Aftermath
(A FemNaruHina Romance)
Thank you all for the reviews. Please keep 'em coming as it encourages me to keep this story rolling.
To Thunder Claw03: While interesting I don't think the chains would apply as it appears that they only ever involved dealing with the Kyubi and drawing him back into her seal. So without the seal or at least knowledge of its making I don't think Naruko would have the same ability nor would she use it on someone.
To headlem: Thanks I'll trying to keep it flowing. I'm loving the story so far.
To killersoda57: After the War I mentioned in chapter 1 that there was a sever outbreak of bandits and warlords and other increases in crime since criminals viewed the Shinobi as severely weakened by that point. As such for most of the time while Naruko was in a coma all the Hidden Villages pooled their resources to deal with it causing a very busy time. Not exactly true peace. However it has been nearly 7 months since then and the crime should be dying down by now. Soon or maybe this chapter Naruko will finally meet more of his friends. And I feel I should mention Sasuke so I'll incorporate a brief conversation about him.
Without further ado as Mario would say. "Here we go!"
(P.S. Disclaimer: I do no own Naruto or any of its characters.)
Normal
Thoughts
Chapter 4
Training Grounds 6
Thump, whack, thump
Naruko, breathing heavily, keeps up her barrage of alternating kicks and punches determined to whip her weakened body back into shape. Stepping back she focuses gathering her chakra into her hand and creating the Rasengan. Charging she slams it into a nearby tree. Unfortunately though the form is perfect the power of it merely leaves a large crater in the tree. Aggravated by what was to be the hundredth time Naruko growls. Glaring at the tree she falls onto her ass and doing the signature 'Naruto-pouting/thinking' stance she crosses her arms, legs splayed in front of her with feet nearly touching and her eyes closed, face scrunched up as she thinks.
What. The. HELL! I've been at this for hours and yet the damn Rasengan STILL isn't as strong as it used to be. Sure I can do it easily now but what the hell's wrong with me. Wait a minute!
Grinning at the sudden idea she pops up and takes off sprinting for the Hyuga household or home as she's taken to calling it having stayed there nearly 2 weeks already. Hoping her desired help is still there at the moment.
Hyuga Clan Estate
With her Byakugan activated Hinata watches her cousin Neji closely waiting for any chance of an opening as well as waiting for the attack. Neji likewise remains focused on Hinata then with a slight smirk steps in feinting with his right hand only to strike her left side with his other hand. Hinata expecting the feint blocks successfully and counters with a blow to Neji's arm which to her surprise connects. Unfortunately however the surprise gives Neji the opening he needed stopping just short of his 'killing' strike.
"Not bad, Hinata-sama but you need to stay focused even after you succeed in an action."
"H-hai. Arigato Neji nii-san."
Bowing to each other Neji starts to head for the bath house to clean up. Pausing however when he sees a flash of orange and yellow which feels extremely familiar pass by him and land in front of Hinata.
"Hinata-chan!"
Hinata immediately flushes at the sight of Naruko.
"H-hai Naruto-kun?"
"I need your eyes."
"M-my.. eyes? What f-for?"
"I want you to look at me and.."
Naruko stumbles into silence as the Hyuga-heir faints right there blood trickling from her nose. Turning to Neji angrily she starts yelling.
"You pushed her too hard during your sparring Neji! Look at her! She's bleeding and unconscious!"
Neji just smirks and shakes his head at the dobe's thick head. "It wasn't me I never landed a hit except for the finishing blow which I kept from connecting."
"Oh.. then it's just her usual condition. Kuso.. Now who's going to take a look at my chakra to see the problem?"
"I could do that.. Naruto or is it Naruko-san now?"
Giving Neji a one over look she shrugs deciding no one so uptight could be a closet pervert and agrees. "Fine. I'll use you. And I suppose it's Naruko now."
Nodding Neji thinks to himself. Yet Hinata calls her Naruto-kun.. I guess she's not over her love of him. Activating his Byakugan he focuses on Naruko's chakra network nodding to indicate he's ready. Naruko opens her hand pours chakra into it creating the Rasengan once more that day and holding it for about a minute before releasing it.
"Well?"
Closing his eyes Neji considers what he saw carefully before responding.
"When you were charging the Rasengan it seemed to go perfectly. However your several charkra connections near your center appear to be dead. These aren't in any other individual I've seen so I assume they belong to the Kyuubi that was sealed inside of you. Deducing this I assume that you are probably used to drawing slightly on the Kyuubi's chakra which is no longer there."
"Hmm.. so I need to do.. what then?"
"Nothing you can try to force more juice into the jutsu but more likely you'll just harm yourself. Instead you should familiarize yourself with the new chakra reserves you have and accept that they won't be what they were."
Turning Neji deactivates his Byakugan and heads once more for the bathhouse.
"Thanks Neji!"
One Week Later (Hokage's Office)
Kakashi gives Naruko a baleful look over the mounds of paper on the desk assessing her recovery.
"So.. Sakura says you're fully recovered. I must say I'm.. skeptical. Without the Kyubi you shouldn't be healed this fast."
Naruko shrugs. "Well I was in a coma for months, my body had already healed by the time I woke up. Since then I've just been training to get my strength back to normal."
"Oh? And?"
"I'm dying for a mission Kakashi-sensei. Plus I want to know how the other Villages are doing. What happened to Gaara?"
Kakashi stares at her with his single eye and sighing tosses her a mission folder.
"I thought you might. You'll be heading to Suna to help with a few minor bandits there. Hinata will be joining you and once there you should be able to check in on the Kazekage. Though he'll probably be just as busy as I am." Bloody Hokage duties.
"Yosh! I'll head out right away!"
Kakashi watches her leave and sighs looking balefully at the pile of work before him certain it grew in the last few minutes. Sighing again he starts on it.
Hyuga Clan Estates (Hinata/Naruto's building)
Hinata stands by with her pack full of necessities as she watches Naruko running all over her room (somehow as messy as her apartment once was) grabbing things and packing them. The she starts filling every inch of space with Instant Ramen cups disappointed to find very little room left for them she looks at Hinata with a small grin causing the blue-haired girl to flush and freeze.
"Say Hinata-chan.. have you got any room?"
Nodding Hinata gives Naruko all the go-ahead she needs to take the pack off Hinata in a flash and fill it with Instant Ramen before somehow placing it back on Hinata.
"Yosh! Time to go Hinata-chan! To Suna!"
Grabbing Hinata's hand Naruko takes off for the main gate dragging a blushing Hinata behind her. Hinata slowly coming out of her stupor gives a small smile and keeps up with Naruko as they exit the village. She stares at Naruko's hand and blushes once more as she sees despite running alongside Naruko, she hasn't let go yet.
It.. it's so warm.. and rough.. It's the same hand I've always imagining running over my..
With a slight squeak Hinata flushes a brighter red and waves away such naughty thoughts that seem to only have increased in frequency since Naruko moved in.
I wonder if she still remembers my.. confession.. from the battle with Pain. Probably not.. she probably forgot with all the fighting and the war. Or maybe she doesn't feel the same. Oh no what if that's it! She's too nice to turn me down so she's just avoiding! Oh...
Thoughts similar to these slam through Hinata's head causing her to lose her normal flush and look sad even as Naruko is thinking the exact opposite though similarly depressive thoughts.
She hasn't let go of my hand. Maybe.. maybe that means she's still interested. That time with Pain. I was so scared for her and then so angry. I never forgot what she said. But now.. I'm a woman now. She'll only see me as a sister I bet. Or a close friend. *sigh* I bet she's got another boy on her mind now..
In this way the two made their way to Suna both unwilling to talk wrapped up in their heads and their memories.