A Strange Shadow
Four Weeks Later
"This is an outrage!" Koharu Utatane yelled she and her partner Homura Mitokado were the only two members that were a part of the Konoha council and they were now arguing with Tsunade about the return of Sasuke Uchiha.
Tsunade sighed "I knew you were gonna act like this the moment i told you, look we owe both Sasuke and Naruto for what they did in the war." Tsunade explained "If it weren't for them we probably wouldn't have one!"
"That Uchiha is bad news!" Homura said "He claims that he is only returning to rebuild the Uchiha clan, however how do we know that thats true!?"
"Homura is correct!" Koharu said " He could be plotting to destroy the village from the inside!"
"Oh would you two stop with you idiocy!?" Tsunade yelled "Once again you both lack faith! Yes i know Sasuke has committed heinous crimes but as of right now we have to give him a chance, if he wanted to attack he could have possibly done it by now!"
"How do you know that!?" Koharu argued
"How do you know he'll destroy Konoha!?" Tsunade shot back
"Because he will become just like Madara and Itachi!" Homura replied
"That is where your wrong." A voice said from behind Tsunade, Tsunade quickly turned to see Kakashi "Hello."
"Kakashi Hatake." Koharu said
"Let us not forget that the entire reason for Sasuke's hatred toward the people of Konoha is because, you two along with Danzo ordered Itachi to wipe out the Uchiha clan." Kakashi said
"H-how did you-" Homura was cut off when he heard the door opened behind him and Koharu
"I told him." Sasuke said as he glared at the two council members
"Ah..." Koharu said as she looked at Sasuke in terror
"Hmph...So these are the two other council members?" Sasuke asked
Kakashi nodded "Yes...Say what you have to say Sasuke."
Sasuke looked at the council members "...You ordered my brother to wipe out our clan in fear of a war...If i had met you while i was with the Akatsuki i would kill you on the spot without remorse." He said "However, i'm not the old me...So i will not kill you, however i must warn you i don't take kindly with being toyed with..Just saying."
The council members looked at Sasuke as he then left the room "I think he's starting to warm up to you two." Kakashi said as he smiled
"T-that's not funny Hatake!" Koharu yelled
Homura sighed "Koharu...I don't think we can change their minds..." He said in defeat
Koharu looked at Homura and then at Tsunade "Fine...You win Tsunade.." Koharu said as she turned around and left with Homura
Tsunade sighed in relief "Thank you..." She said
"Don't mention it...They owe Sasuke for what they have done to him." Kakashi said "Anyways..I'm gonna go check on Mitarashi and see how shes holding up."
Kakashi then left leaving Tsunade to look out the window and sigh happily "Peace at last..."
Meanwhile at Ramen Ichiraku
"Another bowl please!" Naruto said as he finished his third bowel.
"Don't you think you've had enough?" Iruka asked
"Nope!"Naruto said
Iruka sighed as Ayame brought more Ramen to Naruto and he began eating "So whats going on with you and Hinata?"
Naruto stopped eating "Hm?" He asked with his mouth full
Iruka sighed "Well after what happened with War..."
Naruto quickly realized what he meant "Ah i see...That reminds me i have to thank her and pay my respects to Neji.."
Iruka sighed "He hasn't figured it out yet?" He asked in his mind
Iruka looked at Naruto and then noticed he stopped eating "Is something wrong?"
"Iruka-sensei...I just remembered something, Hinata said something to me during the war with Pain." Naruto said
"Hm? What did she say?" Iruka asked
Naruto blushed "I..I didn't think anything of it until now, but during when she almost died trying to protect me, she said..." Naruto paused
"What? What did she say?" Iruka asked
"I love you..." Naruto said "That's what she said or at least that's what i can remember, my memory of that time is foggy..."
"Well why don't you ask him?" Iruka asked
"Ask who?" Naruto asked
"Think about it Naruto there was another person fighting against Pain." Iruka said
"No there wasn't." Naruto said
"He means me you moron" Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Beast said
Naruto blinked "Oh..." Naruto said as he then closed his eyes and then saw Kurama
"Okay then Kurama, tell me...Did sh-" Naruto was cut off by a loud sigh
"She might have said something like that kit..." Kurama said
"Why didn't you tell me!?" Naruto yelled
"Do i look like i care about your love life!?" Kurama yelled "I have no interest in such human foolishness!"
"You still should have told me!" Naruto yelled
"Well you remember now don't you!?" Kurama growled "So why are you sitting here arguing with me when you could be spending time with her!?"
Naruto was about to scold Kurama again but then noticed what he just said "Wait..."
Kurama chuckled "Good luck kit.." Kurama said with a smile
Naruto opened his eyes and quickly ran off "H-hey Naruto!" Iruka yelled
"Sorry Iruka-sensei i have to go!" Naruto said as he ran off
Meanwhile with Hinata
Hinata was at Neji's grave "..." she looked at Neji's grave before hearing distant footsteps nearing her location
"Ah..Here...You..Are..." Naruto said as he tried to breath
"N-Naruto-kun! W-what are you doing here?" Hinata asked a little surprised
"Well..." Naruto said as he took a deep breathe "I'm sorry!"
Hinata looked at Naruto in confusion "W-what?"
"I was such an idiot! I'm so sorry! It took me until today to remember what you said to me!" Naruto said
Hinata was now even more confused "E-eh?" she asked
Naruto blushed "I'm talking about what happened when you tried to protect me from Pain."
Hinata stared at Naruto before her entire face turned red "W-w-w-w-w-w-what!? Y-you remember!?" she asked
Naruto nodded "Yeah! I was sitting at Ramen Ichiraku and i suddenly started thinking about what had happened and that's when i remembered!" Naruto said
Hinata didn't know what to say "O-oh..Well i know you really like Sakura s-so..."
"No!" Naruto said "To be truthful...I don't like Sakura that way anymore."
Hinatas face lit up when she heard that "Really!?" She asked without stuttering
Naruto chuckled at Hinata's sudden expression change "Yeah, i like girls with longer hair anyways." He said with a grin "That's why i started that rumor in the academy."
Hinata looked at Naruto "W-wait, rumor?"
"Yeah, I started a rumor that Sasuke-" Naruto was cut off by Hinata
"Liked girls with long hair..." Hinata said remembered the rumor and sighed
"To be honest i was surprised that you were one of the only people who kept her hair short." Naruto said "It's sucks that i'm now just realizing your feelings though..."
Hinata smiled "It's okay, at least you know now Naruto-kun." she said happily
Naruto grinned and then looked at Neji's grave "I promise i'll protect her..Neji.."
Kakashi groaned as he walked around the village "I should have asked Tsunade exactly where Anko went..." he said looking around
Just then a violet short, spiky, fanned-ponytail haired woman caught Kakashis eye, she was wearing a tan overcoat with a purple in-seam, which has a pocket on both sides, and complete with a fitted mesh body suit that stretches from her neck down to her thighs, a dark orange mini-skirt and pale grey shin guards.. The woman was eating dangos
"Ah of course..." Kakashi said as he approached the woman "There you are Anko."
Anko looked up at Kakashi "Hm?" She asked, her mouth full of dango
"I was looking for you for awhile now." Kakashi sat down next to her "I heard you got out of the hospital today."
Anko nodded and finished her dangos "Ah, yeah...The food there still isn't as great as here though.." Anko said with a grin
Kakashi sighed "Well it's nice to see that you haven't changed...So how are you feeling?" He asked
Anko then looked down "Is it true what i heard?" She asked
"Hm?" Kakashi asked
"Sasuke helped in the war, and Orochimaru was with him." Anko said "That's what i heard."
"Ah yes." Kakashi said "But don't worry Orochimaru's dead."
Anko shook her head "But what about Sasuke? I heard he returned to the village." Anko said
Kakashi nodded "Yes he did, but he's different this time."
"How can you tell that?" Anko asked
Kakashi sighed "Anko, i know you don't trust him because of his alliance with Orochimaru and the things he has done..."
"Of course!" Anko yelled "I mean he is a dangerous kid!"
"I know that, however Anko do you know what happened before you were found in that cave?" Kakashi asked
Anko paused and tried to think "I was fighting Kabuto after trying to track him down.." She said before sighing "He then overpowered me and left me to die.."
"Wrong." Kakashi said "I mean the first few parts were right but Anko, Kabuto was going to use you, he kept you in a comatose state so he could extract the trace amounts of Orochimaru's chakra within you to increase his power."
Anko's eyes widened "Eh!?"Anko asked
"Yes, he would have been even stronger if it hadn't been for Itachi and Sasuke..." Kakashi said
"W-wait what?" Anko asked now confused a bit "Those two worked together to beat him?"
"Yes and in the process saved you." Kakashi said
Anko blinked and then sighed "So what you're trying to tell me is that i owe him huh?" Anko asked
"Pretty much." Kakashis said as he smiled under his mask
"Okay then.." Anko said as she got up "I'll be nice to the kid...On one condition.."
Kakashi looked at her as she brought her face extremely close to his "U-um...Whats the condition?"
"You let me see whats under that damned mask of yours."Anko said with a grin
Kakashi sighed and then smiled again "Okay then, one day i will.."
Anko pouted "When you say it like that it sounds like i'll never see it." She said
"I never said that." Kakashi said "I'll show you..Just not today. "
"When!?" Anko asked impatiently
"One day." Kakashi said as he got up and started to walk away but then was followed by Anko
"Hey! Don't walk away from me Hatake!" She yelled but then Kakashi ran off "Get back here!" Anko then ran after him.
Ino sighed as she looked out of her window in her room, it had been a relatively peaceful four weeks for her and everyone in the village so she should feel happy about it...If only that happiness could bring back those that were lost during that dreadful war.
Her father's funeral was two weeks back and she still hadn't felt the same after it, she felt empty, she rarely went out anymore and was rarely seen at the flower shop.
Ino looked out the window and looked at the sky thinking about what had happened before seeing something peculiar, it was a cloaked figure on top of a building looking around "Is that one of the Anbu?" She asked herself
The figure then turned around to face Ino and Ino jumped a bit, the figure continued to stare in her direction before disappearing.
"Why do i get the feeling that wasn't the Anbu..." Ino said in her mind "I'll bring it up with Lady Tsunade later on.."
End of Chapter 2