All of it was rather sudden. Naruto knew his days in the village were numbered, but he never thought the end was so close. At the very least, he wanted to learn the rest of the Wind Style jutsu Anko knew before leaving, Just asking to learn more was rousing suspicion though. Orochimaru was likely the one who taught her them, more inclined to teach him the other nature transformations, and willing to pass on Forbidden Jutsu. The downsides were he hated the snake bastard, and he obviously didn't have his best interests in mind. Staying in the village, as Kimimaro and the Nine-Tails pointed out, could jeopardize his goals. He was in another no-win scenario, just like the one during the final day of the Chunin Exams.

His heart raced when he remembered a certain young woman's heartfelt words. "Whatever I choose, all I have to do is keep going." Taking a deep breath, he turned to the direction of the Mitarashi residence. "...Anko-sensei." He created a single clone and watched it run off.

"Fetching her or deceiving her?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." He patted his money pouch. "Will I even need any where I'm going?" The realization he hadn't been to his apartment in nearly two months made him groan. "I'm going to be a criminal: I'll just take what I want." A hollowness grew in his chest as he stared out into nothing. "Is...there really nothing left to do here?" His stomach growled. "One last bowl." Nodding, he turned and ran towards his favorite food place.

Hinata tried to move after him yet couldn't. Dread and sorrow kept her planted behind her cover. She knew he didn't care for the village as far back as the Academy, but she never guessed it was that bad. Being forced to live as the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox for them was without a doubt a factor. When Kurenai revealed the truth and they all saw it for themselves, she didn't know what to think. He was still the same boy who came to her rescue all those years ago, just as he was moments before. However, if she told the wrong person what happened, they'd lock him away forever to stop him from undermining the Leaf's security.

She activated her Byakugan and ran after the real one. "I have to stop him." Her gaze steeled. "This time… I won't falter. This time, I'm going to be the one who saves you!"

There was no more room for doubt in her mind. If she didn't say it before he left, she could never forgive herself. His body language where they ate the other day told her he felt something for her too. It might have been an awful thing to do, really the worst thing she ever considered, but she had to use those feelings to keep him from going. The alternative was losing him and possibly having to face a corrupted mockery of what he was.

Shortly after lunch, Kakashi left his two students training alone, citing a new mission that would take him some time as to why. They thought he, as he usually did, was making excuses. Missions and summons given via messenger bird were reserved for jonin, so neither knew he was telling the truth. Both relaxed by sitting on the grass after a few hours worth of Taijutsu practice.

"Sasuke, I know you don't want to tell anyone what happened, but can you at least tell me how bad it was?" Sakura looked at his stiffening form with earnest concern in her eyes. "Naruto… He's one of us, and we meant so much to him he wanted to hear us say we'll care for him no matter what." She glanced down. "...He was so happy."

He parted his lips, paused, closed them, and clenched his eyes shut at the memory of the loving clone. "I made the biggest fuckup of my entire life."

"What happened couldn't have been that bad."

"Sakura, you said it yourself: we meant a lot to him." His eyes opened. "Then what I did… What I didn't do caught up with me."

"It was something about Itachi, right?" She inclined her head.

He glared out into nothing. "Even now, I still don't understand what the hell he was trying to do. Nothing about it makes sense. It's like he wants me to kill him, but if that was true, why did he…" Drifting off, he tilted his head at an odd thought: his brother was protecting his friend.

She raised an eyebrow at his strange look. "You still haven't told me what happened or what he said to you either."

"I asked him why he killed our family, and he tried to motivate me to kill him. When I first asked him all those years ago, he said it was test himself against the clan, but he left me alive, even though he killed all the other children. He told me I was his last challenge."

"That doesn't make any sense."

He nodded. "Naruto said the same thing after I told him. If he really wanted to test himself, why not go after the Kage or other powerful shinobi? He's not unstable, that was actually the most in control I've ever seen him, or an idiot. There's something he wants in having me go after him." His hands folded together.

"It just seems like he's playing some sick game and tormenting you for the sake of it."

"...That might be it." He fell back on to the grass. "I could be deluding myself into thinking my brother is still who I thought he was because it's easier than believing the truth."

"He was your family." She leaned over him.

He closed his eyes. "I know that more than anyone."

Humming, she sat up straight and put a hand on her aching back. "I used to think training like this was insane." She crossed her pointer and ring fingers, creating a shadow clone of herself. "You know what to do."

It scoffed. "Do it yourself." It tilted its head at the resting boy. "Oh, Sasuke."

"Hey!"

"I'm a person too, bitch." The clone narrowed its eyes at her.

Her face scrunched in confusion. "You're me!"

"Better than you." It took a deep breath, sighed, and held its hands close to its chest. "A blip in the endless sea of eternity, forever beautiful!"

She punched the clone into smoke. "Get over yourself!" Blinking, she remembered her teammate was there.

"So Naruto really has no control over them."

Sakura's face became as pink as her hair. "Kind of?" She looked away. "You have to make one yourself: it's the weirdest thing."

"I think I'll stick to lightning and fire." He really didn't want to hear what he had to say to himself.

They continued to unwind in peace. At any time, another situation could pull them out of their day-to-day life, so enjoying it while they could was important. Their last mission was almost two months ago, and the politics of the Shinobi World were changing. Itachi's surprise visit was a source of some short-lived excitement. Something bigger was coming. Neither were ready.

The meeting place for the most influential shinobi in the village was devoid of them. Where trained ninja dogs could be heard constantly prancing, there were puppy whines instead. Only the dango shops had recognizable people, mostly civilians and nobody ninja, in them. Everyone Anko knew or was somewhat close to was attending to some other business, and it was making her feel pathetic, more so than usual. She got some much needed exercise in the recovering Forest of Death before heading back to her empty house.

Sighing, she opened her front door. "I'm home." Her eyes widened when her favorite boy ran out the hall of her room and glomped her.

"Anko-sensei!" The Naruto clone looked up to her with tears building in its eyes. "Welcome back."

"Did something happen?" She smiled as she patted its head.

It buried its face in her collar. "Everything went great."

"Who did you go see?" Wrapping her arms around it, she secured the clone's position on her upper body.

"Konohamaru, the Old Man's grandson." It lifted its head to rub its cheek against hers. "Can you take care of him for me?"

She giggled. "Of course!" Blinking, she turned to look the smiling clone in the eye. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm not always going to be around: I'm gonna have missions, just like you. That four-eyed weirdo isn't teaching him shit. When I'm away, can you look after him and show him some moves?"

"...Yeah, I will." It licking her cheek made her laugh. "What is with you?!" Her lips parted when tears streamed down its face. "Seriously, what's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy being here with you." It nuzzled her neck.

She began walking towards her room. "You're really fucking adorable, you know that right?"

"You can thank me for that. Without those whiskers, you'd be a horrid gremlin."

'Not now.' The clone held her tighter. 'Please, let me have this moment. You're getting everything you wanted.' It closed its eyes as more tears fell. 'This is the best way the main man can say goodbye.' A smile spread across its face when the beast fell silent.

"Lot of people aren't going to understand where you're coming from. Not like you had anyone to guide you in the beginning like almost all of them did. Being a jinchuriki made that a dozen times worse. Just know not understanding doesn't mean they don't care."

"Talking about what Ayame said?"

She threw aside her coat and nodded. "Yeah." She lay down on the bed with the copy of her favorite boy. "Too many people are sure about their views of others. When you go against that view, they'll doubt what they see and hear. It takes a lot to convince anyone you've changed."

"I understand." It looked down at itself. "...Even after everything, they still think I'm a piece of shit for something I had no say in."

"But there are people here who don't think that and care about you."

Looking back up, it smiled even as its tears fell. "I know, Anko-sensei..."

He was with her the only way he could be, saying goodbye in the best way he thought possible. When they'd meet again, it would likely be as enemies. There was little chance they'd aim to kill each other, but neither could bear the pain of having to fight someone they held dearly. All he hoped for was she'd understand and leave him be. That, knowing her, would be an impossibility though.

Hinata more than closed the distance between herself and Naruto when he stopped at a vaguely familiar ramen shop. She moved to join him until the smiles on everyone inside made her relent. What she had to say couldn't be heard by anyone else, and there was no telling how the two civilians would react. They seemed to care for the young man, unlike most others. It wasn't right for her to involve them. Laying on a nearby rooftop, she waited and watched.

Their expressions, body language, and word choice were akin to that of old friends. Her ability to read lips was a bit off, but she was good enough to tell mostly what they were saying. It was a casual conversation about a boy and Naruto. At the mention of Sasuke, his expression soured. That didn't stop him from dumping an entire pouch full of ryo on the counter when he was done eating. He ran off while they stared at the pile.

She stood up and followed from a safe enough distance, still keeping him within range of a rush. Other ninja were around to hear them if tensions escalated. While she could use the help, it would risk his freedom. Her odds weren't great, but she couldn't bear him suffering because of her inadequacy.

He went from one of outskirt of the village to another. It was obvious to her he was looking for an opening in the lookouts' patrols. Ever since the incident with the two S rank missing-nin, security was increased to prevent it from happening again. The gates remained the same however, something he realized when he remembered coming back from retrieving Tsunade. He turned to the nearest one and took off.

Focusing in that direction, she saw an empty road with no one in hearing distance. "This is my chance." Her pace picked up the closer they got.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the center of the path, driving her to hide behind a nearby hedge tree. "How long are you going to follow me?"

A jolt ran through her body. Swallowing her anxiety, she stepped out and took several steps towards him. "Naruto." She frowned when he stiffened. "...I heard everything."

"Go home, Hinata." He looked down. "Forget what you heard, forget you ever met me, and move on with your life."

"I can't…"

His hands balled into fists. "You're not listening to me." He grit his teeth. "This isn't going to end well for either of us."

"Even so, I can't let you leave." She began forming hand signs.

He took a deep breath and sighed before turning around. "Fine." He blinked as the world went black. "What th–" His sight was restored just in time for him to see her fist make contact with his jaw, launching them both into the air.

She popped her hip, held out her arms, shot chakra from her tenketsu, and began spinning as she waved her upper limbs. The idea came to her when she saw her father perform the Rotation and demonstrate the Sixty-Four Palms. One was a perfect defense while the other was a devastating attack. While a Hyuga could use the Rotation offensively, it wasn't the jutsu's strong suit. This was her addition to her clan's legacy laid bare towards the one person she admired the most.

The unmistakable movements, more so than the blinding pain of getting his front shredded and tenketsu points sealed, made his eyes widen. "You're…" Just as his back touched the ground, she slammed her palms into his sides.

A wave of joy enveloped her when she landed on him, unintentionally straddling his waist. "I… I did it!" Riding the rush of her biggest victory, she locked her lips with his for a full minute before pulling back from his stunned, blushing face. "I used to always cry and give up, but you showed me that was never going to work." Her deactivating eyes welled with tears of happiness. "I was always chasing you. Always trying to reach you. I just wanted to walk with you; I want to be by your side, always." They streamed down her cheeks. "You changed me! Your strength saved me from myself! That's why I stopped you!" She tilted her head. "Because I love you, Naruto." His face contorting as he clenched his eyes shut made her worry. "...Naruto?"

"I…" Tears seeped out of the closed gap between his eyelids. "I…" He sobbed.

She caressed his face with both her hands. "It's oka–" A kiss from him cut her off.

They stayed in their position for another minute before parting. She, knowing full well the pain she left him in, helped pick him up, setting him against the nearest tree. Her Byakugan let her see where he kept his bandage roll, so she took it, removed what was left of his ruined clothes, slung the rags over her shoulder, and wrapped up his torso. Done, they stood in silence for a moment.

"Do you...want me to take you to anyone?" Hinata asked.

Naruto looked toward his old apartment. "Can you take me to my place?" He winced as she put his arm over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She looked down. "It was the only thing I was sure could stop you."

He mustered a laugh. "That was awesome and beautiful." The pink tint on her face made his heart flutter. "Just like the night at the waterfall."

"I didn't know that was you until we waited to take the first test of the Chunin Exams." She began walking.

"Didn't know that was you until a few minutes ago." He manage to laugh again. "I'm always figuring things out too late."

The fingers of her free hand interlocked with the ones belonging to the arm over her shoulder. "It's okay. Just show me the way, like you always do." She giggled when he blushed and pointed at his home.

Villagers shot them odd looks, but neither couldn't care less about that at the time. Their hearts were full of warmth and joy. Something both were seeking was found in each other. No one could take that away from them, even if the underlying matter that brought them together had yet to be resolved. By the time they reached his front door, day was shifting into night.

"Ah fuck." Naruto groaned.

Her hand turned the knob and pushed the door open. "What's wro–" She blinked at the dusty mess that was his living space. "...Oh."

"I've been living with Anko-sensei for a long time now. Haven't been in here in almost two months." He looked away. "You can leave me here."

She entered with him and shut the door behind her. "Not until you're in bed." Her gaze wandered from mark to mark he left on the walls as she helped him along.

"I...kind of had some issues, but I dealt with them."

"You don't have to say anything." Reaching his messy mattress, she eased him on to his sheets.

He grunted when his back hit the familiar material. "Might be good for you to head back to your own home." Her lack of movement told him it wasn't going to be that easy. "I'm sorry." He looked up to his ceiling. "I really do want to destroy the village." His eyes narrowed. "Every single part of me wants to kill those pieces of shit outside." They shut when the warmth in his chest gave way to pain. "They were given everything that should've been mine and look at me like I'm some kind of freak for it." Opening them, he focused on Hinata before looking down at himself. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing." She put down his rags and laid herself next to him. "You did nothing wrong, Naruto." She caressed his whiskered cheek. "That's just how people are." A frown formed from her lips. "If you go and do destroy the village, will it really solve anything?"

"I can't help how I feel." He put his hand over hers. "I've been fighting against myself for so long, and I'm finally at peace."

"You don't have to destroy the village to keep it."

He inched his face closer. "But I do."

"Naruto…" Drifting off, she mimicked his actions. "Do you love me?"

He grinned. "I love the kind of woman that can kick my ass."

"Answer me." She giggled.

"...I love you, Hinata." The fluttering of his heart turned his cheeks pink. "You helped me finally understand what that is."

They kissed once then twice. Holding each other close, they nuzzled and cuddled with another. A blissful feeling unlike anything they ever felt before filled their entire bodies. It was the happiest either was too. Denying a request would be difficult for both. While one was content, the other felt something was missing. The eyes that appraised so many women gazed with too much innocence.

Hinata unzipped her jacket, pulled her arms free from the sleeves, untied her forehead protector, and set it on the mini-wardrobe at the side of the bed. "I want to give myself to you as a woman." She took off her shirt before unhooking the appropriate undergarment. "And for you take me as a man."

Naruto stared. "...Okay."

It was a hormonal spur of the moment. Neither had any experience greater than other people their age, so the beginning, however spirited, was embarrassing. At the very least, they knew some preparation was in order, which they wisely did. Everything was smooth sailing after they got a rhythm though. The neighbors would have complaints if they didn't already know not to bother. Both were wrapped in the bed blanket, a pile of their leftover clothes on the sides of the mattress.

"Naruto, don–"

"Please don't ask me to stay." He stroked her blushing face. "I know I will if you do, but I'll resent you for it." Grabbing her other hand, he moved it towards his cheek. "You helped me finally understand what love really is, and I don't want this to end up as twisted as everything else was in my life. Let me take it back, even if it seems stupid." His pinky wrapped around hers. "I'll come back to take you away from this horrible place, stay with you forever, and give you as much children as you want. No other woman will ever come between us or replace you in my mind." Her wide eyes made his smile grow. "Tell Grandma Tsunade I left, so they don't think you helped. Maybe mention that great move you did. You can tell her whatever you want though, as long as you're safe."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "...Can't I go with you?"

"I'm going to Orochimaru: if you come with me, he'll try to use you to control me. That's the kind of person he is, and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you because of my mistakes."

"Then can you at least stay with me until I fall asleep?" He gave her everything she ever wanted, so she couldn't deny him.

"Of course." He embraced her again. "I'll be with you for as long as I can."

Just as quickly as they united, they would part. Too many complications would arise if they both left or stayed. No solution was ideal, but it was all they had. Neither could let go of their feelings. They'd accept whatever came next, no matter how painful, for each other.

Naruto slipped out of bed when he was sure Hinata was asleep. He got into his shorts and threw on his old, bloodied black undershirt. Retying the First Hokage's Necklace, he stared at his forehead protector, remembering the pride and joy he felt earning it. A lifetime passed since, but its meaning was still the same to him. He picked it up, eased it into his lover's hands, and kissed her goodbye before leaving.

The night air was strangely exhilarating. His old view of the village was a beautiful sight, especially when he imagined it all in ruins. No one saw him reach the front gate in what had to be a record time. Only the usual suspects were standing guard.

"Oh, this is gonna be easy." He brought his fingers together, creating two shadow clones, and walked forward while they spread out.

Izumo blinked when he spied him from the corner of his eye. "Naruto?"

"Huh?" Kotetsu turned to the black and orange figure. "What are you doing out this la–" An arm wrapping around his throat cut him off. He reached for his pouch but grasped air.

"What..are..you..doing?" Izumo choked, also being strangled.

The clone behind him scoffed. "Choking you, dumbass."

"What?!" Kotetsu forced out.

"Idiot, he just told you," the other one said.

Naruto shook his head as he walked out the front gate. "You two really are stupid." He grinned at the darkness before him.

His doppelgangers held on until they were sure the two lost consciousness enough to forget what happened. They dispelled themselves, leaving no evidence. If Tsunade was to hear what happened, it would be from only Hinata. He was sure he'd be gone by the time that happened. All the other jonin, the only ones that could really challenge him, were out on missions. She'd never send Anko against him, so it would likely be whatever anbu they had left, unless she decided to really scrounge around.

Kimimaro stood in front of the Sound Four more than a few meters down the road. "I've been waiting for you."

"Were you planning on hanging out all night?" He walked past him.

Tayuya scoffed. "Like w–" A back-handed punch-slap knocked her down. Looking up, she saw his dwindling back.

"There's a camp set nearby for us," Kimimaro said. "Best to rest before moving on; you are injured."

"You can tell, huh?" Naruto turned to face him, ignoring the woman he struck to the ground.

"I have a lot of experience moving through injury." He moved towards the camp site. "There are traps set, so follow my lead." The looks his underlings shot him for his word choice were irritating yet of no consequence.

He shrugged before complying. "Guess I could use a nap."

The four minions kept quiet as they went along. They finally realized Kimimaro allowed the attack on Orochimaru's ideal vessel to teach a much needed lesson. He was on the same level as their leader, if not better, without a Cursed Seal to amplify his abilities. Both could kill them all with little effort. Kimimaro was the only one he acknowledged because he was the only one he could respect. As far as either were concerned, they were buzzing gnats.

While she was unconscious, Hinata could tell her love left. A hollowness replaced a bright warmth that rested beside her. It made her regret not asking him to stay, but her choice was made. She didn't have to open her eyes when she woke up to tell he was gone. Doing so revealed what the cold sensation in her hands was: a Leaf Village forehead protector.

"This is…" She looked back and found hers still resting on the wardrobe. "His…" Her vision blurred at the memory of their moment in the practice field. Holding on to the keepsake for dear life, she wailed out her bittersweet sorrow.

The moment the last of her tears left was when she sprang into action. Getting dressed, she ran the story over her mind and debated between telling the truth, lying, or pretending it never happened. Leaving it be was impossible since more than a few civilians saw her carrying him to his apartment, but it would buy him some time. Her father was unlikely to bail her out if the Hokage branded her an accomplice. She could hardly care about herself at that moment yet letting herself be judged would sadden him. If they managed to retrieve him, they would never let him go.

Her mind was decided the moment she shut the door behind her. "I don't want him to worry about me." She looked towards the Hokage Residence and took off via rooftop.

Tsunade's staff gave her odd looks when she ran through the building but made no efforts to stop her. Ninja with important news were running through all the time, especially since things were rather hectic. If someone was intending to assassinate her, they were in for a rude surprise. Guards for Kage were often more ceremonial and glorified servants, though many took pride in that position.

The ruler of the Leaf Village raised an eyebrow at her barging in from behind her desk. "Hinata Hyuga, right?" She gestured for Aoba, her replacement whipping boy, to stand down. "What bri–"

"Naruto left the village last night with servants of Orochimaru!"

Tiles beneath the Hokage's feet cracked. "...What?"

Aoba gulped. "I belie–" He jumped when the cracks reached him.

"Tell me everything."

"There were five ninja from the Sound Village: a dark-skinned young man with six arms, a pink-haired girl, a large young man with orange hair, a two-headed young man, and a white-haired young man with red face markings Naruto recognized." She noticed her eyes widen in realization. "He offered him power, the truth behind his parentage, a place in the Sound Village, and vengeance against the Leaf." Looking down, she avoided her gaze. "I tried to stop him, but I didn't want to involve anyone else because I was worried he'd be locked away."

Tsunade folded her hands together, audibly cracking her finger bones, and closed her eyes. Almost all jonin and anbu were out of the village on missions. Most chunin wouldn't even be able to scratch the wayward boy. The only ones who stood a chance were those who knew him best. "...Aoba, have the remaining anbu fetch everyone who graduated Naruto's class, including the active members of Team Guy." Lee told her how they all knew him way back before she conducted his operation. "Now!"

Hinata watched the Tokubetsu Jonin salute before flickering away. "Y-You're bringing everyone?"

"I'm kinda outta options here." She opened a drawer of her desk and fished out a small bottle of sake. "This is going to be the biggest clusterfuck of my career, and I haven't even been Hokage for a month."

"...My apologies."

"What could you have done?" She raised an eyebrow at the girl wincing.

She looked away. "Am I dismissed?"

"Weren't you a part of his class?" Tilting her head at another flinch, she took a solid swig from her beverage. "I know it may seem hopeless, but you're all the best chances we have of preventing this from escalating into something even bigger."

"I… I understand."

The stage was set, and there was nothing more that could be done. All of them made their choices. Nothing was free of consequences. It was the culmination of years worth of suffering, sadness, and sorrow. Battle awaited every single one of them, and the outcome would scar the land for years after. Only time would tell if those who participated or those who heard would learn anything from the lesson to be taught there.

AN: Thus begins the Naruto Retrieval Arc. I am that dead voodoo meme man right now. Are you ready? I sure as hell am. This is going to be so fun to write. I get to show you what everyone else was doing to catch up. Tons of character moments to write. Strategies I thought of with everyone's abilities. Almost hurts that I won't get to write until after I'm done with something else.

Hope you enjoyed how things ended up regarding Hinata. Let me tell you, I was up some nights thinking of how that confrontation could go. Had it setup from the very beginning. My original thought was Naruto taking the brief moment Hinata was distracted from his crying to headbutt her, like he did Neji, into a choke and leaving behind his bloodied forehead protector out of self-disgust. From protector and idol to abuser. There were some thoughts of having Orochimaru as far back as the hospital leave a white snake to possess her when the time was right to use her as leverage against him, but there wasn't enough of a relationship then to justify it.

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a review or PM.