It was a simple formality for the paperwork to be accepted into the Konoha Ninja Academy for Naruto. Kakashi figured he could have just sent in a paper with Naruto's name on it and they would have accepted it. Still he would do it right just because he was worried that some unscrupulous factors may try and say since the paperwork was incorrect Naruto would have to be moved or changed to a different class, and that simply wouldn't do for the sun of one of Konoha's heroes. The academy was broken down into several levels per year. There was the Clan level, the most advanced class which normally only clan children could enter due to their early training with chakra and ninja skills, though this did not disclude some very promising students from earning a place among their ranks it was still a rarity. Once again it would be a formality for Naruto to pass the extra test required to join this class so Kakashi wasn't overly worried. Next down was the Achievers class, those who scored above their peers, but lacked a core skill or asset. This class normally had the fewest students due to the underwhelming number of students who only were slightly better than their peers but were worse than the clan children. The final level of the academy was the Average level students. This would be the largest class normally, ninja who had nothing special pushing them to preform well ended up here. The class size was easily four times that of the Clan and Achiever levels combined, and many in this class would end up being career Genin, and only a small percentage would ever reach Chunin.

As Kakashi sat across from Naruto he glanced away from the paperwork and gave Naruto a critical once over. He could already spot the developing muscle in his arms, and that spoke very little of the dexterity the boy was showing by spinning a kunai through his fingers. Overall the boy was coming along nicely in his pre-schooling studies, he had a solid grounding in tai-jutsu, his chakra molding was acceptable for the level of chakra he already had. His gen-jutsu casting was honestly atrocious, but this was balanced out by the fact that as far as Kakashi and several others in the village could tell, the boy was incredibly difficult to place under any low level gen-jutsu as the caustic chakra of the Kyuubi constantly disrupted his chakra so they could not stick.

"Naruto." Kakashi said catching the boy off guard as he was so absorbed in his spinning of the kunai that he hadn't been expecting Kakashi to say anything. Thankfully he caught the kunai before it marked up the hardwood floors of the house carefully sliding it back into the leg holster, he closed the clasp on it with a click then looked up at his older brother.

"Hmm? What is it?" Naruto said as he stood up and stretched.

"When I go turn in this paperwork, your going to be tested so they can see if you pass the criteria to be placed in the Clan level class. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come with me and do that right now?" Kakashi replied easily, standing and placing one hand on Naruto's head and ruffling his hair. Naruto grinned up at his older brother before jumping and ruffling Kakashi's hair before ducking the grab Kakashi sent at him and running for the Hokage Tower where the paperwork would need to be turned in. He made it about a quarter of the way there, before he was tripped. Instead of landing hard however he rolled to his feet and kept running. A few moments later a woman with purple hair was jumping right next to him easily matching his pace while leaping backwards.

"Where you goin, Namikaze-Gaki?" She asked as she easily kept pace with him leaping backwards while he was going full speed backwards.

"Running from Kakashi-Nii." Naruto said as he dodged a couple walking through the streets holding hands, to absorbed in each other to notice the oncoming trouble.

"Oh… So, I shouldn't trip you and let him catch up?" She said with a teasing tone of voice. The resulting look of horror on Naruto's face was all the answer she really needed.

"That won't really be necessary Anko." Kakashi said as he casually hoped from rooftop to rooftop while reading from an orange adventure manga named "Tales of a Gutsy Ninja: Volume 3: Adventures in Yuki no Kuni". The way he was casually keeping up with both of them was amusing and more than one ninja stopped to look at the sight.

"Ahh Kakashi-Nii, you don't really need to retaliate for me messing up your hair, do you?" Naruto said as he started thinking of ways to dodge if Kakashi felt like diving at him. Thankfully the gods seemed to be on his side as Kakashi shrugged his shoulders before answering

"Why don't you run ahead Naruto, I'll meet you there in a few minutes. As an extra challenge see if you can figure out how to get past the Hokage's secretary without getting caught." It didn't take long for Naruto to make haste before Kakashi's good mood changed.

"Nice of you to send the brat running, what did he do anyway?" Anko said as they began walking at a much more sedated pace. Anko slowly started drifting towards her favorite dango place. Kakashi followed her letting her guide them. Before they got too far off course he exerted some of his chakra to make a shadow-clone which left towards the Hokage building with the papers. Once done he answered Anko as they walked into the small stand

"He roughed up my hair a bit and then took off running, so I had to give him a bit of a chase." He said as he signaled to the waiter what he wanted from the menu. Anko followed his example a few moments later failing to notice Kakashi slipping the waiter more than enough to cover the bill and a sizable tip.

"So, does this mean I finally get a date with the infamous bachelor Kakashi Hatake?" Anko said as she leaned on her hand propping her elbow against the table.

"Do they really call me that?" Kakashi asked exasperatedly thankful for the tea that came a few moments later as he took a sip through his mask.

"Oh yes," Anko answered with a wide smile enjoying Kakashi's discomfort. "Apparently you raising the son of the Fourth and being such a caring and attentive parent has drawn the attention of many of Konoha's bachelorettes." She said in great mirth before taking a bite of the dango that had just been delivered.

"I just haven't had time to consider a relationship…" Kakashi finally said after staring at his cup of tea for a moment. He really hadn't had time to consider a relationship between the high-level missions sending him out of the village and raising Naruto he had very little time except to relax and try not to go crazy. Not to mention his own dark past that sometimes maid him want to crawl into a hole for a few days.

"It sounds like you need something a bit more…casual. You know I just made Special Jonin. Both of our schedules are a bit crazy… If you wanted to try, I would be open to it." Anko's normally loud and booming voice was low and her cheeks shined a cute pink, not to mention the fact that she was playing with the dango stick in her hands and not making eye contact with Kakashi. She was startled out of her embarrassment by Kakashi putting his hand over hers.

"Since Naruto is going to the academy, I'll have more free time, if you want to try, I think I would like that." Kakashi said and when Anko jerked her head up to look at him he gave her a smile that was clearly visible through his mask. They stayed like that talking for at least an hour before Kakashi shuddered and said quietly to himself "Oh Naruto, why?"

Anko gave him a strange look before finishing her tea which was cooling quickly.

"Tell me on the way?" She said as she went to pay and noticed that Kakashi already had payed. She gave him an appreciative look as he walked out the door in front of her thinking to herself "Not bad Hatake, not bad at all."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~ One Hour Ago ~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#

"Ha finally made it!" Naruto's shout of joy was lost on the occupants of the room he had just snuck into, namely a Genin Team, their Sensei, and of course the famous Third Hokage, who was puffing lightly on his pipe. Naruto pushed the grate from the ventilation shaft out where it landed on the couch with a soft thud. Seconds later Naruto landed beside it, instantly dropping into a comfortable relaxing position.

"Good to see you Naruto, and an excellent entrance procedure. Did Kakashi put you up to this?" Sarutobi spoke between puffs of his pipe. While waiting on an answer he signed the mission scroll before him and motioned for the team in front of him to go with a wave of his hand.

"Yeah, he said I should try and get past the secretary without her knowing. How did you know?" Naruto asked as he sprung up from the couch and bounded over to the window looking out over the village. "Old man, this is the best view in the entire village!" Naruto's continued with a hint of aww in his voice. From here, he could see right into the busy Market District, and if he strained his eyes and stood on the very tips of his toes, he could just barely make out some of the Clan Grounds in the distance.

"Yes it is quite a view, I think the first Hokage chose this spot for the office because, he knew that looking out this window would remind future Hokage what they are protecting. Also, the reason I figured Kakashi sent you this way was to prove a point that he had brought up a long time ago, which was that the building is not secure enough. With your intrusion, I'm afraid I must agree with him, it is simply unacceptable for a child, no matter how skilled." And here he paused and looked at Naruto who had the decency to blush," Is simply unacceptable Naruto. I don't know how Kakashi plans to reward you, but I certainly think you deserve a reward for pointing out this egregious breach in security." Sarutobi explained as Naruto made his way back around the desk and sat down in one of the chairs there.

"Well I think the first Hokage was an amazing man, I mean he brought the clans together and he made the entire forest we live in." Naruto replied. "As for a reward? Uhm I don't know, why don't you pick Hokage-Sama." He finished as he didn't even know what kind of gift would be appropriate. They sat there conversing for a few minutes before there was a knocking at the window, when the Hokage turned around he saw Kakashi standing there stuck to the outside of the wall.

"Careful doing that Kakashi you may pick up the same reputation as my former student." He said jovially as he allowed Kakashi into the room.

"Well Hokage-Sama to be comp…" Kakashi never got the chance to finish his sentence before Naruto abruptly stood up and looked Kakashi in the eye.

"You're a clone, aren't you?" He said matter-of-factly, before punching the clone in the knee. It crumpled under his punch and the clone poofed out of existence. Sarutobi made an interested noise as he sat his pipe down.

"How did you know it was a clone Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi asked as he closed the blinds behind him." The shadow clone is renowned as the only clown that is a perfect copy of its originator, that is why it costs so…much…chakra. Naruto once you explain this to me and the Real Kakashi gets here I know what your gift will be." Sarutobi said as he made a few hand signs and three figures in black clothes and white porcelain animal masks appeared from nowhere. One who was sitting on the couch to the right of where Naruto landed almost ten minutes ago, another was crouched over the door frame leaning against the wall and finally one laying perfectly flat on the ceiling over a Bonsai Tree. "Secure the room, the hallway, the rooms above and below. I want you to throw sensing jutsu around like they are going out of style, no one may know there could be a problem with the Shadow Clone." Naruto looked around as all three began moving around the room placing tags of papers one the walls and ceilings, soon they moved out of the room. A knock was heard on the door and after being told to enter Kakashi walked through one hand in his pocket.

"Just the Jonin I wanted to see, Kakashi you now have an A rank mission, time is of the issue." Sarutobi said with no hint of mirth. "You are to gather Jiraiya, you know his normal hang outs tell him it is an emergency. Next you are to gather Danzo," Here Kakashi bristled, but stood at attention "I know you don't like him, but he is a master of the subject we are going to be discussing. Finally, you will bring Hiashi Hyuga here. When asked you will show them this sequence of hand seals." Kakashi raised his headband exposing the Sharingan which he used to memorize the extraordinarily long sequence of hand seals. After receiving them he ran back out the door leaving Naruto and Sarutobi in the room alone once again. Naruto watched all this go on with an interesting eye on the proceedings.

Roughly twenty minutes later everyone had been gathered in the room along with Naruto and Sarutobi, where they were currently waiting while Jiraiya went around and made all the pieces of paper glow brightly, before moving onto the next. Once this was done with every piece of paper he called out

"Shiringuato: Kage no Hako!"(1) Once he had done so the light in the room seemed to dim to a near twilight level. Naruto tried to look for other sources of light like outside the window or under the door or even the vent he came in through, unfortunately when he tried to look all he saw was waves of drifting smoke and an impenetrable darkness.

"Sarutobi, what is going on. Kakashi showed us all the call sign for Internal Village Problem Level Critical." Danzo spoke first, leaning on his cane heavily he looked around the room his eyes finally landing on Naruto "Is it something to do with the Kyuubi? Is there a problem Naruto?"

"No Danzo-Sama, it isn't a problem with the Kyuubi, I simply explained that I have a way to tell when Kakashi-Nii is using a shadow clone, and Hokage-Sama called for all of you." Naruto explained a little unnerved, these were very important people, and even if he had a personal connection with three of them that did not help how nervous he was.

"Well Naruto you have the floor. Please explain how you can tell us a weakness of one of our village's strongest jutsu." Sarutobi said giving Naruto a kindly smile and a pat on the shoulder.

"Good job Naruto." Jiraiya said giving him a thumbs up and letting out a bit of a laugh.

"Oh well, it's actually pretty simple…" Naruto said with some of his normal glee returning. "All you have to do is…"

Translation 1: Sealing Art: Box of Shadows. A sealing jutsu of my own design that draws on the chakra of those inside to block out light and sound from leaving or entering the area. Very high level Fuinjutsu