Part 5 arrangements and meetings (part B)
For warnings and disclaimers see part 1.
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Still holding on to Naruto, Gai completed the trip to the Hokage's office. He wanted to scowl at the Anbu outside, instead he smiled.
"Good morning! How are you on this very youthful day? I really need to speak with the hokage. Would you see if he is available?"
"Do you have an appointment?"
The flat Anbu voice really got on his nerves.
He brightened his smile even further. He even allowed his eyes to glimmer with humor. The Anbu never needed to know that Gai found the Anbu amusing some of them were so full of themselves.
"I'm sorry, Gai-San, if you do not have an appointment to see the hokage then I am unable to let you pass."
"I believe that is very unyouthful of you and if you were to ask the hokage he would see me. I need to speak to him on a very urgent matter."
The Anbu's eyes flickered towards Naruto, and then a kunai was suddenly sailing through the air right at him. Gai easily spun Naruto out of the way and ducked the unprovoked attack. With a gleeful smile he placed Naruto behind him and drove his right fist into the Anbu's stomach and followed that up with a jab to the Anbu's head. The Anbu fell to the floor. Gai found himself very displeased at the attack. If this was a test of some sort it was unjustified and if it was just trying to remove the Kyuubi – then Gai was going to have a conversation with the Anbu trainers.
"That was very unyouthful and if you try something like that again, I will meet you in the field of honor."
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Naruto watched his protector talk with the man and smiled when he kept trying to get what he wanted. Naruto always tried too. He then found himself being moved very quickly an stared as his protector hit the other man and he fell to the floor. Then his protector picked him up and Naruto relaxed.
"Sorry you had to see that Naruto but sometimes people are not very honorable and you need to deal harshly with them. Now we'll just go right on in to see the Hokage."
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Gai tapped lightly on the door to Sarutobi's office.
"Enter."
Gai did still holding Naruto in his arms.
"Hokage-sama, I apologize for intruding on what I am certain is a great deal of hard work but I need to speak with you on an urgent matter."
"Please do enter and have a seat. Would you or your charge like something to eat or drink?"
Just then Naruto's stomach made a growling sound.
"Maybe Naruto here could use a bit more to eat. I made him breakfast but it appears that his stomach is very hungry."
Sarutobi smiled and spoke to Naruto. "Would you like more breakfast?"
Naruto looked shyly up at the stranger and then over to Gai. Gai smiled and nodded.
"Yes, please."
"Inoichi, would you come in here, please."
Gai wanted to growl but didn't. It wasn't fair that the Yamanaka would be alone with Naruto who had no idea how to act or what was expected of him. The door opened and the head of the Yamanaka clan entered.
"Ah Inoichi thank you for your quick response. This is Naruto. I believe his tummy is still in need of food. Would you mind getting him something to eat?"
"Of course, Hokage-sama."
"Gai watched to see how Inoichi would handle Naruto. He didn't like the idea of the clan head having unsupervised time with Naruto but there wasn't much he could do about it.
Gai watched Inoichi get down to Naruto's level and whisper something softly to him. Naruto remained perfectly still.
"What dagon?"
The 3 men in the room blinked.
"A dragon," Inoichi made certain to emphasize the pronunciation is a mythical creature that is supposed to have lived a long time ago. It's fun to play with dragons."
"Pay wif me?"
"We'll play and eat some food, ok?"
"You can go with Yamanaka-sama and I'll get you when I'm done talking to the hokage."
Naruto stood up and held out his hand. Gai grinned as Inoichi had to drag himself to his feet before taking Naruto's hand.
Gai smiled as Naruto once more looked at him for permission.
Once the two had left the room Gai became serious.
"Hokage-sama, I would like to petition to become care taker to 2 children. One of them is Uzumaki Naruto and the other – he's in the hospital with Kurenai being tended. I do not know his full name but Naruto calls him Lee."
"You understand that Naruto is not your typical child?"
"I understand that he is a child. Sarutobi-san, just because something is sealed in a scroll the scroll does not become the object, nor does the object become the scroll!"
"I see. Full time child rearing is very different than helping out at an orphanage when you are not working. Having children also puts a great deal of limitations on … many activities you may be used to engaging in."
Gai found himself taken aback. Sarutobi smiled.
"Jiraiya was one of the Gennin on my team when I was jonin and later my student for more arcane teachings. All the Sannin were."
Gai sighed.
"I understand. I guess it was rather naive of me to expect he would not tell you about those he was training."
"He thinks very highly of you."
"Would he think enough of me to want me to raise his god child?"
Gai almost grinned but he was able to stop himself. For the briefest of instances the Sandaime's face had shown deep shock.
"God child? What makes you think that?"
"His hair, his eyes, and the way he seems to see right into someone and the way he will protect anyone in need, especially if the one in need has shown him a kindness. Then there's the photograph I saw in Jiraiya-san's wallet, the one that said Uzumaki Naruto, precious god-child."
"Gai, this will completely change your life. I need you to think about this very carefully,"
"My mind was made up when I saw him being beaten to death and no one interfering."
Sarutobi's face went white.
"I had no idea it was that bad."
"That other little boy, Lee, he was being cut up with a Kunai simply for defending Naruto. I cannot just keep on with my life knowing these two children will be abused by those who should be taking care of them."
"What will you do with them?"
"I know Morino Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi will be observing Naruto. Once I have an idea of where he is developmentally and emotionally I'm going to devise a training schedule. Do you think it would be ok for them to do a similar evaluation for Lee too?"
"I haven't agreed that you could care for the boys. Naruto is a special child."
"Sandaime-sama," it was taking all of Gai's control not to shunshin across the desk and throttle the venerable sandaime," "What you mean is that as the Jinchuriki, Naruto is a living sacrifice and as such it is imperative that he remain in Konohagakure no sado so as to keep him out of less charitable hands. After all, the Yondaime's wishes are far from being followed. The Counsel would sooner see him dead," Gai leaned across the desk and spoke his words barely travelling the space between them, "and we both know that ROOT would do anything to get him. I hope you've been reading my reports?"
"I see that you do understand. Do you think you can handle 2 children?"
"It is not as if I will be raising them on my own. I think my street is filled with eager helpers."
"Ah." A smile gently made its way onto the Sandaime's face.
"I'm sorry I have given you such a difficult time. The truth is that you and your friends are rather young and you are used to a life style free from many of the restrictions that others live under. You cannot, for example, decide at 2 in the morning to go run laps around Konoha for some presumed challenge you or Kakashi have decided upon. It is those activities that you take for granted that you will no longer be able to do. I want you to fully understand that."
"I do understand Sarutobi-san but I know that I cannot just abandon those children."
"This is what we will do. I have temporary guardianship papers here and I have adoption papers too. You will sign all of these with the stipulation that the adoption papers will only become effective after 6 months of probation and that the final determination will only be made after Ibiki's report."
The raw wave of killing intent that flared was so powerful that it was felt all the way in Torture and interrogation. Anko flinched and so did Ibiki. In the Hokage's office the door flew off its hinges and half a dozen Anbu stood poised to defend their Hokage.
"There is no problem. Gai-san and I are just having a … misunderstanding. Please do fit the door in its slot. It can be repaired later."
Once the door was closed Gai exploded.
"You cannot be serious! That man is just like everyone else! You should have seen his face last night. I will not allow him to write any report. He'll just make things up!"
Sarutobi's face went very serious.
"If you feel that strongly, then I shall have Inoichi write the report and you can examine it before I receive it. Will that do?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama.
Gai snatched up the pen on Sarutobi's desk and quickly read through the pile of documents and signed his name. He handed them back to Sarutobi who also signed them.
"I believe we have more to discuss?"
"Such as?" Now that he had got what he wanted Gai was very willing to listen to whatever the hokage had to say.
"Your Anbu activities for one. You need to give the uniform back. As much as the Anbu enjoy working with you and as much as your part time work has been of great help, that's one of the things you will not be able to do anymore. I will limit your missions below C-rank." Sarutobi held up a hand when he saw Gai about to protest. ""Why do you think most Kunoichi retire after they have had children? Now, Naruto gets a rather large monthly stipend from the Uzamaki estate. Kashina and Minato were surprisingly wise in their investments and how they banked."
"I don't need to tap into the Uzumaki funds, Hokage-sama. I know both boys should continue to get support from the Orphan fund at least for the next 6 months and I am not without resources myself."
"Gai, Naruto cannot access Minato's estate presently and if I do not draw on the Uzumaki funds for Naruto then the council will take it into its collective brain to try and redirect the assets."
"I can agree to that. The funds can be transferred to my account without fuss and minimal interference, correct?
"Yes they can. I would need you to keep as much track as possible on what the funds are being spent."
Gai nodded and then went on to what in his mind was a much larger concern. "How is it that the Anbu didn't report Naruto's treatment?"
"That is worrying and unfortunately it is the least one. I will trust you and your friends to protect Naruto."
"I will do my best."
"Dismissed," So saying, he held out an extremely large stack of money.
Gai stared in shock.
"Tell me, if the money had been given to the Orphanage do you think any of it would have been spent on Naruto? The single time I went to see him and gave him a bit of money to spend on something from the shop the orphanage runs, Naruto ended up in the hospital. What else was I to do? Come see me on some pretext or another in a few weeks and I'll give you more of the money. I have been drawing down the funds and leaving paper trails. How you choose to use your own funds to treat the boys is completely up to you."
Gai frowned and sighed but took it. He put it away and walked towards the door. He had to find Yamanaka and Naruto.
"I'll be watching the Anbu more closely from now on." Gai murmured as he replaced the door.
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Inoichi Yamanaka would be the first to admit that he was far from perfect. He had participated in many things that he was not proud of and one of his worse mistakes was standing right before him in the form of one Uzumaki Naruto. The jinchuriki was staring at him with frightened Blue eyes.
"Look, Naruto. This is a dragon." He made his voice as quiet as possible keeping his tone conversational.
Naruto tentatively reached out a hand and stroked the toy. It was a deep bronze with hints of other colors when the light hit it in a certain way. It was probably half Naruto's size. He had gone into a toy shop first thing and claimed it for Hokage business and as he had been waving around a letter giving him authority to purchase whatever he needed for his mission no one dared deny him.
Inoichi didn't dare take any notes right now. Naruto absent mindedly tugged the dragon and the two of them ended up on the floor. Naruto buried his face in the soft animal and giggled softly.
"Naruto, would you like to give the dragon a name?"
"D-r-a-gon."
Inoichi held out a picture to the little boy.
"Look Naruto, can you tell me what this is?"
Naruto very slowly looked up from the dragon's fur. The picture was one of a kitten. Naruto stared at it and shook his head in the negative.
"This is a kitten."
"Kitten! Bad kitten? Bad Dragon?"
Inoichi put the pictures away and went to sit next to Naruto on the floor.
"Good kitten and good dragon and very good Naruto."
"Naruto not demon not bad?"
Inoichi Yamanaka considered himself an above average shinobi. He dealt with trauma every day. It was his job to work with those who could no longer deal with their work. More often than not, his clients were shinobi and he couldn't always help them as much as he wanted but that was the risk in becoming a shinobi. The job was hard and some people found it more than they could handle; others had a mission that was too traumatizing and a career change was necessary. To Sit with a child that should be respected and made to love the village where he lived instead be so broken made him want to go get his old team mates together and go kill villagers.
"You are a precious person. That means that … you should be safe. Gai-san will keep you safe."
"Lee pweshus person?"
"Yes, Lee is also a precious person."
Inoichi watched as Naruto seemed to inspect every inch of the stuffed toy. When he found the wings he gently opened them up and his eyes grew wide with obvious wonder. Then he made the wings flap and he smiled softly.
"Dagon, Lee and Naruto go way. Go far way no more bad demons. No more ouch." Naruto kept speaking softly to the dragon as its wings continued to move.
Then the door opened with quite a bit of force behind it and Inoichi waved franticly to keep the Green clad jonin from speaking.
"We find kitten and the kitten comes."
TBC: this chapter won't end! I should have the rest out tomorrow. Remember all comments and suggestions welcome. Flames will be used to bbq.