Disclaimer-Nope I still make no money writing this fanfic. Rats.
This chapter is dedicated to A Forgotten Fairy because (his/hers/their?) Review made me laugh. Also thanks to anyone else who read or reviewed the story. It's greatly appreciated. And now, onward!
The Lessons a Hokage Needs to Know
Chapter Three-Introspection
NARUTONARUTONARUTO
Naruto-Suna, Kazekage's Office
There would always be some things that would forever stick out in Naruto's memory, even long after the events took place. Of course he would always remember the day that he found out about the Kyuubi. Thatwould be almost impossible to forget, even if it hadn't been the day that he managed, by complete chance, to pass the Ninja Academy exam (finally), and he always had fond of thinking back to the time that he and Hinata had shared their first true kiss. Naruto felt shivers of pleasure course through his body at the thought, even after so long. Yes, that was truly a pleasant thought. And then there was the only time he had ever, ever, broken a promise that he had made to someone.
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Flashback
Naruto and Sasuke –Kohona Forest, Right before the final battle
"Sasuke." Naruto wheezed out and collapsed to the forest floor, exhausted with the effort of having chased the Uchiha prodigy so far.
Sasuke leaned back against a handy tree breathing heavily. He wasn't doing any better than Naruto. Physically at least. Both boys were blood and sweat soaked, with ripped clothes, and prominent wounds. Naruto knew that he would very likely have to have Sakura look at his leg when he got back. It was sprained at the very least. Naruto stared hard at his opponent, feeling nothing but contempt for the figure before him.
Sasuke stared back at him, almost daring him to move. "Would you kill me then?" The question was arrogant. Just the kind of sentence that you could imagine the Uchiha traitor uttering.
Naruto shook of the double vision that he was currently experiencing. "No. I won't. I promised Sakura that I would bring you back to her. I can't do that if you're dead."
"Silly Naruto." Sasuke pushed away from the tree and turned toward his attention to the muffled noises of the skirmishes happening all around the former teammates. He glanced back at Naruto with a cock of his head. "You really shouldn't make promises that you can't keep."
"And what," Naruto gathered his will power and stood up slowly with twinges of pain in his lower body. His lungs felt as if they were on fire. 'My wounds must be bad if even the Kyuubi can't heal them fully.' "Makes you think that I can't keep this promise?"
Sasuke let out a bark of derisive laughter and turned to him. "You can barely stand up; much less engage in an actual fight. You've pushed yourself too far dobe."
Thinking back on it later, Naruto wouldn't know if it was Sasuke's use of the term 'dobe' or something that the Kyuubi No Kitsune had devised , but he suddenly felt angrier then he had ever felt before, and his vision clouded over.
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Kohona Woods-Two hours later
"Naruto?' He knew that voice.
"Naruto? Naruto, wake up!" And he knew the hand that had just slapped his face. Sakura. He opened his eyes and found himself looking into Sakura's beautiful jade green orbs.
Sakura, seeing that he was conscious propped him up with the help of another medic-nin. "Why did you just take off like that? Stupid! What if something had happened to you?" His heart dropped into his stomach when he heard the emotions that tinged her voice. Blind panic. Fear and worry. He made his choice in that moment.
Naruto grinned up at her slightly (well, as much as he was able to with a bruise covering what felt like all the right half of his face.) "Sorry Sakura. I took off after one of the enemy ninja. Thought I saw someone I knew."
The green chakra disappeared from around Sakura's hands and she pushed her fingers into Naruto's ankle to feel for anymore swelling. "Who?" She asked in a subdued tone. Anyone who Naruto knew that wasn't an ally didn't tend to make it out of a confrontation with him alive and it was obvious that he had fared the worst in this particular instance.
Naruto closed his eyes and uttered words to his long-time teammate that would come to haunt him in later times when he was alone with his thoughts. "No one Sakura. Just some random ninja who I mistook for..." Naruto stopped speaking abruptly when he realized he didn't know what to say. He couldn't very well say because the person reminded him of Sasuke (even if it actually had been Sasuke). And anyway, what do you say to a person when you've just broken your word to them? Sorry? Sorry for what? She wouldn't know. Never. He was not going to tell her his ultimate shame.
"For who Naruto?" Sakura trailed off her question when there was an explosion not too far ahead in the woods.
"Damn! They must have gotten past our perimeter." Naruto stood up on his (still shaky) feet and ran off in the direction of the flames with Sakura and her medic-nin partner providing the rear guard as the three rushed to help what was left of the sentries scattered around as the last defense of Kohonagakure.
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As Naruto rammed a Rasengan towards Orochimaru's body he thought back to his frantic forest fight with Sasuke Uchiha.
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"Naruto you coward! Letting the Kyuubi control you like that! You said you weren't going to kill me! And here I thought Naruto Uzamaki didn't go back on his word!" Sasuke taunted the before diving out of the way of the enraged blond, who was now dressed in the Demon Fox's Cloak with nine-tails prominently waving behind his crouched form.
Naruto gathered more chakra into his hand and hurled his fist towards Sasuke, who was now backed up against two trees.
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'In a way it's a good thing actually' thought Naruto as he delivered another crushing blow to Orochimaru's midsection, conscious of himself for the first time in his demon cloaked state, Reveling in the power that he had access to but had never been able to appreciate before. 'He taught me how to control the cloak.'
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Naruto lowered a clawed hand that had stopped just inches from Sasuke's face.
"I won't. I said I wouldn't and wont. I won't kill you." The Demon's Chakra gradually dissipated from around Naruto's body as he tightly reined his anger back in.
"Sasuke" He said in an emotion laden voice "Leave."
Sasuke looked at Naruto with red-colored eyes.
Naruto collapsed onto his hands and knees. "Leave Damn-it! Go on, get out of here!"
And Naruto lost consciousness.
End Flashback
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Naruto brought his thoughts back to the here and now and he stared at the wood grain pattern that was visible on the Kazekage's desk.
'Sasuke' Naruto growled low in his throat and finally gave into the tears that had pooled around the corner of his eyes.
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Sakura-Suna-Random eatery
Her tea had gotten cold. Not that it mattered much. She took another swig of the drink. She hated cold tea; it was like drinking expired milk. All bitter and weird tasting.
"You sure are taking this hard." Sakura snapped her head around to glare at the person who had so callously uttered those words. Temari was standing behind her chair with an impassive look on her face.
"Go away Temari." Sakura turned back to staring at the tea leaves swirling around inside her cup.
"I'm sorry Sakura, but the Kazekage has assigned me the task of looking after you, Naruto and kakashi while you are within the boundaries of Suna. I would be remiss in my duties if I left you here alone." That said, Temari sat down across from Sakura and searched her with her eyes. "Is this news about Sasuke really that bad? From what I understand he has been missing for some years now."
Sakura heaved a long suffering sigh. "Almost ten years. In fact, I was the last person to see him before he took off from our village." Sakura took another gulp of her drink and grimaced. "I ran to Naruto upset and crying. Naruto promised me that he would bring Sasuke back to me." The pink haired woman slammed her teacup down hard enough to spill most of it over the side, with some splashing onto her gloves and shirt, no that she noticed. "Damn him! Every time I think the world has moved on, that I've moved on, Sasuke Uchiha always has to mess it up somehow! It's not fair. I thought I had put him behind me after the war ended, I was content, in a happy relationship, I have a good career, but now…" Sakura was so upset that she couldn't say anymore.
Temari looked at Sakura sympathetically. As someone who had witnessed this ninja's struggle to get over the baggage of her past first hand, she could honestly say she that she had never seen her pink haired counterpart so undone before. Temari stood up decidedly.
"Sakura, I need to find out where Kakashi is. If you'll come with me, then after we find him we can proceed to Garaa's office, collect Naruto and see if you can leave tonight. I will personally go with you to the Leaf Village and explain everything to the Tsunade-Sama.
Sakura pushed her chair back and followed Temari out the door. "You only want to go back to Kohona to see Shikamaru." Sakura shook her head as she said this.
The older blond could only smile as she heard the comment.
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Kakashi- Suna-Someplace with sunlight
Kakashi had to stop reading in the middle of his sentence when a shadow blocked the light that had taken him all of ten seconds to find. The cyclopic ninja looked up when the shadow didn't move itself. Temari and Sakura were gazing at him impatiently. He put his finger in the book to save his place and acknowledged their presence. "Sakura, Temari. What can I do for you?" He said pleasantly, even though it was abundantly clear that what he really wanted was for them to go away so that he could bury himself inside the pages of his book once more.
Sakura thought back to when he had done this during other situations and other times in other lands. When asked by either of his students why he didn't pay more attention to the things going on around him, he had always claimed that reading helped him to think more clearly, and thus be more successful in his endeavors. 'Well too bad Kakashi-Sensei. I need your full attention at the moment.' And Sakura did something that she had resorted to only once before in her time knowing the perpetually late Ninja. She ripped his book right from his hand and threw it to the ground where it found a convenient puddle of mud to land in. Splat.
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Team kakashi-Kazekage's Office
"You are prepared to go them Temari?" Temari nodded while Naruto, a little puffy-eyed, Sakura, with flecks of tea stains on her gloves, and Kakashi, his usual orange book a little dirtier than usual (Pun intended) stood by with their packs on, clearly eager to get started on the road home.
Temari started speaking again." Yes I will accompany Team Kakashi back to Fire Country."
Garaa nodded and handed her two scrolls. "Very well, then please deliver these scrolls to her ladyship, the Godaime Hokage while you are there." Temari took the scrolls and added it them to her pack, bowed respectfully to her brother, and started ushering the Leaf Nins out of the office.
"Oh and Naruto?" Naruto stopped at Garaa's call
"Yeah?"
Something like understanding passed between the two men and Naruto accepted the comfort that Garaa was trying to offer him.
"Good Luck in your quest."
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That's Chapter Three down. Reviews are always welcome. Hint, Hint.