A/N: I own nothing. If you own the picture and you want it down, tell me. If you own Naruto then we can negotiate.

Naruto woke up, eyes bleary from lack of sleep and stomach protesting in hunger, to the sound of someone insistently knocking on his door. It took a minute for the boy to collect himself and realized he was on his couch. Racking his brain to understand why he was on his living room rather than in his bed, Naruto yawned. A yawn wide enough to unhinge his jaw. It was at this moment he remembered the strange, heavy, never felt before wave of exhaustion falling on him like a cloak of lead earlier in the morning. Before he could think about it in more detail, the knocks on his door doubled and the blond hopped off of his small sofa and stumbled through his flat, his gait shaky, towards his door.

"Yes, yes," groaned the blond while opening the wooden panel.

Standing in his doorway was a masked ANBU. Naruto started slightly, stifled another yawn, and shook his head left and right to dissipate the last remnant of sleep.

"What can I do for you, ANBU-san?"

"You have been summoned by the Hokage, Uzumaki-san. Be at the Tower at noon. It is currently eleven, for your information."

"Hai, ANBU-san," answered Naruto with a bow. The masked individual simply disappeared in a swirl of leaves, his mission accomplished. The blond yawned again. It was unusual for him to feel this tired, as normally, a few hours of sleep had him energized for a day.

Naruto chalked it up to the events of the night and closed his door when what the ANBU had just told him hit him truly. He was summoned by the Hokage. The event of the night flooded his mind. He was a genin now. What did the Hokage want with him? Would Naruto be placed on a team? He had no idea when team placement would happen. Did he actually need to fill paperwork and sign wavers?

The blond frowned. How did he feel about the man he called "Grandpa" anyway? Where were they standing now? Naruto was angry at this surrogate grandfather for hiding the truth for so long. He was a real Uzumaki, whatever it meant, and his mother's name was Kushina. He could only wonder why the old man had hidden the identity of his mother.

It wasn't the surname, logically. If "Uzumaki" had been dangerous in some way, then he would not carry the name. That was assuming the old man actually cared about him. Naruto felt his innards sink at the thought. Had the Hokage's apparent affection been faked? Was the old man like everyone else, wishing for the blond to disappear, but better at hiding it? Had the elder ninja been callous behind a facade of gentleness?

Naruto's frown deepened before he shook his head and shuddered. No, he could not think like that! He was angry at his grandfather for lying but one lie did not mean everything was veiled in deceit.

What did several lies for twelve years mean, though? The Kyuubi, his parents, then what else? It certainly meant the Hokage did not trust him. Not even with the name of Naruto's very own mother. And if the Hokage knew his mother, he had to have a reasonable clue as to the identity of his father.

The blond was shaking, a weird mix of emotion he could not identify twisting his guts. There was anger, disappointment, betrayal, and loss. Naruto did not know where he himself stood right now. He knew the world of ninja was lying and killing, in theory at least. It was Konoha's bread and butter after all. Discovering your entire life was shrouded in a layer of lies was not agreeable. At all. The question was, how many layers and how many lies in all?

Yes, Naruto was angry with his grandfather. Could he be angry with the Hokage though? Not really. Now that he was a genin, he would not get away with his usual attitude. And the Hokage was his commanding officer; their relationship had to be at the very least cordial. The blond sighed loudly.

Yesterday, his life was simple. He was a nobody, the villagers hated him for no reason, and the Hokage was a kind grandpa who Naruto trusted absolutely. Today, his life was more complicated than ever. He was the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the villagers were dickish idiots, and the Hokage had lied to him about not knowing who his parents were. The blond clasped his hands around his temples and groaned as he shook his head left and right.

"Why me?"

After a minute of careful consideration and waiting, Naruto had to accept the answer would probably not fall from above and directed his steps toward the shower. Whether he liked the old man or not, he could not say no to a meeting requested by the Hokage.

Under the hot running water and now in front of a cup of steaming instant ramen, Naruto had been and was thinking still about this mysterious mother of his. Inhaling some noodle with a noisy slurping sound, the blond thought hard about the secrecy. Was his mother a criminal and was it the reason he had been chosen to host the Bijuu? But had it been the case, Naruto would probably not be named Uzumaki. His name was supposedly honored within Konoha: the flack jackets of chu- and jonin bore the red spiral of the Uzumaki clan. Maybe his mother had been an orphan much like him and was simply bearing the namesake? Naruto had the name of his mother, half the answer to one of his life long question and yet it brought even more questions.

The biggest being, why was it such a secret?

The blond slurped the last of his noodles when an idea hit him. He could send a shadow clone. They were intelligent, tangible clones after all. He could send one or two at the Academy library and they could look up the Uzumaki name. And he could send one to the Archives. He had a headband now, he could not be denied access. The boy nodded, satisfied with his plan, and crossed his fingers to mold the necessary chakra.

"Shadow Clone jutsu!"

In a triple puff of smoke, three replicas appeared. Naruto smiled and designed two of them.

"You two-"

"Library, got it!" said one before the two darted out toward his room to exit a second later with some blank scrolls to take note on.

"And I'll go to the Archives boss!" exclaimed the third clone before doing the same circuit as the two other, exiting the flat with what was necessary for his mission.

Naruto held a puzzled expression for a second before he realized what the actions of his clones meant. If he created shadow clones with one or several purposes in mind, they knew what to do already. This jutsu was beyond awesome! A wide smile blossomed on Naruto's face. Learning the Shadow Clone was worth the trouble of the night. Maybe. Almost. Considering Iruka's injuries, probably not. As a second thought, Naruto realized he had no idea how much time a Shadow Clone actually lasted. His smile faltered but the boy decided it was of little importance, ultimately. With or without shadow clones, he would do his research.

The wide smile returning to his face, the blond exited his flat. He had ten minutes to reach the Hokage Tower; he was on time.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was tired, weary, done with it, but above all he was anxious. Because of his stupid ANBU commander, there was no telling how Naruto would be with him. The Hokage sighed. He had lied, for so long, justifying the secret with increasingly flimsy reasons. He knew the truth would one day be revealed to the boy but Hiruzen had hoped… Something.

Maybe his old masked friend was right. Maybe age had made him cowardly. Hiruzen sighed again. No, not age, age was an excuse. A part of him had always been like this. He could lead and fight a war, slaughter countless souls, but when it came to people he was attached to, he could not face his mistakes. Tsunade, Orochimaru, his sons, and now Naruto. A growing list of people he had been too afraid to face, for various reasons.

He just hoped Naruto was only angry with him. He could not take it if the boy decided to hate him. Hiruzen leveled a glare at the dragon masked shadow standing in the corner of his office. All because some rowdy subordinate had seen fit to talk. Despite the mask, the Hokage could feel the commander was answering with a glare of his own. The two old men locked eyes for a minute in a staring contest, heavily in favor of the cloaked man as glaring at a blank mask was incredibly jarring.

The Hokage averted his gaze first and sighed. "I would like to apologize for earlier." The old man breathed out like someone had ripped a tooth out of his mouth. "I was-"

"Tired, worried, and not thinking clearly," completed the masked commander. "There is not much to forgive. I will not retract my words, though, if that is what you are counting on."

"The boy will hate me now." Hiruzen almost whined.

"If that is the extent of your trust in him, then he would be right to do so." Dragon answered in a scathing monotone.

The Hokage winced and palmed his face. "You are right of course."

Silence fell on the two ninja. Dragon was perfectly still while the Hokage was fidgeting with increasing intensity.

"What will you tell him?" The ANBU asked suddenly, stopping Hiruzen's flailing.

"What?"

"The boy will need answers, Hiruzen," chided the ANBU in a vaguely impatient tone. "The only questions are, what answers and who will give them."

"His father's name is a secret, that is non-negotiable."

"I know the logic behind that and it is erroneous by now. It will do much more harm when the truth eventually comes out-"

"I said non-negotiable!" The Hokage boomed, his fist impacting his desk, killing intent flaring.

"Are your eyes still seeing straight, Hiruzen?!" Roared the ANBU in response, his own intent crashing against the Hokage's. "You're pushing the dirt under the carpet, hoping it won't explode in your face! In all of our face!"

"He will hate me!"

"Do you think so little of him? And are you willing to risk his loyalty for personal feelings!?"

The Hokage deflated. "Did I not sacrifice enough?" He pleaded.

"And maybe Naruto didn't? Maybe I didn't? If the hat hangs too heavy, you know what to do, Hiruzen. If you won't face the responsibilities of being Hokage, then stop."

The Hokage chuckled humorlessly. "And who will replace me, uh? Tsunade, the wrecked drunk? Jiraiya, the man-child? Kakashi, lost in his grief? Tell me Dragon, who is strong enough to wear this hat?" Hiruzen spat.

The ANBU sighed. He refrained himself from telling the Hokage how two of the three problems were products of his continued refusal to face them and straighten them and sighed again. If the mask wasn't in the way, the shadow would have rubbed their eyelids. The figure closed their eyes and blinked when an idea hit.

"Groom him," said the ANBU slowly.

Hiruzen focused his eyes on the mask. "I'm sorry?"

"Groom Naruto."

The Hokage's left eyebrow rose but it was the extent of his surprise. "I thought you wanted him?"

"Shadow Clones," answered the commander, as if it was the answer for everything.

Silence fell on the office again as Hiruzen contemplated the idea. Shadow clones did seem like they were the answer. Maybe not to everything but certainly to this. The old Kage sighed and slumped. It did not solve his more immediate problem.

"We… I can't tell him. If he comes to hate me, Fire, I couldn't take it." The Hokage whispered, miserable.

The ANBU stood silent for a minute. "Have you forgotten Tobirama-sensei lessons, Hiruzen?" The operator asked gently. "Is your Flame of your Will extinguished? Lost? We are shinobi, Hiruzen, we endure."

"But-"

"Naruto is a shinobi too, now. Who are you to say he cannot endure with you?" The ANBU interrupted. "Tobirama-sensei trusted us with the future, Hiruzen. It's time we do the same with the young generation."

The old Kage's shoulders sagged and a long sigh escaped him just as a weight seemed to be lifted from him.

"Are you sure you do not want the hat?" The Hokage asked, half-jokingly.

"We both know why it is impossible, old friend."

The Hokage nodded. "Indeed we do."

Silence fell again, comfortable this time.

"So, what will you tell him?" The ANBU asked, his monotone back.

The Hokage rubbed his eyes. "About his mother, everything I can. I do not know how he will take to the news of his father."

"As well as we could reasonably hope he does."

"Meaning bad."

"Yes. Probably. But it's only fair."

A knock on the door interrupted the two. Hiruzen sighed but nodded minutely and another ANBU appeared from the shadow to open the armored panel of fake wood. The Hokage's secretary, a petite brunette woman, was standing in the frame.

"You summoned Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage-sama?"

"Indeed, Miki, thank you."

The woman nodded once and allowed a blond-haired, blue-eyed, whiskered boy to enter the office. The armored door was closed immediately.

"You asked for me, Hokage-sama." Naruto said in his best monotone.

Hiruzen felt his heart tighten at the address. Yesterday, the boy would have gone with a sonorous "what's up Jiji?" and Hiruzen would have smiled at the blond's brightness. Today, the usual sunny disposition of the boy was subdued, hidden by a veil of clouds. A veil of deceit.

"Much like I veiled the truths of his life," thought Hiruzen sadly.

"Yes, Naruto, I did," answered the Kage eventually. "You are here to discuss your ninja career. Sit down please."

Naruto nodded and took the offered seat and had to reign in a jump when an ANBU, the same dragon masked one as yesterday, as far as he could tell, spoke.

"Hello, Uzumaki-san."

The risk of cardiac arrest averted and after some choice curse words about sneaky cloaked freaks muttered under his breath, Naruto chose to answer.

"Hello, ANBU-sama."

"Dragon, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto nodded. "Hai, Dragon-sama."

"Dragon here as a proposal for you, Naruto. I want to be clear that you are in no way forced to accept. Am I clear?" asked Hiruzen.

It was the deal the Hokage and Dragon had agreed on, which pretty much amounted to following the normal rule of ANBU: potential recruits were scouted by the corps but only those who volunteered could be considered for enrollment.

Naruto nodded. "Clear, Hokage-sama."

The boy eyed the ANBU with undisguised curiosity. He had no idea why he was here but if the ANBU commander himself… Herself? Themselves was here, it promised to be interesting.

"Naruto Uzumaki, born October tenth, year one thousand two hundred and fifty-three of Fire Country calendar. Made genin yesterday by field promotion. Failed the classic graduation process three times." The masked shadow enumerated.

Naruto felt his hopes take a dive at the last part and lowered his head in shame. It wasn't his fault the damned clone jutsu was impossible for him.

"Frequently prank the villagers with harmless stunts and outrun the ensuing chase party of chunin easily, often leading them into traps of his own making."

The boy had honestly no idea if he was supposed to be proud or ashamed so settled for rubbing the back of his head.

"Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. Investigations reveal that despite this situation being known by most of the teaching body, it was not properly addressed. The massive chakra reserves and abysmal control resulting from being a jinchuriki were never worked on by any teachers. As such and very obviously, the ninjutsu part of Uzumaki's exam was failed."

Naruto perked up at that. So being a jinchuriki gave him big chakra reserve and shot his control. And the teachers knew and did nothing? Did Iruka also know? The boy felt indignant but decided to listen further.

"Individual is brash and lacks discipline. He also displays a lack of focus during certain activities, frequently acts up during his classes and dress in orange, which, for a ninja in training, is beyond weird. The last two behavior can be attributed to Uzumaki's craving for attention."

Naruto felt heat coloring his cheeks. His hand fell lamely on his thigh and the boy looked down. The assessment was truthful but it was not agreeable to hear. Yeah, all subjects did not hold his attention equally, it was so for everyone. Yes, he knew he was supposed to have the attention span of a toddler, mean teachers had repeated that to him numerous times. Yes, being a clown was not glorious but at least his classmates laughed, even if it was at him. Yes, it was tiring to be ignored and disregarded and orange was a color no one could unsee. Naruto scowled to avoid crying.

"These are the general observations of one of my agent, who was tasked with observing you, for two years. How do you feel about this report, Uzumaki-san?" Dragon asked, surprisingly gentle.

Naruto looked up at the mask and gulped. Averting his eyes from the blank armor of porcelain, the boy bit through his own constricted throat. "I… It's true," Naruto said feebly.

"If I told you, you could benefit from the attention of several unbiased instructors, ready to help you learn and punch discipline into you, would you be interested?"

The blond's eyes shot up and anchored themselves on the blank mask, trying intently to see through the porcelain.

"If I told you I could find you a team who would trust you with their life, would you be interested?"

Naruto's jaw went slack and hope shone in his blue eyes.

"If I told you, you could be away from the villagers, hidden from their view, would you be interested?"

The boy started to nod enthusiastically before disbelief slowly etched its way in his blue orbs. After a second, they went down. "Yeah, but I doubt any of that is possible."

"A fair sentiment. That is why I would like to offer you a trial run."

"A trial run?"

"A trial run in ANBU."

Naruto's brain had to restart after a total freeze. A trial run in ANBU; the man had just offered Naruto to join ANBU, the best of the best, the elite among the elite, those tasked with missions no one knew about. The Leaf's shadows, the silent kunai, the answer to Konoha's enemies.

The men and women with cool masks and the shadowy cloak!

The blond boy had to reign in the urge to bounce around the office. Dragon had just told him he lacked discipline and Naruto had a hunch his exuberance would be seen as such. The boy breathed deeply to calm himself and directed his haywire thoughts at the offer.

Dedicated teachers, a group to belong to, and hidden from the village. The boy realized it was pretty much what he dreamed of. It was too good to be true, actually, and his enthusiasm nose-dived. It was so good it couldn't possibly be true. Something would not work out. Something was lying in wait to screw him.

"I… I… Why?" Naruto eventually asked, at a loss of what to think.

The ANBU shifted. "Just yesterday," began the operator in a neutral voice, "you infiltrated the Hokage Tower without using chakra, in a way no one even thought about, demonstrated creative abilities in fuinjutsu, stole the Forbidden Scroll from the vault by picking one of the most secure lock in Konoha, escaped pursuit by remotely detonating firework to throw off your pursuers, learned a high level jutsu in an hour or so, and it is only thanks to the traitor we knew of your identity."

The ANBU took a deep gulp of air, his breathing short from the enumeration. "And you ask why? Uzumaki-san, despite what some might say, that's what I call talent, and it has the excellent taste to be backed up by hard work."

Naruto blushed at what he was quite certain was praise. Presented like that, his little escapade last night did sound pretty awesome. The blond scratched the back of his scalp.

"You… You mean it?" The blond smiled, illuminating the room. "He he, I knew I was awesome."

"Yes, you are so awesome you were manipulated by a traitor to steal one of Konoha most dangerous asset and you did not even stop to think about it." The commander deadpanned.

Naruto deflated. Presented like that, his little escapade last night did sound pretty stupid and terrible. The boy fidgeted awkwardly.

"First lesson, Uzumaki-san, whether you accept or not: a ninja must be humble."

The blond nodded. "Hai, Dragon-sama." He answered in a subdued voice.

"Good. Now, Uzumaki-san, what will you decide?"

Naruto looked down at his feet, his hands resting on his lap. He wasn't sure. Confusing and contradictory trains of thoughts were whirling around in his mind. What about being Hokage; could an ANBU don the hat? And if he went into the shadows, how would the villagers ever come to see him? The blond shook his head and hardened his features. No, he had already decided the reasons for his dream were meaningless. And behind a mask and a cloak, he would get the respect he wanted. It would not be for him per se but for the function, he would represent, he knew that. But maybe that was the lot of all ninja. Celebrity, of any kind, was not shinobi business after all, and it was incidental if it happened.

And he was a ninja now. He had also decided to become a fine one, the finest shinobi he possibly could be. If celebrity and fame ever found him, then perfect and maybe then the villagers would change but chasing after it made little sense. ANBU seemed like a good place. Invested instructors rather than neglectful teachers, comrades rather than strangers, acceptance rather than scorn.

"But what about Sakura-chan?" One insidious, traitorous part of his brain whispered. "What about showing up to the Teme?" It continued. "What about showing them all how awesome you truly are? ANBU are the shadows and you won't get to do that if you join."

Naruto, who had been frozen silent for two minutes now flailed suddenly, startling the two older ninja slightly and palmed his face with both his hand before dragging them down. Cheeks and lower eyelids stretched downward, Naruto sighed. Why was it so complicated to make such a simple decision? The question was simple, yes or no. At a loss, the blond decided to use an old trick of his he used for complex fuinjutsu problems: reformulate the question to baser, simpler elements.

Did he want to have a mask, wear a coat, and be an all-around awesome ninja? Hell yes! Naruto nodded. Good. Was anything else of consequence? Absolutely not! The blond smiled.

His resolve finally made, Naruto looked back up at the Hokage first, then at Dragon second. "I accept," said the boy, his voice firm and his gaze set.

Hiruzen sighed imperceptibly at his surrogate grandson's decision. Whatever happened next was outside of his control; Naruto would either make the cut or break. The Hokage had nary a doubt the blond would make it but worrying about the younglings is the prerogative of the elders.

Dragon was content to simply nod once to signify he had heard the boy and cleared his voice. "Remove your headband, Uzumaki-san."

Blue eyes wavered with confusion. "What?"

"Simply remove your headband, Naruto." The old Kage said. Naruto mutely obeyed.

"Good. Naruto Uzumaki," began Dragon solemnly, "this is your very last opportunity to refuse this headband and the service as a shinobi of the leaf and walk away. Do you wish to do so?"

That was an easy answer to give. "No, Dragon-sama!"

"Naruto Uzumaki, do you swear to give your sweat, your blood, and your life if necessary to defend Konoha and its interests?" Dragon began, his distorted baritone suddenly rolling in thunderous, powerful waves, rooting the boy in his chair.

"Do you swear to honor the Will of Fire, live by its precepts, and die in its defense? Do you swear to show bravery in adversity, resolve in duty, steadfastness in death?" The Hokage continued; his voice was calmer but distinctly clear for Naruto to hear, and just as powerful.

"Do you swear allegiance to the Hokage, obedience to your officer, but above all, do you swear loyalty towards your comrades?" Dragon thundered behind his mask, starring the blond boy down.

Naruto hesitated the fraction of a second before he jumped out of his chair, his blood boiling. "I swear it, 'ttebayo!"

A second later, the blond sputtered, his face donning a crimson shade, as he realized his verbal tick had kicked in with a vengeance. The Hokage chuckled and even Dragon snorted. Maybe.

With mirth in his voice, the ANBU commander spoke again. "Then fasten your hitai-ite, Naruto Uzumaki, and may it be a reminder of your oath to Konoha."

Naruto nodded furiously before he donned the headband, his hands fumbling a bit from the adrenaline. Once it was secure around his forehead, the blond looked up.

"I'm a ninja now," Naruto said with a smile, his voice filled with peaceful, assured confidence. It was not boastful promise, nor was it a questioning statement. After the oath he had just taken, there was no doubt Naruto was a shinobi.

"Indeed," confirmed Dragon. Silence fell for a few seconds in the office before the man fished a piece of paper from the depth of his cloak. "Now, if you're still interested about ANBU, sign that please." The commander deadpanned.

A sweatdrop formed on Naruto's brow. Paperwork and wavers, he had called it.

The waver had promptly disappeared after Naruto had signed it. It was basically a contract stipulating that for the next seven years, the blond was to serve and only death or crippling injury would free him. Renewable. It also classified his enrollment as an A-rank secret, one even Naruto himself could not divulge without his officer's authorization. Dragon had informed him they would masquerade his absent from the regular rooster by assigning him a fake desk job.

More importantly, being in ANBU meant two things. First, his salary was more money in a month then he had ever received. Second, he had official authority over any genin. Dragon was quick to kill his joy with the threat of very severe punishment were he to abuse his rank.

Suddenly, the Hokage waved and Naruto saw four shadows materialize in a queue, the first opening the door, the four ANBU spilling outside the office and the door closing. The blond turned toward the Hokage as the old man coughed in his hand.

"Yesterday, Dragon revealed… A piece of sensitive information."

Naruto stiffened and nodded. The boy knew the old man was talking about his mother. Choosing to stay silent, Naruto simply waited. He was tired of asking only to receive no answer; if the Hokage had to tell him something, he would tell him. The boy leveled a stare at the old man he called "Grandpa" and frowned.

Hiruzen fidgeted. He had hoped to never see this gaze again, as horrible as it sounded. But of course, Naruto had inherited from his father much more than his look. The Hokage internally shuddered as two piercing, all-seeing blue eyes looked at his soul, ready to spot the lies and the deceit. It was the same look Hiruzen's successor, and unfortunately, predecessor, had when he was ready to call pretty much anyone on their bullshit. Taking a deep breath, the Kage steeled himself.

"Your mother…" Hiruzen began, failing to find the words. "Your mother was an amazing woman."

The Hokage exhaled his relief when a small smile blossomed on Naruto's tightly locked lips.

"She was a surviving member of the Uzumaki clan, now extinct. She came here to be the second jinchuriki of the Kyuubi."

"Second? I'm the third?" Naruto interrupted in surprise.

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. It's quite a long story…"

"I personally have the time, Hokage-sama," answered Naruto dryly. No way the old man was going to weasel his way out of this.

The Hokage sighed. "Very well. When Madara Uchiha turned against the Leaf, he found a way to control the Kyuubi. Shodaime faced the traitor and his beast and contained both thanks to his Mokuton. But the Bijuu was unstoppable ultimately and Mito Uzumaki sealed the rampaging fox inside her."

Hiruzen stopped as he saw Naruto silently mouth "Mito Uzumaki" as if tasting the flavor of the name of a member of his clan. A long-deceased member of his ruined clan.

"When Mito-sama's old age caught up to her, she requested a girl be sent to her to host the beast that her death would free. It was your mother, Kushina Uzumaki."

The smile on Naruto's face disappeared and was replaced by a worried scowl.

"Her status of jinchuriki was a secret and she had a perfectly normal life if not for a few bullies who quickly learned their place," continued the Kage, a faraway look in his eyes and a small smile tugging at his lips. "Your mother was quite a hot-blooded girl. You have her temper and her wits, Naruto."

The smile returned to the power of ten, lightening the office like a thousand watts light bulb.

"Yes, she was quite spirited-"

"What did she look like, Jiji?" Naruto asked excitedly, his mind too absorbed by the fact he had a mother to fuel the anger and the possible distrust he was supposed to feel at the Hokage.

Hiruzen allowed himself a relieved smile. Maybe Dragon was right, after all. He needed to trust Naruto. "She had red hair, a sign of the Uzumaki clan and her eyes were a very peculiar mix of blue and purple. She really was a beautiful woman and a deadly kunoichi. She gained a fearsome reputation by fighting against Kumo, who named her Habanero."

Somehow, the smile Naruto sported grew larger and wider, splitting his face in half and shutting his eyes. The boy basked in the knowledge had not only a mother but an awesome mother. A thought erased the smile and the light it brought dimmed.

"Did… Did she love me?" The boy asked shyly, his conclusion from the previous discussion still at the forefront of his mind.

And when the Hokage spoke, Naruto knew, at this instant, that his grandfather wasn't lying.

"Oh Naruto, she adored you. You weren't even there and you were already her world," whispered Hiruzen.

Tears pearled at the edge of Naruto's eyes and the boy blinked to chase them but they kept coming. The blond cared mildly; his mind was too preoccupied with the feeling that was tearing and rending his heart in two. It hurt as nothing had ever hurt him and yet there was a pleasant warmth to it. His breath turned ragged and his throat refused to allow air to pass. His mother loved him. Cries of anguish, fear, but above all relief, escaped the blond like water a broken dam. He had so feared she hated him. His mother loved him. Sobs racked his body, as he relived the nightmares of a faceless woman leaving him to the wolves. His mother. He had entertained the thought that he had been born from nothing, the spawn of a demon, the just victim of the village's hate.

He had not noticed when but when his last tears were spilled, Naruto found himself in the arms of the Hokage. The old man had engulfed him in a hug like he had done so many times so long ago when Naruto had been smaller and younger and crying for the exact same reasons.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Whispered the boy, too exhausted to muster any anger.

The robes of his grandfather were warm and comfortable and Naruto decided he deserved the hug more than the Hokage deserved his anger. The boy felt the old man wince at his question.

"I never asked much Jiji, so why didn't you tell me?" Naruto insisted, disentangling himself from the long sleeves and wiping his nose and watery eyes on his own jumpsuit.

Hiruzen sighed. He knew his excuse was flimsy at best but he had only that. "Your mother… Made a lot of enemies. The Kyuubi rampage on the day of your birth was not an accident, Naruto, it was an attack." The Hokage rubbed his eyes before raising his hand, silencing Naruto's question. "We don't know who or what but the reality is that Konoha was in shambles, our forces had taken the biggest hit since the war, and I did not trust my own ANBU to keep anything secret."

Naruto's eyes widened and the flames of his anger were rekindled. "So outing me as the jinchuriki was fine but telling me about my mother was not?" Exclaimed the blond in disbelief and mounting fury. Someone had attacked his mother, rather obviously to free the beast, and they had done that despite her status being a secret but outing him was okay. "Makes perfect sense," thought Naruto angrily.

"I… I had to be sure you'd keep it a secret. You were too young and then… You became a blabbermouth." defended Hiruzen feebly.

The blond stared at the old man in mute anger. His mouth opened and closed, several times, as if words could not express what he truly wanted to say. Naruto's arms flailed randomly for a second. He was at a loss.

"Am I… Do I look that retarded to you?" Naruto asked eventually, his head the picture perfect of incredulity.

"N-no! Of course n-"

"Then why didn't you tell me?!" Roared the blond. "Your mother had enemies, keep it a secret 'cause it's dangerous, got it!" Naruto parroted in an admittedly good imitation of the Hokage, if it weren't for the barely contained anger in his tone. "Was that too complicated, 'ttebayo!?"

Hiruzen could only hang his head in shame. Naruto was definitely angry at him and he was rightfully so. The Hokage could order the blond, now one of his ninja, to shut up, he could say he did not have to justify his decisions, he could throw a tantrum unbefitting of his age. But all that would finish to alienate the boy and for reasons both personal and political, he could absolutely not afford that. Dragon was right. Hiruzen had to face his mistakes and assume them, as disagreeable as it was.

The Hokage looked up to see Naruto in a posture eerily reminiscent of his mother. His arms were crossed on his chest and his weight was on his left foot, while the right one was impatiently tapping the floor. But it was the piercing blue eyes that made Hiruzen felt like a child who was being scolded.

"So?"

Hiruzen sagged in his chair. "I have no excuse."

"Urg, of course you don't, 'ttebayo!" Naruto said, throwing his hands in the air and pacing around his chair, intent on digging a trench on the wooden floor.

"I am sorry," muttered the Kage. "So very sorry. I don't know how to apologize but if there is a way, I'd like to."

Naruto stopped pacing, stared hard at the defeated old man sitting in a heap in his chair, threw his arms in the air again and exclaimed "Urg, of course you are!" before resuming his pacing.

The blond kept at it for five full minutes, arms flailing wildly and randomly and muttering what was probably curse words under his breath. Hiruzen could swear smoke was coming out of the boy's ears. One or two times, the boy allowed himself to furiously kick the bookshelf, hard enough to make it tremble. When angry, magmatic chakra started to roll off the boy in waves in a dark, stormy aura, Hiruzen started to sweat, wondering if was to going to have to put the boy under.

Abruptly, Naruto stopped and faced the older man. "How do I even know what you said is the truth?" The blond asked with disdain in his voice. "You lied to me for twelve years, what's stopping you now?"

Hiruzen thought his last hour had come when his heart stopped at the accusation. It was Dragon who came to his rescue.

"I can attest on my honor, Uzumaki-san, that Hiruzen told you the truth," offered the ANBU.

Naruto whirled around. "On your honor as a trained spy, thief, and assassin?" The boy asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Fair point but you're a shinobi now and I believe you've heard of honor among thieves?"

The boy glared at the impassive mask of the ANBU for a minute, doing his best to make the man sweat.

"I'm quite sure we'll find a picture," Dragon added eventually.

Naruto thought. Lying now would be probably too much trouble for the two old men. And if they were lying, it was an incredibly complex lie that would soon crumble under its own weight.

"Tch, fine!" spat the whiskered blond before he resumed his digging work. Again, the stormy aura spilled forth and for five more minutes, Naruto paced and paced, muttering under his breath.

Suddenly, the boy stopped, whirled around and pointed an accusing finger at the Hokage, the maelstrom like intent all but a fleeting memory.

"I'm angry Jiji! You're the Hokage and I can't have a beef with the Hokage but I want you to know I'm mad at my grandpa!" The blond exclaimed, waving his finger like he was conducting some invisible orchestra.

Naruto then sighed and plopped back down on his chair and scowled at his commander in chief and surrogate grandfather. "You owe me. So. Much. Ramen."

Hiruzen had to stifle a laugh and thanked Fire the boy took his ability to hold a grudge from his mother. Intense, scathing, damage-inducing, but short. And always ready to forgive, given enough time and ramen. The world did not deserve the Uzumaki. Now all that was required of him was to find a small fortune paying for noodles.

"And a jutsu," added Naruto, tearing the Hokage from his thoughts. "Lots and lots of ramens and a jutsu."

The blond closed his eyes and breathed deeply before exhaling the longest sigh of his life.

"I'm tired and I don't really want to get mad again," began the blond carefully. "Will I be mad if I ask about my dad?"

Hiruzen started, considered lying, made and discarded plans, threw a discreet glance at Dragon, who simply shrugged -bastard- and sighed. "You'll be terribly mad." The Hokage simply said, internally cringing. He simply hoped ramen and a jutsu would be enough to appease his anger for this.

Naruto yet again threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "Urg, of course I'll be!" The blond stood and shook his head. "Well, not today then. I need to blow steam off first. I'll go destroy a punching post, Jiji, and you'll pay for it. Training ground three."

The blond whirled again, this time facing the door, and marched forth, intent on making good on his promise, before a hand fell on his shoulder. The boy looked at Dragon.

"When you are done "blowing off steam", gather your belongings and be ready to move out. Tomorrow morning you get a new flat and you begin a new life."

The reality of his enrollment in ANBU came crashing down on Naruto, momentarily stifling the flames of his anger. The boy nodded once and Dragon released the vice-like grip on Naruto's shoulder. The blond lost no time and stormed out of the office.

Dragon looked at the small room. The boy had apparently not noticed but he had leaked chakra. Lots and lots of chakra. His short, spiky locks had gathered to form two large appendages reminiscent of a rabbit's ears. Much like the ears of the Kyuubi. But it had not stopped with just that. The tempest of chakra had wrecked actual havok in the office. Books were strewn haphazardly on the floor, the floorboards where the boy had walked were scorched, and the chair he kept sitting on was ready to be dumped.

Hiruzen sighed. "We flirted with catastrophe here."

Dragon shrugged. "You did." The ANBU coughed and covered the curse his oldest friend fired at him. "So, was that so difficult?"

The Hokage massaged his eyes. "Less than I feared, more than I wanted."

"We rarely get what we want, Hiruzen. Only-"

"What we deserve. I know Dragon, I know. I just wish I had never sown that kind of seed in the first place."

"We all do at least once, Hiruzen, whether by design or not."

Naruto had run quickly to his destination and was now facing a wooden post. First his grandfather had lied to him about not knowing who is parents were. Then, he had a very feeble explanation for hiding the truth for the first few years of Naruto's life. And then he had simply no excuse for the past few years. Or rather he had a very hurtful excuse that amounted to "I did not trust you. I thought you were too stupid to be trusted with a secret."

The boy punched the wooden post with a vengeance and bark flew everywhere. His skin split open and bled but it was of no consequence for the blond boy. He healed far too fast for it to be a problem after all.

Naruto was not angry because of that, no, or at least only partially. Naruto was angry because when his grandfather had admitted to not actually having any valid explanation to support the need for the lie, had admitted he simply did not want to face the lie he had created. And that was not acceptable.

Naruto had been told to ignore the scorn, to smile at the anger, to laugh at the fear, to make do with the neglect, to endure the hate. Naruto had done all that and then some but when it had been the Hokage's turn to face his lie, Naruto's grandfather had turned tail and fled. The courage Hiruzen expected from Naruto, he did not even possess it himself.

The boy kicked at the training post, side-stepped, threw a punch, withdrew only to step in again with an elbow strike. Pieces of bark and blood were flying everywhere but Naruto did not care. The pain was keeping part of his mind busy and allowed the blond to work through his anger.

Naruto was angry but above all, he was disappointed. Was that all the Hokage, the guardian of the Leaf, amounted to? An old man who would sooner dig deeper and plant his head in the ground than admit to his mistakes and face the anger of a scorned twelve years old?

The boy sighed and halted his self destructing venting. The training post showed deep, barkless, fist impacts. The blond's hand were bleeding despite the calluses.

Was it worth it to stay angry? What for? Being angry was unpleasant, exhausting, and accomplished nothing ultimately. Being angry at something was akin to dwelling on it. Naruto shook his head. Naruto Uzumaki did not dwell on things, it was not his way. But doubt would stay at the forefront of his mind. He had no idea of the extent of the web of lies the Hokage had weaved around him, so Naruto would not trust so blindly again. And it would go for anyone.

At least there was a lesson in all this debacle: a man could be old, wise, and a war veteran, at the end of the day, he was still a man. They weren't more trustworthy, they weren't above making mistakes, and they weren't necessarily brave.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed. I'm on a roll apparently. Like any fanfic author, I feed on reviews, so why not leave one?