Third of five Updates.
I may have taken on a slightly different style since starting University (though my grammar appears to have stayed the same), but I do hope that you are still enjoying this story. I am eager to hear what you think of it and ideas for what you think might be happening next.
Please enjoy it, lol.
Thank you to my Beta Spaded Ace18.
Thank you for the all the follow, favourites, alerts and reviews.
Naruto = flash back
'Naruto' is thoughts/thinking
"Naruto" signing/sign language
"Naruto" speaking.
"Naruto" Demon
"Naruto" is demon enhanced.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just some DVDs and games.
Chapter 44 -
Doctor Yori stepped out of Hikaru's room; he looked up at the crowd of shinobi sat outside the room. They would claim mission go out complete them and come straight back here. All of them were waiting for Naruto to come out of the room. Riku rose to ask the question they had been asking since they had made camp in the hallway. Yori held his hand up silencing the boy before he had begun.
"There is no new news, Hikaru still hasn't woken up and Naruto has not left his side." He looked to a clock. "Do you all not have somewhere you need to be?"
The shinobi looked away guiltily, some shuffling their feet. Ume stepped forwards being the bravest of the group there.
"But he hasn't moved from that room in two days. He hasn't eaten anything. His clones are running around so busy with everything; we're just worried about him." She confided.
"Naruto is a still a little boy, with a huge responsibility on his shoulders. I fear if Hikaru doesn't wake up Naruto will break. But he has a little brother that is going through the very same thing. Konohamaru has not left a Naruto's side, or Nami hasn't come back out of the Hokage's office since the meeting. People deal with grief in different ways, just give him time. He will be at the funeral today, and make sure you are not late." Yori sighed as the group nodded and finally dispersed.
(Line)
The sky over the village grew bleaker and greyer the closer it drew t the third's funeral. The down pour of rain seemed fitting like the world was in mourning as well as the village. The bleak mode spread across the village as the shinobi lined the roof top for the Hokage's funeral. The rows of black standing out amongst the grey, each of them staring at the casket and the photograph sat on top of it. Naruto looked down at Konohamaru as he tried to stop the tears.
"It's okay to cry, Ko. We'll all miss him in our own way, but you meant more to him than anyone it's okay for you to feel this way." Naruto spoke as calmly as possible.
"He promised." Konohamaru cried.
"I know he did but sometimes we can't always keep our promises. He was the Hokage he gave his life for the village, for you, he died protecting all of us. That's what the Hokage is all about Ko." He knelt down wrapping his little brother in a tight hug. "we all meet our end eventually, but it's the leaves we touch as we grow that matter, the more people we interact with the more relationships we create, the more people become precious to us, fighting for those you love makes us stronger, you know he wouldn't have done it if he thought there was a better way." Konohamaru nodded wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "But being a shinobi means protecting the village, protecting our precious people for the Hokage that's not just family, but the entire village too." He stopped letting the tears run down his face. "Uncle Asuma explained it to me once, after Cat died. I was so angry at Grandpa for sending him away that I lashed out, Uncle Asuma came and found me, and you know what he said me?" Konohamaru shook his head. ""Being a shinobi means protecting the village so that the children who will bear Konoha on their shoulders will grow and pass on the hopes and dreams to the next generation to make a better stronger Konoha." Naruto smiled down at Konohamaru.
"But you're Hokage now, I don't want to lose you as well." Konohamaru buried himself against Naruto.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm only holding the position until someone more befitting of the role is found."
"That could take a long time." Konohamaru sniffed. "Naruto what will happen to me now Grandpa's gone? I live with Grandpa."
Naruto looked up at Asuma, knowing that he along with the other shinobi would be listening in.
"Grandpa said he made plans, that we shouldn't worry we will have each other. He made me Hokage. I believe him. Besides did you really think I would ever let anyone take you away from me? Never, you are my little brother, always have been always will be. I am not going to let anything happen to you and neither will Uncle 'Suma." Naruto nodded as Konohamaru tightened his grip on him. "We'll have each Ko, he said that." Naruto nodded eyes fierce as he looked at his grandfather's picture.
(Line)
The two council members had been astounded with the things Naruto had suggested, Koharu had spent more and more time in the mission room where he was based, he would often ask for advice on ideas, a sheepish look coming across his face when he made suggestions. He would personally hand out each mission scroll, the same mantra being said before he handed the scroll over.
"Your life is more important. Come back alive."
Each ninja was taken back at first, but soon they became accustomed to it. When shinobi started coming back too often with more injuries he asked about implementing a medic with each team, or at least having each shinobi knowing basic first aid and medical jutsu, even expanding the idea to include civilians. He'd presented a new tag that he wanted to be tested and approved to help with powering the village. He wanted backup generators for every building, an extension inside the Hokage Mountain, so that the records could be stored there. Underground shelter that would lead to the bunker inside the mountain, meaning less people out in the open where they could get hurt and an easier time for shinobi. Collateral damage could be fixed easier than a decrease in population. Most of the buildings he had refurbished now had been restored and new improvements were being added to pre-existing buildings. One young person had come into Naruto asking about becoming an apprentice builder. He was now working alongside Tazuna and would be going back to wave to complete his apprenticeship.
That was something that had shocked Koharu, Naruto was helping the orphans, he was giving them options, teaching them how to look after themselves, giving them food and shelter until they found a way to pay for things on their own. She was impressed by this not realizing how ignored these children were until Naruto pointed it out. As soon as the children reached a certain age they were no longer viable for the orphanage, being too old to adopt or having failed to become ninja.
Homura watched in disdain as Koharu spent more and more time in that room. Yes he agreed with a lot of what was said but he didn't understand why he was coming up with it. He walked into the mission room looking once again for his team mate, finding her looking over the plan to expand the academy's curriculum. He knew Naruto wanted to change it but had put his foot down about that. Their academy was one of the best out of the ninja villages, why change a winning formula?
(Line)
"Boar, you're on my personal guard right?" Naruto waited for the nod. "You do know I'm not in the village soon, don't you?" Boar shook his head.
The mission room stopped all progress. All eyes turned to Naruto who had continued to sign documents as though nothing else was happening. Even the Hokage's assistant had looked up for a moment before returning back to her own work.
"What do you mean you won't be in the village soon?" Kakashi asked hand poised to take the scroll Izumo was holding out to him.
"It's October." Naruto stated as though that answered everything.
"The Kyuubi festival is run during the second week of October." The assistant answered.
They all continued to stare at Naruto.
"This reminds me, the festival needs to be arranged." He held out a piece of paper to the assistant. "It will help to alleviate people's fears and worries. I cannot stay in the village for the festival." Naruto stated.
"You've never seen the festival?" Kotetsu asked.
"Well no. It's best if I'm out of the village really. People feel threatened by me around that time." He shrugged. "It's the only time I'm not anywhere in the village, but there is too much to do in the village before I leave. And someone will have to run the village while I'm away."
"You could stay. We would protect you." Izumo stood fire in his eyes.
"Against civilians? Ninja can't harm civilians. Besides its nice having this one bit of freedom. The Third arranged this all years ago. I don't think I've been in the village for that week since I was five." Naruto sat back thinking of his grandfather.
"But where do you go?"
"That's a secret. Do please try to behave while I'm gone."
"The ANBU will accompany you. They have too, it's their job." Kakashi mentioned.
"You won't find me in the village, that Monday. I will be back by the following Monday."
"Your friends will be waiting to give you your birthday presents." The assistant spoke up. "Did you want to spend the evening with Konohamaru and Asuma?" she asked.
Naruto blinked at her. He tended to forget about his birthday celebration the Monday after he got back. He nodded as she smiled pencilling it down. She must be the one that helped arrange the entire thing, now that the old man was gone.
"Good luck on your mission Kakashi Sensei." Naruto looked over at the desk where the scroll was still being held out.
(Line)
True to his word Naruto was not anywhere to be found during the week of the festival, which annoyed his ANBU detail to no end but what surprised everyone was that he had actually left Hikaru's side. Kakashi could sense the ANBU flying about trying to locate him as he returned to the village from his mission. He had been a little distracted thinking about Naruto's upcoming birthday. The fireworks started as he made it across the village he stopped and stared up at them.
In the Hokage's office Nami's tail twirled as the cat sat watching the fireworks. The door creaked open; Nami's ear flicked back but continued to watch the fireworks. Konohamaru walked up nest to the cat his hand lazily stroking along its fur. They stayed like that together watching the celebrations unfold.
"It should be a celebration of life, not defeat." Nami whined.
"I suppose the village just doesn't see it that way,"
"It is hard to change something once it has become a tradition." Nami yawned. "I never noticed how pretty the fireworks were."
"That's because you never really take much notice of them." Konohamaru smiled a little.
"I miss him too." Nami's eyes light up as another firework lit up the sky.
(Line)
An ANBU with a horse mask landed outside of the academy where Naruto was discussing with Iruka which students could take part in what missions that week. The ANBU marched angrily over.
Naruto held up a hand. "I'm just a clone, the real one is elsewhere." The ANBU shuddered in anger before darting off.
"Naruto, didn't you tell them you were going away for a week?" Iruka shook his head.
"Of course I did. They were the ones that decided to spend all week looking for me." Naruto laughed.
(Line)
An owl masked ANBU landed on the roof of the hospital, she walked calmly down the stairwell towards Hikaru's room. She opened the door and there was Naruto sat like he hadn't moved in a week.
"I'm a clone, Bird is on his way over." Naruto didn't turn away from Hikaru.
"Why won't you wake up?" Naruto asked his still sleeping friend.
(Line)
Monkey scowled at the Naruto that was sat in his apartment, holding up a piece of paper which read "Clone. Bird and Owl on way." How did that boy slip them, and for a week no less. Monkey turned as Owl and Bird landed on the roof next to him. All three turned to the Hokage building.
(Line)
Kotetsu blinked seeing Naruto filling out paperwork early Monday morning, he nudged Izumo and inclined his head towards Naruto. Izumo shrugged. Naruto had said he would be back Monday. They quickly took their places as an ANBU with a bird mask appeared in the room. He was very irate.
"I did inform you all that I would not be present in the village for a week, why you spent that time searching for me I have no idea." Naruto stretched.
"You left Turtle's side?" Owl asked as she and the rest of the detail made their way into the mission room.
"I could not put him in anymore danger than he already is in." Naruto sat back eyes icy.
"Lord Hokage, you did not retaliate against his attackers." Bird tilted his head.
"Not personally." Naruto agreed.
(Line)
Sparrow and Fox looked down at Naruto he was sat at the Hokage desk and had summoned them here. The room was sealed tight only Nami's twitching tail moved.
"I have something I want you to do for me. It's not a mission I can pay you for, it's got to be completely off the record." Naruto looked down at Nami.
"What is it Naruto?" Fox asked. Sparrow shot him a look.
"I want you to go to Uzushiogakure. I was speaking to Karin, I asked about where the Uzumaki used to call home. I want to visit there one day and want you both to scout out the area for me. She said that the village was wiped out in the last war. But it might be dangerous to go alone."
"Isn't Karin the little red haired girl you like?" Fox asked. Sparrow sighed in dismay. "You know you like like her." Fox prompted seeing Naruto's confused face.
"What? No. Why would you think that? I'm eleven; I don't like anyone in a romantic way. At least wait until my hormones kick in before making assumptions like that. And you can tell whoever told you that the same thing!" Naruto spoke quickly in irate embarrassment.
"We'll go to Uzushiogakure for you," Sparrow nodded pulling Fox away from their blonde haired leader.
Naruto threw a scroll at them. "Open that when you're out of the village." Naruto smiled bashfully.
The two ninja nodded and disappeared in a flurry of leaves.
The two ANBU crept carefully along the dark and damp hallway. They would stop every now and then as they sensed someone coming towards them. They never saw them go past which was odd, but could also explain why it was so difficult for them to find this place. No doubt after this it would be moved and even harder to find again. They continued down the corridor stopping as it suddenly opened up. There was an open room around for about twenty meters. There was no way to cross that without being seen.
They glanced to one another, their heads swivelling to the right as they picked up Nami high above them in the Hokage's office. They needed to take the right hand tunnel, Fox counted to three while Sparrow released a breath. Together they shot out across the floor darting into the tunnel needed. Sparrow glanced up as Nami flickered above them. Fox bounced to a halt, jumping up the walls and grabbing Sparrow bring him up to his level. They held still as someone passed below them. The figure stopped scanning round for their presence before continuing down the tunnel, no sound followed them.
Sparrow glared at Fox and dropped back down to floor, he glanced around checking their surroundings before moving off. Fox shrugged and slid down the wall following after his partner. Fox dropped back suddenly as they began to go past open rooms. One room in particular caught his attention, it had bars for windows and a chakra suppressor seal anchored to the middle of the room. He scanned the room then looked up placing an invisible marker in memory. He turned back looking after Sparrow who had slowed sensing him no longer following. Sparrow scanned the room that had caught Fox's attention, recognizing it as a cell. The first of nine it would seem, as he looked out along the corridor. Danzo certainly had something dark planned that much was for certain.
They went back to their original path and continued along finding a closed door at the end. Fox stepped to one side while Sparrow took the other, a third ANBU stepped out of the shadows, this one wearing a Turtle mask. He pushed his hands into a seal; smashing the door open, Fox and Sparrow flying in, weapons drawn. Danzo turned to look at the team entering his domain. He seemed startled to see Turtle there, but the expression was quickly wiped away.
"Cat sends his regards." Turtle spoke throwing a scroll down. It flew open summoning the remains of the two Root agents Danzo had sent after him.
"Next time perhaps you will wait until I am able to protect myself, before trying to undermine the Hokage."
"Your monster will never be Hokage."
"Where is this monster that you speak of? Do not forget the words the Third told you, Danzo. Do not forget why it was that you were stripped from the council all those years ago."
"You can't believe you will get out of here alive if you kill me?"
"You never planned on letting us live anyway." Turtle tilted his head as a Root agent appeared and whispered in Danzo's ear.
"If the prince is still in the hospital, than who is that?" Danzo pointed his cane to where the three ANBU had been.
He watched as they retreated from him. He moved his head to the side, a swarm of Root agents moved after the ANBU.
"That was not a good idea," Fox called out to Turtle.
"He tried to kill me while I was unable to defend myself, only a lowly rat would attempt such underhanded tactics." Turtle spat.
"Did you get what was required?" Sparrow inquired.
Turtle held up the files he had managed to steal while the two ANBU had been trying to find their target. They skidded to a halt entering the open area to find it swarming with Root agents. Turtle, Sparrow and Fox grinned under their masks, stepping back into the darkness behind them and vanishing from all sight.
Danzo walked down the hall to where the three had last been seen. He scowled, Fox and Sparrow had been sent out on an unknown mission this morning, so who had perfectly impersonated the three ANBU and stolen his private documents. He scowled looking at the room where more than half of his army lay dead. He looked up to see a rabbit mask stepping back into the shadows.
(Line)
Naruto smiled a true that lit up the faces of those assembled in training ground thirteen. Hinata, Ume Neji and Rock Lee had been let out of the hospital for the afternoon, as long as they stayed in their wheel chairs and Lee in his bed. Konohamaru had collected the paint, the rookie nine where there along with Team Gai and Takeru.
They were split into teams Gai opting to sit out so Iruka could join in. Naruto had Iruka and Kakashi on his team. Sasuke had Tenten and Kiba. Shikamaru had Choji and Asuma. Kurenai had Sakura and Shino, leaving Ino, with Riku and Konohamaru. Konohamaru set out paints in front of each team, yellow for Naruto, and blue for Sasuke, red for Asuma, Black for Kurenai and White for his team.
"Why couldn't we have had a pretty colour like pink or orange or green?" Ino asked.
"Because you can make those colours out of these colours, and that will get confusing." Konohamaru laughed.
He waved as his friends Udon and Moegi went and joined the ones who had to sit out. Boar landed nearby with a picnic basket, while Owl carried a pile of presents Bird and Monkey helping to stack them all neatly under the shade of a tree.
"First team to get coloured is out, the process repeats until there is one team left." Konohamaru yelled.
"Wait they all get one adult, yet we don't that's not that fair."
"She has a point Ko." Naruto laughed.
"Fine, Ino go with Naruto and we'll have," Riku turned to Konohamaru. "Who do you want?"
"Iruka sensei, he knows what this game is all about and has taught all of the genin here." He started to whisper, "Besides Naruto needs to bond with Kakashi more."
"Or you could have Takeru?" Naruto pointed as Takeru came down the hill, coming back from his latest mission.
He smiled and declined, flopping onto the grass, catching his breath. Iruka smiled and swapped with Ino, Naruto pouted playfully as she came over.
"No weapons, no jutsu," Konohamaru eyed Kakashi and Sasuke warily.
They lined up in front of the forest, Takeru signalled them to go, and they dashed off into the forest.
Hinata turned to Neji who had his byakugan activated, he frowned losing sight of Naruto quickly.
"Try to stay with Naruto, once he's hidden, there's no finding him." Hinata smiled a small cough escaping her.
Shikamaru scowled over the Shogi board a yellow hand print over his left eye and two further on his chest showed where Naruto had tagged him. Asuma also had a yellow hand print from Kakashi, who was sat by his side with red finger marks on his wrist. Ino was covered in blue while Sakura was covered in white. Kiba frowned trying to make out people in the forest, a brilliant pale yellow across his butt. Choji's stomach rumbled a blue footprint on his torso. Iruka stumbled out of the forest a black foot print on his side.
"Who got you Iruka sensei?" Sakura called.
"Kurenai, when did you get out Kakashi?"
"Same time as Asuma, tagged me as I tagged him." Kakashi signed.
"So that leaves' Kurenai sensei, Shino, Naruto, Tenten and Sasuke?"
"I'm out." Tenten called, a black explosion seemed to cover her. "Shino," she stated.
"Any luck finding Naruto?" Asuma asked the two Hyuugas.
Both shook their head as Sasuke came flying out of the forest followed by Shino, both had yellow splattered over them.
"Konohamaru hasn't come out either." Riku noted.
Kurenai came out with white foot prints on her back, followed by Naruto, who had a white hand print on his left shoulder.
"Wait did Konohamaru win?"
"He caught me after I caught Kurenai sensei out." Naruto answered.
"Yeah but you didn't have to hit me so hard." Konohamaru came out with Black Hand print around his ankle and two yellow finger prints on his forehead.
"Naruto, how do you disappear like that?" Neji demanded.
Naruto shrugged, "Dunno it's like restricting the flow of chakra until there's barely anything there. Who's hungry?" he called out.
"Wait who won?" Sakura asked.
"Naruto and Konohamaru, they got each other at the same time. But I think you two need to stop practicing this game." Kurenai eyed them both.
"Where's the fun in that? Next time we should try powered paint." Konohamaru suggested as they made their way over to the picnic.
(Line)
Naruto's smile dropped as he fingered a present. He glanced to the pile of presents in front of Asuma seeing one with the same wrapping paper. Asuma noticed his gaze and picked out the present, both looked oddly at the presents.
"Who's it from?" Konohamaru asked looking between the two.
"Grandpa." Naruto answered
"Don't you think you should open it?" Ume asked.
"I didn't expect one from him, I didn't think he'd thought about much past the chuunin exam."
Kurenai laid her hand on Asuma's arm, "why don't you both open them at the same time?" she suggested seeing the two dazed.
They nodded slowly Konohamaru moving to sit in front of Naruto, giving each other support as Naruto carefully opened the wrapping paper. Both had a box inside the paper. Naruto looked at Asuma as he pulled out a book, Asuma smiled shyly. It was a book full of photographs of Asuma growing up with his family. There was Ichiro, with the Third and Asuma as a child, Naruto didn't recognize the woman in the photo.
"Uncle 'Suma, is that grandma?" Konohamaru asked, staring at the book.
"Yeah, I didn't know he'd kept these." Asuma smiled flicking through them,
He stopped seeing a picture that reminded him of Naruto. He closed the book looking up at Naruto. Naruto lifted the lid of his box to find a beautiful blue blade inside. He slowly pulled it out. It was light, and beautifully crafted. It was the same size as his old chakra blade, but lighter in weight he turned it carefully around examining it. Its blue colour matched his eyes, it had a handle bigger enough for his hand, a loop at the end gave it a little more weight, the blade's edge was almost white in colour and in the centre where the blade met the handle was the symbol of Uzushiogakure. Naruto looked up at Asuma tears pooling in his eyes.
"He got me a new chakra blade," He gulped, looking back down at the beautiful item.
"It matches your eyes." Ume stated, the girls all nodded in agreement.
Naruto traced the symbol etched into the metal, it felt like a wave or whirlpool moving under his fingertips.
"That is a very rare material; I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."
"You should test it out; see if it's as powerful as beautiful." Sasuke prompted.
Naruto nodded standing and walking over to the little lake and waterfall, he spun the weapon in hand getting a feel for its lightness before pushing chakra through the blade he concentrated and swung the blade across the waterfall, watching as it cut in half and a jagged scar etched into the rock behind it.
"What is it?" Naruto spun round holding the weapon delicately in his hands.
"There's a note," Sakura pointed out.
Naruto stepped back over settling behind Konohamaru and resting his chin on Konohamaru's head. He slowly read the note tears pooling in his eyes as he did so.
"Naruto, are you okay?" Hinata asked concern for her friend showing.
"Just overwhelmed," He smiled as the tears dripped down his face, "Sorry Ko," he wiped his tears away.
"Happy birthday Naruto." Hinata smiled, as Asuma settled behind the two and hugged them tight. The group chorused the birthday congratulations and left the little family, Kakashi lingered a moment but Iruka's hand on his shoulder pulled him forwards.
Asuma pulled his album over flicking to page and showing it to the boys.
"This is my mother Biwako, and father, with your parents Naruto, that's your dad and your mum who's very pregnant with you. I think this is one of the last photos of them before they died." Asuma smiled watching Naruto run his fingers over his mother's image. Konohamaru snuggled tighter into Naruto, glad that he was here with his family right now.
Thanks for reading. Third of five Updates.
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