Chapter Twenty
It has been a week since Itachi and Miyako had had their conversation, and Miyako found herself questioning everything she ever knew about the Uchiha Massacre and the amount of Uchiha's left roaming the earth.
Miyako spent much of her time by Sasuke's side. Watching as he slept in his coma and waiting for Naruto and Jiraiya to return with the fifth Hokage. Whoever that may be. She hoped that whoever it was, that they knew what to do to heal Sasuke. Or at least knew someone who did.
"Oh Sasuke, I'm so sorry this happened to you," Miyako whispered as she pushed some of his hair to the side. She wanted nothing more than to tell him the truth, but she had promised Itachi she wouldn't. And she won't. Not without good reason at least.
The door the room opened slowly and Sakura entered nervously, looking at Sasuke and then at Miyako, a question in her green eyes. "How is he, Mi-chan?"
"Nothing has changed," Miyako replied as she stood up and let Sakura take he spot. "Any news from Naruto?"
Sakura shook her head as she sat down. She went to speak, but the door was slammed open and Naruto came barging in. Behind him Jiraiya followed, followed by a busty, blonde haired woman.
"Naruto. Jiariya-sama," Miyako greeted before turning to the woman who had just fixed Sasuke up as if it were nothing. "You must be Tsunade-sama. I'm assuming, our Fifth Hokage?" Miyako questioned and the woman turned to the teen, looking her up and down with her amber eyes.
"That is me. Who are you?"
"I'm Haruno Miyako, Hokage-sama. I am a Jōnin and Sasuke's carer. This is my cousin, Haruno Sakura. She is Naruto and Sasuke's teammate," Miyako explained and Tsunade nodded, satisfied with the prompt answer from the purple-haired teen.
"Good. Then come with me. I need help settling into my office," Tsunade ordered and Miyako nodded with a bow, following the woman out of the room and towards the Hokage building. Jiraiya followed the two females, a serious expression on his face.
Nothing was said between the trio until they arrived at the office. It was filled with boxes of paperwork, making Tsunade frown in a mixture of disgust and annoyance.
"I never liked paperwork. And here I am. Taking the job with the most amount of paperwork in the shinobi world," Tsunade stated with a sigh as she sat down on the chair behind the desk. Her golden-brown gaze then fell to Miyako after she was settled, a frown on her lips. "Now, Miyako-san. I do not like being lied to. Who are you?"
Miyako smiled slightly, happy that the Hokage could sense her lie easily. She went into a thorough explanation on who she was and what the previous Hokage had done about it. She didn't mind Jiraiya being there for the explanation, after all, if two out three sannin know about her, it's not fair for the third to be left out.
"Hmm, so I was right that time we met, Miyako-san. You are a Shinjitsu," Jiraiya mused after the explanation, feeling vindicated that he was right, and Miyako nodded in agreement.
"I can why my predecessor kept you hidden from everyone. Elders included. Thank you for being truthful with me, Miyako-san. You may leave," Tsunade stated and Miyako nodded, bowing before leaving the two sannin behind in the office.
...
Miyako was just arriving to the hospital when Kakashi appeared next to her. He seemed tensed, worried even. Miyako wanted to know why. So of course, she asked him and he sighed. "Naruto and Sasuke are fighting on the roof," he stated simply and Miyako's eyes widened.
Without thinking, she ran up the side of the hospital, Kakashi right beside her. They paused to assess the situation for a split second, watching as Sakura ran towards the two boys, each of whom had their strongest jutsu aimed at each other.
Kakashi and Miyako shot forward, Miyako grabbing her cousin and jumping away, and Kakashi grabbing the two boys, throwing them and their jutsu into nearby water towers. Sasuke's Chidori caused a large explosion and the front of the water tower was all but destroyed. Naruto's Rasengan – on the other hand – left only a small hole in the front.
"Sakura! Don't do something stupid like that again! You could've been seriously wounded! Or worse! Killed!" Miyako shouted at the thirteen-year-old girl.
"But Naruto and Sasuke..." Sakura trailed off with tears in her eyes as Miyako glared at her. Sakura hung her head in shame. "Sorry, Mi-chan. I'll be sure to think my actions through next time."
"There won't be a next time. Right, Sasuke? Naruto?" Kakashi questioned with a firm look at the two genin. Sasuke scoffed before jumping off the roof. Naruto – on the other hand – blushed at the look the two Jōnin were giving him and he nodded in acquisition.
"No, it won't," Naruto promised and Miyako nodded, turning back to Sakura.
"Come on, Sakura. Let's get you home," Miyako stated and Sakura nodded, waving goodbye to her teacher and teammate before following Miyako down the side of the hospital and towards Sakura's home.
Once they arrived, Mebuki invited Miyako to stay for dinner and Miyako happily accepted, enjoying the time she had with her family. They talked and laughed before Miyako headed home late that night. When Miyako arrived she sensed something was wrong and walked to Sasuke's room, where she saw him standing, the picture of his team face down.
"You're leaving," Miyako stated simply, making Sasuke jump in surprise at her seemingly sudden appearance.
"Don't try to stop me," Sasuke warned her, turning to face her, glaring at her with his Sharingan eyes.
Miyako sighed before shaking her head, holding her hands up in defence. "You're going to Orochimaru. It was bound to happen sooner or later. But God forbid I let you go alone. I've got some things to finish up here. You go on ahead. I'll catch up."
Sasuke stared at Miyako in surprise, his Sharingan fading. "You know, leaving will make you a missing-nin."
"I promised myself after the massacre that I would look after you. I'm not letting you go into the snakes lair without someone who cares for you. Now go. I'll be with you soon."
Sasuke hesitated before nodding, grabbing his bag and walking passed Miyako who sighed before walking to her room, packing the bare necessities before locking up hers and Sasuke's apartment. She walked through the streets as if nothing were wrong so as not to arouse suspicions before arriving at her destination.
She looked up at the building, taking a deep breath before climbing up to a window on the third floor, sliding it open from the outside and slipping in. Inside sat Takeo – working on some paperwork for the hospital. He looked tired, but when he heard her he spun around, kunai in his hand.
He relaxed when he saw who it was. Putting the kunai away on his weapon holder. "Are you going on a mission?" Takeo questioned softly, not wanting to wake up his father or younger sister who were in the rooms surrounding his. Miyako shook her head in answer. "Then why are you packed up?"
"Sasuke's running off to join the circus," Miyako replied dryly and Takeo raised an amused eyebrow.
"Now I'm sure that's not what you actually mean."
Miyako let out a dry laugh. "It may as well be. He's running off to train with Orochimaru. I'm going to follow after him to keep him as safe as possible. I want you to take care of Sakura for me, and to inform Lady Hokage of my plan. Wait until morning, and don't tell anyone else," Miyako explained and Takeo's brown eyes widened in shock.
"Are you sure about this, Mi-chan? You leaving will make you a missing- nin in the eye of everybody. Even Sakura, and Kizashi-san and Mebuki-san. Are you willing to do this for Sasuke? Someone who isn't even your own family?"
Miyako's blue eyes turned hard at those words. "Sasuke's as much a part of my family as Sakura, Mebuki-ba, and Kizashi-ji are. As much as you are," Miyako snapped and Takeo's eyes widened at her harsh words. "Besides, I promised someone I would look after him. I'm not going to break that promise. Hopefully, it won't be forever. I should return one day." She looked out the window to the dark sky. "Probably after Sasuke completes his goal of killing his brother."
"Are you sure he will be able to? If he and Itachi meet, he's going to die," Takeo warned.
Miyako's eyes filled with tears. "Itachi won't kill Sasuke. Not intentionally at least."
"And how would you know that?"
"Just trust me. Please do what I ask. And don't hate me for anything I have to do in the future. I couldn't handle losing my best friend."
Takeo's almond shaped eyes teared up as he brought Miyako into a hug, Miyako returning it. "I promise. No matter what you do, I'll always be your best friend. Now, you get going before dawn hits. You don't want to be left behind."
Miyako pulled back after a minute and wiped her tears before nodding and making her face blank before disappearing from Takeo's view. She arrived in a clearing outside of Konoha's fence line where she saw the Sound Four and Sasuke waiting for her arrival. The four Oto-nin looked at Miyako with heavy distrust.
"I see you haven't left without me," Miyako stated and the grey haired Sakon and Ukon snorted.
"He wouldn't let us. Just know if trouble hits you better be able to hold your own. Orochimaru-sama won't be happy with this development," Sakon stated with a glare.
Miyako smirked. "Actually, I think Orochimaru would enjoy this development more than you would think. Shall we go? We'll need a head start after all."
"Don't order us around," Tayuya snapped with a glare, pushing some red hair out of her face.
"No. As much as I hate to agree with her, she's right. Sasuke, get into the carrier. Your transformation will happen in there," Ukon explained and Sasuke narrowed his onyx coloured eyes distrustfully before complying and getting into the basket, which was quickly sealed by the Sound Four. "Let's go."
...
Takeo took a deep breath before knocking on the Hokage's office door. When he was called in, he found Tsunade looking beyond stressed. Two hours ago Sasuke was reported missing by Sakura, shortly with the discovery that Miyako too was missing. A team had been dispatched to get them.
"Who are you?" Tsunade questioned with a tired sigh, eyeing the Jōnin medic-nin with a critical eye.
"I'm Fuchigami Takeo. I was Miyako's teammate, and I'm her best friend," Takeo stated and Tsunade sat up straighter, interest now burning in her eyes.
"Do you know why she left?"
Takeo nodded. "It's best if no one else hears this information." Tsunade nodded, sealing the room so no one else could hear what was being said. Takeo took a deep breath in before explaining the conversation that he had had with Miyako the night before.
Tsunade stared in surprise at the revelation. "Why would she go through such great lengths to look after Sasuke? What's her relationship with the Uchiha Clan?"
"Our third teammate was a Uchiha known as Hisoka. Him and Miyako were best friends growing up, long before the massacre. Did you notice that she wore a necklace?" Takeo questioned Tsunade who frowned but nodded, having noticed the expensive little gift that the Jōnin had worn when they met the day before. "That little gift was given to her by Uchiha Itachi."
Tsunade's eyes widened at those words, shock running through her system. "She was close to Uchiha Itachi?"
Takeo nodded. "Close enough to regularly hang out, train, and give each other gifts. Hisoka told me he had a crush on Miyako, and I suspect Itachi had feelings for her as well."
"That doesn't explain why she's so hell-bent on looking after Sasuke," Tsunade pointed out.
"Miyako feels like its her responsibility to protect Hisoka's distant cousin... and Itachi's little brother because of her relationship with the two Uchiha's," Takeo explained and Tsunade nodded, crossing her hands, and resting her chin on them.
"I see what you're saying. But it's still amazing to know of someone so loyal to someone that they'd go to such great lengths for them. Tell me, what is Miyako planning?"
Takeo shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure. But I'm fairly sure she plans on spying on Orochimaru from Konoha."
Tsunade froze at these words but quickly composed herself. "I understand. I won't send anyone after her then. If Sasuke isn't brought back then I will leave them be. Thank you for telling me all this, Takeo-san."
Takeo bowed his head. "Mi-chan told me to tell you this. I'm just doing my duty as a shinobi of Konohagakure and as best friends to the last Shinjitsu."
(Ok, that's the end of Part II. The first chapter of Part III should be up within a week or two. I would like to thank everyone for the favourites/follows and review so far. It makes me so happy knowing so many people enjoy my story. I'm thinking of splitting this story into two separate books with Shippuden taking up its own book, but I want your opinion on if I should separate the two books or if I should combine them. See you all soon ^_^)