Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII

Ironically enough, there were no clouds, no rain, and no wind during the funeral. The weather was bright, sunny, and the perfect temperature.

The Kazekage looked up into the beautiful sky. The sun beamed down on his face. This weather is strange, he thought.

By the time the ceremony was over, nearly everyone was in tears.

The female advisor of the Hokage said to the crowd, "Times are sorrow, but it is not the time to weep. It is now when we must be strong."

The male added to that, "We will begin consideration for the Shichidaime Hokage immediately."

With that, the crowd began to disperse. It was within twenty minutes that everyone was gone except one ninja.

Nara Tukuto stood alone by the coffin. Tears were in his eyes. He reached out to lay his hand on it, but hesitated for a short moment. He then touched it slightly, as if to make sure it was real.

He stood there for a bit longer. It was amazing that no one had yet noticed him, a missing-nin, in the village.

He raised his head, and looked up at the clear sky.

Naruto-sensei, who did this to you?

The advisors were in the Hokage's palace with a crowd of Jounin, most of them former cell leaders.

The female said to the group, "If we were not stricken with this tragedy, the Jounin Selection Exams would be held, starting this Monday."

"Does that mean the exams are postponed?" one of the cell leaders, Shimotu, asked.

"Precisely. Instead, they shall be held as soon as the Hokage is selected." The other advisor said.

"Now, I beg your leave. We must consider the Hokage." The female said, and the Jounin left.

After the Jounin were out of hearing range, the advisors began to converse.

It was only twenty minutes later that they had their top choice.

Zukuari leaned against the railing on top of Hokage tower, looking at all the previous Hokage on the wall.

She looked at each one for a long moment, starting with Senju Hashirama, the Shodai Hokage, builder of Konohagakure, and ending with Uzumaki Naruto.

Zukuari was soon accompanied by an old friend. Nara Tukuto stood next to her, also looking at all of the Hokage. He didn't have his hair in a ponytail at that point; his hair went down to his shoulders. He also had his flak vest unzipped and open, showing his navy t-shirt underneath.

His hands were in his pockets.

"People giving you crap?" Zukuari asked.

"Yeah." Tukuto sighed.

"I won't." Zukuari said.

"I know." Tukuto said.

"Tukuto, what made you want to return?" Zukuari asked.

Tukuto didn't answer her question.

The three Sannin, the Rokudaime Hokage, and the advisors sat in Naruto's office.

"We need to discuss the matter of the Chuunin Exams. We wish for you three to be the proctors." The Rokudaime said.

"Hokage-sama! We can't do this right now! Postpone the exams!" Tukuto said.

"Nara Tukuto! Be silenced at once!" the female advisor said.

"Tukuto, why do you think we should postpone them?" Naruto asked.

"I've been doing some research, and an assassination is being planned against you, sir Hokage!" Tukuto yelled.

"That couldn't possibly be." The male advisor said. "And besides, if someone was trying to assassinate the Hokage, he or she wouldn't be able to. Our military force is very powerful, and besides, even if they could overtake our military, we have the ANBU. And if the ANBU were defeated, which isn't likely, the Hokage is a very powerful man. He would be able to stop whatever is coming."

"That may be the case, but even so, you should take necessary precautions, and postpone the exams." Tukuto said.

"Tukuto, I don't think," the female advisor started, but Tukuto was already gone.

At his home, the upper story of the Yamanaka flower shop, Tukuto began packing. He stuffed five sets of clothes into his backpack. After that, he stuffed as many scrolls as he deemed necessary, which was seventeen. He then shoved in his weapons pouch, and zipped his backpack, although it took quite some effort. At about two a.m., he jumped out the window into the tree branch. He hopped down, and took the only road out of the village.

Right outside the gate stood two of his friends, Zukuari and Zumoto.

"This is the only way out." Zukuari said. "We're not letting you out."

"Really? I don't think so." Tukuto said. He formed a hand seal, and quickly had a dozen shadow doppelgangers, which quickly overtook the other two. Tukuto quickly departed. Zukuari managed to escape the clones, and started chasing after.

Zumoto was about a minute behind her. "We have to stop him!"