Disclaimer: I don't Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist, if I did, I would be living on a nice beach.
Chapter 3
"Say that again." Sarutobi said using his pinky to shake his ear. "You spoke with the Kyuubi?"
Naruto who was sucking down a mouthful of ramen nodded. The Hokage had sent out for enough ramen to feed the now awake Naruto and they were sitting in his office as Naruto discussed everything that had happened while he was unconscious. He was lucky he was ambidextrous. Eboshi had his now useless right arm in a sling.
Sarutobi looked at the ramen before him and suddenly what he had eaten felt like a solid brick in his stomach.
Sarutobi had talked to Naruto about his parents, about the sealing, about his decision to try and give Naruto a stable life, the fights with the council. And now, we learn the folly of our ways goes even deeper. The Third thought.
"Ojii-san, I plan on leaving my apartment…I'm going into a hiding place not far from the tower…"
"Naruto, is that wise…"
"Its safer than that apartment that's been vandalized, firebombed, and lets not forget those break ins where I was lucky enough to get away, and now I know why…I can't be a target for their stupidity any more. It's cost me too much."
Sarutobi winced as his eyes looked at the dead arm. I swear I'll find out who did this to you Naruto.
"Ed-sensei told me there might be a way to give me a new arm, but it will take us time. If you could give me the academy material, and let me show up on the final exam…"
Sarutobi sighed. "The council won't like this, therefore I will make sure you have all you need…" Sarutobi stroked his beard in thought. "And I want you to come to my family estate once a week…so I can check up on you, and have Eboshi look you over as well."
Naruto nodded as he thought that would be fair. "Ed-sensei suggested I head to the nearest market town to get things since my being in Konoha has resulted in over pricing, bad food and worse clothing."
Sarutobi nodded. "Along with your allowance, I'll add in the price that was going to the apartment."
"What will you tell the council Ojii-san?" Naruto asked as he slurped up some more ramen, the seven empty bowls were a start.
"That you are in the village under the care of a personal retainer since you were badly wounded by several villagers."
"A lie?" Naruto asked cocking his head.
"An omission. You are in the village, and in a way, the Kyuubi can be considered a retainer as he is part of you now, and you are badly wounded. A white lie with a majority of truth blended in."
Naruto looked like he wanted to say something, but shrugged and continued eating the ramen before him.
"You still haven't told me where you will be going Naruto." The Third said after watching the boy eat quickly one handed.
"Can you wait till I've cleaned it up?" blue eyes looked back at him.
"You really feel this place will be better for you?"
"Yes." The one word answer from the blond told the Third that the blond was going to do it regardless of what he thought.
"After this latest, I would prefer you not be alone."
"I'd agree, but after this, I don't know who I can trust anymore Ojii-san. There were ninja in the crowd…I…" Naruto looked away, the chopsticks lowering to the bowl untouched.
Sasuke Sarutobi looked at the blond child, sadness in his own eyes, and was wishing again like he had numerous times that Naruto's parents were alive.
They ate in silence, and Sarutobi watched the blond who wasn't eating with his usual gusto. He saw the thoughtful look in the younger male's eyes.
"Ojii-san…Ed-sensei mentioned teaching me the lost art of Alchemy…he said I could have a new arm…"
Sarutobi had read about the lost art, but he'd never found anything on how to go about it.
"How does he plan to do that?" Sarutobi was curious about the Kyuubi and its motives.
"Not sure. I'm going to talk to him more when I sleep…um, I could use help getting a sleeping roll and a few things…"
Sarutobi bowed his head. He only asks for that if his apartment was firebombed again…(sigh) "I'll be right back Naruto."
Sarutobi left the office and called up several ANBU. "Mole, go to Naruto's apartment, get everything and seal it into a scroll, even if its damaged." He turned. "Sparrow, Eagle, find out who attack him this time, give them to Ibiki and tell him no limits."
The pair of ANBU bowed, but the Hokage could see the nervous twitch of their shoulders before they left.
"Wolf, Rat, Ox." He said and the four ANBU appeared. "Go to the library, get the academy scrolls…and everything you can on history of the…of the demon lords."
They gasped in shock. "Go. Copy it and bring it here." They vanished. "Inu…Kakashi…"
The dog masked ANBU stepped from the shadows. "Why didn't you help him?"
"I don't…"
Kakashi Hatake, ANBU captain codenamed Inu was slammed against the hallway wall by his neck, the Sandaime Hokage was pissed, the killing intent was directed at him fully and it was making it hard to breath.
"That boy in there lost his arm, because you can't see the blind foolish hatred." Sarutobi snarled. While Eboshi had been working on Naruto, Sarutobi had checked the duty roster on who was to be watching over Naruto.
"You not only failed your duty that I gave you, you failed your sensei's son. Because of you, Naruto will never become a ninja."
"S-Sensei's son? B-Bu-But he died. The Kyuubi stole…"
Sarutobi squeezed and Kakashi's voice ended in a gurgle. "You are a stupid man. You followed those blind stupid fools and I allowed it to go on too long."
Sarutobi released him and stepped back. "Think about your actions have cost this day Kakashi. Now get out of my sight."
Sarutobi walked back to his office, he entered to see Eboshi had returned and was talking with Naruto. The medic shook her head. "A proper diet. Your too short for your age…"
"I AM NOT LITTLE YOU…" Naruto paused, shook his head and grinned. "Sorry. Ed-sensei is very sensitive and he started ranting when you called me short and it was like…um, what's it called?"
"Feed back?" Eboshi asked.
"Yeah, that's it." Naruto said and looked up when Sarutobi entered. The first thing the Hokage noticed was all the ramen dishes were empty. The other thing he noticed was the blond was smiling.
"Hey Ojii-san, Eboshi-chan says I need to eat more if I am to be strong enough to take your job."
Sarutobi raised his eyebrow at his doctor.
"Now, Naruto, I said you had to eat more proper foods." The doctor said.
Naruto chuckled. "Ramen is food."
"Junk food." Eboshi said. "If I have to I'll do your grocery shopping every week…"
"That would be a good idea." Sarutobi said cutting in. "Naruto, I've sent ANBU to your apartment to collect your belongings, and some to the library to get scrolls for you to ready and study."
Naruto lowered his head. "Thank you Ojii-san. They woman at the library never lets me in, even shredded the pass you gave me."
Sarutobi growled mentally. "Once you get your new place set up, I want to see it. We'll work out things for you, I promise you this Naruto, you will not be mistreated again."
Old man's right about that kid. Ed's voice entered his head.
Ed-sensei?No, it's the Cookie Monster. Of course its me. How many other people you got in here?
I don't know, I didn't know you were in me until a little bit ago. Naruto countered.
Heh, yeah, sorry about that. I tend to get sarcastic. I'm establishing this link so you won't have to go unconscious all the time for us to talk. I'm also fixing the mess that is your chakra system. The Yondaime was a genius with seals, but the idiot messed up. I'll explain more later, I promise. But we'll talk more, now pay attention to the old man, he's looking worried. Ed's voice echoed off and Naruto blinked to see Eboshi and Sarutobi looking at him in concern.
"Er, sorry. Ed-sensei was talking to me." He saw their look. "He's made a connection so that I don't have to be unconscious for us to talk. He took me by surprise is all, he's um…fixing a few things that are messed up."
"Naruto, is he planning to escape?" Sarutobi asked.
"Um, I don't know. Hold on." Naruto closed his eyes.
Ed-sensei?What?
Ojii-san wants to know…are you planning to escape?
A bark of laughter. Kami no kid. That would not only kill you, but me as well. We are tied together. Besides, I owe you so much. No, tell the old man, I give my solemn vow I will not escape. Now, leave me alone, I have work to do.
Naruto opened his eyes. "He says to tell you that he gives his solemn vow he will not escape. He says he owes me."
Sarutobi thought about it, and what he learned in all his studies is that a demon's word meant everything.
XX
Naruto looked around the new home. He'd slipped away from the Hokage's Tower under the cover of darkness and back to the alley he'd used before. Once he was back in the 'Den' as Ed called it he looked around.
"Man, this is going to take forever to clean." He muttered.
Yeah, and before we do that we'll need to get your arm. So tonight while you sleep I'm going to do a data dump. Ed's voice filled his mind.
"A what?" Naruto asked aloud.
(sigh) I'm going to cheat and give you the basic knowledge of alchemy. Technically I'm going to give you my first twelve years of knowledge, along with the secret to making auto-mail. We're going to exchange your dead arm…kid, I won't like its going to hurt like a bitch when we do it. You might want to do it and have the doc and the old man around. You'll be out for a time.
Naruto paused. "This…data thing…will there be side effects? Will I become you?"
No kid. You'll have my knowledge, but you won't become me. I won't lie, you'll probably get my IQ and there might be a bit of bleed over of some of my…quirks, but you shall remain you.
Naruto cleaned an area to lay out his sleeping bag, the bag with the scrolls the old man had the ANBU fill he put on the desk for now. He had found a bathroom and the power and water worked so he smiled thinking he was better here than in the firebombed apartment.
See you in the morning Ed-nii-san.
See you in the morning kid. Ed's voice was soft, and deep in the seal, the Kyuubi bore a sad look.
AN: Ready, Steady Go…And so it begins. Naruto goes to sleep as he was, and tomorrow wakes up a genius. I'm going to do a skip about hinting over the coming years.