A/N: Here it is. Chapter 7. I hope you guys enjoy this arc. Oh and from this point on, the story will mainly focus on Naruto and Hinata. If you notice inconsistencies and OOCness, bear with me. If there are plot holes, I'll try to fill them up as best as I can without diverting from my actual story. Credits to my girlfriend for helping me iron out a few details and inconsistencies in this chapter. Thank you dear 3 :3
Anyway, enjoy reading.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto
Escape
"You want me to…abandon…Konoha?" Naruto was dumbstruck by the revelation. His own sensei wanted him to leave? His home, his friends, his team, and everyone else? He was supposed to leave them behind to be oppressed by the Suna nin? While he lived freely, until he could come save them? How many will die before then? Surely with Gaara around, more people will die.
"Naruto, listen to me. What is it that you want to do the most?" Kakashi asked sternly. Naruto was about to scream at Kakashi before he actually thought about the question. The answer came to him almost instantly. "To protect everyone that is important to me." He replied, meaning every word he said. "And to do that, you have to get stronger. There's no way that I can train you properly under this new regime. So leave, Naruto. Leave and train somewhere else, and become stronger, then come back for us. We'll be waiting." Kakashi said quickly, before Naruto could argue further. "But what about Sakura and Sasuke and everyone else?" Naruto asked with concern. "Nobody is going to get hurt, Naruto. I promise I'll look after the team while you're gone. Sunagakure have control of our military might, and they're going to use us, not kill us off. We are too important to them for that to happen. But if they try to kill us, we will defend ourselves. We will live, Naruto. You have to trust me on this, as I am trusting the fate of this village to you." Kakashi was trying his best to convince Naruto, and it looked like it was working. "It's still so much to take in." Naruto was confused, but he wasn't refusing. So Kakashi decided to try another angle. "Naruto, if you choose to accept this, you can save Konoha. And believe it or not there's a lot you can learn from other villages. Jiraiya-sama travelled and trained in all the great villages. That's how he knows so much. And guess what. He left some of that knowledge to you."
Naruto's eyes shot open. The Legendary Sannin, with his decades of knowledge left some of it for him? What could it be? "What is it, sensei?" Naruto was a little excited now. "A jutsu scroll it seems. Jiraiya-sama was a master of seals, and he left this one scroll especially for you. It will only reveal itself to your blood and chakra. Understand how it works?" Kakashi could see the glint in Naruto's eyes. That boy lived to train. "Yea. Wait, how do you know that?" Naruto asked suspiciously. "It's in this letter that he left for you." Kakashi reached into his pocket and handed Naruto a folded up piece of paper.
"To Naruto,
This is kinda weird since I hardly know you, kid. But I'm actually leaving a lot behind for you. I don't even know why. But I just get this feeling about you, kid. You're meant for great things. Your destiny is one that could change the world. And for some reason, you remind me of me as a kid.
Anyway, I don't have much time. The first thing I'm leaving behind for you is some advice. First off, don't ever underestimate the power of good intel. I made my life gathering information for Konoha, and that is one of the reasons I lived so long. Few ninjas actually make it to the age of forty. Next, I want you to train, and train hard. Train like a beast. Like several beasts. You have more potential in you than anyone I've ever known, even the Yondaime Hokage, whom I personally trained. Don't let it get to your head, idiot. I know this because I've seen your potential from the short time I've spent with you. Utilize it. Master it.
Now, I'm guessing you already know that I left you behind a jutsu scroll, and if you don't, now you do. That jutsu is one of the Yondaime's original jutsu. It is insanely powerful, and believe me kid, it'll take you a long time to get it down. But don't give up, because I know you can do this. Also, this jutsu should not be revealed to any ninja of any other village. Hell, don't even show it to anyone in Konoha, except for people you would trust with your life. This jutsu is a weapon that, if used properly, could shift the tide in battle. I would know, because I've used it myself. Additionally, that jutsu is incomplete, according to the Yondaime. I don't know what the next step is, so you'll have to figure it out on your own. So do not open the scroll unless you're absolutely ready and certain, got that?
And finally, I'm leaving you behind with a mission. This mission is unofficial, and one of my own making. You see kid, I believe in a thing called true peace. A peace where everyone truly understands one another and can live in harmony. War cannot create this peace. This peace cannot be forced on people. In my lifetime, I couldn't find the answer. So now, I'm leaving it up to you to find true peace. It won't be easy, kid. I spent well over forty years, but I got nothing. So don't despair immediately. Keep at it, and if you fail, pass it on to the next generation.
Alright. That's all I guess. If you're reading this, you probably know I'm already dead. Damn shame. I think I could've trained you to be a fine ninja. But I guess you'll have to do it on your own. So…
Take care, kid."
Naruto was a hurricane of emotions. Pride, joy, excitement, and humor warred with confusion, sadness, fear, and loneliness. He was proud that he was compared to the Yondaime. He was happy and excited that a Sannin had entrusted him with so much, including a powerful jutsu. A small part of him was amused as he tried to picture a younger Jiraiya. But he was sad the man had died. He was lonely because of it too. He was afraid of letting down the great man. He had been asked to carry so much. But he was still just one kid. And how could HE, the container of a bijuu, find any kind of peace, let alone true peace? All the while, Kakashi was watching the emotions flicker across Naruto's face. Eventually, he settled on one.
Determination.
"I'll do it, sensei." Naruto said, with resolve hardened to steel. Kakashi observed Naruto for a moment, looking for and hint of doubt in the boy. There were none. "Alright. Good to hear that Naruto. Now, you're going to need some help, getting out. It just so happens, that tomorrow night, I'm on guard duty. That should give you enough time to pack up and say your goodbyes to anyone you'd want to. But for now, get some sleep. This has been a hell of a day." Kakashi said as he got up to leave. Naruto followed him to the door, and let his sensei out before locking the door behind him. He returned to the couch and slumped back onto it with a deep breath.
It had indeed, been one helluva day. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he almost fell over in shock when the bathroom door swung open. He managed to catch himself quick enough to see that Hinata had stepped out of the bathroom. With all that had happened with his sensei, he actually forgot that she was there. But concern replaced all confusion as he noticed that she was crying. He picked himself up and rushed over to her as she tried to make her way to the door. "Hinata-chan. Wait! What's wrong? Did something happen? Are you hurt?" He asked as he grabbed her shoulders, and looked her over, wondering if she fell over in the bathroom. If she did, he didn't hear it.
But Hinata didn't want to talk. She just wanted to leave. "Naruto-kun. Please…please let me go…" She pleaded between sobs. Though her tone caused Naruto some strange heartache, he refused to let her go. "No way Hinata-chan. I'm not letting you leave here until you're happy again. Now tell me what's wrong. Did something happen?" Naruto almost demanded of her. He didn't seem to hear the edge in his voice. But Hinata did.
"Yes…I suppose you could say something happened."
Hinata was staring at the floor through her tears, not wanting to look at Naruto. She hurt so badly, and though she didn't mean to, she was taking it all out on him. "I came here to talk to you about my family problems because you always give me hope…my own father disowned me…I always knew that you wouldn't hurt me…But I was wrong. You DID hurt me!" Hinata was crying harder than she had before. And her despair and hurt had seemingly erased her stutter. "I don't understand, Hinata-chan. What did I do to hurt you?" Naruto was genuinely confused by the girl in front of her.
"You said you're going to leave! You're going to leave me! I came to you because I needed you, and the next few years are going to be hell in Konoha, and my family offers me nothing…YOU are the person that gives me hope, and strength, and happiness. And now you're going to take all of that away from me…" Hinata was almost accusing Naruto now. This was nothing like the Hinata Naruto thought he knew. Why was she reacting so strongly to him leaving? He would come back, right?
"But…Hinata-chan. I'm going to come back. And you don't need me to give you strength. You're a damn strong kunoichi as it is. Surely you don't need a failure like me around." Naruto was a mix of guilt and confusion, as he remembered the broken promise.
"You're wrong! You're not a failure! You are the strongest ninja in this entire village. And you're wrong about me too. I'm not strong. I'm weak. Whatever strength I have, I've drawn from you. And now, you're taking all of that away!" Hinata shot back at him sharply.
"I don't get it Hinata-chan. Why is me leaving such a big deal to you?!" Naruto was on the verge of yelling now. He was getting frustrated because of his confusion.
"Because I need you!" Hinata said softly, as she threw her arms around him. She couldn't admit that she loved him just yet.
"Yea I got that, but why?" Naruto was taken aback by sudden action. Hinata hadn't so much as twitched.
"Because you are the only one who gives me strength and real happiness. Even when we were just starting the academy. I admired you. All the villagers treated you badly, or ignored you, and I didn't understand why. I still don't. But I don't care. I never cared about any of that. Because whenever someone treated you badly, you got straight back up and shouted out your dream for the whole world to hear. You would become Hokage. That's what you always said. You didn't know this, but I was always watching you from afar. I was shy and I didn't know how to approach you. I was also weak. And I was shunned by the Hyuga for it. My childhood was miserable after my mother passed away. But you. You had no one and nothing. And I had everything. And yet, you were a million times better than me. You were a million times stronger than me. And that's what I saw in you from the beginning. Endless determination, an ocean of strength and willpower stronger than the light of a thousand stars. But I had none of that. So I stayed in the shadows. Over time, my admiration for you only grew. But I still couldn't tell you." Hinata's confession left Naruto reeling.
She…had watched him? For so long? And…and he…he didn't even know? He always thought she was weird because she never spoke to him much. And her color and all the fainting made it look like she was sick all the time. At least that's what he thought. But it was all because she looked up tohim? From the beginning, even when he was a failure. She never insulted him, or hit him, or treated him like dirt. Truthfully, she didn't do anything to him at all, until recently, when she called him a proud failure. And what did he have to show for it? He called her weird. The guilt and other emotions hit him with the force of an avalanche. And now, he was the one crying.
"I…I'm so sorry…Hinata-chan…I never knew…if I had known…maybe…maybe I could've done something…for you." Now it was Hinata's turn to be sad. He was blaming himself for not knowing. "No Naruto-kun. You couldn't have known, because I or anyone else never told you. Don't blame yourself. It's my fault for not approaching you sooner. So please don't-" She was cut off when a pair of arms wrapped around her, and blond head fell to her shoulder. His body was shaking with his sobs. The sudden contact brought back her blush as she stood frozen. How she had dreamed of this. How she had wanted to hold him. To be held by him. To love him. To be close to him. She was so happy she could've fainted then and there. But she wouldn't ruin this. Instead, she raised her arms and wrapped them around his back, and pulled herself into his embrace further. This was her dream. "Don't blame yourself, Naruto-kun." She whispered.
They just stood there for a while, locked in each other's arms. He continued to cry while she was trying to comfort him. A part of her was amused at the turn of events. She originally came over, seeking comfort from him. Eventually, and maybe all too soon for Hinata's liking, he composed himself and pulled back, but only so he could look into her eyes. He never noticed before but they were very pretty. As well as the silky bangs that framed her cute face. "Cute? Where'd that come from? But I guess it's true. Hinata-chan is kinda cute." He pondered as he got lost in her eyes. She was blushing from his stare but she couldn't look away. Finally, he managed to speak.
"Hinata-chan. I'm sorry for ignoring your feelings, and not being more observant. Na-ah, don't interrupt. I have to say this. I'm sorry for a lot of things. I'm sorry that I haven't spent more time with you, or gone places with you. But I'm mostly sorry if my actions involving Sakura-chan, hurt your feelings. But things are different now. I don't think that she, or anyone else for that matter have ever felt the same way about me as you do. That makes special to me. You're a very precious person to me now, and I promise that I'll do my best to make sure I live up to your expectations, k?" That was all he managed to ask, before she leaped onto him and knocked him over in a completely uncharacteristic move. "YES! Yes yes yes yes, Naruto-kun." She shouted happily over his shoulder and into the floorboards, oblivious to the position they were now in.
Naruto chuckled. "That's great, Hinata-chan. And you know, for it to work, we're going to have to stay close together…but isn't this a little too close?" He teased her. He could definitely feel the heat from her face as she blushed furiously and scrambled to get off of him. He laughed and picked himself up and dusted himself off, before they both moved to the couch. Naruto was happy, but his mood became serious very quickly.
"Hinata-chan. I still have to leave tomorrow. I have to go along with Kakashi-sensei's plan. But now…I want to stay with you too. I don't know what to do." Naruto said in a sad tone, which left Hinata feeling guilty about the situation she had put him in. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I shouldn't have put you in this situation. I'll…I'll wait for you…to come back." She said in an even sadder tone. She would have to spend several years as a branch family member before she could ever see him again. What if he started to love another girl on his travels? The thought put a little crack in Hinata's heart. Naruto was, in turn, even more heartbroken by her expression. He wanted to be with her…but he had to leave too. It wasn't fair! If only…if only there was a way to…do…both…
His face lit up as inspiration hit him. "Hinata-chan. You should come with me!" He said excitedly, stunning her into silence. "Wh…what?" She stuttered out. "Yea. Come with me, Hinata-chan. I don't want you to stay here because they'll put you in the branch house. And if you stay here, I'll spend too much time thinking about you and I won't get any training done." He spoke with the enthusiasm of a five year old kid. Hinata was thinking more slowly though. "He wants me to abandon my home and my family and run off with him?" She blushed at the romance of such a thought. But this was more than that. "I can't just leave my family…right? I mean, they're my family. Aren't they? Father…what does…what does a father do? They're supposed to love and nurture and protect, right? But…mine…doesn't. Mother is not with us anymore. And Hanabi…we might as well be strangers…do I truly have a family to leave behind? No…no…I don't. I have a clan. Not a family. There is no love for me in that mansion. And Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun could grow to love me. So…this is right for me, isn't it? I'll be with someone who will love me and protect me. But…"
"Naruto-kun…what if I can't help your training? What if I hold you back and you can't get strong enough to save village? That would be so selfish of me. My happiness could take away the freedom of Konoha." She couldn't continue her train of thought before she was interrupted. "That's stupid, Hinata-chan. You won't hold me back because you're strong. In fact, if you really tried, you could beat anyone you wanted. You could probably beat me senseless and send me back to the hospital." Naruto laughed as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand. Old habits. But he became serious again. "We'll train together, Hinata-chan. We'll get stronger together. I have my weaknesses and you have yours. But you have strengths as well. You're really smart, and one of the best scouts in this entire village. You're not going to hold me back. You'll only make me stronger. And happier. So what do you say, Hinata-chan? Wanna come with me?" He added a smile to the last part, which melted Hinata's heart. He still believed in her. He still gave her strength. And he said she'll give him strength and happiness too.
She couldn't help herself anymore. She threw herself at him again, and this time, he caught her. She buried her face in his shoulder and finally whispered in his ear. "Yes."
-Next morning-
Dawn broke brightly next morning as Naruto picked himself up off the couch where he slept last night. After Hinata agreed to go with him, they managed to sneak onto the Hyuga estate, which was surprisingly simple, given the fact that they all had a near three sixty degree field of vision. Nevertheless, Hinata knew all the nooks and crannies of the compound better than anyone, as she spend many hours of her childhood hiding from her father after training sessions and all. So they managed to get in, get some of Hinata's gear, and a little emergency money, just in case, and get out in a matter of minutes without raising any alarm.
They had then returned to Naruto's apartment, where after much discussion, and embarrassment on Hinata's part, Naruto finally convinced her to take his bed, while he slept on the couch. It didn't bother him since he was a heavy sleeper. And Hinata slept surprisingly well too. Perhaps that was because no matter which way she turned on his bed, she was surrounded by his scent.
Eventually, they were both out of bed, and after showering (separately!) and ramen for breakfast because that was all Naruto had in his house, the two eventually left the house. They walked side by side which didn't seem like a big deal to Naruto, but it was a dream come true for Hinata. She'd sneak a sideways glance at him now and then and blush happily at how things had changed. True, the changes in Konoha were anything but happy, but she felt uplifted by the changes in her own life. She was walking with Naruto, and he seemed to be enjoying it. She was glad that some of his sadness had disappeared, and she did her best to make small talk with him as they walked. Some people were shocked to see the Hyuga heiress, or perhaps former heiress, with the demon boy. Some shot them nasty glares, but luckily no one made a scene.
Eventually, their morning walk took them to the top of the Hokage monument. Naruto stepped forward and stood over the Kages and looked over the village. The western wall still lay in ruins. He could make out craters where Gamahiro and the snakes had fought. All in all, Konoha looked the same, apart from the damages. The place wasn't on fire, and a very large part of it was still standing. Most of the Suna army had returned to Sunagakure. Gaara was to stay in the Leaf Village as a deterrent for any kind of coup.
Naruto felt angry. This was his home. And he was about to abandon it and leave it in the hands of his enemies. He didn't even notice his hands ball into fists. But Hinata's observant eyes saw it all. She walked up to him slowly, emboldened by the fact that they were now closer than ever. She felt his pain through her love for him. And she couldn't stand it. Naruto-kun was not meant to be unhappy, and she would not let that happen as long as she was with him.
She slipped a hand onto his fist and held on gently. The effect was instantaneous, as she saw Naruto relax. His hand opened to allow hers to get a more comfortable grip on him. He felt comforted by the simple gesture. Anger and despair were replaced with hope and determination. He turned to her and locked eyes with her. Though she blushed because of old habits, she saw all the emotions in his eyes. He couldn't find the words to let them all out, so she spoke for him instead. "I know. I understand. We'll come back, Naruto-kun. We'll come back, and take back our home." She blushed ever more at her own words. "Our home." She and Naruto actually shared something that felt so intimate and special to her. Naruto was smiling when she snapped out of her slight daze. "Hinata-chan. You're amazing. You understand me better than anyone and I don't even have to say anything. And you always know what to do to make me feel better. How do you do that?" Hinata was pleased and embarrassed at the same time because of his words of admiration. But she was more comfortable around him now, and she could talk freely. "Years of observation." She said in a joking tone, which caused the both of them to burst out laughing.
Naruto was the first to stop, surprisingly. And he had an odd look on his face as if he was scrutinizing Hinata. She thought she had something on her face, because of the way he looked at her. "What is it, Naruto-kun?" She asked a little nervously. Naruto was still staring at her when he answered. "That was the first time I heard you laugh, Hinata-chan. It's cute. You should laugh more." He finished with a grin, as if he were a child who had just found a new toy. Hinata was pleased that he didn't find her weird anymore, and blushed again. Hearing compliments from him was going to take some getting used to.
They spent the rest of the day walking through the village, with Naruto going to every length to make Hinata laugh more and more. She couldn't help it. His antics were downright ridiculous. And though he didn't notice, several villagers and ninjas got a few chuckles from him too. Some things never change it seems. And one of those things was Naruto. He would always be a bundle of happy energy that could cheer people up whether they wanted it or not. In a way, he was giving the village a parting gift. A bit more happiness before he was gone.
Eventually, the sun set on what had been a surprisingly happy day for the young couple. They had eaten at Ichiraku's for lunch and now were on their way back to the apartment. Hinata helped Naruto pack up and clean up the place before they cleaned themselves up and prepared to leave.
They left the apartment at midnight, never to return there until the village was theirs once again. They used Hinata's byakugan to make their way to Kakashi without being seen. Eventually, they found him patrolling a section near the southern part of the wall.
"Naruto. Good you're here. But…why is Hinata here? And why does she have a backpack?" Kakashi asked, feeling a little tense. "It's ok sensei. She's coming with me." Naruto explained to Kakashi who still looked skeptical. "I hope you know what you're doing Naruto. We don't have much time, so I'm going to trust your judgment. I'm patrolling this section tonight, so hurry up and run. Once you get past the border, you're on your own." Kakashi said in a hurried tone. Then, the moment caught up with them.
This would be the last time they would see each other for years. A silence followed as the gravity of the situation fell upon them. Kakashi, perhaps the strongest jonin in Konoha was entrusting the fate of the village to a raw genin. "This is it, Naruto. I believe in you, as your sensei, and as a fellow ninja of Konoha. You know what you have to do. Make me proud." Kakashi said in an almost parental tone. Perhaps that was what struck Naruto the most. "I will, Kakashi-sensei. And Hinata-chan will too." Naruto added proudly. "Oh, but sensei. Won't we be labelled as missing nin? And what if they send ANBU after us?" Naruto suddenly realized that that was a very possible scenario. "Don't worry about it. Don't take this the wrong way, but the village has more important things to do than to chase two genin. There's a lot of rebuilding and restructuring to be done, so I don't think Baki will start a manhunt for you two. Get what I'm saying?" Kakashi finished and the two kids nodded their understanding.
"Good, now go. Take care of each other, you two. And Hinata, make sure he doesn't get into trouble, and try to feed him something other than ramen. This idiot could use a salad once in a while." Kakashi spoke in a lighthearted tone, which lightened the mood, and still embarrassed Hinata. "H-Hai, sensei." She stammered again.
With one last look back at the village, they took off.
A/N: There you go. Naruto and Hinata have left the village. Where will they go? What will they do? Will they ever come back? Who knows? (I do). Stay tuned to find out. And stay awsum!
