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Politics! … Now on to the story!
Chapter 22: Governing Soberly and Sexy Bodies
Naruto sat behind his desk, staring at the paperwork in front of him. He didn't want a clone to deal with, since it wasn't much. But for some reason, he just couldn't focus on it. He felt a nagging sensation at the back of his mind, but couldn't tell what it was from. He pushed himself from the desk, deciding that a clone could deal with the work while he cleared his head.
The whole incident with Yukie Fujikaze yesterday had been an ordeal. A boat had been secured for their mission, but it wouldn't come for another two or three days. Naruto walked the halls of the Hokage Mansion in thought, his arms behind his back as he focused his gaze on the floor before him.
He still needed to meet with his ever wise Civilian Council. He might have understood them, but he also thought he had made his thoughts on the matter clear as well. They needed to be dealt with, and as much as he hated to do it, there was only one way he could think of to do so.
"Genma, Ado!" Naruto called as he walked, the two ninja coming from the shadows as they kept pace behind him.
"Yes, Lord Hokage." the two chorused as Naruto glanced over his shoulder at them.
"I want the Councils, all three of them, present in the Council Meeting room. Have them all there by noon." Naruto said as the two wasted no time to give his orders.
"You can come out at anytime, Sai. Following me under illusions isn't the way to go." Naruto said, glancing at a wall as he outstretched his hand, ripping away Sai's genjutsu while said pale boy was wide-eyed and surprised.
"How the…? What did he just do? He… ripped it… physically… But how? That shouldn't be possible! There are only two ways to dispel a genjutsu! What is he…? He is truly a God?" Sai thought in a panic, though none showed on his face.
"That technique I just used is one of my own design. I came up with it while Jiraiya-sensei and I were searching for Tsunade. I force my own charka onto the illusion and disturb it with multiple waves of charka while moving my hand, hence why it looked like I ripped your genjutsu away. I'm still thinking of a name for it though…" Naruto said as Sai merely fell into step behind him respectfully.
"I see… then why not name it… Noren Mekuri…?" Sai suggested as Naruto rubbed his chin.
"Hmm… Curtain Stripping, you say… that's good, Sai. Thanks." Naruto said as he gazed over his shoulder with a smile. Sai felt his heartbeat increase while heat rose in his cheeks. He didn't know why, but that smile, it gave him an unusual feeling… a feeling of ease…
Sai hated that feeling.
"How is Yamato doing?" Naruto asked as he and Sai stepped out of the Hokage's Mansion.
"Tsunade-sama says that he will make a full recovery within a week. His vitals are stable and the only thing he needs now is rest and a steady diet of healthy foods." Sai said impassively as Naruto nodded.
"Good, good… How's Danzo?" Naruto asked, his voice carrying a little more firmness to it as Sai felt himself tense without wanting to.
"He is well." Sai said with infliction, as if he was being indirect.
"Oh? You didn't say Danzo-sama. Am I to take it that you can't? Or maybe you'll explode if you do?" Naruto said, taking the fact that Danzo seemed like the cold-hearted type to do something like that.
"The former. I can't speak that which is not to be talked about." Sai said quietly with his head bowed.
"That's fine, Sai." Naruto said, though his fists were clenched, "I knew Danzo wouldn't send someone to me without some security measures, but what if he's done this to every other ninja under his command. I'll just have to figure out a way around whatever defenses he has on Sai, and then remove them completely. You should know Danzo, you're playing at a young man's game and your time is nearly up." Naruto thought as he took in a calming breath.
"What did you say?" Hiashi asked the ninja with out turning from his cup of tea nor his two daughters and Neji as they sparred.
"Hokage-sama has requested the presence of all Council Members and his three Elderly Advisors. Any who do not attend by noon will be dealt with by Hokage-sama himself." the ninja said as Hiashi sighed.
"Understood. You may go." Hiashi said shortly as the ninja nodded before vanishing.
"What could have happened that would cause Naruto to call an emergency meeting of all three councils before the normal time?" Hiashi thought as he sipped at his tea, watching Neji flip Hinata while he kicked Hanabi backward, "I just hope they'll have better luck with the village when I'm dead and gone…"
"A meeting you say?" Inoichi said as he wiped the sweat from his brow. With a sigh, he and Chojiro sat down the large box they were carrying while Shikaku raised a brow.
"Yes, all members of the three Councils. Attendance is mandatory." the ninja said.
"Alright. Message received. You can go." Shikaku said with a lazy tone and wave of his hand. The ninja nodded as he vanished from the inside of the hospital.
"A meeting, huh? Why am I being summoned then? I'm not one of the three Councils." Tsunade said, sparing the ninja a glance from her paperwork.
"You are of the Senju clan, and have had your clan's status reinstated with your being back in the village. You're also the Head of the Medical Corps and the Hospital. You are required to attend." the ninja said as Tsunade sighed. She had forgot all about that and those two old fossils' threats toward her.
"Fine, just get out of my office!" Tsunade said as the ninja wasted no time in leaving.
"Damn paperwork!"
"Sai, I need you to pick up a book for me from a person just outside the village's gates. They'll meet you there, so have it to me before noon." Naruto said, writing down what he needed as he handed the scrap of paper to Sai, who nodded in acceptance.
"As you wish, Naruto-sama." Sai said in monotone before he disappeared.
"Alright, now I can finally get some ramen in peace." Naruto said with a stretch and a sigh.
"Oh, mind if I join you?" a voice said as Naruto turned to see Ino.
"Ino…? Hey, aren't you supposed to be living at my mansion now?" Naruto asked, not having seen anyone around the mansion but Jiraiya as he did every morning.
"Yeah, me, Hinata, and Tenten are there. We're roomed on a the level above you and Lord Jiraiya. I didn't know the Hokage's mansion extended below ground or that it was so extensive. It's amazing, Naruto!" Ino said as she and Naruto walked onward to Ichiraku's Ramen.
"Yeah, neither did I when I first moved in. It's all still so new and exciting to me." Naruto said honestly as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah, but you've accomplished your dream. I mean, you're the Hokage now, Naruto. You did it. Everyone said you wouldn't, and still you did it." Ino said with her arms behind her as she glanced over at Naruto.
'Yeah, but I think the reasons for my dream changed along the way." Naruto said, looked up at the giant tree in the middle of the village with a smile, "I first started that dream just so people would stop ignoring me and take notice, but along the way, I didn't care if people took notice of my existence. I just wanted to protect those I cared about. I discovered that while on my first C-ranked mission."
"Really?" Ino asked, turned to him fully as they came up on the ramen shop, which seemed to be very busy while Naruto nodded.
"Hey, hey, Naruto! I mean, Lord Hokage! Come around for another world-famous bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, huh?" Teuchi said as he gazed back at his customers, "Hey you squatters, make room for the leader of our great village… and his girl."
"Thanks, Old Man Teuchi." Naruto said with a chuckle as he gusided Ino to her seat.
" Your welcome anytime, Naruto. And who is this young lady whose accompanying you today? Might I add a beautiful one at that?" Teuchi said as Ino began to blush.
"Huh? Oh, it's just Ino." Naruto said, casting a quick glance at Ino while Ayame was taking his order.
"Naruto!" both girls, Ayame and Ino , yelled at him in embarrassment while Ino was blushing from such.
"Huh? Something wrong?" Naruto asked in confusion as Ayame grabbed his ear harshly.
"You can't just introduce her so commonly, like she's just some old friend that's been with you forever. You have to be respectful and gentlemen-like, say her full name, be polite." Ayame admonished as Ino nodded firmly.
"I don't get what the big deal is. She's just Ino, I've known her since forever. We went to the Academy together and everything. In fact, we were even friends before she started caring about popularity and all that." Naruto said, looking bewildered while Ino grabbed his other ear.
"So? That doesn't matter! I am a lady, and as such, you have to be extremely polite. You should always guide the lady to her seat, ask her what she wants first, and then introduce her like she's the best thing in the world. Ya got that?" Ino yelled in embarrassed anger as Naruto started looking a bit fearful.
"O-Okay… Got it…" Naruto said, though he still looked confused, "But I don't get it. We've known each other forever. Why should I be overly fancy for you?"
Ino sighed tiredly, knowing that it would be a long discussion, "Because Naruto, I'm a girl. If you want a girl to like you, you have to be a gentlemen. Girls like being treated like princesses and such. Get it? I know that we've known each other for a long time, but we don't really know that much about each other. That's why you have to be polite."
"Yeah, but you already like me, and I like you… somewhat. Why go through all that trouble? Why not just be ourselves and be comfortable around one another instead of putting on an act?" Naruto questioned as Ayame, Teuchi, and the other customers watched on.
"Because that's the way it is. When you're on a date with a girl, you have to be polite and a perfect gentlemen. Don't get me wrong, I do like you, but when you're dating someone, you have to show them the best of you." Ino said as a woman beside her nodded.
"That's right, Lord Hokage. I remember when I was your age. Those "bad boys" could never get past the first date if they didn't know how to behave. The date shows just how far you're willing to go for the girl, and just how much a of good guy you are." the woman said as Naruto perched his lips in thought until a guy next to him patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Hokage-sama, it's a lot of work, but it's worth it if it's a girl you really like. Besides, the girls have to be ladies and polite as well. Most of time try and starve themselves on the date to show that they're not "pigs" as they like to call themselves. They'll almost always be quiet and timid, never leaving your side unless one of you needs to go to the bathroom." the guy said with a chuckle that Teuchi and some of the other guys joined in on.
"It's like this, Naruto; the date is like a mission. You're mission on the date is to please the girl while also being polite and kind. You don't have to put on an act to do it. You can be yourself, but you just be a bit nicer in public." Teuchi said as he leaned over the counter, "Plus, it's all worth it if you get a kiss in the end."
"Or a little something else, if you know what I mean." the guy next to Naruto said as he and Teuchi high-fived while all the guys started laughing. Ayame sighed at the confused look Naruto had while she hit her father over the head with a frying pan.
"Don't mind these idiots, Naruto. Just behave on the date, and you'll be happy in the end." Ayame said as another guy chuckled.
"Yeah, happy ending." the guy said as the others started chuckling even more.
"Perverts." the woman next to Ino said as Ino, Ayame, and she nodded with frowns.
"Don't be like them, Naruto. They don't get girls." Ino said as Naruto looked confused.
"Umm… Okay…" Naruto said as he glanced between Ino and Ayame, "Umm… so Ino, what do you want to eat? You pick first."
Ino smiled at Naruto as she wrapped her arms around his right and leaned her head on his shoulder, "I'm not that hungry. Maybe just a small Miso Ramen." Ino said as Naruto shrugged.
"Umm… I think I'll have a medium one. I'm not that hungry either." Naruto said, getting an approving nod from Ayame and the lady seated next to Ino.
"Smart boy, he catches on quick." the woman said with a smile, remembering her late husband, "Oh Kuzama, he's just like you were on our first date… I miss…"
"Edges I like 'em rough…" Sai sang in monotone as he walked past the village gate.
"So, you've arrived." a voice said from the shadow of the trees.
"Yes, I am here on behalf of Hokage-sama Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki. He has sent me to retrieve some book from you." Sai said as the figure nodded.
"The paper?" the figure asked for as Sai nodded, walking over and handing the paper to the figure. The figure, obviously a male now that Sai was so close, wrote on the paper and handed it back to him.
"There. He'll be able to get the book from that. Be sure you get it to him. I must be going now." the male figure said as he slinked back further into the shadows, disappearing.
"Who was that…?" Sai whispered to himself, but then looked down at the paper, "#365...? I wonder what that could mean."
Sai pondered the thought as he pocketed the slip of paper and turned back to the village.
"… and that was how I beat Gaara. So I guess, I didn't really do much. Gamabunta did most of the real fighting. I would have never won without him." Naruto said as he and Ino walked through the village.
"That sounds amazing, Naruto. To think, you fighting on that big of a scale, and you won. You beat a fellow Jinchuriki without really having to use the power of your own Tailed Beast." Ino said, amazed at the battle Naruto had.
"Yeah, but the fox isn't all that bad. I mean, without him I would have never walked this path. I mean, I'm sure my life would have been different if he never would have attacked the village, but would it have been better? You never know. That's why I'm not focusing on the past, but trying to build a better future; for everyone in the village." Naruto said, gazing up at the Hokage faces before he looked down at Ino.
"I wish I had gotten to know you in the Academy, Naruto. If you were half as great as you are now, I wouldn't have minded being your friend like Shika and the others were. Who knows, I might have even fallen for you like Hinata. Oh!" Ino said, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth.
"Hmm? Something wrong, Ino? Naruto asked, "If it's about Hinata liking me, then I already know."
"You do? How?" Ino asked in surprise, her eyes slightly wide.
"She flat out told me. I guess we all could have made better choices back then, but hey; we were still kids. I think we were all trying to grow up a little too fast…" Naruto said, reflecting on his attitude and ways from when he had attended the Academy. It seemed like it was years, decades even, instead of just months.
"It seems like it was so long ago, ya know? Like we've grown up so much since then." Ino said as she wrapped her arms around Naruto's right one and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I was just thinking the same thing. Tell me, Ino, what would you change if you could go back?" Naruto asked as Ino looked up at him.
"What I'd change…? That's a tough one… I guess I would have focused more on my ninja career instead of guys, popularity, and gossip. I mean, all the time I was fawning over Sasuke, I guess I could have devoted to training." Ino said as Naruto raised a brow.
"Yeah, but you're still doing the same thing. You're fawning over me." Naruto said as Ino punched him in the arm.
"I am not! I was a little fan-girl to Sasuke, but with you… I don't know… I mean, I'm not screaming about how cool you are or anything, so that's an improvement to myself. I just feel more at ease with you. Like I don't have to rave about your looks or your charm to get your attention." Ino said as Naruto chuckled.
"You didn't have to do that to Sasuke either. He hated you girls, and said you gave him headaches. It was so funny to see you girls get ignored, but I was kinda sad that no one was like that to me." Naruto admitted as Ino looked up at him.
"You had Hinata." Ino said as Naruto smiled warmly.
"Yeah, you're right, but at the time, I didn't know that. My point is that Sasuke never liked you girls fawning all over him. What he really wants is a girl that'll prove to gain his attention through being herself, or a hard worker. Even said that he'd marry a civilian girl if she got his attention." Naruto said as Ino sighed.
"Oh well, that's all in the past now. My point was that I do devote more time to training. I've already got three new clan techniques mastered, and now I'm working on another. I've even improved my taijutsu and genjutsu a bit. I'm working hard." Ino said feeling a fire burning in her and a swell in her self-pride as she spoke.
"That's great! You should know, I always did have a small crush on you, but you were always fawning over Sasuke, so I didn't bother with it. And now that I look at it, I don't even know why I chased after Sakura by that same logic." Naruto said, rubbing his chin as Ino chuckled at him.
"Because Sakura was the only one who bothered to pay attention to you and your stupidity while the rest of us didn't care." Ino said as Naruto chuckled himself.
"Yeah, you're right. I can't believe I was so desperate for attention that I let her beat me up. Oh well, I still like Sakura. I mean, below Sasuke, she's one of my best friends. But, do I actually still like her the way I thought in the Academy…? I don't think so." Naruto said, more to himself than to Ino.
"Don't worry, I'm here." Ino said, jabbing him in the side lightly as he laughed, "And Hinata and Tenten too. Besides, I think we all like the fact that you're not the same person that you were back then. Now that you're taking things seriously, you're a much better person for it. If you were like this back in the Academy, instead of being loud-mouthed and annoying, I think a lot of us would have been friends with you, and even looked up to you."
"Maybe…" Naruto said, gazing off in the distance as the sun rose above the Hokage's Mansion, "But if I didn't start out like that, I might have never improved. I think, it's because I was like that, that I'm here today; the Fifth Hokage and the leader of Konoha. I'll take my past, and make sure no kid has to go through what I did."
"And I'll help anyway I can." Ino said, gazing up at Naruto with admiration, "You're so firm now, Naruto, it's amazing. You're really training, and really doing everything you can to improve the village. I'm proud of you, and I'm proud to call you my leader."
"Thanks Ino. That means a lot coming from you." Naruto said, gently taking her hand into his own. Ino blushed, never having a guy be so romantic (or romantic at all) toward her. She laid her head back on his shoulder as they walked on, ignoring the gossip around them.
"And by helping you, maybe I'll be able to help improve myself even more, Naruto…" Ino thought peacefully, her eyes closed gently as she walked hand-in-hand with Naruto, her new budding love.
A knock came to the door of Tsunade's office as the woman was all to grateful for the chance to break away from her work.
"Come in." Tsunade said, as the door opened to reveal Sakura.
"Lady Tsunade?" Sakura called as Tsunade moved her work to the side.
"Yeah, you're that Sakura girl, right?" Tsunade asked, not forgetting the pink hair.
"Yes, I'm Sakura Haruno." Sakura said firmly as she stepped into the office and closed the door.
"Okay, what can I do for you, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, her hands folded neatly on her desk as she leaned forward in her chair.
"I'd… I'd like to request training under you." Sakura said, gathering all of her bravery while Tsunade keep a blank face.
"Why come to me?" Tsunade asked carefully as Sakura bowed respectfully.
"I want to do something to contribute like the others can. I'm not very strong, and I don't have charka like Naruto or Sasuke, but I'm smart and workable. You're titled as the world's greatest kunoichi, so please, I'd like to learn anything I can from you." Sakura said as Tsunade hummed in thought.
"I've read your file from Naruto. You're adept at Genjutsu. Why not have asked that Kurenai girl to train you, or even young Anko? I'm sure they would have been better and more direct choices than me." Tsunade said as Sakura shook her head, still not looking up.
"No. Kurenai-sensei is strong, but in only genjutsu. And Anko-sensei is a bit… much. You're not only strong in medic-ninjutsu, but also in taijutsu and other things I'm sure. The truth is, I don't expect to gain your legendary strength, but I just wish to learn how to heal others." Sakura said, looking up and into Tsunade's eyes for the first time, "I've been useless to my team this whole times, nearly getting them and myself killed. I want to learn how to not only protect myself, but when my teammates, my boys, get hurt, I want to be able to patch them right up and send them running back out onto the battle field."
"Hmm… Her eyes… they're almost like Naruto's eyes were when he fought Orochimaru, just burning with determination. She reminds me of myself, or Dan, and my brother. Wanting to not burden others, but to protect them and help them as well. Maybe, I'll give it another shot. I mean, Shizune didn't turn out so bad…" Tsunade thought as she allowed a small smile to grace her features.
"Fine, kid, but don't expect it to be easy. It's not easy to train to become a medical ninja, ya know. Medic-ninja require a lot of different skills compared to normal ninja who focus on fighting or specialization. You must have every aspect of your chakra control refined to perfection, study a large amount of specialized knowledge, and have the ability to apply that knowledge all the while never giving up." Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair as she watched Sakura.
"I know." Sakura said, a serious and determined look on her face, "But I'm willing to do anything you say."
"Is that so?" Tsunade said, a smirk on her face as she placed her feet on her desk like a big shot while Sakura nodded nervously at the deadly smirk, "Alright then, I will train you, but I'm not taking it easy on you. You'll be wishing for death when I'm through with you, and you can ask Shizune for advice on that."
Sakura only nodded her head, not trusting her voice as she feared it would betray her and reveal how frightened she was as the woman before her began to smirk more widely.
Perhaps she should have gone to Anko instead…?
"Humph… I don't know why this meeting was called, but for our need to be here as well, especially with the chaos of that half-witted invasion over, it must be important." Homura said with his ever-present scowl. Danzo nodded, humming in thought while Koharu mirrored Homura's scowl.
"Yes, you're right. I'm sure Naruto knows how to handle his Hokage duties by now, and it can't be the hospital under Tsunade, so I still can't imagine why we're needed to his meeting. Our job as Elderly Advisors is to lend advise and council during times of distress or judge over serve crimes done by ninja." Koharu said as Danzo nodded once again, his visible eye closed as he appeared to be either deep in thought or sleeping. Danzo raised his head as he slammed his cane to the ground sharply, making Homura and Koharu glance in his direction sharply.
"Uzumaki is obviously about to reveal something, or has need of our presence here. My sources tell me that he has summoned all three councils to this meeting. As you know, normally all three councils are never called in at once unless the village is in a state of instability or-"
"When one of the three council is about to be suspended…" Koharu and Homura finished warily as Danzo nodded again, his eye opening as they all exchanged looks.
"But which one?" Koharu asked as Homura and Danzo both gave her a look that amounted to that of a casual shrug.
The three scholarly advisors and senior ninja waited with small talk and suspicion for ten whole minutes before the doors to the Council Chambers was opened. In walked Naruto, rubbing the back of his neck and looking vaguely tired as he strolled into the chambers.
"Elder Homura, Elder Koharu, Elder Danzo. I am glad that you could make it, and thank you for arriving so promptly. I didn't expect for anyone to have arrived just yet. What with it being still ten minutes before noon." Naruto said as he bowed respectfully to his advisors. They all gave a nod back, their joints protesting getting up from their comfy chairs.
"You're being oddly respectful." Homura commented dryly as he raised a brow while Naruto took his seat at the head of the council table with Homura and Koharu behind him on either side while Danzo sat the opposite end of the table with an open chair next to him at that end.
"Yeah well, things are gonna get a bit messy in here, so I want to be as respectful as possible." Naruto said, giving his three elders a steely look.
"Hmm…" Danzo hummed in thought as they all waited.
"I see I've arrived early, but not early enough." Hiashi commented as he entered the chamber.
"Hello. Please, Lord Hyuga, have a seat." Naruto said, gesturing to where the man sat beside Homura. Hiashi raised an eyebrow at Naruto's respectfully distant tone, but nodded as he took his seat.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama, and might I extend a good day to you from the Hyuga clan." Hiashi said impassively with a bow as Naruto nodded back.
"Yes, and I thank you." Naruto said shortly as they all waited in silence. In that silence the ANBU Commander, Dragon, dropped down into his seat next to Danzo. None of them seemed surprised, except Naruto who hid his by raising a brow.
The doors creaked open once more, but with a groan from someone as three people shuffled in.
"Ugh… You made us early…" Shikaku muttered as Inoichi gave him an exasperated look while Choza merely shrugged. However, their playful banter ended at the look on Naruto face.
"Hokage-sama." the three chorused as they bowed respectfully.
"Lord Akimichi, Lord Yamanaka, Lord Nara. Please, take your seats as we wait." Naruto said as the three nodded and quickly seated themselves.
"Boy, oh, boy… There's gonna be trouble today…" Asuma commented as he walked into the council chambers and saw the expressions on everyone's face.
"Yes there will, Lord Sarutobi, so please take a seat." Naruto said as Asuma flinched and quickly bowed deeply, his body at nearly a perfect right angle.
"Good morning, Lord Hokage. Please forgive my casualty." Asuma said as Naruto sighed.
"Just sit down, Asuma-sensei." Naruto groaned out as Asuma smirked and took his seat between Hiashi Hyuga and Inoichi Yamanaka.
"Good morning, Hokage-sama. Lords and Lady." a civilian man said as he and his two fellow Civilian Council members bowed in greeting. Naruto easily recognized the burly man as the one who had first spoken at the last meeting he had with the Civilian Council.
"Names and occupations." Naruto commanded as the three came out of their bows.
"Hokage-sama, I am the Head of Konoha's Department of Treasury, Tomokai Mistein." the robust man said with a bow as Naruto nodded to him before moving his gaze to the next.
"Sir, I am the Head of Konoha's Department of Civilian Defense, Kazuma Hitari." the rather thinly man next to Tomokai said with a respectful bow, looking almost as if he had been snapped in half at the waist.
"Uzumaki-sama, I am the Deputy-Head of Konoha's Department of Labor. My name is Gamichi Yoturu." the youngest looking man of the group said as Naruto tilted his head to the side in confusion, raising a brow as he did.
"Treasury? Civilian Defense? Labor? Why is that I've never heard about any of this until now?" Naruto asked as the others in the room exchanged bewildered looks.
"Hokage-sama… they teach government in the Ninja Academy. It's one of the most basic of classes that are taught to any and all citizens of the village." Homura said, his mouth a thin line as Naruto sighed and slumped back in his chair.
"Sadly, that part of class always seemed to bore me or I skipped it. The only thing I got out of it was that the Hokage, that's me, was the supreme authority no matter what. That and the two Council along with the Elderly Advisor Council. Other than that, I got nothing." Naruto said with a shrug as the others exchanged looks once more.
"I will say this, and I shall only say this once, Naruto, for everyone's sake and because we are all thinking the same thing." Homura said, fixing Naruto with his most piercing of looks, "When this meeting of yours is over, you will learn everything about Konoha's system of government and it's many departments. The Hokage may be the absolute authority, but he does not run this village on his own nor does the Hokage deal with every problem that occurs within the village's walls. This village was founded on the ideas that it takes more than simply one person to make a difference; one person leads the movement, and the others make the movement possible. After this meeting we will send the appropriate texts to your office and you will commit them to memory."
"I… I understand…" Naruto said, his head bowed in shame. He felt anger, like he was some scolded child again, but he knew better than to argue. He was the leader now, and these were things he needed to know, so it was right of them to scold him for his ignorance.
"Good…"Homura said, exchanging looks with Danzo and Koharu, all of them nodding to one another in some unspoken agreement.
The Council Chambers remained silent, all except the for greeting of council members as they came in and took up their appropriate seats. When everyone else had arrived, Naruto took in a deep breath and exhaled it to calm his mind. He gazed out over his council members, taking in each of their anxious faces (some hiding it better than others) before he leaned forward in his chair.
"It has come to my attention that there was an incident yesterday in Konoha Downtown. Over twenty actors and an actress were running rampant in the streets… horseback." Naruto said slowly, looking into each face as he scanned the Councils for their reactions before moving on, "As you can imagine, the civilians and ninja in that area, who were all caught completely unawares, were… well, caught unawares. Luckily, I and the ninja of the area were able to safeguard the citizens and put an end to the scene before someone was hurt."
Once again, Naruto glanced about the room slowly, taking in the fidgeting shoulders of one man among the Civilian Council and the constant glances of another.
"When I spoke to the one in charge of this, and to some of the senior ninja, they all expressed the same thing… That the Civilian Council gave them permission to enter the village and shoot their movie." Naruto said, snapping his vision toward said council as he gave them his sharpest of looks, scowling deeply while he glared, "I want an explanation. Now!"
"Lord Hokage, we are deeply sorry for this incident and do apologize for it." a suave voice cut through the air like a hot butter knife. Everyone turned to see the man sitting opposite Hiashi rise from his chair, his charming features not ignored as he rose gracefully, "I am also deeply sorry if I did not introduce myself earlier, having arrived last to this meeting. You see, my father recently retired his position on the Civilian Council to me, and so I am here for the first day of my new career; having served as his assistant and deputy nearly all my life. My name is Takaru Kira, and I am in charge of Civilian Commerce for the village."
"Go on, Lord Takaru." Naruto said, bringing his hands together and leaning back in his chair as he narrowed his eyes. Was this guy born in gold or just dipped in the stuff? He was so suave, so graceful, so… unnatural…
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Takaru Kira said, bowing before he continued, "You see, my father was worried that this incident might happen, so he gave me specific instructions to follow should a time such as this meet light. Lord Hokage, this incident was signed into effect before your reign came to be known. It was put in place while Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi was still the living Hokage of Konoha. I suppose the members of this esteemed Council simply forgot about it with all the… excitement that has been going on lately."
"I see…" Naruto said, steeping his fingers into a pyramid as he leaned back further into his chair.
"Hokage-sama, this incident can't simply go unpunished!" Hiashi Hyuga said, slamming his fist into the table, "They have forgotten their place. They did this behind Sarutobi-sama's back, and thought to do it so behind yours as well. Just because they pretty up their phrases means nothing when they're saying the same thing: they went behind both your back and the previous Hokage's so they could make a quick ryo and have the Ninja Council cleaning up the mess."
"Now hold there, Lord Hyuga!" Tomokai Mistein boomed, slamming his own fist to the table, "We resent that! All money made from shooting scenes within the village would go directly to Konoha Bank."
"Yes, but what about village security?" Shikaku questioned lazily with a yawn, "Filming the village without the ninja here being aware puts us at risk. Our enemies could divine a tactic of attack just from the smallest piece of information, as we would do the same had it been some other ninja village."
"Our security has been changed once, and it can be so again." a civilian said as Danzo scowled.
"So you'd put the village at risk? We have just been invaded… three times, none the less. Would you give our foes more wood to put on the dying embers of those three attacks?" Danzo sneered as Sayuri Haruno stood.
"How dare you! We love this village just as much as anyone else within its walls and would never do anything to endanger it!" Sayuri yelled as Naruto slowly turned to her.
"But you all did." Naruto said calmly, seeing no point in getting angry with the bickering that was going on around him, "You have allowed strangers to simply walk through our village gates in broad daylight with not even an identity check at the gates."
"But Lord Hokage-"
"Enough!" Naruto said, rising a hand as he could feel a headache coming on, "It is by my word that the Civilian Council be suspended and disbanded immediately until further notice."
"But Lord Hokage, that is completely unreasonable! I protest this outrageous abuse of power! I will appeal-" the suave man from earlier said hysterically, looking quite panicked that he was being suspended on his first day.
"To no one." Naruto said, glaring around at everyone, "This is your own fault. You have endangered the village and are lucky Danzo here isn't Hokage or you'd probably be hung in the town square or somethin'. Now all of your duties will be handled by your ninja counterparts, and whatnot. Dismissed… except for you, Lady Haruno."
As everyone gave backward glances while leaving the Council Chambers, Naruto got up from his chair with a sigh, walking over to the chambers' only small window to look out it and over the village.
"Ms. Haruno, do you know what your daughter did just yesterday? She fought actors trained to fight and use swords while riding horseback." Naruto said, watching Sakura's mother from her reflection in the window. Now he saw why the Old Man had never really looked at people while he was scolding them. It seemed so much harsher when you did it without looking at them. It made people feel disappointed that you couldn't even look at them while you spoke directly to them, like they were children who had broken a priceless family heirloom.
"She what…? But… Oh my…" Sayuri muttered to herself, seeing where the talk was going.
"It would seem to me, and many others, that I should just get rid of the Civilian Council. Isn't that right, Ms. Haruno? The only things I've seen this council do so far was put your own children at risk and in dangers due to your indirect actions."
Sayuri didn't speak, knowing that anything she said at this point would be meaningless.
"However, I don't wanna do that. The civilians deserve a voice in their village. I mean, I've lived most of my life knowing the sting of not having people hear how I've felt and what I wanted." Naruto said as Sayuri physically flinched. Was he purposely saying that to further let his disappointment in the Civilian Council show, because it was mostly civilians that had scorned him as a child?
Most likely so…
"Wha… W-What do you want me to d-do…?" Sayuri asked quietly, her head bowed in defeat as images of what her own actions could have cost her daughter. She'd do anything to protect the last of her family… her only daughter… their daughter… his daughter…
"I want you to go home and speak with your daughter, Ms. Haruno. Get her to open up to you about her career as a ninja." Naruto said, still not looking directly at the woman before him as he turned and began to slowly cross the room toward the door, stopping at it with his hand on the handle, "Then I want you to do the right thing. Become my eyes and ears on the Civilian Council. Redeem yourself… so that your daughter might live a day where she would have died…" Naruto finished with a heavy sigh before he ghosted from the door, closing the door on the unusually solemn and quiet Sayuri Haruno.
It was a new day, Sayuri realized as she clenched her fists at her sides. It was a new day, and she- no, not just her but all of them, had allowed their bitterness at being rejected from their childhood dreams to affect their judgment and actions. How her rash decisions and scorned feelings could have hurt her daughter. Sakura could have lost a limb by now, and what would she have done? Blamed the ninja, she realized as her eyes widened a bit and her mouth opened to gape. That's right… she would have blamed the ninja, because she would never have seen that the blame rested with her and her fellow Councilors.
"Well…" Sayuri began heavily, swallowing the lump in her throat, "Today is a new day. And the winds of change are breezing through the village." Sayuri took a step toward the door, "I won't make the same mistakes I made 30 years ago with my hate for Shugo-sensei when he told me I wasn't fit to become a ninja by their standards." Sayuri took another step to the door, this one more steady, "I won't be jealous of him when he came to me and said he had become a ninja." another stronger step, "I won't just sit there and cry like when he got those scars across his back from being tortured on that mission to the Mist village." another step, this time breaking into a weak stride, "I won't just worry like when he didn't come home for months while I was pregnant." Sayuri's stride become more powerful as her voice rose in confidence, "And I damn-well won't endanger our daughter anymore because of that pity grudge! I will start acting like the mother my father and husband would be proud to see!" Sayuri outstretched her hand to reach for the door handle, "I am Sayuri Haruno, and I have made up my mind!"
And with that, Sayuri ripped open the door and walked out of the empty room, slamming the door in her wake.
It was a new day, and a new Sayuri Haruno was there to greet it head-on.