Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and I have no intentions of profiting from this story.
Chapter 4 – The Path to Victory/Lies and Truths
He should have realized from the beginning that it would be pointless. That no matter what he did and what he accomplished, people would still treat him like trash. Why had he thought of this stupid idea anyway? If he had thought about it for a moment, he would have realized why this was such a bad idea. Especially when your name was Uzumaki Naruto.
After several hours of fruitless questioning, he had taken refuge on the roof of a nearby building. It wasn't the questioning that was fruitless, of course, but the lack of answers. No matter who he asked, he was ignored. They wouldn't even tell him if they had even heard of Morino Ibiki, though every upper-level ninja he had managed to corner had shivered at the name.
Which meant that if one of them had actually taken the time to talk to him, he might have completed this stupid mission already. That would show Sasuke! The look on his face when Naruto had completed the mission first would be priceless. Then even Sasuke would have to respect him. Sasuke would have to admit once and for that he, Uzumaki Naruto, was the best ninja.
Naruto sighed. Too bad it didn't look like that would be happening anytime soon. Still, just the thought of it brought a smile to his face. He would prove to his teammates that he was a good ninja. He would complete this mission, no matter what it took! After all, he was going to be Hokage someday! Feeling reenergized, he climbed to feet, and prepared to go off and find more people to question. He would definitely get an answer this time!
"Watch out, Konoha! Here I come! I'll get the answers I need this time!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, hands waving with a smile on his face. He ignored the scattered shouts from below him, and dashed for the edge of the building. This was his chance to shine!
Just as he reached it and was preparing to jump, he heard a familiar voice speak. Startled, he flailed wildly on the edge of the building, trying desperately to regain his balance while at the same time attempt to turn around to see who had spoken. Unfortunately for Naruto, the two actions didn't work too well together, and after a few seconds of flailing, he completely lost his balance, and toppled off the side of the building. He was lucky enough to just barely catch the edge with one hand and was spared the long, painful, and potentially fatal drop.
He hung there for a few moments, catching his breath and pointedly not looking down, before angrily pulling himself to the top of the building. Catching his breath, he glared at the person standing at the opposite side of the roof. "What did you call me, Sasuke?" He shouted at his teammate.
"I said that you're an idiot. And you just proved it. Nice fall by the way." Sasuke said, with that oh-so-arrogant smirk that always seemed to be turned his way. It made his blood boil every time he saw it. And it wasn't even his fault that he had fallen! If Sasuke hadn't said something just as he was about to jump, he wouldn't have lost his balance! What gave Sasuke the right to judge him when it was his fault?
"Sasuke-kun's right, Naruto. You did look pretty stupid flailing around like that," giggled Sakura, stepping out from behind Sasuke. It figured that she just had to see him while he looked stupid. Why couldn't he ever get lucky and have her catch him doing something cool?
Naruto quickly swallowed his rude reply to Sasuke and smiled at Sakura. "Sakura-chan! Did you and the oh-so-wonderful Sasuke find anything?"
She gave him a sharp look, and then smiled sweetly at Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun and I found out what Ibiki-sensei does. We were going to head to his office, but Sasuke thought we should grab you," she glared at him again, "before we headed to his office. How about you? Did you find anything or did you just manage to mess up like normal?"
Naruto felt the smile slide off his face, and he turned his back to them and crossed his arms. It figured that the two of them would find the stuff they needed, while he came up with nothing. He'd still do this his own way, though. He wouldn't take Sasuke's charity. It was his own way, or no way. He'd pass this test on his own merits. "Not yet. I'll find something, though. You two go on. I'll catch up."
"Well, whatever, Naruto. We're heading to the ANBU building by the Hokage's tower, so when you feel like showing up, you'll find us there." Said Sakura, sounding puzzled and irritated at the same time.
Naruto attempted to ignore that remark for a number of reasons, but something about it struck him as being wrong. After a few seconds of thought, it came to him, and he turned around just in time to catch his teammates attention before they headed off. "Hey, Hey! What do you mean the ANBU building by old man Hokage's tower?"
Sakura turned towards him and made an exasperated noise. "That's where Ibiki's office is. He's in the ANBU. Everybody knows their headquarters is right beside the tower. Have you been stuck in a hole your entire life?"
The insult stung, but Naruto ignored it, in favor of something that people rarely credited to him. He was thinking. Hard. What Sakura said didn't make sense. His forehead creased in thought, he finally asked, "Are you sure?"
Sasuke had walked over to listen in on the conversation and gave Naruto a weird look. "Why do you ask, Naruto?"
For several seconds, Naruto seriously considered just ignoring Sasuke's question, but Sakura's glare was oppressive, and answering offered the easiest way out. "Well, I always figured it was that way." He pointed in a direction in a completely different direction from the Hokage's Tower.
"That's a stupid thing to think, idiot! Where did you ever get that dumb idea? Its always been beside the Tower!" said Sakura contemptuously.
However, Sasuke, for once, said nothing, and actually seemed to wait for Naruto's answer. Naruto found that strange. Maybe Sasuke had sensed that something was off in the way he had asked his questions. Or maybe he was just being less of a snob than usual. "Well…I've sorta been there."
Sakura seemed to be ready to throw out another set of choice insults, when what he said finally processed in her mind. It was definitely not the answer she was expecting. She took a few seconds to recover before asking a question of her own. "What do you mean 'you've been there'? ANBU is an organization for elite ninja! There's no way they'd let you in! They rarely let anyone in their building!" She paused for a second, and Naruto had to lean close to hear the rest. "At least ones that come out later…"
Naruto's mind went into overdrive. He had to think up an answer that didn't reveal any of his secrets. He couldn't let them know the real reason why he had been there. They would be horrified. After a few seconds of frantic thought, he decided that part of the truth would be a good reply. "…I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid…"
A peculiar silence descended upon the group after Naruto's remark, and Naruto refused to lift his eyes from the ground to look at his teammates. This would bring the questions, and the questions would lead to the answers that he didn't want to give. Their reactions would be just like everybody else's, and he'd lose this chance to be accepted as a ninja once and for all.
"Why'd you spend time there, Naruto?" Sakura asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.
Naruto again cast around for a good answer, and chanced a look at Sasuke, who had a strange expression on his face. It wasn't pity, which was something that Naruto refused to accept from anyone, most of all Sasuke, but it was something similar. Understanding, maybe? Did Sasuke, the wonder boy of Konoha think he understood what Naruto had gone through? He almost laughed. No one could ever understand. No one had secrets like he did.
"…Family stuff…" He finally muttered, unable to think of anything more complex and believable. He was surprised when he saw Sasuke flinch slightly. The strange look seemed to become even stronger, and when Sakura opened her mouth, Naruto was even more surprised when Sasuke reached over and grabbed her shoulder, as if telling her not to ask anything else.
"So then, where is it? Can you take us there?" Sasuke asked, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Huh? What?" Said Naruto, surprised at the question, and even more surprised that it was Sasuke had asked.
"I said can you take us there, idiot!" Sasuke said, obviously irritated that he had to ask the question twice.
Naruto thought that over for a moment. He could always find out who Morino Ibiki was after he had shown them the way. He wouldn't have a lot of time left, but it was the least he could do for his teammates. Breaking out into a big smile, Naruto shouted, "Well, of course I can! That's an easy job for an awesome ninja like me! Come on! Follow me!" And with that, he was off, dashing across the room, with his two teammates following close behind him.
Sasuke originally had thought that Naruto had known where he was going. They had started in a straight line, and Naruto had moved with a great deal of purpose. Wherever he was taking them, it seemed they would get there quickly.
However, once they had reached downtown Konoha, Naruto began weaving through streets in such a random way, Sasuke was surprised that Naruto even knew where they were. He now had no hope that Naruto knew where they were going. He should have realized that it was a stupid idea to trust that Naruto actually knew what he said he did.
Still, Naruto was leading them with purpose. Whether he was leading them on the ground, across the rooftops, or in complete circles, he moved like he knew where he was going. He didn't stop to consult street signs, or even just to look confused and lost, he just kept leading them on whatever strange, bizarre path he had chosen.
Still, after the fourth time he had lead them around a local grocery store, Sasuke had finally lost patience with whatever Naruto was attempting to do. He put on a burst of speed, passed Naruto, and then skidded to a stop, forcing Naruto to do so as well, both of them barely missing a comical collision.
"Where do you think you're leading us, idiot? We've been around this place four times, and we've criss-crossed Konoha at least three times! Do you know where are we going, or are you just going to lead us on this waste of time 'til the sun goes down and we all fail?" Sasuke said, putting all of his frustration and anger at the test into those words. Perhaps Naruto didn't deserve all that anger, but it felt good to get it out anyway.
Surprisingly, Naruto had a comeback ready. "You think we can just walk up to ANBU headquarters? Do you have a serious death wish, man? If I took you straight there, and we'd try to go in, we'd be dead or arrested, quicker than it takes to order some ramen! We have to follow the right path just to get there!"
"Oh." Sasuke said faintly. He hadn't thought of that, "Then why are we going in circles?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. To him, it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm attracting the attention of the guy's that watch over the building, duh. If they know we're coming, and that I'm taking the right path, they might just ask question first, instead of just killing us right away. You think they'd just let a bunch of strange kids just walk into their building? If you do, you're way stupider than even I thought, Sasuke."
He opened his mouth to say something, but after a second of thought, he changed his mind. "Ah…You're right, Naruto. Sorry for stopping you."
Sakura, who had, for some reason or other, let them argue for the moment, chose that moment to reassert her presence. "Naruto, if you're done lecturing Sasuke-kun, can we please…well you know, get back to finishing the mission!" The last part was a shout, which for once, was directed at both of them.
Naruto, suitably chastised, sprinted off for yet another seemingly pointless round of the grocery store, and after a second and a not-quite-but-almost-might-just-be-a-glare from Sakura, Sasuke with a sigh took off after him. He'd trust Naruto with this. But if he was leading them wrong, he would make the idiot blond pay in blood.
However, after their little discussion, Sasuke began to notice little things, and more than that, he noticed that Naruto noticed, and even looked for these same things. Every now and then, a fellow ninja would run along beside them for a little bit longer than just a chance meeting justified. And on the path that Naruto took, he began to make out some sort of symbol that Naruto had to be following. It kept reappearing on signs and as graffiti on the walls. It was either that, or Naruto's stupidity was becoming contagious.
Still, when they landed in front of a non-descript office building in the middle of town that they had passed no more than six times, he was a little put out. It didn't help that the building looked nothing like a headquarters for the strongest units in the village. The building Naruto claimed was fake was far more intimidating; with gargoyles and dark arrow-slit windows that practically screamed that the building's occupants were dangerous. This small building with its clean architecture and nondescript appearance was no substitute. Still, thinking back on Naruto's words, he chose not to comment. Still he had to ask. "That's not how the ANBU members get here, is it?"
"'Course not," Naruto said, studying the building with what seemed to Sasuke to be mixed emotion, "They can just walk right up if they want to. It's the visitors that have to do the weird paths. There are a couple of 'em, and the one I usually take is the one when I'm running from the…" His ever-present grin dropped for a second, before coming back full force. "Well, taking that one right now would get me in a bunch of trouble." He laughed, though it sounded forced.
"So which one did we take?" Asked Sakura, slightly winded from their journey. He frowned at that. They had barely broken a sweat. She had no reason to be breathing that hard. She obviously needed training if she couldn't even deal with a run around the village.
Naruto thought about that for a moment. "Uh..Well, we took the one that pretty much said we had business, but we didn't need…" Naruto paused for a second, apparently trying to think of an easy way to explain, "Well, need a squad of ANBU to rough up the people behind us."
That remark left Sasuke wondering what path Naruto usually had to take. Naruto had been surprisingly closemouthed about the whole affair so far, and Sasuke didn't think prying would get him any more answers. Generally, he'd be bragging so loud about what he knew that people three villages over would know.
Naruto turned away from the building and looked at the two of them with a little smile on his face that Sasuke couldn't quite read. "Well, here you are, guys. I don't know where sensei's office is, but if you ask whoever's at the desk really nicely, they might tell. I'm off to bug some more shinobi."
Sakura spoke up, confused. "Bug them for what, Naruto?"
Naruto laughed and put his hands behind his head, like he always did when he was a little embarrassed. Sasuke rolled his eyes. He should have realized this was coming. Naruto would be Naruto, as always. "Well, You guys managed to figure out who he was, but I still haven't. Can't complete the mission without the information, you know?" He laughed and made as if to sprint off into the crowd.
Unfortunately for Naruto, Sakura's fist was faster. She suddenly appeared behind him and gave him a punch that made even Sasuke wince. It didn't help that the sudden attack was unexpected. The hit sent him flying through the air to impact on the wall of the headquarters building, barely missing a tinted window. The girl really could have ungodly strength when she felt like it. Too bad she didn't train herself to use it.
Grunting in pain, Naruto pulled himself out of the small body-shaped dent in the building, and looked mournfully at Sakura and wailing, "Sakura-chan! What was that for? I didn't even do anything this time!"
For a second, she looked upon Naruto, fist upraised, eyes burning, seeming ready to bring down all the wrath of God upon Naruto's head. Naruto was shivering at the waves of killer intent she was giving off, and Sasuke had to avert his eyes to avoid shivering as well. The seemingly enraged girl stomped over the shivering Naruto, who was far too frightened to move. He had just enough time to close his eyes and pray for a pleasant reception in heaven when she struck.
Of course, neither Sasuke nor Naruto had expected Sakura to put Naruto into a headlock and start rubbing his head with her knuckles. It still looked painful to Sasuke, and the groans of pain from Naruto confirmed it, but it wasn't the death sentence that both of them of them expected.
"You idiot! We're here already! We know what he does! You're coming with us!" She shouted, ignoring he stares from passersby.
There was a brief tussle, and Naruto managed to slip out Sakura's iron grip and back towards the relative safety of Sasuke, who didn't appreciate the fact that Naruto was so willing to put him in danger. "But Sakura-chan! I have to complete the mission!" He hung his head. "I haven't done anything yet."
This time, it was Sasuke's turn to hit Naruto; though he only tapped his teammate on the back of the head hard enough to send him stumbling forward a few feet. Ignoring Naruto's betrayed look, he spoke without looking him in the eyes. "You brought us here. If you're right and this is the ANBU headquarters, we have completed the mission. We would have never found this building by sunset." Did he have to spell it out to the stupid kid? He turned towards the door and prepared him to enter, "You two coming? Or am I going to have to take the credit for this all by myself?"
He was laughing inside when he heard Naruto's angry shout and walked into the building. Naruto was so predictable. Say the right thing, and he did whatever you wanted. He stopped laughing when he saw the interior. The outside of the building had looked like a normal office building, while the inside…looked like a normal office building. It was a lobby completely like every lobby Sasuke had even seen, complete with a bored looking secretary behind a desk by the elevators.
He heard his teammates enter behind him, and he heard Sakura' harsh question whispered behind him. "Naruto! Are you sure this is the right building? I swear, if you're wrong…" She trailed off and Sasuke could imagine the look she was giving him.
He heard Naruto scoot passed him and saw the harried look on his face, but he still walked with the same confidence that had lead them here. Whatever this place really was, Naruto knew where he was going. Or at least thought he knew.
He strode ahead of them, though instead of heading for elevators as Sasuke had expected, he had turned towards a section of wall near the receptionists desk. Sasuke frowned at that for a moment, but after a few seconds, smiled. Clever. Along the wall every few feet there was some sort of ornamental piece, except the area Naruto was heading for. The space left was big enough for a good size door. It was something that casual glance wouldn't really notice, or if it were, it would be ignored as just a piece of broken decor. It was obvious enough, though, to be easily described to someone who had never visited the building for official business. A good compromise for an official, yet secretive organization.
"Can I help you with something, kids?" said the secretary from her desk as they passed her. She sounded bored, yet perky at the same time, a tone it seemed all female secretaries seemed to be capable of. Sasuke felt something strange about the women, though, and upon closer inspection; he realized she wasn't a secretary at all. It wasn't all that surprising, on further thought, to have a kunoichi pose as secretary.
"No thanks, just passing through." Naruto said breezily, and with a few quick flicks on what had to be a set of hidden levers, he pushed the door open, and held it for his teammates. Before Sasuke passed through, he saw the surprised expression on the kunoichi's face, and had to chuckle to himself.
"Hey, Fox! What do you think you're doing? Wait! That area is off limits to-" said the secretary, before the door swung shut behind Naruto.
Sasuke stared at Naruto curiously. The blonde had gone strangely pale at the kunoichi's remark. "What was that about?"
Naruto laughed nervously, "Just a nickname some people gave me. You know, with all my pranks," he smirked at that, though still appeared nervous, "and the marks on my face. It just kinda seemed natural, I guess."
Sakura gave him a considering look, before smiling. "You're right, it does fit. I like it, 'Fox'." Naruto blushed at the remark, but for some reason, Sasuke got the feeling he wasn't too pleased. Since when did the dead last have so many secrets?
Turning away from the blond, Sasuke examined the room that Naruto had lead them into. He wasn't quite sure what he had been expecting once they were really in the ANBU headquarters, but a small dark room wasn't it. The room was connected to a bunch of branching corridors, and a stairway. None of them were marked, and if he was right, the building was likely a complete maze to hamper intruders, like themselves.
"I don't suppose you know where Torture and Interrogation is, do you?" He asked Naruto dryly. Whatever secret reason he had for being here regularly as a child probably had nothing to do with Ibiki-sensei's department. Though at the moment, it seemed pretty much anything was likely if it concerned Naruto.
"No," He gave Sasuke a puzzled look, "Why do you want to go there, anyway? I thought we needed to find Ibiki-sensei."
Sasuke blinked and was already opening his mouth his mouth to lecture Naruto about his stupidity, when he realized they hadn't told Naruto who Ibiki-sensei was. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he quickly explained to Naruto what they had found out at the library.
"Oh, That makes sense." Was all that Naruto said after hearing the explanation, frustrating both Sasuke and Sakura. It wasn't every day that one found out one's teacher was one of the most feared ninja in the village. Was the blond really that dense? He should have some reaction!
"I really don't know where that place is. Every time I come here, I go upstairs to…" Naruto paused, his brow wrinkling, trying to think, "The tactical teams' office. It's pretty much a straight shot between to there from here, so I never see anyplace else. " He grimaced. "Plus, they don't mark the offices."
"It should be downstairs," Sakura suddenly said.
Sasuke and Naruto both turned to look at her, and asked "Why?"
She seemed to shrink in on herself for a second, seeming to not like the sudden scrutiny from both her teammates. "Well…when they always talk about torture, it's always done in dungeons. And a dungeon is pretty much a basement, right? So if we go downstairs we should find the unit."
Naruto and Sasuke shared a look for a second, and then both shrugged. "Its not like we have anything else to go on, " Sasuke muttered.
The stairwell was small and cramped, but strangely dry. If they were heading into a dark, dank dungeon where prisoners were tortured horrifically until they gave up their precious information, it was a rather well maintained one. He thought Sakura's idea was pretty stupid, but it was more of an idea than the rest of them had, since Naruto had said the offices were unmarked.
Suddenly Sasuke realized something. "Even if we do find the area for Torture and Interrogation, how will we know which office will be Ibiki-sensei's? You said they were all unmarked." He asked, feeling irritated.
Naruto turned to look at him from further down the stairs, "Duh, we'll ask somebody!"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "What makes you think anybody will answer that to a group of genin that probably aren't even suppose to be here, Fox?"
Naruto flinched at the nickname, but managed a weak laugh, "Well, why not? You got any better ideas?"
Sasuke almost laughed. Naruto had a very good point. "Using that logic, we could have just asked someone on the last floor where the office was."
Naruto just shrugged and continued down the stairs, arms tucked behind his head. "Too late now."
When they finally reached the bottom of the stairwell, they walked out into a room almost entirely identical to the first one. Naruto immediately walked down one of the hallways, and to an open door. He stuck his head in, and Sasuke could hear a short conversation coming from inside. After a minute, he heard Naruto give a brief word of thanks and walked back to them.
"His office is in the next hallway over, third door on the left." And with that, he walked done the path.
Sasuke and Sakura traded exasperated looks, and then walked off behind him. "What did you tell the guy?" Sakura asked.
"Oh, I told him we were doing messenger stuff for the Hokage, and that Ibiki-sensei was needed for a meeting. Messengers come through here all the time, pretty much, though they go through the roof door. They get even more lost on the upper levels, though. Some of the hallways switch floors every now and then." Naruto said.
Arriving at the designated door, they knocked for several minutes, waiting for Ibiki to answer. Strangely enough, he seemed to not be in. Why would the man give them directions to come to his office, if he wasn't going to be there?
"Maybe he's out to lunch?" Said Naruto. Sakura smacked him.
They waited for another ten minutes, earning several strange look from passing ninja. Some bore the masks of ANBU, while some dressed like any other shinobi. They all looked dangerous, dangerous enough to make even Sasuke edgy, but after a cursory glance, they seemed to ignored the group. Predictably, Naruto soon became bored.
"Stupid Ibiki-sensei! Why'd he make us do this dumb mission-test-thing and not even be here to see us finish it! When I see him, I'm gonna-!" Naruto grabbed hold of the door handle, and possibly thinking to break the door down, had twisted and pushed hard. Unfortunately for him, the door turned out to be unlocked, and when it was pushed, it flew open. The crash of Naruto hitting the floor echoed through the hall.
Sasuke and Sakura stared nonplused at Naruto and the now open office. Sasuke turned to Sakura, barely holding back a smile. "I guess we should have checked the door?" Sakura burst into giggles, and Naruto, after pulling himself to his feet, joined them.
They briefly searched the room, and Naruto, flipping through reports on the single desk in the room, confirmed that it was indeed Ibiki-sensei's office. They settled down on the various chairs and tables around the room, and waited for Ibiki to appear.
And they waited.
And waited some more. By this time, Naruto had begun doodling all over the reports on the desk, and Sakura and Sasuke had given up trying to stop him.
And waited even longer. Sakura had long since joined Naruto, and between the two of them, they had managed a fairly accurate picture of the village. Sasuke had fallen asleep on the small couch in the room.
Finally, Naruto jumped to his feet and began pacing the room, muttering to himself. Sasuke, waking up, stared at him for a second, then finally found the energy to speak. "Well, what's up with you?"
Naruto turned to him, and smiled. This wasn't his normal smile. This was the one the all the members of Iruka's class were very familiar with.
"I have a plan to get back at Ibiki-sensei for making us wait!"
I really apologize for the delay! Life caught up with me for a while, and to tell the truth, I'm not a big fan of this chapter. I wanted to go back and rewrite Naruto POV, 'cause while I do like it, I'm not real sure its IC enough. Writing excitable people is hard. o.O Still, I do like the dialogue for this chapter. It took a few tries, but I finally got a Naruto style that I think will work for me. This ends what originally was suppose to be Chapter 1. Next chapter has an Ibiki POV and either a Naruto POV or Iruka one. Possibly both.
Some more general notes. My use of honorifics like –san and –sensei is sort of random, I know and I apologize. I'm trying to make it more normal, but I'm still trying to get comfortable with them. Also, when I do start using Ninja techniques, they will likely be fully in English. No 'Shadow Clone Jutsu' or 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu,' just 'Shadow Clone Technique.' Reasons: I think the first sounds really stupid, and I know little Japanese and I have no wish to mutilate the language by trying to create names for original techniques for the story. However techniques with signature names like 'Rasengan' and 'Chidori' will be kept (if they even appear at all!).
And finally, thank you for all your reviews!