Chapter 14

When they are waved through the gates they're informed the Hokage is in the hospital. His room's isolated and heavily, if stealthily guarded. Several visible ANBU stare them down and at least twice as many ANBU aren't seen. The Hokage's secretary ushers them in.

"Ah…there you are…" The Sandaime says as they fall into the standard salute. They're down on one knee, right arm across their chest, left folded behind their back, and head bowed showing their neck. Tsunade remands standing.

"At ease." He chuckles, laugh turning to a hacking cough. Naruto steps forward to gently rub his back.

"You okay, jiji?"

"Fine, fine, Naruto-kun." He replies wheezing in a few deep breaths. Once his breathing returns to normal Naruto steps back into rank, shooting Tsunade a glare. What's up with his baa-chan? Why didn't she even try to help? "I see your mission was a success."

"Only partially, Hokage-sama." Jiraiya says stepping forward. "Tsunade-hime has agreed to hear us out, but she hasn't agreed to become Hokage, yet."

"What? Why the hell not?" Naruto asks, surprised and indignant. "Who doesn't want to be Hokage?"

"Anyone with half a brain." Tsunade snorts back.

"You take that back, you old hag! Come on Jiji, there's got to be someone, anyone, better than this hag, someone who actually respects the position!"

"Naruto. You speak of respect."

"Sorry jiji." He mutters, not sounding very sorry at all.

"What?" Tsunade asks with a scoff, "Is it your dream to become Hokage?"

"Yeah, it is." He replies stubbornly. She takes a good long look at this kid who has the balls, or stupidity to glare at her, this boy who reminds her of two other men who used to be her life.

"It's a fools dream."

"Then I guess I'm a fool." He huffs, crossing his arms and turning away from her.

"Prove it. Show me you have what it takes to become Hokage." Naruto glances to the Sandaime who nods, then to Jiraiya who also nods. Grinning in triumph, he creates a one handed Rasengan. Kakashi gapes.

"He learned it in a week." Jiraiya boasts, which is technically true. He learned the basic premises in a week, in a past that didn't happen. And kami, isn't that a thought? Tsunade blinks in shock. Kakashi glares at the geta-wearing Sanin. Naruto lets it fade out of existence. Sasuke and Sakura are speechless.

"I…guess you do have what it takes." She mutters, hand resting on her necklace. Naruto's fingers itch to hold it again.

"I'll accept the position of Godaime." She says, letting her hands fall back to her sides. But only for Dan and Nawaki.

"Team Seven is dismissed." The Sandaime says sending them out of the room.

"Let's get dinner." Kakashi suggests.

"Only if you're paying, sensei." Sakura says. Naruto grins, thinking about the last time Kakashi was supposed to pay for his meal; he turns around to walk backwards so he can face his team. He knows an interrogation is coming.

"What was that, Naruto?" Sasuke asks, staring his friend down.

"Eh? The Rasengan?" Naruto asks, "Just some cheap trick Jiraiya-sama taught me."

"Cheap trick," Kakashi questions, unable to believe the brats audacity.

"Yeah, flashy, but not very useful."

"That was one of the Yondaime's prized moves!" He corrects.

"Eh, it uses too much chakra and takes too much concentration to be overly useful to me in battle, besides, it's a signature move, I don't want enemies overestimating me, mistaking me for the Yondaime." He brushes it off like it's nothing.

They arrive at a Korean barbeque place. The host glares at Naruto, but seats them anyway.

"What else has Jiraiya-san taught you?" Kakashi asks suspiciously.

"Just that and the toad summoning…some shoji too, lots and lots of boring shoji…" Kakashi's tension fades away, only to return at Sakura's next question, a reminder of just how close Naruto and the Toad Sanin are.

"Why do you call him E-ero-b-baka," She stumbles over the rude address, "in private, but Jiraiya-sama in public?"

"Huh?" He asks, completely taken aback, when did he call him Ero-baka when Sakura was around?

"When he woke you up for dinner you said, 'Don't joke, Ero-baka'."

"A-ano saa, it's a joke between us, he doesn't like me calling him that in public, says it'll ruin his reputation."

"What was he joking about?" Kakashi asks stiffly.

"Nothi-"

"I couldn't figure it out either, all he said was 'Sakura-chan says dinner's ready.' You seemed really upset about it too." Kakashi's eyes widen as he connects the dots.

"She-" dies?! Naruto slaps a hand over Kakashi's mouth.

"It's not what you think." He says, staring into Kakashi's eyes earnestly. Trying to stay calm and keep the Jounin calm as well.

"Don't you think we should know these things?!" Kakashi demands self-righteously.

"This is exactly why the Hokage asked you not to pry!" Naruto stands up angrily; slamming his hands down on the table his voice continues in a harsh whisper. "You're going on pure conjecture and jumping to conclusions without any solid evidence! Nothing is the same!" Sasuke and Sakura stare at the two blankly, not sure what to make of the conversation.

"And yet there's a possibility-"

"There's always a possibility! That's Life!"

"Excuse me." The host interrupts, clearly not in the mood. "You'll either need to quiet down or leave." He obviously prefers the second option.

"Mind your own business." Naruto hisses to Kakashi or the Host, neither is sure which, before storming off. His teammates are surprised at his venom.

"What was that about?" Sasuke demands. It is then Kakashi's anger fades and he remembers they're in public and he'd been indirectly spouting sensitive information within anyone's hearing.

"Nothing we should be discussing in public." He says standing as well.

"Then we'll go to your place." Kakashi looks them over, but their determination is unmatched.

"Very well." He says before leading the way to his standard Jounin apartment. What am I going to tell them? They're both smart, they've probably already connected some of the dots…I can't lie to them…I have to distract them. He putters around the kitchen making tea, putting off the conversation and organizing his thoughts. His gaze lingers on Sakura as he hands her the tea.

"So what's the big deal sensei?" She asks taking a sip of her tea, she cringes lightly and adds some sugar.

"I can't tell you," Maybe the truth will be easier.

"Why not?" Sasuke growls.

"The Hokage has made it Unspeakable." Their eyes widen.

"B-but you and Naruto were…Speaking about it…"

"Indirectly, and even then, we could be severely punished for it."

"It's about me though. There's something Unspeakable that I'm a part of, and I don't even know it…?" Sakura asks trembling.

"It's about us all, the entire village, and I don't even know a tenth of it." Kakashi says trying to calm her down. Sasuke's eyes narrow.

"And Naruto's a part of it?" He asks mutely shocked.

"It is all his fault." Kakashi confirms.

"Then…we will have to keep quiet about it…and not pry." He decides turning to Sakura. "We have to trust Naruto, if not him, then the Hokage."

"You're right." She sniffles.

That went easier than I dared hoped. Kakashi thinks as he shows them to the door. His mind wanders back to Naruto's maturity and highly controlled anger. The future must have done a number on his childish demeanor…and yet it's almost like a perfect mask he can call upon at will… Perhaps if Kakashi hadn't been so absorbed with his most mysterious student, he'd have noticed the strange glint in Sasuke's eyes.

…With Sasuke and Sakura…

Sasuke quickly pulls Sakura along to his house before they can part ways for the evening.

"W-what's up Sasuke-kun?" She asks, blushing to the roots of her hair, all kinds of crazy thoughts running through her head.

"You don't really think we're just going to drop it, do you?"

"B-but you told Kakashi-sensei…"

"He'd continue to try and talk us out of it…you're not the least bit curious?"

"The Hokage-"

"Doesn't need to know. We're not going to blab to enemy ninja or anything. We're loyal to Konoha, if not Konoha then the Sandaime, if not him then Naruto. Naruto who has been very different recently, and who's saved our lives multiple times since we started being Genin."

"You're right on all accounts…" She reluctantly agrees.

"So what all have you noticed?"

…With Naruto…

Instead of heading home, he returns to the Hospital to see the Kage's. He's sure the Sandaime will want to brief Tsunade on his unique status.

Jiraiya is standing guard outside of the room and stops him from entering with a glance.

"Gaki, Why'd Itachi attack you and not just take you? He could have had you and been gone before we would've known to be alert."

"There's a…bit of a situation with him," Naruto says glancing around the hallway for eavesdroppers. "He didn't really attack me…he claims to remember stuff that didn't happen."

"But he-"

"I know. It doesn't make any sense. He wasn't even there…" He ruffles his hair in frustration.

When he enters the room, Tsunade is surprised at his presence; the Hokage merely nods and orders Kuma and Hebi to set up the privacy jutsu.

"What is all of this about?" She asks, looking from the highest-ranking Ninja in the village to one of the lowest-ranking ninja in the village.

"As Kage, you are privilege," Sandaime takes a deep steadying breath, "to several secrets. This is one of those that I have deemed, Unspeakable." He coughs slightly on the last word. Tsunade raises a brow in surprise. "Naruto, if you would." He gasps, fighting off a cough, overcoming a fit by sheer willpower.

"I am from the future, Godaime-sama." Naruto answers concisely, deeply worried about the Sandaime's health.

"The future? How far?" She asks, not bothering with disbelief for it is obviously true.

"Far enough to know a few things about the state of the world."

"It was you who ruined Orochimaru's plot, then."

"Yes."

"That certainly explains how it went from being a surefire win, to a disaster of epic proportions for the slimy bastard."

"I also know that you will do a marvelous job as Kage, Tsunade-sama."

"You must tell me everything."

"Tsunade-chan." The Sandaime rebukes, "you do not need to know everything. Even I do not know everything." He pauses to take a deep breath. "Naruto has given me a general over-view of his history, but things…have changed so much already…at this point, his future may as well be…a fairy-tail…"

"Tell me, do Jiraiya and I…did we…"

"Why are you asking?"

"A few months ago," She begins, not looking at either man in the room. "I started having these dreams…I just assumed they were a result of stress and an overactive imagination…but you are in those dreams as well, someone I had never met before, Uzumaki Naruto…the boy with the Nine tailed fox sealed within him…"

"You tell me Tsunade-sama. Do you think you and Jiraiya could?"

"No! …well, how I remember him as a child, no, but this last week…he's been so different from how we were as Genin…and so much like that man in those dreams."

"That is all that matters." Naruto declares.

'Kyuu, what are the chances Tsunade and Itachi are the only one remembering?'

'With your luck? Slim to none.'

'This is bad, if they remember…who else could be remembering as well?'

'I do not know.'

AN:/Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And I hope this clears up some questions from the last chapter. RevFolFav's are appreciated and motivating, so keep 'em coming!