I want to thank everybody who reviewed :D I get so excited everytime I get a new review it is true it does make you want to write more...and quicker!
House keeping I really do not own Naruto or Neji...or Kakashi...or oh shoot Sasuke.
Okay soooo I know I was going to have the blow out with Team 7 in this chapter but well...Tsunade just wouldn't shut up so this is her and Naruto having a little time
together...I promise next time that it will be the Team 7 smack down and I have it half way done so it should be out soon. Please keep reviewing it really helps a new writer
like me!
Also for all of you who put me on your favorite author/story or asked to be updated with new chapters WOW thank you so much!
Surrender
Naruto took to the roof tops as most of the Shinobe in the village were want to do when in a hurry to get to their designated assignment. It was a quick and easy was to travel
if-one was aware of the way chakra could be used and had it in sufficient amount to allow them to join the ranks of the hidden village elite. On any other day he would have
appeared to fly from roof to roof with out a second thought but today was different, today he could not help but to think back to one of the last conversations to occur
between Lee and himself as they made their way by "skyway" to the Hokage's tower after one of their sparring sessions.
The topic of the conversation was one that, at the time he prevaricated with his answers to Lee and now he wished he had answered honestly as this was the least his friend
had deserved after all his help.
"Naruto-kun may I ask you a question? It is very puzzling to me why you do not let all of our friends know what hard work you are putting in to become a better Shinobe?"
Lee said.
"Well you know it's just that…….well you know" Naruto answered.
"Hey Lee have you ever wondered how people sleep in this village with all the Shinobe running across their roofs?" Naruto asked before Lee could ask another more probing
question. Lee sighed and smiled at Naruto before saying.
"All right Naruto-kun I will not press you for an answer now. However, I wish for you to consider letting the rest of your friends and teammates see more of the actual mature
Naruto. It is not fair to keep this side of you hidden." Lee said.
Naruto remembered looking at Lee and smiling his thanks that his friend would keep his secret for a little longer. Yet, it was only now that it occurred to him that Lee was right
it wasn't fair for him to expect his friends and teammates to realize that he was becoming more mature if he refused to show this side of himself to them.
So, he thought that perhaps he should honor Lee's memory in a way that he thought the Tiajutsu master would appreciate. Starting with his next encounter he would use some
of his new and hard won knowledge, skill and etiquette and proceed after that to begin to show his friends and teammates the true Naruto. He smiled ever so slightly as he
pictured Lee in his "Good Guy" pose saying "That is the way to show your beautiful youth Naruto-kun". He knew that he would miss Lee terribly but hoped that he was
watching him and seeing him respect his last wish.
He jumped to the ground in front of the Hokage Tower and walked up the steps to the office of the Hokage. It was without surprise that he found Shizune at her post in front
t of the Hokage's office with no less than ten books in her hands on her way in to see the Hokage. He stopped before Shizune and bowed politely. "Shizune-neechan would i
t be possible to see the Hokage for a few minutes?" he asked.
Shizune's eyes widened and she proceeded to drop all ten of her books at Naruto's feet before replying.
"AAAh…….Naruto I think….ummmm…yeah maybe…..JUST WAIT HERE!" Shizune yelled the last part in a loud voice. She then proceeded to open the door to the
Hokage's office step inside and slam it shut giving Naruto one last look before the door closed completely
.
The Hokage's office was in its usual state of organized chaos but the not so usual thing was that the Hokage herself was wide awake and clearly sober doing what appeared
to be a small wall of paperwork. At the loud slam of her door she looked up from her work to see her assistant Shizune standing in front of the door with a out of the ordinary
look on her face. Still before Shizune could say anything Tsunade took the opening to speak first in an attempt to head off what she thought was to be another tirade about
the necessity of paperwork.
"Look as you can see I am actually doing my paperwork". Tsunade said.
"Hokage-sama……I……that is" Shizune attempted to say.
"Shizune I told you I am actually working already" Tsunade replied.
"Hokage-sama……" Shizune tried to say again. Only to have Tsunade interrupt her again.
"For Kami's sake Shizune I told you..."Tsunade tried to say only to be interrupted by Shizune this time yelling.
"TSUNADE something is wrong with Naruto!" Shizune bellowed.
Tsunade stood abruptly from her chair and yelled "What's wrong with Naruto…..where is he." She then advanced halfway toward the door before Shizune finally caught her
by the arm and said.
"He's right outside and you just have to see it for your self"
"Shizune what do you mean I have to see it for myself?" "So help me if that gaki has got you involved in one of his pranks…." Tsunade said as she sat back down at her desk.
"I swear its no prank that I'm involved in, let me bring him in and you can see for yourself." Shizune stated.
"All right seen him in and let me see what all this is about." Tsunade said all the while thinking that this had to be something special to get Shizune worked up, after all she had
seen almost as many of Naruto's pranks as Tsunade herself.
It was while she was waiting for Naruto that she thought ' some days I want to hug the gaki and make his world all better and some days I wonder if I will be able to kill him
before someone stops me'. 'I wonder what today will be and if he will ever grow up she thought.
Just as soon as this thought crossed her mind Naruto entered her office, bowed respectfully and said "Tsunade-neechan could I speak with you for a minute about
something?" It took Tsunade a few seconds to answer the request secondary to the fact that her brain was trying to process three thoughts at once and decide what was
really going on in her office.
This was a Sound spy.
Naruto was playing his best prank yet.
The world was coming to an end.
In an effort to give Naruto the benefit of the doubt and in truth doubting that the world was truly coming to an end as covertly as possible Tsunade muttered "Kai" and when
Naruto didn't turn into a Sound spy she looked at Naruto and said.
"Okay gaki what's going on?" fully expecting Naruto to start laughing and saying 'got ya baa-chan'.
Conversely what occurred was a polite young man took a seat in front of her desk and with a serious look on his face stated.
"I've come to a decision about Sasuke and I wanted to discuss it with you before I told my teammates about it" Naruto said.
"Okay Naruto tell me about your decision" Tsunade said, thinking two can play the polite game.
"I'm not chasing after him anymore. I have come to recognize that we are placing too many good Shinobe at risk for one person. Sasuke chose to leave us of his own free will
and he appears to have no desire to return. He has fought us at every turn and now he has cost us the life of a valuable Leaf Shinobe. On the other hand, if it is the cursed
seal that is affecting his behavior he was aware that letting his desire for revenge and lust for power control him would activate the seal. Still he didn't control those emotions
in fact he let them run loose.So if in fact it is the cursed seal affecting him then I am regretful of all that he has suffered but five years and a life is to expensive a price to pay to
bring one Shinobe back to Konoha." Naruto said.
Tsunade took a deep breath and steepled her fingers on her desk and proceeded peer over them a Naruto with a contemplative look. It would come as no surprise to the
people of Konoha that the Hokage was an intelligent woman; in fact she knew that many called her brilliant. She had not become on of the Sannin by being less that gifted
and at this moment looking across the desk at a mature and 'intelligent' Naruto she began to put the pieces of the puzzle together. It had not passed her notice that at least
three of the Jonin elite Ebisu, Kurenai and Genma had of recent taken on a special student that none would discuss. It was also quite apparent who that student was and it
was also evident that he was finally going to display his new skills. In this Tsunade had two thoughts,
"Naruto right now I'm unsure if I should go with my first instinct which is to hug you and tell you how proud I am of you or go with my second which is to come around this
desk and beat you senseless because you have been hiding this from me. What I do know is that I am seeing a beautiful display of polite behavior that would make Kurenai
very proud." Tsunade said.
Naruto looked at Tsunade with his eyes wide and thought' I knew she would know something was different but I really didn't expect her to put it together this fast'. Tsunade
smiled at him and said "you didn't pick me as Hokage for my looks now did you Naruto?'
Naruto smiled slightly and answered "No Tsunade-neechan I wanted you for your brains but it doesn't't hurt that you are attractive too."
Tsunade laughed and said "I see you were attentive during your lessons with Ebisu as well".
Tsunade sobered after this and looked at Naruto with a somber gaze and said what she new had to be understood by Naruto before this conversation got any further.
"Naruto you are aware that if we are not attempting to rescue Sasuke that we still have to defuse the threat that he poses to Konoha as a potential body for Orochimaru? We
unfortunately are not free to allow him to have access to the Sharingan it would make him almost unstoppable. So I want you to be clear that if we are not rescuing Sasuke
then we are assassinating him, you understand this?" Tsunade asked.
Naruto looked at Tsunade with his eyes full of unshed tears and replied. "Sasuke is my best friend and I want to save him but I see all to well the inequality in power that
happens when Leaf and Sound go head to head with Leaf working to not harm Sasuke and Sasuke trying to kill his rescuers. It is implausible that this will ever have the
outcome that I want and I am aware of this now all to well. I just can't validate squandering the lives of other Shinobe for a dream." Naruto said tears now rolling down his
face.
Tsunade was struck again at how adult Naruto had become and felt her heart break for the loss of what was left of his childhood as he made this agonizing decision. She
reached into her desk drawer for the handkerchief that she kept there (after all even Hokage's needed to cry sometimes) and walked around the desk to Naruto to gently
wipe away his tears.
"Naruto I know that this took more courage that facing a legion of Sound Shinobe never the less it has also opened up some possibilities that were not available before. While
this was a rescue mission I couldn't mobilize the ANBU or Hunter Nin as that was not in their purview but now that option is available to me. I know that doesn't't seem to be
of assistance or an improvement but know this if at all possible I will try to save your friend." Tsunade said.
Naruto looked up at Tsunade with a solemn face and said "thank you nee-chan I don't expect any promises but I know you will try." Naruto stood to leave the office but was
stopped by Tsunade as she walked up to him and touched the necklace that he always wore. She looked at him with a stern expression and said
"The Jonin exams are in one month and I will be entering your name in the list of potentials so be prepared it's time for you to be working toward your goal."
Naruto looked behind Tsunade's desk and out the window at the view of Konoha and stated "I'll be ready to participate Tsunade-sama". He then looked at Tsunade and
bowed; turning to walk out the door he looked back and said "if you will excuse me I need to talk to my teammates about the decision concerning Sasuke."
Tsunade looked at Naruto and said "of course and Naruto if you need anything…." Naruto gave Tsunade a small sad smile and said "thanks nee-chan" as he headed out the
door. It wasn't until he reached the door that he became aware that Shizune had been there the whole time, it was slightly disconcerting to know he hadn't known she was
there but it wasn't something that bothered him in the sense that she heard the discussion, because Naruto knew Shizune kept the Hokage's secrets well. He was about to
shut the door when he noticed that Shizune had bowed to him, it was a puzzle he would work on another day as the door shut behind him.
Tsunade watched as Shizune bowed to Naruto and saw the puzzled expression on his face but was very aware of exactly what she was thinking as she said to Shizune " well I
guess I won't have to do this blasted paperwork for much longer will I." Shizune smiled and responded "I believe that you are right now that the next Hokage has started his
training. Until then however please continue to work on those mission reports Hokage-sama." Shizune then left shutting the door behind her secure in the knowledge that she
would at least get another hour of work out of Tsunade before it was necessary to reprimand her again.
Tsunade sat down at her desk and scowled at the waiting mission reports all the while thinking' Naruto you have impressed me greatly today little brother and I see in you the
potential for becoming one of the greatest Hokage the Leaf village has ever had, but for my sake hurry up'.