DISCLAIMER: Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto.

Edited 21.2.21.

The Leaves of the Tree

5.

"You guys look terrible."

Sakura hummed, half in agreement, half just to make a sound, and continued to poke at her anmitsu dejectedly. From her spot beside Sakura, Ino didn't even bother to lift her head. She just raised one arm, flipped the speaker off and then promptly curled back in on herself, thoroughly exhausted and depressed.

Tenten dragged a chair over and joined their little table at their favourite little tea place. She eyed both girls, the Banana-Strawberry duo as she'd had dubbed them out of spite once, twisted her nose at the pile of empty plastic cups and desert plates, and clapped her hands loudly.

"Okay! Tell Master Tenten what's wrong!"

"What master?!" Ino immediately sat up and jabbed a little spoon at Tenten. "I don't see no master here!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Ino has returned from the land of the dead!" Tenten said with mock cheer and Ino once again flipped her off, but this time she didn't immediately resume moping after. "So? What exactly happened? You're acting like somebody died."

"My brain died," Ino announced. "My brain and my motivation, both. Funeral's tomorrow, you're not invited."

Tenten raised an eyebrow in a silent demand for a better explanation.

"I can't do this shit anymore," Ino said simply.

"Well, you're gonna!" Sakura exploded, "we can't quit! Naruto –"

"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto!" Ino screeched. "All you care about lately is Naruto! What the fuck, Forehead?!"

Luckily, they frequented this establishment enough that all employees were familiar with Ino's personality and Sakura's temper. No one came over.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Tenten waved both of them down and frowned. "Did something happen to Naruto?"

"No," Sakura groused. "But we're trying to help him figure something out."

"And we can't," Ino hissed. "We've been at it for two months. I've reached a point where whenever I see a scroll, I get PTSD, okay? I can't do this anymore. Worst thing is, I don't know which of you is more obsessed: you, Dumb Blonde, or Shikamaru! You three are insane!"

"What are you trying to figure out?" Tenten asked curiously. "Maybe I can help. Or Guy-sensei."

"Fat chance," Sakura grunted. "We tried asking our teachers already."

"And our parents," Ino huffed.

"They all fucked off," Both muttered at the same time and then melted back into their seats.

"Wouldn't tell us squat," Ino complained. "And my dad definitely knows! He sucks at lying! But he just won't spill."

"Kakashi-sensei still ignores me, like I'm invisible, or something," Sakura huffed. "And he keeps distracting Naruto whenever he tries to ask. It's really suspicious."

"Just tell me what it is," Tenten said, "won't make it worse, right?"

"Fair," Ino admitted.

"Ever heard of Uzushiogakure?" Sakura asked dryly, clearly not expecting any sort of answer.

The reaction was immediate. Tenten's eyes lit up, her cheeks flushed pink and she jumped to her feet with so much gusto she nearly flipped their table. Even the twin buns on her head seemed to vibrate excitedly.

"Have I heard of Uzushiogakure?" Tenten squeaked, "of course I have! I'm a sealing expert! They're the sealing gods of this world!"

Sakura's jaw dropped.

'No way,' Inner Sakure denied. 'No fucking way, is this so easy.'

"You're shitting me," Ino muttered. "We could've just asked you?!"

"Well, I've heard of it," Tenten suddenly deflated and sat back down demurely. "But there's not much to know. It used to be one of Konoha's best allies, over in Whirlpool Country. Then, during the Second Shinobi War, Uzushiogakure was completely wiped off. No one knows what exactly happened, just that Konoha got notified when it was already too late."

"How do you even know this?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Guy-sensei told me," Tenten shrugged. "I specialize in seals, so he felt I had to know, in case I ever came across it. Far as I know, there's no public stuff about it. Kind of a taboo out of respect, or whatever."

"There's really nothing else?" Ino moaned, "nothing at all?"

"Well, maybe in the Hokage Tower, since they were our allies," Tenten shrugged, "or down in the T&I archives."

'Like that helps,' Inner Sakura raged, 'we can't go there!'

"Maybe if we asked Sandaime-sama," Sakura mused, "he cares a lot about Naruto –"

"He's obviously the one who ordered everybody not to talk about it," Ino snapped. "Why else would daddy not tell me?"

That was probably true.

Mr. Yamanaka told Ino everything, no matter the secrecy rank. She was his only heir, and she was definitely going to head the Torture and Information unit when he retired. There was really no point in hiding anything from her, unless directly ordered to.

"I bet the damn bastard could dig something up," Tenten hummed thoughtfully. "But he won't, because he's a bastard."

"What bastard?" Ino wondered.

"Her other teammate," Sakura supplied. "I don't actually know his name. Tenten says he's a dick."

"Damn straight he is," Tenten huffed. "Just because he's got his bloodline limit and comes from his shit prestigious clan, thinks he's so clever –"

"What clan?"

"What bloodline limit?"

Sakura and Ino turned to glare at each other for asking different questions at the same time.

Luckily for them, there was a single answer.

"Eh?" Tenten blinked. "DIdn't I already tell you? That bastard, he's Hyuuga Neji."

Hyuuga.

"Fuck yes!" Sakura cheered.

"Damn straight!" Ino screeched at the same time.

Tenten stared at them as if they've completely lost their minds. The two girls promptly dragged her out of the shop and towards the training fields. Team 8 didn't have a day off today and team 8 was exactly who they needed.

Well, just one member of that team.

Hinata was shyly twirling her thumbs and staring at her feet.

Tenten was studying the squirming girl like she was some sort of rare bug.

"No way," Tenten deadpanned. "You're that bastard's cousin?!"

"N-Neji-nii-san is not a b-b-bastard," Hinata stuttered softly. "H-h-his parents were p-p-properly m-married…"

"Eh, Hinata," Ino chuckled, "that's not what Tenten meant, exactly…"

"I know!" Hinata yelped loudly, and then blushed in embarrassment. "I know nii-san isn't the easiest person to get along with, b-but…"

But he was still her cousin.

'She's too pure for this world,' Inner Sakura lamented.

"Anyway, that's not why we're here," Sakura said. "Hinata, do the Hyuuga have archives?"

Hinata blinked in surprise and then frowned.

"Sakura-san," she said seriously. "I might've been disowned by my father, but I will not give away any information about my clan."

Her tone was resolute, though soft. It held an edge of steel that was entirely uncharacteristic.

Sakura blanched.

"No! That's not it!" Sakura said hurriedly and Hinata frowned.

"N-no?"

"No!" Ino clarified. "We're looking for an old village. It's called Uzushiogakure. Since the Hyuuga are the noblest clan left in Konoha, we figured you might have information the library doesn't."

"Because everything else is inaccessible," Hinata said glumly. "I'm sorry, I can't –"

"It's for Naruto," Sakura cut her off. "Naruto's family might be from Uzushiogakure."

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata squeaked. "Naruto-kun might be f-from there?"

"Yeah," Sakura nodded, and told Hinata everything. From Uzumaki Kushina's report, to Uzushiogakure's non-existence in records, to the fact everybody adult they'd asked skirted around the topic. Hinata listened very seriously and her expression hardened – an unbelievable sight to anyone who knew the soft, shy girl, unledd you also were aware of her intense affection for one, clueless, loud little menace of a blonde.

"I can't help you," Hinata said, but the determined glint in her eyes spoke otherwise. "But I know someone who can. Come with me."

"Where are we going?" Tenten wondered.

"The academy," Hinata said seriously. "We need to find my sister."

Sister?

They found Hyuuga Hanabi easily enough. Or, rather, Hyuuga Hanabi found them and immediately launched herself at Hinata, babbling excitedly like only little kids could.

'This brat can help us?' Inner Sakura wondered.

'Shut up,' Sakura thought.

"Hanabi-chan," Hinata said softly, "I'm not here to play."

"I know, Onee-sama," The little girl smiled brightly. "You need my help, right?"

"Eh?" Hinata blinked, "how can you tell?"

"Your heartbeat's thirty percent faster than normal," The little girl said as she took a step back and straightened. Suddenly, she didn't seem quite so little anymore. Or innocent. "Your skin's flushed, too. And you brought people. Are they forcing you, Onee-sama?" Hanabi's eyes flashed into the Byakugan without any sort of warning and narrowed. "Are they bothering you?"

'What the fuck!' Inner Sakura shrieked.

Sakura couldn't agree more. What the hell kind of little girl was this?!

"This is definitely the bastard's cousin," Tenten said quietly.

"That ain't a kid," Ino mumbled, "what's with the killing intent?"

'Older-sister complex,' Inner Sakura surmised, though her voice was still shaky.

"No, no, Hanabi-chan!" Hinata grabbed onto her sister's shoulders to draw her attention. "They're my friends!"

"Eh?" Hanabi blinked, and the Byakugan faded away. "Onee-sama, you have friends?"

"Oi!" Ino snapped, "what the heck? Of course Hinata has friends!"

"What the hell kind of question is that?" Sakura backed angrily, "Hinata's great!"

Hanabi blinked in surprise, as if she didn't expect them to defend her sister, or even join the conversation at all.

"Hanabi-chan, please," Hinata said softly. "Can you check something out for me?"

"What?" Hanabi asked suspiciously.

"If the elders have anything at all about Uzushiogakure."

Hanabi's eyes widened in surprise and then – then she smirked. The smug, knowing expression looked wrong on her childish, chubby-cheeked face. Sakura barely managed to stop herself from running for the heels or attempting to preform an exorcism on the spot.

"Onee-sama, it'll cost you!" Hanabi announced cheekily. But she didn't say no. Instead, she skipped back into the academy, leaving the genin quartet behind without another word.

"So she will help?" Ino demanded.

"What does she mean, it'll cost you?" Sakura sked worriedly.

"She'll help," Hinata said confidently and waved Sakura's worry off with a smile. "Hanabi-chan's been in the vaults a lot of times before. They never caught her."

"Eh?" Tenten exclaimed, "she's that good?"

"Of course," Hinata shrugged, completely uncaring. "Hanab-chan is a lot stronger than I am."

Sakura studied the white-eyed girl for a moment and honestly, she had to disagree.

She didn't think Hanabi was stronger than Hinata, not if what chakra she could sense from them meant anything. Hanabi's chakra was strong and confident, yes, but Hinata's chakra was strong, steady and completely restrained. Not even a bit leaked unnecessarily. Not a drop was wasted. Sakura could sense it only because she'd spent years as Hinata's classmate – from the time Hinata's chakra wasn't at all like this.

No, Hanabi wasn't stronger than Hinata.

Or at least, she shouldn't be.

Hanabi didn't disappoint.

About a week after they asked for help, Hinata barged onto team 7's training ground. She squeaked in Naruto's general direction, ignored Sasuke's scandalised glare at the interruption and made a beeline for Sakura. Under Kakashi's confused but simultaneously pleased scrutiny, Hinata quietly told Sakura they had to meet up urgently, and that it had to be someplace no one would bother them. That immediately ruled out their regular spot at the library and Choji's favourite barbeque spot. After a bit of confusion, Sakura suggested Naruto's apartment and said she'll iron out all the details and let Hinata know. The white-eyed girl agreed and left hurriedly, fighting down her blush at Naruto's enthusiastic waving.

Once training was done, Sakura hunted down everybody with Naruto hot on her heels. Choji said he'll bring snacks and Tenten volunteered to get drinks. Ino promised to make sure Shikamaru arrived, and they agreed to sneak over that night, around twenty minutes past midnight. Naruto ran home to tidy up – as he'd rightly suspected Sakura would strangle him if she ever got wind of how much he ignored her cleaning schedule, and Sakura made a note to give him hell for the sheer audacity anyway.

And that's how Sakura found herself sneaking out of the window at midnight, decked out in fluffy pajamas and heavily armed with her mother's top-notch macaroons. Naruto lived barely a ten minute's run from her. On the way she met up with Tenten and helped her carry the soft drinks she'd bought. Right beneath Naruto's building the ran into Ino, who was actually carrying a dead-asleep Shikamaru on her back. The minute they stepped into Naruto's apartment Ino dropped Shikamaru like a sack of hot potatoes and swaggered towards the sofa unrepentantly.

Choji and Hinata were already inside.

Choji was setting up the snacks carefully while Naruto dragged over any spare blankets he could find. It was rather chilly, and the heating system in his apartment stopped working, suspiciously enough. Sakura made a mental note to go threaten the landlord or, depending on how cold she got, complaint to her mother. As if he could read her thoughts, Naruto snickered a little darkly and asked if he could record it. Apparently, he didn't like his landlord much, if he wanted a memento of whatever Mebuki would do to him.

Hinata was squirming on Naruto's sofa, looking half overjoyed to be where she was, and half terrified for the exact same reason. Ino was sprawled by her side, already ordering Choji to rearrange the snacks while twirling one foot in the air. After Sakura and Tenten placed the drinks down by Choji they made their way over to the sofa, too.

In the end, all four girls squeezed together on the couch, Naruto sat by Sakura's feet and bounced in place excitedly, Shikamaru dragged a chair over and Choji somehow built himself a throne of blankets to perch on. They sat quietly for a moment, allowing Hinata to collect herself.

"H-Hanabi-chan found this," Hinata carefully formed some signs and with a little poof of smoke, a tightly bound scroll landed in her lap. It was wrapped with blue fabric, much thicker than any scroll Sakura'd ever seen before, and was without a label. Then again, with the Byakugan, no label was necessary. "At first I thought she'd memorize what we needed, but Hanabi-chan said… well, she s-said we'd best r-r-read it all."

Shikamaru finally looked awake.

When no one made a move to take the scroll, Ino snorted loudly, condescendingly muttered something about 'cowards' and took the thing in her hands. She carefully unrolled it and began to read.

"Today, the red-haired bitch came into our new village and usurped the spot by the Shodaime's side," Ino read dryly, her tone implying exactly what she thought of that sentence.

"What the hell?" Naruto demanded.

"It's a series of records," Ino said and read ahead quietly. "This, all the first part is about that red haired lady. Holly shit! It's about the Shodaime's wife, it's about Mito-sama!"

"Mito-sama was an Uzumaki?!" Choji yelped, "no way!"

"Way!" Ino said, "it's written right here – 'Uzumaki Mito gave birth to the son of the Shodaime over ten years ago, but no other child's been produced since. If she is barren now, her position can be usurped.' What jerks! Honestly!"

"Give me that," Shikamaru snatched the scroll away and read on silently, his eyes zooming over the words quickly. "It's like they were spying on her. Wait – I found her! Kushina's here, too!"

"What?" Naruto yelped.

"Today another Uzumaki came. Her name is Uzumaki Kushina. The girl is little, but her blood is pure and her chakra strong. They brought her to be Uzumaki Mito's heir. This girl will shoulder the burden of Mito-sama, and be this Konoha's sacrifice," Shikamaru read and then, suddenly, he dropped the scroll.

"Shika?" Choji asked worriedly.

"It's insane," Shikamaru said shakily. "It can't be true."

"What?" Tenten asked.

Sakura noticed Naruto was pale and shaking, so she put a hand over his shoulder and squeezed. He looked at her, his eyes round, and she gave him a determined smile. Whatever it was, they were in this together. For some reason, her determination made Naruto shake worse.

"At some point, Mito-sama sealed the Nine Tails," Shikamaru said and everybody stopped breathing. "I never heard of it before, but the person that recorded this specifically said," he picked up the scroll and read on in a whisper. "Only strong Uzumaki blood can do this duty, we the Hyuuga acknowledge this. A month from now, Mito-sama will unseal the devil in her flesh and pass it on to her youngest cousin, the one who is most like her. Uzumaki Kushina will become the new prison of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox!"

Naruto promptly stood up and ran to the bathroom.

Everyone could hear him throwing his guts up, but nobody could blame him. Honestly, they'd have done the same if they could move. After a long minute, only Hinata found the strength to do something. She stood up, picked up a bottle of sweet tea and softly padded her way into the bathroom. They didn't hear Hinata say anything, but Naruto thanked her, and they heard what sounded like patting on a shoulder. Then, Hinata and Naruto retuned together, both looking grim.

"Please continue, Shikamaru-san," Hinata said softly. She sat down on the floor next to Naruto, in a quiet show of support, though her entire face was a deep red shade. Sakura slid down too, to sit on Naruto's other side, and reached behind him to grasp Hinata's hand in thanks.

Shikamaru nodded and scanned the scroll for a while longer.

"It tracks Kushina's progress," He said slowly. "Says she would've graduated top in her year, but she attended with the Yondaime Hokage and Hyuuga Hiashi."

Hinata flinched at the name, and Sakura squeezed her hand again.

"Made Chunin when she was ten," Shikamaru summarized, "and Jonin by sixteen. It only took her so long because she's a sealing mistress, so she didn't have a proper teacher here. She led a team, but didn't teach. Ah, the Sanin Jiraiya was close with her – they often worked seals together. She retired at twenty one, no reason given. Weird."

"Anything else?" Ino drawled.

"Hold your sass," Shikamaru sneered and then, he dropped the scroll again. This time, his eyes moved to Naruto, who was staring at him with a desperate expression, as if he were completely terrified of what Shikamaru might say. Shikamaru swallowed thickly and shook his head. "Naruto – man. I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Naruto asked with obviously fake cheer.

When Shikamaru made no move to answer, Choji picked up the scroll and after a moment, he began reading in a grave tone.

"The unthinkable happened. Someone leaked Uzumaki Kushina's condition and despite the heavy security, despite the Yondaime Hokage's presence, the birthing chamber was infiltrated. The seal broke and the Nine Tails escaped. The Sandaime doesn't divulge the details, but what we know is this: Uzumaki Kushina restrained the demon with the last of her power and the Yondaime Hokage sacrificed his life to seal it again in the body of the only available Uzumaki left. Uzumaki Kushina's son is the new sacrifice for this Konoha. The boy is named Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."

Sakura nearly fainted.

Ino and Tenten both jumped to their feet and backed away, clearly in shock. Choji was staring at the scroll, as if willing it to rewrite itself. Shikamaru was still staring at Naruto. Naruto was looking at the floor, defeated. He wasn't surprised. Hinata was watching Naruto, too.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata said softly, and Naruto flinched. "You already knew?"

"I – " Naruto swallowed thickly. "Iruka-sensei… told me… about the fox."

The fox.

Sakura's vision seemed to blur.

She remembered raging red chakra, sharp claws an untameable killing intent.

'I'll kill you! I'll kill you!'

The Nine Tailed Fox.

Naruto had the Nine Tailed Fox inside him!

'Without choice,' Inner Sakura said blankly. 'Before he ever had a chance to be something else.'

"Monster," Sakura said frostily.

Naruto flinched.

"What did you just say?" Shikamaru demanded, his voice low.

"I said, the Yondaime Hokage is a monster!" Sakura exploded. "How could he? How the hell could he? Who puts that kind of thing in a baby? Who did he think he was, to destroy Naruto's life like that?!"

Ino and Tenten blinked in surprise, and then frowned, as if Sakura's words never occurred to them on their own.

"No wonder all those people are mean to you!" Sakura screeched. "They know! Everybody older than us knows, and they're too stupid to understand what it means! It's all the Yondaime's fault, isn't it?!"

Naruto was gaping at her, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Not the Yondaime," Hinata said softly, "b-but that person who infiltrated, who b-broke the s-seal on K-K-Kushina-sama."

"Yeah!" Choji exclaimed. "It's whoever betrayed the secret's fault! The Yondaime probably didn't have a choice, right? He and Kushina-san went to school together, they must've known each other well! Everybody says he was the best Hokage, that he treated all the villagers like his family!"

"That's not the point!" Ino snapped. "The point is, somebody fucked up, and Naruto has to pay for it! Man, this makes me wanna kill somebody!"

"Damn straight!" Tenten huffed. "Oi, Naruto! Chin up!"

"Chin up?" Naruto repeated blankly. "You guys – you're not… scared of me?"

"Naruto," Ino said dryly. "I've seen you snort jellies through your nose. I'm never going to be scared of you."

"You're scared of me," Sakura supplied snootily. "Why would I be scared of you?"

"You! Dattebayo!" Naruto yelled and somehow managed to tackle all of them into a massive group hug, even the red-faced Hinata, who promptly fainted.

As they gathered around the unconscious Hinata, and Naruto who was bawling his eyes out, the dark secret they just discovered didn't feel so heavy. After all, Nine Fox or not, Naruto was still their Naruto.

And hey, they've just found his mother.