The streets were particularly crowded that afternoon.
There was good reason for it. A confluence of events, as coincidence would have it. The Spring Festival was ending. That season's chunin exams were about to begin. As a result, villagers mixed with a large number of foreign visitors.
"At least I don't have to worry about that anymore!" Munching on an overly large fish-shaped pastry, one that had already dropped at least three splotches of bean jam on his orange and black jumpsuit, Uzumaki Naruto marched through town as if he were the prince of the city. Less than two years ago, he had finally taken the examinations for the second time, easily passing them. "But… there won't be better fights this year, either…."
The perky ninja smiled, swatting away a yellow and black wasp that had dibs on the sweet confection dotting his clothing. Not only had he passed the exams, he had done so in style. After breezing through the written part, and having no trouble whatsoever in the Forest of Death or the preliminary fights, he had arrived at the arena feeling far more confident than he had against Neji. In fact, in his usually brash fashion, he had called up to the Hokage's box and asked if he could take on the remaining nine contestants at the same time.
'Hey… Granny… I'm hungry and don't feel like waiting around all day.'
That was how he had prefaced things. Tsunade had not been amused. It was bad enough when Naruto spoke that way in private, or when there were other Leaf shinobi around. But, to do something like that in front of her fellow Kage and esteemed visitors? Thinking she might be able to give the young upstart a lesson in humility, the Hokage had agreed.
"No way anyone's gonna top that!" Licking his fingers, Naruto took in the sights of the village. "E-v-e-r." He was in a good mood, having been given a new assignment. Given his destination, however, he would need to wipe away that smile, as well as the sticky jam. "I'm a legend." He smirked, saying that. No one had heard him, so it was OK.
After he had actually won his impossible match, his head had gotten a bit too large for his body, figuratively speaking. Sakura had been rather demonstrative, making it a point to bring him back down to size. Sai had merely smiled, time and time again. Sasuke, back in the village if not entirely back in everyone's good graces, had made it a point to call him 'Dumb-ass,' when he deemed to pay any attention to his friend's antics.
Thinking about his pending new start, and about the current chunin exams, Naruto began reminiscing, his thoughts revolving around the whole issue of rank in the shinobi society. He knew where he had started, and still had no doubt where he wanted to end up.
"Hah! I remember when I was an Academy student!" Naruto looked a group of pre-teens, escorted by Iruka. Having visited a food vendor, they were each carrying a candied or caramel apple on a stick, or any of a number of sweet confections that had him rubbing his belly. He waved to his friend, thinking that his own days in that class seemed just like yesterday.
He had entered the Academy, wanting more than anything to be a ninja. But, to become shinobi, one had to pass rigorous trials, and he had been the only one in his group not to. At first, that is. Thanks to the traitorous Mizuki, and the forbidden scroll that the naïve and desperate fox-bearer had swiped, he had earned his forehead protector. It seemed that learning a restricted jutsu and stomping the living hell out of a bad guy counted just as much as being able to get Henge right.
"Maybe I didn't take things seriously enough at first." Naruto shrugged, and then smiled again. He rapped his knuckles against the hitai-ite, the one that Iruka had tied on his head. "And I didn't do all that well on the tests and stuff." There had been didactic and written exams as well as practical tests that evaluated weapon usage and elementary ninja techniques. He routinely lagged behind in his performance, when it came to things like the Transformation Technique, Rope Escape Technique, Body Replacement Technique, and Clone Technique. "But, I showed everyone!" He had. At first, that goal had been just as important as his dream of being Hokage.
He thought back to the day when the teams were assigned. Rubbing the back of his neck, he realized just how clueless he had been. It was amazing how much he had learned in the interim. Looking up at the vast expanse of blue sky above him, he felt a bit nostalgic, pondering how his initial relationships with Sakura and Sasuke had blossomed into a true friendship. Friends. True companions. That had been the other thing that he had wished for, as an enrollee at the Academy.
Naruto watched as a number of small children ran past, shaking strings of bells that their parents or guardians had bought them. Back when he had been a new genin with Team Seven, it had been two bells that had led to one particular embarrassing predicament. "But… Sakura and Sasuke wouldn't let me starve…" Like Jiraiya, Naruto had been the one in his group of three to be tied to the post after losing the bell test first started by Sarutobi. He had been very fortunate that Konoha didn't have a practice like that of certain other villages. In some nations, there was an additional test given to each three-man squad, to see if they are truly ready to graduate. Those who fail their test are sent back to the academy to start back at the beginning.
Frowning for a moment, he thought back to yet another ignominious memory from that very same day. Kakashi-sensai had gotten him with the Thousand Years of Pain technique. It had been humiliating! Infuriating! But, later on, he had given better than he had gotten. No, not to the Copy Ninja. Gaara had been the recipient of the very same jutsu, but with the added bonus of explosive seals. "Hah! But that wasn't as good as the one I gave old Fish-face." During one of his final battles against Akatsuki, Naruto had used the cringe-inducing technique on Hoshigaki Kisame, causing the S-ranked ninja to lose his cool at a crucial moment. "Yeh. He never would have been able to live that one down…."
S-class ninja possess power far beyond that of the average Jounin. Such a denotation implied someone of legendary status, regardless of their actual rank. Akatsuki members had all fit that description, except perhaps for that strange Tobi character. Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru were S-class themselves.
"I know an S-ranked jutsu." Naruto was all too aware that knowing one technique of that level did not make him an S-class ninja himself. But, as far as he was concerned, he was well on his way. The training technique that Kakashi and Yamato had taught him continued to work wonders. The jutsu he had created… completing the unfinished Rasengan by combining it with manipulation of wind-type chakra… had played an important role in his fight against the Nine. "I don't want a stupid nickname, though. No matter how great people think I am."
Ero-Sennin was the 'Toad Hermit.' That wasn't so bad, and was definitely better than the things that Tsunade called the old pervert. She in turn was known as the 'Legendary Sucker' and 'The Slug Woman.' That had him grinning again, and thinking about the journey he and his mentor had made to bring back the Fifth Hokage.
"Sasuke was jealous of how strong I had become," Naruto said, feeling prideful at first, before thinking about his friend's decision to become a missing ninja, and all the heartache that followed that fateful choice. "Oh… my fault… sorry..." Lost in thought, he had walked head on into the side of a stall where wooden dragon puppets were being sold. Eyeing the wares for a moment, he laughed. There was a rather ugly looking toad puppet that reminded him of Gama Bunta. His cheerfulness vanished when he saw another wooden toy, one that looked all too much like the Kyuubi.
Nunekin. Missing nins. Rogue ninjas. There were different names for the type of shinobi that his sharing an-eyed friend had become. But, what it all boiled down to was a ninja who had abandoned his own Hidden Village. By definition, such a person would be considered a traitor, even if he didn't intend to voluntarily divulge secrets to the members of some other village. If an enemy was able to gain Blood Limit secrets by examining the body of such an absentee, such information could be even more devastating to the security of a village than restricted information pertaining to numbers and locations of ninjas, specific weaknesses, and so forth. Akatasuki members, most of whom had worn forehead protectors with a slash made through the emblem of their village, had been missing nins. So had Orochimaru, who had joined and subsequently left that organization. Thinking back to the fight at the Valley of the End, Naruto remembered the forehead protector that Sasuke had left behind. It had been scratched during their showdown. It had seemed symbolic at the time.
"And Zabuza…." Naruto thought back to that encounter, feeling a pang when he thought of Haku. "He was a missing nin…." He felt a brief moment of satisfaction, remembering how he had shown off his own brand of cleverness, teaming up with Sasuke to free Kakashi from the water prison. And, in the spirit of his recent musing, he recalled that Kirigakure once had a life-or-death duel as its graduation exam, and that Zabuza Momochi had murdered all of the graduating class before he was even qualified to take part in the test.
Zabuza. Yes, that famous killer had been the strongest ninja he had faced at that point in his life. The whole mission had been an eye opener for him. At first, he had shamed himself against the Demon Brothers. But, his later actions had actually led to Tazuna naming a bridge after him. Hah! The genius Uchiha still didn't have a bridge named after him.
"Sasuke…." Naruto's thoughts changed direction yet again. His friend had indeed turned traitor, running off with the Sound Four to meet up with Orochimaru. That had led to a 'Promise of a Lifetime' with Sakura, a pledge that he had been unable to keep at first, even during the first mission that the two of them had gone on with Sai and Yamato. But, perseverance had finally paid off. Finally. "But not that that day. Not the day I fought him…."
Shikamaru had been given his first command. Neji. Choji. Kiba. They had been part of the mission, too. Lee had shown up unexpectedly, after successfully recovering from his dangerous surgery. Gaara, Kankouro, and Gaara had taken part too, as allies instead of foes. Of the guys he palled around with, only Shinoi had been excluded, a fact that had stuck in the strange boy's craw for some time after that. Everyone had won their respective battles. Everyone but him. He couldn't bring himself to kill Sasuke. Luckily, perhaps as a whim, the other boy had returned the favor. "It's not… it's not as if I had been trained as a hunter nin." He still felt sad about that failure. It had been a difficult time, when Sakura came to visit him in the hospital.
Fact of the matter was, none of the genin had been a hunter nin, and neither had Shikamaru, the lone chuunin at that time. Hunter-nin, also known as oinin or chasing ninja, were members of special teams that were given the specific duty of hunting down missing ninjas. They were tasked with killing their intended targets, removing their heads as proof, and destroying the remainder of the corpse to make certain that no secrets were learned.
"Haku…." Naruto thought back to the gentle boy whom he had originally mistaken for a girl. With a hunter nin mask on, Haku had pretended to be just such a shinobi, so that he could remove Zabuza, who had been feigning death. Fueled by rage and Kyuubi chakra, he had later defeated Haku against all odds. But, he couldn't help but wonder if the other boy had held back at the end. In a different life, the two of them could have been friends.
"Today's not a day for that kind of sad stuff!" Naruto threw out his chest and began marching again. "Uzumaki Naruto is moving up." Yes, he had graduated from the academy, making genin. He had passed the chuunin exams, when his frightfully busy life had finally given him the necessary chance. A number of months ago, he had made special jounin. If his guess was right, before receiving his new big assignment, Granny Tsunade would name him full jounin. "I deserve it!" One step closer to Ho… ka… ge….
He had been on a number of missions as Tokubetsu Jounin, which sat as the rank above Chuunin and directly below Jounin. He was in good company, seeing that some of his friends were Special Jounins as well, as were a number of well-respected specialists such as Ebisu and Ibiki Morino. Thinking of Ebisu had him smiling, reminding him of the Harem No Jutsu, and causing him to reminisce about his meeting with Ero-Sennin in his natural environment. When he pictured Ibiki Morino, he shuddered.
Despite having seen the commanding officer of the Konoha Anbu Torture and Interrogation Force on numerous occasions, Naruto still couldn't help but cringe whenever he saw those scars. The life of a shinobi was anything but wine and roses in the best of times. In the worst of times, things could get rather harsh. The burn marks, puncture marks from where torture screws, and long slash marks, all spoke silent testimony of what could happen when a ninja was captured by enemy forces. Ibiki had withstood everything thrown at him, and had gone on to become an expert in attacking the mind and spirit of others. It was his expertise in psychology that made him an ideal instructor for the Chuunin exams.
"I don't ever want that to happen to me!" Naruto pursed his lips, debating whether he had time for a quick bowl or two of Ramen. Sure he did! If he had to, he could down them quicker than most people could toss a brace of shuriken. He didn't think that it was even a tiny bit odd, thinking about food while he mused on that serious topic. "Hey. I remember. He called me an interesting guy. He must have known I would be Hokage some day."
That was a bit of a misnomer. Ibiki had indeed found Naruto interesting, in part because he never allowed anything to intimidate him. Moreover, Naruto had been the only person ever to hand in a blank test sheet during the examinations, willing to face the possibility of never becoming a Chuunin in order to protect his team from disqualification. Not only that, but the orange-clad boy had also made an impassioned speech at the end of that exam, just before the final question was revealed. In actuality, there hadn't been an actual question. Rather, the situation had been a test of self-confidence. Anyone found lacking failed. Naruto's words inspired confidence in the other students, such that more of them passed than Ibiki ever would have expected.
"It's her." Instinctively, Naruto stepped into a crowded area of the street, a wary look in his eyes. It was another coincidence of sort, catching sight of Mitarashi Anko. She also carried the rank of Tokubetsu Jonin. While she might seem easy going on the outside, she also had a tendency to be hyperactive. Much like he did. But, he wasn't a twisted and demented freak! Maybe that was a bit unfair, but he didn't care. An examiner for the second part of the exams, she had made quite an impression on him during his first Chuunin exams when she licked the blood off of his face. It also didn't help that she had once been Orochimaru's apprentice, and carried a cursed seal of Heaven much like Sasuke's. "I hope that my mission doesn't have anything to do with her." He almost lost his appetite. Almost.
In no time, he made his way to The Ichiraku, one of his favorite places on the entire face of the earth. Teuchi and Akane called him their favorite customer, and were amongst the few villagers who had originally treated him kindly. No doubt the girl would ask him about Kakashi again. That had him scowling and tugging at one ear. Akane and her father had seen what Kakashi looked like without his mask, while Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke had failed after all their effort.
Slamming some coins on the counter, Naruto sat back with his hands behind his head, practically drooling in anticipation. The smells at Teuchi's restaurant were as mouth-watering as usual, and the same old group of customers were there. As he did every day he visited, he thought 'There are no bad people among ramen lovers!'
Seeing who had just sauntered in, a number of diners quickly placed additional orders, worried that Naruto would consume the vast quantities that he did on most visits to his favorite eatery. That had the shop owner and his daughter beaming, seeing how good their favorite patron was for business, even when he wasn't buying a lot himself. Waiting for his noodles, Naruto thought back to his last set of Chuunin exams. Some of the same tricks were used again, but there had been new challenges as well. Paired with two genin, he had taken the Forest of Death by storm, fearing neither man nor beast. Fortunately, he had not run across Orochimaru again. The last thing he would have wanted was to be swallowed by another snake!
"Heh!" Picturing something inappropriate, he slapped his hand down on the countertop. "Swallowing the snake is probably what Kabuto does!" Naruto's naught double entendre had him smirking. Kabuto had seemed like a friend during his first try at the exams. But, following that, the bastard's true nature had become clear on a number of occasions. He would give anything to wipe away that condescending smile once and for all. "I helped people for real. For the right reason." He had. Not only had he guided his own three-person group well, he had also offered advice and encouragement to other Genin. "They weren't even my teammates." Sakura had long since made Chuunin. Sasuke had not, but wasn't eligible for the test. That had him smiling again, realizing that this was the year that the Uchiha boy would have his next shot. "Hah! Beat you, Sasuke!" The first bowl arrived.
Slurping, causing noodles to swing wildly before disappearing into his mouth and down his gullet, Naruto thought about the way his life had changed after he had been made Chuunin. In short, it hadn't changed much at all. He had taken to wearing the standard vest, needing room to carry more scrolls. Other than that, he had still been part of Team Kakashi, with Sai taking Sousuke's place, even after the prodigal ninja had returned. Even now, Uchiha Sasuke received individual instruction under watchful eyes, taking part in a growing numbers of missions.
It had been a good team, and he really hadn't wanted to leave it when he made Special Jounin. "At least I wasn't the worst when I left!" That statement wasn't a condemnation of Sakura, Sai, or Kakashi, since all of his former teammates had been exceptional at what they did. Instead, years later, his pride still stung after hearing the reasoning behind the selection of the original Team Seven.
Genin are routinely put in four-man cells, consisting of three Genin and a Jounin-sensei. In the early stages, that arrangement serves one major purpose. It allows the new shinobi to learn teamwork… to experience true ninja life… all under the supervision and protection of an elite shinobi. The make-up of those teams is often based on the individual skills of the ninjas, so that there will remain a balance between all of the current the teams. For instance, Naruto, who passed with the lowest grades, was put in a team with Sasuke, who had passed with the highest grades, and Sakura, who had passed with the highest exam scores. There were other ways to sort teams, however. Some groupings accentuated certain skills. Team Eight had specialized in survival and tracking and Team Gai had specialized in taijutsu and weapon skills. Other arrangements provided complementary skills, as seen with Team Ten, whose parents had formed a similar trio.
"I'm not a loser anymore," Naruto said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. As it stood, he had never really thought of himself that way, regardless of what others might have thought. Admittedly, it was his self-confidence that had allowed him to progress so quickly… find ways to get out of predicaments that would have stymied anyone else… and win the admiration of the people who mattered most to him. It had also helped a lot when he, Sakura, Sai, and Yamato had finally brought an outmatched Sasuke home. That, and his staunch refusal to ever give up on a friend, had been what began his friend's change in attitude, even while he was kept at the Konoha prison facilities. "But I still haven't led any missions." That was a sore spot with him, to say the least. He wondered if the damn fox still influenced the Elders' demands.
Chunin were supposed to be qualified to watch over and guide other ninja. That was the whole idea behind the examinations in the first place, to weed out those who were unworthy, and to discover just who might be ready. He had matured. His tactical skills had improved. To everyone's surprise, he had even stopped being quite so impulsive. While he might not be anywhere as good a teacher as Iruka Umino, who still remained a very specialized Chuunin, he still had a lot to offer. Sarutobi had taught Jiraiya. The Frog Hermit had taught Yondaime. The Fourth Hokage had taught Kakashi. The Copy Ninja had taught him. That was a great tradition. And, he had received tutelage from Ero-Senni too. He could gather information. He could make good decisions. He could follow guidelines. He had performed spectacularly in his battles, both in tests and in the field. What was he lacking?
"Maybe it will change today!" Naruto's eyes lit up. He slammed his hand on the tabletop again, this time causing everyone's bowls to jump. Excited, he left the counter just as Akane was bringing out his next order. Was that what Tsunade would do? Give him a promotion, and the assign him to lead a mission of his peers? Or, might she assign him a group of Genin? Hmmm-mm-m. Team Uzumaki. That had a good ring to it!
Why shouldn't he be jounin? Most ninjas of that rank knew two or more elemental jutsu, as did he. They are often sent on A-rank and even S-rank missions, something he had done on a number of occasions, though never alone. Then again, Jounins, who were considered the elite shinobi, were also qualified to act as military captains. That brought him back to the fact that he hadn't led anything other than a charge to the Ichiraku Ramen Bar.
"What else could it be?" He knew it wouldn't be anything to do with the Konoha military police. He had caught sight of someone belonging to the Konoha Keimu Butai, an organization unique to Konoha, though other villages may have similar organizations that are less visible. At one time, the Hidden Leaf's police force had consisted of mostly Uchiha clan members, since they had been the founder of the organization. But, Itachi's bloody rampage had put an end to that. Nonetheless, their symbol still bore a close resemblance to that of Sasuke's family. "Hey! Why is he looking at me that way?" Naruto frowned. He was long past the days when he would paint graffiti on the stone Hokages, or pull off other notable pranks. He started whistling and trying to look innocent, even though he hadn't done anything wrong.
Strolling past the hospital, Naruto stopped for a moment. He wondered what Sakura might be doing. Her training as a Medial ninja continued to progress, to the point where she was now thought to be more skilled than Shizune. Scratching the back of is head, he sighed. After he had made Special Jounin, he had gone on missions with various groups of shinobi. Not all of his missions had required a medical nin, and I those that had, not every medical nin had been Sakura. He missed his friend. Their schedules didn't allow them to spend much time together. Neither did the fact that she had renewed her attraction to Sasuke.
"Well, that's the best place for her." Naruto sighed again. He was referring to the hospital, since Eisei-nin who specialize in medical treatment are required to have excellent chakra control to heal injuries, and Sakura had been by far the best at that skill amongst the Rookie Nine. He also had to admit that his statement might also be true regarding her relationship with Sasuke. Their friend needed special attention, to help him find faith in himself, and to become a trusted member of the village. "Yeh. Well. It's probably best for me, too." Sakura had been in the habit of clobbering Naruto when the situation warranted it. She had also given Sai similar treatment, but never to the same degree. Sasuske, on the other hand, never seemed to be on the other end of one of her emotional outbursts. Lucky guy. Like Tsunade and other medical ninjas, Sakura had used her medical training to create great strength. "Maybe if I had…."
Naruto shrugged. Early on, he had chased after Sakura, back when she had thought him to be little better than a skid mark. Later, when she had begun to have feelings for him, he had been too busy dealing with Akatsuki and other distractions. Today, while he might not be 'That Naruto' to everyone, he still found himself without a girlfriend. "Too bad Old Lady Tsunade can't assign me one of those." All of the other guys had girlfriends. Even Choji. But, since when had life been fair to Uzumaki Naruto?
He found himself thinking about Chiyo again, and how she had helped him save Gaara, after Shukaku had been extracted by the Nine. She, like Kabuto Yakushi, had extensive training in the medical arts, using that knowledge to kill instead of save. That is, she used to, before she retired, and before she died to save the Kazekage.
Naruto wrinkled up his nose. There were some parts of the ninja profession that seemed to rub him the wrong way from time to time. Without fail, the part that left him the most uncomfortable was killing. Sure, he had killed when necessary, when his own life was at stake; when a friend was in danger; or when the ultimate outcome of a mission depended on it. But, that had all been in battle against shinobi who could fight back. He definitely did not like the knife-in-the-back kind of stuff.
In time, he reached the building he wanted. Even though he sprinted up the stairs, nearly knocking over a pair of guards, a Courier ninja, and one of the Hokage's aides, he was not breathing heavily when he slid to a halt and knocked on Tsunade's office doors. He didn't give much thought to the courier, even though he had run across them in the past, and knew just how dedicated a group they were, and realized how dangerous their delivery missions could be. Somehow, it was hard to consider anyone a ninja if they insisted on giving a destination number when asked their name. Instead, waiting for Tsunade's response, he thought about Kages.
There were any number of leaders in the world of shinobi. But, only the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages carried the title of Kage. Hokage. Mizukage. Kazekage. Tsuchikage. And Raikage. Normally, the most powerful ninja of the village would carry that title. More specifically, the most powerful ninja at the time of selection. Others shin obi might grow stronger than the Kage over time, but would not wrest the tri-corner hat from the current leader. No matter what style of rule any particular nation had, the Kage was seen as an equal to the nation's rulers. There could only be one functioning Kage per village, with that title being held permanently, once bestowed. While such a leader could retire and name a successor, and both would officially be called Kage, only the new leader would be active. That had been the case with Sarutobi and Yondaime, with the Third Hokage becoming active again after the death of the Fourth.
"It can't be that… could it…." Naruto knocked again, louder this time. No, there was no way that he was ready to be Hokage, even though he could see Tsunade wanting to step down. She might look as young as usual, but the weight of the title weighed heavily on her. "Even though she does thinks I will make it some day…." He definitely was not the strongest ninja yet, even though his successful creation of an S-class jutsu spoke a great deal about the potential he had.
Not only had he grown stronger, but he also fit the pattern of succession. Many of the past Kages had come from families with prior Kages, as had Gaara. Those lacking such blood ties had often been taught by former Kages, or by the students of Kages. The Third had been taught by both the First and the Second. The Fourth had been taught by Jiraiya, who had been a student of the Third. The Fifth… Tsunade… had also been taught by Sarutobi… and was the granddaughter of the First Hokage and the grandniece of the Second.
'And Jiraiya trained me some, too.'
Just as Naruto thought that, a rather tired sounding Tsunade granted him leave to enter. He pushed the heavy doors open. Looking at the clutter that towered above the Hokage's desk, he maneuvered himself into a place where he could see her face.
"At least you didn't keep me waiting," Tsunade said, sighing. The never-ending battle with paperwork was getting on her nerves, as usual. "And none of this is about you." She waved her hand over a stack of active reports. "I should be happy with small miracles, I suppose." She tapped a finger against her cheek, noticing the stains that remained on Naruto's jumpsuit. "Though I would wager you stopped for Ramen." And, whatever else made those splotches.
"That would be one bet you would win," Naruto said, grinning. Her saw the Hokage raise one eyebrow at his gambling reference. Neither his little joke nor her response was anything new. "What did you want to see me for?" He tried to keep from sounding too eager. "What's my new assignment?" Here it is. Finally. He would find out.
"Here." Tsunade handed Naruto a rolled up parchment. Her look was indecipherable. She watched him like a hawk, wanting to judge his reaction.
Naruto unrolled the paper. "This…." It was not what he had expected. He unrolled the entire scroll, to make sure this wasn't some kind of joke. It seemed to be quite real enough.
"You don't seem pleased," the Hokage observed. "Some would consider this an honor of sorts, or a good way to measure their abilities."
"It's good… I guess…." Naruto was indeed of two minds. Part of him did feel a swell of pride. The other part thought about some of the duties he would henceforth be expected to perform. "ANBU…." That was one group of ninjas he had not considered on his way over, even though Kakashi had been a Captain of Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai, the Assassination Tactics Special Force, and he had thought about Zabuza, who had been a member of his own village's equivalent group
"You're certainly talented enough now," Tsunade said. Like any ninja in the village, she knew that the appointment to ANBU was based on skill not age. Ninja could be admitted as early as Chuunin level. Uchiha Itachi had been named a member at age thirteen.
"I'd have a new team," Naruto said, thinking that would be a good thing. Like ordinary ninjas, ANBU members operate in squads of four. Each team would have three ordinary ANBU members and one squad captain, the latter being either a Special Jounin or someone with Jounin-level skills in assassination techniques and advanced tactics.
"But…." Naruto ran a hand over his face. He didn't do it to remind himself that he didn't shave that morning. Rather, he was imagining what it would be like to wear a mask. It would be ironic. A mask would hide him. His body hid the Kyuubi.
"I know what's bothering you," the Hokage said. While she respected his feelings, she based her decisions on what was best for the village. The assignment would not be permanent. Naruto would learn valuable lessons, working with ANBU. His newest skills would prove invaluable. "It's part of being shinobi." While 'assassination' was hardly a pretty word, it often served the best interests of the village and all of its people. ANBU personnel protect the village from exceptional threats, conduct extremely high-risk missions into enemy territory, and deal with the strongest of opposing ninja. Their techniques, by necessity, must fit the needs of those assignments.
"I would get to wear a cool mask…." Naruto tried to smile. The ANBU wear the animal masks in order to distinguish themselves from normal shinobi and to conceal their identities. By tradition, the masks are based around the signs of the zodiac. Mouse or Rat. Ox. Tiger. Rabbit. Dragon. Snake. Horse. Sheep. Monkey. Rooster. Dog. Pig or Boar. Not Fox. There was no fox. No doubt they would make an exception for him. "Carry a katana…." He made a face. "Go new places and kill interesting people."
"I thought you might feel that way…." Tsunade said. "…Even though I am quite sure that you think highly of Kakashi and Sai." The latter had been part of a disbanded ANBU Training Department known as "Root" which had been created and directed by Danzo. At first a 'plant,' he had gone on to become very close to both Naruto and Sakura, before forming closer ties with everyone else. "There's another thing for you to consider. You will have been named to the squad before Sasuke." She hid a grin, knowing how that would affect Naruto. Despite being the village's most unpredictable ninja, he was still very predictable in certain ways.
"You bet." Naruto nodded his head, standing a bit straighter. He couldn't help but smile. That smile didn't last long. It would take time to get used to things. But, he would. He was sure of it. He always adjusted. That was also part of his Way of the Ninja.
"I asked one of your new teammates to meet us here," Tsunade said. While her voice and facial expression didn't change, Naruto somehow got the impression that there was some kind of surprise coming.
A side door opened. A masked ninja entered the Hokage's suite. The mask on her face had the markings of a Mouse. Long red hair hung down below waist level. That had Naruto making a face and scratching his head. Who did he know that had red hair? Prior to seeing that, he had wondered if it might have been one of his friends. But, up to this point, no one other than Sai had ever been made a member of an ANBU group. The eye spaces on the mask were covered with tinted glass. He couldn't help but wonder why.
"It's OK. You can remove the mask," Tsunade said. Once again, she watched Naruto's face very closely. This time she did grin, seeing his reaction.
"Hinata!" Naruto almost fell over. He felt as if he had been struck by a two ton hammer or something just as dramatic. The hair was a wig, and came off with the mask. But, as far as he had been concerned, she didn't need any extra concealment. Hinata was the absolute last person he ever would have pictured to be an ANBU member.
"Naruto-kun…." ANBU member or not, the white-eyed girl looked to be a bit unsteady on her feet for some reason.
"But how… why…." Naruto was tongue-tied. "You…." He seriously felt as if he were losing touch with reality. He pinched himself, and then winced. He was awake alright. "I don't…."
"You can discuss the whys and wherefores on your way to meet the other members of your team," the Hokage said. "However, I want to make one thing certain before you go." There was no need for her to hold up one finger as she was wont to do with Naruto. Her voice was sharper than any katana could be. "It is precisely the fact that Hyuuga Hinata is the last person anyone expects that makes her so useful. Telling anyone who does not already know would be considered a treasonous act." She then nodded her dismissal.
A rather shaken Naruto left the office. He was out of the building and half-way across town before he spoke again. Hinata hadn't uttered a single word during their walk, waiting for him to initiate any further conversation.
"I can't believe you're ANBU, too." Naruto was pretty certain this was not a practical joke. Not having spent much time with Hinata since he returned to Hidden Leaf village, he ever had a chance to notice how her skills as kunoichi had improved. On the occasions he had been able to spend time with her and his other friends, she had always seemed like the same shy fainting-prone girl. Maybe she still was, when it came to personal matters. But, how could she possibly handle some of the requirements of the assignment? "It's… well…."
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata shook her head. Mask on and wig in place, no one should know who she was. Since most people didn't call him 'Naruto-kun' the way she once did, she would have to break that habit.
"It's…." Naruto scowled. He should just come out and say it. "Do you carry out assassinations?"
"Yes," Hinata replied. Not bragging, she added "I'm one of the best." She brought a hand to her chest when she saw Naruto stumble slightly. The last thing she ever wanted was for him to find some reason to think poorly of her.
"Huh?" Naruto stopped. "You're not kidding?" Hearing no answer, he put both hands on his hips. Things were getting to be even more difficult to comprehend. He could see how she could easily fool her intended targets when she acted with the mask off. Hyuuga Hinata appeared to be the epitome of the meek misplaced ninja. That wasn't what had him flummoxed. It was the ability to coldly take another's life, when that person was in no condition to defend his or herself. "How?" He coughed to clear his throat. "I mean… how can you get yourself to do that…." She had always been the type of person who couldn't harm a fly!
"If I told you…." Hinata began walking again. "I'd have to kill you…."
"What!" Naruto hurried to catch up. "Oh. You're joking." Would wonders never cease. He was ANBU. Hinata was, too. She was the best assassin in the group. And, on top of all that, she was telling jokes. "That's the biggest shock of all."
"I wasn't joking." Hinata didn't miss a step. Behind the mask, she grinned when she saw the resultant look on Naruto's face.
"…" Naruto opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He was speechless, for once. It was a rare event. Hinata would mark it down on her calendar, in addition to adding it to her diary.
When Hinata did admit she had been pulling his leg, he repeated his question. When she didn't answer, he added "We're going to be on the same Team. We need to trust one another. Teammates should tell each other the truth."
They walked a number of blocks before Hinata said another word. She stopped. Before speaking, she stood next to a lamp post to steady herself. "It's simple," she said. "When there is someone I must kill, I picture him or her in a certain way."
"Huh?" Naruto made a face. Understanding lit his face. "I get it! You pretend it's someone who killed your sister, or hurt Kurenai-sensei." While those things had never occurred, he could imagine how convincing oneself that something like that had actually happened could fill someone with a cold killing rage.
"No," Hinata said, shaking her head. "I pretend that the person killed you." Once she was certain that her legs would hold her, she started back on her way.
Naruto couldn't even open his mouth that time. He almost felt as if every single star in the sky had broken free of the heavens, and come plummeting down to strike him smack dab in the middle of his head.
It had certainly been a day for surprises.
END
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: This story borrows heavily from articles found in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.