Chapter 14

I woke up in the makeshift hospital. The original had been destroyed. I could feel it. I diagnosed myself and found nothing wrong. I shrugged and got out of the bed. I was fine, except I was a bit tired. That could wait. "Hey!" said a nurse, "You need-"

I glared at her and grabbed my headband. I put it on to coer the diamond. Then, I ran towards my neighborhood. Maybe… maybe they were still alive. I knew it was a longshot. I knew it would hurt but… I wanted to. I needed to… 

The street was deserted. There was nothing. I ran to the house. There was a gaping hole. Then, I smelled it. A scnet I had grown accustomed to. I gagged. Blood. I walked inside. Everything was destroyed, there was barely anything left. 

I leaned against the last remaining wall, sobbing. Nohara-san?" asked a voice behind me, "Are you RIn Nohara?' 

"Yes." I stood up and turned around. 

There was a younger shinobi, genin or chunin. He looked unsure as he handed me two black sealing scrolls with kanji on them. Kaa-chan… Tou-san… "Do-Do you-" 

I nodded, "Thank you." 

He nodded. I gasp as he left. I fell to my knees, the scrolls to my chest. They were gone, it was confirmed. They weren't my parents, but they were Rin's parents and I was Rin. I sobbed harder, gasping for breath. 

"Are you…" I heard Genma approach from behind me. He had been discharged already? 

"Come on," he said, helping stand up, "can you stand?" 

I nodded and stood up. I swayed and fell. He caught me and picked me up bridal style as I cried. He carried me through the ruins of the village. He didn't say anything and neither did I. We came to his home, which, magically, was unharmed. Half of the village was unharmed, my family was unlucky enough to be harmed. "Hey Kaa-san," he said to his mom. 

He put me down and I managed to stand. "Shiranui-san," I said. 

She looked at me, then at Genma. "This is Rin," he introduced. 

"I know," she said, "She needs a bath… and… a lot of other stuff." She hustled me into the back of the house, "Come on, missy, let's get you cleaned up." 

I smiled but said nothing. Genma tried to follow. "Uh, absolutely not!" said his mother, "A girl needs privacy. What are you trying to look at." 

His face went red and his mother laughed. She led me into their bathroom. "I'll be back with some clothes," she said, "Take a warm shower. You need it." 

I nodded my thanks and she left. I stood in front of the mirror and suddenly, I realized how terrible I looked. My face was streaked with dirt and tears. I had blood all over me. My eyes were red from crying and my white shirt had turned brown and red. I noticed my hand had healed. 

I sighed and took the shower. It felt good. It felt warm. I wrapped myself in a towel just as Genma's mother came in. In her arms, she held a pile of clothes. "I tried to match your style," she said, "Some of these are my old clothes, see what fits." 

I nodded and she left. She had given me undergarments that fit perfectly. Then, there was a long sleeved shirt, a jacket, and a skirt. The skirt was gray, not white, but it was fine. As long as it wasn't red… 

I walked out and Shiranui-san grinned. "You look good, don't you agree? Genma?" 

"Yeah," Genma blushed. 

I gave them a sad smile. "Come on," Shiranui-san dragged me to their kitchen and handed me a bowl of rice. "Eat." 

I shook my head, I wasn't hungry. "You need to eat," said Genma, "You haven't eaten in a while." 

I looked at him, how long had I been out? He must have seen the confused look on my face because he answered, "It's been about sixteen hours since the attack. Konoha is in a state of panic." 

"Eat," said Shiranui-san and I ate. I sat at their kitchen table eating in silence. Genma was across from me but neither of us spoke. I coldn't speak. 

My throat ached from screaming and coughing, and it hurt to speak. There was a knock on the door. Shiranui-san answered it. "Is Rin Nohara here?" asked the person at the door. He was ANBU, "Her presence is required at Hokage tower immediately." 

"Absolutely not!" said Shiranui-san. 

I sighed as the ANbU spoke. "This is a direct order from Sandime Hokage-sama himself!" 

"Have you seen the poor thing?" asked Shiranui-san, "Why would I, as a mother, send her to a meeting in such a state?" 

"Is she unable to attend? Is she physically unwell?" 

"Ah… no-" 

"Then she must come," said the ANBU. 

I stood up and walked slowly to the door as Shiranui-san argued. "Its-" I whispered, "It's okay, I can go." 

Shiranui-san looked at me worridly, "Alright, but…" 

I gave her a reassuring smile and she sighed. I walked out the house. "Let's go," said the ANBU. 

I nodded and disappeared, leaving the ANBU behind. Even dead, Minato-sensei's Flying Thunder God seals remained. I used it and directly teleported into Hokage Tower, right outside the meeting room door. I sighed took a deep breath. 'I am a shinobi… I am a shinobi… I am…' 

I stepped in. "Ah," said Sandaime, he sat at the head of the room, "Come in, we've been waiting for you." 

I nodded and closed the door behind me. I sat down at the last open chair, next to Shikaku. "Are you alright?" he whispered. 

I nodded, aware that my eyes were obviously red from crying. "Ehem," said Sandaime and we looked up. 

"It is regretful that…" he said, "Yondaime Hokage has unforguatenly passed away in this most recent attack." 

The other council members muttered quietly to each other. "His son," continued Sandaime, "has been born. The child… is the jinchuurkiki of the Nine Tails." 

"Naruto," I spoke up. 

They turned to me. I wasn't usually there and many hadn't noticed me enter, despite Sandaime calling my name. "Excuse me?" asked Danzo, "This is not the time to be talking about… food." 

I glared at him. "Minato-sensei's sons name is Naruto. He's named after a character from one of Jiraya-sama's books." 

"I see," sighed Hiruzen, he sounded so tired, so old, "We need to discuss what to do with Naruto. He will be in danger of assansinations if people find out his true heritage and if other villages find out what is… inside him." 

"Excuse me?" I asked, "Is Kushina-nee not alive?" 

A man turned to me, "I am the head of Konoha Hospital… and well it was a miracle she's lived while her husband did not, how did you do it?" 

"Thats not the point," said Hiruzen.

"Oh but," said Danzo curiously, "I'm sure we all would like to know." 

I sighed and glared at him, "I healed her." 

"But how?" asked Koharu, "Tell us, girl." 

I sighed and pulled of my headband, revealing the diamond. There were gasps around the room and I heart someone mention Tsunad. "Silence!" Hiruzen slammed his fist on the table and the whispering stopped. 

"Kushina-sama is in a coma," said the Head of the hospital, "I diagonsed her myself. I don't… I don't think she'll ever wake up. And even if she didn't it would take her years." 

I nodded, for a jinchuurkiki to be separated from their tailed beast, it should have been certain death. She survived through a miracle and maybe Uzumaki physique. "So as of now," said Sandaime, "Naruto is an orphan." 

No. Kushina was alive, would his fate still be the same? "I'll take care of him!" I said. 

"You?" laughed Danzo, "You're only a chunin!" 

I glared at him. Sandaime sighed, "Actually… in the light of the recent events… I, Sandaime Hoakge promotes Nohara Rin to Tokubetsu Jounin. No arguements." 

"She's still only a child," argued Danzo. He was really getting on my nerves. 

I released a killing intent towards him and he flinched. "Enough!" said Hiruzen, "Danzo, be quiet… Rin… although you are a jounin, you are young and Jiraya is the godfather… what can you do?" 

I sighed, "First off, Jiraya is an irresponsible pervert. Naruto is better off staying FAR away from him. Second, I know that since he is an irresponsible pervert, your plan, before I came is… You were probably discussing making him an orphan and sending him off to live alone in a dirty old apartment." 

The older members of the council looked around guilty. "But why you?" asked Hirzuen.

I grinned. "First, I can protect him. Second, I'm his godmother. And third, I'm an jinchuurkiki so I teach him." 

Hiruzen sighed, "You have a point… but no. I'll change the rules a bit, but you may not be his guardian." 

I sighed. "Only Jounin and aboe are allowed to know about him, but they are forbidden from telling anyone. No one will know that he is Yondaime's son. He will be called Uzumaki Naruto. And NO ONe, not even you Rin, may interact with him until he becomes genin at least." asked Hiruzen. 

"I… fine." there was no arguing. At least… at least Naruto was safe and Kushina was alive…