Naruto walked into his apartment near the South Gate wanting to collapse in his bed, but when he saw Sakura leaning against his kitchen counter, he knew that wasn't going to be the case.
"Sakura, I'm kinda tired and I gotta meet Kakashi tomorrow."
"Okay, Naruto. I won't stay too late."
Naruto sighed. "You're not going to leave until I give you something, are you?"
"Naruto, you're not still mad about earlier, are you? Because I didn't mean it. I just really wanted to see Sasuke-kun and I wanted to be the first one he talked to."
"Sakura, this isn't about that. I'm just tired and my arm kinda hurts." Worry passed through Sakura's eyes.
"I'll look at your arm then." Sakura stepped forward and grabbed Naruto's arm. Both Sakura's hand and Naruto's arm were engulfed in aquamarine chakra. "The discomfort is a good thing. Your body is finally rebuilding the pathways that rasenshuriken destroyed. I'll give you some Vicoden to help you sleep. Your arm should be completely healed by morning."
"Sakura, do you still want to talk?" Naruto asked. He felt a little bit better now that the discomfort in his arm had dissipated.
Sakura nodded. "What's going on? Is Sasuke okay? When did he come back?"
Naruto chuckled. "I'm going to answer your questions in order. Sasuke has been placed under house arrest. Tsunade-baachan believes that he's trustworthy. And Sasuke arrived three weeks ago."
"Three WEEKS! And they just released him from his cell now?"
"Yeah. I was shocked when Sasuke told me too."
"Where is he? Uchiha Manor?"
"No. The Pine Cone Apartment Complex by the East Gate."
"Do you think I can see him? Would I be allowed to see him tomorrow? Would he let me in?"
"Why wouldn't he let you in?" Naruto regarded his pink-haired jounin friend. "Room 201."
"Thanks Naruto. You should get some sleep so you arm is healed for tomorrow. Kakashi isn't going to go easy on you."
Naruto sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks for looking out for me, Sakura-CHAN!"
Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "I thought we were passed this."
"We are Sakura. We are. I was just messing with you. I think I'll need your medicine to sleep though. My arm is on fire!"
"Okay, here. Now sleep."
"Goodnight Sakura."
"Goodnight." Sakura left.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Sakura woke up early the next morning. She was nervous about seeing Sasuke again. She wanted to convince him that she was not a mindless fan girl anymore.
She glanced at the clock. Seven fifty-five. She got up to get ready. She needed to visit Sasuke before her shift at the hospital started at ten.
She started heading for the East Gate without really concentrating on where she was going. She was knocking on Sasuke's apartment door before she knew it.
Sasuke opened the door. Sakura's eyes widened. "Sasuke-kun..." The she lost her voice completely.
Sasuke smirked. "Expecting someone else?" When she still didn't say anything, he sighed. "Sakura did you want to come in?" She followed him into the apartment without saying anything.
"Your back," she said, finally getting her voice back.
"Hn."
"And, apparently, you haven't changed that much," she said, laughing.
His eyebrow twitched, "Hn."
"Okay, then. What do you want to know?"
"Anyone we know dead?" Sakura looked shocked. "What?" Sasuke asked.
"He. . . he didn't tell you?"
"Who?"
Sakura started cursing randomly. "That damn bastard! He should go to hell! Why? What did he gain? He didn't even broad cast it! DAMN IT!"
"Sakura? Are you okay?"
"Fine."
"Oh, yes, I'm sure all fine people curse at the air. It's completely normal. What was that about?"
"Chouji and Asuma are dead."
"What? How?"
"Asuma was killed fighting Hidan and Chouji... he. . ."
The look on Sakura's face scared Sasuke just a little. "What is it?"
"Orochimaru killed him."
"NANI?"
"Yeah. Like eight months ago. Me, Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji were sent on an information gathering mission in one of Orochimaru's abandoned lairs. Apparently he didn't want us to know about his experiments, so he attacked us. The battle lasted hours." Sasuke was shocked. Just how strong had they gotten? He had never seen anyone last hours against Orochimaru. "Towards the end, Shikamaru passed out and I went to help him. Naruto used this distraction to paralyze Orochimaru. He should have died there!"
"What happened?"
"Naruto used rasenshuriken and," she stopped, seeing Sasuke's confused look. "It's an S-class forbidden jutsu of Naruto's own design." Again Sasuke was shocked. What had Naruto been doing that he came up with his own S-class forbidden jutsu? "Anyway, Kazu took the hit. Naruto's still paying the price or using that jutsu."
"What happened and who's Kazu?"
"Kazu WAS a spy sent by Orochimaru to infiltrate our village. He's dead. Naruto killed him that day. When Naruto's paralyzing jutsu wore off, Chouji got hit back the backlash of chakra. He was dead before he hit the ground. There was nothing I could do." Sakura looked upset. "If it wasn't for Naruto we all would have died."
"What did he do?" Sasuke was trying to figure out what power Naruto had that could match Orochimaru's.
"He used a Fuuton jutsu to give us cover and at the same time used a forbidden transportation jutsu to send us all to the Hokage's office. Except him. I don't know what he did or how he did it, but he managed to complete our mission and come back alive. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. It was because of that mission that Naruto was promoted to Captain."
"I didn't know."
"I didn't figure you did."
"Hn." Suddenly a huge crash was heard through the entire Hidden Leaf Village. "What was that!?!"
Sakura glanced at the clock. Nine thirty. "That would have been Naruto. I can't believe Kakashi was actually on time."
"Hn."
"Anyway, I have to go or I'll be late. See you!" Sakura disappeared in a puff of smoke.
**************************With Naruto*************
"You're not late Kakashi. I'm amazed."
Kakashi sighed. "I told you what I wanted to show you was important. I wouldn't gamble with your safety Naruto."
"My safety? What did you want to show me?"
"You remember when I first told you about elemental manipulation?" Naruto nodded. "What element is strong against wind?" Kakashi asked.
"Fire," Naruto answered automatically.
"Exactly, so I'm going to teach you to manipulate fire."
"I can already do that. We had to learn to use all the elements for our ANBU exams."
"You miss understand me. We are going to make fire your second element."
"That closes gaps in my techniques. Where wind fails I can use its opposing element: fire."
"Exactly. You're not THAT slow."
"Hey," Naruto pouted.
"Anyway, there is a second reason for choosing fire."
"And that is?"
"Making rasenshuriken safe."
"Come again?"
"When you choose fire as your second element, you will be able to coat you arm in Kation chakra before using rasenshuriken."
"I get it. The fuuton chakra from rasenshuriken will come in contact with the Katon chakra coating my arm, so it can't hurt my arm."
"Can you explain why?"
"Is this a test? Well, it's because the Fuuton chakra will make the Katon chakra stronger and be unable to penetrate it."
"Very good." Kakashi made many rapid hand seals and jabbed his hand against Naruto's chest. The resulting explosion could be felt through out Konoha.
"What did you do?" Naruto yelled.
"I selected Katon as you second element."
"You can do that? I thought it was predetermined."
"Usually it is, but I can select it because of your nentougan."
"Oh."
"You don't have to do element manipulation. When you choose you second element through nentougan the knowledge is automatic."
"Wow."
"Now use rasenshuriken on that tree." Naruto did and the tree collapsed with the slightest graze. "You already know some Katon jutsu from ANBU so we're done for today." Kakashi left.
Naruto smirked. 'Maybe I'll surprise the teme with a little Katon style body flicker. Nah, I'll get him in trouble if I do that while he's on house arrest."
