V2.0 Note: Remember, Buzzed Writing is Drunk Writing.


A collection of Konoha's most wealthy and powerful individuals sat in a well-lit and opulent sitting area. The men and women present had gathered to discuss the coming political changes in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Konoha had just weathered an invasion by both Suna and Orochimaru's "Otogakure". The invasion had been repulsed, and both Suna and Otogakure had been nearly crippled. Konoha had not emerged unscathed, however, and one of their losses eclipsed all others.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was dead. The Hokage's Hat did not rest upon a shinobi's brow.

Ōshiro Isamu stood from the head of the table. "I would like to thank you all for arriving so quickly during this difficult time. Our guilds, houses, and clans have long stood beside each other in politics, war, and commerce. We must stand together once again. It is time to elect the Godaime Hokage. There are several candidates, and we must select one to support. Konoha cannot function without us, and the next Hokage must know this. Shimura Danzō-sama, the floor is yours…"

"Thank you, Ōshiro. As you are no doubt aware, six individuals have been nominated for the position of Godaime Hokage. The leading candidates are Jiraiya of the Sannin, Tsunade of the Sannin and Hatake Kakashi. The remaining candidates are myself, Sarutobi Asuma, and Uzumaki Naruto."

The representative of the Creditor's Guild, often accused of being usurers, or ones who charged an unfairly high interest rate, raised her hand to speak. Ōshiro looked to Danzō, who nodded, before Isamu acknowledged the creditor. "Madame Yukino, you are recognized."

"Thank you, Isamu-sama. Danzō-sama, how should we act to increase your standing in the elections?"

"Supporting me would be folly," Danzō said sharply. "Hiruzen spent a great deal of political capital in his final years discrediting my philosophies. The martyrdom of the Third Hokage has made his belief in the Will of Fire almost religious dogma in Konoha. If we are to implement reforms to secure the long-term stability of Konoha, we must not invoke the wrath of the majority who currently support all that Hiruzen stood for."

Ōshiro sighed. "All of the candidates are strongly influenced by Sarutobi-sama's teachings. Three of the candidates were his students, and one is his own child. How can we possibly influence the direction of Konoha under such circumstances?"

"The Uzumaki child will be our instrument," Danzō announced.

"Danzō-sama, he was extremely close to the previous Hokage and, as you said, is merely a child," Inoue Tsubasa interjected. Tsubasa was the head of a prominent civilian family that controlled many of the granaries in the village.

"Those very facts are how we will endear ourselves to the Uzumaki child. He is devastated by the loss of Hiruzen and is still very much a child. We will give him emotional, educational, and political support. More importantly, we will give him his dream on a silver-platter. He will cling to us and in time, we will shape Naruto into a true Hokage who has truly embraced our philosophy of strength and duty."

Ōshiro licked his lips. "Danzō-sama, are you sure it can be done?"

The leader of ROOT genuinely smiled. "As the boy proved when he defeated Suna's jinchūriki…anything is possible."


Naruto stared in complete shock at his bowl of ramen. "C-Could you repeat that, Ero-Sennin?"

The Legendary Sannin laughed uproariously at his usually unflappable apprentice's current mood. "Brat, someone hit the booze hard and actually nominated you for Hokage."

Uzumaki Naruto ran a hand through his blond hair and sat quietly for nearly three minutes, which, by his standards was an eternity, before he spoke. "I can't believe it. That means…that means people are taking my dream seriously…I…"

"You earned it kid," Jiraiya said sternly. "Now I hate to rain on your parade, but it would take a miracle for you to actually become Hokage. You're still fairly green, but the good news is that you're definitely getting a promotion."

Naruto breathed heavily. "Still, someone out there thinks I'd make a good Hokage! That's awesome!"

"It is," Jiraiya agreed trying to see if his hyperactive student would catch on to the set-in-stone good news.

"Wait…you said I'm definitely getting a promotion! Does that mean even if I don't achieve my dream a few years ahead of schedule that I'm making Chūnin?"

The Toad Sage smiled. "Unless they skip that and go straight to Special Jonin…"

"Heh, I wouldn't complain about that…" Naruto thumped his chest and retrieved his ramen. "So, any idea who nominated me?"

"Afraid not, brat. Nominations are sealed until the voting starts," Jiraiya informed his apprentice. "It wasn't me. I said it earlier, but you're still far too green to be Hokage."

Naruto snorted. "You were probably too busy scoping Kurenai-sensei, that one Cat ANBU, or some of the other women at the meeting."

"Ha! So, you can notice the finer things in life after all! Jutsu and ramen aren't the only things that register in that empty pot you call a skull!" Jiraiya shouted in triumph. There was hope for his apprentice yet.

"S-Shut up, Ero-Sennin!" Naruto stammered hotly. "When is the vote going to be anyway?"

Jiraiya slowly finished off the last bit of broth in his ramen. "Two days. It'll give you plenty of time to find something formal to wear for the ceremonies. We can't have you showing up in that Kami-forsaken jumpsuit after all."

"Oi!" Naruto shouted in absolute annoyance. "My jumpsuit is awesome!"

The Sannin snorted, much like his student did moments before. "Listen here, brat. If you can find someone who likes your jumpsuit, I'll teach you how to make storage scrolls. Hell, if you can find a girl who doesn't hate that monstrosity you call an outfit, I'll teach you one of the Yodaime Hokage's signature jutsus."

Naruto jumped on Ichiraku's counter and pointed a defiant finger at his master. "You're on, Ero-Sennin! You better be ready to teach me my new jutsu!"

"Naruto-kun!" A young woman preempted Jiraiya's response. The daughter of the stand's proprietor bopped Naruto on the head. "How many times do I have to remind you? Stay off my counter!"

"Sorry, Ayame-neechan. Ne, Neechan, you think my jumpsuit's awesome, right?"

Jiraiya watched the natural back and forth between Naruto and Ayame. Granted, the venerable shinobi mostly paid attention to the pretty little thing on the other side of the counter. He was pleased by Teuchi's care for Naruto. Jiraiya made a note to pay the next month's property tax for Teuchi.

Suddenly, Ayame erupted into a fit of giggles that soon became a full on belly laugh. Jiraiya was caught up in the mirth and chuckled. Naruto's devastated face helped fuel the laughter.

'I swear, how can the brat be so attached to that thing?' Jiraiya wondered as he slipped into memories. He recalled another Uzumaki who was on the receiving end of such uproarious laughter. 'Kushina,' Jiraiya recalled fondly. In fact, Kushina had been sitting in Naruto's exact seat when Minato had laughed for nearly three minutes at Kushina's attempt to defend those god-awful B-movies she watched.

"Minato-baka! I don't laugh at you getting all hyped up about those stupid sports! Who cares about some Tanzuka Quarters 'side' trading for a new striker! My movies are fun! It isn't my fault you're allergic to it!'

God, Jiraiya missed those two.

"Fine! Laugh at greatness!" Naruto declared, and Jiraiya nearly fell out of the chair. Kushina had made that same declaration once Minato had finally stopped laughing. The jinchūriki turned hotly towards his sensei and crossed his arms. "When we meet for training in the morning, I'll have found a girl who likes my jumpsuit, believe it!"

Jiraiya patted Naruto on the head. "Whatever helps you sleep, brat."

Naruto said his goodbyes to Teuchi and Ayame (pointedly ignoring his sensei) before leaving. Jiraiya pulled out his wallet and paid their bill. He also pulled out his notebook and jotted down a few ideas that came to him for his next book. For once, it wasn't a raunchy scene. The scene was nostalgic, almost romantic.

'I'm getting old,' Jiraiya lamented. He looked and gauged the time by the position of the sun. The Sannin had a few meetings to get to before the end of the day. 'Maybe I'll call in a favor and get someone to vote for the brat. Make up for a few of the birthdays I've missed.'

Naruto grumbled as he wandered the streets of Konoha. He really wanted to learn that jutsu! Unfortunately, he was having a bit of a problem thinking of a girl that would help defend the honor of his jumpsuit. Sakura-chan was his first choice, naturally. She was his teammate and he still liked her, despite the undeniable truth that she was madly in love with Sasuke.

Not like, love. Legitimate with every fiber of her being love.

Naruto shook his head to chase away that line of thought. Sakura had, in no uncertain terms, declared his jumpsuit 'the single greatest crime against fashion in the history of mankind'.

'That was harsh, but she said that before meeting Bushy Brows and Spandex-sensei,' Naruto chuckled to himself. He wondered if Jiraiya would accept 'awesome by comparison'. 'I doubt it,' Naruto admitted.

So, Sakura was out. Ino and Sakura were more alike than Naruto would ever say out loud. That meant Ino was a no-go as well.

'I only really know two other girls. Busy Brow's teammate is pretty much a stranger…and she flirted with Neji. I'm not sure that makes her a good judge of character…'

So, that left only one girl. Hyūga Hinata was probably the best chance anyway. She was nice and Naruto had enjoyed talking to her during the Chūnin Exams. He had been meaning to find and talk to her anyways. First, he needed to thank her for the pep talk before the finals. Second, he wanted to make sure she was okay. Naruto hadn't seen her since the invasion.

'The last thing I want her to think is that I'm some jerk and just disappeared on her,' Naruto thought to himself, triggering a few memories from his interactions with Hinata.

'I don't want you to disappear…' Hinata's words in the first exam danced in the back of Naruto's mind. He recalled the softness in the words and the blush on her cheeks.

"Wait…" Naruto murmured as something started to click. In the preliminaries, Hinata had offered her healing cream to Naruto before her own teammate. 'And I had kicked his butt…' The fight between Hinata and Neji rushed to the forefront of his memories. Hinata's determination was something Naruto definitely admired. He also remembered how his words had helped Hinata keep fighting.

The look of hope Hinata wore when Naruto held her after Neji had demolished her shook Naruto to his core.

Then there was what happened at the training posts. She had declared how much she admired and respected Naruto. 'Hinata had been blushing the whole time. It was almost like Sakura-chan talking to Sasuke, minus all the shallow talk about how Sakura thought Sasuke was hot…'

"Oh. My. God." Naruto's jaw fell open. "Since when has Hinata liked me?!"

Naruto quickly slapped his hands over his mouth as if he had blurted out one of the village's most guarded secrets. Today was really sending him for a loop! First, he had found out he had been nominated to become the next Hokage! Then, he realized a girl liked him. Him! Did Naruto mention that fact someone wanted him to be Hokage?

"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" Naruto shouted. There weren't many people who noticed, or acknowledged, his previous outburst, but his exclamation of absolute joy turned a few heads. Naruto was shocked and pleased to notice that when the villagers saw who shouted they weren't disgusted anymore. Most of the villagers looked amused and a few even gave Naruto a smile and a nod. Sheepishly, Naruto waved back. 'I really need to talk with Iruka-sensei!'

"I don't know if I can talk about that..."Naruto said to himself. He created a Kage Bunshin.

The clone 'poofed' into existence and grinned at its creator. "Today is awesome."

"Today is awesome!" Naruto agreed with his clone. "I need you to find out where Ero-Sennin is at. Ask him if we can talk about that."

"On it. I'll just follow the pissed-off women!" the clone declared.

"Heh, try to fish for votes! Tell them you are trying to talk some sense into Ero-Sennin and that if we're the next Hokage, we'll...create a fine for peeping or something!" Naruto told the clone.

"With ideas like that, The Hat will be ours in no time!" The clone and Naruto gave each other a high-five before splitting up. This really was the best day of Naruto's life.


Jiraiya pulled up a chair in Ibiki's sparsely decorated office. The head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Department's office was rarely used. It was obvious that Ibiki cared very little for his bureaucratic role. Thankfully, Jiraiya thought, Morino Ibiki had the good sense to have a bottle of booze squirreled away in his desk.

"I can't believe your apprentice was nominated for Hokage, Jiraiya-sama," Ibiki said as he swirled his drink.

Jiraiya laughed. "The brat is going to be a great Hokage one day, but he's nowhere near ready right now. I didn't nominate him."

"His nomination didn't come from myself or anyone I know," Ibiki confirmed. "I'm thinking of voting for him as a sign of respect. It's not every day someone has the guts to call me out."

"Heh, that makes this meeting easier," Jiraiya grunted as he took a sip of his alcohol. "I've missed a few birthdays. I'm trying to make up for all those years on the road when Naruto was suffering."

"Noble," Ibiki said in a surprisingly genuine tone. "If I cast a vote for him, I would ask to know where the nomination came from. If this is a way to court favor with Konoha's Jinchūriki and most promising young talent, I want to know where their loyalties lie."

Jiraiya put down his cup and leaned forward. He rested both his elbows on Ibiki's desk and smiled. "It was thanks to the brat's bridge."

The T&I Commander crossed his arms and shot the Legendary Pervert an amused look. Jiraiya grinned and continued, "It seems that after Naruto rallied Wave to off that miserable little shit Gatō, piracy dried up really quickly. It didn't hurt that the families of several of our Coast Guard Cells suddenly saw their finances improve thanks to the increased trade in coal and timber from Wave."

"So, Naruto fattened a few Jonin and minor civilian nobles' pockets and they suddenly think he's the Second Coming of Hashirama-dono?" Ibiki chuckled darkly.

"Pretty much," Jiraiya confirmed. "They are harmless."

"Alright, I'll vote for Naruto. The odds are against him. I've heard rumblings that you and Kakashi are the front runners," Ibiki pointed out.

The Toad Sage snorted. "Someone would have to be an idiot to vote for me."

"Excuse me, Ibiki-taicho and Jiraiya-sama..." A Chuunin said from the doorway. "A kage bunshin of Uzumaki Naruto is looking for Jiraiya-sama."

"He sent a clone?" Jiraiya was clearly miffed that his apprentice didn't believe he was important enough to be visited in person.

The two veteran shinobi nodded at each other. "Send in the clone," Ibiki ordered. The Chuunin bowed and exited.

Naruto's clone strolled into the office as if he owned the place. "Hey, you're the proctor from the first test. I'm glad to see you're okay after the invasion. Get any good information out of Orochimaru's goons?"

"They started off brave, but in the end they begged to spill their secrets," Ibiki bragged.

"Good," Naruto's kage bunshin agreed. "To hell with those guys. They attacked our homes and our people. I hope they are rotting."

Jiraiya smirked. "Your loyalty's touching, brat. Why are you here?"

The clone rubbed the back of his head nervously. "The Boss was going to visit Iruka-sensei, and wanted to know if he could talk about...well...you know...that."

"Why can't that ungrateful idiot call me Jiraiya-sensei?" Jiraiya mumbled under his breath.

Ibiki rumbled out a bit of laughter. "About you being nominated for Hokage?"

Naruto's clone jumped at Ibiki's knowledge. "You know about that?"

"The Jonin and Department Captains are aware of the nominations. Security of the candidates must be maintained to ensure a legitimate succession," Ibiki explained.

"Huh?" the clone asked childishly.

"Basically, we can't have candidates and their supporters trying to get The Hat through assassination. Looks bad to clients and the Daimyo," Jiraiya explained.

"Ohhhh." The Clone demonstrated his understanding. "So...can the Boss talk to Iruka-sensei about it?"

"As long as Iruka doesn't talk to anyone about it. Hell, I'll be around to make sure he doesn't talk," Jiraiya said with a dismissive wave.

"Cool, I guess I'll head out and let them know." The Clone waved as it headed to the door.

Ibiki scoffed. "Just dispel."

"If I do that, how will the Boss get the message?" the clone grumbled.

"You are a shadow clone, a kage bunshin, the jutsu was designed for recon. A dispelling kage bunshin will transfer all its memories to its creator." Ibiki gave the clone an odd look. How could Naruto not be aware of that detail?

"Really?"

"Really," both veterans responded.

"Just concentrate on transferring the memories. They'll reach," Jiraiya assured Naruto's clone. "This'll come in handy for our next training session."

"Awesome! Thanks! Here goes nothing!" the clone declared as he smashed his fist into his palm. Naruto's doppelganger disappeared in a cloud of chakra-laced smoke.

"How did he learn that jutsu, anyway?" Jiraiya asked.

Ibiki smirked and shook his head. "It's an interesting story, actually..."


Naruto had finally managed to track down Iruka-sensei at the teacher's home. Naruto had only visited his teacher's house a few times, but still remembered the address. It was surprising to hear that Iruka had just gotten back from a C-rank mission. Iruka had, to Naruto's limited knowledge, never left the village on a mission. Orochimaru's invasion had done a lot more damage to Konoha's forces than Naruto had realized.

'If only there was some kind of super-medic-nin out there that could help out in the hospital,' Naruto thought hopefully. 'The hospital is overworked and someone has to help Lee...'

He shook off that line of thought and knocked on the door. Naruto heard a groan and Iruka calling out that he was on his way. The Hokage-candidate bounced on the balls of his feet. He was really looking forward to talking with Iruka-sensei.

The door opened and Iruka looked down and saw a smiling Naruto. "Hello, Naruto. What brings you here?"

"I know you're probably tired after your mission, but I really need your advice on a few things," Naruto revealed. Once again, he indulged in his nervous habit of rubbing the back of his head.

"Come on in," Iruka said. "Need anything to eat?"

"Nah, I'm good Iruka-sensei. Ero-sennin got me ramen earlier," Naruto told his favorite sensei. A sudden tickling at the back of his brain caused Naruto to switch several times between amazed, confused, and happy. "And he just taught me something cool...I didn't know my shadow clones transmitted memories."

"I'm glad Jiraiya-sama is helping you grow as a shinobi," Iruka told Naruto as he motioned for a seat.

"For a 'Super Pervert' the guy is a really good teacher," Naruto admitted. "Almost as good as you."

Iruka laughed at Naruto's earnest declaration. "What do you need advice on, Naruto? You know I'm always here to help you."

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei. I've got two things I need your help on. Both are huuuuge! I kinda realized Hinata likes me...a lot." Naruto missed Iruka's amused snort and continued. "I think I'm starting to like her too. She was amazing against Neji, and she really lifted my spirits before my match. So...I want to ask her out, but I know she's the heiress of her Clan. How do I ask out someone that amazing?"

"Well, you would have to approach Hiashi-sama for permission to even ask Hinata. Naruto, you'll have to be on your best behavior! Courting a clan heiress is a big deal! There are probably nobles from all over the world who would like to date Hinata."

Naruto scoffed. "They're scrubs who don't even know Hinata! I mean, would they know that she's trying her best to become more confident? Heck no!"

"Good answer, that shows you respect her." Iruka smiled at Naruto's declaration.

"Of course I respect Hinata! You'd have to be a complete tool not to!" Naruto almost growled.

Iruka held up his hands. "I wasn't aware you cared about her this much."

Naruto blushed at Iruka's apology. "I guess I do..." He suddenly looked up. "The next bit will help with Hiashi!"

"What's the 'next bit', Naruto?" Iruka laughed.

"I've been nominated for Hokage!" Naruto declared. "Someone actually thinks I'm ready for The Hat! I don't think I'll win this time, but can you believe it?! My dream doesn't seem so far away anymore!"

"You've really been nominated for Hokage?" Iruka asked and got a few dozen nods of confirmation from Naruto. "I'm very proud of you, but a bit surprised that you have acknowledged it is a long shot."

Naruto smiled softly and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm thirteen. I not even officially a Chuunin yet. They'll probably choose someone who's a veteran. But it's not a long shot. I'm closer than I've ever been. I will be Hokage one day. This election will teach me what I need to do not only to become Hokage, but to fulfill my promise to surpass all the previous Hokage."

"Naruto, you can certainly give a nice speech. I'm not a Jonin, so I don't have a vote...but I would vote for you this election. I have faith in you. Konoha has faith in you now."

"Thank you Iruka-sensei." Naruto could tell that his teacher was completely stunned, but incredibly happy for his student. The conversation turned to Iruka's C-rank. Naruto was excited to hear that Iruka had completed a solo mission. The client had been very complimentary too. Naruto was grateful for the quiet moment. He stretched out on Iruka's couch and the two traded stories about their favorite moments as shinobi. Eventually, Naruto realized Iruka was about to keel over and fall asleep on him.

"I'll let you get back to sleep. Thanks for everything Iruka-sensei," Naruto said sincerely. "Ero-Sennin might stop by later to talk about that."

"I'll be honored to receive Jiraiya-sama," Iruka replied a bit nervously.

"You'll be fine. Ero-sennin isn't that bad. Well, I'm off to go meet with Hiashi. Wish me luck?"

Iruka shook his head and laughed. "Naruto, you'll be fine...but you may want to refer to Hiashi as 'Hiashi-sama'. Remember, you're asking his eldest daughter out. Do you really want to make him angry by disrespecting him?"

"Heh, good point, Iruka-sensei." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Should I have a kage bunshin on standby with flowers for Hinata?"

"That's a very nice gesture. I'd do it." Iruka nodded in approval.

"Sweet, I'm off! Bye Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted as he bolted through the door. Iruka took a deep breath as he watched the young man leave. It was hard to believe that Naruto was advancing so quickly. Iruka had realized the night they had battled Mizuki that Naruto had unlimited potential. The realization that Naruto was coming into that potential was amazing to behold.

'You will be a great Hokage, Naruto. I'll be there to support you every step of the way,' Iruka promised.


Naruto rolled his neck as he prepared for the next step in his ultimate plan. If everything went smoothly, Naruto would get permission to ask Hinata out, and in the best case scenario, get Hiashi to not hate the idea of Naruto as the Godaime Hokage! The young Chuunin honestly didn't even entertain thoughts of failure. His string of good luck had been way too good!

A kage bunshin rushed up carrying a bouquet of flowers ran up to his creator with a big smile on its face. "I got them Boss! Like we talked about, I got something unique! I think Hinata will like these!"

"What are they?" Naruto himself asked the clone.

The clone shrugged. "Dunno. Camellias or something."

"They're pretty. Alright, go wait in the spot and watch for the Secret Signal!"

Naruto's clone saluted and rushed to take position. The original Naruto took a deep breath and prepared himself. He had nothing to worry about! Naruto had beaten Neji and Gaara in battle! He a run-in with Orochimaru! Naruto had liberated an entire country! Most importantly, he had just been nominated to be the Godaime Hokage of Konoha! There was nothing to be afraid of!

"I've got this! When I'm Hokage, I'll have to deal with Hiashi anyway!" Naruto reminded himself and strode confidently into the Hyūga Compound.

A Hyūga Chuunin quickly approached Naruto and activated his Byakugan. Naruto knew it was a cheap intimidation tactic, so it lost all punch. 'And this guy isn't as intimidating as Neji.' Naruto thought.

"What is your purpose with the Hyūga Clan?" the guard asked sternly.

Naruto straightened his back and looked the Hyūga directly in the eyes. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I need to speak with Hiashi-sama urgently."

"Hiashi-sama is a very busy man. Whatever you have to speak with our Clan Head about is inconsequential." Naruto's look became a hard glare. 'This guy is a total dick!'

"You are mistaken, Toshiro-san. Uzumaki-san has every right to meet with me," Hiashi announced from the doorway of the mansion. Naruto saw Toshiro tense and instinctively Naruto knew the guard was scared of the Caged Bird Seal. "Follow me, Uzumaki-san."

"Sure thing, Hiashi-sama," Naruto agreed. The Hyūga head led Naruto through the halls and into an office. The Hyūga took his seat first and motioned at a seat on the other side of the desk. Naruto quickly gathered that he had just gotten permission to sit. He thanked the Clan Head and waited for Hinata's dad to speak.

"It was wise of you to seek out my clan," Hiashi began. "We are the mightiest clan in the Leaf. Our support will be required by the next Hokage."

Naruto nodded. "I understand, Hiashi-sama." 'Man, it feels weird talking to this guy.' "I have firsthand knowledge of the Hyūga and how powerful they are. I respect you guys a lot."

Hiashi nodded. Naruto's speech patterns were very rough and showed his youth and inexperience. He was adapting well, which impressed Hiashi. "I am surprised by your potential and adaptability."

"Thank you," Naruto said simply. He wasn't sure what Hiashi was getting at, but Naruto was still hoping to ask his daughter out. Naruto was also trying his best not to piss off the head of Konoha's most powerful clan. That would really screw over his chances of becoming Hokage.

"I wish to ask you three questions, Uzumaki-san. You have been nominated for the highest honor our village can bestow." Hiashi created a steeple with his fingers. He wanted to see if Naruto would squirm. So, far the boy did not do anything out of the ordinary for a young teen.

"Anything you want to ask, I'll answer! I never back down or go back on my word! That's my nindo-ttebayo!" Naruto declared with passion and conviction.

"The Hokage must see to all aspects of our village's power. Economics are a vital part of Konoha's strength. What are your plans for the economy of Konoha?"

Naruto sat quietly and fought off a flurry worry. He had no clue what economics were. He kinda knew it dealt with money. 'Well, you want to make more money than you spend...'

"I...I want Konoha to be successful in every area. I don't know the most about dealing with that much money, but I'm willing to learn. There are a lot of really smart people in Konoha that I can get to help me and teach me," Naruto admitted with a dry mouth. Hiashi nodded in approval.

"How will you respond to the aggression shown against Konoha by Suna, Otogakure, and Kumo?"

Naruto got very angry for a moment. The actions of Orochimaru and Kumo were especially heinous. Orochimaru wanted to twist Sasuke and turn him into a traitor. Kumo was trying to take Hinata away and steal her eyes. "We have to find a way to hit them back." Naruto paused. "How much do you know about Sasuke's situation?"

"Enough," Hiashi confirmed.

"Orochimaru is after Sasuke. We keep Sasuke in Konoha, we screw over everything Orochimaru is after. It'll also help to keep the Sharingan with our village," Naruto pointed out.

"And Kumo," Hiashi prompted.

"To Hell with Kumo," Naruto snapped. His outburst was clearly personal and Hiashi took note of Naruto's emotions. "They tried to take someone very important to Konoha while they thought we were weak. We have to show them that we are anything but weak!"

Hiashi was very impressed by Naruto's answers so far. The boy was rough around the edges, but had undeniable potential. More importantly, he was fiercely loyal to Konoha.

"The final question. Why do you have a kage bunshin with a bouquet of flowers waiting outside my home?"

Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, Hiashi-sama...I'd like to ask Hinata-chan out on a date."

Hiashi was not suprirsed by Naruto's request. He had heard from multiple sources about Naruto's anger at Hinata's brutal beating at Neji's hands. The story of the Blood Vow was spreading rapidly throughout Konoha's forces. It was seen as an incredibly romantic gesture among many. Hiashi had personally witnessed Naruto's defense of Hinata in the face of Neji's words. The Hyūga Clan Head was grateful that Naruto had not only provided Hinata with the inspiration to better herself, but rescued Neji from his self-destructive path.

There were other positives as well. Naruto was already a Chuunin. He had numerous victories under his belt. It went without saying that Naruto had been nominated for Hokage at age thirteen.

"You have permission to court my daughter," Hiashi decreed. Naruto fist pumped in unbridled triumph. 'Uzumaki-san recognizes the honor he has just earned. I know he will show her the proper respect.'

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama! Is, uh, she here now?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Hiashi shook his head. "Hinata is currently at a team meeting. I believe she will be returning within the hour."

"Oh." Naruto's face fell. "Would it be okay if I stayed here for a while?"

"I would not be opposed to you remaining here," Hiashi agreed.

"Thanks," Naruto said before making a kage bunshin. "Hey, go get the flowers for Hinata from the other clone." The clone saluted and rushed off.

"That is a very advanced technique, and you make excellent use of it," Hiashi commended Naruto. It was not idle praise. Uzumaki Naruto had demonstrated magnificent skill with such a rare and chakra-intensive jutsu.

The boy beamed at the praise. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi noted the stillness that fell over the room. Uzumaki Naruto suddenly met Hiashi's Byakugan with a look of determination that Hiashi had seen recently. It was the same look Hinata had worn in the hospital when she announced her refusal to ever run away again.

"Hiashi-sama, I want you to train me in politics. I am going to be the next Hokage, and I am going to need your help."


Author's Note: I almost met another self-imposed deadline. Here is the next "Escapee" from Solvdrage's 2014 Plot ADHD Asylum. As you can see, there isn't much direct NaruHina in this chapter, but honestly, NaruHina won't be as huge of a focus as in some of my other fics. This fic will, however, be purely NaruHina. This is not going to be a harem story. Originally, I considered leaving the possibility open. However, the more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea. I hope you enjoy this as it was the second most requested idea behind Towards the Dawn.

Speaking of Towards the Dawn, I'm stunned. I can't thank you all enough for the absolutely incredible response. The reception has just been awe inspiring! Thank you all so much! A number of you pointed out errors in the chapter. I, and my regular betas, have gone back over the chapter and made the corrections.

I'm also grateful for the wonderful response to Meet the Hyuga. Wow, you guys are really amazing.

Please Review! Reviews fuel my muse more than anything! The response to Towards the Dawn and Meet the Hyuga have helped revive The Hyuga's Hound and Unexpected Lord of Foxes!

Also, I've updated my profile to include a challenge! Lucina from Fire Emblem: Awakening is one of my favorite female characters ever. She's amazing (even if I ship Avatar/Tharja. Lucina/Avatar has this squicky incest and/or mentor-teacher/student vibe for me to get behind...). I'm also a gigantic fan of the excellent game "Mount and Blade: Warband". The details of my "Lucina in Calradia" challenge are on my profile! If you're interested, please PM me! I'll immediately follow and fav the fic! I'll also advertise the hell out of it! There isn't a story like that anywhere on Fanfic. Help spread the Lucina and "Mount and Blade" Love!

All has been said that needs to be said except... GO TIGERS! Congratulations to the Clemson Tigers for defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 40-6 and securing a 4th straight ten+ win season!