Chapter 3
Both lunch and later dinner to Naruto had been a rather surprising affair; Sakura's mother didn't give him that cold calculating stare most of the other villagers have done in the past. Mrs. Haruno had been warm and happy to meet him, even going so far as to approve of him dating Sakura.
Flashback:
Sakura practically dragged Naruto along until they were standing on the front steps to her house. Opening the door the rosette haired girl led him into the house her smile sly. "Mom, I'm home and I brought a guest for lunch and dinner."
Mrs. Haruno stepped out of the kitchen a faint look of interest on her face only to be replaced by a smile upon seeing the whiskered marked blonde. "Well you finally brought him to see me," the canary blonde haired woman stated walking up and bending down examining him. Let's see… he looks so much like his father, Naruto's face got both uncomfortable and confused at the close scrutiny. The lady giggled a bit watching the facial expressions change, Hehehehe, has his mother's expressive face and eyes. With the last giggle she went back to her full height and glanced at her daughter for a second she notice the unwavering look of adoration on her daughter's face she then turned back to the boy and smirked. "I've only got one thing to say young man, if you hurt my daughter I'll string you up by your balls with metal ninja wire."
Naruto gulped instinctively closing his legs closer together, "Never Mrs. Haruno, Sakura-chan is like my most precious person in the world."
"S-Sakura-chan," Mrs. Haruno's giggles covering her mouth with her hand, "that's so sweet and precious," Sakura blushed heavily, she remembered the first time this happened. Her mother would never let her live it down. "Well make yourself comfortable Naruto-kun," she entered the kitchen and brought out three sub-sandwiches. "Here's lunch, dinner will be ready in about four hours. No hanky panky while I'm cooking please."
"M-Mom!" the rosette haired girl looked scandalized while Naruto's face was dark red. They both picked up their sandwiches and ate in companionable silence, both waiting for dinner to finish.
It was during this time Naruto noticed a picture on the fireplace mantle. Getting up, he walked over to it and was surprised to see a younger Kakashi standing next to a girl with brown hair and purple marks on her cheeks. Next to the girl was a black haired boy wearing a pair of goggles similar in design as the ones he used to wear. It was the one who stood behind the trio of kids however that drew Naruto's attention. "Hey Sakura-chan, why do you have a picture of two kids standing next to Kakashi-sensei and the Fourth Hokage?"
Sakura walked up and smiled serenely. In her first life, she had passed by this photo so many times that she never really looked at it until she put the picture of her and Naruto's fifteen-year-old selves next to it. She had been just as interested as Naruto had been and totally surprised when she found out the reason behind this photo.
"That was the squad 7 before us Naruto, led by Minato Namikaze who eventually became the fourth Hokage. The other two in the picture are Obito Uchiha and my aunt Rin Haruno," Sakura explained.
"Wow, really that's so cool Sakura-chan," Naruto smiled fondly.
"I never met my aunt; she vanished the night of nine-tails attack. My mom believes that after witnessing the death her sensei and his wife, she just couldn't stand to be around the village; she lost so much during the war," the rosette haired girl stated sadly, We later find her dying of an illness she contracted when some missing-nin attacked and raped her. If I remember that happens a year from now when she was living in the Land of Waves. We missed her during our mission there maybe Naruto-kun and I can bring her back. "Some in the village believe she was killed by the nine tails and we should be blaming you for her death." Naruto looked at her with haunted eyes; she simply leaned forward kissing him on one of the sweet spots she found when they dated before the time leap, namely the middle whisker of his right cheek.
Mrs. Haruno snorted as she was coming in setting the table, "Like I'll believe those idiots over Minato-kun's skills," a fire in her eyes.
Raising a blonde eyebrow Naruto looked towards Sakura; she giggled and mouthed 'fangirl'. This caused the blonde haired boy to roll his eyes, and was surprised when he felt the seal on his stomach shudder.
The dinner was a fun affair. Naruto entertained Sakura and her mom with his tales of his most extravagant pranks, and outwitting the chunin of the village as he fled following a successful prank.
"Though I do find it strange that Iruka-sensei is always able to find me when I hide," Naruto grumbled in good humor.
Sakura however was able to shed a light on that mystery, "Naruto-kun, out of all of the chunin in the village, Iruka-sensei has spent the most time around you. While I doubt he is a strong sensor, all that time around you he must recognize your chakra signature," Sakura started giggling, "it is probably your fault for getting so many detentions that he is able to track you down so easily."
Naruto started whining morosely and lowered his head, "Sakura-cha-a-a-a-an is so mean to me," but the silly grin on his face showed he wasn't really hurt by the insinuation making the Haruno matriarch giggle at his expense. But still, that does make sense. It would explain how Iruka-sensei found me before Mizuki-sen… no Mizuki-teme did. I hope that bastard drops the soap. He was going to betray Konoha, kill me, Iruka, and reveal our secrets, whatever hell that awaits is too good for him.
Mrs. Haruno loved the playful interaction between the children but needed to get her fun in too, "You two are so cute together. Any plans for the future?" the genin pair stared owlishly at her before releasing twin scandalized screams.
XXX
After dinner they all went into the den to watch the Devil May Cry Saga (yes I turned the games into one big movie, in order of 3, 1, 4, 2). Sakura found it frightening that Naruto was so similar to Nero and Dante, while Sasuke seemed to emulate Vergil. After the movie was over, Naruto made to leave. Right as he headed out the door, Sakura kissed him on the cheek. His grin was glued onto his face all the way home.
End Flashback
It had been a rather strange, yet wonderful turn around over the last week. While not a great judge of character, which his run in with Mizuki could attest, he was good at it. He also was a bit surprised at Sakura's new look, gone was the girly battle dress which he felt hid her figure. He spotted details in her eyes he hadn't seen before, one they looked like she had seen a lot more than she let on, two just by looking at her beautiful jade orbs that showed she was no longer a Sasuke-teme fangirl. Lastly they held such strength and iron will, he felt like saw them before in some distant dream. Only in the dream they weren't jade green, more like an emerald green and the pink hair seem to change into a darker red. Shaking himself out of his thoughts mainly because they were getting too deep for him; he smiled gently, rubbing his cheek on the spot where Sakura had kissed it after he left. He found it odd how Sakura knew just where to kiss him. It's almost like she knows that it feels nice.
Entering his apartment, Naruto found the four jutsu scrolls; both frowning and smiling at them. Sure he wouldn't be able to study them this morning, but he figured after the training exercise and possibly any missions he could get started on them. The blonde shinobi was actually not looking forward to sleeping; in the last week his dreams had been highly unreliable, at least in terms on how good a night of sleep he got. Some of the dreams were of him and his current team as they are now, then they would flux into dreams of him as a teenager, then an adult, and back. Most were fairly benign while others had been downright painful.
In the dreams Sakura never accepted his attempts at dates and bashed him like she had done the previous five years. Also in the dream they had their team introductions go radically different, he obsessed over ramen, Sakura went all fangirly and shouted she hated him; only Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei stay pretty much the same. Frowning a bit, the dreams got fuzzy at certain points almost like someone was blocking the picture with a Genjutsu. Why is this weird stuff happening? It's these dreams that gave me the idea for the jutsu's I wanted. He had seen himself as an adult in these dreams performing those four jutsu in an orange coat with black flames; it was and still is confusing. The dreams all started the day after he had his first date with Sakura. Naruto scratched at his head in frustration at all the deep thinking he was currently doing, Gah! I'm not the old man all this thinking is making my head hurt. With the shadow clones, the Rasengan, and those four jutsu, possibly five, I'll rock. Plus for what I got planned, it's so totally going to blow everyone's mind! With a dark chuckle Naruto sat down and began getting ready for both bed as well as the survival test in the morning.
XXX
Sakura however wasn't resting right now, she was about to confront the Hyuga heiress as the girl was leaving a restaurant with her sensei. The rosette haired girl had no illusions this was going to be pleasant. At every stage of Hinata's life, she had been a devout supporter of Naruto's. Standing silently, watching the Hyuga for a moment until Kurenai and Hinata were close she made herself known, "Hinata-san."
Hinata looked up at her eyes trying to look stern but failed, "Sakura-san, w-what do you want?"
"To talk, about Naruto-kun," the rosette replied. "Also about why after six years of knowing him you couldn't step forward and be there for him."
Hinata's eyes flashed a second before they dulled, "W-what do you mean?"
Sakura snorted, "Please, Naruto might be dense but not the rest of us," her mouth turned up a bit at her own comment, "It's after all, one of his most endearing traits as well as his most frustrating. What I mean is everyone in our class knew you've had a major crush on him."
Hinata's faced turned red a moment she brought her fingers up pushing together fidgeting. "I only started liking him a few months ago," Sakura explained.
Hinata looked up at the rosette haired girl, her eyes hardened, "You certainly hid it well Sakura-san, up until last week you treated him like something you found under your shoe."
Sakura winced mentally, she remembered the things she had done to Naruto and to hear Hinata speak of her past without stuttering or sounding timid reinforced that fact. "I know and if I have to, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to him. What about you? You had six years maybe more; you could have stepped forward and been there for him, instead you hid in the shadows watching while the rest of us treated him like garbage. My mom gave me some advice that she got from my Aunt once. 'Those who don't follow the rules are trash, those who don't help their comrades or friends are worse than trash'."
"W-who was your Aunt?" Hinata asked this sparked Kurenai's interest as well.
A small smile graced the rosette's features, "her name was Rin Haruno."
Kurenai looked thoughtful trying to remember the name while Hinata looked down at her feet, hearing Sakura's words again in her mind made her heart sink. "Y-You're right I couldn't find the courage to talk to Naruto-kun, or offer him comfort. I-I just admired him so much. I had hoped that someday I would gather my courage and tell him."
"You are a very kindhearted and friendly person Hinata-san, even I can see that," Sakura smiled softly. "Which makes what I'm about to say harder for me. You can be his friend, you can cheer for him, but aside from that you stay away from him," with that she turned and began walking away, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder to see Hinata fighting the tears threatening to burst from her eyes. "Otherwise Hyuga or not, gentle fist or not, I'll bust you up, he's mine and I'm his." She had to tune out Hinata's sniffles, her heart felt tight at what she had done. While she wasn't sure if the warning would go heeded or not, she felt that she had firmly staked her claim. In this competition you can't be faint of heart Hinata, you actually led in the polls because I was too far up the Uchiha's ass last time, but this time around I'm surging ahead, CHA!
XXX
Team seven minus their sensei met at training ground seven near memorial stone; Sakura and Naruto were half asleep mainly because both had rough nights. Naruto had a particularly nasty dream about this very event. Though it looked really fuzzy, he saw in one particular moment in the dream, Kakashi-sensei jabbed his two index fingers up the blonde's sphincter. Naruto released a shudder at the memory. That had actually been the lighter part of the dream, the next fuzzy part showed him and Sasuke fighting some guy with a huge sword. After that night he didn't care how exhausted he was, he sent two shadow clones to training ground eighteen with the fire jutsu and one with the wind jutsu. Sakura's night wasn't much better; dreaming again of Naruto's and their children's death. Just seeing Naruto put her mind at ease; she pulled out three apples as they converged.
She tossed one apple to Naruto who looked at it, "Um, Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei told us not to eat or we'll hurl." He had just become a genin; he didn't want to do anything that would screw his chances of becoming Hokage.
With a snort she looks around, "Please, if yesterday was any indication we'll probably be out here awhile before that lazy guy shows up," she bit into her apple chewing on the tart fruit.
Naruto just shrugged and bit into his own apple glancing at Sasuke, who after a few minutes consideration extended his hand where Sakura promptly put the last apple into his hand. The trio ate in silence with the rosette haired girl leaning up against the blonde haired boy while the Uchiha stood a bit off to the side, arms crossed and eyes closed. "Ne Sasuke! Who do you want to kill?" Naruto asked which actually surprised Sakura. Originally Naruto never even asked this question until much later when it was far too late to save their teammate from his dark path.
Sasuke looked at Naruto with an eyebrow raised actually surprised someone didn't know. "My brother Itachi, he destroyed my clan in a single night to test his power, placed me in a Genjutsu and left saying I was too worthless to kill. Before he did he told me 'Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me. And yet survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life, and when you have the same eyes as mine, come to me.' When I recovered I swore to avenge my clan and kill him."
Naruto blinked a few times and frowned, for a second Sakura could almost swear she was looking at her Naruto. "That doesn't make sense. I think I knew Itachi, and he was never power hungry or imbalanced. He used to talk to me about how he strived for a world without war, a world without hatred. Furthermore, while Itachi was powerful, he isn't strong enough to take down an entire clan of Sharingan users, at least not by himself."
Sasuke blinked then narrowed his eyes at Naruto his usually neutral face turned into a frown, "How do you know my brother?"
Naruto's eyes dulled for a second as if bringing up a suppressed memory, "When I was four, a group villager's were beating on me and an ANBU wearing a weasel mask came to the rescue. After that incident he was one of three ANBU that were assigned by the Hokage to protect me."
The Uchiha turned towards Naruto looking even more confused, "Why would the Hokage assign three ANBU to protect you?" It doesn't make sense. If anyone would need protection it would be me. Sasuke's thoughts were not unfounded. He was the last of his clan still loyal to Konoha, and possible carrier of the sharingan bloodline. He was surprised that no one came after him to finish what he started.
After a few seconds Naruto looked down and clutched at his stomach remembering the words Mizuki spat at him a week ago. Naruto, you are the Nine-tailed Fox!
As Sakura gently touched his shoulder, he looked up at her and saw her warm smile, "If you can swear on your honor as a shinobi you won't reveal what I tell you, and then you'll understand."
In the trees Kakashi looked on wide eyed, he had seriously misjudged his sensei's son, having figured he inherited more of Kushina's personality than his senseis. He sighed as Naruto retold the tale of the sealing that the Hokage had told the boy in the tower after Mizuki's betrayal. However none of us truly know the reason behind that tragic event. The only two witnesses are both dead, Minato-sensei what happened that day? This question had plagued the one-eyed Jonin for the last eleven years the same could be said about Rin's disappearance. Her name had been put down as missing and presumed dead until there was a body to be found or evidence that she survived. He prayed that she survived somehow if for anything peace of mind. I should just pass them now. With Naruto-kun pretty much giving Sasuke-kun a double S class secret, that trust should ensure strong teamwork, plus Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan's relationship practically screams they'll make a good team. But I better be safe than sorry, Sakura-chan already made things more difficult. Plus it is a team tradition passed down from sensei to student; I can't just let them off easy.
In the clearing, the members of team seven thought they heard evil laughter but brushed it off as the wind blowing through the leaves.
XXX
A few seconds after Naruto finished his explanation of the events, Sasuke looked a bit unnerved. He hadn't expected something that horrific to happen in Naruto's life. I thought his life was only tough because he was an orphan but now it all makes sense. Taking time to digest the information he was given, Sasuke nodded to the blonde and crossed his arms. No sooner had he finished, Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke holding up his hand.
"Sorry I was late, I got lost on the road of life," Kakashi stated with an eye smile.
"LIAR!" both Sakura and Naruto shouted shaking their fists in his general direction. He chuckled mentally; he remembered Rin and Obito had done the same thing to their sensei. Many would not think Minato Namikaze would be chronically late, but many never knew that he had a beautiful woman that often prevented him from being on time. Of course Obito followed his example as the black sheep of the Uchiha clan, but that is another story.
"Anyway," Kakashi began to tell them the details of their so called training and showed them the bells. (I'm not going into details of the infamous bell test; those who are reading this fic have gone through this song and dance a hundred times already.) Tying the bells to his belt loop he ordered them to start. He watched all three vanish from the field; well, two vanished one was dragged away. I have feeling I'm seeing another Minato and Kushina relationship, only done in reverse.
"Sakura-chan," Naruto whined. He wanted to start kicking Kakashi's ass for being late.
"Listen Naruto-kun I knew what you were planning," Sakura stated in a whisper as they crouched down. "You were going charge at him in a frontal assault."
With a frown Naruto nodded, "Aren't we suppose to get one of those bells?"
"Look underneath the underneath, Naruto-kun," Sakura replied. "The bells are a distraction. We're really suppose to work as a team, no single genin can take a Jonin,"
Naruto interrupted her with a grin, "But Sakura-chan, we aren't single."
Sakura blushed and lightly slapped him on the arm, "that is not what I mean Baka and you know it."
The rosette stated watching Kakashi who pulled out his porn and began reading. She looked at her whisker marked boyfriend and saw the frown on his face. She leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek. "It's noble of you to want to fight sensei head on, but it would be suicide."
What is she talking about? He has one eye, and he is using that for his book. Plus he looks like he just got out of bed. So what is the problem? Naruto frowned. But Sakura-chan said to look, underneath the underneath. Why is his headband over his eye instead of an eye patch? That headband over his eye, could he be hiding something? He is also a Jonin, he should be able to shake off any disorientation in a few seconds. And as a Jonin, he should be able to multitask. Could his lazy posture and book be a way to make us underestimate him? What should I do? After a few minutes of thought Naruto finally nodded and sighed, "So how do we fight him?"
"First we find his weakness," she pointed at the book in his hand. "That book is part of the Icha-Icha Paradise series, basically its erotica, written porn."
Naruto's frown returned, there were two things he hated the most traitors and perverts, "I don't care if he does outclass me, I'll kill him."
The rosette giggled, "Its okay silly," she rubs the tip of her chin thinking the first time they did this test. The majority of her time was spent chasing after Sasuke or Kakashi having put her in a Genjutsu. After his initial bout with Kakashi, Naruto spent most of his time up a tree. If this was six years from now the three of us could take Kakashi-sensei, heck Naruto-kun and I did take him. But at this stage none of us are strong enough. She looked at Naruto; he was in a full body stutter-step eager to do something, his muscles showing through his jumpsuit. She blushed a bit as she remembered one particular night she had been at the hospital in her old life. Years down the road, that stutter step ended up with them having sex in her office which in turn ended up with her getting pregnant. "N-Naruto-kun stop doing that," she stutter her words realizing she was getting turned on. Damn it, he has no idea how excited I get when he does that. It took all her willpower not to jump him, pin him down and show him how to please her. No, must not jump him, she looked at him again and concealed some drool, but all that energy is going to waste.
From his spot leaning against the tree, Kakashi looked up from his book sensing one of his student's chakra fluctuating. It's not Naruto or Sasuke; I wonder what's causing Sakura-chan's chakra to flux.
It took everything in Sakura's self-control to calm down and think of something other than making Naruto a man before he was ready. "Okay Naruto-kun, this is how we will do this; hopefully Sasuke will pick up on it too." Naruto listened as Sakura explained the details on how they were going to get the bells, he smiled at one point. He was also blushing; it seemed every tenth word out of the rosette haired girl was kissing his earlobe. When they finished discussing the plan they leapt to their feet.
XXX
Kakashi looked up as six Naruto's charged at him from the undergrowth; he shook his head with a sigh. After a second he frowned, knocking several away. The last one falling to the ground, "You're not very bright are you?" he said only to receive a smile from the boy.
Going through several hand signs Naruto brought his hands back, "Wind Style: Wind Scythe Jutsu!" he brought his arms around crossing his arms in front of his body in an X. Two blades of wind were sent toward the silver haired Jonin.
Said Jonin's visible eye widened, leaping over the jutsu in midair; the pink haired genin suddenly appeared behind him, her eyes glittering in mischief before reaching down to make a grab at the bells. Unable to shift himself, he grabbed Sakura's hand and used an overhand toss to throw her to the ground. However before she could hit the ground, Naruto appeared catching her bridal style. Setting her to the ground, he extended his hand outward. Kakashi's visible eye widened recognizing the stance. It can't be! Rasengan?
"Naruto," Sakura said softly holding up two bells, Kakashi blinking looking down spotting that the bells were indeed missing. Naruto looked at her and smiled, "Well Kakashi-sensei, bell's taken," she tosses the blonde one of the bells, who snickered. Both waited as Sasuke appeared. Sakura then tossed her bell to the Uchiha. Immediately after, Naruto made two shadow clones and transformed them into bells tossing each into the hands of Sakura and Kakashi, "Is this what you wanted sensei?"
The silver haired Jonin blinked and smiled underneath his mask as he watched Sasuke look at his bell in confusion, Naruto and Sakura both holding the other. The rosette haired girl slid in as close to the blonde as she could while nuzzling his cheek with her nose as she moaned softly, this caused the silver haired pervert to launch into the air blood streaming somehow through his mask. Meanwhile Naruto was trying to keep himself from breaking out into a full body blush. But once their sensei blew back from his nose bleed she stopped, "That's for being late you pervert."
Naruto caught on to what she did both feeling good at the attention but also the prank his girlfriend just pulled, "Good one, Sakura-chan."
"Why thank you Naruto," she kisses his cheek as Kakashi slowly to recover only to catch the kiss and pass out again. "Oh get over yourself, sensei. Do we pass or not?"
The silver haired man slowly sat up, "Yes, you completely understood the true concept of this test, though in a unique way," But that is just you Naruto, you really are the number one hyperactive, knucklehead ninja. Kakashi smiled standing up. "So we'll start missions tomorrow, you can take the rest of the day off." With that said, Kakashi vanished in a shunshin leaving the three genin alone. Sasuke walked off, leaving the young couple by themselves.
Sakura turned to the whisker marked blonde, "So wanna go have lunch with me?"
"Never need to ask Sakura-chan," Naruto smiled taking her hand the duo left the training ground.
Sakura felt flushed as they walked to Naruto's favorite eatery. Well thanks to what Naruto-kun did during the test I'm all worked up. I have two choices when I get home cold shower or my fingers. After a few minutes thinking about it she was going to have to cast the silencing jutsu on her room, cold showers had never worked just thinking about her husband being so energetic got her hot and bothered.