Disclaimer: *Cough* I don't *Cough* own *Cough* Naruto.
A Tree or A Root?
Chapter 4: Crumble, Crumble.
(Arc II: A Monument To All Of My Sins)
Opening: Break. Artist: Three Days Grace. Album: Three Days Grace.
"When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home."
-Tecumseh
Everything dies. An obvious statement perhaps, but do we really know the depth of it? Such depth can and has been explored; it led to a question: "What dies first? The Root or The Tree?" This led to another question: "Does it really matter?" After all, everything dies, right?
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"Kakashi-sensei, what's Root?" Asks Sakura as Team 7 walks back to Konoha.
Suppressing an annoyed sigh, the Jonin replies: "Nothing you should concern yourself with, Sakura. Please go with Sasuke in front." Sakura sends him a glare before doing what was asked of her. Thanking Kami, Kakashi turns back to the source of his current headache: Naruto.
"How long were you in Root?"
"Long Enough."
"What did you learn?"
"Survival."
"Who taught you?"
Silence.
"That's a stupid question."
See? This has been Kakashi's last two hours; non-stop evading of questions. Sighing, Kakashi relents: "Fine. If you don't want to talk to me, then I'm sure a trip to T&I will work."
Silence.
Damn it all to h-
"Fine. Ask and I'll answer."
Huh, who would've thought?
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Minato looks over the ledger from the Root HQ for the umpteenth time; trying to find some hidden message. Finding none, he closes the folder with an exasperated sigh. With a snap of his fingers, two ANBU appear. Handing one of them the dossier, Minato says: "Take these to my wife. Tell her that 'they lie in earth.'"
"Understood."
And the Anbu puffs away. Sighing, Minato hears a knock on his door.
"Come on in."
His assistant walks in and hands him a paper. In response to his quirked brow, she smirks and says: "Chunin Exams are going to be interesting this year."
Request for Admittance into Chunin Exams:
Iwa, Kiri, Kumo, Suna, Yosei (Fairy Tail), Tamashi (Soul Eater), Ame, Oto
Hidden Soul Village? Fairy Village? SOUND Village? How do you hide something within sound? What the hell? Shaking his head, the fourth fire shadow signs his name; ghost of a smirk on his face. This is going to be an interesting Chunin Exams indeed.
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Kakashi looks down at the road with a guilty expression on his face. Years, YEARS, of him being with the Namikaze family and not once did he notice his charge's predicament. Now, however, all is clear; like someone just cleaned his smudged glasses. Unfortunately, there's something more pressing than Naruto's somber childhood: his battle skills. Naruto is Jonin level. JONIN level. Sure, he was that strong at twelve years old, but that was during war! Totally different set of circumstances! Nonetheless, Naruto was far, FAR ahead of his fellow genin. If Kakashi were to send him in there with other green-as-grass ninja it would be a massacre, and the by-the-book masked Jonin is nothing if not fair.
Naruto walks stoically ahead of his team. He originally was pissed to a whole another level when Kakashi started badgering him about his past. Little does the Hatake know however, that he only heard what Naruto wanted him to hear. Of course Naruto was no fool, he knew the Jonin would report him to his "father"; it was all a part of a bigger plan. It would be annoying if he were to be taken out of the exams though. Nonetheless, just a small wrench in a much bigger gear.
It didn't take much longer before the eyes of past and present Kage were upon the team. Just a little longer, and only the present kage's eyes were on them. Minato complements the genin on a job well done before sending them off. Noting the seemingly random spark of annoyance in his son's eyes, the fourth turns to Kakashi and says: "Speak."
And the two hour long mission report begins.
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"E-Excuse me?'
Minato stands up and walks to the window overlooking his village.
"I already knew about my son, Kakashi. Have you forgotten who I am?"
"Then, why Sensei? Why are you allowing him to play genin?"
Silence.
"Kakashi, look at the paper on my desk."
Doing as he is told, Kakashi looks at the paper. "Chunin Exams? Why?"
…
…
Son of a bitch.
"Was this your plan all along?"
Minato glances at him with one piercing blue eye.
"Careful, Kakashi."
Kakashi bows his head.
"Apology accepted and no it wasn't my plan. Originally, I had hoped Danzo would leave better off alone, but as you have figured out he tampered with Naruto. I simply am playing with the cards I've been given."
The Jonin nods.
"Now, what?"
"Now, I show Danzo my hand and we see who walks away with the pot."
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A sharp sound vibrates throughout Naruto's house; waking up the pseudo-genin. Keeping on the safe side, Naruto takes a kunai out of his nightstand and stalks to the epicenter of the sound: his living room.
Naruto walks into the living room with the kunai in a reverse grip. After utilizing both his chakra sensing, and his superb eyesight the ex-root nin deems it all clear. Sighing in annoyance, Naruto places the kunai down on the glass table in front of the sofa. Right next to his old cracked Anbu mask.
Wait.
What?
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Danzo smirks to himself as he enters the official meeting room for the shinobi council.
"Good. He received the package."
It did not take long for the rest of the council to fill in; the rest being every clan head and elder; including Minato at the Hokage seat and Jirayia leaning against one of the walls of the room. After calling the meeting to order, Minato begins:
"Hello, everybody. I apologize for the rather out-of-the-blue meeting, but a matter has come up that cannot wait for the usual monthly meeting."
Taking a breath, Minato continues: "One of our elders has decided to ignore a direct order from his Hokage."
If it were any other type of crowd there would be gasps and muttering, but with a meeting full of esteemed ninja all that could be seen was the narrowing of eyes or raising of brows.
"Danzo Shimura, you are charged with the kidnapping and brainwashing of children and treasonous acts against Konoha. What do you say for yourself?"
All eyes pointed at Danzo, the mummy simply asks: "On what grounds?"
"Testimony from well-respected elite Jonin, Hatake Kakashi and evidence compiled by ANBU agents Weasel and Crane."
Seeing no more arguments, Minato states: "Your trial will be in two weeks time."
With a snap of the fingers, both of the before mentioned ANBU appear and apply seals to Danzo. Within the next second, there gone: off to Torture and Interrogation.
Inwardly smirking, Minato continues:
"In light of these recent events, I, as your Yondaime Hokage, disband the current Elder council and call for a vote of the new Elder council."
Homura and Koharu both instantly lose their composure and protest. However, that does nothing to sway the rest of the council as they all agree with their Hokage.
Deciding to end this, Minato finishes with: "The new vote will take place at the monthly meeting. Dismissed!"
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A note had appeared from a storage seal hidden on the mask. As Naruto read it, he could feel every emotion from that day so many years ago.
Emiko had just been given the title of heiress and Naruto had run off. The boy did not where he was going but for some reason he ended up on the third's head; which was funny because he usually ended up there anyways. Absently noting that it had begun to rain, Naruto sat down and clutched his knees. Funny how rain and tears tend to feel the same on skin. Minutes, maybe hours Naruto stayed like that, hoping, no, praying that he would just die; that his pathetic existence would just end. A soft thumping of a cane took Naruto out of his gorge of despair, and it belonged to Danzo. The man had just walked up to him, held out his hand and asked: "Do you want power?"
It was almost ironic, Naruto had been praying for divine interception, and instead he shook the devil's hand.
Ridding his head of such needless flashbacks, Naruto re-reads the note.
Naruto, my time draws near. Your father and his hounds are fast on my trail and will soon catch me. I have no problem dying for I believe in, but I will not let it die with me. You have been named my heir, and all of Root will follow you. Please uphold my vision, Naruto. Recreate the Leaf to what it should be: a dominating superpower.
Shaking his head, Naruto crumples up the paper and throws it across the room.
"Your vision means nothing to me, Danzo. The Leaf has forsaken me, and I her. There is just one last thing I must do before I can leave this hell-hole behind me."
The ex-Root nin picks up his old mask and crushes it.
"Show my father and mother what it really means to hate."
Only the Fox inside wouldn't deny the lone tear that fell from Naruto's eye.
And welcome to Arc II. Sorry for the lateness, but junior year is a bitch. Well, at least I got a new dog. :D Oh, and I actually enjoy the new Call of Duty! So, that's taking up some of my time. Also, for those who do not know, Naruto has ended. There has been much community annoyance about the ending, but personally it doesn't really bug me. I'm just sad that the constant from my childhood has ended. I remember waking up every Saturday and watching Naruto with my big brother, well at least we're getting a spin-off, huh? Thank you for reading.
Ending: This Love, This Hate. Artist: Hollywood Undead. Album: Swan Songs.