Chapter Text

In a world like that? Where the Third is dead, and Danzo has control? Kakashi, who may have been his last line of defence, is gone?

In this world, Naruto is isolated even more. They take him from his small apartment, put him with other small children. They tell him to shut up and learn, to be silent and kill. That's all he's good for.

Maybe they make a half-hearted show at manipulating him, at first. Tell him that it's a Special Program that they're setting up for Clan heirs and Gifted children. Make him easier to mould, more compliant.

But that would stop quickly. They do their best to break the child of a Clan heir, they'll certainly break a Jinchuriki with no ties.

So what happens to this boy, who so so badly wants to be a ninja and fight? Who wants to be a hero and is kind?

They come down hard on him. His attempts to make friends are punished harshly. Anything less than perfection is punished even more so. He is forced to make use of the Kyuubi again and again. Before he is ready, before there is an agreement.

Kyuubi vows to destroy the small child that keeps taking from him. He rails at his cage and spits venom whenever that dead-eyed boy appears.

So say they've had Naruto for a few years. They've trained him, conditioned him; with a canny use of emotional manipulation to sweeten the pot. Tell him that what he's doing is important, that he is serving the village in the most glorious way. That these brittle-strong children who have suffered alongside him for years are his comrades.

And it works, to an extent. There's still that little spark, of course. The kind that let Sai drag Shikako out of a hospital bed. But really, it works. And as much as he is able, as much as he is able to understand it, he loves the people, the children, who make up Root.

And if Danzo is smart about it, Naruto loves him too.

Danzo pays special attention to Naruto

And isn't it sad, that Naruto can't tell the real difference between good and bad attention, just that he has it

Tells him again and again that it isn't good enough

Maybe once, someone says you can do better and that is so much easier to hear. Naruto replaces one rebuke for another slightly softer. No one's ever really expected something from him before. Except for one person. And the Third was Danzo's best friend...

Tells him that he is part of something greater

He's always wanted to be a part of something. To be included. To be important. And this isn't easy, it isn't soft. But it is so much more than nothing. He just...

Tells him that he is part of his village

You are the Roots in the dark...

And if Danzo were truly cunning, were truly cruel... He would speak with soft tones to a wet-eyed boy and say.

'I mourn for Hiruzen, too. Is it not our duty to protect the village, when he no longer can?'

He's so young, and he is so alone.

And maybe, just maybe... He sometimes see's a little girl, who reminds him of another. Who smiled at him and asked if he wanted to play tag. He is not allowed to talk to her, and she is not allowed to talk to him. Not really. But he likes standing next to her. During roll calls, during training. Whenever he can.

Until she is not there anymore.