Author's notes: This is actually just to Xoni Newcomer. I would like a chance to turn the tables and review your review. First off, who are you to tell someone that they should stop writing? You have no right to do that especially on a forum such as this. There is a lot of crap out there but that is no reason to say that a work should just be stopped. You also seem to have the criticism part of the review down, but you left out the constructive part. Second, the stories are supposed to be far from the characters in the manga. We all already know what happened in the manga. There is no reason for me to retell it. Third, the chapters are short because the stories are short. They are bedtime stories; they are not supposed to be long. A chapter not being long is no reason to scrap a fic. I have read some damn fine work that was only a page long, so that is neither here nor there. Fourth, the tales are not supposed to be gripping excitement, action, and drama. They are kiddie tales. It is obvious that you have never tried to verbally tell someone a story. It is a lot harder than it looks, especially for someone who deals in teaching facts like Iruka does. This is called staying in character. Besides that, the stories are only part of what is happening. Fifth, I can accept a flamer, but not a high and mighty one that seems to think that they know what is the right direction to take a story (I am talking about both fics here). You are not the only audience out there on the vastness of the internet. Finally, I want to say that I write first and foremost for myself. I am doing this for my own pleasure as is everyone else on this site. I may inform people that they need a editing, fact checking, or even a rewrite in some instances, but to tell someone to downright stop is uncalled for. That is a low blow and I don't appreciate it, and I think I can speak for everyone on this site when I say not to tell someone that again. That is all I have to say.

Konoha Legends

"You have to go?" the young boy asked as he watched his father pack his things.

"I have a mission, Naruto. You know this is what we do."

"Do you have time to tell me a story before you go?"

Iruka checked his watch. "It's only six."

"But you won't be here tonight." Iruka sighed, picked up his son, and put him on the bed.

"Okay. Let's see. How about the story of Shu?" Naruto nodded, though he seemed confused. "We don't know a whole lot about Shu, even if he was the grandfather of our first lord Hokage, but I will tell you what we do know.

"Back before Konoha was ever a village there was a man known only as Shu. Nobody knew where he got his ninja training, what village he belonged to, if any, or even which country he came from. All anybody knew was that he was good."

"What did he look like?"

Iruka chuckled a little. "I would like to know too. It was said that he only showed his face to one person, and she didn't take any pictures. Nobody really knew what he looked like."

"How did he hide his face?"

"He wore a black mask that covered all but his eyes and mouth. Now can I continue with the story?" Naruto nodded. "Shu's greatest strength was that he had a knack for making stuff blow up. Explosives were an art form with him. There were many times when he was thought to have been blown up."

"Why?"

"He used explosive notes, sheriken with gunpowder tips, if it blew up Shu would use it and he knew how to make it look like the blast took him with it."

"But why would he do that?"

"To get the jump on his opponent. Anyway, Shu was a rogue ninja, one who just traveled around wherever he wanted, looking for work. Shu fell in love with a woman in a traveling band of ninja, and she fell in love with him. This band would later become one of the groups that formed Konoha. Fearing that he would get killed working in such dangerous ways she asked him to give it up. After one last job, he said he would.

"He was offered a job, while out looking for work, to blow up a building. There was a lot of money involved for him if he did it. In fact, enough to take care of him for life. So he took the mission that would be his last.

"Three days later, news reached the band that a large building in the Hidden Village of the Grass containing a lot of important papers had blown up. There were three unidentified shinobi bodies found in the rubble."

"Who were they?" Naruto asked.

"Even to this day we do not know, though it is suspected that one of them was Shu."

"We don't know? Why not?"

"Shu took the money before he went on the mission and hid it. Then he sent letters to both the man who gave him the mission and the woman he loved to arrive after the mission was over, telling where the money was hidden. If something went wrong, either she would be protected or he would get his money back. When they got to the place it was said to be, the money was gone.

"Three days later, the woman came forward saying that she was going to have a baby-"

Two knocks sounded at the door. Iruka grabbed the last of his things.

"Nine months later she had a child that would be the mother of the first lord Hokage. Two days after that she disappeared. Some said she was attacked by shinobis from the Hidden Grass, some think she was attacked by a wild animal-"

Two more knocks sounded at the door.

"Coming! Most think that Shu survived and they ran off together, that is what I think." Iruka opened the front door to the team that he would be completing the mission with. He smiled at his son. "Be good for your mother."

"Okay, papa." Naruto half smiled as Iruka ruffled his son's hair.

"Good bye, honey," Iruka said hugging his wife, standing behind their son.

"Be careful," she whispered as he walked away.

Author's Notes: Once again, I thank those of you who have stayed with this story. Now for the third part of my challenge. Pairings are seen a lot in Naruto fanfiction, though I have noticed that the number of NaruSasu pairings greatly outnumber the NaruHina pairings. Let's change this. My challenge will be a NaruHina main pairing all other non-yaoi/yuri pairings are up to the author. The last part, and main criteria of the challenge will come in the last (next) chapter. Happy writing.