Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
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"Why are you so excited?" Itachi asked Kyung-Soon, straightening out his dress shirt.
It was finally the night of the Showcase and everyone in the Hatake 'family' was backstage, getting ready for the beginning of the show. Pets were scattered everywhere, being pampered and primped by their owners, all looking as perfect as a photo-shopped picture.
Kyung-Soon was hopping around in excitement, watching every pet that passed by her. She'd never been to a Showcase before and all of the hustle and bustle around her made her not want to stay still. It wasn't a good thing for Itachi, though, considering he was the one who had to watch over the little girl.
"Because there are so many pets here!" she replied enthusiastically. "They're all so pretty!"
Itachi raised a fine eyebrow, deciding to leave the cub to stare at her surroundings so he could watch his mate walk around and talk to other owners and pets about his newborn kits. News of the birth had spread all around Japan, mainly because it was rare for foxes to be brought to Showcases in the country, let alone give birth in it.
Kyuubi was smiling as he spoke to everyone about them, a proud look on his handsome face. While he had his mind on explanations and stories, Itachi had his mind on his new family leaving him to go back to Africa. He'd see his children for a little over a week, then they and his 'wife' would be gone. It would be as if they'd never even stayed in the Hatake household.
He'd found love for once and he'd have to give it up. He had no say.
"Itachi," Kakashi came up to his older pet, holding a bunch of papers in his arms. "You're supposed to be watching Kyung-Soon. Did you not see her run over to that group over there?" he pointed to Neji, Gaara, and an unknown pet that he could only assume was a part of the frog group. He had a bowl cut, round eyes, and a cheerful smile.
"Ah," Itachi was pulled from his thoughts and frowned. "Forgive me... My mind was elsewhere. I'll get her right now--"
Kakashi held up his hand.
"There's no need to worry about it now. I know for a fact that Maito Gai's pets will watch over her. Him and I go way back," he smiled. "Just tell me what's on your mind."
The albino leopard sighed and ran a hand through his long hair. He didn't really know where to begin, but he decided to just make his explanation short and to the point. There wasn't any point in beating around the bush.
"Kyuubi going back to Africa isn't what I want..." he answered with a low growl that some pets in the area heard, a few turning their ears in his direction. "I want him and my kits to stay here."
Kakashi sighed and sat down in the seat opposite of his pet.
"I share your feelings, but there's nothing I can do about it. Their home is in Africa, just like our home is here in Tokyo. Neither of us can just ask them to stay, Itachi. If they could stay, they would've chosen to, I know that for sure. Kyuubi would never want to leave you unless he absolutely had to."
Their conversation was cut short by an intercom turning on, a female voice announcing that the Showcase was about to begin and that everyone pet needed to be in order backstage.
"I know that it hurts," Kakashi spoke as he stood up and adjusted his tie. "But remember... you'll get to see him every year. I made plans to have Lukki and his pets visit us every summer," he smiled slightly. "It's better than never seeing them again, ne?"
He then disappeared, leaving Itachi to smile slightly to himself. It was much better than not seeing Kyuubi and his kits ever again. At least they'd be in his life.
Sasuke and Naruto came up from behind him and the blond patted him on the head with a grin.
"Come on, get in oooooorder. I can't wait to beat you in the competition," he teased.
Both leopards smirked, sparked by the thought of a challenge.
"Oh, you think you can beat me?" they both crooned in unison.
"Yep," Naruto's grin grew. "I'm young and much more attractive than the both of you," he joked. "I'll win with ease."
As they all got in order, chatting and making bets, Sakura stood close to the curtains with her eyes downcast. Her mind was a battlefield, different choices butting heads like rams. She'd found out that Naruto was an Impure the other day, but she hadn't told anyone... and she didn't know if she should.
Sure, Sasuke would never be hers because he'd chosen the younger feline over her, but was reason enough to spill his secret? It wasn't child's play; he wouldn't get a slap on the wrist and be let go... he would be thrown out of his home, onto the streets where no one would help him... Not everyone was as kind as Kakashi; not everyone would take him in, especially now that he was an adult.
She didn't know what to do... If she tattled, then she could have a chance with Sasuke. If she tattled, then she could be the one he would kiss and be affectionate with... But if she chose that... Naruto would be an outcast. She would hurt the boy she'd grown quite fond of...
Was she cruel enough to hurt a pet that was barely even an adult...? A pet that had only ever been kind to her?
"Sakura!" Naruto smiled and waved at her from where he was standing a few yards away. "Come over here and talk with us! I don't want there to be any hard feelings between the both of us because of what happened the other day!"
The tiger fought back the guilty tears that were threatening to spill over, putting on a fake smile.
"I'm coming, hold on..." she replied quietly, breathing in deeply. Stepping away from the curtains, she approached Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi. She didn't want to look at any of them, but decided that it was best to make it seem as if the incident a few days ago hadn't phased her at all. "Hi, Sasuke-kun," she chirped. "Hi, Naruto-kun. I wish you both the best."
Itachi scowled, knowing that the girl was ignoring him on purpose. She loved getting a rise out of him, but he wasn't going to give in to her so easily.
"Ne, ne, Sakura," Naruto blinked. "You look like you're about to cry. Are you okay? You look a bit pale, too..."
"I'll be fine," Sakura quickly covered, laughing nervously. "Don't worry. Just a little nervous. I don't feel like I could win against any of you, that's all..."
Sasuke 'hmphed', while Naruto chuckled.
"But you're so pretty and smart. You're talented, too. I'm sure you'll do fine"
"You're only saying that because you know you'll either get first or second place," Itachi smirked.
"A-aha..." Sakura let Naruto and Itachi talk, turning her face downward. She couldn't do it... she couldn't tell on him. He was too nice, too good of a person to have that happen to him...
But if she told, she'd have a chance to win first or second place in upcoming Showcases...
Biting her lip, she shut her eyes and breathed in shakily.
What should she do?
What would be the best decision...?
Tsunade smiled at the entering people, passing out pamphlets for the Showcases. The crowd was slowing down and she was happy for that, wanting to take a break so she could get off of her feet for at least five minutes. She didn't have the most tiring job, but with her age and her ample breast size, standing for more than thirty minutes was quite the task.
"I can't wait to sit down," she groaned in the empty entryway, listening to the clapping coming from the Showcase room. She assumed that the show had started, so she walked over to the table where she'd set up her stuff, and sat down. "Ahhh, this is more tiring than running around in the hospital," she said to herself.
There was a few minutes of silence, before the front doors opened. Deciding to just give them the pamphlets while sitting, she lifted them up and put on a cheery smile. There were three people standing in front of her, the one in front a greasy man with a sleazy smile.
"Welcome..." she trailed off, furrowing her brows. The younger man behind him looked familiar...
"Forgive us for being late," the sleazy gentleman cooed in a frightful manner. "Our car decided to stop working in the middle of the city... Would you mind escorting us to where the Showcase is being held? This is our first time and we have no idea where we're going."
Tsunade hid her expression of disgust at how dirty the man was and stood up, bringing them further down the hallway where it was dim because of the lighting. She told them that it would be hard to find seats since the Showcase had already started, but the greasy man only chuckled and said that it was fine.
"Where are you three from?" the blonde doctor asked, leading them to the entry doors. "You have very different accents."
"We're from China."
"Ah, I see... It must be--" Tsunade's eyes widened when she felt a sharp pain in her neck. Her body shook and she fell forward, her vision blurring. "M-Melodrynocide..." she muttered, knowing exactly what they'd used on her; a poison that causes temporary death.
The female of the group grinned and reached down to yank the doctor up by her hair.
"Have a nice nap, cunt," she laughed obnoxiously and threw Tsunade onto the ground, leaping over to her to run to the doors that led to the Showcase room. "Orochimaru-sama, can we start the operation now? I want to get Naruto myself," she grinned darkly, hand on the door handle. Reaching behind her neck, she pulled a snake mask over her face.
"Orochimaru-sama, are you sure that you want to go through with this massacre?" Kabuto pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "We were already doing so well killing Impures in secret... Doing this, you're killing innocent people and Purebloods in the process... Is that pet really worth all of this?"
The snake only smirked, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling. He nodded to the girl, Tayuya, to open the door and begin the operation.
"He is worth all of this and more... You know this. With him... I can create the perfect Pureblood..."
Kakashi sat at his front row table with Lukki, sipping from his wine glass. He was highly impressed by the pets that were on display this Showcase. So much so, that he wondered if any of his pets would win first place. But while he thought about that, Lukki had worries clouding his mind.
He'd heard from family back home that pets were finally starting to become big in South Africa and that they were sure there'd be laws against Impures soon, no matter how small the population. He wasn't sure if he should go back home to that... but at the same time, he didn't want to not be near his family. There'd be no way they'd move to Japan.
But at the same time, if he stayed, he'd be able to have a relationship with Kakashi. Sure, neither of them knew if it would last, but he knew that the silver-haired man wanted to at least try. He'd be happy with just trying.
He didn't know if he could stay, though... Kyuubi's kits weren't exactly Pureblood and there would be more strict laws about getting rid of them in Tokyo than in Cote d'Iviore...
His thoughts were interrupted when a gunshot rang out, followed by a man yelling about his daughter being shot. There was an uproar of voices before he turned around to look, seeing a young woman with a snake mask on in the far corner. She had two guns pointed at the crowd, yelling something to them.
"Orochimaru..." Kakashi leaned forward and whispered into Lukki's ear. "He's behind this... We need to sneak backstage and get Naruto out of here, now. I'll get him while you get all of the other pets out of here."
He slowly got out of his chair and crouched down, quickly moving between the tables full of scared and distraught people. He couldn't believe that Orochimaru would make any sort of movement in the public eye. As he got closer to the stage, more gunshots rang out and he watched the man in front of him fall to the ground with blood seeping out of his neck. Looking up, he saw another person in a snake mask sitting on the high beams in the ceiling, gun pointed down at the ground.
Rushing forward, he clambered up the stairs and rushed through the curtains.
"Everyone," he heard Lukki whisper loud enough for all of the confused and startled pets to hear. "All of the management and security of the Showcase are trying to take down the shooter outside... so I'm going to escort all of you outside of the building so you can get to a safer area. Naruto," he looked over at blond, "I need you to go with Kakashi."
"Why? I can protect him," Sasuke growled.
"It's Orochimaru who's behind this and Kakashi is going to get Naruto somewhere where he can be guarded," Lukki answered. "Please let him go and all of you, follow me. Your owners will be okay, so don't run past the curtains."
Naruto looked back at Sasuke and Kyung-Soon as his wrist was grabbed by his owner. He saw his daughter cling to the leopard, fear in her blue eyes. He knew going with Kakashi was the best thing he could do right now, but all he wanted to do was stay with his family and protect them.
"I didn't think he would pull a stunt like this," the man spoke softly to Naruto, rushing him down a hallway in the back and into a room that had a small window near the far corner. "Go through there," he ran his hand down the Naruto's back and watched him change into his pet form. "Once outside, run as fast as you can to Yamato's house. You remember where he lives, right? Go there and he'll keep you safe. Hurry!"
Naruto nodded his head and crouched down, leaping up to break through the glass. He hit the street behind the building roughly, but got up quickly and made his way to the main street. Cop cars and ambulances were everywhere, but he did hear one thing over the sirens: a woman screaming how the culprits had disappeared.
They're after me... They know I got out! The pet sped up as pedestrians watched people come out of the huge building on stretchers, blood coating their clothes and skin. He could smell the stench from where he was, even though he ran faster and faster away. If he stayed on the main road, then he'd have a better chance of escaping from Orochimaru. The streets were congested, packed with people and cars.
Breathing harder, he turned past the coffee shop that marked the half way point to Yamato's house. Even the scent of Sai could be picked up from the sidewalk he was on. As he saw the main gates that led to the spacious mansion home, he also saw a car parked on the side of the road where there wasn't much traffic.
He knew it was Orochimaru. He could tell by the smell... It was the same smell that he'd smelt on Seung the day he'd died...
He wasn't going to let himself be caught.
Turning around swiftly, he jumped onto the low roof of a watch store and sped over rooftops so he could find somewhere to hide. Looking everywhere, he found a hole through a fence behind a shop that most likely led to Yamato's backyard. Jumping off the building, he slipped through the hole and smiled inwardly when he saw Yamato standing on his back porch deck, waiting for him with Sai at his side.
"Hurry inside!" the older man called, opening his back door.
Naruto was panting by the time he entered the house, his heart hammering in his chest. Sai was by his side in an instant, running his finger down his friend's spine so he could change back into a human.
"Kakashi called to tell us you were coming... We saw Orochimaru and his men just outside of the house, but we knew that they wouldn't dare enter here," Sai spoke.
"I have all the state-of-the-art security here. If they took a single step into my yard, a machine gun would go off," Yamato stated almost chillingly.
Naruto stared at the owner, eyes wide.
"M-Machine gun...?"
"It's nothing to worry about, Naruto-kun," Yamato chuckled. "It only goes off when someone I haven't labeled in my security bank steps foot on my property. "I also have a lot more things that could cause, well... fatal injuries. So you don't have to worry about Orochimaru coming into this house."
The blond nodded slowly, but looked down, worry lacing his face.
"Kakashi said that Sasuke and little Kyung-Soon got out fine and are safe, if that's what's bothering you," Sai smiled. "Come on, we'll show you where you'll be staying until Orochimaru's in jail."
"Okay..."
Everyone was okay. That was a huge relief to Naruto, but... he was so stressed about the snake trying to catch him and everyone possibly being in danger... He didn't know what to do. All of his loved ones could die because of him...
Sasuke...
He followed Sai to a bedroom on the second floor that was styled like old-time Japan. There was a sleeping mat on the floor, a screen door that led to the bathroom and closet, and no windows. Lanterns hung from the ceiling and there was even a small pond in the corner of the room, the chirping of crickets soft in the background.
"It's nothing like your bedroom at home, but this is the safest room in the house for guests. No windows, a password-lock door... You'll be safe," Sai commented. He was staring at Naruto's expressions as he spoke and he had to say, he didn't like any of them. His face went from sad, to angry, to sad again... then finally, to guilty. "What's going through your mind?"
Naruto's cerulean eyes shot over to his friend's.
"Nothing... I'm just a little stressed out. I'll be fine once I get some rest, though."
"Ah, alright..." Sai narrowed his eyes, not liking the answer. He knew that something bad was running through the other pet's mind. "Well, the code to this room is Q37YK. Can you remember that?"
Naruto stayed quiet for a moment before mumbling a 'yes'.
"I'll be in the kitchen with my owner. If you need me, I'll be down there. We're going to be watching out for Kakashi-san and the others. They're supposed to be arriving as soon as they can."
Sasuke, I'm sorry...
Naruto watched Sai leave, everything going by too fast. It felt like only moments ago, he'd been preparing for the Showcase... Sighing, he looked at the inside of his bedroom, then at the stairs that Sai was walking down.
The sound of the pet's voice echoed throughout the almost empty house, causing Naruto to feel even more horrible than he already did.
"I'm sorry... I can't stay here..." he whispered to himself. "I know you want me to stay safe... but... I can't put any of you in danger."
He couldn't stay there and hide until the cops finally found Orochimaru. He couldn't live like that, risking his family's life like that every day. If he gave himself up, then no one would be in danger anymore... If he gave himself up...
"Sasuke... take care of Kyung-Soon for me..."