Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Dream On ❯ The truth comes out ( Chapter 5 )

Dream On.   By Chibi Neko Yuy.   A Naruto Fanfiction.   ******   Author’s Notes: My god, this chapter has been a killer to squeeze out of my brain. The main problem was trying to come up with an original reason for Itachi’s actions. Hopefully I’ve achieved that. If some one else has done this before, then I apologize, I do not mean to copy. A slightly shorter chapter this time, but I should make up for it in the next. Any way, I hope you all enjoy!!   Disclaimer: I do not own the series Naruto (both manga and anime), and I do not endeavor to make it seem like I do. The only thing I own the plot of this story. Don’t bother suing me, you won’t get much and it will cost you heaps in lawyer bills.   ******   Chapter Five: The truth comes out.   “Naruto, do you have any missions today?” Kakashi asked from where he was perched on the window sill of Sasuke’s hospital room. He had his nose in his usual Icha Icha Paradise book – though more for comfort than anything else – while Naruto perched on the bed and Ino was draped over one of the hard, plastic hospital chairs. The three ANBU had been there for about half an hour.   “Actually, yeah. I’ve got one in Wave Country and Ino is to come with me. We’d best go get ready for it.” Naruto sighed, finally standing up. He stretched slightly, popping a few kinks out of his back.   “Wave Country? You think I could get in on this mission too? It’s due time we returned there.” Kakashi slowly closed his book, a far away look coming into his eyes.   “I take it you two have a connection with the place?” Ino asked.   “Sasuke does too. Team Seven had a mission there back during our early gennin days. Not something that any of us will ever forget, though sometimes I think Sakura has forgotten.” Naruto admitted.   “I doubt it, Naruto. She’s just very focused on her medic-nin studies at the moment. After you and Sasuke both left – though for different reasons – she came to the realization that she was the weakest of Team 7 and has been striving to fix that.” Kakashi explained.   “Team 7 is little more then a dream now, aniki. Not a fact that I particularly like, but reality none the less.” Naruto smiled grimly, before putting his mask on, “It’s time to go get briefed for this mission. Ino, let us do the talking. I want you to simply observe how things are done in the ANBU. It may be irritating, but it’s how we were all taught.”   “Hai, sempai. Before we go anywhere, I want to know one thing though. What did Itachi and you mean when you were talking about Kyubi?” Ino demanded.   “That’s the kunoichi I remember.” Naruto snickered.   “You should tell her, Naruto. As your student, she’ll need to know.” Kakashi advised, putting on his own mask.   “That’s true.” Naruto sighed, before turning back to Ino, “Tell me, what do you know of Kyuubi’s attack?”   “Not much, really. The older generations never want to talk of it, which is understandable. All I know is that the Yondaime defeated the kitsune, though no one will tell me how.” Ino said   “Hm, that seems to be the same that any one from our generation or younger knows. Unfortunately, it is not the truth. You see, Kazama Arashi a.k.a. the Yondaime Hokage, is my father, and I was born right in the middle of the attack that night. Otousan did not defeat Kyubi, rather sealed him away in a new born child whose chakra coils were not set. That child was me. For fifteen years, the residents of Konoha have feared and hated me because I’m the vessel of Kyubi. I grew up alone, with no one to love me or look after me. Of the nine jinchuriki, I am the most powerful. You’ve already met another of them. Subbaku no Gaara is the vessel of the Ichibi no Tanuki, Shukaku.” Naruto revealed his voice full of old pain as he spoke.   “It is amazing that you did not turn vengeful like Sasuke did. You, at least, would have had a valid reason. The fact that you survived your childhood to become such a friendly person just shows your strength of character. Seems you’re still full of surprises, Naruto.” Ino grinned, playfully mussing Naruto’s hair.   “I try to achieve something shocking every day.” Naruto stated, making Kakashi snort.   “Come on, we need to head to the mission department.” The older ANBU reminded.   Making sure that their uniforms were all in place, the three ANBU headed off for the missions office at HQ.   Meanwhile, Itachi sat before Morino Ibiki, the new re-instated Umino Iruka, and Tsunade-sama.   “Are you ready to provide an explanation for your actions that night?” Ibiki questioned, Iruka preparing to take everything down for official records.   “Hai. I believe it is time things were brought out to the open.” Itachi removed his Akatsuki cloak and sat down. “Where do you want me to begin?”   “Wherever it all began.” Ibiki said shortly.   “Well it all began with Orochimaru, but you already know enough about him so I’ll skip over that. As you know, he gave Sasuke the curse seal so as to get a vessel with Sharingan eyes in his effort to learn all the jutsus in the world. What you don’t know is that my ototo is not the first Uchiha that the hebi-sanin has gone after.” As Itachi spoke, he flicked his ponytail over his shoulder and tilted his head. There, on his neck, was a very familiar mark.   “The curse seal. He infected you too.” Tsunade’s eyes were wide.   “Hai. The night that Uchiha Shisui died, he fooled me and led me right to Orochimaru, who bit me and left again. As soon as I had the strength, I killed Shisui for working with a missing-nin.” Itachi nodded.   “Why did you not see a medic-nin about the seal?” Ibiki questioned.   “I was stubborn. I may not have liked my clan, but Uchiha pride had been ingrained into me so I believed I could take care of it myself. For a few days it seemed like I succeeded. Then, that fateful night, I was returning from an ANBU mission, I felt the seal flare and I lost control of it. My own consciousness was forced back as Orochimaru’s will took over. I was a helpless spectator as my entire clan, my family, was slaughtered by my own hands. As my ototo, who’d done nothing wrong, was made to watch the deaths over and over again. The moment I regained control, I panicked and fled. What else did I have left to do?” Itachi bowed his head in sorrow.   Iruka wrote down everything that was being said, glad that he was able to do so automatically. Shock had swept over him, much like it had Tsunade and Ibiki. Whatever they had been expecting, this hadn’t been it. He made a mental note to bring a copy of his findings home so Kakashi and Naruto could read it.   “Okay, so you’ve explained the slaughter, but what about your involvement with the Akatsuki?” Tsunade spoke up.   “After I fled Konoha, I wandered the continents, looking for a way to remove the damn seal. I was contacted by the Akatsuki. They gave me an offer that I couldn’t refuse. Work for them and they would remove the seal. At the time, I didn’t realize just what it was that they did, nor how long I would be bound to them. A week ago, I finally convinced the leader to remove the seal. All that remains now is the marking.” Itachi revealed, before proceeding to detail everything he knew about the organization.   “I hope you’re getting this down, Iruka, cause this info is going to save lives.” Tsunade leant over to the former teacher. Her breasts very nearly fell out of her top from this movement. Noticing, she adjusted her clothes and thanked kami that Jiraiya was off on another of his ‘research’ trips.   Naruto, Ino and Kakashi walked out of the mission office. They’d been given the details of their job in Wave country.   “Poor Tazuna. He never seems to have any luck when it comes to people wanting to kill him.” Naruto shook his head. They were to protect Tazuna and his family from assassins hired by the people who had taken over Gato’s company. Also, they needed to pick up the money owed to Konoha.   “It will be interesting to go back there. I wonder how the village has recovered from its poverty?” Kakashi pondered.   “I just look forward to getting stories out of them about what Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were like as gennin.” Ino grinned evilly.   “You are a sadistic woman, Ino. We will get along well.” Naruto laughed as they grabbed their pre-packed bags and headed off.   ******   More Authors Notes: In the next chapter we see the return to Wave country. Who knows what’s changed there. Ino and Naruto will do some bonding, and Kakashi will be encouraged to tell embarrassing stories of Team 7’s gennin days.   Translations:   Ichibi no Tanuki, Shukaku ­- Shukaku was said to be the corrupted spirit of a Sand priest who was imprisoned within a tea kettle. Current information suggests Shukaku is a "bijuu", one of the tailed demons of the ancient world. He has been in the possession of Hidden Sand since ages past. When Karura became pregnant and had Shukaku imbued into her son, she cursed the village for what they had done. When Gaara was later born she lost her life in the process. Gaara grew up confused and angry at his place in the village, as all the villagers feared him and his power to control the sands. When Gaara grew older he gained the ability to enter into a forced sleep, which would allow Shukaku to come out. Shukaku would gather sand from the surrounding area to make his large tanuki body. Shukaku seems to be fairly loud and flamboyant in his speech, probably as a result of not being released very often.