Author's Note

Here we go again. Me clarifying certain things. So I just wanted to make something clear. Hatorama is not more skilled than either Anko or Kakashi.

He does have way more chakra however. More importantly, he has better control. Make of that what you will.

Now as to Hatorama beating Anko in spars, let's be real for a moment. Anko is a Jounin, she has nothing to prove. Why would she go all out against her student, no matter how strong he is?

I know I've said it repeatedly, that he's holding back. So I'm gonna clarify now otherwise people are gonna comment incessantly.

Hatorama has Mokuton. Wood Style. Not the washed out version that Yamato has, but the real deal. He is only a novice though. It will take years to reach the level of the First Hokage.

Let's not forget here, that Naruto and Sasuke's powers at the end are artificial. Sasuke took his brother's eyes and then received a power up from the Sage of Six Paths.

Naruto is the jinchuuriki of the Fox. He also received a power up. Hatorama's power is all natural. This will all come to a head,far in the future however.

Now on to the issue of Tsunade. I want to remind people, this is FANFICTION, it isn't canon. In canon we all saw how Tsunade fell apart after the death of her loved ones.

Here she has a son. She's determined to protect him at all cost. In this story, she's already decided to become Fifth Hokage. Only Hatorama and Shizune know that though.That is why he sends reports to his mother. She wants to know what the state of the village is, before she takes over.

Now on to Tsunade's abilities, again, this isn't canon. Just because someone doesn't do something, doesn't mean they can't.

If I'm not mistaken, in Shippuden, it's Tsunade that designs the seal that the Hidden Leaf was going to use to seal the Three Tails. What's more, that diamond on her forehead is a seal.So I don't know what gave people the impression that she isn't skilled in fuinjutsu. Then there's genjutsu. It's been stated over and over again in canon that she uses genjutsu to conceal her age.What's more, it's very chakra intensive.

That's why it's only active so long as her seal still has chakra. Now finally, geez people, you guys need to chill.This is my story. If I say the sun is green in this story then it's green. Nobody is forcing you to read this. If you don't like it then don't read it. Simple as that.

I returned later that night. Kakashi gave me a strangely knowing look as I woke him up to take the next watch.

It stumped me, till I remembered that he has dog summons. I wasn't sure if that meant he had a better sense of smell than a normal shinobi, but still.

I let that slip from my mind as I crawled into my futon. Soon I drifted off. The events of earlier being played out in my dreams.

Hours later, after everyone was awake and we'd all eaten, we went through our plan for the day.

Because of my sensing ability, it was decided that I'd accompany Kakashi to the meeting point. Sensei and Sasuke would guard Tazuna and the bridge, while the other four would guard Inari and Tsunami.

As expected, the Genin of Team 7 kicked up a big fuss. Not that it changed anything. Once breakfast was done with, Kakashi and I set off.

Luckily, Kakashi didn't say anything. He didn't have to though. I could feel the amusement in his chakra. I said nothing.

I felt both Haku and Zabuza's chakra up ahead. I indicated this to Kakashi, who nodded his head.

As we exited the treeline, I looked around. There were no signs of Gato's hideout. The jutsu employed by sensei did its job.

Zabuza and Haku were waiting for us. Haku and I shared a look. This didn't go unnoticed. Zabuza's gruff voice rang out then.

" So you're the brat that Haku spoke of. Don't look like much. You tree huggers always look so soft. Regardless, whatever thoughts you had about Haku, get it out of your head. "

" He's way out of your league kid. Not that it matters. After this, we'll likely not see each other again. Now where's my money Kakashi. "

Kakashi, like the annoying bastard he is, slowly looked at me and then at Haku. Then he giggled. A grown man! I couldn't stop my eye from twitching.

I could see Haku blushing. Zabuza looked annoyed however. Thankfully, Kakashi didn't subject us to his insanity for long.

He reached into his pouch and withdrew a scroll. He then walked halfway to Zabuza and then he bent down and placed the scroll on the ground, channeling chakra in it as he did.

In a puff of smoke, a large stack of notes appeared. Kakashi walked backwards then. Haku then walked over to the stack and started counting.

After about a minute, he sealed the money back in the scroll and then threw it at Zabuza, who grabbed it. The bandages around his mouth stretched slightly, which probably meant he was smiling.

" Well then, Kakashi, brat, we'll be going now... " He broke off then, because Haku walked to the side. I followed him. Still in sight of the two Jounin, we stopped and looked at each other.

He smiled at me. I beat him to the punch however. " I guess this is it. I...I wanted to thank you. For last night. It was amazing. You're a really special guy you know. "

" I think we both knew though, that nothing would ever come of it. Still, I think what we did, hopefully means that we could be friends. "

I held out my arm to him. He laughed however. " You're right. We have different lives and expectations placed upon us. I'll never regret last night, or having met you Hatorama. You'll always be a dear friend of mine. "

He clasped my arm then. After a moment, he let go and moved closer to me. Briefly, he kissed me on the cheek and then he walked towards Zabuza. Who happened to be glaring at me.

Feeling impish, I saluted him cheekily. I could feel in his chakra, the surprise he felt. He laughed then. " You've certainly got a pair, kid. I look forward to seeing your name in the Bingo Book one day. "

Then he turned and he and Haku left. Kakashi had to ruin the moment. " Well, well, well. The young Heir to our noblest Clan had his first experience. Wonder what Lady Tsunade would say. "

I responded by throwing a pebble at his head. While still laughing, he disappeared in a flurry of leaves, dodging the stone. I sighed. So childish.

I head towards the clearing I met Haku in. Once I get there, I do my usual training regimen. After going at it for about an hour, I finally acknowledge the presence lurking in the treeline.

It's not that I didn't know he was there. I knew the moment he left the house, that he'd be heading my way. His chakra is unmistakable after all.

Naruto enters the clearing, frown on his face. He seems to be thinking about something, so I don't interrupt him. I'm right. He goes right for it.

" I don't understand. How do you do it?! The bastard can only use fire but I've seen you use loads of different jutsu! " I sigh. I decide to help him. He does need it.

" Sasuke is an Uchiha. When they are children, they are taught a single jutsu. The Fire Style Fireball Jutsu. Once they've mastered that, they move on to others. "

" All shinobi have a chakra nature that they are attuned to. The natures are fire, water, earth, wind and lightning. I have more than one chakra nature. Judging by the look on your face, this is all new to you. "

" Your sensei should have told you all of this. It doesn't matter though. I can help you. " I remove a small scroll from my pouch. After activating it, I rifle through the contents until I find them.

A small stack of chakra paper. Naruto had moved closer out of curiosity. He looked at me in confusion when I gave him one of them.

" You need to channel chakra through it. It will show what your chakra nature is. " Hesitantly, he starts channeling chakra through it. Far more than he needs to. He really does waste a lot of chakra.

The results happen near instantaneously though. An eyebrow of mine arches at the results. " Ah, that's surprising. You are wind natured. It's probably the rarest nature in our village. "

Naruto looks a strange mixture of surprise and glee. I bend down and pick up two leaves. I give one to him and keep the other one sandwiched between my two palms.

He looks at me questioningly. " This is the first step of learning wind natured transformation. To convert your ordinary chakra into wind chakra. Look at my hands. "

I channel wind natured chakra into my hands. He can't see the process, but he does see the results as I open my hands. The leaf is cut perfectly in two.

" You won't get it immediately, trust me. You need to think of your chakra as grinding together and cutting the leaf. Once you've managed to cut your leaf in half, then I will teach you the few wind jutsu that I know. "

That all being said, I leave. It would only frustrate both of us if I were here to witness him struggling. I was honest as well. This won't be easy for him.

This sets a precedent for what follows for the next week. I'd just about finish my morning training, then Naruto would arrive.

The second day that he came, I had him create two shadow clones. I had them working on the exercise and had the original fighting me with taijutsu.

He was terrible. Slow, sloppy and making his intentions perfectly obvious. No matter what he did, he couldn't catch me off guard. It frustrated him.

He shouldn't be though. I'm a sensor. There's no way that he'd be able to personally catch me off guard. I could sense him no matter where he was.

His only hope was in traps. He's actually very good at it. Because of my sensing ability, I could pinpoint his locations and thus, the location of his traps though.

That didn't mean I knew which methods he employed however. A number of them actually surprised me. That was also including the fact that his traps were so rudimentary.

Still, we persevered. Once I'd tired him out with training, I'd join Tsunami and Inari and the three of us would spend the afternoon feeding and chatting with the locals.

Atleast until I realised that here was no medic. That's when I offered up my skills. The people were amazed at the results of medical chakra.

I'm not surprised. Most civilians would never meet, nor ever be able to use the services of a medical ninja. There were simply too few of us. Who's talents were used almost exclusively on shinobi.

The only exceptions being the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire and his nobles. They were the only ones who could afford it.

The cost of hiring the service of a single medical shinobi being equal to the cost of hiring a squad of Jounin. Shocking, but medical shinobi numbers are very low.

Even the Hidden Leaf only has about two hundred medical shinobi. Out of a total shinobi population of more than ten thousand.

The other Hidden Villages have less than half the number of medics we have, which says something.

Regardless. Healing people comes naturally to me. Whether it's genetics or just aptitude, I'm not sure.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not nearly as good as Shizune or my mother is, but I'm better than most of the medics in the Hidden Leaf.

When I hear the villagers here talking about how even nature is happy Gato is gone, I smile. Nobody but me knows why all the trees here look so vibrant after all.

Eventually though, all good things must come to an end. When the week is over, the bridge is completed.

So here I am, standing with my team and Team 7 and gathered before us are all the people of the Land of Waves it seems.

Tazuna takes it upon himself to make a speech, but I don't focus on that. I'm looking at the faces of the crowd and warmth settles in me.

That despair and soul-crushing air of defeat that hung around this place when we arrived is gone.

There is a smile on every face. Knowing that I was part of all this, makes me happy. Much of the life of a shinobi consists of pointless missions that just serve to highlight how petty and cruel people can be.

Moments like this, where there's an actual happy ending are rare, so I savour it. It ends when Tsunami and Inari hug me.

That lightness stays with me as a day later, we're finally home again. As we enter the the Hidden Leaf, many people stare as we walk past. Most of them at me.

I offer smiles as I walk by. They are all returned. I'm also aware though of the slight tension in the air.

There's likely a number of reasons for that. Based on observations I've made, all of the adults in this village know of Naruto's burden.

With me walking near him though, they choose to focus on me. From Naruto I can feel the sadness in his chakra, which is a contrast to the smile he has on his face.

I feel resentment in Sasuke's chakra. Which is ironic. Before I arrived, many people, treated Sasuke almost like they treat me now.

By all accounts however, he didn't acknowledge their efforts. Now that they're focused on me, he resents it. Hence the irony.

The journey doesn't take all that long however. Before we know it, we're standing in the Hokage's office.

Kakashi being the lazy bastard that he is, leaves the debriefing to Anko sensei. Fortunately, she doesn't mention anything about my association with Haku. Atleast, not infront of the other Genin.

The Hokage looks surprised when sensei finished summarising our mission. He puffs out smoke on his pipe while he thinks.

" Hmmm, this mission of yours does indeed sound interesting. In the field, rarely do things go as smoothly. Still, well done, Teams 1 and 7. "

" You will all receive the pay of an A ranked mission. The Jounin will naturally compile a full written report however and hand it to the Jounin Commander. "

" The documents you took will have to be handed to the Intelligence Department. They will take things from there. Genin, you're all dismissed. "

The six of us, or rather five, seeing as Naruto ignores protocol, bow to the Hokage and then we leave.

Once we exit the Tower, Naruto finally breaks his silence. " Alright! Home sweet home. How about we all get some ramen?! "

As Sasuke scoffs and Sakura laughs rudely, I speak. " I'm hungry too. I don't want ramen though. How about some barbeque? My treat. "

Naruto looks surprised. Sasuke stalks off however and Sakura follows him. I turn towards my teammates. Yakumo shrugs and Sai looks at me blankly. He doesn't walk away though.

So I lead the way to the barbeque shop. Naruto chats incessantly, which I and Yakumo tune out. Sai however chooses to insult Naruto.

As they trade barbs, Yakumo gives me a look. My lips twitch as I look away. Once we reach the shop, the attendant at the door looks slightly hesitant. At a charming smile from me however, she blushes and leads us in.

I order the all you can eat special. Massive chakra reserves require large amounts of food to replenish. I inhale deeply. Yes, it's good to be home.