"What?" That was the only word that could be uttered by the shell-shocked Naruto, as she stood in her father's office.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I really am. I tried everything to overturn their decision, but it's out of my hands." Minato told his daughter with a grimace. Standing to the side was a strangely reserved Kushina. She had argued for hours against the council, but to no avail.

"So let me get this straight, unless I marry within the next two months, I can't be a Hokage candidate?" Naruto asked, beyond shocked.

"Well, not exactly."

"Then what? What is going on? Why did the council decide to this?!"

"Naruto, you have declined marriage proposal after marriage proposal, each and every one of which would have strengthened our ties with foreign nations, and or brought more income and peace to the village. As the daughter of the Hokage, you have a chance to make some really big changes, if married to the right family. However, your refusals keep hindering it. The council is sick of it, and demand that you be wed within the next two months." Minato explained.

"But-but-but, they can't do that! I refuse!" Naruto exclaimed in anger.

"I know sweetie, but the fact of the matter is, they can. Even being the Hokage's daughter won't change that. You could always refuse, your mother and I would never hold it against you, but as you know, it's the council that chooses the Hokage candidates, and it is wise to be in their good favor."

"But marriage?! I can't get married, I still have so much I want to do in my life! And I especially don't want to get married to some foreign ninja. How will I be Hokage if I live in another village?" Naruto ranted.

"I know Naru-chan, trust me, I know. And I hate to do this to you, my very own daughter, but I suggest you take some time to think about it, really consider all of your options."

Disheartened, and with a frown that stretched for miles, Naruto looked at her father, only to find unshed tears in his eyes. "Thanks dad. Just so you know, while this situation is horrible, I don't blame you or mom. I know you guys did the best you could."

"We love you Naruto." Said Kushina with a bitter smile on her face.

Exiting the room, Naruto headed straight for Ichiraku, she had some thinking to do.

Old man Ichiraku was used to seeing his favorite customer on a daily basis, but never once, in the last 18 years, has he ever seen her so depressed. The frown was prevalent on her face as she used her chopsticks to absent-mindedly stir the Raman.

"Naruto? Are you ok?" He asked, worried for her health.

"I need some sake. Now." Naruto practically demanded, with a stubborn look on her face. Surprised, but willing to do anything to help his favorite blond, he poured her a cup of sake, and watched as Naruto downed it faster than humanly possible.

Naruto was having a strange dilemma. Either she married some random stranger, or ruin her chances of ever becoming Hokage. Becoming Hokage was all she had ever dreamed about, ever since she was a child, and would spend all her days in her fathers office. She had worked hard her entire life to make that dream come true, yet here she was at the ripe age of 18, and forced to make the hardest decision of her life: marriage to some random guy she will probably hate, or crushing her dreams?

But Naruto wasn't ready for marriage. Heck, she's never given much thought to boys in general. While Sakura, Ino, and the rest of the girls were fangirling over one Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto was busy training for the day she can prove herself as Hokage material. Currently, she was one of the strongest Jonin Konoha had to offer. As a sage, the current Jinchuuriki, and the leading Fuinjitsu master, Naruto was a force to be reckoned with. Frankly, the only other person with a reputation as fearsome as hers was her biggest, and most annoying rival: Sasuke Uchiha. Thankfully, he had no interest in the position, he was too busy making sure he was one step ahead of his genius older brother, Itachi.

Her father, the current and fourth Hokage, was still very powerful. But after his wife Kushina gave birth to Naruto, there by loosening her seal, he had to quickly seal the Kyuubi into a baby Naruto. It left him close to death, but since then, he's been as strong as ever. But serving almost 20 years as Hokage was a tiring job, and Minato was ready to pass on the hat to the next generation.

All in all, Naruto was a shoe in for the position of Hokage. But the council just had to throw her a curve ball. How was she supposed to find a suitable husband in two months?!

It was official, Sasuke decided, the world was out to get him. "I'm sorry father, run that by me again?"

Fugaku sighed, before explaining once more to his youngest, and most temperamental son, "Look Sasuke. I know you want a place at the family council, but it is tradition that only married men of the Uchiha family are allowed access to the council. I'm sorry son."

"But Itachi was offered a position when he was 18!" Sasuke exclaimed.

"Yes, however Itachi was already engaged at the time or do you not recall?"

Sasuke scowled, "I recall just fine father. However, a seat on the council will elevate my status as a Uchiha member, as well as give me access to the hidden scrolls we have on improving the sharingan. Surely, the fact that I have the Mangekyo will allow me to glance upon these scrolls? I need to learn how to control my eyes better, so that I don't, oh I don't know, go blind perhaps?"

Fugaku winced at the reminder of his sons accursed eyes. Only a year previous, Sasuke was forced to kill his client in an act of mercy. "I'm sorry son, perhaps if you were to finally find a girl to settle down with, like your mother has been wanting, you will finally be offered a position at the council. Until then, put this matter to rest."

With a scowl on his face, Sasuke stomped out of the Uchiha district.

Somehow, Sasuke ended up the same place he always did when he was angry, Ichiraku Raman. Now, he wasn't always close to the Namikaze heir by any instance, on the contrary, in the academy they fought quite often, and proclaimed each other eternal rivals. When they graduated, Sasuke was apprenticed by his father Fugaku, while Naruto was taken under the wing of her god father, Jiraya the sannin. They rarely saw each other at all, until the chunnin exams, where sometime during the second stage, they were forced to work together to come out victorious. It was then that the Hokage realized how well they worked together as a team, and so a year later, when both Naruto and Sasuke signed up for the ANBU, they were made partners. Raven and Fox were a terrifying duo, that complimented each other perfectly, and stroke fear into the hearts of many. Other than the Hokage, no one knew of their identities, and it helped them stay under the radar. Due to their many, many missions together, they became good friends, not the either would ever admit it. Most importantly, they became each others confidante, when Naruto was sick of her father coddling her, she'd rant to Sasuke, when the Uchiha was furious at his brother, he's complain to his blond friend. So today, like many other days where he was in a fowl mood, he made his way to the one place he was certain that Naruto would be.

Arriving at the raman bar, Sasuke was dejected at seeing that his friend looked even more depressed then he did. Taking his seat silently, he asked, "What's got you mad?"

"The council is making me get married. You?"

"My father is making me get married."

Sharing a long look at one another, these secretly close friends simultaneously smiled. Slipping onto one knee, Sasuke asked, "Naruto Namikaze, will you marry me?"