A/N: This is a "potential future" story, which will probably turn out to be AU. Naruto and his year-mates are in their early twenties and the situation in Konoha is quite altered from the time Akatsuki first came on the scene way back when Naruto was a genin. At this point in time, Naruto is a boyish young man who's matured a fair bit…but some things never change. I have tried to keep the use of Japanese terms minimal, limiting it to stuff like honorifics (-chan, -kun, and so on) as well as to jutsu names and obvious terms in the Naruto Universe such as "Kyuubi", where appropriate. However, if some terms need explaining, do not hesitate to mention it in reviews. I must warn readers that my 'A' levels are fast approaching and I may not have time to update quickly. I do however assure you all that this story will be finished eventually. Thank you, and please enjoy.
BLANKET DISCLAIMER: I claim no credit for the universe from which this story was born and the characters which populate it. I can only hope my rendering of them is no insult to Masashi Kishimoto's creative genius.
Of Dreams and Sacrifice
Chapter 1: The Enemy Returns
"Oy, waiter! Keep the sake flowing. I mean the good stuff. Put it on my tab."
Tsunade peered at her former teammate through hooded lids.
"Well! Someone's being generous today."
A scowl twisted his lips.
"Shut up, Tsunade-hime."
"It's about Naruto, isn't it? Why, Jiraiya! Who would've ever thought you cared?"
She sighed and downed another cup of sake under his pointed glare.
"Sorry. I know. I feel the same way. You could at least feel sorry for me. I'm the one who has to tell him."
He snorted and emptied his own cup, pausing to refill both of theirs before he spoke.
"Are you kidding? There ain't no way I'm not gonna be there when we break the bad news."
A pause.
"It'll be hard for him to face. His hardest trial yet." Tsunade murmured.
"No shit," he growled.
They fell silent for a while then, lost in own thoughts. The waiter came and left with the sake. The hush came to an abrupt halt when Jiraiya slammed his fist onto the table, causing their full jug and the cups to rattle dangerously.
"Dammit! The kid would make a damn fine Hokage, and this is how they treat him!"
Tsunade curled and tightened her fingers around the porcelain cup, knowing that if she applied just a little more pressure, it would crumble in her hands.
"You know it, I know it, many of our ninja — those who grew up with him or watched him grow up — know it too. But the prejudice against the Nine-Tails continues to persist, and as long as it does…. Damn it, Jiraiya, you know I don't like the situation anymore than you do!"
He responded with a tight nod and an apologetic glance before knocking back another cup of sake.
"…Where's the brat now?"
"Celebrating," she answered with a sudden smile, her first for the night. "His genin student team all got promoted in the last exam."
Jiraiya let out a low whistle.
"Colour me impressed and ship me to Wave Country. You gave him little hellions to handle. Of course, Naruto would know how to handle little hellions…"
"Right," she acknowledged with a grin, and for a moment they both basked in the glow of pride that all parents feel when a child has done well.
The mood shifted once more as Tsunade sighed and downed another cup.
"Of course, his success as a jounin sensei has had no apparent effect on the council."
Her voice was bitter and weary, conveying the unspoken thought shared between them.
Narrow-minded shits.
Jiraiya studied her for a minute. Then, he coughed deliberately, which had the desired effect of making her switch her attention to him, if only to make sure he was in good health. When her eyes met his, he flashed one of his familiar, impudent grins.
"Let's face it, Tsunade-hime. Those damned bigots won't know what hit them. He is my student, after all."
He knocked back another cup of sake and continued in a more serious tone.
"He'll get through this and become Hokage. After all…if he doesn't, all the hours I spent tolerating his yammering about his 'dream' will be for nothing, eh?"
"You're saying you believe in him." Tsunade observed; a tinge of amusement twinkling in her golden-brown eyes.
Images of the boy, now man, who had inherited Dan and Nawaki's dream floated through her mind, and before Jiraiya could spit a retort at her, she added a quiet comment.
"That's ok. Because, I believe in him too."
A tall, strapping young man with hair like distilled sunlight and bluer-than-blue eyes burst into the Hokage's office.
"Oops!"
With enough force to scatter some of said Hokage's paperwork all over the floor.
Naruto offered his scowling Hokage an apologetic, endearing lop-sided grin.
"Sorry! I'll pick it all up and put it back, I swear!"
The man hidden in the shadows behind her stifled a snort of laughter, and Tsunade shook her head and sighed.
"Honestly, Naruto! Will you ever grow up?"
She sat back and allowed herself a small, secret smile as she watched him scramble after the errant papers, taking the opportunity to note all the changes that time had wrought in him since the day they'd first met.
He was taller, obviously, and the once chubby roundness of his cheeks had firmed into sleek, angular planes. He'd gone through an awkward, gangly stage where his limbs seemed too long for the rest of his body; but now he had grown into those limbs and had all the physique and grace of a wild leopard. His yellow-gold hair, now long enough to brush his shoulders, defied all attempts at taming, and continued to stick out in the haphazard and unpredictable fashion that characterized its owner. His eyes — bright with mischief and shrewd intellect, spoke of blunt sincerity and steely determination, and were thankfully free from the shadows of disillusionment and sorrow.
Six to seven years ago, he'd moved heaven and earth to get Uchiha Sasuke back; supported and aided by herself and all the others he had inspired in the course of his life. In the ensuing battles, Orochimaru was destroyed, the Village of the Sound collapsed, the Akatsuki was scattered, and Sasuke came home. Itachi had escaped; his whereabouts unknown…but while Sasuke had not given up his thirst for revenge, he had at last acknowledged that a ninja's true strength comes from protecting one's precious people. The younger Uchiha genius now served the Leaf as an ANBU member, honing his skills for the eventual showdown between himself and brother dearest…and in the mean time, he was also dating Sakura.
It was during those dark days that Naruto had proven himself to all and sundry to be a loyal and highly skilled ninja that any shinobi village would be proud to have. The love and acknowledgement that he had sought from the Village since his early youth began to trickle in. In typical Naruto fashion however, he was not satisfied with the grudging respect offered to him by the few elderly shinobi or ex-shinobi who recognized his significant contributions to the Leaf. His determination to serve the Leaf as Hokage burned as brightly as ever.
All at once, Tsunade was struck by how far he had come.
"Done!"
The irrepressible man-child dumped her reorganised papers on her desk and plopped down into the chair in front of her desk.
"So! What's up, Tsunade-baba?"
And yet, some things never change.
"One day," she informed him tartly, "you will offend some foreign dignitary with your impudence and either utterly destroy your chances of becoming Hokage or get the Leaf into a insoluble diplomatic mess. When that happens, I'm just gonna sit back and laugh at you."
But she could not conceal the affection in her eyes.
Naruto stuck out his tongue at her to show her what he thought of that little speech. Immediately however his expression turned serious and an edge of anxiety crept into his voice.
"This…isn't about the Hokage test, is it?"
"You did fine on that test," a gruff voice cut in before Tsunade could reply. "The panel concedes that you demonstrated your jutsu and tactical ability reasonably well. You are my student, after all."
"Ero-Sennin!" Naruto exclaimed as the Toad Hermit Jiraiya emerged from his spot in a corner behind Tsunade. "I haven't seen you for weeks! Where've you been, old man? Spying on girls again?"
Jiraiya reached out with an expert hand and snagged his long-time student's ear. "What…did…I…teach…you…about…respect?" He asked, tugging hard at the piece of anatomy with every word for emphasis.
"Ow ow ow! That you don't deserve it, old geezer!"
Tsunade enjoyed a quiet laugh before speaking up once more.
"Much as I hate to interrupt your happy reunion," she broke in, "we have serious business to attend to."
Both men sobered up at once.
"But just to let you know, Naruto, Jiraiya is right. You managed to demonstrate that you have at least the technical ability to be considered a Kage. Of course, we are looking for certain qualities over and above ninja skill in our Hokage, so you probably shouldn't have demonstrated your, mm, Sexy no Jutsu."
The sheepish smile on his face said everything.
"It did work," he pointed out.
"Yes, I suppose it did…you aren't the Leaf's most unpredictable ninja for nothing. But let's get back to business."
Tsunade leaned forwards on her desk, chin resting on her clasped hands.
"There's no other way to say this, Naruto. Akatsuki is back."
A/N: Hi again! If you have any pertinent criticisms, comments and compliments, please feel free to let me know. Allow me to remind everyone once more that I may not be able to update frequently because of my upcoming exams. The next installment, however, should be coming out soon. Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter!