~ Copyright to Masashi Kishimoto ~
Tsunade blew away her blonde bangs as she rubbed her tired eyes with a ragged sigh. Sorting out and signing off missions whilst occupying boring meetings with the senior council members were only the start of her eventful yet boring day. Why did I even bother to accept being Hokage in the first place... she thought to herself, eyeing the sake hidden in her special drawer to her side.
Tsunade looked up and over her hunched shoulders and out towards the large windows that looked out over the Hidden Leaf Village, Kohonakure. Her village, the one she vowed to protect as long as she is alive and still the Hokage. Looking up to the Kohona Mountains the past Hokages stared back down at her with permanent serious expressions.
A sharp knock came from her large double doors of her office in front of her. She jumped slightly and tidied herself up slightly, smoothing out creases in her clothes and fixing her hair up.
"Come in..." Tsunade called out.
~~~
Sakura looked to her left at Naruto, beside her, running through the tree tops of the forest. Colours blurred on each side of her. We're finally on our way back to Kohona. He's been terribly quiet since last night though... I hope he is okay… Sakura thought to herself.
The blonde weaved through the tree tops with ease. Not a single word had been spoken since Kakashi told them that they should get going earlier that morning.
"Naruto... what's wrong?" Sakura finally said, breaking the silence between the three, "being quiet isn't really like you…"
"It's nothing Sakura, I'm just thinking" Naruto called back to Sakura. He ran faster to catch up to Kakashi, whom was leading the way, Naruto didn't want to explain to Sakura what was going through his mind, especially if it were to mean to explain the nine- tails that resided within him. For some reason he preferred if the pinkette wouldn't know full stop and just let it be.
That isn't like you either… she mumbled to herself, away from the blondes hearing range.
The fox's eyes seemed to keep showing up in Naruto's mind. The sound of its growl when he stroked his fur. His movements and aura of the animal child were all so mysterious to him. What did truly happen back there?
Naruto also wondered where he went off to. Yeah me too... came a raspy yet deep voice from the back of his mind. Blonde brows furrowed at the sound, shut up 'ya old fox... the larger fox in the form of a spirit just mumbled and growled in return, but didn't say another word and seemed to go back to sleep.
"Are you sure Naruto?" Sakura yelled out again, concern deep in her voice, "you can tell me anything you know."
"I know Sakura, trust me okay? It's nothing," Naruto turned his head back towards Sakura again, giving her a goofy smile while cocking his head to the side and giving a thumbs up, Gai Sensei and Rock Lee style.
It seemed to convince Sakura slightly, but something about the stance just didn't seem right, "Bu..." she started to complain but Kakashi quickly interrupted...
"Kohonakure is close now. We should get there in about five to ten minutes, that's if we pick up speed though." He said looking backwards to the teenage ninjas, rolling his visible eye.
Sakura kept quiet and continued to run ahead to Kohona, glancing at Naruto now and again from the corner of her emerald eyes. He seemed to be deep in thought throughout the rest of the trip however, oblivious to the girl beside him.
~~~
"Come in..." called Tsunade from the inside of the Hokage's office.
Naruto sighed as he opened the double doors. Kakashi and Sakura followed behind him. As a law in Kohona they had to report their missions the Hokage as soon as they set foot into the village. By either verbally, as they usually do, or to be written as in format that of a summary. It was apparently very crucial to the Fifth Hokage, or so the elder council members had advised her. Naruto rolled his eyes at the thought.
"So was the mission to Sunakure successful?" asked Tsunade, casually, intertwining her fingers in front of her as she looked through her thin bangs.
"It was indeed, My Lady Hokage," Kakashi answered for the group, saluting, his past ANBU actions showing, "it was however tiring as it was such a long journey but overall the mission was a success. We gave Lord Kazekage, Gaara, the message and parcel as needed, and he gives his thanks and regards."
"Very good team Kakashi, you did well," the Fifth praised the group, nodding. Kakashi then passed over his notes and a letter for her. She seems to enjoy taking her sweet time… old hag… thought the male blonde.
Naruto dropped his gaze uncomfortably down at his feet. Would it be a good or bad thing to tell her of the fox and what happened? But Sakura is right beside me, I can't say that if front of her, she'd want an explanation as to why, and I can't give her that. jIt just didn't feel right to him, he couldn't bring himself to. He didn't understand why, but something inside of him told him not to tell her, and especially not in front of Sakura... No, don't tell the old hag, it's our business, keep it a secret... Kuuybi growled in the back of his mind, listening in to Naruto's scrambled thoughts. Naruto agreed, for once he had a valid point. So I don't think I'll tell her what happened... at least not yet anyway.
He looked over to his right at Kakashi, he caught his eye and quickly shook his head slightly to indicate his decision. Kakashi calmly placed his gaze back over to Tsunade and continued to talk to her. He understood. Naruto looked to his left, he searched green eyes with his blue, they caught each other in an instant and Naruto repeated what he did to Kakashi. After a few minutes of eyebrows furrowing Sakura etched her head slightly to the side in a lopsided nod and immediately looked back to Tsunade as well.
After Kakashi finally finished explaining what happened on the mission to the fifth (leaving out the about the fox cub, as promised) he bowed with respect. The blonde and pink haired girl repeated Kakashi's movement and the three exchanged bye's with the Hokage and with a roll on their heels they left the room silently.
Outside of the Hokage's majestic building, Sakura flippantly turned to Naruto with her arms crossed. Pink eyebrows were still furrowed together, and wore confused yet concerned expression.
"What happened there Naruto, why don't you want us to tell the fifth what happened?" asked Kakashi.
"I'm not sure sensei, but it just doesn't seem right to me," Naruto answered, awkwardly, he knew this would've happened, having to explain it to them.
"You should tell her Naruto." Sakura stated simply.
Naruto just shook his head and looked away, for once actually opposing from his usual bubbly characteristics. Kakashi murmured something about saving an old woman and her cat and disappeared in a poof. Naruto and Sakura rolled their eyes, exchanged goodbyes and walked opposite directions to their apartments.