So here starts another story. The premise behind this is relatively simple. What if there was a middle ground between Sarutobi and Danzo? A Naruto that is trained from a young age to be strong, but that also has full access to his emotions. Enter Koharu and Homura, an underused and over-bashed set of characters and you have a beginning of a story. Naruto will not be super powered, but he will be having to take on S-rank ninja so he will be strong. Hope you like it.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage, sighed as his raging headache only increased in severity. It had been twelve hours since the Kyuubi had been sealed into little baby Naruto, 6 hours since he had been recalled to the Hokage position, and 1 hour since the Council meeting had been called to order.

Currently Danzo, leader of Ne and war hawk, was trying to recruit the young Jinchuriki into his program. The civilians wanted Naruto to simply be executed. He himself simply wanted Naruto to live a normal life for a few years before sending him to the academy to become a ninja.

His path was the most likely one, as there was no way he was going to allow Naruto to be executed nor let Danzo turn the boy into an emotion-less weapon like the up-and-coming Uchiha Itachi. The council was really only there to help Sarutobi come to a decision, they couldn't make a decision that went over his head. He has about to end the meeting and tell the rest of the council his decision.

But then Koharu and Homura, his old teammates, stepped into the discussion.

"Hiruzen-kun, we have an idea that we believe you should consider," said Koharu. "As you know, we have been pushing you for years to form a hunter-nin program. Homura and myself would like to take Naruto and have him become the first shinobi in the Kawa program."

"Bark, huh? We have Root to do the dark things that no one else can see and now we should have Bark that shall protect our village from the Leafs who have fallen from our great tree," remarked the Sandaime. He was actually pondering the Elders suggestion and they knew they had to come on the opportunity.

"Yes, Hiruzen-kun. We will train Naruto to protect Konoha from it's missing-nin and we will focus his aim on the A to S-class nin who have betrayed us." At this Homura paused, using the silence to gauge the Hokage's reaction to the idea.

Seeing that the Hokage had said nothing, Homura moved on. "We plan to take 2 children every year with some promise in their first year of the academy and begin to train them. We will teach every child anatomy, poisons, precise weapon throwing, stealth, tracking, and shinobi knots. After that, we shall look at their talents and teach them to be great shinobi. Naruto shall be no different. However, we plan to teach him sealing as both his mother and father were seal masters. We will also need to find another child to be Naruto's partner, as in the Kawa division a ninja will only work with one partner."

The room was silent as the council took in the proposal pitched by the Elders. They typically stayed out of most discussions, only really butting in when there was a stalemate or they felt a particularly stupid decision was being made.

Finally the Hokage spoke. "Elders, thank you so much for your suggestion. I believe it was the perfect middle ground between my suggestion, to make Naruto a normal shinobi, and Danzo's, which is to create a mindless droid. Therefore, I approve your requests to create the Kawa division and to train Naruto to become a Kawa-nin, beginning at the age of 5. You have the next five years to begin to find trainers for the boy and for the rest of the Kawa-nin who will come after him. You will also need to find a plot of land for the headquarter of Kawa and create masks that will distinguish Kawa-nin from Anbu and Ne."

Homura and Koharu looked shocked that their old teammate had agreed to their proposal while Danzo looked like he had been socked in the stomach. He had been too shocked by the Elders intervention into his plans to come up with a decent rebuttal and now he had forever lost the Jinchuriki.

The Hokage again spoke up, this time speaking to the ninja clan heads. "I know many of you have children around Naruto's ago. Would any of you like your children to become the second Kawa-nin?"

Immediately, the room flared up into conversation. The Sandaime left the ruckus go on for around five minutes before regaining control over the room. "So what are you decisions? We'll start with the Akimichi and go around the room from there."

Akimichi Chouza shook his head. "Hokage-sama, I appreciate your invitation but it is my greatest dream for my children to work with my best friends' children and this will hinder that. So my answer is no."

Yamanaka Inoichi then spoke. "My answer is the same as Chouza's. I apologize Hokage-sama."

Nara Shikaku groaned. "What they said."

Inuzuka Tsume, next in line, started speaking. "My son has already been promised to a dog-wielding clan in Hidden Grass. Part of the terms of the treaty is that he become a Chuunin. Becoming a Kawa-nin would void that treaty. I apologize."

Clearing his throat, Uchiha Fugaku began his piece. "I will not entrust one of my heirs to a program so new. I will not enable anyone to ruin the Uchiha clan, even if it is by accident. So my answer is of course no."

Frowning at the sheer rudeness that dripped off of Fugaku's tone, the Sandaime waved Hyuuga Hiashi on.

"I apologize Hokage-sama but I will be unable to lend my daughter to the this new project. As she is a main-house Hyuuga, the Hyuuga council would never let Hinata leave the village for as long as being a Kawa-nin would require."

The last member of the council, Aburame Shibi stood up. "Hokage-sama, I am perfectly willing to allow my daughter, Aburame Sorana, to become a Kawa-nin. She is the twin to my heir Aburame Shino, and because she is a female she would not normally be allowed out of the house. However, I feel it is illogical to stop strong ninjas from helping our village simply because they are female. Therefore, Sorana will be trained by the Elders to form the first partnership of Kawa-nin."

The Hokage smiled a true smile and said sincerely, "Thank you very much, Shibi. I am also very certain that the Kunoichi Association will be ecstatic to hear that the Aburame will begin to allow their females to join the ninja corps."

"Now this meeting is adjourned. Koharu, Homura, you may begin creating the Kawa division. Good day to you all."

So that's the end of chapter 1. I warn you now that there will be a time skip several times within the next chapter. I hate writing/reading stories where the author takes 8 chapters, 3 months, and a 100,000 words to get Naruto to the genin exams. It's boring because I want action now so the next chapter will be getting Naruto to the age where he would have normally taken the genin exams. Hopefully you guys like my ideas so far and if you don't give me your input. See ya next time.