Team Harmony

KC46: Extinguished

When Hinata, Naruto, and Jiraiya got to the little village the Sannin had mentioned, he had found them an inn to stay at.

"You're not seriously tired already are you?" Naruto asked incredulously.

The man handed Naruto one key and Hinata another. "I got Hinata her own room. Here's the plan: Hinata and I will go around the village looking for information. Naruto, you'll stay in the room and focus on meditation. It's important for learning the new jutsu."

Naruto groaned loudly. "Aww, c'mon! I don't want to be stuck in a room while you're both out actually doing something!"

"Naruto, meditation is very important," Hinata stressed. "This is going to be an amazing jutsu and you need to be ready for it."

With a dramatic sigh, Naruto gave in and they parted ways. Hinata and Jiraiya went out into the village. Though she wished she could've grabbed something to eat first, she decided not to complain and follow the older man.

"How are we supposed to gather information about Tsunade-sama?" She asked.

Jiraiya stopped walking and turned to her. "I'm going to give you some information about her and I want you to take it from there. Consider this training for you, too," he explained though his eyes weren't on her. She followed his line of sight and raised a brow when she saw him ogling a woman standing by a stall just up ahead.

"I see. Please tell me what you know." She ignored the fact that his mind was completely elsewhere.

"Well, she has a very bad gambling addiction but not much luck. She also has a taste for plenty of alcohol. As for physical features, she probably has the largest breasts in the whole nation, so pay attention to that. Now, you go on your way and we'll meet up at the inn later." Then, Hinata was standing by herself, the gray-haired man already by the woman's side.

She sighed exasperatedly before turning around and going in the opposite direction. Hinata decided to check the local gambling houses and talk to the owners before going into any bars or taverns. Knowing that she was too young to enter legally, she used the transformation jutsu to pose as an older woman in civilian clothing.

*

Naruto had been studying the scrolls given to him for about an hour when there was a knock on the door. He got up from his bed with a heavy sigh.

"Please tell me you already found her so we can focus on this new jutsu," he said as he unlocked the door and opened it. Instead of coming face-to-face with his master, a man in a black cloak with red clouds stood before him. When Naruto looked up at the man's face, he instantly recognized him as the older Uchiha.

Naruto was able to register the serious look in his sharingan eyes and that Itachi Uchiha hadn't come to catch up and return to the village. Slowly, Naruto closed the door and calmly locked it before taking a step back. A second later, the door was busted down by another man wearing the same cloak though his skin color didn't appear normal and Naruto likened his appearance to that of a shark.

"Crazy to think that the source of immense power is being held within a child," Kisame said, looking down at the boy. Naruto glared but said nothing.

Itachi stepped forward. "Naruto, you're coming with us," he said. Naruto noted that his voice sounded deeper and void of emotion. As though he was only a stranger to the man standing before him and it hurt. It hurt to think that those years they all spent together were nothing now.

"Itachi...what are you doing?" Naruto finally asked. "We're—this...it's not you." He knew they were there for the tailed beast inside of him. "Don't do this," he said, pleading with his eyes.