The truth of past Naruto
Meanwhile, in Suna
Naruto, Haku, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Gaara were all sitting around a large table with Shikaku, E, Kurama, Raza, and Konkuro and Tamari. They had just arrived at a local restaurant that was recommended by Raza while he was talking with E and Kurama. When they arrived at the restaurant, the three waiting adults and the two teens were taken aback when they saw a leaf jonin walking up to them alongside the children that they had been waiting for. E and Raza were a little on edge of Shikaku's presents there, but for different reasons. E was worried because since Shikaku was apart of the leaf still, he worried that he would either find a way to take Naruto and the others back to the village that they left behind. Or would tell the Hokage were and who they were now living with. Thankfully, Shikaku assured E that he would never do such a thing to his son and his friends if they didn't wish that to happen, he wanted them to stay with E in Kumo because he could see that they were happy there. As for Raza, he was worried because of his plans for the leaf village, he was hoping that he didn't have to change anything, the plan was set to take place at the next chunin exams. The following chunin exams were going to be held in Konoha next year, so it was the perfect time to get his plan into motion. However, if the leaf found out about his plans ahead of schedule, everything would be ruined. If Shikaku was here on the official leaf business, there was a slight chance that he could also find out about his plans. He had to keep on his toes during dinner.
Luckily or Raza, Shikaku wasn't paying much attention to him and his slight ques of suspicion Well, he did notice them, he just filed them away for later use. While he fields those thoughts away, for now, he listened to Shikamaru and the others talk about random things that they wanted him to know about their lives since they left the village, they made sure not to reveal anything too sensitive, they were in the presence of potential enemies after all. Throughout the dinner, the Naruto and Shikamaru talked to Shikaku about passed battles, how they played out, what could have been done and so on. While Hinata and Haku talked to Kankuro and Tamari, they were mostly testing the information gathering skills that Kurama had taught them a month after moving to Kumo. Their skills turned out to be very well taught because Temari and Konkuro seemed to have told them both their lives story without knowing it. Hinata and Haku mentally smirked at how well things were going so far. The other adults talked among themselves about running their villages and training the next generation, everyone seemed to be having a good time, everyone but Gaara. When Naruto noticed this, he turned to the young redhead, "what's a wrong panda?" Naruto asked in a sweet voice, they were all wearing their mask again, the same ones from before.
Gaara lifted his masked face, a frown on his face that matched his tanuki mask, but it went unseen by the outer world. "I don't like being here," Gaara whispered back to Naruto's kitsune mask.
Naruto threw a glance around the table, everyone was still talking like normal. he turned back to Gaara. "It's them, isn't it?" He asked Gaara nodded slightly, Naruto put a hand on Gaara's shoulder, "don't let it slip, okay? You'll be fine as long as you act natural, got it?" Gaara nodded again and started to somewhat relax.
A little after dinner, once everyone was done eating, they were waiting for the check to arrive when a comment from Temari stopped most of the hearts at the table. "Sorry, but I just can't help but think about my little brother every time I see you, it's almost as if the two of you were the same person," she said as she looked straight at Gaara.
This comment put Gaara on edge because Kankuro and Raza gave him a thoughtful look. "You know, now that I think about it, you two do seem to have a few things in common," stated Konkuro looking hard at Gaara.
"Hm? Like what, what do you mean?" Shikaku couldn't help but ask since he didn't know much about how Gaara came to be with the group. He knew that Gaara was from Suna and that he had the Ichibi inside of him, like how Naruto had the Kyuubi inside of him, but they didn't get into too much detail after that.
"Well, before our brother, Gaara, disappeared a few years ago, I remember that his favorite colors were red and gold." Temari indicated to Gaara's clothing, "but all he ever wore was brown and other dark colors."
"Oh yeah, I think I remember something like that too," Konkuro chipped in, he turned back to Gaara without knowing that it was the same person that he was talking about. "He also liked wearing his hair the same way too, without that mask, you two could probably be twins or something." He shivered a little, "but you might be the nicer one."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Gaara demanded, he didn't like the way that his so-called brother was talking about him, hinting that he was nothing but a bothersome monster before he left.
"Oh no, no, I didn't mean anything by it, I just meant that you would be easier to get along with is all. I'm not saying that you're bad."
Temari shook her head, "I think what my baka brother is trying to say is that you just remind us a little of him. He was always so quiet, he barely talked to anyone, no friends, all that."
"You don't think I have friends?" Gaara deadpanned.
"No, no, it's not that's not what-uhm, I'm sorry to let's start over," Temari said.
"Why? Is this a game to you? There is no 'start over' buttons in life," Gaara said in a monotone voice that Naruto and the other's never heard him use before.
"No, it's j-" Konkuro started but Raza cut him off.
"That's enough, Konkuro, you'll only dig yourself into a deeper grave if you go on like this." The Kazakage stated coldly as glanced from his oldest son to his only daughter, the mentioned to looked down in shame. Raza then turned his attention back to the redhead in the tanuki mask, "my apologies, I hope that they did not offend you too much with their thoughtlessness." Raza stood up from his seat and bowed before everyone, he motioned for Temari and Konkuro to do the same, which they did, apologizing for the same as their father. "I hope that you can forgive us for our actions.
E, Shikaku, and Kurama all had the same thoughts, "he must want something big if he's going to suck up so much."
Naruto watched Gaara closely, he had a feeling that things were going to take a turn for the worse soon. He just didn't now how wright he was.