Title: Genuine Lies

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Summary: "How did you know of this?" "Because I was the girl Itachi saved the night the Uchiha clan died." Naruto's admission startled them all. After all these years, was Itachi really innocent? And who is Uzumaki Naruto? What other secrets is the duo hiding? ItaNaru

Warning: Harsh issues discussed. Not for the faint of heart. Please read at your own discression. Mentions of rape of a minor, sexual assault, and of threatening of a life.

Chapter 2: Heartbroken

"Girl?" Tsunade stated dryly. "I'm enough of a medic-nin to know that you're one hundred percent male."

Naruto shook his head before shrugging. "Itachi and Sarutobi-sama designed a sort of, fortified henge. They didn't want any of the Hyuuga's or even Sasuke to see through it. A young, defenseless girl is vulnerable to more things than a young boy is."

Tsunade was silent, thinking, "I can understand that much. But I still don't understand the henge part. Surely there would be some chakra evident."

Naruto lowered his head, feeling drained though he hadn't been doing much. "Kyuubi's seal doesn't have chakra around it." Naruto sighed, raising his head and, rubbed the back of his neck, composing himself as he met Tsunade's gaze. "It's more of a seal than a jutsu. They changed my appearance and then sealed it. The seal feeds on Kyuubi and my chakra."

Tsunade nodded. "Explains the poor chakra control."

Naruto smiled softly, turning his head to the side. "Yeah."

"Naruto," Tsunade began. "Some things are still not clear and I want them straightened out."

Naruto bowed his head, "Of course," he paused before adding. "Hokage-sama." He felt that the honorific would go better with his friend than his usual nickname.

Tsunade frowned. She didn't like this tamer version of the brat. He suddenly seemed decades older than his sixteen years of life. But, she thought. It proves the seriousness of the situation. She knew Naruto would never use her title when speaking to her. But, the Naruto in front of her, she was beginning to realize, wasn't the Naruto she knew and loved.

"Who are you?" she began. A simple enough question.

"Kazama Naruya." The blond jounin replied. A simple enough answer.

"Who is – or was – Uzumaki Naruto?"

"An alias. A façade I used to protect myself. Itachi performed the jutsu and Sandaime-sama sealed it."

"How old were you?"

"I had just turned seven."

That much was true at least. Tsunade reexamined the scroll.

"What happened that night?"

"I-" he couldn't say it. Even after nearly ten years, he couldn't say it. He swallowed, lowering his head and screwing his eyelids shut against the onslaught of memories. He tried again. "I was…" His body began shaking before he mentally scolded himself. He was a baby. A wimp. Yet, "I-", he still couldn't say it. As though uttering the words would make it real. He relaxed his features but refused to meet Tsunade's stare. "I'm sorry." He didn't know whom he was apologizing for. Tsunade? Or Itachi?

"I need to know." Tsunade said firmly, pushing aside her feelings for the boy. Now, if ever, was the time she needed to assert her authority as Godaime Hokage.

"I was raped," was the harsh whisper. "I was raped," his voice caught in his throat and he cursed himself for the weakness. "And abused – by four…four men. Four ninjas and I couldn't do anything." He refused to let the tears that were burning his eyes, fall. He never spoke of it before, never even admitted it to himself, of what had happened that night and once he uttered the first sound, he couldn't stop the words from spilling from his mouth. And suddenly, he was trapped. Trapped in his memories. A prisoner to his own thoughts.

"They knocked on my door." He began, voice hoarse and eyes blank as he stared at Tsunade though, not seeing her. "I thought it was Sarutobi-oji-san. He's always coming over, offering me ramen, talking to me. I ran to open it. I was ecstatic. He usually brings gifts with him," he laughed quietly but to Tsunade, it sounded like he was holding back tears. "It wasn't him. They rushed in, grabbing me and flinging me against the wall." He wrapped his arms around torso. The only comfort he allowed himself to have.

"I don't remember what happened next; just the pain. I don't even remember their faces." The trembling subsided and he loosened his grip. "Itachi and Sandaime-sama were there when I woke up. Itachi was holding me, comforting me. Someone must have said something for he handed me over to oji-san." His hands fell to his sides and he seemed to return to the present for he appeared disoriented for a moment. Although he seemed to have more control over his emotion, he refused to look at Tsunade. "When I woke up again I was in Sarutobi-sama's office. Itachi came back not long after. He was covered in blood and…crying. I had never seen him cry before," Naruto whispered it. He had never spoken to anyone of his past, preferring to live for the moment. He felt restless and he wrung his hands together absently. "He said that they were dead. That everyone from his clan was dead. He said that Orochimaru killed them but he told his brother that he did! He didn't want his Sasuke to go after the snake. He said that he'd rather have Sasuke kill him than become a marionette to Orochimaru.

"Sarutobi-sama took notes, told Itachi to write a report, told him that he'd take care of everything." Naruto finally raised his head, though his eyes were diverted. "And, here we are. I witnessed the mission assigning, got my new identity, and Itachi took off. Sarutobi sealed the scroll and…I never want to do that all over again." Naruto sighed, feeling incredibly weary. Whether it was the past he was speaking of, or the present, was anyone's guess.

Tsunade was silent for a while. Naruto stopped fiddling his fingers and clasped them behind his back once more though his stance was tired.

Tsunade stood up and walked past Naruto to the entrance. "I assume that you know how to close this room?"

Naruto nodded. "It will close once all the original party members are out of the room."

Tsunade nodded and, as both Naruto and Tsunade left, the door closed, sealing the room and hiding it from view. Tsunade sat in her normal plush chair in front of her desk, motioning Naruto to take a seat as well.

Naruto sank gratefully in one of the uncomfortable chairs in front of the Hokage's desk. He was glad for the chance to get off his feet. He was emotionally drained and tired beyond belief.

"I believe you," Tsunade began, watching the jounin in front of her. "I believe you intentions, and I believe your loyalty; both to me and to Itachi."

A small smile grace his face – one that Tsunade found herself missing terribly – and his raised his sad, tired eyes to Tsunade mouthing two words: Thank you. Naruto was thankful that Tsunade believed him. He had been worried. Worried about laying his soul bare and then being rejected.

"That aside, lets get to specifics," Tsunade smiled gently, hearing the soft groan from the boy in front of her as Naruto struggled to sit up. "How come none of the villagers noticed Naruya's disappearance and your abrupt appearance?"

Naruto smiled again. "Finally, an easy question! The villagers and shinobis only knew that the Kyuubi was sealed in an Uzumaki infant. No one ever knew my first name or my gender until I entered the Academy. And, although the name on my birth certificate says 'Kazama Naruya', I was always referred to as 'Uzumaki Naruya' in the beginning and 'Uzumaki Naruto', now. That was the Sandaime's decision; changing my surname. He didn't want my father's enemies to become my own on top of the villager's…discomfort."

Tsunade abruptly snorted at his way of describing her townsfolk's anger to him. Then, something clicked. "Wait, father?"

Naruto's eyes widened before he slapped his head. "Shit…" he sighed. "Forget I said that and get onto the next question."

Tsunade raised a delicate eyebrow. "Okay, who's your father?"

"You're not going to let me go, are you?"

"Not likely."

A sigh. "Kazama Arashi." Naruto stated simply.

"But isn't that-"

"Yes, my father's the Yondaime Hokage." His smile was filled with such pride that Tsunade found herself smiling as well.

"I guess that's one mystery solved." Now that it was told, it seemed the simplest answer to all of their questions. Why Kyuubi was sealed. Why Naruto was chosen. It explained more than it didn't. "But what about Itachi?"

Naruto frowned. "I don't understand."

"You said he was one a mission, correct?" At Naruto's nod, she continued. "He must report in on some occasion. Why have I never seen information from him?"

Naruto smiled, scratching the back of his head, finding comfort in his forced happiness. It wasn't a mask; it just helped him to cope with everything. "He gave the reports to Sarutobi-sama before he died. Then he started giving them to me. I either passed them on personally, or subtly gave it to someone else to report. Usually managed to sucked Ero-sennin into doing it."

Tsunade smirked, eyes softening. "Was he in on it? You're gender change and Itachi, that is."

Naruto shook his head. "No. He never known."

"And what about you?" Tsunade clasped her hands together and leaned on the desk. "Are you ever going to release you disguise?"

Naruto looked down at his own hands folded in his lap. "I have no choice. I promised Oji-san that I would drop it when Itachi wanted to come home and I told the next Hokage. But," he raised his gaze to Tsunade's amber eyes. He didn't bother to hide his emotions. "I won't lie to you. I'm scared."

He didn't say what he was scared of. He didn't have to. Tsunade knew. She knew probably the most, what he was afraid of. Rejection, disgust, anger. He didn't want his friends to hate and abandon him. She realized, for the first time, the full extent of Naruto's sacrifice and of what he gave up for the people he loved. "They won't hate you, Naruto." Tsunade stepped around her desk, laying a hand on the young teen's shoulder.

"I know that. You know that. I just can't grasp the concept."

She hugged him then. She knew that he needed it, just as he knew that he'd never ask for it. And her heart went to the boy that clung to her, basking in the affection that was normally denied to him.

Slowly, they pulled away. "You okay?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I'll be fine, now, to release this jutsu. I've done it a few times, usually once or twice a year, to keep me in tune with my original body." He put his hands together in a complex seal. His chakra fluctuated briefly and subsided.

No flash. No poof.

The only sign that Naruto changed was the apparent shrinking of his body mass; his broad shoulders narrowed, his waist slimmed and curved, and his chest and hair grew. Her jounin uniform, simply, sagged on the slimmer version of Naruto. And when she spoke, he voice was a tone higher. "Done," she said simply. And Tsunade got a good look at Kazama Naruya.

Naruya's golden hair fell in gentle waves to her shoulders, curving around a small, heart-shaped face. Brilliant blue eyes shimmered above high cheekbones and her nose was slim and small and it went well with her full lips and her stubborn yet delicate chin.

Her arms, hidden beneath the baggy sleeves, were toned and slim, hardened from rough training. Her hands were artistic; long fingers and a wide palm. Her hips were well rounded and went well with her gently swelling cleavage. Her legs were long yet she appeared graceful when she rose to stand up; a soft blush sparkled on her cheeks.

"Can you stop staring?" Naruya asked, rubbing her arm. "Its embarrassing."

Tsunade snapped out of her gaze. "Am I to assume that you have other clothes that would fit?"

The blush reddened. "Yeah…I got some that might fit."

Tsunade laughed at the boy-turned-girl's distress.

-x-

They took a quick trip to Naruya's apartment where the girl found a small, orange shirt – that fit snuggly around her breasts but fell loosely around her torso to her hips – and black pants that hung from her slim hips. Then Tsunade summoned Neji and Shikamaru, two of her youngest ANBU members, to her office.

Surprisingly, the two teens arrived simultaneously and were shocked to see the attractive yet nervous blonde by their Hokage's side. Discipline taught them their questions to themselves. However, Neji's byakugan sensed the familiarity of the girl's chakra.

Tsunade coughed slightly to gain their attention. "Neji-kun, Shikamaru-kun, I have a mission for you. For the time being, it is classified." Tsunade stated factually. "It's a simple B-Class mission and I'm not expecting too much trouble."

"Not to be rude, Hokage-sama," Neji stepped forward quietly. "But why assign ANBU this mission?"

"It has come to my attention, through very reliable sources, that Uchiha Itachi is, and has always been, innocent of the Uchiha massacre." She paused, letting that piece of info sink in.

Needless to say, they were shocked. Neji and Shikamaru were both aware of the circumstances surrounding Sasuke's lust for vengeance. They, however, were not expecting this.

"That's the reason for the ANBU assignments," Shikamaru said slowly, his mind whirling with possibilities. "For the secrecy and the supposed seriousness of the task."

"That's right," Tsunade agreed. "I trust you two to keep tight lips about this until I say otherwise."

Both men nodded.

"Good, now onto reason number two. Uzumaki Naruto was my source. He, through various reasons, has been in contact with Itachi for nine years. He will be accompanying you on this mission, as he is the person that Itachi is waiting for. In three days time, you are to meet up with Itachi in the Tea Country and escort him back to the village and to my office with the least amount of people knowing."

Again, both men nodded but this time, Shikamaru spoke up.

"If Naruto is to accompany us, why isn't he here?"

"She is," Tsunade said simply.

Naruya stepped forward, raising her eyes to meet the Neji and Shikamaru's gaze. No words were needed as both Neji and Shikamaru realized that this was Naruto and that there are no jutsus involved with Naruto's noticeable change of gender.

"Hello," Naruya said simply.

First off, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers. I had never imagined that there would be that much positive response to the first chapter alone. This quick update is for you guys/girls.