The group arrived at Konoha 2 days later and rushed to the hospital the staff quickly coming to help and took him to ER ,the nurse told the team to wait outside as the only medic on the team collapsed tiredly on chairs outside the room , basically keeping him alive the whole time they were traveling.
Heels could be heard quickly coming down the hall, lifting their heads up and stood up as they saw the Hokage approaching looking very upset with Shizune trying to keep up with her master stopping she address the team .
"You better tell me that's not your newest member in that room! " seeing them not answering and lowering their heads ".. SHIT! " she cursed pacing pinching the bridge of her nose "... do you have any idea what repercussion this might cause me! .. the council is already breathing down my neck about sending you on this mission and now this ...that mission report better be very , exceptionally detailed ...meet me in my office I'll talk to you after I'm done here " giving them a hard stare as they left for the Hokage office she went into the room.
"...and that's the mission report ma'am" Yamato finishing up being the team leader of the mission closing her eyes she rested her head on her folded hands trying to calm herself down , Naruto hearing he transformed into four tails clenched his fist .His head lowered as guilt and regret set in beating himself up likely blaming himself about the failure of the mission.
Just as the Hokage was about to talk, knocking came from the door .Getting permission to enter from her the door open and in step Danzo, Tsunade cursed under her breath and waited for him to talk.
"Princess Tsunade...do you mind telling me ..why my top subordinate is heavily bandaged and bedridden "Danzo asked her with a hard stare
"Do you mind telling me why you sent your subordinate on a secret mission without informing me "She shot back giving her own hard stare.
"And with good intentions...did you really suspect Uchiha would surrender without a fight ...sending my subordinate on that mission or not... would not have change the out come of this mission...maybe if you did your work and not play favourites the Uchiha would already be captured and be brought back.. " sending his hard stare over to team 7 he turned and left the office.
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"...Dismissed"
"Granny -
Tsunade raised her hand stopping him from finishing, lowering his head and left the office the Hokage sign'd and pinched the bridge between her eyes and muttered a series of curses. Reaching under her desk taking out a bottle of saki and poped the cork gulping straight from the bottle , she stopped and said in a tired tone.
"...oh Naruto .."
The two last member walked in silence both lost in their own thoughts on the mission, Naruto stopped next to a bench making Sakura stop and turned to look at him as he took a seat on it and rested his forehead on his folded hands , taking a seat next him slumped shoulders just as tired .
"...I failed..."he said in a defeated tone
"I failed...and cost us the mission " he continued slumping his shoulders even more as if the weight of the world rested on it
"... Naruto.." she said concerned about him
"...why am I so weak ...did my training mean nothing...did I waste all my time for nothing ..."
She lowered her and clenched her hands feeling his pain through his words , tears forming in her eyes as their rouge teammates words resonated through her head about severing their bond.
"What's the use Sakura ...why even bothe-
"NO!" She stood up cutting him of not believing him that he's basically giving up and continued.
"Giving up now would mean all our sacrifices!..we made over the years would mean nothing, I know it hurts that we didn't get Sasuke back but there will be other times we can try ...this isn't the end of the world...even if it means getting even stronger we will get him back , we will have our team one day back together " she finished giving him a tearful smile
Naruto giving his own tearful smile lowered his head again and asked fisting his pants " ...but ..what about ...Yami ..".
She lowered her head and rub her arm thinking for a moment and finally answering him "you know...even if he lied about everything...why did he try to sacrifice himself for us ...why help us if only his mission mattered"
"Yeah ...maybe ...under all that cold emotionless demeanor...he really did care about us " he said hoping for the best
Waking up sore all over ,covered in bandages being mummified with a heart monitor's annoying beeping isn't really a place for anyone to be in . while looking at the white ceiling with only one vision really told me the extend of my injuries. Argh alone with my thoughts ,my demons better not come visit me cause I'm having a pretty crappy evening already.
"Torn muscles , 6 broken bones , 3 fractured bones, a fractured jaw, a burnt out eye, and not only that but your chakra coils got damaged...I must say that attack really worked a number on you "
And it just got crappier...
Turning my head I saw the Hokage sitting in the chair next to my bed arms crossed with one leg over the other eye brow rosed and groaned my voice raspy replying.
"What do you want old lady " I turned back to the ceiling.
"Humph, honestly no respect these days, you and Naruto... what happened to the youth of today... but anyway.. imagine my surprise ,this broken and damage body coming was the same boy I met one night at a river bank a year ago " she asked likely titling her head hearing I'm not responding she continued "...but seeing as you are Danzo's top subordinate, I know now why you were sitting there... drowning in your self pity" I snorted and replied " you know nothing about me woman " she took a moment to respond " no ...no I don't but your eyes ...they remind me of a time where I use to look in the mirror and those same eyes stared back at me ...even now I see it ...the hurt that you enduring... the suicide missions you where went on hoping you'd get taken out " she took out something out of her coat and threw it on the bedside table turning my head I saw it was my rough around the edges black assassination book that somehow survived" All high level jonin ... throwing yourself in suicide missions won't solve your problems- " " I don't need advice from a woman who drank her problems away!, Ugh!!" I exclaimed in anger hurting myself trying to move , who does she think she is , lecturing me thinking she's better than-" I'm not here to lecture you , I'm here to help " I scoffed and breathlessly laughed " eheh help ...and how...by bringing my family back , by bringing her back!... huh! ...I have nothing, nothing! at the end of the day all I have is the remnant's of my memories of them!, you had people who cared for you yet you pushed them away!,all I have is my training and being Danzo's weapon !!...you were her idol , she looked up to you she wanted one day to learn from you and now she cant!" I gritted my teeth panting clenching the sheets in my left fist , as a tear fell out of my left eye , she lowered head feeling his agony, his pain all of it and said" Yes ...I did push them away I pushed everything and everyone away by either gambling or drinking...poor shizune looking after me always coming to my rescue when I'm to drunk to even see straight... eh honestly I don't tell her enough how much I appreciate her ...and yes I had people who still cared for me , and they all allowed me to do as I please ...but then Naruto came, eh the runt with big chip on his shoulder who wants to become the Hokage one day ...basically told me to start living again " she stood up from her chair and stood next to my bed looking me in the eye and said " looking at how you endured the same pain as me ...I want to be that person who helps you ..." Putting her hand on my chest light green aura began emitting from her hand healing it and soothing my pain " and if it means becoming close and caring for you ... I'll gladly do it " she gently smiled down upon me, closing my eye I thought back to the night I first met her.
Flashback
It was a mildly cold night as I sat starring at the river floating by me with my legs folded against my chest and my head resting on my knees . My wounds still fresh about Natsume's death affecting me so much I don't feel the wind blowing past me , deep in my thoughts I didn't hear her approached and sat besides me , noticing only when she said "Nice night out" "hn" I replied " not much for talking huh " we sat in silence for a few moments. I flinched when she wrapped her arm around me and tucked me close to her bringing my head close to the side of her chest I flinching again when she started rubbing my head , I don't know if it's because my own mother use to do it whenever I have troubled thoughts or that I miss the comfort of my mother's touched,but just by her doing that helped me tremendously that night ..
Flashback end
XXXXX
Opening my eyes again I saw it was morning laying for a few moments looking out the window thinking about the Hokage meeting me last night made me think about Natsume.
Flashback
"Urgh !!"
"Quiet and let me concentrate healing you "
"Healing me ?!, it feels more like you trying to injure me in places I'm not injured! "
"I said quiet! or I will intentionally injure you "
"Fine , fine , fine "
Taking a few moments struggling and ouches she finally healed him of the injuries he sustained on his mission , putting his shirt back he asked her.
"You know , you never told why you wanted to learn the mystic palm " he asked
"You gonna think it's embarrassing " she fainting blush looking to the side
"What why , you training so hard, so there must be a good reason for it "
"You not gonna laugh"
"Promise "
"Pink-"
"Natsume!!"
"Fine,fine,fine...well ...its cause in the great ninja war 2 there was a woman who healed a whole platoon of soldiers , they say her strength is so great that her punches breaks the ground and shattered mountains and everybody feared her because of her temper , she was so strong she became a legendary figure ...and not only do I wanna be like her one day , I want to be stronger than her !" Hearing her talk so passionately about her idol warmed his heart so much that he reached out and patted her head telling her
"... Seeing you work so hard, I believe that will happen one day and I'll always support you .." they both smiled widely at one another
Flashback end
Coming back to the real world, my door opened and in stepped the female of team 7 with a flower , stepping next to my bed she placed the flower in the vase startling her I asked her with my raspy voice.
"Why you bringing me flowers , I'm not dead yet "
"AAh " she quickly caught the vase from falling turning her head she said annoyed
"Don't startle me like that! "
"If you were hoping I got taken out , well sorry but I'm still here "
Standing next to my bed her hands folded in front her she asked in concern.
"How do you feel "
"How do you think I feel " I responded
"Probably hurt , seeing how huge the aftermath of the technique left on the battlefield "
"Eh ...yeah your boyfriend got me pretty good " she blushed and stammered
"H-he's he's not my b-boyfriend " after a moment of silence , with her getting her composer back he asked her in his usual cold tone
"Why are you here Haruno.. "
"I came to check on you and see how you doing "
"After basically betraying your trust "
"Yes even after all of that ...but that doesn't matter cause your actions showed me what you really meant ...when you saved us and took on the whole technique for yourself ...thank you Yami " she replied sincerely giving him a small smile.
"Don't misunderstand Haruno ...you were the apprentice of the Hokage ... Uzumaki being the jinchuriki plays a very important role about protecting this village and Yamato a jonin with the first Hokage cells are all important figures all I did was take the best solution and made it possible...so your thanks is unneeded " he replied coldly
"...but...what about you.." she asked hurt that he threw her sincerity back
"I am nobody ...the villages is what only matters "
"But ,but " she stuttered in shock that he would say that.
"I am injured Haruno , please leave and let me rest " he said closing his undamaged eye , seeing he wasn't going to continue their conversation she sunk her head in defeat and left the room.
Xxxxx
It was late afternoon when Naruto stood outside Yami's door hesitating about going in when he thought back to the team meeting he and Sakura had with their teacher Kakashi.
Flashback
"...so that's Yami huh...he sounds pretty strong ..." Kakashi said still sitting in his hospital bed turning a page in his book seemly uncaring but still having his complete attention to the discussion.
"Yeah and fast to , I never saw anyone so fast I just blinked and he was gone , I thought Lee was fast , but man he basically had Sasuke on the ropes! " Naruto exclaimed showcasing his awe in his words.
"Hmm Sakura " Kakashi said her when she remained quiet almost the whole meeting.
"Huh" She asked a little lost
"What do you think about Yami's strength " he asked looking at her
Finally responded she said " he's strong yes.."lowering her head "... but what does that strength matter if you believe you're nothing, that you not valued ...after I thanked him for saving us, he told me in so many ways that he's nothing but a tool tool ...that he's basically worthless and the good of the village only matters " she said a little down Naruto listening to her story thought back about his opponent on his first mission ' Haku ' clenching his fist , seeing that the mood is taking a sharp turn Kakashi tried to save it .
"Well the foundation has really strange way ,when it comes to about teaching their subordinates , the third finding out about it put a stop to all of it when Danzo tried a coup... But it would seems Danzo still had 1 or 2 under his sleeve , but now that I've heard about Sasuke's and Yami's extraordinary power I believe it's time to put my training method into action ..." seeing their shock he continued " what ..do you think all I did was sleeping and doing nothing...I was brain storming and that's how the idea came to me ...but this training method is more suited for Naruto ...or rather it will only work with Naruto ...and if it does work out ...Naruto might even surpass me."
Flashback end
After hearing about Kalashi's method to potentially speeding up his training and spending the rest of the day thinking about it and Sakura's words about Yami he finally decided to visit him .
Opening the door he saw Yami laying on the bed heavily bandaged with just his left eye showing he's resting he stepped over to the side of the bed and looked down at him .
"What do you want Uzumaki" Naruto flinched not expecting him to say anything , he replied stammering " w-well I just wanted to know how you doing "
' I swear it's annoy Yami's day today ' "Good all things considered "
"Erh okay ,that's great... "
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.*fidget*
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"Spit it out Uzumaki don't waste my time "
" Erh ...well I just ...I heard what you told Sakura and -
"And what "
"Well I just wanted to say is ...I understand how you feel about being unvalued that feeling your existence mean nothing I went through it to...and well there was this person on my first mission , a C rank mission and he told me ...that he was nothing but a tool to further his master's wishes ...he was ordered to kill us ...he had us trapped ...but he couldn't do it ...his heart was to soft and ... believing he killed Sasuke I snapped and I punched him, after knocking him away he told me to kill him believing a second punch from me would end it for him...he believed that if he couldn't fulfil is master's dream that death is his only answer ...the reason why I'm telling you this is because I want to tell you that there's still so much to live for and team 7 will always welcome you in our family anytime" he finished his speech with a wide eyed smile
Yami looking of to the side and finally spoke" the person you were talking about " he turned his head looking Naruto deep in the eyes and said .
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" ...sounds weak "
" Wha.." Naruto replied in shocked not expecting that reply
"Let me tell you something Uzumaki, just because you heard three little words about me doesn't mean you know anything about me , I'm no ones pet to grovel at someone's feet I have my own goals to fulfil ,don't come in here and give me a speech about family when you couldn't convinced your own teammate to come back to the village when you known him far longer " glaring at him he continued" so take your help and get the hell out of my room "
Naruto clenching his fist fighting a battle inside him, but finally walked over to the door and just as his hand was about to touch the handle he replied over his shoulder "...I will become stronger and when I do, I will get Sasuke back to the leaf and after that I will prove you wrong ...and that's ...a promise of a life time..." opening the door he step through it and for one last time he said over his shoulder ".. believe it" slamming the door close. Yami scoffed and layed back down resting.
Xxxx
Waking up in the middle of the night I spoke out aloud annoyed "..Sai if you say anything about how I look I'll kill you "
"Well then I would just be stating the obvious wouldn't I " he appeared beside my bed giving me one of his sickly sweet fakes smiles I groaned and asked what's he doing here , I've been asking that a lot lately.
"Lord Danzo ,after looking at your condition believe he found a solution to your problem and I'm here to take you to him "
"So he finally came through huh " I smirked lifting my left hand and clenching it my left fist tightly looking at my fist then back at him
"Finally let's go "
Xxxx
Arriving at root base they took me to operating room, with Danzo already waiting for me asking me if I wanted to go through with it.
"The first Hokage's cells huh ...if it will help me by finishing my mission then do whatever you must... I will complete this mission ...not only to protect this village...
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...but for my revenge "