(A): I do not own Naruto or any of the characters or concepts except my own. This is my first story so constructive criticism is appreciated. First chapter is me trying to get facts straight and setting stuff up so it probably won't be the best. I also believe that whoever reads this knows what people look like so I will only describe clothes and such if they have changed. I do not update regularly so chapters will come out when they come out.
Chapter 1: Reveal
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Writing
Biju and Summon, Same as above but Bold
Konoha: 2nd reign of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi: After Mizuki incident.
Hiruzen POV
"Thank you Anbu, for escorting Naruto and Iruka here. You may return to your positions." Stated Sarutobi. He looked at the two before him with a stern gaze as the shinobi in masks disappeared. Then his sight settled on the eldest of the to and turned to slight worry. "Are you alright Iruka?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage. The medics said that I should be completely healed in a few days." The chunin stated rubbing one of wounds that he had received from his traitor of a former best friend.
"I am glad that you will be alright. Now as I understand congratulations are in order for our field promoted genin. Now it is up to you Naruto if you would like to continue your charade or we can start to tell people, starting with Iruka, but there would be consequences to this."
The young boy looked deep in thought. While waiting Sarutobi filled out the forms for Naruto to be a full fledged genin. The boy looked up at the leader before telling him that he would like to tell Iruka.
With a sigh, Hiruzen opened his mouth to speak when the door was thrust open by his two former teammates, now village elders, as they entered the room unannounced.'Now I will have to deal with these two when I already have so much work to do. They love to argue and torture me with paperwork. Why did I want this job back again?' Iruka and Naruto quickly darted to the side and back as the two elders took to the front of the desk to confront the village leader; glancing at the door thinking that maybe they should leave until one of the elders started yelling.
"Sarutobi! You have to do something about this... child" Koharu Utatane sneered out the word child while she was glaring down at the young blond. 'Demon should have died that night so long ago! Hiruzen protects it and no matter how many assassins we've sent and beatings that have been orchestrated it still lives.' Naruto stuck his tongue out in retaliation until Hiruzen gave him a disapproving look as he cleaned out his pipe.
"What is there to be done? Naruto was preforming a mission for me to flush out a traitor from our midst and did very well." The Third stated. Homura Mitokado sniffed in disdain at his former teammate, watching as he packed the pipe with tobacco and lit it.
"What mission. He's not even a ninja. He failed the graduation exam!" Homura spat. Both elders stood before the desk not even acknowledging Iruka and Naruto that stood behind them against the wall. The two unimportants looked at each other, bit their tongues and waited for the show to continue. The Sandaime started to puff on his pipe repeatedly to bring down his stress levels.
"That child wears the hitai-ate of our forces and had a superior present on his mission. I don't see a problem here. Plus I have the papers here stating he is. Now if you wouldn't mind leaving my office so I can debrief my shinobi that would be of great help. Naru stay here. Iruka would you mind getting Kakashi Hatake, Might Gai, Hiashi Hyuga, and Genma Shiranui for me." Iruka nodded and quietly left the room. Hiruzen packed his pipe while his advisors looked at him with a gleam in their eye. "Why are you still present?"
"The boys name is Naruto not Naru. Is there something that you are not telling us?" Koharu practically purred at the end. Sarutobi could see the evil grin that her stiff face did not show. Hiruzen let nothing show on his face, but within he was cursing his old age for letting him become loose lipped.
"Since I am planning on announcing this to the council tomorrow anyway, I suppose I can tell you." Turning to Naruto, who was looking between the elders and Hokage with narrowed eyes, he gave a gentle smile. "Naru, my child, you can drop the henge now."
Naruto's head whipped over to the third from glancing dis-trustingly at the two before him. "What! Iruka-sensei is one thing but no way am I trusting these two old windbags. They would just try and control me more than they are already trying to do."
"Naruto. People are going to find out tomorrow and you will be going to your team assignment as yourself so it will be fine. I also have a way of keeping them from gaining control over you and your family assets. Don't worry I won't let anything bad happen to you."
The young blond boy looked to his grandfather figure and saw that he was sincere about his words and that he was truly going to tell his secret, that he has been keeping for so many years, tomorrow. A secret that has kept him safe and unharmed in some ways. "Very well, Jiji. I will do as you say, but we will talk about how you are going to keep me safe afterwards right?"
"Yes Naru, I will talk with you once the elders are gone."
Nodding the young child brought his hands up into a ram sign and with a poof of smoke a young girl appeared.
Her golden hair was no longer short and spiky but down to her hips and smooth. She was about five foot three inches with tan skin and eyes bluer than the sky and deeper than the ocean. Pink cupid's bow lips and straight white teeth made her smile and there were no longer any whisker marks on her cheeks. In place of them showing that she was the Kyubi's jinchuriki was the slightly longer canines, longer claw like nails, and the slit-like pupils of her eyes. No longer wearing the orange and blue jumpsuit that Naruto was known for, instead she had on a royal blue kimono top with a gold koi pattern along the bottom with gold all around the edges of the top. A mesh armor long sleeved top underneath and had on spandex black shorts that went to mid thigh and mesh that went to mid calf. The regular ninja sandles but in black covered her feet. She did not wear many accessories but for a gold necklace with a large sapphire hanging on the end. A whirlpool etched into the top with gold enlay. Sapphire studs were also in her ears. They were gifts from Sarutobi that she treasured.
The elder's eyes widened at the person before them. She held herself with grace and poise but there was a fire in her eyes that dared them to comment on her. They shook themselves out of their stupor and their faces went stoic but there was a light in their eyes.
"Hiruzen, this changes things." Homura stated as he stalked around Naru. "She still cannot become a kunoichi but instead I think Uchiha-sama or one of our esteemed council members would do well taking care of their bride to be."
A hardened look came to the Hokage's eyes as his hand clenched around his newly lit pipe. "She will not marry whomever it is that you have in mind, Homura. Remember I am her guardian and thus all marriage proposals go through me. Now I have some important things to discuss with my newest kunoichi so please leave.
"This isn't over yet Hiruzen" Koharu stated as she walked out the door, Homura on her tails. The door slammed behind the two elders.
Turning with a huff Naru glared at the old man before her. "What the hell Jiji. Why did you make me show them who I am? Now they will never leave me alone and find a way to force the Uchiha on me." Turning to the window and crossing her arms under her developing bust she then grumbled. "I would castrate the teme before he even came close to me."
Hiruzen chuckled at that. With a sigh he thought about the options he had to keep the young girl he saw as a granddaughter safe from the hands of those who would use her and her wealth. Only one option came to mind with additions that could come to be in the future. 'I wish there was another way but this is the only way to protect her. Minato, I am sorry.'
"Naru, my dear, there is something I must tell you and you are not going to like it. Will you please come sit with me?" He moves over to the sitting area off to the side of his office. She cocks her head to the side and narrows her eyes as she cautiously walks over to the couch and sits next to the man she saw as her grandfather. The thought of him causing her any kind of trouble or distress never crossed her mind before but the sad, somewhat defeated look on his face worried her. Yet there was a spark of defiance in his eyes.
"Now, you know as well as I do that they are going to bring you up in the council meeting tomorrow. You also know that they will be pushing to have you married off to one of those that side with them or that they can control, like young Sasuke." Naru makes a face of disgust at this. The so called "last" Uchiha was to broody and cold for her tastes. "Here is the part that you will not like. The only way that I can think of to keep you safe is, to have you pick from people I trust, to be married off to." Naru's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped at this. Hiruzen seemed to slump into his chair as he waited for her shock to pass.
"You are saying that in order to get out of a doomed marriage, I must marry someone else? How will that ever make me happy?" She went from staring at the hokage to looking at the floor. Either way she looked at it she was forced into a relationship.
"There is a difference Naru. I would let you pick from men I trust to protect you and care for you."
Naru sat in silence for a while. She didn't want to marry now. She wanted to become a powerful shinobi like her parents. But the council will make her marry someone anyway. Jiji's way allowed her to choose and maybe she will know some of the men. With a sigh and slumped shoulders she turned to her grandfather.
"Alright Jiji. I will pick from those you trust."
With those words knocking was heard from the door.
