ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴʏ ʀᴇʙɪʀᴛʜ|ⁿᵃʳᵘᵗᵒˣⁿᵃʳᵘᵏᵒ

The second exam!? p.3

"You're right Naruto-kun, I've completely missed it." Hiruzen said with a weary sigh, looking every day his sixty-five years. "Damn it, I didn't think far enough that it could possibly risk a political backlash from the council."

Naruto nodded in understanding. "That's understandable. You're human after all, even if you are the Hokage."

Hiruzen let out a small sigh as Naruko beamed proudly at her brother. "So, what do you suggest I do?" he asked, and Naruto looked up with his sky-blue orbs, his face serious as he spoke.

"Take me off the Team and place me as an independent Genin cell with a Jōnin retainer."

Hiruzen almost dropped his pipe in shock as he processed the boy's question. "W-Why would you do that?" he shakily asked, and Naruto proceeded to tell the old man about their encounter with Minato and Kushina earlier, and it was Kushina's idea for Naruto to work independently as he was leagues above most shinobi in the village, even with his significantly reduced combat capabilities due to his current age, height and status as a wet-behind-the-ears Genin.

To say the old man was shocked was an understatement, the man nearly had a mental breakdown once he heard the words 'Minato', 'Yondaime', 'Kyūbi' and 'Hakke Shiki no Fūin'.

Once finished, which was about five minutes later, Hiruzen slumped in his seat as he emptied his pipe in an ashtray, looking exhausted. "I can see Kushina-chan's merit of putting you as an independent cell, as was the case with Uchiha Itachi all those years ago." he mused. After a moment he nodded. "I'll take care of the paperwork and contact Team 7's Jōnin sensei about your transfer from the team and I'll see about your Jōnin retainer, and I'm guessing you already knew who your Jōnin-sensei was, am I right?" he added with a chuckle, earning a small smirk from the young blonde.

Hiruzen sighed as he resumed his paperwork, making Naruto's request as his top priority. "If that is all, you are dismissed." He said before he started grumbling. "And finish this blasted paperwork..." he added quietly, but the Uzumaki siblings heard him clearly.

Naruto shook his head amusement as he chuckled, making both other occupants to look at him strangely, "What's so funny Naruto-kun?" Naruko asked with her tilted to the side.

"The bane of all Hokages," Naruto gestured grandiosely at the stacks of paperwork on Hiruzen's desk, making the old man grumble even more. "I'm surprised you haven't figured out the way to get rid of them."

Hiruzen looked intrigued by Naruto's question as he leaned forward intently, outwardly showing interest while inwardly he was desperately clinging onto the hope of forever leaving behind his paperwork for good, not that he would admit it.

Naruko also listened intently as she too wanted to know how to combat the bane of all Kages — after all she wanted to be Hokage in the future so she might as well know it beforehand.

"Oh, care to enlighten me?" Hiruzen stated with forced calm.

Naruto grinned mischievously with an evil glint in his cerulean eyes, knowing that his answer was going to absolutely break the old Kage. "Two words Jiji: Kage Bunshin."

Hiruzen sat there, face devoid of any emotion save for the slow breathing that showed the other occupants that he was very much alive. After a few moments of silence, with Naruko glancing worriedly at the old man while Naruto was amused greatly by his actions, Hiruzen finally snapped out of his stupor before banging his head on the desk, startling Naruko as she heard the wizened Hokage mutter. "Baka, baka, baka ..." each word emphasized by a bang on the desk.

Naruto laughed heartily as Naruko rushed to Hiruzen's side, face showing concern. "Jiji! Stop that! You're going to get a concussion!"

Hiruzen then looked up, and Naruko saw anime tears rolling down the man's face, making her sweatdrop which actually weighed her head down.

"After all these years ..." Hiruzen cried as he spread his arms out. "I'm finally free! Hahahaha!" He laughed, causing Naruko to backpedal towards Naruto, who was busy laughing his guts out.

At this moment Hikari barged into the office to see what was going on, and once she saw the Sandaime laughing hysterically to himself, she sweatdropped.

"Do I want to know what happened to him?" she asked the two siblings, who shook their heads no, with Naruto sporting a grin.

Hikari sighed. "I guess not. Come on you two — let Hokage-sama revel in his happiness for now." She said leading the two out, leaving the overly happy Hokage to his own devices.

If anyone of the villagers and shinobi alike were to walk past the Hokage Mansion that particular morning, they would clearly hear the hysterical, jubilant laughter of their village leader echoing from his office windows, causing many to wonder what had happened to cause their Hokage to be in such a cheerful mood.

~ D ~ R ~

"That was mean, Naruto-kun."

"Hey, it's not my fault that the great 'Professor' overlooked that particular fact." Naruto replied, grinning foxily as he put his hands behind his head. "Even if I worded it gently, I would still get the same reaction. Why not be blunt about it?"

"I know but still it was... disturbing to see Jiji like that." Naruko said as they walked back on the street leading to the Academy.

Naruto shrugged as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a show of comfort. "I know Naruko-chan, but don't worry about it. He'll be back to his normal self in no time, you'll see!"

Naruto offered her a grin, and Naruko couldn't help but smile back.

They were walking along at a leisurely pace, trying to kill what's left of the one hour before their sensei arrives, and enjoying each other's company. Naruko had come to cherish her time spent with her precious person, and she wouldn't trade these times for anything in the world. Naruto was her light, her anchor, her best friend, her brother and someone who meant the world to her...