Disclaimer – I don't not own Naruto. Disappointing but true..

I'm currently looking for a beta. If anyone would be so helpful I would greatly appreciate it!

Chapter 7 – These past 7 years

Night came into Konoha, shrouding everything in darkness with only the silvery light of the moon and stars as a source of light. Owls hooted, crickets chirped and wolves howled in the forests surrounding Konoha.

The town was soon alight with the bright light of the lamps being lighted. Streets were still filled with villagers and the night duty shinobi started patrolling. All together it seemed like a normal sundown in the village of Konoha. But it wasn't.

The Hokage's tower was alight with bright lamps too, chasing away the darkness lingering. The occupants in the Hokage's office were still there from the evening.

The Hokage, Tsunade, the Tsuchikage, Hitsuma Kojiro, the Kazekage, Sabaku Gaara, the Gama sannin, Jiraiya, Head of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Sasuke, Head of the Nara clan, Nara Shikamaru, Head of the branch Hyuuga family, Hyuuga Neji, Hokage's assistant, Shizune.. And the last occupant of the room, the one who was the cause for the trouble, Uzumaki Naruto.

Tsunade sighed before she took another swig of the sake bottle. She looked at the man she thought and still thinks as her brother. He wasn't little anymore. Standing at least 5" 9' he was a man growing up in the right way.

His sky blue eyes, which were wide when he was a child, were narrowed now, while his corn yellow hair had lengthened noticeably. It was still wild, but the spikes didn't go everywhere only a bit tamed and hanging at the sides of his head.

The Tsuchikage was confused. He had seen pictures of the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha, the infamous and famous yellow flash, who won the Iwa-Konoha war. But this man who was standing in front of him was a complete surprise to him.

He was an exact copy of the Yondaime, if his looks were any indication. 'But is his power similar to the Yondaime? If it is.. 'he didn't want to finish his train of thoughts. 'I'll talk to the council and see what will happen.'

Sasuke looked at the blond man standing in front of him. 'What happened to you, dobe? You look different, but are you? '

He analyzed the features of the blond, scrutinizing the high cheekbones, full lips, strong straight nose, mesmerizing azure blue eyes and the wild spikes of corn yellow blond hair.

'So beautiful dobe.' He snickered mentally, his Uchiha possessiveness kicking in.

His other friends were also carefully looking at him, judging his new appearance and power. But they couldn't get an inkling of what he held.

He's hiding his chakra, as well as controlling his expressions. 'He's changed, but to what extent?' Shikamaru didn't show it, but he was going to be careful around this new Naruto. 'He's not one to mess with.'

He looked at Neji, who nodded his head just a fraction. 'Seems like I'm not the only one.'

Calm azure eyes swept across the gathered people before settling on ebony eyes. He smirked internally.

'You have changed Uchiha Sasuke. It will be a pleasure to work with you again', he let his eyes take in the delicious sight.

The sophisticated high nose and check bones and the narrow face of him, thin pink lips only slightly puffy. The ebony eyes, holding back storms of emotions only letting out what he wanted others to see.

Jiraiya spoke into the heavy silence filling the room. "You better start talking brat. We need something to give the council."

Azure eyes looked at grey eyes. Jiraiya didn't hide his anger from the searching eyes.

Naruto's deep voice filled the silence that took over the room after Jiraiya's words. "You actually want me to speak with them here?" he inclined his head to the guest kages.

Kojiro took it as an invitation to speak to the new comer. "Who are you?" His blunt statement held all the questions.

Naruto looked at the Tsuchikage, carefully examining the man, his powers and influence on the room before answering.

"My name is Namikaze Naruto."

The statement sent the room into shock. All the clan heads eyes widened considerably as well as the other occupants.

Jiraiya sighed. 'How the hell did he find out? Did someone spill? But everyone who knew about it was in Konoha. And they won't tell him.' He looked at the calm blond. 'They won't, so how?'

'Namikaze? Looks like I guessed right. So who was the mother then?'. He looked at the sannin. Both of them seemed surprised, but only for a minute or so. 'They knew. But I doubt they told him. So how did the boy find out? Someone else known then?'

Shikamaru looked at the blond again. 'How can he be so calm? What happened to him? Mendokuse, this is such a drag.' He closed his eyes in weariness.

Neji was in shock. Yes, Hyuuga Neji was actually in shock. He knew about Namikaze. All clan heads did, he took the lessons with Hinata when she was training to be clan head. Hiashi had told him the previous day that he was to become the head of the branch family, under the main family.

Sasuke didn't show any emotion show on his face. Inside he was boiling with pent up emotions. 'Namikaze? But that means the dobe is the Yondaime's son. Where did the Uzumaki come from?. That means he's a clan head.'

Kojiro's voice snapped all of them out of their reveries. "Namikaze ka? How interesting. So what is your relationship with the Yondaime Hokage, boy?" he looked at the blond man with curiosity.

The said blond looked at the Gama sannin leaning on the wall next to the Hokage. He didn't look at him, but gave a small nod of his head with his eyes closed. Naruto felt something in him hurt at this but he dismissed it. After all he was not supposed to feel.

He looked at the man waiting for his answer. "I am his son." The man smirked at him, but it fell at the blank expression on the blonde's face.

"I see. Well, Namikaze-san, Nice to meet you. I am Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Hitsuma Kojiro." He nodded at the blond and received a small formal bow in return.

Tsunade wanted them all out. She had a headache and this was not helping. She need to make Naruto talk so she could sort this mess. But she couldn't with the others here.

"Tsuchikage, Kazekage," she nodded at the two men, "I think it's time you returned to rest. Hyuuga, Uchiha." She nodded to the two silent ravens and they bowed to her before turning to Gaara.

"Shizune, get Hyuuga Hinata and Hinata Tamaki here." Shizune nodded and left quickly.

"Ah, Hokage-sama. But I would like to talk to Namikaze-san here. It's not every day you meet the sole survivor of one of the strongest clan in the shinobi countries. The sole survivor of the clan with the ultimate dojutsu, if the rumors are true." Kojiro smirked at the unresponsive blond.

Naruto didn't feel anything at the jab; he was actually looking at the red head staring at him, having a silent conversation. But he didn't want to talk.

He gave a short formal bow to the kazekage also. He saw the surprise in those emerald eyes before they were clouded by indifference again.

"I do not know what kind of rumors you have heard Tsuchikage-sama. But you should rest now since you've been here since evening." It was dismissal and refusal to talk. And the Tsuchikage got it loud and clear.

'What a brat', he frowned at the refusal. 'You're not going to leave this village Namikaze, and I won't either. Until I talk to you, and see what you're capable of.'

Kojiro looked at Tsunade to bid her goodnight. But his words died in his throat at her look. It was a mix between glee and anger. The message was clear to him. You won't get him, Kojiro. Not until I am sitting on this seat.

He frowned again, but wiped it quickly and smiled at her, refusing to back down. "I hope I get a chance to talk to Namikaze-san Tsunade. I'm sure you won't mind." He opened his eyes to look at her and they fell into a glaring match.

Gaara sighed inaudibly before coming to the rescue of the Hokage. 'I won't let some old idiot come between Suna-Konoha alliances. And I certainly won't let him alone with Naruto. I owe him my life.'

"Tsunade," the woman looked at him briefly. "I need to talk to Naruto also. Why won't we both talk to him together? There's no need to talk to him personally is there Kojiro?"

He gave an empty look at the Tsuchikage when he felt the glares aimed at him. The said man shivered mentally before nodding cursing at the red head in his mind.

Tsunade smiled at him. "Of course Gaara. I'm sure Naruto won't mind." she looked at the silent blond who gave a nod.

"Well then, it's settled. I will send a message to you both tomorrow then. Good night, Gaara, Kojiro-san." She nodded at the two men who bid good night in return.

Gaara left with Sasuke and Neji after sending a lingering look at the silent man standing in front of the Hokage, he was looking at him too. Both gave nods before Gaara left the room.

Hinata and Tamaki entered and bowed to the kages in the office. Tamaki walked swiftly to the Tsuchikage's side. She looked back at Hinata, confused when she felt her not following.

Hinata was stunned as she looked at the man standing in front of the Hokage's desk. Only one word was in her mind. Running around, tumbling and mixing with the sudden questions that popped up.

'Naruto! What is he doing here? Why is he here now? Is he staying? Does he remember us? What happened in the 7 years?'

Tsunade looked at the silent, shocked girl with something akin to pity. 'She was in love with him after all. She only married Kiba when he didn't return after four years and the Hyuuga council forced her to pick a husband. And he's here now. How troublesome.'

"Hinata," the girl snapped her attention from the silent figure to the Hokage. "You can tell others, but you're a kunoichi." Tsunade gently reprimanded the girl; she looked like she was still in shock.

She nodded dumbly and after giving a glance to Naruto she walked after the Tsuchikage when he left. She looked back opening her mouth to say something, but closed when no sound came out.

Tsunade turned her head to the silent figure standing in front of her, the sake bottle ever present in her hand. She looked at Jiraiya; he was looking out of the window. But from his stiff stance she could tell he was angry, no, he was absolutely livid. She sighed; he wasn't going to be of any help.

"Naruto, start from the exact minute you left the village and to the moment you stepped on this office. Now," she looked at him "start talking brat."

Naruto looked at her, her amber eyes were tired and she looked sleepy. 'This is going to be easy.' Then he looked at Jiraiya, and saw his eyes in his reflection watching his every move. 'Maybe not.'

"I left the village seven years and four months ago. It was a Thursday and was five days after Sasuke was given his sentence. My leave had nothing to do with anyone in this village." Naruto concluded and looked at Tsunade. She looked curious.

"Fine. Then what was the reason? Where did you stay?"

"I stayed everywhere until I was in Suna. Camped in woods and fields and when I was Suna I booked into a motel, Gaara didn't know I was there. I disguised myself."

"As to why I left," he looked over Tsunade's head, into the village coated in bright lights keeping away darkness, "I wanted to get away. Sasuke coming back took a toll on me, I admit that. I wanted a break from everything." He finished softly.

Tsunade's expression softened. "You could have asked me, gaki. I would've given you a long term mission or something. You didn't need to go to such extremities." She took another swig from the sake bottle in her hand before throwing it away and grabbing another one.

"The Akatsuki were still active then. You wouldn't have let me cross village borders without an escort or teammate. I didn't want that, that's why I left." He looked at Jiraiya at this.

"You could've told me. You know that. There are numerous people I trust outside this village. I could have arranged you to stay with one of them." Jiraiya still didn't look at Naruto.

"I told you. I wanted to get away from all this. That means anyone or anything to do with this village." Naruto fixed his gaze at the white haired man.

"Then why didn't you tell me anything when I met you after two years?" Tsunade started at this, looking at her fellow teammate in anger.

"You met him?! Why didn't you say anything to me? I asked you, Jiraiya!" her whole body was shaking in anger, and she balled her hands into fists at his silence. "Answer me, Dammit!"

"I asked him not to tell anyone, Hokage-sama." A soft voice broke through her anger clouded mind. "I didn't want anyone to know."

Jiraiya turned and looked at the young man. "You didn't answer my question Naruto."

Naruto looked over Tsunade's head at the village again. "I wanted someone there with me. I guess I was lonely. I wanted an update on the village and I couldn't go asking someone else. That village thought I was a farmer."

Jiraiya sighed almost inaudibly. 'Things have changed in those five years, haven't they Naruto? You've changed so much.' He looked at the blond again. 'You look just like Minato and yet… you are so different from him.'

"Why did you leave the next morning? Then reappear after two weeks at my hideout?"

Naruto looked uncomfortable at this, as if something was bothering him.

"I ran into some trouble I couldn't handle. You were the closest thing I had for a protector at that time and in my whole life. So it was logical I feel safe around you and trust you to protect me." Naruto looked straight at Jiraiya when he said this, showing his sincerity.

Jiraiya looked stricken for a moment when his face broke into a huge smiled at the duo feeling warmth fill inside her. 'He hasn't changed that much.'

Jiraiya coughed, gathering his wits again and looking strictly at Naruto. "You didn't actually say what you were doing Naruto. And what happened afterwards?"

Naruto sighed mentally.' I guess I can't get out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to tell the 'whole' truth'.

"I lived in the village where you first found me for the first two years after I left the village. Then I moved around a lot. Traveling in the other shinobi countries gathering information I could. I mostly traveled with other groups, gypsies and villagers and sorts. I couldn't actually go to a village as a shinobi."

Jiraiya nodded at him, impressed by his foresight. Even he sometimes had to work with a group of strangers.

"I did it for two more years before I settled in Kirigakure." The other two looked shocked at this.

"Then I came back. I thought that I had been away from the village for too long and the shinobi in Kiri were getting suspicious of me because of my looks. I couldn't conceal them forever."

Jiraiya looked at him. 'Why is the gaki hiding so much? What exactly happened?' He looked at Tsunade who returned the same look at him. 'We can't force him now. Only hope that he will tell us with time here.'

"Hmm.. I guess you're dismissed Naruto. I will talk to the council about this in the morning. You will get a message so be prepared to meet them. You weren't named as a missing nin, so this will be easy. You'll probably get a probation period and then you'll be given shinobi title in the village again." Tsunade stated.

"Ahaha… about the shinobi title. Naruto took the chuunin exams when he was with me." Jiraiya laughed nervously.

Naruto continued after him, "I took the jounin exams under Konoha when it was held in Suna."

"But I never got any letter when the exams were over saying that there were any additional nin representing Konoha." Tsunade sounded confused.

"It's because I told them not to. I had some… acquaintances within the examiners in my jounin exam. But in the chuunin exam Jiraiya sensei took care of it."

Tsunade was shocked when she heard it. 'How many of rouge shinobi must've done this? And .. did he just call the pervert 'sensei'?' She looked at Jiraiya. He had a stunned look on his face. 'Yep, he did.'

"I see, then we will hold a small exam and see how you do. We'll decide your rank from it." Naruto nodded at her when she finished.

"So brat, where are you going to stay? The apartment was sold off I think." Jiraiya looked at Tsunade who gave a confirming nod at this. He looked at Naruto.

"I will be staying at the compound."

Tsunade choked on her sake and Jiraiya looked incredulously at the boy.

"The compound?" Naruto nodded, "But the keys. Nobody has them and there are high class jutsus there protecting the compound." Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "How did you even know that Sandaime rebuilt the compound after the Kyuubi attack?"

"I heard him talking about it when he was convincing the council to make them agree. I didn't know who Namikaze was, I just remember it because he mentioned Otou-sama." Naruto looked at the two sannin gawking at him.

"How old were you when this happened?" Tsunade asked, trying to keep the absurdity of what Naruto told them out of her voice.

Naruto cocked his head to the side and replied in an almost childish voice. "I was seven I think."

"You remember something sensei said when you were seven?! How did you even hear it?" Jiraiya questioned.

"I was in his office. He told me to come to his office when villagers bothered me. He left me in the office when he went to talk to the council." Jiraiya and Tsunade looked uncomfortable at the mention of the villagers 'bothering', but looked relieved at his confession.

"Anyway, if you're going to the compound I'm coming with you. I need a place to stay anyway. What else could be a better place than my student who's giving me a free room?" Jiraiya exclaimed happily, ignoring the enraged shout of 'Jiraiya' from Tsunade.

"As you wish sensei. Shall we go then? Oyasumi Tsunade." Naruto gave him a weird look before bowing formally to Tsunade, to the shock of the two sannin.

"Ungrateful brat," Tsunade muttered half heartedly before calling out an 'oyasumi' to the departing backs of her teammate and adopted brother, at least according to her.

Jiraiya practically bounced along the streets of the village, his silent companion trudging next to him.

"So gaki, why are you so silent? Usually you're giving an earful to the one next to you." He looked curiously at the blond.

The said blond gave an almost amused look at his sensei. "People tend to change a lot sensei. I'm sure you know that. I decided to grow up." 'And let go of my mask.'

Jiraiya nodded absentmindedly, looking at the behind of a well endowed woman walking in front of them.

'He hasn't changed at all. That pervert. I'm glad though.' Naruto looked at his sensei who was now scribbling furiously at a small notebook, while glancing at the woman's ass while he did so.

There was a huge gasp next to Naruto when he was passing a stall selling rice cakes. Jiraiya stopped scribbling to spare a glance at the interruption before scribbling away again.

But he had stopped walking since the woman had stopped to buy some steamed vegetables from a stall in front of them. Naruto stopped with his sensei too, not sparing a glance at the man who had gasped. But he did look at him when he called out, albeit loudly.

"Yondaime-sama!" the man was waving frantically now. Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion, wondering why the man was waving at him, calling him his father's status in Konoha.

Jiraiya stopped his scribbling and perverted giggling at once when he heard the voice yell. He looked at Naruto who was looking at the waving man confusion.

He sighed when he noticed other people around them look at their direction after hearing the man's yell, the man who was now running towards them.

Jiraiya felt pity towards his student when the boy looked at him, confusion and annoyance in his eyes. He smiled back comfortingly and Naruto relaxed a bit.

The panting man was now in front of Naruto. Jiraiya wondered if the man couldn't see Naruto's whisker marks. Sure they were very light and almost couldn't be seen. 'Probably because of the lack of light I guess.'

"Yondaime-sama," the man proclaimed happily, bowing low in front of Naruto before he looked at him again.

Naruto's confusion was gone from his face, an almost cold look coming over his aristocratic features.

"Yondaime Hokage is dead. Stop believing in the dead, they are not coming back." He stated in a monotonic voice and a blank expression at the panting man in front of him. Then he stepped into the light of the stall, showing all his features to the onlookers.

Multiple gasps and cries could be heard from the gathered people. The man who called Naruto 'Yondaime' looked stricken. He growled at the blond.

"You're the Kyuubi gaki (brat). How dare you look like Yondaime-sama! You filth!" he took a step towards Naruto, lifting his arm to hit him, but was stopped by a hand gripping his in a strong hold.

The man turned angrily to look at his capturer, only to recognize the white haired man bow formally to him.

Jiraiya looked disgustingly at the man bowing in front of him. He looked at Naruto, who was still standing in the light before inclining his head to the street, silently saying 'let's get moving'.

They both ignored the apologizing and bowing man in the ground. Others in the crowd gave disappointed and angry mutters, but none took any initiation to openly hit the Kyuubi container in front of the sannin.

But both Jiraiya and Naruto heard the angry mutters and the insults and curses in them. Both didn't comment on the scene that took place in the street, instead keeping a comfortable silence until they reached the Namikaze compound.

Jiraiya and Naruto stopped at the compound limits, feeling without actually seeing the protective jutsus cast upon the wall.

"Naruto," the blond looked at the sannin, "I have to honestly say that I don't have any inkling to what kind of jutsus sensei put up. He knew jutsus more than anyone I know and most of them were SS class. But it seems he had mainly used sealing ones." Jiraiya concluded after applying some chakra to the barrier which was set ablaze for a second.

Naruto nodded his head in agreement as he watched his sensei apply more chakra to the barrier, his fascination doubling when he saw other jutsus, which weren't connected to the one Jiraiya was messing with, were activated too.

Jiraiya looked at his student when he abruptly sat down on the over grown grass. He watched in curiosity as Naruto took a midnight black bag from his hip, under the cloak he was wearing and opened it.

It was shinobi pack, the normal size with extra pockets outside. Jiraiya watched as the blond man took multiple scrolls from the bag, which seemed to be packed with them.

"Sensei, may I try to dispel the jutsu? You try if I can't. Please back up a bit in case something happens,"

Jiraiya nodded his head and took some steps back and stood a couple of feet from the blond and sat down to watch.

Naruto took the first scroll. It was wrapped in a light blue ribbon and opened it. 'I need to know what the requirements are to unlock the jutsu.' He looked at the gate again. 'It seems to react to chakra. Sandaime must've known that I will someday know of my parents and will come back, so he must've put a key to the jutsu.'

He looked at the scroll he had opened. There were sentences written, with a number in front of them. 'My sealing jutsu notes. Let's see now.. hmm.. nothing here. In the normal standard sealing jutsus blood can sometimes when meant to be dispelled by a specific user. My blood could be used.'

He closed his scroll again; biting his finger with his teeth he drew kanji for 'lock' on the scroll, effectively sealing it.

Jiraiya looked up from the notes he had written for his newest edition of Icha Icha paradise when he heard the blond get up.

He watched intently as Naruto closed his ninja pack and snapped it to his hip under the cloak. Naruto sensed Jiraiya watching but he needed to regain Jiraiya's trust. Naruto took out a kunai and slashed opened his left palm with it. He positioned his left hand, palm up and facing the gate while holding the wrist with his right hand.

He gathered chakra to his bleeding palm and watched as the jutsu reacted to the chakra and started lighting up.

Jiraiya watched as his student said in a calm collected voice, "Fuuin jutsu, Kai! (Sealing jutsu, release!"

The jutsu reacted by sending a few tendrils towards his still bleeding palm and wrapped around it. The light turned blood red before dissolving and dispelling the jutsu and causing a chain reaction of dispelling the whole jutsus placed on the wall and inside the compound. This was all done in a matter of seconds.

Jiraiya got up and walked towards the Kyuubi container, still watching him as he concentrated chakra into his palm to heal the cut.

"It looks like you learned a few tricks Naruto." He said when they started to walk in the cobblestone path towards the house in the cliff. "Hai, I met a few shinobi and learned some tricks watching them." He looked up to the broadly set man walking next to him. "I will tell everything when I am ready sensei."

Jiraiya looked at his student's son, also his student when he said the last part. He looked at the azure eyes that brought so much happiness and grief before nodding his head, smiling.

"Well then, we're at the main house of the compound." He looked at the blond silently hazing at the dragon carving in the wooden door of the huge house. "This is your home now."

Naruto looked at Jiraiya, and he saw the nostalgic expression on his face. "You were often here, weren't you sensei?" he asked softly.

Jiraiya smiled at the bittersweet memory of first entering the house when Minato and Kushina made the house. "Hai, I was here. Almost everyday when I was in Konoha."

Naruto gave a brief smile when he saw the sad smile dancing across the older man's lips.

"Well then sensei," he opened the door handle, pushing bit of blood into it to unlock the jutsus. "Okaeri (Welcome back)."

Jiraiya looked as Naruto entered the house, his soft voice calling into the empty house.

"You too, Naruto." And he stepped in too.

Naruto watched as Jiraiya prance around the room before going to the other rooms, all the while yelling and shouting and lighting lamps.

Naruto looked back at the other houses in the compound. They were illuminated in the moonlight.

"Tadaima, Okaa-san, Otou-sama."

A/N- another chappy done! So happy right now.

Hmm.. I hope I explained enough of the compound.. the house is going to be hard..

Enjoy the chappy and review please.

Ja ne