Edit: The anbu thing has been changed to a jounin/chunin because, as someone quite rightfully pointed out, it was exaggerated.
The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the Third Hokage's window as he looked out over the village known as Konoha. Everything was quiet, most of the people at home already with their families. Some were still heading toward their homes in a hurry, one actually tripping over her own feet. Despite the Hokage's attempts, he couldn't suppress the chuckle that came out.
He smiled, happy to see his home, the place he loved and protected no matter what, at peace. Hiruzen Sarutobi looked around, thinking about how it was a week before the Academy's new students were supposed to start. A lot of the parents were mad at him for putting Naruto with their children in school, but he, like all the others, was eight, the age in which the children began. Hiruzen would not ignore him when he so badly wanted to be a ninja.
The elderly Hokage began to turn, yelping with surprise when a shadow flew passed him, a bag of something on their arms.
"Get back here!" another figure yelled, landing on the roof in front of the Hokage. It was a man wearing wearing the usual attire for a chunin or jounin. The manshot forward, pursuing the other figure.
The Hokage's eyes narrowed, wondering what was going on. He quickly thought through it. Hiruzen turned, strolling from the room and down the hall. After descending down the many steps, he exited the building. Then he walked passed the gate, nodding to a villager as he walked passed him. Hiruzen walked slowly, almost like he was waiting. He glanced around, locking on to the chase he'd seen before.
The figure the man was chasing wasn't too tall and looked male. He was quick as well, performing moves so quickly and purposefully Hiruzen knew that the person the ninja was chasing was quite smart. Hiruzen watched as he jumped forward, grasping a pole and swinging himself around, kicking the chunin or jounin in the face before completing a circle, flinging himself to the building to the right of them. The one being chased slammed against the wall, and then he shot forward, ducking under the ninja who had retaliated and was jumping at him. He grasped the man's leg and threw his own up, slamming them into the ninja's back and sending him toward the wall at a greater speed than he'd been going. The figure dropped to the ground and immediately started running again. He didn't even look up. But when he did, his eyes widened as he saw the elderly man.
"Sorry, old man," he said.
The Hokage's eyes widened as he saw the person. The male had black hair with a few spikes that were white, one of which were hanging over his face, light lavender eyes that reminded him of the Hyuuga's, and fair skin. He wore a black T-shirt, a ring with a yin-yang symbol on it, white shorts, and black ninja shoes. What surprised him the most, though, was he was no older than eight.
"Move, Hokage-sama!" the ninja yelled, pulling his hand back.
"No!" the Hokage yelled, but it was too late. The man sent the kunai flying at the boy. The Hokage watched as it neared, the boy's eyes flickering back toward him a moment before he got to his feet, not looking like he was about to move.
"Sorry, old man," the boy repeated, yelping when the kunai embedded itself into his back. Hiruzen winced as he heard the kunai pierce the child's skin. The boy suddenly tensed before hitting the ground.
"Stunning kunai," the man explained when he landed in front of them. "Oh, crap." The ninja, like the Hokage, just now realized it was a little boy, who, apparently, had just been hungry based on the fact he had a bag of what the Hokage could guess was stolen food.
The Hokage stared for a moment. "He protected me," he said, making the man look up. "As soon as he saw I wouldn't move and it might hit me, he seemed to decide he wasn't going to move." Hiruzen stared for only another moment at the twitching, paralyzed boy before making his decision. "Bring the boy up to my office."
"Why?" the boy asked, apparently able to talk despite the fact he couldn't move.
The Hokage smiled. "So I can hear your story, lad. I need the reason for the crime to know the punishment."
**An Hour Later**
The Hokage sat in front of the boy he'd learned was named Ryu Zenjin, his eyes slightly wide. "Really?"
Ryu nodded. "You wanted my story, and that is it." Hiruzen could tell Ryu was afraid to ask the next question. Hiruzen looked at the boy, quickly scanning through the cons and pros of the choice he thought would be best. It all depended, though, on what Ryu thought.
"Well, seeing as you're, well, let's say orphaned," the Hokage began, slowly smiling, "how about the Leaf adopts you as one of its many citizens?"
Ryu stared at him, open mouthed.
"This is how I show my gratitude for your noble act though it wasn't needed," Hiruzen explained.
The Hokage laughed at the huge smile spreading across Ryu's face . "Thank you," he whispered, then more loudly, "Thank you!" as he flung himself at the Hokage in a grateful hug.
The Hokage laughed, knowing he could never heal the boy. From the tale he'd told him, he'd been through a lot of pain. The best he could do was make it better.