The members of Team Seven spent the night at Sasuke's house, where, after a hot meal, the exhausted children slept soundly. They were still sleeping late that next morning when Itachi welcomed Hiruzen into their home. Sasuke was the first to wake, roused by the murmuring of a voice that did not belong to his brother or to any of his teammates. Sitting up, he woke Naruto with a prod in the ribs.

"NARUTO!"

"Arrrggghhhh," Naruto moaned, having been torn away from a heavenly dream about unlimited ramen and the Hokage hat. "What do you want, you jerk?"

"Get up and keep your voice down, stupid!" Sasuke hissed. "It's Lord Third. He's out there talking to Kakashi-sensei and Older Brother!"

"Lord Third!" This got Naruto to sit up and open his eyes. "What would he be doing here?"

The boys exchanged a look, then, without another word, quietly, to avoid disturbing Miraku, who lay sleeping on the nearby futon, slipped out of bed and made their way into the hall. The adults could be heard conversing, but spoke in tones so low that the children couldn't make out what they were saying, so they inched forward, Sasuke after Naruto, until they were just a few feet away from the doorway of the living room. They stood with their backs to the wall and did their best to keep their breathing silent.

"Sitsuke Ragama will recover from his injuries." This was from Hiruzen. "Though the penalty for wrongfully taking possession of the Forbidden Scroll is death, I feel that it would be better to make an exception in Ragama's situation."

"I mean no disrespect, Hokage-sama," came Itachi's soft voice. "But Sasuke and Naruto tell me that Ragama made attempts on their lives. He's also been accused of assaulting a mother and her child. Isn't there any -"

"Itachi, you are a good boy and a splendid shinobi. You have always served our village well. I trust that even though it was your younger brother that Ragama harmed, you are open-minded enough to understand my reasoning. I believe that behind Ragama's rough and immature attitude may lie a heart that can be cultivated in the way of the true Leaf shinobi. It was his frustration with his own weakness and his desperation to become Hokage that caused him to resort to theft. As for Sasuke and Naruto, they've admitted that Ragama was using the Creation Jutsu when he injured them. Perhaps the Creation Jutsu influenced him to make choices that he would not have made otherwise."

There was a moment or two of silence. Then: "Kakashi, you feel as Itachi does. You believe I'm being too lenient."

"I respect your judgement, Lord Third," Kakashi replied, as cool as a spring lake. "I have no desire to retaliate against Ragama-kun or to see him executed. What worries me is the matter of the Forbidden Jutsu. I've asked Naruto not to use that jutsu in the future. Are you sure that it's a good idea to allow or encourage him or Ragama-kun to continue using it, especially in light of Naruto's jinchuuriki status and what you mentioned a moment before about Ragama-kun's mental state?"

"In Naruto's case, training will be needed in order for him to improve his sense of control, but by utilizing the jutsu without being overtaken by the Ninetails, he has already proven himself worthy of some confidence. He must be taught some techniques if he's ever to be of any use as a ninja. With that being said, I leave Naruto up to your discretion; he is your student.

"Ragama is a different matter. He does not have the power of a Tailed Beast to contend with. What needs to be addressed is his heart."

"I see. Thank you, Lord Third. Will that be all?"

Naruto, unable to contain himself any longer, came barging in. Itachi snapped, "Naruto!" Hiruzen's eyebrows rose, but Kakashi appeared to have no outward reaction to Naruto's unexpected intrusion.

Naruto slammed his fists on the nearest tabletop. "Lord Third, you've got to be kidding! That guy - that Sitsuke Ragama - is a complete jerk! What he did to Ajisai-san - and her little kid - he wasn't even sorry! And he almost killed me even before he used the jutsu, then said he'd murder Sasuke in the same exact way! I - I won't forgive anyone who tries to kill my teammates - not ever. How could you try to help him become Hokage?"

Hiruzen folded his arms into the sleeves of his robe. "Naruto, every Leaf shinobi should aspire to become Hokage. The Hokage is the protector, the defender, the family member of every Leaf ninja who possesses the Will of Fire."

Naruto snarled, "That bastard doesn't deserve to possess a burning incense!"

"Naruto," Kakashi intervened. "Before you get riled up, remember whose foolish idea it was to engage Ragama."

"What the hell were we supposed to do, Kakashi-sensei?" demanded Sasuke, who had come out to join Naruto. "Turn tail and run like scared rabbits while he made off with the Scroll and learned the Forbidden Jutsu?"

"You should have gotten a more experienced ninja to go after him," Itachi told him sternly. "If nothing else, after confronting him over the Scroll, you could have found an opportunity to escape instead of taking matters into your own hands and provoking a fight."

Sasuke flared up. "So now it's our fault that Ragama came after us?"

Naruto gripped the edge of the table. "I don't care whose fault it is. I'm glad I kicked his butt, and I'd do it again. I'd do it again a hundred times!"

"Kit, settle down," Kakashi admonished.

"Sasuke," Itachi protested, "I'm not blaming you and siding with Ragama. You know that. You're my little brother!"

Sasuke seethed. "Why don't you go ahead and buy him a bouquet and a get-well-soon card? Better yet, just force me to do it. You're trying to make me a snivelling coward, Older Brother, the way you always have!"

"Sasuke, you know that isn't true."

"It IS true! Stop talking to me like I'm a stupid little kid!"

Sasuke charged off and slammed out of the house, leaving Naruto behind to face his elders. "Lord Third, Kakashi-sensei's making me stop using the Creation Jutsu! How could you let a guy like Sitsuke Ragama keep using it? How's it fair for him to get off scot-free after everything he did? And after Ajisai-san told us never to let someone like him become Hokage!"

Hiruzen rose. "Naruto, what Sitsuke Ragama does from here on out doesn't concern you. Please don't repeat yesterday's mistake by trying to interfere. Focus on your own affairs." He turned to head for the door. "I'll be taking my leave. Kakashi, Itachi, I appreciate your understanding."

Naruto watched Hiruzen's departing back. Tears quivered at the rims of his eyes.

He felt Itachi's hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, I know that things might not seem fair to you. But Kakashi-sensei and Lord Third are -"

Naruto wrenched away. "I - I wish I'd killed that guy when I was using the Forbidden Jutsu!"

Kakashi half-rose. "Don't say things like that. Naruto!"

Naruto was already out of the door. As he ran, tears blurred his vision before they were whipped away by the pitying wind.

A worried Miraku, still in her nightgown, entered the living room just as the door slammed for the second time. "Sensei? Why is everyone yelling? What's going on?"

"Naruto and Sasuke got a little frustrated and went out to blow off some steam."

xxxxxxXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx

By the time that he made his way to Team Seven's training field, Naruto's footsteps had slowed. With the back of his arm, he attempted to dam the flow of his tears. He made a greater effort to compose himself when he spied the silhouette of another person a few yards away from the nearest training post. He did his best to scrub his face dry with his sleeve. Upon drawing closer, wanting to take his feelings out on the unoccupied neighboring pole, he recognized Sasuke, who was hurling shuriken at a target that he'd put up on his training post. Unwilling to suffer the mortification of having Sasuke see that he'd been crying, Naruto wasted no time before turning to leave the scene.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" The sound of Sasuke's voice stopped him. The thudding of shuriken had ceased for the moment. "Do you want to get some training in or not?"

Naruto gulped. Aware of the fact that Sasuke had certainly noticed his state and grateful that he was pretending otherwise, after a long moment, he turned back around and made his way over to claim a training post for himself.

The boys attacked those poor poles in silence for a while. Sasuke's shuriken flew in an almost-unceasing hail, burying themselves point-first into the center of the target or, now and again, when he competed too recklessly with himself over the number of shuriken that he could fire at once, missing their mark and piercing the wood of the post instead, much to his frustration. He paused only to clear the target when there was no more room for shuriken on it. Beside him, Naruto assailed his post with kicks and punches.

Sasuke was the first to stop, panting, too exhausted to go on. He sat down on the ground, and, soon after, Naruto, sore and drained, joined him. When he'd caught his breath, Naruto broke the silence.

"I don't want to be like him. I never will." He felt the heat growing at the backs of his eyes again. "I'll never, ever be like that stupid, stealing, cheating bastard Ragama!"

Sasuke kicked a pebble. "Good. Why would you want to be like him, anyway?"

"Lord Third … acted like he didn't care. Maybe we were dumb to go after Ragama, but everything we went through …it didn't mean anything to him at all. A couple of reckless brats who did something stupid - that's all he saw. He didn't see how hard we tried…but he gave a jerk like Ragama what he wanted!"

"Adults are all the same. Fairness doesn't mean anything to them. All of their preaching about hard work and being rewarded for doing the right thing is just blather. Adults just hate for us to have minds and goals of our own. They like fools and delinquents like Ragama better because they think they can FIX them or manipulate them into doing whatever they want them to."

Sasuke's words were of some consolation to Naruto, and the little shinobi sat around together for a time, venting to eachother about the many faults and failings of the adult race. Naruto then happened to glance up and was startled by the presence of one of the members of that species.

"Ajisai-san!"

A smiling Ajisai stood there with little Konohamaru in her arms. "I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke, on his feet now, aimed an accusing finger at her. "How much does a little privacy cost around here? How long have you been standing there listening in on us, Ajisai-san?"

"Forgive me." Ajisai bowed her head. There was a bashfulness in her demeanor. "I - I was told I might find you here. I wanted to thank you two and Miraku-chan for your kindness to Konohamaru and me."

Both boys blushed. Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "You didn't have to come all the way here just to do that. Besides, it was like you said…I didn't want a guy like that to become Hokage."

"Really?"

"Yeah - because I …" Naruto trailed off.

I said that, but now - Ragama's got a forbidden jutsu up his sleeve, and I'm not even allowed to use the same jutsu. It was the first time I'd ever used a jutsu that was any good - the first time I'd ever won a fight. Outside of the Forbidden Jutsu, I'm just a no-talent weakling. How can I brag about being Hokage again?

"Well - it's because I wanted to be the one who got to be Hokage someday."

"Is that so?" Ajisai's eyes were strangely soft. For a moment, there was a faraway look in them. "Then do your best, Naruto-kun. That's a great goal - to be Hokage."

Naruto's face warmed. "You really think so, Ajisai-san?"

Konohamaru, dancing impatiently in Ajisai's arms, cut in. "Mama! I wan' Miraku-neechan!"

"Sweetie, don't pester," Ajisai reproved the little boy. "We'll see Miraku-neechan when she's ready."

"Miraku-neechan?" Sasuke was quizzical.

"Miraku-chan was a great help to me. I could tell she was worried about you two, but she insisted on staying with us. She put my groceries away for me, sent for a healer to be sure that we were all right, cooked dinner for us and played with Konohamaru. He's talked about nothing but Miraku-neechan since she left. When I came by to ask after you three, Itachi-san said that she was washing up. I really didn't mean to intrude on you children, but I wanted to express my gratitude."

"It's all right. She's probably up by now. Naruto and I were just about to go back, anyway. We didn't eat breakfast, and Older Brother will complain if you don't come back with us and stay for tea or something."

"Yas!" Konohamaru volunteered to answer for his mother. "We wan' tea."

"Konohamaru, don't butt in! … Actually, I hoped you young shinobi would accept an invitation to my house - if you weren't busy, that is. I can put something on for you to eat, and since you saved my groceries, maybe you'll stay for lunch and even dinner? I was thinking of making seafood and mushroom curry, frying a few meat turnovers, and baking a cake."

"Thanks, but we couldn't -" Sasuke began, but Naruto, whose mouth was watering, barged in. "We'll get Miraku-chan! Thanks, Ajisai-san!"

"You don't speak for me and Miraku, rude, greedy ass!" Sasuke scolded. "Don't you have any shame?"

Ajisai's eyes laughed. "Then it's settled. Shall we go and check in on Miraku-chan?"