Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ People Lie ❯ Clients Lie: five ( Chapter 8 )

“You have many talents, Naruto,” Sasuke said quietly as the trio, now comfortably full, settled themselves into comfortable positions on the shallow slope of the barn roof peak. He left his backpack mostly packed, but he had gotten out a sleeping bag, and now lay on top of it, using it as padding to make the rough wooden shingles of the barn more comfortable. His pack lay underneath his feet, propping his legs up.

 

“Still want to hear how I got them, huh?” Naruto asked, laying out his own sleeping bag to Sasuke's left, also with his pack at his feet. However, Naruto chose to once again remove his jacket, and also his t shirt, then wad them up and sit cross-legged on them, close to the very peak of the roof. He kept his usual pants on, but, in deference to the heat, only wore a single layer of black mesh armor for a shirt. “Why don't you ask Hinata how she learned to cook that good. Remember, she made the rice.”

 

Sasuke hesitated, turning his head slightly to look at them.

 

Hinata was on Naruto's left side, also laying on her sleeping bag, but unlike Naruto, she had turned so that her head was lower than her feet, and had partially flattened her pack so that it made a pillow instead of a footrest. She had also removed her jacket once again and used it to smooth out the lumps in her pack. She kept a black shirt on over her mesh, making Sasuke idly wonder if she was still wearing the chest wrap beneath. She said nothing.

 

“You assumed either her mother taught her, or it was kunoichi training, or, at any rate, just something girls know, right?” Naruto said with a hint of mockery in his voice.

 

“…Hn,” Sasuke agreed reluctantly. It was true. He'd never really thought much about such things, it was just one of those things girls did. “It was very good rice,” he added a few moments later.

 

“Yeah, it was,” Naruto agreed, then lapsed into silence.

 

The silence lengthened and deepened, turning awkward fast. Sasuke lay there for several minutes, wondering if he was supposed to say something, and if he was, whether or not the awkward tension was worse than the effort of bothering.

 

Finally, “So where did you learn to cook like that, Hinata-san?” Sasuke hazarded.

 

“Kunoichi training.”

 

His cheeks were not burning. They were not. It was just hot, despite the blanket of night that had settled over the farm.

 

“That's not very nice, Hinata,” Naruto said reproachfully, warning clear in his tone.

 

“I-“ she said, quite a bit louder, then closed her mouth with a click of teeth. After a moment, she said, “I taught myself from a recipe my mother left.”

 

Sasuke actually raised up into a sitting position, looking across Naruto's bed at the inverted girl.

 

“Surprised, Sasuke?” Hinata asked bitterly, not turning her head. “Yes, I had a mother once, too. Or did you not even know I don't have one now?”

 

Sasuke sat there for several moments while Naruto took over.

 

“Hinata, the idea is we're supposed to relax while we're waiting for the murderous chakra bears to come mutilate cattle. Not rehash the fights we had today.” He rubbed her leg with one hand in what was supposed to be a comforting manner.

 

Hinata sighed. “Sorry, Naruto. But his indifference has been pissing me off since we were teamed with him.”

 

Sasuke frankly stared at her, astonished beyond measure. “Who are you and what have you done with Hinata?” he demanded finally, a kunai springing into his hand.

 

“Who am I?” Hinata repeated, also rising partially to glare at the dark haired boy. “Who am I?! Just who the hell are you, you-“

 

“Hinata!” Naruto snapped, his voice ringing with command.

 

Hinata's jaw snapped shut again.

 

“Sasuke!” Naruto said again, as he was rising to his feet. “Sit down, please,” he added, toning it like a request.

 

Sasuke glared at him, resentful of the command, for such it was, however polite, and positively taught with tension over the verbal assault Hinata had hurled at him.

 

“Please, Sasuke,” Naruto repeated, and this time there was actual pleading to it. “This is sort of my fault. Let me fix it.”

 

“Your fault?” he asked, disbelief clear in his tone.

 

Naruto shrugged. “Sort of. Hinata has been getting irritated at you for a while, but I've convinced her to let it slide. I kind of assumed you'd be less of an asshole once you got to know us. However,” he continued quickly, seeing the darkening expression on Sasuke's face, “you haven't gotten to know us, and maybe that's my fault as well. I don't really like talking about the past.” He shrugged again and gave Sasuke a wry smile. “You'd know something about that, I'd guess.”

 

Hinata lay back on her pack with an air of resignation. “Sorry, Sasuke. But the rest of us have our demons to track down and kill just like you do.”

 

Sasuke was nonplussed. Hinata, who, thus far had been little more than Naruto's personal, if rather pretty, shadow, claimed to have a demon of her own. While it could hardly compare to his brother, she seemed to feel it was pretty important. “What is it?” he asked, his anger ebbing as his curiosity rose.

 

“You don't get to know that,” Hinata replied, though not as angrily as she did at first.

 

“Whoa, Hinata. Actually, I think I'm the one supposed to be telling a story, right?”

 

Sasuke nodded reluctantly, reminded of something that had been tickling his mind since Naruto had first walked into the barn. His weary muscles also reminded him that is had been an eventful day, so he sat back down on the roof. But it wasn't very comfortable to crane his neck and look at Naruto from the side. So he turned around and sat, using his pack for a back rest. The roof wasn't too sharply slanted, and the shingles were rough, so his pack actually felt pretty stable. He leaned against it, ignoring his minor aches.

 

Naruto was looking up at the sky.

 

Sasuke watched him stare at the sky for a moment, then looked up as well.

 

The night was clear, warm, and still. Only the very faintest of breezes stirred the air around them. The stars shone brightly in the sky, easily seen in the near total blackness. The moon would rise sometime after midnight, but for now it was nearly pitch black. Only, despite the presumably bloodthirsty monsters which might or might not be lurking in the impenetrable swamp, it was almost sort of a comforting night.

 

“Gorgeous, isn't it?” Naruto said quietly, still staring at the sky.

 

“Yeah. You don't get nights like this in Konoha. There's always lights around you,” Hinata agreed quietly.

 

“And every time we've been away, we've spent our nights in the forest. I don't think I've ever seen a night quite like this.” Naruto scratched his head idly and looked around. “I was going to tell you how I learned about cuts in flesh, right?”

 

“And why, opposite of normal sensibilities, you seem to find copious amounts of blood appetizing,” Sasuke reminded, having silently wondered any number of things about his blond teammate.

 

“Yeah. Same story,” Naruto agreed. “It has a lot to do with someone I don't think you've met. He's a high ranking ANBU member, a division head, actually. I met him six years ago. His name is Morino Ibiki.”

 

Sasuke didn't react, having never heard the name.

 

“Yeah, didn't think so,” Naruto continued after a minute. “Well, you should hope that if you ever meet Ibiki-san, it's under purely social circumstances, though I'm told he usually unnerves people even then. Ibiki-san is the head of Torture and Interrogation. And even though, honestly, I sometimes wonder why it was allowed to happen, I was introduced to him one day.”

 

Torture and Interrogation? That was… that was not what Sasuke was expecting to hear.

 

“You have to understand, Ibiki-san isn't like normal people,” Naruto explained. “He's, I guess for lack of a better term, practical. And effective. Very, very effective. When he wants to know something, it's best to just go ahead and tell him. He's going to find out anyway, and, if you really cooperate with him, maybe he won't hurt you.” Naruto chuckled abruptly. “There was this one time two years ago, when I had… Ah, but that's not relevant. Anyway.” He paused and chuckled again before turning more serious. “Anyway. Ibiki is a master of psychological torture. He can break your mind before he even touches your body. That being said, he's also a master of inflicting physical pain. He's the expert, and sometimes they call him in when someone else is tortured.”

 

Naruto's voice grew quieter, as if coming from a long way away.

 

“Since he's used them all before, he can tell by the marks left on your body exactly what was done to you.”

 

They sat there in silence for a while, Sasuke looking at Naruto, who didn't move. Gently, Hinata put her hand on Naruto's leg and squeezed. Startled, he jerked in alarm, brought out of his memories by the touch. He took her hand in his and continued.

 

“So, long story short, he taught me how to recognize the marks made, not just by torture implements, but by everything which could conceivably be used to hurt someone. It was really quite interesting.”

 

Sasuke inclined his head in acknowledgement, of what, exactly, he wasn't sure, but feeling the need to respect it anyway.

 

Naruto stretched, cracking gristle in his back and neck as he did so. “Other than old man Hokage, Ibiki-san was the first person to take an interest in my education. Taught me a few things they neglect to cover in the academy lectures,” he added with a smirk. “I never had any family, I'm an orphan from birth, or so they tell me, but it didn't handicap me. Ibiki-san made sure I didn't slack off, and let me tell you,” he said seriously, as if imparting wisdom of the deepest import, ”when a torture and interrogation master asks you if you did your homework, you'd better have your homework done.” He stared intently, and Sasuke could feel his eyes boring into him even in the darkness.

 

Then Naruto chuckled again.

 

“So, heir to the great Uchiha, what's the story with your family?” Naruto asked.

 

Sasuke stiffened. “That's none of your damned-“

 

“Grow up, Sasuke,” Hinata spat, interrupting him. “You ask me about my family, but you won't even answer a simple question about yours? How sad for you, the tragic genius.” Her voice lashed with anger.

 

“And just what would you know about being me?” he snarled back, voice dripping with contempt. “Your clan still exists-“

 

“That's right, Uchiha,” she snapped right back, rising to glare right back at him. “What would I, the eldest child of Hiashi Hyuga, possibly know about being born heir to a powerful bloodline and the most powerful clan in Konoha?”

 

“Your family wasn't slaughtered before your eyes,” he growled back, eyes burning with rage.

 

“So your family was killed and you live,” Hinata shot back. “Have you ever imagined what it would be like if they lived but you didn't?” She jabbed her finger in the air at the Uchiha. “Your family is dead to you, and yet you breathe. And I am dead to my family, and yet I still breathe. Which of us, then, has it worse?”

 

“Sasuke… What happened?” Naruto asked, his voice dropping into a hiss with his raw need to know.

 

Sasuke looked back at him in contempt. “Why, so you can use the knowledge to make me dance to your tune, like your fangirl over there?” He snorted in derision. “I don't think so.”

 

“I think you're so wrapped up in being the tragic boy who lived, alone, friendless, untouchable to the people around you, you can't even recognize Naruto's offer for what it is,” Hinata countered, rolling to her knees and moving onto Naruto's bed, aggressively closing the distance. “Just what do you think I am, you misogynistic cock?” She edged closer, and Sasuke rolled away, wary of the damage her juken techniques could do at short range. “A fangirl? You think I'm like one of those empty headed bimbos that follow you around like cats in heat?”

 

She drew herself up, looking both noble and terrible at the same time, her liquid white eyes shining luminously in the starlight.

 

“I… am… Hyuga.”

 

Sasuke crouched defensively.

 

“I follow Naruto because he teaches me things no one else ever bothered! I follow Naruto because I learn how to do things only he knows how to do! Subterfuge! Misdirection! Deceit! I follow Naruto because he, and only he, has ever shown me how to get the things I really desire! Things I dreamed of! Things I despaired of, because I knew I would never be able to reach out and grab them! Power! Respect!”

 

She leaned closer, placing one hand on the roof for balance.

 

“Revenge!” she hissed.

 

She drew back, once more sitting on her heels.

 

“Your sharingan are said to be able to copy and predict an opponent's moves perfectly. My byakugan can pierce objects, read chakra, and understand the finest nuances of movement. But Naruto sees things we could never hope to, because we can't understand what he understands. Naruto showed me how to conceal things so well even the all seeing eyes of my father are blind to them. What he can't see-“

 

“-he can't defend against. The advantage is mine,” Hinata said from directly behind Sasuke, her hand suddenly on the back of his neck.

 

“What…?” he hissed, startled, slipping away from her hand in an instant. “Another one of Naruto's shadow clones,” he declared, shooting a glare at the blond, who was watching expressionlessly.

 

“Am I?” the new Hinata asked.

 

“Or is she one of mine?” the first Hinata asked. “Does it matter? Because, either way, the effort put towards my triumph is the same. And I put the same effort back for Naruto. Together, we are stronger than either of us could hope to be apart. Allies, working together, sharing effort, sharing goals.” She leaned forward again. “So-“

 

“-dear Uchiha,” the new Hinata said, her voice saccharin sweet and making Sasuke jerk his head back and forth, trying to keep them both in sight,

 

“I would appreciate it if you did not dismiss me for what you think I am not. I get enough of that from my family, and I only tolerate that for now, because I must.”

 

Her eyes glittered.

 

“And soon, even that will end.”

 

“Are you so very different then, Sasuke?” Naruto asked mildly. “You said when we first met that the only true goal you had was to kill one man. Who is that man, Sasuke? And why do you want to kill him?”

 

“He is my brother, Itachi,” Sasuke whispered, his gaze far away, lost in the night and the years of his past. “I will kill him because he killed our clan. I will kill him because he killed our parents.” Abruptly his head swivled, focusing his gaze on Naruto. “You speak as if you know what it's like to be tortured.”

 

“I do,” Naruto allowed.

 

“As do I,” Hinata replied warily.

 

“You speak as if this Morino Ibiki you think so highly of is capable of inflicting more pain on a single person than anyone else alive,” Sasuke continued, his eyes losing focus again. “I've never met him. But I do know this.” His eyes bored into them.

 

“He is an amateur compared to Itachi.”

 

“Slapped you around a little, eh?” Naruto asked. “Maybe held you down, cut you up with a knife for a while, just for fun. Maybe he got a little playful, a little slap and tickle. Maybe he looped wire around your neck and pulled real slow, so you had time to focus on every hurt he was giving you as the wire bit into your throat and made it harder to breath one agonizing breath after another.”

 

“There are some tools that leave no marks,” Sasuke replied with the infinite patience of one who knows better. “Imagine the worst thing that ever happened to you. Then add the worst things that could ever happen to you.” His voice lowered. “Now… add the things that couldn't possibly happen to you because they're just not possible. If you hurt someone too much, they die. But what if you had the ability to send them to hell after they die. And then, bring them back to life. They'd be grateful, right? But then you hurt them until they died again, and then you sent them to hell, again. Over and over and over. Death is not a release. Being alive is an endless horror.” Sasuke's eyes were staring, dull, lifeless, and empty, the repressed nightmares of another realm replaying itself in his mind.

 

“I might understand better than you think,” Naruto replied. “After all, I heal faster than anyone. I know a little something about finally feeling my body let go, then waking up to see it's still happening.” He paused. “How did you survive? You don't heal like I do.”

 

“Itachi has gained the most powerful ability of the Uchiha, the Mangekyo sharigan. He is more powerful than anyone else when he uses it, and if he wants, just by looking at you he can transfer you to a world he has made and controls absolutely. There is no running. You cannot fight. He can do anything he wants to you for as long as he wants.” Sasuke's hand clenched into a fist. “Power like you wouldn't believe! Killing intent that suffocates you just by being near! Pain that can kill you without leaving a mark!”

 

“Oh, it always leaves a mark,” Naruto said, shaking his head. “And it left plenty to see on you, even if you don't have eyes like Hinata.” He rose, put his arm around Hinata, and squeezed her close. Uncharacteristically, she didn't melt into him, chosing instead to remain stiff and aloof, just, now, she was under his arm.

 

Sasuke just stared back at him. “The marks are irrevelant. I must kill him. He let me go from that world and told me to become strong.”

 

“Strong, huh?” Naruto replied. “We all want strength. Hinata, how do you become strong?”

 

“By having people to fight along side you,” she replied promptly.

 

“Why is that?” Naruto prompted.

 

“Because no one is the best at everything. You pick your allies carefully, choosing strengths that augment your own, weaknesses you can make up for, skills you can rely on, and potential you can help unlock. No one gains anything new from training on their own, they can only refine what they already know.”

 

Sasuke snarled. “Is that what you want from me? An ally? Someone to help you with the things you can't do?”

 

“Why yes, actually. That's sort of what friends do. They help each other. For instance, Hinata needs assistance to become skilled enough to shock and awe her family. I've been helping her. And, if it weren't for Hinata killing Mizuki-sensei, I'd be dead right now.”

 

Sasuke paused. He'd never heard what had actually happened to Mizuki. “Hinata killed him?” he asked, just to make sure.

 

Naruto grinned hugely, pride shining in his eyes. “Burst his heart. She's still not the greatest sparring partner in the world, but when it came down to life or death, Hinata didn't flinch.”

 

“I was weak once,” Hinata said quietly. “I was shy, and hesitant. My father thought I was stupid. I showed no special talent for my family arts. I improved. I am worthy to be the heir to my clan now. But perception is everything, isn't it, Sasuke? They saw me as weak then, they see me as weak now. So I can't simply be adequate. I have to gain enough skill and power to completely destroy how they see me. Unlike your foolish brother, I have no intention of killing any of them unless I absolutely have to. I'll just force them to obey me.”

 

“I am not weak,” Sasuke replied disdainfully.

 

“Ah, but how strong are you?” Naruto replied, quirking one eyebrow. “Hinata could have killed you today. _I_ could have killed you today. And yes, you had opportunities to kill each one of us. Seperately, we're all close enough in ability that it could go either way, however likely it is that any given one of us might win. But I ask you this, Sasuke, prodigy of the Uchihas. Could you, right now, take both Hinata and I together?”

 

“Yes,” he replied stubbornly.

 

Naruto snorted. “Hinata would have a better chance of taking you down in a fair fight than you'd have taking us down in a fair fight. And, Sasuke, if you haven't figured it out already, we don't fight fair.”

 

Sasuke frowned.

 

“Now, I ask you, did you learn nothing from the bell test?”

 

He closed his eyes, remembering Naruto's whispered, perfectly confident words.

 

“'Three genin can take a jounin,'” he repeated.

 

“Three chunin can take a kage,” Hinata added.

 

“And three jounin can take a village,” Naruto said with an air of finality. “And let me assure you, I have no intention of stopping at jounin level. Do you?”

 

Sasuke shook his head and looked away. “It sounds good, but I think it's nothing more than a platitude.”

 

Naruto snorted. “History shows us otherwise. Second Mizukage. Poisoned by his son and his son's teammates. They successfully held off his dying attacks, then assumed power over his cooling corpse.”

 

“The Sannin of Konoha. They're credited with changing the course of two wars with their actions.”

 

Naruto quirked a smile. “If Itachi is so powerful, why did he flee the village after he slaughtered your clan? He took out a district of unsuspecting off duty ninja, old men, women, and children. Then he ran. Imagine, Sasuke, if you, after gaining the skill and power you feel you need to be able to confront him, tracked him down in some hideout somewhere. You confront him. He scoffs at your power. Then you, and a dozen of Konoha's best, counter his every move, his every plan, and crush him attack by attack. When you finally put the blade in his throat, it's a mercy, not a coup de grace, and you get to look into his eyes as he realizes it.”

 

Sasuke shook his head again, not trusting himself to speak.

 

“Think about it, Sasuke. Your brother isn't right all the time. You're not right all the time. You never know when you might need someone else. Wouldn't it be best to have people with you, ready to catch you if you stumble?”

 

“You're not right all the time, either, Naruto,” Sasuke whispered.

 

Naruto's grin grew wider. “Obviously. But I know I'm not right all the time. That's why I'm looking for people to help guide me. I can't do it alone, any more than you can. I was a fool until I stumbled across Hinata. I don't have to be a genius to see that I'd be better off for your assistance as well.”

 

Sasuke remained quiet. Naruto let him have his peace for the moment, rustling around as he settled into a comfortable position on his makeshift bed. Hinata cuddled close to him.

 

“Good night, Sasuke,” Hinata whispered, not raising her head from Naruto's side. “Just remember, you don't have to be alone.”

 

That was the last thing he heard as he drifted off to sleep.

 

 

o/~