Aerial Root

The Hokage had been quietly reading through paperwork when a pair of hands slammed into the desk in front of him, effectively disrupting all trains of thought. He looked at the hands carefully, and then followed the attached arms up to the owner’s face. The man had short, tousled brown hair and a thick scar running over his right eyebrow, disappearing into his hitai-ate. His face was flushed and his breath was coming in pants – Sarutobi wasn’t sure if this was because of exertion, or because of the intense anger he felt rolling off the man in waves.

“That child,” the man ground out, “is irrepressible.”

“Takahashi,” Sarutobi said calmly around his ever-present pipe. “This isn’t like you.”

“My patience is wearing thin, Hokage-sama!” The younger man’s eyes held a hint of panic. “Do you know what the boy did this morning?”

Sarutobi fought back the smile that was threatening to cross his face. Takahashi had been coming to his office more and more frequently of late, each time delivering another story in varying states of emotional disorder. The stories all concerned the Yondaime’s young son and while the Hokage was aware that their purpose was to express distaste, he was hopelessly endeared to the boy each time.

He had only met the boy in person once or twice due to the strict separation of the Root department from the rest of the village, but the impression had been lasting. Cheerful, ridiculously stubborn and with a willpower that bordered on idiocy, Naruto had caused the Hokage to breathe a sigh of relief.

Despite the circumstances, the similarities between him and his father are incredible.

“He painted the statues in the third training room! They’re orange!” Takahashi was beginning to spit, but the Hokage deemed it wise not to interrupt. “Then he used some kind of….I don’t know, he called it ‘Sexy no jutsu’,” he spoke the phrase as if it hit his gag reflex on the way out, “to distract Aoshi before he tried to escape out the Recreation Room’s window! Into the village! In daylight!”

The Sandaime’s lips began to twitch. “’Sexy no jutsu’?”

“He turned himself into a woman. A naked woman.”

There was a pause, as a blush slowly crept across the faces of both men. The silence was then broken and Sarutobi was surprised to find himself laughing, clear and strong. How he wished he could have seen Aoshi’s face – there were few men as uptight as that sensei and the thought of him suddenly coming face to face with a naked woman was going to keep Sarutobi amused for days.

Takahashi slumped into a chair on the other side of the desk, maintaining the bare minimum of posture required for an audience with the village’s leader. “Please, Hokage-sama. This is not a laughing matter.”

Sarutobi continued to smile, but quelled his laughter for the sake of the obviously distressed man in front of him. “Is something worrying you, Takahashi? This incident seems no worse than those you have reported to me previously.” He thought back on the conversation and immediately sobered. “Unless…you said he attempted to escape into the village. Was he trying to leave Root?”

Twelve years had passed since the devastation of the Kyuubi, but the Hokage still questioned his decision of placing the boy under the care of Root personnel. While the boy seemed content, the slightest hint otherwise was enough to cause alarm. He had done everything in his power to satisfy the wishes of the Yondaime – including a decree banning all discussion of the Kyuubi and its container – but if Naruto wasn’t happy, it was all for nothing.

Takahashi shook his head. “No, no, nothing like that. I think it was simply the easiest way to avoid Aoshi’s wrath – you know how he can get sometimes.”

Sarutobi nodded, but remained silent.

Feeling pressed, the commander of Root went on. “Sir…it just isn’t working.”

The Hokage’s mouth tightened. “Explain.”

“Sir,” Takahashi took a deep breath, “the Root department of ANBU is an elite force. We are used mainly for espionage missions, which is why we keep our identities and existence secret from the village.

“With this in mind, it is obvious that Root members are required to have a certain set of skills, sir. Stealth is a primary one, tactical ability is another. Hokage-sama, these are not Naruto’s strengths. To put it mildly.”

The Sandaime placed his elbows on the desk and folded his hands in front of his face. “You’re saying that Naruto is too weak for Root.” His tone wasn’t defensive, but merely curious.

“No, definitely not,” the commander shook his head for emphasis, “in physical force he’s among the best, and his chakra…..well, that’s been unrivalled since Jiraiya dropped by when he was nine. You know that.”

Sarutobi remembered the visit well, and allowed himself a small smile. Jiraiya had been reluctant at first, only willing to take on the bare minimum of the Hokage’s orders – to oversee the proceedings of Root once in a while. But when Sarutobi had forced him to train Naruto for a day, Jiraiya had taken a shine to the boy. Not that he’d ever admit it. The man was still away far more than he was present, but in the time that he was available he had taught Naruto to control the Kyuubi’s chakra in addition to the boy’s own.

“The boy is certainly strong enough. It’s more that he’s…unsuitable. He has failed the vast majority of stealth exams and his academic intelligence is laughable. I’ll admit that he manages to pull some incredible strategies out of his ass in dire situations,” Takahashi paused and gave a small cough, having realised he just said the word ‘ass’ in front of the village’s strongest ninja. When there was no reaction, he ploughed on. “But it’s mostly instinct. He simply can’t think far enough ahead.”

The Hokage stood, moving to gaze out through the wide window of the office. “What would you have me do?”

The commander looked uncomfortable. “I’m afraid I don’t know, Hokage-sama. But I no longer believe Root is the best place for the child.”

The room was quiet as Sarutobi continued to stare vacantly at the bright and bustling village. His attention was caught by movement on the streets below, and he smiled as he recognised students of the academy kicking a ball to each other during their lunch break. He watched as one of the boys sent his dog to fetch a ball that went astray and was suddenly jolted by a possibility. Immediately he felt a rising in his chest, as if a hand, unnoticed for twelve years, had suddenly let go of his heart. This was the right decision.

Perhaps it is time, now.

“Hokage-sama?”

“The Academy exams are today,” Sarutobi said, eyes still following the children on the street below.

Takahashi blinked. “Yes sir.”

Turning, the Hokage made his way to his desk and shuffled through some papers. Pulling a report from the pile, he glanced over it and then turned to the commander. “I will need to see Hatake Kakashi as soon as possible. In the meantime, we should look for an apartment – preferably nearby.”

Takahashi stood and bowed. “Yes, sir,” he acknowledged. He paused, and then went on. “If I may ask…”

“The graduating class at the Academy is around Naruto’s age. They are to become Genin teams within a few days and,” the Hokage held up what Takahashi now recognised to be the first preemptive draft of the team divisions, “one of the teams is a member short.”

Realisation passed over the commander, along with a vague feeling of dread. “Are…are you sure that’s wise?”

“As you have said, Root is no longer the best place for him,” Sarutobi said, turning to face the window once more. “I can think of no better opportunity than this to return him to normal village life.”

Takahashi hesitated, and then nodded. “I will begin preparations immediately.”

Hearing the puff of a teleportation jutsu behind him, Sarutobi returned his gaze to the children below and smiled.

This is the right decision.

And for once, he had no doubts.

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Kakashi was confused.

Not that he’d ever show it, of course, he was a far better shinobi than that. Besides, admitting his confusion would probably dump him into a far bit of shit, considering that he hadn’t actually been paying attention to the vast majority of whatever the Hokage was currently going on about. So far, all he’d managed to pick up was that the opening on his Genin team – traditionally filled by the best of those who failed to gain Genin rank the year before – was to be filled by some kid that hadn’t even attended the Academy. Kakashi’s mind was filled with mental images of some stuck-up, home-schooled brat even worse than the Uchiha he was already going to have to put up with.

He was having a hard time stopping himself from slamming his head repeatedly against the Hokage’s desk. It didn’t get any worse than this.

“I assume, Hatake, you recall a child by the name of Uzumaki Naruto?”

Oh fuck. Yes, Kakashi knew of the boy. He also knew of the plethora of problems the boy would bring with him.

Sarutobi sighed at his expression. “I shall take that as a yes. Hatake, you know you are best for this job.”

“Oh?”

“I believe I know you well enough to assume you do not care about the demon Naruto houses.”

True. He wasn’t prejudiced. He was just….well. Lazy.

“In addition, having been taught by his father, you may well have the best insight into his character.”

All expression slipped from Kakashi’s face, closing his emotions off entirely.

Sarutobi noticed, and then sighed again. “Perhaps that was insensitive. But it was also true, Hatake.”

Inwardly, Kakashi sighed. It was true, and on some level he even wanted to train the boy – as if he owed his old sensei a favour. Not to mention…he had no good reason to keep Naruto from his team, and the Hokage knew it.

There was a brief silence, before the Hokage bit down on his pipe and nodded firmly. Standing, he passed a scroll to Kakashi, who took it calmly and then broke the seal.

Unfurling it, his one eye widened. He had expected the standard shinobi statistics and possibly a photograph, but this….

“Hokage-sama…this is an ANBU profile,” he murmured, almost reverently. “Are you telling me…?” He trailed off, considering, and then fixed his gaze on the elderly man before him. “Root. It must be Root. I knew you had reinstated it, but I didn’t expect this.”

“It was the best place for him,” Sarutobi stated firmly, then sighed. “However…I do not believe it is any longer.”

“Should I ask why?”

The Hokage nodded towards the scroll. “I suspect you will find any answers you need in there.”

Kakashi focused on the scroll once more, and once more his eye widened. “When…how did he manage to learn the Kage Bunshin no jutsu?”

Sarutobi began to chuckle, surprising Kakashi still further. Well, he thought, at least it will be interesting.

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SO SORRY ABOUT THE BORING.

NOT HAPPY WITH THAT LAST SCENE, NOT AT ALL. But blaaaaaaah it was so boring to write and it had to be done, so. *shrugs*

By the way, Kakashi’s current perceptions of Sasuke are not intended to be long-lasting. My assumption is that he probably thought like this originally, and then changed his mind upon actually meeting Sasuke (and seeing some of himself in him).

ALSO – next chapter (holy shit) you might actually get to see Naruto! Rejoice!

*rolls eyes at self*

NightstarAngel: Thanks for the kind comment! This is my first attempt at actually posting something online, and you were my first reviewer. So it means a lot! :D

Also, if anyone can tell me how to change the first chapter to say ‘Prologue’ instead of ‘Chapter One’, I’ll love them forever. :D