Blind Sight

By

LigerJager

Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

Scroll 13: Gust

Neji was more than a little irritated with how his time had been spent that morning and it took every ounce of his self-control to keep from storming out of the place in a fit of temper. The summons was a waste of valuable time in his opinion. However, that was neither here nor there because he was duty bound to appear regardless.

"Hyuuga-san."

The young diplomat stopped mid stride as he patiently waited for his company to catch up. If he hadn't been so used to hiding his feelings, Neji was sure that his irritation would have been enough to warn off any other visitors. As it was he was quite sure he recognized the voice's owner and was bound, by rules of common courtesy, to at least appear civil. Especially since said person was on the council.

"Can I help you?"

His greeting fell blandly. The young jounin had no patience after the sore trial that was the Council. Twin, fiery brown orbs sharpened upon the tried liaison officer.

"I wish to clarify a few points of interest, if your schedule permits?"

Neji eyed his companion warily. He had come to observe over the years how exactly devious the man had become, especially with the way he was observing him with his shrewd intellect.

The younger male wielded his mind in a manner reminiscent of his grandfather, like a finely honed weapon. And it put the Hyuuga on his guard. Even four or five years his junior, the council member could easily run rings around him. Neji's prodigious talent lay in combat and tactics, which he was slowly learning were not the be-all-to-end-all in the shinobi world.

"Of course." He replied mildly.

Neji scanned for any potential eavesdroppers before returning his attention back to the man before him. He had been caught in the entrance forum of the Hokage's Tower and with all the foot traffic they would largely inconspicuous.

If there was one thing he learned in his brief time amongst the politicians of the land was that he was a novice when it came to playing chess with words. And, unlike his companion, it made his every 'step' a cautious calculated risk.

It would have been so easy to use heavy handed tactics…in theory. What most civilians, even ninja, don't understand was that they were largely misinformed or ignorant of the power plays and the tactics going on behind the scenes.

Of course there were the archaic systems that ruled by who had the most strength physically and could keep their following in line much like an Alpha male with his herd. And the people would assume that everything would be alright, a fairytale ending because they had a strong leader. However that was only true in small pockets of civilization or groups, not for a country or organization.

Then there were the idealists. The ones who want everyone to have equal rights or equal standing. Of course they are the ones who would and do cry wolf at unfair treatment to their perceived slights of prejudice. And in their eyes they would be morally right.

Then there were those in a catch 22 situation. Where they were damned if they did and damned if they didn't. It wasn't a new concept to the Hyuuga, or any shinobi for that matter.

But that was life and that was politics. An unnecessary yet vital evil.

"What is it you would like to question me about?" He cautiously probed. After all, this man could be his future leader, give or take a few years. A slightly humored smile slid across the younger politician's features, and Neji had to keep from squirming. For a moment he felt like the other knew exactly what he was trying to do and it made him feel uncomfortable.

"Perhaps a more private setting, over a good game of shouji, no?" The warm manner was belied by the hint of steel threading through his tones. Neji nearly flinched when those razor sharp orbs glinted. He knew that there would be no way he would be able to wriggle out of this one.

He wasn't his mentor.

"Of course," the elder diplomat stepped aside slightly to allow the younger to pass and lead the way.

Hokage candidate or not, teenager or not, council member or not, Sarutobi Konohamaru was not one he wanted as an enemy. And there were few who would.

Not even Danzo.

Perhaps his mentor could afford such an antagonist, but then again the man was on a completely different level than most of the Elite in his acquaintance. And both had devious, prankster-like minds.

All Neji knew was that he'd have to tread very carefully before that razor sharp intellect. A sardonic thought latched onto him before he answered. It was almost like talking with the Kazekage again, almost. Gaara didn't just seek people out.

And this man was in the running for Hokage.

The younger politician led the Hyuuga diplomat to a small tea house in a rather secluded part of town. It was the kind of place where retired shinobi and the elderly socialized and played games. If Neji were to be truthful, it held a peaceful atmosphere.

Apparently Konohamaru was rather familiar with the place because he just walked right in and led them to a table that overlooked the gardens and ponds. When Neji inquired, he found out that this table was exclusively for the young Sarutobi's use.

At that moment, he felt like he had just walked into a predator's lair. Something must have shown on his features because the young shinobi burst out laughing. After that they engaged in some light conversation that Neji was surprised to find himself enjoying.

However intimidating a man Konohamaru presented himself to be, like his uncle; he seemed to enjoy leisure and made for pleasant company. It wasn't until after the tea had been served, Neji declined the game of Shougi feeling it prudent to not have attention divided, that they broached the subject of their meeting earlier that morning.

"So, Neji-san," the deceptively warm tone put the genius on guard. "How are your negotiations with Suna, you were hashing out the trade route tariffs if I remember correctly, no?"

The Hyuuga genius took a small sip of his hot tea. "They are well. I believe we will reach a solution soon after my return."

The young Sarutobi hummed in thought, "That is good news to hear. The extra stipend will help more than a few families; our economy could use the excess as well." Neji quietly agreed.

"Indeed." Neji was hoping that Konohamaru wouldn't broach the subject he was dreading. Unfortunately, that was what exactly what seemed to happen.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were reluctant about a few points of interest in your report." He began slowly, "I had hoped to here of some details as to our desert allies in more depth, if you would sate this curiosity of mine."

It almost unnerved Neji at how cultured the young Sarutobi spoke when he knew for a fact the teenager favored a rougher manner, and that he also had quite the profane vocabulary not suited for mixed company. Not that it stopped him from utilizing it.

He did, after all, cuss out Hanabi right in front of some of the heads of the Elite divisions. After which he proceeded to humiliate her with ease.

"Might I ask why Suna interests you so?"

"Ah," Konohamaru made a noise of agreement, "as you know I am one of the rumored candidates, but more importantly healthy relations with our allies will prevent war."

He took a sip, seeing to savor the lukewarm flavor, "Also I too am well aware that they are advancing."

At Neji's look he continued, "Don't be so surprised. Only a fool would disregard the obvious. And last I checked I'm not a fool." His smile was anything but pleasant and Neji had to remind himself that they were both on the same side.

"No, indeed you are not."

"Well," Konohamaru continue on an all too cheery voice, "now that that's settled, would I be correct I assuming Suna's growing strength has a direct correlation to this mysterious Kachuu?"

"That is so." Neji shifted slightly. His unease rooted in the feeling of betrayal. They were his friends after all, the precious few that he had left. But on the other hand, he was a shinobi of Konoha and he had valuable information on their ally (even if it was mocked and ignored). Also Gaara hadn't specifically said he couldn't reveal what little he knew…

"So he is real," the spiky haired brunette mused, "What can you tell me about him, aside from the obvious in that he's a ninja of high rank if he can influence the Sand as much as he had?"

"He's their Anbu Commander." At the teen's sharp look, "I know, an unorthodox move. Unlike ours, who only concerns himself with the Hokage and his division, Kachuu has a wide range of influence and he is visible amongst his people."

Neji tilted his head slightly, studying the young Sarutobi, "you might like him; he's a prankster at heart. Gaara has a standing order that he is only allowed to prank those who have spoken against him and he can only do that once a week."

"A widely known Anbu Commander? That goes against the Blacks Ops code of never being visible unless need be and being anonymous."

"As I said, Suna is running a bit differently."

"Oh?"

Neji took a sip of tea. After all this was only casual information being passed between them and not anything too sensitive, "They still have a similar ranking system and we would recognize it, but since the Kazekage's attack, they have become more cautious."

"So you assumptions were based in fact."'

"Assumptions?" Neji rejoined sharply.

"Ah," Konohamaru seemed to shrug off the tone, "your address in council, that their stealth and infiltration was amongst the best in the continent."

"Amongst other skills, yes."

"If they can evade even you, then they must be doing something right."

Neji came to a decision in that moment, "How about being trained by the blind?"

The teenager looked up sharply, "by that I assume that you mean this Kachuu?"

The Hyuuga slightly inclined his head. Konohamaru rubbed his chin in thought.

"Interesting." He mused, "I would like to meet him one of these days."

Neji put his cool cup of tea down and stood, nodding slightly to his host. He was tired and it had been a long day. Konohamaru waved him off, apparently understanding his guest's silent wishes.

The Hyuuga diplomat didn't know what to make of the Sarutobi. Dangerous, he knew, but his motives? He had to wonder.

"Why do you still fight for Konoha, especially after what they did to him?"

Konohamaru took his time in answering. The answer to that was extremely personal. The teen then grinned.

"To honor a promise I made my rival. That one day we would fight for the position of Hokage. Now it's just me," A small smile replaced the mischievous look, "But also to protect my precious people. Because that is my nindo."

He shrewdly eyed the diplomat, "Why do you fight Neji-san?"

"For the future." He replied succinctly, 'and to change the Hyuuga, like we promised.'

"Neji-ni?"

Hinata was more than a little surprised to find her cousin loitering at her door. Between his duties in Suna and her former family, she was surprised he had any spare time for her, as trivial as the sentiment seemed.

With the inauguration being made public tomorrow, she was sure that he hardly a moment to himself. The younger woman eyed the weary expression her cousin was valiantly trying to hide. Perhaps some tea was in order after all.

"Come in." She moved to the side of the door to allow her cousin through. Neji took the proffered gesture and entered the serene sanctuary of his cousin's spacious front room. It had been a while since he'd last visited her.

He slipped his sandals off and waited for her to lead him to her entertainment room for tea. He didn't have to wait long as his relative led him through the hall towards the porch that overlooked the small garden she had in the back.

When Hinata left to gather the tea, Neji chanced a look around. His cousin had done well for herself. Granted she had been married off by his uncle to make way for Hanabi, but it wasn't a bad situation either. He eyed the varnished cedar that made up the various furniture and décor.

Knowing his uncle, and by extension clan 'nobility', Neji knew that his gentle cousin would not have been given away to just anyone. They had to be on 'noble' standing and within the ninja village. Any chance of marrying outside of the village was a risk to their village security, especially in leaked ninja information. And it was one the Hyuuga were unwilling to take.

He also knew that she bore a marriage seal that ensured the Byakugan was not passed on to any of her children.

But as he noticed earlier, his cousin was hardly in a bad situation either. It seemed that his uncle still held some affection for her and thus conspired with another clan head to ensure her happiness, or at least contentment. And seeing as the clan was in good standing and were affable in character, he had no objections either, though the choice of bridegroom did surprise him.

If anything, his cousin was cherished and adored in a growing relationship. Even he could see the gentle affection that was growing between them. Especially with the growing child she was carrying at the moment. Though he was sure she was restless considering she was off the active nin roster for a few months now.

The clink of china alerted him to his cousin's presence and Neji, seeing her struggle a little to balance the tray, was by her side and assisting her within a blink of the eye. The tired smile she threw his way in thanks was assurance enough. She would never ask for help, but she wouldn't turn it away either.

They allowed for the quiet of the afternoon to flow around them as both cousins helped serve the tea. It was a peaceful visit, something that event the tranquil grounds of the Hyuuga Compound had yet to achieve. There was always a veil of tension over the clan home, which was probably why he spent so much of his free time with his cousin, away from them.

Neji allowed his mind to wander freely without thoughts of Suna, the inauguration, or even his allegiance.

He took time to study Hinata. She seemed happy, and the little one looked healthy enough.

He knew she had miscarried two years earlier, they still couldn't figure out the cause, and it devastated her. This time, he knew they were taking no chances. As soon as they found out, Chouji had her name pulled from active duty roster a Shino and Kiba shadowed her whenever they were home from missions. Not to mention Nara shadowed her as well.

Even if he didn't completely like her teammates, Neji was grateful that they were over protective of her in this instance.

And he knew it irked her that they protected her so.

His meandering was broken when his cousin called him softly. Apparently, according to her, he had been lost in his tea leaves as he had been staring at his tea cup for a while now.

Neji huffed at the insinuation that his conduct was, at any point, without dignity. The small act caused Hinata to smile as a mental image came unbidden of her rather proper cousin flopping down on some cushions in an ungraceful manner.

Their amusement was cut off when a familiar bird call sliced through the sky, alerting both to the summons. The Jounin sat his tea cup aside, barely withholding a sigh.

"Hinata, thank you for the tea but it seems duty calls." Neji rose and helped his pregnant cousin from her seat. Hinata, being the ever thoughtful hostess walked him to the door.

"You are always welcome, Neji."

The young Jounin smiled and bid his cousin farewell. In spite of their familial difficulties, he truly did wish her the best. Her marriage might not have been to the one of her dreams, but considering many of the alternatives, her current situation was for the best.

And Akimichi Chouji had better keep it that way.

…….

"You ready for this?" Tsunade turned back from the view of Konoha she had been looking upon.

"I have been ready for years." The job had taken its toll on her, more than she'd like to admit. She was tired, beyond it actually. The more time dragged on, the more she wished to just hang up her hat and bolt through the gate. However being a Senju, a direct descendent of Hashirama no less, and being raised fulfill her duty kept her from doing just that. Her sense of loyalty and honor were almost tangible physical forces and, unlike earlier in her life when she walked away from Konoha after Nawaki and Dan's deaths, she just couldn't summon the strength to break her word.

Jiraiya looked upon his remaining teammate, trying to gauge her reactions. She had changed over the years. So had he. Sometimes it felt like they were little more than strangers to each other.

"Just think, one more day and you can retire, for good." He added a bit cheerfully.

"I can hardly wait."

Jiraiya frowned. Tsunade hadn't been a basketful of sunshine and flowers over the years, but neither was she one to be depressed.

"Hime." When she met his serious gaze, he knew he had her undivided attention. "You have to some duties to wrap up."

"I know."

Her eyes flickered towards the portraits of her predecessors. So much could have been different. Some much changed.

"Would his heritage have done him any good, do you think?" there were no doubts in their minds as to whom she was alluding. Jiraiya didn't even take a moment in answering.

"No."

"Why do you say that?"

"Tsunade…hime, which generation is taking over?" He spoke gently.

"Naruto's."

"Have they fought in war?"

"No."

"Do they truly know the meaning of sacrifice?"

"No. Not like those of Kakashi's generation."

"Do you think they would understand exactly how great a role Minato had in the Iwa war? How much a meant to the people?"

"No." Jiraiya found himself slumping a little. They both knew why exactly even such a valuable piece of information might not have affected the outcome. He couldn't help but remind her.

"Hime, to the younger generations, who have never met living legends like we have, who have never fought through wars like we have, who could never understand why a certain event or person means so much to the people, they would never understand." Jiraiya took a moment to grimace.

"To them Senju Hasirama, Tobirama, Uchiha Madara, Namikaze Minato, Hatake Sakumo and so on, even sensei. Post marks in history. They aren't people to them. Those names on the Memorial Stone are just names."

The old Hokage seemed to age fractionally with every answer. Even with the henge, she seemed to feel her age more in that moment then all her years combined.

"Naruto wouldn't know this village anymore."

"I don't think even his father would recognize Konoha now."

The blonde sighed minutely. "The Elite should be here soon." Jiraiya acquiesced to the change of subject. He too felt his age and that perhaps he should follow his teammate into retirement. He was done here. All that was left were the preparations for the possible Akatsuki attack.

"Then I won't keep you waiting." He gave her a slight bow before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Even as he hopped towards the hot springs, the old toad-sage looked upon his home village. He took in the various faces and shinobi before sighing and increasing his pace. His thoughts went back to his conversation in the tower.

'Even I don't recognize Konoha anymore.'

……

Uchiha Sasuke could hardly say that he was thrilled to be crowned leader in of this village. All he had ever wanted was his vengeance. To vent his hate and pain on the one person he still loved more than life itself, though he would never admit it.

The greater the love he learned, the more powerful the hate. It seemed that the small eight year-old child that had been abandoned long ago had never left him.

It was the one bond he could not rid himself of, unlike the others he had almost cleanly severed when he had tried to defect some thirteen years before. No matter how much he wished to be rid of the attachments, they just seemed to cling to him.

When he had awoken from his coma a few weeks after the fight, he had been literally bowled over by his near hysterical female teammate. And it had taken him several showers later before he could feel completely comfortable in his skin again and not like Sakura's wet tissue.

That time had been hectic all around. Between his teammates, the Hokage, his minders, interrogation and psychological evaluations, seal studies, the court martial, and the village council, Sasuke had barely a moment to himself. And it was three months before he noticed the absence of his normal irritation.

The rather harried, extremely bitter, and verbally venomous (and practically abusive) Uchiha had privately noticed the blonde's absence, which he was rather certain an oddity in itself. Knowing the idiot like he did, Sasuke was certain the Dobe would have been hanging off him the moment he opened his eyes.

His pride though, wouldn't allow him to inquire after the blonde. After all he couldn't show concern for the one directly responsible for keeping him from his dreams.

A year later, he assumed the orange eyesore was assigned to another team or on a training trip. After all, the village probably would have rewarded the fool for bringing back their prized genin.

And Team 7 was effectively disbanded the moment he tried to defect.

Halfway into the second year after his failed defection, he seriously began revising his opinion. His assumption, however sound of logic, just didn't add up. Naruto had practically proclaimed the avenger his best friend and brother, and knowing the idiot like he thought he did, the blonde would have glued himself to his side, making a general nuisance of him and bothering the Uchiha to no end. Most likely to make sure he didn't run off again, not that he could with so many eyes on him. Well that and he spoke with and met with Sakura and Kakashi often enough to know they were still around, thought there was always something off.

The fact the blonde practically disappeared on them was cause for question enough.

It would be another five years before he found out the truth of his missing ex-teammate's fate. He had to literally corner his ex-sensei to even ask. That he had to even inquire, especially a ninja of his caliber, smarted his pride.

And then he didn't know what to think when he had heard the news, well, other than it was practically suicide for the blonde who knew nothing more than how to yell and eat ramen.

When he punched that first Chidori through Naruto's chest, he had aimed to kill. Somehow, someway, the blonde had been able to redirect the hit and then regenerated. However it was close enough to ensure the blonde would have tissue damage and coordination issues for the rest of his life. However it was the second lightning blade that he would always remember.

He faltered in that moment. Uchiha Sasuke hesitated in taking the life of his teammate.

However that didn't mean he was left unharmed. No. He could not allow the Dobe to continue to grow. There would be no one powerful enough to stop him and the idiot had a very good chance at doing just that.

So he wouldn't follow his brother and he wouldn't kill Uzumaki, however he would insure that there would be no one to hinder him in the long run. There would be no chances for that career to flourish.

And so he crippled him. Punched that corrupted Raikiri right through his sternum and electrocuted his spinal cord, causing shocks and burnout throughout the nervous system.

And he ensured that the scars stayed. Poisoned them with the Curse Seal so that is the idiot did survive, that everyone would know what awaited them if they interfered with his plans.

Everything seemed to go perfectly. The Uchiha smirked darkly. He could still recall the blonde's rasps of agony as his body seized up from all the electricity tearing through his body. His lungs hardly able to draw breathe as they were paralyzed.

It seemed like the perfect solution for all his problems. And even with his amazing pain tolerance and stamina, Naruto just couldn't hold up with his body taking significant damage. He had passed out a moment before Sasuke withdrew his had with a sickening squelch and allowed the body to fall. His own fatigue had caught up to him not long after though he was still able to stand. Needing to be sure that his actions had done precisely as he commanded, the avenger had looked over the blonde before turning to head off towards where Orochimaru was waiting.

What he hadn't counted was the blonde regaining consciousness long enough to grasp onto his ankle and hold him there for the crucial seconds it took for Hatake to arrive. And in those few seconds he had been too weak to pull away and go to his freedom.

Now he was under lock and key. Always to have an Anbu escort and never to get his revenge.

For years he'd stewed over his predicament, his hell. It wasn't until the knowledge of Akatsuki was leaked that he'd finally calmed enough to plan a lure.

And so, when whispered in the few right places, he disseminated information that would make it seem like the blonde was still there. Sasuke had spent enough time in the village ad was able to discern where exactly those 'right places' were.

After all, to lure the prey, the right bait needed to be used.

A familiar presence broke the Hokage candidate from his musing. Sasuke looked up and sent his customary glare towards the intruder. He hated when his solitude was broken.

"What are you doing here?" he spoke coldly, seemingly to no one.

"Maa, maa don't be like that." The man lazily retorted, "Hokage-sama wishes to look over your records with you and do one last in depth over view about the medical division."

Sasuke knew the man was eye smiling.

"And I'm just here to get you."

By the address most would have thought the Uchiha and his former mentor had been on amicable terms. After all, it was a widely known fact that Hatake had favored him during their initial team training.

Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Even with the appearance of civility between the former teammates, there was a viable air of tension and coldness that left no doubt that Sasuke hadn't been fully forgiven. In fact, Hatake had shown signs of passive-aggressive hostility towards the ninja.

Kakashi wasn't one to go out on a limb for anyone, no matter how powerful or talented. For an introvert such as him, to extend himself emotionally, to allow for that connection, it was asking more of him than he had given in decades.

There was also the very big possibility of pain.

And yet he saw something in the young Uchiha that was redeemable. A light that let him know the younger male wasn't completely consumed by darkness.

And then teenager had just turned around slapped him right in the face after all that he had done for him.

His dead teammate might have been a factor in his initial choice for training the young Uchiha, however it was more to prevent another life from being lost to the same black void that had consumed him in younger years after his Father's death, and later in Anbu after Rin's murder.

And if his chosen student could hurt him that badly, could disregard his advice that easily, could sacrifice his comrades without a thought, then what could his less favored students do to him emotionally?

So he climbed back into that shell that protected his battered soul from the world, for so many years, and severed connections with the one other student that was most likely to succeed in getting passed his guard.

Though, Sasuke seemed to be adept at doing just that. And he always did get a reaction out of the silver-haired Jounin by pressing the one subject that was taboo for the man. He didn't care if the topic was unrelated to the one broached. He just wanted everyone to feel like he did, miserable and chained, because it was their fault he was still here and not chasing his ambition.

"You never saw the Dobe's medical reports did you?"

The Copy-nin stiffened.

"It's no surprise, after all you just assumed like everyone else."

Poisonous. Just like the snakes he summoned.

No, Kakashi would not relish serving under him. In fact he knew that, along with himself, almost all of the elite had requested retirement and had been summarily denied.

Even some chuunin tried to resign as well.

It spoke a lot about a man's character if the lower ranks were willing to sacrifice a chance at a rank promotion for early retirement. Especially, when most of those requests came from the younger and more ambitious generations.

The Hatake had taken time to observe his student before renouncing him. He didn't like what he saw. And now, soon, everyone else was going to see why he cut almost all ties to the Uchiha.

The situation made Kakashi all the more aware that Naruto was not one to blame. In fact he was one who should have been revered. From what he gathered, after he drilled the retrieval team and then confronted Sakura (Sasuke wasn't available to comment, not that he would), Naruto had acted more a ninja of Konoha than the other two combined. That and he had done nothing wrong.

The worst part was that he held his promise.

It hadn't been until the third anniversary of his exile that the Jounin truly began contemplating that time of emotional upheaval. Everything had been in chaos. Missions piled up. Konoha needed to be rebuilt. Forces needed to be trained. Stress was at an all time high and emotions were reaching their breaking points.

And of course after two years of actively wondering, a thought struck him while at the memorial stone. He had been reminiscing about his father, one of the rare occasions that he did, and an image of Naruto came unbidden and overlaid that of his father.

It made his blood run cold.

Naruto's situation had almost been exactly like his father's. Like the White Fang's.

Hatake Sakumo was an outstanding ninja, one of the best. He also was a man of his word and strong convictions. It was those same beliefs that eventually led to that fateful mission and the betrayal of his teammates and ultimately the village.

Just like Naruto.

A shred of doubt wormed its way into his conscious and forced him to take a closer look. And Hatake Kakashi had never felt regret akin to what he did when he finally got a good look at the remains of Uzumaki Naruto's clothing from that fight.

"I didn't need to."

When he got a good look at his clothes, it was all Kakashi could do to not fall down in shock. And it wasn't until he read the clues the clothes told and investigated the demolished falls once more for answers that the horrifying realization and regret truly began setting in.

The jacket alone held two tell-tale puncture marks, the signs he was intimately familiar with. The once bright fabric was scuffed and torn in more than a few places, the signs of hand-to-hand combat. And there was sediment ground into the very seems of the fabric which spoke of impact against rock.

On the inner lining there were massive amounts of blood stains in the fabric and evidence of electrical burns. There were even bits of burned flesh attached to the frayed edges of the lining. He didn't need his genius level intellect to come up with the cause of such damage. It was rather obvious.

The worst part was that there was no way of going back and undoing what had been done.

When they had entered that cell, where Naruto was being held all those years ago, he had not thought anything of the black cloth that covered the genin's shaved head, nor the eyes, only that it was standard procedure with high risk prisoners and it would keep them from knowing their surroundings and the lay-out of the prison compound.

In fact he had looked over many details consciously.

Subconsciously, though, his near didactic memory picked up on the telltale signs of trauma, the scars peeking out from under the rim of the cloth, where his eyes were. The rags he was wearing, the Jounin belatedly realized, were his under things. Nothing more than a badly torn up t-shirt and boxers.

Kakashi's eye hardened.

"Hokage-sama is waiting."

Sasuke, not really caring but acquiesced nonetheless, moved towards the door.

Kakashi, not really feeling like following the man like a trained dog, left the room in a swirl of leaves. As soon as he was allowed, he was retiring.

……

With practiced ease, and a sureness that only bespoke of long years of experience, documents of Konoha Medical's most recently injured team slipped into the manila folder that housed their most recent data.

Verdant eyes looked over the charts once more before replacing them at the foot of her current patient's bed.

With one last look she slid the folder into the plastic holder on the front of the door and closed it.

Life hadn't been kind to Sakura. Not that she had it very hard either.

With her loving parents at home, her many friend, and job amongst Konoha's medical staff, she seemed the epitome of success. As a kunoichi though, she was a marginal at best.

For a time she just floated along in her duties, doing rank missions and studying but never really having an area of passion, or anything that interested her in the least. Her joining the medical branch of the shinobi unit was purely her logic and research.

She had good chakra control. She knew how to study and apply knowledge. The work was relatively safe if she wasn't field active, and she could support and be useful to Sasuke-kun, because she knew without a doubt that he knew nothing of healing, aside from basic field triage.

Every skill she had, she scrounged for and studied.

She had even put aside her pride long enough to beg Tsunade to take her on as apprentice.

She had been denied.

Tsunade, not known for holding her punches where medical knowledge was concerned, had been rather frank, which to a young kunoichi was a brutal, honest truth. Her reasons, the hokage bluntly pointed out, were baseless and lacked the conviction to carry her through the rough training. She also pointed out the young kunoichi's physical attributes, or lack thereof. She lacked calluses. Her muscle tone was average. And she had taken up the occupation for the wrong reasons.

It was those very same reasons that had her floundering. Her foundations were crumbling.

It had taken her years of extra training, something she loathed because she lost her 'feminine curves'. And while it was her passion, Sakura forced it to be her expertise. In a way to was more gratifying to know that she earned her own place in the world and carved a niche for herself.

It was also a bittersweet victory for her though. For all her intelligence, she was only considered mediocre at best, lackluster by most, and as was expected for a civilian trying to fit into the shinobi ranks.

That wasn't to say her chakra control was bad, quite the opposite. She was actually just shy of the Hyuuga level in precision and because of that, she was allowed into the surgeries. However those times were few and far between because she lacked stamina and lasted far less than even a decent medic.

On top of that, her relationship to Sasuke was cold at best and, on some days, he was downright cruel. That connection, that bond they were all supposed to form with their teams, was almost non-existent.

And then there was her one source of discomfort.

Naruto.

How she loathed the thought of him and at the same time was ashamed of herself for doing so. Even after all this time, she resented his actions towards Sasuke.

After all, like most civilized people she knew, there was always another way. As she was always taught, brute strength wasn't everything. There was always compromise and diplomacy. The idiot probably hadn't even tried to talk it out. He didn't have to hurt Sasuke-kun that badly.

At least, that's what she told herself in the beginning. Sakura told herself that for three years. And then the doubts started clawing their way into her mind. Especially when those of the retrieval team didn't take to kindly to her words about Naruto, especially after his disappearance.

And while the others seemed to be on genial terms with her, those five boys only acknowledged her with cool indifference on the rare occasions they came into contact with her. Even Inuzuka Kiba, which surprised her tremendously as the dog-nin was not that close to her former teammate. Then, over the years, most seemed to warm up.

Now though, she wasn't so sure and with the inauguration of her wayward crush soon to happen…

The chuunin didn't know what to think anymore.

……

Sarutobi Konohamaru, known as the widely feared Monkey King (after the legend of Son Goku) in the Bingo Book, sat quietly overlooking the village he called home. He perched upon the bust of his grandfather and allowed his legs to swing over the ledge.

He missed him.

He missed the unmistakable, vibrant energy that swirled around him like a whirlwind.

He missed the honest grin when he was alone with his, jokingly dubbed, cute little genin squad.

Naruto was his mentor in the ways of pranking, rival, and secretly elder brother…but more importantly, his personal hero.

"This should have been yours, oyabun."

A hawk's call interrupted the solitude and brought him out of his musings. Konohamaru sighed before grunting slightly as he pulled himself up. Duty called, like always. The Hokage was going to issue her subordinates' final orders before the inauguration.

Taking on last glance at the village he had sworn to serve, the young Jounin disappeared in a swirl of leaves, which floated down towards the village. Each leaf carrying a promise renewed in remembrance of another.

'It's mine to protect now.'

……

The southern gates of Kumogakure erupted in a cloud of dust, smoke, and fire. The ground shook violently with the force of the explosion. Shrapnel rained down upon the village with the force of a hurricane.

The village Hidden in the Clouds was under siege.

:Tsudzuku:

A/N: btw… (Now, for those of us who have bravely soldiered on, loyally sticking to Naruto through the crap that is Shippuden, I'm sure we all had this sentiment (or similar reactions) after last week's installment…)

WHAT. THE. HELL!!!

*Ahem*

While I respect this different approach to manga (marginally), turning Naruto into Jesus Christ is not, I repeat, not!!! the way to endear your protagonist to your audience, Kishi. (Like I said, those currently up to date on the manga will understand)…I also think Kishi just killed any chance of romance for Naruto.

……

To Momosa Loves, thank you for your enthusiastic review and hopefully this chapter answered some of your questions. You helped me with the direction on a few points in some of the character's development. I hope you enjoyed.

And thank you to all the others who have read my fict and especially those who reviewed. Your comments let me know how this fairs. As you have probably guessed, this fict is more about character development than it is about action (or romance).

Anyways, (Let's Get Ready To RUMMBBBLLLEEEE!!!!) the long wait for action is now over, be prepared because the next three chapters will be the action. I will only say this (Grins): Naruto and Sasuke will have a very interesting reunion…of sorts. (Mwahahaha)

(I hate my auto-correct: Uchiha=Ukiah? Dobe=Doe? genin=genie? Sasuke=Sauce? Naruto=Narrator? Hokage=Homage? I knew it screwed me over somewhere, but not that bad. Thank you for the heads-up BloodySeraphim!! I think I got most of the hiccups. If anyone finds anything else, just let me know!)

……

On a side note, do not read a story like Forgive and Forget? by numberoneklutz and then try to write anything positive about Team 7. I'm in something of an…uncharitable mood to those boys. (this last week's chapter didn't help)

Right now Tenzo is my hero.

……

Question 1: Do you really, truly believe that Sakura would have been driven enough to excel in the shinobi arts here as she had in Canon?

My thoughts are: No. She had no reason, no drive. Sasuke wasn't gone and Naruto wasn't really there to provide her inspiration. At best, I only see her as a mediocre ninja (shrugs).

Was that a fair judgment or not?

Question 2: Why Chouji?

My thoughts: I'd suggest reading Three Months by Kaotic312. That's where I got the idea in the first place, well that and the seal. Any who, on his own merit, Chouji is a kind-hearted, steadfast, friendly ninja who has great character.

And as much as I love Naru/Hina, in this fict it just wouldn't work. Seeing as this follows Canon (manga) up until the Valley of the End fight, I'm fairly certain that Naruto would hardly remember Hinata, let alone figure out her crush on him. His world would have been turned upside down and he would be trying to adjust to life as a blind ninja. Romance would definitely be the last of his concerns.

……

Do you know how utterly sad (and disturbing) it is that I can relate more to Kakashi now than Naruto?

LJ 3/16/10