"Sakura," Coaxed Naruto. All week, since the arrival and departure of their old friends, Sakura had been in a pissy mood. She wouldn't admit to Naruto that she couldn't get Sasuke off her mind either. Not after she just told him she was going to try and love him.
"Sakura Lets talk about Konoha. We need to decide-"
"I just remembered I've got to check on Mikasa. She probably finished the reading I gave her," interrupted Sakura. She quickly spun around and walked towards the door of the house.
Naruto reached for her arm but with the reflexes of a ninja she avoided it. "Later," she mumbled before disappearing.
That had been her response for three days now. She couldn't talk because she had a headache. She had to make some herbs. Taka needed her to help with a twin. The school had a delivery for her. Excuses were piling up and Naruto was a little sick of it. He swore to get an answer out of her upon return.
She came back half an hour later and he tried again.
"I'm tired. I'm just going to go to bed."
This time he grabbed her wrist and held on tight. "No. Sakura stop avoiding the subject.
"W-what? I'm not avoiding anything. I'm just busy is all. I'm tired too. So I'm going to b-"
"Stop. Please Sakura. Please talk to me," he pleaded softly.
His look was not one she could refuse. So with a sigh and a worried crease in her brow she led him to their bedroom and sat down, curling her legs under the covers to try and suck up some heat.
Naruto sat on top of the blankets besides her. "So… Konoha is in bad shape. It sounds like if nothing changes it will be wiped away."
"Let it."
"But its not just the adults that are suffering Sakura. Sai told me that the academy graduate rates have been lowered to seven."
"Seven? What?"
"And since the other nations refuse to host Chunnin exams anymore, they are doing an inside exam. And it's mandatory once they turn nine. Hinata reported that the survival rate is low. It's turning into the blood mist Sakura! There was even a rumor that they were going to start training them like they did with the root Anbu. Sai told me this. He wouldn't lie."
Sakura closed her eyes. She fought back the feelings of guilt and pity. "So what. Let it be. It's nothing to do with us."
"And they've arrested Hinata's father for leaking information to us."
"He was always an asshole."
"It's not just him. They are imprisoning anyone who speaks against or goes against Kato. Everyone pretends to love him now. Out of fear. They arrested Lee and Gai. Chojis father and Shikamarus mother. Ino is under house arrest."
"Ino is… but…"
"I cant stand it Sakura. I cant stand knowing that out old home is like that. I want to remember Konoha how it used to be. I don't want...Sakura don't you get it? We have to go back. And Sasuke... I cant give up on him."
"But…"
"And you wont be able to live knowing our friends are in that danger either.
"You're going no matter what?"
"Yes."
She sighed and rolled over away from him. "Okay. We'll go." She wasn't about to let him go again.
Naruto began to pack up goods into boxes that could be moved when needed. It didn't take long for a few villagers to catch on but Naruto insisted it was just for re flooring. Sakura wasn't comfortable lying to her friends thought. She called a meeting with the majority of the village inside the church.
"So now that we're all gathered do you care to tell us just what this is all about?" Taka crossed his arms.
Sakura stepped up on the stage and glanced at Naruto once before taking a deep breathe. "We have not been honest with you." There. She started it point blank. Taka looked a little shocked but quickly masked his face into confusion to match everyone else.
"I… My name is not Lily." She glanced down. "And his name is not Choji. I am Haruna Sakura. He is Uzumaki Naruto. We are ninja from Konoha."
Everyone was silent. Nobody seemed to know what to say. A laugh broke the silence. "You're joking right Lily? Very funny. Now what's this really about?"
"Naruto…" Sakura nodded to him.
He hesitantly stood and joined Sakura on the stage. "It's true. My home tried to assassinate me. My Hokage turned on me. We were forced to flee the village or face execution. I… My name is Naruto. I fought in the war. I- we gave everything to save the world. But because I have Kurama- eh, a demon inside of me, I was still feared after it all. I'm sure you understand why the leaf did it."
"I don't believe you." Mikasa proclaimed. "There's no way! You're lying."
Naruto sighed and looked sadly down. Then he closed his eyes and when he opened them his body was alight in what looked like flame. He was in his nine tailed form.
The crowd gasped and a few actually moved back. "It cant be…"
"I'm afraid so…" Sakura bit her lip. "I'm hoping you understand why we lied to you."
"As you probably understand why the leaf chased us out. I'm… a monster."
Taka took a bold step forward and put his hand through the flames on Naruto, unharmed. "That is not true. Everyone here knows it. I think I speak for everyone when I say you're Choji. Just plain old Choji. No matter what or who is inside of you. You're our friend Choji."
Naruto's grin was large and genuine. He looked around the room and the crowd nodded in agreement. Nobody spoke out to contradict him. For a second Naruto started having second thoughts about leaving somewhere he was recognized and accepted.
"But…" Mikasa whispered. "Why are you telling us this now… you're… you're leaving aren't you?"
Sakura gave her a weak smile. "Everyone, the past year here has been amazing. We've never felt so at home anywhere. We wanted to stay forever. We did. We wanted to grow old tending sheep and making teas. I know that if we had stayed we would have been happy."
"Then why would you leave?" Taka whispered. "Why cant you stay?"
"I'm sorry everyone." Naruto dropped his smile. "I was the one driving Sakura to this decision. See since I left the other nations alienated the Leaf. They've left my home nation starving. There's a civil war among the civilians. They're imprisoning people left and right just for speaking out against the Hokage. And I've gotten word that two nations are going to launch a military strike to punish them for what they did to me."
"Let them," Mikasa mumbled. "We need you more than them."
"It isn't that easy. I've thought really hard about this. That's saying a lot for me. I am going to return. I''m going to defeat the Hokage and I'm not going to waste a single drop of Shinobi blood otherwise."
"You won't come back though… will you."
"We will. We'll visit but it won't be safe for us to stay. There are some people who would destroy this town trying to get to me. If you ever need anything you can write to us and no matter where we are we'll help out. Even if it's just a shortage of firewood or herbs." Naruto smiled.
"And," Sakura added, "I think you are ready to make it without me as your doctor. Mikasa, Taka, you two have been amazing students. Mika, I'm going to ask you to take over. If your parents are okay with it, I'm willing to let you use our place as a hospital of sorts. Even a home. And don't you dare stop studying. I'll be sending you books to read so you better stick to it!"
"I- I will!" Mikasa insisted.
"And Taka I want you to take over Iva's place. I know you'll treat the goats well."
"With Honor."
"Everyone we're sorry we lied to you. We'll never forget this place!" Naruto hopped off the stage.
"And we'll never forget you." Taka shook his hand, as he had when Naruto arrived. "Take good care of Li- Sakura. Treat her well."
"Of course."
