The Little Sannin
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the related characters, I just am borrowing them for my own delusions.
Chapter 1
Akira Sarutobi stood on the balcony of the Hokage's office, a balcony he thought he would never have to stand on again after he passed on the title of Hokage to Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage.
Now, hours after the battle against the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the nine tailed fox demon, Sarutobi had been forced to pick up the mantle of Hokage once more, as his successor was now dead, his last act as Hokage had been to seal the nine tailed demon lord away.
Sarutobi looked over his shoulder into his office where the baby that had been used for the sealing slept in its basket. Oh Minato, why did you leave me with this? I'm too old for this.
Standing before the desk of the Hokage was his former students, the legendary three, the Sannin.
"We're sorry we're late Sensei." Jiraiya said sadly. His apprentice, the fourth Hokage had died and he hadn't been here to help. The Toad Sannnin was a wreck and only duty was keeping him there at this moment, his tears hidden from the world.
"We came as fast as we could." Tsunade said. Her being here was something that had surprised Sarutobi. After the death of her brother Nawaki and her lover Dan, the Third Hokage had thought she would never return to the Leaf village again.
Orochimaru said nothing, his serpentine eyes were looking at the baby in the cradle. "Minato used his own son." He finally said.
"Yes." Sarutobi said as he sat behind the desk, his bones aching with the thoughts of what lay ahead of him now.
Tsunade drifted to the cradle, a look in her eyes that her former sensei had never seen from her before.
Naruto cried out and she reached in soothing him. "Shhh. All is well little one." The Slug Sannin said.
"Where is your apprentice…Shizune?" the Third asked.
Tsunade looked up. "She went to the hospital to help out while we were here." Her eyes turning once more to the baby before her. She noticed the whisker marks and her hand moved aside the blanket.
Jiraiya let out a whistle startling her as he peered over her shoulder. "Minato did a hell of a job on that seal."
"Yes. He used the Shika Fuujin." Sarutobi said watching as the Sannin gathered around the baby. He watched them, he'd never seen them act like this before.
"The Yondaime used his life to power the seal." Orochimaru said, looking back at his former teacher he quirked an eyebrow. "What will this mean for the boy as he gets older?"
Sarutobi was about to light his pipe, but a glare from Tsunade stopped him. he sighed and put it down. "Minato designed the seal to siphon off and cleanse the Kyuubi's chakra over time. By the time Naruto reaches his eighteenth birthday, the Kyuubi should be fully integrated and no more."
Sarutobi watched as the blond began to fuss and Tsunade picked him up and cradled him, she slowly rocked him and he calmed. He watched as Jiraiya looked at the boy. "And Kushina died in childbirth?" he asked finally.
"Yes." Sarutobi said.
"He has not relatives elsewhere?" Orochimaru asked, his eyes drawn to the babe in his teammates arms.
"No. Whirlpool had been destroyed. Kushina had no one left." Sarutobi said sadly.
He watched as the three Sannin exchanged looks and wondered what that was about.
"What has the council decided?" Orochimaru asked after several minutes of silence.
Sarutobi sighed again, he was doing that a lot this night. "They are divided on the issue of Naruto."
"Why?" Tsunade asked.
"About what? Minato would want his son taken care of." Jiraiya said. "I'm surprised Rin and Kakashi aren't here demanding to take him in." The Toad Sage said.
They all caught the wince from their former sensei. "What?" Jiraiya asked.
"Rin and Kakashi had a long argument about the boy. Rin was willing and wanted to honor Minato's final request that Naruto be seen as a hero."
"And Hatake?" Tsunade asked sensing her former teachers reluctance to speak.
"Kakashi Hatake wanted to kill Naruto. He sees him as the Kyuubi and the thing that killed his sensei."
Sarutobi closed his eyes and remembered hours ago when the Kyuubi was newly dead and he'd called Minato's surviving student before him.
Kakashi wanted to kill the boy. He'd charged up his chidori and would have killed the baby in its cradle had Rin not kicked him aside.
Sarutobi looked at the wall where the scorch mark was. The three Sannin saw his glance and saw the scorch mark, all three of them scowled.
"And the Council sensei?" Orochimaru asked getting the discussion back on track.
"Some, most of the clan heads actually want to honor the Fourth's dying wish."
"As they should." Jiraiya said with a nod of his head.
"Yes. But the civilian members and the head of the Uchiha clan sides with them." Sarutobi didn't mention his former teammates were of the same mind, along with Danzo.
Again the three Sannin scowled at the stupidity being shown. Tsunade was comforting Naruto, she got a bottle from the nearby supplies the Hokage had gathered and prepared it with one hand, the whole time humming a tune to Naruto who was in her arms.
The two male Sannin shared a look before turning back to the Hokage. "What will be done with the boy?" Orochimaru asked.
Sarutobi sighed. "Since the first choice for his adoption won't or can't, I have little choice but to put Naruto in the orphanage under his mothers maiden name…"
"Absolutely not." All three men turned to see Tsunade cradling the boy as he was eating from the bottle hungrily. "That's just begging for some of those idiots to try and kill him."
"He needs to be protected. If Iwa learns that Minato had a son…"
"You worry about outside threats Sensei, but your blind to the knives in the leaf."
Sarutobi always tried to see the best in his villagers, but in the past several hours he'd seen the worst, and he was disappointed. He never thought he would be, but the council and the actions of Kakashi here in this office. He'd heard the shouts from civilians on the streets when he'd retrieved Naruto from next to his father after the battle. It saddened him deeply.
"I'm not talking about not using his mothers name sensei." Tsunade said. "But…" she looked at the babe in her arms, her eyes that held anger and hurt when she'd walked in here now held a tenderness that surprised her former sensei. "I wish to adopt Naruto." She said finally.
"But Tsunade…you…Your travels?" Sarutobi said.
"I will take him with me. A moving target is harder to focus on."
"But, alone…" Sarutobi said.
"I'll have Shizune." Tsunade said.
"And me." Orochimaru said surprising Sarutobi.
"And me as well." Jiraiya said.
Sarutobi looked at his former student in surprise. "Do you three know what your doing?"
"We'll learn as we go." Jiraiya said with his grin. "Tsu-hime here isn't going to give in sensei."
"Besides." Orochimaru spoke up. "With three Sannin raising him, and protecting him, someone would have to have a death wish to try anything."
Tsunade looked at the boy in her arms. "Naruto of the Sannin." She said softly and Sarutobi felt something run up his spine at that proclamation.
He watched his students looking at the babe, and he knew they had their minds set. Somehow during the time they entered the office, they already felt a bond to the child. Sarutobi wouldn't say it out loud, but he did as well.
Minato's legacy. The Jincuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the worlds littlest Sannin. You indeed will be great Naruto.
Shizune was surprised when her friend and teacher showed up with the baby in her arms. She was shocked when Tsunade told her that they would be joined by Orochimaru and Jiraiya as well.
"I need you to gather things we'll need to little Naruto here." Tsunade told her apprentice. "The fools think he's the Kyuubi and not a baby."
"How horrible." Shizune said. she looked at the baby and her eyes softened. "He's beautiful."
Tsunade smiled, her own gaze on the baby that was sleeping in her arms. "You know, I was angry being summoned back to Konoha, but the moment I laid eyes on Naruto here…something in me switched." Her eyes looked up to meet the brown eyes of Shizune. "I want him raised with love and care." Her eyes went to the sleeping blond. "Officially, Naruto has been adopted by all three Sannin." She said sitting down and looking at the babe still. "Naruto will have two fathers and one mother…" she looked at Shizune. "And an aunt?"
Shizune smiled and nodded. "I'll get what we all need, where can I find you?"
"Here. I don't want to risk him on the streets too much. Orochimaru was called to the council, his brother in law was killed in the assault."
"Oh no, not Tan-sama." Shizune said.
"Yes. Jiraiya will meet us at the gate. If I know the pervert, he's either at the memorial stone, or visiting Minato's grave." Tsunade sighed. "Until he becomes Chunin, Naruto-kun can't know about his mother or father. I'll tell him a bit about them when their older, but I'll explain its for his protection that he doesn't know until he can defend himself."
"Chunin? Lady Tsunade, does that mean we'll be coming back to Konoha?" Shizune asked.
"Sadly. I would rather not put Naruto-kun near any of the idiots here, but Sensei got the three of us to agree to it before he allowed us to sign the adoption scroll."
Shizune saw the adoption mark on the boys shoulder as Tsunade adjusted the blanket around him. it bore the mark of all three Sannin.
Blinking she shook her herself and went to get everything they would need on the road, behind her the strongest kunoichi sat and rocked the blond baby in her arms, a soft smile on her face, a look of love and devotion in her eyes.
Tsunade and Shizune were standing at the gates and the Slug Sannin was scowling at the lateness of her fellow Sannin. "Where are they? They know we need to leave under cover of darkness."
"Sorry hime." Jiraiya appeared next to them. Tsunade was about to yell, but she saw the look in his eyes. "Jiraiya?"
"Minato's grave is unmarked and hidden." He said. "Kushina was listed as Uzumaki and buried with the others in the tomb." He looked sadly at his blond teammate. "Even in death, they are forced to be apart. Its' not fair."
Tsunade knew that her fellow sannin was a die hard romantic. He covered it with his being a pervert, but she remembered Minato's wedding, and Jiraiya sobbing like crazy.
"Where's Oro-teme?" Jiraiya asked.
"Here."
The three turned to see Orochimaru walking towards them, a four-year-old girl at his side.
"Orochi?" Tsunade asked.
"This is my sisters daughter Anko Mitarashi." The three adults looked at the little girl. "Her parents were killed tonight." He said softly. They knew Orochimaru loved his sister Yumi, and even got along with his brother in law.
Tsunade growled. "This village continues to take, take and take."
"Lady Tsunade." Shizune said looking at the child and the babe. The Slug Sannin sighed and nodded.
"Welcome little Anko."
"'ello." The child said looking at the ground.
Jiraiya chuckled. "Well ain't this the odd family."
Orochimaru said nothing, and the others knew he was still in shock at hearing about his sisters death.
"Come on. We can get several miles between us and Konoha." Tsunade said.
Orochimaru nodded and scooped up Anko. "We can travel faster little one if I carry you for now. We'll start training you in a few years." He said.
She nodded from her uncles arms. She was still in shock hearing her parents had died because the Kyuubi stepped on them during the battle.
She didn't understand everything that the old people in the circle room had talked about, but she remembered her Uncle and he promised to take care of her, she knew she would be okay. Her mother always told her to trust her uncle.
As they were leaping thru the trees, Anko finally noticed the baby in the blond woman's arms, and remembered the white haired man calling them family. Does that make him my baby brother? Anko thought. The leaping from tree to tree soon lulled her to sleep, the adults keeping silent as they put Konoha behind them.
From his balcony on the Hokage Tower, Akira Sarutobi felt the chakra signatures of his three most promising students moving further away. It would be many years before he saw any of them again, or heard anything about the Sannnin.
AN: Here was an idea, it popped up while I was playing Halo 3, not sure why. So I jotted it down and put this first chapter out because it wouldn't leave me alone. Naruto raised by the legendary three is something that's not seen. I've read somewhere he's raised by one of them, and another would join up later, but…well here we are. Should I write the years growing up or just cut to the time of the return to Konoha?