Disclaimer-This story idea or characters does not belong to me the story idea belongs to NXSE on fanfiction.net and the characters belong to KISHIMOTO the owner of Naruto.
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Konohagakure no sato
Hokage Tower
"I think you've heard everything?" Hiruzen questioned seemingly no one in particular. Two small figures came out of the shadows of the wall, tapping their canes to show their displeasure over the matter..
When the two figures came to light from the shadows, we can clearly see two very old looking toads. These toads were actually the heads of the toads clan Pa and Ma as toads liked to call them.
"Yes, yes we did." Pa clipped, annoyed. "I'll admit, I never expected Jiraiya-boy to leave Naruto-chan just for our prophecy, and his disgusting habits. He has fallen in respect of the toad's great elders. We came up to check on young Naruto-chan, but I never imagined that Kushina-chan would forsake her own child, even if it is grief that has clouded her eyes." Ma admitted somberly.
"Neither did I," Hiruzen sighed.
"The Leaf village too has disrespected Minato-chan's wish for Naruto-chan to be seen as a hero." Pa said with steel in his voice. "The Leaf has fallen from the grace and honor it once used to hold, back in the days when Hashirama-chan and Tobirama-chan used to guide it's reigns." Ma spat. Hiruzen smiled, thinking of those times, and knowing that they were right. This really wasn't the same village anymore, it's founders would have been ashamed of what their vision became in wake of their deaths.
"What do you wish to do now? " Hiruzen asked the two toads.
They looked at each other, and nodded, "We shall remove Jiraiya-chan from the toad summoning contract - effective immediately." Pa tapped his cane decisively. "He has fallen from the ways of our clan. We will make Naruto-chan our new summoner, and we shall pledge our loyalty to him and only him - not to the Leaf. Bunta also said that he was excited to fight alongside the child, once he was older that is, and wanted to become his familiar. He wishes to introduce him to his sons too, Gamakichi, and Gamatatsu. We shall be loyal to the Leaf so long as Naruto-chan intends to protect it, and no more." he declared his loyalties to the stunned Hokage.
"But the Toads have been allies of the Leaf for-" Hiruzen tried to protest.
Ma interjected, "The Great Toad Sage believes him to be the child of prophecy, and we do too." she added, "Minato-chan entrusted us the key to his heir's seal, and asked us to give it to Naruto-chan whenever you deemed him ready. There are many things that Minato-chan left at Mt. Myoboku for him to inherit. We shall give it to the boy after he becomes aware of his heritage." she said in an iron voice.
Pa and Hiruzen nodded in agreement to her words, but Hiruzen couldn't help but worry a little. The Leaf had taken yet another loss sever loss in power by almost losing the only powerful battle summoning contract left in the village - if not for Naruto. The snake contract was with Orochimaru, with Anko only having a partial contract to them. And the slugs were loyal to the Senju and the Uzumaki only; and Hiruzen could only wonder how long the ears of Shikkotsu Forest would remain oblivious to this truth. Kushina and Tsunade were the only summoners left, and they too were not active Shinobi of the village. Hiruzen wondered if taking the seat had indeed been the right thing to do with all the power vacuums left in wake of Minato's death.
Hiruzen looked at little Naruto with a smile, knowing full well the boy would be a thorn in his backside, and cause him a hell of a lot of paperwork when he grew up. He was already really important to the village as the last of the Namikaze, and the only summoner to the legendary toad clan now as Jiraiya had been expelled from the contract. He thought about his student's reaction when he realized that his contract, on which he was so heavily reliant, was nullified. He watched silently as Pa and Ma walked up to Naruto's crib, and Pa picked him up. Naruto woke up from his sleep with a cute yawn, and gazed at the weird toad with wide, droopy eyes as he tilted his head to the side. Pa held him in front of his face, both intently gazing into each other's eyes.
"Well, Naruto-chan," he settled him a bit more snugly in his arms, "Would you like to be the next toad summoner?" Pa asked him with a smile. Naruto laughed with a clap, thinking it was funny and hugged him.
All of them chuckled in unison.
"I think that's a yes, isn't it, Sarutobi?" said Ma and Pa nodded.
"What say you, Sarutobi?" Pa wondered.
Hiruzen smiled, "I think yes as well."
Ma walked up to Naruto just as Pa finished slicing Naruto's little thumb a little, forcing it to bleed, and started writing his name 'Naruto Namikaze' on the summoning scroll. He slapped a hand print over his scroll, and roughly smeared the print on the paper to make sure it was done right. Naruto sniffed a little from getting his thumb cut, and, as if on queue, Ma bashed Pa on his head while he yelled an 'Oi!' indignantly.
"You idiot!" she thundered. "You cut too deep. Look, you made him cry!" she roared when Naruto sniffed again, and Ma plucked him up from the ground, and rocked and cooed him.
"Aw, Naruto-chan is a brave boy. Isn't he, isn't he?!" she cooed and the boy giggled, momentarily forgetting his pain while his thumb healed almost instantly. Hiruzen was wide eyed at the speed with which it healed, as was Pa. It seemed that the Kyūbi gave him a healing factor. Pa had come to the same conclusion as Hiruzen had, and was equally shocked as well. He wished to ask what will become of little Naruto and who will look after him from here on out, however.
"What are you going to do about young Naruto's nurturing, Sarutobi?" Pa wondered. "Where will he live?"
Hiruzen sighed, and plopped down on his chair, feeling well beyond his years. "I want to keep him with me, yes. But I have way too many duties now." seeing their disapproving look. "And even if I did want to keep him, the council would raise hell over it. They decided last night that none of the clans could adopt him in fear of them releasing the Kyūbi to gain power, and none of the civilians will adopt him for obvious reasons. So, that leaves only the orphanage." Hiruzen added to save himself some face.
"What of his accommodations?" Ma asked.
"I will try and find him the best orphanage there is, and even pay them some extra money to keep him safe and well treated. I'll have Kakashi and my other ANBU check up on him from time to time. I made a law for people not to tell the younger generation of his burden, so that he may be able to make friends. I'll visit him as often as I could, but it will be difficult to take out any more time. After he is six, I'll have him entered into the Academy, after which he'll graduate at the recommended age of twelve. That is what I have planned for now. His father made sure he would have the money to live well, and I'll give it to him monthly as a stipend until he claims his fortune in order to keep his identity under tight wraps." Hiruzen explained, and Pa and Ma nodded, satisfied.
"We too will check up on him regularly." they told Sarutobi. "But we shall not reveal ourselves to him until the time is opportune. I wish you luck, Sarutobi, and we trust that you'll take care of our summoner?" they asked him, and Hiruzen smiled.
"I'll do what I can." Hiruzen promised. Pa nodded, and tapped his cane as both he and Ma left in a puff of smoke. Hiruzen began checking through the files and various records of the orphanages in the village to try and find one with the best comforts for him to offer, but that issue was only secondary for now. Hiruzen needed to find a place where Naruto would be accepted, fully. He began going through file after file, rummaging through them, and eventually finding none that would fit his requirements completely.
Sarutobi groaned.
This was going to be a long day...
~~~END~~~
AN- I am once again telling you that this story idea or characters does not belong to me the story idea belongs to NXSE on fanfiction.net and the characters belong to KISHIMOTO the owner of Naruto.
SENJU OUT