O.K.E
[Operation Kill Everything]
Chapter One: Ain't What It Seems
. . .
A ten year old boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and three horizontal whiskers on each cheek wearing a faded orange shirt, black shorts, and worn sandals approached a large door inside the reception area of the Hokage's Tower. There were several seats aligned along one side of the wall and a desk off to the side where the secretary worked, but was presently nowhere to be found.
He continued forward to the door that would lead to the Hokage's office, finding himself in the surroundings of a familiar office. "Grandpa?" The boy asked as he looked around the empty office where his grandfather figure was usually seated behind his desk, working.
Being curious and finding no one around, he decided to explore a bit. He took a moment to look out the large window that framed the Hokage Monument perfectly in the background of the office as the sun's rays poured into the office. He also walked around the Hokage's desk that had a stack of papers sitting on it.
He grinned and went over to the nearby couch that rested against one of the walls. He then proceeded to jump up and down on it as if it were a trampoline. Since there was no one around to tell him not to, the boy decided to take complete advantage of jumping on the couch.
He attempted to jump up again, but his foot got caught between the cushions, and he lost his balance as he tried leaping upwards again. "Oh no, uwaah!" The boy cried out and as he was sent off balance through the air. He blindly latched onto the closest thing possible, which happened to be the book case.
While he was clenching his eyes closed, he braced for the impact, and the blonde completely missed his hand triggering a floor trap which happened to be a book that looked like it really had no business on the shelf of the book case, causing a panel in the floor to pop open with a click as he crashed into the floor.
"Ouch, that hurt…ok, bad idea. Now I know why grandpa tells me not to jump on the couch," the blonde articulated with a mumble as he got to his feet while rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh no!" he noticed he'd caused several of the books to fall from the shelf. "I better clean this up and get out of here," he knelt on the floor and reached for the first book, but caught sight of the open floor panel that had been a trap door from the corner of his eyes.
My day just got a lot more interesting! The blonde thought as he crawled over to the compartment opening and noticed a few scrolls lying inside it with the Uzumaki swirl emblazoned on both of them. It was a symbol that he immediately recognized since it appeared on his favorite shirt as well as on the vests that some ninjas of the village wore.
The boy didn't notice that he had nicked his thumb on the edge of the bookcase when he fell, otherwise he would have seen the blood on it. When his youthful curiosity finally got the better of him, he pulled the scrolls from the hidden compartment taking one in each of his small hands.
The blood from his thumb was enough to cause the first scroll to unseal and slowly unravel.
"Whoa!" The simple action of the scroll opening was enough to immensely impress the blonde hair, blue eyed boy. He excitedly read the first words.
-To my dear son, Naruto…
Naruto stopped reading right then and there as his cerulean hues widened in shock, he wasn't sure he read that right, and thought he may had been hallucinating, so he read it again. Again, it read the same as it had the first time.
To me? But, if this was something meant for me…then why is it being hidden? Naruto inquired of himself as he set his eyes back to the scroll, but, before he could start reading again, the sounds of footsteps alerted him that someone was coming. He was never certain about the reasons, but he noticed that his hearing was extremely sharp, and his sense of smell was stronger than that. Thus, he could sense the presences of the third and his Secretary.
Naruto scrambled to his feet, ready to bail out of the office, but he caught sight of the books, and he hurried to place them all back on the shelf. Luckily for him all the books that fell came off shelves that he could reach on his own, except for the last one which he had to stand on the couch's edge to place back.
He jumped down from the couch and collected the two scrolls, hiding them under his shirt, and then closed the trap floor board before rushing from the office. As the door clicked shut behind him, the sound of voices joined the footsteps, and they were just around the corner.
He ran, ran almost as quickly as he did when escaping those zealots called ninja and civilians before heading down the opposite direction of an adjourning hallway, leading him away from the direction of the two adults.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage was walking with his secretary. It was rare for both to be away at the same time, but an emergency had been alerted to the Hokage, and just in case he needed an extra hand, he brought her with him. After all, what were a few minutes away from the desk when the only main concern in the village at the time was the Hokage's completion of his paper work?
+ Later +
Naruto found himself running through the village as the moon and stars lay witness to another night of an all too familiar scene. A child was being chased by villagers and a few ninja through his own hometown of Konoha.
"That's it, run! Make it exciting. I'll enjoy it that much more!" Naruto could hear one of the crazed screams; this action had a chain reaction. That was the mob cheering loudly, some with torches, and others with weapons and other blunt instruments, or sharp objects.
"Monster!"
Curses and other obscenities as well as threats, promises, and guarantees of the little boy's torture at their hands continued to be thrown at the blonde. That familiar feeling that Naruto hated and knew all too well was washing over him. It was a combination of fear, desperation, adrenaline, and confusion.
For a ten year old boy he was awfully spry on his feet and full of stamina and dexterity. More often than not he managed to get away from the idiots since he had a sixty-five percent success rate.
He was usually quick witted at leading his pursuers through the village and setting the odds in his favor to escape. Tonight he wasn't on his A-game due to what he had read in one of those scrolls earlier, which he still had hidden on his person.
He wondered if they knew about it, if he let them see it, would they even care? Or even give him a chance to explain?
No, of course they wouldn't. This cycle repeated itself over and over again, always coming full circle. He had tried, pleaded, begged, and cried for them to make him understand what he had done to deserve their hatred, glares, contempt, and attempted beatings, but it always fell on deaf ears.
That scroll…He hadn't even had time to process and reflect on it. Almost as soon as he had started reading, he was spotted by someone and that one became a small horde. Naruto's mind was incredibly scrambled.
Thus was the reason why he took a back alley to where he knew a lowered fire escape ladder to be, and climbed it to the top of a tall building. It was enough to stop the civilians, but the shinobi began walking up the wall. After pulling up the ladder, he ran across the roof, and leapt over the village fence out of Konoha before the shinobi could catch up.
It was a good thing for the blonde that the shinobi of the group were Genin. The fact that they couldn't leave the village without just cause at the time, kept them from leaping into the trees after him. The three ninja scowled in utter contempt while one spit in disgust upon the boy's trail.
"…And don't bring your ass back!" One of the Genin yelled.
Good riddance, demon…
No…No! Naruto yelled in his mind as he stared at the distant drop he was taking into the trees surrounding the wall. He could hear the distant yells of those who had been pursuing him as he fell off into the darkness.
He wasn't sure where he'd go if he survived the fall. He had never been too far outside the village, but he knew the surrounding areas well since he sometimes ventured into the distant forests, and occasionally Training Ground 44. Those areas and a few others, he knew, but now…
He just knew he couldn't turn back.
. . .
Naruto…
…Naruto
Wake up, Naruto…
"Huh?"
Naruto's eyes broke open, revealing his brilliant blue orbs. He only had time to make out a woman with red hair and violet dough eyes before he was engulfed in darkness again. He suddenly found that it was hard to breath, but at the same time found his potential murder weapon to be warm and soft.
"Sochi!" The red head squealed girlishly as she clutched the blonde to her bosom. "Finally! Finally I could see you and hug you…oh, and kiss!"
That seemed to be the magic word and Naruto suddenly found the strength to break free of the crazy woman that had latched onto him and nearly killed him by smothering him with her breasts! The ten year old was not having fun.
He was so zoned out that he never noticed the sewer style surroundings he was in, or that he was standing in ankle deep water as he protested. "No! No way in hell I'm letting you kiss me, lady. Who the he…-"
Naruto trailed off as he got a good look at the woman, who was smiling, if not a bit sheepishly, as she fixed her blouse while standing again. Although there was water in the sewer, it didn't get any of her clothing wet. She looked over to him with a proud and happy smile, ready to speak, but Naruto beat her to it.
"You're my, Kaa-san?" He asked slowly. Naruto vividly remembered finding a picture of this woman inside one of the scrolls before he had been chased and attacked. Besides from that, he had never seen this woman, nor did he know her, but something just felt right about being around her now that he could focus.
"That's right, Naruto. I'm your mother." Her smile became wider as she shed a tear of happiness. It didn't take much longer before Naruto rushed the red head and jumped into her. She caught him and hugged him close. Naruto began to cry into her shirt while muttering indistinctly about the questions that plagued his mind during his uneasy life in Konoha.
"I know and it's alright. There'll be time for that; for now, just let it all out." Kushina looked upon Naruto's sunny blonde hair as she swept her hand through the spiky locks and he looked up at her with watering eyes.
"Kaa-san, why did tou-…the Yondaime make me this way?"
Kushina's smile became melancholy as the betrayal and years of pain reflected in her eyes. She knew that he knew about her and Minato from the one scroll he had partially read. She wasn't sure where to start or what exactly to tell him and complicating that; was her short time.
"Because he was a fool, but if you asked him that question, he'd probably say 'because I was Hokage'," she spat sorely.
"I fought with Minato not to put the nine-tails inside you, to reseal it inside me, but since I had just given birth to you I was weak; it wasn't much of a fight. I know there's a specific reason why. He was too gung-ho about making you a jinchuriki…also, Minato didn't as much as get out of bed without a reason." She sighed, and shook her head.
"I'm just sorry that I don't know what it could be. I know you must have a lot more questions, but I don't have much time." Kushina looked regretfully at her son. "I wish there had been a way for me to stay with you, instead of…this."
Naruto looked confused before looking even sadder than he did previously. "You're going to leave me again…aren't you?"
Kushina hugged Naruto again, smiling as she shed a few more silent tears. "Not because I want to. I'm your mother, but I'm just here to set you along your path. I'm truly dead, Naruto, and I'm sorry we can't be together, but I'm just a chakra construct with a specific mission. Whether or not that mission is completed, I'll begin to fade into the past once more. Therefore, it's time to listen. You won't be alone when you return, I promise th-."
"No!" Naruto screamed and clutched the woman tighter than she would have thought the scrawny kid capable of. "I won't let you go! I need you!"
Kushina frowned and pulled Naruto from her so she could hold him at arm length. "I'm sorry, Sochi, but this is the way it is. I know it's not fair, but the world seldom is." She smiled sadly, but kept eye contact with him. "You don't need me. You might not think it, but you're very strong already. You just have to…realize your potential."
She turned and stepped around Naruto, the water of the dank sewers sloshing around her ankles as she did, and placed her hands upon the blonde's shoulders. "Don't fight it… you're not alone, Naruto…not in here, and not in the world either. I know you're conflicted and just want to know why, but have faith, and your answers will come."
Naruto couldn't stop the tears from falling, he could already feel her presence beginning to fade, and when he noticed her hand on his shoulder, he saw right through it. "Please, Kaa-san. I just want to be with you, I don't care about anything else!"
"I'd like that and one day we will be, but in the mean time I want you to continue growing, become stronger, and as long as you stay true to yourself…know that you'll be making me proud." She sniffed and frowned, noticing she was getting off track again.
"Now, focus Naruto." The boy turned his head, noticing vertical steel bars rising from the waters up into the ceiling, and beyond that…complete darkness.
"I don't under-."
"Shh…I want you to meet someone. You might not like it, but I ask that you trust this person for me. She helped make me who I was and she'll do the same for you too…and then some."
"I-I will, mom." Naruto was on the verge of breaking down as he felt her presence leaving his mindscape. He closed his eyes, trying to burn the memory and feel of her presence into his mind; so that he'd never forget. "I love you."
Kushina smiled widely before she dissipated. "I love you too, son."
"…"
"You can open your eyes now, kit."
Naruto opened his eyes upon hearing another voice. It was definitely feminine and it was definitely not his mother's. Where Kushina's tone was kind and empathetic, this woman's was ethereal and impish.
She was of a short stature with a lithe, curvaceous frame. She had wavy, auburn hair like fire down to her backside. Her skin was flawless and sun kissed where he could see and she was also clad in a kimono that was far from traditional.
The top fell off her shoulders and the cleavage of her perky D-cup breasts were visible from the wide opening in the front. The material hugged her slim form in all the right places down to the slits that went along either side to expose strong, shapely legs. Although the water reached well into her cage, her bare feet kept her standing above the drink.
"Who are-?"
"I'm glad I could finally meet my landlord after ten years…I'm who your mother was referring to." She smiled a fox's sly smile and her slitted red eyes glinted conspiratorially.
"I am Kyuubi, your tenant, and we need to get a few things straight…"
. . .
He sat in the old wooden chair in his motel room, positioned by the open window with the curtains parted to allow sunlight and a brisk breeze, that occasionally passed by, into the, otherwise stuffy, hotel room.
The young, mulatto man sighed as he leaned back in his chair restlessly. This had been the routine for the last three days. He got to miss out on sleep while he watched the blonde kid he found slumber all day; occasionally he would go into uncontrollable spasms, mutter, and sometimes thrash around in bed.
The young man doubted that he was experiencing anything pleasant, but he didn't think that he could still be in pain. He remembered being worried about taking him to a healer, so imagine his surprise when the boy's wounds healed a few hours later.
That was just fine; he shouldn't have been in any rush while he waited for the boy to wake up. He had no idea what he was going to do once the kid was conscious. He was simply anxious to get back on the road.
He didn't know why he hadn't recognized him at first; it hadn't been that long since he was in Konoha…playing spy games. The villagers were imbeciles and his nickname be damned, but the third Hokage was absolutely obtuse.
A newcomer to Konoha shouldn't have been able to find out about the jinchuriki on his first day in town…and without actively searching for that info. The boy's status was supposed to be S-class confidential, yet everyone from civilians to greenhorn Genin, and up, knew about this boy's burden. Not a single one tried to hide it. They promoted it like a god damned Icha-Icha book release.
He'd only spent two weeks in Konoha three years ago. In that time; the boy was assaulted more than a dozen times. It was a good thing he was talented at escaping, there had been at least thirty attempts.
He hadn't quite helped, but he didn't just stand by those times he was a witness. A few times he silently helped him escape the morons, but since he was in Konoha for espionage…it was difficult to lend a silent hand and keep his cover from being blown.
That brought his thoughts back to the Hokage. Thirty attempts and about twelve successful attacks by groups of civilians and ninja…and not one had been punished by the Hokage, whose rule was death for opposing his law.
The Anbu, Special Jonin, and Jonin assigned to be handlers never did anything either. He would spy on them, while they watched him struggle and be beaten unconscious before breaking it up…then they would leave him where he lay.
It was the saddest thing he'd ever had to lay eyes on. The kid didn't know, but he'd taken a beating for him once when he pushed a vendors cart into a growing mob that had been after the boy for more than two hours that day. When the kid got away and the mob dispersed, he had been thanked personally by the Anbu.
Bastards…
In his mind, the boy shouldn't have been alive, because Bijuu had no business being sealed inside a human. Despite that, he knew of at least five people like him today.
He had stolen a bit of blood from the blonde after realizing that the scrolls had blood seals for added security, and used the fluid to open the scrolls he found on the boy. When he started to skim the contents, he immediately wished he hadn't. There was a lot of classified information and techniques contained within. It was a good thing that he wasn't the type that enjoyed jacking for jutsu, because they were easily the kind of thing that spies, mercenaries, and ninja of rival countries killed for or got killed for.
The Fourth was his father, responsible for sealing the Kyuubi inside him. A survivor of the Uzushiogakure Massacre had been his mother, whom was also a jinchuriki in her lifetime…the Aka No Shi was thought of as little more than a myth used to inspire warriors and scare children where he was from. He'd never thought she had been a real person.
He had a strong bloodline, that much was obvious...being the son of a Kage was the closest thing someone could get to nobility. Naruto was as good a prince in the young man's eyes.
Though he had no affiliation to ninjas or hidden villages, he was disgusted by Konoha. It was plain to see the damage that had been done to the boy, never mind the mental anguish that likely existed. He was scrawny, undersized, and obviously malnourished.
If both his parents were gone on the night of his birth, that meant he was an orphan, and likely due to his status, politics, or both; he'd not been adopted. It wouldn't have been too hard to put the extra pieces together, the scrolls just made it easier.
The boy had obviously survived an attempt at being mobbed again and this time he'd fled the village, not that he could blame him. The ignorant, blind, and closed minded blamed him as the container, for their pain. There was no other explanation for it, especially since he knew about October tenth.
The kid was an extension of the Kyuubi, easily associated with the fox responsible for all the evil that was unleashed upon Konoha; he was guilty by association. The only way he could see it, was that he possessed a second reserve of chakra that could be called on like a bloodline limit, only that chakra happened to be malevolent by nature. Naturally, it was easier for Konoha to hate him than to accept him.
After his curiosity was sated, he spent the next two days running through the scenarios and possible outcomes that could unfold from being with this boy. The different paths he could take. The first had been to see him healed and returned home to Konoha, but he couldn't overlook what had been done to the jinchuriki, and no doubt the boy was frustrated and confused about his life.
He felt it would be irresponsible and foolhardy of him to return Naruto to Konoha when the entire city was threatening his life. He blamed the Sandaime Hokage most of all…he saw the blonde as evidence that the Hokage lacked control over his village and its people.
He sighed deeply and turned his head to look out the window over the small town where his hotel was, watching the day and people go by. So, what do I do then? What's the right thing to do where Naruto's self interest is concerned?
+ Meanwhile +
"I say the village is better off!"
"Let the world open up and swallow him whole. We would be rid of the demon and Konoha's resources wouldn't have been wasted on it-." The ignorant civilian stopped when Sarutobi yelled.
"Quiet! Quiet now, you insolent..." Sarutobi trailed off while massaging his temples, lest he say or do something unbecoming someone of his station. That however, did not keep him from silently filling the room with a steady flow of his chakra laden killing intent; enough so that the civilian half of the council quickly quieted down.
"I have been obtuse for far too long concerning Uzumaki Naruto. He called me grandfather and I let myself indulge in the title without acting as a grandfather should." A member of the council went to speak, but he slammed his fist onto the table. "Well no more!" A small crack took form in the desk beneath his fist.
"Hokage-sama," Danzo rang in. "I understand you're sentimental given your closeness to the boy, but showing this kind of favoritism is...concerning. If this were any ordinary member of Konoha would you act so fervently, I wonder? It is incredibly biased."
The Sandaime let out a weary sigh at his rival for the position of Hokage as all eyes shifted back to him, expectantly. "Naruto is no ordinary case. The Fourth thought he would be justified when he sealed the Kyuubi inside of him. He proclaimed him a hero and constant protector of Konoha for keeping the beast jailed inside his body." The third looked the very definition of regretful.
"I am Hokage and as such, I know what goes on in my village. I know that while his jinchuriki status is forbidden to be talked about, the parents undermine me and tell their children not to go anywhere near him. Those assigned to shadow him look the other way leading him to be beaten and since the villagers are apt to do things even more so when the ninja that serve to set an example look the other way, they think that it is a just thing to do."
"It's little wonder that Naruto hasn't grown to hate and despise the village, if that happens he may very well unleash the beast upon us. Konoha is a beautiful and strong village, but neither is she impervious to the sin of man. This much has been made clear to me in my many years as Hokage…"
Whoever it was that said that eyes were the windows to the soul could not have been more right. As he passed his wizened gaze over those of the council, the Sandaime could see it in their eyes whether they agreed with him, felt somewhat bad for their behavior, or seemed set in their ways of bigotry.
Homura and Koharu would always side with Danzo on nearly every platform; it was just the way of things. Hiashi Hyuga and Tsume Inuzuka seemed inclined to agree with him concerning the jinchuriki. Shibi Aburame and the Ino-Shika-Cho seniors seemed to be on the fence.
"The death of a jinchuriki would be a sight one would not be able to miss; one would certainly feel the maliciousness of the chakra being released. I am positive that Naruto is alive. I have a proposition of his circumstances to change when and if we get him back. I need him looked after…I want him to see that he is loved and wanted here. I can't force all of Konoha to change their ways, but mistakes will be recognized and corrected."
A spiteful civilian was about to say something wholly ignorant about Naruto, but the third continued. "And before any of you say something ignorant, think about the consequences that could befall us if he's taken in by another village. What's more, I want you to think about what could happen if the Hidden Sand was the village that took him in." Now the third remained silent to let his last words sink in. No village, no matter how detested, wanted to lose their jinchuriki; especially to a rival nation.
The statement had the entire room reconsidering their past actions towards Naruto, but not as deeply as he would have liked. Some members of the council looked eager to counter his statement, but another hardened glare staved them off.
He was the Hokage damn-it, how dare they even think to challenge him!
The proper war face intimidated enemies on the battlefield and that fact was no less true here, even in politics. He already knew who would object and he would let them, but he would use his veto power to overrule them if he needed. If only he could reveal Naruto's heritage to them, he doubted there would be much reluctance then. He shook his head, if only they knew.
However, it was not his secret to tell and Naruto wasn't of age yet, and nowhere near able to fend for himself. Even though his jinchuriki status may have warranted it, if the way he was treated was anything to go by. He just hoped the fact that he was a jinchuriki, a supposed weapon of the village would be enough to pass this.
"I do not want him looked at or even treated like a weapon, but since we're dealing with facts then let us look at the truth. A jinchuriki is a weapon to the village, a sign of a village's strength. Well people, we have been mistreating our weapon." The third sighed internally, he was going to be doing some repenting for speaking of Naruto like this, but if playing their game would make living easier for Naruto …then so be it.
"A weapon, or tool if you will, should be fine tuned, taken care of, sharpened, and made to see its full potential. Rather than taking care of our tool, we are letting it rust, and dull. Should we not see to it that when the time comes we get full use of his ability? Naruto loves his birth village. Not even the Kyuubi, with all its might could hope to change that about him. I'm sure he would defend it to his very death if we gave him the chance and put him in the position to succeed. Before we question the bias here, I want you to think if this is something we would do for any member of a clan from our village or not."
Danzo seemed ready salivate at what he was hearing, he had been compelling the Hokage from the get-go to allow him to train the boy. Looking back on it, he couldn't remember why he had refused so strongly, especially now that it seemed he was a man after his own heart.
The Sandaime noticed the glint in his comrade's eye, quick, and barely noticeable, but it was there. "Danzo, I will not allow Naruto to sacrifice his emotions. The type of training you would have him seen through would be too much for him, perhaps when he is older we can revisit." The explanation seemed to quell Danzo's thirst and the old war hawk even smirked as he gave an agreeing nod.
Sarutobi never thought a precedent would take place when he called for this meeting. Danzo, not only agreed with him, but smiled; however fake it might be. The fact he was not outright challenging his position and attempting to sway the council to back him up as opposition with his silver tongue was enough for Sarutobi.
However, he had to inquire to himself what the cons of that action meant as Koharu and Homura joined their comrade's side, signified by their acquiescing nods. He couldn't very well have ANBU spy on them; neither could he use his crystal ball. Sarutobi would have to meditate on the situation later.
That's three, but what would you happen to be planning in that mind of yours, you old war hawk? Sarutobi inquired to himself. For now he would take what he could get. If Danzo overreached and he finally got the evidence he needed, Sarutobi would personally unhinge Danzo and his two former teammates.
He sent a reminding glare towards the civilian council to keep quiet and once he was satisfied they would keep for a little longer, he noticed that Tsume and Hiashi seemed to be whispering to each another conspiratorially. Tsume grinned and Hiashi gave a subtle nod.
Another precedent surely, was Tsume and Hiashi coming to terms with something that Tsume seemed to be masterminding, and Hiashi approving. Usually Tsume would be trying to get at Hiashi with her claws and fangs, but not this time. "Before you begin Tsume, just know that this does not mean I can allow Naruto to be adopted."
"No, Hokage-sama, perhaps not. Though, nothing's keeping us from making him an honorary member of our clans." She grinned and cast another gaze to Hiashi who approved of her wording, "invite him in, the protection of Konoha clans will make anyone think twice, and will stand to strengthen his loyalty…then who knows." Tsume wrapped up, "Which is what Hiashi and I plan to do." Now the room came to life with murmurs of surprise.
Sarutobi lifted his hand, gently waving for them to quiet down as the noise level began to steadily rise on cue of Tsume's statement.
"I can do what I want, to hell with the rest of the council…don't know why you're not forced to disband after repeatedly going against Hokage-sama's laws," Tsume muttered and Hiashi closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh.
Sarutobi tried again, "The civilian council will quiet down and not interrupt or be asked to leave!" The muttering quickly quieted down before ceasing entirely. "I approve of your and Hiashi Hyuga's right to make Uzumaki Naruto an honorary member to your clans." The old man smiled, pleased. "Therefore, this unofficially makes Naruto's situation a clan matter…in part anyway."
The Uchiha Patriarch seemed indifferent to the goings on, "Hn, I'll pass. The Uchiha are plenty strong without the jinchuriki messing things up." Anything that the Hyuga agreed to, the Uchiha automatically had to be on the opposite side.
They then went around the room and the only folks who seemed genuinely interested in Naruto's well being were limited to Tsume and Hiashi.
Though Sarutobi was certain Hiashi had another angle he was working involving Naruto, welcoming the blonde in where no one else didn't would serve him well to earn his loyalty. The Hyuga were well spread throughout the Elemental Nations due to their ability to delegate, having Naruto would definitely strengthen their backing as Konoha's most noble clan.
Tsume, he felt he could trust. She and Minato had history as lovers before the two decided on a mutual break up for reasons not unusual for shinobi. When Kushina came into the picture, Tsume befriended the woman and the two became quick friends. Sarutobi knew that Tsume never stopped caring for Minato and he knew she would honestly look out for Naruto, as well as his best interests.
The Ino-Shika-Cho seniors decided they had no position to take. They would neither welcome him as an honorary member, but they wouldn't keep their children or clan's from being involved with him. Coincidentally, Shibi Aburame voted the same way.
"In the case that things don't go as planned, precautions will be made to make sure the Kyuubi never influences him, and that he isn't led astray. To have Uzumaki Naruto bred into not only the perfect soldier, but to instill in him the many lessons that would see him become what Konoha stands for. Since the votes are collected, I adjourn the meeting here. We will reconvene in two weeks time or when we have recovered Uzumaki Naruto, whichever comes first. Any further standards, principles, and restrictions that are to be set upon him will be discussed then."
Sarutobi reclined back into his seat as the council commenced, he eyed Danzo carefully when he bowed then began shuffling out of the office followed by his two cohorts, hardly dependent on that cane he walked around with.
I hope you know you're not the only one skilled in deception, my old friend. I'll need some insurance to keep Danzo's Root men from making their own moves. I just hope I can get in touch with him soon.