Authorial Note :- I do not own Naruto or any of its characters/derivitives.

This is a Naruto AU. I assumed that Naruto's semi-obnoxious personality emerged when he was given his own flat by the Hokage, with a safe place he could retreat to, getting attention no longer garuanteed he would be beaten. For this AU, he wasn't given a flat and was virtually abandoned, instead… well, having someone looking after him meant that he would not need to be the loud-mouthed hyper idiot he is in the anime.

I am trying something new for this story. Each alternate chapter will be a character telling about a specific event or events that they experienced alongside or involving Naruto. The character speaking will have been the last one to speak in the previous chapter. The non-flashback portions of the story are set after the Chunin exam.

Chapter One

"…and we must insist that the mo… the brat be removed from the Shinobi lists at once!"

Saratobi looked across at the sputtering council member, then back down at the large number of documents in the folder in front of him.

"Not only did he lie about who he was, he used the Yondaime Hokage's name to lie with! He needs to be taught a lesson! Exile is too little for the crimes he has committed!"

"And what crimes would those be?" a calm voice interjected and all eyes focused on the emotionless face of Hyuuga Hiashi. "I know of no crimes of that magnitude." He finished.

"That brat has enrolled as a Shinobi under false pretences." Counciller Haruna said, her voice almost calm and reasonable compared to that of her colleague. "He used a false name and passed the test with a non-standard technique, bringing into question the standards that the Academy holds to. He has made a mockery of the Chunin exams and he has somehow stolen the Namikaze mansion and the grounds, claiming them through some strange skill, probably one linked to the circumstances of his birth…"

"That last one, I will admit, is partially true." Hiashi interjected. "It was indeed his birth that allowed him to enter the grounds of the Namikaze mansion and gain access to the vault of Namikaze scrolls. But he did not steal them. They were his. Please, continue."

Haruna glared at him, then inhaled sharply.

"How can you defend him? Everyone knows that because of him, your eldest daughter has been virtually disinherited in favour of her younger sister. She's always with him… protecting him, if you can believe it! He must have used a genjitsu on her or something. We need to hand him over to Ibiki in order to find out…"

SLAM!

The sound of Hiashi's hands hitting the council table as he exploded onto his feet silenced everyone. Haruna froze in shock as she found herself pinned by Hiashi's gaze. Although his face remained expressionless, she could feel the hatred and killing intent radiating from him, hatred that was focused on her, and the two civilian councillors that had tried to use the meeting to have a long-standing thorn in their sides removed.

For almost a minute, no-one moved, then Hiashi slowly settled back down into his seat.

"Hokage. Have you finished reading the documents I gave to you yet?"

"I have indeed." Saritobi answered. "I accept their legality and the truthfullness of them. Who will take the role of Regent until he comes of age?"

"My brother will." Hiashi said. "And when Naruto-sama comes of age…"

"Naruto-sama!" Haruna almost screamed. "How can you call that bastard brat sama? He's a freak who needs to be killed because of that dem…"

Haruna's diatribe was halted by the sudden arrival of an ANBU behind her. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt the wire tighten slightly around her neck. Saritobi looked at her for a moment, then waved the ANBU back.

"The subject is closed. Namikaze Naruto's claim has been approved. The Clan Restoration Act has been invoked. His fiancee is happy with the situation and is, by all accounts, pestering her elders for permission to marry him as soon as possible. He has learned many Jitsus from his tutors. I see no problem and, once this meeting is over, I will make the announcement myself. Although, judging from a few comments I heard on the way in, the news has probably spread across the entire village by now."

The civilians' silence was due to sheer shock. The Ninjas, most were silent from… satisfaction. Hiruzen hid a small smile.

So Hiashi was right. They have seen beyond the Kyuubi, and know that the orphan they once despised has the potential to surpass his father, Namikaze Minoto.

Maybe I can finally atone for my many errors. Hiashi, I owe you, and all your clan.

.

The bath-house was crowded with Kunoichi. The steam from the hot springs rolled by as the crowd pressed round one specific individual, asking questions in rapid volleys, allowing no time to answer.

"…what's he like?... do you really share a bed?... what's the mansion like?... how did you two first meet?... how big is he?... how many jitsus does he know?... how many has he taught you?... how many have you taught him?"

"QUIET!"

The sudden shout caused all the women to fall silent and the target of their questioning nodded her thanks.

"Thank you, Ayame-san."

"No problems, Hinata-chan. Most of us know part of the story, about how he rescued you when that Iwa ninja tried to kidnap you when you were both six. How he tricked the mob that had injured him and was trying to kill him into attacking the ninja while he dragged you away and how he accidently bled on the security-seal of the Namikaze gate, thus letting him drag you inside and clueing you, and the Hyuugas, into who his parents were. So, rather than have us put together the wrong story, why not tell us what happened after he rescued you from that kidnapper?"

Hinat nodded and settled herself down onto a cushion that Sakura had thoughtfully provided for her. Taking a small sip of the fruit juice handed to her by Ino, she began to talk.

"As Ayame-san said, I was kidnapped as a small child and Naruto rescued me. He had been thrown out of the orphanage a few months previously and had been searching for somewhere to sleep, and some food, when the mob chased him. Him leading them to the ninja was an accident, he headbutted the ninja right in the groin."

A burst of laughter echoed round the springs.

"Gaki always was a rockhead." Anko crowed. Hinata smiled and waved for quiet.

"Anyway, the ninja dropped me as the mob appeared and Naruto managed to make them think that he was going to protect him. As the mob attacked the ninja, Naruto quickly dragged me down the street and round the corner, but he was bleeding heavily. When he reached the Namikaze mansion, he pushed on the gate, and was astonished when the gate opened for him. He dragged me in, closed the gate and got me into the house. And that, ladies, is where my story starts…"