The Fox Mask

"Boss, how much is this fox mask? I'll take it," Hyuga Gen asked, paying no attention to Uzumaki Naruto, whom the shopkeeper had shoved to the ground.

"Heh heh, sir, this mask is ten taels," the merchant said with a smile, rubbing his hands together.

"Ten taels? That's not too expensive." Hyuga Gen paid the ten taels and picked up the mask. He tried it on, and it really wasn't bad.

Seeing that the mask had been bought, Uzumaki Naruto had no choice but to accept it. He got to his feet dejectedly and muttered under his breath:

"I saw it first."

He looked up at the handsome man and beautiful woman before him, dressed in fine clothes, then turned away, utterly dispirited.

"You're leaving already? Don't you want the mask?" Hyuga Gen asked.

"Y-you're talking to me?" Uzumaki Naruto asked. He noticed that this man looked at him differently from everyone else. He didn't have that look people gave a plague god.

"Who else would I be talking to?" Hyuga Gen replied, looking at Uzumaki Naruto with a gentle expression.

"Here, take it. You like this mask so much, so I'll give it to you," Hyuga Gen said, handing it over.

"You really... want to give this mask to me?" Uzumaki Naruto could hardly believe his ears or eyes. Someone was actually giving him something—and it was a mask he liked.

"Yeah, take it. It's not anything valuable," Hyuga Gen said firmly.

He could tell the boy before him meant him no harm and was sincere. There was nothing about him that anyone would covet. He looked again at the mask he had longed for.

At last, he reached out with trembling hands and accepted it. The way his hands shook showed just how much this affected him.

"All right, I should get going. Keep working hard. I'm sure you'll become an excellent ninja," Hyuga Gen said, then left with Hyuga Natsu.

Uzumaki Naruto stared blankly at their backs. He only came to his senses a little after they had disappeared from sight.

He looked at the Demon Fox Mask in his hands and felt as if he were dreaming. Apart from Grandpa Third, no one had ever been this kind to him.

"Thank you, big brother. I'll definitely become an excellent ninja," he said gratefully, secretly resolving that one day he would become a powerful ninja.

Many years later, people noticed that Uzumaki Naruto, now the Seventh, would often polish a fox mask that looked terribly worn. Nobody understood why.

Why would a battered mask be so dear to the great Seventh? It sparked widespread discussion. Meanwhile, every mask of the same design on the market was snapped up. But that's a story for another time.

Life was full of surprises. While out for a walk with Hyuga Natsu, Hyuga Gen had run into Naruto buying a toy.

"Big Brother Gen, it's the Demon Fox," Hyuga Natsu whispered to Hyuga Gen. He had seen it too, of course.

"Natsu, are you scared?" Hyuga Gen teased, as she grabbed the hem of his clothes just as he was about to walk toward the stall.

"Who's scared?" Though she said that, Hyuga Natsu clung tightly to one of Hyuga Gen's arms as she followed him to the stall.

And that was how the scene just now had come about.

"Big Brother Gen, why did you buy him a mask?" Hyuga Natsu asked curiously. Nearly everyone in Konoha avoided him and treated him like a plague god, yet Hyuga Gen had given him a mask. Hyuga Natsu was very curious.

They had grown up together, so Hyuga Natsu knew Hyuga Gen well. She had hardly ever seen him give anyone a present of his own accord. He usually didn't think much of other people.

"I'm making an early investment. Once he becomes Hokage, I can ride his coattails and get special treatment. It'll make things a lot easier," Hyuga Gen said casually.

"He can become Hokage? Big Brother Gen, don't joke with me," Hyuga Natsu said, giving him a look that said, Don't treat me like an idiot.

"What, you don't believe me?" Hyuga Gen asked.

"I wouldn't believe it even if you beat me to death. If you're going to lie, Big Brother Gen, at least come up with a better excuse," Hyuga Natsu said, pursing her lips.

"How about a bet? We'll bet on whether he becomes Hokage. The loser has to do one thing the winner asks, no questions asked. Deal?" Hyuga Gen said, challenging Hyuga Natsu with a look.

"Hmph, deal. You're definitely going to lose this time, Big Brother Gen," Hyuga Natsu said confidently. She couldn't see any chance at all that Uzumaki Naruto would become Hokage—not even the slightest.

"Haha, Natsu, don't cry when you lose," Hyuga Gen said happily.

Seeing his expression, Hyuga Natsu started to doubt herself. She thought it over again but still couldn't see any chance of Naruto becoming Hokage, so she put her doubts aside.

"Big Brother Gen, you're the one who—" Hyuga Natsu remembered she had never seen Hyuga Gen cry.

"I'd really like to see it," Hyuga Natsu thought, imagining Hyuga Gen crying. It seemed rather ridiculous.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, an Anbu operative reported that Hyuga Gen had approached Naruto of his own accord that day.

"He bought him a mask? Did he do anything else unusual?" Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a slight frown.

"No."

"Good. Keep an eye on him for three more days. If nothing unusual happens, stop watching him," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

"Understood, Lord Hokage." With that, the operative vanished in an instant, slipping into the darkness.

"Well, looks like I'm being watched. I really should avoid Naruto from now on. Having Anbu tail me all the time would make me uncomfortable," Hyuga Gen thought as he walked home after seeing Hyuga Natsu off. He sensed something was wrong.

"But do you really think keeping watch works on the Hyuga Clan?" Lying in bed, Hyuga Gen activated his Byakugan and saw where the operative was hiding, then shut it off at once.

Let them watch. Hyuga Gen didn't pay it much mind. He knew the Anbu wouldn't need long before they left.

Thinking of Uzumaki Naruto, whom he had just met, Hyuga Gen realized this had been the first time he had spoken to him, though he had seen him at school before.

Naruto had started school quite early. It was probably because Third Hokage couldn't be bothered to look after him and had sent him to school young. At least the school could keep an eye on him.

He hadn't expected to become Naruto's schoolmate. It was pretty interesting. But graduation was coming soon, and Hyuga Gen felt a little reluctant to leave. After all, once he became a ninja, he wouldn't have such carefree days at school.

And once he went out into the world, he would have to be even more careful. One careless mistake could cost him his life. Thinking of Tsunade's younger brother, who had been killed by Explosive Tags in Shippuden, Hyuga Gen shuddered. He absolutely couldn't meet the same fate.

And on that very day, Uchiha Itachi joined the Anbu. Uchiha Fugaku was delighted, and the family celebrated.

The shadow cast by Uchiha Shisui's death seemed to have lifted completely.