Chapter 52: Crime and Punishment
Naruto was taken to the jail where the ANBU locked him in a cell alone. They took his kunai and shuriken, as well as his pack. Naruto sat in his cell in silence waiting for everything to happen. After a few hours he went to sleep hoping that he could get this over with quickly.
Early the next day Naruto got word of a visitor. He was taken to the visitation room and was left waiting and wondering who had come. A few minutes later Sakura walked through the door.
"Naruto!" she yelled running up to him and hugging him, "what are you doing here?" she asked.
The two parted and sat down, "someone has to take the blame for us leaving," Naruto said.
"It should be me! It was my idea," Sakura said somewhat loudly.
"But Stone and Sasuke need you at the hospital. And what kind of person would I be if I let you take the blame?" Naruto asked.
"But what kind of person am I for letting you?" Sakura asked slightly strained, Naruto could see she was up late at the hospital, and up early now for this.
Naruto stood up and pulled Sakura to her feet, holding her tightly in a hug, "you get some sleep, I'll be fine, there's a Strategy behind all this," Naruto said softly in Sakura's ear.
Sakura's eyes widened and she pulled away from Naruto slightly to look into his eyes, "What?" she asked, her voice quiet and almost trembling.
"Go get some sleep, I'll be fine, trust me," Naruto said kissing her forehead.
Before Sakura could answer the door opened again. Both turned to see Jiraiya enter the room. He stopped upon seeing the two in their embrace and a grin made its way to his face. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked his grin still in place.
Sakura turned back to Naruto, kissed him on the cheek and whispered goodbye in his ear before leaving. Once she was gone Naruto sat down, Jiraiya soon copying. "You just get back?" Naruto asked.
"Yesterday, and today I planed on teaching you something and you end up in here," Jiraiya said.
"What were you going to teach me?" Naruto asked eagerly, leaning forward.
"You'll see when you get out. First off, what the hell were you thinking leaving the village like that?" Jiraiya demanded.
"Oh," Naruto leaned back, all enthusiasm lost, "that. It's not how you think it is. He was taken prisoner, we had to save him," Naruto said.
"You didn't know he was a prisoner until you got there, he went back on his own," Jiraiya said.
"I knew he was a prisoner by the next day, he was lied to and would've tried to leave," Naruto said slightly angered.
Jiraiya was silent for a while. "Enough of that then, now for the big question," Jiraiya said and Naruto leaned forward slightly. "How're things going with the pink haired medic?" Jiraiya asked his grin returning full force.
Naruto nearly fell our of his chair form the huge diversion the question just had, "Ahh, I thought you really had an important question, damn pervert," Naruto said righting himself.
"Hey, it is important. If things aren't so good, you'll get distracted and killed in a fight," Jiraiya said leaning back.
Naruto looked at Jiraiya in silence for a while. "What exactly are you asking about?" Naruto asked, it was evident he didn't want to talk about this, especially with Jiraiya, but he was caught, and the longer he was here, the longer he was away from his cell.
"Any problems you're having, or think you might be having," Jiraiya said, he grin fading slightly, but still present.
"None that I know of. We really haven't had much tome together. She works in the hospital everyday; I'm either on missions or training. And usually when we are together it's with other people, or something is preoccupying our minds," Naruto said.
Jiraiya nodded, "That's good enough. But I'd recommend doing something together as soon as you can or things might just fade into nothing," Jiraiya said.
Naruto didn't answer; he just sat silently for a while. Then he looked at Jiraiya, "so anything else going on outside these walls? What were you doing while you were gone, or was it just research?" Naruto asked.
"A while back I was asked an unusual question, I spent my time finding an answer for myself," Jiraiya said.
"What question?" Naruto asked.
"I was asked when Orochimaru would be replaced by another sennin. I said that the title is held to death, and only given to teams of three where all three make it to Kage level," Jiraiya said.
"If you answered him, then why did you go looking for an answer?" Naruto asked.
"Because if that were true, then other villages would have sennin as well. But they don't, and Konoha hasn't had any before me, Tsunade and Orochimaru," Jiraiya said.
"Then, what's the answer?" Naruto asked.
"In order for sennin to be something achievable outside of me and the others, it has to be a team of three whom all reach adulthood and Kage level. But their sensei has to be of Kage level as well, and has to become a Kage before any of the three pass away," Jiraiya said.
"That's a lot," Naruto said.
"Yeah, I know. I don't know if it'll happen again or not," Jiraiya said.
Naruto was thinking of something to say, anything to say that would keep Jiraiya here, because he knew he'd be going back to the cell after this, and he knew he didn't want that. But nothing more was said, and after a while of silence Jiraiya got up and left. Naruto was taken back to his cell to wait out the rest of the day.
The other prisoners did work and got time outside, but Naruto didn't. All the guards have been warned that Naruto is an expert of henge, even into inanimate objects. So he wasn't let outside for fear of his escaping.
Sakura came back to visit each day, telling him how well Sasuke and Stone were doing. She also brought him news that he wouldn't receive his punishment until Sasuke was out of the hospital, so they could receive it together.
Two days after Naruto spoke with Jiraiya Sakura came to him with bad news. Stone had passed away. There were only eight Terrors left. Hearing that reminded Naruto that none of the Terrors visited him. When he asked Sakura about this, she said they weren't allowed to, because they weren't citizens of Konoha.
Three days after learning of Stones death a new prisoner moved in, right across form Naruto. It brought a grin to his face when he saw who it was.
"Hey, Sasuke, you're finally out of the hospital," Naruto said threw the bars.
Sasuke didn't answer; he just sat on his bed staring at the opposite wall.
"Hey, you didn't say anything about why you went back right?" Naruto asked. Again Sasuke said nothing so Naruto continued, "good, don't. There's a way out of this, I'll tell you when I have a better chance," Naruto said.
Sasuke turned to look at him, "what are you talking about? I betrayed Konoha twice. The only way I'll get off easy is with a quick death," Sasuke said his voice calm and lackluster.
"You're wrong. I'll tell you later, just don't say anything about why," Naruto said.
"I haven't said a word until now," Sasuke said.
"Good," Naruto said going back to his bed.
After a long while of silence Sasuke spoke again, "did you take the blame jut to get in here and tell me this?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto grinned, "Yeah. Sakura's pretty mad at me, she wants me to share the blame so it'll be easier on me," Naruto said.
"Hmph. You don't have to do this, I can deal with my punishment. I got off way to easy for the last one, whatever I get for this should make up for it," Sasuke said.
"They were easy because of what happened to you when you were younger. Plus, they don't want the last Uchiha to die," Naruto said.
"They might now," Sasuke said.
"Yeah, but they won't," Naruto said.
There was silence again before Sasuke spoke, "you went through worse than me. It was one happening then the pain of it for me. But you had a constant beating and the pain of not knowing why. And they won't go easy on you," Sasuke said.
"If anything they'll be stricter," Naruto said with a weak laugh.
There was silence again and Naruto waited for Sasuke to say something again. The cell wasn't so bad when he was talking. But Sasuke didn't say another word. The silence dragged on into the night, and Naruto finally fell asleep.
The next day all the other prisoners were taken from their cells and let out. Naruto was still kept inside, and Sasuke was as well. His crime was a high one, and he was considered to dangerous to be let out.
Naruto took this chance to tell Sasuke what was going on. He barely got finished as a guard appeared. The guard walked up to Naruto, "You're going to see the Hokage and get your sentence now," the guard turned to Sasuke, "you too," he said.
The guard walked Naruto out of the prison where two ANBU were waiting to take him. The three of them vanished in a puff of smoke and appeared in Tsunade's office. A few moments later Sasuke appeared with two more ANBU. Tsunade wasn't alone; four elders were with her, as well as the remaining members of the Twelve Terrors. The four ANBU bowed to Tsunade before poofing away.
"Naruto and Sasuke, you are here to be judged for your crimes. Your crimes are separate, but you are here together because they are linked. Myself and these elders will be the judges; the eight remaining of the twelve will be the witnesses. Do you understand what I have told you?" Tsunade asked.
Both Sasuke and Naruto nodded, "yeah," Naruto said.
"Sasuke we start with you. Your crime is deserting the mission. You left the group against orders of your team leader. You were charged with this crime once in the past. Are you aware of the severity of a second offence?" Tsunade asked and Sasuke nodded.
"Perhaps he felt it would be nothing at all, after the minimal punishment he received for the first offence," one elder said.
"We can't bring his past punishments into this, only other crimes still existent on his record," Tsunade said.
"Yes, we must view both offences as deserting a mission and not turning traitor and siding with the enemy, however brief a time it was," another elder said.
"Can we get back to the crime at hand?" a third elder asked.
"Yes we can. Now Sasuke, do you have anything to say in your defense?" Tsunade asked.
"He doesn't have to," Strag said stepping forward.
"What are you talking about? Why are you even talking you're just a witness to this proceeding," the first elder said.
"I was the team leader on the mission he is accused of deserting, my testimony is relevant," Strag said.
"He has a point. What is it you have to say that is more important than what the boy does?" the third elder asked.
"He did not desert against orders," Stag said.
"That's not what you said when you came here before," Tsunade said.
"Him and me were the last two to leave the area of the fight. As we moved I told him to go back and see if he could infiltrate. I said we'd stop in Konoha and return as soon as possible. The deserting show was put on because I was unaware that Link was on our side," Strag said.
"So it was all a façade?" the second elder asked.
"Yes," Sasuke said nodding.
Tsunade rubbed her forehead, "what do you think?" she asked the fourth elder.
"We have no way to prove or disprove it. Sasuke was in a very poor state when they returned, showing that at the very least, he changed his mind after betraying us, and at most, they caught him. Going by the known ability and nature of Strag, I think this could be true," the fourth elder said.
"I'd have to agree," the third elder said.
"As would I," the second said.
"I disagree," the first said.
"It's four to one, in favor of it being on order," Tsunade looked at Sasuke, "looks like you get off," she said with a slight grin.
Sasuke just nodded.
"Now Naruto, I know it wasn't an order, because the mission was over, I also directly told you not to go. Are you aware that this is still a criminal action, despite the good intentions behind it?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes, and I'm willing to face my punishment," Naruto said nodding.
"Anything you eight have to say to stop his punishment?" the first elder asked.
None of the eight spoke, "how about you boy?" the second elder asked looking at Naruto.
"I did what I did to save a friend. And I saved him. Last time he left you sent out five of us to get him back. We failed, but now I go on my own and bring him back, isn't that a successful mission?" Naruto asked.
"It wasn't a mission, you were ordered to stay here," the first elder said.
"Is that all you have to say?" Tsunade asked and Naruto nodded, "Very well, what do you decide?" Tsunade asked turning to the elders.
"Public beating," the first elder said.
"Suspension and public service," the second elder said.
"Suspension and public service," the third elder said.
"Nothing, he received more than his share of punishments in his early life," the fourth elder said.
Tsunade sighed, "I can't give a verdict. I'm too close to him," she said.
"Then it is suspension," the fourth elder said.
"Do you really want to suspend a jounin now, when the Alliance is at a weak point and the Kid personally took a few of them down," Grim asked.
"He does have a point," the third elder said.
"Who decided to let them be the witnesses?" the first elder demanded in a commanding voice.
"They volunteered for it. I had no reason to deny it," Tsunade said shrugging.
"You do now," the first elder said.
"They've already been assigned," the second elder said.
"They're not even citizens yet, they should not be allowed to interfere with Konoha business," the first elder said.
"Actually, two days ago they were all named full citizens and their ninja status is pending," the fourth elder said.
"Can we gat back on topic?" Tsunade asked.
"Yeah, I just want to know what the hell the Kid did to make you want to publicly beat him." Wiseman asked.
"The demon may be dead, but I'm sure it has left its mark," the first elder said.
"It hasn't, I can tell you that," Sage said.
"Forgive me for not trusting your word on the matter, you have befriended him," the first elder said.
"After the crap we went through with Kyuubi in our first lives, we wouldn't be friends with anything influenced by him," Grim said.
"Can we get back on track?" Tsunade yelled it this time.
"Well suspending him would be a bad idea," the second elder said.
"Yes, and aiding in the retrieval of a spy is difficult. Especially for all we know of the Alliance," the third elder said.
"That leaves the public beating," the first elder said.
"Not happening," Tsunade said.
"We are then left with no punishment," the third elder said.
"Agreed," the second said.
"Yes," the fourth elder said.
"I don't agree, but that is the majority. Naruto, this is on your record, but your punishment stands as jail time served," Tsunade said.
Naruto grinned and nodded.