The Different One (Naruto Fan Fiction)

After

*Third POV*

Naruto stared down at the wooden floor of the Hokage's office. Lady Tsunade sat in the Hokage's seat, listening intently to what Jiraiya was saying.

"She stopped Sasuke from hitting Itachi Uchiha, the S-Rank criminal, with his chidori. I already had my suspicions that she was up to no good so I put a kunai up against her throat, leaving her no room to move. That was when her whole demeanor changed. She claimed that she was sent by someone to gain intelligence on Naruto."

Tsunade nodded her head and turned to get affirmation from Naruto that that was what had happened.

Sakura twiddled her thumbs and sniffled. She always pretended not to like Hibiki because she thought she was out to steal Sasuke from her. But then she saved them all in the Forest of Death and claims that she is, somehow, related to Sasuke. Truth was, she kind of liked her.

Sasuke was grinding his teeth in anger. Hibiki had no right to butt in. He was going to kill Itachi. He could've done it right then and there, but she allowed Itachi to get leverage.

I'm glad she's gone, he told himself. But he knew that a little spot in his heart was questioning it. All that she did and said couldn't have been a lie. Could it?

Kakashi felt like he had failed his student. Now not only had he lost Obito, but he lost his daughter too. Or could that have been a lie, too?

He remembered the time he saw her at the KIA stone. She was crying and had her fingers over Obito's name. He mentally shook his head to clear his thoughts. No, he refused to believe that all of that was a lie. Hibiki left for a reason. And he swore to himself that he would figure out that reason.

"Well?" Tsunade asked. "Is that what happened?"

Naruto clenched and unclenched his fists. The rest of the team was also waiting, each silently praying that Naruto would say that Jiraiya was lying.

"It's true..." He clenched his fists again and looked up at Tsunade. Tears made their way down his cheeks and dripped onto the floor. "But I don't believe it! Hibiki is nothing like the girl that Pervy Sage grabbed. It must be a mistake. There must have been a reason she did what she did!"

Tsunade sighed, clenching her hands in front of her face. She didn't want to have to break it to him, but that was her job as the Hokage. "Unfortunately, all of the facts point towards Hibiki being a rouge ninja."

Naruto clenched his fist and stomped in defiance. "Something! Anything! There must be some clue!" He was shaking with emotion as he thought about Hibiki. She wasn't a rouge, he knew it with all his heart and soul that that wasn't Hibiki. When she turned the corner the last time he saw her, a short look of immense sadness flashed across her face. But he was going to keep that to himself, he wanted a small piece of her to remember not to give up. Everyone needs a secret. And he was going to hold it dear.

Tsunade thought over whether to give them the information about the note they found at Hibiki's old residence or not. She sighed, thinking that it would be better for her to tell him now instead of having him nag her for information. "Alright, but you need to keep this information under wraps."

Everyone leaned forward, waiting nervously for what Tsunade was going to say.

"There was a piece of paper found in Hibiki's old residence. It was a note saying goodbye to Hinata Hyuga, which helps prove that Hibiki did mean to run away and only came for intelligence." Everyone's shoulders slumped at the information.

"But," she started again. "There was another note found. It seemed to be a reminder for Hibiki. She had borrowed a kimono from one of the nurses at our hospital and was reminding herself to take it back."