The man, formerly known as Xander Harris, flew through the trees at lightning speeds. After eight long years away from the village that he called home, he was finally returning. He knew that he was either very stupid or very smart to take that undercover S-ranked mission at the age of fifteen, but he took it knowing that if he completed it, it would bring honor to his family name. He just didn't know that it would take eight years to close a Hellmouth, or that it would cost him an eye. Being undercover for so long had taken its toll on him, but he perservered. He told the Scoobies that he would be retiring from monster fighting, much to their relief, and concernation that Xander was the normal one. He was a jounin of Konoha for goodness sake, and there was no way he would be kept down.

He had shed the bright, baggy clothes he wore as Xander, and was back in his comfortable jounin-wear, which consisted of his black shirt, black pants, sandals, and his signature jounin flak jacket. His hitai-ate, which proudley displayed the symbol of the village hidden in the leaves, was fastened securely in a diagonal position to cover his missing eye, a style that he borrowed from his older brother, whom he had not seen or spoken to in years. He had only been back to Konoha once intermittenly, during the summer after Mayor Snakeface's defeat. Things in Konoha were difficult then, what with that pasty-skinned freak, Orochimaru, attacking during the chuunin exams. He didn't see Kakashi much, but the moments they did spend together were precious to him.

Kakashi is six years older than he, but they were as close as two brothers could be. They were both given a difficult lot in life, as the sons of Hatake Sakumo, the disgraced White Fang of the Hidden Leaf. When their father committed seppuku, twelve-year old Kakashi stepped up and decided to raise his six-year old brother. He took great care of his brother, and helped him train to become one of the best shinobis that Konoha had ever seen. While Kakashi had managed to receive his jounin promotion at the age of thirteen, his brother received his at fourteen. The younger brother always felt that he had to live up to the high standards that his older brother had set, and now he had finally achieved something that few shinobis had.

He, the twenty-three year-old jounin who had aided in the destruction of the largest Hellmouth in the world had been chosen by the Godaime Hokage to replace her, as the Rokudaime Hokage. Tsunade-sama had sent him the letter just before the final battle of Sunnydale. She had said that she was retiring from the position so that she may focus more on her duties as a medic-nin for the hospital. She basically wrote that she had pleaded with his brother to take the position, but Kakashi being Kakashi had refused. The High Council was also puting pressure on her to choose an apt replacement, while carefully suggesting that she choose that sneaky bastard Danzo as her successor, but she wanted someone she felt the people of Konohagakure could trust, and with him sending in his mission reports, letting her know that his mission was nearly complete, and then she came up with the idea to have him succede her. He agreed, knowing that he would be able to some good for the home he loved so much. He, Hatake Arashi, formerly know as Xander Harris, would be the best damn Hokage since the great Sandaime Hokage.

i~Konohagakure Hokage Tower, Hokage's Office~/i

"What do you mean that you're retiring?" shouted Konoha's number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja.

"Yeah, I've been Hokage for three years now, and I've decided that I rather spend my time working as the head medical-nin at the hospital," responded Tsunade.

"Oh man, and I thought I was gonna be the Sixth Hokage," said Naruto, as he slumped over and sighed.

"Well brat, you're too young. Konoha law states that the Hokage must be at least twenty-one, so I had to go through a list of jounins, that are of age, and make a choice. Plus, with the Council pushing for Danzo to take over, I had to make a decision fast, so I did, and luckily, the Council agreed that my decision was acceptable," said Tsunade, as she reclined back in her chair.

"So who did you choose, Tsunade-sama?" asked Sakura.

"I chose one of the younger jounins. You wouldn't know him. He's been on a S-ranked mission for the last eight years, and he'll be returning today. He has graciously accepted the offer that I have sent him, and will be the Sixth Hokage," said Tsunade.

Kakashi eyes widened at Tsunade's answer, as he soon realized who she was talking about.

"He's coming back today?" he asked, in a serious tone.

"He sent a message yesterday, so as far as I know-," she started to say, but was soon interrupted by a poof and a bark. Standing there was a small pug wearing a messenger bag.

"Hello Bakko, what can I do for you?" asked Tsunade.

"I have a message for you, Tsunade-sama, from Arashi-sama," answered the dog.

Tsunade bent down and retrieved the message from Bakko's bag. She scanned the note with briefly, before jotting down a return message.

"Take this to him, and tell him that I look forward to seeing him," said Tsunade. Bakko yipped happily before disappearing.

"What did the note say?" asked Kakashi, in a somewhat eager tone.

"It said that he will be here in a matter of minutes," answered Tsunade, with a grin.

"So this Arashi guy is gonna be the new Hokage?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, he is. He is one of the most talented jounins to ever come from Konoha, and since Kakashi said no, I had to go with my second choice," said Tsunade, in a matter-of-fact tone.

"So how good is he?" asked Naruto.

"Why don't you ask his brother? I'm sure he could attest to Arashi's skills as a shinobi," said Tsunade, slyly with a smirk.

"Who's his brother?" asked Sakura.

"I am," said Kakashi, as all eyes were now on him.

"You have a brother, Kakashi-sensei?" shouted Naruto.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Sakura, after smacking Naruto in the back of the head for shouting.

"It never came up," replied Kakashi, with a shrug and an eye blink, causing everybody to sweat drop.

"In the four years that you've been our sensei you never mentioned him," said Naruto, with a glare.

"Well, Arashi has been on a mission for eight years, and I've been working here, so it didn't seem relevant," said Kakashi.

"My brother has an answer for everything," came a laughing voice, as a then-unknown shinobi appeared in the doorway. Naruto studied the soon-to-be Hokage. He was pretty young, but he had to be at least twenty-one. He was wearing the standard jounin uniform and flak jacket, with his hitai-ate secured over his right eye, just like Kakashi-sensei, and his dark hair framing his face.

"Arashi," said Kakashi, taking in his brother's appearance.

"Hello 'kashi," said Arashi, with a smile.

"Arashi, it's good to see you. I'm so glad that you have accepted my offer," said Tsunade, with a grin.

"I am happy to be of service, Tsunade-sama," said Arashi, with a smirk on his face.

"You're gonna be the Hokage," said Kakashi, in a meek tone.

"Well Big Brother, you trained me well, and I did become a jounin at fourteen, so being chosen to replace the Hokage, is an honor and an appraisal of my skills as a shinobi of Konoha," responded Arashi.

"So, what happened to your eye?" asked Kakashi, his interests turning to hunting down the bastard that hurt his little brother.

"An enemy got the best of me, and thought I saw too much. Luckily, I managed to get away before he took my other eye," answered Arashi.

"Did you kill the bastard?" asked Naruto, his interest in the conversation and his new found superior growing.

"No, but an ally of mine managed to chop that prick in half, while I was recovering," said Arashi, smiling.

"Alright alright, everyone out. Arashi and I need to talk before meeting with the Council," said Tsunade. Naruto and Sakura left the office, with Naruto mentioning something about going for ramen.

"It is good that you're home, 'rashi," said Kakashi, smiling behind his mask.

"I think so too, 'kashi. I'm glad that mission is over, and I'm back home where I belong," said Arashi, agreeing with his older brother.

"Father would be proud of you," said Kakashi, as he teleported out of the office, in a swirl of leaves.