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Chapter 46 – Knowledge

"Hey, sleepy head. Get up. The Hokage's looking for you."

Amaya grumbled and turned from Kakashi, who was gently shaking her shoulder. "I don't care. I'm tired."

The silver-haired Jonin smiled. "And whose fault is that?"

"Yours."

"True, but who stayed up late just to watch me sleep?"

The other Jonin's mind raced. How'd he know? Had he heard her confession a few nights before? She turned back toward him to gauge his expression. A playful smile danced on his lips and she calmed. "I don't like being teased this early in the morning. How'd you know the Hokage was looking for me anyway?"

"Because I've been up and doing things this morning. Unlike a certain Princess I know."

The auburn-haired shinobi glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was nearly noon. Amaya groaned; she hated sleeping this late into the day. Half the day was gone already. She chose to ignore Kakashi's use of her hated nickname and trudged to the bathroom. She showered and dressed quickly, knowing she really shouldn't keep the Hokage waiting any longer than she already had.

Before leaving, she took the time to kiss the silver-haired Jonin good morning and goodbye. By the time she closed the door to her apartment behind her, she was still slightly out of breath. The Genin didn't really understand what their scheme had accomplished. Amaya knew without a doubt that she loved Kakashi, though she wasn't quite ready to say it to him. At least not while he was awake.

Her thoughts turned to the Hokage as she neared the Academy. Tsunade had only been filling the position for a month or so now. Amaya wasn't surprised to be going to see her; she'd been calling the Jonin in one by one to get to know them. From what she knew, the Fifth had been doing quite well in her new role as Konoha's leader and everyone respected her. But Amaya did wonder if Tsunade had been read into or had discovered some of the more sensitive secrets of the village. Surely, even after such a short time, she knew everything. Still, the Jonin would be careful with the knowledge she guarded, knowledge by all rights she shouldn't have.

The Anbu outside the Hokage's office nodded to her when she rounded the corner and she waited while one announced her arrival. Entering the office, Amaya bowed, though not before taking in the woman behind the desk. Tsunade's blond hair was tied into two loose ponytails. A grass-green haori covered a grey kimono-style shirt tied with a dark, bluish-grey obi.

"Thank you for joining me, Amaya," Tsunade said while the Jonin straightened. She gestured to a chair. "Please, have a seat."

The auburn-haired shinobi did as she was asked, aware of the Hokage's eyes on her tattoos, and waited for the questions about her past. It was the job of the Hokage to know those that served under her, and from what Kakashi had told her, Lady Tsunade had been thorough, even with the Copy-nin.

"So, you're the one I've read about. You created those tattoos and the one the Anbu now use?"

"Yes, Lady Hokage, though I can't take all the credit for the idea. Stories of your abilities were my inspiration."

Smiling at the sincere compliment, Tsunade continued. "I've also heard that you can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu without your summon. Is that true?"

"Yes. It happened when I was captured by some Iwa nin. They had a scroll that described a seal that would shut away a shinobi's power. But they didn't know what they were doing. I was lucky." Amaya kept the story brief; she didn't enjoy reliving that day, though it no longer haunted her as it once had.

"I see," the Hokage said, leaning forward and lacing her fingers together. "Have you considered asking Jiraiya to take a look at it for you? Perhaps he could break it."

"I've considered it, but truthfully, it's not a real hindrance for me anymore. I barely even notice. It would be strange to have it gone."

"I can understand that." Glancing down at the papers on her desk, Tsunade ran her eyes over the collected information. She held up a sheet. "This says you left the village for eight years."

Amaya nodded. "I couldn't handle the stress of shinobi life, so I left to save myself from the madness that was eating at my mind. I needed to heal, but I couldn't do it here."

"And were you successful?" the Hokage asked, while glancing back over the reports filled by Inoichi both from before the kunoichi's departure and her evaluation upon returning. She knew what the younger woman's answer would be; she wouldn't be a shinobi of the Leaf again otherwise.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," the Jonin replied, unknowingly mirroring Tsunade's thoughts.

One of Inoichi's annotations, one she'd overlooked the first time, caught the Hokage's eye.

Has knowledge of mission #114902378

Tsunade frowned. That report was about Itachi. How did this Jonin know about that? She decided the subject had to be breached. She had to know how far the information had traveled. "What do you know about Itachi Uchiha?"

"Not much. What everyone else knows, plus what was in the letter I found."

"What letter?"

The Jonin shrugged. "A letter he left for Sasuke that I found by mistake. Apparently, we liked sitting in the same tree. It said that Sasuke shouldn't believe everything he heard, that he was sorry he had to do what he did, and that he had to leave."

"Did the letter say anything else?"

Amaya straightened at the warning tone in the Godaime's voice. "Vague things that hinted at truth, though there were too many blanks to really get any information. The only blank I could fill was that Itachi was innocent. How that is or why he'd be branded a traitor, I don't know and I don't want to know."

Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment. Good, the truth was still hidden. "Have you told anyone else or shown them the letter?"

"I burned the letter, though I have mentioned to Sasuke that maybe his brother isn't the monster he thinks he is." The half-lie fell off her tongue easily; she didn't think Tsunade would notice. In truth, the letter was sealed in a scroll that Mamoru kept for her. She'd thought about destroying the letter many times, but really, it was safe enough. She was the only shinobi to have a contract with Mamoru's clan and even she didn't know the whereabouts of their burrows.

"And he believed you?"

"Sort of. I think I more validated the small part of him that still believed in his brother's innocence."

Tsunade saw the opportunity before her and took it. "Do you think Sasuke would be willing to go undercover?"

Understanding flashed through the Jonin. "If he thought it would lead to his brother and the truth, he'd do anything."

"That's good to know. Well, I don't have any more questions for you, so if you have none for me, you're free to go." The Hokage began tidying the open files on her desk; she needed to meet with the shinobi council and discuss the plan forming in her mind.

Amaya hesitated but decided to trust the Hokage. Surely, she knew. "I do have a question...about the woman living in Tea Country."


The day Sasuke left would haunt Naruto for a long time. Even though he knew the truth behind his friend's departure, even though their fight ended in much the same way as his fight with Neji, with a clone taking the Chidori, the blond shinobi still felt like there was a hole in his chest.

Naruto clenched his bandaged hands and hated that he had to sit in this stupid hospital room. He wanted to go with Sasuke, to help him find his brother, but he knew he couldn't. Not if the Uchiha was to successfully infiltrate Orochimaru's hideout and gain the Sanin's trust. He hated that he couldn't tell Sakura or anyone about Sasuke's real reason for leaving. Everyone thought he'd left to get power, to become a pawn of Orochimaru. Everyone thought Sasuke was a traitor.

The blond clutched Sasuke's headband, the unscratched surface of the metal glinting in the sun streaming in the window. This was all that was left of his friend, a silent promise between the two of them. A promise no one else could know about.

A knock on his door brought the Genin from his thoughts and he slid the headband under the sheets. Sakura entered and shut the door behind her. The kunoichi put the vase of flowers in her hands on the window sill as she smiled. "How're you feeling? You were in rough shape when Kakashi-sensei brought you back yesterday."

"I feel fine," Naruto said, his voice subdued by his heavy thoughts. "I'll be all better in a day or two."

"That's good to hear. I guess your injuries just looked worse than they were," Sakura said, sitting on the foot of the bed. "Listen, I need to know…. Is what they're saying about Sasuke true?"

Naruto didn't respond right away. He wanted to confide in Sakura, but he'd promised Grandma Tsunade that he wouldn't. Before he could answer, another knock at the door came seconds before Kakashi walked in.

"Good. You're both here. We need to talk," the Jonin said, as he closed the door behind him. Sakura tensed at his unintended tone and so he softened his voice. "It's about Sasuke."

Naruto shifted his attention to the sheets in front of him, which he clutched a little harder. The pink-haired Genin rose to look out the window and was the first to speak. "I know what everybody's saying. That he's a traitor. But I…." She couldn't finish her sentence. Her hands clenched until the knuckles were white.

"He wouldn't betray us," Naruto said fiercely, causing both Sakura and Kakashi to shift their attention to him.

His sensei folded his arms and leaned against the wall next to the door. "And what makes you so sure of that?"

The blond's eyes darted from Kakashi to Sakura and back. He couldn't tell them the truth. "He just wouldn't," he said a little helplessly.

The Jonin wondered for a moment if Naruto knew the truth. He thought maybe his young student did; the knowledge shone through in his unwaveringly certain tone of moments before and in the answer he just gave. Kakashi would have to talk with him about it. For now, he sighed. "I want to believe that too, but the fact is, he's gone. And there's nothing we can do about it right now."

"Yes there is," Sakura raised her head from where she'd been staring at the floor. She turned her gaze to her teammate. "We'll bring him back together. But first, you'll have to wait on me for a bit. I need to get stronger if I'm going to be any help." With that, she turned and headed for the door.

Before she could open it, though, Naruto stopped her. "Sakura, wait, what're you planning? You're fine just the way you are. I'll be better in a few days and then we'll start searching."

The smile she gave was thankful but a little sad. "You and Sasuke have done nothing but defend me. It's my turn to be strong on my own. I'm going to become Lady Tsunade's apprentice."


The Hokage stopped mid-sentence and sneezed. "I apologize for that. As I was saying, I need you to look into something for me in the northern part of the country."

"And this isn't an official mission?" Amaya asked.

"No. It's a...favor for an old friend. She helped me when I had no one else to turn to. And I know full well she wouldn't even have enough to pay for a D-rank mission."

"I understand," the Jonin said, knowing better than to pry when given such little information. "What can I do to help?"

"It's a small village in the mountains. They've been suffering a string of thefts. People blacking out and doing things they don't remember. And two murders." Tsunade took a breath. "I can't order you to go, but I can ask. And I know it's not really Jonin work."

"I'd be happy to go. I know what it's like to want to help those who've helped you. But, if I may, why me?"

"A favor for a favor," Tsunade stated simply.

Amaya eyed her leader for a moment, knowing exactly what favor the Hokage spoke of. Tsunade had offered more information about the woman in Tea Country than she really should have, information that gave credence to Amaya's theory. Had Tsunade wanted someone in her debt so they couldn't refuse without losing face? Probably. The Jonin bowed; she wanted to think better of the Hokage, even if it might not be true. "As you wish, Lady Tsunade. When shall I leave?"

"In a day's time. There's a storm front moving through tonight. It wouldn't do for you to get sick on your way there."

"Very well. I'll leave as soon as the sky clears."


Rain and wind howled in the dark sky outside the hospital window. Naruto wondered if Sasuke had found somewhere dry to stay for the night. He clutched the headband under his sheets. After nearly being caught with it twice, he'd stopped bringing it out from the sheets.

A soft knock on his door startled the blond Genin, and a moment later, Amaya slipped into the room. "Took you long enough, sensei. I thought you would've come by to see me sooner."

"Sorry," the Jonin said. "I had to talk with the Hokage and then had some chores and errands to take care of."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her. "You kind of sound like Kakashi-sensei. You just forgot, didn't you?"

Amaya chuckled and sat in the chair pulled up next to Naruto's bed. "How could I ever forget about you? How're you feeling?"

The Genin shrugged. "Fine, mostly. I gave Sasuke that scroll like you asked. Told him not to read it until he was ready too."

"Good. Thanks for doing that for me. I think Sasuke will really like what's in it." The tattooed Jonin thought through her next question carefully. She knew Naruto knew about Sasuke's mission, but did he know she knew? No, of course he didn't. If Tsunade had listened to her suggestion after the meeting with all the Jonin of the village to tell them of the plan, Naruto knew about the plan but had sworn to tell no one. "I'm sorry Sasuke left. We all tried to get him to stay, but I guess it wasn't enough."

"Do you think he's a traitor too?"

She shrugged and threaded the needle. "Maybe, maybe not. Who can say what's in someone else's heart? Maybe he left just to get power or maybe he had some other reason. We won't know until we drag his butt back here."

The Genin grinned and drew a headband from under his sheets. Amaya recognized it as Sasuke's, though she pretended not to. "Could you hold onto this for me? Sasuke...threw it away, but he might want it back some day. I don't want to lose it. You know how messy my apartment is."

"Sure," Amaya said while she summoned Mamoru. She asked the harvest mouse to fetch her a sealing scroll, and when he returned, she sealed the headband inside.

"That's so cool. Could you teach me that?" Naruto asked, thinking of all the pranking implications.

"I'm not the best person to teach you. I can barely do it myself," the Jonin said. Turning her attention to Mamoru, she gave him instructions. "Keep this safe like the other one, please."

"As you wish, Mistress," the little russet mouse said with a bow. Then he and the scroll vanished in a puff of smoke.

"The toads don't treat me that nice," the blond pouted.

"Mamoru and I have been partners for a long time."

"Does it have anything to do with that mark you have here," Naruto asked, pointing to the hollow of his own throat.

Amaya blinked. How had Naurto noticed? She'd made her tattoos so that the seal more or less blended in. It would've taken a couple minutes of hard staring for most people to notice the difference and she certainly didn't remember Naruto staring at her like that for so long. "Yes," she finally admitted. "Did Sakura tell you or did you guess it on your own?"

"I figured it out a while ago. You never do any water or earth style jutsu without your summon around. And I noticed the mark one day we were all out shopping together and you wore a shirt with a lower collar than normal. It wasn't hard to piece things together after that."

"Well, call me impressed," Amaya said as she stood. She gave Naruto a big smile. "You need some rest and I need to leave before you learn all my secrets."

The Genin returned her grin. "Good night, sensei."

"Good night, Naruto. Sleep well."