Just wanted to get a new chapter out! Promise next one will be better! Reviews are greatly appreciated!
Chapter 9: Back To The Village
Naruto woke up to the sound of birds chirping in the early morning. The sun was just rising, and the morning was brisk but still warm.
He had left a few shadow clones to keep guard as he caught a quick nap the night before. It was still early, and the rest of his team wouldn't be up for around an hour.
Naruto sat up from his position under the tree and straightened his back, stretching out from his nap.
He thought about the previous night, about Itachi, about the Lead village, about the Uchiha clan.
'Could what Itachi was saying be the truth? Could the Hokage have asked him to do this act? Or was it out of selfishness and was Itachi lying?' Naruto thought to himself.
He couldn't believe an Akatsuki member could be on his side, not after what Itachi did to his clan and to the village. It was impossible.
After around half an hour of sitting around resting against a tree, Naruto heard some rustling coming from the tents. Hinata came out from her tent yawning.
"Ahhh.. good morning Naruto-kun." Hinata yawned. Her hair was slightly messy, but her eyes looked refreshed and beautiful.
"Morning Hinata." Naruto looked back at her and back to the sky. "How did you sleep?" He asked.
"I slept okay. I'd love to be back in an actual bed soon." Hinata went over and sat down beside Naruto. "How about you? Did anything happen last night?"
Naruto took a long pause and took a deep breath.
"It was Itachi, again." Naruto spoke.
"..I know... I was awake when it happened." Hinata mumbled. "What did he want?"
"He was saying weird things about the Leaf village, about murdering his clan. Saying things about making sacrifices for peace in the Leaf and killing all the people he loved... I couldn't believe what I was hearing. If it's true, how could the village ask him to do such a thing?" Naruto had a pained expression on his face.
Hinata couldn't believe what she was hearing either.
"Y-your saying Itachi isn't the bad guy we think he is?" Hinata stuttered.
"I don't know, we can't trust his words. After all he is in the Akatsuki." Naruto replied.
"A-are you going to tell this to Kakashi and Guy sensei?" Hinata asked.
"Let's wait until we get back to the village, maybe I can ask granny Tsunade about all of this." Naruto stated.
"Okay...sounds good to me." Hinata spoke softly.
"Let's wake up Guy and Kakashi and get back to the village as soon as we can." Naruto motioned Hinata over towards their tents.
Hinata and Naruto woke Guy and Kakashi. They all packed up their tents and ate a small breakfast before heading off again back to the Leaf village.
The journey only took about another day to get back, and by then all of them were exhausted from their long mission.
"We need to debrief the mission with the Hokage, so everyone meet in front of the Hokage's building in 30 minutes." Kakashi said as they just reached the gates of the Leaf. "Get some food or something to eat and meet back there."
"Yes Kakashi sensei!" Naruto spoke. "C'mon Hinata lets go get some ramen I'm starving!" Naruto started to run off towards the centre of town. Hinata followed behind him as he neared Ichiraku.
"Gimme five bowls of ramen! And two for her!" Naruto slapped down some coins on the counter and sat down. Hinata sat beside him.
"Coming right up!" The shop owner replied.
The two of them sat and ate their ramen, neither of them saying a word as they were both happily eating. Naruto finished his five bowls and Hinata only finished her first.
"Ahhhh that was awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'm stuffed! Do you want more ramen Hinata?"
"No I'm okay with this." Hinata replied.
"Alright after your done we need to meet at the Hokage's building." Naruto said.
Hinata finished her bowl and both of them started off towards the Hokage's building. Kakashi and Guy were already there.
"Alright everyone lets get inside. I've already scheduled us to talk to the Hokage." Kakashi said.
They all marched in and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Tsunade yelled.
The four ninja entered the door to the Hokage's office.
"Ah you four! How was the mission! Tell me what you've found on the Akatsuki." Tsunade leaned back in her chair.
"We infiltrated the Rain village and confirmed that the Akatsuki's hideout is definitely there." Guy said.
"We found out information on a few people and their jutsu styles. One is a purple haired woman made of paper. She goes by the name of "Lady Angel" within the rain village. Another is a masked man, his mask orange and has Sharingan in one eye like me. Another was a person...or thing... That was half black and half white, sort of like a plant." Kakashi added in.
"This is all great information. Now Kakashi, you said something about a masked man with one Sharingan? I thought all the Uchiha were dead except for Itachi and Sasuke." Tsunade replied.
"We are as clueless as you. We have no idea who this man is, unless he stole the Sharingan from somebody prior to their death." Guy chimed in.
"That could be. I'll see what I can do to find out more about this man, as well as the other people you mentioned. All of you have done very well, you can have a few days off from any other missions until I call you." Tsunade leaned forward on her desk. "Your dismissed."
"I'm going to ask about Itachi...ill catch up with you in a bit..." Naruto whispered to Hinata.
"Thank you Hokage-sama." Hinata bowed and left the room, and so did Guy and Kakashi.
Naruto however, stayed behind.
"Granny Tsunade, I need to talk to you about someone." Naruto stated.
"Well make it quick Naruto I have lots of paperwork to do." Tsunade complained.
"It's about Itachi." Naruto said.
Tsunade's eyes widened as she looked at Naruto. He could tell she knew a lot about Itachi or at least the situation that might be at hand.
"While I was on guard a few nights ago Itachi showed up and talked to me. He was saying things about the Leaf and his clan, how he killed his clan for peace in the village and was forced to leave the village." Naruto said.
Tsunade sighed.
"Alright Naruto, this is secret information and is not allowed to be shared with anyone, understood?"
"Understood." Naruto replied.
"Good. Now this happened a long time ago, when the Uchiha's where a threat to the village. It was the Hokage's duty to keep peace in the village, and the Uchiha clan was breaking that rule. Itachi was in the Anbu at the time, and by Donzo's orders killed his entire clan to maintain peace. He was titled as a rogue ninja and joined the Akatsuki. However he is not a bad person. He keeps in touch with the Leaf and feeds us information about the Akatsuki's plans every now and then. It's very risky, so I don't do it too often, which is why I sent you four to spy on them."
Naruto just stood there silently in front of the Hokage's desk.
"So it is true. Everything Itachi said was right... Killing his clan for peace, everyone he loved." Naruto stared at Tsunade.
"I know it's hard to believe Naruto, but that happened quite a while ago, and the Leaf has been peaceful since then." Tsunade replied. "Is that all you need to know?"
"Yes... granny Tsunade. Thank you." Naruto bowed and left the room.
He was torn in two, feeling that he could not even trust the Leaf village anymore. Naruto ran back to his apartment to tell Hinata everything.