Cliche it may be, but I will follow the story given to me to the letter in respect to the person that gave it to me...so there -_-

2: Naruto Makes A Friend

"Jiji, how come it's so hot out here?" The young blond whined as he he and Hiruzen were coming up upon the Suna border. Like many dignitaries of other nations, such as shinobi villages, Hiruzen was treated to a long wagon ride in a comfortable carriage, to which the Sarutobi driver and guard were a little more than surprised when they found they had an extra charge.

Hiruzen chuckled at his surrogate granchild's complaint, as it was understandalbe to a point that he would find it odd that it was so much hotter in this Suna climate. "Kaze no Kuni is a desert, Naruto-kun."

"What's a desert?" Naruto asked.

Again, the man chuckled, "There's a good question, and a trick question in one. A desert, though it doesn't have to be hot, necessarily, is a place with very, very little rain fall, and even less plant life."

"And this is where we're going?" Naruto asked, not liking it already.

"Afraid so, Naruto-kun, but don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself," the aging Hokage said, smiling at the boy's discomfort while applying a fan to himself, "From what I understand, the Kazekage has two sons around your age, and, if I remember correctly, a very lovely daughter just a little older than you."

"Girls are weird," Naruto pouted, "There's this pink-haired girl that's really cute, but she's really, really loud, too!" Naruto said, wincing when he'd first heard the girl shout. "Every time Sasuke's around, she gets really excited and drools." He told the Hokage, who chuckled.

"That's one way a girl displays affection towards boy's, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen explained, "It's true, some girls can be a little strange, but I'll tell you this, it takes a man among men to actually understand their way of thinking."

"Do you?"

"I was married for sixty years, and I still haven't figured out some of my late wife's quirks." Hiruzen chuckled.

=x=

Rasa, Yondaime Kazekage of Sunagakure regarded his children coldly, "You all understand that you are to be on your best behavior today, correct?"

"Hai, Otou-sama," the two eldest answered, but the third and youngest merely gave a timid nod.

"Gaara, you will answer when spoken to," the boy's father growled.

"H-hai, Otou-sama," Gaara answered.

"Temari," the girl flinched, "keep your brothers in line while the Hokage and I speak."

"Hai," Temari said quietly.

"Good, our guest will arrive within the hour, so you three must impress him." Rasa said, "I do not wish him to believe that my house is - "

*Knock knock*

"Enter!"

"Kazekage-sama," said a man with a veil over half of his face, "Hokage-sama has arrived at the front gate."

Rasa sighed, "He's early," he looked at his children, "You three, go change into more presentable clothing, and be quick about it!" He shouted, sending the children scurrying, and then he turned his attention back to the Jonin, "Were there any problems?"

"No, Kazekage-sama, other than his guard, and an unexpected extra, all it well. We found nothing that could endanger the village." He said, bowing.

"Unexpected guest?" Rasa questioned, "And who might that be?"

The Jonin shrugged, "While I might not know for sure, one of my sensors told me that the Hokage brought along a child, no older than Gaara-sama it appears, that has an immense chakra resevoir. Pakkura was present at the time, and suspected that the child, a young blond boy, could very well be Konohagakure's Jinchuuriki."

Rasa's eyes widened, "Why would the Hokage bring his jinchuuriki with him on a diplomatic mission?!"

"I don't yet know, but I..."

"Speak Baki-san, I don't care what it is, just say what you think you must!"

"The boy is far different than Gaara," Baki said in a rush, "That boy, I've never seen...I don't know...he radiates something...It may be an effect from the fox, but I'm not sure. But something about that boy makes me feel odd."

"Is it an ill effect?" Rasa asked, "If the child is unstable, then - "

"That's the thing, Kazekage-sama, he's stable." Baki said, "I can only detect small amounts of what may or may not be Biju chakra, and that could mean he's only been in close contact with the true jinchuuriki."

Rasa thought for a moment. "I known for a fact that the Hokage wouldn't risk open war with another village...keep an eye on the child, but do not be seen. If he becomes dangerous, then you may immobilize him. But do not kill him. If things go bad for us right now, we're finished."

"Understood," Baki said, before leaving.

=x=

Naruto was led by the hand into the Kazekage's estate, staring at the massive stone building in awe. It was like the Hokage's mansion, only bigger, and made from stone...or sand...he couldn't tell.

"Now, Naruto-kun, I know you're a nice boy," Hiruzen said, making the boy grin, "But I need you to be on your best behavior. No pranks, no yelling, and no picking fights. Understand?"

Naruto pouted, "I don't pick fights."

"Remember that little incident with the Inuzuka?" Hiruzen reminded the boy with a grin as the boy's face turned sour.

"That was all Kiba-teme's fault!" Naruto grumbled, "He's the one that put itching powder in my sandals!"

"And watch your language," Hiruzen smirked, ruffling the boy's unruly hair. "Remember you'll be in the presence of a Kage and his daughter. All things considered, you could at least make a new friend with one of his children."

Naruto sighed, "I'll be nice."

"That's my boy." The old man chuckled. "As a reward, if you mind your manners, I'll teach a jutsu when we return home. How does that sound?"

Naruto's eyes lit up like beacons, "Really?!"

"Of course," he chuckled as they entered the building, "You know I always keep my promises."

Naruto was thoroughly excited when they entered and shown the way to the Kazekage's office. Their escort knocked on the door.

"Enter!"

The rough voice immediately set the boy on edge, however. He had heard the cruel edge in the voices of the villagers often enough that it always warned him away from the worst ones. Like the ones that had chased him down and hurt him.

Hiruzen noticed the boy move back and hide behind him slightly, and Hiruzen cursed himself silently. He hadn't expected the boy to be scared. He reached around and patted the child on the back, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. Just stay next to me."

Naruto nodded as the door opened.

Temari stood by her siblings in a line beside their father, her brother, Konkuro in the middle, and little Gaara at the end with Konkuro standing at a little more distance than necessary. She wasn't sure why, but their father had always said to keep a distance from him. That his control over sand made him dangerous to others.

Rasa had dressed in his Kage clothes, hat and veil included, all but his eyes covered. "You three will remember your manners."

"Hai," the children said as the door opened. Revealing a wizened old man with a face that Temari knew smiled often. He was dressed similarly to her father, except where Rasa's clothes were blue, the Hokage's were red. But the Hokage didn't hold her attention. What did was the small blond child hiding behind him. He was very small, about Gaara's size, perhaps the same age, and had spiky blond hair that seemed to jut out in every direction.

Temari's attention wasn't the only one that the boy caught. The Kazekage, having lived part of his life through the last war, had heard stories of a shinobi with brilliant blond hair, and striking blue eyes. If this boy was anything to go on, he would say that the child was indeed his son. Not knowing how right he was, Rasa spread his arms out in a welcoming gesture, his palms facing up. "Hokage-dono, it's an honor to see you." He said politely, "I bid you welcome to my village."

Hiruzen made a gesture, placing his right fist against the open palm of his left, and bowed at the waist, "You honor me by inviting me to your village, Kazekage-dono, and I must say it's quite a bit different than I imagined."

"We get that a lot," Rasa said, "Most visitors think that Suna is nothing more than a sand pit, but under our care, she is a thriving oasis in the desert. I trust your journey was pleasant?"

"Pleasant enough," Hiruzen nodded, "I do hate traveling in to wretched coaches my civilian merchants seem to enjoy so much."

Rasa chuckled at this, a false one, Temari could tell, but at least he was being nice.

"I see you've brought a guest with you?" He said, motioning to the boy peeking out from behind the man, "And who might this be?"

Hiruzen smiled and stepped away, placing his hand behind the boy to nudge him forward before taking his hand in his own, "This, Kazekgae-dono, is Uzumaki Naruto, my...I suppose you could call him my grandson, since I am caring for him at the moment."

"Uzumaki?" Rasa said in surprise, "I've always heard that the Uzumaki had red hair?"

Naruto perked up at this, looking up at the Hokage in question, to which he noticed that the man he trusted most had a slightly pained expression on his face. "He is the last of his clan," he said, "It is unknown who his father was, but his mother was a full-blooded Uzumaki woman of great respect."

Rasa didn't miss the look on the man's face, "I see that I've revealed something I shouldn't have. I must apologize for this."

"It is nothing to be sorry for," Hiruzen said, "I was intending to tell him when he reached the right age, and could protect himself from those that might try to harm him for his lineage."

It was an explanation to both the Kazekage, Temari noticed, and to the boy who had just learned of his clan. She had, of course, heard about the fabled Uzumaki clan from the text books she'd read while in academy. They were supposedly the most renown clan in all the nations that didn't possess a Kekkei Genkai. Savage in battle, and masters of the sealing arts, the Uzumaki were rumored to have long lives, and monstrous chakra reserves that rivaled that of a Biju, but since the fall of Uzu, few were reported to have survived.

Now she was staring at one.

"Still, it was rude of me to call out his lineage," Rasa sighed, "Ah, forgive me, I have introduced my own children." He said, gesturing to Temari, "My oldest is Temari, just in her second year of academy." Hiruzen gave a crinkly smile to her, and bowed, mirrored by Naruto. Temari bowed back, her eyes still on the blond boy, who was beginning to blush under the attention. "My second oldest, Konkuro, just starting academy, and already on his way to mastering puppetry."

"Ah, I've heard of the fabled puppet masters of Suna," Hiruzen said, giving a slightly more respectful bow to the boy, "You've picked a truly masterful skill to attempt, and I wish you all the luck in the world so that you master the skill fully."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," the boy said, bowing back respectfully.

"And my youngest, Gaara," Rasa said, gesturing to the tiny red-head at the end, "He's only..." Rasa stopped as Naruto startled both him, and the Hokage by stepping forward.

Naruto didn't know what it was, but the Kyuubi didn't like this boy. It was growling inside his head loudly, saying something about a stupid brother. But Naruto saw something else, before he even realized what the fox had said, something familiar.

Loneliness.

Then he realized that Kyuubi calling this boy his brother meant something so much more.

Gaara, clutching a small stuffed bear, was wary of the blond's interest in him as he came closer. He made the little voice in his head nervous. So much so that he didn't even hear it anymore. Now that boy stood directly in front of him, and broke out into a large smile. "You're like me."

Rasa nearly gasped, but kept his composure. The boy had just confirmed what Baki had told him earlier.

Before it could go any further, however, "Temari-chan, why don't you take Naruto around the village?" He suggested, hoping to quell the children's curiosity. "I'm sure he'd like that."

"An excellent idea, Kazekage-dono," Hiruzen smiled, "Naruto-kun, go with Temari-chan while the Kazekage and I have a little chat, alright?"

"Hai, Jiji," Naruto said, without missing a beat, and grinned at the blonde girl.

Temari wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but this was an opportunity she wasn't going to pass up when she hardly got the chance to go to the park anymore. She quickly grabbed the boy by the hand and led him out.

=x=

Pakura was seated on the top of the tower, watching the children below as they exited the Kazekage's estate. The boy was trailing after the excited girl happily oblivious to what he'd just said only moments ago. "So that's the Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki?" She wondered aloud, "And an Uzumaki as well...if he wasn't so young, I'd consider testing him."

Meanwhile, Naruto and Temari were laughing as they tore down the streets toward the park. Temari had been leading him by the hand, but it wasn't long before Naruto sped up and was soon running alongside her, his much shorter legs keeping up.

"Race ya!" Naruto called out, and shot ahead of her.

Temari was so surprised that she nearly let go of his hand, and giggled, "Baka, you don't know the way!"

"Yeah, I do," Naruto laughed, "I can hear the other kids playing!"

Temari giggled, "That's impossible!"

"No it's not!" Naruto said, and turned around the corner Temari did in perfect sync, surprising her. "This way!"

Above them, Pakura followed at a slow pace, for an Anbu that is, making sure that this strange Jinchuuriki didn't cause harm to any of the other children. But the way the child was acting, she thought there was little to worry about. The boy seemed well in control of himself, not even borderline unstable.

And seeing Temari's face as the pair raced along the streets was a rare sight indeed. She hadn't seen the girl so happy in her life. Not since before the day her mother died.

When the children unerringly reached the park, whether it was Temari's directions, or Naruto's hearing, she didn't know, or care as the two began playing together.

=x=

"That was quite unexpected," Hiruzen sighed as he sipped a welcomed cup of tea provided by Rasa, "Now I feel that I am the one that should apologize. I had no idea that your son was a Jinchuuriki."

"Nor did I know that you would bring your own," Rasa sighed, having removed his hat and veil, "Truly, it's been a day of first for me."

Hiruzen chuckled as he lit his pipe, "Kazekage-dono, in the eighty odd years of my life, I've come to know that one, be the Genin or Kage, should always expect the unexpected."

"So it would seem," Rasa sighed, "Though I am shocked that you brought his son here," Hiruzen choked on his pipe, giving the man a startled look, "Oh, come now, Hokage-dono, I would be a fool if I didn't see the similarities, the boy looks exactly like his father!"

Hiruzen sighed sadly, "Yes, that he does," he said, taking a long drag from his pipe, "I have little fear that Iwa will try to harm him. Onoki will not want to risk war with us, not even after the Kyuubi attack left us so weak. As for why I chose to take him with me in this venture...let us surmise that it was beneficial to his health."

Rasa nodded, taking the point that the Kyuubi's container would not be well liked after it's attack on the village. "Understandable, and I would ask of you not to reveal to anyone else that my son is the Jinchuuriki to the Ichibi. We've had enough trouble keeping him in control of the beast. A kidnapping, or assassination attempt may cause him to lose that control."

"You have my word," Hiruzen said, "Let it be known that I never let my promises go to waste. Your secret is safe under my care. And you need not worry about Naruto-kun's condition, he has only once rampaged, and that was when some of the more unsavory characters in my village attempted, and succeeded in harming him."

"Did he release the beast?" Rasa asked in curiosity.

"No, but the beast's instincts seemed to override his own and take over his survival," Hiruzen said, "More than that, I cannot say as my Anbu arrived too late to save them."

"I see," Rasa said, "The seal used must be powerful indeed. I could only wish that own seal masters here were as good."

Hiruzen nodded, "Our resident seal master is more skilled than many we've had since the founding of the village. I would be pleased to ask him to help teach some of his ways in seals to - "

Before the Hokage could finished, the door to the office burst open, revealing a very winded Pakura. Rasa rose from his seat at her rude entry, "Pakura-san, what - ?"

"Hokage-sama, please, you have to let me adopt that boy!"

Rasa and Hiruzen stared at the woman, the latter dropping his pipe. Rasa looked at the Hokage, "What was that about expecting the unexpected?"

Did anyone besides me see that coming? :p

percy zoe and artemis fan, sorry for taking so long on this, and I hope it's too your liking. To those that are wondering about the last bit, I'll explain that in the next chapter, as it has something to do with Naruto's later growth.

Don't forget to review please!