Chapter 3

When Kushina closed her eyes hoping to get a good night's sleep, she was forced awake when she felt the alarm seals in the compound go off. Both she and Minato bolted out of their bed and ran to see what it was, the seals went off in Naruto's room, before they could do anything, an ear splitting scream came from inside the house. Running back inside Kushina went to find their daughters whom she was sure had been the ones who screamed, Minato closely behind her. When they arrived they saw Naoko and Mito's room empty, but heard sobbing coming from another room, closing in they saw the door to Naruto's room opened with the light on.

Kushina went inside and was stunned at how bare it was in there, there were only the white walls, the floor was clean, but it was devoid of life, something that shouldn't be for seen in a seven year old room. She saw Mito on the bed unresponsive and Naoko on the floor crying while gripping what seemed to be a note, instantly she felt a horrible sense of dread. Slowly she approached her daughter and kneeled next to her bringing her into her embrace. Minato did the same for Mito.

"Naoko, what happened?" she asked softly.

"Naruto-nii, we- I mean I came to say sorry and Mito-nee-chan came with me, but he's not here, he's…gone," Naoko told her mother as she cried even harder. At this moment Jiraiya and Tsunade who were alerted by the seal, arrived and was speechless at the sight of the lifeless room.

"Kushina," Tsunade spoke.

Kushina didn't answer her, instead she took the paper that Naoko was clutching and began to read it out loud.

Today I finally understood how you all feel about me; I'm nothing but a burden to all of you so I took the decision to leave. Now you can be the family you wanted to be, without someone to burden you. And be nothing but a annoyance in your life, goodbye Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Namikaze hope you enjoy the rest of your life with your favorite daughters.

-Naruto

The note was short, but it still explained how he felt; now the Hokage and his family had lost their only son because of their discrimination.

*****

Naruto was making his way through the village. His destination, was the top of the Hokage's monument, beyond the forest was a waterfall. Behind it was an old lab of Orochimaru. After clearing it and dumping the corpses at training ground 44. He made it his own base where he sometimes sleep in when his 'former' family forgot about him and locked him off the compound. There were a lot of weapons, jutsu scrolls, food stuff enough for a few months all stored in a storage scroll, and even a manual for advanced sealing techniques. There were a lot of rooms, mostly for experiments, but the others were leaving quarters as well as a huge training ground equal to that of the chuunin exam stage.

At first he didn't use the facilities and didn't learn any of the Jutsus as he was waiting for his family to train him themselves. Sadly, that was a foolish notion, one that he learned the hard way.

He was planning on staying at his hideout for a few weeks to hide before using a henge to walk out the South gate were two lazy chuunin guard the gate.

*sigh*

He sighed as he neared the training grounds. However, before he could get there he heard a sobbing sound in an alley way as he passed the Hyuuga compound. Curious, since it reminded him of himself when he was first beat up by the damn villagers. Our blonde hero went a head and checked who it was.

To his surprise, he saw the most beautiful girl in his books, his only friend, his crush and best friend Hinata-chan, she was currently sobbing while her knees was on her chest. Her whole body was in a fetal position.

"Hinata-chan!? What's wrong and what happened?" startled at such a scene, he asked worriedly.

Seeing Naruto, Hinata immediately glomped him in a hug and cried even more as she buried her face on his chest. He asked what was wrong and why was she crying, but she didn't answer. Naruto caressed her back and whispered comforting words to her until she calmed down.

2 minutes later, Hinata finally calmed down and Naruto decided to ask her again. "What happened Hinata-chan?"

Seeing him by her side Hinata begun to blush, but then she remembered what happened and she was on the verge of tears again. Naruto seeing this hugged her once more and told her "It's ok Hinata-chan, I'm here, I'm here" as he he caressed her back.

She calmed down and told him what happened, apparently during the sparing session with her 4 year old sister Hanabi -which she lost- Hiashi deemed her weak and unworthy of the title clan heir.

During a meeting after dinner, he announced Hanabi as the new clan heir. Shocked at her father's decision, Hinata run and was about to leave. When Hiashi ordered the guards to stop her.

He formally made another announcement that Hyuuga Hinata is no longer part of the Hyuuga clan, Disavowed as his daughter, and banished from the compound until she proves herself worthy. This earned a shocked reaction from the clan. Especially, the branch members since Hinata was the kindest of the main house and never treated them as slaves.

They branded her with the caged bird seal and then threw her in the alley were they were now.

Naruto was disgusted by their clan. He comforted Hinata once more since she started crying again when she finished her story.

"It's ok Hinata-chan, I'm here" he said "Hey, I've got an Idea, why don't you come with me?" asked Naruto.

"What do you mean?" asked Hinata as she finally stopped crying and looked at Naruto in the eye. Which made him blush and gulp silently as her face was currently only a few inches from his.

*cough*

Naruto faked a cough and told her what happened earlier. Hinata was not that surprised as she actually witnessed what happened with his family. What surprised her was the obvious scorn he had when he talked about his parents. Which he now addressed as Hokage-san, and Kushina-san.

"I'm sorry for what happened Naruto-kun" said Hinata

"You don't have to be sorry Hinata-chan, it wasn't your fault they were such bad parents" he said while scratching his cheek with his index finger "So would you like to come with me?" asked Naruto.

"I don't know Naruto-kun, I'm weak I might only become a burden" said Hinata embarrassedly as she played with her fingers, which Naruto found adorable.

"Your not weak Hinata-chan, you are loyal, hard working, kind, and beautiful" said Naruto as Hinata looked away and blushed.

"Look at me" he said as he used his hand to lift Hinata's chin and looked at her straight in the eye "I am hated through the village because I 'claim' to be the Hokage's son, My parents and Godparents think of me as nothing more than an extra buggage with no talent, but I don't give up, you know why?" he asked as she shook her head "because that is my nindo, and someday I will prove them wrong. I said many times that I will be the Hokage, and by kami (and a lot of blood, toil, tears, sweat and elbow grease he whispered), I will be the Hokage!" said Naruto as he grinned at her to his fullest.

"So Hinata-chan, would you like to come with me? Do you want to prove your clan, that they where wrong about you and that it was their biggest mistake to banish you? asked Naruto

Hinata wiped the tears in her eyes and looked at Naruto with determination, then said or more like shouted "I am!"

Naruto giggled at her response and said "Then come on" as he stood up and held his hand out to Hinata, which she happily took and then made their way to Naruto's hideout.

Once they left, someone peeked at the corner of said alley, Hanabi looked at her sister with pride and said "Good for you, Nee-chan"