Hey everyone!

Welcome back to another chapter! I forgot to put a disclaimer in the last two chapters.

As you all can see, I'm don't any of the characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto; just this single plot going on is from my imagination.

Also, Princess Hinashi, hope ths and the next few chapters clarify your doubt.

Now, let's get on with the story!

Chapter 3: Reality is Out

Konohagakure no Sato

Shikamaru looked like he had seen a ghost. His skin had turned pale, his eyes were widened with the realisation of what he had just heard. The gears in his mind were turning so fast that he couldn't believe it. He was hit with reality, a reality that he has failed to see for so long. A reality that was right in front of him with so many signs indicating so as well. But he had ignored and denied it for so long that he finally didn't know what to feel. He just hoped that it wasn't as severe as the signs seemed to look now that he reflected back on those moments from the past.

He took in a sharp breath, trying to calm down and process what information had just been told to them. He just needed to confirm his theories and figure out how to sort out everything in his mind. He took in another breath and tried to speak up. "You mean…" his voice quivered. He couldn't continue until he got an answer. His voice seemed to have been lost.

But luckily, or unluckily, the Hokage understood what he was trying to say and gave him a nod of confirmation. "Yes Shikamaru", she answered.

"Wh-what do you mean Hokage-sama?", questioned Sakura who as well as trying to deny what she had figured out along with a few others.

"Are you saying that Naruto was actually abused by the villagers?", questioned Ino straight away. Shikamaru's reaction had already been somewhat of a confirmation. But she needs to hear it out loud to be sure. Else she wouldn't be able to believe it.

"Yes", Tsunade resigned. Even she knew that most were that smart at least that they would figure it out but she also knew that they just wanted to hear it out loud before they could believe it. Even she, herself, needed time and multiple bottles of Sake to process it when her own Sensei had sent her a letter on that matter. "She was being abused by the villagers. From a young age itself. So she learned to hide behind a mask and when sensei told her to dress like a guy, she did it immediately."

"Mendokusē. When?", Shikamaru seemed to have finally found his voice. "When did it start?"

"Three", replied the Hokage. She herself couldn't bear the injustice that she had seen her grand-daughter like figure go through.

"WHAT?", shouted Kiba who looked extremely angry. "How could they do that? That's just disgusting."

"That is just so un-youthful of the villagers", Lee agreed as he was disheartened.

Most of the people were in tears. Hinata, Sakura, Ino and Tenten seemed to finally let their tears flow openly. None of them still wanted to believe that their close friend had been abused.

After a while, the silence was again disturbed by a question that almost everyone seemed to be too afraid to ask. On one hand, they felt ignorance was bliss and just wanted to forget everything. But on the other, they wanted to know the extent to which their dear friend was mistreated and take action accordingly. None of them could believe that she had actually hidden such a huge matter. That too while acting like she was an open book.

Even when Naruto herself had admitted that the villagers were cruel to her because of her Jinchūriki status, she always said that it was just verbal. But now that they Hokage admit the truth to them, it hurt them that their friend had hidden such an occurrence from them.

"To what extent, Hokage-sama?", Shino finally asked the question. "To what extent was she abused by them?" The 'them' being stressed with anger.

"All the way", they suddenly heard from the Uchiha as he gave a cruel, insane laugh before spitting out the answer. "More than any of you can imagine".

Most of them let out a shiver. Almost all of the Rookie -12 seemed to be frozen.

"That's enough Uchiha. Let the Hokage continue", Neji interfered.

"What the hell do you know Hyuuga?", Sasuke growled in reply.

"More than you. Enough to know that you broke your promise by running away like a weakling, a coward. Enough to know that you let it happen again anyway after you ran off to be pampered by that Snake", Neji replied trying to control his anger.

Sasuke suddenly froze. "W-wh-what?", he stuttered.

"I might have let my opinions of Fate control me. The rest of us here might have ignored the silent cries. The rest of us were kept in the dark till in was too late." Neji replied as he finally couldn't control his anger and forced Sasuke to the wall and held him by pressing his arm on the Uchiha's neck. "But you! The all-knowing and great Uchiha! What did you go and do? As soon as you got the smell of the slightest power, you forgot your promise to someone. You forgot that there actually was a person who truly cared for you and would have done anything for you to stay here. Someone who needed you. Moreover, you go and make a hole in her heart and then leave like you don't even know her."

Sasuke flinched and looked like he had been hit with Choji's partially-expanded hand punches for over a thousand times. The life seemed to be drained out of him as reality finally hit him. He had left her to fend off from those monsters hidden in plain sight. He had broken his promise to everyone including himself.

"Now, because of you, it happened again. That too, right after you left. You piece of s***. How could you have done that? You broke her. Them. All of them. Your own family." Neji spat.

Immediately, they were separated by a couple of hands. Iruka and Kakashi held on to Sasuke and checked on him while Asuma, Gai, Genma and one of the ANBU, Raidō held back Neji.

"Calm down Neji." Said Asuma as they tried to stop the anger from causing a war.

"Neji-Nīsan, leave him. He is not even worth your anger after her left Nēchan like that", added Hanabi.

"Yeah, leave him be. If he remembers what matters now, his guilt itself will kill him", added Meogi.

"Hm. Leave him be", added Udon.

That's chapter 3 for you all!

So what has happened with Naruto exactly? What's going on? Any guesses?

As always, read and review! Would love to know how you all find this story.

That's all for now, I guess. 'Til next chapter, then!