The Fox and The Weasel at Red Dawn: rewrite!

Chapter 13: News reaches Konoha

In Konoha

"Sir," the ANBU captain stated as he entered the hokage's office to find that team seven was still there with the Hokage after they had left. They all immediately stood at attention. The Hokage looked up from his desk, already guessing the answer. "We were not able to get there fast enough. It appears that the dem—the gennin had gotten away from us. It appeared that he was with Uchiha Itachi and his partner, as they had left their clothes and supplies there in a hurry. It appeared that they already knew that we were coming after them, and that is why their clothes were left."

"Naruto," Sasuke questioned. "Did he appeared to be going with them of his own free will?"

"It's hard to say since we weren't able to see them in person, but it appeared to be so, Uchiha-san."

"Is there anymore information that would need to be presented to us," the Hokage questioned.

"No, sir."

"Very well; you are free to go," Sarutobi stated with a sigh. He had already figured out that Naruto had left on his own free will since it was the message that they had set up if Naruto ever gotten tired of Konoha.

Flashback

"Naruto, have you ever thought about leaving Konoha before," Sarutobi asked one day when they were at the blonde's favorite ramen stand.

"No," Naruto grinned. "If I did, I wouldn't be able to become Hokage!"

"Well, if you did, what would you do before you left?"

"That I love you and that I'd see ya later; I'd always come back for you jiji-san," Naruto smiled one of his true smiles, something Sarutobi barely saw, and it pained him so much. He wished he could always see it on his face, but he knew that it would never be the case with the way Konoha has treated him. He took pride in the thought that Naruto would never disappoint him, unlike Konoha.

End of Flashback

"Come on," Sasuke growled as he approached the desk. "You have to send more ANBU after him. He's in danger!"

"Naruto left on his own free will," Sarutobi admitted to team 7, which caused them to look at him with shock. "I only sent the ANBU team after him to clarify my suspicions."

"You mean you knew he was going to leave," Sasuke questioned with a glare.

"Only once Sakura relayed that message to me," he replied.

"You mean to say that you are letting him become a traitor?" That comment made the Hokage glare a glare that even the devil would have cringed away from. Sasuke fell to his knees, gasping for air, after feeling the Killer Intent that accompanied that vicious glare.

"Never, and I mean never, Sasuke Uchiha, make that assumption again about Naruto. He deserves a whole lot of a better treatment than this village has ever given him. They don't deserve to know a kinder soul like him. And if you ever decide to treat me like that again, then I'm going to have to be forced to knock you back to the academy. Now, get the hell out of my office." Sasuke was shocked to the core of having that kind of treatment done to him, the last Uchiha bound to Konoha. No one, especially the Hokage and the councilors, have ever gave him that treatment. He was devastated by it, but he kept it off of his face behind his emotionless expression and walked calmly out of the room. The only thing that gave evidence to this break of emotions were his eyes.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh, Hokage-sama," Kakashi questioned after minutes upon minutes of silence. Sarutobi looked over to see that Kakashi was still standing where he was, and Sakura was passed out on the floor, thanks to the KI.

"He deserved every word I said, and if you've got anything to say about it, I don't want to hear it," he growled back. "Now leave."

"Yes, sir," Kakashi answered before picking Sakura up and walking out of the door. Sarutobi looked out of the window to look at the village entrance.

'Just where are you now, Naruto,' he questioned, and then he watched as the sun set into the forest behind the gates, awaiting another night.