The Orange Hokage

Part One: Chains Though Words

Chapter One

Sterile. Everything was sterile. The small studio apartment was cleaner then it had been the day he moved in.

Yesterday a small ninja had taken his frustrations out on his home in, for the first time, a productive manor. Why did it have to be him that got stuck with Ebisu-sensei? Sasuke-teme was gone, kakashi should be training him.

'Who needed books anyways? They aren't going to bring him back. All this damn studying is like being at the academy again and it wasn't making him any stronger.'

Rising with the sun, Naruto grabbed his basic ninja equipment before heading to the kitchen for some breakfast ramen. Pulling out two cups, he lit the stove and waited for the water to boil. It was his own person rhythm that set the day off with a good vibe.

Looking to the left, at the end of the kitchen stood a small stool with small steps. The early sun shone though the open window, it's rays only half the wooden stool. Bitter-sweet, just like his memories associated with first using the thing. It was total crap now, but to a five year old Naruto, it was the best birthday present ever. Unfortunately the old man had to scold him a few times because he kept setting his shirt on fire, but it was his first sweet memory. At least no one was going to tell him off for having a bad diet, right? A sad grin passed over his boyish features. To teach and nurture a small, lost boy who could barely understand the concept of a family unit. A boy rejected by fear and grief. 'I miss you, old man.' He would be turning 14 in a few months, which would then add up to 10 years of living in this shabby hole.

Finally, the water spattered letting the boy know it was almost at a boil. Sloshing the hot water into two cups Naruto growled in frustration at he three minutes he has to endure now. This frustration though, he could tell, was more to do with his lack of physical exertion than the time it could take for his love to cook. Naruto bounced up and down.

'Yeah, I got it!' He would blow off Ebisu-sensai today for some real training. Perverts tend to like alone time anyways. He had no idea why though. Being a ninja was way cooler than reading those pervy books.

Slurping up his precious ramen, Naruto came up with a somewhat solid plan. At least, what the cocky ninja would consider a good plan. If Ebisu was not going to try teach him how to walk on water again, then he would just go back to the hot springs and teach himself. The old croon wouldn't be caught dead near bathhouse again after Naruto had called him a perv loud enough for all the women to hear. With new found energy that buzzing through him, the orange boy jumped up and straight out his kitchen window.

An orange streak steak was then seen racing around the village, followed soon after by yelling.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!" The young, red skinned ninja jumped around in soaking clothes trying to cool off. 'Man', he thought 'this training is going to burn my skin off if I don't get the hang of it. Stupid perv couldn't even teach me this.' Slipping off his jacket, Naruto mentally prepared for the scorching water to soon morph his body into a giant blister.

One.

Two.

Three.

Go!

Stepping onto the spring, Naruto tried to feel the rhythm of the ripples while pumping more chakra to his feel. Wobbling slightly, Naruto tried to take a step forwards. 'Alright, keep the chakra steady on one foot and slowly bring the other down. Gently does it..."

Splash.

"What the hell is wrong with this? I was doing it just fineee." 'Ow, ow, ow! Hot, hot, hot!'

"Kid, will you keep it down already? The ladies are going to hear you and my research will be ruined." Naruto looked up straight into the eyes of a man less then a hands width away. How did he not hear him approach? Jumping back and out the water, he looked at the silent man.

"What's a creepy old man like you doing in a place like this anyways? And what research can you do at a bathhouse?" Growling, Naruto took a few steps forward. This guy was messing with his first training session in weeks. His temper short right now.

But Jiraiya just stared. He knew who this kid was instantly. Memories took hold. Regaining a cool exterior, Jiraiya looked at this small, red, loud boy. He smirked, pointed at his forehead protector, then struck a pose.

"Glad you asked, I am one of the legendary sannin of Konoha, the great Toad-sage himself, Jiraiya! Well respected author, ninja and summoning master. I'll have you know my work needs the most delicate tactics of all. Alas, are too young to understand such things. Similar to how you are too inexperienced to do that simple jutsu."

"Shut your mouth, you old man! Ill have just down in two days flat. Believe it." This man was just starting to get under his nerves. Besides...He doubted he could evade Ebisu-sensei for more than two days...

'The personality of his mother, I see. Maybe I can have a little fun here in this village after all.' Running up to Naruto in a flash he hit the little guy right on the forehead with a flick, making Naruto crouch down and cradle his throbbing temple.

"What did you do that for!"

"I thought you were training; a ninja should be ready for anything. Now that I see your reflexes are a terrible as your chakra control, what do you say to a little deal hm? If you can find me then I'll teach you how to walk on water." 'If he's anything like his father, I won't be able to get too far.'

"Kiba, you idiot! That dog of yours is getting in the way of my targets. You need to keep that thing on a leach." 'Cha! If that animal pees on one more of my marked trees, its master is going to get knocked out for a week.'

Sakura observed her new teammates, Shino, Kiba and Akamaru. She has initially liked the challenge of being on a new type of team; Team Kakashi was a fighting team while Team Kurenai was a tracking/sensory team. But for the first time in her life, she no longer has a great advantage over her peers. Shino has better Chakra control then even she, while Kiba could was almost as strong. Her place was no where to be seen and the pinkette was being pushed to the limits. Three months ago Sasuke had left and Sakura had been assigned another team temporarily to make up for Hinata who, she was told, in her last stages of recovery. This left the short knucklehead with Ebisu. 'Who would have thought that I would ever want to be back on a team with him.' She needed to break something before she hit someone.

'Stupid mutt.'

Naruto hung tied up and upside down off a thin wooden pole, like a fish someone had just caught out a river. Toad slobber dripped off him as the boy flopped around making muffling sounds directed at the man who was cooking an actual fish over a small flame in the diminishing light. Apparently the old man was faster than he looked. Worst of all, he was taunting him.

'I can smell him from all the way over here, maybe it was a little reckless of me to have him swallowed?' Reacher over, Jiraiya pulled the gag out of Naruto's mouth and waited for the onslaught of screaming words.

He waited.

And waited.

Till…

"Hey, old man, that smells really good, could I maybe have some?" Jiraiya laughed.

'What do you know, being swallowed increases manors.'

"So kid", the toad stage started as he watched Naruto gulf down the fish "Where's your squad leader? Surely they must have something to say about their student practicing near a bathhouse of all places?" 'What was he thinking? Kushina would have pounded him for something like this. Just wait till I find his guardian...'

"Ebisu-sensei? Nah, he's like you, a total pervert. He loves what he calls 'theoretical training' over actually training. That's why I had to sneak away today, to actually get some work done." Naruto took a big bite of fish and muffled out "Neef to gut fonger to be-um Hokake." He gestured to to the hot spring a few feet away from them in the forest.

"And all you achieved in the end were a few burns, then getting to see the inside of a toad. I gotta say kid, I'm impressed." The white hair man moved closer to the fire chuckling.

"And who's fault is that?! I was training till you came along to perv on all those women." What was this guys deal anyways?

"Calm down kid, I said I'd teach you and I will." Getting up, Jijaiya looked back before saying "6am tomorrow meet me in the clearing just west of here." With that, he vanished.

Naruto, didn't really know what to make of today. Nonetheless, he smiled. He finally had a real trainer.

'Wait. I don't remember any clearings just west of here…'

(Break)

"Hokage-sama, I have a request." Jiraiya didn't bother knocking on the Hokage's door.

"Would you look at this, one of the legendary sannin has returned home to Konoha. To what do I owe this pleasure of meeting the Toad Sage himself?" The Fifth Hokage sat up while taking his traditional hat off.

"I heard what happened to the village after the last exams and I have come to offer you a service. In two days I am due back on the road again to the land of mist, where I am invited to the wedding of a war lord. After that I do not know where my journey will take me. However, I would like to take on an apprentice. You know who I'm referring to." His relationship with the fourth was well documented.

Standing up, the Fifth Hokage observed the old man. He was still very muscular and knew far more than himself in terms of jutsu and the lands outside the Hidden Village in the Leaves. This man was able to keep the jinchuurikisafe from enemy hands. In a moment of selfishness, a thought crossed his mind, if the village was rid of the tails for a short amount of time, then maybe the restoration period would move a little smoother. The men who had tried to take Naruto would leave the village alone, at least for now, once they realized Naruto was no longer here. "I have not been in power for long, but I think this might be a good opportunity for Naruto to learn more about the world and the dangers he will face later. I will grant you a maximum of three years on the road with Naruto Uzumaki."

"Thank you Kakashi-sama"

"However, there is something I would like for you to consider…What about taking two students?"

(Break)

Disclaimer: All original Naruto characters and concepts belong to Kishimoto. All original ideas and characters belong to me.

I am not above criticism, please feel free to correct anything that would make the story better. (Excluding British to American English. I use British spelling)

I do not do this for the reviews, but they are welcomed

I will update every 7 days or less without fail till the fanfiction is complete.

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