The snow swirled all around through the silent city streets as a young, blonde man stepped out of the train station and into the city of Konohagakure in the Land of Fire. The man hadn't been here since he had been kidnapped from his cradle in the hospital the day he was born. He had come to terms with that in his time under Orochimaru's thumb. The only reason he weathered the snake's abuse over the years was Anko Mitarashi, his caretaker and adopted older sister. When Orochimaru threatened to have her killed, well, that's why the blonde man turned his skills as a hitman on the snake.
In certain circles, he was known as The Kage. No one saw him coming, and when they did, it was already too late. His calling card was a wallet sized picture of the nine tailed demon fox from Japanese myth left in the victim's right hand and placed over their heart. The city of Konohagakure was in a state of uproar, as was the rest of the Land of Fire, when Orochimaru's body was found on the side of the road just outside of the city limits. With one of the country's greatest crime bosses dead, everyone slept a little easier.
After The Kage put a bullet through Orochimaru's head, he had called the only person he could call a friend, a guy known only as The Forger, and had him set up him and Anko with a new identities in Konohagakure, which was why he was just arriving in a place he could not remember seeing before.
Naruto Uzumaki had always been my name, but I have no idea of who my parents are, nor if I have any family. Funny, I wouldn't even be here if I hadn't botched that Hyuuga job, the blonde thought.
On his last job, he had been contracted to take out the heiress of the Hyuuga family, a girl named Hinata, who was set to inherit the medical tech corporation and private security firm her family had built over the years. While the Hyuuga's security for a dinner party they had been hosting was good, really good, Naruto had no trouble getting in and making contact with the target. What he wasn't prepared for was how beautiful and kind she was.
Love at first sight wasn't something Naruto actually believed in until it knocked him over the head with a billy club. He talked with her a majority of the night, even danced with her some, before leaving once the party was over. While he often thought of her, he hadn't seen her since the party around two months ago.
Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out the pewter pocket watch Anko had given him a few years ago and sighed, "Anko's gonna kill me." He was supposed to meet her an hour ago so he could help her move into her new apartment. Nothing he could do about it since the trains were running late.
He made his way down unfamiliar streets, relying on his gut instinct to point him in the right direction whenever he got turned around, before finally reaching her apartment building in one of the nicer areas in the city. It wasn't as if the city were a slum, just that some areas were nicer than others. When Naruto reached her floor, he found Anko waiting just outside her apartment with a frown on her face.
"Where have you been? You were supposed to be here an hour ago!" Anko stepped foward and reached up, brushing the snow off of Naruto's shoulders. He stood at six feet two inches while she was only five feet six inches tall.
"Sorry, sis, the trains were running late and there weren't any cabs running because of the snow. How do you like your apartment?" Naruto asked as Anko opened up the door and let him in.
"It's nice. Nicer than any place we've lived before. Where are you staying at?" Anko asked as she headed into the kitchen and put the coffee on.
"I'm looking at getting an apartment on the outskirts of the city. Not so much noise out that way," Naruto said, then shot Anko a wierd look, "I never could understand why you like city noise."
"I don't really like the quiet. This is out of the blue, but could you see me being a teacher?" Anko asked as she poured Naruto and herself a cup of coffee.
Naruto thought on that for a moment, "I could, actually. Intermediate or highschool. Not elementary school, though. I think you'd lose your mind with a bunch of kids."
Anko laughed, "I probably would. I was just thinking about getting a job, and that's what I came up with."
Naruto frowned slightly, "You don't have to get a job, you know."
"I know, Naruto. I just don't think kids should have to go through what we did. So I figured, if I'm a teacher, I could whip the students into shape at a young age so they don't go down the path we were forced to walk," Anko said softly.
Naruto was silent for a moment before he nodded, "Yeah, I think you'd make a great teacher. Listen, I got to get going if I want to make it to the hotel before this snow locks everything down. Give me a call when you're not busy, teach."
Naruto left Anko's apartment with a wave and headed back down to the street below. He pulled his long wool coat tighter around him in an effort to ward off the cold and walked along the snow encrusted sidewalk until he reached what looked like a family sit-in restaraunt. He looked down the cold street, then decided to step into the restaraunt to warm up and grab a bite to eat.
"Welcome to Ichiraku's, home of the best ramen in the city. What can I get for you, sir?"
Naruto looked at the smiling brunette that greeted him, her infectious smile causing one to spread across his face, "Best ramen in the city, huh? I'll have to trust you on that. One pork miso, then."
He removed is coat and hung it on the rack next to the door, revealing the dark gray business suit he wore beneath, then made his way over to a table in the back corner of the restaraunt out of habit. Always have your back to the wall so no one can get behind you.
"Are you new to the city?" The girl asked as she brought out a large bowl of ramen.
"How'd you know?" Naruto asked casually.
"Just a guess. Otherwise you'd know that we're the best here. I'm Ayame, my dad is the owner of this place, and he's the cook," The girl said as an older man wearing an apron stepped out of the kitchen.
"I'm Teuchi. Nice to meet you, newcomer!" Teuchi grinned, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes indicating that he grinned a lot.
"I'm Naruto. This is my first time in the city, and I just got in," Naruto paused to check his pocket watch, "an hour and a half ago."
"Really? Well, welcome to Konohagakure, Naruto. I haven't seen anyone with a pocket watch since I was a young lad like yourself. You look like you're successful, too. In the market for a wife?" Teuchi asked, his grin widening as Ayame blushed.
"Dad!" Ayame shouted, clearly embarrassed.
Naruto laughed, "You know, I like this place already. Good food, friendly atmosphere. I can see why this is the best in the city."
"Glad you like us then! The mayor himself comes here with his wife at least twice a week," Teuchi said.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at that, "Mayor Namikaze comes here? That must be good for business. Do you know of any places for sale around here? I'm looking for an apartment since I'll be staying in the city for the foreseeable future."
"Let me get the newspaper," Teuchi said, disappearing into the back.
"I'm sorry about that. If he's bothering you, don't hesitate to let him know," Ayame said.
"Don't worry, Ayame. It's actually rather...refreshing," Naruto said with a warm smile.
"Here it is. Let's see," Teuchi sat at Naruto's table and opened up the newspaper, "ah, there's several places for sale. What kind of place are you looking for?"
"Somewhere quiet, preferably. It doesn't matter if it's an apartment or a house," Naruto said.
"Well, that narrows our search then. The only really quiet neighborhood is in the 'first class' section of the city," Teuchi said.
"First class?" Naruto echoed.
"The rich section of town. It's actually a nice area, and it's only two blocks away from here. The prominent families in the city live there," Ayame said.
"Who are the prominent families?" Naruto asked.
"Well, you have the Mayor's family, the Sarutobi's, the Uchiha's, the Aburame's, the Akimichi's, and the Hyuuga's. The Uchiha family are almost all members of the city's police force. The Hyuuga family owns a big medical tech corporation and a private security firm in the city," Ayame said, "you really must be new in the city if you don't know about those families."
Naruto grinned and gave a slight shrug.
"Well, there is a place for sale there. It has a big kitchen and dining room, a living room, five bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and one half bathroom. It has a basement, a three car garage, and a guest house in the back yard. The guest house has two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a small kitchen, and a living room, as well as its own one car garage. Sounds like a big place," Teuchi whistled.
"Anything else?" Naruto asked.
"Nothing but crummy studio size apartments. There was a nice apartment with three bedrooms for sale last week, but it looks like that one was already sold. It was just down the street," Teuchi said.
"I know. I bought the place for my sister because she said she liked it. Who is the contact for the house?" Naruto asked.
"That's going to be...Asuma Sarutobi, the last mayor's son. Are you really going to buy that place? What are you going to do with all that space?" Teuchi asked.
"I can turn some of the bedrooms into an office, a library, and a guest room. I don't know about the guest house, though. I suppose I could rent it out. I'll have to check out the house before I decide on anything, though," Naruto said, finishing off his bowl of ramen.
"Well, if everything is good and you do decide to rent out the guest house, keep us in mind," Teuchi grinned.
"Will do, Teuchi. Now, it was nice to meet the two of you, and that really was a good bowl of ramen, but I need to get going before I'm snowed in. I hope the two of you have a nice night," Naruto said, paying his bill and putting on his coat before he stepped out into the snow once more.
Asuma Sarutobi sat in his car outside the gate of the empty house, waiting for the only person to show any interest in buying his father's old house. He smoked a cigarette as memories of the house and his father ran through his mind until he heard a gentle tap on the driver's side window. He looked over and saw a young man, not a day older than twenty five, with short blonde hair standing outside. He wore a long wool coat over a business suit and shiny black dress shoes. He also wore a wide brim fedora that matched his outfit.
Asuma opened his door and got out of the car, "So, you're the guy that want's to buy this place? Aren't you a little young?"
"Money isn't a problem, Mr. Sarutobi," The blonde said, "my name is Naruto. I'm a private security consultant, as well as an artist."
"Well, Mr. Naruto, this place belonged to my father before he passed away. That's why it is for sale now. Are you alright knowing someone died here?" Asuma asked, sure that that particular detail would scare the kid away.
"Death is a natural part of life, Mr. Sarutobi. I heard that your father's passing was of natural causes, so there is no reason to fear an empty house," Naruto said with a shrug.
Asuma stared at the guy for a moment before snuffing his cigarette out on the hood of his car, "Alright then. Let's show you around."
The walkthrough of the main house, as well as the guest house went well, and Naruto hummed his approval, "Did you bring a copy of the blueprints?"
"Yes, why?" Asuma asked curiously.
"I want to check and see if taking this wall down will have an impact on the structural integrity of the ceiling," Naruto said, gesturing at the wall inbetween two of the smaller rooms.
"Why would you do that?" Asuma asked as he handed Naruto the blueprint.
"I have a rather large collection of books, and I was thinking about turning these two rooms into a library," Naruto said, scanning the blueprint.
"So you're buying the place? Just like that?" Asuma asked incredulously.
Naruto looked up from the blueprint, "Is there a problem with that? The size of the house is adequate for my needs. Do you want the money wired to your account, or do you want a check?"
"Uh, a wire transfer will be fine. We'll need to run down to City Hall to get the deeds transfered," Asuma said.
"That's fine. Do you mind if we do that now? I'd rather not spend more money staying at a hotel," Naruto said.
Asuma frowned, "I thought you said money isn't a problem."
"It isn't," Naruto said, "but security in the hotels here is poor at best."
"Fair enough. Do you need a ride?" Asuma asked.
Naruto shook his head and pointed to a black 1949 Bristol 400 that was parked on the other side of the road, "I have my own ride, thanks. I'll meet you at City Hall in, say, twenty minutes?"
Asuma nodded, "I'll meet you there."
"Ah, Asuma! The Mayor is out with his wife and the Hyuuga's at the moment. Is there something I can help with?" The Mayor's chief advisor asked.
"I'm here to sign the deed of my father's place to this young man here. He's buying it full price," Asuma said, gesturing to Naruto after they were let in by the secretary.
"This young man? How can a kid like you afford a place like that?" The advisor asked incredulously.
"I'm an artist and a private security consultant. I know for a fact that you have Hyuuga Security personnel working here, and it is good, but I noticed three different ways someone can get in without anyone noticing. The window at the end of the hallway is one such way that they get in," Naruto said casually, "then there is the personnel themselves. Snub nose .38 revolvers and billy clubs? That won't be enough to stop anyone who really wants in."
Both Asuma and the advisor blinked repeatedly before the advisor cleared his throat, "I-Is that so? I'll make sure that gets rectified immediately."
"Now, sir, if you don't mind helping us with the deed?" Naruto prompted. The advisor nodded and went through the process of transferring the deed, then left claiming he had other business to attend to.
"I think you scared him a little," Asuma chuckled.
"This is a scary world we live in, and it's sad that we have to take certain things into consideration, such as security. In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to lock our doors at night," Naruto said, shaking his head sadly.
"You sound a little old for your age, kid. Shouldn't you have other concerns, like picking up girls at a bar?" Asuma asked, scratching his chin.
Naruto grinned slightly, "My sister says the same thing, though I prefer to think that I am mature for my age. Now, if our business here is concluded, how about we head over to the bank so we can wire the money to your account."
"No need," Asuma said, "I trust that you'll pay. I'll just check my account in the morning, I've had a long night. It was nice to meet you, Naruto."
"Likewise, Mr. Sarutobi," Naruto said with a nod. They parted ways, Asuma heading home while Naruto headed off to Ichiraku's.
After parking on the street and taking note of the unmarked police cars in the parking lot, Naruto headed inside.
Seeing the Mayor himself sitting with the main Hyuuga family, as well as a woman with crimson red hair, sitting in the table Naruto had picked last time, so he slid into a booth near the front and waited patiently until Ayame came over.
"So, what can I get for you today?" Ayame asked cheerfully.
"Same as last time, thanks," Naruto grinned, Ayame's good mood was rather infectious, and Naruto had a feeling that he was going to make her day better.
"Coming right up," Ayame said.
Naruto pulled out the day's newspaper and began reading it until he got the distinct sensation that someone was watching him. He looked up from his paper and saw a face he didn't think he'd be seeing anytime soon. Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress of the Hyuuga family.
She stared at him with such intensity that her father noticed and glanced over, then frowned, "Hinata, do you know that man?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, father, it's just that he looks familiar," Hinata said sheepshly.
Naruto sighed, inwardly, with relief before returning his attention to the newspaper when the Hyuuga patriarch returned to his conversation with Mayor Namikaze. It wasn't long before Hinata looked his way again, this time the Mayor's wife looked over as well. Naruto looked up, almost involuntarily, and locked eyes with the crimson haired woman. Her eyes narrowed for a moment before slowly widening. She stood shakily, and would have collapsed onto the floor had Minato not jumped up and leaned over to catch his wife. Everyone fussed about her while Naruto slipped out of the dinner silently.
He waited in his car, which was parked a block away from the parking lot, until the Hyuuga's and the Mayor's family left the restaraunt before returning.
"Ah, Naruto, your bowl got cold! Where did you go?" Ayame asked.
"Sorry, I had to step out to take a call. I've got good news for you and your father," Naruto grinned.
"Hey, Dad, come out here for a second," Ayame said.
"What's up, Naruto?" Teuchi asked.
"You guys have a house now, if you want it. No charge, and the only condition is that I can come here for free ramen. What do you say?" Naruto asked, grinning.
Ayame's mouth dropped while Teuchi let out a booming laugh, "You got yourself a deal, partner!"
A/N: Alright, this is my first crack at an alternate universe Naruto fic, so I'll hold off on updating until I get some feedback. That means I'm leaving this story in your hands, people! All the canon characters will be included at some point (with a few obvious changes since Hiruzen is dead, while Kushina and Minato are alive). If you have any suggestions, requests, or OC's you want to see in this story, send some messages or review the story, and I will take them into consideration.
I had an inspiration, if you will. For the sake of the story, I had to edit the first chapter to fit in with the time period, so you may notice that I changed Naruto's car and took out a few other things. Trust me, this will be better for the story in the long run.
Until then, GreyWarden2009 is signing off. Y'all have a merry Christmas and a happy New Years!