A/N: Hi. This is the revised version of the second chapter of the story. Special thanks to Magnoliatree for the job she did as the Beta Reader.

Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction, Taco does not own Naruto or any of its character, and neither does Sombrero.

Chapter 2: Tears Bathed in Moonlight

Sarutobi Hiruzen - dressed in the usual Hokage robe and hat- stood in front of his window, overlooking the village.

The gentle breeze caressed his aged face and the sound of the music along with the laughter of the children playing below allowed the old Hokage to relax. He had just heard some very disturbing news about the safety of a child he had come to care as a surrogate grandson.

Half an hour ago, Naruto Uzumaki had been checked into Konoha's general hospital barely alive and with several injuries adorning his skinny body, in the arms of an irate Inoichi Yamanaka. Apparently Inoichi had stormed through the hospital's gates and demanded immediate treatment for the blond boy or 'he would turn all the hospital staff stupid.'

The aged Fire Shadow sighed; this wasn't the first time that the boy had been attacked.

The villagers would often chase him around, but the sly kid was able to escape most of the time, and if not, the ANBU would come and rescue the boy.

But on this date the things were always different. The villagers used this day to let loose all of the anger that they had bottled in throughout the year. They would stop at nothing to harm the poor boy and, because of the festival and the masses of people that crowded the streets, the ANBU had a hard time patrolling the village. Once they knew what was going on, it was always too late to do anything to help the young jinchūriki, except by taking him to the hospital.

Once more the Hokage sighed, this time while pinching the bridge of his nose.

He didn't know what to do. He wanted to help the boy, but he couldn't be there for him all of the time. He had tried to explain Naruto's condition to the civilians, but it was a lost cause. They had been already swayed by the words of his charismatic rival- Konoha's war hawk- Danzo Shimura.

"Danzo…" Sarutobi grumbled. Although he knew that all that the Konoha elder did was for the good of the Leaf, he just couldn't accept his methods.

Seven years ago, right after the sealing took place; Danzo approached Sarutobi and tried to convince the reinstated Hokage to let him train the boy. He had said that he could make him a great asset for the village, a tool that would kill and die for the sake of the Great Tree.

Of course, Hiruzen refused. He knew the way Danzo trained his shinobi and he would be damned if he let him put one hand on the blond boy...needless to say, the old war hawk didn't take the rejection well.

The bandaged man was a very influential man and held in high regard by both the Konoha council and the civilians, so it wasn't difficult to convince the already spiteful villagers to continue to harass the young jinchūriki.

Sarutobi knew why, Danzo wanted to make him regret his decision, but he wouldn't budge. If he did, Naruto would become another mindless ROOT soldier.

Averting his eyes from the village the Sandaime focused on the night's full moon and starry sky. 'I'm sorry, Minato.' he thought. 'I don't think I can protect Naruto from Danzo much longer, if on-'

*Thump*

*Thump*

*Thump*

The third Fire Shadow was pulled from his thoughts by a loud knocking on his office door.

"Enter." Commanded Hiruzen, not turning around.

The door opened and closed, indicating the entry of another presence.

"Good evening, Hokage-sama" greeted the new addition to the room.

Sarutobi knew the person who greeted him, even before hearing his voice. He had been sure that he would come here, to confront him after the evening's events.

The Hokage turned around to return the greeting. "Good evening, Inoichi. What brings you here this late at night?"

The old man knew that the blonde Jōnin would want to talk, ever since he heard the news about Naruto. So he had stayed in his office, waiting for the Yamanaka to arrive.

"Hokage-sama, can we talk for a bit?"

The Sandaime just nodded and sat on his chair, indicating that Inoichi should do the same.

Inoichi sat down and for a moment they just stared at each other, the large desk being the only thing which separated them in the dark room, illuminated by the moonlight coming from the window.

The Jōnin coughed a couple of times before starting. "As you probably know already, Hokage-sama, earlier I took an injured, no, maimed would better describe it, Naruto to the hospital. I had heard rumors before, but I never thought someone would actually hurt a seven year old boy as much as he was today! How could this happen, Hokage-sama?"

The aged Hokage took out his pipe, put tobacco in it, then lit it and took a puff. Once the smoke that he released vanished from the room, he began to talk.

"Firstly, I want to thank you for helping young Naruto. You will receive a B-rank mission payment for the trouble."

"Sarutobi-sama, with all due respect, if you wish to thank me, then do it by answering my questions rather than with money." The Jōnin replied.

Taking a drag from his pipe, the smoker sighed. "Very well, Inoichi-san. I will allow you to ask me four questions, to which I will reply if I know the answer. Answering your first question, this has actually happened before. Normally, Naruto would be smart enough to not let them catch him, but every year, during the Yondaime's festival, the mobs always manage to find him- and beat him within an inch of his life."

"Why do you allow this to go unpunished, Hokage-sama?" said Inoichi, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up.

"I do not allow this to go unpunished, Inoichi! I make sure they are punished just as the law dictates!" exclaimed the Hokage also standing.

The blonde mind-walker flinched at hearing the God of Shinobi raise his voice, but he refused to back down, not for this.

"That's a lie, and you know it! I work in the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force and I have seen these so called mobsters enter, and leave only ten minutes later, perfectly fine!" countered the blond loudly.

The Hokage stayed quiet, sitting down.

Inoichi was shaken from his frenzy and immediately bowed to his leader.

"Hokage-sama, I'm really sorry, I don't know what came over me." apologized the Jōnin.

'What's wrong with me? Did I really raise my voice against the Professor, the God of Shinobi himself? Ugh, I hope they have comfy beds in jail…'

Luckily for Inoichi, the Sandaime only laughed. "Don't worry about it, getting so worked up only shows that you really care about what's happening." The professor turned serious. "I will personally investigate this issue, although I think I already know who is responsible for letting the mobsters to go unpunished."

"Who is he, Sandaime-sama?" asked the Yamanaka.

Sarutobi took a long drag from his pipe before exhaling, making little smoke rings in the air. He looked at Inoichi and then sucked on his pipe again. Finally he took it from his lips and opened his mouth to speak…only to put the pipe in again and take another puff.

Inoichi's right eyebrow twitched. 'Come on, you old smoker monkey. Talk already' thought the irritated blond Jōnin.

At long last, the Sandaime cleaned the ashes from his pipe and put it in his pocket. "Danzo Shimura." he said bitterly.

Seeing Inoichi's confused face, he decided to elaborate. "For years now, Danzo has been plotting against me, waiting for a chance to usurp the Hokage's title. Seven years ago he saw a chance, in the form of the newborn Naruto Uzumaki. He tried to convince me to give him the baby so he could be trained, 'a tool that would kill and die for the sake of the great tree' were his exact words. What he really wanted was a domesticated jinchūriki at his beck and call, so he could use that power against me. I denied his request and ordered him to disband his ROOT immediately."

The Fire Shadow took a deep breath before continuing. "Danzo, being the stubborn man that he is, didn't heed my warning and still has his ROOT working. Lamentably, they don't leave any trace or clue so we have no proof of its existence, but, we are getting sidetracked. That fool of a man wants me to regret my decision, that's why I suspect he has been helping Naruto's attackers- in order to gain their respect and also so they can resume their assaults on the boy."

"I see… if Danzo's Root is still running amok, it would be very probable that he slipped some of his agents into the T & I force." the Jōnin said grimly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Indeed. Now, ask your fourth question, it has been a long day and I need my rest."

The mind-walker nodded, he didn't need to think twice about what his last query would be.

"Is Naruto the son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze?"

Sarutobi's eyes widened in shock and his mouth almost touched the desk. Of all the questions he could be asked, that was the only one that he didn't want to answer. Hiruzen didn't want to lie to his shinobi so he just lowered his head and stayed quiet.

Inoichi studied the Hokage's expression finding his answer in the silence that the Sandaime gave him.

"So it is true. But… why does Naruto not know about this?"

"Inoichi, I am afraid you have already asked your four questions" replied the Hokage with his head still lowered, his hat hiding his face.

The Jōnin was about to argue, but then saw something he thought he would never see…

Sarutobi's shoulders were trembling slightly and although his hat hided most of his face, the moonlight revealed the shining tears going down his wrinkled cheeks and drenching his goatee.

"I'm an old man, Inoichi. I've lived through two of the three great ninja wars; I've seen friends and enemies alike die in the battlefield; I've killed so many people that I'm sure I already have a place reserved for me in hell. But for a reason it pains me to see that bright smile that boy always has on his face. I admire that kid; I want to be like him. He never gives up, he is alone in the world but he doesn't stop smiling no matter what, but I know that it won't last forever."

Hiruzen put a hand over his eyes, and resumed talking in a cracking voice." I-I'm afraid. I don't want to see that smile of his break, eve-ryday that passes it looks li-like he has to force himself mo-more to try and look happy, it hurts me to see him forcing himself and i-it ki-kills me to know that I can't do shit to help him!"

The God of Shinobi finally lost a war, years of pent up emotions came over him and he couldn't stop the flow of tears. "What's the point of being called powerful, if I can't protect a single child!" whispered the old Hokage, sobbing uncontrollably.

Inoichi understood what the Kage meant. 'When I was in the alley and mistook Naruto's body for Ino's, I felt useless, powerless. This only proves that even the strongest people have their moments of weakness…'

Sarutobi recomposed himself and said, "I want to protect Naruto, that's exactly why I don't tell him about his heritage. If Iwagakure knows that the man that they curse everyday had a son, they wouldn't hesitate to send assassins to kill the boy as some kind of payback."

"Be that as it may, you should still tell Naruto about his parents."

"When the time comes I will, but for the meantime he has suffered enough."

"Yes, he has suffered enough! That is why he deserves to know! If the people know that he is the son of the Yondaime then he would be treated with more respect!"

"Why can't you understand that I don't want to endanger the boy? He is not ready- if he is attacked by a shinobi then he would surely die!"

"He is already being attacked by shinobi in here, in his own village."

"Wh-what? Is that true?"

Inoichi nodded. "When I found him, he had his legs burnt; I think it was because of a fire jutsu Hokage-sama."

The Sandaime gripped his hands in rage and said through clenched teeth. "How can a ninja fall so low?"

"I asked myself the same question, sir, but never mind that. I won't insist anymore on telling the boy about his heritage. I understand that you wish to protect the boy, but also the village."

Hiruzen nodded sadly, Inoichi was right on the spot, yes he wanted to protect the child, but he was the Hokage and he couldn't neglect his people.

"Let me train Naruto, Lord Hokage." This was the second time that someone had requested that. Seven years ago he denied this request to Danzo, but this time it was different. Inoichi didn't want to make Naruto into a tool. He wanted to help him, just like himself.

The Hokage stayed quiet, still thinking about what he should do.

"I promise you that if he becomes my disciple, he will have food to eat and a house to call home, I want to train him so one day you can tell him about his parents without fearing for his life, but don't worry I will also teach him about everything he needs know, I want to grow him into a great man, just like his father was."

"So this is what all is about" Said the fire shadow while narrowing his eyes. "You only want to help him because of his father."

"I assisted him before even knowing about his parentage, Hokage-sama!" The blond man exclaimed, feeling insulted by what the Hokage insinuated. "I don't want to see what happened today repeat itself. That's why if you really care about the boy you will let me teach him…"

The gray haired man stared at Inoichi trying to find out if he was lying, but couldn't find deception in the man. He came to a decision, maybe he couldn't protect the boy any longer, but someone else could.

"Alright Inoichi, I will allow you to make him your pupil, but only if he wants to. Tomorrow we will go to the hospital and ask him, is that alright with you?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama" replied the Jōnin.

"Then you're dismissed"

Inoichi Yamanka stood up from his chair and bowed to the Sandaime, before turning around and walking towards the door.

Just when the blond man was about to turn the knob, he heard his leader's voice again.

"Inoichi, I am sure Naruto will accept your proposal. That's why I ask you, not as a Hokage, but as a grandfather, that you take good care of him." Sarutobi, once again looking at the moon, said.

The Yamanaka smiled and replied. "I promise that I will take good care of him, Sarutobi-sama." And with that the door closed, leaving the aged Kage alone with his thoughts.

The night was at its peak, the festival had for the most part already died and the once crowded streets were now totally empty with the exception of one soul.

Inoichi Yamanaka was finally ready to go home to his beloved wife and daughter. Today had been a hectic day for him, but in the end everything worked up just fine.

'Tomorrow when I go see Naruto maybe I will take Ino with me, god knows that that boy could use a friend.'

The blond Jōnin now could see his flower shop, but suddenly he had the urgent need to grab his balls.'Mmm, my ninja senses are telling me something very bad is going to happen. 'Inoichi shrugged and kept on walking until he reached his home.

"Honey, I'm home." He called out, hoping to see his beautiful wife come and greet him.

He got what he wanted, from one of the many doors of the hallway came out his wife wearing a simple white robe over her purple satin nightgown. Her long platinum blond hair was tied up in tight bun on top of her head with only one thin bang framing her delicate smiling face.

Mayu Yamanaka marched towards her beloved husband, and when she got close enough started talking. "Hello dear, where were you?"

"Oh my dear Mayu, it is so good to be back home, you won't imagine how crazy my day was." Inoichi pulled her wife into a hug and kissed her forehead.

"Poor husband, you must have it pretty rough. Say, you wouldn't know where Ino is, do you?"

Realization hit Inoichi hard and slowly he withdrew himself from the hug he was sharing with his wife.

"Of course you wouldn't know. Imagine my surprise when our seven year old daughter walked into the house alone and crying after walking through a sea of people, at night."

Mayu started closing to her backing husband, still sporting that devilish smile on her face.

"W-wait, Mayu, I can explain!" The retreating Inoichi said, until he cornered himself.

"There's nothing to explain, you were probably drinking again in some bar with Shikaku or Chōza, weren't you?"

Trying to save his skin the Jōnin replied. "N-no I wasn't. I saved a life, I'm a hero!"

Mayu only laughed. "Silly husband, you and your beer induced fantasies." Then the platinum blond revealed her weapon, the legendary husband beater… the frying pan.

Inoichi paled at seeing his bane, and tried to make a run to the front door, but it was already too late for the Jōnin.

Through the night the sound of metal hitting flesh resounded, and anyone that heard it knew what it meant, a husband was being punished for his stupidity.

In a big Stone hall, a bandaged old man was currently seated behind a desk reading some documents; he had shaggy black hair and a cross shaped scar was visible on his face.

"Talk." The bandaged man said, to apparently no one, but then a masked man garbed in black appeared kneeled in front of the sitting oldster.

"Danzo-sama, I have some information you should be aware of. It seems that someone has showed interest in training Naruto Uzumaki."

Danzo frowned but gestured the man to continue with his hand. "That man is the Yamanaka clan head, Inoichi Yamanaka- and it looks like the Hokage has granted him permission to teach the boy. How should we act upon this, sir?"

The black haired man rested both of his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers in front of his face. "We must act immediately. We cannot allow Yamanaka to take the Uzumaki boy from us; he is needed in my plans if I wish to succeed. Tomorrow we will meet with Yamanaka and convince him to withdraw his request to teach the boy by any means necessary. Force included."

And with that said the clock needles reached the number twelve, indicating the end of October the tenth and the start of a day where the destiny of a child was going to be written.

E/N: Ok guys thanks for reading and for those who are curious, in the next chapter the action will start and after that there's going to be a Timeskip. After the timeskip the story will FINALLY revolve more around Naruto and Ino, so Ino fans, please bear with me a little longer.