Third Person POV ~
It took Naruto 2 days of sleep, laze and a few baths in tens to deem himself okay to go out. But if you ask Naruto, he would tell you that he can shimmy a little and sand will rain from his body. Well, but we aren't going to ask him because one Gaara sprouting sand is enough, period.
Anyways, he couldn't wait any longer, he had to convince Baa-chan for granting him leave, he had decided that this would be his last week in Konoha before he sets his foot out and only three days were left for the week to end, so it had to be done quick. He also had to meet her along with his selected duo for discussing to plan about Danzo and ROOT.
That's why Tsunade, Naruto, Shikamaru and Sai were seated in Tsunade's office in a private meeting. As Tsunade had informed Naruto before he left for the mission in Suna, Jiraiya was already gone. They could've used a suggestion or two from the stealth master and the commander-to-be but they'll manage.
"Mendokuse..." Shikamaru yawned, Tsunade ignored him and focused on nursing her sake, Sai tried to look at all three at the same time while Naruto rolled his eyes. A great start for an 'interesting' meeting.
"Alright, I want this over and done with. So let's begin?" Naruto took the initiative because it was clear no one else would.
"Mendokuse.." Shikamaru sighed.
Sai gave a creepy smile.
Tsunade took a swig from her sake cup and grunted.
Naruto sighed inwardly, why was he doing this again?
"Alright, we all know our roles already yet I'm gonna run through it in front of the whole group so we are aware what other is doing." Naruto began, glancing at each of the three. "Sai, you will be gathering information for us. Information on past of ROOT, their involvements, their agenda and anything and everything. More or less, I want everything on ROOT and Danzo to the T."
"Hai." Sai nodded.
"Shikamaru, though Sai won't be giving out full information he will still be passing you information in codes about his research. Your role is to decipher and understand the meaning and give Tsunade-sama a weekly update on your progress. You will be in charge of this whole ordeal." Shikamaru had a contemplative look as he listened to Naruto, most likely thinking of all those genuis plans with his genius head.
Shikamaru gave Naruto a pointed look, "I expect you to take that position from me once you return."
"If there is a need." Naruto mirrored the kage jutsu user's look directing right back at him.
"Mendokuse." Shikamaru grumbled and Naruto smirked.
"Tsunade-sama, you are the Hokage and I am aware secrets are not something like a new concept for you so I won't tell you what to do. You do what you have to but I would like for you to inform these two before you decide to take any action so they could alert me. I'd like to stay updated." Naruto spoke evenly.
"Hmm." Tsunade agreed. She rested her chin on her knuckles eyeing the new generations' one of the bests.
"Naruto, what do you intend to do after gathering this information. You never told me the whole plan." Shikamaru rubbed his face while asking, everything about him, but his eyes, spoke of boredom and lack of interest.
"Me neither." Sai nodded, attempting to copy the look of Shikamaru. And failing hilariously.
"ROOT is an unauthorized organization under our very noses we could say. Not informing three different Hokages of this is quite a crime I'd say. And I don't know why but I have a hunch, Sandaime-jiji knew. I'm still certain there are ROOT Shinobi undercover as ANBU." Naruto began.
"I got that much." Shikamaru shrugged.
"You said you found a ROOT member, I want to ask how? Usually they are well trained and hidden, their camouflage is one of the best I've come across." Sai questioned.
"It was an accident really. I had come to Baa-chan for a meeting and when I asked for a private audience, the Shinobi didn't leave along with the stationed ANBU. I felt him and I found him." Naruto answered.
Sai hesitated to speak and the other three noticed.
"Speak kid. Naruto trusts you, I shall do the same." Tsunade commanded.
"Usually they are ordered to leave along with the ANBU, in case there is a highly s sensitive sensor. If you say you found him the way you did, you were lucky." Sai confessed glancing at Naruto.
Naruto's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"I see." Tsunade took another swig from her sake cup.
"Anyways Sai told me, in ROOT they train you too become emotionless tools and I.." Naruto paused, his feelings may have become his problems from time to time but they were also his strength all the time. "It's a matter of different belief maybe but I don't support that. They must be quiet a bunch of talented lot and I don't want to disband the organization. Instead, instead I want them to have a chance at life, choice if they really want to be a Shinobi, if they want to live a normal life. Civilian and Shinobi alike, I want them to be loyal to Konoha - our village and not Danzo - a person."
"Do you believe it's wrong to be loyal to a person?" Sai questioned softly and Shikamaru and Tsunade looked at Naruto for they knew Naruto could explain this.
Naruto closed his eyes briefly as he remembered his first serious mission; The mission to Wave. Haku, his loyalty to Zabuza, his words and belief to accept himself as nothing more than a tool, Zabuza, his hidden love for Haku. He still remembers their words, the words he had said back then, his promise on their graves, the birth of his Nindou.
"A Shinobi's life is a short and unpredictable one. I don't know what's it's like to be tool to someone but I know it is a lonely life and I know what that feels like. Accepting yourself as a kunai and getting replaced when your user finds a new shinnier one? What happens when you get rusted? You would be gone and you wouldn't even know what happened.
A person isn't living until he has a dream. But, but also when a person just lives for one purpose he is as good as dead.
A person with a life without feelings, goals, doubts, fears, failures and accomplishments. That kind of life? It's tiring. That's unfair and unfortunate.
Shinobis question their duties without realizing, before they are about to make a kill, after that make a kill, sometimes before carrying out an order, before abandoning a comrade, when they come across their friends' or their comrades body. They have anger, grudge, love, hate, sadness and all the emotions, isn't that why the wars have been led? They had pride. They had something to protect.
Shinobis without questions and any ties with a village but a duty will go on a battlefield and so will the ones with family or friends or anyone."
The three watched him in awe as he continued and he smiled at them, "Shinobis are not tools, they are people. They, we, endure everything and the one with something to protect will always come back home with a smile even after losing numerous limbs while the one with no emotion whatsoever will just carry out actions for words and most probably die without any hesitation thinking and accepting himself as a mere tool. A Shinobi without feelings on a field is like going knocking on death's door with flowers and pastries. Shinobis with feelings and something to protect have the will to fight, to survive. The will that should and does burn brightly within each and everyone of us, The Will Of Fire." Naruto spoke the term as he remembered his Jiji talking about it numerous times he and Naruto would hangout together.
"The Shinobis without feelings," He shook his head sadly, "they lack that. They lack the Will Of Fire."
Naruto sighed, he could keep on talking about this forever it seemed. Not like the other three occupants in the room were complaining or making a move to stop him or anything but this was enough for now. "No, I don't know if it is wrong to be loyal to just a person. But I know it is wrong to give that person the control of your whole life, your whole world."
Naruto rolled his shoulders cracking his neck, he continued almost nonchalantly, "If Danzo were to die tonight, ROOT wouldn't know what to do, they would slowly kill each other and next, themselves. Because they have no idea what to do. What is next. Every person deserves someone or the other. Acceptance, recognization, one person, one smile, one hug," He smiled, he remembered Iruka saying the heartfelt words during that Mizuki incident. It was a small start but it had to begin somewhere, didn't it? "that could change you, your life." He chuckled. "I should know that."
Tsunade hid her smile behind her knuckles while Shikamaru openly smirked, Sai was looking at Naruto in an unfiltered awe. He did understand what Naruto was saying, he had felt something in him awaken when Naruto had made him remember his brother, Shin. He understands that because he feels something in him awaken everytime a person does something that shows they don't think of him as a mere tool but a person, a person with feelings. He understands what Naruto is saying, maybe. He gave a real smile to Naruto, it didn't matter if he understood or not he is still feeling something in him awaken and it feels ...refreshing and. And good. He'd keep it at that. It's good for now. That's all he wants for now.
"Anyways, what not I, we plan to do is let Tsunade-sama take in charge. It will be her call what she plans to do with Danzo. However, for ROOT, I have plans. I am confident that it will work out." Naruto answered Shikamaru's earlier question.
"How long are we supposed to carry this Mendokuse mission out?" Shikamaru rose an eyebrow.
"Until I return. Once I return, our final and main member shall be included and informed. Then comes my infiltration mission and whatever the outcome comes shall be end of it." Naruto spoke straightening up a little.
"So you have decided you will leave huh?" Tsunade asked hiding her dissapointment.
"Yes Baa-chan ttebayo, you know I need this. I want some time to myself." Naruto looked straight in Tsunade's hazel eyes, pleading.
"You returned not too long ago after your travel trip with Jiraiya, Naruto." Tsunade pointed out.
"Yes that's true but you also know, we were to be gone for 3 minimum years but because of his problems in spy network I had to return just after, not even complete, 2 years Dattebayo." Naruto used his puppy dog eyes level 2.
Tsunade sighed, she had tried. She didn't want to lose Naruto again. Yet, she contemplated, who can resist those eyes?
Shikamaru sighed at the two Mendokuse blondes' antics.
"I think you should allow him to go Tsunade-sama. Trust in him, he will be fine." Shikamaru spoke.
Other three pairs of eyes looked at him surprised and he sighed again.
'Mendokuse.'
The only female in the room stayed quite for a while, thinking. She recalled the Kazekage's other scroll and sighed taking out another bottle of sake from her secret compartment where Shizune couldn't find it, "Fine, you brat! Have it your way."
Naruto jumped from his seat and whooped in joy while other three looked amused.
"Brat." The Godaime called.
Naruto continued cheering. Tsunade's eye twitched in irritation, it was clear she was losing her patience on a rapid pace.
She barked out a "Brat!" and Naruto paused mid jump and tried to sober up. Tried.
"I will arrange your passes by tonight. You will get it directly from me and until you leave, no missions." Tsunade informed with a straight face.
"Wakatta ttebayo!" Naruto grinned, he had expected that much.
"Now scram you three!" Tsunade grumbled.
All three moved out of the office. One wanting to paint, other watch clouds or nap and the last one was way too excited to think about anything other than his travel.
The three walked together and soon found a good place to set themselves, Naruto's hyperactivity had subdued and was now sober enough to forget jumping around and instead opting to just talk animatedly to both the raven heads.
They reached a park, it was mid afternoon and they were lucky to find shade to get lazy. Sai perched himself on the tree beside where Shikamaru laid and retrieved his art book and colors, the Nara heir propped his head on his hands that were acting like cushion and let his eyes drift towards the sky watching the blue sky and white clouds passing. Naruto sat his back firmly attached for support to the tree Sai was perched on and Shikamaru was getting shade from and retrieved his pretty flute.
From the time he had played flute in the Nara forest, he had been happy with the art. Music was relaxing and made him happy in general and that's why he bought a bamboo flute then decorated it. Because, well, he could.
He closed his eyes and let the music play from within. Sai paused mid stroke to peer at the blonde while Shikamaru smiled slightly, which could be near a grin in their clan.
Soon Sai resumed and Shikamaru closed his eyes, not sleeping but enjoying the weather and music, it was peaceful like this.
Playing the final note Naruto opened his eyes and smiled stretching. He walked to where Shikamaru was laying and laid next to him resting his head on the Nara heir's stomach, Sai looked down and contemplated, he shrugged and jumped down making almost no noise. He laid beside the two and rested his head on Naruto's stomach.
The three smiled to themselves and let out a small chuckle. Yeah, this was peaceful. This was good.