Back In the Leaf

Letters from Ryōzanpaku

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat with his head bowed, he was massaging a throbbing vein in his head, as it pulsed from the blood thrumming through his brain, it has been one month since Naruto disappeared from the village. His other hand was drumming agitatedly on his desk, between his restless fingers, and the wood of the desk, were two letters. One was from his surrogate grandson, Uzumaki Naruto, telling him things about what happened one month ago, the other side of the story he was told over a month ago. When the Sandaime returned to his village, three days after the brutal murders of over thirty people, he was told by his own council, and the Uchiha Police Force, that a six-year-old boy was the one who did it, for no other reason, than because he just went crazy and started attacking people. The forest of metal spikes blocking one section of the wall, circling Training Ground 44, was explained as the work of the Demon. Really, Sarutobi thought bitterly, if it were from anybody else, the metal spikes would be considered miraculous, but coming from the demon, it was demonic power at its most evil?

This was behavior the aged Hokage, was loath to believe about his grandson, either out of tenderness and affection, or because it was so out of character. At no time in the past has Naruto Uzumaki, ever instigated any of the confrontations in which he found himself but is usually on the receiving end. Hiruzen raised his eyes to the first letter he had read that day, he had read the lines of the letter many times since he opened it, so he remembered the words as though he had written them himself:

"Dear Jiji,

"I am sorry, but I had to leave. I won't be coming back, either, not until I'm strong enough to take back, everything the Uzumaki have ever given to Konohagakure no Sato. As the only surviving member of that clan, everything we gave to Konoha will be taken back, and used for a people who would be truly grateful for having it, not trampling over the last scion of that clan. That was just a long-term goal I have in mind, and not the true purpose of this letter. I am writing you to furnish you with my side of events for the night of the 10th of October, one month ago.

"It all started, while I was on my way to Ichiraku's Ramen stand, in fact it happened within sight of it. If you need corroboration of what I am about to say, you may ask Teuchi Ichiraku. As he saw how the whole things started, and don't blame him for not stepping in for me, he is not a ninja, and he had to protect, big sister Ayame. It wasn't his responsibility to step in, it was the damn Uchiha Police's job to see to the safety of all citizens of Konoha, not just the one's they like. There was plenty of noise, enough to bring every Elite Ninja in the Uchiha ranks, I cannot imagine what could've prevented them from doing something to intervene?

"Getting back to point, the whole thing started as I was approaching Ichiraku's Ramen Stand, as one of the few civilians in Konoha to not only acknowledge me, but to actually like me. They were one of the few people there to treat me like family, maybe it was because they knew my mother, Kushina Uzumaki from when she was a genin and carried a certain fox within her body. Yes, I know about the biju, and Jinchuriki, we get along pretty well, having formed into a symbiotic relationship, the details are none of your business. It won't tell me whom my father is though, said it wasn't time to know that, because it would put our life in jeopardy if I knew, and I trust it, now more than I ever trusted you, Sarutobi-san.

"The Ichiraku's invited me to get a free birthday bowl of ramen, they've been doing that for me for two-years, since the orphanage. I was within sight of them, when I notice the mob forming, it was such a precision trap, like someone had been informing someone of my habits, and mentality. They knew, I wouldn't risk getting the few people in that village that cared about me hurt, so instead of completing my journey to the stand, I took one last look and turned the corner away from them. I started to casually walk down the broad street toward the outskirts of the Village, I got as far as I thought I needed to be, then broke into a run. The cast-off clothing, I wore didn't hinder me too much, only the shoes I wore, kept me from my top speed, so as soon as I could, I kicked them off, and kept running.

"Before long, we came to a fence, more like a wall and there, one of the women of this village, told me about the Kyūbi, and what truly happened to the Yondaime. They knew I wasn't the Nine-tails, but somehow, they knew that if by killing me, the Fox inside me would die as well, you see they knew I wasn't the Demon. As for what happened, how I got away, I quite by accident discovered a new chakra release nature transformation, but it's not a Bloodline Limit, it is in fact a Bloodline Select. The people I'm staying with, measured my nature affinities, it seems I have three of them: Earth, Wind, and Fire. Anyway, that night, because I was so afraid - even if I didn't show it - I instinctively sent my awareness and chakra into the ground, and found lots of metal, natural deposits of iron alloy. I brought it up and impaled those people, I think in total, thirty people died from my actions, looking back, now that I have had time to remember, it reminded me of those stories, merchants brought from the West, about a tyrannical prince, named Dracula.

"If you're wondering where I am, I will tell you. I have become a student of Ryōzanpaku, Ronin School for the Ninja Arts, when I graduate, when they deem me ready, I will not be bound to any village. It has only been two weeks since I joined, and I am already more at home here, than I ever felt in the Leaf.

"From, y-g-n, (your grandson)

Uzumaki Naruto o-K-a, (of Konoha)

Ryōzanpaku, Two Rivers Village."

When Hiruzen read it the first time, it brought tears to his eyes, he had lost someone he saw as part of his family, at the hands of the village he loved. The change from Jiji, to Sarutobi-san, and the deliberate cross outs, said more than any words that Naruto blamed the Sandaime for not protecting him, and Hiruzen now that he thought about it, could not bring himself to disagree. In a Hidden Ninja Village, the ryo (buck) really does stop with the leader of that village, who is supposed to protect all the village's citizens. Not only was Naruto's protection, the Hokage's responsibility as a citizen of Konoha, and Hi no Kuni, but as a Jinchuriki, Naruto was a military asset, and was well within the Hokage's jurisdiction, while he remained within the village. Now, Naruto who was not yet a ninja, was beyond the Hokage's power, and when he became a ronin, would be the only independent Jinchuriki in the world.

The Third moved the letter from Naruto aside, and looked at the other letter from Ryōzanpaku. That one was shorter, but it left a more lasting impression, picking it up, Sarutobi read it again:

"Sarutobi,

"You were once able to convince me that my nephew's child, would be safe if he stayed in your village, you promised to protect him. You have failed to do so, you broke your promise to me, and there will be repercussions. When I think the time is right, I will reveal to Naruto the entirety of his family, what he does with that knowledge will be up to him. Your negligence, and blind faith in that insipid village of yours, nearly cost my nephew his legacy. Naruto will be training at Ryōzanpaku, now, and even in the couple of weeks he has been here, not only has he been shown to have hitherto unheard of potential, but he has integrated himself into the hearts of nearly every person in this school. My Miu, her friend, and the young lady he arrived with all view him as a little brother, myself and the other staff, have taken to him like he is a young nephew. Even my most cynical staff-members, have become very protective of Naruto, he has found a home here, and will always be welcome.

"I am a superstitious man, Sarutobi, and I take my family very seriously, which now includes my nephew's son, and I say this with the deepest conviction I can convey through paper. If while training here and living under my roof, or within the Village of Two Rivers, something happens to this child. If he get's stabbed, blown-up, has a flowerpot fall on his head, or get's struck by lightning, then I will find the one responsible for it, and then I will reap vengeance upon that person. If it's a ninja, an ANBU, a Kage, I don't give a damn if Kami-herself caused it to happen, they will feel the full force of my wrath, this I promise you.

"With full sincerity,

Namikaze Hayato,

Elder of Ryōzanpaku,

Ronin School for the Ninja Arts."

There was a knock at his office door, and his voice, clogged as it is with emotion was unrecognizable as he spoke, "Yes?"

The voice of his secretary answered through the door, "the Elders, are here to see you, Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen finally managed a grim smile, "show them in, please," he curtly ordered!

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the reply came!

The door opened the three people, who were supposed to advise him on policy, trooped into his office, Danzō had a somber expression on his face. He looked at Sarutobi and could see that his long time friend's smile, was not a happy one. He looked down at the letters on his Hokage's desk, then back up, "Hokage-sama, what word do you have on the whereabouts of Uzumaki-san?" The Hokage looked down at the letters, then putting his fingers on both of them pushed them toward his advisers.


"Mail for Ichiraku!"

The voice of Courier Ninja 607-14, could be heard from outside the closed stall, the Ichiraku family, had not opened their stall to the public for a little over a month now. Ayame, twelve, was all but inconsolable, when she heard the purely fabricated lie, being told about their favorite customer, her father felt very old at the moment, and he was terribly ashamed of his home. He moved to this Village, during Hashirama's reign as Hokage, he was a small boy with his family. His father said, it was a new era for ninja, after all the ceaseless wars, that more than a few non-combatants became caught up in. Who knew the era could have come and gone within his lifetime, that fact was not made more clear, than when his fellow Konohans, took pleasure in causing pain and misery to a small boy?

Teuchi was no more an expert on sealing arts, than any other civilian, he did not know if the Demon had, or could have, taken hold of the boy known as Naruto. He only knew, that it had not happened yet, if it ever could, without the boy's blessing. He did have tremendous faith, in the Fuinjutsu prowess of the Yondaime, and if he could not have done it, then his wife, lover, girlfriend, whatever, could have, because she was an Uzumaki, who had learned her Sealing Arts from Mito-sama herself. The premier Sealing Master of all time, and that, as well as how beautiful she was, were hard, cold facts. If there was much about sealing, Mito Uzumaki did not know, then it just had not been invented, or discovered yet. Kushina was Mito's disciple in Fuinjutsu, Uzumaki Fuinjutsu, who were reputed to be the best in the known world, and the reason it took three whole villages, sending a large force from each, to destroy.

The old man had faith in both of Naruto's parents, when it came to Sealing, and for that fact, he never once doubted, who was looking back at him through the boy's eyes. "Mail for Ichiraku," came the voice of the courier ninja again!

Teuchi stood up, making his way to the entrance of his Ramen Stand, "I am Ichiraku."

The ninja postman looked at the old man, studying him, then smiled, "Is Ayame-san here today," at Teuchi's inquiring face, the ninja answered, "there is an inquiring question, she needs to answer in order to verify, you are the people I must deliver to," he said, and there was a hint of color in the courier's face.

Teuchi studied the man in front of him suspiciously, before warily turning to call up the stairs into the apartment he shared with his daughter. "Ayame… Ayame-chan!"

"Yes, Father," came the reply?

"Would you please, come down here for a moment," Teuchi asked?

"Be right there, Father," another reply came, and a set of heavy steps, trudged steadily down to the ground floor. Ayame had seen better days, on the night of Naruto's birthday, she seemed to take great pains to dress up, even dawning a very ceremonial kimono, if Teuchi did not know any better, she looked like she was getting ready for a suitor, she's much too young to be thinking about that yet. Plus, after the last month, there wasn't any boy in this God-forsaken village, he would deem worthy of his daughter, if there ever was. Now, since Naruto ran away, she looked as if her world had stopped, and her bloodshot eyes, gave mute evidence that she had been crying recently. "What is it, Father," she asked, and though respectful to her father, her tone was full of melancholy, then in an angry tone, "if you want to open the Ramen stand, that's fine but we're charging double to anybody who says anything remotely disparaging about Naruto," she declares!

Teuchi waves off her comment, and points to the courier-ninja, standing at the entrance, "this man has a message for us, but says you have to answer an identifying question."

Ayame turned to look at the courier, and nodded, "Yes, I am Ayame… Ichiraku," the hesitation was slight but it was noticeable, "how may I help you," she asked in her best neutral, waitress voice?

"I have a package for Ayame Ichiraku," the ninja stated, "you need to answer a question that will identify you."

"Very well," Ayame sighed, just hoping to get this over with, so she can retreat back into her room, "what is the question?"

The courier-nin blushed, but his voice remained rock-solid as he asked, "the first boy you ever kissed was not your age, how old was he at the time, and what did you promise to do on his birthday?"

Teuchi gasped, "Ayame-chan," in rebuke!

It was like the sun coming up on her face, and the biggest, brightest, happiest smile to grace her lips in a month, "the first boy I kissed was five-years-old at the time, and I promised I'd marry him on his birthday, after he became Chunin, no matter how long it took."

"The one I'm delivering the message for, said if you didn't say that last part, you were probably not the real, Ayame-san," the courier stated, as he ran through some hand seals, before a puff of smoke later, a tiny box was in his hand, "and not to give this to you, because you whispered the last part into his ear."

Ayame had a blush on her cheeks as she nodded, "that's right," she said with a giggle. She took the tiny box from the courier-nin, and thanked him, just as he disappeared in another puff of smoke.

Teuchi had hands on hips and looked at his daughter, with a stern look on his face, "Ayame-musume, what do you mean you kissed a boy, and then promised to marry him, you're too young to even think about getting married."

Ayame barely even looked at her father, keeping her face on the box, eyes in a slightly wistful cast, "it doesn't require much in the way of explanation, dad, there was no uncertainty in my statement. The first boy I kissed, just so happens to be the last man I ever want to kiss," she looked at the box, and admired the exterior, it was a plain box with a vanilla finish, and not much embellishment, but to Ayame Ichiraku, it was the equivalent of a treasure chest. "As for your statement, about when I should or shouldn't be thinking about getting married, I'm afraid, you have no say in when or how I think of anything, as is, to whom I get married," she lightly rebuked her father, "all you must decide is whether you approve or disapprove, which won't change my mind at all, we'll still become husband and wife. Your choice of approval will decide if you're invited, and whether you ever get to meet your grandchildren, or not," she cast him a steely gaze, that said, 'just see if I'm kidding,' she turned back to the box and opened it.

Teuchi was taken aback by Ayame's resolve in this matter, so in frustration, not connecting the dots yet, and asked, "just who is this Casanova, that's seemed to move my normally, meek, little girl, into such passion for him, when she's barely even started liking boys?"

"Naruto," she answered without a single hesitation, "he's the first boy I've ever kissed, really kissed, and that was all it seemed to take, before I fell madly in love with him."

"But… but he's so much younger than you," Teuchi complained, "and how will you even find him, when the time comes, we don't know where he is," he informed her.

"I know, Father," she said absently, as she read the letter that came with a ring that looked like it was made of bronze, "but when it comes to love, age is nothing but a number, and Naruto's in the Village of Two Rivers, and is part of an organization called Ryōzanpaku, a Ninja School for Ronin, and he's become an apprentice metalsmith and metallurgist. That's pretty smart, even shinobi and kunoichi here in Konoha, go through dry spells for missions," Ayame finished reading and looked up at her dumbstruck father. "Awe, he said they discovered three kekkei genkai, nature transformations," she added, "magnet, scorch, and lava, all of which would lend itself well, to smithing and metal sciences

Teuchi's brain finally caught up with what his daughter was saying, and grinned, "well, I'm glad you've found someone, my dear," he said, as he walked closer to his daughter, gave her a fatherly hug, and kissed her temple, "as for my approval, well that'll depend upon what kind of man, Naruto becomes by the time he comes to claim you. Did he say when that might be," the Ramen stand manager asked?

"He doesn't know for sure," Ayame answered, she held up the ring, "this is a promise ring, Naruto made it himself, his first solo attempt," she slipped it on, and it sized itself to her right, ring finger. "He says, he should complete his formal training, and apprenticeship in total about seven-years, then he becomes a journeyman metalworker, where he looks for a specialty, and earns his reputation as a ninja," she explained to her father, her tone turned sad, "the ring is to let him know if I'm still interested in marrying him. If I ever change my mind, or have a change of heart, I should send the ring back to him through Ryōzanpaku," her eyes seemed to water at that, "how could he think I could be so fickle?"

Teuchi placed a comforting arm around his twelve-year-old, baby girl, "you have to understand, honey," he began as she looked at him, "seven-years is a long time, almost a decade, and people change, hearts change, especially teenagers, which you are about to become. Naruto hasn't had very much, if anything to depend upon in his entire life, it's hard to shake that way of thinking, even for adults," he explained to his daughter, "what he's doing is letting you know that if your feelings for each other diminish, or you both find other people you care about more, you can both do as your heart desires."

Ayame looked at her father, there was determination in her eyes, "I won't change my mind," she declared, "and my heart solidly belongs to Naruto!"


Two Rivers Village

Six-years later

Haru Sakaki and Huan Ma, stepped into the pub after a hard days training, their most promising disciple, was graduating tomorrow. After that he would begin his year-long contractual obligation, to Ryōzanpaku, taking missions as they were assigned to him by the Elder, and all but twenty percent of what he made on those missions, would go back to the school. They would range in everything from simple chores and bandit extermination, to espionage and sabotage, and, though these were the only ones he could refuse, even assassinations. Huan and Haru were grateful to their student, they did not know if it was luck, karma, or a blessing from Sonzai no sanbon'nohashira (the Three Pillars of Existence), but ever since they took him in and began training him. Ryōzanpaku has gained more students than they knew what to do with, some came to refine their skills, others were only there to learn how to call out their chakra, either way their school was flourishing, and though they did not know why, or how, but unreasonably, they placed it all at the feet of Naruto Uzumaki.

They bellied up to the bar and ordered their drinks: beer for Sakaki and mulled wine for Ma. They were nursing their beverages, when the same thing that had been weighing upon their minds all day, bubbled to the surface. "So, have you thought of anything we can do for Naruto, to thank him for bringing the school so much success," the Taijutsu Master asked the Spymaster, looking at him from the corner of his eye?

Huan gave his best friend, a hard, weary look, then sighed quietly, "are you sure we need to do anything extra for him? I mean, you've taught him everything he needs to know, when it comes to taijutsu. I have taught him my way of taijutsu, as have Sakchai and Susumu, Mai-kirei (pretty) says he's beginning to test her in weapons, even wooden, or non-metallic weapons, he's phenomenal with shuriken, kunai, and senbon, so much so that he can only improve his skills during autumn, when the leaves are falling. He practices his chakra control, using the leaf-sticking exercise, the only thing he was able to learn in that infernal village, while water walking down at the waterfront. Naruto's ninjutsu prowess is comparable to the Copy Ninja, with all three of his nature transformations, and all of his Bloodlines, and casting him in a genjutsu, is all but impossible, nothing short of the Izanagi is a sure thing, he doesn't just break out of them, he thinks his way out of them," looking around for eavesdroppers, Huan turned back to Haru, but still lowered his voice and covered his mouth with his goblet, "his tenant helps him with that. His stealth, evasion, survival, and escape skills are second to none, for one as young as Naruto, his advanced senses help him with that, and are also perfect for spying, and tracking. Sakchai and Mai have trained him thoroughly in assassination methodology, and have taught him, the counters to the silent killing and instant kill techniques, and trained him to fight blind, using all of his senses. I and Kōetsuji have taught him many ways he can use information, he's very clever and astute, can keep his cool in stressful situations, he made excellent grades in school too, so he's not ignorant," Huan Ma sat back and relaxed. "He has all of the tools he needs to become a great shinobi, and is in my humble estimation, already an A-ranked ninja," he looked over at Sakaki, and added, "really the only thing he needs is experience, and he could become S-ranked in no time."

Sakaki nodded in agreement, "he's also been getting compliments from his apprenticeship trainer, Ji-Yeong Moon-san," he says, "she said, his work was the best she's ever seen for an apprentice, and before they left on their honeymoon, Miu and her sister-wife, Kaname, worked customer service for the shop. They said, Naruto doesn't use his chakra, for anything while working there, and when asked he said, 'he'd just be cheating himself, if he took short-cuts,' he wants the experience of hard-work. Which helps him as much in his physical training, as the exercises we put him through."

"That's not all we discovered from his apprenticeship," Ma reminded his fellow instructor, "remember that accident a couple of years ago, a bin of metal cast-offs tipped over on top of Naruto. The parts that touched his skin were absorbed into his body, and he can now produce that metal type from his body, in any configuration he knows, though that's mostly a matter of shape transformation, not chakra control."

Haru smirked, "so it's a bad idea to try attacking, Naruto with metal weapons," he chuckled, "I wonder if he can eat metal, like Hashirama Senju was reputed to be able to do," Sakaki mused?

"That's a myth, Haru," came a woman's sharp voice behind him, "grandpa was still human, and nobody can eat wood, unless you are a beaver, or a termite." The two turned, because it was the voice of a friend, and smiled, staring back at them was one of the most beautiful women in the world, and probably the strongest kunoichi alive, one that even Mai respects, Tsunade Senju, aka the Slug Princess.

The two men had an epiphany, and smiled at each other before grinning, and turning back to the woman. Ma was so focused that for once he did not even ogle her breasts, and he asked, "say Tsunade-san, how is your debt situation these days?"

Tsunade looked at them cautiously, "about the same, why," she asked him suspiciously?

The two men, looked at each other, like little boys getting a gift from Kami, then turned back to her, both had evil grins, "because we know somebody who can get you out of them."

Her eyes-widened, then she asked, "who can do that, and what would I have to do for this person's help."

"Go to Ryōzanpaku, tomorrow," Huan said as he and Haru stood up, "request a mission, and ask for Naruto Uzumaki, he will help you."

"WHAT," Tsunade asked in outrage, and somewhere in Konoha, Hiruzen woke from his Icha-Icha fueled dream in a cold sweat?