Hi guys! This is my first story on FF. Let me know how it is, good or bad, and if you want me to continue it!

It is definitely AU, with most of the events leading up to Sasuke leaving after the Chuunin exams staying canon. After that it goes off track, with the exception of Naruto convincing Tsunade to become Hokage. Also Naruto is a little OC too.. I tried to picture what Naruto would be like growing up mostly by himself, outside the village. Hope you enjoy!

All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

-Drazzah

Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the dirt path beneath. Singing birds fell silent as a figure leisurely strolled beneath them, quickly taking up their song when they sensed no threat. Hands in his pockets, the figure had a small smile on his face, leaned back in a relaxed manner. He no longer needed to mask his approach or chakra this close to the village. He didn't care who saw him coming, and he wouldn't sneak into his former home like a thief. He was proud of where he was, and while the hurt that he had felt when he had been banished five years ago had dulled, part of him wanted to show everyone what he had managed to become. When he had been forced to give up his dream on that miserable day, he had made a new one and forged ahead with it. It was, after all, his ninja way. Besides, he didn't think anyone was going to recognize him immediately anyway. Naruto wasn't a kid anymore. And there was the small fact that there was a team currently out of the village tracking him down to bring him to Tsunade. A small grin appeared. He might not be a kid anymore, but pranks were always funny.

The gates to Konoha loomed up before him, looking smaller than he remembered. It was nostalgic, happy and sad all at the same time. He had grown so much, and was eager to see if Konoha had grown as well. He had to go visit Tsunade first, but Ichiraku's was next on his list. After traveling throughout the Five Great Shinobi Nations, he had never tasted ramen that was better than Ichiraku's. It was one thing he missed most about Konoha. After Ichiraku's he would go visit Iruka-sensei. He was very excited to catch up, and stop the worrying he was sure Iruka was still doing. That man had always been a mother-hen to him. Then he had business with Jiraiya-sensei, he hadn't seen him since Jiraiya had asked for his help on a mission six months ago. His sources had told him that Ero-Sennin was visiting here before setting out on another mission. Rumors said that Tsunade asked Jiraiya to return in hopes that when the team brought him back he would help smooth the way, unsure of Naruto's reaction to returning to Konoha. His grin widened when he pictured his sensei's reaction to casually coming into the front gates.

Rumor had also told him that Tsunade was going to get all of the information concerning him that she could from Jiraiya. They had traveled together for a year after he had been forced from the village. Ero-Sennin knew that it would look bad if he trained him for too long, or if he stayed with him, so he took long recon missions so they they could continue lessons. That year was a long intense training period, before Jiraiya had taught him all he could and sent him to various places and acquaintances around the nation so that he could convince them to teach him. It has worked out better than he could ever have hoped. His old dream was a bitter memory, but his new dream was within his grasp, and he believed in always moving forward.

The shinobi guarding the gates were the same two who were always there. Naruto lazily waved at them and walked straight through into his old home. He sensed their confusion as they tried to place him, but as he'd suspected they failed. Konoha was bustling, with so many faces he didn't recognize. There were new businesses, newer homes, and as he jumped to a rooftop, there was a new face carved into the stone. He was happy to see Baa-chan there. After he had left, Ero-Sennin had declared that they were first going to convince Tsunade to become the Godaime Hokage. He had learned rasengan, fought an epic battle with Kabuto and Orochimaru, and Tsunade had eventually agreed to go back to Konoha. She had wanted to convince him to return with her, that as Hokage she could bring him back and reinstate him as a Leaf Shinobi. But there wasn't anything there for him anymore, so he had refused and told her his new dream. She had smiled at him, and promised to see him again some day. And finally that day was here!

His head cocked as he picked up a chakra signature nearby that he knew well. Naruto quickly masked his own chakra and presence, and disappeared leaving only a few orange leaves to slowly float away, instantly appearing next to the shinobi he had sensed. Funnily enough, he was now known for being so fast he didn't leave a trace. Ero-Sennin had told him about his fathers abilities, and that Naruto still wasn't nearly as fast as Minato had been. After picking up a speed technique in a small northern village in the Land of Wind, and with his own massive stores of chakra, he was extremely fast and could keep his pace indefinitely. Naruto had found it so convenient to travel quickly and undetected through the nations that he had practiced endlessly until he mastered it. After showing his master, Jiraiya would only tell him he was closer to the speed his father had been. It made him laugh now to remember that conversation. He had since vowed to become even faster than the Yondaime!

His speed and concealment techniques were enough to counter Kakashi-sensei however, despite the Sharingan he knew Kakashi had. He was reading another of his Icha Icha books. Naruto sighed and he stopped behind where his former sensei was leaning on a chimney.

"You never get tired of those books, Kakashi-sensei? I've read them all, they're all the same!"

Kakashi stiffened because Naruto was still masking his presence and he had surprised him. Not many could sense him unless he wanted them to. But, as always, he recovered quickly. The book snapped shut and the gray-haired ninja turned to face him. That one visible eye was wary and trying to mask what he was thinking. However, Naruto could tell that he was shocked. And guarded. Couldn't blame him for that, though, could he?

"Uzumaki Naruto... it's been a long time."

When Kakashi looked at Naruto, he was shocked. Gone was the hyper boy in his blinding outfit of orange and blue, shouting at everyone that he would become Hokage. Instead stood a young man, as tall as Kakashi, with an earnest and calm demeanor. He looked so much like the Yondaime that his breath caught in his throat. Bright blue eyes, whiskers on his cheeks and that spiky blonde hair remained the same. He wore black pants, bound with white around the calves like Kakashi's own, but with bold orange stripes up the sides. Black sandals covered his feet. Over a mesh shirt covered in light black body armor, was his jacket. Kakashi knew this was special to him, and made with care. It was also black and fell to his knees, but it was beautifully decorated. There were orange flames crawling up from the tail of the coat, and thick orange bands around his shoulders. The sleeves rolled up halfway to his elbows revealed the orange interior to the fabric. It caused a pang when he realized that instead of a proud leaf headband, a simple thick black band with long tails was tied around his head, and the Uzumaki swirls proudly displayed where the leaf should be. He looked mature, and both a stranger and like his old student at the same time.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the long study, and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, sure has been. You always look the same, sensei. It's good to see you." He figured he shouldn't give all of his secrets away this early on in the game, so he let his presence be known. That single eye widened fractionally as he finally felt Naruto's chakra. "How's it going?"

"Well, I'd hoped to see you sooner, but you look.. good, Naruto. You've grown up. I tried to find word of you during missions, but after your first year with Jiraiya I lost track."

He calmly stared at his sensei but masked his emotions, as he was used to doing. He was slightly unsure about everyone in Konoha after the last five years, but he had never doubted Kakashi, who was just wondering what had happened to his student. He also knew from Jiraiya-sensei that Kakashi had fought hard for his sake when they announced his banishment. Naruto straightened up, shoulders back, slipped his hands into his jacket pockets, and let a genuine smile come across his face. "It's been busy, sensei! I traveled a lot, and trained with many people all across the Five Nations. I only wanted to get stronger. I kept track of Team Seven though, you know! Tsunade is Sakura-chan's master, and Sasuke returned to the village after he achieved his goals. And you, Kakashi-sensei, are still training and doing missions just like when I left. It made me happy to hear that."

Kakashi leaned back, and gazed upwards at the clouds slowly passing overhead. "Did it? I figured after what we had done to you that you would never return or keep tabs on us like you have. I thought you'd written off Konoha for good. Especially how it ended with Sasuke back then, and knowing that he was welcomed back."

Naruto sighed, a resigned smile on his lips. "You know.. on the way here I didn't know how to feel. Deep down I'm a little angry, still, at how unfair it was. I had to give up my dream of being Hokage. I had to leave my home. But I grew up and got stronger. I learned more than I ever could have living here. And I have a new dream that is very important to me. So now that I'm in Konoha, I feel very.. " His smile faded slowly, and he looked around him, searching his feelings. "I feel content, in a distant sort of way. It was lonely away from home, but no one really accepted me here anyways aside from my teachers and the Sandaime. After going out into the Five Nations, I know how dangerous it was for you all to keep a Jinchuuriki here. After learning a lot of truths about Konoha, and learning about the Akatsuki, I figure it was best all-around. Still, it's strange to be back." He glanced back at Kakashi.

Kakashi's eye was warm now, looking at him with pride. "Welcome home, Naruto. I'm glad you're back."

Naruto choked up a bit. "Thank you." He cleared his throat, and out came his signature Naruto-grin. "But I'm only back to talk to Tsunade. She's going to be pissed that I evaded her squad and walked right into town!"

As expected, she called him an idiot, and punched him hard enough that he flew back into the wall. As she advanced on him, he cringed. But she just flicked him on the forehead like she had once before. He opened one eye and saw her smile. He couldn't help but beam back. Then she settled behind the desk and sent Shizune to have a message sent to the team who obviously weren't going to find Naruto. Kakashi, now shaking his head, had followed along and lounged against the wall to one side of the room.

"Well, Naruto, I won't ask how you came to be here without my squad finding you. But thank you for coming. I know you probably didn't want to return to Konoha after everything but I was hoping you would. There's something we need your help on." She gazed at him steadily.

"My help, Baa-chan? I'm not a leaf shinobi and I doubt anyone would want you calling me in to help the village. I only stopped in to see Konoha again and find out exactly what you wanted. You don't even know all I've gotten up to during the last few years, or who I'm associated with, despite whatever Ero-Sennin has told you." He glanced towards the window as he sensed Jiraiya's chakra approaching. He smiled slightly and added, "Speaking of Ero-Sennin."

Kakashi looked towards the window, and Tsunade was glancing around, when Jiraiya popped into the open window, crouching on the sill. Naruto had, after all, taught his sensei a few of the tricks he had picked up. The fact was Ero-Sennin rarely bothered to hide his presence unless there was a joke or real danger, whereas Naruto was so well known because of the Nine-Tails that he did it constantly to avoid trouble. "Yo!" He greeted. He looked Naruto up and down. "Nice clothes there, kid. I don't recognize them though."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grimacing. "Before I got word of all this, I was helping out Kurama-san in the Valley Village. She wouldn't let me leave without making this for me! I said food was fine as a payment but she said I couldn't eat or leave until she had finished this! I think I almost died waiting for her." He laughed, and Jiraiya chuckled as the other two just stared at them in disbelief. "But, I got a very nice jacket out of it! My old one was falling apart. She also made the pants because she said my old ones didn't match."

Jiraiya nodded. He was about to speak but Tsunade interrupted. "Are you talking about Misato Kurama, the master tailor? I heard her clothing can be imbued with chakra." Her eyes scanned the coat as if she could see if that was true or not.

Naruto was embarrassed. It's not like he'd demanded this fancy outfit. Kurama-san needed help with a nearby group raiding her village and Naruto had been passing through so he'd taken care of it. "Well, I mean, she mentioned something about chakra. I was so hungry I didn't listen very well though.." He trailed off. They all looked at him expectantly. He stared back, not sure what they wanted. He wasn't handing over his coat though! Maybe there was some kind of law about chakra clothing? His thoughts were interrupted by a ball of paper coming directly for his forehead. Without thinking he caught the trash and glared at his master. "What?"

Ero-Sennin laughed. "Try it out, dummy. Kurama is the only one who can make that type of clothing. If it really is able to hold your chakra then it's a very special gift. You have to know if it can or not!" Naruto thought he just wanted to see it, though. But he figured there was no harm and he should know. It could come in handy as an extra defense during battle.

Naruto closed his eyes and allowed a small amount of chakra to coat his body. He could feel the odd texture of the coat with his chakra and slowly worked it into that strange sensation. It almost felt like he was feeding it. Once it was full, he estimated that it didn't actually take much chakra, but he could feel the strength radiating from what used to just be fabric. He opened his eyes to see that all eyes, or in Kakashi-sensei's case, eye, was fixated on him in disbelief. He glanced down and saw that he was glowing and the clothes had changed colours. The black was now bright blue, and the orange was yellow. It also moved around like he was in a small breeze.

"So cool! Kurama-san is the best!" He was so excited that he turned to Kakashi-sensei. "Throw a kunai at me. Come on, come on!" Kakashi glanced at Jiraiya, and when he received a shrug, reached behind him to take a kunai from his pouch. In a flash, it was flying towards Naruto. He instinctively braced, but when the kunai hit the coat it bounced away harmlessly. He cut off the flow of chakra and the clothing returned to normal. Naruto pumped his fists in the air. "Awesome! This is the best gift ever."

"Well, Naruto," Kakashi began, "You certainly are still the number one most surprising ninja."