I am back! Enjoy this chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I know I've had questions about minor points so pretty soon after this one I'll release a small drabble of a chapter to clear some things up before the time skip hits the other side.
"Whoa ho-ho." Sakura held up a hand. "Say what now? Because I don't think I heard you properly."
Kakashi hid a light snigger in his hand and turned it into a cough as Jiraiya sent him a look.
"Let me explain. There are seven major locations Konoha needs to protect." Jiraiya lectured holding up four fingers, "Four of them are more inland and can be handled by elite Jonin. Three however fall on the fringes of the border or is Konoha itself." His voice was hard, "Only the Sannin can be trusted with those."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "But there's only two Sannin."
Jiraiya nodded, "Yes…The responsibility will fall to Kakashi-kun."
Kakashi sent them an amused lazy look like it was a perfectly casual mission to be entrusted with one of the Sannin's responsibilities.
"We won't join him will we?" Naruto sighed.
"No…Orochimaru's post is very strategically placed and will come under a lot of danger if war does break out openly. Even if it doesn't it'll face scuffles daily. Not a place for genin."
"We're being split up." Naruto finished. How many times had they heard this by now? "Not to mention the man who managed to sneak in after us…again."
"You're all at the stage you begin to specialise." Jiraiya confirmed, "And while you are dangerous while you are together, you're too easy to track down. Splitting you up and giving you the training only specialists can give will be far better in the long run."
"It's getting ridiculous." Sasuke muttered, "How many nin of that calibre are interested in us anyway?"
"But-" Sakura looked at her team mates.
"All teams go through this Sakura." Sasuke answered pointedly not looking at her.
"Exactly. Tsunade has been recalled, she may hold no love for the village but she won't let it fall, not after almost dying for it in her youth. She'll be posted in the village and will handle all the medical affairs. Sasuke." Jiraiya looked straight at the boy. "The Sharingan tactically speaking is a board breaker. Your security will be increased and your training will be handled by her and ANBU. We need the Sharingan usable in the battlefield as soon as possible."
The boy was slightly pale but he nodded determinedly. This was the best possible outcome both for the village and his ambitions. Jiraiya seemed to know that too as his mouth twisted into an ironic smile, "You will be taught alongside other potential medics but you won't be part of the battle field squad. If these two finish their training you'll all be thrown back together and sent to the opposite side to Kakashi to get maximum coverage with the Sharingan."
Sasuke nodded slowly.
"Sakura." He turned to the girl, "You and other fuinjutsu trainees will be coming with me to my outpost. It's…dangerous but it'll be manageable."
Naruto's heart sank and gave a weird lurch. He wouldn't be going with his father figure? He almost choked on all the memories that rushed to the forefront of his head and swallowed a painful gulp. Jiraiya maybe sensed something and ruffled him on the head.
"Every five odd months or so I'll come back to report." He said simply, "I'll make a detour to teach you some tricks then." Chin up lad were the unspoken words. Sakura squeezed Naruto's hand slightly while shooting him an apologetic look. Sasuke even looked slightly sympathetic. He supposed Sasuke knew the feeling of being told he'd get training and time with a loved one later.
"So where am I going?" Naruto spoke at last with an admirable effort.
Worry flashed in the Sannin's eyes. This was uncharacteristic. Naruto straightened. Kakashi's lone eye radiated disapproval, so it was done without his consent then…which meant either the Jonin Commander, the Sannin or the Hokage had decided this.
"As an untrained Jinchuuriki you would be coming with me normally or staying in the village." He started.
Naruto's eyes narrowed, "Normally? What's different?"
"You'll be going to Oto instead." Jiraiya rocked back on his heels waiting for the explosion.
"What?!" Naruto leapt to his feet, "Why? They're a different village! I'm a Konoha nin!" They were sending him away? Understood, it was too dangerous in Konoha but Oto! They were just new allies, no one seriously trusted each other yet. Plus he did not fancy being alone with Orochimaru for years!
Jiraiya held up his hands quickly. Bloody hell the boy was loud. Granted he had very good reason to be.
"You're going to send him off to different village when there's a war flying around?" Derision dripped from Sasuke's voice. "Not an allied outpost?"
"Why Oto?" Sakura demanded, "If he's a valuable asset shouldn't he stay in Konoha!? Sorry Naruto." She flicked at him. Naruto waved it away.
Orochimaru. He was genuinely angry now. That snake interfered too much! What business did that snake have messing with him like this?
"How do we know we can trust Oto?" Sasuke demanded so calmly it sent chills down their spines, "For all we know they might be waiting to get a Jinchuuriki of their own and the intruder dressed up as the Otomaru!"
"Oto has invested a lot in the possible war." Jiraiya explained slowly, "Most of it is above your security level but they demanded proof they were trusted as much as they were trusting Konoha."
"And I was proof?" Naruto snarled scathingly.
Kakashi cut in. "The Otomaru is furious someone used his image to break in." He ruffled Naruto's hair, "He was in a meeting with the Hokage, and it couldn't have been him."
"I know it wasn't him." Naruto pursed his lips irritated. "Something was…off."
Sakura hugged Naruto possessively around the neck, "No way…no way. Not letting him go alone. Not into a foreign village. You know his track record!"
"How does Oto know about Dobe?" Sasuke furrowed his brow, "I thought it was a secret…?"
"Secret." Naruto held up quotation marks. Jiraiya actually looked uncomfortable with their outrage and anger. His chest was uncomfortably tight and warm with both his team mates backing him up whole heartedly.
"You can't just trade him like that!" Sakura nearly snarled, "He's not a political tool."
"He's useless as a guarantee of trust." Sasuke pointed out. At least he was trying…
Oto in his mind was a viper's trap. It was a dark place; a place where Sasuke, Orochimaru and Kabuto had taken refuge in. It had been his goal for so long to burn that place to the ground and watch that inferno. It was symbolic to the breaking of the team in his mind. He hated the place with every fibre of his being. How ironic he was the one being sent there.
"I'm not going." He spoke.
"Sorry gaki." Jiraiya actually looked sheepish, "Oto was very insistent, and we need their support."
"Why?!" Sasuke demanded.
"Oto specialises in hunting and infiltration." Jiraiya expanded. "It's invaluable for guarding against Mist and sneaking ambushes. I don't like this at all." He frowned, "But sensei just grinned and told me you'd be fine. He has faith in you." He clapped Naruto's shoulder, "If you must, look at it like a mission." His voice dropped, "You're going to be taught by foreign shinobi and be allowed to return. That's practically a miracle in shinobi terms. Learn all you can. Tell us what you know when you come back. And if Oto ever betrays us we can use it to rip it apart." His eyes were hard and unflinching.
Naruto's mouth became a grim line. That was true. How much sweat and time had he invested into getting into Oto to get Sasuke back? And now he could just walk in as a guest. He would be learning under Orochimaru…Sasuke had beaten the Sannin at his game, he could do the same.
"Hold on!" Sasuke glared, "Why are they so willing to train Naruto and give him back? That's such a stupid move."
"He'll be eaten alive!" Sakura protested, "We saw the Oto nin around and they're…everything he's not."
"Thanks Sakura." Naruto mumbled from where her arms had wound around his head. "Glad to know your opinion."
"You're a big fluffy fox." She snapped, "Shut up if you want to stay with one of us."
"It will be hard." Jiraiya admitted. "Oto nin are raised on a different culture. Strength and intelligence first. Team work isn't valued that much."
"Then why do they want allies?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
"Money gaki." Jiraiya sighed, "Money, honours, connections. There are so many advantages to alliances."
"But they don't gain anything if they train me and give me back." Naruto pointed out.
Kakashi muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath.
"Oh they asked for other things too." Jiraiya waved a hand dismissively. "Food supplies, materials, no prisoners rule and they want a squad trained by us too. Expensive but worth it…if and only if you're trained by them too."
"Aren't you worried about my loyalties?" Naruto asked frustrated, "You're so calm!"
Jiraiya laughed in surprise and ruffled his hair fondly, "I don't think that thought ever crossed sensei's mind. He has faith in you. You remind me of a person I knew once…I think you'll come back stronger and wiser. Take this opportunity."
"What makes you think they won't hand him over to Rock or Sand?" Sasuke asked sharply, "They'll have a five month's window to get away with it."
Jiraiya's mouth quirked slightly, "Because the leader's related to the gaki."
"Ehhhh?" Sakura cried. He was related to the Otomaru? Was that why the man had approached him in the Third Exam?
"What." Naruto said blankly, even Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you have told me this first?"
"Well not by blood." Jiraiya amended, "But his niece is definitely an Uzumaki. She's got the red hair and the attitude down pat."
….What trick was the snake pulling this time? He always had an Uzumaki in Oto? Naruto frowned, did that mean she had the curse mark? He imagined a female Sasuke and shuddered.
"Listen Naruto." Kakashi rested his hands on Naruto's shoulders. "I realise, you think it's risky. But every five months we'll call you back to the village at the same time as Jiraiya and Oto will not risk damaging their alliance with us by doing something to you. They're much smarter than that. If they try anything." The shadows on his face darkened. "Send a toad to Jiraiya immediately or reverse summon yourself out of there. You have options."
That…was true. He had a handy escape route. An odd fierce feeling pushed up in his chest. He was going to Oto. And by the end of it, he was going to cripple Orochimaru. He smiled and both of his team mates backed down immediately their own concerns suppressed.
"When do they leave?" Sasuke demanded. "I obviously stay in the village, but am I not in danger?"
"We have an agent who looks extraordinarily like you." Jiraiya explained. "We'll dress him up and send him on a mission while we disguise you slightly. Tsunade hime is here." Blind faith shone in his words. "She'll make it work, never underestimate a woman Sasuke." He wagged his finger as if sharing a conspiracy.
Kakashi checked the position of the sun against the darkening sky.
"Not today. Sakura if you leave with Jiraiya tomorrow…and the Otomaru delegation leaves the day after I think?"
Jiraiya nodded idly and elbowed Naruto. "Hey what about I treat you to some ramen tonight?"
Naruto shot him a wry smile rubbing the area. "Is this your version of an apology? It's shit ero-jiji."
Jiraiya squawked at the new nickname.
"Do I want to know why he called you that?" Sakura asked suspiciously.
….##############################################################...
"Is it curable?" The Otomaru asked mildly from a chair at the side, fingers laced under his chin.
Tsunade checked another diagnostic and snorted. "By other medics no, me…yes. You're lucky, another few weeks and it would have gone into the incurable stage."
Jomyaku lay on the bed, a stark contrast in his black cloak and leather attire to the soft and sterile hospital sheets. Instruments beeped and flashed neon lights throughout the room, dangling cables like spider webs. Other medic Nin attended to other wounded Nin and Hosho prowled by the bed, looking very much out of place.
"Well. It's quite good timing and luck for us isn't it?" The slender amber eyed man smiled pleasantly.
Tsunade stripped her gloves off and tossed them at Hosho. "Hold them for me."
Hosho sent her a flat look before acquiescing at a look from his boss.
"This will be quite difficult." Tsunade wasn't one to sweeten medical truths. "There's far too much calcium in his body. It's impressive how you've been able to hide your muscle spasms for so long. But leaving it untreated could have led to deposits in organs and tissues, such as bone spurs or plaque in the wall of blood vessels or in kidneys, heart, and liver, and it could have increased the risk of cancer and caused other symptoms, like migraines headaches, pain, kidney stones, depression, and heart arrhythmia." Tsunade reeled off.
Hosho growled. "I came back to find him spitting blood over the floor."
"Lucky you did." Tsunade murmured fingers lighting up with green jutsu. "You know if you would talk it would make my job easier." She snapped at the prone, stiff Sound Nin.
"What would you like me to say?" His voice was hoarse from coughing up blood and raspy. It sounded like marbles rattling in a sandpaper box.
"I need your medical history." Tsunade told him firmly.
"Denied." The Otomaru cut in immediately. "Lady Tsunade, be reasonable I cannot let you view my Nin's medical records."
She whirled on him a familiar fury lighting up in her eyes. "Then how do you expect me to do my job and heal him?" She bit out holding back a snarl. "I need to know what his family is prone to, any allergies, any medication he's been on and so forth."
"Ah the fury of a frustrated healer." The man spoke placidly. "It runs in the family, does it not Jomyaku?"
"Yes." Jomyaku murmured. "Can you really cure me?" A faint note of hope graced his gruff words.
"I am a Sannin." Tsunade's eyes spat sparks. "Are you doubting me Jonin?"
The patient looked at her something burning under his cowl before turning to the Otomaru.
"Please wait for me dono." He murmured. "I will not fail you."
"You never have." Amber eyes gentled almost cruelly.
…..###############################################################...
Kitsuchi gritted his teeth and tried not to scream.
"Interested in our resident monster are we?" The blond woman smiled lazily above him. "How nice, maybe I'll introduce you to another one if you're that eager."
White and silver lines snaked around the woman's arm against her unusually pale skin. Usually people from Kumo were far darker than that.
"Yugito Nii." He spat out.
The woman's smile grew just the hint of fang. "You know me." She stepped closer, boot inches from where his face was buried in the dirt. "And I know you now Kitsuchi."
The CIRRUS agent ground his foot further into Kitsuchi's back and he bit back a groan of pain. They had to have known they were coming, it was the only explanation. They had all been ambushed before they had commenced the final sealing and due to the interference the delicate seal had snapped killing three of his men immediately as the furious Biju fragment shattered the landscape.
The Jinchuuriki ignored the natural disaster wreaking havoc in the background as she focused on Kitsuchi with an unnerving focus.
She prodded his chin up with one steel tipped boot making the muscles in his neck scream in agony.
"You know, we left that part alone for a reason." She drawled in wicked amusement. "Your greed doomed you Iwa Nin."
"Why?" Kitsuchi's voice was ragged with exertion. He could hear his men being dragged off and tested for special abilities. What a shameful mark, he had been captured and would most likely be killed. He apologised silently to his father, it seemed their entire bloodline was doomed to die out when the old man died.
Blue fire flickered ever so faintly in the woman's eyes. "I understand greed very well." She laughed and the sound was utterly mirthless. "So did my predecessor. We knew full well what people would do upon learning there was free power left lying around because we did not 'realise'." She smiled at the horror struck Iwa Nin. "Good is it not?"
"Greed is drawn to greed." She continued more softly. "I do hope you have things to stay the blades Kitsuchi–san. I will extract every single useful scrap you have then finally." Her boot pushed his chin even further up. "You will run."
Kitsuchi's eyes narrowed. What was she talking about?
"I will chase." Yugito's voice was full of a wicked enjoyment. "A hunt always warms the blood before a kill I find."
Cats were notorious hunters after all.
…..##################################################################...
"I'm very sorry!" Sakura bowed to Naruto hands on her thighs.
Naruto blinked in the process of pulling off his jacket. "Hah?" The light in Kakashi's hallway flickered before steadying.
"I'm very sorry I took your spot at your godfather's side!"
"Oh that." Naruto laughed a little forcefully. "It's nothing you can help." The look he shot her was much friendlier. "You're my team mate, I don't mind if you do it."
He did. He really did. But for the sake of this team he would suck up his hurt and use it as a shield against the den of vipers.
Sasuke grabbed him by the sleeve of his half off jacket and dragged into the main room.
"We need to talk."
Sakura pattered after them into the neat living room as Sasuke tossed Naruto into a comfortable sofa.
"You." The dark haired boy started immediately pointing at Naruto. "Are going to a very dangerous place."
"Anything else obvious to point out?" Naruto asked dryly jamming his hands under his thighs to warm them. "I know-"
"They're pandering to us." Sasuke's lip curled back in a sneer. "Keeping me in the village and loyal with promises of training and the vaguest hint of the possibility of going after that man. Keeping you firmly entrenched with the promises of a secret mission and how it's a sign of the Hokage's trust, and keeping Sakura loyal by training her in the one area she prides herself in."
Naruto stared at Sasuke. How had he not spotted this? Sasuke's trust in his sensei and village had been cracked throughout until parts of it were falling off. Of course it was delicate in the first place after the massacre and now with everything that had happened to him Sasuke's paranoia and suspicions had reared their heads. And Sasuke's brilliant mind was now devoted to finding alternate, more manipulative explanations for Konoha's actions.
But last time Orochimaru had been on the scene and had accelerated the breaking so far Sasuke had turned traitor. This Sasuke was still loyal in the end, even though he did not like what was happening.
"They're giving us reasons to be loyal." Naruto spoke at last. "Would you prefer they did nothing and kept us together and we died?"
Sasuke flinched minutely. His fingers rose in the air to rub on the place on his neck the exact spot where his curse mark had graced his alternate self's body. A chill trickled down Naruto's vertebrae and the hair on his arms prickled and stood on end.
Curse Seals were made of sage chakra.
Could Sasuke…?
"I guess you're right." Sasuke muttered. "Loyal to a fault aren't you?" The smirk on his face was more teasing than mocking and Naruto's brief alarm dropped away.
Sakura remained quiet.
"You too?" Naruto asked her.
"I'm thinking what I need to bring if I'm going out to an outpost." Sakura shot Naruto down with casual effort.
"You're going to be at the forefront of the frontlines." Sasuke warned a faint threatening note in his voice.
"Lord Jiraiya is capable enough to look after a team of trainee sealers." Sakura hummed. "Dear god, all of us but Naruto are getting training from Sannin."
Naruto smiled. No he was getting training from a Sannin too.
…..###############################################################...
Shikaku Nara drummed his fingers on the table, "You know what would make our lives a lot easier?" He grinned slyly. The rest of the Jonin stilled to watch their Commander's face shift into a terrifying smirk. "Uniting behind a united cause." He purred then laughed long and low.
"Have you lost your mind Nara?" Morino demanded.
"Wait." Inoichi waved down Ibiki, "Explain Shikaku."
Shikaku grinned out of the corner of his mouth as his pony tail's shadow fell over his face, "Well imagine this." He raised a finger, "There's a mercenary group that wants to abolish all the hidden villages and make one ninja country."
"It would never hold!" Someone roared from the back.
"Our pride!"
"Not with those scum!"
Asuma's eyes were flinty, "Our pride as Konoha nin would never allow it."
"Exactly." Shikaku laughed, "And there will be similar reactions in all the other villages. A common enemy against everyone."
The Hokage sat forward eyes narrowed, "I assume there is a point to this?"
Shikaku smirked, "What if we made such a group. And it grew to be such a threat that all the villages united under one banner to defeat it."
"And we would so easily betray the other villages then!" Kurenai gasped leaning back.
"Their weaknesses. Their forces. Everything." Kakashi grinned. "That is not a bad plan Commander."
"That involves making a small separate group of ferociously powerful individuals to attack all the villages equally." Gai mused, "Can we spare any?"
"We can't pull it off now." An ANBU shook their head, "If it needs to be realistic, then it needs to be a few years later. And by then some of the genin and chunin should be free."
"Well." Kakashi drawled, "I don't know about ferociously powerful but I have a very tricky team under my command."
"We're not giving the job to some rookie genin Hatake." Genma deadpanned. "They'd be slaughtered."
"The Uchiha's Sharingan is needed on Konoha's side." Choza pointed out, "You're not enough on your own Kakashi."
"I will be enough." Kakashi stressed, "Are you forgetting? Naruto is going to be a target very, very soon. Who on earth would think to look for him an enemy mercenary group?"
"We only have one Jinchuuriki though." Danzo rasped from his corner. "Can we afford to send him out?"
A faint grin tugged at Kakashi's lips. If he knew Naruto right then that boy was never going to let Pain get his hands on the Jinchuuriki. And that meant giving him free reign on what he wanted to do, this would be perfect and it gave his team a chance to unite after getting stronger.
"Commander." Kakashi almost purred. "What did we do with the excess biju stained chakra we siphoned off that poor village?"
Wicked smirks slid like oil over his colleague's faces and Shikaku Nara's eyes burned in satisfaction.
…..#########################################################...
Sasuke and Naruto wheezed and nearly flailed under the force of the hug. If that girl wasn't careful she was going to break a rib or two.
"Sakura."
"Cherry chan." Came two choked pleas.
Sakura squeezed tighter and they thought they felt their bones creaking in protest before the girl let go. Both of them stared with slightly wide eyes.
"Five months." The pinkette held up her hand, a note of steel lacing through her words. "I am going to kick your asses all the way to Suna."
"Please." Sasuke murmured eyes bleeding the finest trace of red. "Keep your delusions and dreams separate from reality."
Lightning crackled between them for a second before both of them smiled and clasped each other's wrists.
"Seeya avenger." Sakura stuck out her tongue.
"You better not die fan girl." Sasuke deadpanned. "Or I will state at your funeral how I was right about thinking you were useless."
Sakura smiled before flinging her arms around Naruto. Naruto fiercely hugged her back.
"Does this mean I don't have to compete with Sasuke anymore?" Naruto teased her as Sasuke rolled his eyes to heaven.
"Don't be stupid Naruto." Sakura sniffed.
"Oh give me a break woman!"
She pulled back. "Seeya Kitty."
"Kitty?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were the brainy one."
"Yeah, you're Kitty." Sakura poked him in his chest. "Other one's the Scarlet Shimmer."
"Why don't I get a name like that?" The blond complained. "Seeya Cherry chan."
Sakura shrugged at him. "Because." She walked over to Kakashi.
"Sensei."
"Genin Haruno." His eye crinkled down at his student. "Sakura."
Sakura's impassive face broke into a smile and hugged Kakashi around the waist. He patted her on the head.
"We better be your favourite genin team." She mumbled into his vest.
The silver haired man raised an eyebrow. "You're my only genin team."
"I better be your favourite kunoichi student." Sakura rambled on without pause.
"You're my only kunoichi student." Kakashi sounded like he was torn between shaking his head and chuckling.
"So if I don't hold the position something is seriously wrong."
"Yes." Kakashi gave up. "Fine. Whatever. You lot are cheeky brats for sure."
Sakura drew back and with the speed of a snake punched Kakashi in the stomach.
"I am not a useless fan girl without any convictions anymore." She told him happily, not giving him the chance to reply, before walking over to Jiraiya who was waiting for his other students to finish their goodbyes with their teams and senseis.
All the males of Team 7 raised a hand in farewell as their female member raised her hand back once before the group flickered away in a burst of speed.
Jiraiya and Naruto had already said their goodbyes last night. He smiled at the swirling dust that marked where they had been only seconds prior.
"When are you leaving sensei?" Sasuke asked hands in pockets.
"Not for two months." Kakashi slouched away. "Something came up, come on boys. Let's see what I can teach you before you're all poached away."
…######################################################...
Sasuke looked like his head was swimming with the amount of sheer information Kakashi was grilling into him. But his eyes were bright and eager and he soaked up the information about the Sharingan that connected them both like a sponge.
Kakashi felt a brief sensation of longing. If only this Sasuke had been the one he had met on the Academy roof, it seemed like so long ago. And now the boy was finally growing into someone who could be magnificent, and Kakashi could only teach him for two more months and then wouldn't see him again for goodness knows how long.
The irrational urge to go kidnap his team back and keep them safe with him had reared its head but he was logical and smart enough to realise what a stupid idea that was. He had done all that he could for this team and it was up to them to seize it with both hands. His eye flickered to Naruto who was practising his wire work.
He had given them their freedom after their training had finished. Naruto had a goal right to stop the calamity that was coming for all of them. It was his job to make it as easy as he could, and he could and would get the village off their back while they did what they thought was needed. He didn't trust easily but a faint note of wonder shot through him as Kakashi realised he trusted in Naruto to do whatever he could to fix their world.
But he wouldn't tell the boy yet.
He wanted to see what kind of man the boy would grow into without knowledge that his goals were closer than expected. His lips quirked. It seemed he really was a sadist of a teacher in the end.
…..#################################################################...
Naruto was panicking inside. He had completely forgotten what had happened after the Third Exam and now he was in a jumble.
Itachi and Kisame would be coming to claim Kurama!
And shit he still hadn't found a way to tell Sasuke without him snapping and blowing up at Konoha.
BUT they would assume he left with Jiraiya, he hoped as they had just randomly turned up at the hotel. Sakura was in danger!
He forced himself to calm down. Itachi wasn't the type to waste time going after people who weren't his targets, he was still loyal underneath after all. And Kisame wasn't fool enough to try and take on Jiraiya on his own. They would quickly figure out-
Hold on.
This was late.
It had happened straight after the Third Exam when he and Jiraiya had went off to search for Tsunade. Now in this timeline it was quite a bit later than that.
Shit, if Itachi came into contact with Sasuke…Naruto groaned and his head off something hard. He so needed to tell Sasuke.
What awful timing, if Sasuke did snap he wouldn't be there to stop it but he couldn't risk Itachi making Sasuke's hate worse.
"Sensei." He whispered to Kakashi as the man perched on a branch snatching a bouncy ball on the string this way and that for Sasuke to try and predict with his eyes.
Kakashi's eye slid to Naruto taking his attention away from the orange book in his head.
"Are you done Naruto?" He asked mildly. "Or are you trying to give yourself a concussion?"
Naruto flushed.
"Ah how many people are nearby Kaka-sensei?"
The Jonin's expression didn't change. "Just us three for a two mile radius. No listening bugs either if you meant those as well." He buried his face back in his book. "Why?"
"Oh." Sasuke collapsed on the ground glaring angrily at the evasive ball. "Is this your secret you wanted to tell me but didn't get the perfect chance to tell me?"
Naruto opened his mouth. Then closed it again. Even Kakashi's eye was filled with an intrigue now. Just how did he break this?
Just how did he break that Sasuke's family planned a coup and Itachi murdered them all out of his love for the village and his younger brother?
"Do you remember?" He began quietly hesitantly, "When you were younger…any tension between the Uchiha and the rest of the village?"
Sasuke frowned. The question was impertinent but he answered anyway.
"No."
"What about between Itachi and the rest of the Uchiha?" Naruto prodded cautiously.
A brief look of irritation stole over Sasuke's face. "I thought this was about you telling me a secret."
"I am."
Sasuke sharpened immediately, "There may have been one or two incidents." He answered suspiciously. Kakashi watched them like a hawk from his perch. It was silent reminder to keep the interaction civil.
"He killed your entire clan." Naruto murmured.
"Is there a point to this?" Sasuke demanded ice creeping into his tone. "I had thought you better than this."
Naruto's eyes nailed Sasuke to his place. "What if I said he did it on orders?"
Sasuke smiled cruelly. "You are so close to me finding genuine hatred for you." He breathed. And Naruto understood, the wound was open and bleeding and sore. And he had just rubbed salt in the wound.
"The Uchiha were planning a coup."
He splashed vodka in the wound.
"And to save them from a civil war, the elders gave the orders for a massacre. Due to his love for you Itachi kept you alive."
He dripped battery acid in the wound.
Sasuke's fury was terrifying.
"How…" Sasuke stared at Naruto as if seeing him for the first time. "How can you just stand there and…" Betrayal and rage darkened his eyes to black pits in his face.
"How can you say something like that?!" The dark haired boy roared his chakra exploding out of him with the force of his rage. "Of all people! How could you?" A faint tone of hysteria and shock was whipped away with the force of the fury.
Naruto felt a blinding pain in the side of his head and he cried out. Blood coated Sasuke's knuckles and he looked mad before it twisted into something approaching blind rage.
"I trusted you Naruto!" Sasuke screamed in his face shaking him by the collar. Kakashi leapt off his tree and was between the two boys in a second.
"Do you think this is a joke?!" Sasuke screamed voice going hoarse. "To talk shit about my clan like that? To even suggest that man did it for love?!"
"I'm telling the truth!" Naruto shouted back.
"How can you be?!" Sasuke yelled back both ignoring Kakashi who was trying to stop them fighting. The older man sighed and backed off ready to intervene if either of them got violent again. "You were eight! I was eight!"
"I can't tell you." Naruto whispered. "But please why would I say this as a joke?!"
Sasuke sneered something broken shifting beneath his features. "You don't trust me enough to tell me, but you expect me to trust you on this?" Pure utter betrayal shone in his eyes. "You bastard. You bastard. You bastard! I can't believe you'd do this! My Family were loyal to Konoha!" He screamed the last sentence, blood dripping from where his nails dug into his palms.
"The Uchiha thought they were being discriminated against." Naruto answered quickly recognising the fragile state of Sasuke's mentality. He messed up, he messed up, he had messed up!
"BY who?" Sasuke snarled. "The non-existent Senju!?"
"Yes!"
Sasuke stared then threw his head back in laughter. "You know Naruto." His voice was almost friendly, "I never knew you to be so…malicious."
Naruto had a brilliant idea. He reached out and mimed Itachi's fond gesture of tapping foreheads to Sasuke. The colour bleached from the other boy's face until it resembled paper.
"Itachi murdered them all because of his lust for power." Sasuke hissed staring at the gesture like it was going to bite him. "That is the truth!"
"We're ninja." It came out sterner than Naruto intended. "Do you think that is the only truth?"
"That man cannot have loved me!" Sasuke took angry steps forward. Kakashi remained forgotten at the side. "You're sick, demented and twisted for even suggesting that!"
"He loves you so much that he wants to die by your hand. That is the only reason he fuelled your hatred towards him." Naruto told him fearing the reaction.
"I don't think I ever knew you." Sasuke told him finally, eyes spitting fire. "To think the person I trusted with my life would betray me like this."
"I have not betrayed you!" Naruto snarled resisting the urge to shake Sasuke by the head. "Why do you think he left you alive? If he really hated you then you should have died that night!"
"He's insane!" Sasuke shrieked. "He's insane you bastard. Who knows what he thinks?!" He took one step forward and his voice darkened. "And what makes you think I'm going to forgive the slander of my family and their memory?" The hatred in his eyes was dizzying.
Then Kakashi was there.
"Sasuke, Naruto." He told them firmly. "This is going to go nowhere. Both of you firmly believe that you are in the right so I propose something else."
Both boys swung their head to meet Kakashi's gaze.
"Stay out of this sensei!" Sasuke snarled.
Kakashi cut him off. "Ask him directly."
Naruto and Sasuke stared at the man.
"What?" Naruto's voice dripped in confusion.
"I am not talking to that murderer!" Derision made Sasuke's tone ugly. "Not for the sake of vicious lies."
Naruto stole a glance at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. Both way Sasuke lost trust in him or the village and it was a bad choice either way. He felt so helpless against the flood of rising volcanic rage that was Sasuke. His words would not reach him through that black haze of betrayal.
He may have possibly ruined his relationship with Sasuke. But his chest was lighter than it had been in weeks knowing that Sasuke knew all the facts now. When the real picture came out, he would know Naruto had been his friend all along.
A temporary sacrifice Naruto told himself and tried to believe it. But his chest hurt too much.
"I can't believe you're even considering this?" Sasuke told Kakashi.
"I remember the time well." Kakashi answered evenly. "The Uchiha at that time were a suspicious family who kept to themselves. Who knows what they were doing or planning."
Sasuke's face twisted in absolute fury and beneath Naruto saw something crack further.
"You…believe my family were traitors?" He breathed, something in his voice yearning for Kakashi to deny it.
"I don't believe anything because I know nothing." Kakashi tried to reach out for Sasuke but the boy scooted back.
"I don't believe you!" Sasuke shrieked at both of them, his calm cool persona utterly shattered to pieces. "He hated us! I hate him! I won't ever forgive him for taking my family away from me!"
"He was your loving brother!" Naruto shrieked before Sasuke slipped further out of reach.
Sasuke froze, eyes wide. He was clearly remembering parts of the past that he didn't want to.
"He…forced to me to see…everyone dying…"
"The story goes back to the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha." Naruto told Sasuke, "Please…will you listen?"
Something dark and menacing shifted in Sasuke's eyes. "Are you even giving me a choice? Go on then…let's hear your latest batch of lies."
He sat on the floor, daring Naruto to continue.
"I don't know all of it." Naruto confessed immediately. "I'll tell you all I know."
Sasuke smiled a terrible smile. "I'm waiting."
"Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju founded Konoha after years of interclan fighting." Naruto crossed his legs on the ground as well. "For the first time in history it was peace, but it only lasted up to the point a Hokage had to be chosen."
"The Senju was chosen I know this tale." Sasuke interrupted.
"Not all of it." Naruto continued. "Madara was the lone voice of dissent against peace, he thought the Senju were trying to subjugate the Uchiha and take their power from them but the rest of the Uchiha turned his back to him and eventually Madara left the village unable to watch anymore."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"But the Sharingan eye techniques are magnificent and that man was a legend. He came back to gain his revenge with the Kyuubi under his control. He lost and the place was marked as the Valley of the End. To keep the peace between the two clans the Second gave them the power of the police in the village but the Uchiha saw it as a way to keep them out of politics and there were grumblings in the clan that maybe Madara was right."
Naruto smiled sadly. "As the years went on the Uchiha grew resentful that one of their own had never taken the office of Hokage but the final blow came on the night I was born."
"The Kyuubi attacked." Sasuke murmured eyes closed.
"The elders believed that only Sharingan techniques could control the Kyuubi." Naruto explained "And in a way they were right."
Sasuke's eyes snapped open blazing. "Are you accusing my clan of setting a natural disaster on their home?"
"No." The finality of the word stopped Sasuke short. "Not them. That story is even more ridiculous than this one so I'll save that for later. It was a traitor member of your clan from the generation before you that did it and since he was declared dead the blame fell on the Uchiha clan."
Sasuke's fists clenched. "They suspected…us and discriminated against us?"
"They thought the Uchiha wanted control over the village and they were quarantined in their section of the village. Haven't you ever wondered why all the other clan's properties are mixed with the civilian parts whereas yours isn't?"
The dark haired boy stared unflinching at Naruto, and the blond nearly shivered at the pin point focus in those eyes.
"The Third was the only one who protested but he was overruled and so the Uchiha tired of it really began to plan a coup. And Itachi was chosen by the elders to be a spy for them."
Something flickered in Sasuke's face. "You're saying Itachi was a spy. But why would he betray the clan?" His rage had been condensed into an icy arrow and it was pointed straight at Naruto on a taut string.
"I don't know why but Itachi desired peace over war. He balanced his family with his love for the village and didn't let them interfere." Naruto turned his gaze away. "I think something awful happened to him in his childhood to make that happen." He rotated his wrist idly, "To battle the Sharingan properly you needed another Sharingan and Itachi was ordered to wipe out the Uchiha clan before." His voice quietened. "They started a civil war to destabilise the whole of Fire Country."
"So it's the Uchiha's fault that they died did they?" Sasuke's voice was incredibly soft.
"He chose peace over a war that would be worse than the one we are in now." Naruto clarified. "Would you have made a different choice?"
Sasuke opened his mouth looking startled then closed it again, mouth a grim slash in his face.
"I can guess the rest." Sasuke spoke, "Itachi was ordered to kill them but he did and as you keep saying his love for me stopped him from killing me." He paused. "And then he went into hiding, forced to carry the weight of a sin and the enmity of a village he never deserved." Bitter hatred dripped from his words. "Bullshit." Sasuke got to his feet and wiped the dirt off. "I don't know who fed you that cock and bull story but it's all lies." He glared at Naruto. "Someone has fed you a bunch of lies and you swallowed every one of them." He sighed, "I can't blame you for being deceived." His eyes were bright and glittering dangerously. "That was a very romanticised story about Itachi loving us." A queer smile played on his lips but his eyes were dark and hard. "Maybe I can accept the Uchiha weren't as golden as I thought they were, but I will never accept Itachi."
He lunged forward but instead of before his grip on Naruto's upper arms was that of a concerned friend. "Who told you that?" He demanded harshly. "Who deceived you that badly? I'll rip their tongue from their heads and burn it to ashes!"
Naruto blinked. Sasuke didn't believe him. Sasuke didn't believe him? How the fuck had Obito convinced him then?
"Naruto!" Sasuke snarled. "I don't take kindly to having my team being messed with. They tricked you into nearly making me hate you. You can't have known that on your own, someone must have told you that."
Fierce protectiveness swirled in those dark eyes. It was a complete 180 and Naruto's brain couldn't quite keep up.
Sasuke's grip tightened. "I want to help you! But you're making it difficult." He gritted out not quite able to supress his bubbling resentment.
Sasuke didn't want to believe Naruto could ever believe that without outside help. And he was willing to cling to anything to avoid thinking about the fact his best friend had just twisted a poisoned kunai in his rawest wound. The grip on his arms screamed of desperation as well as a fragile sort of composure and Naruto knew if this broke Sasuke would be utterly gone from him.
Naruto swallowed painfully. "A man in a mask." The lie stuck to his tongue and he could taste the awful taste of deceit in the back of his throat. Dear god he had a chance to fix this, lie upon truth upon lie.
"And you believed him." Sasuke's voice could have ripped the flesh from Naruto's bones.
"My judgement hasn't led me that wrong before." Naruto whispered. "And my judgement was telling me he was telling the truth."
Sasuke scoffed and released Naruto. With a lightning fast move he hit Naruto up the side of the head. "You idiot! Letting yourself get deceived like that. I came so close to cutting all ties with you. If you believe someone else over trusting me again I will do so. If you see him again, tell me." His voice was deadly. "I have some bones to pick with a stranger slandering my family."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head and exchanged a sorrowful look with Kakashi. The man's eye was pitying and there was a very deep sorrow in them that Sasuke had not believed Naruto.
The contempt he felt at the relief surging through him tasted like grief in his mouth.
…####################################################################...
"Take care of yourself." Kakashi told Naruto as the boy released him from a hug. "Send us regular letters with your toads so we know you're alright."
"Of course Kakashi- sensei." Naruto nodded. "Thank you."
Picking up on the secret meaning Kakashi nodded and his eye crinkled into a smile. "Maa, how sweet."
There was a cool silence from Sasuke before the boy let out a long suffering sigh. "You really are so much trouble." He muttered.
"Forgive me?" Naruto asked warily.
Sasuke tilted his head back wearily. "I can't blame you for being stupid enough to fall for more manipulations. Someone is really out to break this team apart aren't they?" He laughed softly before fixing Naruto with a semi fond, semi irritated glare.
"I have never met such a bigger idiot." The dark haired boy muttered before stepping forward to clasp Naruto's wrist. "Honestly, believing someone over me. Tch."
Naruto wasn't fully forgiven the blond boy could tell. There was still a hazy line of fury and betrayal in the line of Sasuke's shoulders but the majority was redirected to the 'man in the mask'. That would keep Sasuke from ever believing Tobi Naruto thought with a vicious satisfaction.
Naruto shifted his travelling bag over his shoulder.
Hosho and Jomyaku were clad in their usual intimidating attire and both looked secretly pleased to be leaving soon. The Otomaru was talking quietly to the Hokage and with that seemingly over he walked over to where Naruto was.
"Ah genin, ready to leave?" He asked mildly. "It's quite a distance to Otogakure."
"I can keep up." Naruto replied stolidly.
A faint smile flickered at the man's mouth. "No doubt." He looked at a stone faced Kakashi.
"Ah Jonin Hatake…I won't allow any harm to come to your student." The Otomaru smiled and now there was an edge to it.
"If you do." Kakashi warned once.
"I can expect my head to roll by dawn." The amber eyed man finished pleasantly. "Yes I know. Come along Genin, no wasting time on frivolous sentimentalities."
He swept away, the kanji on his back flaring for a brief moment.
"Five months Teme." Naruto turned to follow, "Seeya sensei."
"Five months too soon Dobe." Sasuke replied.
Kakashi murmured something but Naruto didn't hear it. His heart was pounding in excitement.
The trio of dangerous men were waiting for him.
He was going to train under them. He was going to become stronger. And he was going to survive dammit.
The Otomaru's fingers closed around his shoulder and he prepared himself for the Shunshin.
"Well Naruto-kun." A very familiar voice breathed in his ear. "It will be a pleasure having you in my territory while it lasts."
His heart skipped a beat and leapt into his throat. Naruto's eyes snapped upwards wide in shock mouth parting then-
Poof.
Review please?