Love for Sale( A various Naruto x reader story.)

Chapter 74

One more mission, one more failure. And although their objective was the same, they could not find either one of you. They could not find Sasuke, they have been in search for him. The last time they found him, things didn't turn out very good for them, had it not been for Kakashi, Sakura probably wouldn't be there. And you... They've followed locations given to them but none you were not in one of those locations. Sometimes they even concluded that people have them all false information. Why? They weren't sure, they expected people to resent you for joining criminals. But it seemed that did not stop any of them from protecting you, they were just grateful for all you've done.

And all of that did not seem to make Naruto or anyone else any better. Sakura could see the disappointment and resentment behind their gaze. They felt like they had failed you, and perhaps they had failed you. Had they been good friends then you should not have had felt the need to leave, they should have done something to help you. But you had left and no matter how much they searched, they could not find you.

Shikamaru wasn't here, he had been summoned by the Hokage and judging by the fact that the Kazekage was here... It seemed whatever news he was about to bring wouldn't be good news.

They waited for the male at the park, even Akamaru wasn't in the mood to enjoy it. When Shikamaru showed up, he wasn't alone. Gaara, his sibling and Kakashi tagged along.

"Do we have another location?" Naruto had spring to his feet energetically, with a grin on his face. "I'm more than ready to bring her back home. "

Kiba rubbed Akamaru's head enthusiastically, while the others seemed to mimic the same expressions. Everyone but Neji, Neji kept staring at Shikamaru, sensing too that something was not right. But what should have given it away was the way Kankuro looked, out of the three siblings he was the one who looked so heartbroken. Temari looked upset too, and not to mention Gaara. Once a few more noticed their expression, they came to a realization. Naruto was oblivious, and Sakura had to fight the urge to hit him hard.

"I'm afraid we do not have a location, and if I can frank, I am satisfied not to have one." Perhaps he shouldn't talk on such a way, a leader shouldn't talk like that but he was in front of your friends, and to an extent his too. He was a leader but he was also human, and a friend, he should have the right to express himself as he wished with his friends... Shouldn't he?

"What do you mean...We have to find her. " Naruto had been taken aback, and he even looked furious.

" Naruto... " Kiba warned, this time he stood up and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You fool, don't you get it?" Temari snapped, "if we find her, we will bring her but not home."

"Naruto," Gaara, " [Name] has been traveling back in time, violating the laws of the Time Keepers." Though, he knew it was bound to happen. However, it was true that they are least owes you a headstart. It was nothing compared to what you had done for everyone, but it was the least he could do at that time.  "From the moment she scaped, she was being hunted down. However, it was advised to bring her back alive. This time is not the same, it is adviced to bring her back alive or dead. As much as I would like to say that I can do something about, I'm afraid I can't." Can't, can't. His chest twisted and it almost made him nauseous to say those words. You were not just anyone to him...

"Isn't that a little too drastic?" Tented questioned,

Kiba added his own opinion. " She's on this whole mess because of them? They cornered her, why are they even surprised?"

"It appears that's not entirely the case, " but, Shikamaru could go on with all the theories. And most of those theories involved the Time Keepers. No matter how much he thought about it, you wouldn't have acted the way you did had it not been for the Time Keepers' threat. They could blame you all the wanted, but they were the reason why you were where you were. But also that did not excuse the fact that you made your decisions, and you involved yourself with a group of criminals. Even if it was for protection, but his opinion did not matter, what mattered was that the Kages had already made their decisions. " She has been traveling back in time, it seems that her accidental travel wasn't the only one. Time Keepers say that was why they wanted her in their possession. "

" And the Akatsuki in their possession, the Akatsuki will become an unstoppable threat. " Gaara added.

"A .. A threat? " Naruto lowered his head, his body trembled with rage. " And you expect me to... To hunt her down?" He turned to look at each and every one of them. "I don't know about you but I'm not going to let her face everything alone. She has no one else but us, and we're giving up on her this easily?"

" Naruto isn't wrong, " Neji finally spoke, " besides, are we really going to accept all the theories the Kages and Time Keepers are coming up with? [Name] is noble, has never hurt an innocent life. The Akatsuki is exactly what is doing that, do you really think she's going to help them? Knowing all the deaths that her help is going to cause?"

" An ulterior motive..." That made a lot more sense, but why exactly... Shikamaru furrowed his eyebrows. He has thought of that before, or at least once...

If Toyo and Rafu were here, perhaps they would explain more to this. But they were not here, they had been detained not long ago. They made it clear that they were more than willing to follow, even if they too had to join the Akatsuki too. "Do you think she plans on betraying them? To accomplish what she had on mind when she left years ago?" Kankuro asked, almost begging to hear that at least, that was the case.

"If that's the case," Shino, almost everyone had forgotten he was here. "What will happen to her?"

Gaara's body seemed to have had relaxed just a little bit. "At the moment we do not know, but if that's the case, everyone else will be unwilling to listen. They have already set their minds, and no matter how much I speak to them they're not going to change their decisions. What we can do is to calm down, and not act abruptly. We need all the help we can get to have her location, and then we can do something to help her. For the time being I'll have a team for her case, but I ask if you Naruto, to not act and to follow your orders. "

Because if you indeed have another goal then perhaps they would be able to do something to help you. To convince you and bring you back home. To where you belonged.