CHAPTER TWO:
Naruto's mind was spinning violently. A wizard. Him? Seriously. Of all the things he had expected on return to Konoha – a promotion, a few hot girlfriends, maybe even mild increases in foolhardy hatred and bigoted ignorance – his family history as magical practitioners sure as hell wasn't one of them. Barely able to contain the excitement running rampart through his body, he almost didn't notice when a tall, weirdly dressed man with a silver beard that rivalled the length of his own hair appeared.
Luckily, it wasn't a silent arrival, however.
POP.
"AHHHHYK!" Naruto shrieked. So lost in his own imagination was he that the crackling pop bought him harshly back to reality. Blue, slitted eyes blinking widely, he turned quickly on his heel to come face to face with who could only be Professor Albus Dumbledore.
"I believe a good evening is in order," the man smiled pleasantly, looking over the gaping occupants of the room with twinkling blue eyes behind half-moon glasses. Obviously accustomed to the shock received by others from his random and noisy appearances, the incredibly tall (much too inner Naruto's howling disgust – like seriously! What type of demon fox had a tiny, human form as a MALE? It just wasn't fair) wizard promptly sat himself down in one of Tsunade's office chairs.
"What… Ho-… Whe… WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Tsunade screamed. Seriously, it was starting to get to her. Hokage she may be, but there was only so many weird and wonderful surprises she could handle in one night. Dumbledore chuckled lightly before turning his sharp gaze in her direction.
"I would assume you to be the current reigning Hokage of Konohagakure then?" he asked politely. Tsunade nodded. "Wonderful! Then let me introduce myself. Professor Albus Percival Wilfred Brian Dumbledore. It is a great honour indeed to meet you dear lady."
Masking her smug pleasure (the brat and old pervert could really learn a thing or two from this guy), Tsunade gave a small bow in Dumbledore's direction before answering. "Lady Tsunade Senju, Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. And I am assuming you to be Professor Dumbledore then?"
"Indeed," he replied.
"Yes, well, as I'm sure you have realised, we received your letter," Tsunade began, sitting up straight behind her desk and focusing her intense, profession gaze at the wizened old man before her. Naruto and Jiraiya were still gaping like idiots, but she chose to ignore that. "I must say, we were incredibly… well, surprised would be an understatement."
Again a chuckle, followed by the flicker of amused blue eyes darting towards the staring males. "Yes, I am most sorry for the upset. I had hoped Minato to be less secretive, but he had always been one to hold his cards to his chest, so to say."
"You can say that again," Jiraiya snorted. "The gaki wouldn't even tell me half of the things he learnt in that school of yours. Like appearing with a crack, for example." The last part was muttered grumpily. Dumbledore turned his beaming gaze towards the white-haired sannin.
"I would assume you to be Jiraiya-san then?" Dumbledore asked, much to the sannin's surprise. "Yes, Minato had mentioned you in his youth. In a way I will never quite forget. He was quite adamant we never met lest your, let me see, 'idiotic, perverted tendencies' accidentally 'rubbed off' on any of the teaching staff." Naruto snorted loudly with laughter while Tsunade hid a smirk. Jiraiya could only spin away and sulk about his 'lack of respect' in private.
Then it was Naruto's turn.
"And that then leaves you, my boy," Dumbledore said kindly, finally spinning his gaze towards Naruto. His eyes flickers briefly to the fuzzy ears and tails before settling their gaze completely onto his own slitted eyes "It is a pleasure to meet you, my boy. A pleasure. Your father was indeed one of my favourite students, a true prodigy. And I hear your mother was not half bad herself. Slightly less devoted, I have heard, but talented none the less. I cannot wait to see how you prosper yourself under our care."
"Ah, yeah, sure," Naruto muttered nervously. He wasn't sure what it was exactly, but there was something in Dumbledore's gaze that made him feel… young. Like a child. Those ice blue eyes held so much warmth and wisdom within them that Naruto was feeling small and inexperienced in comparison. Despite his knowledge of ten thousand years. But, he wasn't Naruto Uzumaki (or Namikaze now) for nothing. Steeling himself, he spoke again. "So, you taught my dad, right? Are you sure I'm not just a normal shinobi or anything? I mean, I've never felt anything 'magical' about myself ever before. Maybe it skipped a generation."
"Normal," Tsunade added incredulously. Naruto chose to ignore her.
"I understand your concern, Naruto-kun," Naruto pouted slightly, "but I assure you I am not wrong. Even now I can feel the immense amounts of magical energy running within your magical core. It is quite impressive I must say. Very powerful."
"Yeah, probably thanks to fuzzy butt," Naruto grumbled. Dumbledore looked confused.
"I was, I must say, interested Naruto-kun when I arrived to find your strange extra body parts," he said curiously, eyes now visibly focusing on the twitching ears on the blonde boy's head. "I hope I'm not being to forward, but I am rather curious about them."
"IDIOT!" Tsunade scowled loudly, "You should have hidden them before he got here! What kind of immortal demon fox are you?"
Naruto looked down sheepishly. Yeah, that was a tad stupid of him. But it was a little late now. And Tsunade's big footed blurting had not helped the situation. Glaring back at his Hokage, whose mouth was wide with sheepish comprehension, he began the long story of Naruto's new change of species. Throughout the whole explanation, Dumbledore's calm, warm gaze did not shift from Naruto's own. He didn't speak, just listened, nodding every now and then to show he understood. By the end of it, he just watched in contemplation, before sighing softly.
"Well, that was unexpected," he said simply, to which Naruto sweat dropped.
Not any more unexpected than you appearing with a pop, Naruto thought.
"I don't see any problem with your situation whatsoever," Dumbledore continued, breaking into a small smile, "Your parents were both fine students of my school, and I have no doubt whatsoever that you will be as well. It may be better if we hide the furry extras during terms and keep the secret among ourselves, but I see no problems at all."
"Sweet!" Naruto crowed. He had to admit, he was slightly nervous the old wizard would not want him now that he wasn't normal. Or as normal as people were at a school of magic, anyway. With that aspect done, Naruto zoned out of the following conversation, his thoughts revolving around instant disappearing acts, exciting magics and curious creatures. He was all but drooling by the time Tsunade snapped him back to the present.
"Huh, what?" he said abruptly. Tsunade scowled.
"Nice to see you weren't listening, gaki," she snapped. Naruto just grinned cheekily. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. It was just about the additional Anbu guard being sent to protect the school. I've made sure to send my top Anbu agents, excluding any from the current generation, to make up the team. Although I did want Kakashi to lead the squad. What do you think?"
"That's cool, baa-chan, I don't care if Kakashi-sensei finds out," Naruto shrugged. "I mean, he knows everything else apart from the whole now-a-demon-thing, which I'm going to be hiding anyway, so no big deal."
"How many times have I told you not to call me that, brat!" she howled, throwing a kunai sharply at the grinning boy. Naruto dodged safely, letting the sharp weapon to thud into the wall behind his head. Dumbledore only laughed.
"A truly delightful relationship," he mused. Naruto, Tsunade and Jiraiya just stared. "You all must clearly care for one another. I can see it in the way to interact. It's good to know the son of Minato and his wife found such caring guardians."
"Of course, the most Gallant Jiraiya, awe-inspiring Toad Sage and self-acclaimed super-pervert was instrumental in the care and well-being of my student's only son," Jiraiya beamed, posing stupidly before the group. Tsunade scowled. Naruto groaned. Dumbledore only blinked.
"I'm beginning to begin to see why Minato was so against us meeting."
BAM.
With a fourth Jiraiya hole to be fixed and a headache the size of a mountain to drink away, Tsunade was nearing her limit.
"Alright, I'm think we have covered just about everything here," she said seriously, once more gaining the room's attention. "Dumbledore-san has agreed to return in six months' time to transport both yourself and the Anbu squad, Naruto, to a location in the Outside World to prepare for the school year. We will be convening in this office on the 25th of August. Does that suit everyone?"
"Of course," Dumbledore nodded.
"Hai, Baa-chan," Naruto cheered.
"No respect in this stupid place," Jiraiya sulked. Tsunade just sighed.
"Okay, anything I am missing?"
"No, that seems to be all," Dumbledore said pleasantly as he stood up from the seat. He began to head to the door before he froze. "Oh, silly me. How could I have forgotten? Naruto, I have something for you."
From the sleeve of his strange blue clothing (which Naruto likened uncomfortably to a dress) Dumbledore pulled out a long, crooked wooden wand. Naruto's eyes gleamed excitedly as he watched the silver-haired man flick it gracefully in a practiced motion, before stowing it safely back in his sleeve. Naruto frowned.
"Was it supposed to do something?" he began asking, before with another loud POOF, an enormous pile of books cascaded from the rook and buried Naruto in a pile of pages.
"Your reading material," Dumbledore announced to the petrified, groaning blonde. "This is the material you have missed over the four years of schooling you were absent, as well as a few extra titles I believe you will find informative. I expect each and every single one to be read and understood by the time I return in six months. Your theory must be perfect if you are going to be able to thoroughly catch up on the practical side."
Naruto nodded mutely, staring at the mountains of books around him. He gulped. He'd never been much of a reader before, but with Kyuubi's influence, he found that knowledge was quite fascinating. Not to mention full of power. But still. That was a LOT of reading. Deciding that there was no time like the present, he picked up the first book in reach, Transfiguration for Beginners, and began to read. Dumbledore chuckled once more.
"I dare say you will enjoy them all," he said, before spinning back to the Hokage, "It was a pleasure to meet you madam, but I must be moving on. It is still a school year beyond the Barrier, and I really must return. We have had quite a busy one what with a certain competition taking place at our school. But I digress."
"Of course," Tsunade answered, bowing again, "I will prepare the Anbu team promptly. We will be waiting for your return eagerly." Her eyes twitched towards the wide eyed, drooling blonde demon fox. She scowled. "Some more than others," she muttered.
"Have a pleasurable six months, madam Hokage," he bowed, before with an equally loud pop to his arrival. He disappeared. Naruto looked up just long enough to watch his future headmaster vanish.
"I have got to get him to teach me that," he breathed in awe. Tsunade's brow twitched. All she need was for a certain, prank-easy blonde to learn how to appear out of nowhere with no indication other than a pop. There was no way in hell.
"Yes, well brat, you have work to do and I have a mission to organise, so how about you gather up those books and head on back to your apartment," Tsunade said pleasantly. Barely paying attention, the demon fox nodded, and without putting down his book, stood up from the ground. Gathering the piles with his nine long tails, he gave the Hokage a small cheeky grin, stuck his tongue out at the still pouting Jiraiya, and then vanished from the room in a swirl of wind and leaves. Tsunade sighed.
"Seriously," she said to Jiraiya who had finally moved towards the centre of the room, "Why can't Minato's family ever be normal? There is always something going on with that lot. Kushina as well!" Jiraiya could only laugh.
"If you think this is bad, you should wait until he comes back," Jiraiya grinned, "Minato was quite a master of tricks and disguises after learning at that place, and with Naruto's already prank-heavy genes, new kitsune tendencies, and a whole lot of knowledge and power that no one in the entire Elemental nations has, what do you think is going to happen once he is done?"
Tsunade paled dramatically. "Oh god," she whispered, "I've doomed us all."
The entire Hokage tower was then thoroughly horrified by the hysterical crying that echoed from the Hokage's office after that moment. They could only pray that this was another sake temper tantrum, and nothing more sinister was set into action. If only they knew…