Naruto Naruto no Zatoichi

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto **

"Hello"- Talking

_'Hello'- _thinking

_**Ten thousand years of pain! - **_Jutsu

"**Hello."- ****emphasis/demon speech**

**Chapter 1: When Darkness settles in...**

**READ ALL AUTHOR'S NOTES!**

A challenge picked up from pudgypudge. Having read the other stories I felt they didn't quite do the challenge justice; so here I am. Chapter two starts the actual story-line. I am currently looking for a beta. Yahoo im is a must, PM me if interested.

Thanks to **One Last Drink** by Enter the Haggis.

Chapter One:

****

Rain fell heavy that night. The gods themselves seemed to weep along with the rest of the village at the loss of their beloved fourth Hokage; the cool drops washing away an abundant amount of the blood and gore the demon fox had strewn across the battlefield. A reverent silence stretched over what was once the eastern portion of the village hidden in the leaves; a small contingent of shinobi had gathered round the corpse that was once their blonde leader. Waiting for the medics arrive to collect his battle-worn body none of them reacted as the reinstated third Hokage approached the silent group. Realizing why there were so many gathered in one spot; a single tear fell from his eye. Never in all his life had he seen such a scene, that even in death his successor had protected his only child.

"Return to your duties men, I shall see to it he is properly taken care of." The wizened warrior all but whispered.

Quickly dispersing, the men all had their own ideas as to what the Hokage meant he would do. Groaning as the old leader bent over; the wizened Hokage began ruffling through his protégée's dirt covered coat; The shifting cloth reviling a small, sleeping, infant. Glad there was no apparent damage Sarutobi waved over the coroner as he retreated to his, by default, office. Hoping no one had seen the child, the Hokage summoned his personal medic, wanting to make sure the child received more thorough examination. A sharp knock alerted the village leader to the arrival of someone at his door; running through several hand seals in quick succession the old monkey cast a quick genjutsu over the baby's crib, making it seem as if there was nothing there, and turned to answer the door.

"You summoned me lord Hokage?" the medic humbly waited for his leader's orders.

"Ah, Shinji-san, yes. I have a favor to ask. However I'm afraid I must swear you to secrecy, You understand, you can not breath a word of what I'm about to ask of you."

"Of course Hokage-sama. What do you need?" the medic bowed.

Dispelling the illusion cast over the child the old leader gestured to the crib behind the thin doctor.

"I want you to run a full examination on little Naruto over there. Tell me if anything is wrong with him. No matter how insignificant, understand?"

The medic bowed before his leader. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

Turning to his work the mans hands glowed a light yellow; signifying the use of a diagnostic jutsu. Running his hands over the boys toes; the medic felt it would be best to start at the bottom and work his way up. After several moments of silence a small gasp alerted the Hokage that something was, indeed, wrong.

"What is it Shinji-san?" the hokage demanded, his half packed pipe laying discarded upon his desk, the man rushed across the room.

"I don't know how to explain it sir." The doctor hesitated.

"Start by telling me what you found Shinji. We'll go from there." The man chided.

"Its no so much what he has as what her doesn't have, sir. I checked it three times sir, just to be sure."

"Of what exactly?" Sarutobi prepared himself for the worse, goose bumps spreading across his arms as he received the grave news.

The medic frowned, glancing back at the gentle form of the sleeping babe beneath him.

"I can't explain it Hokage-sama, but little Naru-chan here… He's blind sir."

Sarutobi's eyes widened in shock as he absorbed the information Shinji laid before him. Flashing through seals his own hands glowed a sickly yellow. Passing his hands over little Naruto's eyes the Hokage stumbled back as the information fed to him from the jutsu confirmed what his doctor had said. Naruto was blind.

"I don't understand. His eyes are fine. He should be completely healthy." The hokage stated, confused.

"I agree hokage-sama, the seems to be nothing wrong with optic nerve, or the eyes themselves. All in all he should be able see fine… If you'd like I'll inform his mother."

The hokage looked at his friend like he'd seen a ghost; His visage turning from shocked to sad to angry in seconds.

"There is no mother. She died shortly after he was born. I haven't decided on a suitable foster family yet."

"Perhaps Tonbo-san sir, isn't he blind as well?"

"No, actually he's a Hyuuga." The hokage sat down the still warm chair behind his desk. The doctor also took a chair, deciding to speak low as to not wake up the baby.

"A Hyuuga sir? I thought he was clan-less." The doctor questioned, unaware of the chunin's connection with the aforementioned clan.

"He is. Tonbo was banished from the Hyuuga clan for trying to remove the branch seal. Off the record, I believe he succeeded."

A sly smile crept over the Hokage's features; stating, in no uncertain terms, that he had aided the chunin in doing so.

"Well Shinji-san I believe you should return to your family for now. I'll summon you should anything happen."

Rising; the medic bowed before his leader once more; the oddity of the case before him intriguing the man greatly.

"Of course. By your leave Hokage-sama." Turning; he left his leader to decide the fate of the child.

****

Staring off into space the hokage's mind began to wander; his fingers running through the motions of packing his pipe full. Knowing he could not leave the child in the orphanage his thoughts turned to the clan leaders; each one being discarded as a possible candidates the more he thought about them.

"My my little Naru-chan, it seems to be rather difficult to locate you a home." The old man muttered, puffing on his unlit pipe. Sarutobi sat there, the dawn ever so slowly creeping closer, the man going over every ninja he knew was still alive; each one eventually being discarded.

"Hmm, perhaps…" the Hokage sat up; snapping his fingers an ANBU shushined into existence in front of him.

"Bring me Kakashi."

Nodding, the shadow warrior vanished once more; Leaving nothing but a small amount of smoke in his wake. A moment later the ANBU captain stood before him, the leaf tattoo visible upon his shoulder.

"You summoned me sir?" the shinobi's Inu mask betraying no emotion.

"I'm demoting you to Jonin, Kakashi. I am also giving you a long term A rank mission. I want you to take care of little Naru-chan for me. See to it he has everything he needs, when he turns two you will have the option the place him in the orphanage should you wish."

"Yes sir." If the young man had any displeasure about being demoted his voice gave away nothing.

"What I'm about to say does not leave this office… Naruto is blind Kakashi."

"Blind ,sir?" the teen inquired, his mind running over the plan his sensei had told him.

"But I thought Sensei's plan was perfect. Do you think the sealing couldn't have done this?" Kakashi pleaded.

"We don't know what's wrong. By all rights he should be fine. This could be a temporary thing; or he could be blind his whole life; we don't know. I'll have Shinji on call for you. Day or night feel free to call on him should you need his services."

"Thank you lord Hokage." Turning towards the crib Kakashi removed his mask, the smile visible even through the cloth covering the lower half of his face.

"Hello little Naruto-chan. Would you like to be a Hatake?"

The babe gurgled in reply, his hands reaching for the silver haired teen. Picking the boy up Kakashi smiled as Naruto's little fingers wrapped themselves around one of his own. Stretching; Naruto managed to smack the silver-haired teen in his one good eye, Much to the mirth of the third Hokage.

"Oh yes, you'll fit in just fine little Naru-chan." The wizened leader finally lit his pipe, as the teen retreated with his new charge.

"I expect great things from you Naruto… And I know you won't disappoint." His words echoing in the rather large office.

The silence broken as his secretary burst in, a large stack of papers in her hands. Sarutobi sighed, the demon known as paperwork seemed content to try for a round two. Arming himself with the Hokage seal Sarutobi launched his attack.


End file.

Naruto, Adventure, Humor