A/N: Right, so to those who say slow the plot, I am honestly trying but everything just comes to me soo don't get too upset but I tried to slow it down a little more. Anyway after the last pointless chapter… let's get to it.

Chapter 4: Ridiculous

Tsunade had called off the meeting with all shinobi and rather planned it to take place in two days' time due to some surprising information given by Sai. During that time they were all to get ready.

Tormented at night by nightmares where the residents curse, mock, taunt and blame her for the destruction and thereafter sleep eluding her she gave up and headed to her window.

Opening it and staring out at the once delightful and full of energy village. Here it was reduced to rubble with the moonlight helping those who view the ruined village. It felt as though a piece of her broke off and was just gone. The tears slowly started falling down her face.

The fact that she there was nothing she could have done just upset her more. All the hard work put into the village was nullified in that moment.

Her beautiful village… destroyed. If it was a bad dream then why hadn't it stopped already? Now when she needed the comfort there was no one there for her. Her best friend wasn't in town, her pupil was most possibly asleep and there was just plain no one for her now. No one. Alone. Those words echoed in her head. Truth be told, she should've been the one comforting her people.

Her village. Her village. The village was burned and its inhabitants were broken inside. Now they were abandoning it. What next? The thought of it was scary and just blatantly saddening. After revealing a bit of her plans to Sakura, not much just a snippet, and seeing the horrified look on her student's face was enough to make her feel like she was making the wrong decision thus making her feel like crap.

Shout, scream, let loose.

She really wanted to.

"Danzou… I hate you. I hope you die a gruesome death."

….

Sakura couldn't sleep. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't. After nagging on her shishou's head about what she was doing Tsunade finally revealed a tiny bit of her schemes.

Flashback

Sakura walked down the hallway to the hokage office with Tsunade and Shizune. She was desperate to know what was going on. So desperate, she would've actually made a deal with her master. Sake for plots. But of course, where would she find sake in a destroyed village?

"Hey, Shishou, come on! Please tell me I promise I won't tell anyone else." Sakura pleaded. Tsunade gave her apprentice a glare and it worked… for a few minutes. Where did the child get her stubbornness?

After she couldn't take it anymore Tsunade then told her what she wished to hear.

"I'm only telling you this much. We will be leaving Konoha." Sakura was sure that was the worst possible news she could ever have received.

End Flashback

It just felt wrong to even think about deserting her beloved village let alone actually doing it. And here they were going to do it.

She was still in the hospital due to her home being one of those destroyed. Ino was doing the late-night shift and Sakura would do the early morning shift but she was positive sleep would elude her till then. Conceding defeat she stood up and walked down the empty, eerie halls of the hospital with her grey blanket wrapped around her.

There was a slight chill in the air coming from a window. Wrapping her blanket tighter she ignored the window and continued walking.

She heard shuffling in a nearby room and saw Ino was healing a shinobi who was awake. Ino's senses picked up and she turned her head around. Seeing Sakura standing by the door was confusing.

"Why are you awake? It'll be your turn soon you know. Go rest while you can."

Sakura shook her head and said "Sorry but I'm just… I'm just going to walk around for a while." The forlorn expression on Sakura's face was enough to make Ino want to get up and give her a hug but Sakura was already walking away.

'Sakura is a master at making people worry.' She thought with sadness.

Sakura walked into the reception room. There were still many patients sleeping there including Lee. The rhythmic breathing of the sleeping bodies was peaceful in a way to know that she had helped them with everything she had.

Sakura walked out the hospital. While walking down the road, observing the ruined homes she started crying. She sat down on a piece of wall and bawled her eyes out. She didn't know how long she sat there but during that moment she didn't care. After sitting a while longer she wiped her face, stood up and walked to Naruto's house.

…

Naruto woke up to a soft repeated rapping on his door. Muttering incoherent sentences and rubbing his eyes, he got up to answer the door and to his surprise stood Sakura in a blanket. Her eyes were puffy and red while her face was streaked with tears.

"Sakura-chan, what's wrong?"

"Did you know?" She asked softly and with a look that made Naruto know what she was talking about.

"Yeah… baa-chan told me not to tell you. Even Kakashi-sensei said it was important to keep quiet about it." He avoided her gaze by looking to the floor.

Sakura would've blown a gasket if it wasn't for the fact that she was exhausted, depressed and just plain not in the mood. Without saying another word she headed back to the hospital.

….

Itachi woke up earlier than usual due to him sleeping by the window and the suns first rays shining on his face. Not able to sleep afterwards he freshened up. He stood by the window studying the area outside until he heard Pein's voice from across the room.

"You should go see the hokage. She has something to discuss with you." Pein walked out the house.

Itachi was slightly confused. They were told to prepare but what were they preparing for? Pein wouldn't utter a word and they were told to wait for the meeting Tsunade called. As they say curiosity killed the cat and curiosity was killing Itachi.

Maybe now was his chance to actually know something. Stepping over the sleeping bodies and exiting the house, he wished that for once things would go his way without force.

….

Hinata hated being pushed around, though she was put through that most of her life, she really hated it. All she wanted was her father's approval and yet no matter how hard she worked just doing something simple like sitting with the kyuubi container was enough to fracture her effort.

And it's always got something to do with her sister.

"Why can't you be more like Hanabi?"

"You should act more like your sister."

"Work harder like your sister."

Apparently she was still banned from talking to Naruto due to him harboring the kyuubi. How they knew that she had sat with him was a mystery all in itself unless they still had people following her to make sure she doesn't do something dumb.

After trying to tell her father that Naruto had the kyuubi under control and that he wasn't dangerous she gave up. Her father was a lost case ever since he disowned her.

But now? Now she was close to the edge, about to lose it. The way the family treated her was ridiculous and just made her sad but wanting to cry and shout in anger as well. So what if she was the black sheep of the family? That was her and they should accept that!

Making her way to a training area she let out all her anger into a training post while replaying the last moment with her father.

Flashback

Hinata sat in her father's presence in silence. She knew what was coming but she honestly hoped that maybe her father would let her go for once. Her hopes shattered when he started speaking.

"Hinata, why were you with that kyuubi boy? I told you many times that you are banned from seeing him. He is dangerous." His stern glare made her choose her words with caution.

"But father it is safe. Naruto has the kyuubi under control and I can look after myself so you don't need to keep having people watch me." Hinata kept eye contact with her father.

"No, from now on whenever you go anywhere you will have someone accompanying you."

"Why don't you trust me? I can look after myself." Hinata looked to the floor wishing that the floor would swallow her. Then he said it.

"No, but if you were as strong as Hanabi I would've let you go and I wouldn't even have to worry about you."

Hinata raised her eyes to her father's and just stared at him. She then stood up and walked out the room but not before saying:

"Fine. I see how it is and if you won't trust me… I don't care anymore."

End Flashback

It seemed that the usual training wasn't enough to vent out her anger. She just fell to the floor and lay on the grass, staring at the blue sky.

"Hinata." She looked up to see her cousin.

"Want to spar?" She got up without saying a word and they started sparring. Every kick, punch, block had feeling to it and Neji felt it all. He knew from the way she left the compound something was wrong.

And here he felt it was true. She was furious. Never giving him a break and just letting it all out. Neji just went with it. She was only this livid a few times before and she usually calmed down after a good spar. Until then he'd just have to wait to find out what was wrong.

….

Tsunade sat at her desk staring out the window. If the council knew that she was working with the akatsuki she would be in deep crap. The clan head were not a problem as most of them went with her ideas, like Shikaku, but elders like Homura and Koharu would surely try something. Maybe they were dead? It was a slightly pleasant thought.

She didn't mind working with the akatsuki. The leader made sure things got done and wasted no time. The female did whatever she was told and voiced opinions. Tsunade didn't know much about the other members but she had a little faith in their abilities.

The door opened and Itachi walked in the room. Nodding a greeting at Tsunade and waiting for her to speak he stood in front of her desk.

"Ah, Itachi. I have a … favour to ask of you. It might be a little troublesome but I'm hoping it will work."

Itachi raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"But before I ask you that, you're going to need to know what's happening so it won't be so confusing. I have already planned everything with your leader and the meeting was shifted because of some rather interesting feedback from one of our shinobi."

Tsunade explained everything that was planned with as much detail as possible. During this Itachi asked few questions but otherwise remained silent.

"Understand now? Good then let me get to it. I need you to speak with Sasuke. I've dug up some information on the Uchiha clan massacre and… I know what truly happened." Itachi's eyes widened slightly but he said nothing.

"I'm hoping that since he doesn't listen to any of us maybe he will listen to you. I don't know if you want to but it would probably be best if you told him the truth." Tsunade said looking him dead in the eyes.

It remained like this for a few seconds before Itachi said "I will speak to him immediately."

….

Hinata sat against a tree in the cool shade wincing in pain from various bruises around her body. Neji sat against a tree next to hers in no better condition. After the sparring session she felt a whole lot better, still angry but better.

"So what happened today?" Neji asked gazing at her. Hinata was hesitating but he gave her time.

"It's my father… he doesn't trust me and he always compares me to my sister. I know I'm a lot stronger than I was but because he doesn't pay nearly as much attention to me he doesn't know this. He also refuses to let me speak to Naruto or even be near him." She looked to the floor.

Then Hinata explained what happened. Neji was not surprised as Hiashi was very strict when it came to Hinata but why would he compare Hinata to her sister? Neji knew Hanabi was a soft spot considering Hinata's past.

Neji also knew Hinata still loved her sister dearly but at the same time couldn't help wishing she were a little braver and more confident. Then there was Naruto. Everyone knew about Hinata's infatuation with the blonde, except said blonde, but no one mentioned it.

She had been caught stalking Naruto countless times by many of her friends and she often begged them not to tell anyone, mostly Naruto. Neji had actually been one of those who caught her and he had teased her relentlessly and laughed at how red she would get.

"You know he is just trying to protect you. You should give him a chance." Neji stated

"Only if he gives me a chance first. There's no reason for him not to trust me."

Hinata sighed and stood up. "Thank you Neji-nii… for listening and the spar."

"Anytime." Hinata started walking around aimlessly just thinking about everything. Maybe Neji was right and she should give her father a chance.

….

"That's a lie… It's all a lie!" Sasuke's expression was horrified.

Itachi's gaze was unwavering. He continued to speak "Everything I speak is the truth. I had chosen to die by your hands but that decision no longer stands."

Itachi gave Sasuke one last look before standing up to leave. Sasuke had a lot to think about and it would no doubt keep him mentally busy for a while. There was nothing else to do but mull over sudden information in a prison cell.

"Wait…" Itachi halted and faced Sasuke again. "If that is all true, why don't you get revenge on the village for making you go through that?" Itachi stared at his brother intently before saying:

"Revenge? Foolish little brother. I cared more for my village than my own family but there was one person I couldn't kill. You. And yet you chose the path of hatred while I was hoping you would take that memory to become stronger to defeat me. Imagine my surprise when I find out you were being trained by Orochimaru only to become his host when you defeated me.

"That destroys the purpose of restoring the clan name. Do you not think that I feel guilt over what I had done? I wanted you to bring back the pride into the Uchiha clan. It is actually ridiculous that you would run to someone who would obviously kill you when your ambitions are fulfilled. That's just playing suicidal. In short, I am very, very, disappointed in you, Sasuke."

Sasuke was dumbfounded at his brother's outburst and they remained in silence for a few minutes before Sasuke said "I'll join you… but on one condition."

"Name it."

"Keep Karin away from me."

….

A/N: Okay I'm going to come straight out with it. This chapter may lack a little because I am EXHAUSTED. Mentally and physically. Stupid school put up athletic stuff and apparently it's compulsory and they've been PILING on the homework. Whatever. Anyway here is a poll for you guys.

Would you like the main kunoichi of the story to be:

Sakura

Ino

Hinata

Other. TELL ME.

Till next time…