"Jiiijiii! I'm a ninja now!"
Naruto's high-pitched cry rang through the cold air, shattering the early evening calm. Snow blanketed the streets, muting both the boy's shout and the crunch of his footsteps as the blond six-year-old hurtled down Konoha's main thoroughfare. Most people had retreated inside as darkness fell, hoping that the morning would bring an end to the clouds and the sun would once again warm the streets. However, neither the snow nor the prospect of sunshine tomorrow mattered to the little blond as he pounded down the empty street, grinning like a madman despite a puffy eye and the fading bruises on his cheek. Those few merchants who had not yet made it home for the evening gawked for a moment as the Kyūbi no Gaki raced by before they returned their attention to closing their shops.
As he barreled through the front doors of the Hokage tower, Naruto's grin stretched wider as he thought of his day. The morning had been fun, especially when Fujio-sensei had fallen asleep at the board. The old man did that sometimes and was rarely amused with what he found upon waking. Today, Naruto had decided to lead his classmates outside for an impromptu recess when their teacher started to snore. Honestly though, what did Fujio-sensei expect would happen if he fell asleep during class? It was about as nice a thing as Naruto could have done, 'ttebayo! The blond's other ideas would have been far more amusing, but most of the class were tattletales, so the whiskered boy would have been caught as the sole perpetrator and in more trouble had the wrinkled instructor woken to find himself glued to the floor. As it was, the old man had been able to enjoy his short nap in a much quieter classroom as his charges frolicked in the falling snow.
After school had been even better, when the blond had trekked across the village to the ninja academy to deliver the registration papers Jiji had signed for him so that he could attend in April. After dropping them off with the young Chūnin at the administrative desk, Naruto had amused himself on the academy's grounds for a while, playing on the training equipment available there and meeting some of his future classmates. Then, as he'd been getting ready to head home for the afternoon, there had been the shout. Raised, mocking voices that, strangely, weren't directed at him. So, with all the subtlety of a hurricane, Naruto had rushed from his swing to find several older boys circling a crying girl, mocking her, even as she flinched away. Naruto had charged in to defend her and woken several minutes later with a swelling black eye and rapidly darkening bruises. The delinquents seemed to have grown bored and left, as the only one still there when the boy regained consciousness was the dark-haired girl. Seeing that she was now fine, the boy had run off when he realized that it was just about dinner time.
Only after telling the story to Teuchi-jiisan and having the aged restauranteur point out that Naruto had been quite heroic for protecting the girl had the whiskered blond realized just what his actions might mean. Jiji said that protecting people was what ninja did, dattebayo! Hurriedly finishing his meal, Naruto had excused himself and left to go tell the Sandaime about his accomplishment. The old man would surely make him a ninja when he heard! With that thought in mind, the excitable boy skidded to a stop in front of the heavy wooden door that guarded the Sandaime's office, having skated by the secretary who tried to grab him on his way past. Throwing open the door, the blond ran into the office and loudly declared, "Jiji! You gotta make me a ninja now!"
At his desk, the old man smiled at the blond. "Oh, I do, hm? Well, I must admit, I'd like to hear more about what brought about that conclusion, Naruto. However, I am in a meeting now, so I need you to wait outside with Hiseko-san until we're done." With a nod of his head, the village leader indicated the man sitting across from him. The man's jaw was firm and square, and he looked kind of grumpy, if Naruto was honest with himself. Piercing black eyes were framed by coarse brown hair. His clothes were of high quality, but utilitarian in their design.
Naruto turned to leave, pouting a bit before he brightened and turned back to the pair. "But Jiji, he's gonna be part of my family too. I need to meet him." Naruto scampered across the room before planting himself in front of the figure and extending a small hand. "Hiya, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I'm gonna be the Hokage one day, 'ttebayo. What's your name?"
The man stared at Naruto for several seconds, face frozen in an unreadable mask, before answering. "I am Uchiha Fugaku." With that, the strange man turned stiffly back to Sarutobi, "Hokage-sama, might you remove the boy so that we can finish our discussion?"
"Please excuse him, Uchiha-dono," Sarutobi requested as he rose from his seat. "Naruto-kun sometimes forgets that he is not supposed to come into my office without first asking Hiseko-san if I am in a meeting." Naruto squawked and began babbling an explanation, but the old man grabbed the blond around the shoulders and steered him towards the door. "Naruto, I really do need to finish this meeting. Please, go speak with Hiseko-san and get her to bring you an ice pack. I am confident that the story of how you got those bruises will wait until Uchiha-dono and I have finished our discussion and you have received some attention for your scrapes."
The old man escorted the village ward to the door and, after a quick word of instruction to his secretary, returned to settle himself once again behind the desk. "Thank you for your patience, Fugaku-dono. Naruto-kun is young and his manners are lacking without regular instruction. That, however, is not what we were discussing. You've heard my proposal. What are your thoughts on the matter?"
The Uchiha clan head regarded the village leader, his stony face impossible to read. Though short in stature and wrinkled with age, Sarutobi Hiruzen was not a man to take lightly. At 63, he had earned many prestigious titles: Sandaime Hokage, Professor, and Shinobi no Kami. He was a clever man who had seen his people through three Great Shinobi Wars and reclaimed his post after the devastation of the Kyūbi's attack six years ago to strengthen the village against any opportunistic assaults by foreign powers. He was tireless when defending his home and thought of everyone under his command as shinobi of Konoha first and foremost. It was with this thought in mind that the clan head carefully considered the plan laid out by his leader. Finally, the younger man spoke. "Hokage-sama, I cannot agree with your proposal. The Konoha Military Police Force was entrusted to my clan by the Nidaime Hokage. We Uchiha are strong. We will continue to enforce the laws of Konoha, and we will do so without intervention from outside forces."
"I understand that your clansmen are capable of doing their job, Uchiha-dono." Sarutobi's face took on a pained look for a moment before it once again smoothed to a neutral mask. "It was not my intention to suggest otherwise. I merely hoped that we might both benefit from loosening the divisions between your family and the rest of the village. You know what skillsets the other clans might be able to offer to support the police force in its mission. And we need look no further than your own son to see how much of an asset the Uchiha can be on official missions for the village."
"Nevertheless, Hokage-sama," the middle-aged police chief replied as he stood. "We will not surrender what is ours. My answer remains unchanged. Itachi and Shisui have petitioned the clan for special permission to join the village's forces, as is their right. I will not offer the rest of my clansmen for your service, though. The risks of the Sharingan being lost to outsiders while outside the village walls are too great, as Hatake-san has shown us."
Hiruzen's face went stony at the last comment. It was a barbed reminder of how fervently the clan had demanded proof that the boy had any right to bear their kekkei genkai. It was only after Nohara Rin had volunteered for and undergone heavy genjutsu interrogation to corroborate Kakashi's story that the Uchiha had grudgingly consented to allow the last Hatake to keep his transplanted Sharingan. "Very well then," the Sandaime stood and walked with his guest to the door of the study. "I wish you well, Uchiha-dono. Until next time." Sarutobi dipped his head in acknowledgement as he opened the door to his study, seeing his guest out. Once through the door, the Uchiha clan head bowed stiffly to the Hokage. Then, jaw still firmly squared, he turned and strode resolutely out of sight.
Out in the hallway, Naruto moped and held one of Hiruzen's handkerchiefs, likely packed with snow from the windowsill, to his face. "Can I come in nooow?" The blond's whine conveyed just how pleased he was to have been kept waiting. At the Sandaime's nod, the boy hopped off the seat he'd been waiting on and hurried into the office, a grin working its way back onto his face. Once inside, he shed his orange jacket, leaving it in a wet heap on the floor, before perching himself on one of the office's waiting chairs. The Sandaime took a second to hang the jacket by the fireplace before he too came to sit at the desk.
"Before you tell me about your day, Naruto," the Sandaime said as he took his seat and smiled at the blond, "I want to explain why I need you to check in with Hiseko-san before you come into my office." Naruto frowned, but Hiruzen pressed the issue. "As the Hokage, I have many calls for my time, Naruto. Many family members who want me to pay attention to them and help them with their problems. Does that make sense?" Naruto nodded slowly and started to offer some defense, but he quieted at the old man's stern look. "Would you appreciate it if, while you and I were having lunch together, someone else came in and interrupted us? Said I had to pay attention to them and ignore you, even though we were eating together, just a moment before?" Naruto's bright blue eyes grew wide with understanding and he shook his head mutely. "Exactly. I understand that you're excited, and your eye clearly indicates that you have a story to tell, but unless it's an emergency, I want you to ask Hiseko-san before you come in, alright?"
"Okay, Jiji." Naruto nodded his agreement. "But how do I know if it's a 'mergency?"
The Hokage paused to consider. "If someone is badly hurt or will be soon without my intervention, you have my permission to come in. Otherwise, please ask Hiseko-san, and she can tell you if I am entertaining guests." At the blond's assenting nod, the old man continued. "Now, you were quite excited to tell me about your day when you first came in. Does the story have something to do with that eye? It's quite an impressive bruise you have there."
"I saved a princess, Jiji! You have to let me be a ninja now, dattebayo!" Naruto almost bounced out of his chair with excitement at being able to make the proclamation. The boy grinned up at his grandfather figure, clearly proud of himself.
"Really now?" The old man settled back into his chair, smiling at the boy's enthusiasm. "I don't recall making any agreements along those lines. Who was this princess you rescued? And how did she come to be in danger?"
"You did so!" Naruto pointed accusingly at the bemused leader. "You said I needed to wait until I was a ninja before I saved a princess, 'ttebayo. Well, I did today. That means I'm a ninja."
The wrinkled head screwed up in thought for a moment before he smiled across the table at Naruto. "That was quite a while ago, my boy. I'm surprised you remembered. Though, if memory serves, I believe I merely stated that you wouldn't be rescuing any princesses during your first year at the civilian academy. Regardless, I think I'll need to hear a bit more about who this princess is and how you saved her before I'm willing to say you've earned your hitai-ite."
Naruto paused for a moment to consider and blushed. "Well, I don't know who she is." The blond rubbed the back of his head sheepishly with the admission. "But she was really pretty, like a princess. And I saved her from those mean boys. Besides, I should help people even if they're not a real princess, right?"
"That you should, my boy. I'm glad to hear that you're serious about protecting people. It's important for someone who's going to become Hokage. Why don't you start your story from the beginning?" the Sandaime suggested. "Tell me where you met this girl and how you rescued her."
The blond nodded at the suggestion. "So, after school, I went to take those papers to the academy, like you told me to. I had to wait in line a suuuper long time, because there were a lot of people. I saw Sakura-chan from my class and Ami and Hibachi and all their parents too. Then there were even more people I didn't know. There was this kid with a really big dog. It had a funny thing on its eye, and it could talk, like Pakkun-sensei. They were next to me in line. I think he said his name was Kibble." Blue eyes glanced up in curiosity at the Hokage's chuckle, but the Sandaime just waved for Naruto to continue his story. "He said his mom's gonna let him have a puppy when we start the academy, so he can be a ninja." Naruto paused a moment, pondering. "Jiji, why does he need a dog to be a ninja? I know Kaka-nii has Pakkun-sensei and the rest of the pack, but you don't have a dog, and the ANBU don't either."
Hiruzen smiled at the question, "Naruto, I imagine that they boy you met is a member of the Inuzuka clan. Many clans have special traditions for when their children reach a certain age. Most of the time, it shows that the clan feels the child is old enough to really be part of the family. Sometimes, the traditions allow the child to learn a special technique that is part of the clan's heritage. In the case of your young friend, I imagine that his being chosen to raise a puppy is a sign of trust, an indication that he has become a valued part of his clan. Canine familiars are an important part of the Inuzuka clan's ninja heritage."
Naruto had nodded for most of the explanation and now posed a question to the old man. "Does that mean Kaka-nii is a 'Nuzuka? 'Cause he works with Pakkun-sensei and the rest of the pack?"
Sarutobi smiled at the boy. "It's the Inuzuka clan, Naruto. Saying it incorrectly would be like calling you 'Zumaki Natto'. It's very disrespectful. As far as your older brother is concerned, I've heard some people suggest that he has the connection with his ninken because his mother was an Inuzuka, but I don't honestly know for sure. You'd have to ask Kakashi to find out the full story."
Naruto nodded and happily continued his narrative with a lengthy explanation of how he and the young Inuzuka boy had started talking in line and discovered a shared love of the outdoors and camping. Their argument about the greatest spot in the village to go fishing had lasted approximately 30 seconds before both were cuffed over the head by the irate woman with the other boy and told to "Quiet down, runts". Sarutobi could only surmise that Inuzuka Tsume had been frustrated at how quickly the boys' voices had risen in volume. It was hardly surprising, if her son had anything approaching Naruto's natural volume level.
"Then, after I gave the sensei my papers, the boy with the big dog had to go home with his mom. I played with the other kids for a while, but their parents came and got them, too. So, I was sitting on the swing when I heard these people in the trees start talking really loud. They sounded mad, kinda like some of the shopkeepers do when they talk to me, 'ttebayo." The old man's heart clenched at that comment, but Naruto seemed too excited to really pay attention to any possible melancholy. "There was three boys, Jiji. They were standing around this girl and calling her names. She was crying, dattebayo! So, I ran over and told them they better stop, because I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna be the Hokage one day. They can't be mean to my family like that, 'ttebayo."
"I'm very proud of you, Naruto." The Hokage smiled as he spoke, willing the boy to feel the truth of those words. "That desire to protect people is essential to being Hokage. So, what happened after you told them to stop? I take it from your eye that there was a scuffle."
Naruto blushed bright red and began to rub the back of his head at the question. "Well, uh, they laughed and said I was a shrimp and there was three of them and one of me, so I should go away." The blond's face reddened more at the old man's searching look. "I tried the thing Kaka-nii did to make another one of him, but it didn't work. They were really small and not very scary."
"What thing did Kakashi do to make another one of himself?" The Sandaime's question was asked with the same tone of voice as the rest of the conversation, but Naruto noticed the subtle change. Jiji was mad about something. Hesitantly, the blond held his fingers up in a cross shape and showed the old man, whose face instantly hardened into a stormy expression. "Naruto, that is the hand sign for the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, an extremely dangerous technique. Did Kakashi teach you how to do that?"
"No, Jiji." Naruto miserably admitted. "He does it to help set up when we go camping or play with traps. He said I shouldn't try it." At the old man's pointed look, Naruto tried to defend himself. "I had to help her, 'ttebayo. I couldn't just leave her alone!"
"I am not suggesting that you should have left her alone, Naruto." Sarutobi massaged his head to ease the looming headache. "Defending others is an honorable decision, and I am immensely proud of you for standing up for this girl. What I'm upset about is how you decided to go about it. Instead of trying to help her by yourself, you could have gone and gotten an adult. There's a good reason Kakashi told you not to try that jutsu. If it had worked the way it was supposed to, you would likely have been very badly hurt. I want you to promise me that you won't try that again without proper instruction, which will not happen until you are much older and have demonstrated that you can be trusted with dangerous techniques."
Naruto ducked his head and nodded meekly, eager to calm the old man's wrath. "I'm sorry, Jiji. I promise I won't try it again until you say it's okay."
Mollified, the Sandaime leaned backed in his seat and took several deep puffs of his pipe. "Thank you, Naruto. I accept your apology." As shy blue eyes looked up from under too-long blond bangs, Sarutobi smiled to ease the boy's discomfort. "Please understand, that jutsu would kill most children your age, if they attempted it. I don't want to lose you because you were being unnecessarily reckless. Just think how sad Kakashi and Konohamaru would be without their brother."
Naruto's whiskered face screwed up in horror at the thought and he began nodding furiously. "I promise, Jiji. I'm sorry." Leaping off his chair, the blond rushed over to wrap the robed figure in a tight hug.
The pair sat in contented silence for several seconds before Hiruzen pulled Naruto back and the pair exchanged a warm glance. "Now," the Sandaime settled Naruto onto his lap, "I need to hear the rest of your story. How did you defend your princess?"
Naruto scowled at the Hokage's teasing. "She's not my princess, Jiji. She's just a princess." The old man's sage nod and knowing smile didn't really placate the blond, but Naruto decided to continue with his story anyway. "When the jutsu didn't work, I fought the meanies, all by myself. I pushed them over and hit them to make them go away, but eventually they knocked me down. They took my scarf and tore it up. Then they ran away because they were scared of how awesome I was. When I got up, I went to get some ramen from Teuchi-jiisan, and then I came here so you could make me a ninja."
"Well, that's certainly impressive, my boy." Sarutobi caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, as Nezumi made herself visible for a moment. Thankfully, the boy's ANBU detail would be offering the Hokage an unembellished version of Naruto's story when the blond went home. "So, did you say anything to your princess after the bullies left? Did you introduce yourself to her and learn her name so that you could be friends?"
Naruto's jaw worked for a moment before he smacked both hands on his face and dragged them down, pulling his eyelids and lower lip down as he did. "Gah, I forgot! That was stupid. But maybe she's at the academy, dattebayo. Then I can make friends with her there."
"That was silly of you," the old man smiled. "Well, I'm sure you'll meet her again, especially if she's in your class. When you do, please be sure to properly introduce yourself. I've reminded you before about how important manners are."
"Okay, Jiji." Naruto's response was sullen; the whiskered boy was obviously distressed about missing an opportunity to make a new friend.
"Now, now, none of that." A wrinkled hand clapped Naruto on the the back. Sad blue eyes looked up and met twinkling blacks. "You did a wonderful thing today, Naruto. I'm so proud of you, I think you deserve a surprise. In fact, it may be time for that…"
Hiruzen trailed off and chuckled to himself when Naruto took the verbal bait. "It may be time for what, Jiji? What do I get?" The blond began to wiggle and squirm around the chair as he contemplated the possibilities. "You're gonna make me a ninja, aren't you? You are! I'm so awesome. Uzumaki Naruto is the man, 'ttebayo. I'm gonna go on missions with Kaka-nii and teach Konohamaru to be a ninja and then you're gonna make me Hokage." The blond leapt from the old man's lap with his little fist raised in triumph.
Laughing, Sarutobi reached into one of the drawers of his desk and withdrew a small scroll. "Unfortunately, Naruto, there are more requirements to be a ninja than choosing to protect people. If I'm going to send you out on missions, I need to know that you have the skills to successfully complete them. That's what Kakashi is trying to teach you when he takes you camping or builds obstacle courses for you. It's also what you'll be learning at the Academy." The whiskered blond's face fell, but the old man continued. "There is, however, one other trait that's important for a shinobi but can't be taught in the academy. Do you know what it is?" Wordless, the blond shook his head wildly, spiky locks swishing back and forth. "A shinobi is someone with heart: someone who endures to protect what's important to them. You've displayed a lot of maturity and bravery today, Naruto. I'm immensely proud of you, and I think you've earned the right to hear a special story." With that, the old man held the scroll out to his favorite blond.
Naruto eagerly took the scroll, unrolling it to find an empty, white page. The blond quickly unfurled the entire thing, only to reveal an unblemished stretch of white paper, roughly five meters long. Turning accusing blue eyes up toward the old man, the six-year-old pouted. "Why'd you give me a scroll with nothing on it, Jiji? There's no story here." After a second's consideration, he cast appraising, blue eyes over the paper again. "Is this another special kind of seal, like Kaka-nii did with my birthday present?"
Sarutobi nodded in agreement with the blond's assessment. "Your first thought was correct, my boy. There is nothing written on that scroll, not even with Kakashi's special fūinjutsu. I assure you though, it will be important after we finish our story. For now, you can roll it back up." As Naruto began to follow the old man's directions, Hiruzen began his tale with a question. "Naruto, what do you know about the other ninja villages, aside from Konoha?"
Still rolling the scroll, the blond looked to the ceiling, mentally reviewing. "Um, there's a lot of them, right? And they're all in different places. All over the world, 'ttebayo."
"That's true," the Sandaime nodded. "Many of the ninja villages that exist today came into existence many years ago, when I was the same age that you are now." At the gobsmacked expression on the blond's face, the Hokage chuckled. "Oh yes, much as Konohamaru will grow to be as big as you are, and you will grow to be as big as Kakashi, I was once a little boy, too." The old man shook his head wistfully before he continued, "But, we shouldn't let ourselves get distracted by musing on the passing years. Konohagakure, the first hidden village, was founded by the Uchiha and Senju clans, but it was soon followed by many others. First was Iwagakure to our north-west, then Sunagakure in the west. Kirigakure was founded next, hidden among the islands to the east, while Kumogakure was built in the mountains to the far north. These are the five largest shinobi villages, but they are not the only ones. Some shinobi clans didn't want to leave their homes to join with one of the five, despite the protection and wealth that being part of a village offers. These clans formed their own, minor, villages near their traditional homelands, taking what jobs came their way and building alliances with the stronger nations around them for safety."
Naruto's hand waved wildly in the air, cutting off the old man's lecture. "Jiji, why didn't they wanna go to the villages? They should've come to live in Konoha. It's awesome here, dattebayo!"
"I'm quite glad to hear you say that my boy," the old man beamed at Naruto's comment. "But I would wager that what you enjoy so much about Konoha are the memories you've made here and the people who have become part of your family, right? The same was true for these clans who founded the minor villages. Even if they weren't quite as well off, they loved their homes and didn't want to leave."
Naruto nodded his agreement. "Okay, I get it." Then, bright blue eyes focused on the Hokage's weathered face. "So, why do you gotta tell me all this, Jiji? Is it part of the story?"
Hiruzen nodded, glad that Naruto seemed interested in hearing the old man's tale. "I wanted to make sure that you understand how the ninja villages came to be. I want to tell you a about a special clan that helped found and keep the village of Konoha safe, even though they were never part of it. Instead, they made their own ninja village on an island just off the eastern coast of the Land of Fire." The Professor pulled his map of the ninja world onto his desk and pointed to the island, in question. "The village was called Uzushiogakure, and the clan was the Uzumaki."
Naruto gasped and began bouncing in his seat. "Hey Jiji, that's my name! I have a family? Where are they? Why don't I know any of them?" The blond paused for a moment, thinking, before his face fell. "They don't like me, do they? Did they get rid of me? I bet they said you have to like me because you're the Hokage, and you have to be everyone's family."
"No, Naruto, that's not it at all," Sarutobi assured the boy, pulling the blond into a hug as blue eyes began to tear up. The pair sat in silence for several minutes with the old man gently tracing circles on the sniffling little boy's back. When Naruto's tense frame had relaxed, the Sandaime pulled the boy back and made eye contact. "Naruto, I apologize. Can you forgive this foolish old man for hurting you with his words?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his hand across his face, smearing the goop from his nose everywhere. The Hokage produced a handkerchief and held it up for the boy to blow his nose in. After a particularly long and loud blow, Naruto's face was mostly clean. As the old man folded the wet cloth on the side of his desk, Naruto looked at him with sad eyes. "Jiji, why did you talk about my family? Where are they? Don't they want me?"
The Sandaime gave a tired sigh and took off the Hokage's hat. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I was thoughtless when I spoke and didn't consider what you might conclude with limited information." He brought the boy back into a tight hug, willing Naruto to feel his love through the contact. When they broke apart after several seconds, Naruto's sky-blue eyes were more at peace, so Sarutobi continued. "There is a reason you have never met any of your clansmen, Naruto. Would you be willing to listen as I tell you about the Uzumaki clan and the founding of Konoha?"
The blond head nodded hesitantly, so the old man began to weave a tale of the Senju and Uzumaki clans' shared ancestry. He spoke of the Warring States era and the brutal conflict between clans that left many dead. The Sarutobi patriarch recalled Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama's vision of a peaceful place where children could grow up without the constant fear of war. Crafting a genjutsu from his memories, Hiruzen showed Naruto the founding of the village and the celebrations that followed. He told Naruto of all the clans that had made Konoha their home and the one that hadn't. The Sandaime spoke of how the Uzumaki had been invited to join Konoha but had declined the offer in favor of remaining in their island home. Despite this, they had been willing to share their expertise in fūinjutsu to help protect Konoha and to form an alliance for mutual aid. Finally, the old man told his charge of the Second Great Shinobi War and the sacking of Uzushio. With a slight tremor in his voice, he spoke of the evening that a messenger hawk had soared into the rookery carrying a request for aid that told of a sudden and vicious assault on the island village. The Hokage had personally led a force of several hundred of Konoha's finest to relieve their beleaguered allies but had arrived only to find the village already destroyed.
"So, you see, Naruto," the old man concluded sadly, "you were never unwanted. It's simply that I was unable to protect your family. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you from that."
The last Uzumaki sat, frozen in his seat, as he processed everything he'd heard. Wide blue eyes took in the hunched shoulders of his favorite old man as he pondered the haggard, mournful tone of voice that had accompanied the last admission. Silently easing himself off his chair, the little boy walked over and pulled himself onto the Sandaime's lap, standing so that the two were eye-to-eye. Then, it was Naruto's turn to grasp the old man like a lifeline, hugging as fiercely as his six-year-old arms could. "Jiji, thanks for telling me that story, 'ttebayo," Naruto's normally sunny voice whispered, thick with emotion. "Thanks for telling me that I had a family. Thanks for trying to help them. I'm sad that my family's gone, but I can't be mad at you. You're part of my family too, and you tried to help the Uzumaki."
"Thank you for that, Naruto. You don't know how much that means to me," the old man whispered, silently reflecting on the other Uzumaki with whom he'd had this same conversation. As the pair broke apart, the old man chuckled as he looked at the clock on the wall. "Well, that took longer than I'd expected. Let's get you home, Naruto. You still have school tomorrow, after all."
"Aw, Jiji!" Naruto's whine was disgruntled enough to cause the old man to chuckle softly. "We can't be done yet! You haven't told me what the scroll's for, 'ttebayo! Besides, I don't wanna go to school tomorrow. I want you to tell me more about my family."
"There will be time for that after school tomorrow," the Hokage promised. "For now, you need to head to bed so that you can grow big and strong. But you can come visit me right after school finishes tomorrow. Bring the scroll and your calligraphy set, because I will tell you about one of the Uzumaki clan traditions that I know of."
"Really?! Yatta!" Naruto leapt back to his seat and grabbed the scroll, clutching it like a lifeline.
The old man chuckled to himself as he watched the blond run to grab his jacket from where it was hanging by the fire. Naruto truly was a miraculously kind child if he was willing to forgive such spectacular failures so easily. And, the Sandaime mused, when the boy earned the right to call himself an Uzumaki, he would understand enough to learn more about his 'unique' situation.
"Hokage-sama, Uzumaki Naruto is here."
The Sandaime looked up from the report he had been going over, confusion etching deep lines on his face. "Is everything alright? It's only ten o'clock. He should be in school right now, Hiseko-san."
"I am very aware of that," the middle-aged woman's lips pursed in displeasure as she gave the news. "He brought this letter from his instructor." With a flourish, she offered a folded sheet of paper to the Sandaime.
Hiruzen accepted the page, curious to see what had happened. Hokage-sama, the note began. Uzumaki Naruto has been removed from the classroom today, as he has proven even more disruptive than usual. He was constantly fiddling with his supplies and paid no attention to our discussion. Additionally, he occasionally broke out in giggling fits, which distracted the entire class. When reprimanded, Uzumaki explained that he was excited to continue a discussion he had begun yesterday evening with you and would do so after the school day was finished. I dismissed him and gave him this note to pass on to you when he arrives at the end of the day. If I may, I would humbly request that any further conversations concerning this topic (whatever it is) be completed when they are introduced, lest Uzumaki continue to disrupt his peers' learning. Yours, Nakamura Fujio
As the Sandaime folded the note, frowning at the teacher's tone, Hiseko-san opened the door to reveal Naruto barely perched atop the chair across from the secretary's desk. Deep bags under his eyes showed that the boy hadn't really slept the previous night, but the blond still seemed awash with nervous energy that he was barely able to restrain. As soon as the door swung open, Naruto's blue eyes snapped to it, eagerness etched plainly on his chubby face. Small hands clenched a calligraphy set to the boy's chest, while the blank scroll from the previous evening peeked out of the backpack sitting beside the chair.
With a resigned sigh and a wistful smile, Sarutobi waved the boy into his office. "Come in, Naruto. Thank you for waiting outside with Hiseko-san."
The secretary held the door as Naruto raced into the office before making eye contact with the Sandaime and quietly reminding him, "You have a meeting with Takagawa Kakū-sama at eleven, regarding his escort detail. I'll order you bento lunches for twelve thirty. Yesterday, Yamanaka Noriko-sama asked for the opportunity to speak with you about her clan purchasing a block of land that the village took possession of after the Kyūbi attack. I've scheduled her for two o'clock. At three, you have the meeting with the merchant guild representatives about reducing tariffs on goods imported from the Land of Water." At the tired sigh and the assenting nod, she closed the door, leaving the Hokage alone with his favorite blond.
"Ohayō Jiji!" Naruto's voice was chipper, though the old man could hear the fatigue in the boy's voice. "Fujio-sensei decided to let me come talk to you before school was done today, dattebayo! He must have wanted me to have a break because I've been working so hard."
"He did, did he?" Hiruzen asked, bemused. "Are you sure it didn't have anything to do with you disrupting class, Naruto?" The old man held up wrinkled note from the instructor and Naruto's tan face paled slightly. "Fujio-san seems to think that you were being distracting to the rest of the class."
"It's not my fault, 'ttebayo." Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "How am I supposed to pay attention when I'm gonna learn about my family after it's done? It's all super boring stuff, anyway."
The Sandaime was not impressed. "Naruto, you need to pay attention to what you're doing, even when you have something more enjoyable to look forward to later. When Kakashi is out on a mission, is it okay for him to not pay attention to what he's doing because he wants to be back in the village with you? Can I ignore an important client when I have dinner planned with you that evening?"
"No." Naruto's retort was sullen. "But Jiji, I really tried to pay attention. It was just so hard, 'ttebayo."
Sarutobi looked over the blond's face for a second before he sighed in resignation. "I suppose that I can't fault you too much. Fujio-san's note does say that you made a sincere effort to attend and participate in your class." Naruto visibly relaxed at the admission, though he still seemed tense. The old man could guess at some of the emotions at play in the blond: excitement to continue the discussion from yesterday, defensive anger at the accusation that he had purposefully caused trouble in class, apprehension about what other painful facts his Jiji might share tonight, and a deep weariness from having been unable to fall asleep the previous evening. Well, there was no point sending the boy back to the academy now. He'd never be able to focus. Best just to get him some rest before the evening.
Rising, the Hokage went to one of the bookshelves in his office, pulling a dusty scroll from where it had sat, unused, for many years. As he brought it back to his desk, the Sandaime addressed his ward. "Naruto, I would very much like to continue our discussion from last night. However, much as you needed to get through the school day, I also have obligations for today. So," with a puff of smoke, a sleeping mat, a pillow, and a blanket appeared on the old man's desk, "why don't you take a nap, and I will wake you when I'm finished with my meetings. You don't look like you slept very well last night."
The blond smiled sheepishly. "I went to bed when I was supposed to, honest. I just kept thinking about having a family, and I couldn't fall asleep."
"That's perfectly understandable." Sarutobi smiled and brought the pad over to where a sunbeam from the window was leaving a warm spot of the floor. Turning to Naruto, he winked and whispered conspiratorially, "I happen to know for a fact that this corner is a wonderful place for a nap. When Asuma and Hideko were little, they sometimes spent the day at the office with me. They loved to sleep curled up here while I took care of my meetings and paperwork."
Naruto hesitated for a second before he brought his armful over to the corner and carefully stored his brushes and inkwell within the bag. "We're really gonna talk about my family when I wake up?" the blond asked as he laid down. At Hiruzen's gentle nod, the boy grabbed the blanket and nestled in for a quick rest. "I'll only sleep for a little bit, Jiji. Then I'll help you be Hokage until you're done," the whiskered six-year-old murmured as he watched his Jiji run through four ninja hand signs in quick succession. It really is a good spot, Naruto thought blearily to himself as the old man's genjutsu took hold and the tired six-year-old drifted off to a dreamless sleep.
"Naruto, it's time to wake up."
What seemed like moments later, Naruto found himself being gently shaken awake by Jiji, who wore an amused smile. The whiskered blond looked around, blinking sleep from his eyes as he took in the room around him. The midmorning sunlight coming through the window had been replaced by a warm glow as the late afternoon sun sank below the horizon.
"How did you sleep, Naruto?" The Sandaime smiled as the boy stretched. "I told you that it's a good spot for a nap."
"It is, Jiji," the boy agreed as he scrubbed his eyes to clear them of sleep dust. After a second, a shock of energy seemed to run through his system, and the golden blond hair and sky-blue eyes each became a touch more vibrantly colored. "You're done with your meetings, right Jiji?! That means you can tell me more about my family, 'ttebayo!"
Naruto's excited exclamations were cut short by a loud grumble from the boy's stomach. Hiruzen laughed and reached over to his desk where two boxed dinners sat wrapped in decorative cloth. "Hiseko-san was kind enough to procure a meal for us before she left for the evening. Now, we can stay in and talk about the Uzumaki until you need to head home."
Naruto nodded happily and moved over to the seat that had been set up near the Sandaime's desk. Depositing his backpack by the side of the chair, small fingers undid the cloth wrapping for the bento, and the boy began to eat the prepared curry and rice meal with gusto. Looking up at the old man, who was eating far more slowly than his counterpart, Naruto started the conversation. "Sho, whass ya goa te re 'bowt da Uzuahi, Jiji?" At the old man's disappointed frown, the whiskered boy hastily swallowed and tried again. "So, what are you gonna tell me about the Uzumaki, Jiji?"
Finishing his bite, the Sandaime addressed the boy. "Well, Naruto, I think that we ought to wait until we're finished with our dinner, but then I'd like you to tell me what you remember from our talk yesterday." Naruto nodded excitedly and began to stuff the rest of his dinner into bulging cheeks as quickly as he could. At the Sandaime's stern look, the blond grinned sheepishly and resumed eating at a slightly slower pace.
Several minutes later, Naruto had finished his dinner, and, at the Sandaime's nod, he began to recite what he remembered from the previous evening's conversation. "The Uzumaki are my family. They're a ninja clan. They lived on an island called the Land of Whirlpools, and they called their village Uzu-something too, dattebayo! They're friends with the Senju clan and helped build Konoha, but they didn't move here. I think you said that the Shodai Hokage's wife was an Uzumaki, though, right?" The reigning Hokage nodded in affirmation, so the little boy continued. "Their island was attacked by a bunch of ninja, and they all died a lotta years ago. Now, I'm the only Uzumaki there is, 'ttebayo." The boy's whiskered face drooped in sadness for a moment before he raised his head and continued with blue eyes shining. "But the circles on the ninja vests are the Uzumaki symbol. They help all the people in Konoha remember their friends. And I'm gonna learn all about what it means to be an Uzumaki, and I'm gonna make my family proud!"
"I'm sure you would already make them proud, Naruto," Sarutobi replied to the blond's declaration. "That was a good summary of the basics, my boy. Do you remember what we talked about before that?"
Naruto's brow scrunched up in concentration as he tried to dig past the incredibly relevant information about his family to recall what else had been part of the day's conversation. "Wasn't it about that girl I helped?"
Hiruzen nodded. "That was what we discussed immediately preceding the conversation about your family, but it wasn't what I had in mind with my question. What do you remember from our discussion about clan coming-of-age traditions?" Naruto's response to the question was a blank stare, so the Sandaime tried again to prompt the boy's memory. "You had met a boy as you waited in line to turn in your paperwork for the ninja academy? He was part of the Inuzuka clan and said he'd be getting a puppy in time for classes to start?"
"Ooooh! Kibble!" Naruto ginned at the memory. "He seemed pretty fun. I hope he's in my class."
"I imagine that Kibble wasn't his actual name, Naruto." Sarutobi sighed as the six-year-old grinned up at him unrepentantly. "What was it that I told you about him getting a puppy?"
Naruto's face screwed up in concentration as he tried to remember that part of the conversation. Eventually, he offered a hesitant answer. "Er, was it something about how he was a big kid because he got to take care of the puppy?"
"Close enough," the Hokage agreed. "I told you that many clans have coming-of-age traditions for younger members to officially become part of the clan."
"Oh yeah!" Naruto rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "You said that his clan trusted him to be 'sponsible, so they were gonna let him have a puppy, 'ttebayo." After a second, blue eyes flew open, and Naruto finally saw the connection that his Jiji had been trying to make. "Wait! Does that mean you're gonna give me a puppy too, Jiji? 'Cause I'm gonna be in the academy and I have to be 'sponsible? I'm gonna be a ninja, after all, so I'm super 'sponsible, dattebayo! I do all my homework, and I pay attention in class, and I eat my vegetables, even if they're gross. I…"
Naruto's rambling was interrupted as he noticed the old man waving to catch his attention. "You're nearly correct, my boy," the Sandaime clarified. "Taking care of a puppy is a rite of the Inuzuka clan, and you are the last of the Uzumaki clan. Thus, I have something different in mind for you."
"Oooh, whatisitwhatisitwhatisit?" Naruto launched himself out of his chair onto the Hokage's lap, fairly vibrating from the eagerness etched on his face.
"Well, let's see if you can guess," Sarutobi chuckled, having expected this reaction. "What did I say that the Uzumaki were particularly skilled at last evening?"
"Um, you said they were really happy," Naruto offered.
"They were an energetic and happy clan," the old man agreed. "They displayed incredible life energy that allowed them to live much longer than other ninja. Uzumaki Mito-sama outlived her husband, the Shodai Hokage by nearly twenty years. Their life energy allowed some Uzumaki to heal others quite proficiently, as well as to survive and recover from normally fatal wounds." As Naruto's eyes grew big, the Sarutobi elder continued. "That wasn't what I had in mind, however. I also told you that the Uzumaki were particularly skilled as users of fūinjutsu, Naruto."
"Oh," Naruto paused for a second before he looked at the old man in confusion. "Jiji, how do I get to be an Uzumaki with fūinjutsu?"
"Well," the Hokage answered, "I knew several Uzumaki before the village fell, including an old man named Uzumaki Kenta who was the clan head. He told me that a child may consider themselves to be a full-fledged Uzumaki after they make their first storage scroll."
"What's that?" Naruto cocked his head to the side, confusion written plainly on his features.
"Well, do you remember how I pulled the sleeping mat out of the scroll today?" Naruto nodded hesitantly and the Sandaime continued. "The mat, the blanket, and the pillow were sealed into my scroll with fūinjutsu, like the picture in Kakashi's gift to you." Grabbing the scroll in question, the old man brought it over to where Naruto had napped that afternoon. The blond followed silently, blue eyes wide and eager. Kneeling, the Hokage smoothed the bedroll and folded the blanket before channeling a bit of chakra to the seals inked on the scroll. After a puff of smoke, the floor was clear, and the three previously empty seals once again bore the kanji for 'full'. "If you can create your own storage seal like this one," the Sandaime began, "I will officially induct you into the Uzumaki clan."
"Yatta!" Naruto leapt into the air and began to run back to his bag, eager to begin. Suddenly he stopped short. "Jiji, I don't know how to make the seal."
"Ah," Hiruzen smiled. "I'm glad you realized that before you started working. That scroll I gave you yesterday is your official practice scroll for the storage seal." Seating himself, the elder accepted the object in question when Naruto offered it and rolled out a length a little longer than the width of his shoulders. "First, make sure you don't write anything here until you're ready to show me that you can create the seal. The rest of the scroll is for you to practice on, but I want you to make sure you keep this section clean until you're confident you can do it."
"Okay, Jiji," Naruto agreed, reaching for the scroll. Once he had it in hand, however, the blond blushed. "Ano, I still don't know how to do it, Jiji. How do I make the seal?"
"With lots of practice," the old man smiled at Naruto's aggravated groan. "Sealing is a very precise art, and I want to make sure that you're being safe as you work at it. Besides, Gekage-kun, I have full faith that you'll be able to create the seal, if you practice enough. Now, the first thing we need to do is make sure that you're able to control the amount of chakra that you're pushing into the brush. Do you remember…?"
As the ninja who had earned the epitaph of 'the Professor' began to instruct his newest pupil, Sarutobi smiled to see the determination in Naruto's face. Yes, the old man reflected, Naruto would put his heart and soul into learning this seal. And when he did, the Hokage would make sure the boy knew enough of the mechanics of sealing that the pair could have an uncomfortable, but necessary, conversation about another, much more important seal.