Dōkutsugakure no Sato
Spirit: Hello everyone. Sorry for taking too long in doing this chapter. Was busy with school, had a bad cold, and was doing my own stories. Manage to finish this though. Hope this will be worth the wait.
Chapter 4: On the Run
(Flashback)
Aku didn't waste any time getting to the Hokage building and heading to the Hokage's office, where the Sandaime was at. "Hokage-sama," Aku spoke up, gaining the old man's attention from his paperwork.
"Aku," The Sandamie said, putting down the pencil he was holding and smiling at him. "Come in. What seems to trouble you?" The young man sat down in front of the Sandamie with a grim expression.
"Naruto Uzumaki came into my clan's yard." Sarutobi's pleasant expression evaporated and listened closely to what Aku is saying. "We saw him playing hide-and-seek with our youngest sibling. After talking with him a bit, we found out that he was hiding from a mob that wanted to torture him. Maybe kill him."
"He wasn't at his orphanage?"
"From what he told me, he probably got kicked out. He said that he didn't have anywhere else to go."
The Sandamie sighed, and Aku can see that the man was feeling as old as he really was right now. "I would've thought the village wouldn't harm a child. But it seems I was wrong about that."
"With respect Hokage-sama, you put too much faith in the people of the village," Aku said, keeping his voice calm and leveled. "They hated what the Kyūbi did to their homes, and feared what would happen if it escaped. And with that hatred and fear, they would find a way to let it out or fight back. Telling the villagers about the Kyūbi was sealed in Naruto gave them the target they wanted, regardless if he's just a child."
Aku can see his words affecting the Sandamie greatly. Whether or not he knew Naruto personally, the Sandamie Hokage was a good person at heart, a peace maker, and harming an innocent child for something he had nothing to do with, probably horrified him. "Then what do you think we should do?" The Sandamie finally asked. "Many of the clan heads have tried to adopt Naruto, but the civilian council, as well as those in their clans, stopped them from doing so."
Aku cross his arms and sighed. While the civilians are stupid, they weren't complete idiots and could do their homework well. They probably had the ninjas in the individual clans make sure the clan heads, or anyone, didn't adopt Naruto. And nearly every single villager hated Naruto, so he didn't see any of them adopting Naruto out of the goodness of their hearts. He sighed. Look like there's only one thing to do….
"I can adopt him." The Sandamie looked at Aku in shock. "The only people in my clan now is my siblings and myself, so there isn't any chance of somebody stonewalling me from the inside. Also, there isn't a chance of anyone trying to make Naruto miserable, seeing that Aki and I don't hold a grudge about the Kyūbi's attack on Konoha, and my younger sister adores him right now." Aki smiled a little at the thought of his youngest sister.
"But what about the civilian council?" The Hokage asked him. "You know that they wouldn't approve of him."
"Then why should we tell them?" Aku countered. "Let's just keep them in the dark about this. It isn't any of their business whether or not Naruto gets adopted. It's my choice, a choice I'm sure the rest of my siblings will support."
The Sandamie considered the suggestion. "But what about the missions you have to take? Don't forget, you're an ANBU of Konoha, as well as part of the shinobi council."
Aku sighed. He, along with Itachi and Aki, graduated the ninja academy at a young age and rose through the ranks very quickly. That made him very busy most of the time. But even still, he still made time for his younger brother and sister.
With that in mind, he spoke up again. "I make time for my younger siblings Hokage-sama. I'm sure I can make time for one more." The Sandamie stare at him, making sure that he was serious about this. Finally, the Sandamie sighed for the final time, and folded his hands together.
"I'll get you to get the adoption papers," The Sandamie told him, making Aku smile. That would ensure that no one stone walled him. "But before we do that, I will need you to speak to the ANBU assigned to protect young Naruto."
"And who might they be?" Aku replied back. "And I want those who would truly protect him, not the ones who will arrive at the last minute." The Sandamie smiled at Aku's insight. This was one of the reasons Aku rose in the ranks quickly; his sharp mind.
"Itachi Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and Yugao Uzuki." Aku raised an eyebrow at the names. He knew all three of them personally, having worked with them on many missions. He was the closest to Itachi.
"Alright. Tell them to meet Aki and myself at my clan compound." The Sandamie nodded to this. With that, Aku got up and went to the door.
Before he left, the Sandamie spoke up. "Thank you for helping Naruto," he said to Aku, and the young teen could hear the smile coming from that. "I'm glad to see that there are those in the village willing to help him."
Aku smiled. "Not all of us are blind Hokage-sama. Some of us can see a person for who they really are," He replied to him. "And besides, I'm not the kind of person who would turn his back on someone who needs help. No one in my clan has ever done that, and I ain't gonna dirty its name by doing so." With that, Aku left to go back home, and wait for the ANBU protecting Naruto.
(Flashback End)
The group of twenty, if you count Akamaru, only went a couple of miles from the village until they had to stop, for several reasons. One is so that Lee can rest from the fight he had with Gai. Two is so Hinata can heal Kiba and Akamaru from the drug they got hit with. And finally, is so that Naruto can help figure out how to unseal the caged seal on Neji.
So the group set up a temporary camp, with Lee resting, Hinata, with Daria's help, healing Kiba and Akamaru, and Naruto working on the seal for Neji. Aku, Aki, Anko, Shino, Kotetsu, and Izumo keeping watch for any enemies, Konoha or otherwise.
"Never thought something like would happen, huh brother?" Aki said, gaining Aku's attention. "Leaving our clan home, leaving the village, and becoming rogue shinobi. Guess it shows how far we'll go for our family, blood or not."
Aku smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah. At least we're willing to help Naruto. There were so few people that would when we were kids." In fact, if he hadn't talked to the Sandamie about adopting Naruto, then the blonde would've been facing a lot by himself. "And what do you think? Think we'll be able to succeed in this crazy mission?"
"Considering that some of us here is crazy strong or crazy smart, I think we have a chance," Aki responded back.
Aku sighed. "Let just hope we can find a new home to live in." Aku said. He thought about where they can go. The Rock and Cloud village is out of the question. Kumo had wanted the Chōwashibō's and Hyūga's Kekkai Genkai for themselves, and he's not letting the two Hyūgas, nor his family, become weapons or used for breeding. And Rock still hold a grudge against the Leaf Village.
Mizu was also out, due to it being a civil war right now. The places that he could think of where they might be all safe is the Nami and Natsu country, but it isn't a sure thing. 'Wait a minute,' Aku thought to himself. 'There is one place where we'll be most likely safe. Question is, is it still usable?'
Before he could express his idea, he heard Naruto speak up. "Hey guys. I finished getting the seal off a Neji." Naruto told everyone, rolling the Hyūga scroll back up. That got everyone's attention, and momentarily distracted them from what they were doing.
"Really?" Hinata said, delighted to hear that her cousin didn't have that seal anymore. "C-Can we see?" Neji nodded and turn around to show them that the seal is gone. "T-That's wonderful Neji! N-N-Now you don't have to worry about the Main Branch using it on you."
Neji smiled a little at that. But before he could say anything, he saw a figure in the shadows, making his eyes widen. "Hinata-sama! Behind you!" Hinata spin around to see one of the Hyūga main branch members trying to paralyze her with a Jūken strike to her back.
But before he could, Neji ran up and kicked him away, making him land right behind one of the trees. The man slowly got up and scowled at Neji. "Step aside! Now!"
Neji glared at the man. "You try to harm Hinata-sama." Neji said coldly. "You will suffer for that." He fell into his Jūken stance, and activated his Byakugan.
The main branch Hyūga, however, growled and held up a hand seal first. "You need to learn your place, you filthy Branch clan bastard!" he shouted and activated the Caged Bird Seal before Neji could use his Kekkei Genkai. Neji tensed up, but felt no pain. He was shocked. Naruto had done it! He had done away with his seal. Grinning smugly, Neji couldn't help but comment, "It seems your only defense against me is now gone. Let's see how well you fare against me now! Byakugan!" The veins around his eyes bulged as his pupils dilated, signaling his Byakugan was now activated.
He was shocked. 'M-My vision is stronger,' he thought. 'My Byakugan was never this good! I...I can see even further than before!'
Was this because of the seal being released?
The Main branch Hyūga was shocked, before he snarled, "You little shit! How dare you remove your seal! You have no right to not have it on your forehead!" Foolishly, the Hyūga elder shot at Neji, palm outstretched for a palm strike. However, Neji saw it coming. Literally, he actually saw the attack before the elder had ever moved. He had shaken off his daze and reacted quickly. He was actually already moving before the attack was even halfway to him.
Spinning on his foot, Neji came up to the elder's side and slammed his middle and index fingers into the elder's side five times, instantly closing off the tenketsu. The man flinched under the quick assault, but Neji wasn't done. The younger Hyūga spun again and closed off four more tenketsu. The man gasped in pain, and Neji used this to come back around to the elder's front and send six more Jūken strikes at the man's torso.
Neji noticed something in the man's chest, close to his heart. He didn't know at the time, but it was an aneurysm. And when he sent a large amount of chakra to that point, it ruptured. The elder gasped in agony and fell over. Neji stopped and wondered what was going on until the elder began bleeding from the mouth. His eyes widened as his newly powerful Byakugan saw the man's blood being pumped out of the ruptured vein and his heart rate begin to slow.
Before he could do or say anything, he heard Aku speak. "We need to move. Now." Aku told everyone. "If the Hyuuga Elder, other shinobis might be close. Kiba, Lee, can you run?"
The two of them slowly got up, nodding. "Good. Then let's go." With that, the group started running once again.
(Konohagakure)
New of the Rookies' departure, along with the departure of the Chōwashibō clan and a few more shinobis, quickly spread through Konoha. The news caused panic, as well as rumors and speculations, to spread around the population.
Many of them believed that Naruto, or the demon as they liked to call him, deceived all of them into betraying the village. Others know that those that have left the village did it for Naruto, but was shock that they were willing to betray the village for the blonde jinchūriki.
Iruka was having a bowl of ramen when he heard the news. His mind still whirled at the fact Naruto and the others left the village, as well as the fact that the civilian council tried to banish him out of the fire country. He was angry at the fact the counsel tried to do that, but shocked that an entire group of shinobis left.
He clenched his fist on top of the table. Naruto was like a little brother to him, and he liked the Chōwashibō siblings. The fact that they all left upsets him greatly.
"You okay there Iruka?" The chunin snapped his head up when Teuchi called out to him. The ramen chef look at him in concern. "You look a little spaced out."
"O-Oh. Yeah, I am." Iruka sighed, spinning the bowl of ramen with his chopsticks. "I'm just thinking of what happened recently."
Teuchi frown, knowing what he's talking about. Behind them, Ayame frown as well. "It's pretty shocking, to hear that most of the rookies as well as a few older shinobis abandoned the village."
"Yeah. It is," Iruka sighed. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the thought of Naruto abandoning the village. Kurenai, Asuma, and Kakashi, the latter just returning from a mission, were shocked to hear that their genin left the village.
Kakashi was floored at the news given to him, but was proud that Naruto's comrades and surrogate family were willing to leave the village with him to protect the blonde. Asuma was also saddened that his team chose to leave, but was glad that they're doing it to protect their comrade. Kurenai, however, blamed Naruto for her team leaving. She was part of the many who held a grudge against Naruto.
As he stared down at his bowl, Iruka thought about what he should do. Could he convince all of them to back, despite the council wanting to banish Naruto out of Hi no Kuni? Maybe he could talk to Tsunade, and see if she could stop that from happening, and perhaps get them all back to the village?
It wouldn't hurt to try. So with that in his head, he finished the rest of his food, payed for it, and left quickly.
(Outside of Konoha)
The group was running at full speed, trying to put considerable distance between them, Konoha, and any nearby shinobi. Aku, Aki, Neji, Hinata, and Shikamaru are in front, leading, while Naruto is in the middle, and the jonin as well as taijutsu fighters are at the back (Seimei, Lee, Kiba, Anko, Kotetsu, and Izumo).
During their run, Aku and Aki noticed something about Tenten, Kiba, and Neji. The looks on their faces were all too familiar from those who had their first looks. Their looks were of guilt, distress, and/or horror. Aku sighed in frustration. This was possibly the worst time to think about something like that.
Aku look at his sister, silently telling her to talk to them. Aki nodded. "Kiba, Tenten, Neji, listen!" Aki called out, gaining the three's attention. "I have a guess on what on your mind, but for right now, stop focusing on it. Focus on the mission at hand."
"She's right," Aku spoke to help out his sister. "You've got to think about your comrades right now. We can talk more about this when we set up camp." Aku saw the three of them closing their eyes for a brief amount of time. They nodded to the elder shinobi, though they still looked very upset.
Aku smiled a little. That should do until they can set up camp somewhere. As he refocused all his attention back to the front, Hinata (Who had her Byakugan on and was more focus than her cousin), spotted something.
"There's someone up ahead! Hiding in one of the trees!" Hinata told Aku. The young man signaled everyone to stop, causing everyone to stop where they were at.
Aki, ever the speaker of her family, spoke up. "Whoever you are, come on out. Running away, or trying to attack us, won't do you any favors." They waited for a moment before someone slowly walked from behind the trees.
The person was a fifteen year old girl, with short black hair and pink eyes. She was currently wearing the Iwa shinobi outfit, consisting of a red long sleeve shirt and flak jacket.
Aku narrowed his eyes when he saw who she was. "And just what is the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage doing here?"
Dragon: And the plot thickens. Just what ARE Dragon and Spirit up too? Well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out, won't you?