Fourth Hokage and Son

A Look

The previous Third Hokage was a man of age, far into his years of life and experience, but having lived a life of success and happiness. Even at his age he had an active political career as he still advised the current Hokage and stood on the council. With this continued career he often had to visit the Hokage tower, which usually gave him the perfect opportunity to indulge in his favorite pastime with a certain young blonde.

Naruto sat across from him, elbows resting on his knees as he stared at the shogi board between them. Lord Third was at a rare moment of indecision, contemplating his next move as his opponent sat before him patiently waiting with a smirk on his face.

Taking a breath, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to enter into a conversation with the sole purpose of making his opponent uncomfortable. "So... one week until final exams. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." There was no hesitation from Naruto, he knew where he stood, his feet firm in the reality of his situation.

"What about that clone jutsu? How's that coming along?" Hiruzen almost let a smile slip as Naruto stiffened slightly before regaining his composure.

"No. It isn't coming along."

"Oh?" The tone of the old man was higher than before, feigning ignorance, irking Naruto.

"Yes, my father says it's because my chakra flow isn't fully developed, Iruka says it's because the jutsu is externally based wherein chakra is pushed outside the bounds of the body, Jiraiya says I need more practice, and every other student in class just snickers when I can't do it!" Naruto huffs, growing frustrated. As he speaks, Hiruzen finally takes his turn on the board, but Naruto immediately follows suit without hesitation.

Blinking away his confusion as it turns to agitation, Hiruzen looks at the board, studying it intently as he continues on with the conversation, "Have you looked at the-"

"I've looked at everything! The jutsu written out, the Second Hokage's personal journals at the time he was making the jutsu, the revision process of the jutsu, watched people perform it over and over again, and I even looked at cousin jutsus from the other nations!"

"But have you looked at the Forbidden Scrolls?"

There was a pause in the conversation as Hiruzen made a move once again and Naruto took his turn. "No, I have not. My father has threatened several times that if I touch the Forbidden Scrolls the tombs will be sealed up by him personally and I can consider myself permanently grounded."

With a sigh, Hiruzen abandons the game before them. Standing, he makes his way to the door as he motions for Naruto to follow him. "Come with me."

"You sure you don't wanna stay and finish loosing?" Naruto asks as he too stands and follows the old man out of the room.

They wound their way through the familiar hallways, down the stairs, to the darkened chambers beneath the tower away from unwanted eyes. The unoiled creak of hinges sounded as Hiruzen opened the door to Naruto's favorite haven, the smell of old scrolls and dried ink wafting into their lungs as they stepped into the tombs. Motioning to the boy, Naruto took his usual seat on the lone stool at the island table in the middle of the room, wood worn on both the stool and table from long hours as Naruto studied.

Walking away from the room's usual inhabitant, Hiruzen slowly approached the more secluded part of the tombs. Passing shelves upon shelves of scrolls and artifacts, eyes straining as the lighting became dimmer, until he approached the far wall. A large seal was etched into the stone, a warning to intruders but not a deterrent to those like Hiruzen, who had an extensive understanding of sealing jutsus. Looking at it now, he realized that this seal was indeed of Minato's own creation but would take no time for the likes of Naruto to figure out how to open. Smiling, the old man came to the conclusion that this seal was it's own test, one to gauge the severity of Naruto's curiosity and respect for authority. And so far it had been left untouched.

Hiruzen made quick work of unlocking the seal to reveal a final wall of shelves containing rare and dangerous artifacts. In the middle was a large cut out in the cement holding the forbidden scroll of jutsus only the Hokages were permitted review and keep under their care. Removing the scroll, Hiruzen cradled it in his arms as he redid the seal and then made his way back to Naruto. Setting the scroll in front of the boy, he slowly unrolled it's contents until the proper jutsu was at attention.

"Take a look at this, I have a feeling it will help."

"But-" Naruto spoke but his eyes had already settled on the jutsu and were reading over its contents instinctually as he satisfied his curiosity.

"If your father asks, you never touched it." Hiruzen smirked.

A/N: I am so late, sorry. It's been a long but busy month. Hopefully things will settle down  now that my job training is over and school is about to start. I hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know what you think!