While Fugaku had been expecting an outburst from someone who'd lost family during the Kyuubi attack and refused to believe that he'd had absolutely nothing to do with it and hadn't been trying to cover for who did, the outburst from the Kyuubi Orphan Umino Iruka didn't run anywhere near to what he'd been expecting. First of all, it had consisted of only one word, and not the usual rant he'd overheard enough times that he'd had almost all variants of it memorized verbatim. Rather than following up the one-word outburst with an impassioned speech about exactly why Uchiha Fugaku should never be Hokage - which Fugaku himself would likely agree with at several points - Umino Iruka handed Kushina's son over to the Hatake boy who was treating the Shiranui kid who'd finally managed to stab his tongue with a senbon, walked over to the nearest tree, and proceeded to pound his head against it repeating his one-word diatribe with each blow.
This ended up being the only outburst following the Sandaime's announcement. Everyone, it seemed, was so utterly captivated by the Umino's outburst and frankly utterly bizarre behavior that didn't fit the pattern expected of an outburst from a grieving relative of one or more victims of the Kyuubi attack, and so preoccupied with trying to figure out the exact meaning behind this bizarre demonstration that there were no further outbursts from those whose lives and families had been affected by the Kyuubi attack that had targeted him and his clan when looking for someone to blame for it all. Nor was there the massive protest he'd been expecting following the announcement of his appointment to the position of Hokage considering the treatment he and his fellow Uchiha had been receiving over the past five years since the Kyuubi attack. Treatment that had made Madara's words prior to his departure and Izuna's words prior to Konoha's founding far more popular than they used to be as more and more hotheads amongst the clan and even he himself for a time had joined the lot who believed that the Uchiha were deliberately being marginalized in the village they had helped found.
Odds were that the protests and demonstrations would be coming later when Umino Iruka wasn't around to hold everyone's attention by performing some bit of puzzling street theater that left everyone scratching their heads as they tried to decipher the meaning behind it all. But, since the protests hadn't happened now when the announcement was made and he was presented to the public for the first time under the title of Hokage, they wouldn't have anywhere near the impact they would've had if they'd been made in near unison during the announcement that he'd been chosen as Namikaze Minato's successor. Things would've been bad if that had happened. If it had seemed that those against him becoming Godaime Hokage had been a unified group, a unified front rather than a scattering of individuals with various grievances against him that were either real, completely misdirected to the wrong target, or imagined, it would've emboldened his enemies who would've happily fanned the flames of this conflict gotten his opponents to do everything they could to undermine him. But since there was no unified looking front, the situation remained one of scattered individuals who would look to each-other to see who would have the courage to make the first move against the Godaime Hokage knowing few people if anybody would back them up unless they were highly successful.
As Fugaku was musing on how things could've gone far worse than they had during the announcement of his appointment, the Sandaime made a throat clearing noise at his shoulder, startling the Uchiha and reminding him how and why the Sandaime had been Hokage at his age in the first place considering the fact that the Sarutobi had managed to sneak up on him without him noticing at all despite the fact that he kept half an eye and half an ear out at all times, even when he was preoccupied, and could've killed Fugaku in his moment of inattentiveness if that had been his intention.
"There is a small matter I feel we should discuss as soon as possible." the Sandime said, pretending not to notice the utter startlement that Fugaku was in the process of covering up.
"What is it?" Fugaku asked, almost dreading the answer considering the fact that none of the "small matters" that the Sandaime had brought up over the last twenty-four hours had been the least bit small from Fugaku's perspective.
"In order to prevent certain elements from gaining control of Uzumaki Naruto, I made him a Ward of the Hokage." the Sandaime replied. "Since Naruto is a ward of the Hokage rather than my personal ward, whoever has the position of Hokage automatically becomes his guardian until such a time as he either graduates the Ninja Academy or reaches the age of Majority, whichever comes first. As Naruto's guardian, you will have to make periodic in-person checks of Naruto's welfare and personally sign off on matters regarding such things as the boy's education and training as well as any and all other decisions a guardian is responsible for."
Fugaku noted the usage of the Uzumaki child's given name in the Sandaime's statement, but didn't comment. Apparently, the Hokage had grown attached. Too attached. This usage of Kushina's brat's given name also probably served as a warning that, should anything happen to Uzumaki Kushina's spawn, Sarutobi Hiruzen would personally come gunning for him.
"Which brings me to another matter," the Sandaime continued. "Shimura Danzo. While he is an admirable shinobi who has the village's best interests at heart, and frequently does what he feels is best for Konoha, he should never be allowed to be in charge of Naruto's training. Considering what both Senju Mito and Uzumaki Kushina have told me about being Jinchuriki, Danzo's usual training methods would be detrimental at best, and utterly disastrous at worst in regards to Naruto."
"I see." Fugaku said noncommittally. He'd encountered one or two of Danzo's lot over the years, so he had at least some idea of what the Shimura's "usual" training consisted of. He also knew that there was a big difference between "feels is best for Konoha" and what actually was best for Konoha, so this served as a double warning, since the Hokage was telling him without telling him that at least one and most likely several of Danzo's actions was going to swing around and bite him in the ass rather than the old idiot who'd gotten the ball rolling.
"Come to think of it, it would probably be best to introduce you and Naruto as soon as possible so you two can get to know each-other before you get bogged down in all of the minutiae of your job." the Sandaime who was now no-longer Hokage said.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio sat in a pub near the Tower listening to people complain about the Sandaime's choice of successor.
"Troublesome." Nara Shikaku muttered as he looked at his drink, mentally debating on whether or not he wanted to pick it up.
"THE HOKAGE'S GONE INSANE!" one of the pub's already well lubricated patrons yelled.
Chouza and Inoichi sat there looking like they were having mental debates over what to do about the statement that had come from a civilian. On the one hand, they agreed with the man at the moment. On the other, they were too loyal to say what that civilian had said aloud.
"Not insane," Shikaku muttered from his spot where he was leaning his head on the bar looking at his drink despite the fact that it was only his second of the day. "Crazy like a fox."
Everyone in earshot turned their attention to Shikaku. When a Nara decided something was important enough to talk about, people listened. The Nara were utterly brilliant strategists. And, fortunately for the rest of the world, too damned lazy to do all that much unless they absolutely had to, which meant that the one clan who actually could be very successful at it never bothered with World Conquest. One of the things the Nara were frequently too lazy to do was speak, which meant that if a Nara was speaking, it was Important.
Shikaku sighed. "Troublesome" he muttered. Unfortunately, those whose attention he grabbed were waiting for further elaboration on his point regarding the Hokage.
"Based on the Uchiha's reaction to the treatment of them following the Kyuubi attack, the Kyuubi attack hadn't been sanctioned by their clan, and they deeply resent it being suggested that they had done such." Shikaku said as if he were talking to people who were far simpler than him. Which he was.
"Considering the fact that the traitor amongst the Uchiha who had unleashed the Kyuubi has not been brought forward, one could reasonably assume either A) the Yondaime had fatally injured the traitor in their fight, and the traitor crawled off and died elsewhere unseen and unfound and unaccounted for considering the fact that all Uchiha Shinobi were accounted for that night,B) the traitor managed to conceal themselves for a short time, using their relative anonymity as yet another Uchiha, before being killed on an unrelated mission where they couldn't call on the Kyuubi as backup, which means that the Uchiha Clan will never find the traitor and still have no idea who they are, C) Uchiha Fugaku himself is the culprit,was acting unilaterally,and has since been using his positions in the clan to turn the investigation away from himself, D) there is a Uchiha that the Uchiha and therefore the village do not know about and it was this unknown Uchiha who was born outside of the village that was responsible for the Kyuubi attack on Konoha, which they had absolutely no loyalty to in the first place having been born elsewhere, or E) One of the Uchiha who has been listed as KIA is actually alive and they were behind the Kyuubi attack for an unknown purpose that could involve anything from them having been driven insane during the ordeal they'd survived to them being an off the books tool for any number of parties up to and including Orochimaru or possibly even the Uchiha Clan Head who is acting unilaterally towards an unknown purpose that could not possibly have been to become Hokage, considering he would always be one of the first people suspicion would turn to in this matter on the grounds that he is a direct descendant of Uchiha Madara's brother." Shikaku explained, causing just about every conversation in the pub to silence as they focused on what he was saying.
"A and B seem to be the most likely scenarios in this matter, with the traitor in question likely being a long-retired Uchiha who may have learned the secret of controlling the Kyuubi directly from Uchiha Madara himself, or the offspring of such. C is exceedingly unlikely with nearly zero chance of it being true since I cannot fathom a reason for why Fugaku would set the Kyuubi on Konoha. Especially when he's smart enough to know full well that suspicion would fall squarely on his shoulders because he is the Head of the Uchiha Clan and just about the closest thing that Uchiha Madara has to a direct descendant. D and E are rather unlikely but possible and raise several questions regarding exactly who the actual enemy behind the attack is as well. Whether another village,or an individual who has a grudge against Konoha or is simply seeking power." Shikaku continued, drawing the crowd further in.
"By naming Uchiha Fugaku Godaime,the Sandaime has conveyed the message to the Uchiha clan who have grown resentful of the treatment against them and begun to take their resentment out on the villagers that he is willing to believe the clan is innocent despite the fact that the singular traitor who had been in their midst, whoever they are, remains undiscovered. Because the Uchiha Clan is now so heavily invested in the village, their resentment which would've only grown in the future cannot result in a Coup, because the Uchiha would then be committing a coup against themselves, since their Clan Head is the Hokage. This neatly gives the Uchiha what they've claimed they've wanted for generations while simultaneously neutralizing them due to the fact that an attack against the village leadership would be an attack against themselves on the grounds that it would leave them without a Clan Head, which would then spark a power struggle as members of the clan try to fill the position and others try to take it from them. Essentially taking the Uchiha out of the game as the clan fractures into groups following various 'heads'." Shikaku continued, saying more in the last few minutes than he normally said in a month outside of reports to the Hokage, and even when giving those, he tended to keep them to as few words as possible.
"In the exceedingly unlikely event that C is true, or the even unlikelier event that Fugaku is the unknown party behind E, naming him Hokage essentially boxes him in." Shikaku said, sparking startlement in the crowd that was paying attention to him far more intently than he was comfortable with. "As Hokage, he absolutely cannot unleash the Kyuubi on Konoha a second time. Doing so would weaken the village that he is in charge of and therefore responsible for on his watch, causing his name to be the one that goes down in history as the one responsible for the destruction of Konoha. Should he regain control of the Kyuubi to use against our enemies, doing so will not only reveal exactly who is actually in control of it, but also how it is done, giving us a chance to develop an effective method for neutralizing such control in the future and preventing another Kyuubi attack on Konoha."
"Like I said," Shikaku concluded his speech which'd had the bar patrons hanging on every word by the end of it. "Crazy like a fox."
Jaws dropped when Shikaku's summary of why making Uchiha Fugaku the Godaime Hokage was one of the Sandaime's more brilliant ideas which he'd actually composed on the fly and made up as he went along finally processed. All talk of the Sandaime being either senile or insane immediately ceased, and speculation regarding who the traitor amongst the Uchiha was began to be fired up. One of the top candidates, was a possible illegitimate son or the offspring of such of Uchiha Madara who'd been conceived outside the village since folks were "sure they would know if they'd gone on missions with the person responsible for the Kyuubi attack".
Shikaku kept what he actually knew about the whole situation regarding Uchiha Fugaku's appointment to the position of Hokage silent. He had gathered that the Hokage had indeed been "Crazy like a fox" when he'd named Uchiha Fugaku Godaime Hokage, but it had been for reasons that Shikaku had gathered were S-ranked secrets that he shouldn't have been privy to, much less anyone else. That bit of fluff about the Uchiha that he put out would probably be enough for the civilians who couldn't grasp all of the levels on which the Sandaime had been either utterly brilliant or completely reckless to the point of endangerment in regards to Konoha's future, and could never know though. Based on the looks on the faces of a number of Shinobi in the bar who should've known better, some ninja had lapped it all up as well rather than asked him for the real story which Shikaku could not give.
Sure, he was about 99.7% certain that the Uchiha Clan had been innocent in the matter of the Kyuubi attack, but he was also about 99.53% certain that their innocence had absolutely nothing to do with why the Sandaime had named Fugaku Godaime. Especially considering that up until recently, the Sandaime had been following most of the recommendations from his Council regarding the handling of the Uchiha who had been barreling headlong towards a Coup.
When the Sandaime and the newly appointed Godaime finally found Naruto, he was coming out of an arts and crafts supply store heavily laden down with several bags. Before Fugaku could ask the brat where he thought he was going with what looked like a massive stock of pranking supplies and where he had gotten the money to purchase his little stockpile, one of the oldest surviving members of the Uchiha clan walked up to the boy, relieved him of his burden, smiled, and handed the boy some money before walking off with what looked like several bags of paint and craft feathers.
Oh God, NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Fugaku thought when he processed what he'd just seen. The Uchiha had only just begun to live THAT down. The current generations of even the Uchiha knew nothing of IT, and even he wouldn't have known if he weren't Clan Head and therefore tasked with preventing a repeat of the Founding Afterparty.
"Excuse me Hiruzen-sa-san, but can we postpone this meeting until later, there's an important Clan matter I need to tend to." Fugaku said as he prepared to go after the Uchiha who had been amongst those who'd surrendered to the Senju prior to the founding of Konoha and relieve him of his burden before he made it back to the Uchiha Compound where the sale of feathers and certain kinds of paint was carefully regulated.
"If the Clan Matter is the one that I think it is," the Sandaime said, looking like he was trying to hold back a laugh. "I have a feeling that it will sort itself out. The younger generations of the Uchiha are too proud to do such things, your generation and the one prior to yours are old enough to know better, and I seriously doubt he and the rest of the surviving members of the Founding Generation would actually go through with it at their ages."
Conceding the point since he knew how puffed up with pride the kiddies were and how the adults'd had "Proper" Uchiha behavior drilled into their heads to the point that they were almost afraid to breathe wrong outside their homes, Fugaku decided to let the matter drop. About the only Uchiha he knew who'd be willing to go that far to re-create the Founding Afterparty had been dead for several years, and the only piece of him still in the village was that eye which had been rumored to have infected the Hatake with its previous owner's bad habits. Allowing the elderly Uchiha to escape with his prize and think he'd gotten away with something for a little while, Fugaku followed the lead of the man who was now his predecessor and headed over to where Kushina's spawn was located.
Looking at the small brightly smiling boy who held several coins in his clenched fist from a much closer distance than he'd previously allowed himself considering the fact that it was in the best interests of the Uchiha to avoid the brat in order to ward off certain rumors, he could categorically state that the Uzumaki child was Kushina's spawn in every way that counted. Sure, the kid had Namikaze Minato's coloring and a few facial features that could arguably be considered to have belonged to Minato, but the bone structure, the overall looks, and the way the child held himself was pure Kushina.
"Hey old man!" Kushina's spawn yelled as he leapt on the Hokage the instant the Hokage had gotten within six feet of him.
"Hello Naruto." the Sandaime said fondly, as he gently pried the child off of him with hands that had once been used to literally rip a man apart and just as gently set the boy down on the ground. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."
Naruto looked up at Fugaku. The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "Shit! It's the Red Eyes!" the boy yelled before turning around and running off at a pretty respectable speed that a Chunin would be hard pressed to keep up with. The boy called out a betrayed sounding "You promised not to turn me in for that Old Man!" over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner.
"Maybe I should've waited until your robes arrived before I made the introduction." the Hokage mused as he gave Fugaku's usual uniform which he'd worn to the announcement that he was Godaime since he couldn't see anything in his wardrobe that had screamed Hokage before he'd remembered that the Yondaime used to run around in his old Jounin uniform with a haori thrown over it an amused glance.
Rolling his eyes, Fugaku turned and went after Kushina's brat. While the five year-old boy may have been running at a speed that a Chunin might have a hard time with, he was a Jounin.
Well, Kage technically.
In the end, it took nearly an hour and had seriously taxed a number of skills that had been earned over decades of police work, but Fugaku eventually found the Uzumaki who had somehow managed to wedge himself into a storm drain. Kushina's spawn, who was utterly filthy at this point, was eventually pulled out of his hiding spot by several nearby shinobi who were giving him some odd looks but also following his orders without complaint and a very suspicious looking Shiranui Genma.
Introductions were made. Kushina's spawn had initially seemed upset that the "Old Man" wouldn't be coming around to check up on him every month, but when the Sandaime had told Naruto that he would be having alot more free time now that he wasn't Hokage anymore and that Naruto would be allowed to visit him any time, and that there would be someone new visiting him every month, Kushina's spawn's mood did a complete 180.
Fugaku barely put certain instincts regarding people flying at him in check in time to keep himself from harming the small creature that had latched onto him speaking too fast for him to figure out exactly what it was saying. The only reward he got for this herculean effort was a filthy vest and a pair of streaks of the gods only knew what on his neck from where Kushina's spawn had wrapped his arms around him as some of the muck that the Uzumaki brat had gotten all over himself had rubbed off onto him.