46 Unburdening

I could understand where the old man stood, but I couldn't help but worry slightly about the result of doing something like that. That was the reason why I came clean with him about the situation in Konoha.

"Old man... Do you know what Danzo has been doing behind your back?"

"Yeah, I know. I've known for quite some time, in fact"

The answer surprised me. I had thought he didn't know anything about the more darker things Danzo had been doing, but I stood corrected. My only question was why hadn't he done anything about it before.

"Then why is he..."

"I have no evidence on anything. That is partially the reason why I want to announce it. The mission was given to you in secret, nobody knows besides the four people involved. I want to use this as a chance to drive Danzo to a corner so we can get something on him"

As much as I didn't like the idea of being used as bait, I understood it. Besides, I didn't care about the "plot". If Danzo died earlier or later didn't matter, since this world was bound to change as soon as I stepped foot on it. Thus, I decided to roll with it. But not without pressing for a few benefits; now the Inuzuka family was clear from tax for a year.

*

The following day I woke up to a voice I wasn't completely used to hearing in my place.

"Nii-san! Breakfast is ready!"

When I came back from the mission, Karin was extremely mad. I must admit that, after rescuing her and getting her all set up, I had neglected her quite a lot. And with Naruto coming and going non-stop she didn't really get a chance to introduce herself and integrate with the group. Hence, after an earful from mom and a few bribes -BBQ-, she began calling me "nii-san". Apparently she loved the idea of having an older brother who took care of her and pampered her, surely due to the lack of care she had been put through in Kusa. Overall, I got a "little" sister and another reason to wish I could just go and make Kusa disappear -which was now easier than ever.

"I'm going *grunt*... just don't yell so loud, please"

"My ears hurt *whimper*"

Guremaru had grown a bit in the last days of traveling. Something I only learned of when I got to Konoha, as I had made him stay in Senkiba Forest to spend a bit more time with his family before saying goodbye. If before he was as big as a Duck Tolling Retriever, he was now as big as a Husky. He also looked more threatening and dangerous, but he kept his overall childish personality.

(A/N= Just google them guys if you don't know their sizes. Though I'll be offended if someone doesn't know the size of a Husky.).

After going down and having breakfast, I prepared everything I would need. Thick skin, check. Poker face, check. Pieces and bits of information to threaten Danzo with in case I need to... check. Only I had made sure to have everything I need -the last one in particular double-checking-, I left towards the Hokage's Office. He told me to be there after lunch, but being earlier wouldn't hurt anyone. Besides, he would appreciate the time off from paperwork.

*

Ok, he didn't appreciate it. He literally cussed me out of his office and told me to wait patiently at the reception. Thankfully, there was at least someone I could talk to.

"Hey bud, do you think people will take well to the news?"

"Hm? I don't know, Ryota"

Of course it was Guremaru. Did you think I was referring to the receptionist? Hell no. That woman looked like she was ready to kill me if I so much as breathed close to her. I was beginning to get bored since talking to Guremaru can only get me so far, considering that I talked to him every day. Thus, I left the reception and decided to sit on the Kages' heads.

Being there made me think deeply about a lot of things. I looked over the entirety of Konoha and felt the air around me. I remember despising the people who live here because of the way they treated Naruto -and I still thought it was, morally, completely wrong-. But now that I was here, having talked to a lot of people, having felt their emotions, gave me a different perspective. They needed someone to blame. They had lost their families, their homes and perhaps even their health because of Kurama's rampage. Thus, they blamed a kid because he "was" the fox.

I don't condone what they did, but I understand it. Sometimes, to cope with something, you need to put the blame somewhere. That is what weak people do. I for one would know that. It's what everyone in my old world did. Put the blame on someone or something because you can't cope with your problems.

Then I thought of why I wanted to deffend Konoha. I can't say that I really did love everyone in Konoha, that would make me a hypocrite. Though, being honest, I had been a hypocrite before. Reality was that I couldn't, in my sane mind, allow people to die just because I didn't care about them. I was someone who easily got caught in guilt and, being a weak person in the heart, it ate me alive. I remembered the time I allowed a friend to fail a test because I was "busy" finishing my third run of Final Fantasy XII. I felt so guilty that I made sure he passed the entire subject with an average of A.

That was the kind of person I was. And killing people wasn't easy either, as I felt guilty too when I did that the first, second and third time -which were pretty much in succession with a couple seconds in between. I only coped with it when I realized that, hadn't I killed them, they could've killed either mom or Karin or Tenten or Shikamaru or anyone else I cared about.

And I, who had been locking inside all of the emotions I felt during this entire time -bar the positive ones-, now had to bear another burden. I couldn't really complain, since I had put myself in that situation, but I wished I could've. Being a beacon of hope of being hated by everyone because you exist... neither was easy. And I was weak. One of the strongest persons in the world currently if you ignore everyone else, was weak when left alone. I needed people. Or I would be consumed by the negativity I felt around me. It was a blessing that positive emotions where so much stronger when real.

Reality was that... I was afraid. For all the strong front I put up, I was genuinly scared of what was to come. I was, after all, just a thirteen year old kid.

"*sigh*... It feels nice to come clean with myself once in a while"

"Did you say something, Ryota?"

"Nothing pal, let's just enjoy the breeze until it's time"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

So here I delve a bit into Ryota's psyche. Some might call it a filler, but meh.

So, information that you can take from here: Ryota was twelve years old when he died, and, even if he should now be 24 mentally, he is affected by his body and still feels things like a twelve year old would. It is only because he is mentally more stable than emotionally that he can put up that strong front and get through those insecurities.

The rest is up to you. Also, you should understand that the emotions he feels do affect him to some degree. He is empathetic, so he can relate very well to others feelings.

Hope you liked this chapter!