Chapter 10: The Debate
"Too troublesome," Shikamaru mutters rubbing the back of his head.
"What's that supposed the mean?" Naruto demands.
Several students watch the scene open-mouthed. Only a few minutes ago Naruto, who hadn't turned up to school since Friday, had burst into the classroom accompanied by a police officer.
Shikamaru scowls. There are too many unknown variables. With the murders going Shikamaru knows it's all too obvious that it isn't safe to attend the meeting, especially with the growing resentment in the city. The only information Naruto had given him was a text on Monday telling him not to travel alone. That Shikamaru had figured out by himself.
But… Through half closed eyes Shikamaru looks at Naruto. Even despite Shikamaru's almost freakish intellect he's always found Naruto hard to understand. Most people find him extremely likable yet he hangs around with Gaara who terrifies even the majors of the school. Shikamaru likes Naruto. But still... Shikamaru is no hero. Suddenly he then remembers his conversation last night with his father…
"There's a meeting tomorrow," Shikamaru's father, Shikaku says.
"I know," Shikamaru says moving his shogi piece. He had seen the flyers everywhere, not just on the city hall. People had been handing them out on the streets.
"Are you going?" Shikaku asks.
Shikamaru narrows his eyes and moves another piece. "No," he says. "I'm no hero." I'm a coward he thinks. The problem with superb intelligence is that in a matter of seconds Shikamaru can easily work out the various outcomes. None of them look good. In a way he envies stupidity. Stupidity gives you the blessed ignorance of the consequences that sparks bravery.
"You know who's behind the murders," Shikaku says. It's a rhetorical question. The manner of the killings obviously shows that it's majors killing majors. It's a statement. Something to show the instability in the city causing a greater divide among the citizens.
"The police are getting help from the old Akatsuki members," Shikaku adds.
"You're very talkative today," Shikamaru says in a attempt to shut his father up, even though he know's it won't be enough. There's silence with just the sounds of shogi pieces moving.
Naruto must be working with the police. After all, his brother is an ex-Akatsuki member and is a police officer. Gaara and his siblings must be with them too.
"Think about it," Shikaku says lying a piece down. He then gets up and walks away. Shikamaru stares at the shogi board, surprised. He's lost the game.
"I'll do it," Shikamaru say. Naruto doesn't hear him through his ranting.
"Naruto!" The police officer next to him says.
"I'll do it," Shikamaru sighs standing up, hands in his pockets.
Naruto's face lights up and he says, "thanks Shikamaru! I knew you would do it."
"Naruto!"
They turn to see Iruka enter the classroom. "Naruto," Iruka says. "Where have you been?" His eyes suddenly widen when he sees the police officer.
"Err… Around," Naruto says cheerfully. "Hey Yamato shall we go?"
The police officer nods and says to Iruka, "are these your only students?"
Shikamaru glances round to see only three other students in the class. Choji, who's next to him, Sakura and Ino are together near the front. Some students had appeared at the classroom door but as soon as they saw Yamato they had turned around and walked away.
"It's been getting less and less recently," Iruka sighs. "Parents are refusing to send their kids to school…" He trails off but everyone knows the reason. Parents don't want their children going to school with majors due to the recent events.
"Are you all majors?" Yamato asks. Ino, Choji and Sakura nods. But Iruka shakes his head.
Shikamaru feels a newfound source of respect to the teacher since sympathisers towards majors may be targeted if things start to escalate.
"You have to fill me in on everything," Shikamaru says.
Yamato looks at him steadily, "we'll see. First come with us."
Iruka opens his mouth then closes it. "Good luck," Choji says to Shikamaru. Shikamaru nods and smiles at his friend.
"Naruto," Sakura suddenly voices. "Does this… Does this have anything to do with Sasuke?"
Naruto stiffens. Bad move Sakura Shikamaru thinks. He knows all too well how close Naruto was to Sasuke from their time in the tower together.
"Who knows…" Naruto says softly and he walks out of the classroom.
Yamato watches the doorway where Naruto had left through with a sad look upon his face. He then looks at the students and advises, "stick together."
Shikamaru glances at Sakura who's biting her lip and then follows Yamato out of the classroom. "Troublesome," he mutters.
At exactly five past seven Naruto, Shikamaru and Yamato slip into the back of the city hall. Yamato had forgone the police flak jacket and is instead in plain clothes to blend in with the crowd.
He glances at Shikamaru and Naruto who are staring at the large group of people seated. Standing up is a woman ranting on about how her children are in danger from the threat that is the majors.
"Keep calm," Yamato whispers to Naruto. Naruto nods and they sit down. He then glances at Shikamaru who's carefully analysing the crowd. According to Naruto Shikamaru's modification is the pure intelligence of a genius, despite his poor grades at school. Yamato had filled Shikamaru on key points though he had refrained from mentioning that it's highly likely that ex-Akatsuki members are the ones behind this.
The woman finishes talking and several people clap. Naruto starts to stand up but Shikamaru pulls him down. "Wait," he mutters.
Naruto pulls a face but obeys.
"It's time for majors to step down!" A man calls out. Yamato looks at the puffy man who's now standing up. "Majors get better jobs than us. They have higher positions in the police force. Even some of our councillors are majors!"
Yamato narrows his eyes. Where did they get that information? Out of the four councillors only Jiraiya and Tsunade are majors due to their modifications during the days of Danzo. But that information was kept secret from the public. Even Yamato, the head of the investigation, only found this out when Jiraiya was attacked.
Shikamaru suddenly lurches up. "If you'll kindly remember it was Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama who helped save the city from Danzo," he says clearly, causing everyone to turn in their seats. "Likewise Akatsuki, a group of majors, saved all of us from Orochimaru."
"That was just for revenge!" Someone shouts out. Yamato looks round but he can't see who called out.
Shikamaru rubs the back of his head and continues, "Maybe it was for revenge. Either way the city is still indebted to them."
"He's one of them! He's trying to brainwash us with his powers!" The voice yells out again.
Who is that? Yamato thinks. He glances at Naruto whose fists are clenched and shaking. He's going to crack...
"Damn it!" Naruto yells right on cue and he jumps up. "Can't you idiots see that people are being killed? All this hate and this pain... They want you to continue the curse!" He gives them a hard look and points at the man standing up. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I will break the curse. I promise to stop the murders and bring peace to the city!"
Despite that huge promise that Naruto's made Yamato can't help but smile. Naruto's hope is infectious. People stare in silence unsure what to make of the determined blonde boy with scars on his cheeks.
But just as the seemingly delicate situation begins to stabilise, the stage in front of them explodes. It happens so fast but Yamato's instinct is what saves them. Yamato extends the wood from his fingers sheltering as many people as he can, but it's not enough. Underneath the wooden shell he can hear shrapnel raining down and the sound of screaming.
Slowly Yamato retracts the shield. "Shikamaru, Naruto are you ok?" He asks, squinting through the dust.
"Yeah…" Naruto says shakily and Shikamaru nods. Yamato gazes around the room in horror. Where the stage used to be is a large gaping hole in the side of the building. Flames from the explosion lick the walls and all around there are screams of agony from the people Yamato hadn't been able to protect.
"They did it!" The same voice screams. "Majors did this!" The survivors whirl around.
"But!" Naruto starts. In the distance Yamato can hear sirens.
"Naruto, Shikamaru, run!" Yamato says urgently. He grabs Naruto's wrist pulling the boy away as they escape from the wreckage.
Deidara sits on a rooftop a couple street away watching the city hall burn. It had been all too easy. A couple of hours ago he had slipped into the city hall, which is open to the public and had planted his clay. Deidara hadn't spent long chewing the clay so there had been less explosive enzymes from his saliva in the clay. The survivors were key to the plan.
Zetsu had then been ordered to watch the meeting and stir up as much resentment as possible, especially after the bomb went off.
It's strange. Deidara hadn't enjoyed watching his art. He had found it hard to appreciate the fleeting beauty of the explosion. Strange…
"I've found out where Gaara is," Karin appears from behind Deidara. "He's in the city hospital in the Akatsuki ward."
Although Deidara loves explosions he doesn't feel particularly comfortable with blowing up an entire hospital. Killing innocent people isn't part of the plan. Those people in the city hall... Deidara doesn't consider them innocent. He feels slightly disgusted that they could be so easily manipulated to loathe majors.
"The Akatsuki ward hmm?" Deidara says and he stands up. The Akatsuki ward... How nostalgic...
"We'll have to lure him out somehow," Karin says voicing Deidara's reluctancy.
"I'll do it, un," Deidara says forming a plan in his mind. "He's already seen you once." Karin nods.
A small, slightly grim smile pulls at Deidara's lips and he says, "let's go and get Gaara then un..."
Chapter Updates - They're going to be a bit slow now because I have to revise for some exams in January and Christmas time is always really busy... I'll try to keep the updates weekly though.
Hope you liked the chapter!