Naruto: The Flaming Leaves

by Ardent Chronicler

The flaming leaves, the ash fell upon his skin and he looked up. He felt something land on his check and when he removed it to check what it was he saw it. He saw the Village hidden in the leaves set ablaze. "COME, BOY, SHOW ME WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!" Knocking an arrow he drew his bow back, and let his arrow fly, he is Naruto, Naruto Yu of the Yu Yan Archers.

3. Chapter 3

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I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER OR THEIR SUCCESSORS IN ANY SHAPE OR CAPACITY. I ONLY OWN MY FICTITIOUS OC'S.

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Upload Schedule: Sundays and Thursdays

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Glossary: Scene breaks will be denoted by a line of X's

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Demonic or summons speech"

'Demonic or summons speech'

Jutsus shall be rendered in Japanese or English depending on which they are. For example, I will not be saying Almighty Push, I will be saying Shinra Tensei, or Rasengan instead of Spiraling Sphere. However instead of Raiton: Gian I will be saying Lightning Style: False Darkness

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"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward.
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The cool autumn breeze brought the smell of pine and flowers wafting through the area. Last night had been an uneasy experience and in reality, he wished it had never happened, however, today is another day. The morning consisted of his usual training, burpees, push-ups, sit-ups, and suicide drills. The whole time his thoughts lingered on his mother and how uneasy he felt on not being there for the birth of his younger sibling. He remembered what his mother had told him the night before he left.

"My boy, you need to know. Your mother went through the same thing you are going through now. She had been sent away from her home for the sole duty of fulfilling a purpose she did not want. Though stubborn and hard headed like she was, I want you to go to Konoha with an open mind, but a will of fire. She never gave Konoha much of a chance until Minato had saved her from a kidnapping. So the bonds she had created were limited to a select few people, some who may not even know you exist. I want you to try and make bonds, weak or strong, they will comfort you and guide you through your life and time in Konoha. Who knows, you may even meet a pretty girl and get married. I love you my boy, beyond life itself and I would die to keep you safe from every person who wished you harm, but this is something you need to do yourself. You have to make your own path, your own ninja way as a shinobi of Konoha. You are a man by our laws now, so it is time for you to leave our home and build your own. We both love you and we will see you again, however long it may take, we will see each other again my little maelstrom."

Naruto wiped his face with a towel to remove the sweat from his face due to the workout. HE decided to take a quick shower as to not let his muscles relax too much or he would be sore and not prepared for any event this day. Naruto put on his outfit, the long sleeved brown turtle neck like his mother, but a sleeveless leather tunic over it tied with a brown belt. Pulling his dark brown leather pants on he taped the bottoms around his ankles. He put on his boar hide moccasins and tied his quiver to his belt letting it hang off his side like a sword sheath. Naruto stopped as he went to grab his bow, he hesitated staring at the weapon. Running his hand over the length of the body he felt the knicks, the knocks in the wood, the burn marks. This bow was the story of his childhood, of his early years, he needed to make another. One that would bear the story and the mark of his middle years. This bow had gotten him through some of the toughest hunts of his life, and some of the most somber as well. He took his first life with this bow, and he took his first hunt with it. The simple willow bow with a horse hair twine string had served him well. He grabbed the bow and even if it was just for today he would hold onto his childhood. Tonight, he would make one all his own. He was no longer a child, he was a man of the Yu Yan clan and as of the end of this day a shinobi for Konoha.

Naruto looked down to the long maroon headband that stared up to him from its resting place next to where the bow had laid. This simple piece of cloth denoted he was no longer a recruit or a boy, but a warrior and a man. It was funny to him how such a simple and small thing held so much weight to it. To define a life, to shape a future, that is what this cloth bared to him, and it was a heritage. He tied the band around his neck around the turtle neck it seeming almost to be a choker. He reached down into the drawer below the headband and fished a small aluminum container and opened it. This was his colors, his war paint, when he put this on his face he was no longer Naruto of the Yu clan, he officially became Naruto Yu. Naruto took a nickel sized amount and he wiped it along the inside of the bottom of his brow ridge, using his thumb he smeared the paint to completely cover his orbital socket and trailed it down three inches past his cheekbone. Repeating this on his other eye except he made three lines down his right eye he took one last amount the size of a penny and made one long thing smear from the spot below the middle of his lip and drug his finger down his neck into the turtle neck. Looking into the mirror Naruto felt more confident, in the mirror he no longer saw the boy, but the hunter and warrior who he trained to be.

Naruto made his way to the door and left from his apartment, he had three hours to be at the academy but he was taught two things by Muy. One, better to ask forgiveness than permission, and two, that if you were not thirty minutes early you were late. Naruto leapt from the ground and took to the building tops. Leap by leap he cleared ten meters, heading at his pace it should take nearly an hour to reach his destination on the other side of the city.

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Naruto looked at the top of the sheets in his hand and saw the room number of the door he stood behind. Steeling his nerves Naruto knocked twice on the door.

"Come in please, we are expecting you." Naruto questioned his timing knowing he arrived far earlier than the time he was told. Walking into the class he saw many kids his age and some younger in the class. However, one face caught his own and he could not help but stare, not from her beauty, but from the strangeness of her hair. Bright pink, it had to be unnatural, yet it seemed to be well maintained so no chemicals were used. Maybe a Jutsu?

"Ahhh, you must be Naruto. I am Iruka, it is a pleasure to meet you." Naruto looked to the man, his glaring scar across his nose the only true unique thing about him.

"Who's the kid Master Iruka? He looks weird." Naruto turned to see a boy with fur lined jacket and a pup on top of his head.

"Well, how about you introduce yourself Naruto? Tell us your name and where you come from."

"My name is Naruto Yu, I come from the Fire Capitol. I am the son of Muy and Zarehya Yu."

"Naruto, why did you lie?"

Naruto turned to the teacher and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, I spoke the truth."

"It says here your name is Naruto Namikaze, son of Lord Fourth. Why did you say someone else were your parents?"

"Minato and I have personal reasons as to why what I said is the truth. Now, may I have a seat?"

Iruka found it odd, this young boy who he had never seen before was to be given a rank of Genin without a test, and when he was told who the boy was he understood the secrecy. However, now that he sees the boy and hears him, the boy reminds him nothing of the Fourth Hokage.

"Yes, you may, however, before you go I need to give you your head band." Iruka fished into his desk and brought out a standard blue cloth, silver plated Konoha headband.

Naruto took the headband and tied it around his forehead. He made his way up the rows of children some of who were whispering about him like schoolgirls. He found a person quiet, and paid him no true mind, Naruto took a seat two places down from him and waited for the announcements to start.

"So, you are him."

Naruto turned his head to the left and saw pitch black eyes staring into his own violet eyes.

"It depends on who you were expecting."

"You are Aunt Kushinas kid."

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the kid smirk.

"Good, I have wanted to meet you for the longest time. I am Sasuke Uchiha, my mother is Mikoto Uchiha, head of the clan till my brother is of age to take the spot. She was also the best friend to your mom, she is your godmother you know."

Naruto took in the boy's words and for a short time he smiled as he extended his hand for the male.

Sasuke took his forearm in his hand and Naruto grasped his and the two shook.

"I am indeed Naruto, Kushinas son. I have heard a lot of your mother from my mom Zarehya. She has been taking care of me since mother died. It is a pleasure to meet you Sasuke."

"Like wise Naruto."

"Do you know what we are waiting for here?"

"So, you really do not know?"

"No, I was only debriefed by the ninja Kakashi, nothing more beyond that."

"I see, well we have two minutes before our team assignments start. We will be finding out who we will be on a team with and who our sensei's will be. I have a feeling we will be on the same team due to you not having grades you will be ranked as dead last, and I have the rookie of the year title. The academy tends to put the rookie of the year with the dead last to help balance out the teams. I also believe we will be on a team with either Hinata Hyuuga, the bluenette down there, or it will be Sakura Haruno, the pink haired girl."

Naruto looked between the two and noticed that Sasuke left out the five other girls in the room.

"Why not the others?"

"Well, it is customary that the heirs of the Yamanaka, Akamichi, and Nara clans be on a team due to their overall effectiveness of their bloodlines working together. That eliminates Ino, also the other girls are eliminated due to them being the bottom of the barrel. They are more interested in dieting and impressing guys than their training and due to that they have low grades. Remember earlier I said they put the years leader with the dead last, well they put the top Kunoichi with them. For now, that is Hinata Hyuuga, unless somehow Sakuras scores on the test yesterday beat Hinatas."

Iruka banged his hand on the desk and interrupted everyone's conversations.

"We will now start with the team selections. Stand in your positions now and move accordingly to th tables with your teams nuber upon them. Team 1, will consist of Haruko Hanataro, Dan Haru, and Takeshi Kimiyoto. Your sensei is Genma Shiranui. Team 2 will consist of Yari Fukushima, Takato Tanaka, and Denki Miyamoto, your sensei is Anko Mitarashi. Team 3 will consist of Junko Higure, Tanko Yuria, and Fiore. Your sensei will be Yuugao Uzuki. Team 4 will consist of Yaku Doki, Raido Namuto, and Ganta. Your sensei will be Ebisu. Team 5 will consist of Tae Kuchiki, Kimiko Kazafuji, and Warai Tashimo. Your sensei will be Kakashi Hatake. Team 6 will consist of Furo Aburame, Kimoto Daiguren, and Tanaka Kurama. Your sensei will be Ibiki Morino. Team seven will be Naruto Yu, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Your sensei will be Itachi Uchiha. Team 8 will consist of Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame. Your sensei will be Kurenai Yuuhi. Team 9 is still in rotation. Team 10 will be Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Akimichi Chouji. Your sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi. Teams 11 and 12 are still in rotation. It has been a pleasure teaching you all these years and please be kind to your new teachers." Iruka walked to the door and opened it and nine Jonin walked into the room each calling their team one by one until only a black haired main in a black shirt with a mesh shirt beneath black sweat pants taped on the right thigh and the two ankles had been left.

"I am Itachi Uchiha, it is a pleasure to meet you three." Itachi may have been talking to all of them but his gaze leveled on the boy who looked like the spitting image of the woman he called aunt and his secret first crush.

"Please follow me up to the rooftop so we may have proper introductions." Itachi watched the three teens stand and walk out of the door, he followed behind them with a smile on his face. He might have had to pull some strings, but he got the exact team he wanted.

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The for teenagers all gathered on the rooftop. Each of them finding a spot on the roof Itachi began.

"I will give an example of the type of information that I am requesting of you. My name is Itachi Uchiha, I am seventeen years old. I am a Jonin of Konoha, and I will be in charge of you. MY likes include my family, training and my fiancé Izumi. My dislikes are those people who are dishonest, traitors, and criminals. My hope is to see you all become strong ninja that can stand on your two feet against any and all odds. My dream for the future include three parts, the first is to marry Izumi next year, my second part is to see you all become Jonin shinobi or even stronger, and the third part is to be the first Uchiha Hokage. Two of these parts are already on track and the third started today. Now, next is you Sakura, after all ladies first."

"My name is Sakura Haruno. I am 12 years old and as of yesterday I have become a Genin of Konoha. My likes include my family, friends, and helping my best friend Ino with her family's business. My dislikes are traitors, criminals, spiders, and ghosts. My hope is to become strong enough to make my family and friends proud of me. My dream is to become strong, so I will never again be weak."

Itachi sensed there was a story behind her dream and he knew he would not pry.

"Alright, Sasuke, your turn."

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I am 13 years old and a Genin of Konoha. My likes are my family, training and tomatoes. My dislikes are criminals, traitors, and when a tomato is not ripe. My hope is to grow to be strong. My dream is to become an ANBU Captain."

Itachi smiled and turned his head to look at Naruto.

"Your turn Naruto."

"I am Naruto Yu. I am 12 years old and as of today a Genin of Konoha. My likes are my clan, my nation, and my training. My dislikes are demons and people who stand against my country. My hopes are to live up to my father's legacy, my true father. My dream is to succeed my father as Yu Yan clan head and I hope to one day become a father and pass my knowledge onto the next generation."

Itachi raised a brow, his true father? Narutos father is Minato, could Naruto not consider Minato as his father? Itachi will have to talk to Minato about this.

"Well I will tell you this now, even though you three may be Genin it does not mean you will be a team. You three will need to perform a test for me tomorrow. We will meet at training ground 7 at 7 in the morning. I will come by to pick you up Naruto so be ready to leave at 6 in the morning. Now, you are free to go for the rest of the day. I expect each of you to be in peak shape tomorrow and ready to do your best." Itachi stood and waved goodbye to Sakura and Naruto as he and Sasuke vanished in a swirl of leaves. Sakura stood and leapt off the railing towards th rooftops as she made her way to her home.

Naruto stood and made his way towards the commercial market district.

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Naruto kept leaping rooftop to rooftop till he saw his destination. Naruto leapt down to the street shocking a few citizens around him. Naruto stared at the name on the board, "Lee Lumber Inc." Naruto pushed the door to the establishment open the smell of rough timber and saw dust permeated the air.

"Ah Wel-" The mans eyes widened as he took a step back, bending onto one knee he held his head low before Naruto.

"Young Lord Yu! I am humbled for you to be in my shop. If there is anything I can do please tell me."

Naruto looked to the man and motioned for him to stand. Naruto then began to walk isle by isle looking through the timber in the mans shop.

"If I may be so bold as to ask young Lord. What are you searching for?"

Naruto stopped in place and turned to the man.

"I need timber, to carve a new bow from. This bow marks my childhood, now that I have graduated from recruit to clan's warrior I need to carve myself a new bow."

The man's eyes lit u and nodded for Naruto to continue.

"I need a wood with decent elasticity but great strength. One that can weather the elements fairly well but looks elegant. Do you have a wood to this fashion?"

"Well we have Amaranth, which while being strong is not too flexible. We have Blue Mahoe, while more elastic than Amaranth its quality is weaker and harder to get a hold of. We have the classics such as Oak, Cedar, Willow, and Pine. There are a few more exotic woods we have such as the Garapa, it is sturdy and mostly used for boating. It is elastic enough to bend but its resistance to termites or other parasites has to be a factor. It might be dense as well but it is not as resistant to insects. Those are probably your best choices the others are either softwoods or are not durable enough to hold up to the types of battles you could encounter."

Naruto soaked the information in and right as he was turning a corner and about to say his selection he impacted with another body. Losing his footing Naruto and the person crashed to the floor. Naruto opened his eyes as he had not realized he twisted in midair to make himself take the brunt of the fall. Looking up his breath caught in his chest. Sitting on his waistline was a young woman, a very beautiful young woman. Naruto could not help but to get lost in her eyes, a light hazel with darker brown flecks. Her hair cascading around them as he took in her form. She was wearing a pink long sleeved shirt that was cut at her mid riff showing her tone stomach. Naruto continued to sit there and stare into her eyes as the two blushed faintly her hands against his chest.

"Ty Lee!" The man grabbed her by her bicep jerking her up to her feet, nearly throwing her to the ground the man looked furious.

"Apologize to the young Lord now! He is the son of Muy the head of the Yu Yan clan!"

Ty Lee's eyes widened as she blanched white. She had heard the stories of their precision, their ruthlessness against their enemies. Why was a Yu Yan archer here none the less the supposed heir?

"I, I am so so so sorry Lord." Ty Lee went to bow but Naruto had stood and caught her chin with his forefinger below and his thumb on her chin. Raising her head up Naruto then grabbed her gently by her hands and helped her stand.

"Never bow to me. I may be Muys son, but here I am just Naruto." Naruto unconsciously started to dust of the sleeves of her shirt before he caught himself.

"I apologize for not looking where I was going. I do hope you are not hurt?"

Ty Lee shook her head and smiled softly to Naruto her pinks still dusted pink.

"I do apologize one last time young Lord. Now, Ty Lee run along, the young Lord and I have business."

Ty Lee nodded quickly as she scurried off around the corner.

"Who was that?"

The man raised his eyebrow, was the young Lord taking a liking to his daughter?

"That is my eldest daughter Ty Lee. As for the wood which do you prefer?"

"Ty Lee. OH, I mean I would like a solid six by six of a strong but young pine. That should have the resiliance and elasticity I need."

That did it the man smiled inwardly. His eldest might amount to something after all. Ty Lee was not the strongest, fastest, smartest, or most useful of his daughters, but if he could somehow marry her off to the young Lord than maybe, just maybe she would amount to something.

"I see, I will ring you up for the wooden stretch, I suppose a seven-foot section so you may carve new arrows out would be sufficient?"

Naruto nodded absent mindedly his thoughts still lingering on the girl. The way her hair flowed behind her, her shoulders moved when she breathed, the supple sway to her hips as she. No, this was not the time nor place for these thoughts, he needed only be concerned about cementing himself in Konoha.

"That will do perfectly. How much will this cost?"

The man grabbed a ten-foot section, grabbing the saw next to the section he used a measuring rod to measure off three feet and proceeded to slice off the extra three feet.

"All together, this will cost only about twenty-three pieces of copper and one piece of silver."

Naruto followed the man who strained to carry the heavy log. Heading through a large door the two males approached a counter top the man going behind it and Naruto before it. Placing th log on the desk with a loud thump Naruto began to rummage through his pocket, pulling out a silver piece and twenty-three pieces of copper Naruto placed them on the counter top. He cut his eyes towards the door as he caught seven brown haired girls peeking in at the two of them, but only one had the dark flecks in her eyes and he smiled looking into her eyes. The girls all vanish as he hears the man sigh harshly.

"Those damn girls, I swear one day they are going to be the death of me. Here is your receipt of sale, and would you like this delivered or maybe a courier could help you?"

Naruto took the short bill of sale and shook his head, lifting the log with one hand and placing it over his shoulder Naruto waved lazily behind him to the man.

"Thank you for the timber sir, I don't believe I caught your name?"

"My name is Hyung Lee. It has been a pleasure young Lord."

"Please call me Naruto mister Lee. I have to go, so I will have to drop by later for new wood for arrows." Naruto waved once again as he left the store.

Hyung let out a breath he did not know he was even holding. He can't believe his luck, the supposed heir of one of the most prominent clans in all of the nation was now a customer to his establishment. Better yet he may have found a use for his useless daughter Ty.

"TY LEE COME HERE NOW."

Ty Lee felt her heart drop. Her hands immediately crossing across her chest as she walked into the room her father and the young lord had been.

"How many times have I told you not to go into the warehouse."

"Papa I didn't think-"

"That is just the problem, you didn't think!" Hyung struck Ty Lee across her cheek sending the poor girl into the ground. Her cheek was already turning red as a small bruise slowly started to develop. Hyung grabbed her by her hair and yanked her up dragging her into the house located through the door on the opposite side of the room. Hyung drug her to a bedroom and threw her into it her small form impacting a desk as she grabbed her arm with a cry of pain.

"I am going to have to punish you now." Hyung started to undo his belt and as she begged him not to he closed the door behind him. The sounds of a belt smacking flesh reverberated through the house as well as the screams of the poor girl. After only a few minutes the man stormed out of the room leaving a bruised and bleeding Ty Lee on the ground. Tys youngest sister Lin hurried into the room. Lin was the sister who decided to start working towards medicine and learning how to become a doctor. She looked over her sister and already knew, her father had broken Tys arm and at least three of her ribs. She gently helped Ty stand and laid her gently on the bed.

"I'll get you to the doctor in an hour, I just have to finish my chore. I am so sorry big sister, I don't know why he does this."

Ty Lees voice was too hoarse from her screaming to talk but in this moment, she felt only pain the tears still falling down her cheeks sliding off onto the pillow below. Lin hurried out of the room softly closing the door. Ty could only continue to cry as she cried and damned whatever god allowed this to happen to her.

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Naruto arrived to his apartment bringing the log into the center of the room. Naruto let the log fall with a thump to the floor as he hurried to his room. Opening a small pack on his bed he fished out the wood working kit his father had given him for his seventh birthday. Naruto walked back to the living room shedding his tunic and shirt along the way. Naruto sat next to the log and turned to face it, losing his eyes and steeling himself. Naruto began to work his way into the wood with several chisels and sharpened edges. The whole while he kept his mind blank as he could, until a certain brown eyed girl came to the front of his mind. Distracted he slipped up and the edge of the blade he was using to remove excess wood from the log slipped and sliced his palm open. Naruto cursed as he looked to the wound, this would need stitches. Naruto cursed as he stood and pulled his turtleneck and his tunic back onto his torso. Naruto used a dish rag that was laying atop his kitchen counter to bind his hand as he left his apartment cursing his wandering mind.

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Naruto walked into the hospitals main lobby and walked over to the reception desk, as soon as the lady behind the desk saw his hand she pointed him down the hallway to his right and told him to take the last door on the right, it was the main clinic. Naruto followed her instructions and opened the door to the clinic. Naruto's eyes widened as he nearly dropped the rag in his hand. There was the girl from earlier, Ty Lee he remembered, sitting next to her sister covered in bruises an welts. Hurrying over to them Naruto took a knee in front of the girl and looked her over.

"Ty Lee, what happened to you?"

Lin looked at the boy and realized this was the young Lord from the shop. Lins eyes widened as she saw his hand but the boy seemed to be more worried about her sister.

"I, I am fine. I, I took, took a bad fall down the stairs."

Naruto's eyes cut to the large welt on her neck and he knew that impression, the square with a line down the middle, the inch-thick line, this was not a fall, someone had done this. Gritting his teeth Naruto cursed which made Ty Lees eyes widen.

"Damnit, Ty Lee, please tell me who did this. This should not have happened! You shouldn't have been hurt by another person."

"I was not."

"Ty Lee, do not insult my intelligence. I know what a belt buckle looks like, and you have a firm impression on your neck."

Before Ty Lee could try to defend her father, a voice interrupted them.

"Naruto? What is going on? Oh my god, what happened to your hand you are bleeding all over the floor!" Shizune scrambled over to Naruto and her hands lit up green but before she could touch him she stepped back and pointed the blood covered finger to Ty Lee.

"Her first, she needs your attention more than I do. I will be fine, but she is in bad condition."

Shizune looked the girl over and her eyes widened as she looked at the welts and bruises over the girl and immediately called for a nurse aid and a gurney to help carry the poor girl.

"Wait!" Lin looked to Naruto and hugged him tightly, it wasn't everyday a young Lord puts a noble man's daughter first, or a citizen gets shinobi treatment.

"Thank you, Naruto, thank you."

Naruto nodded and broke the hug as Lin rushed off after her sister. Soon fifteen minutes had passed, thirty, forty-five, then an hour. Shizune walked out of the back room and called Naruto into the clinic. Following her past several dozen rooms she guides Naruto into the last room on the left.

"Please take a seat and remove the rag, this might take a minute depending on how deep the wound is."

Naruto followed her order removing the blood crusted rag, he showed her the gaping wound on his hand and she softly took his hand in both of hers. Green energy flowed over her hand and he felt something akin to an itch that flooded his palm. He could feel the skin burning and moving, stitching itself together.

"You saved that girls life you know."

Naruto looked up into her eyes.

"I shouldn't be saying this but, her neck had been fractured by the buckle that hit her. Two of her ribs had punctured her lung by the time we got her back into the room and her bone was broken and sending marrow into her blood stream. Had we waited even fifteen more minutes, she would have died. You saved her life Naruto."

Naruto shook his head in a negative.

"No, you saved her, I just made sure you saw her before me."

Shizune smiled softly as she continued to heal his hand slowly but surely.

"Can you do me a favor Shizune?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you let this wound scar?"

"Why?"

"Father always said that each of his scars told a story and meant something to him. Today You saved a girl's life with my insistence. I want this scar so I can remember to always help others, to put the needs of those before my own."

Shizune nodded as she left part of the wound open. She reached behind her to the counter top where three drawers were. Opening the first she removed some gauze and disinfectant. Flushing the wound, earning a loud his from Naruto, she began binding his wound.

"Change the bandage once a day and clean it. You should have your scar within the week. Please Naruto, be more careful."

Naruto nodded and thanked his neighbor.

"Oh, and Naruto?"

"Hm?"

"You can call me aunt Shizune. Kushina was like a sister to me."

Naruto smiled and nodded as he began to leave the room.

"Thank you aunt Shizune, I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

Shizune smiled and waved to the boy, but after he left her smile dropped to a frown and she held her hands in her head. She hadn't told him the whole truth. The girl was in surgery, several of the blows she had taken had ruptured her spleen and contused her liver. Her esophagus was bruised and her vocal cords damaged. She is lucky to have survived the trip to the hospital.

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Naruto entered his apartment and saw the log that had blood on the wood. Naruto sat down and began to work the wood; his nerves had been calmed as he effortlessly began to craft a short recurve bow. He had carved two, two prong horns on either end of the bow as to use as a melee weapon, and until he could get a cover and a metal brace he had to deal with the bare wood itself. Naruto placed the finished bow on the ground and he took his childhood bow off of his couch. He unstrung the bow and used the string to string the new bow with. Naruto took the bow in his hand and pulled on the string in his hand. He felt the bend of the wood and the strength behind it. Naruto smiled as he had crafted his bow, this one would be with him for as long as it could last. Naruto laid the bow on the top of his chest of drawers and began to clean up his mess. Naruto's thoughts drifted to the injured girl and he shook his head, his aunt had taken care of her, she would be fine. Naruto began to prepare for bed, and before long he was out like a lightbulb.

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Lin was in tears as she sat next to the bed her sister was in. Though the medical ninjas and surgeons had helped her Ty Lee would have to be in the bed for at least a week. What would her father do or say if he found out. He has never gone without Ty Lee to bully, or to, to. She couldn't even think of the other way he abused her. What would he do to her other sisters. She was crying into her hands when the door opened. Hearing a few footsteps, she turned and looked at the blonde woman who stepped into her sister's room.

"I am Tsunade, Shizune asked me to look into your sister personally. In the morning I'll have her ready to walk and go home, however.

Before Tsunade could finish Lin had an outburst.

"NO, she can't go home!" Lin covered her mouth with ide eyes as Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"Did your father do this to her? We had to do a full evaluation and we also found what appeared to be older bruising and also scar tissue around her pubic area. So, I will only ask one more time. Did your father do this?"

Lin couldn't answer but only sobbed. This was the only affirmation Tsunade needed, calling for a nurse.

"Go to the Hokage's residence. Wake him and his fiancé up and bring the two of them to my office. Also send another orderly to the Police force and alert them to be on standby for an arrest. Also, alert child services, we may have to relocate several children."

Lin continued to sob as Tsunade covered the poor girl's shoulders with her green coat.

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Minato woke with a start hearing fast knocking at his door. He looked to his right and saw the blonde woman lying next to him. He softly shook her awake.

"Inora, wake up. Someone is at the door, I may need you to reset the locks."

The woman opened her eyes and her deep blue eyes fluttered as she stood up slowly. Stretching out she stood and put her pajama bottoms on. Following her shirtless fiancé to the door.

Minato opened the door and was greeted by a huffing medical ninja.

"Sir, it is Lady Tsunade. She needs you and your fiancé at the hospital ASAP. Something about a Code Green scenario."

Minato barely began to move before Inora had already shot off to their room, coming back to the door she threw Minato's shirt and coat to him. She pulled on her white coat as she slipped her sandals on. The two began to move quickly towards the hospital at a break neck pace.

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Tsunade looked up as the door to her office opened. She pointed to the chairs beside a sobbing young girl.

"Minato, Inora, meet one of the children. Lin, I want you to tell them what you told me. Every word. You can trust them, that is the Hokage and the head Psychologist of the Hospital."

Lin looked with red puffy eyes and stood up shakily. Inora swiftly made her way over to the girl and wrapped her in a tight hug. Letting the girl sob into her shoulder for a few minutes Inora softly broke the hug before wiping the young girl's cheeks.

"Better?"

Lin nodded as she sniffed.

"Now, please tell us, what happened? How long has this been going on?"

Lin began to explain. Ever since her mother had passed away their father had been drinking. He began to beat the seven sisters until one-night Ty stood up to him and he beat her more severely than ever before. This continued from the age of six to this very day, but it was after their eleventh birthday that their father began to sexually abuse Ty. One time she had even gotten pregnant and their father beat her till she was unconscious to force a miscarriage. Lin had taken up to studying medicine so one day she could help girls in her sister's position. Today, however, was especially bad. A young Lord from the Yu clan had come in to buy timber for a new bow and Ty had accidently bumped into him. For causing a scene their father took her into her room and began to beat her for longer than ever. What she did not know was the true extent of the girl's injuries. She told them if the boy had not been injured and demanded the doctor to see Ty first she would have been even worse. Tsunade nodded in affirmation before mouthed critical condition to Inora. This ended the conversation until Minato asked one last question.

"What was the name of the boy, from the Yu clan?"

"Naruto, he is the son of the clan leaders."

Minato nodded his head. Minato let out a pulse of chakra and left the room, as soon as he had left three ANBU surrounded him.

"Alpha squad, I want you to find Naruto and bring him here, we need to talk. Also, bear, you head to the Shinobi Police task force and give them instructions. This is a clear extreme abuse scenario, invade with prejudice and detain the father. The children are to be taken her to Tsunade's office where we will be waiting to explain. Now move." The three ANBU vanished as Minato made his way back into the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Naruto had just drifted off to sleep when a knock on his door woke him up. He removed himself from his bed and threw on the clothes he had been wearing before. Hurrying to the door he opened it and saw an ANBU operative at the door. The tall imposing figure with a dog mask stood before him.

"Naruto Yu, you need to come with me. There has been an incident and the Hokage wishes your presence."

Naruto nodded as he rushed out of the apartment behind the ANBU and followed him to the hospital through one of the open windows. The two swiftly made it to the hospital, entering through the lobby the two made their way up three floors, down three hallways and entered into an office. Naruto looked to Minato who instead of wearing his softened look as he usually did had his jaw clenched and anger in his eyes.

"Lord Hokage, may I ask why I have been summoned?"

"Earlier in this day you came to the hospital, you saw a girl who had been severely injured and you requested her to be seen immediately. Is this correct?"

"Yes Lord Hokage, her name is Ty Lee."

Minato nodded and motioned for Tsunade to continue for him.

"Naruto, I am Tsunade, the head of the hospital and also a friend of your family. I need to know the specifics of what you saw at her home earlier that day."

Naruto began to tell the whole story, his arrival, the welcoming, the man's tense attitude, and even his run in with Ty Lee. The red dusting of his cheeks had not been missed by Minato.

"However, one thing did stick out to me. When he helped her to her feet he handled her roughly, and almost shoved her to the ground. He was very rough with her, unneededly so. Why, is he the one who did this to her?"

Minato saw the fury in Narutos eyes and he nodded. Naruto made to leave the room but was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"It is being handled Naruto."

"Then why did you call me here, why am I even here?"

"Because Naruto, you saved her life. She will want to see you when she wakes up. I know we have no right to ask you this, but since you have an extra room in your apartment. Would you mind allowing her to live with you for a small amount of time till the children get sorted through this mess?"

Naruto blinked then repeated that all back through his head before he nodded.

"As the unofficial heir of the Yu Yan clan, I offer her and her family me and my clans protection. Should any harm befall them, they will face the fury of our family. They will be safe."

Minato smiled softly to Naruto and nodded.

"Thank you for this Naruto. We have no right, but we had to ask, just for the time being."

Naruto nodded in understanding. The talks continued such as assisted living for the next week, Shizune would handle that personally since she lived next door. After thirty minutes there was a knock on the door and five young girls who looked like Lin and Ty walked through the door all of them sporting bruises.

"Thank you for bringing them. Hello girls, my name is Minato, and this is Tsunade, Inora, and Naruto."

The girls nodded to them few people. Their tear stained bruised faces looked over the few people.

"I am Naruto Yu. You all know who I am and my clan, and I have given the protection of my clan to you. As long as you reside in the Fire Nation you shall be protected. I will be sending out a letter to my parents and they will send a few warriors to guard the seven of you. You are all safe now."

The girl's eyes widened, they knew what this meant. The Yu Yan clan were directly linked to the Fire Lord's family. This would mean they would have the best protection they could if the heir apparent had given them protection.

"You girls for the time being will be staying in the apartment rooms across the hall from Naruto and one of our doctors who lives next door to him. Once everything is handled and your father has been processed into the prison system you will be allowed to stay on your own, or to be placed into foster care. This choice is yours and yours alone."

The girls nodded as they were escorted out to meet Shizune who began to lead them to the apartments. Once the four had been left Naruto turned towards Minato and nodded.

"Thank you, for taking care of that monster."

Minato smiled and nodded to the boy, though his eyes widened as he looked behind him. Inora stood there with a nervous look in her eye as she was biting her lip.

"Ah, we need to have a talk sometime soon. Would tomorrow evening be sufficient? I can bring some dinner over."

"Tomorrow evening should be sufficient, Master is giving us a test in the morning but we will be done before dinner time."

"Good, now I should be off. You need to get home as well; the medical Shinobi will be bringing Ty Lee over to your apartment tomorrow evening once she is more stable. Well, I will see you tomorrow."

Naruto nodded as Minato and Inora left the room. Naruto began to leave as Tsunade stood and walked around to him. Tsunade placed a hand on Naruto and he turned to look at her.

"Yes?"

"Naruto, if you need any help. Just ask ok? Your mother was like a daughter to me."

Naruto nodded as he made his way from the hospital and to his new home.

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Well that will be a wrap for this chapter. I am not going to lie, I had planned to cover this after the team meeting, but I felt it would be better to get this part out of the way. Be prepared for the next chapter, I will be doing the bell test. Till Thursday.

~Ardent Chronicler