Chapter 87 - True Propaganda

There was anger indeed over Takeru's actions, but because of the way that the information had spread, the reactions were splintered and uneven.

Yakata himself was still a shivering wreck when Naruto returned to the guard station, so it was decided that he was to be moved to the hospital until Naruto could find a substitute for his chaperone. Senritsu Hashiki expressed an interest in following them, but ultimately decided not to.

"I have to tend to my boy," she said. "Poor thing's been far too alone lately."

"Remember, there's always someone lookin' out for you," she whispered to Yakata, in leaving. "Never forget that."

Yakata clung tightly to Naruto's arm on the journey over, avoiding the eyes of the chuunin that flanked them. Since the rest of his clothes had been left behind in the forest, Naruto had lent him his jacket, which hung over him, orange and overlarge, like an extension of his arm.

(Naruto, Yakata had figured in waiting, was strong enough to fight back if he lost control. Naruto wouldn't hurt him otherwise.)

(Though something in him struggled to get away from his radiated kindness. Holding onto him was an effort in and of itself.)

(Even though Naruto was a good person.)

(…wasn't he?)

Sakura was notified next, and her anger was coffee-hot and steaming.

"That—that little asshole!" Her shoulders tensed up. "Why would he do that?"

"He thought that Yakata-kun was a bad influence on Sasuke, so he didn't want him coming back."

"That…" Sakura made a disgusted noise in her throat, disgust both at her slight agreement and his actions. "Naruto, that's horrible. And Sasuke didn't do anything?"

"Well, he was mad, all right. That was undeniable, I could feel it," Naruto said. "But he's just… too overloaded to do much, I think, y'know. Got a lot on his plate. I mean, this, an' then Inou-kun an' Karai-chan are both in the chuunin exams next week…"

"…yes, that is a lot to deal with, goodness," Sakura said. "But still." She exhale-laughed, after a while. "Can't believe I'm actually wanting Sasuke to punish someone for once…"

Naruto laughed awkwardly, in reply.

Sakura cleared her throat. "So is Yakata-kun okay?"

"Physically, yeah. But I think he's kinda worse for wear, emotion-wise, y'know. He's convinced he's gonna hurt someone, but I dunno why."

"Hurt someone…?" Sakura said.

"Well, he sorta tore open the fence around the forest by himself to get out, prob'ly in a panic. An' he doesn't remember doing it, so he's got this… idea that he'll black out and lose control again. Or somethin', y'know."

"Poor thing," Sakura said.

(Hiding her quiet, shared amazement at the boy's strength.)

"So I'm gonna see if I can get someone else to get him up there. Someone without beef," Naruto said. "I'm also thinkin' of telling Karin-san what happened."

"Oh, don't," Sakura said, almost immediately.

Naruto paused. "Why's that?"

"…she's horribly stressed out right now, what with everything that's happened these past few days, and it's bad for her health, and for her… baby."

The reality danced like a dust mote through Naruto's head, gently. "…I understand," he said. "But I still think it'd be fair to at least mention that Yakata-kun's not home just yet. Due to, um. Delays or something. I just think she should know, y'know?"

Sakura sighed. "I suppose that is fair… You want me to tell her?"

"Nah, I'll do it myself. I wanna see how Ooda-kun's doing too," Naruto said.

Sakura shifted herself, where she was standing at her desk. "Well, you know where they're staying."

And he did, so he went off after a chirping farewell.

Karin and the rest were in their usual room, Naruto found. The door was closed, as expected. Suigetsu's long-haired little boy was drawing on one of many loose sheets of white paper on the table by the window, with Ooda beside him, perhaps listening, perhaps only half-awake.

Naruto waved as he entered. "Heyo, guys! How's it going?"

Karin was writing in a notebook on the other side of the table, across from the boys. "Oh, Naruto. What are you doing here?"

Ooda dipped his head just a little lower as Naruto entered further. He had a blanket wrapped around him, still.

"Just checkin' in, y'know. Also to get you caught up on things."

"On Yakata?" Her reply was almost immediate.

Naruto's smile stretched uncomfortably, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, about him…"

"What happened? Is he okay?" Karin said. She wrapped her hand around her left thumb, inhaling sharply. "I've been trying not to track him, Suigetsu said not to, that it would be okay, but…"

"Karin-san, it's okay, he's okay," Naruto said, crossing over to her. "There's just been a change in plans, is all."

"What kinds-a changes." Suigetsu entered, his hands clenching cans of juice.

"Well, we had some trouble with Takeru-kun. He's not up to bringing Yakata-kun home, so we're looking for a replacement."

"What's the matter with him?" Suigetsu said. He put three of the cans on the table: one near Karin, two near the boys. His son snagged his own, light brown can and opened it with fizzing gusto.

"Conflict of interest," Naruto said, smiling to mask his discomfort at the waves of red-brown anxiety rolling out from behind Karin. "I mean, we thought about it some and figured that it might not be the best idea for someone so close to Sasuke to bring Yakata up, y'know."

"Huh, okay," Suigetsu said, opening his own can. "So who you got in mind?"

Karin, however, still had her hand around her thumb, her eyes shut tightly. "What happened to him, why is he so shaken?" she asked.

Naruto's smile developed a crack. "What, Yakata-kun? Karin-san, he's fine, we have him somewhere secure and Sasuke doesn't know where he is."

"But something happened to him. He's terrified. What happened?" Karin looked up, her eyes red and hard as ruby glass. "Do not lie to me, I'll know, okay."

Suigetsu was looking at him now, too, mouth poised on the lip of his can. Ooda, however, just shrunk further down into his blanket, away from the conversation.

"…there was an issue with the mission. Yakata was… misplaced, an' left unattended for a couple of hours in a forest near the city. We found him after he managed to make his way out, but he tuckered himself out an' we're keeping him for a night in the hospital while he recovers," Naruto said. "Obviously, we judged Takeru to be incompetent. That's all that happened, Karin-san. He's okay, now, y'know."

Karin's face looked almost close to tears, but her inner anxiety was far beyond the sobbing point. "So what are you going to do, then? Who's going to bring him home now?"

"We're gonna find that out, Karin-san, don't worry," Naruto replied, replacing his smile and putting a hand on her shoulder.

And as he did so a curious sensation radiated up his arm and up into his head and down into his toes. A ballet shoe-pink sensation, pulsing and flowing, gently, like ripples in a pool of water. He had felt it only minimally the day before, in trying to calm Karin down, but it had been flooded to near-obliteration by Karin's own fear and discomfort that day.

It felt small, gentle, warm, delicate. Almost familiar. Naruto faltered slightly.

"So who you got in mind to take Yakata home?" Suigetsu said, interrupting the sensation like a larger rock thrown into a pond.

"Oh, uh, nobody yet, but we'll figure it out," Naruto said.

"Cos if you ain't got anyone in mind I can do it for you," Suigetsu continued, with another casual swig of his can. "I mean, I know where he lives, and there's no way in hell I'd let anything happen to that kid."

"Suigetsu, you don't have to, okay…" Karin said, softly.

"Well, hey, if you're offering," Naruto said. "I mean, if you want compensation we'll-"

"I just want that kid home safe. I've had enough of this," Suigetsu interrupted. "I can have him there by tomorrow afternoon, that all right with you?"

"Well, that's—yeah, that's totally fine, y'know," Naruto said.

"Suigetsu," Karin said, almost in a whisper, "but he'll recognize you."

Suigetsu paused, slightly. "Eh, doesn't matter in the end. Or maybe I could wear one of them ANBU masks, if you think that'll be an issue."

"Hey, you don't have to do that, it's fine, y'know," Naruto said. "It might be more comfortable for him if he knows he's with someone that's got a face. If you want I can go tell Yakata-kun that you'll be bringing him home right now."

"I wanna come with you, if you're gonna do that," Suigetsu replied. "So he'll know it's me. I pass through town enough for him to know me somewhat."

Karin sighed deeply, folding one of her hands under her chin with a troubled expression. Suigetsu folded his face into a slight scowl in response.

"Karin. Hey." He crossed his arms, holding the top of his can with his fingers. "Would you rather have some nobody that didn't know him messing it up? I wanna bring him home safe, so we both can rest easy, okay?"

She sighed again. "I know, just…"

"It'll be okay, c'mon. I won't mess up. I'm too good at this." His scowl stretched into a jagged smirk. "Now quit your worryin'. I won't cause trouble."

She didn't reply, crossing her arms in a childish sulk. But her worry was evaporating, smoothed over by familiar, sarcastic relief.

"So we heading out or what?" Suigetsu continued, returning to his can.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Yakata-kun's room is in the children's ward, that's what Sakura told me, y'know," Naruto said.

"Hey Daddy, can I come with?" Shingetsu had a slight, shiny mustache on his upper lip and an earnest expression on his face. Ooda still hadn't opened his can.

"No, you can't. You stay here with your mom," Suigetsu replied, "and your brother. You're always telling me you wanna spend more time with 'em, don't you?"

Shingetsu considered this with a pout that was much like Karin's. "Well, yeah… but I like goin' places with you, Daddy."

"Yeah, yeah, I know you do. But this is better for now, okay?"

Shingetsu glared back, so Suigetsu put his can on the table and crouched down to eye-height with the boy.

"You gotta take care of your mom and brother for me. Okay? They need you here."

Shingetsu's expression hadn't changed much, but his eyes had wandered to his hands.

"Shingetsu, listen to your father, okay?" Karin said, her head tilted forward.

"Oka-ay, okay, okay. I'll take good care of 'em. I'll be good. Promise." He looked up, and though his pout had vanished, a serious expression had replaced it. "You just gotta take care-a Yakata-niki too, okay? Cos I wanted to make sure he was okay too…"

"Shingetsu, he's not…" But the automatic words were recalled, and Suigetsu exhaled. "Okay, call it a deal. You take care of Mom and your big bro, and I'll take care of Yakata. Okay?"

Finally, Shingetsu smiled. "Deal!"

"Well that's that." Suigetsu picked up his can, slurped down the last of the drink, and tossed it expertly into the waste bin. Karin scoffed slightly and opened the can that he had brought her. "C'mon, don't wanna waste time."

Naruto mentally stumbled a little, having lost some focus during the exchange. "Oh, yeah, sure." His lips knotted together.

That beautiful, peaceful little ripple remained, like a sweet dream-melody in a song.

"Er, Karin-san? Can I ask you something?"

She looked up, mouth slightly open. "What is it?"

(But this was their family.)

(He was just an assistant. That was all he was, and all he could ever be.)

"…never mind, I'll ask you later. C'mon, Suigetsu-san, this way."

"Uh, okay." Karin took a shallow sip of her can, and her eyes followed them all the way out the doorway.

And the ripples followed Naruto out into the hallway, until the multi-hued emotions of other people overwhelmed it.

"Yakata-kun?"

Yakata was sitting against the metal headboard of a bed in the children's ward, his knees drawn tightly up to his chest. He'd long since been dressed in hospital pajamas.

Naruto had his head bowed gently as he and Suigetsu entered the room, a safe smile on his face. "You feeling okay?"

"I, I, I don't want to, to be here…" Yakata mumbled, keeping his eyes on his knees. His arms were shaking slightly, most visibly by his shoulders. "There, there, there are too many… too many people…"

"I'm sorry, Yakata-kun, but this is the safest place for you right now," Naruto said.

"...I'm, I'm, I'm not worried about, about my safety…" Yakata said softly.

Naruto and Suigetsu exchanged troubled glances.

"I don't think anyone here's in danger, Yakata-kun. You're all right, y'know."

Naruto smiled, trying not to worry about the strange twist of darkness he now felt in Yakata's mood. But that had to have been his anxiety. It had been present ever since he had come out of the Forest.

Yakata just held his knees tighter.

"Well, uh, I got some good news for you, y'know."

No response.

"Suigetsu-san here has volunteered to bring you home. You know him, don't you?"

Yakata finally looked up. His eyes were rose-pink from long-spent tears. "Ho-Ho-Hozuki-san…?"

"Naruto's a friend of mine an' I was in town. Didn't expect to hear that Satoko an' Gishi's kid was all the way down here," Suigetsu said, with an air of gruff ease. It sounded convincing. "So since I know the way back up to Tamina an' I heard that you needed to get back, I went up and said I could bring you if they needed help."

"O-oh…" Yakata returned to his knees. "Th-that's fine…"

"If you're feeling up to it, Yakata-kun, you and Suigetsu-san can leave in the morning."

"Okay…" Yakata replied. "I just, I just, I want to go home as, as soon as I can…"

"I understand, Yakata-kun. You'll be home before you know it, y'know," Naruto said. "You know where your stuff is?"

Yakata shook his head. "I, I, I think I, I lost it in the, in the… I, I, I don't remember…" He pressed his eyes to his knees with a hard inhale.

"Hey, hey, easy, that's all right. We can send some people out to find your stuff, no problem, y'know."

But Yakata shook his head again. "I don't, I don't want to be a bother, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Naruto approached the bed further, and put a hand on one of Yakata's arms.

Yakata jerked violently away, and started hyperventilating, like he was in pain.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, y'know. You're okay." Naruto did not try to touch him again. "You want to be left alone?"

"I don't… I don't want to hurt anyone, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Yakata's voice was ragged. "Please, just… just, just leave me alone, I'm sorry..."

"All right, all right. I'll come by with Suigetsu-san in the morning, then. You just call if you need any help, y'know," Naruto said.

Yakata didn't say anything, just trying to capture his breaths.

Suigetsu and Naruto left.

Suigetsu was the first to speak. "What the hell happened to that kid…?"

And all Naruto could do was shrug. "Alone, in a storm, in a forest… well, heck, that'd scare anyone, y'know."

"Not that badly," Suigetsu said, lowly. "Glad she didn't have to see that…" he added, mostly to himself.

Naruto glanced at him, thoughtfully, for that. "You mean Karin-san, don't you."

Suigetsu's scowl was a reply.

"You two are awful worried about these kids all the time," Naruto said.

"Worried would be an understatement," Suigetsu replied.

"You care about 'em a lot, don't you."

"They're just my job." An automatic answer.

Naruto chewed on it a little. "Your job, huh."

Suigetsu glanced sharply back. "It's my responsibility to make sure that nothing happens to these kids." He paused. "I've failed twice, and I don't wanna fail again."

"Failed…? Failed when?"

Suigetsu didn't answer, crossing his arms and looking at the doors of the rooms passing by instead of Naruto.

But the bruise-violet feeling of worry that circled his head was familiar one to Naruto.

(He had felt it, often, from Hinata.)

(And had felt it himself, and denied it for the sake of others.)

"Okay, okay, I won't ask any more, y'know," Naruto said, with a sympathetic smile. "I'll, uh, leave you to go get ready while I let Sakura know what's up."

"I appreciate it," Suigetsu said, softly, and went down the hallway to the curse seal ward, where Karin and the others were waiting.

(Suigetsu didn't tell Karin anything he had seen in Yakata's room. She didn't ask. They both knew she couldn't have taken it.)

Sakura was updated first, naturally. And she took the news as flatly as she could, and went to update the appropriate staff on Suigetsu's imminent departure.

Next to hear were the council members and advisors, who agreed that this was the best course of action, given the circumstances. Takeru's punishment was also discussed, causing Shikamaru to sigh.

"Compromising a mission because of personal issues. He's Sasuke's kid, all right," he said. "And knowing Sasuke, he won't do a damn thing about it. Troublesome as hell. We can't just ban him from missions."

"Of course not, Takeru-kun is one of our best jounin," Iruka said, evenly. "A fair punishment should be used but it wouldn't be in our best interests to keep him out of commission for too long."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Naruto said. "I was thinkin' of banning him from guard duty at the chuunin exams, 'cos he always volunteers for escort positions during events like these, but I dunno if that's enough."

"It's a start," Iruka said, helpfully. Shikamaru just sighed again.

Kakashi said nothing.

Sasuke, it was unanimously decided, would not be told about Yakata's relocation until well after the mission had been carried out.

And in the evening, after signing forms and approving plans for seating arrangements and almost forgetting the overwhelming flood of the past handful of days, Naruto went home with his personal letters, set aside for him by Andou, as usual. He left the homework.

A break, that would be nice.

He read the letters at his kitchen table while waiting for water to boil, for ramen to cook. He didn't feel like going out, even to Ichiraku, which would have had a seat for him despite the influx of tourists for the chuunin exams.

At the top of the list was a letter from Killer Bee, which set a welcome smirk on his face. It was a thank you letter, and only in reading it did Naruto recall what he was being thanked for.

Bee had written him the week before, before all of the unpleasantness, asking for a favor.

Of course, the letter had started in rhyme, as most of Bee's letters did.

My little girl's boy ain't feeling so hot
And he thinks of you as quite a big shot
So here's a request, to you from me
Can he hang out with us jinchuuriki?

And, of course, the rhymes were brief, before returning to more typical prose. Bee discovered that it was more effective writing "translations" for his rhymes after the fact when he needed to say something important.

The kid's a huge fan of us jinchuuriki, especially you. And it would mean the world to him if he could come with me to our usual hang-out before the tournament. He's had a tough summer and I think it would really cheer him up. I figured I'd ask you first cos you and Gaara are sort of in charge, and if you're cool with it then I know Gaara's cool with it.

Naruto had seen nothing wrong with the request, so he had replied cheerfully that any friend of Bee's or BB's was welcome at the meeting, and that had been that.

Bee's reply was cheerful, short, and, of course, in rhyme.

Yesterday I told him, kid got so excited
I thought that he would split in half, just straight up go dividin'
But he is still in one piece, and coming here with me
Cannot wait to see you, lots of love, from Bee

There wasn't much need for a translation, and it ended up making Naruto laugh, so he set it aside for storage and went to the next letter.

It was from Hinata. And Naruto shook his head, sighing. Andou must have said something to her.

And yet, the words were like warm tea to his heart.

I heard about all the trouble going on with the children and the Orochimaru imposter. If you ever feel overwhelmed, you know where I am.

And Naruto surely did.

I thought you would also like to hear some good news, for once. Little Ninako went to me the other afternoon asking for advice and very vigorously suggesting that she was going on a journey soon. I suspect that she and Hajime-kun might be taking a step forward together, so don't be surprised if you are asked for time off by the both of them after the chuunin exams. Making things easier for them might be just the thing for all of us.

Naruto's smirk widened, upon hearing this. Ah, yes, that was good news.

His smile lessened as his thoughts turned to Sasuke, but he shook his head, and with it, the thoughts. Sasuke was a minor element.

He would make up a bogus mission for the two of them, give them an excuse to be out of town. That would be nice.

And then there was a letter from Kiine. And his stomach twisted slightly, in seeing those words, knowing, now, who she really was.

He had received a reply from her, much earlier, confirming her family's attendance to the chuunin exams. But this was an addendum, an announcement that they had moved out and were due to arrive in a few days. About how she couldn't wait to see him.

The letter lay, half-limp, in his hands, his eyes half-focused on the wood of the table beyond, on the words blurred into incoherence.

(…no, she wasn't family.)

(She was just a friend, and a dear one. This didn't change anything, did it?)

(He had only ever barely known his mother, anyways.)

He tried not to think of Karin, of the pink-ripple presence she carried with her, and moved on to the positives.

A friend would be returning, and with her came opportunities for negotiation with her family. This would be a good thing, for him, for Konoha, for everyone.

Yes.

And yet, that night, he could not sleep.

(Like so many other nights before.)

(At times like this, Naruto was grateful that he slept alone.)

The ghosts on his bedside table smiled and scowled into the darkness.