I nod at his statement. Though I've never met this Orochimaru character, and never wish to in my life, he doesn't sound like good news. From what I've heard from Sound's inhabitants, they made their 'leader' seem like some sort of God. I snort. Yeah right, seems more like a monster to me. Threatening people's loved ones, prying into their lives to get what he wanted. What kind of 'God' was that? Sounds more like the devil to me.
And the village of Oto has been in ruins for years, struggling to keep itself on the map. Bringing their leader back to life would be like giving candy to a child. And just like that child, they'd do anything to get what they want. What Konoha had to do with that is still beyond me, however, but I'm sure it's part of some plot. One that Naruto would make sure failed. Naruto's voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
"We should search for more enemy ninja. I sent Hinata-chan to secure the villagers in hiding, so at least they'll be safe," he states.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I question. I know I'm just a child, and adults feel that I don't belong on the battlefield. As my mother stated, this isn't my fight to win. But if there was anything I could do to margin the victory to Konoha even a bit, I would.
Naruto shakes his head. "No, you should hide until the fighting's over. There is no need to drag you into this," he answers.
"Demo..." I trail off. What was a reason for me to stay in the range of fire? I suppose it's my pride getting to me again, I hate being underestimated just because I'm a kid.
"No 'buts' about it. You should make sure your mother stays safe, as well as your sister," the man explains, "They need you to protect them right now."
My mother was fully capable of taking care of herself, I had wanted to argue. Their safety is my first priority, but helping this situation resolve secures that a bit, doesn't it.
"Are you sure, Naruto-san?" I question.
He nods as an answer. "Sakura-chan would have my head if anything befell you. It's been awhile since I've seen her, but I know that protective instinct she's always had will never fade. She worries over the tiniest things. But I suppose you know that."
Do I ever, I think to myself. My mother would have wrinkles before she reached thirty by all the worrying she seems to do.
Sighing in defeat, I trudged tree to tree, heading in the direction in which I had left my mother and sister.
This all was happening so fast. It seems just like yesterday that this whole thing was a mystery to me. Wait, it was just yesterday wasn't it? It seems incomprehensible to me that this knowledge of my parent's roots had once been unknown. They had seemed so out of reach before, but now I had it all in my grasp.
Hadn't it been but a mere few days ago that I had become a Chuunin in a village that I despised? In a village where you could trust no one, not even your next door neighbor. The place that needed a lot of work to be thriving again.
And it had been just as long as that when I had hated my father, who now had my deepest respect. Everything had been cleared up in less than 100 hours. It seemed surreal.
I looked around in search for relatives, but they were not in sight. I blink in confusion. It shouldn't be this hard to find two pink-haired females in the middle of a forest. They should stick out like needles in a haystack. I stop in my steps as I feel someone approaching rapidly. I jump to the ground in haste. Grabbing my kunai, my obsidian eyes glance in all directions. Not to the right, left. My head whips up. Not above, my eyes widen in diameter as I jump up. Beneath, I realize. Just in time, the nin comes from underground.
A sound ninja, I took note. He squints at me. "What's a kid like you doing out here?"
I frown deeply as I am again underestimated. "I should be the one asking what you are doing here?"
He must notice my headband. "Are you taking a part in this? I knew we were in need of subordinates, but this is ridiculous."
I give him a head-on glare, then swallow my pride. I know now is not the time to let my ego get in the way. I shake my head. "I am not aware of the happenings. I'm afraid I've been denied details. Would you like to inform me of them?"
The ninja narrows his eyes. "I don't think so, kid. You have no business being here. This isn't playtime."
I roll my eyes. "Give me a break," I tell him. "I'm no amateur."
He takes a good look at me. "You look a lot like Sasuke-sama. Relation perhaps? I heard he had about a dozen kids."
I almost choke when he says 'Sasuke-sama'. And it's a half-dozen, I want to correct him, but that is the least of my troubles. "I'm his firstborn. I happen to be a Chuunin. My father, does he know what's going on?"
The man scoffs. "Know of it? Kid, he's leading this party," he answers and my body goes numb.
Tousan? If he's the leader of this, he must be close by? But, surely he wouldn't. This is his home, where he grew up. That had to mean something to him.
'The other Oto nins threatened your father the same way Orochimaru did'My mother's words come back to me. This must be another threat against us, it's the only way to explain this.
"Do you by chance know where my father was headed?" I ask the ninja with a raise of the eyebrow.
"Look, I don't have time to talk. Your father was ordered to take care of the Hokage, I'm sure he'll follow through." The ninja left then, leaving me stunned.
Take care of the Hokage, I know what that means. But Tousan wouldn't, he couldn't do something like that.
'Not even Naruto could stop him, and Naruto was his best friend.'
No, Tousan wouldn't go as far as to kill Naruto.
'He'd have you and me killed.'
I shake my head as I frantically start running. No, Tousan would do anything to keep us safe, even if that meant killing someone that used to be important to him, I understand that much now.
But I can't let him go through with it. There must be another answer. There's always more than one way to get to the solution, and that has to be true in this case.
My eyes move to-and-fro as I scope the area as I pass by. I won't allow myself to not stop this all from happening. My father wasn't a cold-blooded killer; he didn't want to kill those that had done nothing wrong. Let alone someone he used to call his best friend. Or would he? There's still so much I need to learn.
Kuso, where are they? They have to be around here somewhere. Come on, I have to find them, before it's too late.
"Naruto, it's been awhile."
I freeze in mid-step and turn my head in the direction of the voice. I'd know it anywhere, even if I'd only heard it a handful of times. "Tousan."
Muwahaha. Yes, I am evil.. I wanted to leave you hanging. I don't do it a lot, so I decided this was a good opportunity. You guys are just going to have to wait for Sasuke-kun. XD Hm, do you think Sasuke will follow through or will Seiko intervene? Guess you'll have to wait till next time. Mou, I feel so evil. I plan for a faster update, but my birthday is coming in two days and school starts up again shortly after that so I can't make any promises. Can you believe this story should have only about five chapters left? (sniffs) Hope you enjoyed it despite it's shortness. I'm trying to work on that.
sasuke fanatic1