I

The First Domino Falls

The Sarutobis were chronic smokers. At least Asuma and his father were.

The pair sat in his father's dimly lit office surrounded by the rich mahogany fineries and delicately hand crafted ornaments that had been collected over the years and placed here to demonstrate the wealth and power of their village, Konohagakure. He sat across from his father, arm slung casually over the back of his chair, regarding the man opposite him lazily.

Going by appearances alone, they could have been discussing anything apart from the future of the elemental nations themselves.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, his father, let a deep breath escape him, exhaling a stream of rich pipe smoke with it, adding to the light mist that already danced around them with each slight movement and breath.

"Konoha needs him, Asuma. Kakashi has his heart set on training the boy, but he will have the Uchiha." His father brought an aging hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes wearily. "Kakashi would a good job training him, but Naruto needs more. We need more."

Asuma couldn't help but shift uncomfortably in his seat. Uzumaki Naruto was a continual sore spot for Hiruzen. He was the container for the nine-tailed fox, a demon that had ravaged the village and had only been stopped by sealing it within the newly born Naruto at great cost. The boy's subsequent life had not been a pleasant one. Despite Hiruzen's best efforts, the civilian portion of the population, superstitious and prone to fear as they were, treated him as though he was the fox itself. Ignored, maligned, and hated – it was a wonder that Uzumaki had turned out as well as he had.

The shinobi portion of the village should know better, but to many, Naruto stood as a reminder of the great sacrifices made the day the beast was sealed within him. The shinobi felt it most of course – the Fourth Hokage had ensured the battle was fought away from the most populated areas of the village, and too many shinobi had given their lives to ensure it stayed there.

Finally, the Fourth Hokage had given his own, so that the demon could be sealed. The man loved by all, that had ended the Third Shinobi War, was one loss to much for many.

They didn't fear Naruto – they trusted too much in the Fourth, but they couldn't bear to look at him, which seemed to hurt Naruto just as much.

The boy seemed to absorb so much hate and disdain, and as far as Asuma knew, had no friends or allies to lean on. His father did his best to keep Naruto cared for, and away from the darker political machinations of other powerful figures in the village; but regardless, Hiruzen still took Naruto's suffering as a personal failure, and it remained an open and festering wound on the old man.

"He has so much potential, stunted by ignorance. And if it weren't for Mizuki's betrayal, I would have been hard pressed to keep him from Root." Hiruzen fixed his hard grey eyes upon Asuma. "I will not allow this village to fail that boy again. Kakashi will need to be able to focus on the Uchiha, and his nature will not allow him to give Naruto the time necessary to help him grow at the rate he needs to."

Asuma got the unsettling feeling that this was building towards something he wasn't going to like, and as if to confirm his feelings, the Hokage stood abruptly, and turned to gaze out of the window behind his desk that looked out over the sleeping village, dimly lit only by moonlight.

"War is coming, Asuma. I have only whispers, and vague hints, but I have seen enough begin to be sure. There is too much happening far too quickly, and we need to be ready. I have put things in motion already and the other Elite Jonin have been briefed regarding their new students in order to prepare." He turned back to face Asuma, a hard look on his face. "But I need you Asuma, to be the lynchpin of it all. Kakashi shall take the Akimichi boy from you, and you shall take Naruto. Give them the time they need, Asuma – give Naruto the time and effort he needs to excel. He has the potential to surpass those that have come before, and the Nara and Yamanaka from everything I heard will be able to create a well balanced and powerful support around him."

"What makes you so sure, old man?"

"I have seen great Konoha ninja emerge from all manner of beginnings, Asuma." Hiruzen began slowly, every word thoroughly considered. "He has been wilfully stunted by much of the Academy staff, yet thanks to his own effort, is physically on par with the rest of his age group. His technique is sloppy and academics poor; yet has managed to match most of his age group in actual combat. Within the forest last night," Asuma couldn't help but notice a slight smirk make it's way onto his father's face, "the little menace managed to learn the Tajuu Kage Bunshin jutsu in only several hours, and then used it to defeat Mizuki. Soundly."

Hiruzen was letting that little parcel of information hang in the air for effect as Asuma tried to assimilate that particular revelation. The idea that a Genin could even attempt to learn the ninjutsu that Naruto had managed to was insane enough. To learn it fast enough to make it combat ready, and then use it to take down a Chunin, no matter how poor, quite frankly defied logic.

Personally, Asuma had always believed Naruto had deserved a better lot in life, and wasn't averse to doing his bit to making it happen. But there was more to it. Something was heading their way, and Hiruzen had a plan, as little of it as he was giving away. He would never say no again to something that needed to be done to protect his home.

"So, you want me to take Naruto, fix him up, and get him and the other two ready to face whatever mess is coming our way?" He lit another cigarette, and took a heavy drag. "Consider it done, old man."

"If you to take Naruto under your command, then there is one more thing you need to know. What you are about to hear is an S-Rank secret." Asuma was sat fully upright now, the casual persona entirely left behind. The Sarutobi was all shinobi now. "Naruto's parents were killed on the night of the Kyuubi attack, yes. But that is not all there is to it. When the fox struck, Kushina had been nine months into her pregnancy – kept secret for her own safety." Hiruzen's head now hung low, and at the name of the Fourth's late wife, Asuma already knew what was coming, and his stomach turned violently at the realisation of the truth.

"The stress of the attack brought on the birth, and in the end the Fourth had no choice – Minato used his own son to seal away the Nine-Tailed Fox."