Lost.
Chapter Four – Bittersweet Memories.
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Zetsu had arrived back at the Akatsuki base and reported what had happened to Pein. Pein glared fiercely at Zetsu. "Why did you let him get away Zetsu?" Pein hissed.
"He insists that he's coming back. He was injured protecting one of the Konoha Shinobi. He recognised her." Zetsu replied. Pein gritted his teeth.
"He'll contact Konan or Itachi. If either of them, leave the base alone without telling me, follow them." Pein stated. Zetsu nodded.
"Understood." He said simply and left.
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Naruto found himself travelling towards Konoha. Although he had no idea where he was going really. His instincts were taking him there. Once he found himself outside the gates of Konoha, hidden in the forest, he wondered what it was that bought him there. He saw the carved faces in the mountainside, like in his dream. There was an extra face however. The face of a woman. Naruto stared intently at the face. "I know her." Naruto whispered to himself. Another memory came to him then.
Naruto was stood in front of the woman. She had blond hair. "I am Hokage now, so I shouldn't really dirty my hands on a little squirt like you. One finger's all I'm gonna need." She stated boldly.
"Don't underestimate me Baa-Chan. I'm gonna be Hokage one day." He heard himself say. He charged at the female, and felt her finger flick off a headband he'd been wearing. He stared as she bought her fingers to flick his forehead. He closed his eyes in anticipation of the flick, but felt a pair of lips, gently touch his forehead instead.
"Grow up to be a great man. Alright kid?" She said kindly. A smile graced her face.
"Of course, Tsunade Baa-Chan!" He heard himself exclaim.
Naruto bit his lip hard. "Why do I remember people here?" Naruto thought to himself. "I need to let my instincts guide me." He thought again, as he snuck into Konoha, hoping to find the answers to his questions.
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Kakashi was finished explaining what had happened to Tsunade. "So Naruto was there?" Tsunade asked. Kakashi nodded, as the other Konoha Shinobi stayed quiet. "And he had absolutely no memories of Konoha?" Tsunade asked again.
"He seemed to recognise Hinata and Sakura. He was very confused. I didn't really get to speak to him." Kakashi said softly.
"Hinata?" Tsunade questioned.
"He didn't remember his name at all. He said his name was Kaito. But he knew who I was. He said he'd had a flash of memory of a conversation we'd had. He remembered Sakura. I think he recognised Sasuke. In fact, I think he recognised all of us even if it was only a little bit. But he was very confused. Like he wasn't sure who to believe. He really thinks that Itachi Uchiha is his brother." Hinata stated. Tsunade nodded.
"We'll have to plan our next move carefully. Not only with Naruto but also with Hoshigakure." Tsunade said softly.
"He protected Hinata from Zetsu's attack! There must be some hope!" Sakura exclaimed.
"There's probably a lot of hope, depending on what Naruto does next. He didn't kill the diplomat, which means we still have a hope of salvaging the peace treaty with Hoshigakure. But we also have a chance to help Naruto. If any of you see him, just make sure to let him ask his questions, and answer them honestly. He's had enough lies. It'll help him if he sees familiar faces." Tsunade said. The group nodded. Sai was stood in a corner of the room, not really wanting to get involved. But for maybe the first time in his life, he was curious to see how this played out.
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Naruto crept through Konoha as silently as possible. He looked around surreptitiously. The buildings were the same as in his dream. He hadn't seen the old man however. He made his way around in the shadows, hoping not to be spotted. He found himself next to what appeared to be a school. He looked at a lone tree swing, and something clicked again in his mind.
Naruto was sat on the swing, looking around at the groups of playing children. He saw who he assumed to be Sasuke, also sitting alone under a tree. He saw a girl he thought to be Sakura, sat with who he assumed to be the blond Kunoichi he'd seen with the group before. They were all considerably younger, but he just instinctively knew who they were. He also saw Hinata hiding behind a fence, watching him. He heard Sakura and the other girl talking. "What are you going to do after school Ino-Chan?" Sakura asked the blond girl.
"I'm helping in the flower shop. Dad's on a mission so Mum needs me to help out." Ino said happily.
"I have to help out at the sweet shop today too. Mum and Dad are busy." Sakura replied. Naruto stared at them, wondering where his own parents were. That was when a Ninja came into the courtyard. He had spiky brown hair, tied into a ponytail and a scar across his nose.
"Come on everyone! Break time is over! Back to class!" The man yelled. Naruto, against his will, felt himself standing up and running over to the teacher. "Iruka-Sensei!" He heard himself shout…
Naruto was so very confused. Was the man a teacher or a friend? Maybe he was both. Maybe he didn't even exist. Naruto heard people coming and hid in the tree. He saw students run out into the courtyard. Three of the students stuck out to him, and one of them in particular. "Konohamaru-Kun! Are you okay?" The girl of the three asked.
"I'm alright Moegi. I was just thinking about Naruto Nii-Chan. I wonder if he'll come back. Sasuke and Sakura keep saying he's going to, but it's been so long." Konohamaru stated. 'Konohamaru' held a pair of goggles in his hands and looked very downhearted. Again, Naruto was faced with a flashback.
"Hey it's a long road to become Hokage. Here, have these." Naruto said to the boy as he handed him the goggles. Konohamaru grinned widely.
"You mean it boss?" Konohamaru asked.
"Sure. I've already graduated. I've got a leaf headband. So you can use these goggles now. Just remember there isn't an easy road to becoming Hokage. One day we'll battle for the title of Hokage." Naruto said to the boy. He nodded vigorously.
"Okay Naruto Nii-Chan!" He exclaimed loudly.
Naruto carried on watching as Konohamaru's two friends, Moegi and Udon, as Naruto found out, tried to comfort him. Then the very same teacher came out of the school as in his flashback. "Okay everyone, break time is over! Back to class!" He called out. As students filed in, Konohamaru ran up to the same Iruka-Sensei.
"Iruka-Sensei?" He questioned softly.
"What's wrong Konohamaru?" Iruka asked.
"Do you think that Naruto Nii-Chan will be back soon?" He asked.
"I think he's going to come back to us one day Konohamaru. That's something I know from the bottom of my heart." Iruka said gently.
"He has to come back. He promised he was gonna battle me for the title of Hokage. He never goes back on his word!" Konohamaru exclaimed. Naruto bit his lip, as yet another flashback came to him.
Naruto stood up and slammed his hand on the desk. "Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! I never go back on my word! I don't care if I stay a Genin for the rest of my life! I'm still gonna be Hokage one day!" He heard himself yell. He saw Hinata sat next to him smiling softly.
Naruto felt so confused. "Was everything I was told a lie?" He thought to himself sorrowfully as he left the tree he was sitting in, and disappeared, with all the stealth he could muster.
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Sasuke and Sakura started walking down the street sadly. "I wanna see Naruto again Sasuke." Sakura said softly.
"I know a way we can." Sasuke replied. Sasuke started walking in a different direction. Sakura followed after him quickly.
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Naruto found himself going through Konoha, sticking to the shadows. His hood never left his head. His face was never exposed. He was still so confused. He soon found himself at a rickety looking apartment complex. He made his way to the top floor and stood outside the very same green door, with the window in the top. He touched the knob of the door, only for the door to open. The door creaked loudly, and Naruto cringed just from the loudness that broke the silence. He walked into the apartment and saw that the place hadn't been lived in for a while. He could see films of dust on everything. Yet images attacked him from every direction. Him sitting on the beat-up couch, him eating instant Ramen at the kitchen table, him reaching into the beat-up refrigerator to pick up a carton of milk. Often it was out of date. He walked into what seemed to be the bedroom. He saw the bed, and a beaver hat left on the messy bed. He was assailed by images of himself, wearing the hat when he woke up. He walked over to the bedside table and picked up a picture frame that sat there. It was covered thickly with dust, but Naruto couldn't help feeling this need to remove the dust. He wiped the dust off with a rag he saw on bedside table next to the photo frame. What he saw took his breath away. It was him, as a twelve-year-old. But what took his breath away were the people in the picture with him. He noted the silver haired Jounin that he'd seen with the others, protecting the diplomat. He looked exactly the same and Naruto felt a lump in his throat. He also saw the ones he knew as Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura was in the middle smiling, Sasuke was on the right side and he was on the left. The silver haired Jounin had his hands, on top of their heads, ruffling their hair, it appeared. Naruto turned the picture over, and saw that he'd written on the back of it. "Me, Sakura-Chan, Kakashi-Sensei and Sasuke-Teme." Naruto read out softly. He picked up another photo frame, also covered in dust and wiped it clean. He saw a picture of himself with the man he'd remembered being Iruka-Sensei. He was sat on a stool in, what appeared to be, a Ramen bar. Naruto saw himself sat on the stool next to the brunette male. Both were grinning at the camera, and holding chopsticks. Naruto was shoving Ramen into his mouth whilst still grinning. He looked on the back, and yet again found a note. "Me and Iruka-Sensei after I graduated the Academy." Naruto read out loud again. There were about four other pictures along a shelf that was just above his bed. He cleaned them off one by one. The first one was a picture of him, as a younger child, and the old man from his dream. "Me and Old Man Hokage on my tenth birthday." Naruto read out. He looked at the second picture. It was him with the three kids he'd seen at the Academy. "Me and the Konohamaru Corps before the Chunin exams." Naruto read out. The third picture was a picture of him and the blond female he knew to be 'Tsunade Baa-Chan' as well as two others. One was a tall, older man, with pure white hair. The other was a young woman with short, dark hair. "Me, Ero-Sennin, Tsunade Baa-Chan and Shizune Nee-Chan at the hot springs." Naruto read out. The last picture was a picture of him with Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, the blonde girl Ino, The male with long, dark hair, a brunette boy with sunglasses, a dark haired boy with spiky hair that looked like a pineapple, a brunette girl with odangos, a red haired boy, another blond girl, a boy with a black, bowl haircut, a large looking brunette boy, a brunette boy with a white puppy on his head and a boy wearing a black hood with cat ears. He looked at the back of the photo. "Me with Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kiba, Chouji, Ino, Lee, Shino, Neji, Ten Ten, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. After Tsunade Baa-Chan came to Konoha." Naruto read. He had placed the pictures back as he had looked at them. He could scarcely believe this was all real. But the handwriting was definitely his, on the back of the photos. He felt himself trembling. The urge to cry was overwhelming at that moment. But Itachi had taught him not to cry. A lot more things made sense since he'd been told he wasn't Itachi's brother at all. He could see the resemblances between Sasuke and Itachi, where he'd never seen them between himself and Itachi. He wondered if Sasuke could use Sharingan like Itachi. Then remembered his flashback and realised that in fact he could. Naruto knew instinctively that they were telling the truth. He wanted so badly to remember everything. To know exactly what had happened. He heard his front door open, for he knew now that this apartment was in fact his, and he did the only thing he could think of doing. He used chakra to cling to the ceiling as he waited for whoever it was to reveal themselves.
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Sakura and Sasuke walked into the apartment. "Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?" Sakura asked.
"I come here sometimes. When I think that Naruto's getting further away. I come here, and I remember, and I realise that he's going to come back to us one day." Sasuke said softly.
"Even now that we know he doesn't remember us?" Sakura pleaded. Sasuke could see she needed a positive answer.
"I think he'll remember us. I don't know how long it's going to take, but I'll be waiting for my best friend when he wants to come back." Sasuke stated. Sakura smiled softly as they entered Naruto's room.
"Sasuke do you think… when Naruto comes back… that he'll want to stay with us?" Sakura asked. Sasuke looked at Sakura in surprise. "He's always lived here. We're a team Sasuke, and I stay with you now. I know that you painted that room and everything, but do you really think… deep down… that he'll stay with us?" Sakura asked.
"I don't honestly know." Sasuke replied. "That doesn't mean you can't hope though." Sasuke added stoically, as Sakura nodded. That was when they looked at the photos on the side table, and shelf across the top of Naruto's bed. "The photos have been cleaned." Sasuke said softly.
"Didn't you do that?" Sakura asked.
"No. I've never touched anything in here. Someone's been here." Sasuke stated.
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Naruto had listened to the whole conversation. He bit his lip and wondered how he could never know people missed him that much. That was when he heard the end of the conversation. He decided to reveal himself. He jumped down from his position, clinging to the roof, making Sasuke and Sakura jump.
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Sakura jumped back, and Sasuke pulled out a kunai, until he saw the glint of Naruto's familiar necklace. He felt his eyes widen as he put away his kunai. "Naruto?" Sasuke asked. He saw his old friend pull his hood down, and Sasuke was forced to see just how much Naruto had grown.
"I believe you all now." Naruto said softly.
"Do you remember us?" Sakura begged. Naruto shook his head and Sasuke felt his heart drop.
"I keep getting images. Everywhere I look. Everything in here makes me have flashbacks. The pictures…" Naruto looked over at the pictures. "They all have my handwriting on the back. I wish I could remember everything fully. I don't know why I can't." Naruto said softly. Sasuke saw tears creeping down Sakura's cheeks. Naruto looked so confused. "I want to. I look at those pictures and everyone in them looks happy to be there. I want to remember what their friendships were like. I…" Naruto trailed off when Sakura threw her arms around his neck. Sasuke gave a soft smile.
"Naruto, we can help you remember! We can!" Sakura exclaimed. "Stay with us Naruto! Please?" Sakura pleaded. Naruto looked at Sasuke and Sasuke hoped his eyes were sending the same message.
"I need to do something first. I'll come back as soon as I've finished it. But I will come back. I swear. Give me one week. I'll be back in this apartment." Naruto said softly. He took Sakura's arms from around his neck and gripped her shoulders gently. "Don't cry Sakura-Chan. I don't like to see you cry." Naruto said softly. "Look after each other." Naruto said gently to Sasuke. Sasuke gave a small smile.
"We'll see you soon." Sasuke uttered. Naruto gave a small smile and left the apartment, before either of his old teammates could say a word.
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Naruto left Konoha, and his heart almost longed to go back. But he couldn't do that yet. He had to confront the people that had done this to him. He needed to know why. He wanted to talk to Konan desperately. He wanted so many things. But right now, he needed to break his ties with Akatsuki, which is where he was heading now. "I'll make things right somehow." He thought to himself as he leapt through the trees. He got to a clearing, near Konoha still, and released the origami bird that Konan had given him. "Now all I need to do is to wait for Konan to reply." Naruto thought as he sat down to wait.