3: Plots

Hiruzen and Rasa both stood a little more rigidly than before, taking in Pakura's glaring look at the two men. "Pakura-san, while I think Naruto would love to have someone such as yourself as a mother...I must ask...what in the name of the Rikkuudo Sennin brought this on!?" Hiruzen shouted.

Rasa nodded, "I would have to agree with the Hokage, Pakura-san. You've never displayed any interest in bearing children, or parenting in the least, not even showing interest in men for that matter. What changed?"

Pakura sighed, "The boy changed my mind...Rasa-sama, you know that I am the only known wielder of Shakuton, correct?"

"To the village's great regret," the man said tonelessly. "But what does that have to do with the boy?"

x|Flash Back|x

Pakura watched as Naruto and Temari played in the park, enjoying the sight of the girl being herself for once. When the children made for one of the benches to rest, Temari started cooling herself down by using her already developing Wind affinity.

"Hey, Temari-chan, how are you doing that?" Naruto asked as he watched the air flow around her, not even feeling a natural breeze himself.

Temari looked at him, and then down at her hands which were wrapped in small swirls of air. "You mean this?" She asked, showing him, to which he nodded eagerly, "It's my chakra. Since I use wind, it's easy for me to cool down like this. What's your chakra like?"

Naruto shrugged, "Dunno, I've only just gotten used to my chakra being around. I don't know how to use it much, yet, but Jiji-chan said he'd teach me a new jutsu when we got home!" He said excitedly, making the girl beside him giggle.

Pakura smiled herself at the boy's excite.

"Wanna know a trick I learned to find out what your chakra nature is?" Temari grinned, eager to show off some more.

"Yeah!" Naruto crowed, jumping up, "Show me, please!"

Now Pakura was really interested. The boy was Jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi. A Fire and Wind Chakra beast. She knew that Shukkaku was know to use the Magnet Release, but so few, the Kazekage included, used it. Not even their own Jinchuuriki displayed the ability...at least not yet.

"You just focus your chakra into a ball between your hands," Temari said, holding up her hands, "Like this." Naruto watched intently as Temari's hands glowed s blue with chakra for a moment before a tiny ball began to form between them. That ball then turned to air swirling in her hands like a tiny whirlwind.

Naruto grew wide-eyed at this and grinned, "That's so awesome, Temari-chan! -ttebayo!"

Temari gave him an odd look, dropping the ball, "Ttebayo?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "It's just something that slips out when I'm really excited." He said, a small blush on his face, "Yu think I could try?"

Temari nodded and watched him as he attempted it. For a moment, nothing at all happened, and Pakura sighed in disappointment. "Guess he's nothing special after all." She said to herself.

Naruto face grew red with determination, and flared his chakra as much as he could, enveloping his little hands in blue like she had done before. Temari looked between his fingers, "Hey..I've never seen that before..."

Naruto opened his eyes to see a tiny white ball of fire in his hands, "So, I'm a fire user? Jiji-chan uses fire, so I guess that's good, right?"

Temari smiled, "He could teach you anything he wanted, then." She said as she watched the little flame in wonder, "But this is really pretty Naruto-kun, I've never seen white fire chakra like this."

If Pakura hadn't been a seasoned kunoichi of Suna, then she would have fallen off the wall she was sitting on without a doubt. "I-I don't believe this!" She shouted mentally, "That little one's using my jutsu!"

x|Flashback End|x

Once again, Hiruzen's pipe slipped from his grasp. Naruto, his little Naruto, had an elemental Kekkei Genkai?! Pakura, who still had her arms crossed, nodded to the man, "I see you're just as shocked as I am." She said, a small smile coming to her lips, "He's the first person aside from myself that has this power, and I am not willing to let it go unchecked. Which is why I'm willing to go so far."

Rasa raised his hand to halt her, "Pakura-san, I hear your reasoning, but the boy is a Jinchuuriki." He said, "I highly doubt - "

Hiruzen snapped out of his daze, "Done!"

"There, you s...what?!" Rasa yelled, glancing at the Hokage, who was beaming at the woman, "You'd trust us with your Jinchuuriki?!"

Hiruzen just smiled at him, "Oh, you misunderstand, Rasa-dono. You see, if Pakura-san truly wishes to adopt Naruto-kun, then she will have to become a Konoha kunoichi." Pakura raised an eyebrow at the man, "My council would have my head, literally, if I turned over our Jinchuuriki to another village. But I dislike the idea of the boy growing up without a family. It was my intention to have the boy raised by the Sarutobi clan, with the help of my eldest son's wife, who is due for her first child any day, now. But seeing as Pakura-san is so insistent on adopting him herself, I would like to know how far she is willing to go?"

Rasa glared at the woman, "You'll do no such thing," he ordered, no longer caring for the situation, "You're one of our most highly valued kunoichi, and you think I'll let you transfer to another village? Kekkei Genkai are rare, and rarer still in Suna, I myself being only the second to master Jiton!"

Hiruzen nodded, "His reasoning is sound, Pakura-san. And I have very little I could offer in compensation for such a rare bloodline, you and Naruto being the only ones to hold it. I cannot offer an Uchiha, they'd never allow such a thing, nor could I offer one of the Hyuuga, unless you settled for a low ranking branch member that had the seal in place, and unlikely to pass on the bloodline trait."

Pakura growled, seeing the winning smirk on Rasa's face. Then she gained a smirk of her own, "Fine, since you value me as a kunoichi," she reached up and untied her hitai-ate, and placed it on the desk in front of the two stunned men, "I resign as a kunoichi of Suna effective immediately!"

"You can't do that!" Rasa roared.

"I just did," Pakura said, placing her hands on her hips, "You left me no alternatives but to turn in my resignation." She held up her finger as if lecturing him, which Rasa hated most, "As a shinobi, I can't leave the village no matter what unless I'm cleared, but as a civilian, I can come and go as I please, I just have to go through customs with the guards to make sure I haven't stolen anything, which is fine. I have no clan, nor do I hold any secret documents of my particular Kekkei Genkai except for what's up here," she tapped her finger against the side of her head, "So, after being checked, I can leave without problems...I think that about covers it, am I right, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen resisted the urge to chuckle, "You are correct, my dear, but I have to say I would be disappointed not to have you as a kunoichi. You skills are quite renown."

Pakura huffed, "I'll be taking care of an energetic five-year-old Jinchuuriki," she said, crossing her arms once more, "It's going to take all my skills just to keep my sanity."

Rasa, for his part, was debating whether or not to have the now former kunoichi arrested, but doing so in front of the Hokage would have been a bad idea, seeing as there were no charges he could validly claim against her. She was right, as a civilian, it was well within her right to leave, and there was little he could do. Perhaps I should take a card from Kumo and use her for breeding stock? He grumbled, snatching up the discarded head band, gripping the metal tightly, "If I ever see you again, Pakura, I'll - "

"Burn," Pakura said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "Because, Kage, or not, if anyone threatens my family, then they'll see just how the fires of hell feel."

Hiruzen could see that Rasa's patience was at it's breaking point, and rose from his seat, "Rasa-dono, I believe we should talk again tomorrow, as the day has been full of surprises, and the journey has quite worn me down."

"Yes," Rasa ground out, "That would be for the best, I believe." He glared right into Pakura's pupilless eyes, "You...get out."

=x=

Kakashi sighed as he sat back in the hotel room he shared with Naruto. His day out with Temari had long since come to an end, and the child was sacked out on his bed, totally exhausted. But Kakashi was happy for the boy. He had never seen him so happy in his five years of life. And Kakashi thought, with slight amusement, that the little blond might have a crush on the Kazekage's daughter, the way he talked about her.

And who could blame him, Kakashi thought. It was plain to see that Temari was a pretty little thing, and would continue to grow in a beauty. She was also quite mature for her age, and acted as if she were Naruto's big sister at times when he watched them. More than a few times, she'd cared for Naruto when he scuffed a knee, or gotten too dirty for her taste.

She also worried about how thin he was. Naruto just brushed that bit off, and said it because he never ate much. Which was the truth, if what Ibiki pulled from the minds of the previous orphanage manager proved anything.

As Kakashi smiled in thought, the door to his room opened was the Hokage walked in with a bright smile on his face, "How goes the post, Kakashi-kun?"

The young Jonin smiled, "Couldn't be better." He said, gesturing to the sleeping Jinchuuriki, "He had the best day of his life today. That little girl really brought out the best in him."

Hiruzen nodded kindly, "I know. She's a sweet little thing, that's for sure. And once we return to Konoha, Naruto-kun won't be so alone anymore."

"Planning on adopting him?" Kakashi joked.

"No," Hiruzen grinned at the jibe, "But a lovely young woman here in Suna took an interest in him, bar him being a Jinchuuriki, and offered to adopt him."

Kakashi's one visible eye widened, "What? When did this happen?"

Hiruzen chuckled and quickly explained the happenings of the day, surprising his young companion.

"With the addition of Pakura-san, Naruto-kun will most definitely grow up well-protected, and loved, I hope." Hiruzen said as he watched the boy sleep. Naruto had a small smile on his face as he slept. It was one of the first, of many more, Hiruzen hoped.

Kakashi sighed, "Naruto-kun is quite something. Heir to a clan, and the second person in Konoha to have an elemental Kekkei Genkai." He said, pulling his mask down from his mouth, making Hiruzen raise brow at him, "What? The heat's getting to me. I don't particularly like the taste of my own sweat. Anyway, what about this Pakura? What do you think of her?"

Hiruzen shrugged, "She seems very sincere. If anything, she want's to make sure Naruto's Sokuton matures, and perhaps, pass her's on to the next generation if she finds the right man."

"Understandable," Kakashi sighed, "But are you going to tell the three elders? If Danzo finds out about Naruto's gift - "

Hiruzen growled, "I've had quite enough of them meddling. I've accepted the fact that they, as war veterans, and former teammates, advise me. But Naruto's life has been out of my hands for far too long, and we have seen the consequences. I don't wish to see him run wild like that again, nor do I want the civilians to have more to use against him."

Kakashi shook his head tiredly. He looked far too old for a nineteen-year-old when he did that. "It's too late for that, Hokage-sama. Danzo-sama caught wind of the attack. Sad to say that we will be hearing from him when we get back."

Hiruzen nodded, "Then he will get the truth, and quite frankly, I don't give a damn about his opinions anymore." He said, taking a step toward the little boy, "Naruto's already suffered too much as it is. I won't deny him a mother when one is ready for him. Besides, I'm sure that Pakura-san will be able to help him. If the Shokuton is as powerful as I think it is, then Naruto will be in very, very good hands."

"For once," Kakashi said, replacing his mask. "I take it the Kazekage wasn't very happy about all this?"

=x=

"That bitch!" The man roared angrily as he stood in his office, "How dare she do this to me!"

"Kazekage-sama, what about the treaty with Kiri?" Baki asked, "They demanded her as a peace offering."

"They'll get her," Rasa growled, clenching his fists, "The Hokage leaves tomorrow afternoon, send a message to the Mizukage about their route, and tell them Pakura will be with them. I no longer care about fostering good will with Konoha, so I don't care what they do with the Hokage. Kill him, kidnap him, whatever they want, just so long as Pakura never makes it to Konoha!"

=x=

Pakura sighed as she packed what little she had and sealed it away in a storage scroll. Once she'd made her way home, the gravity of what she'd done hit her. Her body had nearly shut down no sooner than the door to her apartment had closed. She'd defied her Kazekage. Abandoned her life as a Suna kunoichi, and career, for a child.

A sweet, beautiful child.

I'm going to be his mother, the thought echoed in her mind. With that, she started packing her things away. Then she wondered how she was going to tell Maki...of course, it didn't help that her friend was out of the village.

I'll miss her, she thought sadly, she's never going to forgive me for not saying good-bye, but I really don't have the time to wait. The fact was that she didn't trust the Kazekage not to do something. Rasa was a shrude man. If something went wrong, then there would indeed be hell to pay. His own children knew that. She was sad at the fact that Temari would be losing her friend for a while, but she could suggest to the pair that they write to each other.

As a Jinchuuriki, Naruto was sure to be singled out for the people's hatred of his burden. He was so thin. She remembered watching him in the park, and seeing his tiny, energetic form keeping pace with Temari, who was a good three years older than he was. This must be a maternal instinct, she thought for a moment as she wanted nothing more than to make sure that Naruto got a proper diet.

And that nothing would ever happen to him. I wonder what he'll think of me? The thought had momentarily crossed her mind that Naruto may in fact resist the adoption, but then, it would still work in her favor if she could at least train the boy.

A feeling of nervousness entered came to her. What if he doesn't like me?

=x=

Well, there we have it. Chapter 3 is out. As we see, Rasa is royally POed, and Pakura is having some doubts of her own.

Like or hate it, let me know!