Chapter 4: Reactions to the Truth.
:Konoha Hospital, Recovery Ward:
Hatake Kakashi was quite well known for being downright unshakable. It was, after all, a very valuable trait in a shinobi. Being able to keep your cool, no matter how dire the situation, was valuable indeed. It was also something Sasuke secretly envied and strived to achieve. It was, he had to admit, a skill that developed slowly, over a long period of time.
For instance, Zabuza had no trouble in reducing Sasuke to little more than a quivering little boy who was prepared to take his own life. After that, there was Orochimaru who had paralyzed Sasuke without so much as lifting a finger. Then there was Gaara, who had to goad Sasuke into attacking once the sand-nin's true nature was revealed. True, Sasuke reacted better with each encounter, recovered more quickly. That didn't make the instances less humiliating and didn't stop him from adding more determination to his drive to become more unshakable.
And yet, despite all of his determination, all of the things he had encountered that had shaken him in the past, none affected him more than what he had learned today. It was to the point that he actually felt some resentment for Tsunade at the fact that all it took was one sentence from her to shake him so deeply that even hours after she had spoken he still felt shock, was still feebly denying what she had said. But denials, no matter how strong, crumble when he knew, even on a barely conscious level, that what he had heard was the truth.
And Sasuke knew it on a very conscious level indeed.
Lying in a bed at the hospital, staring up at the ceiling above him, Sasuke felt both unbelievably stupid and helpless, two feelings he downright hated. How could he have been so blind not to see it, even with the sharingan? How could he have been so slow not to realize it, even though he was a genius?
How could he have been so weak to not see past his own jealousy and look at Naruto properly?
The door to the room opened and a pair of nurses walked in with tray's of food, effectively bringing Sasuke out of his stupor as his stomach gave a loud growl. There were a few quiet chuckles as Lee's stomach gave an answering, and quite a bit louder, growl. Quickly, both trays were given to their recipients, who attacked the food on them heartily while both women left, idly talking about another patient at the hospital.
For a short while Sasuke simply focused on eating, the mediocre food acting as a good distraction. But soon the meal that had been on the tray was gone and Sasuke found his thoughts returning to the missing member of Team 7. He blinked in surprise when Sakura picked up the tray, freeing Sasuke's knees from the annoying task of supporting the tray.
His eyes tracking the girl automatically as she took the tray to a nearby counter, Sasuke wondered about her reaction to the whole situation. Sakura had been noticeably subdued, despite the fact that Sasuke wasn't overly aware of the moods of everyone else wrapped up in his own thoughts as he was, but he could remember numerous times in the past when Sakura would grow quiet and introspective. Just before the Chuunin exam, for instance, Sakura had rarely spoken a word unless spoken too once they had been entered by Kakashi. Now, though Sasuke couldn't be sure, she hadn't spoken for hours on end despite a few attempts by the others in the room to engage her in conversation.
Thinking of the others in the room, Sasuke glanced around to see who was still present. Sakura, of course, sat at the left side of his bed, shoulders slumped. Kakashi sat in another chair, idly reading another copy of Come Come Paradise. The only movements the jounin had made were to turn the pages of the trash he called a book. In the only other bed in the room lay Lee, who was currently watching a chess match between Shikamaru and Gai. The latter was holding up surprisingly well against the former, and had not once shouted a thing about youth power.
Turning his attention away from those three to Kakashi, Sasuke wondered how to best phrase all of the questions he wanted to ask, as well as how to broach the subject at all. Finally, he simply settled for saying, "You knew," in a tone that was more than a little accusatory.
Kakashi didn't even look up from his book when he nodded and spoke.
"Almost all of the adult's knew."
Over at Lee's bed the focus was intently riveted on the chess match even while the three listened in.
Sakura looked up, her eyes focusing on Kakashi, and asked, "Why weren't we told before now? We're his teammates!"
Idly flipping a page in his book, Kakashi said, "Because we were forbidden to tell you. It was the third's biggest law, the one he enforced the hardest. Anyone who spoke of Naruto's guest was dealt with rather harshly."
"But we're still his teammates! We-"
Kakashi cut her off with a well placed, "And if you had known before you joined Team 7, would you have even considered being Naruto's teammate?"
Sakura slowly closed her mouth.
"We deserved the benefit of the doubt."
Kakashi's eyes came up to meet Sasuke's, leaving the book's words for the first time.
"Perhaps you did Sasuke, but the Third's choice has been more than justified over the years. Even with the law in place, the parents passed their hatred onto their children. Naruto's isolation couldn't have been more complete had we declared that he was a dangerous mass murderer."
Sasuke opened his mouth to reply and found that no sound came out. Slowly, grudgingly, he closed it, glaring at Kakashi because he was the only adult aside from Gai that was present.
"It may not help much, Sasuke, but the Third made the right choice."
All eyes turned to Shikamaru as he picked up a rook and placed it on the board.
"Knowing the truth about Naruto would've turned everyone instantly against him, millennia of prejudice blinding us all before we even looked at him. Yet, with the truth hidden, we could take him at face value a little. Get to know him."
Gai nodded sagely even when he picked up a pawn and moved it forward a space.
"Think, Sasuke. How has your opinion of Naruto changed, now that you know?"
Sasuke fell silent as he considered Shikamaru's question. Finally, he answered.
"I don't know."
Shikamaru looked up from the board, turning to face Sasuke.
"Exactly. You're shocked. You're confused. But you don't immediately hate him. That's because you know him. You know who he truly is, at the very core."
Kakashi closed his book and said, "And that's why the Third made his choice. He knew that in so doing, he gave Naruto hope. It was small, yes, Naruto may not have been aware of it, yes, but it was hope, and it was there."
"And it wasn't a waste."
Shikamaru had once again turned to the chess board. He moved a piece before looking at Gai and saying, "Checkmate."
Gai groaned while Shikamaru turned back to face Sasuke and Sakura.
"Naruto is my friend. He's loud, stupid, annoying, and very, very troublesome, but he is still my friend. Knowing about his tenant just means I know something more about his past than I did before."
Lee, who had picked up one of the chess pieces and was idly turning it over in his hands, spoke for the first time.
"I…respect him. He's an ally, a fellow Leaf Shinobi. Besides, being…what he is, Naruto simply has a gift and a curse."
Looking up to lock eyes with Sasuke, Lee continued.
"Like you."
For a moment, Sasuke didn't understand what Lee meant. He frowned, narrowing his eyes in thought, when he suddenly realized that he actually knew exactly what Lee meant. A gift and a curse.
The Kyubi. The Sharingan. Two sources of incredible power, two things neither could get rid of, and two things that isolated them from other, normal people. On missions that took Team 7 out of Konoha, Sasuke had noticed how some people would stare at him. What was in their eyes varied, but fear and hatred were the usual emotions he picked up. That was the curse of a bloodline limit. When he was in Konoha, the looks were mostly absent. But occasionally, he would see someone look at him with the prejudice born of the fear of a living weapon.
Satisfied for the moment, Sasuke nodded and settled back into the pillows. He was still somewhat confused, knew he still needed to come more to terms with what he had learned about Naruto, but for now, Sasuke was satisfied.
:Uzumaki Naruto's former apartment:
Hyuga Hinata blushed as she sat, curled into a ball on Naruto's couch, amazed at her own boldness.
After all, it wasn't everyday that the Hyuga heiress broke into someone's apartment.
She fidgeted slightly, starting at every small sound that her straining ears caught. Feeling more like a frightened deer ready to bolt for the slightest reason than a girl, Hinata attempted to calm her nerves. It was in vain, however. Despite the knowledge that it was highly unlikely anyone would come into Naruto's apartment and discover her, the fact that she had broken in turned the normally shy and timid girl into a nervous wreck.
But even so, she stayed.
Hinata didn't know how long she planned on staying. Momentarily she considered staying the night, but the thought fled almost as soon as it had formed. Only God knew what would happen if she showed that much boldness.
"So this was your destination."
See? She had tempted fate too much already and gotten caught.
Hinata hit the floor with a soft thump after a foolish attempt to claw her way through the air and out the ceiling, a strangled and high pitched squeak, the poor girl's version of a terrified shriek, the only sound she made in response to the male voice behind her. Images of being thrown in jail for the night only to be bailed out by her enraged father flashed through Hinata's mind as she turned around. The images died a quick, painless death as they were replaced by even more horrible imaginings when Hinata saw her cousin, Neji, standing in the doorway that led to Naruto's bedroom.
Apparently the Hyuga prodigy had gained access to the apartment through the same window Hinata had, after following her from the briefing. Instantly, images once again flashed through her mind, this time of her cousin dragging her before her father and telling the Hyuga Clan Head everything that was going on. Hiashi's enraged face loomed in her mind's eye for a moment before Neji crossed the room, gently grasped her arm, and pulled her to her feet. He then gently pushed her onto the couch she had vacated a few seconds before.
Her father's face vanished as quickly as a balloon pops when Neji sat on the couch beside her. Hinata was aware of how he sat perfectly straight, as if he were at a formal dinner instead of in the apartment of the most etiquette ignorant person in the village. A giggle almost escaped her as Hinata mentally pictured some of Naruto's knowledge and assumptions of etiquette.
Neji's eyes, however, were more than enough to kill any humor Hinata might have found thinking about Naruto.
Still, Hinata was in Naruto's apartment and was now on a mission to help the blond, even though the mission's party didn't leave for a week. Those two facts gave Hinata enough determination to meet Neji's intense stare without the slightest flinch, a fact that brought no small amount of pride to the former Hyuga Heiress.
The two sat in silence for a short while, Neji studying Hinata while she met his gaze evenly. Finally, Neji broke the silence.
"Why are you going on this mission?"
The question caused Hinata to turn away and look around the apartment once more before answering, her voice soft and quiet.
"I…don't know. I suspected that Naruto might…be involved with the mission, but…"
"You couldn't be sure. So why? Why stay in the room, accept the mission, and risk your status as a shinobi if all you had is a mere suspicion that Naruto is involved?"
Hinata still didn't turn to meet her cousin's gaze even though she could feel his eyes on her. Instead, she opted to once again search the room, hoping that there would be something within its confines that would give her the inspiration she needed to put what she felt now and when she had first been summoned for the meeting into words. Inspiration seemed a long time in coming, but once it did come, Hinata turned to her cousin and answered his question.
"Because it was fate."
Perhaps it was fate, or merely chance, but at that moment a shaft of moonlight shone through the window directly onto Hinata's face. It cast her entire expression in silver, highlighting her violet hair and eyebrows and, most importantly, it gave her own white on white eyes a glow. Neji almost drew back when he found himself facing her utter determination and resolve, all of it cast with a silvery aura that made Neji think, for just a moment, that an angel sat before him instead of his cousin.
Then the moment was broken when the moonlight faded for whatever reason. Still, it didn't take away the feeling of utter certainty within Neji that Fate did indeed guide Hinata's decision to go on this mission, and that the mission itself was Fate's very decree. Feeling humbled, Neji stood before bowing to Hinata, his back perfectly straight as he all but folded at the waist.
"If Fate has willed such a thing to be, then who am I to fight against it? Hyuga Hinata, please allow me the honor of accompanying and protecting you upon this mission, fulfilling my duty as a member of the branch house."
Hinata, to her credit, didn't blush or stammer. All she did was reach out, grasp Neji's shoulder, and then nod at him once he looked up.
:Room 328 of The Leaf's Breeze, one of Konoha's Hotels:
Temari, older sister to both Kankuro and Sabaku-no Gaara, gripped the sink in a white knuckle grip, her shoulders hunched as she stared into the mirror placed directly above the sink. Her pale face and wide, almost frightened eyes gazed back at her, her normally light blond hair several shades darker as it hung, damp with the water from her shower. Steam from said shower condensed on the mirror, hiding her reflection again.
The former Sand kunoichi almost reached out and wiped the mirror off, so she could once again see her reflection, but stopped the urge. She knew her face would still be pale, her eyes still wide with what she told herself wasn't fear. But no matter how many times she told herself that she wasn't afraid, that what she was feeling was fear for Gaara's safety, Temari couldn't quiet the corner of her mind that was telling her the truth.
She was absolutely terrified, and was close to losing control and being reduced to a quivering mass of sobbing, incoherent flesh because of it.
Traitor.
The word flashed through her mind, making her see enemies where there were only simple shadows, assassins where there were only children playing, and carefully concocted plots to lead to the death of both her and Kankuro where there was only simple coincidence.
Traitor.
Temari pressed a hand against her bare stomach as she felt it lurch, battling with her body's almost frantic urge to throw up. Feeling her legs slowly give out, Temari let herself drop to the floor. Her eyes screwed shut and her teeth clenched, ineffectively holding in a low, long moan.
Traitor.
Slowly, she started to shiver. Her eyes snapped open as her skin crawled, imaginary eyes gazing at her from everywhere. Her head snapped to the left and right, eyes darting about to spot the enemy who was looking at her while her arms automatically attempted to cover her bare body.
Knock Knock!
With a full body twitch, Temari turned to face the door, the spell broken.
"Temari? You okay in there?"
A shuddering breath left her as Temari recognized Kankuro's voice. She called back, glad to find her voice steady.
"I'm fine Kankuro."
There was no answering call, but Temari sensed her brother hesitate for a moment before walking away from the floor. Relieved that Kankuro wasn't about to break down the door and rescue her from imagined enemies, Temari took stock of why goose pimples were standing out on her skin and why she was shivering. She realized the reason for that instantly.
She was naked, wet from a shower that had happened long enough ago for the water droplets on her to go cold, and she was sitting on a cold tile floor which was probably leaving marks on her rear. With a slight grunt, Temari stood up and grabbed one of the towels in the bathroom and began to towel off. Once she was dry, she wrapped the towel around herself, made sure it was adequately covering her body, then exited the bathroom and walked toward her room where her belongings waited. Entering her room, Temari caught a glimpse of Kankuro entering the bathroom, a towel in one hand.
Closing the door behind her, Temari let the towel drop onto the floor as she walked over to the bed, where she had laid out a change of clothes. She had just grabbed her shirt to pull it on when some of the panic from earlier came back. She stiffened for a moment before throwing her shirt across the room toward a small patch of shadow and grabbing one of the kunai that lay beside her clothes on the bed.
The shirt fell to the floor with a slight thump, revealing that the shadowy corner didn't hold an enemy hiding themselves with some sort of jutsu, Temari let out a sigh of relief that caught in her throat when she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Turning sharply to face the movement, Temari found herself glaring at the window of her room, the curtains drawn across the window to block out prying eyes.
Her fatigued mind creating an enemy that was slowly opening the window from the outside, disturbing the curtains just enough for her to notice, Temari leapt across the room. Hurriedly, to catch the enemy shinobi before his surprise at being discovered wore off, Temari tore the curtains aside, ripped open the window and stuck her head out, glancing around wildly to spot anyone sticking to the wall with chakra.
All she got for her efforts to preserve her own life were a few wolf whistles from directly across the street. With a blink of surprise, Temari glanced across the street to find a small group of men standing on a balcony, playing some sort of card game in the cool evening air. All of them had their heads turned toward her and were giving her a few catcalls and suggestive comments that made her blush and gape at them in surprise.
Why in the hell are they-
With a start, Temari glanced down at herself and saw that she was still naked and half hanging out the window.
Now growling in anger, and flushed with embarrassment, Temari turned back to the men who were still giving her wolf whistles. At her glare, their enthusiasm died slightly. One of them, however, was somewhat bolder than the others and made a comment to Temari about how if he won the hand he'd trade the winnings he got for several services from her, not all of which sounded physically possible even for a kunoichi. The man shut up and dived for the floor of the balcony when the kunai Temari had been holding ripped one of the cards from his hand and pinned it to the card table, the point of the knife placed directly between the king's eyes.
While the rest of the men dived out of sight, Temari slammed the window shut and closed the curtains. She then turned on her heal and went about getting dressed.
Once she was dressed and her kunai were all secreted away in her clothes, Temari sat on the bed curled into a ball, one of the pillows from the bed clutched in her hands.
This…Oh God, this is driving me crazy…
Temari knew exactly what had her so stressed, and why. She and Kankuro had betrayed their village for the even slight chance of saving Gaara. They had turned their back on the Hidden Village of the Sand and left, leaving behind their forehead protectors and, for some reason she could no longer think of, a note clearly proclaiming their intentions. By now, she and Kankuro had most certainly been added to the missing nins list. They'd have bounty hunters, mercenaries, and hunter nins looking for her and Kankuro. And, though Temari knew that both she and Kankuro were both very powerful, there'd be ninjas out there now actively hunting her capable of tearing both her and her brother limb from limb with little effort.
The realization of that fact hadn't really hit her until earlier that day. What it meant had slowly become more and more prominent in her mind as the day went on, the end result being her current state. With a slight sob of fear, quickly muffled by burying her face into her pillow, Temari now considered the fact that she would soon be leaving this village, and what safety it could offer, to look for not one but two demon vessels. That meant she'd be dealing with four of the Akatsuki, a group that she had once heard her father speak of in a hushed, nearly terrified whisper.
With an effort, Temari tore her mind away from the morbid thoughts of what the members of Akatsuki would most likely do to her once she ran across them, Temari reached over and turned off the light in her room before laying down on the bed and trying to sleep. She knew, however, that sleep would be long in coming. The way she gripped the hilt of a kunai in each hand, and strained all of her senses to the limits told her that.
In the bathroom, Kankuro quickly wrapped a towel around his waist before going back to his room. On the way, he paused and glanced at the door to Temari's room, concern for his sister bringing him up short for a moment. With a sigh, he decided not to speak to her and entered his room.
The Hidden Sand's actions and Kankuro's and Temari's subsequent flight had shaken her, rendering her normally cool and calm persona riddled with holes where fears and doubts could, and had, taken hold. Kankuro knew the best course of action, as well as the healthiest, was to simply give Temari some space and let her recover on her own. 'Cause if he knew his sister, Kankuro was willing to bet a couple of hundred thousand yen that she was, at that moment, armed and ready to attack anything that even moved near her.
Demon vessels…Is it just me, or do they drive everyone around them insane?
With a shudder, Kankuro donned his pajamas and climbed into bed, knowing that he was in for a troubled, restless night. Before he fell asleep, Kankuro's last thought was about his younger brother and one Uzumaki Naruto, both of whom had eyes that seemed to scream at the world with pure, unequaled agony.