Naruto, The Art of Betrayal.
Sometime after Jiraiya's death, and the encounter between the last standing Uchihas, the Village of Konoha returns to a time of peace. The air seemed fresh, and woodland creatures began to visit this once high and mighty village as they once did. The village of the leaf returns to its high point above all other villages, but with the loss of so many lives... It returns with broken spirits, and empty vessels.
Clouds soared above this village, much like they did before the time of war. Shinobi and villagers alike carried on with meaningless words of greeting and conversation with each other. Fake smiles lay embedded into their face, as if only happiness filled their tormented souls. They could only wish that things were as they appeared. They could only hope that soon their pain would heal. So many loved ones were lost. The village was filled with unfamiliar faces, and soundless introductions.
Tsunade thought this as she stared upon the village of Konoha beneath her. Her mind ravaged over and over on her own failures and regrets. No one remained that really loved her for who she was. To everyone in the village, she was simply seen as 'Hokage-sama'. The leader of the village. It was as if no love was left for her, none was given, and none was recieved, not since Jiraiya's death.
--
"MORNING!" Naruto laughed playfully as the guard at the gate entrance jumped in surprised. He rubbed his head annoyingly, and returned Naruto's awaking greeting with a small wave and smile. "Naruto... hm..." The guard thought for a moment, until he witnessed the other members of Naruto's arsenal walk through slowly as well. The guard jumped up in salute. "Oh, Naruto! Kakashi-sempai! Everyone! You guys finally made it back!" Small laughs eroded from the group. Even Hinata stood behind with a small smile. Naruto nodded quickly and hopped passed the guard.
"Yeah yeah, of course we made it back! What'd you expect-Dattebayou!?" Naruto remarked as he walked in toward the village. The air was alive and fresh, he could smell the sense of peace and tranquility. The sense of new hope for the future, and relinquished bonds from the past. Naruto smiled.
"Alright, come on. We need to see the Hokage soon..." Kakashi sighed. As he had guessed, Naruto was just as excited and rambunctious as the old days. He could hardly take any more of it. Baby-sitting was hard enough when they were just kids...
"Awe, come on Kakashi sensei, don't be such a downer." Sakura laughed.
"Hey Kakaaashiiii," Naruto slid close to his sensei and revealed a small book entitled "Icha Icha Paradise". Kakashi's eye followed it silently. "Pervy sage isn't around anymore, but in his memory, I promised to continue writing what he started... It's just as good, and it's the new edition you know!"
Kakashi soon snatched the book and leapt off into the tree tops, leaving the genin to themselves. Naruto turned to Sakura and smiled.
"Naruto, he's right you know. We should really be seeing the Hokage." She wanted to sound official, but a smile surfaced on her face all the same. Naruto nodded and soon led the way.
"I know, I just didn't want 'him' to tag along and take all the credit!"
--
"I'm sorry, the Hokage is away at the moment."
Shizune's voice could be heard from down the hall. Naruto gritted his teeth annoyingly at these words. By this time, he was looking forward to seeing Grandma Tsunade from being away for so long. Her sparkly, yet scary smile always seemed to brighten his day. Sakura laughed and thanked Shizune, soon making her way out of the hall and toward the hospital. Naruto stayed behind.
"S-shizune. If Grandma Tsunade isn't ihere/i, then where else could she be?" Shizune stuttered slightly and began avoiding eye contact. Naruto closed to gap between them and eyed her suspiciously.
"I-i'm not allowed to release that kind of information..."
He could hear it in her voice. She knew, and she would tell him with just a little interrogation. Naruto soon smiled slyfully.
--
Naruto made his way up the tower of steps exhuastingly. He couldn't tell so much if Shizune had lied about Tsunade's location, but there was only one way to find out. He soon came to a door, with a small light gleaming behind it. Naruto rushed at it with excitement, and soon threw it open.
"Grandma Tsunade!"
Naruto yelled excitedly. He soon stopped however, staring at the dreadful scene before him. "Grand-ma... Tsunade?"
Tsunade looked back at him slowly. Her face held a dead expression. He could see wrinkles lining what used to be a happy smile, or scornful sneer. She looked different, older... Tsunade's glance lowered to the floor.
"T-tsunade.. What are you doing on the roof, of the Hokage tower?" Naruto asked almost cautiously. Tsunade turned around once more to stare down at the village. Leaves filled the sky below. It seemed so alive, so vivid, and yet she was withering away. Tsunade sighed slightly.
"...Jiraiya... Was the only one who cared for me, the way I needed."
Naruto wore a slightly confused, yet serious expression. iWhy is Grandma Tsunade talking like this? Does she miss toad sage that much...?/i Naruto gave a soft smile and scratched the back of his head.
"H-he died doing his duty! He lived a good life and died a happy man. I'm sure he wouldn't want you to feel this way, right?"
Tsunade remained silent. Soon enough however, her voice came out in a rasp.
"Naruto, you manage to make everyone feel better. You manage to get everyone to believe the same thing about you. Your face, your eyes, your ambition. It drives the people you come in contact with, and makes their opinions change. You make us feel, good..."
Naruto tilted his head slightly in confusion. He hardly knew what she was talking about. He began wondering if she was drunk... Until her final words came out in what seemed like only a whisper.
"But this time... It won't work."
Naruto's eyes widened as Tsunade's body leaned forward. Her balance was soon lost, and her lack of control became relevant. She let herself fall over the edge of the building in which she ruled... With only one word filling her mind. "Lost".
Naruto ran forward desperately yelling her name. Her ears didn't regester however, and she simply stared toward the ground in which she rapidly approached. Her mind was blank, tears fell from her eyes, but she no longer felt the pain. Tsunade smiled almost sadistically.
"Grandma Tsunade!" Naruto easily leapt over the edge after her, throwing his hands together in a quick successful hand sign. The wind through his hair, blowing into his ears startled him. A fear like no other began washing over him as he waited for the jutsu to activate. It was as if his chakra didn't work, until finally.
"Kage Bunshin No Jutsuuu! (Shadow clone technique)"
Several explosions of smog soon piled through the air. It formed a chain, until finally a pair of hands launched from the smoke to grab Naruto's ankles drastically. Naruto reached to his limits as he fell with Tsunade. He could just barely touch Tsunade's foot, but he could tell she was already dying. He needed to go faster, more weight, more power, more force! It was no use.
The chain of clones soon ended and Naruto's fall came to an abrubt halt. His face feircely collided into the side of the building. That however didn't stop him from glance back down at Tsunade's descending body. A small tag flickered widly in the breeze on Tsunade's ankle, before she looked up at Naruto with one final fairwell... It was an explosion tag.
A large boom rang through the village, cratering the side of the Hokage tower. Naruto covered his face desperately from the wind and force of the blast. His chain of clones bursted instantly in the shockwave of the explosion, as he strained to try and keep his posture. He would have fell then and there, if it were not for the force of the blast thrusting him further into the air.
"T-tsunade... sama..." Naruto uttered through the sheer force of the wind. That's all that could escape, before all went black.
--
Footsteps clacked rythmically down the hall from opposing sides. The Hokage door room had been securely shut and locked, and no one had approached it for weeks. There was much chaos insuing in the village of Konoha, and something had to be done about the 'traitor' that assassinated the Hokage.
Two figures could be seen approaching from either sides of the door. Their open toe'd sandles clacking loudly in the otherwise empty hallway. They made silent eye contact, before turning to open the door to the Hokage's office.
"Ah, you made it..."
Shizune's voice was heard as they entered. She could be seen sitting in the Hokage's seat, cradling her pig softly. Shizune had been demoted since the Hokage's assassination, and was now only thought of as a has-been. The only time she could visit the office of the Kage was when she felt she could sneak in. She was certain that there was something more to the story of the Hokage's death.
"Thanks for coming... I'll get straight to the point." She sighed wearily. The two Chunin listened with close intent, gathering as much information as possible from Shizune's disposition.
"As you both know, The Hokage was killed, and by one of our own no less. I've been shunned from the village for letting the traitor confront the Hokage, and have no authority over any of you... So you can leave, at any time during this request, if you ever feel the need to..." She reminded. She cradled her pig a little harder, bringing a soft low 'oink' from the treasured pet of hers.
"Shikamaru... Neji... I don't think Naruto killed the Hokage."
Neji spoke up smugly at this statement, almost concerned for her own well-being.
"Shizune. You and I both know there is no other explanation. Naruto is unstable, the Kyuubi resides within him. You've seen the results. With so much going on, I wouldn't doubt that he managed to-"
Shizune soon slammed her hand on the table in interuption. Tears were now forming in her eyes, and you could tell that she wasn't as she used to be. Things had changed with her, and she almost seemed like a different person entirely. Shikamaru squinted.
"Please! If you just believe me for one second, I could make sense of this entire aligation!" She switched glances from Shikamaru to Neji, waiting for their reply.
A reply never came.
"Listen you two... I'm not just some witch doctor who may have a completely wild view on the situation. I was the hokage's advisor, and still am! I believe that, the Hokage is still alive! And Naruto wasn't responsible for anyone's death!" She shouted after a few seconds of silence. Shikamaru smirked, placing his hand on his chin in thought.
"You expect us to believe that the Hokage is still alive...?" He looked at Neji for a second, putting himself in Shizune's position. If she was believe in such an assumption, it would give her more power, give her the control she must be craving after being banished from the village. He could tell that she didn't even believe herself.
"Alright... I guess, at the same time I can't believe that 'Naruto' would be able to take out the Hokage, especially with no one hearing or seeing anything. Except for the explosion of course. There are too many holes in your story to believe it however, and it all seems like a wild troublesome goosechase to believe such a story. I don't know about you Neji, but I'm outta here." Shikamaru soon turned for the door, his shadow shimmering slightly behind him.
"Wait." Neji's voice soon halted Shikamaru in his tracks.
"Let's face it, Naruto is a very unstable threat to the village, and something like this was probably bound to happen. But on the off chance that it didn't... Can you give any sound evidence that may prove Naruto's innocence?" Neji traced his glance back at Shizune, who soon threw her eyes to the floor.
The room was dark, and began to feel lonely. She couldn't honestly dig up proof of Naruto's innocence, and she even soon admitted to herself, that she had been lying to them, and to her own consciousness this entire time. Deep inside her, she believed that Naruto had killed the Hokage, but didn't want to admit it. She'd have to be honest, to keep these two chunin's trust.
Shizune sighed.
"I can't, honestly say that I have any proof. It's more of a... gut feeling I guess. I'm not sure what happened to be honest with you. I was hoping, you two could figure that out." Her voice was low, but direct. Shikamaru turned around once more, and placed his hand on his chin.
A smile formed over his face.
"You're really being a drag, you know that Shizune? Now I'm forced to believe what you're telling me... And I guess, for Naruto's sake, I could give it a shot." Shikamaru soon turned to Neji with a cocky smile.
"After all Neji, we owe him... don't we?"
Neji sighed. Apparently, it was unanimous.
"Thank you Shikamaru... Neji..."
--
"His mind seems to be stabalizing."
"His wounds are beginning to heal."
"He's coming back to life..."
"Naruto..."
Small mumbles and muffled voices could be heard through the blackness of his mind. A large ringing fluttered in his ears, and soon he could hear again. His lungs could be felt, rising inside of his chest, filling with air for the first time in weeks. His senses were back online, he could feel his own skin, and the pain that his body was in. His brain began to think, his heart began to beat, and his eyes began to open...
"Naruto."
A combination of red and orange lights filled Naruto's mind. He could now feel the restraints locking his body to a chair. He could feel parts of his body that he couldn't feel before. His lungs heaved out as he took the first real breath since a few weeks ago. His eyes cleared.
"W-what... Where am I?!"
He could see three Anbu standing over him, staring at him as he awoke.
"What's going on, damnit!" Naruto soon yelled. He struggled in his chains, and kicked his restrained feet. It felt as if he had been sleeping for years.
"Naruto, if it had not been for the excessive workings of our best medical team, and the power of the Kyuubi that resides within you, you would have died. You came an inch away from complete death, and you even needed to be killed, in order to be saved. You're lucky the operation was a success..."
"And so are we."
Naruto watched silently as the Anbu turned around and grabbed something off of the desk behind him. He squinted as a small tag was placed on his forehead.
It dangled infront of his eyes, revealing itself to be an exploding note.
"H-h-hey...! W-what're you doing, p-please... dattebayou..." He stuttered as he watched it sizzle.
"The tag will burn slowly, but if you aren't done anwsering our question by the time it reaches its end, we won't put it out."
Naruto looked left and right, suddenly aware that he was somewhere far underground. They almost seemed to be in a cave, red light dimming the area as if this was the last place he'd ever get to see.
"You killed the Hokage, did you not...?"
--
Shikamaru covered his eyes from the staring sun with anguish. It was an unusually hot day, for being in the middle of a forest. Neji sat somewhere near by, contemplating their next step.
"This is completely ridiculuous... It was... simply Naruto's fate to end up in this position. The Kyuubi being sealed in his body ensured that he would lose control one day, thus attacking he even holds close to his heart. You and I are both aware of this, and I have other things to do than chase after something we only 'wish' were true." Neji implied harshly. His eyes were tracing the skies, counting just how much persparation littered the forest wind.
Shikamaru laughed slightly. He had figured the same thing, but at the same time, doubted that there was not more to it. There always was. They had only a few options to go with, that would most likely lead to dead ends. It was as if they were wasting their time.
"S-shikamaru...!"
Shikamaru didn't bother to look. He was beginning to fall asleep in the comfort of the sun's rays. The voice that said his name however sounded different, almost as if it didn't belong to Neji.
"Well well, Sand Shinobi..." Neji soon scoffed.
Shikamaru's eyes shot open, bringing his mind on one subject. He soon turned around and sat up, staring at the beauty he had hopped for.
"T-temari!"
She smiled slightly back at him, but with closer examination, she was no where near happy. Suddenly enough, she threw her arms around Shikamaru in an embrace. Shikamaru stuttered, at a complete loss of what to say. She was crying.
"G-gaara... Konkuro...!" She stammered. Her face was burried in Shikamaru's shoulder, thus muffling her words. Shikamaru rose an eye brow, confused beyond his own understanding.
"W-what happened?" Neji questioned.
"The... Kazekage."
She struggled to regain her composure. You could tell she had been running from someone, or something. You could tell she didn't stop, all the way from the hidden sand village itself. She stammered once more, before backing away from Shikamaru's embrace.
"The kazekage, and Konkuro... Have been assassinated...!"
--
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
Naruto could hardly recall what had happened on the roof of the Hokage tower, but one thing was for certain.
"I did inot/i assassinate granny Tsunade!"
The Anbu shook their heads. It was apparent that this entire interrogation would take longer than first presumed. The tag fizzled silently, revealing their lack of time in the situation. They had to gain information, and they had to gain it fast.
"Perhaps he has amnesia?"
"No. No signs indicate anything of the sort, his mind was compeltely unaltered except for the shock. There's no way his memories are lost unless he's repressing them." The first Anbu soon turned to Naruto with a scowl under his mask.
"Tell us then, what happened exactly on top of the tower?"
Naruto scowled. "What does it matter?! You won't believe me anyway. All I can tell you, is that I didn't kill grandma Tsunade! You have to believe me!" He struggled in his chains as he yelled. It was unbelievable. He was betrayed yet again by Konoha, looked at as an outcast that would 'kill the Hokage'. He was being looked at as a monster.
Naruto struggled desperately in his chains.
"Why are you keeping me locked up like this!? I'm not a zoo animal for display... Let me out!"
The Anbu could hardly get another question in with his frantic screaming and struggling. Only one option was being left to them, and they soon began considering it.
"We're going to put you to sleep... In your sleep, you'll reveal exactly what happened on the Hokage tower. It won't hurt, please be still."
Naruto remembered this instantly. The last time they had put him to sleep, he couldn't remember what had happened for weeks. It was as if his mind was turned to mush. He yelled louder than ever. His tempers were rising, and his chakra was flaring. He was beginning to lose control of his own body.
"I'm not an animal! Why the hell won't you believe me?!" Whiskers soon sprouted from his face, and chakra began to flare. Luckily enough, the Anbu prepared for such an occasion.
"There's one tail... You know what to do..."
The other Anbu nodded. Soon another tail flopped in the form of bubbling chakra. The energy rates were increasing at an astonishing level.
"T-there's two tails now, what-"
Another tail sprouted.
"Three"
"No four!"
Naruto jumbled frantically in his restraints. The chains began burning, melting and breaking under the pressure. Naruto's eyes began changing, his skin began peeling. His teeth became sharper as the Anbu could only watch.
"What're we supposed to do in ithis/i situation... Only Kakashi knows how to contain this!"
"No Yomoko does!"
"No it's-"
The chains soon burst from around Naruto at an astonishing speed. Naruto still held sanity, but his anger had risen high enough for him to attack all the same. His hands quickly formed a handseal, as he stared the three Anbu down with murderous intent.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Soon five clones exploded around the Anbu, surrounding them. Each held the appearance of the Kyuubi, four tails fluttering wildly behind them. Thew Anbu rose and withdrew their kunai, ready to fend back this wild nonesense.
The clones soon charged in. Clone number one leapt through the air, only to be sliced open in the stomach by the swift actions of the third Anbu. He ran toward the next, as two more clones rushed toward the first and second Anbu.
The actions were feirce. Naruto could only watch as the Anbu quickly shifted their bodies behind and under the Naruto clones, leaving a trail of sliced skin in their trails. The clones soon bursted, leaving Naruto and a clone to stare at their opponents.
"Rasengan...!"
Naruto soon bent down as the clone worked to create a small ball of chakra. The clone bursted immediately as the Rasengan was formed. He soon thrusted himself forward blindly aiming at any Anbu member he'd be fortunate enough to hit.
From outside, an explosion could be seen erupting from the ground. Naruto's Rasengan flew through the air and soon died down, missing his target's completely.
The Anbu stood silently behind him, holding a kunai securely to his neck. Naruto's chakra had been severely stunted from his time in the hospital, that much was now apparent. Naruto's tails soon withered down to nothing, as he began to lose consciousness.
"Naruto..." One of the Anbu spoke up.
"Is this the murderous intent you used against our lord Hokage? You've anwsered all of our questions."
The explosion note fizzled to the last point.
It was a dud.
--
"What's going on... First the Hokage and now the Kazekage... Something's happening, and it has nothing to do with Naruto..." Shikamaru concluded. Shizune was right, something had happened to the Hokage, but chances were it was the same thing that happened to the Kazekage. and Naruto was no where near the Kazekage. There was finally evidence of Naruto's innocence.
"Yes, but how can we prove it. We need more evidence than this to prove Naruto as innocent." Neji deducted. Shikamaru chuckled.
"You're right, it'd be a drag if our idea was shot down just because of lack of evidence. There has to be a way."
"We'll have to work fast." Neji started... "Chances are, if they decide that Naruto was the one, they'll most likely be planning his execution."
Temari sat on a nearby branch, listening to the conversation silently. She normally wasn't this shaken up, but with what she had saw, her emotions were running high lately.
"I think I know..." Temari spoke up. Neji and Shikamaru glanced at her silently. Her gaze was cast toward the ground.
"I know what's going on. I... don't think... The Hokage or the Kazekage, are dead..."
Shikamaru and Neji wore a somewhat, shocked expression. It was just as Shizune had told them. Was there something they were missing?
"I think I know what you're talking about." Shikamaru sighed. He had deducted the entire scenario in his mind, but couldn't believe it enough to actually say it.
"But if that's the case, we're running out of time. We need to move, now...!"
AU: So there it is, the beginning of something totally new. I hope I can give enough to this story that will make any audience I may have return; but oh well if I can't right? I just suck! -Just kidding. I'm good; better than all of ya -