AND BACK AGAIN [ NARUTO ]

[ 24 ] ero-sennin

previously. . .

Naruto wasn't able to form a question before Itachi said the word.

"Orochimaru."

Then he blinked, and the Uchiha was gone.

///\

Tsunade looked over the small crowd present in her office. Shizune was beside her, tapping a finger uneasily on her clipboard to break the silence. She stopped when the Hokage glanced at her, avoiding Tsunade's eyes.

Sakura, Sasuke, past Naruto, and their sensei stood before her. Everyone she needed--except for a certain stubborn, blond time traveler that insisted on throwing all of her plans and instinct through the window.

"Where is he?" She leaned forward, eyeing them over her desk. Sakura fidgeted. Sasuke looked away, indifferent. Naruto, though, threw his hands up.

"He was there last night, I swear!" Past Naruto looked around for help, not fond of being on the receiving end of Tsunade's impatience. He knew firsthand how hard she could hit when she wanted something. "You guys saw him come home with me, right? He was in the other room when I went to sleep."

"But not when you woke up?"

Past Naruto shook his head. "I thought he went to sleep at the same time I did, but the blankets hadn't really moved." He looked at the ground. "I was kinda distracted, but I didn't mean to lose track of him."

Sakura fidgeted.

"Kidnapping? Or deliberate disobedience?" The Fifth Hokage tapped a stack of papers with her nails. "I asked him to remain at your home during the night."

"You put him on house arrest?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "And thought it would work?"

"Excuse me for believing he might've matured the smallest bit in the time gap." Tsunade glared pointedly at his past self. "I only suggested he should stay put at night so we could keep track of him. He agreed. But clearly, Naruto still lacks in obedience." She shook her head. "I should've had an ANBU trail him."

She could almost hear the thoughts of the occupants of the office at her words. Would it do much good? The Naruto of this time had plenty of experience avoiding ANBU, how well could one of the future pull it off?

"Too much freedom," Tsunade muttered. "I gave that brat too much freedom."

"Hey!" Past Naruto protested. "I'm right here!"

Sakura tugged at her clothing.

Shizune, not caught up in arguing with the young Uzumaki and knowing the body language of someone nervous around her master, dropped her clipboard to her side. She narrowed her eyes at the pink-haired kunoichi, observing her pale knuckles and slightly reddened lip from being bitten.

"Tsunade-sama, if I may."

Tsunade turned with a raised eyebrow, regarding her assistant carefully. "Go on."

Shizune nodded and took in a breath. "If we're going to figure out where Naruto went, we should backtrack. Who saw him last?"

Past Naruto furrowed his brow. "Are you deaf, lady? I just said--he was at my place."

The Hokage's assistant tactfully ignored the rude comment (though a tick mark appeared on her forehead), gently placing her clipboard atop the desk. Tsunade watched her carefully.

"I'm aware he went back to your home, Naruto-kun. But after that--who saw him last?" Shizune held up a finger, closing her eyes with confidence. "That would be Sakura."