Chapter 1

It was a bright, autumn day in the hidden village of Konohagakure, the trees were cheerfully dancing in the fluttering wind, the birds and the bees skillfully went about their business, and the villagers themselves even felt the effect of the chilly day. They were scurrying around accomplishing their everyday tasks, the vendors were selling their products, the young and old ladies of the village buying the wares being sold, and the children running around playing the games that countless others before them had played. Many of the children were oblivious to the remaining destruction that the fight against Pain had brought to the village. Carpenters and woodworkers from all over Fire and Wind country had filed in to help easy the heartache of the broken village by repairing the buildings and helping to heal the villagers. The ninja themselves were still taking missions, and one ninja however was about to get the mission he dreaded the most...

A bright orange and black blur was seen flashing from building to building as he headed to the center of the village. He had been summoned about three hours ago and already he was barely going to make it on time. Orange turned to yellow as our young ninja started taping into fox chakra, a random villager looked up in time to see a yellow flash illuminate the day and disappear and reappear right at the Hokage tower. The yellow energy stopped as he tapped on the wide window at the very top of the tower, a startled crash was heard and a yelp of surprise. The window flew open and a busty blonde poked her head out with a look of anger. She wore a beige blouse and dark brown pants, high-heeled sandals, and a dark green over coat with the kanji for "slug" on the back.

"Naruto! What the hell are you doing?" yelled the blonde.

"Heh I kinda slept in and thought the window would be a bit quicker then going through the entire building. So...what was it you needed anyway Baa-Chan?" asked Naruto as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Naruto...how many times do I have to tell you not to call me 'Baa-Chan'?"

"Ummm to many for me to remember."

Tsunade shook her head as she thought about all the times she had told him not to call her what her persisted in calling her. She would honestly miss him calling her "Baa-Chan" when he was gone, but then again the Raikage had been right when he said Naruto needed to get away from the hate of the village. Kumogakure was in Lightning country and a hell of a distance from Kohona, but the people of Kumo were different then the people of Kohona, they actually respected Jinchûriki and didn't treat them any differently from any other shinobi.

"Naruto, you better come in and sit down," Tsunade continued after he came in and choose his chair, "Naruto...you're being sent to Kumogakure for vacation. The Raikage has requested that you come and spend your time off in Kumo so you can help relations between our two villages also."

"But Tsunade, I really don't want to go to Kumo, all my friends are here and Sasuke is still on the loose, I have to continue looking for him!" Naruto yelled.

"Well there isn't any negotiating over this, the Raikage was right, you need to get away from the hostility of this village and there in Kumo you'll be welcomed and treated like everyone else."

"UGH! Well how long will I be going for?" Tsunade looked down as she tried to hide the tears brimming in her soft brown eyes, "For good Naruto, the Raikage had offered to take you in as a member of his village, he said that he was willing to make you a Jonin immediately."

"Is there nothing I can do to stay here?" Naruto asked in desperation. "Honestly no, the Council has already decided to send you away and most of the civilians are in agreement with the Council. The only one's who truly oppose the decision are the Jonin, the Genin, and most of the Chunin."

Naruto looked up as he caught what Tsunade had said, "Wait...most of the Chunin?"

"Naruto maybe its for the best if you didn't know, you're getting a brand new life in Kumo, why not just let this one thing go?"

"It's Sakura, isn't it?"

"Naruto..."

"Never mind, going by the fact you don't want to tell me, I can tell that it is her." After clearing his throat, and setting his shoulders, Naruto looked up at Tsunade and finally resigned to his latest and last mission from Konohagakure. "Well Baa-Chan I guess this is good-bye then huh?"

Tsunade felt the tears that she had been fighting leave her eyes as she got up and hugged the blonde. As she drew him close all she could think about was all the positive changes he had made in her life, getting her to return to Kohona, making her become the Godame Hokage, forcing her over her fear of blood, the list just went on and on. The village was truly losing one of its greatest assets its ever had. Naruto brought with him a spark that everyone seemed to have to follow, he changed the mind of enemies, the other Kages, even some of the Shinobi Council had grown to like the blonde. Everyone it seemed was able to fall in love with him, all except the one he really wanted. Sakura had never been his biggest fan, that much was well known, but she had started to warm up to him after he had returned with Jirayia. Hell everyone in their class thought that the two of them might end up together, that is until they went after Sasuke again...After they had seen Sasuke with Orochimaru she had turned distant with him, and had even once before the end of the war, almost joined him and Madara.

Tsunade didn't understand what Naruto honestly saw in Sakura, all the teen ever did was beat and degrade him. Naruto got enough of that from the villagers, that was also why she decided to bring this up before his birthday. Every year on his birthday, the village had a huge festival celebrating what the Fourth Hokage did, the villagers would get completely drunk and in their druken state they would mercilessly attack Naruto. Granted after he became a ninja the physical beatings ended, but the mental and emotional beating increased ten-fold. Often times on his birthday Naruto wouldn't even leave his apartment, he spent the entire day secluded in his little bit of freedom. Well this year would be different, he would be spending his birthday in his new home, and she would be missing her little ball of sunshine terribly.

"Naruto," Tusnade started after she had calmed down, "trust me, i really don't want you to go, but this is an amazing oppurtunity for you. You get to have a new start in a place where you'll actually be respected for being a jinchûriki."

"I know you don't want me to go Tsunade, and honestly I don't either. But i agree that it is for the best and it is a new start for me, just promise me that you won't lose touch ok?"

"I still have the toad summon that you left in my care so I can always write you, and don't forget your promise from before..."

Naruto looked down as he remembered the promise he had made after killing Madara. He still wondered to this day why he had allowed himself to be manipulated so easily but it was something he had to live with, after all he never went back on his word, that was his Nindo, his ninja way. "I know, i remember my promise."

"Good you should, you're entirely too young to be forgetting things like that." Tsunade said with a laugh, "you are due to arrive in Kumo in a week, just before your 18th birthday. The Kyuubi festival doesn't exsist way out there so you'll be safe to actually enjoy your birthday for a change."

"How can I enjoy it when I'll be spending it all alone? I'm moving to an entirely new village with no friends all i have over there is myself." Naruto said in disdain. "True Naruto, but I don't doubt your ability to make friends, if anyone can do it, its you."

Tsunade drew Naruto in close for another hug and completely lost it. Thankfully over the years he had trained with Jirayia he had learned how to properly treat the women in his life, Jirayia had painstakingly whipped Naruto into shape when it came to dating, comforting, and actually dressing appropriately. As it turned out Naruto was a complete gentleman and even better, he was able to open up a bit more instead of keeping everything bottled up inside like he used to. After she composed herself again, Tsunade kissed his cheek and sent him on his way so he could begin packing and shopping for his long journey to his new home. After he left Tsunade decided to gather all the Jonin that cared about Naruto, once they got there and got settled, they started planning his going away/birthday party.