A Growing Affection

Chapter 38: The Trial of Naruto Uzumaki

Four days after they had returned from the Hidden Sound, Naruto had been called to stand before a Tribunal, although he had not been told why. Also, instead of one of the smaller meeting rooms in Ninja Ops, he was instead summoned to the enclosed stadium, where the Chunin semi-finals had been held, just over three years prior.

Naruto stepped forward, looking around at those surrounding him. In the center, in front of him, sat Gaara and Tsunade. On the Genin's right were the Konoha elders, Homura, Koharu, and Danzo. And on his left a slightly longer table held Kakashi, Jiraiya, Gai, and Temari. Behind him a huge crowd observed. The Leaf Shinobi currently in the village, the Sand Ninja who had participated in the Sound invasion, and many of the Konoha civilians, all watched with anticipation. He saw Hinata's sorrowful face, and Hanabi's smug look, with Hiashi sandwiched between them, impassive. Sakura caught his eye, and she too looked worried. He recognized Ino clutching Chouji's hand tightly. He also saw mousy Karin from the general store, the old merchant whets-his-name, the waitress from the Golden Shoe, and the entire staff of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Tsunade announced harshly, "You have been called before this Ninja Tribunal to answer for your actions during the Liberation of the Hidden Sound Village. Namely, that you disobeyed an order from your squad leader, a higher-ranking Shinobi. More over, you did so in the middle of a battle."

"We need to hear your side of the story, Naruto," Kakashi urged.

"There ain't much to say," the teen answered, "Gaara was seriously hurt by Kabuto. He ordered us to go back, so he could fight Kabuto alone. I told Sakura and Hinata to take Gaara back to the medics, that I would fight Kabuto. When they tried to protest, I left, sealing the door behind me. With no choice, they took Gaara back, and I went after Kabuto. Simple."

"What we need to know, is why you disobeyed your squad leader's order," Koharu prompted, "The Kazekage testified he does not remember what happened after his injury. And your other teammates seem to think that the Kazekage might have been unconscious when he gave that order, or somehow otherwise mentally incapacitated...."

"I don't know about that," Naruto interrupted, shaking his head.

"So they are lying, to cover for you," Danzo asserted quickly, a hungry gleam in his single, dark eye.

"I didn't say that," Uzumaki protested, "Look, I'm not Gaara, I don't know what he was thinking at the time, or what he remembers now. And I don't have Sakura's medical training, or Hinata's Kekkei Genkai. And to top it off, I know a guy who can fight while asleep. So, if those two say Gaara was out of it, they are probably right; especially if he doesn't know what happened. But at the time, I didn't think that was the case."

"Then why did you take matters into your own hands?" Temari asked.

"Just because I didn't know he was giving out orders while unconscious, doesn't mean I didn't think he was wrong," he told them.

"Gaara has developed a really strong desire to protect his friends and allies, and he also has a little bit of a death wish. And he really wanted revenge against Kabuto. I thought that all that baggage might be clouding his judgment, ya know? After all, the whole reason he picked me was for my experience fighting Kabuto, and I was still healthy. He seemed to be putting his own desires above the good of the mission."

"Besides that, Gaara is one of the five Kage, and I'm just some Genin. If I died, some people would be sad, some might be happy or relieved, but life would go on. If Gaara had died, it would have thrown his village into turmoil; probably both our villages, and the Land of Air too."

"Then let me ask you this," Homura presented, "Sakura and Hinata were able to evacuate Gaara without any entanglements. If you knew that when you took charge, would you make the same choice? Or would you have had one of them come with you?"