Blind Sight
By
LigerJager
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Scroll 5: Falling
The turmoil of his situation clouded his senses. All reason left him and was replaced with fight or flight instincts.
And so he ran.
…Or tried to.
It was plainly obvious that whoever had grabbed the released jinchuuriki had noticed something was off about him and just held on tighter. Perhaps they hadn't been expecting such a reaction, but their reflexes were still premier and able to deal with this newest turn of events.
Neji had been so surprised when the other boy bolted that if it wasn't for his rigorous training under Maito Gai he'd have lost the blonde in a heartbeat. And that would have omitted his purpose for finding out about said ninja's fate.
The older boy hardly recognized the blonde. Dirty and dressed in rags that if he looked close enough would have once told of being a vibrant shade of color, he looked like nothing more than a shadow of his once hale and hardy self.
It was only by luck that he taken more than a moment to stop and notice the person he'd run into. Even as he heard the recognition in the voice and witnessed the dawning comprehension on his visage, something beyond appearance had changed within the other preteen. He'd become something that the Branch member never thought he'd see in his comrade, at least not for a couple of years yet.
Wanting to know what was going on and feeling that their current location was hardly the place to conduct their conversation, the prodigy grabbed the smaller boy's shoulder and maneuvered him through a crowd and into a darker alley way. Naruto, in the condition he was in and the circumstances that he'd be forced to live through, could do nothing more than follow.
After a few moments of stumbling while the older boy led him through the maze of people, Naruto found himself suddenly stopped and whirled around to face where he assumed the young prodigy was.
"What do you want Hyuuga?"
"Where have you been?" a near emotionless voice demanded. If he hadn't grown used to his condition the shorter boy never would have picked out the underlying tones and that the other ninja hadn't been able to hide. "We haven't seen you for the last four months and no one would say anything."
"I've been…" the young jinchuuriki stopped fumbling around for the right word, "detained."
Neji's eyebrows shot up so fast that they nearly disappeared in his hairline. He then narrowed his eyes in skepticism as he studied the boy before him.
"For four months?"
Naruto didn't answer him. He instead drooped his head and allowed the shadows to hide his expression. However, against his will, he tensed up ever so slightly. Neji was able to pick up o his body language near instantaneously. His vision sharpened immediately as he pinned the other boy with an intense stare.
"What's going on, Naruto?"
The boy was so still and took such a long time to answer that Neji thought he'd been ignored. However when the jinchuuriki lifted his head and looked in his direction, he was stuck by how dull and lifeless the milky blue eyes now were.
Something was wrong and that same thing had hurt the other boy deeply. When the blonde finally spoke, Neji had no idea of what to make of the spiritless tone.
"It seems that I won't be able to help you change the Hyuuga Destiny after all."
He spoke up trying, and failing miserably, to talk in his infamous cheery tone. Like his appearance, he even sounded broken and near death.
"Perhaps." The stoic boy replied, "Perhaps not. You know not what the future holds."
"Why are you here?"
"I had a question for the Hokage regarding your status, now the purpose of the appointment seems irrelevant."
"Why me?"
"It's what comrades do." Pain began to spasm violently within his chest, almost forcing the blonde to double over.
Were they comrades? That term was bandied about so flippantly by his ex-teammates he wasn't sure what it meant anymore…if anything at all. It held no meaning unless someone proved to him their intent.
"That still doesn't explain your concern."
"Doesn't it?"
"Before the chuunin exams you wouldn't have even bothered to look in my direction, why so now?"
Neji almost took a step back at the bitterness in the boy's voice. It was almost a complete turnaround from what he was used to hearing form the blonde. It was something he'd thought to have heard from a war torn, disillusioned veteran than a boy only a year younger than himself.
"Your eyes see what mine could not."
The irony of the comment was not lost on him. In fact it not only added salt into the fresh wound, but ground it in without mercy and packed some more for good measure. He'd been awakened to too much of what he'd chosen to ignore in favor of a future that now no longer existed.
He'd almost started laughing hysterically at the other boy's unspoken question. He was on the verge of just letting it all go, of giving into hysteria, panic and hate.
"They don't see anything, especially now."
The branch member hid a sigh. He didn't understand and hadn't taken the time to observe all of the details in his shock at the boy's initial appearance. That and it was irritating that the jinchuuriki was avoiding his gaze most studiously.
Something was wrong and he was determined to find out. Everything seemed so out of character for the boy who dreamed so big and wasn't afraid to let anyone know it.
"Will you at least meet me eye to eye?"
The other boy, who'd been fidgeting, stilled so completely that he'd thought the blonde had switched with a henged log. That assumption was thrown out the window as a quiet whisper almost inaudibly made its way to the branch member's finely tuned hearing.
"I…I…can't."
His focus sharpened and he began to see what he'd initially missed. It was so blatantly obvious that one would have to be extremely oblivious or…stupid…to not notice it.
"Because…"
"I'm blind." The deadened voice finished.
The genius was momentarily stunned. Even if he'd have suspected the verbal affirmation would still have thrown him for a loop.
"How?!"
"How do you think?!" the other boy snapped irritably, a small amount of life interjecting its way into his speech. Not enough fire to rekindle that once roaring flame, but enough to give the genius the home that all had not been lost with the blonde.
"That would be for you to tell me as I was in a coma for a while after the mission."
Naruto mulled over his reply carefully. He finally decided on something vague. The confrontation and subsequent word exchange between him and the last remaining malignant in Konoha were private and he didn't have the energy to repeat them anyways.
"It was a parting gift from my ex-teammate."
Neji quickly deduced what wasn't said and made his conclusions. He was still unsettled by something the jinchuuriki wasn't saying and he just it knew was important.
"But that doesn't explain your disappearance."
Even if the blonde had been in some kind of physical therapy or conditioning program that wouldn't have taken him so long. Neji could personally vouch that the blonde had a remarkable ability to adapt to just about any and every situation and recover at a fantastic pace, well that and he was the most unconventional, unpredictable, and definitely strangest ninja he'd ever met. Also there were blind shinobi within the ranks, though not common they were still if not more formidable than their counterparts.
However that still didn't explain the disappearance of the blonde for all of that time nor his sudden reappearance that none knew about unless they were like him and encountered him personally. And he wasn't sure if word would make its way out into the general public anyway.
"I…"
"What's going on?" Neji pressed.
He would have his answers one way or another. And he'd rather here it from the blonde himself than through the grapevine. He wasn't, however, prepared for the answer as he'd already been shocked more than he'd care to admit.
"I've been…banished."
"Request denied."
The chuunin allowed a bit of his disbelief to creep into his expression before shuttering it so that nothing else could show. Normally the denial would not have been that big of a deal as it was within the rights of the military leader to refuse such requests, but generally they did not.
And especially if the ninja was not of important rank nor had a name that was known. In fact by most standards, he was rather unremarkable. That was unless someone read between the lines.
He shouldn't have been as surprised as he was. He was, to his knowledge, the last to turn in the necessary documents and most likely to be denied. However as he was of lower rank, he had thought that his chances of approval would have gone up.
Apparently not.
"You're joking."
"No."
"Excuse my frankness Hokage-sama, but why am I being denied my resignation?"
The Hokage took her time in answering. As much as she'd like to have said, 'because I said so.', this entire situation would have to be handled delicately rather than with a mulish attitude. Also she was well aware that if her answer was phrased incorrectly, there would be another bounty she'd have to post in the Bingo Book…along with close to eighty-nine others of their finest.
However the safety and the continued existence of the Leaf depended upon their best staying active and within the ranks…no matter whom the future leader was. Resisting the urge to rub her temples in exasperation, the blonde resigned herself to doing the dirty work and trying to keep the ruffled feathers of the ranks somewhat smoothed down.
"As you are well aware, there have been others before you whom have turned in their resignations or at least stated their intent." At this the scarred nin nodded. It was common knowledge.
"However, as we are unprepared for the sudden influx, the balance of power will be upset." Iruka quietly listened, as a nin he'd taken this into account as a possible reason for denial. He was also aware that there was much in the way of politics involved. In the political world power, in whatever form, reigned supreme and determined everything.
And if the Leaf were to suddenly lose a majority of its power base and economic support before the newer ranks were matured, it would be a disaster that would take the village years to recover from before they could even entertain the possibility restoring themselves to their former might.
"And as such, until there is a time where the quality as well as the quantity of personnel can be trained and replaced, we cannot afford for any withdrawals at this time…no matter how deserved."
"Ah."
The blonde's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. While most nin didn't speak out of turn, as was their culture, due to the respect of their superiors, most of the time it was easy enough for her to get a read on the shinobi's current emotional status.
Umino-san, though, was neutral at best. And that small affirmation wasn't helping her ease the small niggle in the back of her mind considering the ninja before her.
As well trained as some of their elite were, it was the lower ranked that often were the most deadly. It was simply a matter of deception and the importance rank always represented within a society of structure, especially the militaristic kind.
And if what she read were any indication of his talents or probable talents, Umino definitely fit into this category. Would she have to watch her back as well?
"If that is your final ruling, Hokage-sama, then I will take my leave." With a fluid bow, the scarred man turned smoothly on a heel an made his way out of the office.
Polite, respectful, and completely and utterly neutral. And it left her ill at ease to know that there may be more like him out there within her ranks, silently enraged and yet not showing it other than one resignation to show their discontent and protest.
Even as the chuunin exited quietly and obediently, Tsunade could not shake the sense of dread for the future. Something did not sit right with this situation.
If all of her ranks acted thusly, she'd have to make damn well sure that their newest recruits were ready, because…she just knew no one, especially those in the Leaf, would just bend their heads in submission.
The civilian populace might, but their ninja…
The Hokage picked up a roster scroll as well as an empty stack of parchment and began scribbling furiously. If the candidate wanted to keep his seat of power, then he'd have to have forces that weren't in position to rebel.
By the time her replacement was trained and able to take office, she would be able to retire those whom posed a threat if they were not released from duty. At least that's what she hoped.
After all, how many rulers, kage, and daimyo were brought down by their own?
The warmth of the sand heated wind ruffled the wild shock of golden spikes as the red rays of the setting sun bid their last farewell to the day. The nin to whom the hair belonged just stayed in his position, stoic and statuesque watching the sunset with unseeing eyes.
To anyone whom might spy him, he looked as though he was just another of the many Suna inhabitants whom liked to watch the sunset. Nowhere else in the elemental nations were the skies painted so many colors nor so brilliant.
However, the Anbu Commander's mind was a thousand miles or so away. The contents of the missive were enough to send his mind into hyper drive. And it made him restless.
Time and distance didn't heal all wounds, but they did dull the pain somewhat. The weight of the news didn't truly hit him until about an hour after he left the Kazekage's office. When it did, though, he almost couldn't breath.
Every memory he'd tried to bury, every dark and corrosive feeling he'd skillfully hidden, and the pain he'd tried to forget. It all surfaced at once and hit him like a two-ton sledgehammer.
His control had almost slipped as well.
At the barely audible noise of sandaled feet landing behind him, the commander pulled out of his darkening thoughts and addressed the three Anbu behind him. One, he sensed, held a mission scroll while another held his cloak and mask.
Trust Kankuro to have his things prepared. Even before he, himself, knew when a mission was going to be sent his way.
With a nod he was passed his equipment and briefed. As things went, this was actually what he needed to help him work out his thoughts. With the last buckled latched and his mask in place, the quartet was off, leaving nothing but some displaced dust where they once stood.
When the time came, could he…would he face again what he'd thought he'd left behind?
A/N: Please enjoy. I do appreciate your reviews, more than I can say. Thank you.
Until next time.
LJ 9/8/2008