  his eyes and clenched the edge of his shirt before working up his courage. He 

“I’m sorry.” Keitaro could feel his voice waver but he refused to stop before he said he wanted to say 

“If I hadn’t insisted on coming today then you wouldn’t have gotten hurt I’m so sorry-” Keitaro was cut off when he felt his brothers hand gently placed on his head. He looked up only to see the same clear eyes that he had to come to trust over the last few years.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Keitaro felt a weight leave his chest as he kept listening.

“I don’t blame you for anything that happened. If I really didn't want you coming with me then I wouldn't have brought you with me." Kentaro eased himself into a siting position and flexing his arms and twisting from side to side making sure nothing seemed out of wack before turning to Keitaro once more.

"If anything I blame myself for not thinking about that bastard using you as a way to put me off my game. Dad always warned me to be conscious of my surrounds at all times and if I had been paying attention then I would have noticed you behind me. I guess I still have a lot of training to do.” Kentaro’s smile lite up the room and blasted away all the dark feeling coursing through Keitaro mind.

Still there was a burning question that he just had get an answer to.

“But why didn't you say anything to me when you left the clearing. You just walked away. I thought you were annoyed at me.”

Kentaro blushed slightly and turned his eyes away.

“I just wanted to get away from there as fast as possible. I didn’t want the others to see me looking weak. Plus I didn't want to listen to that idiot bragging  about beating a clan trained ninja again. Its been like that from the first day of the academy. Even though I haven't been taught any of the clan techniques yet I'm still considered a clan shinobi. When I do well everyone says its expected of clan raised shinobi, while if I don't do well they make fun of me since a clan shinobi shouldn't be making such simple mistakes."

Kentaro sighed and punched the bed in frustration clearly this had been eating him up with no one to talk too and Keitaro was happy to be his outlet. 

"I give my all in class and I ask dad for help with things I don't understand but dads always busy on missions and I can't ask the other adults for help without being apart of the clans training group. I asked dad to join it but he said I should wait till I'm of age to receive a ninken before I join the clan training. I don't know why but dad isn't keen on us joining in on clan training but I think it would be better for me. At least then I wouldn't have to wait days on end before someone helps me with training."

Keitaro watched his brother and could see how lost his brother felt. It was eye opening to see his older brother who never seemed to have probems with anything open up about all his problems. It was a side of him he never got to saw and now that he'd seen it, it only made him respect him all the more.

He might not have said it but clearly his dad had asked Kentaro to look after him while he was out on missions and while Kentaro didn't mind, it must have been cutting into his time to practice and train. It was only recently that he had started brought Keitaro with him and it was obvious that if something didn't change then Keitaro was bound to fall behind the other kids sooner rather than later. 

Keitaro made up his mind after thinking about it quickly, his brother needed time to train and he could give it to him as long as he was some place safe. Some place like the park. He didn't like the annoying kids but if it could benefit his brother then so be it.

"Don't worry form now on when you want to train you can leave me in the park with the other kids. I didn't know I was making you miss out of training but now that I know I won't complain anymore Onii-san."

"Hey i said it before alright. If I didn't want to look after you I wouldn't have let you follow me around so much. No matter what you still younger brother. I don't mind missing out on a few days of training. The two of us are gonna stick together. besides when you get a lottle older the two of us are gonna train together alright?"

"Alright, hopefully you don't cry to much when I beat you then. Onii-san."

The two brother laughed together before settling into a comfortable conversation about the fights from earlier that morning. Keitaro exclaimed and shouted about how cool the fights were while Kentaro could only embarrassingly mention the things that he should have done better now that he had an outside perspective.

The two kept chatting until a medical-nin came in to check up on the two of them. The medic was concerned at first to see the two of them horsing around but was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it seemed the both of them had recovered form the medical treatment. Especially Kentaro who should have been passed out for the rest of the day according to their estimates.

Thankfully nothing seemed out of order so the two boys where quickly discharged. The two of them continued to mess around as they went along and finally decided it was time to have lunch. It didn’t take long for the two of them to make a decision and shortly after the two could bee seen running along the back streets of Konoha making their way to their favorite establishment. Ichiraku Ramen.

The two boys quickly plopped down into chairs once they noticed that they had managed to miss the lunch time rush and wasted no time in placing an order.

In no time at all the two boys where diving into their bowls of ramen enjoying the rich creamy broth and tender silky smooth noodles. In no time at all the boys had finished there second set of ramen and were moving unto there third. Normally around this time Keitaro would have to tap out. His young body unable to handle so much food, yet today he seemed to have opened a second stomach that didn’t seem to want to become full.

Ichiraku watched in fascinated horror as the young boy managed to stuff five bowl of ramen into his mouth unsure as to where exactly it had gone. He glanced at the older brother to see if he noticed anything amiss only to see him putting away his seventh bowl.

Ichiraku stared for a few seconds more before deicidning it didn’t matter to him. More business was always welcomed afterall.

The two boys after eating their full sat comfortably with bulging stomachs enjoying the afterglow. Finally upon noticing the sun was beginning to set Kentaro practically dragged the slightly catatonic Keitaro out of the ramen shop. Yet not before both boys managed to notice two people make their way into the shop.

Normally this wouldn’t have drawn much of their attention afterall it was a public ramen place. Yet the vibrant yellow and bold red of the two customers hair was quite eye catching. It had only been a moment and yet Keitaro could feel all the fatigue leave his body as he finally manage to catch a glimpse of one his favorite characters.

Afterall he’d just ran into the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his very vibrant wife, the current Jinchūriki  of the nine tailed beast Kushina Uzumaki.

***

Minato and Kushina glanced at the two young boys who had just exited the ramen shop. Minato flinched when he saw Kushina freeze for a few seconds but could only shake his head when she started gushing about how cute the two of them looked. They hadn't even had their first child yet and here she was gushing about having another. 

He smiled at the thought of having two little tikes running around the house and Kushina running after them, her red hair flying all around as she failed to keep up with them. He was looking forward to being a father yet the fact that he had to hide the fact that they were expecting from most of the village was hard. Even if it was to protect Kushina. 

It was especially difficult when Kushina got random cravings like today. No amount of persuasion was enough to stop her from running out and getting whatever it was she wanted. If he left her to her own devises it wouldn't be long until everyone in the village knew she was pregnant. Even Kakashi wasn't enough to keep her out of trouble. 

Still at least it gave him an excuse to dump all the paperwork he'd had to deal with. Being Hokage  looked glamorous yet the amount of paperwork he had to do was exhausting. Why he needed to sign off on things like how many children where attending the academy as well as their weekly updates and improvements was beyond him but he signed them none the less. 

The two of them pushed aside the cloth and sat down at the counter to order and where surprised to see so many empty bowls piled up to one side. Out of curiosity Minato turned to Ichiraku and inquired about the bowls.

"Ah those two boys who just left were kind enough to pile their bowls up for me so it'd eb easier for me to clean up for them. Not to many people are that considerate you know. Still I was surprised when they polished off so may bowls. To bad they don't come everyday or else I'd be able to earn enough for that expansion I've been thinking about!" Ichiraku laughed before tossing a bowl towards Minato quickly followed by three more bowls being tossed towards Kushina.

Minato froze upon hearing how much the two boys ate. he felt a cold shiver travel down his back when he thought about how much Ramen Kushina ate at one sitting. Wouldn't their child also end up having a massive appetite as well? Would his wallet be able to keep up? Maybe becoming the Hokage was a lucky break afterall.