The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins
Part 2
"What do you mean you don't know where he is!?" The third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, shouted as he lost some control over his quickly growing temper. Mr. Norihama, a portly, aging gentleman wearing a rather horrendous looking toupee, was currently sweating a river as he stood before the normally kindly old man who was giving off enough killing intent to make a bijuu feel self-conscious.
"T-the uh b-boy s-sometimes r-runs off and d-disappears from time to t-time. H-he is usually only gone for a day o-or t-two but he a-always c-comes back." Mr. Norihama tried to stutter out but the unguarded rage oozing out of the Hokage was making it extremely difficult to enunciate.
"How long has he been gone? And to remind you, Mr. Norihama, lying to your Hokage is considered treason." Hiruzen said letting the threat hang in the air.
"S-s-s-s-even d-d-days now," Mr. Norihama barely whispered looking everywhere but the angry Hokage.
"You mean to tell me that Naruto has been gone for seven days, AND YOU ARE ONLY NOW TELLING ME!?" Hiruzen yelled as he slammed his fist down on his desk sending cracks spider webbing along its surface. 'Breath in 1-2-3, breath out 1-2-3,' the aging Hokage repeated this mantra over and over again trying to reign in his anger before he leapt across the desk and beat Mr. Norihama to death with his own wig. It would be difficult but he could manage it. Hiruzen also had no doubt the only reason he was being told now was because his monthly visit was tomorrow. "Rat," instantly an ANBU black-ops wearing a rat mask appeared before the Hokage. "Escort Mr. Norihama back to his residence and ensure he remains 'safe' until I call for him."
Norihama, who had passed the point of being terrified about a mile ago, was about to say he didn't need an Anbu escort. Until he realized that the ANBU wasn't going to actually make sure he was kept "safe". All the orphanage owner could do was to move robotically with the help of the ANBU known as Rat.
Continuing his breathing exercises Hiruzen hit a button on his desk and four ANBU materialized before him. "Naruot Uzumaki has gone missing." The third Hokage said as he pulled out a photograph and handed it to the nearest ANBU member who was sporting a monkey mask. "Go down to the ready room and take as many shinobi as you can and find him."
"Yes sir!" the four ANBU shouted as they disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Hiruzen, realizing that he wasn't going to be able get any of his paperwork done, reached into a drawer on his desk and pulled out his pipe and stash of tobacco. He had been smoking for about ten minutes when there was a knock on the door. Before the Hokage could say enter Monkey entered the room followed closely by a chunin Hiruzen vaguely recognized having just been promoted and was stationed in the ready room waiting for his next assignment.
The chunin was about to greet the Hokage when Hiruzen, not in a mood that resembled good in any way, interrupted him saying "Do you have information on Naruto Uzumaki?"
"Y-yes sir," the chunin replied unnerved by the abrupt manner of the normally cordial old man. "About a week ago I was stationed at the gate when I saw someone escorting the demon brat out of the village. I didn't stop them thinking that we could finally be rid of the vile monster."
The temperature in the room dropped at least ten degrees as the Third Hokage, who had been given the title 'God of Shinobi', did not even try to hide his bloodlust, "What did you say?"
"T-the d-demon b-brat was e-escorted o-out of the v-village," the chunin stuttered out. He had never been more scared in his life. Even the ANBU standing next to the chunin was terrified.
"By who?" Hiruzen's voice was barely above a whisper but it carried through the room as if he had shouted.
"I-I didn't g-get a g-good l-look, but I th-think he was a m-merchant, s-sir," the chunin was about ready to piss himself standing before the angered kage. The Hokage remained silent for a few minutes staring off into space. Finally Hiruzen looked at the scared teenager and spoke quietly and slowly, "You will walk to the chair directly opposite my office door and sit down, and if you so much as breathe in a way that I find distasteful I will rip out your intestines and strangle you with them." Despite being spoken in a barely audible whisper the threat carried the weight of a mountain. "Go." The chunin turned and almost ran for the chair he was directed to.
Seeing that the young shinobi had turned into a statue on his chair. Hiruzen turned to Monkey, "Continue the search. Hopefully the idiot was mistaken."
"Sir," Monkey replied before vanishing. Hiruzen sighed and pushed the button on his desk summoning four new ANBU operatives. "Find Itachi Uchiha and bring him to me. Inform him he will be leading an S-class mission. Departure will be immediate." Hiruzen said to the first ANBU.
"Sir."
Hiruzen then turned to the second ANBU, "Go to the Aburame clan, the Hyῡga clan, and the Inuzuka clan and tell them I need their best trackers of jonin level for an S-rank mission. Tell them they will be leaving immediately as well."
"Sir."
The ageing kage looked at the third ANBU, "Find Inojin Yamanaka and bring him here."
"Sir."
Bringing his attention to the last ANBU "Go to the Intelligence division and get a message to Jiraya tell him 'the fox has escaped the chicken coop' and tell him to bring Tsunade with him. Tell him that if she refuses she will be labeled as a missing nin. If she continues to refuse tell her that her apprentice will be labeled as a missing nin too."
"S-sir." For the first time one of the ANBU hesitated.
"Go!" the ANBU vanished. Hiruzen sighed as he refilled his pipe. He pushed a different button on his desk. "Yes Lord Hokage?" a female voice came in over the intercom. "Gather a team and go over the entry and exit records for the main gate starting eight days ago. Look for any discrepancies. People checking in but not checking out. That sort of thing. Start with merchants and expand your search from there. And bring me a cup of tea, it's going to be a long night."
"Yes Lord Hokage." The aging Kage turned in his chair and stared out at the Hokage Monument, more specifically the head of the fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. 'It had been such a simple promise how could I have failed so miserably. I'm so sorry Minato.' Hiruzen lost himself in his musings for a time and was pulled out when he heard his intercom turn back on. "Lord Hokage, Inojin Yamanaka is here."
"Good send him in." A tall man with long blonde hair walked into his office. "Good you made it Inojin," the Hokage said not giving the Yamanaka time to say anything. "Did you see the chunin sitting in front of my office?" at a nod from Inojin Hiruzen continued. "I want you to go through his memories of seven days ago when he let Naruto Uzumaki walk out of the village accompanied by an unknown man. Find out who this man was."
"Yes Lord Hokage." Inojin replied turning around and walking towards the still terrified chunin. Several minutes later Inojin returned to report. "I'm sorry Lord Third but his memories are blurred with hatred and anything that was not the focus of said emotion is hazy and indistinct." The Yamanaka concluded.
"Thank you Inojin, take him to Morino maybe he can get something out of him." Hiruzen ordered the jonin with a sigh.
"As you command Lord Third," Inojin replied not wanting to argue with the furious shinobi lord.
A few minutes later Hiruzens intercom turns on once more, "Lord Hokage, an Aburame is here stating he was requested for a mission."
"Yes, inform me when he is joined by Hyῡga, Inuzuka, and Uchiha."
"Yes sir."
Hiruzen put out his pipe it was time to get down to business. Sure enough after about fifteen minutes all four shinobi he had asked for were present. Kakashi Hatake, Himura Hyῡga, Souta Inuzuka, and most surprising of all the heir to the Aburame clan, Shibi Aburame. "Naruto Uzumaki, jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, has been kidnapped." The reaction was as he expected, shock. "You are to find him and bring him back. If you are unable to bring him back find out who took him. Itachi you will be leading this team. Any questions?"
"When and where was he last seen?" This question came from Shibi.
"Seven days ago at the main gate," Hiruzen replied.
"Do you have anything with his scent?" Asked Souta.
Luckily Hiruzen did, Naruto had forgotten his scarf and the aging ninja hadn't gotten around to returning it. He handed it to the Inuzuka who in turn held it over his ninken's nose. "You are to leave immediately."
"Sir." Replied the team before hurrying out.
The tired old man turned back and stared at the Hokage Monument contemplating where he had gone so terribly wrong.
Night had fallen as five shadows rushed along the moonlit road. Leading these shadows was a large white and brown dog who every few feet would lower his nose and take a few sniffs before continuing forward, behind him four shinobi followed. They had been on the hunt for over twelve hours and were beginning to tire. Luckily they were catching up as their target didn't seem able to move quickly. The team stopped for a quick rest and to confer about their assignment.
"Anything to report?" Itachi asked.
"The scent cuts in and out intermittently, but we've picked up the scent of the other guy and can follow that easily." Souta Inuzuka informed Itachi.
"My Kikaichῡ bugs have been picking up wisps of chakra on this path. What does that mean you ask? That someone or something with a massive amount of chakra has passed this way recently." Shibi Aburame stated in the monotone characteristic of his clan.
"I have yet to see anything with my eyes, unfortunately," Himura Hyῡga said a bit disappointed.
"Right let's keep going," Itachi said before motioning the Inuzuka's ninken to take the lead. A few hours later said ninken stopped and whined to the Inuzuka. Looking confused the dog shinobi dropped to all fours and began sniffing around with his ninken looking more and more confused.
"Report," Itachi ordered.
"I don't get it. The scent trail just ends. Not only the Uzumaki's but his captor's too."
"Broaden your search radius, see if they double backed on us. Shibi what do your bugs say?" Itachi said as he turned towards the Aburame.
"The trail just ends, it makes no sense. Why? If they double backed then the chakra trail leading to this point would have been stronger, but it wasn't. Even if they had begun implementing track hiding techniques they shouldn't be able to suppress the jinchuriki's chakra." Shibi stated with a perplexed expression on his face, bugs buzzing around his body.
"Wait I see something," Himura stated pointing up into a tree. "It looks like a kunai with a piece of paper attached. It's embedded in a branch near the middle of the tree."
"Is it an explosive tag?" Itachi asked as he took a defensive stance.
"It doesn't appear to be so, sir," Himura said trying to ease her companions.
"Shibi," Kakashi turned to the Aburame heir. Nodding Shibi raised his arm releasing a swarm of bugs that immediately flew to the indicated tree. A few seconds later the swarm returned with a kunai suspended in the air. Adjusting his glasses Shibi examined the knife more closely.
"There is no chakra stored nor is there any poison on it. It is safe." Shibi stated before handing it to Itachi for further scrutiny. Immediately Itachi looked at the paper and saw a single sentence written on it.
I gave you three days to fix your mistakes.
Itachi closed his eyes before opening them revealing blood red eyes with three tomeo marks spinning around his pupil. Using his Sharingan Itachi was able to pick up on details normally invisible to the human eye. The kunai was of average Konoha make, Itachi had 4 exactly like it on him. The paper was average exploding tag material and could be easily obtained with little effort inside any hidden village. With that in mind Itachi brought his full attention to the written words on the paper in hopes of finding a clue as to who the owner was. The sentence was written in an outdated form of calligraphy, which would make a handwriting analysis near useless. 'Maybe the ink can shed some light,' Itachi thought, though he greatly doubted that. He passed it around the team to see if they could find anything he missed.
For the most part they didn't, but the Inuzuka confirmed it carried the scent of the man who had taken Naruto. "Spread out and see if you can pick up the trail. If we can't we'll go over the trail and confirm that they didn't double back," Itachi ordered his team before bringing his attention back to the knife. Pondering the letter and wondering why it had been left. 'Was it a message, and if so, to who?'
The team found nothing, it was as if the pair simply vanished into thin air. They even went over the trail on the way back to Konoha and found no evidence of their target doubling back or branching off. It was this unfortunate event that found the team returning to Konoha in failure. "I'm sorry Lord Third but we lost their trail," Itachi said bowing his head to the Hokage.
"Which direction were they heading when you lost them?" Hiruzen asked trying to salvage something out of the situation.
"They were heading north, but judging the culprit on his ability to cover his tracks, his final destination most likely wasn't in that direction," Itachi answered. Hiruzen lifted the recovered letter and contemplated it, that was the same conclusion he had reached.
"If I may Lord Hokage?" Shibi spoke up from behind Itachi.
"What is it Shibi?" Hiruzen said as he turned his attention to the Aburame.
"While I do not wish to contradict Uchiha or you, Lord Hokage, but I would be remiss if I did not do my duty as a Konoha shinobi and gave my dissenting opinion," Shibi said.
"Please just get to the point Shibi, it's been a long few days," Hiruzen sighed tiredly.
"Of course Lord Hokage," Shibi replied while adjusting his glasses. "I do not believe Naruto Uzumaki was kidnapped as was initially believed, because the kidnapper's action do not follow basic logic. If his purpose was to kidnap our village's jinchuriki why would he go through the village's main gate and be witnessed by a Konoha shinobi. Also the trail we followed was not the hurried rush of someone trying to make the border. And if he did not wish to be found he would have hid his tracks earlier, making it impossible to follow him at all," Shibi finished.
The Hokage stared dumbly at Shibi while trying to digest what was said. "If what you say is true then why was Naruto taken out of the village?"
"I cannot say Lord Hokage," Shibi answered while stepping back behind Kakashi.
"Even if the reasons for Naruto's leaving were peaceful I cannot take that risk and must prepare for all outcomes," Hiruzen sighed to himself. "You are dismissed," with a wave Hiruzen dismissed the four shinobi who promptly left. 'Let the reasons be peaceful, please let them be peaceful,' Hiruzen prayed.
Time passed for the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Eventually Jiraya arrived in the village with a very angry Tsunade. Eventually Hiruzen mollified her by setting up a medic training program in the academy, and by paying off all of her gambling debts of course. While Tsunade was angry Jiraya was livid and needed to be convinced to not burn down the orphanage Naruto had stayed at. He left to utilize his vast intelligence network to find Konoha's jinchuriki. Years went by and no trace of the boy was found, nor were there any rumors or movements that implied any of the hidden villages were making preparations for war. And time moved on inexorable, needless of the whims of mortals.
8 Years Later
Two travelers were walking down a small path in the Land of Fire, one was tall wearing old traveling clothes and a backpack that seemed to need another pocket or two to hold everything, with a sheathed sword hanging from its side. His companion was a boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and was wearing a jumpsuit of an eye blinding orange, he too had a backpack and a sword attached to it. Eventually the two travelers came to a fork in the road. The younger traveler looked to his older companion waiting to see which way they would go. The older traveler looked to the path on his left that went to an unknown future, to new adventures and new people to meet, to freedom. The path on his right led to Konoha, to a place known and mapped, but also to an even more unknown future. He was sorely tempted to take the path on his left but one look at his younger companion made the choice for him. He could feel it just below the surface, the anger, the hate, and the malevolence wanting to be unleashed. His path was chosen the moment he first heard the boy. "Let's go Naruto," He said as he took his first step down the right path.
