16. Leaving
So let the raucous sleigh bells jingle, and hail our dear old friend Kris Kringle.
He drives his reindeer 'cross the sky; don't stand beneath when they fly by! (Tom Lehrer – Song, 'A Christmas Carol')
Here's Chapter 16 for everyone's enjoyment during this festive holiday season. Hopefully, everyone likes what they read and then leave me great reviews! For those who don't know, reviews to a writer is like a hot fudge sundae in the summertime – absolutely wonderful! So if you like what you see, then please let me know by leaving a review! It's especially true during this month, which is the season for giving – or so I'm told by my family. I think it's just because they want stuff.
As always, I would like to thank fellow author Titokhan for helping me out, as well as my anonymous beta for his continued efforts and support. You guys help me out tremendously, and I can't thank you enough.
I want to give a few shout outs to some reviews that were left for me and do some foreshadowing:
Chandu-Itachi/Firestorm92: Okay, just to let you know I really wanted to use that jutsu – I mean, REALLY wanted to use it – but I couldn't bring myself to do it just yet. When Naruto gets back there's going to be a lemon scene and if Hinata is mad at him because of Hikaru using the Sexy Jutsu they won't 'get together', if you know what I mean. But believe me when I say that Hikaru WILL be using the Sexy Jutsu and you'll love what happens when he does!
YamiChaos27: Yes there will be trust issues, you'll start to see them develop in this chapter and you find out the reasons why. Hopefully you like the twist, because a lot of the future plot depends on it.
Hektols: You put a piece in your review for Chapter 14 asking about the reaction from other villages. There's a small part in here for you that will give you a hint of things to come.
Len: Won't be a lot of confrontation between those characters. But there will be conflict. I promise.
So there you go! And here we have this chapter's disclaimer. Shouldn't be too hard for people to guess this one, because without a doubt it's a Christmas classic.
Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto, and take a look! I won a "Major Prize!"
Masashi Kishimoto – Nice. Is that the prize, in this crate?
Disclaimer – It sure is! And see what it says on the front? "Frah-Gee-Lay". It must be Italian.
Masashi Kishimoto – I think that says "fragile."
Disclaimer – Oh, yeah. (+1 if you get the reference.)
Chapter 16 – Leaving
The front door opened, and Sakura walked into her apartment with Sasuke holding her arm, supporting her. Even though the hospital had assured her that the baby was fine and was never in any danger, they had kept her overnight for observation. Sasuke had been there this morning when they released her, and had brought her straight home without saying a word.
Sakura was used to dealing with long periods of silence from her husband. He had certain 'tells' that gave away what he might be thinking about during those times, when he could be unemotional, melancholy, or sometimes cold. However, today was different. While he still didn't seem as outgoing or friendly as someone like Naruto or Ino, his emotions no longer seemed to be completely suppressed, and the look he wore on his face was one of sadness and disappointment.
Sasuke led Sakura over to the couch and helped her sit down. After watching his wife adjust her body to get comfortable he asked, "Do you need anything else?"
Sakura gave him a curious stare. "I should be fine for a little while. Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm very tired. I didn't get much sleep last night so I thought I'd take a quick nap."
"Actually, I was hoping I could talk with you for a bit." Sakura motioned towards the chair. "Would you mind sitting down?"
Sasuke stared at her for a brief moment before shrugging his shoulders and taking a seat. "What would you like to talk about, Sakura?"
"I…I wanted to talk with you about what happened at the hospital last night."
"What about it?"
"Well, I wanted to explain my actions. I want you to understand why I did what I did."
Sasuke sighed. He should have known she'd want to talk about that. "There's no need, Sakura. Last night at the hospital, you already explained – in great detail, I might add – the reasons behind your actions."
Sakura looked at him with hopeful, pleading eyes and asked, "Then…Then you feel the same way I do? You agree with what I did?"
"I said that I understood, Sakura. I never said that I agreed with you, or the methods you used."
The look on her face became confused. "That…That doesn't make any sense, Sasuke-kun! How can you say that you understand, but still not be on my side in all of this?" Her voice began to crack as the emotions welled up within her. "Isn't the most important thing that you and I ended up together? Does it really matter how we got here?"
Sasuke thought about what she said for a moment, and then broke away from her gaze to look out the window.
"It actually matters very much Sakura, and it's pretty ironic you'd say that. Over the last few months, I've been thinking quite a bit about my childhood and the obsession I had for obtaining power. I betrayed the village in order to find it. I sold my soul to Orochimaru in order to attain it. I carried the pain and suffering of my clan being exterminated within my heart, and it fueled my desire for retribution on those responsible. I didn't care who I hurt getting there. I promised myself that I would sacrifice anything in order to reach my goal."
His gaze turned back to Sakura. "For years, my thoughts were fixated on revenge, and the hole in my heart was filled with anger and rage. But when I reached my goal, the victory was hollow since even though my purpose was fulfilled, the void still remained and I couldn't understand why."
"It was only when Naruto finally found me and convinced me to return to the village – and to you – that I thought I had found what I was searching for. My purpose was now the revival of my clan. But there was still something missing, and it's only been since Naruto has come back that I finally understand the reason why."
"It's because family is only half of the equation." He gave a slight smile and finished, "The other half is friendship."
"But Sasuke-kun, you have friends. I'm your friend." She placed his hand on her stomach. "Our baby is your friend. We have each other. Isn't that enough?"
He shook his head. "No Sakura, it's not. Let me ask you a question – have you ever wondered where Naruto draws his strength from? And I'm not talking about the Kyuubi, but rather his true strength?"
"I've never really thought about it, no."
"It's from his desire to protect those who are precious to him. It's the reason why people are drawn to him in the first place; because he'll never abandon someone in need. It doesn't matter if it's his friends, family or loved ones – the more people he protects, the greater his strength is. I believe that's why he never gives up, and almost never loses a fight."
"That may be true, but you're not him Sasuke-kun. The only thing that should be important is you, me and our child. You're strong enough already. You don't need anyone else."
"You're wrong, Sakura. I used to think the same way that you do; that friendship was a liability and the only thing that mattered was achieving my goal. It's only been recently that I've come to realize that the path I chose to walk of solitude and revenge has been the wrong one. He probably never intended to do so, but Naruto has shown me that both family and friendship are the true path to strength, and I want to follow him. Going forward, I want to walk his path."
"But…But he's not even your family! I should come first! I'm your family!"
Sasuke smirked and said, "He is now. You should know that last night, I asked Naruto to consider me as his brother and he accepted my offer. He may not be related by blood, but he's family as far as I'm concerned. And Kakashi-sensei knows about it as well."
Sakura stared at him incredulously, eyes wide in shock. "Are…Are you serious? I don't understand; why would you do such a thing?"
"For every reason I mentioned to you last night, as well as what I just said. Despite the fact that I betrayed him and everyone in the village, he never gave up on me. We fought almost to the death several times over the years, and yet he still called me his friend. He put his reputation on the line in order to give me a second chance in life, and the opportunity to rebuild my clan. He's sacrificed more than anyone…" He gave Sakura a penetrating stare. "…and I mean anyone for my sake, even though I never asked him to. And I'm honored – truly honored – that he would consider me as his brother, as well as give me the opportunity to make amends."
Sasuke saw that for the first time in a very long while, Sakura was stunned speechless by his words. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he rose from his seat and said, "Now as I mentioned earlier, I'm going to take a nap. In the meantime, I suggest you think about what I just said, because I shudder to think about how the village will react towards you if you're not the least bit repentant about your actions."
Across town, six people were seated around a table in Akimichi barbeque. Earlier that day, Ino and Tenten came to see Choji and asked him to gather Shikamaru, Temari, Shino, Kiba and Lee at the restaurant by eight o'clock, and to make sure the area they used was quiet and secluded.
Kiba asked, "Okay, why are we here again?"
Choji sighed. "Like I told you before, Ino and Tenten asked me to bring everyone here for a private meeting."
"I get that, but it still doesn't explain why they asked you in the first place."
Shino said, "Knowing Ino, it has to do with some piece of gossip that they overheard. But unlike previous occurrences I would surmise that this particular piece of information is rather important, otherwise the two of them wouldn't have asked for such a private setting." He nodded at Choji. "Please thank your family once again for accommodating us."
Choji nodded back. "It's not a problem, really. But I have to agree with Kiba – I wish that Ino and Tenten would get here soon so they can tell us what this is all about."
Shikamaru rubbed his forehead and said, "It's troublesome, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with Naruto and Hinata."
Temari raised her eyebrows and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"Think about it. Sakura was just released from the hospital today, and Sasuke is probably at home taking care of her. Naruto and Hinata are the only ones that could be present for this meeting that aren't."
Kiba asked, "Then what about Neji? Why isn't he here?"
"My guess is that he's the source of the information, since Tenten is involved. Otherwise, the two of them would already be here and Ino would be the only one to call for this meeting."
Lee added, "All I know is that after Naruto visited me at the hospital last night, he left to go see Hinata who was visiting Sakura in her room." His look became distressed as he finished, "Hopefully they did not have a fight, since the flames of youth burn brightly in them both. It would be a shame if they were extinguished."
Temari said, "Well, it still makes me wonder why I'm here though. Other than Shikamaru being my BOYFRIEND, I'm not part of the Konoha twelve."
No one missed the special emphasis that Temari put on the word, and Shikamaru groaned since he knew he was in for a LONG conversation when they got home later on.
However, before anything else could be said Ino walked into the room, followed closely by Tenten. Ino looked at Temari and said, "Actually, it's because we might need to ask you a favor after we're done, Temari. And besides, we value your opinion as a kunoichi."
Choji threw up his hands and said, "Finally! Now that you're here, can you tell us why you wanted to have a secret meeting at eight o'clock on a Saturday night, when we should be out right now having fun?"
Ino and Tenten sat down at the table, and passed a look between them. Ino nodded and then asked everyone else sitting at the table, "Okay…What's the biggest secret in the village?"
Kiba answered, "What Kakashi-sensei looks like underneath his mask?"
Tenten smacked him on the top of his head. "No, stupid baka! It's the identity of Hikaru's father!"
The eyes of everyone at the table became as big as dinner plates, as they stared at Ino and Tenten.
After a few moments, Shino broke the silence. "Since you broached the subject, I'm guessing you both know the identity of this person and you went through the trouble of bringing us all together in secret, since the information will come as a shock to everyone, correct?"
Ino nodded and waited a few seconds to purposely build up the tension. "It's Naruto."
They all stared at her in disbelief before Lee said, "I…I don't understand. Naruto is the father? Such a thing doesn't seem right, somehow."
Kiba added, "Yeah, I have to agree with Lee. I mean, why would Hinata want to keep something like that from Naruto? And for that matter, why doesn't Naruto remember something like that in the first place? If he really knew and was faking it the entire time, then that's the best acting job I've ever seen. I'm not buying it."
Before either Ino or Tenten could say anything, Shikamaru decided to answer his questions. "My guess is that Hinata isn't Hikaru's real mother, and I was right earlier when I said that Neji is the one who discovered the secret. Am I right?"
With the exception of Ino and Tenten, the rest of them stared at Shikamaru like he had just grown another head. However, they all knew he hadn't been joking when he'd made the statement.
Tenten sighed and said, "You're right, Shikamaru. Neji went to the hospital last night with Hikaru in order to see Hinata and make sure she was okay. The nurse told Neji that Hinata was visiting Sakura in her room, and they headed straight there. But as they were about to enter the room, they heard Naruto ask Hinata why she decided to keep the fact that he was Hikaru's father a secret. Even though Neji doesn't normally do so, he realized that the conversation was important enough that both he and Hikaru should listen in on it, and find out the truth behind everything."
"Apparently, Hinata never told Naruto because she was afraid that he would hate her for keeping Hikaru a secret all these years, and that once he found out, he'd take Hikaru and leave the village. Every situation she thought of where she told him the truth ended up with her being alone and unloved."
Temari interjected and said, "I might not know Naruto as good as the rest of you, but I can't imagine him being that cruel or heartless, especially to someone like Hinata. He's always been one of the nicest and most loyal people I've ever met."
Shino lifted his hand. "Temari, you have to understand that for most of her life Hinata lived under constant, irrational fear. Whether it was being a disappointment to her father, or looking like a failure in the eyes of her clan she never truly received the encouragement and support she deserved. Even though the rest of us knew how strong she was – or rather still is, and never wavered in our belief of her abilities, somehow with Naruto it was different. From the earliest days of her childhood, she found a strength in him that none of us could hope to replicate. He believed in her when no one else did, and it was his support and encouragement from the beginning that drove her to become stronger, and made her fall in love with him." He turned his head to the side and looked away. "She was willing to give up her life during the fight with Pain because he was so important to her. Can you imagine the fear of thinking something like that could be ripped away from you? Would you wish that on anyone else?"
Temari glanced at Shikamaru out of the corner of her eye and shook her head no.
Tenten said, "Anyway, after that Naruto wanted to ask Sakura a few questions, but she told him that she wasn't going to say anything and that he needed to leave. It was only after Sasuke threatened to find Ino and bring her to the hospital so that she could rip the information from her head did Sakura relent and agree to answer his questions."
Choji raised his eyebrows and said, "Sasuke actually said that to Sakura? That's a bit out of character for him as far as she's concerned. Why did he say that?"
"The way Neji explained it, Sasuke told Sakura that 'he'd do it for his friend, so that he could learn the truth about Hikaru'. He also wanted to hear what she had to say about it as well. But the second question Naruto asked Sakura was, at what point did she find out that she was pregnant with Hikaru, to which she replied two weeks after Naruto left the village."
With the exception of Shikamaru and Ino, they all stared at her with their mouths open, like a fish out of water. Shikamaru laughed and said, "So I was right when I thought that Sakura gave birth to Hikaru, which also somewhat explains the secrecy surrounding him."
Lee asked, "I'm not sure what you mean, Shikamaru. In what way does this explain the secrecy surrounding Hikaru?"
He looked at Tenten and said, "I'm willing to bet Sakura wasn't planning on keeping the baby, and didn't want anyone to know she was pregnant in the first place."
No sooner had he finished his statement then Temari smacked him on the back of his head. "Damn it, Shikamaru! Sometimes your intelligence can be downright annoying. Quit guessing everything before they have a chance to tell us!"
Shikamaru opened his mouth to say something, but immediately thought better of it and remained quiet.
Tenten glared at Shikamaru out of the corner of her eye. "Actually, the genius is right. Sakura told Lady Tsunade that under no circumstances would she be keeping the baby, and she asked for a mission away from the village for an entire year, so that she could give birth in secret. Then she was going to put the baby up for adoption in another village, so that no one would ever know what happened. Suna was her first choice."
Everyone flinched as they suddenly felt some killing intent radiating from Temari. "Sakura is lucky Gaara didn't know about this. Naruto is the closest thing to a brother he has left in this world, and he would have adopted Hikaru himself and buried Sakura under several tons of sand for even thinking about something like that. He remembers in great detail Naruto telling him what it was like growing up in the orphanage in Konoha."
Everyone at the table nodded in agreement. Naruto and Gaara shared a bond as jinchuuriki that the rest of them could never really understand, and they all remembered hearing the stories of when Naruto was young.
Tenten continued. "After Sakura told Lady Tsunade what she planned to do, Lady Tsunade asked if she would consider the idea of having someone from the village raise the baby instead, and suggested Hinata. After a bit of coaxing, Sakura agreed but only under the conditions that no one would ever know she was the mother, and the only person Hinata could tell the truth about Hikaru to would be Naruto. They had Hinata brought to Lady Tsunade's office and asked if she would consider the offer. Apparently, she didn't even hesitate and accepted immediately, even knowing what would happen to her reputation within the village and her clan."
Shino said, "Pardon me for interrupting Tenten, but if Sakura is the one who gave birth to Hikaru, doesn't that mean Hinata…umm, didn't conceive a child out of wedlock?"
"That's right, Shino. Hinata was a virgin when she married Naruto. She endured eight years of pointed fingers, whispers, ridicule and scorn from everyone in the village, even though none of what they thought was the least bit true. And she couldn't say anything, since Sakura had sworn her to secrecy about the entire thing, and Sakura apparently wasn't concerned about anything other than her freedom, as well as being able to pursue Sasuke."
After a moment of silence Choji said, "I don't mean to sound like Lee, but I have to say that what Sakura did to Hinata was a very 'unyouthful' act."
Ino chimed in at this point. "If you think that was 'unyouthful', then you should know that Naruto also spilled the beans about what Billboard-Brow said to him the day he left the village. Wait until you hear this…"
Ino then recounted what Tenten had heard earlier from Neji about the meeting between Naruto and Sakura on top of the Hokage monument where he proposed, and for all intents and purposes she had ripped his heart out, saying that the only reason why she dated him in the first place was that she was lonely, and she figured he would break things off when he realized that things would never work out between them. She finished the story with Sakura saying that the only person she would ever love would be Sasuke, and that if there had ever been anything beyond friendship between them, that as of that moment those feelings were dead.
Everyone at the table who didn't know the story gasped at hearing this. After a few seconds Kiba said, "Wow. It's no wonder Naruto left the village. I mean, we all know that Sakura always had an obsession with Sasuke and her own happiness, but man…that's just cold."
Tenten said, "Well, at that point Naruto told Sakura that he was glad she decided not to raise Hikaru, because she wasn't qualified to be a mother to their son in any way. Of course, Sakura said that she didn't care what Naruto said, and that she was his mother just as much as Naruto was his father. As soon as she said that, Hikaru apparently decided that he'd heard enough and walked into the room, telling Sakura that she had no idea what a mother really was and then proceeded to explain it to her in great detail. He finished it off by screaming in her face that as far as he was concerned, she wasn't his mother and never would be."
They all smiled at hearing this and Choji said, "Good for him. I only wish I could have been there when he did it." He looked at Ino and Tenten. "So now that we know the story, what was this favor you had to ask from all of us?"
Ino sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Look, we all know that under normal circumstances I'd have no problem letting everyone in the village know what happened, but this situation is different and I'd like to hear what everyone thinks about the idea of telling the villagers the truth. Frankly, I can't stand the fact that Sakura swore everyone to secrecy and didn't bother saying a damn thing, letting Hinata deal with all those years of abuse." She turned to look at Tenten. "Plus, even though I know Neji, Hanabi and Konohamaru would do the right thing, there's no one else in the Hyūga clan I trust to tell the truth."
Tenten snorted. "I agree. I wouldn't put it past the Hyūga council to change the story, and make themselves out to be victims just as much as Hinata was."
Ino nodded in agreement. "In my opinion, we need to get out in front of this and make sure everyone hears the real version of the story, not one filled with half-truths and lies. They need to know what was said, and then what took place." She looked at Temari and said, "I also think that you should let Gaara know what happened as well, since he considers Naruto like a brother, in addition to being his closest friend. I'd be interested to see what he says about Sakura secretly planning on using Suna to put Hikaru up for adoption."
Ino paused for a moment and then asked, "So what do you guys think?"
Shino nodded. "Under normal circumstances I would disagree with spreading such a personal subject around the village, but in this instance I think it would be for the best. The information will be leaked to the villagers eventually, if not sooner. And as you mentioned, the Hyūga clan knows what transpired but we are unsure if they will relay the entire conversation, or one that has been modified to evade blame for how they treated Hinata. I believe things will take the proper course of action without further help from us when everyone learns what Sakura had planned for the grandson of the Yondaime Hokage, in addition to realizing that their treatment of Hinata was undeserved."
Ino looked around the table and asked, "Then its official? We're all in agreement?"
Kiba and Choji nodded enthusiastically. Lee gave her his 'thumbs-up' gesture. Shino and Shikamaru gave her an almost imperceptible nod. And Temari grinned wickedly in response.
Ino grinned from ear to ear and rubbed her hands together. "Okay, then – Operation Get The Word Out begins now!"
Around ten o'clock, Naruto walked out of his study and went downstairs. With the looming possibility of leaving the village tomorrow for two months, he'd wanted to spend some 'quality time' with Hinata before he left, but the option had never presented itself.
After Hikaru had said that he considered Hinata his mother no matter what, Hinata had doted on him for the rest of the day, almost as if she was seeing him in a new light for the first time. Naruto really couldn't blame her; the fear that Hikaru would leave once he knew the truth had been all but banished from her thoughts, and the fact that both he and Hikaru had thanked her for everything she did had boosted her confidence tremendously.
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that Hinata had fallen asleep on one end of the couch, with one of the most happy and peaceful smiles he had ever seen on her face. Hikaru was at the other end of the couch, trying his best to stay awake after a very long day. He walked up to them, laughing quietly at the scene in front of him.
Hikaru said sarcastically, "Hi, Dad. Thanks for finally showing up after Mom wore herself out and fell asleep."
"You're welcome, but I don't think it would have made a difference anyways. Now that we know the truth and still didn't leave, your mom isn't afraid anymore and she's looking at the both of us in an entirely different way. It just happened to be your turn today, but don't think for a moment that she's forgotten about me. I'm pretty sure my turn is coming soon."
"That's touching. Can I go to bed now?"
"You could have gone as soon as your mom fell asleep. What's stopping you?"
"Well, I wanted to ask you some questions. Mom didn't give us much of a chance to talk today."
Naruto rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Yeah, I know. How about you ask me your questions while I follow you to your room? Is that okay?"
"Sure." As he stood up and started walking towards the stairs, he looked at Naruto and asked, "When I was talking with the old lady last week, she told me that your dad was Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage. Is that true?"
"Yes, it's true."
"And you're going to be Hokage someday, right?"
"That's the plan, yes."
They reached the door to Hikaru's room and he opened it. "Then I've got very big shoes to fill, don't I?"
Naruto shook his head. "I wouldn't look at it like that, Hikaru. Don't think you have to live up to anyone else's expectations. To me and your mother, it doesn't matter whether or not you become Hokage. We'll always be proud of you, and you'll always be our son."
"Thanks. But it's not that I have to be Hokage, it's that I want to." He looked at Naruto with conviction. "I'm an Uzumaki, like my dad. And I'm a Namikaze, like my grandfather. And someday, I'm going to be Hokage so that I can protect those who are precious to me, just like they did."
Naruto placed his hand on Hikaru's shoulder and said, "Then you've got a lot of hard work ahead of you. Just remember, no one is going to give you the title of Hokage just because of who you're related to. You have to EARN it."
As Hikaru closed the door, he nodded in understanding. "I'll earn it, Dad. I promise."
Satisfied with the answer, Naruto turned around and walked back downstairs. He stared at Hinata for a few seconds, and then came to the decision that the look on her face was simply too cute to entertain the thought of waking her up.
He created a shadow clone, and then gently picked her up bridal style and carried her into the bedroom. The clone turned down the covers for him, and then dispelled so that he could place Hinata on her side of the bed. As he lovingly brushed the hair away from her face, he realized that two months away from her to train with the Mienai Segi was going to feel like a lifetime. He pulled the covers up, and then disrobed so that he could join her in the bed.
Unconsciously sensing his presence, Hinata rolled over and clutched Naruto close to her. The peaceful and contented smile remained on her face, as she sighed and softly murmured, "My Naru-kun."
Naruto smiled at her show of affection for him, grateful that they were now at a place in their relationship where there were no more secrets or misunderstandings. Knowing in his heart that she loved him as much as he loved her, he kissed her forehead and then whispered in her ear, "My Hime."
He closed his eyes and after a few minutes, a peaceful sleep claimed him and his dreams were filled with thoughts of the smiling woman pressed firmly against his side.
The next day at noon, Naruto arrived at the Hokage's tower to get the answer to his question from the day prior. He felt that this meeting was basically a formality, since he couldn't think of one good reason for Kakashi to refuse his request to leave the village and train with the Mienai Segi for two months.
He'd felt guilty earlier that morning when Hinata had asked if the three of them could spend the day together again, but since Kakashi had forbidden him from talking about the mission request, he had to omit that piece of information and regrettably told her that he had a meeting with the Hokage and couldn't miss it. Hinata had mockingly pouted about it, but understood that because of who her husband was, these things were bound to happen. Hinata kissed him and said that both she and Hikaru would meet up with him later after he was finished.
He walked into the office and noticed that once again, Sasuke was already there, and his face bore the same genuine smile as when he'd left the previous day. However, the lone visible eye on Kakashi's face stared back at him with an impassive look.
Naruto glanced at the two of them, and then looked at Kakashi. "Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing that you're letting us go."
Kakashi narrowed his eye and said, "You're correct, but it's not without reservations. I'm very uncomfortable with letting my two strongest ninja leave the village for two months, without any way of contacting you if something goes wrong."
Naruto chuckled. "Well, if that's what you're worried about then it's not a problem at all. Hinata has a way to get in touch with me if there's an emergency and you need us back here."
"Care to elaborate as to what that method might be?"
Naruto raised his hand and pushed some chakra into it. "This is called an amalgamation seal. Hinata has one almost exactly like mine, but hers is missing the yang part while mine is missing the yin part. It allows the two of us to perceive each other's feelings, so if I sense that Hinata needs me or might be in trouble, I can use the Hiraishin no Jutsu and be there in a flash to protect her."
Kakashi raised his eyebrow and asked, "Just to satisfy my curiosity, how many Hiraishin seals do you have written around the village?"
Naruto shrugged. "Only a few. Hinata has one carved on the inside of her wedding ring, and then I have one at the hospital, my house, the front gate, training ground twenty-six and Ichiraku Ramen. As much as I'd like to have additional spots, I'm trying to respect everyone's privacy and ask first before I go placing any more around the village."
Kakashi nodded and said, "Then this works out for everybody. You have my permission to leave and since I'm feeling so generous, both of you will receive S-rank pay for this mission. But due to the level of secrecy surrounding this mission, I'm going to require that you use the Hiraishin no Jutsu to transport both you and Sasuke to the front gate, and the two of you can leave straight from there. I don't want either of you going home and risking an interrogation from your wives as to where I've sent you."
Sasuke shook his head. "I can't do that, Kakashi-sensei. Sakura is six months or so pregnant, she has the same chakra enhanced strength as Lady Tsunade and her hormones are out of control. Leaving the village without an explanation will only make things worse and if that happens, I might consider not coming home at all."
Naruto nodded. "I have to agree with Sasuke, and even though I'm sure that Hinata will understand I really don't want to leave without saying something to her first. We just got past all of her fears of me leaving the village, and then I just disappear without even leaving a note? Not a chance."
Kakashi sighed and handed each one of them a blank piece of paper and a pen. "Fine, both of you can write a letter explaining in very basic terms why you're leaving the village, and DON'T mention the Mienai Segi at all. If you do, I'm burning the letter and you can deal with the consequences when you come back. Understood?"
They both nodded and Sasuke began to write, but Naruto paused for a minute and stared at his paper. Kakashi watched him do this, and then finally decided to break the silence.
"Is there something wrong, Naruto?"
He looked up. "Not really Kakashi-sensei, but I'd like to ask you a question. Would you agree with me if I said that you could have done a better job training me when I was young?"
Kakashi thought about that for a moment and then said, "Well, I may not have been the best sensei in the world but I don't think…"
Naruto raised one eyebrow and gave him a withering look.
Kakashi sighed. "Okay fine, I stunk at it. Is there any reason why you're asking me this now?"
"Yeah, actually there is. I'm going to give you a chance to make it up to me, and I want your sworn word that you'll follow through with what I'm asking for – or else."
"Or else what?"
"Or else I'll refuse every request from the Council to make me Hokage, while I watch you grow old and grey sitting in this office. And at the rate you're going, that'll be in about another ten years or so."
Kakashi's eye went wide with fear. "You…You wouldn't dare! You've been dreaming about this job since you were young!"
Naruto grinned maliciously. "You're right, but I think watching you suffer behind that desk will be much more rewarding than being Hokage." He looked at Sasuke and said, "Don't you agree, teme?"
Sasuke stopped writing and said, "No doubt about it, dobe. As a matter of fact, maybe we can even make things worse. Have you told Hikaru about all of the pranks you used to pull? He might even be able to top some of them with a little encouragement…"
Kakashi waved his hands in the air. "All right, all right! You win! I give you my sworn word that I'll follow through with whatever you want."
"Glad we could come to an agreement. Now, I need you to do a few things for me while I'm gone…"
"So we're really going to meet the Hokage?"
Hinata smiled and said, "Yes Hikaru, we really are."
"Is there a reason why you think he wants to meet with us has something to do with Dad?"
"Because it's three o'clock in the afternoon, and your father didn't meet up with us at the park. He wouldn't have missed spending the day with us unless something very important happened."
Hikaru stared at the ground and said, "I guess that makes sense. I just hope it's not anything dangerous."
A small twinge of fear gripped her heart at his statement, but she pushed it aside. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Hikaru. I'm sure everything is fine."
Hikaru nodded and they continued to walk towards the Hokage tower. Upon arriving, they politely knocked and Kakashi told them to enter. As they did, they received a surprise when they noticed that Sakura was already there, sitting on the couch.
Kakashi eye smiled at them. "Good afternoon, you two." He gestured towards the chairs in front of his desk. "Please come in and have a seat."
Hinata closed the door and walked past Sakura, making sure that neither she nor Hikaru spared her a glance. For her part, Sakura gave them the same impassive stare that Sasuke usually wore, as she watched the two of them take a seat.
The tension in the office was so thick; you could cut it with a knife. And Kakashi knew that if Sakura wasn't pregnant, both she and Hinata would have already been fighting by now, probably destroying a good portion of his office in doing so. He immediately regretted the offer he'd made to Sasuke and Naruto earlier that day, when he promised to deal with the repercussions of them leaving unexpectedly. The situation was far too volatile right now, and he needed to finish this meeting as fast as possible or something bad was going to happen.
"Now, I'm sure everyone is wondering why I've summoned you to my office this afternoon."
Sakura and Hinata nodded, but Hikaru interrupted and asked rather loudly, "It's because you sent my dad on a secret mission, right?"
Hinata smacked him gently on the back of the head and exclaimed, "Hikaru! That's the Hokage, and you WILL address him properly. Understand?"
As Hikaru rubbed the back of his head and mumbled an apology, Kakashi laughed inwardly and thought, He's just like his father was at that age. How could everyone have missed the similarities all this time?
Kakashi eye smiled and said, "Actually, Hikaru is correct. At noon today, I sent Sasuke and Naruto on an extended S-rank mission. They'll be gone from the village for about two months."
The eyes of everyone in the office went wide as Kakashi made the statement.
"Two months?" Sakura asked incredulously. "You sent my husband on a mission away from the village for two months, Kakashi-sensei? How…How could you do that to me? I'm pregnant! I need him here to help me!"
Kakashi sighed. "It couldn't be helped, Sakura. This mission concerns the future safety of the village, and in case you've forgotten they're the two strongest ninja I have at my disposal." He held up his hand. "And since I'm sure you're going to ask, the answer to your next question is no – neither Sasuke or Naruto were allowed to come home and inform either of you that they were leaving because I specifically forbade them from doing so."
He reached into his desk and produced two letters. He gave one to Hinata, and then walked around his desk and handed the other one to Sakura. "However, after the two of them argued that leaving without letting you know something wouldn't be in their best interest, I relented and allowed them to write each of you a letter. I've already scanned them to make sure there's nothing about the location and nature of the mission I sent them on, but I want you both to understand that the blame for how they left lies with me, and not them."
He sat back down at his desk. "Now, before he left Sasuke asked me to ensure someone was available to assist you during the two months he would be gone. I've made some inquiries, and right now you have a choice between Lady Kurenai, Might Guy or one of the ANBU. Which one would you like?"
Sakura raised her eyebrows at the list. "Those are my only choices? What about Ino? Or Tenten?"
"I've already asked them, along with the rest of your classmates. They all declined my request – rather forcefully, I might add. They said that if you wanted to know why, you should just ask Neji."
He watched as the look on Sakura's face turned dark, while a small smile appeared on Hinata's lips. Based on the reaction he just witnessed, Kakashi had a feeling that somehow Neji found out what was written in the mission file and had informed everyone else.
After a tense moment Sakura said, "Fine. I'll take one of the ANBU for right now."
"Very well." He pressed a button on his desk, and a few seconds later an ANBU appeared in his office.
"You called, Lord Hokage?"
"Yes. Please accompany Lady Sakura back to her apartment and if she requires it, provide assistance to her for the rest of the day. Also, please inform your captain that until Sasuke returns to the village, I am directing that one ANBU per day will be at her disposal." He looked back at Sakura and said, "Unless you have anything else you wish to ask me, you're free to leave."
"Just me?" She pointed at Hinata and Hikaru. "What about those two?"
Kakashi gave her a hard stare and said, "Not that it's any of your concern, but I still have unrelated personal matters to discuss with them." His gaze moved back to the ANBU standing in front of his desk. "Escort Lady Sakura out of my office and see to it that she gets home safely."
Sakura glared daggers at Kakashi for several seconds, and then she stood up and stormed out of the room. The ANBU followed her out, closing the door behind them.
Kakashi watched her go, and gave a huge sigh of relief once she was out of his office. As he rubbed his temples to relieve the tension headache Sakura had given him, he looked over and saw that Hinata and Hikaru were staring at him inquisitively.
"Curious as to why you're still here and she's not?"
Hikaru said, "Actually Hokage-sama, I just figured it was because she's annoying and you wanted to get rid of her as fast as you could."
Kakashi laughed at his comment. "Not really, that was more of an added bonus." His demeanor turned serious again. "The main reason is that I needed to speak privately with you both. Before he left, Naruto asked me for several personal favors in regards to the two of you."
Curious as to what her husband could have goaded out of the Hokage of all people, Hinata raised her eyebrows and asked, "Favors, Kakashi-sensei? What kind of favors?"
"The first favor was that from now until the time Naruto and Sasuke return to the village, you will be given mission assignments that are within the village only. The only way you're getting out of here is if the Fire Daimyo asks for you personally." His look softened a bit. "I realize this will relegate you to D-rank missions for the next two months, but I'll try to make them as interesting as possible."
Hinata knew that Naruto had asked for this because he was concerned for her safety, and he wanted her to be there to protect Hikaru. She bowed her head and said, "I understand. Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi then turned his gaze towards Hikaru, making the boy shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"I believe this is the first time we've actually met face to face Hikaru, however I'd like to ask you a few questions. First of all, I'm aware that you've only known that Naruto is your father for a few days, but do you know the list of his accomplishments? And how important he is to this village?
Hikaru swallowed nervously. "Yes sir, I do. The old lady told me all about them last week, when Dad left me with her for a few hours until Mom got back to the village."
Kakashi thought, Old lady? He must be talking about Tsunade. Only Naruto's son could get away with something like that. "Did you know that when he was young, I was his sensei?"
Hikaru nodded. "The old lady told me that too."
"Then I'm guessing you know who your grandfather was?"
Hikaru nodded again. "Yes, sir. He was Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage."
Kakashi eye smiled at him. "Did you also know that he was MY sensei?"
Hikaru's eyes became wide and he shook his head. "You…You knew my grandfather? He was your sensei?"
"Yes Hikaru, he was." Kakashi stared off into space for a moment. "And this village owes both your grandfather and your father a great debt."
Hikaru remained silent. He knew that whatever the Hokage was thinking about, it must be a very sensitive subject, and he decided not be his usual self and ask any questions that might make the situation worse.
After several seconds, Kakashi focused back on Hikaru. "Your dad said that two days ago, he showed you the Rasengan. Is this correct?"
"Yes sir, he did. I was out yesterday morning practicing the first stage of it."
Kakashi nodded and then looked at Hinata. "Naruto also told me that he's trying to teach you a new technique, where you can shoot chakra over a long distance. In order to do this, you are practicing the first stage of the Rasengan as well."
"That's right, Kakashi-sensei. Naruto-kun believes that if I can spin my chakra at high speeds, I can throw it like Senbon needles at the enemy. My clan doesn't really have any long range techniques, and Naruto-kun thought this skill would be rather…umm, effective during a battle."
Kakashi eye smiled at her and said, "I'd have to agree, Hinata. And that's why from now until Naruto comes back, I'm going to personally train the two of you every afternoon for two hours. From Monday through Friday, the both of you will meet me at training ground ten at two o'clock."
Hinata and Hikaru were shocked. It wasn't very often that the Hokage offered to train someone, and for two hours every day no less.
Hikaru raised his hand. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama. Can I ask a question?"
"Certainly, Hikaru. Go right ahead."
Hikaru gave him a sheepish look and said, "I'm…I'm very honored that you want to train us, and I don't want to sound ungrateful – but I'm just wondering, why you? Other than the fact that the village owes him a lot, is there some reason why my dad asked you and not someone else?"
Kakashi laughed and said, "You know, Naruto told me that you would ask that very question." He stood up and extended his right hand, palm facing up. "The reason why he asked me is because of this."
And right in front of their eyes, Kakashi created a Rasengan in the palm of his hand. Hinata and Hikaru stared at him in awe as he held the rotating sphere of chakra in front of them.
"I learned how to do the Rasengan from Minato-sensei when I was his student, and the only other person I know of who can do this besides Naruto is Konohamaru. Naruto taught him how to do it when he was about Hikaru's age. However as you can see, mine is rather small in size compared to those that Naruto can produce."
Kakashi dispersed the Rasengan and said, "I have two months to teach you…" He pointed at Hinata. "…a new technique that's never been done, and you…" He pointed at Hikaru. "…how to do the Rasengan. And just so you know Hikaru, it took your father about two weeks to learn how to do it."
He looked back at Hinata. "Naruto believes in you more than anyone else I know. He's confident that you will complete this new technique and show your clan the talent and strength he's always known to be there, but they were unable to see."
Then he looked at Hikaru. "And as the grandson of the fourth Hokage, as well as the son of the Hero of the Leaf, I just want to know one thing…" Kakashi leaned forward and stared hard into his eyes. "…do you have what it takes to learn this technique and follow in their footsteps?"
Kakashi immediately saw the Will of Fire in his eyes as Hikaru returned his gaze and said, "You better believe it, Hokage-sama. I'll take whatever you can dish out, and then ask for more. I WILL learn the Rasengan, and I WILL protect those who are precious to me, just like my father and grandfather did."
Kakashi eye smiled at Hikaru. "Good. That's the type of attitude I expect to see from you. Meet me at training ground ten at two o'clock tomorrow and we'll get started."
Hikaru shook his head. "I don't think so. We've still got a few hours of daylight left, so we should get started today." He stood up and walked to the door with purpose. "When you're done talking with my Mom, I'll be waiting for you at training ground ten." And he opened the door and left, not bothering to close it behind him.
Hinata watched him go, and then turned to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi-sensei, I'm very sorry and I apologize for my son's rude behavior. When…"
Kakashi held up his hand to cut her off. "Don't be, Hinata. What he's trying to learn is a high level S-rank jutsu, and even though Naruto believes in Hikaru and his abilities, it doesn't change the fact that you have to have the conviction for this type of training. I needed to see the Will of Fire in him for myself, and that's exactly what just happened." He chuckled and said, "In many ways, he's just like his father. You should be very proud of him."
Hinata smiled and bowed her head. "I am, Kakashi-sensei. And I know he will make Naruto-kun proud as well."
Sakura walked through the door of her apartment, followed closely by the ANBU that Kakashi had assigned to her for the rest of the day. She was already in a bad mood since her talk with Sasuke yesterday, and today it felt like her pregnancy hormones were out of control. The conversation with Kakashi had only served to make things worse, between the fact that he had sent Sasuke on a mission for two months and her abrupt dismissal from his office so that he could speak privately with Hinata and Hikaru.
The trip home however, had been the thing that pushed her temper into the danger zone. When Kakashi had basically hinted that Neji had told the rest of her classmates about the conversation last night at the hospital, she had assumed that the news wouldn't spread any further but it seemed that once again, she had underestimated Ino and her propensity for spreading gossip. The trip home had been anything but pleasant, as a few of the villagers had given her stares of disappointment, and then once they thought she was out of range, they began to whisper amongst each other and point in her direction.
"Is there something I could assist you with, Lady Sakura?"
Sakura turned around and looked at her escort. As frustrated as she was with the whole situation, she understood that none of it was the fault of the ANBU, who was merely following the orders given by the Hokage.
"Actually I'm fine, but I would like some privacy for a bit. Is there a way I can have you leave and then summon you when I need assistance?"
The ANBU nodded and pulled out a paper seal, handing it to her. "When you need me again, just push some chakra into this and I'll return. In the meantime, I'll relay the orders Hokage-sama gave me at his office about making sure one of us is available for you each day going forward. Is that acceptable?"
Sakura nodded back and thanked the ANBU, who then disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Alone at last, she walked into the living room and slowly lowered herself into her "pregnancy seat", which was merely an overstuffed chair with extra cushioning to help alleviate the pain in her lower back. Once she was comfortable, she reached into her pocket and produced the letter that Sasuke had given to Kakashi before he left.
She thought about the last few months with her husband, and the changes in his personality that she hadn't even bothered to notice until he'd brought them up during their talk yesterday. Her thoughts turned bitter as she realized that it wasn't the changes that bothered her so much, but the fact that the one to inspire them had been Naruto and not her.
It always seemed to happen this way – when Naruto was around, for some reason everything centered on him and he brought about positive change in people. During the time that Naruto had been gone, she'd married Sasuke and became the center of HIS world, and every minute he doted on her had been wonderful because SHE was important for once, and not Naruto.
On the other hand, if there was one thing Sakura knew about herself, it was that she was extremely territorial. She hated giving up something she believed was hers, and right now she sensed that the situation was slipping through her fingers, and she didn't like the feeling it gave her. Not one bit.
She frowned and then deciding she couldn't put it off any longer, she opened the letter and began to read…
*:*
*:*
Sakura,
As I'm sure you know by now, Kakashi sent me on a mission away from the village for two months. I would like you to understand that I could have readily declined to go on this mission, but have instead accepted the offer for several reasons that I would like to explain to you.
Naruto believes that there is trouble coming to Konoha, as well as the rest of the elemental nations. Knowing his history of bad luck when it comes to things like this, I've chosen to believe him. He's given me the choice of becoming stronger to protect those who are precious to me, or believing that my current level of power will be enough to face the coming storm.
I have chosen the first option, due to the fact that the number of people that I wish to protect is steadily increasing. Whether it be you and our unborn child, or the villagers and our friends, I have decided to protect everyone until my dying breath. This is the path that Naruto walks, and the one that I will follow. I have already told you the reasons why.
I also believe that my time away from the village will be beneficial, as it will give you the opportunity to make amends for the pain you have caused to others through your selfishness. In my opinion, I think you should seriously reflect on who you've hurt and everything you've done, as well as where you're heading if you continue down this path you insist on walking.
As someone with immeasurable amounts of experience in this area, I know what awaits you at the end of your journey, and it's nothing but suffering and loneliness. I urge you to change the fate I foresee for you, because I can assure you that it's not the fairy tale ending that you think it's going to be.
You have my word that I will return before the birth of our child. Until then, please remain safe.
Sasuke
*:*
*:*
Sakura closed the letter and stared at it, tapping it against her lips as she went over the contents again in her mind. After a minute, she ripped it in half and threw the pieces down on the table before a voice she hadn't heard in quite some time decided to comment on her action.
Things are unraveling fast, Inner Sakura said. People in the village are already starting to find out what happened, and the news will spread quickly.
"You don't need to remind me; I saw the looks they gave me on the way home. And I'm well aware that Ino will make sure the villagers know everything within a few days."
It also looks like Sasuke-kun isn't going to support the actions we took to ensure that Naruto brought him back to the village. And despite our best efforts to remain distant from him, Naruto is beginning to influence things just like he did before.
"You think I don't already see that? I know I'm losing Sasuke-kun to Naruto and his ideals. Would it even make a difference with everyone if I faked an apology and pretended to be remorseful for what I did?"
It would certainly make a difference, but it's also going to increase the influence Naruto has significantly. Is that what you want?
"Not really. So then what do I do? It sounds like no matter what choice I make, I'm going to lose in all of this."
The villagers are going to empathize with him either way. Perhaps the standard approach would be best for now – wait for a bit to see if any of this will blow over and if it doesn't, you can always pretend to be remorseful later and apologize. It may be an extreme example, but it worked for Sasuke-kun so can you think of a reason why it wouldn't work for you?
Sakura mulled that over for a little and then nodded to herself in agreement. The plan was sound and it gave her the option of correcting things later if everything turned sour, as well as buying time to see if there was anyone else in the village that understood and sympathized with her.
But she swore that once this was all over, Sasuke-kun's attention would be turned back to her and their child. Despite what he said to her yesterday, the truth of the matter was that they were her family and not Naruto, and it would be a cold day in hell before she willingly relinquished one shred of control over his heart to anyone.
Hikaru walked through the door of the house followed closely by Hinata, both of them looking tired and bedraggled. After the meeting in the Hokage's office where Hikaru had told Kakashi that he was heading for training ground ten right away, Kakashi decided to take advantage of his enthusiasm and bring Hinata there as well. From the time they arrived until around six o'clock, Kakashi drilled them both on the first stage of the Rasengan, even going so far as to ask questions about Hinata's chakra affinity (which somewhat surprisingly, turned out to be water and not lightning like most Hyūga clan members) so that he could better shape her training to accomplish the desired effect Naruto was confident she could achieve.
Afterwards, Hinata realized that she was far too exhausted to cook dinner, and decided that they should go out to eat instead. However, two or so hours of grueling training left them with very little options, unless they wanted to go home to shower and change their outfits first. Both of them knew if that happened, food would be an afterthought to sleep, so Hinata reluctantly agreed to Hikaru's request to eat at Ichiraku Ramen.
Old man Teuchi and Ayame had both been glad to see them, staying open past their normal closing time to feed their best customers in town. Despite how hungry Hinata was, her Hyūga manners kicked in and she only ordered two bowls of Shoyu ramen with shrimp. Hikaru on the other hand ordered Miso ramen with beef, shoveling bowl after bowl down his throat. When Hinata told him to slow down and show some manners, Hikaru groaned and said that eating this much ramen as fast as he could was also training. Based on the comment and knowing who his father was, she was SURE there had been more than a few eating contests between them over the last few months, even though she didn't have any proof of it.
Now that the adrenaline had worn off, exhaustion was kicking in and it became an effort for Hinata to even remain standing. A hot shower before she went to bed sounded wonderful and besides, she still had a private letter from her husband to read.
"Hikaru, you need to go upstairs, take a shower and then go to bed. You have classes at the academy in the morning, and then we have another training session tomorrow afternoon with the Hokage. Both of us need some rest."
He nodded. "Okay, Mom." Hikaru began to walk up the stairs, but halfway up he stopped and turned around.
"Hey, Mom?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
"You did real good today, and I know you're gonna master this new technique by the time Dad gets back. I believe in you, just like he does."
Hinata smiled at her son. "Thank you for saying that, Hikaru. I believe in you too. Now get to bed."
He smiled back, and then turned around to finish walking up the stairs into his room. Hinata waited for a bit, and then walked into her own bedroom and quickly stripped from her outfit. She wearily dragged herself into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower to help alleviate the ache she felt throughout her body. After drying herself off, she put on her nightclothes and got into bed so that she could finally relax and read the letter Naruto had left for her.
*:*
*:*
Hinata-hime,
I know that today didn't turn out like you'd thought it would, and I hope that you'll forgive me for leaving like this. I wanted to tell you yesterday about the possibility of me leaving – or at the very least talk to you before Kakashi-sensei sent me on this mission – but he gave me strict instructions not to say anything to you or anyone else.
But I still believe I owe you an explanation for what's happening.
During the battle in Konoha two nights ago, several things were said that left me with more questions than answers, and I can't shake the feeling that there's a storm brewing on the horizon. What I'm most worried about though, is that my strength and discipline won't be enough to protect those who are precious to me, and with my history of bad luck when it comes to things like this, I feel that it's better to be safe than sorry. The purpose of this mission is not only to become stronger, but also to deal with certain negative emotions from my past regarding a certain kunoichi that resurfaced recently. I neither want to forgive nor forget what happened, but I also don't want it to affect our lives going forward, and if I plan on being Hokage I can't let these feelings rule my life or cloud my judgment.
Please understand that it pains me more than you know to be away from you for two months. In the past few days, I think I've come to understand how much I truly mean to you, and the sacrifices you accepted because of the depth of that love. You've said on multiple occasions about how I'm your strength and inspiration, but you should also know that the reverse is true as well. It's YOU that makes me strong, and it's your love that encourages me in everything that I do.
One of the conditions of this mission is that I leave the seal open, so that if there's an emergency and you need either of us back in Konoha you can contact me. I have a Hiraishin seal at the front gate, and I'm fairly certain that if I use some of Kurama's chakra I can transport us home if I need to. But please contact me only if a true emergency exists, since the training we're about to undertake is going to be very demanding, both physically and mentally and we can't afford any distractions.
Kakashi-sensei should have spoken to you by now about certain favors I've asked him for while I'm away, and I'm confident that both you and Hikaru will complete your training by the time I return. I believe in you and your nindō, just as you've always believed in me and mine.
Never forget that I love you more than anything else in this world, Hinata-hime. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Believe it.
Naruto
*:*
*:*
Hinata closed the letter and smiled. Even though it had only been two days since Naruto had confessed his feelings for her, she realized that hearing him say "I love you" was something she'd never get tired of.
However, there was also one important item that she noticed in the letter. Naruto had purposely underlined the words strength and discipline, which was a direct reference to the tattoo marks on his arms. Even though Kakashi said that he'd scanned the letters to make sure there wasn't anything revealing about the mission he sent Naruto and Sasuke on, somehow this piece slipped right by him.
He's secretly telling me that wherever he went, it has something to do with the Mienai Segi, Hinata thought. And based on our conversation the other night when Anubis attacked Konoha, it must be really big for him to take Sasuke away from the village for two months.
A sudden thought came to mind, and she reasoned to herself that wherever Naruto was headed he couldn't have arrived at his destination yet. Although he'd told her not to do so, she caressed his essence with warmth and love, along with a little bit of longing thrown in for good measure, to let him know that she'd read the letter and would miss him terribly while he was gone.
After a minute, he responded back with the same emotions but also added a twinge of disappointment because she'd disobeyed his instructions.
Hinata smiled and laughed to herself, and then reached over to turn off the light. She placed her hand with the seal on it over her heart and drifted off to sleep, thinking of the man she loved and dreaming of the day he'd return to her.
Iruka Umino walked along the streets of Konoha towards the ninja academy, reflecting on the mornings' events. For most of the weekend, Shizune wore a telltale smirk on her face which basically implied that she knew something that he didn't. When he pressed her for an answer to his question of, "What's so funny?" the only response he received was, "You'll see."
However, this morning as he left the house his wife decided to give him a small hint, telling him that if he walked into the classroom and saw Hikaru with a smug grin on his face, then he should call him up to the front of the class.
When he asked why he should do this, Shizune said that he might have something to say that's important.
When he asked what that might be, his lovely wife – who apparently loved to torture him emotionally – simply replied with the same phrase she'd been using for the past two days and said, "You'll see."
Iruka swore that every woman in the world belonged to a secret society whose main goal was merely to infuriate men before driving them completely insane. Either that, or it was something they were born with – and that seemed more farfetched than his theory about the secret society.
So of course he walked into his classroom, and after everyone took their seat and the noise had died down, he spotted Hikaru sitting with his arms crossed in front of his chest, sporting the smug grin his WONDERFUL wife was sure he'd be wearing today.
Mentally sighing to himself, Iruka decided to get whatever prank Shizune had put Hikaru up to over with as soon as possible. He knew that if he didn't do it, Shizune would find out somehow which only made his whole 'secret society' idea that much stronger.
"Hikaru, you seem to have something very important that you want to say. Care to come to the front of the class and share it with us?"
Hikaru was shocked for a second; his father had given him instructions on what to do but he certainly wasn't expecting to be in front of the class first thing in the morning. He hesitated briefly, and then the grin on his face grew wider, as he bounded down the stairs to stand next to Iruka.
He placed his hands on his hips and faced his classmates and said, "I just want everyone to know that over the weekend, I found out who my dad is – and his name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, the Hero of the Leaf."
The class was silent for a bit, and then several students began to laugh quietly, while even Iruka chuckled at his statement. He smiled and said, "Hikaru, I think you're confused. You probably think Naruto is your father only because he married your mother."
Hikaru shook his head. "Nope, not confused at all. He's my real dad, and not just because he married my mom. I know the difference."
What the hell is Shizune trying to pull? He thought to himself. There's no way she could get Hikaru to go along with an elaborate prank like this, knowing it would embarrass him in front of his classmates.
"Hikaru, I'm finding your statement very hard to believe. I mean, if Naruto is your real father – and I'm not saying he is – then why don't you look anything like him? You don't even have the same hair color as he does."
Surprisingly enough, Hikaru laughed at his statement.
"What's so funny, Hikaru?"
"You are, Iruka-sensei. My Dad told me on Saturday that's exactly what you'd say when I told you, and then he told me what to do when you said it."
Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what might that be?"
"Well, first of all he told me to tell you that my hair color is an Uzumaki trait, and that I get it from Kushina baa-chan. He said you'd remember what she looks like, since she was the Hokage's wife and everyone called her the Bloody Habanero because of it."
The smile vanished from Iruka's face and was replaced with a blank stare.
"And then he said that you'd remember this from the night you gave him his hitai-ate." He crossed his fingers in front of him and exclaimed, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
As the smoke cleared, everyone saw that twenty shadow clones had appeared around Iruka, whose eyes had gone wide and was staring at Hikaru in shock. Not everyone had the ability to make this many shadow clones at once.
"And finally, he said to do this." Every clone raised their right hand into the air and shouted, "MY NAME IS HIKARU UZUMAKI NAMIKAZE! AND SOMEDAY, I'M GONNA BE HOKAGE! BELIEVE IT!"
Iruka was staring at Hikaru in horror. She knew, he thought to himself. Somehow, Shizune found out that Naruto is his real father and she let me find out like this. He slowly walked over to his desk and sat down, burying his face in his hands.
"I'm getting too old for this." He mumbled to himself. "I wonder if the Hokage would let me retire right now, rather than face the insanity of teaching another Naruto for four more years."
A/N: Ta da! Another chapter under my belt. Hopefully this one gave my readers a little hint of things to come and what's going to trigger a lot of those events.
Just to let everyone know, I had several ideas for what I was going to do with the plot of this story, but after bantering back and forth with a few authors on this site I think I'm going to take this in a different direction. As such, I want to thank KingKakashi for his inspiration and being a sounding board for my ideas, as well as Chewie Cookies and Titokhan for being great listeners and giving me your opinion. Things are going to get deliciously wicked going forward, and you have these authors to thank for it.
Recommendation time! Okay, I'm going to continue on the road of recommending good stories even though they're not NaruHina for one more chapter, because I really like it when a writer makes a fantastic product. This will be the last recommendation for a non-NaruHina story for a while that I do, but based on what I've read you should check out Council's Folly by Aggammenonn. It's a Naruto/Temari pairing story with Ino eventually joining the group but it doesn't bash Hinata in any way which is one of my prerequisites for recommending something that isn't my favorite couple. The number of followers and favorites he has speaks for itself as to how good a story it is. If you read it and like it, leave a review because I'm sure the author will appreciate it.
Here's the link, just remove the spaces and you know what to replace the stars with:
www . fanfiction . *** / s / 8792983
So what's coming up? The next chapter is going to encompass quite a few things for the two months that Sasuke and Naruto are gone while they train with the Mienai Segi along with *gasp* the reveal of Kakashi's love interest. There will be shocks and surprises to go around, some good and some not but hopefully it will be enough to keep my audience riveted!
I know that many people are going to be clamoring for the next chapter, but like I said at the beginning of this one it's the reviews that spur me on and keep me going! The more reviews I get, the faster I write because I don't want to disappoint my loyal readers! So if you want to see the next one soon, then take a few moments and leave me an encouraging review. And as an extra bonus, if I go over 775 reviews I'll push the next chapter out by New Year's Day! How's that for a bargain?
That's all for now. Take care and stay safe.
Serious Sam