What Went Wrong For Us?

Chapter 20

"He can't eliminate the Chunin Exams!" Homura Mitokado was about as apoplectic as he could be in his age.

"He's going to try, anyway," Koharu Utatane replied, setting her teacup down on the table between them without bothering to look at Homura.

"I know he's going to try, that's not what I meant! What's next? He dissolves our council?!"

"Two people hardly makes a council," said Utatane.

"We can't let him continue! He may even end the ninja system!"

"Which was his goal," Utatane replied. "I'm just amazed we have this much influence over him for so long. Still... we must do what we can to protect our traditions. I fear that we will lose ourselves if things change more drastically than they already have.

"But he may have an opportunity to express our opinions," Utatane continued. "He has invited military advisors from Fjordland. I overheard Shikamaru discussing it with him."

"Fjordland?" Mitokado spat. "Is he begging for trouble?"

"He is weak. His son should have handled that bandit more easily, but he is using it as an excuse."

"Of course, he is," said Mitokado. "What do you suggest we do?"

"We send him a warning," she said. "I will not see the end of our system, especially not when the people—" She stopped, paused, and thought it over. "If he cannot accumulate public support for his plans..."

"What can we do? Unseat him?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Who would listen to us?" Mitokado asked.

"Who wouldn't?" she replied.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Buried in his work again, Naruto didn't hear the door of his office opening, and the subsequent footsteps, until he heard the knocking on his desk. Looking up, he gasped to see Hinata standing there, arms at her side. "Hinata," he acknowledged, putting his pen down.

"Overworking yourself again, I see," she said, voice neutral. If things hadn't changed, there's no doubt her voice would be softer, worried, instead of a simple observation. It makes Naruto feel worse.

"Are you mad at me?"

"A little."

"Because..."

"Because the marriage counsellor's behavior was unprofessional," she said.

"I know, I talked to him and he apologized-"

"He was still right," she interrupted. "Anyway, that's not what I'm here to talk about."

"It's goodbye, isn't it?" Naruto asked.

"And to tell you that I heard about the end of the branch family."

"Yeah, it was easier than I thought," he said, chuckling. His demeanor changed, seeing that she wasn't laughing, nor so much as smiling.

"I was supposed to do that," she said.

"Oh, right, I forgot," he sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have."

"But I could still hold him to his promises," she added. "I still have some things I need to discuss with him."

Naruto nodded. "Good luck."

"Thank you," she said. "And I'll tell Neji that I'm sorry." Naruto felt his heart clench, hurt. But he nodded anyway, as he watched the woman he'd lived his life with for 13 years walked out of his office, and partially out of his life.