Alright here is another story to add to my list. There are going to be to main pairings, Sasuke and Sakura; Naruto and Ino. They are the main couples with possible references to other pairings, but the story is going to revolve around them. Also there might be a lemon down the road but I have yet to decide, just a forewarning. I have not had a chance to proofread this so please bear with me. If anyone has any questions just ask. As always reviews are greatly appreciated.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
The Avenger and the Fox
Chapter 1
Two figures in long cloaks sat in the booth reserved for the shinobi that guarded the entrance to the village of Konoha. Both wore ANBU masks but wore robes of opposing color. The one in white wore a fox mask while the one in black wore a mask that could have been a falcon, though it was meant to be a phoenix.
The one in the white robe reserved for ANBU captains sat leaning back on his chair in a bored demeanor while the one in black sat looking out towards the road.
"Hey Sai, why don't we head to the bar tonight?" The figure in white asked nonchalantly.
"You know Taicho (captain), we really shouldn't use our real names when we're working." The one replied in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Did I ever tell you that you're too uptight?" The white garbed ANBU member let out. "And I told you not to call me captain. I hate how it sounds, way too formal."
"Alright, I'm going to go give our report to Hokage-sama. Later Dickless Wonder." With that the former Root member disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Not a moment too soon as three kunai embedded themselves in the support-beam behind where he would have been.
"I'll get him back for that one." Naruto said to no one in particular. "God this job is boring." I think I'll take a nap.
Twenty minutes went by before the soft sound of bells woke Naruto. Who the hell is ringing bells, I'll wring their necks. Naruto looked out towards the village but saw nothing but when he turned his head out to the gate he spotted a dark figure limping slowly towards the main gate. Naruto went alert as he saw the figure's black cloak had red cloud designs all over. They're back, and from my guess that's Itachi now where is Kisame, Akatsuki members never work alone. Naruto calculated in his mind the odds of him fighting the Uchiha. He knew it had to be him, Kisame and Itachi were the pair that was assigned to hunt the kyuubi down. It could be no one else, but that still left out the fact that only one member of the infamous organization out there. No time to get help, I'll just have to do this on my own. Sai should be back soon anyways.
The blond ANBU captain ran out towards the cloaked individual. With a flick of a wrist he sent a kunai flying straight for the Akatsuki members head. The figure only ducked down at the last second, the kunai missing him by mere inches, the hat was not so lucky. The bells that hung from the said hat made a couple of faint rings before hitting the floor, silencing them. Naruto already with a charged up Fuuton: Rasengan in hand dashing towards the figure.
The now revealed figure only stood there, raising his head to look at his oncoming attacker but made no move to dodge. His obsidian eyes had a faraway look that seemed to look not at the white robed body rushing at him, but through him, beyond him. His eyes seemed to not look at the here--but at the there and to be. It was an eerie sight, eerie enough to cause the Jinchuuriki to hesitate and look at the intruder. What he saw shook him to his very bones. Naruto stopped with his hand outstretched in front of him, the sphere of the Wind Rasengan only inches away from the face of the person that a second ago he was going to kill with out a moments hesitation. What he saw in front of him had to be a genjutsu, there was no other way of explaining what he was seeing. The Wind Rasengan slowly seemed to lose power and the blades of wind that spun around it dissipated. Soon it disappeared totally into the air. He looked through unbelieving eyes at who stood in front of him. The figure in front of him was almost as tall as he was. His spiked up yet messy raven-colored hair made the illusion that he was indeed taller. The best way to describe his hair was a "controlled mess," as contradictory as that sounded. His skin was slightly pale making it look as he has not seen the sun in months. Eyes dark obsidian eyes contrasted on his pale skin. His body was covered by the standard cloak of the Akatsuki, although the cloak itself looked like it has seen better days. The cloak was littered with holes, slices, and was covered in dirt and mud. In some places it even seemed scorched by a fire. The boy who Naruto remembered as his best friend, who was no longer a boy, stood and stared at the fox mask as if contemplating something, trying to grasp a thought that eluded him.
"Konoha's ANBU must be getting slack... here I thought missing-nin... were supposed to be... killed on... sight." Sasuke spoke with a ragged tone of voice, taking deep breaths more often than seemed usual. Naruto's shock-filled blank stare was fortunately hidden behind his fox mask.
It's him, it really is him. Naruto thought in a hopeful although still slightly unbelieving voice.
"S-Sa-Sasuke?" Naruto could barely get out that one word. Everything seemed so surreal in that moment. In front of him stood his former teammate, his rival--his best friend--the one that he promised his crush that he would return to her. Sasuke's retrieval had been the thought Naruto much revolved his life around. He had made a promise of a lifetime to Sakura to return to him. And now? Now, he just came walking into his--their lives again, as if nothing has happen.
Naruto was in shock. This was more than his mind could bear. Not even his Kage Bunshin training with Kakashi could surmount to the amount of mental fatigue he felt right now. In his shock, Naruto did not realize the manner Sasuke slouched forward as he stood.
Naruto slowly removed his mask. He held it loosely in his limp arm at his side.
"Naruto?..." Sasuke looked at his old friend. Then the most unexpected thing happened, Sasuke smiled. It was not just his usual smirks or grins that Naruto more than clearly remembered but a full fledged, full teethed smile. Naruto felt completely numb, his ANBU mask fell to the dusty beaten dirt road that lead out of Konoha.
He actually smiled. Naruto thought to himself as the initial shock was wearing off.
"What's wrong... dobe... looks like you've... seen a ghost?" Sasuke joked barely being able to get it out between his shallow breaths.
And now he made a joke... Naruto found it hard to talk. His body seemed determined to disobey him. A rattling cough snapped him back into control. Naruto stared at Sasuke as the coughs almost made the raven haired shinobi fall to his knees. He would have if not for the blond Jinchuuriki. His outstretched hands held up the Uchiha in a semi-standing/semi-slouched over position.
"Teme, what the hell happened to you?" Naruto asked softly, his cerulean eyes crystal clear in the afternoon sun.
"Don't I... get... a 'hi Sasuke' or even... a 'welcome back.'" Another set of racking coughs shook the Uchiha, this time spittle of blood shot out of Sasuke staining Naruto's white cloak. Sasuke's body fell completely limp. His obsidian eyes gave one last far away look before closing completely. Naruto quickly pulled Sasuke unto his back. In front of him leading out of Konoha was a thin trail of blood leading up to a small pool to where the missing-nin stood seconds ago.
He's lost too much blood. Naruto thought panic quickly filling his mind as he saw the blood being absorbed by the dirt road. No!
Naruto took off at speeds that surprised him, especially since he was carrying another person. Somehow he ran even faster as he felt the warmth of blood soaking through his clothing. A orange glow slowly gained strength as it emanated from the blond. His cerulean eyes flashed red as they turned into slits.
No! I won't lose him. Not again! Naruto mentally screamed. He ran through crowds making his way to the hospital. He skillfully dodged all the people in the crowd not losing a beat but soon the crowds became to dense cueing him to take his run to the roofs.
"I WON'T LOSE HIM AGAIN!" This time Naruto did scream aloud.
--Konohagakure Hospital--
Sakura was finishing the last of her patients when she felt it. She had been around her blond teammate long enough to know of and recognize Kyuubi's unique chakra.
Not that it requires much concentrating, Sakura thought noticing that the chakra signature was heading her way. At the level he's letting out that chakra I'm sure even those in Suna are sensing it. Something must be wrong!
Of course you moron, Inner Sakura said hurriedly, Go NOW!
Sakura took of at a run towards the entrance of the hospital. It caught the attention of most of the medics as the head of the hospital ran towards the entrance. Soon a small crowd had amassed behind Sakura, then waited anxiously seeing what could have shaken their boss so.
He's almost here.
--Rooftops of Konoha--
Naruto had barely avoided disaster when a loose shingle gave way making him loose his footing and nearly dropping the unconscious Uchiha. He quickly shifted him to his arms and continued his to the hospital. He was almost there. He would not slow down for anything, he jumped down from the rooftops and ran towards the waiting doors of the hospital.
--Konohagakure Hospital--
Damn what's taking him. Sakura thought as Inner Sakura grew restless. Damn him for keeping us waiting. I'll beat some sense into him when he comes. Shannaro! If he isn't through that door in the next-
The doors to the hospital blew inward. Two of the three hinges of one the doors cleanly snapped off. In the middle of the doorway stood the blond carrying the Uchiha in his arms now.
Tendrils of red chakra circled around the blond subsiding as he walked deeper into the hospital. The chakra still obscured the face of the body the blond carried. All can be seen was the black cloak littered with red clouds that flowed to the floor.
Akatsuki... Sakura looked on, confused why Naruto would be carrying the one group of people that wanted him dead.
"Naruto, what the hell do you think you doing? He's akat..." Sakura stopped herself mid-step. In front of her in the blonde's arms lay Uchiha Sasuke.
Sakura only looked at the body that Naruto held in a loose grip. She saw the raven colored bangs obscuring his face slightly. The world around her slowly sunk into darkness. She felt her body let go and a sense of vertigo took over as she fell to the floor. Sasuke... Sakura tried to whisper as she fell, though it only came out in a whisper, even in her mind.
"Help him!" Naruto screamed, his voice warped by the demonic chakra that was leaking out of him. "Help him!" He repeated to the crowd of medic-nin and nurses but no one came forward. From behind the crowd ran Tsunade and Shizune. They had felt Naruto's chakra as well and ran to see what was wrong. Naruto looked up to see who he had come to think of as his mother and sister.
"Baa-chan, nee-chan, help him." Naruto pleaded with them, tears threatened to escape his blood red eyes. That was all they needed to see. Tsunade ran forward picking Sasuke up in her arms and ran to the nearest room. Shizune ran after her but not before commanding several of the medic-nin to follow. Naruto let out a sigh of relief. He knew Sasuke would be alright now with Tsunade treating him. He looked back to the crowd and saw Sakura still laying unceremoniously on the floor. He walked forward towards her, his body still slightly transformed from the kyuubi's chakra. He made sure not to hurt her with his claws.
The crowd took a uniformed step back as the blond Jinchuuriki picked up his pink haired friend. He looked back at the crowd narrowing his eyes. Naruto raised one hand in a seal. A flash of red erupted from where Naruto stood, when it was subsided the blond was gone carrying the bubblegum haired medic with him.
Some of the crowd let out a breath. Some began breathing again not knowing that they were holding their breaths. Some of the older members of the crowd had similar thoughts running through their minds. One of them whispered "demon" under his breath. The younger members who did not know of the kyuubi only stood there in wonder. Most had looked up to the blond, though for most that was the first time they had ever seen him like that. The crowd slowly dispersed going back to their designated jobs.
--Yamanaka Home--
A hard knock ran throughout Yamanaka Ino's house. She was cursing whoever was on the other side of the door.
Who the hell is knocking so hard? It scared the shit out of me. I'll return the favor... by knocking them out!
Ino walked up to her door ready to rain down death on who stood on the opposite side. She opened the door and a blond greeted her with a small smile. "Naruto I'm going to kill y-" Ino stopped mid-word. In his arms rested Sakura. "What happened? Is she alright? Is she hurt?" Ino shot out each question faster than anyone could answer.
"Slow down Ino-chan. She's fine, she just passed out. I was hoping she could rest here the hospital is too noisy right now."
"What happened though?" Ino asked still worried about her pink haired friend.
"Well it's a little bit of a long story. Can I lay her down and then I'll tell you the whole thing."
"Alright, but it better be a good story."
"Hmm. Trust me, it's good. And I think you better sit down for this one." Naruto walked into the home of the blond mind walker. Ino closed the door behind both of them.
Naruto rested Sakura on the couch and followed Ino into her kitchen. Ino was already sitting waiting for Naruto to come in. Naruto pulled up a chair next to her and leaned back much like he had some time ago. "Hmm... Alright. I was stuck guarding the entrance to the village when I heard some bells..." Naruto began. Ino sat not taking her gaze off his cerulean eyes as he kept on with his story. When Naruto finished Sakura was already stirring awake on the couch.
"Things are going to get really interesting?"
"I'm sure they are. We'll have to see won't we." With that both shinobi stood to go check on Sakura who already was sitting up, clearly disoriented.
"Hey guys, I had the weirdest dream." Sakura spoke sleepily.
"I'm sure you did Sakura-chan." Naruto said not hiding his smile.
"Forehead, you might want to lie back down, we have some news for you."
