Dusk Till Dawn

28

Naruto sighed for what felt like the millionth time. Tsunade had been in and out of his office like some sort of boomerang on steroids. Of course, she was technically on Hokage business - strictly confidential as ordered by the Rokudaime himself - but it was damn annoying.

They had spent the better part of the day making sure that the letters Tsunade had had commissioned were suitable for the other Kages and had the appropriate documents alongside them, namely the documents proving Naruto's rise to Kage-dome and the necessary War clause. Konoha didn't want to be suspected of treason to any of the other nations.

The birds were sent off (the fastest in all of Konoha - and the finest) and Tsunade finally dragged herself back in. Itachi was off to report with Sakura's team, carrying a scroll that contained Naruto's orders to return to Konoha. If he was telling the other nations now of the change in Hokage then there could well be a small surprise attack on the village to see if the choice was appropriate.

"Afternoon, Naruto."

Naruto nodded back and Tsunade took the last sip of water from the cup on his desk. Naruto frowned but smiled after a moment and leant back in his chair, pushing the reports he was checking through to the side and looking at Tsunade.

"Can I help you? You look as if you want to talk to me about something."

Tsunade chuckled before replying,

"It appears that you have caught me. I was merely thinking of the possibilities that the future holds Naruto. Have you thought about it?"

Naruto was silent for a moment; had he thought about the prospect that all of his life up until now had been meaningless and he was going to lose it all against one man who had been alive literally forever? No, not really. Just like he's never mulled over what Fukasaku had suggested; that Itachi would abandon him.

"Yes," was the simple reply and Tsunade nodded, obviously satisfied with the answer.

"Good because I would be worried if you hadn't. You're Hokage now and this means that there is no 'I' in 'team' for you."

Naruto rolled his eyes before shooting back,

"But there is a 'me'."

Tsunade frowned and paused in what she was about to say. She shook her head and shifted a little in her seat.

"Whatever. My point is that you have to be sure you can trust everyone no matter what the consequence. You have to double check each team is filling out reports as soon as the mission's over; what may seem insignificant to a Genin could mean destruction to a Kage."

Naruto nodded slowly; he suspected that this was the late 'Hokage-in-Training speech that he probably should have had to endure before he actually took the seat and he would try his hardest to listen through the lecture.

"So, what I really want to say is... trust your village, love your village and protect her no matter what. Konoha is like the leaves; she is singularly fragile yet together so strong."

Naruto nodded slowly, a small smile creeping onto his lips. A slight shadow passed over his face before he decided to voice the question that had been bothering him for a while,

"Will Itachi leave?"

Tsunade looked Naruto in the eye suddenly and the blond looked years beyond his age. Tsunade felt a rush of sympathy towards the man; he had become Hokage in the harshest of time, was forced to lose one of the closest people to him, knew he was being hunted (and that the war now basically revolved around him now) and, on top of all of that, had the general Hokage duties to take on.

The older woman placed her hands on the desk between them and tilted her head slightly so that a few strands of hair brushed delicately over her face. A painted nail brushed them away, tucking them behind her ear, before she spoke.