DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 3
Naruto looked around him. The council chambers were of a circular format and the person being inquired stayed at its center while the councilors surrounded him. Naruto looked at each face around him and they all had cold and wicked stares. It was like he had done something wrong and he should be ashamed because of it. The worst was that he really looked ashamed, even when he had done nothing wrong. Naruto cursed in his mind everybody around him. He shouldn't even be here. He should have been praised for a mission well done. He and his companions should have received a medal for risking they lives for the village. But no, he was here being judged. Naruto sighed. It was just a couple of hours ago that he discovered that he had been convoked for a hearing.
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Naruto ran towards the Hokage Tower. After the last day scolding he didn't want to be late ever again. He had wake up early since he expected at least some complications due his new roommate but was surprised when he hadn't it. Tayuya was a bit strange since he said he liked her last night. She passed the rest of the day quiet and she almost didn't talk with him and when she did it wasn't about what he had said it. He was a little worried with her reaction, it was already expected that she would be surprised but it wasn't only that, she also seemed scared. Naruto didn't quite understand why until he remembered of how her life must have been. In fact even he was a little scared because of what he said it. He was concerned with her at the moment and didn't think about the words and it wasn't until he already said that he really thought about their meaning. He was still confused, he knew he really liked her but it was like a friend or it was something more?
He finally could see the Hokage Tower and he was even a bit early. He went inside and gestured to Shizune that he had arrived . The look that Shizune had it when she saw him scared him a bit. He immediately knew that something was wrong. She entered the Hokage office and after some time she came back saying that he could enter.
Naruto entered the office. He examined her and the look of her face almost confirmed his suspicions that indeed something was wrong.
"Something is wrong, Oba-chan?" Naruto asked worried. Tsunade stared at him for some time before talking.
"Naruto, there is something that I didn't said yesterday. You have been inquired for a hearing concerning the mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke." She said. The look on Naruto face changed immediately for one of fear.
"W-w-what? What do you mean a hearing?" Naruto asked.
"There are some concerns about some aspects of the mission, especially about your fight with Sasuke." Tsunade said. Something in her voice made Naruto immediately understand what exactly she mean it. He clutched his fist hard and his face turned red of rage.
"Why didn't you say it sooner?" Naruto asked with angry in his voice. Tsunade head went down in shame, she should have said before but she was afraid of saying it.
"I am sorry, Naruto! I should have, but I didn't want to worry you too much." Tsunade responded.
"Really? Didn't want to worry me? Why should I be worried, anyway? I will just enter in a room filled with people that hate me and that will decide my future!" Said Naruto still angry. Tsunade looked at him thinking about what to say. Everything that he said wasn't far from the true.
"Don't worry so much! I still have the final vote; I won't let anything bad happen to you." Tsunade said it. Naruto calmed a bit with her reassurance, but he still was a little concerned. He knew that in some cases she didn't have the final vote.
"When it will be?" Naruto asked.
"Today." The Hokage said it. Naruto was taken aback by the response. He expected to have more time to prepare himself but thinking better he considered that the sooner the better. Naruto simply nodded and went to leave the room. Tsunade let him, he needed some time alone.
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"Can you state your name, please?" Danzo said at the top of the tribune.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto answered his voice barely listenable.
"Do you know why you are here?" Danzo asked. Naruto just nodded to the question.
"Fine, Can you describe to this hearing the events that happened two days ago?" Danzo said. Naruto then proceed to give a detailed account of everything that happened that day, doing his best to remember even of the smallest details and, of course, failing to mention some facts as finding one red-headed in the forest. After the account was done the councilors looked at each other, some of them whispering. Finally after some time they finally returned they attention to Naruto.
"You said you used the power of the fox of nine tails. What do you mean by that?" Homura asked. Because everybody in the hearing already knew about the Kyubi being sealed in Naruto, there wasn't any law being violated.
"I kind asked for a little of his power borrowed." Naruto responded.
"You mean that you talked with the demon?" Koharu asked a little surprised. Naruto nodded, a little afraid for what the reaction of the people around would be. He never talked with nobody about the fact of him speaking with the fox. Most of the councilors leaned back at their seats surprised and even Tsunade and Shizune that were nearby, being the only non council member allowed, were also taken aback.
"So, you talk with the demon willing and let him take control to beat Uchiha Sasuke?" Danzo asked. Naruto stared at him angry.
"No! I didn't say that! I said that I borrowed some power from him. He was never in control."Naruto said.
"Well, it wasn't what we heard. We heard that you weren't in your senses during the fight."Homura said.
"Who said that?" Naruto asked almost screaming.
"It doesn't matter who said it. What matters is if it is true or not, isn't?" Homura said. Naruto looked angry at him.
"No it isn't. I knew exactly what I was doing during the fight." Naruto responded.
"So you are saying that you knew exactly what you were doing when you almost killed a shinobi of this village?" Koharu said. Just then Naruto noticed what they were doing. Like a good lawyer they were twisting everything he said. Using his own words against him, trying to make him incriminate himself.
"My mission was to prevent Sasuke of defecting to the sound and this was the only way that I found to do this." Naruto said trying to appear calm.
"Is this was the first time that you used the power of the Kyubi?" Danzo asked. Naruto sighed he didn't like were this were going.
"No. I used others times too." Naruto said.
"In any of these times, did you ever obtain this power unwillingly?" Danzo asked. Naruto visibly trembled with the question. He knew that they wouldn't understand. He already used the power when his life was in great threat, but he always was in control and he never would do something that he wouldn't want to.
"Yes. But…" Naruto said and before he could even explain his voice was silenced by the voices of everybody else. Soon all the council members were in agitation. Since the day that the Kyubi was sealed in the boy there always has been the fear that the Kyubi would set free and in their vision the fact of Naruto lost control without wanting was terrifying. Finally all the agitation was ceased by the voice of the head of the council, Danzo. After finally calming down everybody he cleared his throat and continued.
"So you are saying that you could lose control at any time?" Danzo asked. Naruto glared at him almost losing control of himself.
"No, it's not like that." Naruto said clutching his fist to hide his anger.
"Really? It's seems to me that it just like that." Said Danzo and before Naruto could retort he continued.
"Well, I think we are finished here. The council will reunite to make his decision." Danzo said before getting out of the council chamber, being soon followed by the others members and leaving Naruto alone with Tsunade and Shizune. He looked at his two friends trying to see something saying that everything would be okay but it wasn't what he saw. They were as scared as him. Tsunade even tried to give a fake smile but it wasn't convincing. The waiting was hell for him, in his head passed numerous possibilities of what could happen with him. He could be arrested, banished or even killed. He tried telling himself that he was overreacting. That they wouldn't do anything serious, but deep inside he knew that he was only lying to himself. After some time, that seemed like an eternity for Naruto, the council members finally returned.
"Naruto Uzumaki, we from the council assumed that you are too dangerous to this village. So from this moment on, you are removed from the rank of shinobi and also you are prohibited from leaving the surroundings of the village under penalty of death." Danzo said coldly. For Naruto it was like somebody stabbed a knife in his heart. He would never more be a ninja. Nevermore he would be able to achieve his dream. He just stayed there too shocked to show any reaction. Looking at the counselors giving him cold stares, some of them even smiling. A touch at his shoulder made he get out of his frozen state. He looked back to see the person he considered as his grandmother. She tried to give him a sympathetic look but not hiding the sadness on her face. She tried to say something but she couldn't find the words. She had promised him that everything would be okay but she couldn't help him. Naruto stared her eyes now filled with tears. Without saying a word he removed her hand of his shoulder and leaved, without wanting to talk to anyone. Tsunade just stayed there still speechless thinking how many more people she would still disappoint in this life.
Naruto was slowly returning home still shaken for what happened before. His vision blurred as he shed so many tears. He knew that his life would never again be the same. In a short space of time his life was ruined. Three days ago he was the Shinobi that had defeated Garra and saved the village, in that moment he felt that he was at the top of the world almost reaching the post of Hokage. But know this dream had become unreachable. As a matter of fact Naruto started to doubt if he ever had any chance. Everybody hated him. Why did he think that someday it would change? Where did he come up it the idea that someday he would be accepted? He started to think he was the dumbest person in the planet.
In his slow pace Naruto started to notice the glance of the people around him. Hate was stamped right in their eyes. It was like they wanted to kill him by just by looking at him. Naruto wasn't surprised actually, it was like this during his childhood and he already became used to it. But this time, if possible, their glances were worse. They already knew the outcome of his mission and how he beat their "prized" Uchiha. Not only that, the news of his hearing must have slipped out. Naruto trembled when he thought that soon his friends would know what happened. The last thing he needed was their looks of pity.
Deeply in his thoughts Naruto didn't notice one object flying in his direction until it was too late. The thing hit him with full force breaking itself in the impact. Naruto went down on his knees looking at the object, a broken bottle of sake. Then he looked at the thrower a woman of 20 years at most. What impressed Naruto was her eyes filled of rage. He never had seen so much in one person.
"Monster! They should have killed for what you did with my family." The Woman said. Naruto stared at her. He didn't know her much less her family. Soon, others peoples joined the woman also cursing him. Naruto trembled of hate and rage. He wanted to just let the demon free and kill them all. Wasn't this the reason that they hated him, wasn't because of this that he was being punished? So, why not? Fortunately for the people of Konoha, Naruto remembered of Gaara. He didn't want to be like him, a psychotic murderer. With great difficulty he calmed himself and in a puff disappeared.
Sakura was walking together with her friend Ino through the corridors of Konoha Hospital. They had spent most of the day at the side of Sasuke and were totally exhausted. Sasuke had awakened just the other day and until now had barely spoken a word, but in the few word that he had spoken he showed his anger because he had been stopped in his way to archive power. For the first time Sakura started to notice what kind of person he was and since this moment a strong feeling of guilty passed on her head.
"Ino!" Called Sakura.
"What?" Ino asked. Sakura looked at her and Ino could clearly see her shame.
"Do you also feel guilty for what we did with Naruto?" Sakura asked. Ino frozen a bit with the question, her expression now was the same of embarrassment as Sakura. She weakly nodded. Sakura felt better that at least she wasn't the only person that was feeling guilty but it didn't matter. When she found Naruto she would ask for his forgiveness and then she would feel better.
Naruto slowly opened the door, still visible shaken. The first thing he could see was his roommate that was at that moment watching TV.
"You finally arrived, shith…" Tayuya was saying when she subtly stopped when she saw Naruto.
"What the fucking happened with you?" Tayuya screamed. Naruto looked funny at her, asking himself what she noticed that let her so surprised.
"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked oblivious. Tayuya sweat drooped and pointed towards his head.
"You shit-head, you are bleeding." Tayuya said. Naruto rub his hand on his head, in the place where the bottle had hit him and felt something soaked. He looked his hands and seeing a red spot his eyes went wide. He hadn't notice how deep the cut had been.
"Don't worry about this. It isn't anything serious." Naruto said, knowing very well of his cure factor and knowing that soon the cut would be closed. But before he could leave he was pulled strongly towards the sofa.
"Are you fucking crazy? This could be fucking serious, baka." Tayuya said while examining the cut. Not that she was worried about him, but if he died she would be alone in an enemy village, at least that was what she said to herself. While she examined the cut, her eyes widened. The cut was closing by itself right in the front of her eyes.
"What the fuck? Is this a blood limit?" She asked alarmed. Naruto trembled with her question he didn't want to tell her about the Kyubi. He was afraid that she would hate him like everybody else did.
"Yes, something like that." Naruto answered. Tayuya frowned she wanted to know more. She continued to examine the cut that was now almost completed healed.
"What the hell happened? How the fuck you did this?" She asked. Naruto didn't answer, he just stared to nothing and that just made her more pissed.
"Dammit Naruto, If you want to stay fucking depressed you can just fuck yourself and do just that, but it would be much better if you at least talked about it!" She said. Naruto looked at her. She was at this moment with her arms crossed looking the other way, avoiding looking at him. He really wanted to tell somebody everything that he felt. For a moment he thought in just leaving her there and head off to his bedroom, but something made him change his mind. His life went from bad to worst and he was afraid. He needed to talk with somebody. He said yesterday that she was just like him. So maybe she would understand.
"Did you ever hear about the Kyubi?" Naruto asked. Tayuya nodded and looked at him with curiosity.
"Well, like you may have heard, twelve years ago the fourth Hokage defeated the Kyubi by sacrificing himself. But that is not the whole true." Naruto take a deep breath before continuing.
"The true is that a Bijuu can't be killed. Because of this the Yoindame had only one choice. He had to seal it inside a newborn child." Naruto said. Tayuya's eyes went wide when she noticed what he was telling her.
"That child was me." Naruto finished while looking at her, expecting her reaction. Wishing that she didn't fear him like everybody around him. Tayuya just stared at him. She had already heard stories about the lives of the Jinchurikis and now everything makes sense. Every time that Naruto said that he had a life as bad as her, when he said that she was like him and when he said that he was also hated. Everything made sense now.
"You must have had a pretty bad life, huh?" Tayuya said sadly. Naruto looked at her surprised.
"So, you don't care?" Naruto asked. Tayuya looked at him angrily for thinking something like that.
"Do you really think I am so fucking futile like the dipshits that live in this fucked village? You don't have fault if that bastard sealed that damn thing in you."Tayuya said noticeably angry. Naruto couldn't hold his smile, happy of not being rejected. With more confidence he continued his story. He started with his childhood when he was badly treated at the orphanage, of how was at that time that he started to pull pranks trying to call attention. He also told her about the innumerous beatings that he received during that time, about all the times that he was expelled from several places and how he was forced to leave the orphanage because of the way that he was treated. Never in his life had he told so much of his life to somebody. The more he talked the more Tayuya came close to crying. She always thought that her life had been the worst possible, but right in her front there was somebody with the life as bad as her if not worst. Somebody that as her, had seen the worst that the world can offer to a child. When Naruto finally finished his story she couldn't hold anymore and dropped some tears that where quickly cleaned with her hands, but that didn't pass unnoticed by the boy at her side.
Tayuya stared at him for some moment before started telling her story. Naruto stayed surprised since he didn't expect that she would open with him. She started to tell her last memories of a happy family living in Iwa before her dad died. Of how her mother turned to alcohol, forgetting totally of her children. Of how she married with one of the many mans that frequented the bar of her home village, where her mother passed most of her time. Then she started to tell of all the abuses that she suffered during that time. At this moment she stopped not hiding anymore the tears. She didn't care as she didn't see so much need in hiding her feelings around him anymore, at least not as much as before. She found herself unable to continue, it was the first time that she ever told this to someone and was a memory that she wanted to forget. Seeing this, Naruto placed her head gently on his shoulders and putting his arm around her trying to console her. She trembled a little, not accustomed with this kind of affection. Her face slightly blushed with the contact with him. One side of her wanted to push and curse him, but the other side of her, the side that she had been hiding for a long time wanted this kind of affection.
With more confidence because of his support she found the strength to continue the story. She told him about how her brother saved her from the terrible abuses, killing both her foster-father and their own mother. She told him how both of them tried to run away but were unfortunately caught by the village ANBU. She said that because she was little she was released, but her brother was arrested and she never saw him anymore. She sobbed a little when she remembered from her brother fully knowing that he was probably dead. She told him that she started to live in the streets having nothing to eat and how she started to steal food in order to survive and in short time she even became a pro. She laughed when she remembered how she would leave the ANBU eating dust. Naruto also laughed since this remembered him of the times that he also ran away from the ANBU because of his pranks. She told him that one time she stolen some women purse in hope of finding some money to buy some food, but instead she found a flute. She said that she thought in selling it but for some reason, that even today she didn't comprehend, she decided to keep it. She stated telling with proud that she learned to play all by herself which amazed Naruto a lot. She finally told him of the day that had changed her life forever. She committed the mistake of stolen from the wrong person and soon she found herself running away from a great number of ninjas. They finally had her surrounded and where deciding how they would punish her. She shivered when she remembered of everything that they said that they would do to her. This made Naruto increase his embrace on her. She told him how she was lucky that before they tried anything they all were killed in a blink of an eye. The ninja that had saved her made her an offer that she couldn't refuse. The chance of never again to stay hunger, of never again suffer of never again be defenseless. She accepted without thinking twice. In a short time she became one of the top genin of sound. After two years she received the cursed seal, being one of the few that survived and shortly after she joined the sound four. She sighed of relieve after finishing the story. She still stayed for some time leaned on his shoulder not wanting to move before she removed her head of his shoulder.
"So, you still didn't tell me what happened today." Tayuya said. Naruto then noticed that even after he told all his life, he still didn't answer her question.
"Well, one angry woman threw a bottle on my head." Naruto said with his face red of embarrassment.
"One shit civilian threw a bottle at you and you didn't dodge? What kind of fucked up ninja you are?" She said laughing. Naruto also let go a small laugh it was really stupid for a ninja be hit by a civilian. He stooped to laugh when he remembered that he wasn't a ninja anymore falling in depression shortly after. Tayuya noticing this asked.
"Naruto, did something happen?" She asked worried. Naruto avoid looking at her but she still noticed the tears threatening to come out of his eyes.
"Today I was judged by the village council because of the mission and… they said that I am not allowed to be a ninja anymore… I can't even leave this village." Naruto said almost not finishing the sentence. Her eyes went wide, she just couldn't believe it.
"What? It was that fag Uchiha that tried to desert this stupid village. You completed the mission, how they can punish you?" Tayuya asked.
"They don't care about the mission. They only wanted one way to get rid of me and this damn thing inside me. Sasuke won't even be punished because they said that he was being controlled by the cursed seal." Naruto answered angry. Tayuya clutched her fist in anger. She knew in her own experience that the seal didn't control anybody. The only motive that dumb ass Uchiha would go unpunished was because of being the village favorite while Naruto was being extremely punished for something that wasn't his fault.
"Bastards!! You should kill all of them." She said angry. Naruto laugh while shaking his head. Sometimes he really wanted to do this.
"No, I can't become the same thing that they are afraid of." Naruto said. Tayuya snorted, she already expected this answer from him bus she still wanted to kill them.
"What the fuck will you do now?" Tayuya asked.
"I don't know. I don't know more what to do." Naruto said sad. Something in his voice made Tayuya gasp. It was the same voice that she had when she give up of everything, even from her own life. She could completely understand, for someone like him being a ninja was the only thing that mattered in life. But it broke her heart seeing how Naruto, that just the other day was so full of confidence, was now giving up of everything.
"You really are a fucking bastard! Now you are only felling pity of yourself and giving up? You are only being a shitty coward, you fucking cunt." Tayuya said. Naruto looked at her scared.
"After every damn thing that you been through of every training of every sacrifice. You are going to give up of everything? You are going to let them fuck you up after everything you done to this shit village? I thought you were different, you fucking fag." She said.
"What you expect me to do?" Naruto asked a bit angry.
"If they don't want you, fuck them. You are fucking better without them anyway." She said. Naruto was a bit scared with the meaning of what she said.
"You want me to desert the village?"Naruto asked.
"Of course, what more you have left in this fucked up village?" She answered. He already had thought about running away before, but since he graduated in the academy he had forgot about it.
"I can't simply run away. What about all of my friends that I have here, I can't just leave them here." Naruto argued.
"Are they really your fucking friends? The fact of knowing your name doesn't make them your fucking friends. How many of these friends have ever invited you to their shit homes? How many of these friends had talked to you about something, just for talking? Anyway even if they are your friends then they will understand, if they don't then they weren't your fucking friends from the beginning. "She said. Naruto thought about what she had said and noticed that he barely knew most of his friends. The only people that he could truly consider his friends were Iruka and Yumi and they weren't even of his age. All the people of his age were really only teammates. He looked Tayuya and noticed a sad look in her face, she probably didn't have any friends back at the sound.
"You don't have any friends, don't you?" Naruto asked. Tayuya weakly nodded. He started to think about what she had said. If they were really his friends they would want the best for him and this was to become a ninja. But to run away from his village was something very serious and was a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly. He would pass the rest of his life running away and he would probably never see anybody of the village ever again. But in the other way he could still be a ninja and he would never more face the evil glare of the villagers. He didn't need to think anymore he already made his decision. Tayuya was right. If they don't want him it was their loss. He would show them. He would become the strongest ninja ever and he would show them what they had lost.
"You are right! Fuck them, fuck this village! I will show that I don't need them. I will become the strongest ninja ever and this is a promise and Uzumaki Naruto always does what he promises." Naruto said lifting his fist towards the sky. Tayuya smirked seeing that he had his confidence back.
"What about you? I can't just leave you here." Naruto said remembering of her condition. Tayuya gasped since she hadn't thought about that.
"Just leave me in a nearby village and proceed in your fucking way! I know how to take care of myself." Tayuya said. Naruto didn't like this idea. She would also be hunted by Konoha and sound nins and in her actual condition she couldn't defend herself. He didn't want her to get hurt and also he didn't want to part ways.
"I don't know about that. I am kind stupid so if I go alone I would probably get lost. I need someone to help me." Naruto said laughing. Tayuya looked at him and shook her head.
"I am fucking cripple. I will just be a burden." Tayuya said sad.
"No sense. I can't do this alone and you are the only one that can help me." Naruto argued. She thought about it. For the first time in a long time there was someone that was nice to her, someone that liked her and she didn't felt alone anymore. In fact the prospect of them get separated frightened her a lot. She didn't want to be alone anymore.
"Humph, if you need a fucking babysitter so much I think I can make the sacrifice, dumbass." She said while faking irritation, but unable to hiding her smile in the end. Naruto smile, he just loved her bad-girl behavior.
"Okay, why don't you pack your things while I…" Naruto was saying before he saw her angry glare.
"What things, baka?" She asked while crossing her arms. Then he remembered that he had forgotten to buy her some clothes and that she was just using his clothes borrowed.
"Don't worry! I will buy something for you when we leave." Naruto said while lifting his arms in his defense. Tayuya snorted she was imagining when he would remember to buy her some clothes. She didn't care about using boy's clothes but she still needed some woman things that Naruto couldn't borrow her. Naruto made some seals with his hands and created one clone. He looked at the clone before saying.
"I need to do some stuff before leaving. Pack my things!" Naruto ordered the clone, which started immediately to do just that. Naruto then leaved. Tayuya looked at the messy packing of the clone before lying down on the sofa thinking about what the future held for her.
The silence in the proximities of the Hokage Tower was suddenly interrupted by a table that was launched from inside the building falling in the street shortly after, luckily nobody was hit by it. The mentor of the offense against the chair, the actual Hokage of Konoha, was staring at the place where the table was, now replaced by all the trash that was on it. Tsunade was pissed and that to say the least. The reason for her not to lose the patience inside the council chamber was because she found in herself the will to control it since if she had lost it not only she would be in trouble but Naruto situation would just be worse. When she started to think about him her face changed immediately. Her anger disappeared replaced for sadness. She felt siting on the ground. The memory of Naruto leaving the council chamber totally miserable came to her mind. She felt guilty for not protecting him when he needed. He reminds her of her brother Dan that like him she also couldn't protect. Her face started to fill with the tears that she had been holding. Putting her head between her legs she continued crying until she was interrupted by the sound of someone coughing. She looked towards the origin of the sound finding her old teammate hanging on the window looking at her. A little embarrassed by the situation she started to stand up.
Jiraiya looked at her for an instant. He knew that in spite of knowing Naruto for a short time Tsunade had grow a strong affection for the boy.
"I guess you already heard?" Tsunade said to him. Jiraiya nodded. He looked at her seeing that she was still visibly shaken.
"It wasn't your fault, Tsunade." Jiraiya said. Tsunade shacked her head. It wouldn't be only his words that would remove her feeling of guilty.
"I should have done something. I should have stopped the hearing." She said.
"The civilian council has autonomy in such cases. There were nothing that you could do to stop the hearing and you know it." Jiraiya argued.
"Nonetheless…, I never hoped that they would get sufficient votes." She said while shacking her head.
"Danzo was skillful. He knew that many councilors in spite of fearing the fox still respected the fourth and were against doing something against Naruto. Because of this they didn't try to banish or execute him." Jiraiya said.
"You are speaking like the punishment that he received wasn't a great deal." She said a little nervous. Jiraiya shacked his head denying it.
"It's not like that. I am as furious as you are because of it. But you have to agree that it could be worse. He could be executed." He argued. Tsunade had to agree to that since many councilors wanted to kill Naruto.
"What we are going to do know?" She asked. He didn't answer because he also didn't know the answer. He had planned a 3 years trip with the boy but now it was impossible. But the worst that Jiraiya could think was that without being a ninja Naruto wouldn't train and he would be defenseless against the Akatsuki threat.
Iruka impatience arrived at its limit making him throw the blackboard eraser in the direction of one of the students. Thanks to his aim he missed by a couple of inches. The action had the expected result since in that moment the whole class went quiet. Iruka smirked when he saw that he had calmed down the class.
"It seems that I got your attention, so now we can…." Iruka was saying until he noticed someone at the door. This person was Naruto that was just watching the class with a weak smile at his face and it seems that he was there for some time. Iruka felt bad in the minute he saw him, he already had heard about Naruto hearing and in spite not knowing the result of it he had a pretty good idea by looking at Naruto face. Generally Naruto would just interrupt the class but instead he was just watching the class peacefully. After talking with the class he took Naruto to a separated class.
"So, how was it?" Iruka asked fearing the reply. Naruto give a long breath before answering.
"I think I had luck. They only forbade me from being a ninja of this village." Naruto said. Iruka trembled when he said that. After everything thing that Naruto had passed during the academy they did this?
"N-n-naruto, I don't know wha.." Iruka was saying before being interrupted by Naruto.
"You don't need to say anything, Iruka-sensei. I kind accepted the fact already. I didn't came here seeking for console." Naruto said. Iruka looked to Naruto that strangely seemed calm.
"So why did you come?" Iruka asked.
"Do you remember when you give me this?" Naruto asked showing him the object at his hand, a hitai-ite with the symbol of the leaf. He looked at the object and in that moment he trembled.
"Why are you remembering me this?" Iruka asked with tears threaten to fall.
"That was the happiest moment of my life." Naruto said. In this moment Iruka almost tumbled and he started to shed tears. He remembered of how Naruto was happy when he gave him the hitai-ite and know all this happiness was ripped from him.
"Naruto…" Iruka was saying but he couldn't find the words. Naruto moved his hand offering the precious object to him but Iruka rejected shaking his head.
"This is yours, Naruto. I gave it to you. No matter what the others say you will always be a ninja for me." Iruka said. Naruto eyes shed tears and he gave Iruka a strong hug.
"Thanks for everything sensei." Naruto said before moving in the direction of the door. Before leaving he gave one last look behind giving Iruka one small smile. Iruka couldn't contain the feeling that something was wrong.
Yumi was looking the flowers of the garden in the surrounds of the hospital. Her eyes red of the many tears dropped. When she heard from Shizune about what had happened with Naruto she wanted to go directly towards his apartment to talk with him, but Shizune stooped her saying that he needed some time alone. She just couldn't believe how much some people hated Naruto. How they can hate someone that was always good to everyone. She always considered Naruto as a younger brother. Every time that he got hurt and went to the hospital she was the first to stay with him. And now she couldn't do anything.
"Yumi-chan." Naruto said behind her. She looked behind to see him looking at her with one small smile.
"Naruto-kun." She said with her tears coming back while she embraced him. Naruto hugged her back.
"Everything is fine, Yumi-chan. I am going to be alright!" He said. It was strange she wanted so much to console him, but it was him that was consoling her. The two stayed embraced for a while until he moved.
"Yumi-chan, I just wanted to say thanks for everything you did for me." He said. Yumi looked at him scared.
"What?" She asked not understanding why he was thanking her right now.
"Before knowing you I was terrified of going to the hospital because of the way that I was treated in there. But after knowing you everything changed. You took care of me without asking anything in exchange. Since this moment, every time I went to the hospital I was a little happy because I would at least see you. I always considered you was my big sister." Yumi looked at him with tears at her eyes.
"Well, I need to go. I just needed to say this. Good-bye Yumi-chan." He said and before she could say anything he was gone. She turned back to the flowers. She couldn't take out of her mind that she wasn't going to see him anymore.
Naruto hated have to leave her that way but he had to. The more he talked with Yumi-chan and Iruka-sensei more his doubts about leaving increased. He wanted to leave the quickest possible before he could change his mind. It was for this reason that he wasn't going to visit his friends at the hospital. He knew that if he talked with them there was the risk of someone to find out or of him change his mind. He wanted to talk to Oba-chan, but she was the Hokage so the risk was too much. He hated himself for leaving his friends in this way but he hadn't other choice. There were one last thing that he needed to do it. It was his favorite spot in all Konoha because of both the people and the food. He came near of the ramen stand for the last time.
Sakura and Hinata almost couldn't believe. They were in the hospital when they both heard what had happened. While most of the Konoha 12 decided to give Naruto some time they couldn't do just that. They both leaved the hospital immediately wanting to do the possible to help their friend.
Naruto entered at his apartment. He saw that his clone had finished packing his things and was waiting for him. The clone gave him his backpack and disappeared. Naruto give a quick glance inside the bag seeing that the clone ha sealed most of his stuff inside scrolls and putted inside the bag. Naruto then looked at Tayuya that was sleeping at the sofa. He touched her softly in the shoulder waking her up. She left I small yawn.
"Are you ready?" Naruto asked. She nodded. Naruto than grab one object that was inside his pocket, his leaf hitae and with his other hand he grabbed a kunai making a vertical cut on it. Tayuya stared at him with surprise before getting her own hitae, this one with the symbol of sound. Borrowing his kunai she made a similar cut. Both of them looked at each other and nodded. Naruto then grabbed her in the bride style. He gave his apartment a last look before putting a letter that was at his pocket at the table. Quickly he went through the window of his apartment moving quickly thought Konoha roofs being careful for not been seen. In a short time he arrived at the village walls. He looked at his village one last time imaging if he would ever see it again before jumping the wall and moving through the forest.