1

When you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it's stupid.

When you teach a child that it deserves to be hated, it will live its whole life happily accepting the hate.

Two kunai in the side of the abdomen.
Five or six stab wounds.
Multiple broken ribs.
Almost crushed trachea.
Blood all over the face.

That was how Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha found Naruto Uzumaki when he arrived at the scene with a squad of jonin. Off to the side were one dead Kumo Jonin – the same one who was here for 'peace' talks – and the head of the Hyuuga clan holding his eldest daughter protectively.

He pointed two fingers at Naruto and the jonin were by the blond's side in an instant, relieving the chunin who was trying her best to administer first aid to the little Kyuubi container.

Hiruzen walked with the other two jonin towards the Hiashi Hyuuga to understand the situation better. He could see from afar that the little girl in his arm was still trembling as she clutched onto her father's robes like a life saver.

The two jonin behind him separated and went off to perform their own duties. One went to clean the body. The other went to investigate the surroundings. The other two who were in charge of Naruto had disappeared with him, no doubt rushing to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Hiruzen sighed as he spoke. "Hiashi."

"Hokage-sama," came the reply.

"How about we take this in my office? You can explain there." It wasn't a question.

"As you command, Hokage-sama."

...

"Ugh," he groaned as he opened his eyes. The white tiles of the hospital slowly coming into view.

Huh, he thought to himself. That's… new. Why did they bring me to the hospital? I would've been fine if Jiji just dropped me off at home. Well whatever, I'm not complaining… but… what if someone else is also hurt and needs the bed? What if I'm taking away their time and space for no reason? I've got to get home. He tried getting up, but pain immediately shot throughout his body. Ah… well… maybe I'll stay here just a bit longer. I hope they don't mind.

It was then that a nurse walked in. His blue eyes smoothly panned over to take in the form of the visitor. The corners of his lips lifted as a beautiful innocent smile graced his baby face. The nurse's expression didn't change. She rolled her eyes slightly but stayed indifferent and merely went about her duties. Naruto mentally sighed in relief. This was a good sign. It meant that he had done his job properly. He had taken at least some of her hate and made her happy.

As the nurse finished up her duties, Hiruzen walked in. Naruto smiled even wider at the appearance of his 'Jiji'. "Hokage-sama!" he called out happily. Hiruzen's mood dropped a little bit at the reminder that Naruto still wouldn't call him 'Jiji' like he used to.

"Naruto-kun," Hiruzen greeted. "It's nice to see you awake so quickly."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" A wide smile was on the blond's face. "Does that mean I can leave?"

"Not yet, Naruto-kun. You're in no condition to even be moving around," the Hokage said. "Speaking of which, do you mind reciting how you got into his situation, please?"

"Huh? Well… I was walking on the street and this big guy was also running and I was like 'woah it's a ninja!' but then I saw that his head metal thing was different than us so I like 'maybe he's from a different country' but then I saw something in his hand and it looked like a girl and her hair and eyes looked like Hinata-chan and she was crying so I thought I had to help and he looked like a bad guy and I didn't want her to cry so I ran to him and held onto him but then he took some knives and put them in me so I cried but I still held onto him and bit his neck and didn't let go so he dropped Hinata-chan and he pushed me away and kicked me and I screamed so then he kicked me in the neck and I couldn't breathe but I saw that he was going back to pick up Hinata-chan so I took out… uh… three? Maybe two of the knives that was in me and then I got up and ran to him and put those knives in his butt, hehe you should have seen his face Ji- Hokage-sama, but yeah I put the knives in his butt and he screamed and kicked me in the face again, and then I saw another man with long hair coming but I was too tired so I went to sleep," Naruto finished his long-winded explanation, taking a deep breath. He looked up at Hiruzen with teary eyes. "Was… Was I bad? Did I do something bad, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen actually sighed this time. How… What… FUCK! How was he supposed to explain to this child that he just did a great service to this village and that he was proud of him, but he didn't like how he put himself in danger's way… Ah, shit. Not to mention how the jonin's carotid artery was literally torn out by Naruto. Hiashi's palm strike was just to be safe that the Kumo jonin would die. Oh well… here goes nothing. "Naruto, first of all, let me tell you that what you did was amazing! You basically saved the daughter of the Hyuuga clan head. So no, Naruto, you didn't do anything wrong. What you did was very brave and commendable." Naruto smiled widely. "But," the Hokage continued before the little blond could start celebrating. "You almost got killed, Naruto." Hiruzen didn't even know why he was even surprised anymore when he saw Naruto smile nonchalantly.

"Is Hinata-chan safe, Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked with no regard for his own life.

"Yes. She is resting at her home at the moment," Hiruzen said.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "So, I did okay."

"Naruto," Hiruzen with a sad smile. "You did very well. But why would you risk your own life like this?"

The little blond looked genuinely confused at the Hokage's question. "Because…" he said as he looked up to think, "I'm supposed to. It's my job!" he said happily.

"How?"

"Well… she was in trouble and I had to help."

He couldn't argue with that. A sigh escaped the Hokage's lips once more as a warm smile made its way onto his face. Hiruzen reached over tussled the boy's hair. "You did very well, Naruto. I'm proud of you." Naruto once again grinned widely. "Why do you still refrain calling me 'Jiji' as you used to, Naruto?"

"Hokage-sama, I already told you. Everyone hates me. If they see me calling you 'Jiji' they'll start to hate you also!"

"I do not care about them Naruto," Hiruzen replied quickly.

"But I do! I don't want to see them hate you… Jiji," he said with conviction. "And you're the Hokage. You're supposed to care about them! Just like how I'm supposed to be hated," He said the last part in a whisper but Hiruzen heard it loud and clear. He shook his head and brought his hand up to massage his temples. He didn't know where or when Naruto had adapted this mentality, but it was impossible for him to break him out of it.

How were you supposed to teach a child that they deserve love after they've made it their motto that they deserve the hate? How do you teach a child that no, you're not supposed to take everyone's hate so that the people could be happy? Most of all how were you supposed to do that when every time you saw the child, a flicker of the memory of your dead wife passed through your brain and you also subconsciously hated the child just for a nanosecond? And the worst part of it was that Naruto always somehow knew that Hiruzen also hated Naruto just slightly.

As if sensing Hiruzen's dilemma, Naruto spoke up once more. "It's alright, Hokage-sama," Naruto said with a smile. The next words stabbed Hiruzen worse than what any kunai, shuriken, or jutsu had done to him.

"I don't mind."

I tried.