Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight of Trust ❯ Eight of Nine ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

 

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Chapter 5

 

Eight of Nine

 

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“Well, Sasuke?” Tsunade said finally. “What have you decided?”

 

“You offer a second chance?” he asked quietly.

 

“Yes.”

 

Sasuke licked his lips tersely.

 

“Then I will take it.”

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Naruto stood off to the side of Tsunade's office, Sakura standing next to him. The blonde Shinobi studied the rest of the people who had gathered for the meeting. Tsunade sat behind her desk, Shizune standing at her right. Jiraiya stood behind her on the left and was speaking to Kakashi quietly. Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai and their respective teams were all gathered in the office, leaving little room for Iruka, who stood at the back. He seemed uncomfortable being at the meeting, but Naruto was grateful to his chuunin sensei for his willingness to give Sasuke another chance. However, it would be this meeting that would decide whether the Uchiha heir was to get that chance or not.

 

Tsunade cleared her throat and immediately all the talking ceased and heads turned toward the Hokage. The elder kunoichi entwined her fingers and rested her chin on them, studying the gathered group. The silence that fell over the room was tense as the gathered Shinobi waited for Tsunade to speak.

 

“This is about Sasuke, isn't it?” Shikamaru asked finally, breaking the dead quiet in the office. Kakashi had told the gathered sensei not to mention what the meeting was about to their teams so they would each be forced to make their own decisions without any bias from their mentors.

 

Tsunade nodded. “Yes, it is.”

 

Ino glanced over at Sakura at the admission, but to the medic-nin's credit, Naruto noticed, she did not even flinch. The pink-haired kunoichi returned the look steadily and Ino quickly looked back to Tsunade.

 

“What about him?” Shino asked coolly.

 

Neji crossed his arms across his chest. “There is no law in Konoha about the age of a rogue ninja.”

 

Ino started. “What?”

 

“Neji is correct,” Tsunade interjected. “There is no law in this village about that. In fact, most rogue ninja are to be killed on sight, except under extenuating circumstances.”

 

“And these are `extenuating circumstances'?” Ten-ten asked, quirking a curious eyebrow.

 

“Because he's an Uchiha and was Naruto and Sakura's teammate.”

 

Naruto looked over at Shikamaru in surprise. He hadn't pegged the genius to be the one giving them trouble in this issue, but considering he had led the mission to bring Sasuke back those years ago and had almost lost half his team in the process, he supposed he couldn't blame him.

 

Tsunade's eye twitched at the suggestion that she was playing favorites with Naruto and Sakura. “That's out of line, Shikamaru.”

 

The lazy genius bowed his head slightly. “My apologies, Hokage-sama. That was out of line.”

 

Tsunade sighed. “I understand your feelings on the matter, Shikamaru, believe me. But our problems go beyond any emotions you and any one of us might hold for Sasuke.”

 

Shikamaru nodded to say he was listening.

 

“As all of you know, we have enemies on all sides. Akatsuki is still out there and they will no doubt be more trouble.” Naruto tensed slightly. He knew Tsunade was referring to the fact that they would be back to look for him and the Kyuubi, but said nothing. “Not to mention Orochimaru.” What she wasn't saying was that after what they pulled to bring Sasuke back, he was going to be angry. But considering several of the gathered ninja had been on that mission, she was getting the point across.

 

“There is no doubt in my mind that his power would be an immense advantage to our side once again. We have extremely powerful enemies now and Sasuke has become strong enough to prove invaluable in the defense of the village. But my opinion is just one. What I'm interested in is your opinions.”

 

Lee blinked. “Our opinions, Hokage-sama?”

 

Tsunade nodded. “Do you believe he is deserving of a second chance?” She looked around the room at each ninja. “That question is the reason I've gathered you here today.”

 

“Why ask us?” Chouji asked. “Why does our opinion matter?”

 

Tsunade shared a careful look with Jiraiya before continuing. “I will tell you after I get your answers. I don't want what you truly think to be influenced by anything I might tell you. So, do you believe he deserves a second chance? Your opinion will not change anything. I only want the truth.”

 

A tense silence fell over the room as Naruto's peers considered their opinions. He could feel his heart beginning to race. Whether Sasuke would get his second chance all depended on those in the room and they did not have the connection to the Uchiha heir that Sakura and Naruto did. What reason, Naruto pondered, would they have to give Sasuke another chance? He had left the village and gone to Orochimaru. Several in the room had almost died in the attempt to bring him back. And he had not acted innocently in their recent meetings.

 

“Yes.” Naruto started in surprise. It was Neji of all people that had spoken first. Tsunade regarded the Hyuuga prodigy curiously. “I believe in second chances. I was given one and I do not feel worthy of judging whether another person is worthy. When I look back at myself before the Chuunin Exams, I do not consider myself worthy of one, but fighting Naruto gave it to me anyway.”

 

Neji looked over at Naruto and nodded. Naruto gave him an appreciative smile in return. Thank you, Neji. You don't know what that means to me.

 

“Alright,” Tsunade said simply. Neji nodded and closed his eyes as the silence fell over the room once more.

 

Some of the tenseness in Naruto seemed to ease up with the first yes. He hadn't actually expected Neji to agree, but since he had, hope suddenly flared back up within the blonde. He looked over at Kakashi, who had relaxed slightly too. It wasn't something obvious on the jounin, but Naruto knew him well enough to read his posture at this point. Gai had a tiny smile on his face, as if proud of Neji for agreeing, while trying to hide his reaction. Naruto suddenly had no doubt that Kakashi's best friend wanted to give Sasuke another chance, too. He looked over at Asuma and Kurenai. Both had their faces carefully blank, so he couldn't tell what they were thinking. Hm.

 

Another long minute passed in silence before Lee spoke up. “I say yes as well.”

 

Fuzzy brows…

 

Tsunade studied Lee for a moment before nodding. Lee nodded to himself and never once looked at Gai for his reaction to his decision. Lee's sensei leaned over and whispered something in Kakashi's ear and the silver-haired jounin nodded minutely.

 

“I don't know Sasuke nearly as well as some of you guys,” Ten-ten said slowly, “but I also believe in second chances. If Naruto and Sakura were willing to give up so much to bring him back after this long, that's enough for me. I also say yes.”

 

“And this is your decision, Ten-ten? It wasn't influenced by the decisions of your teammates?” Tsunade asked.

 

“It is my decision alone,” the younger kunoichi replied. Tsunade nodded after a moment and Ten-ten let out a breath she didn't appear to realize she had been holding.

 

That's three… Naruto couldn't help but thinking optimistically. He had to admit he was surprised at the responses, though. While there was no doubt in his mind that Sasuke was deserving of a second chance, none of his peers had known Sasuke like he and Sakura had come to and they had not seen him since his imprisonment. The room fell silent once more and Naruto held his breath. With Team Gai all agreeing to give Sasuke another chance, it left only Naruto's fellow rookies from years prior to answer.

 

Shikamaru sighed heavily. “How troublesome.”

 

“Shikamaru?” Ino asked carefully, looking at her teammate. The genius shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably.

 

“I don't particularly like Sasuke,” he began, “I never have and I doubt I ever will. And it was the failed mission to bring him back that almost got several of us in this room killed.”

 

Naruto felt a lump forming in his throat.

 

“But I see the tactical advantage of having him back in our village. If Akatsuki or even Sound - or worse, both - were to attack the village all out, we would be in trouble in our current situation.” Shikamaru pursed his lips a moment before continuing. “We need his power. My personal opinion should not stand in the way of the best thing for the village.”

 

Tsunade studied Shikamaru for a moment before nodding.

 

Hinata swallowed before speaking. “I also say yes.” The entire room turned to face her and she flushed profusely but bravely continued speaking. “I don't know Sasuke as well as Naruto and Sakura do, but I don't believe he has a bad heart. Everyone has their demons to face and he just took the wrong path. We all make mistakes.”

 

Naruto watched the normally quiet kunoichi share her opinion in a way more eloquent than he would have expected. Though, considering she rarely seemed to be able to get out a full sentence whenever they were together and not in the middle of a mission, hearing her speak so many words period was surprising to the blonde. But he gained a new appreciation for the Hyuuga girl and couldn't help but smile.

 

Thank you, Hinata. You don't know how right you are… And it means the world to me.

 

“That is your opinion, Hinata?” Tsunade asked.

 

The Hyuuga kunoichi flushed once more but nodded. “Yes, that is how I feel.”

 

The Hokage studied the girl, who bravely didn't flinch under the gaze, for several moments before nodding. “So noted.”

 

Naruto watched Hinata for a few more moments, hoping to catch her eye to convey his gratefulness, but she never looked at him. Resolving to thank her later - maybe by buying her some Ichiraku - Naruto couldn't believe a single person hadn't voted against Sasuke getting another chance. It seemed too good to be true. In fact, even if the rest of the group voted against it, there was still a majority vote in favor of it. But a 5-4 margin was not good enough to convince a jury of Shinobi that had been betrayed by one of their own. They needed to be unanimous or as close to it as they could come for an impact to be made. The blonde ninja held his breath.

 

“I also say yes.” Naruto blinked. It was Chouji who had spoken. “It's not something I can really put into words, but I feel that losing Sasuke would be a,” Chouji fished for the right phrase for a moment before continuing, “a missed opportunity.” Naruto noticed Shikamaru watching his best friend carefully. Chouji was ignoring him pointedly. “I was never really set on Sasuke one way or another, but when two people are willing to go as far as Naruto and Sakura are for another person, there has to be a reason for it.” He shrugged. “I want to believe in people.”

 

Tsunade glanced over at Shikamaru, who looked as surprised as the lazy genius ever did before looking back at Chouji. “You are for this without any doubt Chouji?”

 

He nodded resolutely. “Yes, Hokage-sama.”

 

Tsunade nodded her acknowledgement and Chouji's muscles relaxed visibly. Naruto, on the other hand, was tensing up gradually. The closer the proceedings got to the end, the more nervous Naruto became as every decision seemed to become more important to Sasuke's fate.

 

“I guess I'd have to say yes as well,” Kiba said suddenly after several moments of silence in the Hokage's office. “I've made plenty of mistakes in my time and I know I'll make plenty more in the future. I guess I'd like to think those around me would be accepting of my flaws and be willing to help me when I need it the most. I was never close with Sasuke or anything, but I think now is a time he needs help the most.” Akamaru barked what Naruto assumed was his agreement from Kiba's side. Kiba looked down fondly at his canine companion before returning his gaze to Tsunade.

 

The Hokage looked back and forth from master to dog before nodding.

 

“I was never a part of the mission to bring Sasuke back those years ago,” Shino began after several more silent moments, “so I don't have the same opinion some might have, but I also believe that while Sasuke made a bad decision by going to Orochimaru, I also believe many of us would have done the same had we been in his shoes. We will never be able to fully understand what Sasuke has gone through so I don't believe it is our place to judge his actions.”

 

“Is that a yes, Shino?” Tsunade asked after the insect wielder had fallen silent. Shino nodded, reverting back to his normally stoic countenance.

 

Naruto blinked, looking around the room. The only person who had yet to speak was…

 

“Ino?” Tsunade prompted gently.

 

The blonde kunoichi started and looked up at Tsunade. She seemed to be struggling with something, which was surprising to Naruto. She had been in love with Sasuke all those years ago at the Academy just like the other girls so Naruto had naturally assumed she would be on their side. But something in her eyes made the Jinchuriki pause.

 

Ino swallowed and stared straight at Tsunade as if to avoid looking at everyone else in the room. Naruto felt nerves beginning to rise in his stomach. He sensed Sakura tensing next to him and knew something was wrong.

 

“What do you say, Ino?” Tsunade asked.

 

“No.”

 

Naruto felt like he had been punched in the gut. Sakura put her hand on the wall behind her as if to keep herself balanced. Naruto wondered for a moment if he had heard incorrectly but then looked at the expressions of everyone else gathered in the room and realized he hadn't. It just didn't make sense.

 

“No?” Tsunade asked, seeming surprised herself.

 

Ino closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them and facing the Hokage. “That's correct, Hokage-sama.”

 

“I see,” Tsunade said slowly. “If that is what you truly believe,” Ino nodded that it was, “then I am glad you told the truth instead of hiding it.”

 

Naruto couldn't take his eyes off of Sakura's rival. Why had she, of all people, been the one the vote against Sasuke getting a second chance. She didn't seem to be willing to offer an explanation and Tsunade didn't ask for one, so the room was left in the dark on the matter.

 

“Now, before we began, Chouji, you asked why I wanted your opinions on this matter,” Tsunade said, not giving anyone a chance to demand an explanation from Ino. Chouji nodded and was echoed by the other gathered Shinobi. “It is because, I believe, for Sasuke to have any shot in gaining a second chance in Konoha, we have to prove to a jury of veteran Shinobi that Sasuke's peers - who would have been the ones most affected by his betrayal - were for the most part willing to give him another chance to prove himself.

 

“And because all but one of you are willing to grant him that second chance, this defense might just work.”

 

“Is this fair, Hokage-sama?” Neji asked.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Won't you have to be the judge on the trial?” he clarified. “If you are helping his case, it seems a conflict of interest.”

 

Tsunade nodded wearily. “While that may be true, the outcome of the trial is out of my hands. It will be the jury of veteran Shinobi - which is assembled by lottery - that ultimately decides Sasuke's fate. I did as much as I could by granting him a trial.” She shrugged. “There is little I could do no matter which side I favored, though in theory the Hokage should remain neutral on such issues. But because my position in the trial is more honorary than anything, it's not much of an argument and hasn't been used in years because of that fact.”

 

“So what happens now?” Ten-ten asked.

 

“We take into account what each of you have said today and create a defense, knowing full well what the prosecution will argue,” Tsunade replied.

 

“Who will defend Sasuke?” Lee asked.

 

“I will.” It was Jiraiya who had spoken.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Once everyone except Naruto, Sakura and the other jounin had filed from the room, Tsunade slumped wearily against the back of her chair. She looked out of the window to see the sun setting and sighed. “We have five days to come up with an adequate defense for a ninja who abandoned the village by choice and went to Orochimaru.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Is it even possible?”

 

“Of course,” Jiraiya said confidently. “It won't be easy, but then again, what in life that is worth fighting for ever is?”

 

“I admit I was surprised about what went on today,” Kurenai said with a shrug. “Who would have thought Ino would be the one to object?”

 

“I had a nagging suspicion, but never thought it would be this extreme,” Asuma said, taking a troubled drag from his cigarette. “Since Sasuke left the village, she changed, though quite subtly. I didn't think it was eating at her this badly.”

 

“I never knew it was really bothering her,” Sakura admitted. “Whenever the topic came up, she always steered it to concern for how I was holding up. She never gave any indication that it upset her… but I admit I wasn't myself for awhile after. I probably missed it and never thought to look for it later.”

 

“Whatever the reason, it happened,” Shizune said, attempting to bring the conversation back to the issue of the trial.

 

“Shizune is right,” Tsunade said, sitting straight. “No matter who it was that was against it, eight of the nine were for Sasuke getting another chance and that is huge in his defense.”

 

“But it's not nearly enough,” Iruka put in.

 

“No, it's not,” Tsunade agreed. “And that's what we're here for.”

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Over the next several days, Sakura was unable to find Ino anywhere in the village, even though she knew very well that her rival wasn't on a mission. She had the sinking suspicion that Ino was avoiding everyone until the trial after what had happened and truth be told, that was why the medic-nin was searching for her friend. Sakura had no intention of accusing Ino, but she needed to know what had caused the blonde to be against Sasuke getting a second chance. She had been so sure she and Ino had gotten a lot closer since Sasuke had left but this revelation really threw everything upside down.

 

But when the pink-haired kunoichi walked to the center of the village the morning of the trial, she knew she would be seeing her friend that day and there was no way she would be able to get out of answering that very question.

 

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto's voice snapped Sakura out of her reverie and she looked up to see Naruto making his way toward her. He looked different somehow and it wasn't until he was within ten feet of her that she realized he was in a more somber black outfit for the more formal occasion of the trial. She hadn't seen him in a variation from the orange - aside from the new outfit he wore after returning to Konoha - since the Third Hokage's funeral. She supposed he only owned a couple of outfits and had little occasion for the more formal of the two.

 

“Naruto,” Sakura greeted with a wan smile.

 

“You look… different, Sakura-chan,” Naruto said, looking at her curiously.

 

“What? My clothes?” the kunoichi asked in confusion. She wasn't sporting her normal ninja garb either, but a more somber black and green ensemble. Her mother had lent her a green blouse that morning to `bring out her eyes'. Her hair was tied back, also done by her mother that morning.

 

Naruto looked at her for another moment before nodding. “And the hair. You look pretty.” Blue eyes blinked. “Not that you don't always look pretty,” he added hastily, as if afraid she would snap at him. “You just look pretty in a different way.”

 

“Naruto,” she said, cutting him off, “it's ok.” The blonde fell silent and nodded. “And thank you.”

 

Naruto's face broke into a smile and Sakura couldn't help but smile a little more at her friend's face. Sometimes it was appreciating the simple things that kept a ninja sane.

 

“Have you seen Sasuke?” Sakura asked after a moment, fishing around for something to say.

 

Naruto shook his head. “No, Tsunade-baa-chan told me I wasn't allowed to see him until the trial. You?”

 

Sakura shook her head. “Same.”

 

The two fell back into a not uncomfortable silence and Sakura took the chance to really look around the village square for the first time and was startled at the change it had undergone overnight. She noticed the chairs that made up the audience and blinked.

 

“Is the whole village coming?”

 

“Most of it, anyway,” Naruto said with a shrug. “Tsunade-baa-chan wanted to keep it private, but Konoha law states such a high stakes trial has to be made public or something like that. And she couldn't get it overturned before the deadline.”

 

“Getting Sasuke a trial is more than enough,” Sakura said after a moment. “By all rights, he should have been executed the moment he stepped foot back in Konoha.”

 

Naruto nodded mutely and the two relapsed into silence. Sakura blinked when she felt a rain drop hit her nose. She looked up at the sky and noticed for the first time how dark it was. “If it rains, the trial can't be outdoors…” she said slowly.

 

“And the whole village won't fit indoors,” Naruto added, catching her drift.

 

“I wouldn't count on it,” a new voice chimed in. Both Naruto and Sakura jumped in surprise, not having noticed Kakashi come up behind them.

 

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura greeted, trying to cover her surprise, though she could see in her sensei's one visible eye that he had caught their surprise.

 

“What do you mean?” Naruto asked, not bothering to mask his own surprise.

 

“It's not supposed to rain heavily until the afternoon,” Kakashi replied with a shrug. “And the trial won't be moved inside just for a few drops of rain.”

 

“What if it starts raining before the trial is over?” Sakura asked slowly.

 

“Your guess is as good as mine, considering the importance of this trial to the village,” the copy-nin said with a shrug.

 

It was only then that Sakura noticed that Kakashi had also changed from his normal ninja outfit for the serious occasion. She wasn't sure what surprised her more; that Kakashi was on time for the trial or that he owned more than two outfits.

 

Naruto opened his mouth to make some kind of comment when Jiraiya and Tsunade, followed by Shizune and Ton-ton, came up on the small group. All three ninja were also dressed for the trial. Tsunade actually bore the traditional Hokage garb for the trial and it took a moment for it to register with Sakura that it really was her master standing in front of her. Naruto looked at the elder kunoichi in surprise, mouth moving but making no sound.

 

Tsunade grinned impishly at the blonde. “Don't be so shocked, Naruto. I can clean up as well.”

 

“Right,” was all Naruto managed to say before Tsunade's expression became serious once more.

 

“The villagers should start arriving in the next half hour. Sasuke will be brought out at the top of the hour and the trial will start.” She turned to Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura. “You'll be sitting right behind Jiraiya and Sasuke.” They nodded and Tsunade sighed.

 

“Whatever happens today, there will be no turning back for the entire village of Konoha.”