In which Yagura finds a lead, Gaara plays with sand, and Naruto meets an old man.
O-O-O-O-O
Yagura stared at the corpse. He saw a criminal who had prowled the roads, stealing from merchants that traveled on the road. A few of his victims had banded together to place a small bounty on him. Yagura was eternally grateful for the extra source of income.
He sighed and opened an empty sealing scroll. With a burst of chakra, the corpse disappeared. Yagura took the scroll and put it inside his knapsack. He leaped up onto a tree. From there, he traveled through the canopy to the drop-off center.
Living a secret life as a hidden Mizukage was not as fun as he had expected. For years, Yagura had been searching for intel on the mercenary group. He had tried making connections with the criminal underworld, but success eluded him.
He rarely had enough money to eat, most nights he slept outside, and even when he earned money, he ran out in days. He wanted to take high-paying bounties. However, an outstanding ninja stood out more than a mediocre one. He almost regretted faking his own death. On cold and rainy nights, he wondered if he should have let Mei kill him.
He arrived at the bounty station within minutes. He passed through the hidden security checkpoint and descended into the morgue. Zangei, the bounty exchange master, knew Yagura under his alias of Akio, a mediocre missing-nin from Kirigakure. Akio is not much good in a fight, though.
Annoyed, he grumbled to himself about how much money Zangei would withhold. Before he could talk to the man, however, he entered the morgue to an unusual sight. As expected Zangei was there. However, next to Zangei was a tall man wearing a black cloak with red clouds embroidered on them. His pulse quickened. Just like the guy that brainwashed me.
Yagura stepped forward, making himself look curious instead of excited. He glanced at the corpse on the table. To his surprise, the dead body wore the same outfit as the tall man, although his robes were bloodied and mangled.
At his approach, both men turned. Yagura froze where he stood. The man was very tall and wore a Takigakure hitai-ate on his forehead. The hitai-ate was scratched through the middle, proudly declaring himself a missing-nin.
"What are you looking at, old man?" the man muttered when he saw Yagura.
I don't know if I prefer to be called an old man or a little kid.
"N-Nothing," Yagura said, forcing his voice to sound nervous. "I just came here to collect my bounty."
At his words, the man's eyes narrowed and he looked at Yagura in suspicion. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"
"I-I think I would have remembered if we did." Yagura made himself look down at his feet in a nervous gesture. Despite his demeanor, he kept his gaze focused on the man from the corner of his eye.
The man's eyes narrowed further and he stepped forward to stand in front of Yagura. He bent down and stared into Yagura's face, trying to analyze him. Yagura forced himself to tremble and flinch back at his approach, wanting to appear like a scared old man. With the enemy in front of him, he also took the opportunity to examine the man.
Up close, he saw that only the man's green eyes and hands were visible. His fingernails were painted a dark brown color. On his left middle finger, he wore a dark green ring carved with the kanji for "North." Because of the mask and robe, he couldn't get a perfect impression on the man, but it was enough.
Yagura waited for the man to speak again, making himself look small and terrified.
The man narrowed his eyes once more before he snorted and stood up straight. "Just an old man about to piss himself."
"W-What did you mean I looked f-familiar?" he asked nervously.
"You look like someone I'm looking for, that's all," he answered. "Where are you from?"
"Ki-Kirigakure."
The man grunted. "I'm looking for a man from Iwa. You two have almost the exact same face."
Yagura's pulse quickened. He has been using Roshi as his disguise ever since he left the Land of Water. This mercenary is looking for Roshi. But why? For the money or for something else? I need to tread carefully.
Yagura swallowed and stepped forward, making his voice shake in terror. "W-well, I'm not a very strong shinobi," he lied, "but I'm good at gathering intel. Maybe we can work together?"
"I don't work with anyone," the man replied immediately. "Look at the corpse on the counter. We were partners, but I killed him anyway. I will only say this once. Don't get in my way or next time we meet, your body will be on the table instead."
With those parting words, he turned back to collect his prize. Zangei held out a wad of cash, which the mercenary took without a word. The man counted the money, nodded, and left the room, not looking back. Yagura's sigh of relief was only partially faked.
Ever since the fight with Mei, his left arm didn't work as well as it used to. He thought he had a strong chance of winning, but in a battle, victory was never guaranteed. He could always get help from Isobu, but then he would lose his cover.
"Well, that was scary," he commented to Zangei as he walked to the next empty examination table.
Zangei snorted. "That was nothing. He was in a good mood today because he collected his partner's bounty. If he had been in a bad mood, you would have already been ground into a paste."
"Who is he?" Yagura asked with a shudder.
Zangei's eyes narrowed. "I don't talk about my business partners," he said, voice suspicious. "And I especially don't talk about them to mediocre shinobi."
Yagura gulped in an effort to look contrite but he wanted to sing and dance instead. This guy is a big deal and a frequent customer for you. I just need to figure out who he is and then I can track him down.
"O-Okay," Yagura stuttered before changing the topic. He had an act to keep up and Zangei would not help him. There's a certain code of conduct in the criminal world, too. "I brought someone for you."
Yagura opened the scroll on top of the empty table. With a burst of chakra, the bandit's body appeared amidst a cloud of smoke. Zangei stepped forward to inspect the body. He opened the mouth, measured the height, and looked into its eyes. Finally, with a satisfied nod, he met Yagura's eyes.
"This is the right one," Zangei said. "Take your money."
Overjoyed, Yagura accepted his payment. It wasn't much, but he should be able to sleep at an inn for a few nights at least.
"Thank you," Yagura said in a meek voice as he placed the cash into his knapsack.
Zangei nodded. With that, their business transaction ended. Yagura left the morgue, passed through the toilets, and arrived outside. The sunny day stood in stark contrast with what was happening underneath. Yagura almost wanted to laugh at the difference.
Sending chakra to his feet, Yagura climbed up onto the canopy of the trees once again. With the money in his pocket, he could afford a night or two with a roof over his head.
Yagura arrived at a small town and looked for an inn. He rented a room, heading to the hot springs immediately after checking in. He soaked in the hot water as he made plans. The safety of his village and the other jinchuuriki depended upon it.
First, I need to warn Roshi about the man. Second, I need to figure out the identity of this man.
When night finally came, Yagura collapsed upon the futon in relief. His back had started aching recently. He wasn't sure if that came from sleeping outside or from getting older. He tried not to worry about it.
He took a deep breath to relax and within seconds, his mind led him into the Room. He arrived at the perfect time because Roshi was already there. The other man was doing a taijutsu kata while Fuu and Naruto played. All three of them turned to look at Yagura with grins on their faces. Yagura returned their smiles. It's nice to be wanted for a change.
"Hello, Yagura-san!" Fuu and Naruto said at the same time as they waved their arms enthusiastically at him.
"Hello, Fuu-chan, Naruto-chan."
Yagura stepped forward to watch what they were doing. They were competing to see who could jump higher. Fuu was the obvious winner but Naruto kept trying and failing, stubborn as always. Yagura sighed at their inane argument before he walked to Roshi's side.
"Roshi."
"Yagura." Roshi raised a curious brow at the look on Yagura's face. The other man could tell that something serious had happened. He stopped the exercise. Roshi and Yagura were left looking at each other.
"Did something happen?" Roshi asked, his voice quiet and serious.
"You could say that," Yagura answered with a sigh. "I might have found a lead on the organization that put the genjutsu on me."
Roshi frowned and he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Tell me."
At that, Yagura recounted the story, from the moment he first captured his bounty to checking in at the inn. He described the tall man he saw, recalling every detail. Roshi frowned as he told the story, only interrupting to ask clarification questions.
When Yagura finished talking, the two men stood together in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. Roshi's frown deepened, and he glared at Yagura.
"Yagura..." Roshi began, his arms crossed in front of his chest and furious frown on his face.
"What is it?" Yagura looked at his friend with one eyebrow raised, not sure why Roshi would have such a murderous look in his eye.
"Have you been using my face to disguise yourself?!" Roshi snarled. "Why didn't you ask for permission first?"
Yagura looked away in embarrassment and scratched his chin. "Well, when you put it that way..."
"What have you been doing with my body?!"
"Nothing!" Yagura insisted before considering the question. "I mean, I guess I went to a brothel with it..."
"A brothel?!" Roshi shouted and the children turn to look at him. Roshi flinched. "A brothel?" he whispered, but the children were already looking in their direction curiously.
"Look..." Yagura tried to explain himself, but he only felt like he was digging his own grave deeper. "I took your face and body, but I changed the hair color! That counts for something!"
"Well, why didn't you disguise yourself as Han, then?!" Roshi demanded to know. "Or Utakata-kun! Or B-san or Yugito-san?!"
Yagura snorted. "Because you're the only person I know who's barely taller than me and it's weird to be too tall," Yagura explained. "Also, when I visited the brothel, I needed an adult body. I had to look like an old man to blend in and avoid suspicion."
"So you're saying I look like a dirty old man?!" Roshi asked with a growl. Yagura wished he had chosen someone else as a disguise. I think Roshi is forgetting the context here.
"No, I just-" before Yagura had the chance to defend himself, Fuu stepped forward between them, an angry frown on her face. Naruto tagged along behind her.
"Mama! Yagura-san!" she shouted. "Stop fighting!"
At the look on her face, Roshi relaxed, and he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, butterfly. But we're not fighting. Just a little argument between friends. It happens."
Yagura breathed a sigh of relief. Roshi would do anything for the kids and thankfully Fuu's interruption had calmed the other man down. Yagura looked down at Fuu. The girl was young, but she was from Takigakure.
"Hey, Fuu-chan," Yagura said and Fuu looked up at him curiously. "Do you think you could help me with something?"
"With what, Yagura-san?" Fuu asked.
Her orange eyes turned to him, full of excitement and innocence. Yagura felt a stab through the heart that felt a lot like guilt at making a little girl do his dirty work. He stamped the feeling down.
"I met a man who was a missing-nin from Takigakure," Yagura explained. "Do you think you could help me figure out who he is?"
At that, Yagura described the man, trying to not leave any detail out. If anyone knew or could figure out who he was, it was Fuu. However, Fuu was still only an Academy student. When he finished describing the missing-nin, she shook her head.
"Sorry, Yagura-san," she answered. "That doesn't sound familiar."
Yagura tried not to feel disappointed.
"But..." Fuu scratched her chin in thought. "I might be able to find out."
Yagura tried not to get his hopes up. "Really, kid?"
Fuu nodded happily. "Yeah! It might take me a while though," she said. "I can't go to the shinobi library to look it up yet."
"That's okay, kid," Yagura said. "Take all the time you need."
Fuu beamed up at him and pulled on his hand. Yagura's heart sunk into his stomach. Ever since he told her about his power to make coral, she had insisted that Yagura made interesting playgrounds for them to play on.
He sighed and allowed her to lead him away. He spent the next few hours making complex mazes of coral and trying not to feel used.
O-O-O-O-O
Gaara was getting tired of assassination attempts. After the first failure from Yashamaru, he had already prevented four others.
The attempts only cemented his hatred toward his father and the village. He wished he were strong enough to leave, but, as Han insisted, he was only six years old. Even if he managed to escape the village, trying to make his way in the world would be impossible. He had to wait until he was older and stronger.
For that, he needed full control over the sand. He had always had some amount of power over it, able to shape it how he saw fit. However, like Shukaku, it was unwieldy and sensitive to Gaara's emotional state.
His solution was to let go of all feelings in order to obtain full control. While the method worked and the sand now obeyed, it had only made the people of Suna more terrified. They had already seen him as a monster. Now that he never smiled, laughed, cried, or frowned, their fear had only intensified.
Gaara didn't care anymore. He had the other jinchuuriki. He had the Room. In there, he could be as emotional as he wanted. He didn't need to keep everything bottled up inside.
Gaara willed the sand to transform itself into a house. Shukaku fought, but without emotions to feed it, Gaara had full control for once. Within seconds, he had a miniature model at his feet.
He stared at the finished project without blinking. My control is already a lot better.
With a swipe of his hand, the house disappeared and melted into the ground. Gaara took in a deep breath and thought about what to make next. Can I make a miniature version of Suna?
Curious, Gaara extended his hands forward. He was ready to force the village walls to appear when he felt a presence behind him. He waited, but when no one attacked, he relinquished control and turned around.
"Gaara-sama," a man wearing the Sunagakure ANBU uniform said. Despite the ANBU training, Gaara could hear the slight tremble of fear in the man's voice.
"What is it?" Gaara asked, his face a neutral mask.
"Your father has asked me to summon you," the ANBU answered.
Despite his practice, the sand responded as Gaara felt a strong surge of hatred and fury. He clenched his fists to keep himself calm. After a deep breath, the sand settled and he looked at the agent in front of him unblinkingly.
"What does he want?" he asked.
"I have been instructed you summon you, Gaara-sama," the ANBU answered. "I do not know what he has in mind."
Gaara nodded. "Fine," he said.
With a breath of relief he could hear from behind the mask, the ANBU turned around. Without looking back, he led him out of the training area behind his house. Gaara followed dutifully, keeping his distance from the man in front of him.
They arrived at the office of the Kazekage minutes later. The Kazekage sat behind the desk, glaring at Gaara. Gaara tried to pretend the man in front of him was not his father. He forced himself to breathe out so that the sand wouldn't react to the instinct to attack.
"Gaara," the Kazekage said, arms folded on top of his desk.
"Father," Gaara answered, his tongue burning as he wished he didn't have to keep up the charade. Han is more of a father than you will ever be.
"I've noticed you have gained better control over your sand abilities," Rasa commented. He did not remove his gaze from Gaara.
"I have." Gaara clenched and unclenched a fist.
"Good," Rasa said. "I believe you are ready to start more regimented training for shinobi life."
"Training?" Gaara asked, curious despite himself.
"I have assigned someone to be your personal tutor," Rasa answered and he stood up to glare down at Gaara. "You will listen to everything he says, am I to be understood?"
"Yes, Father," Gaara answered immediately.
"Good, in that case, let me introduce you."
At those words, a new man appeared. Gaara's first impression was that the man was tall, only a few inches shorter than Killer B. He had two red markings on his right cheek and hid the left side of his face with a sheet that hung from his turban. He wore the standard uniform for a Suna-nin and donned the Suna hitai-ate on his forehead.
The man looked down at Gaara, appearing nervous to be with his new charge. Gaara blinked up at him coldly.
"His name is Baki," Rasa explained. "He will teach you about becoming a shinobi. You will listen and obey him."
"Nice to meet you, Gaara-sama," Baki said.
He bowed down. Gaara blinked. He was impressed. Hardly anyone was ever brave enough to come near him, let alone put themselves in a weak position. The man might have been the bravest potential assassin he'd met so far.
"Nice to meet you too, Baki," Gaara replied formally.
At his words, the man straightened. He looked down at Gaara with fearful eyes. The man might be an assassin, waiting for the best moment to strike. However, Gaara had nothing to lose and a lot to gain by learning ninjutsu.
Baki might try to kill him one day. Gaara would wait and see.
O-O-O-O-O
Naruto tried to lean back and relax as he balanced precariously on the branch.
However, he couldn't relax. The branches dug into his back, making him fidget. Ants scurried and had already bitten him many times. The leaves got into his eyes and made his entire face itch. Why does Fuu like doing this?
Despite his discomfort, Naruto laid down and tried to meditate like Gaara. However, instead of relaxing, he could only think about his life.
Ever since Fuu and Roshi told him about his mother, Naruto hadn't allowed anyone else to make fun of his parents. He ignored the ugly words and enjoyed their looks of bewilderment whenever other kids tried to bully him. No matter how much they said his mother had been evil, or ugly, or a whore (whatever that meant), he knew the truth. Naruto's mother had loved him and that was all that mattered.
Once the kids realized any kind of teasing was pointless, they set their sights on other victims. He was alone, but at least Naruto could enjoy his playtime without interruptions.
Naruto tried one more time to relax and watch the clouds drift by. But no matter how much he concentrated on breathing, he could not get comfortable. With a defeated sigh, he sat up and jumped down from the tree. He may as well fail to meditate in the comfort of his bed.
Naruto landed on the grass and stretched his arms over his head. He wanted to go to the park to play on the swings or the sandbox, but he didn't feel like dealing with anyone else at the moment. He started to walk back home.
"Naruto," a gravelly voice called out from behind him.
"Aargh!" Naruto screamed in surprise. He spun around in the direction of the voice, falling into one of the taijutsu stances that Yugito had shown him.
When he turned around, he saw an old man looking down quizzically at him. He wore a long white robe with red trimmings and a large hat that covered his face in shadow. He held his hands behind his back. Despite his age, he exuded a level of control and power that reminded him most of Han.
Naruto gazed into the old man's eyes. To his surprise, instead of the usual fear and disgust, the man only looked curious.
"What do you want, old geezer?" he asked with an angry pout.
The man chuckled and he stepped closer. Naruto tensed. He might know a little taijutsu, but there was no way he could defeat any adult, even an old man. He was about to turn around and run away when the man placed his hand on top of Naruto's hair and ruffled it.
"My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi," the man said with a kind smile. "I just wanted to see what you were doing, Naruto."
Naruto looked up at the man in wonder. Everyone he had met in Konoha had been indifferent towards him at best. He swallowed, trying to suppress his nervousness.
"I was just watching the clouds, ya know," Naruto said. "How do you know my name, anyway?"
"I'm the Hokage," the man answered. "I know about everyone in the village."
"Hokage? What's that?" Naruto tilted his head to the side. The word sounded familiar but he wasn't sure where he'd heard it.
The old man chuckled. "I'm the leader of the village. I protect everyone in Konoha and I tell all of the other shinobi what to do."
Naruto stared up at the old man with a frown. He didn't know why the leader of Konoha would want to speak with him. Unless... it's about my bijuu. A shiver ran down Naruto's spine.
The older jinchuuriki had explained to him that he had a tailed beast sealed inside of him. He knew that Yagura, Yugito, and B worked together and shared chakra with their beasts as friends. Han, Utakata, and Roshi, while not as friendly, could also control their power and cooperate when necessary. They had all warned him, Fuu, and Gaara about trying to tame their bijuu before they became genin.
Naruto's heart threatened to beat out of his chest. Besides his bijuu, there was nothing interesting about him. What does he want with me?
"What do you want with me?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking without success.
"Just to speak with you." The Hokage lifted his hand from Naruto's head to stroke his beard. "There are a few things we should talk about now that you are getting older."
Naruto's frown deepened and he glared up at the old man. "Why should I speak with you?" he asked
"I'll take you to eat ramen," the Hokage answered.
Ramen?! Worries forgotten, Naruto's eyes lit up in happiness and he beamed at the man. He felt himself drooling. If I get ramen out of it, I'll listen to whatever this old geezer says!
The Hokage chuckled again. He turned around to leave, signaling with one hand for Naruto to follow. Naruto tagged along obediently, already trying to decide what flavor he would order. He wondered if the man would let him order more than one bowl.
"How many bowls can I order, Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked, overly polite. He could already taste the ramen and he hoped some flattery would let him have more than one bowl.
"How many can you eat?" the old man asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. A lot probably."
The Hokage sighed and continued walking. Naruto followed along at his heels, full of excitement. They left the tree grove at the edge of Konoha and headed toward the village center.
Naruto prepared himself for an onslaught of angry stares and mocking sneers. However, instead of the usual hate, the people looked at the old man with respect and admiration.
Some bowed briefly and smiled at the Hokage in reverence while others waved at him respectfully. The old man returned their bows with polite nods of his head and spoke to everyone with a smile.
Naruto stared up at the old man in awe. He wished he could walk the village and receive that kind of adoration.
The old man led them down one of the main streets in the village. Curious, Naruto followed him to a small stand with only a few seats. The sign outside has its name in kanji he didn't recognize. However, Naruto could recognize the all-important word for 'ramen.' It was one of the first words he had learned how to read, after all.
The old man sat down at the bar with a small sigh. Naruto jumped up to sit on the stool next to him. He could smell the broth and meat cooking. He had never smelled anything finer.
"Hokage-sama," a man behind the counter said. "It's nice to see you here. To what do I owe the honor?"
"I brought Naruto-kun for lunch," the Hokage explained.
At his words, the chef turned to look at Naruto at the Hokage's heels. Naruto stopped himself from cowering and prepared himself for the familiar sneer. However, the chef instead looked at him with furrowed eyes. Naruto saw a flash of recognition, but that look was gone so fast that he wondered if he had imagined it.
"Ah, so this is Naruto-kun," the chef said.
Naruto nodded and gulped. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you."
"My name is Teuchi," the man answered with a grin. "You can call me Teuchi-san. It's nice to meet you, too."
"Thank you, Teuchi-san!" Naruto returned the grin.
He looked up at the Hokage next to him. The old man was smiling at him, hand scratching his beard. Naruto would make sure to visit this particular ramen restaurant the next chance he got. Gotta have money first though.
"Well, now that our introductions are out of the way," Teuchi said, "what would you like to eat?"
"I want one of everything!" Naruto declared.
The Hokage chuckled. "Let's start with one bowl, Naruto."
Naruto scrunched up his face in concentration and looked up at the menu. He didn't know all of the characters, especially the kanji, but he could make sense of it. He thought for a few seconds before making a decision.
"I want the chashu pork ramen, please!" he said with a smile.
"Of course!" Teuchi replied. "And for you, Hokage-sama?"
"I'll have the same, please."
"Two bowls of chashu ramen coming right up!" the man declared with a cheerful smile before turning around to prepare their meals.
Naruto tried to peek over the counter to watch the chef work. To his dismay, he was too short to see and Teuchi's back blocked the preparation process anyway. With a pout, he dropped his head on the counter and closed his eyes. He tried to content himself with the smell of the broth.
At his side, the Hokage hummed in amusement. "Naruto-kun, I wanted to talk to you about a few things," he said.
Naruto turned to look up at him. "Talk about what?" he asked.
"I wanted to know how you were doing at the orphanage," the Hokage said. "Do you like it there?"
Naruto shrugged. "It's okay, I guess," he said. "They're always yellin' at me for being too loud, ya know."
"Do you want to continue living there?"
Naruto shook his head. "Not really."
The Hokage hummed, deep in thought. "If you don't like it, what do you think about living somewhere else?" he asked.
"Somewhere else?"
The old man nodded. "Yes. Perhaps at a small apartment to yourself. It might take some time for you to adjust, but I could help you get settled into a new place if you want."
"My own place?!" Naruto leaned forward in excitement. "You mean it?!"
The Hokage blinked before nodding. "Yes, Naruto-kun. I mean it."
"So what is that place like? Can I be as loud as I want? Is it near this ramen stand? Can I come to eat ramen here whenever I want?"
Naruto looked up at the Hokage, eyes bright and curious. However, when the old man opened his mouth to answer, two hot bowls of ramen were placed in front of them. Distracted, Naruto stared at the bowl in front of him.
It was possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Slices of chashu pork were placed artfully atop a plush bed of noodles with a soft boiled egg floating front and center in the broth. His favorite fishcake, the naruto-maki, floated on the surface, surrounded by a colorful variety of vegetables. A sheet of nori was tilted at the edge of the bowl. His mouth salivated from the divine smell emanating from the bowl. He swallowed
"Thank you for the meal," Naruto and the Hokage said at the same time.
Reverently, Naruto took a pair of chopsticks and separated them. Ignoring the temperature, he slurped the ramen noodles.
He swallowed and let out a sigh of pleasure. The Hokage chuckled at his side.
"You really like ramen, don't you?" the old man asked.
"Of course he does!" Teuchi answered with a grin. "My ramen is the best in all of Konoha, if not the world! That's why we are called Ichiraku Ramen!"
Naruto only nodded in agreement, his mouth too full of noodles to answer. He made sure to chew and swallow before answering.
"Yeah!" he answered. "This is the best ramen ever, ya know!"
"You like to flatter this old man!" Teuchi said before laughing.
Naruto ate his bowl as fast as he could. At his side, the Hokage ate much more slowly. He gave Naruto the occasional half-curious and half-horrified glance. Naruto finished his bowl before the Hokage was halfway done with his. He drank the remainder of the broth before sighing in contentment and rubbing at his stomach.
"Ah! That was so good!" Naruto said with a happy sigh before turning to look at the Hokage with what he hoped was a sympathetic look. "Can I have another bowl, please, Hokage-sama?"
The Third Hokage sighed in resignation. "Sure, one more."
Naruto cheered and kicked his legs under the counter. He hummed a song Fuu had taught him as he waited for Teuchi to bring out a second bowl. The Hokage took the opportunity to speak with Naruto without ramen in the way.
"Naruto-kun." Naruto turned to look up at the man again, a small frown on his face. "I was going to say more, but we got distracted."
"Argh!" Naruto yelled, remembering everything he had wanted to know. "Can I live in an apartment close to Ichiraku Ramen?"
The old man sighed. "We can look for a place nearby," he conceded. "However, the most important consideration will be the distance from the Academy."
"Academy?" Naruto tilted his head to the side. "I have to go to the Academy?"
The Hokage nodded. "Next year at the start of April," he explained. "You will start with the early students. The first year will focus mainly on reading, writing, history, and mathematics. You won't be learning ninjutsu until later."
"I'm going to learn ninjutsu?!" Naruto shouted.
"And also reading, writing, history, mathematics," the old man repeated insistently.
Naruto pouted. Reading and writing were difficult for him, but learning ninjutsu would make it worth it. There would also be other children his own age in school. Fuu was always talking about the friends she met at the Academy. Maybe I'll make some friends, too.
"Next year?" Naruto asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Next year," the Hokage confirmed with a nod before taking a bite out of his own bowl of noodles.
"And when can I move into my new house?" Naruto asked.
"In a week or two at most," the Hokage answered. "I want to make sure you are settled for a few months before the school term starts. You will receive a weekly stipend to use however you wish, but you must manage it wisely so you don't run out. If you don't have any money left at the end of the week, you won't be able to buy more food, so be warned."
Naruto nodded in understanding. It made sense to him. He hoped the other jinchuuriki would help him learn how to manage the money. He probably wouldn't have to ask. As the youngest jinchuuriki, they liked telling him what to do. The only ones that never bossed him around were Gaara and Killer B. Fuu is so bossy though.
Teuchi set down the second bowl in front of Naruto. Naruto dug in, although he made sure to slow down and enjoy the flavor the second time. Naruto and the Hokage ate in companionable silence.
When Naruto finished his second bowl, he almost wanted to beg for a third, but he refrained. He didn't want to take advantage of anyone's generosity. Roshi had scolded him about it when he had demanded that Utakata make bubbles.
The Hokage finished his first bowl soon after with a content sigh and he turned to look down at Naruto.
"Are you full?" the old man asked.
Naruto nodded insincerely. I can probably eat at least two more bowls.
The Hokage nodded, relieved that Naruto had finished. "In that case," he said, "let's go. I will walk you back to the orphanage."
Naruto nodded and jumped down from the stool. He turned around to look at the ramen chef, who was busy preparing something behind the counter.
"Goodbye, Teuchi-san!" he said with a grin while waving his hand back and forth.
"Goodbye, Naruto-kun, Hokage-sama," Teuchi replied. "Thank you very much for coming! Please come back again, Naruto-kun." He smiled kindly down at Naruto from behind the counter. "I think you're already one of my favorite customers!"
Naruto blushed. He had never been told something so nice by the people of Konoha. He nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks for the meal!" he said while scratching the back of his neck.
"Let's go, Naruto-kun."
"Yes, Gramps!" Naruto followed obediently.
Naruto saw the man's shoulders tense at the familiar term and a weight settled into his stomach. Was I too familiar?
However, when Naruto saw his face, the man seemed surprised instead of insulted. When the Hokage caught Naruto looking, he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling in happiness. Naruto let out a relieved sigh. He didn't want to insult people who treated him to ramen. Then he might never buy me ramen again!
Together, the old man and the boy walked in the direction of the orphanage. As before, everyone they passed greeted the Hokage reverently. The Hokage returned each of their greetings with nods and pleasantries of his own.
They ignored Naruto, only acknowledging him with small frowns of confusion. Naruto assumed they were wondering why he was with the Hokage. Naruto glared at them in return but said nothing, content in the old man's shadow. They arrived at the gates of the orphanage a few minutes later.
Naruto bit his lip nervously. He had enjoyed the friendly company and he didn't want the day to end so fast. He wavered at the entrance.
"Why are you the Hokage, Gramps?" Naruto asked while pulling on the man's coat, only trying to delay their separation.
The old man hummed thoughtfully before answering, looking down at Naruto. "It's because I'm the strongest shinobi in Konoha," the Hokage answered.
"Am I going to get stronger if I'm in school?"
The Hokage nodded in agreement. "Yes, but you have to study and pay attention. It's not easy and it will take time."
Naruto scratched his chin before beaming up at the old man. "Then, one day, I'm going to be even stronger than you and before the next Hokage!" Naruto declared in excitement. "Then everyone in Konoha will respect me!"
The Hokage's eyes opened wide in surprise before his face shifted and he smiled. The man chuckled and extended one hand to ruffle Naruto's hair.
"Becoming Hokage is not only about being recognized, Naruto-kun," he explained. "It's about taking care of everyone in the village as if they were your own family. That's what it means to be Hokage."
Naruto frowned but nodded nevertheless. He didn't know why he should care about protecting the villagers when they despised him and wished he didn't exist.
With a pout, Naruto turned around to open the gate that led into the orphanage. However, the Hokage interrupted before he had a chance to leave.
"Wait, Naruto-kun," the old man said. "I have something for you."
At those words, Naruto turned back. He watched the man rummage through pockets hidden in the sleeves of his coat. A few seconds later, he pulled out a small box which he handed over to Naruto.
"Happy birthday, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said.
Naruto blinked. Birthday? It's my birthday today?
He looked down at the small box in his hands and gulped. He had never received a present before. Nervous and hesitant, he opened the box. Inside was a small frog-shaped wallet. Its emptiness made it look sad. Underneath was a red envelope. He looked up at the Hokage for confirmation before pulling it out and opening it. Inside the envelope were a few paper bills.
Naruto gasped in surprise. He had never had his own money before. He looked up at the old man, who was smiling in happiness at his reaction.
"I thought you should have a little spending money before you move out on your own," the Hokage explained. "Feel free to use it however you want, but please be responsible."
Naruto felt the tears starting to form in his eyes and he looked up in admiration. Before he had a chance to think or change his mind, he leaped forward and hugged the Hokage around the waist. He made sure not to drop his gift.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Naruto muttered as he buried his face on the man's stomach.
At first, the old man was startled at the sudden contact but simply placed a hand on top of Naruto's head. "You're welcome, Naruto-kun," he said. "Happy birthday. How does it feel to be six years old?"
At the question, Naruto forced himself to let go. He stepped back, rubbing at his eyes with his forearm to stop the tears running down his face. Forcing himself, he grinned at the old man.
"It doesn't feel any different," he admitted. "I forgot it was my birthday until you told me, ya know!"
The Hokage chuckled. "Then I'm glad I reminded you."
Naruto wiped his tears away from his face before bowing down deeply in gratitude.
"Thank you very much, Gramps."
"You're welcome," the old man answered. "I will come and pick you up once it's time for you to move out. I will see you soon, Naruto-kun."
"See you soon, Gramps!" Naruto beamed one last time before turning around and passing through the front gate of the orphanage.
He looked back to wave at the old man, but when he turned, he had already vanished.
O-O-O-O-O
A/N: Nobody taught Naruto about stranger danger. Don't follow people just because they offer ramen! Also, six-year-old children probably shouldn't live alone.
Thanks so much for the r/fanfiction discord server for always being there for me. I could not have done this without you.
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Next Chapter: Naruto makes a friend.