Forsaken Innocence

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Hokage

Forsaken Innocence

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Hokage 

Sakura hummed, almost peacefully as she cut up apples. Sasuke hadn’t of been released from the hospital, yet. Naruto, on the other hand, had already made his leave for another mission with Jiraiya. It’s been a week since then. 

The chunin exams were officially over. 

None of us had made it, not that I thought that mattered much. There was always next time, I suppose. The thing was, we were all still alive. Even after Orochimaru’s failed attempt to destroy the village. 

The downfall?

The old man was dead. 

Sarutobi, the Hokage. Dead. 

It was amazing what Orochimaru had accomplished in his short time here. Sasuke and I had been bitten; he had somehow almost successfully broken the allegiance between Suna and Konoha, all the while planning the Leaf’s demise. It was revolting, that man. And, because of him, we had lost the most respected man in the entire village. 

I loathed him. 

He would pay. 

Sasuke draped a lazy arm around my shoulder, still watching Sakura. Knowing the Uchiha, he could probably feel my discomfort- the hatred stirring in the pit of my stomach. But, as always, he comforted me. Even if it was just by simply wrapping his arm around me. 

Sakura politely smiled, handing us the fruit she had been working on. And, when I say ‘us’, I really mean Sasuke. 

A blush played along her cheekbones, dancing across her nose. Graciously, he took them from her with a small nod. 

Did they even realize I was still in the room, or…?

Irritated, I jumped out of the bed, not bothering to tell them where I was going. 

Naruto should be back by now. 

~        ~       ~

Somehow, I had found myself at the Hokage building. I didn’t know why, for I knew the probability of Naruto being here was slim. 

And, just as I suspected, he hadn’t of been here. But, Konohamuru was.

“Move!” He yelled, pushing past two ninja carrying furniture, almost pushing them off of the pathway. He was upset, I was sure. And, an idiot for running into me. 

“Hey!-”

“Watch where you’re going, pipsqueak.” I scolded, pushing the boy off of me. Noticing who I was, the younger boy vainly tried to hide his tears- embarrassed. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled. 

I huffed, folding my arms. He was just like Naruto…only, more annoying. I honestly didn’t know how the blonde tolerated him. 

Because, even I couldn’t. 

“Stop your whining, and watch where you’re going next time, ‘kay?” Slightly, his fist tightened, but he never said anything else. Just walked away, never once looking up. 

Maybe I should’ve asked what was wrong.

Nah. 

Not bothered, and slightly pissed off, I snuck my way into the Hokage building. Just to see what the big deal was. Or, maybe, if someone might have known where Naruto had made his way to. If there was one thing the old man knew, it was always where Naruto was. 

Not that that mattered, anymore. 

Curiously, I tiptoed around the enclosed area. It seemed smaller than usual, for everything seemed to be turned upside down. Figuratively speaking, of course. 

What the hell was going on around here?

“Hello, can I help you?” I turned to see an older woman, no older than thirty. She had short, tidied black hair. And, in her arms was a cute little pig. 

Strange, but cute enough. 

The pig, I meant. 

“Oh, no, I’m just looking.”

The woman’s smile tightened. 

“Well, do you have a specific reason for being here?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Just looking,” I repeated. 

Before the woman could retaliate, seeming more or less put off by me, another woman entered the room. “Shizune! Have you-” She cut herself off, glossed lips closing to smile at me. “Why, hello there. And, who might you be?”

I snorted, folding my arms and tapping my foot. “You know, I could ask you the same.”

The second woman’s eyes dangerously flashed. 

The darker haired woman- Shizune, I guess- uncomfortably laughed, placing her hand on the second woman’s shoulder. “Now, now, Tsunade. Don’t get carried away. She’s only a little girl.”

“Who you calling ‘little’?” I challenged.

And, if it wouldn’t have been for the pull on my collar, I probably would have started something. 

“She yours, Kakashi?”

Defeated, the jounin sighed. Damn Kakashi. “Unfortunately.” 

The blonde woman laughed, a little too loudly and obnoxiously, if you asked me. Not too graceful for a woman of her age. 

“I take it this fiery red head would be the infamous Hitomi Taki, then?”

Again, Kakashi sighed, repeating the same ‘unfortunately’. I puffed my cheeks out, turning away from the insensitivity of adults. Although, it was a bit hard, considering I was still suspended in air. 

“She’ll make a fine ninja one day,” the woman offhandedly commented. “She’s got the same look of defiance her mother had. Just as bad of an attitude.”

“Yeah? And, what would you know about her?” I bit back, sneering a bit. I didn’t care who this bitch was. She had no right to talk about her. 

Kakashi dropped me, allowing the woman to reach her hand out to me. Almost as if she had wanted me to shake it. 

“I’m Tsunade, your new Hokage.”

~     ~     ~

I stared at the blonde, the face he was making showing just how pissed off he was. And, there was only one person that could have made him this mad. 

Sasuke. 

“What happened?” I whispered, taking his bruised hand into my own. Carefully, I wrapped the knuckles, hiding the cuts and bruises that were there. More scars added to his collection. And, soon enough he’d forget how he had gotten these. Just like the countless others. 

“Something’s wrong,” he mumbled, staring forward. “Sasuke’s never lost his cool. Not like that.”

I was quiet. 

“We fought, today.”

My grip on him tightened. 

“Don’t worry, Kakashi intervened before something serious could happen. But, Hitomi, something’s wrong. The look in his eye- it was wrong. He was seriously trying to hurt me.”

Abruptly, I stood up, dropping Naruto’s hand. 

“Hitomi?”

“I have to go.”

“Hitomi!” 

I ran. 

Naruto didn’t follow me. 

!~*~**~!

As soon as I get done typing the next chapter, I’ll upload it. And, wallah, it’ll be done :*