The Lives Worth Saving

Chapter 1 - To Live Again Pt 2

The Sandaime stared hard at the brown-haired man, observing the now obvious henge. This man, obviously a ninja, had entered his office before any of his ANBU had even been able to react, and then had stood still while his guards had surrounded him. If he had meant any actual or immediate harm, this man could have already done it. Wordlessly, Sarutobi nodded curtly, keeping his eyes on the man as one of the ninja's hands slowly reached into a hidden pocket and withdrew a necklace.

Sarutobi immediately stiffened, recognizing the necklace instantly. "Where did you get that?" He demanded as he came around his desk and contemplated whether or not the man would give it up without fuss.

The henged nin held out the necklace without hesitation. "From a slug currently on quite the losing streak."

Sarutobi's eyes widened at the analogy and he studied the brown eyes for a moment longer. This man knew Tsunade, and while an enemy ninja could just as easily have gotten this information, he also knew his former student would never give up this necklace to some random shinobi.

With a decisive nod, he turned to his ANBU guards. "Wait outside," He ordered, ignoring the silent protest that immediately flared up. "Go. I can handle this."

Reluctantly, the ANBU withdrew, and once they had left the office, Sarutobi quickly activated the privacy seals set up around the room. He turned back to the stranger, blinking in shock as the henge dropped and a tall, slender-framed blond with piercing blue eyes stared back at him, a puzzling sort of affection tilting his lips.

"Minato..." Sarutobi whispered, taking a shaky step back.

The blond sighed, brushing a stray lock of hair away from his face. "Not quite, old man. Try his son. I'm Naruto."

The Sandaime quickly pulled his thoughts together, steadying himself in the present as he studied the man in front of him. Now that he took the time, he could see the differences between the Yondaime and this blond. While the two had the same hair and eyes, this man, Naruto, was more slender than and not as broad-shouldered as Minato had been. His jawline and facial structure were deceivingly delicate but also held the same strength Minato had had. And the faint smile that still quirked the blond's lips as the man waited patiently for him to finish his observations was all Kushina. Absently, Sarutobi wondered if his laugh would be like Minato's.

"If what you say is true," Sarutobi finally voiced carefully. "Then you must be from the future."
Naruto nodded, the slightest flicker of relief flitting across his features. "Yes, fourteen years in the future to be exact, give or take a few months." Here, the blond hesitated before forging on. "You could ask me some questions to make sure."

Sarutobi didn't think anyone could pull off this sort of henge and not many people knew Minato and Kushina even had a son, not to mention that the whisker markings on the blond's face and the distinct Kyuubi chakra he could now sense inside the younger man were dead giveaways, but a few identity questions couldn't hurt either.

"Who were your parents?"

Again, that faint smile appeared briefly, and Sarutobi frowned inwardly at this implication. Naruto had always been optimistic, and always had a ready smile for all. For his expressions to have faded to a mere shadow of what it once was (still is now?), was a clear indication that things in the future had not turned out well.

"Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

Sarutobi nodded. "Your godfather and godmother?"

This time, a shadow of pain and deep sorrow darkened the cerulean eyes before that too disappeared. "Raiya and Tsunade."

Sarutobi blinked, startled. "He lets you call him 'Raiya'?"

Naruto, for it really could be no one else, blinked back. "Well, I also call him Ero-sennin, but after I did that a couple of times in front of those women he tries to get to as well as a few dignitaries, he finally told me I could call him Raiya instead, at least while in front of other people." The blond scoffed a bit. "There's nothing wrong with Raiya. It's not perverted or degrading or anything. It's just a nickname. If he hadn't told me that he didn't let anyone else call him that, I would have ignored him altogether."