Naru: Misty Eyes (A Naruto Fanfic) [Complete]

Chapter Four: Old Lives, New Lives

Naru still sat atop Itachi's shoulders as they stood in front of the Hokage's office. The Sandaime Hokage could be heard inside, muttering about paperwork most likely. That seemed to be his most common complaint when Naru was visiting. Well, that and how he couldn't make people be nicer to her. Naru appreciated the thought, but she didn't want empty kindnesses. At least this way she knew the villagers' true feelings. Not that she could forget.

Itachi knocked on the door, waiting for the Hokage's "come in" before entering. He set Naru on the floor in front of the Hokage's desk, returning her staff to her, and she maneuvered into one of the available chairs. "What did you want to see me about, Jiji?"

"Ah, Naru, I'm so glad you're here," the Hokage said. Naru could practically hear his smile, picturing in her head what it had looked like. She smiled back at him. "How are you, dear?"

Naru shrugged, leaning back in her chair some, legs swinging without touching the ground. She was still too small for her feet to reach the ground when she sat in the chair. "I'm alright, Jiji. How're you?"

"Well enough, I suppose," the Hokage replied. "I have a proposal for you, Naru."

"A proposal?"

"Yes, an idea of sorts," the Sandaime Hokage sounded sad now. Naru frowned, not sure she liked the direction this was going. "Naru, the Yondaime Kazekage has offered to let you live in Sunagakure until you are twelve. Then you may return here and, if you are so inclined, join a genin team."

"You're sending me away?" Naru didn't understand. Didn't the Hokage like her? He had always been so nice to her, so why was he trying to make her leave? "So I did cause more trouble..."

"Naru," Itachi, surprisingly, spoke up, placing a hand on Naru's shoulder. "Suna will be safer for you than Konoha is right now. Hokage-sama is trying to keep you safe."

"You knew then, didn't you, Weasel-nii? You knew he was going to make me go away."

"Naru..."

"No." Naru took a deep breath. "As you wish, Hokage-sama. I'll go to Suna."

The Hokage smiled sadly, not that Naru saw it. "A Suna nin will be here tomorrow morning to get you."

So she'd never really had a choice in the matter. Regardless, Naru nodded, the visible part of her face expressionless. She stood up and left, using her staff to guide her. It seemed she was going to be starting a new life tomorrow, one in a place very different from Konoha, and she would be leaving her old life behind.

After she left, the Hokage sighed deeply, looking troubled. "Is this the right choice for her?"

"It better be, Hokage-sama," Itachi said, face grim beneath his mask, "or she'll never forgive you for sending her away." And neither would he.