A warm breeze blew through the streets, causing the leaves and grass to sway with its gentle motion. The only sounds being made were coming from the rustle of the leaves in the wind. The early morning town appeared so peaceful, so tranquil. Yet, amongst all this calm peaceful settings sat a lone figure that was anything but peaceful.
He sat stop a high rise building. His legs dangling over the edge, there was nothing holding him from making the ten story plunge, if he wasn't careful. However this young man wasn't worried about the height. He was staring out over the town, waiting for the sun to fully rise over the distant mountains. Waiting for the beautiful sight that was an autumn dawn.
Today was both a special day; and a cursed day for this young man. Today was his eighteenth birthday. It also happened to be the eighteenth anniversary of his parent's death, let alone the anniversary of the day he was selected to become the jailor of the most powerful of all the biju. Uzumaki Naruto sat and waited to greet the day from his current position.
Today was going to be different for him. He wasn't going to hide from the villagers of Konoha. He was going to join the festivities that the villagers threw, marking the defeat of the Kyuubi no Yoko. He was going to willingly put himself in a vulnerable position, just to make his female teammate happy. Sakura asked Naruto to escort her to the festival, she knew he had never gone, and wanted nothing more than to show him around. That was Sakura, always trying to show Naruto what he had been missing in his life. Sometimes he found himself thinking that she wasn't showing him things he missed, but showing off that she was now with him.
It was over six months earlier that the kunoichi professed her feelings for her blonde teammate. She didn't want him to be alone any longer, and it was her that had taken the step to furthering their relationship. Naruto still had trouble believing that the girl of his dreams had asked him out on their first date. He was even more surprised when she picked the places to go. A dinner at his favorite ramen stand, and then a walk through the village. Besides having to go to the kyubi festival, Naruto's life was turning out just the way he wanted it.
By the age of sixteen he had been promoted to the rank of chunin. He didn't spend much time there either, by the fall of the same year he had proven himself time and time again, and had been given the rank of jounin. Not many people were surprised by this however, seeing as how Naruto had been able to go toe to toe with the elite jounins for quite some time. It was even rumored that Naruto was in fact the strongest shinobi alive. He had single handedly killed four of the nine members of Akatsuki, including their leader Pein, and the founder Uchiha Madara. On top of that he had uncovered the plot created by Danzo to try and usurp power in Konoha. These deeds led many of the villagers to change their views about the hyperactive blonde; a few of these individuals had seats on the village's council.
The sun's glare broke over the mountains; Naruto stood up and left his lone perch. He had a meeting with Tsunade to get to, and for once he decided to begin the day by not trying to upset the female Hokage. Yet he still had a feeling that no matter what he did, she was going to be in a rather foul mood. Still he wanted to get his work out of the way as soon as possible, and if that meant showing up early for his meeting, and even showing the older female some respect, then he'd do it. That way he'd have more time later in the day to spend with his girlfriend. He continued his path straight for the Hokages tower. He knew that something was going to happen today, he was just praying that it wasn't bad.
Naruto calmly entered the Hokages office, and was greeted to sight that he hadn't seen in a while. Tsunade had forsaken her daily morning sake, and had begun to deal with the stacks of paper work that littered her desk. He decided to break the new routine. "Good morning Hokage-sama." His simple greeting was more than enough to catch the attention of the voluptuous older female before him.
" Naruto, you're early. Don't think that by showing up like this, let alone being respectful is going to get you anywhere with me you brat." Tsunade stopped her paper work and peered at the younger blonde's reaction. If she knew him well enough he was going to go into a tirade about how he was being nice, and that her reaction was rude. She'd bet her months budget of sake money on it.
Naruto however just smiled at his superior, he knew what she was trying to do; she was putting him on the spot. For years Naruto had known that certain people tried to push his buttons, Tsunade was known to push him in ways that would have him spouting obscenities. He also knew that she sometimes did this to relieve herself of pent up aggression and stress, what better way to do both then to pound it out on someone. Above all that however he knew he wasn't called the number one unpredictable ninja without cause. " Aww Tsunade-sama, that's not fair." He decided to shock his superior, and not let her get her way. "I wasn't trying to get anything from you. I just wanted to be here early, you know take some initiative, and maybe get through our meeting early." He finished his comments with a pout, but quickly turned it to a smile. Oh he knew his next comment was either going to make or break him, but being Uzumaki Naruto, Number one unpredictable ninja, he just had to take the risk. Besides Tsunade-sama, if I wanted to get anywhere with you on a good footing, I wouldn't act formal. No I'd just pull out a bottle of sake and pour you a glass."
The older Blondes face lost some of its color. She hadn't expected him to remain calm, let alone take a cheap shot by pointing out her major weakness. The veins on her forehead began to pop, the older woman couldn't believe he had just insulted her, and he did it in a manner that showed he knew just how to play her. She couldn't let it stand, there was no way this young man was going to get away what he just said. She stood up from her seat, ready to throttle the life out of him. She just didn't expect the next words out of his mouth.
"Besides Tsunade-sama, is it really wrong of me to want to spend a little more time with one of the people I respect the most, in a manner that doesn't end with violence." That had done it; his last comment had stopped her dead in her tracks. Here she was about to knock the brat into next week, and he went and said something like that.
She stared at him for a few seconds, his smile, his eyes, the way he held himself so confidently. She had seen this before, and knew exactly where he had picked up this slight bit of charm. "You have guts brat. Don't think for one second that charm of yours is going to work on me." She crossed her arms and stared at him, silently comparing the young man in front of her, with her former team mate. "But I'll give you credit, not many people could talk like that to me and get away without getting a bruise or two."
Naruto laughed hard at her comment. He knew that she was thinking of his former sensei, the man who had taught him exactly how to manipulate words and sooth a woman from her angered state. Naruto also knew that Jiraiya never used those lessons on Tsunade, to him the only way he wanted to see his former team mate, was in the way he had grown up with her.
"Alright brat, you've got some verbal skills, I will give you that. Just remember, you may not always get the chance to smooth out what you say, and you know for a fact I am going easy on you, compared to some girls you know. Especially one with rosette hair." Tsunade smirked as she once again saw the color leave Narutos face. It brought a smile to her lips, as she watched him cringe from the thoughts of a verbal lashing from his girlfriend.
"Now, about the reason you're here." Her tone getting more level and serious. "I want you to be careful today. I know that Sakura is taking you to the festival, but I still want you to be on guard, not everyone in this village has accepted you yet; and some that have may still hold ill will towards you today." She sighed, knowing that a few prominent citizens had publically promised to attack Naruto on sight if he set foot in the festival area. While she knew he was without a doubt the strongest person in the village, she still worried for his safety. The boy was known for not fighting back against the villagers, and she was afraid that this may be the case if things turned south during the festivities.
"Come on Baa-chan, you worry too much. I'll have Sakura by my side today, and we all know how scary she can get." Naruto shuddered as he thought of what his girlfriend would do to anyone that ruined her night including him. "Besides, I know that if someone ruins this for her, it's going to be either them or me that ends up in the hospital." He chuckled at his comment.
"What do you mean by you may end up in the hospital?" Tsunade was truly confused by the blonde's statement.
Naruto laughed again as he explained himself. "Who do you think is going to get between Sakura and her target? Me that's who, and we both know that she'll swing without worrying if I'm in the way or not." His comment brought more on more shudders. "Sometimes I think she enjoys being that violent." Naruto began to rub his chin as he pondered his words, which only cause Tsunade to laugh at his thoughtful expressions.
"Ok kid, that's all I have to say to you, now get out of my office, I have work to do."
Naruto couldn't help himself, he saw her movement towards her desk, and he reacted. Before the female knew what had happened Naruto was out of the office and running away at full speed, laughing the entire time.
The Hokage had no idea what brought on the sudden childish outburst, but quickly came to an understanding when she opened her desk drawer. "You little bastard" she screamed out her window at him. "That's the last bottle of sake in my office; I'm going to kick your ass Naruto." She could hear his laughing as he disappeared into the village.