A sea of humanity, that was what had formed before the Hokage's balcony Hundreds, thousands, all waiting, hoping, fearing what was going to be said in the next few minutes. Some of them had a right to be scared, because once some of their deeds where discovered by a certain blond haired parent they would most likely be joining the ranks of the dead, if they where lucky. He looked down at them, hidden in the shadows with the others

"Who goes first?" Asked the white haired male

"Depends, how dramatic do we want this" replied the youngest

"Should we really let you decide anything like that?" Asked the brunette.

"Aw come on." complained Naruto

"What did you have in mind?" Asked his father.

Naruto turned to Iruka " Think you can manage the full formal rhetoric?"

"Yah, why?"

"Give Baa-chan full honors and let her do the whole "This is the truth" bit and bring me in. I wont say anything. Then Baa-chan can do the "but that's not all" stuff. Dad flashes in and takes it from there.

"I do whatever?" asked Minato hopefully

"No killing" reminded Jariya

"Yet" concided Minato through gritted teeth

"Are we ready?" asked the only female in the group.

"We are, they're not." replied the yongest.

Suppressing a smirk Iruka stepped away from the group into the light and to the edge of the balcony. The speculating whispers silenced at the sight of him, waiting.

"Welcome friends, comrades, neighbors, this glorious day. Rare is the occasion that we gather as one here, and rarer still is it for that occasion be one of celebration and news instead of sorrow and mourning. Which of these today will be has yet to be determined. But know friends that today history will be made. Lives will be changed on a scale not seen in many years. So now I ask you, my comrades and neighbors, people of Konohagakure to tune your ears and open your minds to the words of our Hokage." He paused "People of Konohagakure no Soto, I give you Lady Senju Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Soto"

{ You know I was going to End it here just to mess with you...but you would kill me, wouldn't you.}

So.....

Tsunade, in the full ceremonial robes moved with deadly grace until she stood where all could see her, Jariya and Iruka takeing positions slightly behind her at her shoulders.

Here voice was soft but it rang in the quiet that fallen over the crowd.

"Today is indeed a momentous day, Today, what was thought taken shall be returned, what was torn apart and broken made whole, truths long hidden will be reviled. Today kindness shall receive it's reward and cruelty it's do."

She paused

"My people, I have deceived you"
Gasps and exclamations. She held up for silence. When she had it she continued. "It began 18 years ago. On October 10th. The day the kyubbi attack. There was a lie concocted that day. A lie about the true fate of the Kyuubi. The Kyubbi is a bijju , one of the nine legendary "demons.". Or so we have been taught. In truth the bijju are the nine guardians that stand between us and the gates of the prison of a true demon as well as the guardians of their respective teritories, Konoha falling under Kyubbi's care."

She did not give them time to argue with her on this point.

"It is true that over the years they have become tainted but that is a story for another time. The point is that the Kyubbi did not attack us by choice but was trapped and coerced into an attack" She gave them all the shortest of moments to digest this. "Knowing this the Yondaime understood this. So instead of seeking to destroy the beast he sot to purify it and seal it. But a creature of such power can not be held in something so simple as a statue or a Gourd. The Kyubbi required a prison of flesh, one with the will to suppress the rage of the beast until the purification was complete, a process taking 18 full years. But all this would have been impossible if not for the fact that on this very night, a night of blood and death, new life entered the world. A boy, a child of the Yondaime's own blood born of the woman he married. with only the Sandime, myself, Jariaya and His student Rin as witness. So it was that the beast was not killed as the youngest generation was told but sealed, by the Shinigami himself into the son and hire of Namikaze Minato."

Silence, then out burst from all quarters. There where those who called it a lie, saying that the boy could not be of the Hokage's blood. Some saying he was the beast, Others protesting the secrecy. And then there where those who cried out to see the face of their hero.

Naruto came forward at an unseen signal from Iruka and with a similar grace to a hunting cat he made his way until he stood before the Godaime. He executed a deep formal bow, then turned to face the crowd.

"People of Konohagakure no Soto," Tsunade's voice cut through the noise. "I am pleased to present to you, Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, last known despondent of the Royal line of Uzu, Son and Hire of the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Soto, Chunin, and Jinkuriki of the Kyubbi no Kitsune."

The crowd had a mixed reaction.

It went something like this

"Kill the demon!"

"Hey you can't talk like that about Naruto-niisan!"

"Namikaze-sama!"

"Damn"

"So...they lied?"

"I still say he's a..."

"Finish that sentence and I kill you slow and painful."

"Yah you got a problem with our friend you can take it up with us"

Yah!"

And so it went with small groups of Naruto supporters challenging those Naruto-haters bold (or stupid) enough to voice their opinions. It almost look as if a war would break out between the two factions but Tsunade called for silence again.

"My friends, Now one truth has been reviled but we are not done here."

She said nothing more until one voice called from the crowd "Tell us"

That voice was soon joined by others.

"Tell us"
"Revile the truth"
"Is it about the ghost?"
"Please Hokage-sama"

"Truth!"

When the noise died down again on it's own Tsunade spoke "People of Konoha, you all now know the truth of the kyubbi's fate . But non but we who stand here before you, know the truth of the Yondime."

If it where night you would hear the crickets chirp

"My people, the Yondaime did not die that night."

And with that she stepped back to stand near Iruka well Naruto and Jairiya quickly traded places and suddenly there was a flash of yellow light and the Yondaime Hokage stood before his village glaring down at them.

More cricket friendly silence and then a suddenly a loud cheer, one that could be heard all the way to the Land of Spring. It was cut of by a spike of chakra from the blond man.

"SILENCE!"

"...."

"That night, I should have died, as Sandime-sama died when he used the sealing method in deffence of the village. But by the grace or curse of Shinigami-sama himself, I was speared. Locked in a death like state until the seal finished it's work. Unknowing of my wife's fate, or my son's. Unable to watch him grow to teach and protect him, I know not why this was done . What I do know is that my last request of you, all of you, was only that you look after him in my stead, and treat him with the respect he deserved for the part he played in protecting our home. I asked this, not as your Hokage but as a father, wishing that the one I loved above all else but could not guide and protect be guided, protected and loved by those I held dear."

He looked down at his feet. When he spoke again his voice was soft, sad

"I thought it a simple thing, a small way in which I could grant him happiness. For that is all that any parent wants, for their child to be happy and healthy."

Now he looked at Naruto who smiled at him in forgiveness.

"I love my son"

And back at the village

"I love this village"

His eyes went to Tsunade, Jariya, and Iruka who all nodded in understanding.

"But if I knew then what I know now, I am unsure if I could have given him up for your sakes "

His eyes returned to the crowd who was silent, watching.

"You" his voice was not as any of them remembered, it was cold as ice and hard as granite. "This place, this is what I nearly died for? This is what I gave my child to protect? What I sacrificed watching my only son grow to save? Was I really Such of fool? To give so much, my heart and soul, for people who would belittle, neglect, abuse, an innocent child? My child. Is this what Konoha stands for? IS IT?!"

He was angry but a hand on his shoulder stopped him from continuing. He turned to find his son smiling at him reassuringly. Giving a small nod in return he turned back to the waiting masses.

"But no matter what I think. He forgives you. Today, you may thank Kami-sama for the kindness of the Sandime, who treated him as one of his own"

Now turned and gave Iruka Tsunade and his sensei a small smile. "For Umino Iruka who raised him as a son, Tsunade who has acted as mother, sister, aunt and grandmother, and for Jariya, his teacher and Godfather"

He turned a glare on the crowd that could melt frozen stones

" Give thanks for those who saw past the grief and pain, providing food and clothing when no one else would. For the friends that have stood, at his side never abandoning him when others found it so easy to turn their backs. It is for them that he fights, and in fighting for them he fights for you, for their sake he protects you, and for his so will I."

He removed the Hokage's hat and vestments, throwing them behind him so that they landed between the three figures who had held their positions behind him.

I will not take the Hokage's seat again. But perhaps someday, I can learn to love this place somewhat like before. Someday I may be able to forgive as my son has. "

And with that both blond males bowed. Minato replaced his hand on his sons shoulder and they where gone, literally, in a flash. To the cheers of some.

Tsunade Iruka and Jariya took up their triangle formation again, Tsunade at the front.

" Full day, Village Council meeting in three days. Be aware any and all transgressions against the Namikaze family, home, and any under their protection will be punished by the clan head, in conjunction with the Hokage as necessary. All past transgressions are to be examined and handled has a selected tribunal sees fit. Good luck. Dismissed"

With the exception of maybe two dozen people no one moved. Not a sound was made, They stood and watched as the balcony emptied. After a moment some moved away to go about their lives the best they could after such revelations well others continued to stared as if by staying there long enough they could find the answers to the questions battering their minds..

Later someone had the sense to send medic nins to check on the ones that had not moved yet.

The hospital was busy but to bad for them, Shizune had a date to prepare for and Tsunade was to busy celebrating the success of the day with the rest of her little "family."

It would take time but eventually the Village Hidden in the leaves would settle into "normal" again.

If that where at all possible when a certain blond haired blue eyed Destined child was concerned.

But no matter what happened one thing was sure, this day would go down in the history of the village as one of the most defining, for this day marked the True Return of a hero, which one depends on who you ask,. But one thing that was agreed on this day marked not only a return but a beginning A new period in history not only for Konoha but the world.

YOU NEED TO READ THIS. POLL ON PROFILE

Ok.....I know.....don't kill me...but I think THIS is done. But I will ask for your opinions,

Do I continue this as the same story? Or do I start a Sequel? Either way we will find out what happened to Rin, and the KakashiXShizune and IrukaXAnko parings, I might even pair Naruto, thought just to warn you I might do a NarutoXOC pairing unless you give me a lot of good reasons not to. And if you want I could work in TsunadeXJariaya or something .

Talk to me people I need to know what you want to see happen with this, both in format and in content.