Something Precious

Chapter Twenty Three

Naruto cleared his throat to gain the jounin's wandering attention. "If you want me to tell you you have to actually listen ya know." Naruto said with amusement in his voice. Minato scratched the back of his blonde head sheepishly and muttered an apology. Naruto smiled slightly, but it quickly faded as other thoughts invaded his busy mind.

"Where to begin. . . well as you know Danzo is a high ranked Leaf elder." Minato nodded, settling into a more comfortable sitting position. "From what I understand he and the Hokage were close friends before the Second passed his position to Sarutobi instead of Danzo. This caused bitterness and resentment to grow, and as a way to try and defuse that as well as show his trust, the Hokage allowed Danzo to have authority over his own branch of ANBU which he calls 'The Root'." Naruto was telling him this mostly because he felt like this was something Minato should be aware of since he would be the next Hokage. Also, he knew that at some point he may need Minato's help in altering the timeline so it was for the best that he knew as many of the current happenings as possible. "The Root is a very classified project of Danzo's that few know about. The members of the Root are very skilled in almost every field, as well as most possessing a unique ability like a kekki genki. Their missions mostly consist of assassinations and their success rate is almost a hundred percent. However, to make them so efficient, Danzo takes certain measures to ensure their personal convictions won't interfere. That is, he raises them from childhood to be completely emotionless and create absolute loyalty to him only. They only take orders from Danzo and live their lives for no other purpose than to carry out his wishes."

Minato's eyes went wide and he looked disturbed. How could the Hokage allow this? Raising children to be emotionless, how can that even be done. That's like removing the human factor of a person and leaving an empty shell. Their like robots or something. How can that even be allowed?

"I know what you're thinking. The Hokage is a good man, he doesn't know the full extent of it." Naruto assured. Minato fixed him with an unwavering gaze that most wouldn't be able to hold, but Naruto held it without the slightest sign of intimidation.

"If not even the Hokage knows this, than how do you?" Minato's eyes narrowed in suspicion making him look all the more dangerous, and still the Uzumaki didn't flinch.

Naruto looked back at him as he thought over how to answer that without revealing the whole truth. Maybe just pieces though; Naruto hadn't ever picked up a talent for direct lies, so it was better for him to at least relate it to truth. "I had a team mate that was an ex-root member." he answered, it was vague enough that it wouldn't reveal anything but allowed him to be somewhat honest. Minato couldn't detect any lies but still held him in his piercing gaze.

"Do you not trust me?" Naruto asked sadly, though with no surprise. "I understand, I suppose in your position I wouldn't trust me either."

Minato's eyes softened at the hurt he saw. "It's not that. Actually it is quite the opposite, I find it alarming just how much I trust you when I've only known you for a week." he confessed. Naruto felt an almost explosive joy when he heard that his father trusted him, he smiled so brightly that it was contagious.

"Thank you. I can't express how much that means to me." no, he couldn't express it with words but Minato could see it in his eyes and a fond feeling spread through him.

"We're back!" called Rin as she approached them, unknowingly spoiling the beautiful moment. Kakashi came not far behind. They set the wood down and Kakashi dug out a make-shift fire pit while Rin stacked the wood. When he was done and the wood was set in the pit he reached in his pack for something, he shuffled his hand through all the little pockets but didn't seem to find what he was looking for. With an irritated scowl set in place - and somehow showing even with his mask covering the majority of his face - he took his bag in his lap and went through it more thoroughly, his eyes scanning its conents carefully, but still came up with the same result.

"Where are my matches?" he asked sharply as his head snapped up to glare at each of them accusingly in turn. Naruto rose his matchless hands in surrender and shrugged his shoulders, Minato and Rin also proved to be empty handed.

A strange high pitch series of yips that almost resembled laughing sounded to the east side of their little camp. They all looked around and spotted an orange little fox with the box of matches set proudly between his sharp teeth. Kakashi glared daggers at the creature.

"Hey, give those back." he commanded sternly as he stuck out a hand. The fox made the sound again and hopped around the edge of the camp while looking tauntingly at Kakashi. Kakashi reached for a kunai and threw it but the small orange animal gracefully hopped out of the way and was unfazed as he continued his little game.

After he got over the shock, Naruto laughed loudly at the unexpected scene. It suprised them all how warm and humorous it was, like if you could make happiness into a sound this is what it would be. The fox seemed to enjoy it because yipped happily in response.

"Come here little guy." Naruto said gently to fox. Kakashi scoffed, 'like that's going to work.', he thought. It did, the little creature bounded up to Naruto and dropped the matches in his open palm. Naruto softly patted the fox's head and smiled.

"Good girl." he praised.

"How do you know it's a girl?" asked Rin curiously. Naruto shrugged.

"I don't know I just do." he responded andwhen she reached out a hand of her own the fox ran off back into the woods. Naruto gave her a pitying look as handed Kakashi his matches.

"I hate foxs." the chunnin muttered as he somehow lit the fire in an aggressive manner.

"I'm offended." Kurama grumbled in Naruto's mind sounding not at all offended. Naruto laughed again.

"I'll take first watch." he offered, still chuckling. Neither Kakashi nor Rin objected as they cuddled in their sleeping bags and fell asleep as easily as Obito had. Minato stayed awake with the blonde.

"You can sleep too ya know. I'll wake you when it's your turn." Naruto said to the other blonde. Minato scowled at him.

"You said that last night too but you never did, you may have good stamina but you've got to sleep some time." Minato pointed, he looked at the dark circles under Naruto's contrasting bright eyes.

"I have troubles falling asleep anyway." Naruto confessed.

Minato was having none of it. "Just try for tonight. You will only drag the team down if you are too tired to function." Naruto still hesitated, he sighed in defeat and curled up in his sleeping bag like the others.

"Fine, but wake me if you get sleepy." he insisted before rolling over and closing his eyes.

Contrary to what he said Naruto was asleep in less than ten minutes. Minato snorted. Troubles falling asleep? Right. He noted. Then he remembered something. After he had visited with Inoichi he had gone the library to read up on PTSD so he could better understand, he remembered distinctly that most people who suffer from it would often have vivid nightmares of their trauma.

Minato couldn't help but glance at the teen who was now shifting in his bed. He turned to face Kakashi, stayed that way for a few minutes, then would roll to face the trees. Naruto repeated this countless times through the night and Minato struggled with weather or not to wake him, it was obvious he was having one of these nightmares, but on the other hand he had barely slept a wink since the mission had started. In the end he opted to leave him be. He needed his rest if he was going to be helpful.

One other thing Minato couldn't help but wonder as Naruto was muttering and turning restlessly - who was Sasuke?