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Chapter 22: Aftermath

Tsunade stared at the tiny slip of paper Ibiki had handed to her only few seconds ago. Her mind was still trying to grasp the implications of this new development. 'At least the daimyo and rest of the damn delegates are gone.'

"Call for Kakashi, Jiraiya and shikaku. Get shikamaru if he's around too."

Shizune hovered nervously around her shoulder, tonton letting out occasional squeals when Shizune squeezed her too hard. Surprisingly it only took a few minutes for the group to be present in the room. She handed the slip to Jiraiya without a word when he entered.

"How did this happen? Why didn't anyone even notice a powerful shinobi get killed?"

Tsunade shook her head softly. "This was done during the big thunderstorm last week. The spy noticed the absence but the body wasn't found until yesterday when it was floating in the river."

Jiraiya's face was tense with suspicion and- "You know something Jiraiya." He gama sannin looked at her briefly before running a hand through his hair, the gesture was copied perfectly by Minato before his death and now Naruto.

"Call Naruto here." His voice was grave. Tsunade wasn't going to buy that.

"We can't let this information out. You kno-"

"Just call him Tsunade." Tsunade lost the words the moment Jiraiya said her name, it was spoken only at moments when Jiraiya was tense. Tsunade only had to nod at Shizune to get her student moving.

"You better know what you're doing."

Jiraiya sighed, his whole body tense with something Tsunade didn't understand. "I hope for both of our sakes that I don't know what I'm doing."

"Looks like the act is over."

'Nothing I can do at this point. They're bound to realize something is up. Hopefully I can get this smoothed over.'

"Who are you going to push this off to?"

'We'll see. There are scapegoats everywhere.'

Shizune knocked once at the door before opening it and gesturing him inside, closing the door behind her after following him.

"What is this? It looks like a special interrogation! Whatever it is I didn't do it!"

"Are you sure about that?" ibiki's voice was deep and unemotional as usual. Naruto didn't dare to look at the faces to judge the reactions. It was too risky, especially with Jiraiya on the lookout.

"What are we talking about? Did I miss a meeting I was supposed to be at?"

Tsunade huffed impatiently. "Uchiha Obito is dead. His body was found washed up near the northern border of Kaze no kuni."

"What? What are you talking about? Who killed him?!" to anyone watching Naruto was sure his act would fool them.

"Where were you during the thunderstorm?"

"Maybe I should get rid of the frog hermit. He's annoying."

'Quiet you!'

"I was at the Hokage Mountain. You know I love thunderstorms ero sennin. What is this all about?" Naruto looked from each one to the other, watching their faces. "Are you kidding me?! You think I killed him?! That guy was madara's subordinate! I'm not even near his level of power!"

He saw Tsunade send a pointed look at Jiraiya, which the man promptly ignored. Surprisingly it was Kakashi who spoke up.

"While it would have made me laugh if Jiraiya-sama said this a month ago, I'm afraid I have to agree with him on this. You have been acting strange ever since you came back. What happened to you?"

Naruto widened his eyes in supposed confusion. 'Dammit'. "What are you talking about kakashi sensei?"

"Why don't I show you Naruto?" Kakashi gracefully leaned away from the wall to swoop down and create the familiar seals. Naruto mentally cursed when he saw the small dog, Kyuubi's presence almost taking over his mind. 'Calm down!'

"Yo! Why did you summon me?" Kakashi greeted the Pakkun before briefly explaining the situation.

"I want you to take a quick check on Naruto for me pakkun." The dog glanced from Kakashi to Naruto briefly before turning back to Kakashi.

"What are you looking for exactly?"

Kakashi eye smiled in response and pakkun sighed before walking nearer to him. Kyuubi was roaring angrily in his head, he grit his teeth in restraint from the mental pain and strain. Jiraiya was eyeing him suspiciously.

"Brat, what did you do?"

'I said calm down! You're going to blow everything!'

"That damn dog! Kill it!"

'Kurama!'

"Naruto! What the hell did you do?!"

Then his restraint snapped. Eyes red and blazing Naruto yelled back at his mentor. "The shiki fuuin changed!"

'Ah damn.'

It only took a second before he was plowed over by Jiraiya. He was on his back and the seal exposed and checked. Jiraiya's face tightened with severity with each passing second.

"When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me? Do you have any idea what this could have brought on?"

There was no way he was telling Jiraiya what happened to make the seal so fragile.

"At least you got an excuse this time. Be thankful human."

'Who's fault is it that I'm in this situation?!'

"Naruto. What happened?"

Naruto sighed and dropped his head to the floor with a audible thump. Then relaxing all his muscles he let Jiraiya examine the seal. "Nothing happened ero-sennin. The seal kind of… changed on its own. The basic characters are still there and the only thing that changed is that Kyuubi can talk to me all the time, not just when I'm in trouble. So it's not too bad."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed before snapping harshly at him. "What do you mean not too bad? The seal changed? You know we have to tell this to the council! And if they know that kyuubi's influence-"

"It's not influence! That damn thing just talks to me baa-chan!"

Tsunade's face pinked furiously and the voices of both of them were rising with each word. "Talking means it gives its opinion! And I bet you actually think them through-"

"Of course I do! It's not like anyone else here cares about what the hell I do! As long as I act the same you wouldn't know a difference!"

"Is that why you killed obito?" Jiraiya's voice was deceptively neutral.

"Ye-" "Brat!" "N-no! I didn't kill obito! I'm not that powerful! I swear!"

Jiraiy's expression hadn't changed one bit, and by now even Kakashi was looking at him with the familiar glint of suspicion. Tsunade's fist cracked the table.

"You almost said yes right there!"

Naruto face was a picture of dismay and hurt. "I didn't! I just told you. Baa-chan you have to believe me!"

"Then why didn't you even tell me that the seal had changed!" tsunade's voice obviously hinted at the unasked question of trust.

He shook his desperately, trying to grasp at the controls of the situation that were flying out of hands fast. "I didn't mean to. I thought it would be better this way, and if I didn't tell you couldn't be blamed by the council either."

Naruto watched silently as Tsunade sighed and cradled her head in her hands. Jiraiya was still looking neutral and he didn't like the vibes he was getting from Kakashi. Pakkun was confused and Ibiki was stern looking as usual.

"I have to report this to the council tomorrow. But as far as they know Jiraiya has looked at the seal and there's nothing wrong with it. Some of the characters shifted and fortified some aspects of the shiki fuuin. And that's all."

Naruto beamed and Jiraiya was smiling gently. Kakashi brought the conversation back around. "But we still don't know about what happened to Obito."

"Why don't you ask Sasuke?" all four heads turned to the young blond. "I mean Sasuke knew obito right? He was with that psychopath for a while so he probably knows who can actually kill obito and live."

"I hate to admit this but I guess we have to involve the brat in this." Tsunade's expression clearly indicated that she did not like the idea at all. "Kakashi you and your team will report in tomorrow morning for this."

Kakashi nodded briefly to her and Naruto took it as a cue to get out of the room. "I still have my honeymoon so I'm leaving! Ja!"

"Did I miss anything?"

'Why are you here now? They found the body!'

"I didn't do anything with the body."

Naruto almost crashed on to the wall that was in front of him. "What?"

"Why? What happened?"

"Who took the body?!"

"That plant thing was there so I couldn't do anything."

"Why didn't you kill him!?"

"It's his job. Not mine."

'Shut up! Madara knows then. We have to move quickly.'

A/N: Hey everyone! This is a slow chapter but I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for readings! And thank you for reviewing!

Please review! Need those to keep going!

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