CHAPTER 3: Itachi and Kisame Change Everything
After a few days of Naruto being gone, the village quieted down slightly. Without their local jinchuriki to draw their attention, the villagers have been focused entirely on the death of their Hokage. The quiet is nice for some, but some people have begun to have their withdrawals.
Naruto has attracted trouble ever since he first put on his headband. From Kisame to Gaara, every battle seems to have something to do with Naruto. Of course, the village hardly knows anything about this, though they still associate him with trouble. On the morning before the Akastsuki's first wave attacks, Konaha's other young blond is moping.
"Why did that jerk ignore me? I mean, come on."
"Probably saw your face Ino-Pig" replied a pinkette. This argument, like the many they have been having recently ended with Sakura joking "What do you like him?" and Ino blushing. 'Why do I keep doing this.' Ino thinks to herself before shouting "I DON'T LIKE NARUTO!"
When Ino finished shouting Itachi and Kisame appeared on the other side of the village. The sensory unit in the village was completely oblivious as Itachi and Kisame began to wander toward the village center, passing countless instantly recognizable places and people, including the two kunoichi. Neither party recognized the other, the missing-nin kept moving towards the village center, until their run-in at the dango shop.
—-
Not even ten minutes later a Chunin messenger ran up to the kunoichi. "Which one of you is Haruno?" asked the young man. Sakura quietly replied "I am" upon noticing the boy's shaken demeanor. "Hatake Kakashi has been put in the hospital and Uchiha Sasuke has fled the village. I am sorry, but that is all I am allowed to say." after these words, the man disappears into the broader village.
"Sasuke has fled?!" Sakura called out, but it was too late. Sakura then began to head for the hospital with Ino tailing behind. "Hey, where are you going now?" called the Yamanaka. "To get answers from Kakashi Sensei. Maybe he will tell me where Sasuke is going" replied the worried teammate.
—-
Upon reaching the hospital the two girls were quickly turned away. "Dammit" muttered Sakura, not wanting to seem too determined to get in the building. As she and Ino slowly walked away she began to whisper to her friend, "when we get around the corner, jump onto the roof. we will then quietly move from rooftop to rooftop until the hospital. then we will find kakashi sensei's room and hide outside. hopefully, we will hear something about sasuke leaving the village. my damn team, can't do anything without getting injured or into trouble."
Just as Sakura said the two kunoichi quietly headed towards the hospital, making sure to stay as quiet as church mice, then they quietly listened closely to the window trying not to miss a single word from the hardly recognizable voices.
"How did they … in the village?"
"Itachi was… Anbu"
"What…Kakashi"
"K…"
"Sorry…dozing off"
"...Went after Naruto"
"And Sasuke went after Itachi?"
"Prob…y"
"These damn akat… ruining years of planning"
"Guy… go after … in …"
—-
"wow," whispered Sakura "this is bigger than i thought. i couldn't hear where sasuke was going did you ino?" "i think i heard he was going after some itachi guy" she replied. "And itachi is going after naruto" Sakura remembered. "so if we find naruto, we'll find sasuke," both kunoichi summarized simultaneously.
—-
Sakura had to do some convincing, but eventually, she was able to get Ino to search for Sasuke with her.
"I don't know Sakura, I don't want to just ditch my team like that."
"Who's ditching them, we'll be back in a few days."
"Yeah, but my parents…"
"They will just think that we're on a mission"
"But, my dad's a shinobi, he will know that's a lie."
"Do you want to find Sasuke or not."
"Not really."
"Fine don't go. More Sasuke for me."
"Ok, I'll go with you. I can't let you beat me after all!"
—-
Both girls agreed to meet at the village gates after dark. After leaving they would start heading in the direction Naruto left in.
"So… are you excited to see Naruto?" Sakura teased
'Maybe' she thought, but yelled "Of course not!" to her pink friend.
HIASHI'S MISSION PART II
Hiashi has his skills, and convincing boys to date his daughter isn't one of them. So to get Hinata and Naruto together, which he has convinced himself is for the good of the clan, he had to research his subjects. With his role in the village's hierarchy, being the head of the strongest clan, he learned that Naruto was out of the village with Jiraiya. He set out behind Naruto, not wanting to trust other clan members to this important task. The clan head was of course unaware of Sasuke leaving ahead of him.
When the Hyuga left the village he noticed two girls at the village entrance. With his heightened senses he was able to pick up they knew Naruto and were on the Uzumaki's trail. 'This is perfect' he thought, 'If they know Naruto, they can find him much faster than I can. This is a sign from the gods, Naruto and Hinata are destined to be together. For the good of the clan'
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That is all for now, please ask any questions or any constructive criticism. All is welcome and helpful. Thank you for reading.