Naruto's sitting up with his mouth wide open in surprise. Wh...whats going on? I could have sworn granny Tsunade was OK...sure she looked exhausted but still...she couldn't have... his eyes take on a sense of urgency and completely forgetting who was also resting on the bed he leaps up and loudly says "What happened to Granny Tsunade?! Did something happen since I fell asleep?"
Poor Hinata. She was resting quite comfortably close to the one she loves...when suddenly she's flung from the bed as Naruto leaped to his feet. "AHHH!" she yells out on account of being woken up in such a manner. Hinata falls back onto the ground with her legs in the air.
The entire tent goes quiet as both Naruto and Kakashi stop to stare at the poor girl before Naruto rushes to her side to make sure she's OK and help her up. "OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod! Pleasepleasepleastellmeyoura lright?" Naruto said a little too quickly to be understood. Naruto leans her up and holds her close as he silently mouths his apologizes.
Kakashi places a hand upon Naruto's shoulder to reassure him. "Naruto you have to calm down. She doesn't seem to be hurt...just..." He looks at Hinata lying in Narutos arms with her eyes closed but her face seems to be taking on a deeper shade of red. "Ya...she seems alright." He smiles at Naruto. "But if you don't let go of her soon...she may faint again...and you may have a lot of explaining to do to Lord Hisashi. You know...her dad, who just so happens to be...standing right behind you Naruto."
He feels his entire body stiffens as he slowly turns his head around to see someone standing behind him with his arms crossed and glaring at the blond. "Uhh...I hope you know that nothings happened and i haven't done anything." He cringes at the towering clan leader of the Hyuga clan.
To his great surprise and relief Hisashi uncrossed his arms and just smiled at him. "Not to worry Naruto, I saw what happened so you have nothing to explain yourself for. At least not at this point in time." Naruto tilted his head slightly to the side in confusion to the last part of what was just said to him. Hisashi lets out a small chuckle as turns to Kashashi. "So...have you told him yet? You know...about Lady Hokage being dismissed from her post and being replaced by Danzo?"
Letting out a sigh as he looks from Naruto to Hisashi, "No I haven't told him yet, I was just about to...then he got too...Naruto-like. Then with Hinata being flung back...I didn't get the chance to." He stiffens slightly and nods. "Sorry about that Kakashi, I guess I ended up being the one to tell him the bad news."
"Its alright Lord Hisashi. He had to know about this one way or another. Now Naruto just remain calm and I'll explain the details." Kakashi looks directly at Naruto and holds up a single finger. "Firstly..Lady Tsunade is still alive, she's just severely fatigued from releasing her seal to ensure the villagers survived that huge attack. However she is currently in a coma and we don't know when she will awaken from it..or if she ever will. Secondly The Lord of the region the damiyo has declared that at the moment Danzo is the current Hokage, but that position is still up for debate if we the jonin have anything to say about it."
Naruto silently listen to everything that has happened since his fight with Pain including the fact that Danzo had ordered for Sasukes immediate disposal. Lord Hisashi thanked Naruto again for everything he did for Hinata and the villagers and took his leave. Once he was gone they were still left with an unconscious Hinata when Kakashi had an evil idea on how to wake her up.
"Hmmm...Naruto...I think its about time that she wakes up, and I have just the way to do so." He laughs a little maniacally while over looking Naruto and Hinata as he prepares the hand sign of the Tiger. Naruto instantly recognizes the technique and leaps up while carrying Hinata bridal style in his arms. Then just away at top speed while yelling back "NO YOUR NOT GONNA WAKE HER UP USING THAT!"
Kakashi just grins as he walks away from the tent, then starts roaring with laughter. He kept getting weird looks from the villagers and everyone who was helping to rebuild the destroyed village. Then he disappears in a whirlwind of leaves as we goes off to find a quiet spot to read his favourite book.
Naruto races as fast as he can, past the villages as well as a bunch of his friends and doesn't stop till he thinks its safe. He slows down to a leisurely walk and realizes he ended up going just outside the village to the very spot he trained to create the Rasen-Shuriken. He looks up at the great waterfall and just enjoys the moment. Then he hears a quiet voice. "Umm...where am I?" He looks down to the source of the voice and realizes that he's still holding Hinata!
He gently lets her down, all the while they're both blushing. Hinata fidgets for a bit before looking up at the spectacular sight before her. Her clear eyes scan the area and admire the majestic waterfall before her. "Wow...its...it's beautiful." She continues to admire the sight before her as Naruto tries to get his thoughts straight.
"Ya this is a pretty amazing place huh...Captain Yamato created this waterfall here in order to help me with my change in chakra nature training in order to create my Wind Style! Rasen-Shuriken" He calmly states as he stands beside her. "The training was really tough I have to say...but even after all that work...I can only really use it when in Sage mode." He looks a little depressed as he sits down.
"Umm...Naruto-kun? Is something wrong?" asks Hinata as she sits down beside him. He looks straight at the person she admires so greatly. "Oh its nothing much...just remembering how hard I worked to attain that jutsu, and I came to realize...I don't have that many techniques. Sure the ones I do have, I've honed them to near perfection." He looks and smiles at Hinata. "It just means I should probably start learning a bunch of new jutsu so I can stand a better chance against the Akatsuki. I want to protect the village...all the villagers" Narutos cheeks turn a rosy colour "...and you..."
She blushes lightly as she starts to stammer "M...M...Me? What do you mean Naruto-kun?" Hinata starts to fidget as she awaits an answer.
"Well...I just don't want you to get hurt for me...the very thought fills me with such sadness...I want to protect you." Naruto and Hinata look into each others eyes, just enjoying the moment they're together.
A loud voice interrupts them.. "OH WHY DON'T YOU TWO JUST KISS ALREADY? I MEAN SERIOUSLY THIS WAITING IS JUST DRIVING ME NUTS!" Hinata and Naruto both quickly look towards the direction the voice came from...it was Ino...and she seemed to have dragged Sakura and Tenten along for the ride.
The two start blushing furiously as Naruto starts looking for a quick escape route. He finds one and starts running away out of embarrassment...however...Sakura wasn't going to have any of that. She races into the forest after him. Everyone knows exactly when she manages to catch up with him as the earth started to shake, quickly followed by rocks and other debris flying in all directions. As well as the piercing screams that could be heard coming from one very frightened blond. "NO..NO SAKURA NOT THERE! AAHHHHHHH! SPARE ME!"
Unable to endure it any longer Hinata runs in the opposite direction back towards the village. Catching the other girls by surprise as they were currently focused on what it was exactly that Sakura was doing to Naruto to make him scream that much.
She manages to get away much to the dismay of the girl who were wanting to witness something juicy, but both she and Naruto were just too embarrassed about the situation and both did whatever they could to escape. Oh I hope Naruto-kun is alright...and I hope Sakura-chan won't hurt him too badly... No I know she won't...I wouldn't let her and she knows it...
Sakura is dragging a very beaten-up Naruto back to the other girls. He finds himself surrounded by the three women. And they all seem to want answers from poor Naruto. "So...what were you guys gonna do there Naruto?...Well? Answer me...We're waiting..." Ino challengingly asked him. But instead of an answer he just grins at them "Sorry but I have no reason to tell you girls anything...I know your gonna be pissed about that...but this...this will make you all the more so...especially you...Sakura!" he manages to sick his tongue out at Sakura, then suddenly he goes 'POOF'.
The girls are unsure about what just happened then suddenly it dawned on them...Naruto tricked them with a shadow clone! They were suffice to say...pissed! Especially in Sakuras case. "What...the...HELL! HOW IN THE HELL DID WE MANAGE TO GET TRICKED BY NARUTO...THAT KNUCKLEHEAD OF ALL PEOPLE!" the girls all said simultaneously.
"Well he has gotten better at utilizing those shadow clones of his" a voice from up the tree casually says. The three look up to see that Kakashi had been watching everything that had just happened.
"Oh...Kakashi-sensei." Sakura sweetly says as she begins to crack her knuckles in preparation to tear the entire tree down and get at her masked and elusive teacher. Suddenly realizing his safe haven of a treetop hideout wasn't so safe anymore he quickly retreats.
Meanwhile back at the village Naruto just gets back shortly after Hinata. Aghh everything was going so well...If only they didn't interfere...hehe who know what could have happened. "DAMNIT!" He walks around town for a bit until he meets up with Lee, Neji and Sai. "Hey guys whats up?" he casually asks them while trying to forget the incident in the forest. They replied that they were all doing fine. Naruto suddenly remembers something very important. "Hey Sai, your Danzo's subordinate right? Well can you please help me convince him to take back his order to kill Sasuke?"
Everyone including Sai was surprised at what Naruto had just told them. "What do you mean? I didn't know about an order to kill him?" They started to discuss what was gonna happen with Sasuke as they all hear the sound of a blade sliding out of its sheath. The group quickly strikes a defensive stance as they prepare to defend themselves.
Before them were two young and armed ninja from the village hidden in the clouds. The female of the group was pointing her sword directly at Naruto! She keeps her eyes fixed on him as her partner speaks up "Hey you guys were just talking about Sasuke weren't you? Tell us everything you know about that red eyed bastard!" Everyone wasn't too pleased with how the situation was turning out, Negi calmly says "Whats it to you? Why is it you want to know about Sasuke?"
The cloud shinobi shudder with anger "We have lots to do with him. That guy assaulted our village and kidnapped our teacher Killer Bee!" Naruto was dumfounded by this recent information. Lee like everyone else was also surprised but for a different reason than Naruto. "Umm...excuse me, but why would Sasuke attack your village and master?" asks Lee.
The cloud kunoichi responds with "How would we know of the Akasuki's motives for kidnapping master Killer Bee!" Now that surprised everyone more than anything else they've heard or seen that day. After some thought Naruto speaks up "Your master...Killer Bee was it? Isn't he the jinchūriki of the eight-tailed beast?"
This caught the cloud ninja off guard that this blond kid knew that much about their master. "Just who are you anyways" they ask.
"I'm also a jinchūriki, but of the Nine-tailed fox." As Naruto says this he taps into some of the fox's chakra to grant him some of the features such as the eyes, darker whisker marks on his cheeks, the fangs as well as the claws. He did so not so much as intimidate them but to also show that he was telling them the truth. "And your Master is probably still alive, the Akatsuki always take their captives alive."
This news brought them quite a bit of joy, just as much as the promise that Naruto makes them almost immediately afterwards. "I'll help you find and rescue him. I may not look like it but I can put up one hell of a fight." His friends all nod and quickly agree to what was just said.
"Ya he's strong...but he can be quite the idiot most of the time" Sai bluntly mention. Once again everyone agrees but this time far more strongly than before much to Narutos dismay. "Hey come on guys..."
He glares and lets out a low growl at his so called friends who were laughing at him. Lee is the first to stop as he grins at his blond friend. "Hey no worries Naruto...except you should probably rid yourself of the fox's characteristics before Captain Yamato sees you like that...he probably won't be too happy." His eyes then go wide as he backs away a little.
Yamato was standing right behind Naruto! He was staring at him with those big beady eyes as Naruto slowly turns around. "Umm...hey Captain Yamato. Look I know what it looks like, but Its totally under control, Ya know!" He then proceeds to quickly explain what had just happened before he gets tied up with Yamatos mukuton aka wood style.
He then takes a deep breath to calm himself down as he reverts to his normal self. Mostly so avoid the beating he was surely going to receive shortly. Just as soon as he was back to normal...something catches his eye. Three women were walking towards them as they seemed to be looking for something..or in this case a certain someone.
His body tenses up as he tries to slowly back away from the area. Shit shit shit...they couldn't have found me already could they? I mean...how? I was being as discrete as i could after i escaped from them earlier. Slowly Naruto turns around and prepares to make a break for it. But alas a pair of hands are placed on either of his shoulders preventing his escape from the soon to become war-zone.
"Hey just where do you think your going? You still haven't told us anything we want to know. Either about Master Killer Bee...or about Sasuke!"
The pair of hands that were gripping into his shoulders preventing his escape belonged to the pair of cloud shinobi that he had promptly forgotten about on account of the escalating series of events that had been happening. Now trying to think of a good excuse wasted too much time...'they' had arrived!
The ferocious sound of cracking knuckles was just about all that could be heard. Time once again seemed to slow down as Naruto slowly looks back at the three very angry and quite pissed off kunoichi he had just escaped from a little earlier that day. Sensing what was just about to 'go down' both Rock Lee and Neji step in front of the approaching threat.
"Now Naruto, get out of here. And Sai you go with him along with you cloud ninja since you wanted to talk with him...and it better just be talk!." Neji states as he activates his byakugan.
"Ya...ya OK thanks Neji and thanks again bushy brows...I won't forget your sacrifice!" Naruto motions to the cloud ninja to follow him. He then takes off at full speed to the Hokage Memorial face wall that was still overlooking the village, thankfully undamaged during the attack just the other day.
"Huh? Hey Neji...just what did Naruto mean when he said that he wont forget our sacrifice?" Lee then looks at the approaching women as he realizes just what was going to happen to himself and Neji. His face looses all colour as he starts to shake from thinking about what was about to happen to them.
"Don't worry yourself too much Lee. I know Tenten won't kill us...I don't think she's be too willing to harm you too badly...then again...I can't very well say the same about Sakura or Ino...Damn it Naruto, just what on earth did you do in order to anger them that much."
At the Hokage Memorial wall the group consisting of Naruto, Sai and the pair of cloud ninja come to rest just upon the top of the fourth Hokages head. "Sorry about earlier" Naruto states as he tries to catch his breath. "now we can talk...just not about why they were angry..."
Sai who was more composed than his teammate at the moment begins the conversation "I think we should first introduce ourselves. I'm known as Sai and this as you must already know...is Naruto."
The group finishes exchanging some quick pleasantries. Naruto learns that the girls name was Karui and the guys name was Omoi. He gives them all the information he has on the Akatsuki. Before the conversation goes back to Sasuke, Karui asks them about the state of the village.
"There's something that I've been wondering about ever since we arrived in Konoha...just how many of the Akatsuki attacked the village to bring it to this state? I mean there must have been at least four or five to cause this much destruction in such a short period of time..." She says with a worried face. There's just no way there could have been any less than that many.
Narutos eyes go wide as he starts to think of the best way to explain the attack. But before he can say anything Sai interrupts him. "There were only two Akatsuki members that attacked the village. One of them happened to posses the Rinnengan!"
Needless to say both Karui and Omoi were speechless, the lollypop that was usually in Omois mouth fell. "Huh? How could that be? Even if he did posses the Rinnengan...who would have been able to even stop him?" Karui stated. She then continued with the utmost confidence "It must have taken every shinobi working together in the village to stop him in the end."
A soft voice came from behind them "A..actually...it was all Naruto-kun...He stopped Pain all by himself, using his Sage mode...as well as some other power I've never seen him use before." Everyone looks back and sees who it was that spoke those words...it was Hinata...
Not believing what she just heard Karui says "Naruto? You mean this blond kid? There's no way that could happen...even if he does have the nine-tails inside of him...there is no way he could stop the leader of the Akatsuki!"
"I won't force you to believe it if you don't want to...but facts are facts...I did stop him. Though...there's a good chance that he wasn't the true leader of the Akatsuki..." Naruto calmly states. "Lets just say that's the feeling I got during my fight with him. Now I'm sorry but I have something to take care of...but when you guys are heading out to save your master...send me a message and I will help out however I can!"
He stops and looks at Hinata. She was blushing a lot less than usual. But her face was still red whenever she was near him. Heh heh heh, she looks just soo cute. But later today if I can I want to be able to talk to her again..and hopefully we won't be interrupted this time around. "Say Hinata...could we talk later...I have some things I need to take care of." He flashes her a very confident and cheery grin.
"Umm...sure thing...Naruto-kun...just...find me whenever you have the time." Looking a little disappointed, especially about the 'needing to talk' part. Oh I hope I didn't do or say anything wrong earlier...I just wanted to help.
Realizing that she may have taken what he said the wrong way he smiles at her in an attempt to reassure her. "Don't worry, its nothing bad. I just need to ask you a few things is all. So lets meet up at Ichirakus at 5pm...OK?" He waits just long enough for her to nod and then without wasting anymore time he quickly departs.
It takes a little longer than usual to find Kakashi-sensei since he seems to be taking a bit more effort to hide himself than usual. But he finally finds him and tells him his plan to follow the cloud ninja so he can meet the Raikage before he gets to the Kage summit meeting, in an effort to convince him to not kill his best friend. Kakashi agrees to go with him on the condition that Yamato goes with them. It doesn't take much to convince Naruto as that was also a part of him plan, but his decision to bring Hinata with them surprised his sensei.
Later that afternoon Naruto arrives at his favourite place to eat Ichiraku. He arrives right at five and is surprised to find Hinata already there waiting for him!
"Hey Hinata, I hope you weren't waiting long!"
"Oh...Naruto-kun, no I only just got her." Hinata quietly says even though she knows its a lie. She actually arrived about an hour or so ago since she couldn't contain her excitement about being asked out by her beloved.
"Well that's good. I'm glad I didn't make you wait for too long. Besides after we're done eating I have to leave the village for a bit..." But before he could finish what he was saying, Hinata interrupted him.
"Huh? W...what do you mean leave the village? You are coming back right?" Poor Hinata was starting to get a little hysterical about Naruto leaving the village..as well as leaving her." Please tell me your coming back!"
Realizing that he once again messed up in what he wanted to say he just laughed in an attempt to brighten the mood " Oh sorry I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I was wanting to go and talk to the Raikage and try to change his mind in regards to killing Sasuke. That's all I meant."
"Oh!" Hinata goes a deep crimson as she tried to regain her composure...or whats left of it. "I see...that's what you mean."
"Though I have to say...your really quite cute when you get all hysterical like that." He grins brightly towards a now red Hinata.
Getting all flustered about what was just said "I...I'm...cute? W...what do you mean by that?"
Trying to change the subject as best he could "Well lets not just stand out here, lets eat!" He exclaims happily since he will finally be able to eat his favourite food, as well as eat it with someone who truly seems to care about him.
They proceed to enjoy their meal as they talked, about some important things like the future of the village...to more mundane things like their favourite places in the village or past missions. Suddenly Kakashi and Yamato show up.
"I kinda figured you'd be here Naruto...Its about time we got going." Kakashi states to Naruto. "Also I hope we aren't interrupting your date Hinata."
"Oh...its ok kakashi-sensei except...Naruto-kun was just about to ask me something...so if you could please wait a moment..."
Tilting his head to the side in light confusion "Huh? You mean you still haven't asked her yet Naruto? You better hurry cause the cloud ninja are heading out now. So we have to leave almost immediately if we want to tail them."
"Oh geez is it that time already? Aww and we were having such a good time." Naruto sighs as he turns to his date and looks at her with a unusually serious expression on his face. "I'm sorry to have to ask you this...but can you please come with us Hinata? Your byakugan will make our personal mission a lot easier...and before you say anything, not just anyone in the Hyuga clan will do. Neji is...hospitalized at the moment and your the only one I can ask who I can also trust with my..." He gulps as he remembers the incident just the other day." ...The only one I can trust with my life..."
Hinata goes dead silent as she takes in everything that was just said to her, especially the part that Naruto trusts her with his very life. It doesn't take her too long to come to a decision. "Yes..yes I'll go with you Naruto-kun...Anything I can do to help..." Is all she can say before a very happy Naruto pulls her in for a tight embrace!
"Oh thank you thank you thank you. I'll do anything to repay you for doing this for me...huh? Hinata? Please wake up! I didn't squeeze you that hard did I!" Surprised by the embrace, Hinata fainted for a few moments but was surprisingly quick to recover. Probably because of the Fact that Naruto needed her!
A few minutes later the team consisting of Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto and Hinata set out in an effort to tail the cloud ninja so they may eventually meet the Raikage.