"Guilty Until Innocent"
By: Shadow and Janime
"How does Kankurou stand wearing this stuff on his face day in and day out?" Naruto asked as he finished washing the blue face paint off his cheeks.
"I don't know," Gaara answered. "I'm beginning to think it's permanent."
Naruto wiped his face with a towel and looked at his reflection in the mirror. The good news was that the minor disguise was keeping him alive and avoiding attention. The bad news was that he had to put the face paint on whenever he had to leave the room Tsunade had arranged for them to stay in, and that he'd have to wait for his hair to grow out to be rid of the brown dye.
Sighing, the exiled ninja tossed the towel into the empty laundry basket. He looked at Gaara through the mirror. "So what's next?"
He shrugged. "Hidama said we wait. If the ones who attacked you are watching they'll find someway to draw you out."
"I hate waiting but can't argue with her." Stepping out of the bathroom he sat on one of the beds. "Hey Gaara, I've been meaning to ask you something."
"I'm not stopping you." The kazekage sat on a cushy chair, taking the brief moment to relax.
"How do you know mother?"
The young man was silent for a long moment before taking a deep breath and slowly released it. "Happened a long time ago, after the chuurin exams. With my father dead I was selected to be the next kazekage. That didn't settle well with most of the people here but no one dare say anything. Before Shukaku was ripped from me, I lost control of him. All the pressures of being kazekage, knowing that everyone still feared me, knowing that they didn't want a monster as their leader was wearing me down." He closed his eyes briefly then opened them slowly.
"I remember walking out of the tower; I could feel Shukaku stirring within me. He was restless and he knew I was losing my focus so I left Suna and wondered around the deserts, hoping Shukaku would get bored and leave me alone. I was wrong. Before I knew it I lost control. Shukaku wanted blood and had his sights on my village but he never got that far." He still remembered when he first met the pale woman.
It was nighttime, the full moon shined brightly in the darken sky, the golden sands turned silver. She looked like a ghost with her pale features and clothing but he could hear her heart beat, could almost taste the blood flowing through her. With a roar he charged at the stranger, intent on satisfying his hunger and blood lust.
He never got a single drop.
She moved swiftly and gracefully, dodging every attack he threw. Even as the sand swallowed her more than once she managed to find her way free. Not once did she retaliate or try to run away, didn't even speak a word. It took most of the night but Shukaku was getting tired of chasing his supposed prey around. The woman didn't seem the least bit tired as she approached him, didn't show the least bit of fear when he growled at her; her armored hand was glowing brightly he it wasn't charka, it was something much higher. So focused on her hand he didn't notice her other one until the fist landed right between his eyes. While dazed she shouted something he couldn't understand then struck him in the chest with her glowing hand, as hard as she could with the heel of her palm.
To Gaara it felt like he couldn't breathe, that he was drowning but then he felt an immense relief, like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The young man heard the one-tailed demon shriek in pain and terror--which was new for him--then felt control being thrusted into his hands. He fell to the sands on his hands and knees, gasping for air and trembling violently. He knew the stranger was there, watching him so he closed his eyes, expecting death but it never came. Instead he felt a hand rest atop his head, gently petting his hair.
"So this is what happened to the great sand demon." That same hand moved to cup his chin and lift his face to meet hers. Now he had a close look of her ethereal beauty: smooth pale skin like ivory without a single flaw, silver white hair pooled around her like a waterfall, and icy blue eyes that didn't judge him. "You're just a child."
He frowned and slapped her hand away. "You don't have the right to call me names."
"If I wanted to insult you I would have. What's your name?"
"... Gaara."
She slowly stood, offering her hand to him. "Call me Hidama."
"She stayed in Suna for a while, helped me learn to control Shukaku better. In fact, when she was around he refused to show himself. He was afraid of her. Temari and Kankurou didn't trust her but I did. She was everything to me and more, she was... my mother." He barely whispered that word but the brunette heard it.
"Why did she leave?" Naruto asked softly.
"She didn't say but I could tell she didn't want to. The day she left, she made me promise to be the greatest kazekage Suna had ever seen and that if Shukaku ever got out of control, she would be back. That was almost three years ago."
"Yeah, but Shukaku's not in you anymore," Naruto pointed out. "Maybe she found that he's gone."
Gaara shook his head. "He's not completely gone. I guess there's still some kind of connection with him, very faint but it's there. Like a small part of him was left with me."
"That explains why you're still stronger than a regular ninja."
"True." But you are stronger than I am, Gaara didn't say out loud.
Naruto then stretched out on the bed, placing his hands under the pillow. "Hidama is my mother," he started, "and she's also your mother."
Gaara looked at Naruto, surprised that the other ninja had heard.
The former blonde looked at the red head with a cheeky grin. "So does this mean I can call you 'bro'?"
He blinked. "We're not related by blood," he said slowly.
"We aren't related to mother either but she calls us her sons. So why not?"
Why not? There was no reason for him not accept it. Looking at the young ninja, he felt his lips twitched as he gave him a smile. It was more of a smirk but it was close enough. "Brother."
Naruto grinned and gave him a thumbs up. Now he had a family.
--
Hidama stood next to the chair Iruka was sitting in near the Hokage's desk. Tsunade was sitting on the other side, elbows on top of the polished wood and her fingertips touching. Kakashi stood on the other side of the room not wanting to get to close to Hidama unless necessary.
"There is no doubt that the Shadow of the Fallen Moon Clan still exists," the pale woman said, "and trying to start their old tricks again."
Tsunade sighed and shut her eyes briefly. "I'm afraid you're right."
"But why Naruto?" Kakashi asked. "Kyuubi has been sealed within him for this long and there were only a couple occasions when Kyuubi's power started to emerge-"
"It's not just Kyuubi's power they're after," Hidama interrupted. "They'll also want his blood. That's why I wanted Gaara to come with me--because of Shukaku. Even though Shukaku is no longer inside, they will still try to see if his blood has any power residue left."
The teacher looked up at her, eyes wide. "Then they'll be after him as well?"
"Possibly. I'm not one to take chances, and those two work well together."
"I've already sent messages to all the other leaders in the surrounding countries but I haven't received any replies back." The hokage sighed heavily. "If only we knew where they were hiding we could attack them and finally be rid of them."
"They're choosing to ignore this threat, burying their heads in the ground like spineless cowards," the woman hissed angrily. "Fools like them have no right to be leaders."
"We're on our own then," Kakashi observed. "Our only option is to wait until they make their next move."
"Unfortunately, yes. I already have the shinobi on high alert to contact me if they see anything wrong."
"So what do we do in the meantime?"
"Try to act as if nothing is wrong. If I tell everyone that the Shadow of the Fallen Moon is back they'll either ignore the threat and continue to blame Naruto, cause a panic in which the enemy will have the perfect opportunity to send in a spy, or a mix of both," the pale blonde counted off her fingers. "Iruka, you and the other teachers will continue teaching classes but if there is an attack-"
"I know what to do. It wouldn't be the first time the village was infiltrated." He meant it as a light jest but no one cracked a smile. Besides, that's how they lost the Sandaime those years ago.
--
Taka walked the streets of Konoha, taking in the sights and sounds. A group of small children ran past her and she smiled a little, which then was replaced by sadness.
I was like them once, Taka thought, not a care in the world, not worrying about adult things, dreaming child-dreams…
And then it was all taken from her.
Sighing, Taka changed her direction. When she looked up, the young woman saw the cliff side with the five previous Hokages' faces engraved in the stone.
Taka smiled as Naruto's voice flittered through her mind as he went on about how he "expressed his creativity" by painting the first four Hokage's faces just before he graduated.
It was funny to think how he did that much in such a short amount of time and how he would easily evade the guards. Iruka had been the only one who ever caught him but then before the day ended he would treat the blonde to ramen. She bit her lip to stifle her laughter but continued walking.
Around him I feel like I don't have a worry in the world, she thought to herself. Even Lord Gaara seems more open around him--like a boy his age should act.
The blonde had an inviting personality that made one feel like they could be who they wanted to be, dropping all masks.
Well, not everything. She looked up, swearing she heard something but there was nothing. Shrugging, she continued her walk even as a large form moved through the bushes, following her.
--
Jiraiya didn't know exactly why he stuck around Konoha. Tsunade was holding herself together; Kakashi wasn't bothering him for an autograph; Naruto was apparently safe due to word of mouth; and Iruka was awake and seemingly well on the road to full recovery.
But Jiraiya had stayed.
Tsunade threatened him to kill him this time if he tried peaking into the women's onsen again.
But she didn't say anything about peaking at the lovely ladies, he smirked to himself. This young lady he was following was pretty and new. So odds are she didn't know about him or his habits.
Taka sighed, scratching the back of her head. Gaara and Naruto were hanging out together and Hidama was talking with the Hokage. I wonder if I should wait for her, head back to the rooms, or wander around some more, she wondered. Though exploring the village might be nice. It had been a long time since she left Suna.
Five years she had lived in the Sand Village, and earned the trust and respect of the people there. Yet she never asked to be a part of the clan. A well trained aspiring ninja, she had overheard one of the teachers comment about her to Gaara roughly seven months after the patrol group had found her.
But I cannot be a part of them, Taka thought, I am clan-less.
The rustling in the bushes behind her to her right caught her attention. Taka turned around and found herself staring at a man with long spiky white hair, a red line going down both cheeks, wearing a deep red and grey outfit, and a kanji on his forehead protector.
The man smiled in what he thought was a charming smile as he approached her. "Sorry didn't mean to disturb you, miss," he said.
She nodded slowly to him, watching him warily. "Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is Jiraiya. Perhaps you've heard of me? But I would like to ask you something."
"... Alright."
"Would you pose naked for me? It's for my upcoming book."
The color drained from Taka's face then she turned red and narrowed her eyes.
The next thing Jiraiya knew, he saw Taka's back as she stormed away while looking through the hole in the wall of the cloth merchant's stand. And he was in great pain.
"I'll take that as a 'no'…" he groaned.
--
Naruto slurped the ramen Kakashi brought for him as requested by Iruka. As much as the father figure wanted to deliver the ramen himself, Iruka had to go back to his hospital room--the teacher wasn't completely out of the woods yet so to speak.
The silver-haired jounin smiled behind his mask, watching as he ate. "It's still strange seeing you with brown hair now," he commented.
"Tell me about it. And I have to use that greasy make-up to hide these." The young ninja pointed to the whisker scars along his cheeks.
"Once this whole ordeal is over you won't have any reason to hide anymore."
"Can't wait. How's everyone though? Sakura is the only one who comes to visit and Gaara can walk around Konoha without having to hide."
"Sasuke knows you're back. He figured it out quickly but the others… some of their parents are still upset at having their children try to defend a murderer but they don't care. You're still their friend. And they're worried about you all as well."
Naruto was quiet as he set the bowl on the table. "I want to see them, tell them not to worry but I can't. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me," he said softly then smiled lightly. "And if I did that mother would have my head."
"Somehow I can see that." The elite rubbed his shoulder, still remembering how fast she moved. "Is she really your mother? Why raise a child that isn't hers-"
"Why are you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?" came a cool question, making both of them jump and look at the doorway. Hidama stood there, this time wearing gray pants hanging on her hips and a pale blue shirt that revealed her tone stomach but both sleeves were fishnet, the right one covering the back of her hand to her elbow in the same material as the shirt and the left just around her elbow. She still wore the golden wrist guard on her right hand. Moving fluidly she took the empty bowl.
"Naruto, from now on you'll only eat ramen once a week. I want you on a steady and normal diet."
"But this was from Iuka-sensei! I couldn't just throw it away!" he whined.
"That's fine but I don't want you to end up sick. And don't whine."
He opened his mouth to complain but quietly shut it when she looked at him. "Okay. Can I go outside?"
"After you put on the face paint. And take your brother."
Naruto looked over to Gaara, who had been sitting quietly in a chair on the far side of the room, giving Naruto and Kakashi some time to talk and listen about the events in Konoha. The two boys grinned at each other.
Footsteps stormed to the room accompanied by a sputtering female voice. Naruto was just about to bolt to the bathroom but as the voice became clearer, he recognized it as Taka.
Man, I've never heard her angry before, Naruto thought.
Taka walked into the room, a disgusted look on her face but everyone could tell that she was fuming.
"What happened?" Hidama asked.
Taka growled. "Some guy who could pass as my father asked me to pose naked for him for a book!"
Silence took hold of the room save for Taka's frustrated breathing.
"Did he have long white hair and red face paint," Kakashi asked.
She nodded, still fuming angrily.
"I didn't know Jiraiya was in town."
"Ero-sensei is here?" Naruto blinked then quickly looked at the ladies. "Whatever you do don't go to the public baths! At least until he leaves!"
Hidama was about to ask but noticed a small book that silver-haired jounin was seemingly trying to hide in his jacket. Frowning she moved swiftly and grabbed the book. "Make Out Paradise?" She opened it and flipped through the pages. After a moment she looked over the cover. "You say he's your mentor, kit?"
"Yeah. But he's such a pervert! He always wants me to do my Sexy no Jutsu for his books and when he gets caught I get in trouble too!" he complained. "Kakashi-sensei always reads his stupid books too even when he's suppose to be training me, Sakura, and Sasuke!"
"Really?" She looked at him and the jounin froze. When she held the book out to him he slowly reached for it but before he could touch it the book erupted into flames. He pulled back but the flames quickly turned the book into fine ash. "That, was the most disgusting, pathetic, and mindless dribble I have ever seen."
He blinked at the ashes of his favorite book and frowned. "You have problem with explicit sex scenes?" he asked coolly. Hidama snorted as her eyes harden, resisting the urge to break his jaw.
"From what I've seen in my life travels I could give this 'author' several hundred pointers. I'm disgusted that he calls this literature even if it is porn. A child could write a better story then this idiot." She made to move past him but stopped and looked at him closely.
"By the way, the next time I see you read that trash in front of my sons, their friends, or any child for that matter; I'll show you what I learned during my travels. Not all of it was willing or pleasant." At that last statement her pupils went slitted and she bared her fangs at him before walking past him.
"Boys, be back before dinner. Gaara, make sure he doesn't eat any ramen whatsoever."
"I will," Gaara nodded and ignored the look Naruto gave him. "Well, she's right about the ramen. If you eat it at the rate you do, someone will put two and two together."
"I know," Naruto sighed, "but there's nothing else I really like." He looked at Taka with a smile. "But maybe I can eat sukiyaki."
The single woman laughed. "Well, since there is a kitchen downstairs, I'll make it for you. However, I really don't feel like going back out anytime soon if that hentai is out there."
"I can have the ingredients brought here for you," Kakashi said when he finished sweeping up the charred remains of his book.
"Don't bother," Naruto got off the bed. "Gaara and I will get them. I need to get out for a bit anyways."
"It's only fair," Gaara agreed. "But if anyone says that you look familiar-"
"We head straight back here," Naruto finished. "And I also keep my mouth shut so no one recognizes my voice."
Nodding Hidama watched as their boys left. She smiled faintly and rubbed at her wrist with the guard on. My sons.
Taka noticed what she was doing and touched her shoulder gently in concern. "Are you alright?"
"Yes... yes I'm fine. I need to pay my respects to someone though so I'll be back shortly."
"Alright. Kakashi, would you like to stay for dinner?"
He slowly stood, still holding onto the ashes of his book. "I'm not sure I'm allowed-"
"Stay or go I don't care. But my kit sees you as a mentor." She walked out the door but her first stop, was a flower shop. She had her respects to pay for some important people. Thanking the shop owner she left on silent feet to a place not many visited.
Kakashi kept his distance as he followed Hidama from the flower shop, carrying with her a strange assortment of flowers. Her trail led him to the cemetery and to the five foot tall stone pillars representing the four previous hokage's name, date of birth and death.
Hidama separated the flowers evenly and placed the first small bouquet in the vase before the pillar of the first hokage. "Konoha has done well, my old friend."
Kakashi's visible eye widened. She knew the Shodaime…?
She placed flowers in the next two vases, and then paused before the pillar of the fourth Hokage. "Forgive me, Kazuo, I should have taken him away as you had asked." Hidama knelt and placed the flowers in the vase. "But you would be very proud of your son."
He blinked. She knew one of the legendary hokages? His mentor back when he was a chuunin? How can that be? That would make her--nearly ancient! he thought to himself but kept as quiet as he could.
Her hand reached out and traced the names and dates, then she placed a stick of incense at the base of each vase but didn't light them just yet. Stepping back she brought her hands together in a prayer but it was the type of prayer spiritual monks and mikos used for funerals.
"May you continue to protect Konoha and guide the next hokage," she prayed softly. Sighing she uttered a single word and a spark ignited from the vases. Slowly, incense drifted from the flowers up to mingle in the winds. "I wish I could have done more but bound by promises I made to each of you, I can't. I don't agree with many of the villagers' ways or attitudes, but I will not leave them helpless."
She looked at the Sandaime's name sadly. "Wish I had been here for you... but I always knew you would never die without a fight." She let her hands drop and gazed at the stone pillars, feeling so alone in the world right now, feeling the weight of her years dragging her down. "It's hard to watch those I care about die and pass on while I continue to live."
The jounin watched her, nearly entranced as he replayed the words back in his mind. His mentor was a good man, helped him learn an get to know his teammates on a better level. But to have had a son? He never knew the man was even dating! She was here when Kyuubi attacked. The Yondaime sealed the fox into the body of an infant. Naruto was born around that same day-
His eye widen as he thought about it. "How could I have not noticed it before!" he hissed to himself aloud. He clapped his hand over his masked mouth, hoping that Hidama hadn't heard him.
"This is one of the reasons I hate dogs. They like to stick their noses where they don't belong."
Nope. She heard him alright.
"Usually cats are chased into trees," said Hidama. "Now are you coming down from there or am I going to have to do to the tree as I did to that filth you read."
Stifling a groan at being discovered--and at his own stupidity, Kakashi jumped down from his perch, landing a couple yards away from Hidama and the pillars.
"Why were you following me?" Hidama glared at him. She wasn't asking--she was demanding.
"If it concerns Naruto," Kakashi said, "then I want to know everything that is available. He was my student--still is in some ways, and he is also my teammate."
"Is that why you were asking him why a stranger would raise a infant that isn't hers?" she asked coldly.
"That's not what I meant. Who are you?"
She just stood there, looking at him silently. "Curiosity killed the cat, Copy Hound. But if you really want to know so much about me then see if you can catch me. Every time you beat me, you can ask one question."
"You mean a game of tag. If I lose?"
"You get nothing."
"What are the boundaries?"
"There are none and anything goes but don't try to weasel out any answers from my sons or you may find yourself the hunted."
"Charming. How long do I have?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out. By the way, the game has already started." Kakashi immediately leaped at her but instead of hoping to catch her off guard when through her. He caught himself in a controlled tumble and stared at the woman he just went though. She turned to face him and glared even as her image faded away.
"She managed to evade me so quickly, I couldn't even tell the difference," he said to himself and stood. "Maybe I should use my sharingan, at least until I know I'm fighting against the real thing." Adjusting his head protector he was off.
--
"They're here."
"Which ones?"
"All three."
"Well, well, isn't this going in our favor now."
"Shall we start then?"
"Yes."
Authors' Notes:
Just a little info on the titles we're using when mentioning the leaders (if you don't know this already) and who was who. We have yet to find out the names of the first two and the fourth's name we made up.
Shodaime – 1st Hokage
Nidaime – 2nd Hokage
Sandaime – 3rd Hokage, Saruboti
Yondaime – 4th Hokage, Kazuo
Godaime – 5th Hokage, Tsunade