I Do Not Own Naruto!

To Protect and Endure

Story by Kyoka Suigetsu Totsuka

Chapter 1

"How are you feeling, Naruto?"

A boy, no older than eight years old, kept his eyes down, trying to ignore the Sandaime Hokage's eyes. He'd seen them like this before, solemn and old, tired and fading. Naruto hated the Hokage for getting old, or at least, getting older still. The old man had always been ancient, but with each loss and death he seemed to slouch lower, groan louder. The child had no idea how much more the old man could handle.

"I feel fine, Ji-chan." Braving a smile, he managed to look at his grandfather in all but blood. "You don't have to worry about me." Fighting his quivering lips, Naruto turned away, looking down at his book, trying to ignore his tear-stained vision. "I understand," he whispered, "Not everyone comes home."

"Tora was a proud member of the ANBU. He was one of the elites, the very best of Konoha, and he had done his duty to the last." Naruto felt the old man sit down next to him, his joints cracking as he did. "If not for him, the rest of his team would have died alongside him. As captain, he sacrificed himself to save his subordinates, his comrades. He is a hero."

Naruto tensed and whispered, "But nobody knows."

"Naruto…"

"Look outside, Ji-chan. Everything is normal. Nobody knows about Tora-nii."

"Such is the life of a Shinobi, of an ANBU member. Shinobi are people how endure. Sometimes our sacrifices don't come with accolades or even recognition, but those are not the reasons we fight. We take on the brunt of this world and fend against it so we can protect the people we love. Your Tora-nii and every Konoha Shinobi who died before him gave their lives for the safety of our people, of our village."

"Just like my parents," the boy managed, tears running down his face. "And Shisui-nii, Mari-nee, Sora-nii, Lyla-nee."

"There are a lot of names we owe our lives to, Naruto." The Hokage gently placed a hand on Naruto's head, "This is a lesson that you've learned far too early, my boy."

"When I'm older, I'll do my part, too." Wiping his tears away, Naruto looked at the Hokage. "I'll become strong and protect everyone!" His voice grew soft as he looked away again, "I don't want to feel like this again. I'll become so strong that I won't feel like this again."

"We should all strive to become strong to protect, but you are too young to bear such a responsibility. Try not to grow up too quickly, Naruto. One of the greatest boons of peace time is children being able to be children. Don't spend so much time in the barracks. You're old enough now to go outside by yourself. Meet some of the other children your age and make some friends who aren't ANBU."

Naruto gave a soft smile, his tears drying. "I'll try, Ji-chan."

The old man nodded, eyes still furrowed. "That's all I ask. I'll leave you alone with your book."

Naruto nodded back, biting his lip. "Thank you, Ji-chan."

"I'm proud of you, Naruto. Never forget that."

The Chibi of ANBU. The Baby Boy of Konoha. Our Little Fishcake.

Uzumaki Naruto had many names and even more older siblings. Being the only child to have been raised entirely in the ANBU Barracks, he was everyone's little brother. His first word was Kaka and his second word was Nii. ANBU Commander Ryu helped him take his first steps and also demanded to give him his first haircut. His nursery, a small room in the middle of the ANBU living quarters, became one of the busiest spots in the entire barracks. For one reason or another, nearly every ANBU member found their way to visit the boy, either to listen to him giggle while giving him a bubble bath or to change his diaper as punishment.

The boy was an orphan, but he had the biggest family in Konoha.

He was happy as can be, joyously jumping into the arms of returning siblings, not a care for their muddy or sometime bloody armor. Laughing uproariously as he was tossed from one brother to another sister like a hyperactive ball. He was so happy that Sarutobi Hiruzen rejoiced that he'd made the right decision.

There were only two choices: allow Naruto to fend for himself at the orphanage or have him grow up with the most elite trained assassins in the Elemental Nations. The Hokage took quite a long time to decide on the child's fate, but Danzo gave him little choice with his blunder. The rumor of the Yondaime Hokage sealing the Kyuubi into a baby started to circulate, and as much as Hiruzen loved his people, he had no faith in human decency or intelligence in the face of anger and vengeance.

Naruto would be raised by the ANBU, hidden away from the village. The rumors would die down after a few years and when the boy would grow up, he could seamlessly rejoin the village as the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.

It was the right call. Sure, there may have been some bad birthday presents – leave it to the ANBU members to give a five year old boy a real Tanto and explosive tags – but with the right supervision, Naruto grew to become a well-mannered, disciplined, and intelligent boy. Already fluent in ANBU code and hand signals, he was an honorary member. Just last year, ANBU Commander Ryu gave him a mini-sized ANBU uniform complete with a dog mask.

Ever since Naruto was born, the ANBU Barracks had been filled with squeals and laughter, genuine happiness not seen since the founding of the village.

The only downside, Naruto had lost many of his siblings.

"He'll be okay, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen looked at Inu, "Yes, he will be. He is his parent's child, but this is not healthy. You of all people should understand, Kakashi."

"I do, but there is no better alternative."

"Remember, not only does Naruto not have the mental fortitude of the likes of you, you are all his family. You lost a comrade in Tora, but he lost a big brother."

"Things will change soon." Kakashi looked down at his little brother who looked like a mini clone of his old sensei. "You were right, Hokage-sama. The rumors of a Kyuubi Jinchuriki are all but gone and no one will spare a glance at him. Neko had brought him to the park to play many times now and nothing had happened. Just a few years more and he can officially become a Genin and be given his father's name."

"That's good." The old man paused to ask, "Did he make any friends at the park?"

Kakashi chuckled, "No. Unfortunately, Naruto has never seen other children his age before, so he was a bit apprehensive. He just pushed himself on the swings for the most part. I had to stop Neko from going to push him herself." The Hokage smiled at the thought. "But I'm sure sooner or later, he will manage to meet some friends."

"I hope so."

Peering through his crystal ball, the Sandaime watched as Naruto read his newest book, his short legs swinging in his seat, clearly already regaining his usual energy.

"That book he is reading," mentioned the Hokage, "Have you seen it?"

"No, Hokage-sama."

"The Fundamentals of Fuinjutsu, Volume 2." The old man smiled, "He blasted through the first one in a week. I had Commander Ryu check if he actually understood any of it, and he was delighted to report that Naruto took to Fuinjutsu like a fish in water. He is as talented as his mother."

Kakashi nodded, "Did Jiraiya-sama send him those books."

"Yes, he did. He has a whole reading list planned out for the boy."

"Only on Fuinjutsu?"

"For now, but be on-guard for some of my student's more passionate works."

Kakashi held in a chuckle, "I'm sure Jiraiya-sama will wait until Naruto is a Genin before showing him those books." The ANBU Captain glanced at Naruto, "But if he really is as talented as Kushina-sensei, would you have him focus on a career in the Sealing Corp? He's shown promise in Ninjutsu as well. Basically everybody has been teaching him things under the table, so I'm sure he will do well in the regular forces as well."

"We'll give him the choice once the time comes, but as Minato has proven, he can be both a seal master and an elite Jonin.

Kakashi nodded. "I very much look forward to it."

"As do I, my boy."

At first, it was only once a week, but Naruto's visit to the park had become increasingly frequent. Much to the relief of his ever worrisome family, the boy had finally grown accustomed to leaving the barracks. He'd still only explored a small part of Konoha, but his time in the sun had finally given him some color to his pale cheeks. His spiky blonde hair eerily resembled his father's, down to the twin bangs framing his face. Combined with his azure blue eyes, one would only need a shred of cognitive reasoning to see the connection between the boy and the Yondaime, but as usual, none were the smarter.

Sure, some in the ANBU had made the connection, but none were lacking enough to voice their discovery. One glance at the closeness between the ever cold and ruthless Kakashi and the perpetually giggling Naruto, their actual brotherly bond, was enough reason to stay silent. Sharingan no Kakashi was keen on keeping his late-sensei's only son safe, and had in no small words claimed the boy as his own student when the time would come.

Walking into the park, Kakashi held onto Naruto's hood – the boy had refused to hold hands with his siblings for a few months already, much to the heartbreak of some of his siblings – and he marveled at the similarity between the Naruto and his father. Perhaps they were being a bit too cavalier. Naruto even dressed like his father did as a child. Jiraiya had sent Naruto a white hoodie that looked identical to the one his father had worn on the daily.

Naruto looked so much like his father, Kakashi could practically see Kushina pummeling Minato-sensei in heaven because his genes were being unfairly dominant.

"Kaka-nii," came the almost whiny voice of Naruto, "You don't need to babysit me anymore." The boy said with a small pout. "Yugao-nee just leaves me at the park. You don't have to hover over me like this."

Kakashi, for once not dressed in his ANBU garb, his face only half hidden with a cloth mask, eye-smiled at his brother. "Fine, I'll leave you be, but remember to signal to me once you're done playing." Ruffling the boy's spiky hair, he chuckled, "Try to meet some friends today. There are some cute girls playing on the swings; go join them."

"Just go, Kaka-nii!" Naruto shoved his brother's hand away, "I'm not a little kid!"

Chuckling again, Kakashi jumped away. "Sure, you're not, Chibi."

Spring had come again and children swarmed the parks in droves. It was a cloudless Saturday with a soft breeze through the trees. Not even the strictest of parents could deny their children such a beautiful day in the sun. Dozens of children packed into this one park and hundreds more filled the large field and green clearing that surrounded it.

Looking around, Naruto saw many picnic blankets scattered along the grassy field, each one a family enjoying lunch. It was an unfamiliar feeling, the yearning for something lost, but had never had. The boy never met his father, but he often wondered what it would have been like to ride on his shoulders; he'd never met his mother, but he wondered what her food would taste like. It was a paralyzing train of thought, and Naruto had been down that particular path too many times to be trapped again.

Shaking his head, he ran off. He figured it wasn't too far away from the Hero's Memorial. After all, he'd been there a few times already. But even at the tender age of eight, he knew better than to honor his heroes emptyhanded.

He kept running, away from the crowds and deeper into the trees. The canopies grew thick and blocked most of the noon sun and the rowdy Saturday noise were silenced by the steady buzzing of cicadas. He ran faster, enjoying the warm wind against his skin as he sped through the forest, his strides becoming wider and his leaps farther, his eyes relaxing to let the world pass him by in a mirage of fleeting images. Finally, he felt better. The park was far too crowded for this liking. His home was never that busy nor as loud, and he didn't want another wayward mother asking him why he was alone and where were his parents.

Closing his eyes, Naruto could feel all around him. It was an ability his Ji-chan once described as Sensory, the ability to detect the presence of others by their chakra. Apparently his father had this ability as well, and while it was not the most unique of skills, Naruto was happy to share something with his father. It was useful. Focused, Naruto could see without seeing. He felt the flow of chakra in the trees around him, all connected by their roots, surging deep into the ground. From these mighty roots were born a system of life, from small blades of grass to stretching bushels. But he was looking for something more delicate.

His blue eyes snapped open with a smile. He'd found some.

"There we go," he whispered softly to himself as he jumped to a small clearing. "Flowers."

It was a field of flowers, a rainbow on land.

"Wow, there are so many different kinds." He bit his lip and scratched the back of his head. "How am I supposed to choose?"

Suddenly, he felt a presence in front of him. It was a small chakra signature, one smaller than his own and much smaller than his siblings. It was soft and delicate, not unlike the flowers around him, and it gave a purple hue. He looked on ahead at the direction he sensed, but could see nothing in a field of golden flowers, blowing in the wind.

Except a small bunch of golden tresses that went against the wind…that stood up.

It was a small girl, probably around his age. She had shoulder-length golden hair that matched the golden flowers around her, a shade much lighter than his own. It looked soft and silky, also much unlike his own spiky mess, held from her face with a small blue hairclip. She was also wearing a yellow sweater, almost camouflaging into the flowers, and looked as if she was floating in the wind.

Naruto stared at her…until he noticed he was staring.

Awkwardly waving his hand, he smiled. "Um, hi!"

"Hi," came the reply, her voice quiet in the wind. "What are…"

A strong breeze blew through the clearing, covering her voice. It washed through them and the flowers and seemed to make her glow even brighter. Naruto was mesmerized. Hesitantly, he walked towards her, careful not to step on any flowers in the way. She was looking at him, and as he approached, he saw that she had blue eyes as well, but again a lighter shade than his own.

She was holding her hair from her face, her hairclip not enough to fight the winds, and he finally saw her clearly. He'd heard many of his siblings describe him as such, but never before this moment did Naruto know that someone could look so cute.

"Sorry," he managed to whisper over the wind, "I couldn't hear you before. What were you saying?"

The girl looked at him and tilted her head, "I said what are you doing here?"

"Um," stammered Naruto, looking away from her soft gaze. "I was looking for some flowers."

She smiled widely and he felt his heart stricken. "Well, you found the best place for that! This field and the next one over belongs to the Yamanaka Clan. You may have heard of our flower shop in town! Here is where we grow all our flowers!"

"Oh," he replied dumbly, managing to look back into her eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to trespass. I was running through the woods and I must have missed a sign or something."

She waved him off, still smiling like the sun. "Don't worry about it."

He lost his breath looking at her. He felt his fingers tingle and heart race, and the sun had never felt hotter on his face. He saw her lips move, but for the life of him, he couldn't comprehend anything.

"S-Sorry, can you say again?" he asked with a nervous grin.

She giggled, "You're funny!" He lost feeling in his legs! "I asked what you are looking for. Is this for your mom or something?"

"No," he managed, "No, this is for my brother."

Reality came rushing back to him, Tora-nii, his goofy laugh and warm hugs came back to him. Suddenly the warm day felt a bit colder.

Naruto calmed, looking at her with a smile. "I'm looking for some lilies."

"Lilies!" Her smile grew and immediately he felt warmer, "We have some over here!"

She gestured to follow her and he watched as she skipped and hopped over the flowerbeds, and he swore it should be the new definition of cute. Careful with his steps, he followed her closely, and he realized that she was small, a few inches shorter than him at least. Maybe she was a bit younger than him, he couldn't tell, but she was the first person he'd ever talk to who was smaller than him.

"Lilies are an odd choice, though." They were nearing the treeline and the winds were softer there. Her voice sounded sharp and clear now. "They can mean innocence or purity, or even rebirth. Is this for your big brother or little brother?"

"Big brother."

"Really?" she asked, "What the occasion?"

They stopped at another flower bed and she looked back at him. As much as he tried, he could stop the sad smile. "No occasion, but I read that it's the most common flower used for mourning."

Her smile vanished and he felt worse. "Oh…I'm sorry."

He braved a smile, hoping to reignite hers, "Don't be. You didn't know."

She rewarded him with a small grin, her hands behind her back. "But here we are! We have a few types, but this here is the Lilium Auratum, the Golden Rayed Lily. I think it's the most beautiful lily, and it's actually native here in Hi no Kuni." She gently plucked three stems from the plant and held them close. They were big flowers and beautiful to behold. Wide and long white petals dusted with flickers of gold. They smelled very sweet. "I'm sure your brother will love them."

She daintily offered them to him, and he shakily took them.

"Thank you…um."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, giggling, "Right, my name is Yamanaka Ino."

Remembering to use the last name Ji-chan told him to use, he replied, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. It's nice to meet you, Ino-chan."

"Chan?" she asked with a sly smile, "And already calling me by my first name?"

Naruto blushed to his roots, "S-Sorry, Yamanaka-san," he managed to stammer as she giggled, "I figured you're younger than me and though…well, I don't really…um."

She laughed, her shoulders shaking, "It's okay, you can call me Ino-chan. Everyone calls me Ino-chan." He relaxed, rubbing the back of his head with a shy grin. "But I'm eight years old. How old are you?"

"Oh, I'm eight years old, too."

"Really?" she asked and he nodded, "You're quite a bit taller than me."

He was still rubbing the back of his head, "I guess…"

She grinned, "Well, are you going to take those back now?"

"Oh, right!" he exclaimed loudly, making her giggle again. "I will. Thank you, Ino-chan. I'll ask my sister to pay you back at your flower shop."

Ino waved him off, "No way, don't worry about it."

"No, I can't do that."

"It's fine. Honestly, I sometimes feed the animals with some of these flowers, so don't worry about it!"

Naruto reluctantly nodded. "Okay, if you're sure."

She nodded with a grin, "I am!"

"Thank you, Ino-chan."

"Cool, then let's go!"

She was looking at him expectedly, and he stared back, slowly blushing at her stare. "Are you coming with me?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yep!"

"Really? Why?"

"I have nothing else to do today. My parents dropped me off at the park to play, but none of my friends were there. I came here to check on the flowers to pass the time, but following you seems more interesting." Ino stared up at him, non-blinking. "But I don't have to come if you don't want me to."

"No!" he yelled, "I mean yes!" She giggled and he wanted to punch himself. "I mean no, I don't mind, and yes, I do want you to come."

"Great, then let's go!"

It had been a surreal day to say the least, and it was barely passed lunch time. Stepping out of the flower field, the two children make their way back to the beaten path, walking under the wide canopies back to the park. It certainly felt much farther on the way back for Naruto. For reasons he cannot fathom, he hands were shaking, his heart was beating against his chest, and he face felt hot even when walking in the shade. Glancing to his side, he saw Ino walking with a spring in her step, a soft hum on her lips, her eyes perpetually shining like pale diamonds.

He realized he was staring again.

"What's the matter?"

She noticed it, too!

"Nothing!" He managed a smile, "It's a hot day, so I'm wondering if you're thirsty or something."

She shrugged, "A little bit, but water we use for the fields isn't for drinking and the water fountain at the park is totally gross!"

"Oh, then here."

Naruto pulled his sleeve up to reveal a small seal marked on his forearm. He could feel Ino staring at him and his face grew hotter, but he ignored it and sent a pulse of chakra into the seal. With a puff of smoke emerged two bottles of water. Glad he didn't mess up on his chakra control – he could have accidentally summoned the entire dozen he sealed into the mark – he happily handed one over to Ino.

"Here you go!"

Ino slowly reached for the bottle, but still stared at him, wide eyed. "How did you do that?!" She grabbed his arm, making him blush again, looking at his seal in bewilderment. "I've never seen anything like that before! Did you use chakra? Can you already use chakra? I can barely make that stupid leaf float!"

"Um, that was a standard storage seal, just instead of using a scroll, I marked the seal on my arm using ink. It's capacity is much smaller than what you have fit into even a smaller scroll, but it's better than carrying around a backpack." She just stared at him, her eyes bright and shining so much that he had to look away. "This one is for water," he pulled his sleeve back more to reveal another seal, mindful of the flowers in his hand, "This one is for some ration bars in case of emergencies." He pulled back his other sleeve, "I have my basic weapons pack sealed into this one. Just your standard issue shuriken and kunai." Pulling further up, he revealed another mark. "This one I've never really used, but it's a first-aid kit. My Ji-chan always says I should have it with me just in case."

"Wow, who taught you this?"

"No one, really." He smiled shyly, "My Godfather sent me a few books on Fuinjutsu and I learned from there. It's pretty cool and useful. I used to hate carrying my backpack everywhere, especially when it's hot like today, but now I don't feel any heavier and can carry even more on me."

"That is super useful! Can you teach me how to do it?"

He grinned, "Of course! I don't have my ink and brush with me today, but I'll bring them with me next time."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto cursed the sun for his burning face.

"Y-You're welcome, Ino-chan."

If it wasn't for the sudden loud noises, neither Naruto nor Ino would have noticed they've already made their way back to the park. For once, Naruto's sensory abilities failed him as most of his attention was focused on his new friend. Almost absentmindedly, they made their way through the park, just a couple of kids in the hundreds and headed for the Hero's Memorial.

"How come I've never seen you at the academy before?"

Naruto tilted his head, "I'm not enrolled at the academy."

"Huh, but you know how to use chakra. Don't you want to become a ninja?"

He smiled, "I do, but I'm learning at home right now. My Ji-chan is teaching me the bookwork they teach at the academy and my other siblings are teaching me the rest."

"What about your parents?"

Naruto gave a sad smile again, and he saw Ino flinch. "No, my parents died during the Kyuubi attack. I live with my siblings and Ji-chan."

Ino had her head down, "I'm sorry. I'll stop asking so many questions."

"No, don't be!" He smiled at her, a genuine smile. "Ask me whatever you want. This is the first time I'm even talking to someone my age. This is fun!"

"Don't you have friends our age?" Ino smacked herself on the forehead, "Sorry, another stupid question."

He chuckled, "I come to the park sometimes, but I don't really know how to talk to people my age."

"You're talking just fine with me."

Still smiling, "I know! This is fun!"

Ino finally smiled again, "Well, come find me whenever you're at the park. I'm usually here on weekends."

"Okay!"

The Hero's Memorial was within sight. It was a huge dugout of an area, at least the size of your standard ANBU training arena, and it was sunken into the ground. Statues and monuments were built along the edges of the ceremonial ground, each depicting the epic feats of the fallen heroes of Konoha. There was an urban legend Naruto had heard from his siblings, that this dugout area was the result one of the Shodai Hokage's punches. Legend went that the Shodai had lost someone precious to him in war, and in anger and grief, he punched the ground with such power that it hollowed out the earth. In honor of the Shodai Hokage, the crater he created would house the Hero's Memorial.

Naruto didn't know if it was a true story, but he chose to believe in it.

Walking into the place, countless graves marked the ground, each one a fallen hero. At the very center of the field was a monument for the Will of Fire, and that was where Naruto headed. As he looked around and saw barely a few souls paying their respects, he thought back to his conversation with the Hokage. It was just a normal day for normal people, and no one knew the lengths his brother went through to secure the safety of the village.

Ino stood back as Naruto approached the cold pyre.

"These are for you, Tora-nii." Naruto whispered as he placed the flowers on the marble base, willing his tears away, "I hope you like them." He paused and stared at the monument, "I really miss you." He bowed low, his hand by his side. "Thank you for protecting our home and our family…my family." He looked to the sky, not letting his tears fall. "I promise you, Tora-nii, I'll become strong, so strong that none of my loved ones will need to die. I'll protect everyone so no one else has to. I promise, Tora-nii."

Wiping his eyes dry, to turned back to Ino, smiling at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, gently holding his sleeve.

"Yes, I feel much better now." He looked her in the eyes, "Thank you for coming here with me."

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it."

Ino looked to the pyre and bowed also, saying a silent prayer, Naruto assumed. He turned to the pyre and bowed again with her. In silence, they turned away, walking back where they came from.

"I've never been there before," Ino muttered as they climbed the steps, leaving the memorial. "I've passed by, but never been in there."

"I hope you never have to again, Ino-chan."

They walked in silence, but it was no longer awkward for Naruto. A weight had left his shoulders and he stood a little straighter. There was a clear goal for the future: to become strong. He had to become stronger than Tora-nii, stronger than his Ji-chan, stronger than every fallen hero in the memorial. Become so strong, he could protect everyone by himself, and no one in his family would have to be in danger anymore.

"Do you have anything planned for tomorrow, Naruto-kun?"

Ino's voice broke Naruto away from his thoughts. "No, not really. Ji-chan gives me weekends off, so I have nothing to do."

Ino grinned, "Well, in that case, come back to the park tomorrow! I can introduce you to my friends and we can all play together!"

"Really?" asked Naruto with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, it'll be a lot of fun!"

"I'll be there," he answered back, "Thank you, Ino-chan."

Chapter 1 – End

Hey guys, it's been a while. Life has been kicking my ass lately, and I find myself once again immersed in a lot of Naruto fanfictions. I've been on a NaruIno binge lately and just couldn't help but add one of my own. I can't believe in all these years, I haven't written a story with this amazing pairing.

I should also add here that I've received many messages asking me about A Father's Love and its Reading Version, and I'm happy to say that I am almost done the next chapter of A Father's Love. Sorry for taking so long, but I've been experiencing severe writer's block as of late. I'll declare here that I will never abandon A Father's Love. It is my favourite story and I will finish it no matter what.

Thank you for sticking with me.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a review.