Disclaimer: No I still don't see those copy rights in my mailbox. I guess I'm still not the owner of Naruto.

Author Notes: We're getting to the end of the story. I promise. I can see the end of the idea. Really I can.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Friends and Allies

In her office, Tsunade was patiently listening as Ayame laid out her case for how Naruto was hurting her father. She had a slight headache but she was trying to be polite as she let the young woman make her point. If only she'd get to it. Ah, finally. It seemed as if she was finally going to say why she'd come here. She stopped daydreaming and started listening again.

Ayame said, "Even if he doesn't like ramen anymore or doesn't remember liking it, Father is hurting because Naruto never even looks into the shop when passing. He used to never pass by without a wave at least but now it's like he doesn't even know we are there. Father is worried someone said or did something to upset Naruto and he hasn't done anything about it and that's why Naruto isn't coming in any more. Because he's upset with us, he's ignoring us until we fix it. But we can't fix it cause we don't know what it is. If you could get him to tell us, or maybe, find out for us, I'm sure Father will make it right."

"It's nothing like that, Ayame. It's really nothing to worry about. For six years, he lay near death in a cold cave. He ate nothing, in all those years, that wasn't provided by the forest. The animals literally fed him because he could not feed himself. He isn't avoiding you or your father. He honestly just doesn't remember. Reassure your father that the two of you did nothing wrong and I will speak with Naruto when I see him again. I know he won't come into the village anymore. The council is waiting for that but it's possible he will have the two of you come to where he is if you are willing. He won't ask for anyone to come see him because he feels that is forcing them to accept his presence and he doesn't want to do that. That's why Shizune keeps a list of everyone who asks. I knew I might miss someone who considered him to be an integral part of their day or week so she has the list."

"You mean he actually thought we might not want to see him? And all we had to do was come put our name on the list?"

"Well, yes to the first question and not exactly to the second. Some people, he has already refused to see for various reasons, which knowing him as I do, makes total sense and other people I won't even mention to him, as they were never his friend before his absence. That list is only for known friends who wish to see him but haven't yet. When I leave tonight I will take him the list and see who he says yes to and who he says no. Those who get a yes I will call here tomorrow and we'll set something up. That way we can protect him at the same time his friends get a chance to say hi again."

"Oh well, we want to see him whenever and wherever he'll see us. I can understand him not coming into town anymore but I hope he will let Father make him some miso when we get to come visit. If he lets us. I'll be sure to explain it to Father and maybe he'll cheer up now." Ayame got up and left the office, stopping briefly by Shizune's desk to add her and her father's names to Naruto's requested visitor list.

After she had gone, Shizune got up and came in with the list. "What do you think? Will he see them?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know. I don't know if he's even aware of how much those two have done for him over the years. I know he knows they allowed him to eat at their stand even when he didn't have the money to pay for it but I don't know if he's aware of the rest of it. If he doesn't, then I think I will push for it. They deserve to see him, after all they've gone through on his behalf, but he also deserves to know just who his real friends were all along." They honestly didn't know Naruto had already been getting Hinata to pick up Ramen for him from Teuchi.

Shizune nodded and the two women got down to work on the reports. For some reason, no matter what there was always at least three stacks of reports every day.

While all of this was going on Naruto was working in his backyard with the fire and water elements. He had summoned two hundred clones and divided them by element. Half would work with the fire element while the other half worked with water. Each clone was paired off with another from the opposite group so that one fire worked with each water. They tried every possible combination they could think of for combining the two elements together as Mizu and Hinote stood watching.

While his clones worked on that Naruto himself ran through his kata and then summoned another hundred clones for sparring partners. He jumped from one move to the next in a blinding whirl of movement. When he finally finished, his body was covered in a fine coat of sweat but he simply put away his weapons and went on to other exercises. He ran up and down the trees. Up one side and down the other running at a steady pace using his feet to cling to the trunks of the trees. All around the yard he ran. First up one and down the far side and then up the next one. Only when each tree had been run did he stop to do something different. He dropped to the ground and did his push-ups. Using his chakra he formed a cushion under his body and with only his toes still touching the ground with his hands clasped behind his back he did one thousand push-ups before rolling over and doing the same number of curls around a cushion of resistant chakra.

His faithful Anbu watched. They were getting used to seeing his work-outs but it still never ceased to amaze them what kind of chakra he had or how many uses he put it to. From the moment he woke up in the morning he led a chakra intensive day, using his chakra for everything from berry picking to work-outs. By the time the sun set, they were tired just from watching him.

And while he was doing that Jiraiya was running down random bits of information that might lead to the discovery of who might be the one to carry the titles of Wisdom and Friend. Some might have said he had the hardest job but it was the job he was best suited to do and he rummaged through the stacks of old discarded info looking for tidbits. Often the most startling clue was the one no one noticed and he was an expert at seeing what others missed. It was after all how he'd made his living while he waited for Naruto to grow up and graduate the academy and his first team. He'd been excited to take on Naruto as his student until he'd seen what he had to work with. The damage Kakashi and those instructors had done was almost irreversible but he'd persevered and finally triumphed. He wouldn't fail the boy on this mark either, he vowed.

His list of who might be meant to hold the Friend title was a little more expansive than Naruto's now but that's because he knew more of who had been a true friend than the boy did. Naruto had friends he knew nothing about because they worked behind the scenes like the ramen owners but because of that he was having an impossible time finding the one he needed now.

He was checking on the wisdom title holder because Naruto hadn't been sure that it was meant to be Shikamaru and he agreed. Shikamaru was smart and knowledgeable but that wasn't the same thing as being wise. Wisdom was something pulled from knowledge and while you couldn't be wise without also being knowledgeable the opposite wasn't necessarily true. It was definitely possible to hold a ton of knowledge and be stupid as a stump. Not that Jiraiya thought Shikamaru was stupid. He just felt he was too lazy to be wise. To become wise one needed to live and mull through what they knew. That jounin would rather watch clouds all day or sleep forever. So therefore he didn't think Shikamaru was meant to hold the title of Wisdom.

His list for the title of Wisdom was every bit as narrow but he thought his choice for the title fit better. That little old lady was wiser than anyone he knew. The only question was would Naruto see it that way? He checked out Shikamaru anyway just in case the lazy boy was wiser than he thought him to be. He compiled a list of names for each title and listed the reasons he felt they might be right for it before heading back to the house in the woods.

He never saw his tail but then he didn't need to. Sasuke was as obvious as it was possible to be. If the boy thought he was sneaking, he really needed to get a good sensei but he let the boy follow because Naruto had told him to if the boy became too persistent. The time was drawing close and Naruto didn't need the distractions of trying to stay one step ahead of the arrogant Uchiha or of trying to keep his helpers safe from him either. Now was definitely not the time for him to be engaging in pointless battles of supremacy and ego either. He really needed to be able to rely on people to do what needed to be done while he learned the abilities he had gained to their fullest extent. Sasuke needed to be neutralized so that could happen.

Naruto had told the Anbu what to do should the boy show up tailing one of his guest and as soon as Jiraiya hopped into the trees at the boundary he signaled them. The Anbu jumped into place and trapped the boy where he stood on the wide branch of a tree.

Sasuke still couldn't see the house where Naruto was staying or where Jiraiya was headed but he figured for the Anbu to be here than they had to be close. What he didn't know was that Tsunade had Anbu stationed all over the woods. Only those stationed around the house actually knew where Naruto was living and they never left the grounds. He'd come back when they weren't expecting him, he decided. He struggled to get free, expecting the wires that held him to poof away now that he'd been caught. He knew full well the council would not allow anyone to ever deliberately hurt him. He was the Uchiha. But the capture wires held fast.

Jiraiya popped up in front of him. "So you just can't take no for an answer, huh? Well, no matter. If you can't take it voluntarily, we'll just have to force it on you. But the answer was no before and it's no now. You may not see Naruto at this time. He will let you know when he wishes to see you and only then will it happen." He made a motion to the Anbu and they grabbed a hold of his arms. "Take him where we discussed. Be sure to make sure he's held there until Naruto is ready to see him."

The Anbu nodded and together they hopped away taking the hog-tied Uchiha with them. He couldn't even struggle and, after two hops, he couldn't see either. They had him wrapped into some kind of genjutsu that blocked all his senses so that he had no idea where he was or even if he was moving. He could tell nothing. For as far as he knew he could have been standing on his head stark naked in the women's hot spring singing "I'm a Girl" while doing the teapot dance. After what seemed like forever he sensed he was alone but the cotton wrap jutsu was still encased around him and he wasn't actually sure. He thought he sat down to wait but maybe he didn't.

Jiraiya went straight to Naruto, handing him his list and then told him Sasuke had proven troublesome. Naruto nodded and sat down to think over the list. "Sasuke will be fine there. Make sure someone knows to feed him and keep the jutsu on him but other than that leave him alone. He hasn't hurt anything or anyone. Are you sure about these people, Sensei? I mean, some of these people I don't even know. Why would they be a holder for me?"

"They know you. They've known you all your life. From the very night you were born into the middle of a firestorm attack that was birthing nothing but ash and destruction, these people have known you. They never saw a monster in you but they always saw monsters in those who hurt you. And that is why if one of them is to carry for you they will do so with pride and honor in the job."

"Ok. Well then I guess it's time for a party then, isn't it? I think we should have all of them here at once and after it's over I should know who is to hold which title. We'll have all of our title holding friends there as well including Sasuke and Kakashi. And at the end of the party I will make the announcement of who is holding what. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me." Jiraiya turned and barreled into the house where Tsunade was looking over medical files while Shizune fixed a meal for them. "Shizune, Naruto wants to throw a party. He wants to invite the people on this list as well as our usual group," He said excitedly handing the list to a startled Shizune.

Tsunade looked up and said, "What kind of a party are we talking about here? A formal sit down to dinner with us or just a general juice bar and dancing type?"

"Well, I think Hiashi might be a little uncomfortable at that last one, don't you?" said Naruto from the entryway. "I was thinking a reason for us all to dress in our formal clothes for a change. After all, you never know who might decide to drop by for a visit and it would never do to be underdressed for the occasion."

Everyone dropped what they were doing and stared at him. He said, "I will choose my final Title Holders from among the gathering if I can. Two of them will not make you happy, Oba-chan, but they are entitled to their positions just as you are entitled to yours. You are my Trust and they are my Family and my Honor."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes and set her expression. She had a feeling she knew who these two were gonna be and he was right. She wouldn't like it. "Who?"

"Sasuke and Kakashi. Both have earned the titles by the paths their lives have taken them. I do not know that Kakashi will be strong enough to carry his but he is the only one that can and so he must try. Of Sasuke, I have no doubts. He will be strong enough to hold and carry Family because he understands what it means in all ways. And so both of them will be at the party. I will ask you to be cordial while they are under my roof but I will not ask you to be false. I know you will not like or trust either of them and I would be disappointed if you did." He gave her a heartwarming smile to soften the blow. He knew exactly how she felt about both of them. After all, in their own ways, and for their own reasons, both of them had tried to kill him.

"Hmpht." Tsunade crossed her arms and frowned. She didn't like them and she never would but he was right. While they were here she would be cordial to them for his sake.

Jiraiya had come to terms with it as far as he could but he didn't like it either. He still felt Naruto could have found a better representative for both titles but he had to admit his reasoning behind Sasuke's appointment made total sense. From his point of view, there really wasn't anyone better suited.

As for the Honor title, well, he was still in major doubt about that one. Kakashi had just done too much Jiraiya had never expected of the only surviving student of the Yondaime. The Yondaime had preached comradery and yet Kakashi had betray his memory. The fact that he'd done it to his Sensei's own son just made the betrayal all the worse. And Jiraiya knew for a fact Kakashi knew Naruto was Yondaime's son. He himself had told the Copy-Cat ninja just before the genin teams were announced to each other. He had been hoping Kakashi would see he owed Naruto training as well as Sasuke but the silver haired ninja had neglected the boy instead. He had ripped Naruto's confidence to shreds and let the boy flounder. All the things he'd found out since Naruto returned were added to the things he'd known before the return and the list practically guaranteed Jiraiya would never see Kakashi as an honorable man. He couldn't contain his snort though he did try.

Naruto had just raised a brow. "He's not honorable, Naruto, no matter if he does understand what it means, he just isn't. He's put you and the village through too much to wear that title."

"Ero-Sennin, he doesn't have to be the most honorable person in the world to wear the title. He just has to accept that he understands it and he does. No one in the whole world understands honor like he does. I will stand firm on that point because it is true. Hatake Kakashi knows exactly what honor is and how far behind him he left his own honor. It's why he cries to that black stone every day. It's why he can not move on with his life and find new precious people. It's why his life is a stalemate. He can not go back to regather what he has lost but he can not move forward either. And until he admits he needs his honor, his life will remain as it is. Stagnant. He will remain a tool to be wielded by either side. I want him to find his way back to his honor, Oba-chan, Ero-Sennin so that his life will progress again. Only when he picks it up and embraces it again will he find the ones he needs to fully live his life. And living the life you are given is what each of us should always strive to do."

Author Note: As a bonus for all of you being so very patient with me over this story I have posted this chapter as well. Unfortunately I do not know how it compares to other chapters as for word count as fan-fics download manager no longer has the old chapters listed for me to see how long they were but I do hope it is of a comparable length for you. As Always I do appreciate helpful reviews. And once again thank-you for being so patient. Got to run. School bus just stopped so kids are home. Need to hide. Byyyyyyeeeeeeeeeee.