My Brother's a Jinchūriki!

Chapter Forty-Seven- Guilty by Association

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and took a long drag from his pipe with his brows furrowed. After a moment, he glanced up and looked at the woman across from him.

"If what you say is true... then this is a deadly serious situation." He paused. "And since Naruto is only the third Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, there is very little information to go off for his condition, and absolutely no information on the instance of twins..." He let out a long, slow tendril of smoke. "I never anticipated that twins could have such a powerful connection before..."

Kiri crossed her arms, drumming her fingers on her arms. "And then, their gestation on top of that..."

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes... There is much we don't know about this... and what she had told you about Naruto..." He pressed his lips together in though. "If their connection works as I suspect it might... then it means that the seal has weakened..."

Kiri cleared her throat and he looked up at her.

"Yes?"

"What about Natsumi?" Kiri uncrossed her arms and rested a hand on her hips, then glanced down at her forearms briefly. "How do we explain this to her?"

Hiruzen returned the pipe to his lips and he paused. "To put it simply... we tell her nothing."

Kiri's eyes widened. "What?! How can that be your answer? If our suspicions are true, she has every right to know what is happening, for her own protection!"

"If our suspicions are correct, then keeping the truth buried is the best way to ensure her safety."

Kiri scowled. "I should have expected you to say that. That's what you do, isn't it, Hiruzen? You make everything a secret and keep it out of sight as your way of dealing with things."

"Kiri." Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"If you hadn't realized yet, Hiruzen," Kiri continued and placed her palms on his desk. "All of those secrets you buried long ago are slipping out. The villagers all know Naruto is the host to the Nine-Tails. And Naruto himself now knows it, too. How many more of your secrets are going to come out? How many more people will get hurt from the web of lies and deception you've spun?"

"That is enough!" The old man's mouth formed a hard line and he slammed his fist against the table, silencing her. "As Hokage, it is my duty to look after the Village's best interest as a whole, which also means that some things must remain a secret if there is to be security and peace. My word on this matter is final."

"My brother died for this village! My brother died because of a damn secret!" Kiri leaned closer. "None of your secrets are doing anything but causing pain for other people! Those twins deserve to know everything!"

"Your brother's sacrifice was a choice he made himself— the same choice that all Shinobi must face."

Kiri scoffed. "Is that it, then?! Are we just pawns to you? Our lives are meaningless beyond our Shinobi duties?"

"This is about the security of the Village." Hiruzen met her gaze and held it. "And I am Hokage. My orders are to be followed precisely."

"No, this is about the life of a little girl who is scared, confused, and paranoid right now!" Kiri pointed, as if Natsumi were in the room with them. "She already knows that something is very wrong, and she is worried about the only family she has! You owe it to her to give a proper explanation!"

"In time, all will be explained. To involve a child her age in such matters is—"

"That's bullshit!" Kiri interrupted. "You didn't find it inappropriate to bring her into the ANBU at her age! Or any of us, for that matter!" Kiri tightened her hands into fist until her knuckles turned white. "And, she's already involved! Her twin brother is the damn Jinchuriki, and she just became feral for a few minutes! She needs to know!"