Tale of A Golden Girl

Unexpected

After Naruto's visit to his office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood atop the Hokage's Tower, staring out over the blanket of night above his beloved village.

He was the God of Shinobi.

He was a genius.

He was the infamous and respected Third Hokage of Konoha.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi was also a human being.

That's why he stood watching his village all alone, with silent tears streaming out of his eyes.

He feared the future. He feared what he may have to watch be unleashed upon his village.

And most of all, he feared what kind of monster he would become to protect his village, as well as Naruto.

He was a legend, yes, but Hiruzen Sarutobi was also just a man.

"Hey Jiji, can you keep a secret?"

The ANBU didn't know what they should be doing. The little blonde girl with the regenerating arm had simply given their leader a secretive smile. She had pulled down her mask, so that everyone could see that smile. One too wise to be tilting the corners of lips belonging to one so young.

She had asked the Third, if he could keep a secret, after blatantly disrespecting him by referring to him as "grandpa". The Third had obviously seen through that smile, and recognized the request in those large blue gems.

"I need your help." The little girl had said, voice quiet and slightly sad.

The silent warriors noticed she took extra care when speaking, and recognized she probably suffered from some kind of speech impairment.

"I can't do it all on my own. I need you, Jiji."

The ANBU balked, but the Third had not looked the slightest bit ruffled at being called such a demeaning name, and simply rounded his desk, tan hands folded regally behind his back.

"And what is it exactly that you need from me, my dear girl?" He had asked, gliding elegantly across his office's carpet.

The little blonde smiled again.

"Pwease come here, and I'll show you."

The Third approached the small girl, until he stood looming over her slight form. The ANBU wondered how one so small could be unintimidated by a man hailed as a god among men, because the look in her eyes clearly showed she knew exactly who she was calling "grandpa".

The blonde spoke to the Third as if she had known him for years, as if they were old friends who had not met in a long time. It was startling, because she couldn't be older than five. Even Hatake's boy spoke to the Third with a small amount of awe in his dark eyes.

"Pwease, I can't weach you way up there."

The Hokage nodded, stunning his silent warriors stiff when he kneel-yes actually kneeled before a five year old little girl.

Their Hokage, was kneeling before someone.

"Cease."

The four agents halted the movements of their various blades, which they had been moving to pierce the small blonde when she reached out to touch their leader with her one good hand. The other, was a grotesque mass of chakra pulsing muscle and tendons, every so often, the limb would drip blood onto the Hokage's carpet, but the slightly graying man didn't seem concerned with that, nor the fact that the child had forced an almost entirely missing limb to regrow.

Her tiny, (not bloodied) hand, gently stroked the side of the Kage's cheek, and the ANBU were forced to watch, as they had been ordered to stop moving. Two chakra arms glowing like the sun spilled from the little girl's back, and curved around, taking a gentle hold on either side of Sarutobi Hiruzen's face. The child leaned down, until their foreheads connected softly.