A Growing Affection

Chapter 71: Where You Are

"Naruto was worried this day would come," she said softly, apprehensively, "so he made me promise that before I let his friends try to save him from the Akatsuki, I would tell them why this was happening. The Hokage told us that the Akatsuki were a threat, but she didn't tell us the entire story. Naruto wanted you to know the truth before you put your lives at risk."

"Hinata, don't" Sakura ordered her harshly, "You know the law. And we need their help."

"The Third Hokage's restriction doesn't apply, because it is Naruto's wish," Hinata countered, "And this is not a mission. We could all be counted at renegades for doing this. They need to know."

Many of the assembled shinobi looked confused by the exchange, but the number who did not surprised both women. Sakura stared sternly at her younger teammate for a moment, and then nodded.

"If it was Naruto, he would probably give you the back story and the guilt trip first," Hinata told them, "But I am just going to say it outright.

She took a deep breath, and looked at them determinedly.

"Naruto is the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails Fox Demon," she announced, steadying herself for their reactions. Neji just nodded, as did Shikamaru. None of the three foreign ninjas were surprised by the news. And Shino betrayed no more emotion than usual. Lee frowned, taking in the news. Tenten looked visibly frightened, as did Sasame. Choji's mouth dropped open. Ino was disturbed, but her expression was more sad than anything else. The only one to vocalize more than a gasp was Kiba.

"What the heck, Hinata?" the dog trainer roared, "This isn't the time for jokes."

"This is no joke," Sakura snapped back, "Not to us, and especially not to Naruto."

"The Kyubi is the reason why the Akatsuki captured Naruto," Hinata added, "And he wanted his friends to have the whole story before you tried to rescue him."

"What rescue?" Kiba chuckled harshly, "Why should we go through with this?"

"Naruto is a comrade," Shikamaru said, "And more than that, a friend. He's done good by us, though with the way we used to treat him, none of us deserve it. Well, except for Hinata."

"But we would be saving the demon that nearly destroyed the village," Tenten objected softly, "that killed so many people, before the Fourth Hokage defeated it."

"Iruka-sensei does not appear to begrudge Naruto the Fox's actions," Neji told his lover, "And the demon killed both of his parents."

"Yeah, Iruka-sensei's some kind of saint," Kiba growled, "But that doesn't mean we should put ourselves out there for that monster..."

SMACK! Kiba's head spun from the force of the slap, and he tumbled to the ground. Everyone blinked, and glanced at Hinata, but Naruto's girlfriend had not moved. Instead, Ino Yamanaka was standing over Kiba, tears streaming down her face.

"He's not a monster," her voice was livid despite her tears, "He's a human being who was forced to contain a demon. HE protected us from that thing, and we tortured him for it. He was lonely, with no one to trust. We should count ourselves lucky that Mizuki was the only one who tried to use Naruto, if it had been someone smarter..."

Choji put his hand on Ino's shoulder and she dove into his chest. Like Ino's lover, Shikamaru and Temari recognized that Naruto was not the only Jinchuriki Ino was thinking about. Indeed, everyone expect Kaede had heard the tale of Ino's encounter with the vessel of the Shadow Roc.

"I know I'm still the newcomer," Sasame said softly, meeting Hinata's gaze reassuringly, before looking at Kiba and Tenten, "and I was shocked and a little afraid when Hinata said that Naruto contains a demon. But Naruto is the one of the kindest, most generous people I know. I betrayed him, and he not only forgave me, he helped me. So it doesn't matter to me that he is a Jinchuriki, I will help Naruto."