Title: Behind the Scenes
Fandom: Naruto
Chapter: 8
Characters: Hiruzen, Iruka, Naruto, Sparrow
Warnings: just bad pacing
Word count: 1167
AN: Again, this story is still kind of really not well written, but I hope that you enjoy as I write the new story. I'm working on it. Just takes me time. A lot of it.
They were still in the Hokage's offices, still staring at each other across the desk. Iruka, Raidou and Hiruzen were still at a loss as to what they were going to say when it came to one final detail. Naruto had moved to perch on the window sill, rather amused by his teachers having a staring contest as they tried to figure out what they wanted to do about the Mizuki problem. Especially since there hadn't been a traitor to the village since Orochimaru, at least not one that has been hidden as well as he had been.
"Why not state the truth?" Naruto asked, three sets of eyes swinging towards him in surprise. "I don't mean, tell them all about how he fucked up so bad that he ended up in Ibiki-sans personal care, but like that he betrayed the village but hadn't gotten anything important out."
Iruka blinked several times before beaming brightly as his old student, proud of his progress. Raidou was staring at him, looking rather smug with himself while Hiruzen just chuckled softly. Naruto flushed lightly and squirmed under their gazes.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, blond brows furrowing together. "I know that there's a lot of politics going on and all that, but I'm sure that I didn't blunder that much."
"No, Naruto, you were spot on with what needs to be done," Raidou chuckled, shaking his head. His student flushed in pleasure, smiling happily at the fact that he had done something right. It seemed as if all of his reading had already started to pay off for him.
"Yes, you did very well, my boy," Hiruzen chuckled, picking up his pipe and packing it with fresh tobacco and lighting it. Drawing in a slow stream, he let the white smoke out, scenting the air with sweet tobacco. Naruto hummed quietly, loving the scent and the good memories that it brought him. The three men watched the young man bask in the scent, knowing after watching him for so long just how relaxing it was for Naruto to be around the Third Hokage.
"So, how do we explain Naruto's part in all of this?" Iruka asked, the other three exchanging thoughtful looks between them.
"We can say that it happened while Iruka was on one of his night patrols and had come across a student practicing who had lost the time, and that Mizuki had looked to use the child to get away," Hiruzen mused lowly. "I'm sure that you and Raidou-san here can let slip that Naruto-kun was able to help you to get the stolen information and take him into custody without tipping anyone off."
Iruka and Raidou shared another long look, silently communicating with each other before nodding and smiling. "We can do that," Iruka said, nodding his head with a smile as the hidden ANBU sat back, sprawling out on the couch with a sigh.
"Good. I would prefer to keep Naruto out of this, but unfortunately we are unable to do so at this time," Hiruzen stated, sending Naruto an apologetic look.
Naruto shrugged with a smile on his lips. "Not a problem. I kind of figured that it would eventually come out, so it might as well be on our terms and with us able to control the flow of information," he said.
"Are you sure you're going to be able to do this?" Raidou asked, raising an eyebrow. Naruto knew, even after the small time that he had been teaching him, that the man meant no disrespect but was more after making sure that they both knew Naruto's limitations. That lesson had been hard learned but still learned.
"Yeah. I mean, I have to be able to keep secrets and all, so I should start to learn how to now," he hummed, shrugging one shoulder. The three men were amazed as just how much change a chance, some trust and the right teacher had created in Naruto in such short times. It made them proud about that fact and made both Iruka and Raidou smile smugly.
"I'm glad that you're thinking about the future and what you will need to do in the future," Iruka stated, nodding his head with a small smile. "This will be testing your heavily none the less, Naruto-kun. I'll have to take you aside one day soon, teach you in full all about the various codes we use in the archives so you can create a code so you can keep personal records for yourself."
"I also need you to make sure that no one but me, Iruka, or Hokage-sama know that code. It will come in handy later on seeing as all of your outside assignments will be coming through me for the foreseeable future," Raidou drawled. Hiruzen nodded his head, agreeing to that, knowing that for the foreseeable future it was a good idea.
"Naruto-kun," Hiruzen finally spoke up, "when a fifth Hokage is chosen, my orders to you are to wait until you know for a fact that you can trust them."
"And until I do trust them?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow at the oldest male of them.
"Ibiki-san will be giving you missions until such a time as you trust them. When you find yourself able to trust the new Hokage, you will give them a letter from me, one that I shall write here in the next day or so," he instructed, lacing his fingers together and leaning forward with a serious expression on his face. "It shall be sealed against all others and only a Hokage will be able to open it outside of you. All Hokages are marked with a specialized chakra tattoo and it shall read that and your chakra."
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Naruto drawled, nodding his agreement to his brand new orders from his leader. "I shall do so as you instruct and keep our secrets."
"Good. Now, so we are in agreement as to what is to be done and what we are all to do in the coming days and months, correct?" Hiruzen asked, gazing at the three nin before him with a sense of pride and a hint of sadness. All three of them were so painfully young compared to himself, but had already seen the worse the world had to offer. But still they had come out so very hopeful of the people around them and the goodness of their hearts.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," the three replied, voices serious as they snapped off their salutes.
"Good. Dismissed," Hiruzen barked, the three snapping off another salute once more before disappearing with puffs of smoke. Sitting back in his chair, he puffed on his pipe and gazed at his crystal ball, watching the three that held all of his hopes bound playfully through the trees. He smiled as Naruto got his two older companions to play nin tag amongst the trees, enjoying the freely given company. It warmed his very being.