Welcome to another addition to the Demon Dragon Rider saga! This time we'll be-
Naruto: Whoa whoa whoa! You can't give up chapter secrets!
Me: Oh right. Thanks.
Naruto: You're welcome. Now in the words of zentary: "HURRY UP AND GET TO THE NARUHINANESS!"
Me: Jeez, try to prolong the relationship stuff, and get your head bitten off by character and reviewers alike.
Naruto: Hey, I'm not the only one here.
Hinata: I agree with Naruto-kun, you should hurry up.
Kushina: I want grandkids already!
Me: *sweatdrops* So why aren't you pestering Shino and Tayuya?
Kushina: You're right! Time to go push them into making me grandkids!
Me, Naruto, and Hinata: *Sweatdrops as she rushes off*
Me: Right….well, on with the chapter.
Side Note: this chapter will jump around a bit. Sorry for that folks. I hope it doesn't detract too much, if anyone feels like it does. I just really want for what will happen in this chapter to happen.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the Inheritance Cycle. They are the property of that jerk Kishimoto, and the mostly awesome Christopher Paolini. I say mostly awesome because the jerk didn't give me the ending I was hoping for.
Chapter 28
Matters of the Heart
It had taken Naruto at least three days to fully recover from the battle against Pein. And it had taken two weeks for Onyxia to fully recover as well, even with Naruto, Hinata, and Tsunade helping the healing process along. She had just barely been cleared that morning, and she was slowly stretching her wings, testing them.
Naruto smiled as he watched. "How do you feel?" he asked.
Onyxia looked at him. "Better. Much better, little one. Now let's see if I can fly."
Naruto nodded. "Just be careful, okay?"
The black dragon nodded, and slowly flapped her wings. Soon, she had taken off into the sky, though she was moving slowly. She wheeled around the hospital a few times, before landing, panting lightly. "I felt tired far too easily," she grumbled, not sounding pleased at all.
Naruto stroked her side. "You'll be fine. You just need to work on getting your stamina back up," he said, rubbing her side.
She rumbled affectionately, as they began to make their way back home. "I suppose you're right. Besides, I do enjoy spending time with Azuren," she said, not looking at Naruto.
Naruto grinned widely at that. During the whole time Onyxia had been recovering, Azuren had stayed by her side. He had talked with her, comforting her, and bringing her fresh food. Naruto knew that the two of them had grown close. Very close. He could feel through his link with Onyxia that she had grown affectionate towards the blue dragon.
Kyuubi had also sensed how close they were growing. Something she delighted in teasing Onyxia over. "Onyxia and Azuren, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes mating, then comes the eggs that are incubating!"
Onyxia growled. "Quiet fuzz face!" She roared out. Kyuubi just giggled madly at that.
Naruto chuckled softly. "Awww, it's just harmless teasing," he said, grinning at her.
Onyxia turned a golden eye to him. "Oh? And what about those dreams and thoughts you've been having about Hinata, huh?"
Naruto blushed, looking away. Ever since he had woken up and saw Hinata asleep halfway on her bed, he had been getting strange feelings when he thought about her. And when he slept, he would have dreams of them walking together, holding hands, or sharing a picnic.
Onyxia let out her rumbling like laugh, as they arrived at the Namikaze Estate, and entered. Onyxia headed to the backyard, where Azuren was, while Naruto headed inside, deep in thought.
He stopped though, when he found Anko sitting on front steps of the house itself. She had her face buried in her arms and knees. As he approached, she looked up, her eyes red, and her face streaked with tears.
"Anko-san? What's wrong?" He asked, as he came over and crouched down next to her.
Anko looked at him, before looking down. "I…..I've ruined things with Iruka," she said.
Naruto blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Anko sobbed a bit, before she began to explain.
Flashback
Anko grinned as she hugged Iruka's arm as they walked. "My, my. What are you planning Iruka-kun?" She asked. She was dressed in a purple dress that hugged her figure. It had a plunging neckline, and little back, with the straps tied around the back of her neck.
Iruka was dressed up in casual slacks, a button down shirt, and jacket. He smiled softly at Anko.
"It's a surprise," he said, as they entered a rather nice restaurant. Twenty minutes later, they were seated, and eating their appetizers.
The two of them made small talk, making their way to their entrée's. When that happened, Iruka began to act nervously.
Anko blinked as she saw him fidget. "Iruka-kun? You okay?" She asked.
Iruka sighed. "I…..I want to talk to you about something," he said. "We've…..these past few years, being with you….it's been the best time of my life. I love being with you, hearing you talk and laugh, seeing you smile, watching you sleep next to me. I…..I love you Anko."
Anko blushed, smiling at him. "I feel the same way about you Iruka. I've had so much fun with you. It's been unbelievable."
Iruka nodded. "And that…that's why…..I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said, as he slowly pulled a box out, and slowly opened it. "Anko Mitarashi? Will you marry me?"
Anko's eyes went wide, as she stared at the ring in the box. Then she looked up at him. "W-what?" She asked.
Iruka blinked. "I…..will you marry me?" he asked again.
Anko looked at him, then the ring. "You…..want to marry me?" She asked.
He nodded, worried and confused. "I do. Anko, is something wrong?" He asked.
Anko bit her lip. "It's just…..we have lots of fun together. Being playful, dating. If we get married, it'll just add a lot of responsibility to our relationship, won't it?"
Iruka nodded softly. "It would but….the fun wouldn't have to end. It would just mean that….we were husband and wife. It means we'd be spending the rest of our lives together."
Anko looked away. "I…..I'm sorry Iruka. But I don't want to get married," she said quietly. "I…..I just don't think it's something we need to do. Besides, what if things go bad between us, and we go through the hassle of a divorce?"
Iruka sat back. "Do you think we'd get divorced?" He asked.
Anko shook her head. "N-No, but what if it did happen? Wouldn't it be better to just stay where we are?"
Iruka looked at her with a blank expression. "Anko, where do you see our relationship going?"
She shook her head. "Why does it have to go anywhere? Why can't it stay here? Where it's fun, and with no worries?"
Iruka looked down quietly. "…if that's what you want then," he said softly, as he put the ring away. Anko couldn't fail to see a few tears fall from his eyes.
They didn't talk anymore after that. Iruka got the bill, paid for it, and they left, walking to Anko's apartment.
At her door, Anko turned to him. "W-would you like to come in?" She asked hesitantly. She felt her heart break a bit when Iruka shook his head.
"I….I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I need to get up early. Good night Anko," he said, kissing her on the cheek.
Anko shuddered a bit. "G-Good night Iruka-kun. I love you," she said. Iruka just nodded as he left.
Flashback End
"That was over a week ago. Ever since then, things have been going downhill. He hardly spends time with me, and when we do, it's strained. Please Naruto, I need your help." Anko practically begged him.
Naruto sat back, sighing. "Why didn't you want to marry him?" He asked her, looking at her.
Anko looked down. "…I don't know. I….I do love him. I really do. Just….when I saw that ring….and I heard him ask me to marry him…..I was scared. I never thought he would ask me to marry him. I never thought I would be married. I….I panicked."
Naruto gently placed a hand on her shoulder, as she broke down. "Everything I feel for Iruka…it scares me. He's gotten closer to me than anyone has before. At least since…..since my old sensei betrayed me."
Naruto nodded. "And you don't want to move beyond your comfort zone?" He asked. "You're scared of being hurt again, if you get that close to him?"
Anko looked down. "I don't want to lose him. I…..I love him. I really do."
Naruto looked away for a few minutes. "Then you need to let him know the truth Anko. You need to let him know how you truly feel. Maybe if he understands, he can help you get over your fears."
Anko bit her lip, as she looked down. After some contemplation, she stood up. "I have something I need to do."
Naruto nodded. "I understand Anko."
Anko left, running towards Iruka's apartment.
Iruka sighed quietly, as he looked at a picture of him and Anko. Anko was getting a piggyback ride from him, while smiling and eating some dango. He was smiling as he held her on his back.
He slowly looked at the ring box. 'Maybe I was pushing too fast. I should have talked to her a bit, before I did ask her to marry me.'
He looked up as there was knocking on the door. Slowly he got up and answered it. His eyes widened as he saw Anko standing there.
Before he could say anything, she put her hand to his mouth, before walking inside. She closed the door, locked it, and then kissed him deeply.
Iruka's eyes widened even further, before she pulled away. "Iruka, I need to talk to you. So please, don't say anything until I finish."
Iruka just nodded quietly, as Anko led him to the couch and sat down, pulling him down with her. "Iruka…..I….I wanted to tell you why I didn't say yes to marrying you," she said softly. "I was scared Iruka. I…..I'm scared about these things I'm feeling for you. Things I haven't felt for anyone in a long time," she said, as she wrung her hands nervously.
Iruka watched her as she looked away, getting up to pace. "After my sensei betrayed me, I locked myself away, behind a sarcastic and sadistic attitude. I didn't want to be hurt again by anyone. But you…..somehow…..you….you wormed your way past my defenses," she said. "For the first time in years, I felt myself opening up to someone. And I was happy. But when you asked me to marry you…..I realized if I said yes…..I would be saying I completely trusted you; with everything. And it scared me, because I didn't know if I was ready to trust anyone that deeply again." She turned to him, and sat back down, as she took his hands, staring at them. "But when I realized how much you were hurt by what I said….when I realized how horrible things were without you anymore…..I realized that I don't want to be afraid anymore."
She looked up at him. "I don't know if I'm ready to marry yet but…I…..I do know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Iruka trembled a bit, before pulling her into a kiss. Anko wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back deeply, as he held her close against him. They stayed like that for several minutes, sharing their love for one another. When they finally had to break for air, they both were panting heavily. Iruka smiled at her, and she smiled back, before leaning in and nuzzling against him. "I love you, Iruka-kun."
"I love you too, Anko-chan. Now and forever," he whispered, smiling.
The reunited couple stayed like that for some time, enjoying the restored closeness between them.
Hokage Tower
Tsunade sighed as she looked through one of her medical textbooks. When she wasn't busy handling Onyxia's recovery or village matters, she had been pouring over her various records of illnesses and diseases, looking for Itachi's disease. It was about time Konoha paid Itachi back for all his services.
She turned a page in her text book, only to stop and for her eyes to widen. This was it! She had found it. She quickly read over the disease, looking for a cure to it. When she did find it though, her eyes narrowed a bit. She closed the book, thinking over what she had just read, before standing up and leaving her office. A pair of ANBU fell into place behind her as she headed out of the Tower.
Ten minutes later she was stepping through the gate into the Uchiha District, heading towards the house Itachi had taken for himself. Itachi had refused to live in his old house, and instead had decided upon staying in the house of another Uchiha family.
Tsunade went up to the door and knocked on it, waiting patiently for an answer. Minutes later, Itachi opened the door. "Hokage-sama? This is certainly a surprise," Itachi said, as he let her in, followed by her two ANBU.
Tsunade nodded. "I know it is, Itachi. But I have something very important to discuss with you." She indicated her book. "I have not only identified your disease, but I also found a cure for it," she said.
Itachi, who had been in the middle of pouring them both tea, stopped and froze. Slowly, he set the tea pot down and looked up at her. "You have?" He asked quietly.
She nodded. "Yes, I have. However, the procedure is not without risk. It requires some precise surgery, as well as some medicines that need to be made fresh. If they're not made correctly, they could kill you. And so could the surgery. Overall, I'd say we'd have a 70% chance of success," she said quietly.
Itachi slowly sat down. He didn't speak for several minutes. Finally, he looked at Tsunade. "Hokage-sama…..I am not sure if it would be worth it. I honestly do not see any point in my continued existence. I'm not even sure I wish to keep on living," he said quietly. "I killed my clansmen. Not just those conspiring against Konoha, but those who were innocent as well. Who had no idea of what was going to happen. I do not believe someone like me deserves a second chance at life."
Tsunade felt his pain at that, and nodded quietly. "I cannot comprehend the pain and emotions you're feeling, Itachi. And I cannot argue against your wishes. But you could honor those innocent who you killed. Those who were innocent of your clan's treachery. Honor them, by making the Uchiha clan one who is worthy of them." She slowly stood. "If you do wish to proceed, let me know in three day's time. I'll handle the procedure myself," she said, as she left.
Itachi quietly sat there, in the empty house. As he did, his thoughts drifted to the family that had once lived here. Who had it been, who had dwelt in this house. Was it an old couple, their children long moved on? A family, with children who had laughed and played in this very room? A new couple, eager to start a family of their own? Itachi did not know, as all personal effects had been removed after the loss of the clan, at his hands.
Slowly, Itachi stood up, and went to the window, looking out into the empty district. Could he do as Tsunade asked? Rebuild his clan, make it better than before? That was an answer he didn't have at this time. But it was one he needed to answer. Slowly, he went to the back yard, to meditate.
Unknown Location
Madara watched in satisfaction as Sasuke continued to train, wanting to grow stronger after his months in prison. Madara respected that, and had ordered Kisame to train with Sasuke. So far the tailless biju from Kiri was winning, like he did in every previous match. But one could see Sasuke was making slow improvements against Kisame.
He turned away, as he began to think over his situation. Ever since he left Konoha, left the Shodai Hokage at the Valley of the End, he had begun to work towards his ultimate goal of world domination. He had subtley extended his influence into dozens of factions and governments around the world. A word here, a nudge there, and he had helped instigate a number of conflicts, to help divide the world, making it that much easier for his plans to unfurl. He had helped instigate the old hatred between Iwa and Konoha by making it appear that Konoha shinobi had unjustly assassinated the son of the Shodai Tsuchikage, made Kumo hunger for the bloodlines and powerful shinobi of other villages, and nearly destroyed Kiri with their Bloodline Purge.
His greatest achievement so far though, had been the Fourth Shinobi War. Admittedly, he had been worried when the Kyuubi jinchuuriki disappeared, but he also saw it as a chance to destroy Konoha, and swoop up as many jinchuuriki as he could during the chaos.
And then HE had appeared. The Demon dragon rider. He had slaughtered Kakuzu and Hidan, and prevented the capture of the Nibi Jinchuuriki. And then he had sided with Konoha, and turned the tide of battle. What was worse was when he found out that the same Demon Dragon Rider was Konoha's jinchuuriki, the holder of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.
Now, the war was on its last legs. Konoha had Iwa on the defensive with their allies. Kumo and Suna still held their jinchuuriki, and his most powerful piece was lost to him. Pein had died thanks to Itachi's treacherous actions, and with him went his Rinnegan eyes.
Madara knew he had no choice now. He would have to go deep underground, until such time as he could strike out against his targets. He knew he couldn't ally with Iwa after taking their jinchuuriki. And his only other possibly ally, Kabuto, was dead.
Madara turned away. "Soon, I will take my rightful place as ruler of this world," he said, as he watched Sasuke. "And you'll be the pawn to help me."
Hokage's Office, Three Days later
Tsunade looked up as Naruto and Hinata entered. "I have a mission you two," she said. "Iwa has made no movements against us since the failed attack on Suna. Other than small raids and skirmishes, their forces have remained completely defensive. I want you two to infiltrate behind their lines, and try to get a feel for what's going on. Do they expect us to attack, or they preparing for a ceasefire, etc."
Naruto nodded. "Right. How long should the mission last?"
Tsunade sat back. "Two weeks. Any longer and you risk being discovered. There's a small village about ten miles behind Iwa lines, where some of the force commanders reside. That should be your primary target for information," she said, showing them the town's location on a map. There should also be a cave nearby here, based on reports from a team that hid in the area on a mission before the war began. You might find shelter there if it's not in use."
Naruto and Hinata nodded as they memorized the information and the map Tsunade showed them. "Any side objectives?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade nodded. "There's a supply caravan that will be travelling through the area, taking supplies towards their northern force. If you can, sabotage it."
They nodded. "Right. We'll be heading out in an hour," Naruto said, bowing. The two of them left the room, just as Itachi came in.
Tsunade looked up. "Itachi-san?" She asked.
Itachi bowed to her. "Hokage-sama. I've come to a decision," he said softly. "…I wish to undergo the procedure to cure me," he said softly.
Tsunade nodded softly. "I'll begin preparations at once, Itachi. As I said though….this procedure could take your life. You might want to write out a will beforehand, and make sure you have any affairs in order."
Itachi nodded. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I will get on that right away."
Tsunade nodded. "I imagine it should take me about a week to prepare. I'll let you know when everything is ready," she said.
Itachi bowed and left, quietly being escorted back to the Uchiha Compound by his ANBU escorts.
Once there, Itachi quietly sat down, studying the paper in front of him. He quietly pondered what he wanted to write, before slowly, he began to write, the only noise being the near silent whisper of his brush on the paper in front of him.
Elsewhere, Naruto and Hinata had packed for their mission. Neither of them were taking their armor, as the mission require stealth and subtly, not brute force. As they moved to the backyard where their dragons waited, they were met by Kushina and Tayuya.
Kushina hugged Naruto. "Be careful out there. You're going to be in the middle of the enemy's territory," she said softly.
Naruto smiled. "Don't worry mom, I'll be fine," he said, kissing her on the cheek. He hugged his sister as well, earning him a gruff goodbye from Tayuya. He climbed into Onyxia's saddle. With a glance to Hinata to make sure she was ready, he gently patted Onyxia's neck.
"Let's ride!" He said, as the two dragons opened their wings, and took off.
In the streets below, civilian and shinobi alike looked up to see the two dragon riders fly off. It filled them with courage and hope, as they watched them disappear out over the wall.
Up above, Hinata was deep in thought. And what was the subject on her mind? The man flying on his own dragon not too far ahead of her.
When she had learned of Naruto's death, she had gone from shock into despair and mourning. And then she had locked her emotions away, thinking she had rid herself of them forever. When she learned Naruto was alive, her emotions had resurfaced with a vengeance. She had felt shock, anger, bewilderment, and happiness, when she had seen him with the Fire Daimyo.
Eventually though, as she confronted him, and heard his reasons, her anger gave way and slowly was replaced with happiness that he was alive again. And as she became a Dragon rider as well, they had become close friends.
Now though, Hinata had feelings she hadn't felt for a long time. When she had seen him lying in the hospital, she had felt fear above that of a missing friend. When he had awoken, she felt joy that she hadn't felt since her days as a genin. And now, as she watched him, she felt a tightness around her heart. Tightness she had when she was a shy little genin, silently watching Naruto.
That was what had her in such deep though. The female Rider was trying to decide if these feelings she had were true. If she was starting to fall for Naruto all over again.
She sighed quietly, as she switched her gaze to the ground below. 'What do I feel for him? Is it just a stupid crush, or am I really falling for him?'
"You can share your thoughts with me," Azuren rumble din her mind.
Hinata looked at her dragon, smiling a bit. 'Azuren…..you know my thoughts and feelings. What do you think?' She asked, as she held onto him.
"I think that your feelings for Naruto never died. Quite honestly, after talking to you about it, I'm surprised it's taken them this long to resurface. The feelings you have for him….I truly believe they go beyond a mere affection for him," Azuren said, tilting his head slighlty to look back at her.
Hinata just sighed softly, as she thought about it. The sad fact was, Naruto was the only man she could really be with. Being a Dragon Rider, as Naruto had explained, equaled being immortal. She would never really die of old age, to his knowledge. But any man she fell in love with would. As would any children they had.
Hinata didn't want a relationship based on circumstances though. She didn't want to be with Naruto just because he was really the only man she could be with. She wanted to be with him because her feelings for him were really that of love. And that was why she was concerned about her feelings. She wanted to know if they were really real, or just fleeting affection.
She shook her head quietly, unable to decide. For now, she'd leave those thoughts alone. She and Naruto had a mission to accomplish. Steeling herself, she readied for the task ahead.
Konoha Hospital, 1 week later
In the Security Wing of the Hospital, Konan sat in her hospital bed. She had found it strange that she hadn't been moved to prison cell after she had finished healing. Or that she had been taken to an interrogation room when some of their interrogators came in to question her. Then again, they didn't ask many questions. She had been asked about the location of Akatsuki outposts, and if there were any members beyond those already confirmed dead or still alive. She had answered truthfully, seeing as she had no reason to remain loyal to Akatsuki. The Akatsuki was not the group of freedom fighters she had believed it to be. The group of ninjas bent upon world peace. It was merely a front for a mad man bent on global domination.
She turned to look out the window, at the village. A small part of her hated this village. Konoha ninja had been the ones who slew Nagato's family, had helped Hanzo the Salamander kill her comrade and friend Yahiko.
But a small part of her was envious too. From her window, she could see the citizens of Konoha wander the streets. They were happy, almost without a care in the world. It was hard to believe that this village was at war.
In Ame, the atmosphere was always tense. Even when Pein had taken over, the people had been tense. The civilians rarely travelled outside their homes or work places, leaving the streets empty, save for shinobi.
Konan wanted to say that this village had never suffered, hence the reason for their happiness, but she knew it would be a lie. Konoha had suffered the wrath of the Kyuubi attack eighteen years ago, and then an invasion from the combined forces of Suna and Oto five years ago. While they may not understand the hardships of Ame and Kiri's civil wars, they did understand the pain that came from such things.
She looked down at her bed quietly. She was bored, and she was lonely. No one ever talked to her, outside the interrogators. The raven haired kunoichi would come to check on her occasionally, and an ANBU would bring her meals. But no one else visited. And she wasn't allowed outside.
A small part of her, born from the loneliness, berated her quietly for shoving away the only person who probably was willing to visit her. She was still angry at Itachi for his betrayal, but part of her missed their conversations together. If she was completely honest, she had come to care for Itachi, perhaps like she once had for Yahiko, or Nagato before he became Pein. But that part was ruthlessly crushed by the side of her angry at him for his role as a spy for Konoha. She continued to see his 'friendship' as nothing more than a role he played to gain more information.
She looked up when the locks on the door were undone, and the raven haired jounin entered. Shizune, she believed her name was.
Shizune entered the room, locking the door before she turned to Konan. "I have something for you," she said, as she held up a scroll. She brought it over and handed it to her.
Konan blinked curiously, as she looked at the scroll, before slowly opening it. Inside, she found a folded piece of paper, as well as a document written on the scroll. She quietly set aside the folded paper, and began to read the scroll.
"I, Itachi Uchiha, being of sound body and mind, do declare this to be my last will and testament. Should I die or be left in a comatose state with no chance of recovery, I do declare the following:
1. That the house of the Clan Head of the Uchiha clan should pass into the hands of Konan, former kunoichi of the Akatsuki. That it should remain in her possession unless she wishes to sell or destroyed it.
2. That the remainder of the Uchiha district be given to the village of Konoha, for the Hokage to do with as he or she sees fit.
3. That all jutsu and techniques of the Uchiha clan, outside of those involving the Sharingan kekkai genkai, are to become the property of the Konoha shinobi forces, and that the Hokage may do with them as he or she sees fit.
4. That all written and recorded knowledge of the Sharingan kekkai genkai become sole property of the Hokage of Konoha, to be archived or destroyed as he or she sees fit.
5. That one quarter of the Uchiha monetary holdings be distributed to the holdings of Kushina Uzumaki Namikaze, for the pains I brought upon her son, either through my direct action, or my indirect actions through my brother Sasuke Uchiha.
6. That one half of the Uchiha monetary holdings be distributed into the finances of Konohagakure no Sato, to be controlled by the Hokage as he or she sees fit.
7. That one quarter of the Uchiha monetary holdings be distributed into a bank account accessible only to Konan, former kunoichi of Akatsuki. Only she may be allowed to access it.
Should any part of my will be ignored or violated, I stipulate that all properties, possessions, and monetary holdings of the Uchiha clan should go directly to Konan, former kunoichi of Akatsuki, to be done with as she sees fit.
This is my final will and testament.
Itachi Uchiha.
Konan just stared at the scroll, before looking up at Shizune. "W-What…what is this?" She whispered.
Shizune sighed. "Itachi-san is about to undergo a procedure that will cure him of an illness he is suffering from. However, the procedure does have a chance of killing him. Hokage-sama suggested he fill out his will beforehand. This is one copy of that will. Another copy was hidden in a secure place, and a third was filed with the Hokage's office."
Konan trembled a bit, as she looked at the scroll. Her eyes slowly turned to the folded piece of paper, before she slowly began to open it. She slowly began to read its contents.
"Konan. Since you are reading this letter, you have already seen my will. And if not,then read it after you read this letter.
If you haven't been informed already, I am about to die from an illness that I have had for many years now. Perhaps I was born with it. I do not know. Hokage-sama has found a way to save me, but it is not without risk. As such, I made out that will so that the possessions of my clan did not simply fall into the hands of a greedy civilian. I wished for all that belonged to me now to go to those who could benefit the most from it.
If you have concerns about what I left for you in the will, do not worry about claiming it. I have discussed it with the Hokage. After taking into consideration the information you have provided, as well as the fact that you yourself have not conducted any actions against Konoha or its citizens, she has agreed to release you. You will be allowed to become a citizen of Konoha, or be free to leave this village behind forever. She has stated that she will make it official after she has either successfully completed my procedure, or after I have died.
Konan…I wish to explain the truth behind my actions, as well as the truth behind my interactions with you. Yes, I did betray you, in that I was a spy for Konoha. I was passing information back to my village, on the activities and movements of Akatsuki. I will not deny it.
However, not once did I consider using you to further my gathering of information. When it came to you, those thoughts were perhaps furthest from my mind.
I do not know how it happened, but when I first saw you, I felt like my heart had stopped beating. I felt like I was frozen to the ground, held in place by some genjutsu. At the time, I did not know what I was feeling. I had spent most of my life hiding my emotions as an ANBU operative and captain, disconnecting myself from them so much, that on the rare occasion I did feel something, it felt alien to me. But as time went on, and I spent more time pondering m feelings, I slowly realized what they were.
I cared for you, Konan. I do not know if that is a suitable term to describe what I felt, but it is the best I can think of to describe my feelings back then. And as time went on, and I learned more about you, my feelings continued to grow. I could see an overwhelming sadness, buried beneath a calm, almost cold demeanor. I felt my heart break, wishing I could make you smile, wishing I could hear your laugh.
When Pein turned on you, after Naruto-san rescued the Ichibi jinchuuriki, my heart went out to you. When I approached you, it was with nothing but the intention of trying to ease the pain and sadness you were feeling. I had no intention of using you to gather new information on Akatsuki.
These past few months, of us spending time together, talking and sharing our lives…they have only helped to confirm the suspicions I had. The suspicions I had that my feelings for you were feelings of love. I fell in love with you, Konan.
Now though, it doesn't matter. I have destroyed the bond we had. I have betrayed your trust and friendship. And for that, I am truly and eternally sorry. I do not ask for forgiveness, for I deserve none. Should I survive the procedure I'm about to undergo, I will not bother you again, Konan. I just wished to thank you for your friendship, and to explain how sorry I am for betraying you.
I hope that you find a peaceful and happy life Konan, whether within the walls of Konoha, or out in the world. And I pray you find a man truly worthy of your love and affection.
Sincerely, Itachi Uchiha
Konan trembled as she read the letter, before looking up at Shizune. "…w-where is he?" she asked, trembling.
Shizune watched the trembling kunoichi, the turmoil flashing through her eyes. "I'm sorry. He's currently at his estate, preparing for tomorrow. They're going to begin the procedure then. He needs his rest right now."
Konan shook, trying to hold back the emotions in her. "P-Please, I need to see him! Need to talk to him!" she said, as she tried to ge tout of bed.
Shizune stopped her. "I'm sorry, but you can't! It's important he rest before tomorrow. The stronger he is, the better chance he has of surviving."
Konan stopped struggling, and slumped into the bed, trembling as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "D-D-Damn him," she whispered, struggling with her emotions. "D-D-Damn him."
Shizune gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "If he survives the procedure, you can see him then," she said softly.
Konan looked down. "It might be too late by then," she whispered, before breaking into quiet sobs. She buried her face into her pillow, quietly sobbing as she did so. Shizune let out a sigh, as she did her best to comfort the sobbing woman.
Hidden Cave, behind Iwa lines
Naruto grunted as he finished setting up a fire, while he waited for Hinata. Per Tsuande's orders, they were still spying behind enemy lines, getting a feel for what was happening.
Onyxia and Azuren had flown them high enough above Iwa's lines to keep from being seen, before landing in an isolated area. The two dragons had left their riders, since they wouldn't be able to hide as easily. Now the pair of dragons were behind Konoha lines, though one of them would fly over to their position at intervals to communicate with them. When need be, the dragons would be ready to fly them out.
Hinata and Naruto had been taking shifts in spying on the town. The two of them had employed a mixture of magic and cosmetic disguises to hide themselves, while they got a feel for the town's layout. It was a medium town, about maybe 10,000 citizens. The Iwa commanders, as they discovered on their second day of spying, were staying in a large hotel part way into the city.
After two more days of getting a feel for their schedules, guard rotations, and such, Naruto and Hinata had felt confident enough to sneak in and check over any papers or documents the commanders had stored in the room.
Overall, the information they got from their infiltration, mixed with what they overheard from the shinobi commanders, led them to reach the same conclusion: Iwa's will to continue the war was all but gone. The Tsuchikage had ordered his forces to remain defensive, while the top shinobi were recalled to Iwa to discuss matters.
While this might have seemed like enough information to return to Konoha, Naruto had decided they should remain, in case a sudden change occurred.
Naruto looked up as he heard thunder rumbling in the distance. He worried a little, as he saw dark storm clouds forming in the slowly fading light, as evening approached. Hinata would soon be returning, but the approaching storm might hit before she got back.
Naruto bit his lip as he thought about Hinata. He had found himself becoming increasingly worried over the past week, when she went out on her turns to spy on the Iwa shinobi. Hinata was a well-known jounin of Konoha, for her actions against any and all shinobi who had fought her. Most ended up dead or crippled for life. Iwa's bingo Book had a kill or capture order on her, due to the fact that she had cut off the right arm and left leg of an Iwa genin who had happened to be the son of an Iwa Council Member. This had been during her second Chuunin Exams, not too long after Naruto's disappearance. It had been in the exam finals, being held in Iwa at the time. Hinata had dominated the competition thus far, and came face to face with Iwa's pride and joy of the year. In his arrogance, he believed Hinata wouldn't be any problem.
Hinata had dominated him and finished the match by taking away his shinobi career permanently. While Iwa couldn't legally do anything then, they had used the Bingo Book to make Hinata a target.
Though if Naruto was completely honest with himself, he knew his worry extended beyond that of a comrade for a comrade or a friend for a friend. He had barely admitted to himself that recently, he had felt something more for Hinata.
He admitted she was very attractive. Her pale skin, lavender like eyes, long indigo blue hair. And she had a great body as well. Though when they had met up again, when he joined Konoha, he had been very put off by her cold, dark demeanor. She was ruthless, almost blood thirsty to her enemies, and she was cold and indifferent to her allies.
Now though, she was different. In the months since he had revealed himself to her, since they started training together, she had changed. She was confident still, and could be ruthless towards her enemies if need be. But he was beginning to see some of the old Hinata return. She was gentler and kinder. She laughed and smiled. And what a smile. As Naruto thought about it, it made his heart beat faster, and his face flush a bit.
Naruto wasn't sure when he started to see Hinata this way. He had spent over half a year training alongside her, teaching her the ways of the Dragon Rider. Was it when he had comforted her after the Invasion of Oto? Or was it when he had awoken in the hospital, and seen her lying there, asleep?
Naruto didn't have an answer. All he did know was that he was thinking of Hinata in a different way. But he wasn't sure if he wanted to say anything to her yet.
Naruto knew that quite likely, Hinata was the only woman he could ever have a serious relationship with. His extended life span meant that any woman he cared for would age and die long before he ever did. Hinata, being a Rider herself, wouldn't. She would age just as slowly as he did. But Naruto didn't want to base a relationship solely on that fact. He wanted a relationship based on mutual feelings of affection. And if Hinata did find herself caring for another man, he wanted her to be able to enjoy it, instead of feeling chained to him for eternity.
As he thought about it, he finally decided he would ask Hinata a few questions, see if any of her answers helped him decide what to do.
He looked up as the weather grew worst, and the first raindrops began to fall. Within ten minutes, it was pouring rain outside. Naruto grew worried, and was about to go look for Hinata, when one of the shadow clone sentries he had set up, dispersed, sending information back to him. Hinata was coming in.
Within minutes, Hinata ran into the cover of the cave, soaking wet. She shook herself, trying to rid her body of the excess water. "It's really pouring out there," she said, as she shivered a bit.
Naruto grabbed one of the extra blankets they had and handed it to her. She smiled in thanks as she took it, and disappeared further into the cave to dry off and change clothes. Naruto blushed lightly at the thought and turned to face outwards to ensure complete privacy. Deciding to occupy himself, he began to make dinner.
Hinata soon returned, setting her wet clothes near the fire to dry off, along with the now slightly wet blanket. Naruto looked up at her. "Anything new to report?" He asked.
She shook her head. "More of the same. The Iwa commanders dispatched a few messengers to the front lines, but that was about it. No flurry of activity, no new messages from Iwa. I think that there's a good chance they'll call for a negotiation soon."
Naruto nodded. "We'll wait a few more days, just to make sure."
The two fell into silence afterwards, listening to the fire roar and the storm outside. Eventually, Naruto spoke up. "Hinata? Can I ask you something?"
When she blinked at him, he continued. "Have you had any thoughts about….well…..dating someone?" He asked.
Hinata's eyes widened a bit, before she looked into the fire. "…up until you disappeared…..I had thought about what it would be like to date you," she admitted. "But afterwards…..I gave up any thoughts about relationships. I was focused on becoming the best shinobi I could be. At least, in my twisted belief of what a shinobi should be."
Naruto tilted his head a bit, as she continued. "Now though….no, I honestly haven't given much thought to dating someone. I've been busy training with Azuren and you and….well…..there's also the fact that I'm going to be aging really slowly," she said softly. "It seems pointless to try dating if it's not going to lead anywhere."
Naruto looked away sadly. "I-I see," he whispered.
Hinata blinked. "Why did you bring it up?" She asked.
Naruto shook his head. "No reason. Forget about it," he said, waving a hand as he looked away and went back to tending the fire.
Hinata tilted her head a bit, curious now. "C'mon, you can tell me."
Naruto chuckled dryly. "I'm not so sure I can."
Hinata scooted next to him. "Why, have you thought about dating someone?"
Naruto bit his lip. "I have been but…..I don't know if I should make a move. There are…..certain circumstances in the way."
She looked down a bit, disappointed. "W-Who is it?" She asked. "Is it Sakura?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. Remember, I share the same problem you do," he said.
She blinked. "But then….who would you….?" Her eyes widened as realization struck her.
Naruto just stood up. "Guess you figured it out," he said, as he went to the cave entrance and watched the rain.
"You…..you've been thinking of dating me?" She asked.
The blonde Rider just nodded quietly. "You…..you've been in my thoughts ever since I woke up in the hospital," he said. "I keep thinking about you. Bu I…..I wasn't sure if you felt the same way. And I….I didn't want us dating to be because we're both Dragon Riders or something. I wanted it to be because we both actually wanted to do it. So I didn't say anything, until I found out if you….if you actually wanted to date me."
Hinata blushed lightly. "W-why wouldn't I?" she asked, standing up.
Naruto turned to her. "I….I didn't want to assume your feelings for me had remained the same all these years. I just…..I don't know," he said.
Hinata came over and gently took one of his hands. Both of them were blushing heavily now, as they stood there, the open cave mouth framing them. She quietly looked up at him. "I….thank you, Naruto, for not just assuming that I had the same feelings for you that I use to. To be honest….I wasn't sure of my feelings for you anymore. I've been trying to find out what they are exactly."
She smiled up at him. "I think I would like to go on a date with you Naruto. And from there….I'd like to see where things go."
Naruto smiled. "R-Really? W-Well alright then!" he said, smiling. "We'll go on a date when we get back to Konoha. My treat. And it won't be Ichiraku ramen."
She giggled. "I wouldn't mind that," she said, grinning.
Naruto just smiled, only to be startled by a loud crash of thunder. Hinata jumped a bit too, before they both giggled nervously. "I should get back to the food," Naruto said, as he moved back to the fire. Hinata just randomly began sorting through their equipment. Neither could hide the huge grins on their faces though, as they thought the exact same thing: 'Yes!'.
Okay then. Chapter's all done. Sorry to those of you who wanted more than this from the NaruHinaness but honestly, I just could not justify them saying things like 'I love you' and such. I've been trying to work on my relationship writing, make it better and not just love at first sight. So for now, they're just a new couple who's starting to date.
As many of you have probably noticed, FF went on a 'purge' of M-rated fanfics that exceed the 'standard' for M-ratings. This means lemons, limes, citrus action, and extreme or graphic violence.
I believe this to be a load of bullcrap. No matter how much FF might try to deny it, there will always be an audience who craves those things, and there will be writers who wish to write those things. And they're not going to want to go to a whole other site to be able to read it.
I'm not going to give you a link to any petitions or anything (even though I did sign them), as I'm sure more than enough of you have already seen the links and signed on or ignored them. Me doing it would just be overkill. Plus….well…I don't have the links anymore.
I am going to say though that FF has shown a complete and utter disregard for the satisfaction of its customers. They have destroyed the countless hours, days, weeks, months, perhaps even years of work that some authors have put into their stories, and they've done it with no warning, or even a chance for said authors to possibly edit their work. This site's motto is 'Unleash Your Imagination'. But if the practically fascist actions of the admin and mods are anything to go by, I'd say the word Unleash should be replaced with Censor.
Anyways, enough with the rant of the day. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and sorry for how long it took to get out. I've been busy dealing with some things here, and geeking out over the new trailers and video footage for Assassin's Creed 3. From what Iv'e seen, AC3 definitely looks like a huge step forward for the series, and definitely makes up for the lackluster performance of its predecessor, Assassin's creed; Revelations. I so can't wait to get my hands on AC3.
Please review!
