- Are we there yet?
Tayuya sighed once again at the blonde's incessant questions, and rolled her eyes as she looked at the trail ahead.
- For the hundredth time, no. We're not even close.
Naruto was the one who sighed this time, putting his arms behind his head and making a bored pout.
- You know, you look strangely comfortable for someone in our situation. You know we're in enemy territory, right?
She looked over her shoulder at him, and he shrugged.
- I can't hear anyone in the vicinity, much less sense people's chakra. We're fine... for now.
She rolled her eyes.
- I can't take you seriously in these ridiculous pink shorts.
Naruto's cheeks turned red, and he let out a surprised little groan.
- Look here, it's not like I have a choice, okay? Besides, what's wrong with pink? It enhances my masculinity.
She laughed dismissively.
- Masculinity? You? A little boy who doesn't even have hair on his balls yet.
she scoffed.
- Shut up! That doesn't mean anything! I'm still developing, that's all.
He crossed his arms and looked away. Tayuya just laughed again.
It was easy to relax with him by her side, he was spontaneous and made the mood lighter. Good company, she's definitely had worse.
- Argh, how am I supposed to get into that village? Practically everyone there knows me.
The boy arched an eyebrow.
- Why didn't you say so before? Just cut your hair, get rid of this ridiculous purple rope, rip off some of your clothes, I'll even give you some parts of this shirt of mine if you want. Put these bands on your arms and maybe in your eye, there you go, perfect disguise!
She stopped walking and looked at him with an arched eyebrow.
- What?
- Argh... this plan is not a bad idea, much as I hate to admit it. What a surprise.
He grimaced a bit awkwardly.
- Oe, what does that mean?
- Nothing, hahaha, nothing.
She took off the cap she was wearing, as well as the headbands around her, and looked at her long hair with a certain melancholy in her eyes.
- Do you want me to cut it?
She grimaced.
- I'd rather die.
- Argh, it's not supposed to look stylish, damn it! We could even dye it... if we had dye.
- Just use a henge to-
- Henges can be deactivated, or a skilled person can easily see behind such a jutsu, nope.
She crossed her arms, and she sighed in defeat.
- Fine, cut him for me.
- What's the magic word?
- How about, "Fuck you"?
He grimaced incredulously.
- Watch your mouth, that was a swear!
The girl arched an eyebrow.
- So what, you have cursed before too.
- Yes, when some son of a... idiot was torturing me. TORTURING, that was different.
He crossed his arms again, and Tayuya rolled her eyes, starting to tear off some of her clothes, using part of the tunic she was wearing as a belt after throwing away that purple rope.
- Can you please cut my hair?
She asked, and the boy smiled, concentrating chakra in his hand and approaching the girl from behind.
Some time passed, and they ran back down the trail until they reached the main road.
It was dark when they finally reached the village Tayuya had mentioned. A small, quiet village with few ninjas. She had been there a few times before to rest, and knew that if the people in her old group were really looking for her, they had marked that village as a possible place for her to appear.
With that disguise, however, she looked different, so maybe they wouldn't be recognized. The problem was that she was hanging out with a boy they were probably looking for as well.
Fuck. It wasn't like they could go anywhere else anyway.
- Okay, what's the plan?
he asked softly.
- Get enough money to get a boat, maybe. Better than running all the way across the ocean, don't you think?
- Definitely faster... How are we going to get money?
She pointed disguisedly to a place further ahead, and Naruto arched an eyebrow, confused.
- I don't get it.
- Argh... that's a bank... what do they keep in banks?
He looked at her incredulously.
- Whoa, whoa, you're not suggesting that...
- What's the problem? You've never stolen before?
- Ahm, no! I'm not going to do that! You want to steal from people who already have almost nothing?
- We are two people who have nothing.
- I won't do it.
She rolled her eyes.
- Okay, wise guy, what do you suggest?
He ran his eyes around the place, and watched as some men struggled to get a heavy load onto a large wagon up ahead.
A confident smile was born on his lips, and he ran his hand through his hair dramatically.
- Observe.
Tayuya crossed her arms and braced her back against the wall behind her, as she watched Naruto with a look of disbelief.
The boy approached one of the men, who arched an eyebrow at seeing him there.
- Hey there, buddy. What are you doing here? It's already dark, your parents must be worried.
Naruto made an innocent expression.
- Nah, they're fine. Need some help, mister?
The man smiled slightly.
- Nah, we can manage here.
- Really? But aren't those boxes heavy? I can help.
He crouched down in front of him and put his hand gently on his shoulder, still smiling slightly.
- I appreciate the offer, kid, but there's no need. Children should focus on playing and studying. Besides, these boxes are too heavy for you.
The boy tilted his head to the side as he stood up, and without delay, he bent his body slightly and lifted one of the boxes over the side, walking calmly to the cart and placing the box on it.
As he turns around, he holds himself back from grinning as he sees the expression on all the men's faces.
Naruto smiles faintly and puts one hand behind his head.
- Well, I can kind of use chakra... it's pretty useful.
The man shook his head slightly, impressed.
- Our village doesn't have many ninjas, and those that do come don't stay long. Ok, kid, I will pay you a certain amount for your help.
The man said, patting Naruto on the back lightly.
The boy, in disguise, turned to Tayuya and grimaced at her, pointing his tongue and giving a victorious smile.
The girl laughed lightly and shook her head, turning away from the wall and approaching him.
Minato walked calmly towards the Hokage building to pick up one of his books that he had left there. He would be spending some time at the hospital to follow Naomy's exams, and since that place could often be quite boring, he decided to pick up one of the books he hadn't finished yet.
As he approaches Hiruzen's room, he arches an eyebrow in surprise when he sees the door open, with some Anbus inside, and Hiruzen looking somewhat... incredulous, surprised, and even worried.
The blond man knocks three times on the open door, drawing the attention of Hiruzen, who, seeing him there, slightly widens his eyes in fright.
- A-ah... M-Minato... what are you doing here?
Minato's eyes narrowed slightly.
- I... came to get a book I left here... what's going on?
He asked in a velvety voice, without taking a step into the room, waiting for Hiruzen's permission. He might be his temporary replacement, but he was still the Hokage.
- Well... our ninja have just returned from the Hyuuga clan. Hinata has already recovered and soon the Hyuugas will send some ninjas to their district.
Minato stared at him with a certain glint in his eyes.
-... That's great... but that's not why you're so... distressed.
Hiruzen scratched the back of his neck, and gave the signal for his Anbus to withdraw, and they did so quickly.
-... Argh, our guys went to one of Orochimaru's hiding places, far away from here. When they arrived, the hideout was completely destroyed, as was the mountain under which it was built.
The Kage signaled for him to enter, and the man did so, closing the door immediately afterwards.
- I see... Orochimaru is smart, he must have found out that our ninja discovered the location of his hiding place and had it destroyed.
- That's what I thought. It's like we're looking for a needle in a haystack. The closer I think we get, the further away that goal actually proves to be.
The Kage sighed and walked to his chair.
Minato followed him with his eyes, still waiting for something.
- Hokage-sama-
- Argh, Minato, stop it. You are the real Hokage here.
-... But while I'm not on duty, this is your post, and I must act respectfully like everyone else, especially inside this room.
The older man rolled his eyes. Stubborn.
- With all due respect... but that's not what bothers you.
- Argh... I told you to forget about Kage's problems and concentrate on your family, didn't I? So, go do exactly that. Isn't Naomy in the hospital right now?
He picked up some papers that were beside him and started reading them, writing some things that Minato didn't care about, really.
- Yes... but it won't be long before I assume the mantle of Hokage again. And I'd rather you start bringing me up to date on pending matters. These last few periods I have been able to spend a lot of time with my family, and we are doing very well compared to before.
Minato said, and Hiruzen dropped his pen.
Sighing, the elder takes one of his pipes and lights it, taking a generous drag, before resting his back on the chair.
-... This is a very important matter, especially for you. And I'm sure it will deprive you of sleep.
- Well, it's something I'm used to.
Hiruzen took another drag and stood up, walking to the window next to the table.
-... Hiashi's daughter has woken up and is quite healthy, to the point that she was able to get out of bed soon after waking up and start a small fight with the elders.
Minato arched an eyebrow.
- That's... great to know, especially since those elders are a pain in the ass, but...
-... She told him what happened. Hiashi personally interrogated her, and two elders witnessed it. She herself talked to our Anbus.
Minato approached with calm steps, also staring at the village through the window.
- And what did she say?
-... She said... that this boy rescued her from a city of nukenim inside that cursed forest.
Minato turned to him with eyes slightly wide in surprise.
- So... that place really exists, huh... I won't lie, I didn't believe the rumors that much.
-... What comes next is even more unbelievable. She said they were both attacked by a Behemoth.
Minato was silent for a while, until he blinked frantically a few times when his brain finally digested that information.
- A Behe... are you saying that shy little girl survived an attack by a beast that can compare to the Bijuus?! Wait, no, wait... let's go in parts, a Behemoth, an almost mythological beast resides in a cursed forest?
- That's what she said, and our ninjas actually said they heard a frightening roar coming from the forest, plus a somewhat abnormal energy in the wreckage. We have no reason to doubt. We can at least take into consideration.
Minato squeezed the beginning of both his eyes, staying silent for a while.
- Ok... I understand the reason for your concern. If that thing really is there, and it comes out of that forest... I think we should hope the fox kills it before then.
The elder nodded.
- I agree. Though they haven't found anything regarding Kyuubi, and it doesn't seem like the Hyuugas know about it.
- Few do, Madara made sure of that.
Hiruzen took another drag on his pipe, facing the village with a somewhat lost look on his face.
- Argh, there's more?
-... Yes...
-... That bad?
- Not necessarily bad, but... argh... hard to say.
- Try me.
Hiruzen turned to Minato, looking deep into his eyes with a serious expression, and although confused, the man didn't look away.
- What?
-The boy's name... Minato, there's no doubt... Hinata said his name was Uzumaki Naruto.
He blinked a few times, his intense gaze locked on Hiruzen, until his mind processed those words.
The world seemed to stop for Minato, the clock went still, the birds were frozen in the air, and the whole place around them went blurry, leaving only him and Hiruzen in that area created by his mind.
His heart began to beat faster, so hard that it echoed in his head along with Hiruzen's words.
- She confirmed, blond boy, short, blue eyes. He's the one who rescued her, helped her... she spent weeks by his side, so she knows him well enough. My suspicions were right, those traces on the traces of that battle really was rasengan, she said he had mastered your technique.
Hiruzen continued to say, and the more Minato heard, the more stunned he became. Feelings he had barely managed to bury came flooding back to the surface. His throat closed and he felt his eyes water.
The Kage sighed at seeing Minato like that. He knew it was going to happen, and honestly, he didn't want to tell him so soon.
Nothing, no jutsu or ninja has ever hit him as hard as that news.
-... Naruto... is alive...
He said, more like a confirmation than a question. His legs weakened, he braced himself against the wall.
- What... happened to him... what did she say?
- Look, Minato, I have some work to finish and you need to go to the hospital. I know this is a lot to digest, and there is no doubt that he is still there. We'll talk about it later.
The man shook his head.
- What did she say... what happened to him? Why... didn't he go out with her?
He could barely speak audibly, and Hiruzen scratched the back of his neck.
- Minato, we talked-
- Please, Hiruzen... what did she say?
The elder sighed, and was silent for a while, until he clicked his tongue.
- She said he made a clone and made sure she got out of the forest... while he stayed behind, distracting the Behemoth... the last thing she saw, was... he hit a rasengan on the creature's head, and fled into the forest.
Hiruzen walked over to Minato, and rested his hand gently on his shoulder, making the man look at him with tears streaming down his face.
- You have a lot to think about. But don't forget that you have a daughter now, and she needs you. Go to the hospital, spend some more time with your family before you decide what to do. According to Hinata, Naruto is quite strong, even to the point of rescuing her alone from an entire city of nukenins.
Minato gritted his teeth as he looked away. A Behemoth was different from mere nukenins, but he kept that phrase to himself, he knew Hiruzen was just trying to help, and do the right thing.
-... Don't tell Kushina... for Kami's sake, don't tell her.
He said, getting up and wiping the tears from his face.
-... Don't worry... I won't.
Minato took a few deep breaths, looking over his shoulder at Hiruzen for a while, until he staggered out of his room.
Hiruzen followed him with his eyes, sighing and wondering mentally if he had done the right thing by telling Minato.