Chapter Four: The truth

Tenzo took off for a break, knowing Asuma had a handle on the situation and that he can have a moment to rest. They entered the Hokage's office the council was there waiting for them. "Have a seat young Sarutobi." Koharu Utatane said upon their entrance. Ibiki Morino stood in a corner at the ready. Hakari went to the seat in the center of the room. "Welcome home, Hakari." Homura Mitokado said smiling. "Cut the pleasantries, where is Danzo Shimura?" Hakari growled. The council members and the Hokage shared a look before the Hokage spoke. "Danzo is no longer a member of the council?" The third began. Hakari's eyes grew wide, "Is he, all right?" Hakari asked with concern. "He's well, we removed him from the council for certain reasons." Koharu said softly. "Did you spend a lot of time with Danzo?" Homura asked before the kunoichi could ask why Danzo had been removed. "Only when Itachi spent long days training under him." Hakari shrugged. "Did you ever find him?" Hiruzen asked changing the subject. "No." Hakari glared at her grandfather. "No thanks to you."

*Flashback*

Hakari ran to her home quickly washed the blood from her arms that she had gotten when she hugged Itachi. Afterwards, she quickly began packing her bundle she felt someone approach but ignored them. "Hakari," a deep tenor voice sighed as a large hand came down upon her left shoulder. She turned crying and buried her face into the man's chest. "Why?" was all she said. "Unfortunately, I can't answer that for you." He sighed as he hugged her close. "Uncle Asuma, do you believe Itachi did this on his own?" Hakari sniffled trying to compose herself. Asuma was quiet as he held his niece; he didn't want to tell her that it wasn't the first friendly blood Itachi had shed. He wanted to spare her this heartache and tell her no that it had to be a misunderstanding, but alas he could not. "The Hokage had informed me that he feared Itachi's mental state for sometime, the Anbu had found Itachi's best friend dead and it seems to have been done by his hand. The Hokage was worried you would be targeted as well with how much you made yourself open for him." Asuma sighed. Hakari ripped away from him, "No, he would never… he wouldn't." She cried before grabbing her bundle quickly and jumping from the window. "Hakari, please wait." Asuma let out a breath chasing after her. As Asuma caught up to her so did three others. They surrounded her, they were four top ranking Jounin. Kakashi stood before her, Asuma behind her, Gai and Kurenai on either side of her. "Please, Honorable Granddaughter don't make such hasty decisions." Kurenai begged. "Don't call me that, my name is Hakari." Hakari growled. "Hakari, think about Konohamaru he needs his Oneesan." Asuma tried. "I'll be back once I find out the truth, please he's getting further away I need to catch up to him. I need to know." Hakari pleaded.

"Hakari…" Kakashi called her name calmly. She looked up at him finding him inches from her, before she could react her vision was going black. As she passed out Kakashi caught her in his arms holding her bridal style. "Why'd you do that Kakashi?" Gai asked angrily. "Lord Hokage will not be pleased when he finds out how you treated his granddaughter." Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't going to come along quietly. She would have fought her way through us I just thought I'd save us the hassle." Kakashi handed Hakari off to Asuma. "Kakashi is right, this was for the best. I only hope when she wakes up, she'll be more reasonable." Asuma said taking his niece. Hakari woke with a start, she looked around the room it wasn't her own it was a hospital room, she moved to stand, but couldn't looking down her wrist were bound by chakra sealing cuffs. She let out a frustrated huff and laid back down. Soon her grandfather entered the room followed by Asuma and Konohamaru. Konohamaru crawled up onto the bed hugging his big sister. "Nee-chan." He smiled not moving from hugging her. "Hakari, I trust you are thinking more rationally?" Hiruzen asked his granddaughter. "And if I'm not you're going to keep me bound here?" She growled if she could cross her arms she would. "I'm simply trying to protect you, my child." Hiruzen sighed taking a seat next to her bed. "I don't need protecting not from Itachi, you don't know him like I do." Hakari huffed.

*End of Flashback*

Hiruzen sighed recalling the memory that felt so long ago now. "Hakari, can you still not see the truth?" He looked up at her with a sad longing expression, before turning his eyes to Asuma. "The only truth I know is that you never approved of my feelings for Itachi Uchiha. My father thought he'd make a fine husband until you and he spoke." Hakari growled. "Please Hakari, listen to your grandfather." Asuma bit out. Hakari looked back at her uncle but listened to him all the same. "It had come to our attention that the Uchiha were going to try a coup to make their clan the top clan, that they felt they were being purposely held back. Fugaku Uchiha himself feared that his clan had a deep-seated hate for the village. He was the first to let us know that Itachi wasn't acting quite right." Koharu explained. "It wasn't until sometime after that we had found out that Danzo had ordered Itachi to destroy his clan against the Hokage's direct orders. Your grandfather tried to come up with a way to save the Uchiha to work things out peacefully, but it was no good Danzo had acted faster than we anticipated." Homura continued. "We didn't want to tell you the truth until we had learned all of it." Her grandfather sighed. Hakari sat listening, she stared down at her lap. "But, Hakari you cannot tell anyone this truth that we have shared." Koharu said drawing the young woman's attention to her. "Why if he was ordered he shouldn't be a criminal, people should know! Sasuke should know." Hakari growled fist clenched. "When Itachi accepted the mission, he knew what it meant, that he would never be able to return." Hiruzen sighed.

Hakari stood from her chair, "I… I can't… How can you? I need air." Hakari couldn't quite find what she wanted to say she stumbled over phrases and words. Hiruzen stood and led his granddaughter out of the room and up to the roof of the Hokage's office, Asuma and Ibiki followed. "Please Hakari, stay here in the village with us let me finish your training help us protect Sasuke from those that would hurt him. Sasuke is your closet link to Itachi." Hiruzen pleaded with his granddaughter who was looking out over the village. Hakari thought back on her childhood, she followed Itachi around everywhere, but so did a whole bunch of other girls. Her family and Itachi's had always been close Sasuke was named after her great grandfather after all. She thought about the kiss she had shared with him, in truth it was rather one sided she had sprung the kiss on him and he had stood frozen and impassive to it. People labeled them as boyfriend and girlfriend simply because she spent more time around him than others. She couldn't help but wonder now if he had used her to keep others away that she was simply more tolerable and easier to manipulate. Perhaps she had been fooling herself. Hakari thought back on her fight with Zabuza, she had been easily out matched he had toyed with her, she wasn't going to get so lucky again.

Hakari steeled herself before turning to her grandfather, "I'll stay, but you will train me personally when you have time. Send whoever you wish to spar with me in your absence. I will not be useless." Hakari vowed. "Asuma, would you please take her to the training grounds?" Hiruzen asked his son. Asuma nodded and took off with Hakari close behind. Ibiki approached the Hokage, "She knew the truth the whole time, she was simply misguided with who." Ibiki said. "Yes, she was always intelligent; although naïve." Hiruzen nodded as he watched his son and granddaughter go off to the training field. "Let Tenzo know to pull back, but still keep an eye on her." Hiruzen ordered. Ibiki nodded and left the Hokage alone to think over everything that had occurred.

Asuma and Hakari landed in an empty field in the training grounds, "All right Hakari, we'll start off slow just show me what you remember." Asuma said as he stretched. "You're going to regret this Uncle Asuma." Hakari chuckled. "We'll see." Asuma smiled remembering when they use to do this when she was younger. Hakari quickly advanced on him weaving hand signs. Slowly a small crowd gathered watching the pair spar, Kakashi and his genin among them. With her earth style jutsu the ground was becoming uneven and rough Asuma with his wind style was something else though he mainly channeled it into his knives. Tenzo landed in a tree near Kakashi and his genin, "What's the verdict?" Kakashi asked. "We pull back but keep a watch." Tenzo informed him. "Be prepared to be called on we'll all be taking turns sparing with her." Tenzo sighed. "She may go with you and your genin on some missions. She has reason to stay close to your group." Kakashi looked over to Sasuke as Tenzo spoke. "It can never be easy can it." Kakashi sighed. "You try staying with her." Tenzo chuckled. "Why don't you try and occupy her thoughts?" Kakashi asked his friend. "I doubt anyone can break past him in there." Tenzo shook his head. "You want to make a bet about that?" A voice asked as four people joined them. Kakashi sighed. Gai-sensei and his three genin joined them. "What do you have in mind?" Tenzo asked dropping down from the tree. "Let's see who can woe her first." Gai said. Tenzo and Kakashi shared a look as well as the six genin. "The first to woe her wins and the others have to take 1000 laps around Konoha on their hands." Gai explained. "That's so inspiring Gai- Sensei." Lee fist pumped next to his sensei. "That's stupid." Sasuke huffed.

"I'm betting on Kakashi." Tenzo said. "Not so fast there, you're a part of this too." Kakashi said. "I'm Anbu, I have no time to court." Tenzo sighed. "You're Lord Hokage's favored Anbu, you stand more a chance than either of us." Gai-sensei said. "Yea, but Kakashi carried her home." Tenzo argued. "That only makes his odds more difficult." Naruto butted in. "Yea, you didn't see the looks she gave him." Sakura said. "That is true, as well as I used my sharingan on her 4 years ago too." Kakashi laughed lightly rubbing the back of his neck. "She did take care of you though in the land of waves." Sakura added. "It was simply because it was the fastest way for her to get rid of me." Kakashi answered seriously. Sasuke looked over at Kakashi out the corner of his eye. "Hm, yes Sasuke?" Kakashi asked noticing the stare. "It's nothing." Sasuke said turning his attention away. "Well don't count me out, yet the sexy green beast of the leaf will sweep her off her feet." Gai said. "You two can have fun with this, I can't wait not to have to deal with her anymore." Tenzo replied. "It's barely been a day since she got back, you can't seriously say you're sick of her already." Kakashi teased. "I'm Anbu, not a babysitter." Tenzo sighed. "Don't let Hakari-chan hear that." Gai laughed. There was a pause as all three men looked over to the subject of their conversation. Hakari landed on the ground breathing heavily, Asuma stood opposite of her, "I think that is enough for today, you should take it slow." Asuma said putting his chakra blades away and pulling out a cigarette. "No, I can keep going." Hakari growled between breaths. "Don't tire yourself out so quickly." Asuma said walking to her while lighting his cigarette. "Besides, we have visitors." Slowly, the villagers and shinobi that had gathered approached the two. Welcoming Hakari home and expressing their happiness to her being safe. Once clear of the crowd Asuma and Hakari joined Kakashi, Gai, Tenzo and the six genin under the tree. "Honorable Granddaughter, so nice to see you again." Gai said while grabbing her hand and dropping to a knee. "Please, it's Hakari. I hate being called that title." As soon as Hakari finished her sentence Gai was touching her hand to his forehead crying, "Such an honor you bestowed upon me, Hakari-Kun." Hakari looked to her uncle for aid, Asuma laughed alongside of Kakashi and Tenzo. She glared at the three of them. The boy dressed like guy followed suit with Sakura. "Can I have my hand back now?" Hakari asked as sweetly as she could.

When Guy had yet to let up Hakari pulled her hand away forcibly, "When a girl asks you to release her do so, weirdo." She growled at him. "Hey, look it's the Honorable- Granddaughter, didn't she run away because she couldn't face the truth that her boyfriend was a murderer?" A group of young women nearby said rather loudly. "Yea, I bet she's as weak as she was back then. She must be a disgrace to the Hokage." Another laughed. Hakari glared at the group and turned her back to them, "I'm going home." She sighed before taking off. The four Jounin looked to the group of spiteful women then shared a look before nodding. Asuma took off in the direction that Hakari had taken, while Guy and Kakashi instructed their teams to their respective training grounds. Tenzo remained for half a second longer staring at the girls before melding into the tree.

Asuma caught up easily to his niece, puffing out smoke he fell in step with her. "Let them say what they want, it means nothing." He sighed. "It means nothing to you Uncle Asuma, but it means everything to me." Hakari said running a hand up her arm. "Hakari, you are Jounin. You earned that right just like the rest of the Jounin. It wasn't handed to you, not because of Itachi or who your grandfather is. You earned it because of your own merits." Asuma said firmly. "You were always so serious as a child; you didn't start slipping up until Itachi saved you on your way back from a solo mission." Asuma recanted. "If I recall correctly you were sent to retrieve a possible new poison for our medics to analyze and find an antidote for." Asuma took another drag from his cigarette while glancing at Hakari. "Yes, grandfather sent me to the small village to gather samples of the plant that those villagers' thought had poison their leader with." Hakari smiled. "Some rouge nins attacked me hoping to snatch it from me, I had started displaying similar symptoms of illness around the time of the attack and had gotten dizzy after evading an attack when Itachi stepped in."

*Flashback*

Wiping the sweat from her brow Hakari sighed tiredly as she landed on a tree branch, her breathing labored from the long journey. She had to hurry home the longer she took, the longer it would be before the medics could simulate a cure. The small villages' leader hadn't looked well when she left, and she didn't want to be the reason the man had die. She checked her chakra reserves and noted they were lacking, which meant they were being pulled elsewhere in her body. Frowning Hakari took a moment to think about where the extra chakra was going, she normally had decent control on her chakra. "Well look what we have here boys, a little brown mouse." A deep voice chuckled behind her. Turning her head, she found a large man with biceps the size of her head standing a few feet behind her. Five other figures appeared around her weapons at the ready all wore a satisfied smirk. "Ok little mouse, hand over the poison and we'll let you leave." The large man said. "I don't know what you're talking about." She frowned resisting the urge to adjust her pack in which the plant was stored. "We know all about you and your mission, little girl." Another sneered his voice nasally. Hakari's hand moved slowly towards her weapon pouch as she replied. "If you know who I am then you know better than to mess with me." She said eyes darting between the group of men in front of her and who she guessed was the leader behind her. "Hey boss, do you think the Hokage will pay us handsomely to ensure his granddaughter's safe return?" Another snickered. "Perhaps we can test the poison on her." The Nasally voiced one laughed. "You won't be getting anything today." Hakari growled as she tossed her Kunai with a paper bomb attached at the group of five and flipped out of the way just barely evading the attack from behind her. As she landed her vision swan and her knees wobbled. She steadied herself using the nearby tree to balance. When her eyes refocused, they widened as the tip of a sword was inches from the tip of her nose.

There in front of her stood the large man katana inches from her face, his eyes glazed over. "He's been taken care of." A bored voice announced. Itachi appeared from the tree above her dropping down effortlessly next to her. "They all have." He sighed. "Let's get you home." Hakari looked over to where the group of five had been to see them in a heap on the floor. "Genjutsu?" she gasped. She knew the Uchiha's had a knack for genjutsu, but to cast it so flawlessly and on six people at once. She stared up at Itachi in wonder, he had never ceased to amaze her. There was no wonder he was Anbu already; he was a true prodigy. He moved to her and scooped her up in his arms. "Huh, Itachi I… I can walk." She stuttered. "You're not feeling well, and it'll be fast this way." Itachi smiled down at her. Hakari blushed and nodded relaxing in his arms.

*End of Flashback*