Mothers Wrath

8

When Kakashi just stared, Naruto sighed. ''The Sandaime is somewhat predictable. I can say that I know who my teammates will be when I'm forced to wear the headband. Of course you'd be the obvious choice to lead that team, to have that familiar face and strengthen the existing bonds.''

Kakashi shook his head. ''This is the first time that I hear someone say the Sandaime is predictable. He is nothing but that to me... He is called the professor.''

''It's simple really. Jiraiya is like him, but wouldn't do anything extreme. The old man doesn't have such fears. People may think he is just an old man, but what the things he cooks up in his mind would surprise many. It doesn't surprise me because I expect him to come up with his plots,'' Naruto explained lightly.

Once again, Kakashi shook his head. The relationship between Naruto and the Sandaime was really a complex one. He couldn't really understand how the two even got along. They obviously did care for one another, but what they did to each other was just something else.

''You might end up joining Anbu,'' Kakashi said to the blond. ''I just heard it from the Anbu HQ. It seems that the Sandaime has been planning this for some time.''

Naruto sat down, looking thoughtful. It wasn't because he was shocked or surprised - he had seen this coming a mile away. Itachi had once thrown this to his face some time ago and he'd rejected it. But now it seemed that he was going to be forced to join. Well, that was what he had been thinking anyway.

''Anbu, huh?'' Naruto said, looking up for a moment. ''I'm about to become a secret. Everything I do from now on will be kept as an S-rank secret as well as my true abilities. Oh well, If this is the price I must pay for mother to be treated well in this village and for us to enjoy the safety of this village, I will offer my strength.''

There was nothing that showed he disliked the idea. Just the usual blank expression on his face. It was the same expression he showed when someone was using his mother against him.

''We might work together before I retire,'' Kakashi said with an eye smile. ''Tell me, Naruto, why do you think of this as a price you must pay?''

''Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't join the Anbu or even serve Konoha. But the Sandaime Hokage will not live forever and I'm afraid If I don't 'bend' now, things will be difficult if another succeeds him. Jiraiya has also used some emotional blackmail to get me to see that if I become an excellent shinobi of Konoha, mother will be eventually treated well in the village,'' Naruto explained.

Kakashi tilted his head to the side: Naruto didn't seem pissed off that Jiraiya had blackmailed him. ''Doesn't it bother you they use your mother against you to get you to do certain things?''

Naruto stared at Kakashi for a moment. ''Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't,'' the blond said with a shrug. ''Mother always comes first. I will accept anything if it will make her happy and doesn't endanger her life. It would be unforgivable if she was being put in danger.''

So he was just tolerating it because in the end, it worked better for his mother, Kakashi thought. ''I will talk to you some other time... Need rest,'' the Anbu said. Something seemed to click on his mind. ''Oh, the Sandaime wishes to speak with you...''

''At this time?'' Naruto asked. He had plenty of time. It wasn't like he was suddenly going to disappear from the village.

Well, that couldn't be so much of a bad idea. If he disappeared from the Elemental Nations, they could start anew. There were other nations outside the Elemental Nations that did not know things that occurred around the blood shinobi world. They could be safe from all things concerning shinobi and those who would wish to have the beast sealed in him wouldn't know where to find him. It was a thought Naruto put at the back of his head before focusing on Kakashi once again.