The Student: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 2: The Return

8 Years Later

A small figure was walking up towards the gate of Konoha. He had bright blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He had a red scarf that covered his face from the nose down. He had a dark, black cloak that surrounded his entire body, concealing his weapons. He had dark navy blue pants on that were easy to run in with a pair of black shoes. You couldn't see his arms because of the cloak, but he had on a plain grey long sleeved shirt underneath.

Two chunin guards stood at the gate and they saw the figure approach them. One of them had a bandage across his nose and another had unkept hair that he tried to put under a bandana wrap on his head. The one with the bandage stepped forward.

"Name and reason for being here?" The man asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki and returning home from a small training trip." Was Naruto's muffled voice response. Izumo, the man with the bandage thought the name sounded familiar, but disregarded it. He heard plenty of names over the past few years he had been a gate guardian.

"Okay. Go straight to the Hokage's Office. It's up-" Izumo began but was cut off.

"I know where it is. Thank you anyway." The boy said quietly as he walked past the two chunins. Kotetsu, the other chunin, looked at Izumo weirdly.

"I get the creeps from him." He said as he gave an involuntarily shiver. Izumo nodded at his friend.

"Something tells me that's not the last we'll be seeing of him."

Hokage Office

Naruto went up to the receptionist and waved politely at her. "I have an appointment with Hokage-sama." He said. She didn't recognize the boy, but smiled warmly at him. 

"I'll see if he's available." She said as she stepped into the Hokage's office. Naruto stood there patiently as he awaited the woman. She came back and sat at her desk. "He'll see you now." Naruto bowed slightly.

"Thank you." He said before walking into the office. He saw the old man smoking his pipe as he was reading and signing paper furiously. Naruto looked at the aged man with a slight amused look in his eyes. He coughed slightly, causing Hiruzen to look up and see the boy. 

"Can I help you?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto let a slow smile appear on his face.

"Jeez grandpa. I knew people's mind disappear as they get older, but the fact that you can't remember me is almost heartbreaking." Naruto said in an exaggerated voice. Hiruzen's eyes widened and he stood up immediately. 

"Naruto? Is that really you?" He asked, completely bewildered. He was expecting Naruto to be back two weeks from then, now two weeks early. Then again, Itachi was always early.

"In the flesh...I think." Naruto began patting himself down, a large smile plastered on his face, not that Hiruzen could see it anyway. Hiruzen chuckled at the boy's antics and gave the boy a hug.

"I'm glad you're back. How are you?" He then noticed Naruto's scarf around his face. "And what's with the scarf? I can't have another Kakashi running around. One is enough already." Naruto chuckled. 

"The scarf is to hide my whiskers, and besides, it adds mystery to my physique." He said. Hiruzen laughed and patted Naruto on the shoulder. 

"Of course of course. Well," Hiruzen looked at the clock in his office. It was 12:05 p.m. "The academy just got back from recess so they should be in class. I heard they were doing taijutsu today." Naruto nodded, but inwardly, he was groaning.