Greetings to all, here's hoping you enjoy Anime as much as I do. English/Grammar isn't much of a skill set for me so bear with it and enjoy my first attempt to writing a Fanfiction of any kind. WARNING :: This story is rated M for language, graphic depictions, violence, gore, possible sexual themes, and overall laziness to deal with FCC classifications. Hope you enjoy reading a slightly different telling where Naruto is no longer a complete idiot that he was made out to be and for the appearance of another main character. Yes it is an Original Character but don't let that dissuade you as they should fit right in with the cast.

DISCLAIMER:: I do not own Naruto or any of the Characters associated with it. I am just writing a Fanfiction

Please keep in mind, once again I own nothing, I might own the OC I don't want to begin figuring out the ridiculousness stink that is rights ownership. At least for time being. If you like it give a shout out and have fun. Just know I typed for 82 hours straight working on this and that the only thing I own is the pain in my fingers. Please respect that and don't go flagging and flaming needlessly, everyone will loose out on reading and only I'll get to enjoy it cause I have my original draft text file.

Enough about me and BS legal junk go ahead and enjoy.

Chapter 1 :: Mikon Umegaki has Arrived

"Fuin!"

The intensity of killing intent faded from the atmosphere in the forest clearing vanished as the last of the Kyuubi was sealed within the sleeping blonde child. The barrier that prevent all from entering dissolved as Minato drew his last breath, collapsing to the ground. Sarutobi Hiruzen rushed forward picking up the sleeping Naruto. As he watch helplessly as the two died in front of him.

"Forth Hokage!" "Lady Kushina!" The two shinobi following Hiruzen rushed over to the fallen ninja in worried concern.

Hiruzen stood there for what felt like and hour, lost in worried thought. How could any of this have happened? The peaceful night they had just experienced gone in an instant. Obliterated by the violent howls of the Kyuubi no kitsune and the warpath it carved. How did something thing like happen during Kushina's pregnancy? Where their preparation insufficient? How did the Kyuubi escape? Why did it appear in the middle of the village? Was it a natural cause due to a mistake or an intentional attack on the village? A sharp cough from a gravely injured Kushina drew him from his thoughts.

"Take her to the Leaf Hospital immediately! Summon the Medical Ninja!" Hiruzen ordered, time was against them, a quick gaze showed that Minato was dead but perhaps Kushina could be saved...

"Lord Third..."

He quickly turned and knelt before her. Blood flowed freely from where her sternum once was, a large gaping hole that bleed profusely. The wound caused by the Kyuubi's nail was deep and Hiruzen could do nothing but listening to Kushina's last words. With her final breath she passed out passing from the world. She smiled as Hiruzen swore to her as he affirmed her final wish.

"Kushina! I promise..." He cursing his weakness, he looked down at a sleeping Naruto. He would make sure her final wish was fulfilled. He would look after their child and make sure he had a bright future. It felt as if the world had stopped to grieve, but time flowed continuously as medical nin arrived and attempted to revive the two beloved shinobi. Minutes past as the leaves fell from the trees an eiare silences following the wind.

"Lord Third!"

Awakened from his thoughts yet again noticed that one of the Medical Shinobi leaning over Kushina calling for him. Hiruzen focused on what the Medic found, his gaze fell upon what laid ominously unmoving on the ground before them. His eyes widened in shock. "How could this... summon Jiraiya and speak of this to know one, not even me." His voice betrayed his internal turmoil. Despite his calm orderly commands, his thoughts were in confusion and disarray.

"Inform Shikaku and Ibiki to meet with me later, privately. And bring everything here to my office, no one, I repeat, no one is to see or speak of anything regarding this under penalty of treason and death.. The Medical Ninja nodded, even they didn't know what to make of this situation and wouldn't dare argue with a ex- with the kind of killing intent he was leaking.

- Hokage Office -

Hiruzen sat in the office his gaze firmly looking at the bundle in his arms. He winced slightly , his arms cradling a red clothed bundle. It had been a week since the funeral of both Minato and Kushina and his reinstatement as the Hokage. Athough it brought little peace of mind for him, at least from this chair he could care and shelter Naruto from those that would harm him.

He lifted his head up to face the two subordinates in front of him, recalling the words of the medics and how they said they should kill "it" before it was too late. It didn't take much effort to deal with the two of them with Ibiki's aid.

Before him stood in silence Shikaku Nara and Ibiki Morino, though Hiruzen was unsure as to whether their silence was that of being in thought or in morning. Perhaps it was a little of both. A long and 'private' discussion was held every night about the events that transpired that night for the entire week since about what should be done from hence forth. He had called these two as they were the most trustworthy with such sensitive information. After all one was the head shinobi strategist and the later was in charge of village intelligence.

Neither Jounin knew what to make of the new realization that came about from the events that transpired that night. With a sigh and grumbling about something being "troublesome", Shikaku came up with a solution to the current predicament, though it was not one Ibiki particularly liked. The scared man kept giving the two of them the evil eye at his displeasure.

Each time his gaze fell on the Nara he responded with a mumbling of how "troublesome" everything happening was. Hiruzen however would not budge and ignored it. As far as anyone was concerned the Hokage's mind was made up and nothing would change it. Now they waited for the final pieces to their plan to arrive.

"So its true, they both died..."

Hiruzen turned his head to see a heart struck Jiraiya staring at the bundle in his arms. The man looked depressed as hell, and it looked like he lost a lot of his complexion from learning about what befell his prized student. Hiruzen noded in silence not daring to look directly at his apprentice just yet.

"And Naruto?" Jiraiya asked reluctantly?

"He is sleeping soundly." He gesturing to a crib in the corner of the room, he watched as Jiraiya moved his way over to the crib. Placing a finger forward a small Naruto cuddled into it. A smile graced his aging features. The conforting gesture brought back a bit of his complexion. "I promise to take care of you, so don't worry Naruto."

"Unfortunately that may no longer be possible. I need you to leave Naruto here and..."

"No!" Jiraiyas response was loud and dignifying unlike mans usual banter. If one saw the look on his face they would not believe it belonged to the man who self proclaimed himself to be a super pervert. "I promised both of them. As his Godfarther I..."

Hiruzen interrupted his dignifying and justified claim with a firm gaze, using a single hand call for Jiraiya for patience and to hold his words at bay. "You are his legal guardian Jiraiya and I can't change that nor would I, but you must see this first." He gestured to the red bundle in his arms lifting it up for Jiraiya.

Walking back to Hiruzen he took the bundle that Hiruzen had been holding in his arms. As he took it he winced at the burning sensation he felt he took hold of the bundled, his expression turning to wordless shock as he saw its contents. "What is...? Sarutobi sensei please tell me what happened, How could something like this..." His words fell short uncertain no long understanding what to make of the situation he was looking at.

Hiruzen nodded turning his head to all present telling him everything he had learned. Although Ibuki and Shikaku already knew everything they stayed in order to convince Jiraiya if it became necessary. For an hour Jiraiya stood there speechless as the shinobi heralded as "The Professor" explained what lead to this strange twist of fate that Jiraya now held in his arms. He looked down at the bundle, his thoughts a mess. Minato, Kushina, the Kyuubi, the Council, the Village, and of course Naruto contended and battled out viciously in is mind for dominance.

His face contorted as the battle quickly shifted between his desire, his wants and his wish. His desire to protect the village, his wanting to raise Naruto, and his wish to not abandon the promise he made to Minato and Kushina to raise their child.. As he continued to contemplated his own thoughts he had to admit Shikaku's plan made sense. It even took his wishes into account, however it would still mean abandoning his responsibility as Naruto's Godfather, leaving him in the village alone.

Hiruzen spoke up first breaking the new silence. "By doing this you won't be braking your oath to Minato, after all not even he could foresee this," gesturing to the bundle. "True it was in error on our end but now we must act quickly. I'm not saying you can't return to him and look after him but..."

Jiraiya's hand stop Hiruzen's clarification. He understood all of it already, not even he would believe that such a series of mistakes would lead to this astonishing event. He even knew that it would only be for a few years, just long enough that know one would be able to make the connection. After thirty minutes of silent debate in his head even Jiraiya knew this was the best way to protect Naruto and fulfill his role as Godfarther even if Naruto came to hate him for it.

"No, as you said this is the best method. If people found out about this is would be a mass panic as well as multiple attmpts to kill him. The less people who know and the fewer associations to Naruto..." He looked back at the crib. "Doing this will keep him safer and no one will target..." he stopped talking as he look back down to the bundle he was holding.

"Its just..." Jiraiya heart ached as he tried to rationalize the logic of abandoning his newborn godson. Loosing his prized pupal and the vibrant Uzumaki was bad enough but having to now leave the village for who knows how long. To leave Naruto alone in the currently grieving village. He knew however that this was the surest way to prevent a new disaster and protect Naruto and Konohagakure simultaneously.

"Order it..." Jiraiya's words finally dredged out, "If its an order from the Hokage at least it will be easier to swallow."

Hiruzen nodded in understanding. This was after all no different from tell a parent to neglect their child. "Very well, Sannin Jiraiya you are hereby ordered onto a long term surveillance and observation mission of highest and upmost secrecy and in adherence to my lawn no information regarding this mission shall be spoken, revealed, or told to any individual directly or indirectly until said individual in question reaches the rank of chunin or wishes its disclosure to another or others of their choosing. Until the mission is complete you are not to return to the village and in the event it is required that your return be minimal known to none but those present. You are the only one who can pull this of. Do you understand?"

"Hai!"

"Very well you will begin immediately, this mission will official be complete when you feel that there is no risk of threat to the village or that the risk is minimal enough that it can be managed with proper preparations in all situations both domestic and foreign."

"Hai! Tōton no Jutsu"

With a hand seal, the Toad Sannin vanished into thin air and disappeared. Hiruzen knew this was the best method to protect the village and their interests but it was still no less a painful decision."As you both have heard, this mission we have given him is of the highest secrecy. I expect both of you to be of aid when it is required. I'm counting on you"

Shikaku simply squatted rubbing the back of his head. "Well this needed to be taken care of, even if it is troublesome." Hiruzen simply nodded at this; "For now you may both leave. We will discuss this again later if you have any arising concerns." With a nod the two left leaving one reappointed Hokage to feel 30 years older then he actually was all alone in the room. "I'm getting to old for this"

- 4 years later :: October 10th :: 9:48pm -

Sarutobi felt dead; no that wasn't it. Hollow? Empty? Crushed? Depressed? There was no one word for it. Even if one searched all through all the Elemental Nations there was no grave deep enough to hold him, his pain, and his feelings of hatred for himself for being so incompetent. Never was he so thankful for his students prolonged absence from the village.

If he were here he wouldn't have blamed Jiraiya for beating him to an inch of his life if not all the way. He would even welcome it willingly for failing his pupil. Hiruzen looked down at a the now four year old golden blond child, pale as a ghost and just as unnaturally still. Motionless Naruto was lying in the hospital bed, a hand from one Inoichi Yamanaka atop his forehead; IV's filled with blood hanging from the IV stand delivering their contents to the boys left arm.

Hiruzen had hoped the village would treat Naruto as a hero. To see him as the boy who carried the heavy burden of contently protecting the village from the strongest monster to ever bring disaster to the village. It didn't take even a week after Minato and Kushina's deaths for the village to direct their feelings of fear and hatred at Naruto. In fact it didn't even take a day for everything to fall apart. Konoha's gossiping wives ensured that any attempt to prevent his nature as the Kyuubi's container proved fruitless.

In hopes of preventing the hatred from reaching the younger generation and Naruto, Hiruzen forbid any talk or hinting on the subject of the Kyuubi and any physical harm being directed at its jailer. How the people could so easily attempt to attack and bring harm to the newborn child he just couldn't understand how they justified it. He wasn't even a week old then.

He lowered his head in shame. Naive, he was naive. The law stopped their directness but didn't stop them from using other methods of harming the boy. He should have paid more attention. Even if the village was a military dictatorship with him at the top, that certainly didn't mean he had absolute authority over all of Konohagakure.

The merchants and civilians held the rights to and how they conducted their business and the upbringing of their children. Only the civilian council had any real political sway over them and although only an advisory aid for the Hokage, appointed there by the man himself, he could no longer had the power to dictate their actions nor those of the civilians except in a states of emergency.

How ironic, the title of Hokage gave him the authority to protect the blond but now the very title of Hokage bound and prevented him from helping the boy more directly. So long as the boy was a citizen and not in the academy or a shinobi Hiruzen could do little to nothing. He stood there reflecting on the days final moments of the day up till the realization of the nightmare he was currently living.

-Flashback no Jutsu-

Hiruzen was making his way down the main street of Konoha, his white haori gracefully floating over him, his red full-length kimono gliding across the street as he walked. Making his way towards the poorer region of the village; tonight he had an interesting plan to surprise a particularly special boy. The stench of booze, trash, poorly maintained buildings along with the occasional drunkard made it without a question one of the less desirable places to live in the village.

If not for Danzo pointing out having the 'child' living in a better and more populated area would disrupt the peace and would breed anxiety in the village he would have had him live anywhere but there. And so to 'protect' the village it was determined that Naruto to live in the less populated and poor district.

It had only been a few days earlier that Naruto had been kicked out of the orphanage. Its was all a farce, the owner only wanted to be done with the boy and so used the rationalization that the boy was a hazard to the kids after a small skirmish and used that justification as a means of ridding the orphanage him. While Hiruzen could have forced them to take the boy back in, the hatred in their eyes told him it better not to, that they would go to even greater extremes. It was also very possible that by enforcing such a thing, that when time came when Naruto truly needed his support he would be cornered by the council unable to do anyting under the claiming of abusing his authority.

It was almost like it was planned too. As if they had been telepathically informed the council summoned Hiruzen to discuss the boy "relocation" the moment he got word that he had been kicked out. It amazed him how quickly they responded to prevent the boy from being having any happiness in his life.

At the summons with some negotiating and a stern eye glare from the Hokage, Naruto was given a room in an apartment on the top floor of the complex in the poorest district. Of course this was under the condition that a few genin, payed by the council of course, be hired to 'refurbish' the building for the boy on a bi-monthly basis. It was no two star hotel however it had running water, electricity, gas, and would be maintained so long as the council didn't want to anger the Hokage. Although it was only maintained just to the point that it could be considered safe enough to live in. In the end it would suit the boy's needs and requirements well enough.

Hiruzen used the phrase 'well enough' very loosely, but was still displeased at the general populous and council as well as his lack of authority. At the very least he didn't need to worry for the boy from being the victim of the more unruly individuals nearby, having had assigned two ANBU to be stationed around the boy at all times. He managed to pull this off with the excuse of Naruto being the Leaf's important jinchuuriki, and to "keep and eye on him should he unleash his inner demon."

Not two days after Naruto moved in did the other tenants and landlord of the apartment move out. By the end of the week the general block became deserted much to the Hokage's growing displeasure. Hiruzen stroked his goatee in thought, at the very least the boy had a place to live and with less people around, Naruto would encounter less hatred if only a bit less. "Why do the villagers have so much hatred for the child?"

He already knew the answer; It was their ignorance and illogical need to blame the boy. In the end it didn't really matter, after all it was possible for Hiruzen to prevent it. If he informed the village of his parentage, Naruto would be heralded as a village treasure. This however would also have Iwagakure jumping at the chance to end Naruto's life and the last of the Namikaze line. He felt like it was an excuse but he knew it was true, Iwa really would kill Naruto if word became known. And Konoha did have a tendency for people sneaking in unnoticed. He felt box in between two impossible choices with no correct answer.

The atmosphere of the village didn't help his thoughts. It should have been a day of celebration and respect to those who sacrificed themselves during the Kyuubi's attack. Instead it had became a day when the village's hatred of the boy was at its peek and their glares at their darkest and most malicious. Although it was a day greatly ignored by the majority of village with the few exception being those who lost a loved one during the attack and for those who spotted Naruto by chance during the comings and goings of life. Hiruzen recalled each time he saw the people glare at the boy and couldn't help but recall how he failed to fulfill Minato's wish for Naruto to be a hero.

Continuing his way through the village, the Hokage seemed out of place in the slums of Konoh. He however didn't care as he had every intention of celebrate the boy's fourth birthday and the completion of his own apartments renovations. The boy was particularly depressed as of late and for his birthday Hiruzen hoped that treating him to his favorite meal would hopefully raise his spirit. In his hand Hiruzen held a all-Naruto-can-eat ticket for Ichiraku Roman.

Hiruzen recalled the joyous feelings that he felt from the establishment's owners willingness to celebrate the boy's birthday. It was also funny how the boy's love and appetite for ramen was just like his mothers, absolutely bottomless. Hiruzen focused his gaze as he arrived at Naruto's apartment, noticing the additional paint job on its walls. "Didn't I just have a group of genin clean the graffiti yesterday?"

Across the entire building were degrading remarks to the only inhabitant of the building. "Die", "Go Away Freak", and "Demon Brat" being some of the less incriminating phrases on the building. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he shook his head. "And a new law won't change anything since graffiti is illegal already; guess I'll just assign some low chunin or genin team to clean it again and stand guard."

He continued his walk to the apartment gate nodding in thought when he suddenly froze in mid stride. The atmosphere became heavy as Hiruzen tensed at the sudden crawling sensation he felt in his gut. Hiruzen raised his hand and two ANBU appeared at Hiruzen's side. One with a cat-like mask with red markings covered in a pale tan robe and the other a ninja with spiky gravity defying silver hair wearing a dog-like mask with red and black markings.

"Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen remained silent focusing all of his senses on his surroundings trying to understand the familiar sensation of unease. Suddenly his eyes widened, "It can't be..." his voice trembled slightly which gave the ANBU pause. In a split instant the aging Hokage's calm demeanor vanished shifting into what could only be described as shear panic as he rushed into the building with the two ANBU following in close pursuit.

There was no indication, no guarantee for what his instincts told him. It was more like a sixth sense gained from surviving countless battles. After two wars a person learned ones gut was the greatest indicator of impending death or trouble. At that moment Hiruzen felt that sudden sensation which was forebodingly similar to what he felt just after leaving the Second Hokage to his death as he withdrew from the battlefield all those years ago.

As the three approached Naruto's apartment floor they took paused as two more ANBU appeared kneeling in respect to the man. They where taken aback by the less then calm Third Hokage. "Lord Hokage?"

"Has anything strange happened while guarding Naruto? Has he left the apartment? Has anyone else entered?" Hiruzen's voice held his usual tone of absolute command and authority though his heart was trembling in a multitude of uneasy quakes. His mind scream at him, desperately hoping that his instincts were wrong. The two ANBU shook their heads in response to the questions.

"No Hokage-sama, nothing different or out of the ordinary today. Around high-noon after getting kicked out of one of the local shops again, he made his way back and hasn't left. Other then that nothing of of significance happened."

Hiruzen felt his tension relieve a bit before the Silver-haired ANBU spoke crushing any hope of him being wrong.

"I smell blood..."

With those three words all individuals present became tense. Two fearing for Naruto's well being and and the other three for their own well being from the Hokage's chilling demeanor at this revelation.

The group slowly approached the door reluctantly not wanting to greet the horrifying scene that may lie behind the closed door nor rush into the uncertain situation. The silver-haired ANBU knocking on the door... no response. "Naruto are you there?" No response came. A cold shiver gripped his spine, as did Hiruzen's. As if of one mind and will with Hiruzen's, the ANBU broke down the door and took defensive positions inside.

The room was empty and clean, nothing out of place no signs of a struggle, nothing. The room was dark and there was no sign of the boy. Only the bathroom light was on and unfortunately so too was it the source of the smell of blood. Making their way inside they opened the door. Hiruzen was not prepared for what lie beyond the door.

The floor was flooded with water overflowing from the small tub. The usually white floor tiles were pinkish from the transparent red liquid that carpeted the rooms floor. The walls were coated with numerous splatter marks of scarlet red blood. The smell was gut wrenching as the diluted red water on the floor and semi-hardened blood on the walls mixed with the pungent smell of degraded drywall and rust. And there, slumped in the corner collapsed in a heap with one arm over the toilet basin was the form of a small child with an old rusted fragmented kunai hanging loosely from his chest.

Hiruzen trembled as he rushed over to the blood soaked child, removing the kunai and kneeling over the boy, picking up his delicate form into his arms. The boy was light, to Hiruzen it ominously felt like the boy wasn't even there. The boy clearly malnourished and weak limped helplessly in his arms.

His white shirt was practically torn apart from numerous stab marks and the flame like symbols that decorated it now blended in with the shirts new red stained color. The boys skin underneath the stained and torn shirt was an unhealthy creamy white that bordered transparency. Although no wounds where present it was terrifyingly clear what had happened as the experienced ninja present could tell from his shirt alone that the damage was self-inflicted.

Cradling the boy in his arms he withheld his rage as he turned to the ANBU. His white haori and red kimono slowly soaked up the blood diluted water on the bathroom floor becoming an ever matching color of red as he slowly rose from he knees. Hiruzen shook, his experience told him that what the boy attempted to do did not end as a painless endeavor. The boy must have tried his hardest to get bypass the Kyuubi's natural healing ability to end up in this state.

"Kakashi..."

The ANBU in question stiffened, to call him his name while in uniform was a clear sign, Hiruzen was no longer in the mood for rules and protocol. What ever he was about to say he would except no answer but one and he would only accept one result, success.

"Retrieve Inoichi Yamanaka, and meet me at the Leaf Hospital. The rest of you get my Medical Nin to treat Naruto and a safe room withing the Hospital."

His voice was level and calm but this did nothing the ease the tense moment. The instant he finished his sentence all ANBU present vanished in a blur knowing that failure was not an option for fearing the Saratobi's calm wrath should the boy die.

Hiruzen slowly walk out confirming that the boys body could endure the trip to the hospital. As he looked him over he couldn't find hide nor hair of any wounds from mere moments ago. The Kyuubi's healing powers were truly amazing. How exactly did the boy manage to end up in this state with such power inhibiting him? Trying to puzzle the situation together as he left the nightmarish room, the boy muttered in his near death-like slumber words that would haunt Hiruzen for the coming week.

"I-I'm... ot... a... onste... W-why... n't...I... ie?...don't... be...alone...an...more."

Hiruzen could no longer hold back his tears, how could he allow it to have come to this. He couldn't save Minato, watched Kushina die, order Jiraiya to leave the boy in his care, swore to protect him and this was all he could show for it.

Hiruzen's silent tears fell relentlessly. Never in his life had he felt like a complete failure to such a degree as he did at this very moment. No, not even the time he stood helplessly as Minato used the Shiki Fūjin no Justu to seal away the Kyuubi or when he left Orochimaru escape from him.

The all-Naruto-can-eat ramen ticket fell onto the flooded floor. Slowly it was dyed red as Hiruzen walked off with Naruto still limp and weak in his arms.

-Kai-

"L-Lord Hokage..."

Hiruzen looked turned his head from the window heaving stared at the rest of the hospital for some time. After ensuring the proper treatment was given to Naruto he had everyone minus Kakashi and Inoichi vacate the general vicinity of the room. Kakashi quickly patrolling for anyone who might eavesdrop on the situation and Inoichi settling in to work on the boy. The management threw a fit upon seeing a blood soaked and stained Hokage when he first arrived carrying weak Naruto.

As if they were an after thought, he walked right past them giving a glare that even the shikigami would be threatened by. Like hell would he let Naruto die here at the hand of the ungrateful doctors he knew littered the halls. He swore they would become the reason for Naruto to hate hospitals. While some of them might not try anything under the Hokage's watchful eye, he wasn't about to risk it.

Under the care of his trusted ANBU medical squad the boy was now on a path to full recovery. This fact however freed his thoughts for a new question to arise. What triggered this tragedy? It was not his original reasoning for summoning Inoichi Yamanaka, however it was now. He needed to know the reason why.

His attention returned to Inoichi. The blonde haired man removed his hand from the frail but quickly recovering boy, his job complete. He stood silently shaking ever so slightly. For a moment it looked like Inoichi had forgot that Hiruzen was with him, until the Hokage spoke and he showed no surprise."Well, Inocichi?

Nodding he replied, "I've done what you asked. I've delved into the boy's memories of the last forty-eight hours." His body shook more violently as his mind recalled the particularly dark faces of the villagers and some of their less humane treatment of the boy. His voice trembled slightly as he continued, "a-and please forgive me for any civilians I kill on my way home tonight."

Hiruzen raised an eye at this,slightly concerned with abrupt turn in attitude. "What do you mean?"

Inoichi last show of restraint broke as he slammed the back of his fist into the wall, taking a good chuck of it out. "THOSE AROGANT, GOOD FOR NOTHING, PIECES OF ROTTING SCUM! How could they push a child to such lengths as... th-this!"

Inoichi was fuming, a lone vain on his forehead pulsated violently, threatening to repaint the now blood stainless naruto and hospital room. With each syllable of his rant, Inoichi's fist took out a bit more of the white hospital wall. His volume steadily growing softer with each strike as he reasserted control.

The Hokage waited for Inoichi to calm himself. It was almost as refreshing to see another shinobi get just as worked up over Naruto as it was surprising to see the usually calm and cool Yamanaka shouting in unbridled rage. If he had to guess the caused by experiencing the deep hatred the boy experienced from both citizen and ninja alike. The feeling didn't last long as he sweat-dropped at the thought of having to pay for the wall damages since he used his name to check in so as not to used Naruto's. Taking a puff from his pipe he exhaled a small plume. As he calmed his own nerves before speaking, gently and calmly he spoke.

"It's uncommon for you to loose your cool like that, Inoichi. I take it you found something of note."

Finally his usural composure returned he turned to face Hiruzen."I'm sorry, Lord Hokage, its just seeing his memories... my little Ino-hime just had her forth birthday I just couldn't help compare their ages and..."

"I understand. I assume something incriminating happened for you to be so enraged?"

Inocichi shook his head, "just the opposite, not a single person broke a single one of your laws. At worse they simple threw him out of their stores roughly or only offered to sell him expired produce. If you wanted to know who or what pushed him over the edge I can honestly say if it was any one individual thing, it was the village itself."

"The village?"

With sorrow filled eyes, Inoichi patted the boys unruly hair, nodding at the boy, "Yeah, if anything it was the atmosphere and the people of the village. Especially their eyes... yes it was their eyes... they may not have been calling him "it" but those weren't the eyes one used to look at a human but the eyes that glared daggers at a demon. Eyes that transmitted strong desires of destroying and tormenting another in the cruelest of ways. In each of their eyes I saw a different way, a different method by which they envisioned the boy's demise."

Hituzen looked down in disappointment. Despite his wishes it was clear the village was insistent on making Naruto the scapegoat of their hatred. Taking another puff from his pipe he let out the exasperation he had been holding in. "Perhaps it would be best to have him enter the academy early..."

Inoichi nodded in agreement, "It would probably be best to do so, however it won't be enough." The calm Inoichi's eyes looked at Hiruzen almost patronizingly, though Hiruzen knew that was due to his own guilt and not the blond's fault. "The boy needs a family or at the very least a friend with no bias towards him that he can rely on. I can convince and have my daughter befriend him, but even my little-hime won't be enough to save him on her own. Not when hes fallen this far in despair"

A grim silence followed his words. "How exactly did Naruto..." Hiruzens words were caught in his throat. "The Kyuubi's chakra should have prevented..."

Inoichi's flinched, "W-well, you are correct in that Kyuubi's chakra healed him s-so... well if its anything to go by the boy's failure wasn't from a lack of trying." Inoichi's attempted joke fell on a deft audience. He immediately regretted it afterwards seeing the Hokage's less then humorous glare.

"S-sorry, the boy first started with small cuts but each one just kept healing back up. From there the boy become more and more desperate and well..." A slight pause was shattered by another attack on the wall. "DAMNIT! He just continued to stab himself! W-with n-no regard for pain or suffering he-e just..." Inoichi's tears stained his face his voice hitching uncontrollably as a wave of emotion hit him. no longer able to hold the pain back. "Lord Hokage, he truly felt that death that it was the only salvation left to him."

Hiruken was silent, how could he allow things to come to this, to let the boy feel that nothing else but death could save him from his suffering. He stared at Naruto fighting back his own tears. He absolutely couldn't allow things to stay like this. He had to get the boy under his jurisdiction as quickly as possible.

However only a few exceptions were ever made that would allowed people to enter the academy before the age of eight. At earliest it would take a year to get the necessary paper work in order, and that was assuming the council didn't hinder him at every turn which they most likely would. He'd also need several families to support the enrollment before he reached the age of eight. This meant that until then the chances that Naruto would harm himself again was a real risk. Could he make it? One more year let alone four? Should he be refused, then what? He then had a stroke of genius that could buy them the time he would need.

"Neko" At the Hokage's call a single ANBU appeared. Underneath the porcelain mask, long straight flowing purple hair draped the standard ANBU uniform, her trademark katana currently missing as she would acquire it in the years to come.

A smile draped the Hokage's face. Yugao had proved to have a soft spot for Naruto and a temper that matched the size of that soft spot as well. Although two ANBU short in comparison to a few hours earlier in his anger, Hiruzen couldn't complain to Yugao about cutting the two down for allowing Naruto to do so much harm to himself. Even so Hiruzen needed to reprimanded her as she knew that kill to fellow shinobi was treasonous and was without doubt a grave crime. The only reason she wasn't condemned and killed right then and there was the simple fact she beat Hiruzen to the punch.

"Yes, Hokage-sama"

A conniving smile appeared on Hiruzen's features as another puff from his pipe escaped his lips. "I just came up with your punishment. Until Naruto enters the Academy you are to guard and watch over him twenty-four seven and make sure no harm comes to him. I wont accept failure in any form on this mission."

"O-of course, Hokage-sama"

Hiruzen smiled as he turned to the window purposely ignoring the beaming glow from the smile underneath Neko's mask. If he played his cards right he could even force the council to allow Neko's appointment willingly, after all, what worse punishment could there be in their eyes then watching after the Kyuubi Jinchuiki all day and all night? This would excuse the blatantly direct observations of the boy and the deployment of a powerful village resource for one "undesired" boy.

With Yugao watching him at least he'll remain safe until his entry into the Academy which now left the one problem. Healing Naruto's wounded heart. This was an entirely different and more difficult matter. And he couldn't risk placing himself or someone of trustworthiness to aid in that process less Danzo insinuate that Hiruzen was plotting against to civilians by molding the boy against them.

"Iroichi, how much of his memories can you alter?" A serious look appeared on Inoichi's face.

"I'm not sure. Memory manipulation might bring me too close to the seal, it was hard enough working around the Kyuubi's chakra to learn what happened. There's no knowing what might happen or how the fox's chakra would effect the jutsu in question."

Hiruzen grunted at this, "Very well, just do what you can." Placing his hand on the boys head, Inoichi nodded and focused his chakra as he channeled his clans secret technique. "Kioku Shūsen no Jutsu"

Slowly Inoichi began altering Naruto's memories, shifting them so that the boy would awake recalling the days events as just staying home and sleeping the awful day away. Thus for the duration of the increasingly slow process, shear silence reined.

Hiruzen watched as the man worked on the boy's memories not saying a word or risk of disrupting the process. When the task was finished Inoichi once again removed his hand from Naruto. Certain that at the very least he had completed the task successfully without inciting the fox's chakra, though he wasn't sure how many of the alterations would stick he at least avoided a worse case scenario. The case being bringing arm to the seal or permanent damage to Naruto's mind.

"Pardon the intrusion Hokage-sama." Standing in the doorway was a familiar ninja with his trade mark face mask and headband covering his left eye, gazed at the two in the room.

"Oh, Kakashi? What is it?" Hiruzen turned to the look at the Jounin. It hadn't even been12 hours yet and the Jounin had a dark bag under his visible eye and a noticeable slouch in his posture.

This incident seems to have shaken the man up more then Hiruzen originally thought. Kakashi seemed to be blaming himself with almost letting his sensei's son commit suicide. He had seen this pose before back when Rin and Minato died. It wasn't a good sigh if the depressing gloom he was practically dischargin constantly was anything to go by.

A clear hollowed expression was reflected in his eyes, eyes filled with shame in ones self. "Lord Hokage, I just received word from a ANBU messenger, they said they received a message that Jiraiya is on his way back to the village and though it was his hand writing it didn't say when or where is was return from it was quite unusual. I'm intercepted it since you said no one is to come near here."

If the message was genuine then that meant it must be concerning that. No, there is no guarantee that it was concerning that, but if it really was then he would be returning to the village which no warning as to when. It had to be. Hiruzens thoughts paused as he responded to the message, "Understood, for now keep watch on Naruto and return him to his room once his apartment has been cleaned up. As for you Inoichi, thank you for fulfilling my request, go get some rest."

"Hai!"

"Hai!"

As he left the room Hiruzen sighed. "Its just one thing after another isn't it" He returned to his thoughts once more. Jiraiya's return if real, was it an omen of what was to be impending doom or a blessing in disguise.

Turning to see the sleeping Naruto he remembering the beating that was most likely to come. He sweat dropped at this recollection. "Please don't cause this old man anymore worries then he already has Naruto."

He proceeded to walk back to his office. His footsteps felt heavier then normal, like he was wading through a swamp. His thoughts sunk deeper and deeper at the news of Jiraiyas possible return. He really was not looking forward to getting an earful when his student learned what he almost allowed to happened. As he walked into his office he looked at his desk and sighed."This is going to be a long night."

-Near the Yamanaka Flower Shop-

Inoichi was still shaken from the days events. It was unsettling, how easy it was to overlap his daughter's image with Naruto, frighteningly easy. As he walked down the street he could make out Narutos apartment out in the distance. It was easy to see, The vibrant graffiti spewing insults from the villagers was easy to spot despite Konoha's naturally vibrant color pallet.

He knew that most of the village shunned to boy and made an effort to ostracize him, even the constant glares. But seeing and experiencing were two very different things. As a Yamanaka he was trained to distance himself and his feelings when diving into another person's mind.

However this proved difficult when he dove into Naruto's memories. In fact it proved undesirable, going so far as to willingly giving in as he dove further. How blind could the Village be to have allowed the boy fall to such a degree.

God forgive him should he encounter any of the numerous villagers he saw in the boys mind. If he crossed paths with the, he hoped he didn't Bend their minds and have them jump of do their deaths of the Hokage Monument. Even he was unsure how much self-control he had remaining in his body after what he had just experienced.

As he made his to the front door of the flower shop, he suppressed as many of the dark emotions he currently felt and reached for the door. The last thing he wanted was to show his family his current maelstrom of worries and hatred. As he opened the door, a flash of platinum blonde hair sped in front of his eyes and slammed into his leg.

Clutching onto him with small little hands the short hair girl looked up at him. A twenty five megawatt smile illuminated the shop as the cute little girls face stared up at her father. All of his dark feelings vanished in the instant he saw the now four year old Ino.

"Welcome home daddy." Her smile illuminated the room even more and hit Inoichi with all its brilliance. He knelt down and hugged the little girl. She might not be able to save him completely but theirs no reason she can't try and make it possible.

"Thank you my Ino-hime."

Ino flinched, she could tell something was wrong and looked at her farther straight in the eyes with a puzzled expression on her face. "Before I told you what the Yamanaka's Clan symbol, the bush clover meant. Do you remember?"

The yong girl nodded proudly placing her hands on her hips, she puffed her chest out with pride. "Of course, you said it meant positive love." Inoichi laughed at the display, his little girls made. "That's right, today I met someone who is in need of that trait that we Yamanaka pride ourselves in."

He patted Ino's head as she stared blankly, "My little hime, should you encounter an orange boy with golden blonde hair and blue eyes I want you share with him that positive love."

If Inoichi had ever encountered something cuter then his daughter's expression at that moment he had to have gone mad to forget it. The young girl spouted a odd pout of confusion as she tilted her head onto her shoulder, her brilliant blue eyes gazing back into his. "But why do I have to, can't you do it?" He couldn't resist as he pulled her into a hug, between her cuteness and Naruto's suffering he couldn't help but embraced her again. While in his affectionate embrace he whispering into her ear.

"That boy is in the dark and all alone, if left alone he may become lost forever to the darkness that surrounds him. He needs someone his own age to reach out and save him, and I want you who is strong in character to use that strength to give him the experience of positive love he has never received. So I ask you, will you reach out to him should you find him, since he is to far out of my own reach?"

Ino looked at her father, "Can you do that?" His words rang in her head. She nodded noticing the seriousness in his eyes. She didn't quite understand but her daddy wanted to help. And if she succeeded maybe she could make a new friend.

"But can I really help him?" She asked unsure of herself.

Her father normally was over protective, scaring away any boys that approached her, for him to ask her to approach one must have been serious. That and his eyes showed that he was very sad about something.

Inoichi smiled, "I'm sure if anyone can my little hime can." She smiled bright nodding her head.

As she ran off into the house a smile remained imprinted on his face, weave around the flowers on display. Even if she met him it would be a long and hard process to break the shell around his heart. But even so, it was a good start to helping the boy.

Now the only thinking preventing Naruto from making a true friendship would be his internal fear for adults and his reluctance to befriend her out of fearing the possibility of salvation being a lie.

-Hokage Office :: One Week Later :: Midday-

Hiruzen sat in his office combating the growing mountain on his desk. It never ceases to amaze him how quickly the pile of papers grew if left alone long enough. Sighing at the never ending troubles of the week he continued his work. Running out of his smokes only made the long week that much more strenuous.

Having made his way out of the hospital he got yelled at for smoking in the building and disrupting operations in the building, then having to make numerous changes to the patrols so as for Jiraiya to enter unnoticed should he come, and to top it all off he ignored his paperwork for only a few days in order to get a jump on the Council with Naruto's attendance to the Academy early. The mountain before him the end result.

If Jiraiya was returning then that meant he would be bringing his "trouble" with him to his desk leaving his future just as bleak. Sighing again as he looked back at the mountain on his desk; The memory of being able to see the door over his desk flashed into his mind. He really wanted to cry.

Picking up another sheet he noticed it was a report from Neko that required his stamp. He smiled a little as he scanned over it. As he had predicted the council attempted to hinder him and prevent having the ANBU watching over him. It wasn't difficult to silence their attempts; He nearly stated that if not her then he would assign one of the members to look after him.

While they tried to argue against this, A well placed glare and foot left all opposition crumble. Slowly they began to fell in line. Eventually all protests were silenced and one not officially suspended ANBU Yugao Uzuki took her "punishment mission" in stride. As such the ANBU watched over Naruto continuously for the entire week never taking her eyes off him.

Her greatest fear was a repeat attempt on his life and wouldn't sleep out of fear for his well being. This however turned out to be unnecessary. The boy for the most part sat in a corner of his room either near or on his bed only getting up to eat or for when nature called. Whether it was a good or bad thing, the important truth was that he didn't attempt anything. It did make her task easier since the boy didn't leave his room, or the apartment building for that matter.

The apartment for one thing left Yugao stupified. Despite its rickety standing and even with its bi-monthly maintenance done on it by the genin the Council payed for, the complex always remained just barely safe enough to pass Konoha's building safety standards. Yugao knew that the villagers hated the boy but it seemed a number of shinobi did as well, having it in for the boy which surprised her.

On several occasions she notice shinobi sabotage the water supply to the apartment, though nothing hostile was added the most common act was simply cut access to the supply. Naturally Yugao returned it to normal before the kid noticed but she was beginning to see that it wasn't just one problem the boy had to deal with but a million small problems that tormented his poor soul. From tampering with the utilities, locking him in his building and the constant outsider treatment shinobi seemed to have their own ways of tormenting the boy.

She couldn't begin to understand exactly how he felt but she could guess as to how he felt. Though she was sure her guess didn't even come close to understanding how painful it was. Now that she observed him outside of his public loud-mouthed idiot expression, she firmly understood now that it was was just a mask of his making and that no one knew or had yet to meet the real Naruto.

In short her report was simple this. For an entire week Naruto had not been seen to have left the building for anything or any reason. He simply remaining hidden in his room sitting huddled in a corner with a glazed look in his eyes. Yugao informed Hiruzen that thankfully he showed no intention of harming himself again but still was concerned about the look in his eye.

His eyes reflected the hollow nature of his soul, just staring at nothing but loneliness. Yugao's concern now was more on his food supply stock. After a week of eating what remained, he was almost out of food. If he didn't go get more food she feared he'd try starving himself to death. Though considering he continued to eat while staying hidden in his room it seemed more of a hollow fear for the moment.

What the document didn't say was what was happening at his apartment at that exact moment. Yugao after a week of no sleep finally and had fell asleep. It was then that a strange and unexpected event occurred.

A small girl, wearing a sleeveless kimono-style blouse that was a solid yellow with an orange trim being held closed with an equally orange obi over a short-sleeved mesh shirt with a pair of dark blue shorts-like skirt made her way into the apartment. Her cloths were several sizes to large for her form with the exception of the mesh shirt underneath. Even though she was a few years too young for the cloths, with a few well hidden bands and strings holding the loose parts in place the cloths appeared to fit nicely and looked cute on her.

However her most prevalent feature was her brilliant long yellow blonde hair and dazzling sapphire blue eyes. Her hair was tied back into a short pony-tail and was anything but tamed. The girls hair flowed wildly and her bangs o her forehead flowed outwardly in odd directions. On either side of her face, two longer more tame strands of hair reaching her neck framed either side of her face. The bright yellow gold color only heightened here cute smiling features, especially her eyes which were a deep entrancing blue in which one could lose themselves in if they stared deeply enough.

"Huh, didn't expect this to be the place, but if jiji's as easy to read as I think he is then this is the place."

A brilliantly evil plotting smile took over her cuter on that was plastered on her face. "Hehe staying here means jiji won't fine me for some time. Heh-heh-heh-heh"

The girl chuckled at he brilliant plan as she ran into the complex.

-Naruto's Apartment-

Naruto continued to sit in the corner of his room in between the bed and nightstand. He couldn't take it any more and no matter what happened no one even bothered to acknowledged him. Sure a few did but he knew that under neither their smiles the were looking through him with similar eyes as everyone else. Eyes filled with fear.

The adults though, Naruto couldn't trust them and most of the kids only looked at him in brief passing moments of life only to leave him all alone after they returned home never to look at him the same way again.

His existence became more fleeting as the Hokage-Jiji started seeing him less and less. The only one who looked at him with a genuine smile was vanishing from his life. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. He tried to end it all but his plan didn't go as planned. To his painful shock he couldn't stay wounded long enough as the wounds kept closing shut.

Naruto wasn't as stupid as everyone thought he was either. He knew it wasn't normal and this only made the insults of him being a demon sting even more. He was even starting to believe them.

To make matters worse ever since he tried to end his life every time he fell asleep he would dream about two massive glowing eyes behind what appeared to be a steel gate in what appeared to be a flooded underground complex of tunnels.

Each time a demonic growl would ring out shaking everything and every time and he would wake up in a cold sweet. He wasn't sure what to do, he couldn't sleep and food no long had any taste, He didn't even want to go out and eat ramon, fearing his favorite food would be just as tasteless.

So there he sat simply waited. He sat and waited for something to happen, for someone to help him, for anything really. However he felt it was more likely that the monster in his dreams would take him in his despair.

"BANG!" "THUD!"

Naruto jumped, he looked over his nightstand to the door of his apartment to see a smiling blonde girl looking at him. The door firmly closing behind her. She rushed over to the still "hiding" Naruto.

"Hey? Hey? Your Naruto right? Uzumaki Naruto? This is your place? Do you..." The energetic blonde before him shot him questions in such rapid succession that he felt like he was under a blitzkrieg. As he looked up at the girl he stared into her deep vibrant blue eyes, he was surprised. He couldn't see any hatred in them; non of the usual coldness behind them. When she finally stopped all he could do was nod slightly in response.

A big toothy grin appeared on her face. "Awesome!" She jumped like a spring on steroids. "Yosh, that balding Jiji won't come for me here. So I'll be sticking around her, kay?" With that she planted herself on Naruto's bed, jumping up and down finally landing with a solid plop as the sheets cushioned her impact.

"U-umm, w-who are you, dattebayo?"

The girl sat up and looked back at he blond with a massive grin.

-Streets of Konoha-

A particularly disgruntled Ino was marching a war path through the village. At first she was keeping an eye out for the orange boy but despite this could not find the boy her father told her about. She found several blonds with blue eyes but none looked in pain or in lost loneliness.

And the biggest give away that she was looking for was on none of the people she found. not a single one had a trace of orange on them. "Mattaku, how is it so difficult to find a person in orange. It shouldn't be this hard."

Ino pouted as she made her way to her only last lead. She had made it her personal mission to find the ellusive boy. Supposedly the Hokage knew everyone in the village and if her daddy didn't know who the boy was then that meant the Hokage was the most likely person to know. As she followed her childish logic she looked down the street with piercing confident eyes. She would complete her personal mission to find the boy in question and nothing would stop her.

Thud!

Ino bumped into an invisible wall falling down to the ground. Just before she fell she saw the back of an old man with long white spiky hair. "sorry mister I wasn't... looking...were..." Her words trailed off as the old man had vanished.

"Mō... what was that about?"

It was then at that moment she spot a blur of orange her height flash by her peripheral vision. "was that?" While her mind tried to make sense of what just happened, her instincts screamed at her commandingly; "After him!"

Rushing and making her way in the direction of the blur as she chased it down around several corners she could make out an orange body and blond hair. As she gave chase she eventually made her way into the poorer district of Konoha.

"Why would they be going here? If someone catches me here I'll be in big trouble for sure." As she thought this to herself she face-palmed. If he lived here it would make sense. It would explain why she couldn't find him since she usually avoided the district. If he lived in such a poor district the odds of him being unhappy would be greater, the irony of it all was stupidly obvious it was being here having looked everywhere else.

"Mom is going to be so pissed when she learns I came here."

Making her way through the districts she finally arrived at a building which was the most painted building she had ever seen. "Who would paint such difficult words all over their own home, are they baka? And with such tacky colors, too."

She made her way into the building. Going from room to room she was starting to get pissed off. "Mattaku, its so dirty, its like no one even lives here. Taking her first step on the stairs her foot almost broke the floor board as she put her weight on it. "Gyah! This house is breaking apart. Hehe, its almost like I'm on secret mission." Floor by floor she made her way up to the top floor were she found herself at the last room, so far no sign of the blond and the last door was right in front of her.

-Hokage Office-

With his stamp Hiruzen moved onto his other papers. He stopped in mid pose. "Should I be bracing myself for what you're about to lay onto me?" He didn't turn around but he knew Jiraiya was behind him standing in the window as always. "Your entrance today is a lot tamer then it usual."

As Jiraiya stepped inside he closed the window behind him, he placing a complex seal on the glass panel before moving to a shadowed portion of the room. "And with more caution then usual as well I see."

"Well its better to be careful in this particular situation." he stated as he leaned against the wall. His bangs covering his eyes from sight. "I heard about Naruto," Hiruzen stiffened, "I won't blame you for what happened. I'm in no position to do so and just like you I am as much to blame for not being around to look after him as you are." Jiraiya slumped down to a crouching position. Before looking up at his sensei.

"We both knew what the council and village would end up like this, We just ignored the fact that it was most likely to happen. People are always more inclined to blame rather then think, and to naturally to hate others when they do. Worse still, as the Hokage you have to protect those idiots and the boy from them. It's no surprise that your hands are tied up in such a delicate balancing act. With so much tape binding you down I'm actually impressed this didn't happen sooner. If I had that much binding tape on me that's holding you down, I'd gift wrap myself to Tsunade, Yegahahahaha."

His boisterous laughter cause Hiruzen to smile. Same old, same old Jiraiya. When his laughter died down he focused and became serious as his tone dropped down a bit. "So for now don't let that bother you." Besides thanks to you handling the tangled mess here it made it easier for me to operate."

His face turned to a more serious pose, no longer joking he was all business. "Have you heard of Akatsuki?" Not waiting for Hiruzen's reply he continued. "I haven't heard much but they appear to be a small group of S class missing nin but they seem to be gathering members. Their goal seems to be the eventual capture of the biiju."

Hiruzen exhaled, "Naruto, huh. That boy is just a magnet for trouble." Jiraiya roared out another belly full of laughter, "Yegahaha, yeah Minato was the same, always attracting all sorts of mischief. Dealing with trouble became a natural skill for him too. Although his troubles were almost always in the form of pretty women." Jiraiya sulked at the memory of the "lucky jerk" before he smiled warmly.

"Then Kushina was her own special kind of trouble for Minato. That girl, always pranking people and beating down anyone who laughed at her. Remember when she filled one of the scrolls I sent you with a hundred frogs, Yegahaha now that was a laugh, watching all the village panic when they hopped out of your office into the village, all while she laughed her ass off too."

The atmosphere brightened up at the memory, "Those were really peaceful days." Hiruzen nodded in agreement before realizing something was missing. "Speaking of bundles of trouble, what became of yours Jiraiya?"

"Actually that's what I wanted to talk about, I think its time I handed it back over to you so you can deal with it. I've done everything I could think of. Binding seals, Limiters, and numerous methods to seal away most of the power that it was leaking. Chakra can no longer be leak freely without passing through several heavy precautions.

In fact with my searching for Orochimaru and having to keep an eye open for more info regarding this group called Akatsuki actually allowed me to do some minor guidance as well. Regardless its best to hide a leaf in a forest after all and there shouldn't be any problems from here on out."

Its was dangerous enough traveling with the trouble magnet but lately Orochimaru's being on the move more so then usual had him worried.

"I might be mistaken but Orochimaru might end up with the Akatsuki."

Should that happen not even Jiraiya was sure if he could look out for and manage both his spying and the mission at the same time. Back when he first left the village four years ago he didn't get very far having to turn around and confront Orochimaru's and his betrayal.

Even if he held back due to his personal feelings, Jiraiya wouldn't lose to the twisted snake-sannin. Jiraiya may have been less talented and an perverted idiot, but unlike Orochimaru he never stopped his training and missions; Unlike the snake-bastard who stopped his training to focus on inhumane experimentation.

Still Jiraiya lost and it wasn't due to skill, but because he couldn't let himself win. In the first place he wasn't even sent by Hiruzen to confront Orochimaru. Not a few days earlier he had left with his secret mission from his sensei only to have to confront the traitor who was on the run on the road. Had it not been for the secret contents of his mission Jiraiya would have beaten Orochimaru and dragged him back to the village or waited for someone to pick him up at the least.

That was the problem though. Doing so would jeopardize the secrecy of the mission he had taken up. Weighing the mission and abandoning it to stop his childhood rival, he chose the prior. He felt torn and was greatly tempted to abandon his original objective. The only thing that stopped him was the still fresh and painful memory of failing Minato and Kushina.

He failed to be there for them and he wouldn't fail them this time. He now had to protect the last thing left of them, and that was the missions purpose. As their designated godfather and confident, he couldn't abandon the mission or their hopes.

The end result was a brilliantly staged battle where he let Orochimaru go, though not before placing a mark on him so as to make it easier keep tabs on the snake.

It still troubled the sannin immensely that he was forced to hold back and couldn't stop his rival and comrade as he desired too. Even though it haunted him, the funny thing was his secret mission allowed him to not become fixated on the betrayal of a friend.

Instead of grieving and wallowing in his failures the mission gave him purpose and focus, as well as some more free time for his research. And even in spite of the conditions the mission held it did the Toad Sannin a great deal of good as it forced him to look at the positives.

He succeeded in making sure Orochimaru was none the wiser and had him completely left in the dark. He was now able to tell whenever he was nearby as well as the general direction the man was in thanks to his seal. He also ensured no one knew anything about his new mission increasing his own skill set in the process. This resulted in him being able return to the village sooner then planned, and stay for a while if everything played out right.

With no associations to Naruto possible now he could returned and the best part Orochimaru wouldn't even bother looking into "it" for the time being since he did not any interest in Jiraiya.

Jiraiya wasn't the only one recalling the past encounter with the Snake Sannin. Hiruzen seriously needed a smoke as he held his breath shaking the thoughts of his own hesitation to deal with Orochimaru out of his mind. The last thing he needed was the extra stress burdening him at the moment. "Tell me everything, you got about the Akatsuki." After several minutes of Jiraiya explaining what he knew, Hiruzen nodded reluctantly.

Kakuzu, Jūzō Biwa , and an unknown leader along with a very skilled puppet master. If it wasn't for the constant score of troublesome burdens popping up one right after the others, Hiruzen would have figured this was all staged at his expense.

"Now that I think about it, where is your troublesome burden, I noticed it wasn't around when you arrived?" Jiraiya froze as he turned to look around him. Again, he thought, it happened again. He was the Great Toad Sannin one of the most experienced shinobi in the world and the girl had snuck off without his notice. He shouted in deep frustrated annoyance. "That damn brat!"

-Naruto's Room-

"Me?" The blonde girl stood up, arms out in an exaggerated pose, one foot landing on the bedside table.

"I'm the Prankmaster known throughout the Land of Fire, the vibrant sexy orange apprentice to the great super pervert and sannin, Jiraiya-sensei. Future butt kicking all around Snakes and loud Kinouchi, Mikon Umegaki, has arrived!" With her monolog done, she stood proud of her perfectly choreographed and uninterrupted introduction. Several seconds passed and when she heard no response she looked down. "Whats wrong?"

Naruto was look up, still in shock of what was happening. What was going on? What was this person talking about? But what shocked him the most was what he was seeing as the girl completed her "introduction". He just blinked for a few more minutes before he stuttered a shy response.

"I-it's p-pink, dattebayo."

The blond on the floor, the one straddling the bed and nightstand, as well as the blonde new arrival standing in the doorway stood eerily still. A crow cawed in the distance as it flew by. A few moments passed between the two blondes blushed a brilliant shade of pink to match the boy.

"Kyaaa!" Mikon made in quick succession 5 hand signs, raising her hand as her finger was pricked by the bracelet on her wrist drawing blood, slammed it down in panic as she crouched down, a hand holding her kimono shut. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu"

A large reddish-orange and blue Gama came crashing down through the roof of the apartment bringing the room down with it. Mikon Umegaki had officially arrived.

Chapter End

And thus ends the first chapter. In Future updates I might add little notes down here at the bottom but I'm 42 hours too tired to attempt it for now so reply and tell me what you think. Would be nice if all you peeps enjoyed the continuation of the story as much as I enjoy thinking it up.

Also at the bottom of future chapters I'll be writing shout outs to those who notice hidden Easter eggs and references that I put in either intentionally or otherwise. This goes for those who's comments have helped progress these works.

SHOUTOUT:: to hazeleyes180 and his/her marvelous read "Outfoxed" for inspiring me to start and write this my own story or at least attempt at it. Give Outfoxed a read and the attention it deserves :p