Spin-off from manga chapter 450. I had something different in mind, but the story wrote itself in such way... well...
I really hope Jiraiya come back in some way or other...
Warning: Spoilers. Not beta-read – i.e. errors, bad grammar.
- - -
The fight with Pain has left Konoha in crumbles and Tsunade in a coma.
The Konoha Elders, along with Daimyo come together to discuss the current situation.
"There's something to decide first." Danzo spoke. "Who will be the next Hokage?"
Shikaku frowned. 'So, it come to that...'
The Daimyo spoke from behind his fan. "I'd thought to choose Jiraiya... I liked him, but he's gone now... So who shall it be?"
"Well.." Danzo began, but Shikaku cut him off. "I nominate Hatake Kakashi."
"Son of 'the white fang'? Yes, why not?"
"Who was his teacher?" Asked on of the council men.
"The 4th Hokage." Was Mitokado Homura's answer.
"The 4th Hokage was Jiraiya's pupil, and Jiraiya was the pupil of he 3rd Hokage." The Daimyo smiled. "There's no problem, then..."
"The 3rd Hokage's teaching have as good as destroyed the Village!!" Danzo shouted.
"Akatsuki's leader, the man who destroyed the Village, was once Jiraiya's pupil... This is the result of sympathizing with other countries and giving them power! That sort of thinking is weak! That weakness led to the sand's betrayal and allowed Orochimaru's plan to destroy Konoha. It led to the formation of Akatsuki, and to Sasuke, the last remaining Uchiha, leaving Konoha for his own secret purposes!"
Shikaku frowned. The way Danzo twisted fact's for his own purposes...
"What kind of Hokage do we need now? One who can put and end to this wretched situation. That man is me."
"Maybe we should let Danzo take care of things, my lord." Another council man voiced his opinion.
The Daimyo representative didn't really know what to do. However, Danzo has many connections and is a dangerous man...
"All right, it's decided." He ignored Shikaku protest. "Danzo, you will be the 6th Hokage."
- - -
The announcement was welcomed in silence. Danzo smiled. At least... his dream come true. At least Konoha will show the rest of the world how powerful it really is...
"The ANBU forces will not acknowledge Danzo-san as Hokage."
The steady voice of the ANBU Commander startled everyone.
"The ANBU are a Hokage's personal weapons." A council man pointed.
..
"Yes. They work for him loyally because they respect him and consider him their true leader. Danzo-san lost that esteem in recent years."
"What are you trying to insinuate?" Danzo asked sharply.
After short hesitation the ANBU Commander spoke.
"Nothing you are not aware of, I'm sure. Your personal involvement in leaking information to Sand before the assault... as well as your deal with Orochimaru."
"Your accusation are outrageous!" Danzo almost shouted. The ANBU ignored him.
..
All present knew Danzo was very ambitious and hesitated almost for nothing. He was also very cleaver and wasn't leaving profs.
"Surely, you can't speak for entire ANBU forces, Commander." The last of the four council man tried to reason.
"There are only few over ambitiousness ninja, that would not mind Danzo-san's... methods."
"A few?" There is some hundred plus ninja in the ANBU forces.
..
"Not to offend, but Danzo-san is too old for this position." Shikaku looked for unbiased and neutral reasons. "He is the same age as the 3rd was. The new Hokage should be someone young, to be responsible for the future, not to be living in the past."
"The young is lacking of experience, they don't go ninja's way." Danzo protested.
..
"They chose another way, but does it mean it's a wrong way? If Uzumaki Naruto had went the old way of revenge and hatred thousands Konoha ninja would be dead today. Instead he fought in his own way, and despite the material destruction no lives were lost. It was also his way that lead to the peace with Sand Village. Peace, I might add, that allowed Konoha to become even stronger than before the Orochimaru's attack."
"Yes, that's true." The council man had to agree. The peace treaty, joint missions with Sand and growing prestige of Konoha allowed the almost destroyed village to shine anew.
..
Danzo seethed, his chance, his plan was failing again.
"So you think that the Uzumaki boy would be better than me?" He tried to show how ridiculous it sound.
"Yes. In comparability to you, he would." The Nara Clan Head spoke with slight irritation. "Despite his upbring and the hate he received here in Konoha he loves the Village and is bend to protect it with his whole being. That is the main condition a Hokage needs."
..
Koharu and Homura nodded with a sigh. It was one of the reasons for their disagreement with Tsunade. She allowed that boy go on dangerous missions, missions usually with great importance for Konoha. If he would be caught or killed it could become a great disadvantage for Konoha. Yet, Tsunade insisted that the boy should be allowed to protect the Village, that they should have faith in him.
And despite all the lack in the boy's behavior, Tsunade was winning her gambling so far.
..
"Uzumaki has also another great advantage over you, Danzo."
"And that would be?"
"He is a born leader. People believe in him, and that faith leads to their better performance. He knows how to give people courage, how to quell their fears. His peers hold him in a high esteem, junin hold him in high regard. And if you open your ears, you'll hear that they acknowledge him as a strong ninja as well."
Indeed the cheers had yet to demise, since it seams as everyone wanted to see the one who defeated Pain - the Konoha destroyer, the one thanks to whom themselves and their friends come back to life.
..
"Uzumaki was a dead-last in the Academy. He lacks basic knowledge and experience in leading a village."
"His performance in the Academy mean nothing to his learning abilities in the real life. His sensei, Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya-sama stated in their reports he has a quick mind and the ability to draw unsuspected, powerful solutions on the spot. He is strong, self-willed, very stress resistant and optimistic, which allow him to work through the hard times with great efficiency." Shikaku was quick to defend the boy. In his mind he knew it was not the time, they disputed about a new Hokage. However, maybe because of his son believes in that boy, he couldn't get rid of the thought that Naruto had already earned the chance for a Hokage's position. Danzo was not to take the boy's dream.
"There's no one with the experience of the Hokage seat." The Commander contributed to the conversation. "Though there are ones better and ones worse prepared for it. Though, it's my firm beliefs Naruto-sama is in the first category."
All eyes come to him, questioning his words. "I'm sure the Elders would agree with me."
The gazes went to the two Sarutobi team-mates. Those two looked at each other.
"It's true..."
"Koharu!" Homura received a glare in return.
..
"There's no use to hide it. The boy will turn sixteen shortly, it will be widely know by then anyway."
"Koharu-sama, what are you speaking about?" The Nara asked interested. He knew there was several secrets about the boy. Some obvious, but not spoken aloud. Some hidden even from the boy. Lastly some that only a handful people have known of.
..
The Daimyo looked and listened quietly. He knew about the boy, of course. He also heard many different opinions about him. There was complains from persons who become victims of his pranks, accusations from those who feared the demon inside the child... but lately it was stories of his courage, of his battles for the Village. Praises over his skill, endurance, kindness went along with wonderment about his goofiness.
"So, you are proposing Uzumaki Naruto as the 6th Hokage?" He asked, unintentionally cutting Koharu answer.
..
His question was welcomed with silence. Of course, everybody knew about the boy's dream but...
"How old is he? Sixteen? He is much younger than Hatake..." The first council man said in order to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Suna's Kazekage become the Godaime at the young age of fourteen." Another one pointed.
"Sabaku no Gaara is a wise Kazekage thanks to his advisors." Koharu pointed politically.
It was true. While the Suna council chose him as a leader to better control the Jinchūriki, Gaara was skilled enough to make them abide to his wishes. It was a double point for Naruto – his peer is already a successful village leader, but the control is still in some part at the village Elders hands.
..
"So it's decided. Let discuss pro and cons for the Uzumaki." Daimyo decided.
"What? My lord, you can't seriously..." Danzo protested.
"I have to agree with theirs reasoning. You are one of the eldest active ninja. However, the time plays against you. Your body isn't as refined as it was." It was a polite saying that he was a cripple without a hand. "Also, Konoha need someone who can lead it into the future." Daimyo explained the change of his decision.
"I want to see that boy. Send someone to fetch him."
..
The ANBU Commander stood. "I'm sure he is by Tsunade-sama side, if he isn't helping with cleaning already."
..
"So, he has leader skills and is quick thinking on his feet."
"He can't behave properly, has no diplomatic skills at all." Danzo murmured.
"While he is very direct, there are times when he shows great consideration." Shikaku again put on some of his son observations. "If he chose to please someone he can be convincing and polite."
..
"He may not have diplomatic skills per se," Homura wasn't happy, but it was true, and he rather had Naruto-gaki than Danzo with the Hokage hat. "however, many of our diplomatic treats we have acquired indirectly thanks to him. The Moon and Spring Countries mentioned him directly in their offers. It's widely known, that Sabaku no Gaara consider him his savior, and the smooth work with the Sand Village is possible because the Kazekage wish to be in good terms with his friend's village."
"The woman that come with Pain also promised him help from Ame." Koharu added what the summon slug said.
..
"Treats, peace... it is only making our Village weaker!"
"Look at the Village now, Danzo. It's in crumbles. It will take weeks, if not months to build it back. How can you think about fights and wars, if your home in is such fragile state."
"And whose fault is it?" He grumbled.
"The Village's bad state had nothing to do with Naruto-san. He wasn't there at that point, it was our ninja that refused to give the knowledge away, with that Pain would leave. It's also not the child's fault he was targeted from that Organization." Said a council man, playing with his glasses.
..
"So. Uzumaki's choosing would not harm the Village from outside."
"When the word will come out that he killed Pain, he will be definitely consider a strong and powerful opponent."
"He will also not hesitate to ask for help from his advisors, if such situation would arise." Shikaku share once again his observations.
"The ninja are mostly loyal to him, and over the years he managed on his own to turn the villager's hearts."
"His knowledge about how the Konoha Clans works is better than one can suppose." Koharu added. "Sarutobi make sure of that. He is ready to took the role of Clan Head after he turns sixteen."
"A Clan Head? Of which clan?" The Daimyo asked, while Danzo seethed. He knew the answer. If that's go out it would smooth over most if not all complains.
A puff once again left a question without an answer.
- - -
"You wanted to see me?" Naruto was puzzled, but also a bit pissed that they pulled him from Tsunade's side. Kakashi, who went after the Commander and Naruto looked at the council. It didn't seem as if they would try to make Naruto responsible for Pain's actions. He breatheed a bit easier.
"You are Uzumaki Naruto, genin of Konoha?" Daimyo asked looking closely at the handsome young man.
Ignoring the question the boy asked one of his own.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
..
The Daimyo frowned a bit. The boy really lacked of politeness.
"I am the Daimyo of the Fire Country." He said.
"No. Your not." The conviction in Naruto's voice make the people look from Daimyo to Naruto, back to Daimyo.
"Oji-san is an old man with kind smile and wise eyes behind glasses. Nothing like you."
The Daimyo looked surprised, not quite sure if he should be offended or proud. He hided his face behind his fan in a nervous manner.
"You are talking about my father."
..
"Oh. Okay. So, what do you want. Daimyo-sama?" He added in an afterthought. "You know, our Hokage is not going so good at this moment, and we have a Village to rebuild. Would you send us some builders for help? The ones Oji-san send after Orochimaru-teme's snakes destroyed half of the Village were pretty good."
The Daimyo blinked. "Yes, of course the Fire Country will help."
"Cool. Thanks. So, what do you do need me for?" After receiving the promise of help Naruto brightened up.
Unconsciously the Daimyo smiled as well. "Yes, I see what Nara-san meant."
- - -
"Uzumaki-san the Council decided to name you as the 6th Hokage."
Naruto's shock was nothing to the of Kakashi's.
"But what about Tsunade-baa-chan. She is Konoha's Hokage. And... and... Kakashi-sensei? Wouldn't he be a better choice? I mean, he is the strongest and the smartest one, right?"
"As pains it me to say, Tsunade-sama is, and probably will not be able to go back to her responsibilities soon. Konoha can't be without a leader, especially not now, in that state."
..
Naruto frowned. "It isn't right."
Koharu ignored him. "Hatake-san was an option, along with Danzo." Kakashi saw that the old war-dog was barely holding his anger. He knew, that when Naruto take the position, his student will get a hard time from the old man.
Naruto's reluctance puzzled him. He knew it was the boy's dream come true. On the other side, to get the title because of Tsunade illness was some sort of betrayal for the blond. That he proposed him for the seat warmed Kakashi's heart. To think that the boy hold him so high, while he self only recently acknowledged his growth...
"Naruto, you should accept the proposition. There's no one better for it, me included." 'And not Danzo, that for sure.' Was his silent thought.
"But I'm sure Tsunade-baa-chan will be fine. It isn't the first time she used her making-her-old seal. The last time she needed a week to recover, so I'm sure she will be fine in no time." Naruto looked at Kakashi.
"A week or even a bit more is too much. Remember, you may not have the chance again."
Naruto frowned while thinking, then smiled.
"All right. I'll be the Hokage for now. And I'll be the best Hokage ever, dattebayo. However, when Tsunade-baa-chan get well enough she gets her position back. That is until I really become the best ninja of Konoha." Naruto nodded to his plan. "And after I get Sasuke-teme back." He whispered, so that only Kakashi could hear him.
..
"So be it. Uzumaki Naruto, you are from now the 6th Hokage of Konoha."
- - -
Naruto, with the help of his friends and advisors, managed to bring the Village to function again before Tsunade regained her consciousness. She didn't personally come back as Hokage, there was someone else who took Naruto's place, allowing him once again to go look for Sasuke.
...
The last one that get his life back, and the one who had the longest way to Konoha was Nagato's sensei. The one about whom he thought while dieing.
After Jiraiya get back to Konoha and learned that Naruto has become temporally Hokage he laughed his ass off, saying that the Council had to be really desperate to chose the gaki.
However, if only Naruto wasn't within earshot he prized the boy to the heaven, showing of as the sensei of two Hokage.
..
The official announcement some month later about Naruto becoming the Clan Head of Namikaze clan was a surprise for as many people, as for who it was 'about the time'.
The information that Namikaze Clan is still living in the Konoha, serving as ANBU forces, was a real surprise for many.
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Edit: 08-15-2009