Higure

Fidelity, n. A virtue peculiar to those who are about to be betrayed. - Ambrose Bierce

One forgives to the degree that one loves. - Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up. - James A. Baldwin

Chapter One:

長びくそれ: 木は感染した根を用心する

That Which Lingers: Tree's Beware the Tainted Roots

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

The sun was slowly rising when he opened his eyes for the first time in hours, long and arduous hours. He was weary and sluggish, but he sat up tall and looked out the window with all the sun loving energy he held and, in the most soft of voices he possessed, he sang a small, happy tune. Contentedly his eyes rested on the red, almost alizarin crimson star that was climbing steadily up the horizon.

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Naruto, happy birthday to me" He giggled, the laughter almost child like with its giddiness, as the one with saffron-chartreuse hair and blue-cyan kaleidoscope eyes lied back down on his swore, blood caked back and sighed, waiting for the daily torture to resume before, in very short time, he would be executed. After all, he was a traitor.

Two Months Earlier

"So wadda ya want, Team Konohamaru was not very happy when you had me yanked over here Tsunade-baa-chan, so is there any good reason for it? Not that I'm complaining…" The Kage addressed fumed and seriously contemplated throwing her desk out the window, or better yet at the genin in front of said desk, but knew she wouldn't get away with it.

"Damn Shizune, you just had to point out that the Kazekage requested Uzumaki specifically. Why'd he do that anyways? Never mind it doesn't matter" The elderly woman focused her gaze at Naruto, and then the few other gathered ninja that had been found and collected before him. This was going to be quite interesting.

"Sit down please Naruto and shut up. Shizune close the door please and thank you" The young secretary made her way back to her superiors side after doing as she was asked and the meeting officially began.

"Now a few lords of some small regions in our Country are attempting to have the Village Hidden in the Smoke instated as a government controlled Shinobi village. Now with us that's just fine, it's more so a military village then a ninja one. However it is now recognized as a war capable village that represents our country. As a war capable village it is now included in any treaties between this country and other Shinobi villages, as well as wars, so a new treaty is being signed. This new treaty is an update of an already existing one between us and the Sand, as well as this country, the Wave country, the Land of Tea and a few other small countries. It is being signed in the Land of Stone, under the current rule of the High Priest Akemi. The original treaty between us and Sand was in the Land of River, however due to certain circumstances the event has been moved to its current locus. Now we have already signed the scroll along with Smoke, the other countries will head to Stone to sign it; this includes the Kazekage and other village's heads. We will need representatives of Konoha to be present for the signing and each other country has the right to have one Shinobi of our village come and represent their relation to our village, it's more for show then anything. Each of you here has been requested by a certain village to represent our good relations. The reason for this is that the High Priest will sign as an uninfluenced witness that signs the treaty stating it was all signed in agreement, that there were no arguments between us and anyone else."

Tsunade paused to look at all the individual faces as she said this, and then nodded to Shizune at her side, who swiftly handed out Venetian red folders to each person, their names typed out in bold black letters on the tabs.

"Inside these folders are copies of the request letters from the village or country you will be representing our relationship with, as well as a list of people from that employer. It will tell you their status, nobility, royalty, Nin or otherwise as well as provide their photos, small summary and major points on each individual, how they will arrive and by what means. Now certain individuals will leave at different times, even those from the same country. Whichever one you are representing you must stay till all ambassadors have left, you must wait at least one day before you can make your return journey. If they ask you to come with them as an escort you must agree, if they ask you to come and visit or something of the likes you must politely decline the offer and say you have a list of missions waiting for you back at home that must be started for whatever reason. You all leave in one week so have your things ready, make any adjustments necessary to your wardrobe, appearance or anything you can think of seeing as you are going to be responsible for upholding Konohagakure, Kemurigakure and this country. SO IF ONE OF YOU MAKES SO MUCH AS ONE FUCKING MISTAKE YOU WILL BE SUSPENDED FROM DUTY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR! No get out" At this ninety percent present left in a hustled departure, the females first as they complained about hair, make-up and getting new kimono's, the men a little less hurried but not slow in the least as they wanted as far away from the tense Hokage as possible. Only Naruto stayed behind in the meeting room, his face etched with doubt and apprehension.

"Come here magomusuko" Naruto's head snapped up and he raced to Tsunade's side, kneeling down be her chair, looking up at her with ultramarine eyes. The unusual blue eye shade was one Tsunade did not welcome, as the next stage after happened to be indigo and meant that Naruto was close to his personal breaking point. The more troubled he was the bluer those gorgeous, innocent eyes became, the happier and calmer he was the more they went through various stages of cyan. Very few had noticed the phenomena of his eyes; those in a near constant metamorphose of shades, very few. But the small number who had had confided in one another the fear of it's meaning, and then gone to Tsunade in hopes she could discover the abnormality of the physical change. She had cried then, in a form of bittersweet joy, as she remembered Uzumaki Kushina and her queer, off beat type of eyes that did the exact same thing Naruto's were now doing. It had sent a pang of absolutely seducing reverie through her, as she longed to turn and see the red haired coy young woman standing beside her. Kushina had explained that it was a genetic trait that was rare in her family and meant the traces of a kekkei genkai that, if ever activated could result in the beholders ability to either devastate or be devastated by their new found power. It was not something that could be taught within the clan, seeing as it was highly personal, private and separate in the way it woke, grew and reacted. It had startled her when she had first seen the abilities, and had truthfully, positively terrified her that someone would find out and take the young girl away.

She had absolutely freaked out the ones present when she'd broken down like that, there was no way possible to describe it differently, but at the time she didn't care. She'd collected herself best as possible, assured everyone everything was fine and then ushered them out, demanding Naruto be sent to her the minute he was back from his latest mission and then went to wait in her office with the curtains shut and not a drop of sake present. She didn't need to wait long. He'd come in looking concerned. Eyes dark as they were now, but changing quickly as she, against the will of so many, told him the truth about his family, his heritage and what had been happening to him as of late when it came to his ever refashioning iris's. She'd never seen him so aghast but rapturous to know the truth as he asked question after question till the new hours of the morrow. The boy had cried, laughed, jumped about in either ecstatic joy or molten rage as she told him story after story that she knew of his mother and father, the experiences she had had with them or those retold to her, all to somehow appease a then tormented and fragile soul and somehow nurse it into a healthy, lovable state.

"He'd just been so broken lately, with all those failed retrieval missions, then Sasuke and Itachi being right in this village and then escaping. I had to do something. Look at him now, gods what I wouldn't give to tell Kushina and Minato how much he has changed in the past month since then. He is calmer, happier. He takes everything so much more seriously but still doesn't let much get to him; he wants to make up for all that he did to shame him and his heritage and then some. But it worries me that he is troubled by this assignment, perhaps he fears he will make a mistake and brings shame to himself again." Tsunade ushered Shizune out of the room as she stroked the blonde head lovingly and held on of his shaking hands, looking into his eyes and trying to convey anything that words would miss.

"Why are you so dithery all of a sudden? This could be precisely what you need to prove yourself and your abilities to people when it comes to your intelligence and intellect, as well as amazing insight into another's spirit. This is also very good practice if you ever want people to stop doubting you will be Rokudaime; after all a Kage must be a good ambassador, diplomat and politician if they want to survive the mental wars between enemies."

"I fear they won't much appreciate the changes, I know for a fact that many here are now intimidated by me, where as before they would simply scoff and think not a second thought on me." The slug princess shifted the head so it was in her lap, facing outwards to the entwined hands resting on her knees as she toyed with his silken hair in desultory fashion, loving the feel of it and his inhuman warmth as she did so.

"Those that were alive and old enough in your parent's days, and who happened to know enough about them, realize exactly who you are now. This makes them fear and then talk in order to expel their fear, which is slowly getting around and making them realize exactly how dangerous a game they've been playing by hurting, ignoring and belittling you all these years. They are now absurdly horrified by their actions and what you may do now because of them. Those that are to young have probably had something whispered to them that is now making them wonder if it is you or their parents which are at fault, and so are blaming both and making things much harder then need be.

Most likely none of the rookies or younger have been told anything, so no need to feel pressure there."

Naruto chuckled in a bitter manner and her hand flew to his shoulder, which she began to rub with a mild force. Since she had told him the truth Naruto had begun to cling to her, not in an over bearing, desperate way but merely in a way of needing the occasional form of comfort and peace that only one who told you the truth could give. Also in the way that only one you considered true family to give was also another factor. She had been close to Kushina, had considered her like a daughter much like she had Shizune. She'd also been a somewhat motherly figure to Minato on the occasion his own mother was anything but, so Naruto had taken her on as a true grandmother figure. Visiting, asking how she was, reaching out to her when either of them needed another to be there, telling her to watch her health and treating her, in his own little way, with much respect and adoration. They had become tightly affectionate, and she had not a single complaint about it. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she was truly necessary for a single individual's existence to be complete and perfect as could be. She felt loved unconditionally.

She slid down onto the floor beside him, making his head rest on her shoulder as she drew him close as possible, her arms wrapped around him firmly and she rocked him slightly and hummed a small lullaby Kushina had taught her, bringing the boy effectively to tears as he recognized it and went blissfully blank from his current problem and into a bittersweet state. It was so painful but so good to hear that song that his mother never had the chance to sing to him, being sung to him by someone that had become just as important. It renewed his passionate and potent necessity to over come the immense shadow of his fabled parents as well as do all that could have made them the most proud set a parents in history had they lived.

"Nothing wrong can come of this if you stay strong and true. Myself, Jiraiya and Shizune, we are all behind you on this one hundred percent. So are Kakashi and Iruka, they both know you'll be just fine, obviously a nervous wreck but fine" Naruto laughed and hugged her tight.

"Do you know the words to that song?" This time Tsunade laughed and started the song up again, best keep him happy for as long as possible.

"Futawo futa o
Taichi no futa ho
Kaze ho ira koo
Hikari abite

Hoshi wa matataki
Mochi wa kirameku
Fuwa fuwa fururi
Negai komete

Futa wo futa hoo
Sekai no futawo
Dokomade ikko
Sorawo aoite

Hitomo furunoe
Mushimo habataki
Fuwa fuwa fururi
Omoi nosete

Fuwa fuwa fururi
Ashita wa kitto
Fuwa fuwa kururin
Sorani todoku "

She didn't notice the tears falling from his eyes, glowing faint silver as they ran across his cheeks, and they dried before long before she let him go and prepare for his newest piece of work. She didn't notice. But the Roots guard just outside the door did, as he had watched the entire scene unfold, and he clenched his fists in disgust.