Eyes of the Fox

Hiruzen, Kakashi, and Anko looked down at the child held in the third Hokage's arms.

"What are we going to do with him?" asked Anko, being uncharacteristically serious. "It would be dangerous for him to be on his own, especially since the Council decided to let everyone know about the Kyubi."

"I know." Hiruzen said. "But I cannot take him in, my position has already been weakened by the Orochimaru incident. Anything more, and my position may be given to someone else. Someone like Danzo, perhaps."

"I should take him in, but I'm not sure-" Kakashi started, and then gasped, looking at the child's eyes. Where they had been blue before, now they were red, with cat-like slits for pupils, and one small tail-like mark, circling them. Small fangs poked out of the infant's mouth. Looking up at the others, Kakashi said "That settles it. I have to raise him, if only to help him learn how to control this."

"Of course, but what is it?" Anko asked.

"It's something I've only heard of." Hirizen said. "It's known as the 'Kyugan.' It's something that only is inherited if the child's parent is the jinchuriki of the Kyubi, and the child is as well. Obviously, it's very rare, but once the bloodline is started, all the descendants will have the eyes as well." Horizon sounded worried. "It was only a legend before now."

"Well," Kakashi said. "It looks like the legend has become a reality."

-><-

"NARUTO, GET DOWN HERE. YOUR GRADUATION EXAM IS TODAY!" Kakashi yelled up the stairs. It had been 12 years since he had taken in the son of his teacher, and they had been anything but easy for the former ANBU member.

He had taught all that he could to the boy, at least while he was in the academy. He had had to teach him the shadow clone technique, because Naruto simply had too much chakra to effectively use a regular clone technique. He had also taught as much as he could about ocular jutsu, his own being secondhand. Naruto now had three of the tail-like marks unlocked, and had started growing claws when the Kyugan was activated.

As Kakashi was finishing spreading jam on his toast, Naruto came running down the stairs, grabbing Kakashi's toast. Scarfing it down, he yelled over his shoulder "SEE YA POPS!"

Kakashi shook his head, and called back "REMEMBER, IF YOU DO WELL, I'LL TAKE YOU TO ICHIRAKU'S!" Naruto flashed back a thumbs up sign, and disappeared. Kakashi sighed to himself, and then left to answer the summons from the Hokage.