Konoha's New Number One....Baby?!

Proud

He hasn't been the same in a while.

They miss his smile, his laugh. The world seems to have gone quiet.

He's still there, still present, but there is this......wall.

They don't know how to break it.

And it hurts, it hurts to be shut out. They don't know what's wrong, he won't tell them.

But some can guess, they shake their heads and sigh at yet another person leaving.

They leave their condolences at his door, the door that won't open as frequently.

At the office, it's not as warm.

At the park, the swing hasn't been pushed lately.

At Ichiraku's, the flaps appear dead.

And you know what? So is another piece of his heart that has captured millions.
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"Lord Choi."

A wanish smile. "Lady Tsunade."

"Has there been any sightings of foreign ninja or civilians?"

"Nothing that either my men or yours have already spotted. We simply don't have all the necessary resources to comb through every person that has either entered or left the country."

She leaned forward. "Have you already contacted the Kazekage?"

"...Yes..."

"Any luck there?"

Choi heaved in a breath. "Someone is monitoring our mail. Three teams have been already sent out, none have come back. Not a single one."

Red nails tapped the table. "So, what are we going to do? What is the plan?"

"The plan that I have is to come into contact with Jiraiya-same. How I'm going to do that without anyone besides the people that are in this room, I have no clue."

"I do," Tsunade hummed. "I'll have his answer in a week."

"You were always so efficient."

"I learned from the best."
___________________________________

"Sakura...."

A shadow loomed from behind her, the girl turned.

"Ino! How can I help you?"

Pale eyes turned towards the forest bristling softly outside the window. "We need to talk."

"Okay, just wait until I finish filing these papers."
___________________________________

Neji caught up just as Hinata finished her training. The girl was flushed red and sweaty, hair pinned to the top of her head in a sloppy bun.

She was the one to see him first and beckoned the boy closer as she sipped water slowly. "Yes?"

Neji eyed the bow staff that leaned against the tree and swallowed slowly. "Hisashi-sama has asked that we upped your training."

"May I ask why?"

"He knows of something that is happening outside the village and wishes for us to be prepared as well as we can since he cannot tell us exactly what is going on."

The girl tilts her head and stands up, dusting off her pants. "Who will teach me?"

"Gai-sensei."

A pause. "And Hanabi?"

"Your father says he will oversee her training."

"As always."

Neji's lifts an eyebrow at the tone and follows the girl down the hall towards her quarters. He says nothing.

Hinata stews upon her thoughts, flicking through the tumbling considerations. "When does it begin?"

They're outside her room, the faint lavender and jasmine wafting from underneath her door.

"Anytime you are ready, though I would say sometime this week."

"I'll be there the day after tomorrow, if you could tell Gai-sensei that I would appreciate it."

"Of course Hinata-San."

She smiles, all tired and soft and yet still full of energy. "Goodnight Neji, I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast."

"Goodnight."
____________________________________

"Tsunade-sama, a word, if you please."

The Hokage turns and follows the elders warily, they've never really brought anything good to the table.

Koharu turns down a couple of busy hallways. Left, right, left, left, up some stairs, and right once more. There are surveillance ninjas on standby.

Tsunade really doesn't like where this going, she sits.

"What is it that you need Koharu-sama, Homura-sama?"

The two ninja dilly for a bit, not for long, but you know, long enough to get the point.

Koharu speaks first. "It's about Naruto."

Oh no. "Has he done anything that was above his status, no, what am I saying, of course he has. Allow me to-"

"No, no, settle down," Homura chimes. "The boy has done nothing wrong at all, it's actually about what he isn't doing."

"Isn't?" Tsunade's not following.

"Relaxing."

"Taking time off."

"Getting a break."

"Spending time with his baby."

"Acting like the teenager that he is."

"Take your pick Tsunade, any which one will suffice."

She's not understanding what they're getting at. "Are you thinking off giving him some time off?"

Homura chuckled throatily. "We're not in charge of allowing future hokage's a vacation, but you are, and, really? Could you not see how much that child was suffering."

"Not a single day went by when I didn't see that poor child holed up in the office doing paperwork for hours," Koharu fanned at herself lightly. "It's just not right."

"We're in a war-"

"We're not."

"But we might be," the woman stresses. "And that boy needs all the help that he can get if he becomes Hokage!"

"Stupid girl! What good is a Hokage if he is bedridden before he can even take up the mantle?"

That's shuts her up. Tsuande looks down guiltily.

"We may have struggles happening, we always do that's the downside of being such a popular village- we're essentially a superpower- but that doesn't mean we run without fairness, without good judgement and consciousness. We lead by example, we alway did and we will continue to do so. That boy has already paid the price with the arrogance of the civilians and I suppose the blame will be put to us, barring the Warhawk, that's what he lives for. But we can do better, will do better, we need to show any opposing forces the might of Konoha. Need to show any enemy that the Kitsune invasion was nothing than a weak breeze pushing a brick house- ineffective. And to do that we push gather the ingredients before we even think of making the meal- do you see where I'm going with this?"

"Yes..."

"Good. So I trust that the reformations will be underway as of tomorrow?"

"I will do my best."

"That's Sarutobi's favorite student. Do Konoha proud."

I honestly have no excuse. It been almost half a year since I've lasted posted. I feel terrible and am trying to make up for it, schools almost over so I'll most likely post more often but don't hold me to it. On the other hand we hit 10k!!!!! That's freaking insane! I'm so happy and so, so, so blessed that y'all continued to read and vote. Comment and like on my story. I'm honored and hope to see my viewers grow bit by bit, this Wattpad family will continue to grow and be the great and wonderful thing that I know it will be.