The Scorpion's Apprentice

Chapter XI

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section! I always love hearing from you all!
~~~~~~~~~

Hiruzen sat behind his desk, staring at the four Jonin in front of him. "So let me get this straight. Let me get this perfectly straight so that there is no misunderstands whatsoever," he said slowly. The four Jonin stared at the Hokage silently. "You confronted him, fought him. Destroyed his puppets, and he ended up committing suicide," Hiruzen said slowly. "There was no reasoning with him, sir. He was delusional and refused to listen to reason," Hiashi said calmly.

"But I wanted you guys to bring him back alive, not burnt to a crisp and scraping off the ground," Hiruzen snapped harshly. "With all due respect, sir. May I speak freely?" Tsume asked. "Go ahead," Hiruzen said with a wave of his hand. "Why were you so set on having Naruto back in the village? I know you considered him a grandson along with Konohamaru, but look at everything he's done," Kakashi said.

Hiruzen sighed and nodded slowly. "I know what he did, but, most importantly, I know how impressionable he can get," he stressed. "Impressionable?" Tsume snorted. "Naruto has been shunned by people who are too blind to see the truth of the matter. That hatred that he was forced to face at such a young age made him like this," Hiruzen said. "Bullshit! That amount of hatred could not be the cause of this!" Tsume argued. "And what is this that you're talking about?" Hiruzen asked.

"Because of that little shit, Kuromaru is now paralyzed and can no longer go on missions. In turn, I can't go on missions. I can't fight, I can't help the village or my clan. I am useless without Kuromaru by my side on the battlefield. Neither I nor Kuramaru can operate well without one another," Tsume said angrily.

"What does Kuromaru's doctor say?" Hiruzen asked. "It's impossible. That poison Naruto inflicted Kuromaru with, my clan's doctors and even the doctors in the village's hospital have no idea what kind of concoction he made," Tsume said seriously.

"I see. All four of you," Hiruzen ordered. The four Jonin nodded in unison and walked out of the room. Hiruzen waited until the door was closed before his shoulders slump and the stern look on his face completely collapsed. "Damnnit. He was only a child and he ended his life in an explosion," he muttered as he buried his face in the palm of his hands. "Nobody, nothing. I don't think I can face Minato in the afterlife for what happened to his son," the aged Hokage murmured to himself.

~Tsume Inuzuka~

Tsume walked down the sidewalk of the village towards the Inuzuka Compound. "What a mess. Kuromaru is out of commission, and I failed my mission to bring that brat back to the village," she muttered to herself as she ran her hand through her hair.

"Tsume," someone called out from behind her. The Inuzuka Head glanced over her shoulder to see Asuma and Kurenai walking towards her. "Are you two...on a date?" she asked with a raised eyebrow as she turned around.

"Joint training excuses with our Genin Squads, thank you," Kurenai argued. "Yeah, sure. So, what's up?" Tsume asked. "We heard what happened. Is Kuromaru alright?" Asuma asked. Tsume sighed and shook her head. "No, he's not responding to anything that we give him. His sense of touch is nonexistent," she replied. "And this was all Naruto's fault?" Kurenai inquired.

A growl rumbled in Tsume's throat as she tightened her hand into a fist. "Yeah, I'm glad that he's dead. If he weren't, I'd tear his limbs off for what he did to Kuromaru," she growled. Asuma and Kurenai nodded in understanding. "It's quite muggy out right now," Asuma observed as he glanced up at the sky. "Yeah, now that you mention it, it is pretty cold out here," Kurenai noted.

"Yeah, I better get back home. Kuromaru needs me right now and I want to be by his side if something happens," Tsume said. Kurenai and Asuma nodded. "Alright, take care," the Genjutsu Mistress said. "And send Kuromaru our regards," Asuma added. "Well do. Night," Tsume said as she turned around and walked into the night.