6: I Am The Third

Kakashi, from his point on the roof, was busying himself with his favorite book once again, well out of Pakura's eyesight for the woman did not like the book itself, and thought very little of its readers...no matter who they were. Needless to say that Hiruzen abstained from reading his own copy in front of the woman for his own safety.

They were just about to the village with only a few more miles to go, but had stopped to rest the horses for a short while, even though three of them could have made it to the village in record time if they'd simply taken to the trees. But, the Sandaime was in no particular hurry to get back to the village. There was only more paperwork for him to do, that much was a given. But there was one other reason he wasn't any a hurry to be home, though said reason was reason enough to be in a hurry.

Shimura Danzo.

Hiruzen sighed as he remembered the times the man had tried to take his seat from him. The first time had been during the war...before he'd become crippled, but leave a wolf its head and it still has the power to bite. Hiruzen thought. The second time was when he'd taken young Kakashi under his wing not so long ago and inducted him into the Foundation; ROOT. Shortly after that, Kakashi had come to him, saying that Danzo had ordered him to assassinate him. That was all it had taken for Hiruzen to remove the seal on him that bound him to the one-eyed war hawk, and make him his eyes and ears through out the village along with his other hand-selected Anbu unit.

And, Hiruzen thought as he watched Naruto playing tag with Pakura, with Pakura-san around to look after Naruto-chan, I doubt that old warlord is going to stay quiet...I'll have to do something about him as soon as I get back to the village.

"Kaa-chan, no fair using clones!" Naruto giggled as Pakura's Rock Clone popped up out of the ground and nabbed him. But the boy was having too much fun to care about fairness. Pakura had proved to be quite the mother figure for the boy, even going so far as to teach him how to use the set of Tessen Temari had given him.

Shakuton, as explained by Pakura to both Naruto, and a curious Kakashi who had never seen the unique chakra nature before, was a natural mixture of both Wind natured chakra and Fire natured chakra, the result being a much more powerful flame technique. Pakura demonstrated one such technique by sending a ball of her Shakuton into a large tree, which quickly whithered and died within moments of contact. And only a moment later, the tree turned to ashes.

The young black and orange clad shinobi in training was ecstatic about his possible abilities. But, for the moment, Pakura was happy with teaching him a few low-level Futton ninjutsu usuable with his fans.

Hiruzen's smile for the boy was only on the surface. Inside he was a torrent of worry. Danzo would most certainly want to use Pakura for his own gains, or perhaps having her produce more Shakuton users for the future. And he would ultimately try to recruit Naruto for his own abilities. The aging Hokage shook his head. I will not allow Minato-kun's son to suffer such a thing.

"Hey!" Kakashi yelped as Naruto acciddently let loose a blast of wind that knocked his book skyward. Kakashi scrambled to grab it, "This is a signed copy!" He yelled, glaring at the pair.

"Gomen, Kakashi-nii!" Naruto grinned.

Pakura just crossed her arms under her breasts, "Pervert."

Kakashi blushed, "I am not a pervert! I just appreciate good literature!"

=x=

The two Chunin at that gate greeted the Hokage warmly upon his return, smiling even at the young blond as he trotted alongside Pakura. Pakura, looking over at the aged Kage, asked, "Is there anything I need to sign or do before I take Naruto to whatever home you have lined up for us?"

Hiruzen chuckled, "I have a feeling that if I asked you to the tower to sign anything at the moment, my advisors would descend upon my like vultures on a piece of meat." He said, taking a left from the gate, "Come, I'll show you to the old Uzumaki compound here in the village."

"Such a place exists here?" Pakura asked, taking Naruto by the hand as they followed after him, Kakashi bringing up the rear.

Hiruzen nodded, "It was meant as a sign of respect toward our brethren from Uzu, but it has...gone a while without a tenant. I'll have some Genin teams sent over to repair the place."

Naruto looked up at her, "Does this mean we have a place to live?"

Pakura nodded, "It would seem we do, Naruto-chan."

The walk through the village was interesting to say the least. The villagers, having gone a few days without seeing the blond, were stunned to see him in such company as the Hokage, and the youngest Jonin shinobi in the village. Pakura was another oddity. Her exotic hair coloring, and pupil-less eyes made her a stunning sight when combined with her figure, much to a few wives' dismay as their husbands caught sight of the woman. But the fact that she was in the company of the pariah of the village was a monstrously degrading factor.

For his part, Naruto could already feel the eyes of the villagers on him.

"Isn't that the boy that - "

"Hush, the Hokage's with him! You wanna be killed?!"

"But who is that woman with him?" Pakura's eye twitched. "The little brat must have lied to get her to like him. There's no way - " Pakura sent a ball of scorching flames in their direction, startling them.

She placed Naruto right beside her, and held him close, "Listen here, you nosy civilians." She said calmly, but her tone made the all shiver as she addressed them, "I am Pakura of the Shakuton. And I am also this boy's adoptive mother. Say one more word about his...affliction, and you'll deal with me," she held up another ball of flames for good measure, "Hurt my family, and I'll turn you to ash and spread you over a garden."

Kakashi giggled behind his book, one eye peeking over the edge to see the utterly flummoxed looks on the peoples' faces. He wasn't the only one as Hiruzen let a satisfied smile adorn his face. "Kakashi-kun?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi said, snapping the book closed.

The Sarutobi patriarch handed him a slip of paper, "Head the the Higurashi Weapons shop and ask the owner to make a Bo staff from these ingredients. He'll know what it'll come out like if he knows his metals, and I'd also like you to purchase a practice Bo about Naruto's size. You may tell him to send the bill to my office, and I'll be sure to have everything paid in full by this evening."

"Yes sir," Kakashi nodded, giving his customary eye-smile and flashing away.

As he went, Pakura shivered involuntarily, "It's much cooler here than I first thought it would be." She said, "Is this the Autumn season?"

Hiruzen chuckled, "As a matter of fact it isn't." He said, smiling at the brown-eyed woman, "This is in fact the Summer part the season in Hi no Kuni."

Pakura's brow rose, "This is Summer?!"

"Uh-huh," Naruto grinned, "It's almost as hot as it was in Suna!"

Pakura looked at her boy for a moment, He's joking...right?

"Wait until winter hits," Hiruzen smiled as they continued on, "We're due for a fine snowy season this year."

"Snow?" Pakura moaned in dismay.

=x=

The Higurashi Weapons shop was by far the most respected store for weapons in all of Konoha, with its owner being one of the finest blacksmiths in the lands, second only to the forge masters of the Daimyo. Kenshi Higurashi, despite his short stature, was a grizzled, and worn man with hands as hard as the steel he worked. A fact driven home when Kakashi handed him the list of materials the Hokage had asked to be combined, and heard a vry audible creak coming from his knuckles as he took it.

Kenshi looked up at the young man, "Do you know what this will create, Kakashi-san?"

Kakashi shook his head, "I was only instructed to give you that list so you could forge a six-foot Noiybo staff from the materials, and I'm also to get a training staff from you for a boy about yay big," He held his hand about three feet from the desk, "He's five, going on six in a few months."

Kenshi looked at him once more, and smiled, "You mean that Uzumaki boy, right?"

The young Jonin's lone eye narrowed, "And if I do?"

Kenshi flapped the paper in his face, "Boy, you should know that that boy has been threw hell!"

"I'm sorry?" Kakashi's brow rose.

"AS YOU SHOULD!" Kenshi thundered, making the teen shrink back. "You know I've seen that boy scrounging around in the garbage for food?! That orphanage never took proper care of him, and now I've heard they've turned him out on the streets! What is the Hokage going to do about that, eh?!"

Kakashi, shocked at finding Naruto a champion in the grizzled old blacksmith, raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Easy there, Kenshi-san! Hokage-sama has already taken care of it! Naruto's been adopted by a good woman!"

"Has he now?" Kenshi asked, raising his brow, before grinning a grin so wide Kakashi was reminded of the Shukaku for a moment. "That's a good thing, then. Poor kid's gonna need some looking after from what I've heard."

"What have you heard," Kakashi's voice hardened.

Kenshi leaned in close, "Just before the Hokage left, I heard about the killings...Danzo ain't happy about that either. Them two other old bats are on his side, too. He's calling around to all the shops telling them to up the price of their wears to the boy, hoping to starve him out. Course, I ain't gonna be doing anything of the like. I know about that boy, and I figure I owe him for keeping that...thing locked away."

Kakashi nodded, "I appreciate what you've told me, and I will inform the Hokage at once." He said, "Keep on your toes, Kenshi-san, Danzo-san has ears everywhere."

Kenshi's only answer was to heft a huge spiked metal club up over his shoulder, "I didn't go through the Third War and come out alive so some wrinkled old war hawk could send his young'ne's after me." He said with a toothy grin, "Take whatever staff you need, and I'll have this new one forged in about...say three days. Wanna get it just right for the little fellow. Not every day that I get the Sarutobi's secret to creating the fabled Adamantine steel."

Kakashi didn't show his surprise, but smiled, "Do you know anyone in the merchants stores that would help Naruto and his new mother?"

Kenshi sighed, rubing the bridge of his nose, "Honestly, Kakashi-san, not many would help anyone that helped the boy. The Ichiraku family always lets him eat for free when he'd gone a while without food. And some of the people that worked in the clothing district would secretly give him throwaway clothes that were meant for the dumpsters, but they never held the jobs for long after they were found out."

Kakashi nodded, "Looks like I should take a more active hand than I thought...thank you for your time, Higurashi-san." He said, backing away with a bow, moving over to pick out a bo staff.

"Half a moment, Kakashi-san," Kenshi said, ducking under the counter. He came back up with a few crates, "Figure if he's gonna be a shinobi, then he's gonna need a few shuriken and kunai...so's his ma, too, if she's gonna look after the poor kid."

=x=

"I thought you said this place was only gone a little while without someone living in it!" Pakura snapped as she waded through the waist deep grass with Naruto riding on her shoulders, "This place is gone wild!"

"Mm, oh dear," Hiruzen sighed, taking in the state of the buildings, the Uzumaki mask shrine in the center of the area. "I had thought that Koharu and Homura were keeping this place up...seems that I need to have a talk with them." He growled before turning to the pair, "Cover your ears."

Naruto and Pakura nodded, doing as they were told before Hiruzen took a deep, deep breath, and they wince when the Kami no Shinobi bellowed out, "ANBUUUU!" They heard him even though they had plugged their ears, and it still made them ring.

Not a moment later, an entire squad of animal masked Anbu Black Ops shinobi appeared, at least twelve of them by Pakura's count. "You called, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen smiled, "Good response time...I need a few of you to get together with a some of the lower Genin teams, I need at least four of them, and have them come hear prepared for manual labors. Grass cutting, building repair, painting, and perhaps some stone work. And I would like one of you, Neko-chan will do, to inform the elders, Danzo included, that I have returned, and that I will be calling a meeting of the clans in...say, two hours time, and the rest of you are to inform said clan heads of this meeting."

"Is there anything wrong, sir?" The foremost Anbu asked, wearing a bear mask.

"No, Kuma-san, there is not, though I feel like I am about to raise hell," Hiruzen chuckled, "Now, Neko-san, once you're done with the elders, come back here and help Pakura-san and little Naruto-chan with their living arrangemenst here in the Uzumaki compound." He said to the purple-haired female Anbu, "You'll also be directing the Genin teams along with their Jonin instructors. Ah, have five teams brought in, one of them will need to run errands for the household things, and put it all under my name."

"Hokage-sama!" Pakura cried, "You're being far too generous!"

Hiruzen smiled at her, "No I'm not. I'm just helping a future clan make its home here." He said, turning back to the assembled Anbu. "Well? GET GOING!"

"HAI!"

=|Two Hours Later|=

The clans of Konoha had gathered in the council room. Hyuuga, Uchiha, Nara, Yamanaka, Akamichi, Inuzuka, Aburame, Kurama, Hiruzen's eldest son, Godo Sarutobi, and finally, Danzo as the last of the Shimura clan.

Koharu and Homura had taken up the desks sitting on either side of the Hokage, both looking worried. Danzo, however was looking stoic as ever, though Hiruzen knew otherwise.

"Good people, and clan heads of Konohagakure," Hiruzen intoned, not letting himself falter at all. "As you know, Uzumaki Naruto has been attacked, and has retaliated as he saw fit - "

"If by 'attack', you mean having mauled fifteen people to death, then yes, we are well aware of it," Danzo said, tapping his cane against the floor. "It was foolish to - "

"Shimura," Hiruzen scowled, his chakra flaring, "You have spoken out of term and interrupted your Hokage." The man shrank back, "Do so again, and I will have you removed from this meeting and banned from all others from this point on."

Danzo gripped his cane tightly, the only sign of his anger to show through his facade.

"Now, as I was saying, yes, Naruto did lash out and kill those villagers." Hiruzen said, "And they have been marked as traitors to this village for outright attacking him, attempting to murder him, which, if anyone understood the meaning of a sealing technique, would have meant the release of the Kyuubi. As such, I took him with me to Suna to make sure that this would not happen again on my watch, and had intended on adopting him into our clan."

Godo raised his hand to speak, "Otou-sama, you know we would welcome him. Why didn't you bring him to the main house?"

"Simple," Hiruzen said, "He made contact with the Kyuubi." The room went deathly quiet then, and Hiruzen continued, "Yes, he now knows, and believed the village civilians to be correct in his being a demon, as they often called him. Not only that, but he was turned out of the orphange that very day, prompting the attack. As such I saw fit to take him away from the village for a time, so that he could somewhat get over what had transpired...however, upon arriving, it was discovered that the boy, as seen by someone with the same abilities, had a very special, and very rare kekkei genkai; the Shakuton."

A murmur went through the gathered clans, and Hiruzen held up his hand for silence.

"I know it must come as a shock, but the one that confirmed it was none other than Pakura of the Shakuton herself," he said, "And to answer my son's question, the reason he is not now at our clan's compound is because Pakura migrated from Suna to Konoha in order to adopt the boy and train him in her arts." He said, preparing to drop the proverbial paperbomb. "And I have approved it."

"WHAT!?" Koharu and Homura roared.

"You can't trust a foreigner with - "

"SIIIIIILENCE!" Hiruzen roared, glaring at the trio, "I, not you, am the Kage of this village. If you wish to file a complaint, please leave it on my desk so that I may ignore it for my more important paperwork!" He growled, steepling his fingers together as he gazed out from under his hat. "Now, I know many of you here. All of you wished at one point or another to adopt young Naruto for the love of his father, but I was naive, and let the councilmen handle it. As such, the child has been mistreated, and nearly killed...no more.

"No more will I be the figure head that I have been since Minato-kun's death, no longer will I leave my most important tasks to the elders," he looked across the room, piercing them all with his gaze, "Fugaku Uchiha."

Fugaku stood, smiling, "Sir."

"Your clan has been wrongly harassed due to the Kyuubi incident," the Hokage went on, "And as such, the elders have taken much from you. Half of your land, you holdings, money. I believe that there is a large unused training field right next to your compound...I, as Sandaime Hokage, award the Uchiha clan ownership of these ground to do as they wish. And also, there have been strange goings on around this village," his glance slid straight to Danzo, who showed no sign of flinching. "Children and adults alike have gone missing. From now on, the Uchiha Police Force will do frequent sweeps of the village every hour during the night after eight. Any suspicious activities are to be brought to Anbu, who will then relay that information to me." He smirked, "Is this acceptable?"

Fugaku was flummoxed, "I...you...Hokage-sama...!"

"I'll take that as a yes," Hiruzen chuckled. Then his gaze hardened once again, "While in Suna, the Ichibi was unleashed. The Kazekage, in his arrogance, tried to test his Jinchuriki's, his own son, control over the beast. He failed, miserably. At the same time, Naruto fully manifested the Kyuubi's form - QUIET!" He roared as the chamber filled with voice, "Now, as I was saying. Naruto was able to change into, and control the form of the Kyuubi, even being able to speak. He fought, and defeated the Ichibi, forcing it back into its container with the aid of myself, and Kakashi Hatake. Later, after the battle was done, the treaty between our village was all but ignored. For future patrols from all clans, please be wary of Suna shinobi. I do not think that they will openly attack us unless we trespass on their lands, but I would rather not take the risk of another shinobi war."

Hiashi Hyuuga stood for a moment, "Hokage-sama, may I ask what our relations with Kumo are after...after my daughters kidnapping attempt?"

"Kill any and all Kumo shinobi on sight unless the Chunin exams dictate otherwise." Hiruzen said, and saw the please smirk on the Hyuuga's face.

Fugaku was looking at the man with a slight pallid expression, "Ahem, er, Hokage-sama, if I may suggest something?"

"You may," Hiruzen said, wondering why the man looked rather...ill.

"I...erm, the Sharingan, while it is a powerful Doujutsu...cannot see through walls...as the Byakugan can..." Fugaku said, swallowing back bile, "If Hiashi-san would permit it...I would happily accept a few of his clan into the police force!" He said in a rush.

The room was quiet once more, no one believing what they had heard. Tsume of th Inuzuka was the first to recover. "Did...did I just hear that right...or did hell just freeze over?"

=x=

Over with the work force at the Uzumaki compound, the progress was staggering. Not because of the Genin, no, they were too busy ogling the new matriarchs...assets. No, it was because Pakura and Naruto were working there asses off and putting them to shame. With teh use of his Tessen wind blades, Naruto had knocked down a large amount of grass which was now being bundled up for thatching, or carted off to farms for fodder. Pakura's Fire style was burning away years of debris, and trees from where they had grown or fallen.

Neko, having to chase the poor Genin around to get them to work, was busy barking(meowing) out orders to the Jonin for the Genin rookies.

Now, Pakura and Naruto were sitting on the porch of the main house, exhausted from all of their hard work as the watched the others work. Naruto was dozing off against her as she held him in her lap, "Well, Naruto-chan, what do you think?"

Naruto mumbled sleepily, "I like our new home, Kaa-chan."

And that's chapter six! Now it's time for a few shoutouts.

Firstly to Jose19: Thanks for reminding me of that, really, and I still need to do the whole Kinoe rescue skit. That's gonna be fun. And as far as the Uchiha go, you're right about that, but even though I've given them a bit of glory back in this chapter, the massacre is still coming. Danzo is a cunning, evil bastard, even though he keeps saying that he does what he does for the village, he does it the wrong way.

avidnarutofan: To answer your question about Naruto not being burned by Kurama's chakra, Naruto, when Kurama forced his chakra into him, latched onto it, and separated it from the main source, sorta like he did when he fought Kurama in cannon for control. Though this small amount he has will eventually run out, and then all hell's gonna break loose.

SPark681: Yes, Danzo is one of the focal points as far as antagonists go in this story. He is, for all intents and purposes, a power hungry, ego maniac.

That's all for now, folks, I'll be back, so don't forget to review!