A/N Hello! I'm back with the second chapter! Before anything else, I just have to thank you guys for being so awesome. 100 followers after one chapter is pretty impressive, and your reviews were awesome to read through. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the beginning of this tale, and I hope you'll stick around.
The only note of worry I received, was the issue of the Sandaime being too constricted by the council - which is a cliché. I went back and reread the section, and I have to disagree slightly. Mostly because, in the end, my Sandaime actually did as he pleased. Council be darned. Although, I could have made it a lot clearer, so I'm glad you guys pointed it out. I changed the wording a bit, so it's now easier to see what stance Hiruzen takes.
With that out of the way, I urge you to read on!
Legacy Ascending
Homecoming
~ Somewhere in Konoha ~
Haruno Sakura and her team was at training ground 7, doing their usual routine. Something she had come to dread. Sakura was a fairly normal girl, in her opinion at least. She was normal in the way that she had her strengths and weaknesses like everyone else. While she would never admit it to anyone, she could acknowledge it to herself that she wasn't particularly good at many of the practical abilities you usually see in a shinobi. Instead, she was very clever, and absorbed knowledge rapidly if given a chance.
The problem, she knew, was that cleverness did very little in the field by itself.
Glancing over at Sasuke, she could only marvel at his ability, sparring so evenly with Kakashi-sensei. Her teammates were both better than her in a real fight, even though Kosuke had consistently scored worse than her on tests. Sakura knew her limits, the past couple of months had taught her that much. Which was why she was doing push-ups at the moment. Coincidentally, her loathing stemmed from the pain in her arms, improving was just so painful.
Not to mention useless! I haven't had any results whatsoever! Shannaro!
Giving up the set, she crumpled onto the soft grass. This isn't working. I've been doing strength exercises for weeks now. But I haven't gotten any stronger . . .
"Okay," the familiar voice of her sensei drawled. "Let's call this a day. I have some important news for you."
Important news? Despite herself, Sakura found herself curious. Their sensei usually ended their day by simply disappearing in a shunshin. Things Sakura considered highly important was merely trivial to Kakashi, so this had to be grave indeed. Pulling herself together, Sakura walked over to Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke, who was griping for air after their intense sparring. Kosuke stepped into their circle, giving her a slight nod when their eyes met. The boy was fairly tall, but his bland face and brown hair made him forgettable in Konoha - most children in the village had the same shade of brown hair. He was okay in her books though, not that she would ever consider him a romantic interest. Her heart was only for Sasuke!
"Well, I guess I should start by telling you I'm proud of how much you're devoting yourself to the team, and to your own improvement. I've seen your dedication these last couple of weeks, it's completely different from before." He paused there for a moment, and gauged their faces with his single visible eye. Sakura could tell he was about to unravel the big secret.
"Which is why I've entered you into the upcoming Chunin exams."
The three students all had surprised reactions – even Sasuke had to blink a couple of times.
"What? The Chunin exams?" Kosuke was the first to ask.
"Yes, normally I would do this a bit differently, but this year will be, well, different."
"Different how?" Sasuke asked from the side, his neutral facade was back in place. Although there was a certain intensity to his eyes which Sakura found very compelling.
"Well, normally I would only inform you of the exam the day before it begins. This time that's going to be a hopeless endeavor. The rest of the contestants and their Jonin commanders are coming today, to get all of the paperwork and whatnot out of the way. The real change to this exam however, is the scale of it. This year all of the big five will have Genin participating. Keeping the exam a secret this time wasn't really an option. With all the foreign ninja coming here, you would have figured it out pretty fast."
A dumbstruck silence settled after those words.
Sighing softly, Kakashi picked up an orange book intimately known to him.
After a moment, Kosuke asked in a small voice: "All of them?"
"Yes, I was trying to impress the importance of this exam, the whole affair will set a very big precedent." Kakashi answered, his eyes not leaving the book.
"So, the five big nations are all gathering here, they're gonna be here today!?"
"Chunin hopefuls at least, accompanied by their teachers of course. Supposedly, even the Kage will arrive to watch the last and final stage of the exam. I guess they are too busy to be bothered with much more than that." Kakashi responded blandly.
"And we have to fight them?!"
"If you choose to participate."
Sakura decided to get some actual answers at this point. "What will the exam entail then? Explain something for once!"
Kakashi looked up, giving her one of his trademark smiles. He's so creepy when he does that.
"Not much I can tell, all you are allowed to know is this. The first stage of the exam will begin next week at noon in the new arena, you can try and participate or not, that's your choice. If you want to give this a try, then everything will be explained there to you properly next week by proctors of the exam. Just be there a bit earlier than noon."
"Oh, that leaves a lot to be known, how, eh, how dangerous will this be, Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked carefully.
The fact that her sensei didn't immediately answer that question sent worrying chills up her spine. Leaving his book for a moment, he began to answer:
"I'll be blunt, every Chunin exam has casualties. Some more than others, just look at how Kiri used to run things. But you already knew that. This year will probably have more casualties than usual, because there's a lot more Genin contesting. There are of course, safety restrictions placed, and outright killing is always frowned upon, especially when unwarranted. It's a waste of talent. A word of advice, you three. I nominated you guys yesterday because I know you have what it takes to make Chunin. You've shown me that already, you just have to prove it next week."
If he thinks that's encouraging he's sorely mistaken. He just told us people usually winds up dead!
Kakashi looked them all in the eye, before leaving in a shunshin with a last parting word: "It's your choice, think it over."
Sakura felt as if some of the earlier tension evaporated with their teacher's absence.
"Well, that was a bomb I'd never have expected."
"You can say that again," Kosuke concurred.
"It's a good thing," Sasuke said, a slight smile on his face. "There have to be some strong opponents coming, this will be very valuable."
"I'm sure you'll find a worthy opponent to test yourself against, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura said brightly. Seeing a good opportunity, she pounced.
"Hey, do you want to get something to eat? We could try and come up with some strategies for the exam . . ?" She cursed herself for not managing to keep the hope out of her voice.
"No thanks, I've got other things to do." Sasuke answered curtly, before walking away.
Rejected.
Again. Why would he never say yes?
"Honestly, I don't know about this."
Sakura turned, and was surprised to see Kosuke frowning at the spot Kakashi had vanished earlier.
"What do you mean?" Sakura questioned him.
"Well, it just seems wrong to me." He said, still frowning. "I mean, what did we do to get nominated for this?"
"We completed that C-rank two months ago. . ."
"No! We just left the client on the road when we figured out he was trying to cheat Konoha. Remember? He'd deliberately asked for a lower protection detail than what he actually needed. Besides, when those B-rank missing-nin came at us, you froze just like I did. Sasuke and Kakashi did everything."
That made Sakura stumble a bit in her counter argument.
"You . . . You might be right about that, but we've gotten better lately. Even Kakashi said so! I've been training hard these past weeks, and I know you have too, Kosuke!"
"Sure, we're training hard, as are every other Genin trying for this exam. I just don't think what we got will be enough, and you just started taking shinobi conduct seriously a couple of weeks ago. Listen, I just don't think Kakashi is right on this one. Honestly, I can't fathom why he thinks we're even close to ready moving up in ranks. If it was only Sasuke I could understand, but all of us . . ."
He's right. Sakura conceded to herself quietly, it actually didn't make much sense. Maybe she'd known it deep down too. She wasn't Chunin material, not yet at any rate. Then why was their teacher urging them to compete in something so dangerous? He'd even gone as far as to nominate us, that's what he said.
Nothing made sense, Kakashi might be a lot of things – weird, impolite, standoffish and perverted – but he'd always helped them when they needed it. He and Sasuke, both had saved hers and Kosuke's lives on the botched C-rank mission to Wave. So why would he enter them into the exam when it seemed to be such a dangerous event, one where people apparently get killed.
"Are you not going to enter the exam then, Kosuke?" She asked, she wasn't sure if she wanted to enter herself.
"I don't know. We could always just forfeit if things look hopeless I guess, but what if we get into a situation where submitting won't save us? It could happen, if we get unlucky."
He shook his head.
"I have to think on this, maybe hear what the proctor next week has to say. If things look too hectic, I'm gonna stay out of it. It's not worth dying for. I'll be seeing you, at least we have a week to think things over."
Kosuke started walking out of the lush forest, leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts at training ground 7.
She was in no hurry when she headed home. Her thoughts on Kakashi and the exam kept churning in her head.
~ Later that same day – Road outside Konoha ~
A man and his apprentice walked side by side down a stone-cobbled road. The last few hours had been spent walking in a relative silence. Every now and then a blast of air would erupt from the young blonde. It ruffled the older man's clothes, but he paid no mind. His apprentice was merely experimenting, a common occurrence. When the large wooden gate leading into Konoha appeared in the distance however, the man - one Jiraiya of the Sannin, could not hold in his dismay.
A long suffering sigh was heard.
"Well, there goes the last scraps of freedom in life," was his dry comment. The apprentice threw him an exasperated, yet amused look.
"Didn't they make a new hot spring here some time ago? I hear they supposedly made the baths communal." The boy informed.
Said boy looked to be in his early teens, and was dressed in a red and black long sleeved-shirt, a white shorts and a pair of black sandals. He had some distinct features, with his blonde, spiky hair and intelligent blue eyes. In a few years he would likely grow to become rather attractive, otherwise he appeared to be fairly normal. His name was Uzumaki Naruto. There was one other name he had claim to, but for now, he was just the two former.
"I'm not falling for something like that again." Retorted Jiraiya.
"Ah, a shame." Was Naruto's unapologetic reply.
It was getting close to dark outside, the setting sun in the horizon was making a beautiful array of orange and red colors.
Looking at the far off city walls again, Naruto couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement run through him. He wasn't quite sure what to expect returning here, but he knew it was a statement to his progress. His teacher meant he was ready for whatever awaited him. Glancing back at Jiraiya, he noticed how the man didn't look excited in the slightest. He decided to speak up.
"Please, It can't be that bad, what happened to 'Smile at your pain!' and 'Laugh at your despair!'"
"Ugh, you don't know! You don't know a thing! First, there's the debriefing, which will take a day if I'm lucky. Then, there's the goddamn meetings, stupid clan heads and council leaders, almost all of them expect me to act with the 'propriety' and the 'dignity' that befits my name. Then there's the paperwork, oh the horror! The paperwork is the worst! And then-"
"You're so melodramatic, sensei." Naruto interrupted mid-speech.
"And you have no sense for drama at all." Jiraiya quickly countered.
"I just have taste, that's all."
"Oho, what about earlier? When you stopped experimenting because a few scouts began observing us? That could have been very dramatic, imagine their faces seeing a kid training like that."
"Why should I tip of that I know elemental manipulation? You're the one who taught me not to reveal my strengths."
"Yes, yes, you're very cautious. In any case, I honestly doubt any rumor of your fledgling elemental manipulation will go very far."
Naruto halted to a sudden stop.
Fledgling?
A sudden and powerful shockwave of air scattered the many leaves and pebbles on the road away. The trees shook slightly at the force of the wind-natured chakra. Several birds took off from their nests, screeching. Jiraiya paused for a moment before he looked over his shoulder at him.
"So . . . this is tasteful drama then, I take it?" He asked smugly.
The sudden quip caught Naruto off-guard, and he struggled to find a good comeback. Jiraiya leered at his hesitance.
"What happened to all that caution, though? Not to complain of course! It was quite the display of skill and power, I bet the whole stationed garrison felt it, wouldn't you agree?" If possible, the sage was even smugger now.
"Does it matter?" Naruto tried as nonchalantly as possible, he would not lose a battle of wits with his teacher. "Unless I'm mistaken, there aren't any scouts around at the moment. The ones guarding the gate will just think the great Jiraiya-sama had an anger tantrum or something. They might have felt it, but unless they have eagle eyes they couldn't possibly have seen me at this distance."
Jiraiya's previous smugness melted away into a sour expression as Naruto talked.
"There might have been a Hyuuga . . ."
"With their Doujutsu activated? Doubtful, I don't think Hyuuga's normally take guard shifts either."
"I count this as a draw," Jiraiya said and continued to walk.
Naruto shrugged easily, "okay."
"Listen Naruto, I'm going to clear the air with the old man, the faster I get this out of the way, the better. You have what I gave you earlier?" That last bit was just paranoid precaution.
"Of course I have it, how could I have lost it so fast?"
"I can never know with you, you know when to use it. I'll see you later." And with that he disappeared in a shunshin.
Looking onward, Naruto felt like hurrying. So he quickened his pace and made it to the gate in short time. Strangely enough, the gate seemed almost vacant. There was a small gatehouse on the inside of the wall, he could spot two dark haired men with Chunin-flak jackets. Both had just exited the gatehouse, to greet him he supposed. The security seemed a bit lackluster to him.
Was the Konoha shinobi corps so confident in their strength? It made little sense to him. A poorly guarded front entrance was more or less an open invitation. Perhaps this served as some kind of a subtle warning, or maybe there were some hidden shinobi in the vicinity. Only two guards seemed oddly neglectful at any rate.
"Hi." Naruto smiled as the two approached him.
The two dark haired fellows looked at him oddly. The one on the right, with a bandage covering his nose and face in a horizontal line, decided to speak first.
"Uh, hey yourself. So, what? Your team left you behind or something?"
Naruto blinked uncomprehendingly. "No. I don't have a team."
Now it was their turn being confused, a Genin without a team?
"Okay? Well, show us your shinobi license then. Where is your forehead protector for that matter?" This was the one on the left, his dark hair went down in a line that covered his right eye.
"Well, I don't exactly have a shinobi license, or a forehead protector. Quick question, how did you figure I was a shinobi and not a civilian?" That had irked him a bit. Most of the time he could pass off as an innocent boy when he wore casual clothes, but these guys had figured he was part of a team.
If possible, his sudden question after claiming to not have any ID confused them even more. The two shared a subtle look.
"What are you on about? Civilians aren't allowed outside the gates today, security reasons. You should know that." The left one said, the bandaged man with spiky hair on the right nodded to his comrade's words.
"Yeah, well, I doubt this guy is from around, Izumo. I'd guess he's-"
"Wait, wait, wait." Naruto interrupted. "Why aren't civilians allowed outside today? Is something going on?"
"Yeah, he's definitely not from around. But, Kotetsu, if he's supposed to participate, wouldn't he have been told all about the exam?" This was the one on the right, Izumo, his brain filled in. The one on the left, Kotetsu, shrugged to his friends words.
"Not necessarily, some villages like to keep it a secret, I know Konoha do. Most of the time it's-"
"Okay, hold on!" Naruto exclaimed in an attempt to worm himself back into the conversation. "You got it right, I'm not from around! So, would you kindly tell me what the heck you're talking about?"
The two guards turned their attention back on him with condescending looks, the type you give a kid when he wants to be a part of the clearly adult conversation. Naruto gritted his teeth.
"The Chunin exam of course."
"Okay," Naruto let the word out slowly. "Now, try for detail?"
Izumo began to amend his partner. "It's going to be the biggest exam ever held, kid. All of the big five are going to participate. We even had a new arena built just for the occasion, talk about wasting money. Our old one was perfectly fit for the job. You get why we're a bit cranky right? We've been verifying over a hundred different shinobi passing through here today, two guys tried to weasel through. I'll never know why bandits think they can pass off as shinobi . . .
"Why are only you two stationed here? Seems illogical to me." Naruto pointed out.
"I don't know. We were over 30 shinobi here earlier today, as far as I know they're all on escort detail now, accompanying the Genin and their teachers. I hear each of the big villages got their own set of apartments, according to a friend of mine pretty girls handed out the keys like they were diplomas or something, sheesh."
"Oh, I see. Very clever."
Both Kotetsu and Izumo looked down at the kid in mild curiosity.
"What is?"
"He is, the Hokage. Who in their right mind would attack this village right now? It wouldn't just be an attack on Konoha, but on all of the big five, who have all been taken in as honored guests going by your rumors. An unprovoked attack right now, just before this vastly important exam, won't be appreciated by anyone. Yes, it fits. No wonder the old man isn't bothering with more guards at the gate."
The two men shared looks again, this time with small frowns on their faces.
"What was your name again?"
"I didn't say. It's Naruto."
"Well, Naruto-san, you'll have to tell us your last name too, we're not letting you in otherwise."
"Yes, you are." Naruto told them in a chipper manner. "But another quick question first. Where should I go to find a place to stay with the village so full? Any ideas?"
Izumo looked at him in pure incredulity, Kotetsu seemed more amused than anything else. The latter spoke up after a short moment of silence had passed.
"Okay, Naruto-san, I give. Let's say you get past us and inside. I honestly don't know a good place to crash right now, if you haven't got the pockets for a hotel?" Kotetsu's eyes roamed over his clothes, which were expensive and new.
"Sure I do, but my stay will most likely be a lengthy one, and it seems wasteful."
Izumo looked between them like the two of them were both crazy.
"Can't argue with that logic, maybe you could try and see if there's an extra room where all the foreign shinobi are staying? It's cheaper than a hotel at least. Or you could try and find a place to rent if you're really going to stay for a while. But seriously kid, tell us who you are. We don't even know where you're from. Security is pretty tight due to the upcoming exams, we can't let people through when they won't even say who they are."
"That's okay, you'll make an exception for me." Naruto said evenly, before he pulled away the sleeve of his right arm in a practiced motion. The two guards had been wary the moment Naruto had moved to unveil something. They were surprised however, when they noticed parts of his arm was painted in black ink.
Tiny kanji had been masterfully etched into Naruto's skin, from his wrist and up to his elbow. All of the words and lines had been engraved into him with an efficient mindset, with the symbols spiraling around his arm in a sinewy and delicate pattern.
Kotetsu and Izumo both stared unabashedly at the strange sight.
Naruto paid no mind and carefully grabbed his own wrist. A slight stir of chakra could be felt by a very sensitive practitioner of the art. A small puff of smoke appeared, which Naruto expelled with a wave of his arm.
Without further ado, Naruto held out a folded document. Kotetsu took it hesitantly, but with a curious glint in his eyes. It seemed neither of them realized exactly what he had done, or maybe they just didn't know what to ask. Which was fine by him, he didn't feel like explaining it. A few lines were written over the thick and robust paper Naruto had handed them. The two Chunin stared at it in confused awe. The red seal proved the document's authenticity.
The bearer of this document is on an S-rank mission and has my authority to do as he sees fit.
Sarutobi Hiruzen – Hokage of Konoha
"Can't be . . . That's impossible."
"How? Just how?"
Naruto gave them time to read the lines a few more times before he snapped back the document. He arched an eyebrow when they turned their flabbergasted faces to him. When neither of them said anything other than the same repeated gibberish, Naruto decided he'd spent enough time chatting for one night.
"Well, thanks for the nice reception, but I think I'll just move on inside. Don't go blabbering about any of this to anyone, the Sandaime won't like it if you do."
Slipping past Kotetsu and Izumo – whom were both looking at him with incredulous eyes – Naruto walked down the cobbled road leading deeper into Konoha. Looking at the various buildings, he wondered if there wasn't anything good to eat around, he was tired of eating his own sealed food.
~ The next morning – Konoha forest ~
Naruto woke when he heard something drop to the ground a bit to the side of him. He didn't startle or react, although his body tensed visibly. His hands slipped into the sign of the dog under his sleeping bag – a sign affiliated with wind release. Naruto was about to throw the intruder away with a blast of air when said intruder spoke up with a familiar voice.
"What happened? Last I checked you preferred a good bed over a patch of grass." Jiraiya sounded chipper, an uncommon occurrence during any morning. Jiraiya was very much a night person.
"I just happened to enjoy the stars yesterday." Naruto wasn't much for mornings either. After searching for half an hour the previous day, he'd decided to forego the bed and roof altogether. He'd been too tired to care much either way.
"Aha, well, the old man wants to see you today, preferably in an hour. I imagine the two of you have a few things to talk about."
Yawning, Naruto sat up groggily. It was very early, looking up he could see a few rays of the sun squinting through the tree crowns above him. It was just after sunrise, he concluded. Jiraiya was standing over him, looking down at him from a gnarled tree root.
"I guess we do, should I worry?" He asked quietly, feeling sleep deprived.
"You can never tell with that guy, just remember that you always have a choice, kid. No matter what he's gonna ask, you can always say no."
Naruto wasn't too sure about that, but refrained from saying so. They had had that discussion before.
"So, you think he wants something from me?"
"That much is obvious, just remember you're your own person when you talk to him."
Standing up, Naruto stretched, he was still in the same clothes he had worn yesterday. They were rumpled after a night's sleep. Hunching down, Naruto quickly rolled up his sleeping bag.
"I'll get there, I just have a small detour in mind." Specifically, the hot springs. He wanted a bath. A standard for him after long journeys.
"Aha, I'll leave you to it then." He said amiably, before jumping of the root he'd been standing on. "If you need me, I'll be staying at The Braying Mare. It's in the red light district."
Of course it is. Naruto knew better than to comment, however.
"I'll keep it in mind." He said to Jiraiya, who was already walking out of the small clearing.
"And don't hide out like this again, the old man had to ask me to find you. I'm not anybody's servant, least of all yours."
Naruto gave a non-committal grunt that could have meant anything. A moment later and a slight pop was heard as Naruto sealed away his sleeping bag. The walk to the bathhouse and the following soak was spent introspectively. He had to wonder about the Hokage. Naruto wasn't sure how it would be like meeting the Sandaime again, but he doubted the man would treat him as a long lost son or nephew returning home.
Nor did he desire that. Naruto was a very different person compared to his former self. He had grown on his own merits, and had changed irrevocably as a result. He was grateful to the Sandaime, but he would not let that gratitude dictate any of his decisions when the time came to make a choice. He just hoped he would be allowed to make that choice himself.
Those thoughts and similar ones buzzed around in Naruto's head as he left the sauna. Now adequately clean and dressed in a new long sleeved shirt, this one a clear white with a faded pattern of blue teardrops and aquatic animals on it. His pants were an even darker blue, and he walked in a pair of comfortable black shoes – which was a bit more formal than the regular sandals. His hair was slightly damp, and had been finger combed into something that looked halfway stylish, halfway chaotic.
Back out on the streets, Naruto's thoughts continued to consume him. He hardly paid any attention to the people he passed or bumped into. Which was out of character for the usually observant boy. What do I do if he poses an ultimatum? Denying him would yield consequences either way, but . . . Shaking his head slightly, Naruto abandoned his train of thoughts.
More likely than not, this would play out as a warm reunion of sorts at first. Surely the Sandaime would at least wait a few days before he sprung anything on him, good or bad. He was at the Hokage Tower anyways. Stepping inside the foyer, Naruto set out to find a receptionist. He had only taken a few steps before his name was called out.
"Naruto-san? That is you, correct?" Looking to his left, – outwardly calm, inwardly surprised – Naruto picked out a young female receptionist. He gave the woman a slight nod before moving towards her desk. There were other people in the room, a man in a dark cloak was sitting in a seat, clearly waiting. A couple of Chunin were walking down a set of stairs at the back of the foyer. Another receptionist was on the flipside of the open hall, apparently in a very serious and quiet conversation with a rather menacing kunoichi.
He was not in the wrong place. That was for sure.
"Did you have any instructions regarding me?" He asked the receptionist in front of him, a name plaque on her uniform read 'Hiroko'.
"The Hokage has been awaiting you, Naruto-san, you may enter the office." It was worded as an invitation, but she phrased it as if any other action was simply outrageous. Maybe it was.
"Would you be so kind as to show the way?" He asked politely.
"Naturally, follow me please." She rose from her seat behind the desk and walked to the back of the foyer, where the stair he had noticed earlier was. Naruto followed her up the stairs and took a glance at Hiroko's good proportions every now and then. He was Jiraiya's apprentice after all, he had not escaped unscathed.
"Here we are."
The door to one of the most powerful man in the elemental nations was surprisingly simple. Just a lacquered brown wooden door. He gave Hiroko his thanks, before he knocked. Two soft raps. After a moment, a voice was heard.
"Come in."
Tentatively, Naruto pushed open the door leading into the Hokage's office. Like the door, the room lacked any sort of indicator that this room was important. The room was moderate in size, and the walls were a simple brown color.
There was a number of white canvas hanging equidistantly around the room, a virtue was written in Kanji on each canvas. He noticed a shelf of pictures representing the previous Hokage's. The wall at the end of the room was made up of several large windows and a glass door leading out to a plateau overlooking the village.
The room was oddly humble for someone with the position of Hokage, the tobacco scent in the room only added weight to that observation. For some reason Naruto thought it oddly fitting.
Upon entering, he was treated to a sight of the famed professor of the shinobi, his arms crossed behind his back and watching the village from behind the large windows. To Naruto, he seemed like the man from the stories in that moment, dressed in an immaculate white robe, and with the traditional Hokage headwear.
Naruto closed the door behind him silently.
"I suppose a greeting is in order. It has been more than a few years since the last time we spoke after all. Welcome home, Naruto-kun." The elderly man spoke with clear and eloquent words, he did not turn away from his view of the village.
"You may speak freely, this conversation will not be overheard."
"Thank you." Naruto responded politely, although with a bit of uncertainty. This was indeed less the grandfatherly figure he had been used to as a child, and more the Hokage that ruled the village. It left him a bit unsure as to where he stood. Still, there was one thing he had to get off his chest.
"First of all, I'm very grateful for what you did for me. I realize it probably wasn't wholly for my benefit alone, but I'm still very grateful. I don't know if you've ever second-guessed the decision you made all those years ago, but you should know I'll always be glad things turned out the way they did."
The Sandaime Hokage turned his head a bit at that.
"You're not angry over the fact that you had to spend your early years in solitude and neglect?"
Naruto stiffened a bit. We're not gonna skirt around this, it seems. His reply however, was as level and calm as before.
"No, I'm not mad, precisely."
"But you do feel a lingering resentment to the people here, correct?" The Hokage continued calmly, still observing the village outside.
"I don't know. I don't spend my time dwelling on the past." Naruto expalined. "However, I don't have a deep-set hatred for anyone here, if that's what you're asking. I think I can understand even. After the Kyuubi incident, people probably looked for someone to blame. They were scared, and I was an easy scapegoat. Maybe something could have been done differently, but it's pointless going over past mistakes. Besides, I've come to learn that Konoha isn't the only village that prejudices against demon containers. People do it all over the elemental nations, pretty much."
He had been many places with Jiraiya, take Sunagakure for instance. While he never got to meet their Jinchuriki, he became acquainted with a few characters. And, universal for everyone there, was the almost religious fear of one Sabakuu no Gaara. Naruto could put two and two together.
"Jinchuriki are . . . despised and feared almost universally, it seems to be one of the few things people can agree with, whether they're from Iwa or Kiri. To most people, we Jinchuriki are the demons we contain."
The Sandaime turned around fully, his eyes looking at him with sympathy. "And what would you do to correct this world-wide misconception?"
Naruto took himself time to think on the question and tried not to be distracted by the odd direction the conversation was going. He was being tested, that much he could ascertain, but in what manner?
"It's not that people are wrong to think of us Jinchuriki as dangerous. We are. With a Biju taking residence in you, your own state of mind depends on the seal keeping it locked up. Any of us could be really bad off for all I know, driven to madness by our demons. I don't mean to say we aren't dangerous. However, people are looking at the wrong reasons, a person doesn't lose his or hers humanity after being sealed with a Biju. When they terrorize and condemn us, they only make matters worse. We aren't the demons we keep at bay. We're the unlucky bastards who got stuck with a crappy job, but in the end we're just people too, and that's what everyone needs to understand."
"Indeed. Which brings us to the crux of the problem. How would you make it so people can come to your understanding?"
Hesitation.
"I don't know." The three words was difficult to squeeze out for Naruto. Hiruzen's face was serene, but his eyes were strangely intense.
". . ."
"I . . . At least, I don't think you can change a collective belief very easily, even if that belief is wrong . . . maybe if . . . You would need some kind of catalyst, to prove everyone wrong by showing them the actual reality of the issue. If you could get undeniable proof, and a means to show it to everyone, then maybe."
I don't see how anything like that could be possible though.
The Hokage had begun to stroke his chin in consideration of his words. "You impress me, Naruto-kun. That was very intriguing thoughts."
Naruto dipped his head in response and watched as the older man gingerly sat down in his padded chair.
"How did I do on your analysys then?"
A surprised look flew over the old man's face, before he broke out laughing. Naruto tried to suppress it, but a slight smile appeared anyway.
"Well now, you're as clever as Jiraiya said you were." The Hokage spoke after collecting himself. "Apologies, I am very aware I have been direct and impolite. I'll freely admit that I was testing you just now, but I was also genuinely curious about your answers. I don't think you lied. In my experience, men tend to lie a great deal more if under pressure."
"You pressured me just now?" To Naruto's dismay, the sentence came out as a question instead of a statement.
The Hokage gave a slight smile. "Lies also become far more transparent when they come from someone under pressure. You spoke the truth just now, the truth as you saw it, but the truth nonetheless."
"I see." And he did. Naruto was a few months shy of thirteen, but in some ways he was far older than that. He knew he was a clever lad, and when he was at his most composed he could talk people twice his age into walking in circles. Yet, here in this room he felt hopelessly out of depth. The sudden onslaught of strange questions from the Professor himself had left him disconcerted.
He had expected a few pleasantries exchanged, 'how have you been?', and such. Evidently not. The Hokage must have seen some of his thoughts in his expression, because his next words were eerily similar to his own thinking.
"I realize this is probably not how you envisioned this meeting."
"Not really, no."
Sarutobi nodded, before he gestured for Naruto to take a seat in front of the large mahogany desk. The Hokage started to dig around in the drawers for something.
"I hope I have not upset you too much, Naruto-kun. Right now, however, I would like to hear how you have been these past years. I heard a great deal from Jiraiya yesterday, but I would like to hear some things from your perspective as well." The Sandaime eased back into his seat, having found an old pipe which he quickly filled with tobacco.
Taking the offered seat, Naruto gave the Sandaime a questioning look.
"My perspective?"
"You have been gone for almost seven years, Naruto-kun. I'd like to know how it's been like. Tell me of your studies, Jiraiya tells me you are at a very advanced level in Fuuinjutsu for instance."
Nodding along to the request, Naruto began to talk about his life on the road with Jiraiya. It was odd at first, he had never told anyone very much about himself. Not any truthful things at least. Secrecy had been paramount to Jiraiya, and he had drilled the need for subtlety into Naruto early on. He had always kept his real identity hidden, so it felt strange to be truthful for a change.
From there their discussion spiraled into several different topics; where had he been and what was his impression of the elemental nations? How had his training with Jiraiya progressed? Sometimes they talked about non-consequential issues, but their topics usually swerved back to something purposeful again after a few minutes of idle chat. Over the conversation Naruto noticed how curious the Kage in front of him was about his personal thoughts and viewpoints.
Naruto never brought up what had happened five months ago in Otogakure, and although the Sandaime must have been briefed by Jiraiya, he didn't mention it either.
It took nearly an hour, but eventually, the Hokage seemed satisfied.
"I must say, this conversation has been a real pleasure. But I believe it's time we moved onto more important matters. There is a question I will have you answer for me. I want you to think hard on it, please be completely honest, Naruto-kun."
"I can do that." Naruto replied levelly and sat up straighter in the leather chair.
"Do you want to become a shinobi?"
" . . . What?" Naruto asked, baffled at the question. But the Hokage didn't repeat himself, he merely looked at him expectantly. Was he serious?
"What kind of question is that anyways, it's not like I have much choice."
"It might not look like that to you, but you do have a choice, Naruto. We always have."
"No," he replied in a level tone, he did not sound like a young boy in that instance. Becoming a shinobi had always been a matter of when for Naruto. "I never had much of any choice, I was forced to become a shinobi the moment my father used me in his seal."
"That is where you are wrong, Naruto. No matter how inconceivable the idea may seem to you. I am fully prepared to have the ID papers of a young civilian boy written out, a child orphaned by the unfortunate incident almost thirteen years ago. A new name, a new home. It's something very possible considering no one here knows the real you. You would glide seamlessly into our society here, and none would be the wiser."
Surprising even himself, Naruto laughed.
"Oh, that's funny, then what have I been doing these past years? All that training for what – so I can defend myself? Be straight with me here." Naruto said, mildly annoyed by the deception.
"I am being truthful, but you won't accept it. You leaving the village was a desperate move on my part, one I have paid fully in the years after your departure. Realistically speaking, by the end of the year I am not going to be the Hokage anymore."
Seeing the surprise spread over Naruto's face, the Sandaime smiled slightly.
"What? Did you think I could send our own Jinchuriki on his merry way without any repercussion? That is not the case, my enemies efforts in deposing me are finally catching up. This Chunin exam will in all likelihood be the last I will host."
The news had more of an impact on Naruto than he would like to admit. He might be disagreeing with the man at the moment, but he was still a person Naruto admired and looked up to. Maybe even more now, seeing how much getting him away from Konoha had cost. Before he managed to form some kind of reply, the Sandaime continued on undisturbed.
"Let's not get too sidetracked, you leaving Konoha was important in many ways. Mostly because the environment here was far too toxic for a young child, your solitude in particular, scared me. You were always alone, Naruto-kun. You undergoing training while away was more of a second thought than anything, and I certainly never imagined you to overshoot even Jiraiya's expectations. I've heard his opinions, and I'm more than merely impressed. Ultimately though, your well-being was my priority. Why do you think I had Jiraiya be the one to take care of you? You can be sure it was not because he was easily available, on the contrary, I had to undertake extreme measures in order to get him on board."
"My safety." Naruto supplied when it seemed like the old man wanted him to speak.
"Yes, but more importantly, I chose Jiraiya because you needed a fatherly figure. Someone to express warmth around you, which is why I ruled out any of my other subjects. Although many of them would have leapt at the chance to raise our former leader's son, I was never able to ascertain if they could give you more than just protection."
Naruto shook his head.
"That's all very good, but Jiraiya taught me more than just how to defend myself. Did he tell you we finished the entire academy curriculum in the first year away? And we didn't stop there, we just kept going, if anything we amped our pace. You can't pass that off as a 'second thought'. Don't even pretend that's not for a purpose."
Chuckling quietly, Hiruzen smiled in good humor. "I believe you are underestimating Jiraiya here, Naruto-kun. What I instructed, was to make sure you could graduate the Genin exam when you came back, in case you wanted to pursue a career as a shinobi. Needless to say, he went above and beyond that. From my understanding, he wants you to be the best you can be."
Naruto had no noticeable reaction to the old man's words.
"Years later, and here we are. Now, would you want to pursue a shinobi career?"
Conflicting emotions surfaced within Naruto. What did he truly want? Had he ever stopped to actually ponder on that question before? Naruto had never desired the blood-stained life of a shinobi, yet, he loved the Shinobi arts with a passion. How was he supposed to live his life as anything but the man he had trained so hard to become? Naruto's vibrant blue eyes dulled as he turned introspective.
In either case, he had doubts.
How could the Sandaime claim to protect him when his reign was about to end? There was just no way. Two months ago, Jiraiya had warned him about people trying to locate and abduct Jinchuriki. They were a secretive group with a sinister agenda, Naruto had been told to run if he ever saw black cloaks with red clouds.
With people like that out there looking for him, declining the Hokage here seemed woefully stupid.
"I do want to pursue a Shinobi career, yes."
The old ruler looked beyond pleased at that. Slowly, after shifting the pipe in his mouth around, the man gave him a nod. Naruto however, wasn't quite finished.
"I can't live the life you suggested at first, and trying to pretend I can is foolish. It's just not doable. Because of what is sealed inside me, I will never be left alone. Sooner or later I will be forced to fight. The difference in accepting reality is this; I will walk willingly into my fights, and I will walk out alive because I was better."
The Sandaime nodded. "In that case, there is only one thing for me to ask. How far are you willing to go?"
"As far as it takes."
The Sandaime nodded appreciatively. "Let me rephrase, what kind of shinobi will you be? A hunter-nin? ANBU? A Jonin sensei maybe? Do you have any aspirations?" The Hokage spoke with his usual calm assertiveness, but the way his hand tightened around his pipe made Naruto think the question was a loaded one.
"Never really considered that," Naruto lied carefully. "I didn't think I would have a formal position in your ranks. Always thought I would be more like a weapon, something to pull out from the scabbard when needed."
"You give me no credit." Despite the words, the Sandaime was smiling slightly. He noticed how I didn't give a straight answer, not surprising.
"Very well, I think we have discussed enough for one day. Even so, I will have you return here early tomorrow, in order to run you through a number of tests. I want to gauge your abilities properly. I trust you have found a place to stay?"
"Sort of, something more permanent would be appreciated."
"Some of the participants of the exam receive housing free of charge. Another young man taking up residence would hardly attract much attention. Would you mind some neighbors?"
"I think I can manage." Naruto agreed, and he knew their meeting was over.
He rose from his chair in a swift motion, on his way out he couldn't help but throw a glance at the shelf he had eyed earlier. His eyes quickly found the picture of the man he was looking for. Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha, reputed 'slayer' of the Kyuubi.
He'd never actually seen a picture of him. They really did look alike. Peeling his eyes away, he opened the simple door leading out of the office.
"Ah, fair warning, Naruto-kun. Now that I know your stance, I intend to have you compete in the exam. Be prepared."
Cocking his head to the side, Naruto gave a chill smile not at all fitting on a face so young: "Yeah, I kinda figured."
A/N There you have it. I feel okay with this piece. Although, there's a lot of dialogue and info-dumping I feel like I handled it well. It's very much unavoidable to not have these things after long time-skips. I tried my best to spice it up and make the dialogue interesting, but you'll have to judge on how well I did that. At least we're mostly up to date now, and we're going to rush into the meat of the story pretty fast.
If Naruto feels a lot older than thirteen to you, there are many reasons for this, all of which will be explained as the story progresses.
Did I surprise a lot of you by having Naruto return to Konoha just in time to participate in the Chunin exams? Going by your reviews, most of you seemed to think I would have him placed on a Genin squad first.
The Exams will be original, with unique challenges and tasks. I'm really tired of all those generic fics with the exams being done nearly the same way every time. Can't wait to get into this!
Anyways, have a good day, and I'll hopefully see some of you around for the next piece!
The Epic Pen, signing off.
