Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any Kishimoto's characters. But those in Naruto's family (wife & kids) are mine and possibly a few others... I haven't decided it I will add anymore random creations.
Hello all! I'm back! I know that it has taken me forever to begin this and I am sorry for the long wait. But I might as well let you all know up front… I don't know how regular the updates will be. I will do my best but I am just about to hit the 31 week mark in my pregnancy and well… I am working still and there is so much for me and my husband to get done before the birth. SO… no promises on this one readers. Sorry. I hope that you will stick it out with me.
But it's good to be back and I hope that you enjoy this. As always, I have a rough idea of where this is going but I am not 100% sure… so it could change and more than likely will. I hope you like and I hope that you will give me TONS of feed back! I will need it to stay motivated.
Please, read…review… and enjoy!
-laydee kai-
p.s. - There is a hint as to who the mysterious informant is… lemme know who you think it is. I am just curious! I don't know if I will tell you because it might ruin the whole story! Lol.
And for those who don't know: this is a continuation in a story line. If you look in my profile you will see the order in the other stories. It will make much more sense if you read the other stories first because they all tie into this one. Basically, this is like book four and it's been like five years since the end of A Son's Path and like right after A Medic's Path… I think. If you figure out something differently, let me know!
A Hokage's Path: The Downfall of Evil
Chapter One
In the dense cover of the forest that surrounded Konoha, a large bird cawed. The Hokage sat sternly on a fallen tree trunk. Naruto's blue eyes narrowed as he continued to listen to what was being explained. His cloaked informant quickly and quietly relayed all of the information that was known.
The blonde took a deep breath. "Are you sure?"
"Hai." The person spoke from behind their hood. "It will come to pass soon. We must act accordingly."
"Understood. I'll place the first stage of the plan in action. I will let those who need to know what you have shared with me. Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."
"The pleasure is all mine, Hokage-sama."
"Don't you start with me either," Naruto smirked.
"I'm sorry, I do not understand."
"I don't expect my friends to refer to me as Hokage, let alone Hokage-sama. You owe me no such title."
"Friends?" The informant questioned. Their head bobbed gently as they mulled over that morsel. The movement was just enough that as the dim light danced across their face, Naruto could see a very small smile tugging at the corners of their lips. "Maybe one day."
Naruto chuckled lightly. "I'd like that."
With a slight bow, the hidden person vanished from Naruto's sight. Naruto slid from his perch and stretched his long, lean limbs. He rolled his shoulders releasing the tension that was building. He pulled his hood over his blonde locks and started on his way home.
Naruto sighed as he saw the tops of the great gates of Konoha finally come into view. He was glad to be home. This journey had been more mentally taxing that he had thought. His informant had given him much to digest and much to prepare. The Akatsuki were on the move again and there was nothing that would stop them from knocking on his door now.
Although, the blonde was happy to be home, he was slightly put off when he felt a familiar chakra signature that seemed to be waiting for him at the check point. He could feel the annoyance seething from its owner. He rolled his blue eyes and pushed his hood free from his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose before speaking.
"Sakura, why are you waiting for me?"
"Why are you sneaking out of the village, alone?" She shot back.
"I didn't know that it was something that was forbidden."
The shortness in his tone caught her off guard. Sakura stopped in her tracks as she watched Naruto continue to walk past her. Her shoulders fell as she sighed. She jogged to catch up.
"Naru, what's wrong?"
"What would make you think that there is something wrong?" he asked.
"Well, for one… I know you well enough to know when there is something bothering you and then there is the fact that you did sneak out of the village."
"I'm the Hokage, I don't sneak. I don't have too. I simply… went for a walk." He corrected.
"Naruto, I would appreciate if you would treat me like you know I have a brain." she said, slightly offended.
He stopped and turned to his friend. His eyes searched her face. He knew that she wasn't stupid and that's why he wasn't all that thrilled when he realized that she was waiting for him. He had hoped that he would be able to think things through before he had to explain them to his trusted advisors. But now there was one of them - his medical advisor - standing in front him, demanding information from him in the middle of the road where anyone could over hear.
"Saku-chan," he softened, "I promise I will explain everything to you but now is not the time nor the place. Please use that big brain that I know you have." He replied with a small smirk.
Her eyes narrowed as he threw her own words back at her. She decided that it would be best to let it go now. He never seemed this tense normally even with certain events looming over the horizon. She nodded.
"I'm sorry for pushing."
He placed a hand on her shoulder as he spoke, "There is nothing for you to be sorry for. I know you are just as tense as I am. It's understandable. But give me some credit would you? I mean, I think I'm able to defend myself should I have too…" he shrugged before continuing, "Or would you like a little demo?"
She knew that Naruto was more than capable of fighting off just about anyone. But then again, she thought the same about her boyfriend, Gaara. It was thanks to Naruto and Granny Chiyo that he was still alive. Sakura stopped herself from going down that road again, it would not do her well to get upset over something that worked out in the end. She just hated that she was so far away from him in such tense times. But, orders were orders - she had to obey her Hokage.
She waved Naruto off after she pushed his hand free from her shoulder. She ran a hand through her pink locks and then placed it on her hip. "I don't think so. I mean, I really wouldn't have the time to heal you after I pounded you into the ground, Naru."
Naruto snorted. "Some things never change."
Sakura felt the breeze swirl around. In that moment it was peaceful and she could imagine that there was nothing wrong in the world. She closed her eyes and committed that moment of peace to her memory because she knew that it wouldn't last for forever. She opened her eyes. Her green eyes shimmered with sadness.
"But some things do." She replied.
"I know." he nodded. "Sometimes they just have too."
He pulled his friend into a hug. After placing a kiss on the very top of her head, he released her.
"I'm heading home for a bit, Saku. Please relay the message to the rest of my advisors, there will be a meeting in three hours."
"Hai, Hokage-sama."
Naruto just shook his head at her response. He just couldn't get his friends to not call him that. He walked off towards his house. The few that were waiting for him there gave him hope for the future.
As Naruto closed in on the Namikaze Estate, he could feel two hidden chakra signatures tailing him. This time he was not upset. He tried his hardest not to let on that he had found them. He even found it very difficult not to smile as he sent two invisible clones out into the trees to capture his stalkers.
The moment the clones had them, Naruto announced, "Gotcha!"
The two clones came into view, each dragging their own prisoner. They were almost identical but different at the same time. They were both clad in black ninja gear with black Leaf haite-ate . Only their bright blue eyes and some of their silvery blonde hair were visible.
Naruto walked up to the two black clad ninja. He eyed them from head to two as he beamed a huge smile. Seriousness then overtook his expression as he removed the black cloth that covered their faces.
"Kakashi taught you two better than that," he said disapprovingly. "When you are training, even just playing around with me, always give it your all."
"Awe, come on Dad!" The boy whined.
"Oh shut up Takeshi! I told you he would catch us unless we properly hid ourselves. But no… you wanted to mess around! We deserved to be caught." The girl chided her brother as she hung her head.
"You're such a suck up, Yuki." her brother shot back.
A light poof sounded behind Naruto. He didn't even bother to turn to see who it was. He shook his head.
"Some sensei you are… what have you been doing while you were supposed to be training my kids, Kakashi?" he joked.
Kakashi answered with his own question, "Had a nice walk, Naruto?"
Naruto turned to him with an arched eyebrow and let out a disapproving grunt. "Did they follow me too?"
"No. I made them stay here. Give me some credit, I'm not stupid."
"I would never say that you're stupid. Maybe… perverted… irresponsible…lazy… but never stupid." Naruto turned back to his kids as the clones vanished. "Please tell your mother that I am home, I'll be inside in just a minute."
They looked like they were about to argue with their father, but the look on his face told them that now was not a good time. The both disappeared in a whirl of mist and leaves. When Naruto was sure that they were gone, he turned to Kakashi.
"So what do you think of my informant?"
"Are you sure that getting information from him is the best possible way to handle this?" Kakashi asked as he put away his book.
"I knew that there would be problems if his identity was known. But I trust him. Obviously or I would have purposely brought you along."
"Why do you trust him so much?"
"Because I was shown the truth."
"The truth?"
"Hai, the truth. Not something that I am supposed to share, but in your case I will since you were being so nosey today."
"Nosey? Because I was concerned about your well being?"
"Kakashi don't make me laugh. You know better than to worry about me… you were just trying to find out who the informant was because I wouldn't tell you."
Kakashi was trying to think of something to say in response as he stared at his former student. "Well, not knowing who you were disappearing with was troubling."
"But you weren't worried about me."
"No, not really. I mean I was your sensei." he said smugly.
"And there was Daifu…" Naruto added as a jab.
Kakashi slouched briefly before pulling his book back out. "Hai, I'm sure he had a hand in training the great Rokudaime."
Naruto just smiled at Kakashi. He knew what Kakashi was trying to do. Naruto had made it abundantly clear that he didn't like when his friends called him anything formal. He had gone his whole life being looked down on and now it just felt odd, however, he took it in stride.
"So what's the first stage of this plan you two were talking about?" Kakashi asked.
"Do you not pay attention in any of the meetings that you have been to in the last few weeks?"
When he got to response from Kakashi he continued, "It's basically just letting the other Kage's know what going on. Taking the element of surprise away from them is the best thing we can do, at least for now."
"That's it?"
"What do you mean that's it? You've got a better idea?" Naruto shot back.
He and Kakashi started walking towards the Estate as they talked. The warm greeting in the wind welcomed them as they crossed the entrance and then it continued to dance through the foliage and flowers that coved the vast grounds. The Namikaze Estate had grown and flourished over the last eight odd years since Naruto had reclaimed it. It was now home to him and his family along with his godfather, Jiraiya and the retired Godaime, Tsunade.
"Can I move here too when I retire?" Kakashi questioned randomly.
Naruto inhaled a deep breath before answering, "I'm sure something could be arranged but you have your own estate. And that is neither here nor there at the moment. Could you please focus, Kakashi?"
"I guess you are right. I'm sorry for the comment about the first step in the plan. I mean, I know you are right. If they can't surprise us, it might make them pause a bit but it will also eliminate a higher body count if we are prepared in advance. I was just thinking that between the two of you, it would have been a little more flashy and complex."
"Why? The simplest plans are sometimes the best."
"What happened to the loud and flashy kid that use to be my student?" Kakashi joked.
Naruto cracked a smile, "For the most part, he grew up."
"You don't have me fooled… I know there is still a little of him there."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, he was way to obnoxious to grow up."
"Look here you old goat…" Naruto started.
"You know you two fight more like brothers than sensei and student." A voice said from behind them.
"Ex!" they both said in unison as they turned to face the voice.
In the door way to the house stood, Yuri, Naruto's wife. Time had been kind to her and she was aging very well. One would still mistake her for 18 instead of 26. Her silvery hair was knotted on the top of her head and she was covered in sweat and flower. She had a smile on her tanned face but the annoyance was still visible.
Naruto and Kakashi took in her appearance. Kakashi knew better than to say anything, it wasn't his place and Yuri always had a blade hidden on her persons at all times. She could be deadly when pushed. Naruto, however, had a pretty good idea why she was covered in flower. His face turned apologetic.
"The twins?" he asked.
"No, your twins… I'm not reclaiming them until I calm down." Yuri said through her teeth.
"What did they do?"
"Instead of using the door like normal kids, they just appeared right behind while I was cooking and decided that they should scare me while I was messing with flower. I just cleaned the damn kitchen too!"
"I'll talk to them, Yuri-chan." Naruto said immediately.
"You do that." She walked over to her husband and kissed him on the lips before turning back into the house muttering about having mini-Naruto's and how she felt bad for and would have to apologize to everyone that her and Naruto pulled pranks on when they were younger.
Naruto scratched the back of his head and turned to face a speechless Kakashi. "Still want to move here?"
"I was thinking of asking you if you wanted to move to my place." the silver haired man laughed in response.
"They'd just follow me." Naruto laughed with him. "But you know, I wouldn't change this for anything. They keep me on my toes."
"You have to be with Takeshi and Yuki otherwise bad things will happen to you." he shuddered. "They have so much more talent that you did at that age."
"I know, maybe it was a mistake training them so young." Naruto's head bobbed as he spoke. He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest, he filled his lungs with air and yelled, "Twins!"
"This is were I will take my leave." Kakashi said as he smirked under his mask. "I'll see you at the meeting."
"Okay, Kakashi. Please be on time, this is very important."
"Hai, I know. I'll surprise you by my promptness."
"If you want to be a smartass I will have Sakura come and fetch you."
Kakashi's eye narrowed at the threat. "No need, I'll be there."
Kakashi vanished from sight right as Takeshi and Yuki came around the corner. The both had huge smiles on their faces at the sight of their father. Their smiles fell when they saw the look on Naruto's face and the slight smudge of flower on his scowl.
"Takeshi, Yuki…let's go for a walk." He said tensely.
[End of Chapter]
Here are a few things that might help you all out…
Daifu means godfather and that's what Naruto calls Jiraiya normally.
Takeshi is the eldest of the twins and his name means unbending. Yuki means snow. The twins are like a combo of their parents both having similar traits to them. However, even though they are exceptional ninja, they love to pull pranks and mess with people, as you will see. As of now, they are about 7ish. (I had a time line somewhere and now I can't find it! Grr!)