Author notes: Chapter number 4 is here at last people. I'm actually surprised that so many people have read this, let alone favorite it or put it on their alerts list. So I'm going to take a moment at respond to the few reviews I've gotten already. I enjoy all the positive response I'm getting from this.
Emperor Sasuke: I can see how you would think she is acting like a bitch, and yeah in two cases she had no reason to hit him at all. But in the first chapter he was acting like he was staring at her and thinking perverted thoughts. We know this not to be true, but alas she did not. He accepted the beating because he thought there might have been something wrong with his actions. Then again later in his apartment, she hit him because she though he was going to take advantage of her, in that case kiss her. Even though all he was going to do was check her temperature. Remember how she was teased about her forehead, she's sensitive about people going near it. Also, if I ever decide to get around to it, and gain some sudden insight into the female mind, I'm going to write a companion piece to this, from Sakura's point of view. Hopefully I can do it; I don't want to start it now because I have a lot on my plate.
Cloud Ex-SOLDIER: thank you for your reviews, and as for Naruto's maturity…. Well he has had a long time to think over his feelings for Sakura. And ironically, I wasn't going for the Knight in shining Orange Armor metaphor you alluded to, more that he's just one of those "above all else I'll make you happy" sort of lover.
Chapter Four: Unexpected Expectations
As we made our way to the hospital, it occurred to me, I haven't come up with a way to make myself strong enough to beat Sauske. I'm not sure who would have the strength to help me train myself to that level. But maybe I won't have to find someone; maybe Kakashi will know someone I can beg to train me.
We made our way through the doors of the hospital, Sakura led the way, a smile on her face as she greeted people she knew and possibly worked with. Somehow the environment was calming, if a little bland. Maybe it's because Sakura works here, I'm not sure, but something about this place reminds me of her smile, simple, calming and healing.
Sakura didn't even need to ask where Kakashi's room was, she simply led the way. I felt a pang of guilt that I didn't have that information as well. I probably should have visited him more. I haven't really been the best student or teammate when it comes to Kakashi. As Sakura led us down the hallway, I couldn't help rubbing my cheek the sting of my guilt melding with the slap and clawing Sakura had gave me. It didn't seem to get any better as we entered his room; it seemed almost to hurt more when I saw him as he lay in bed.
He looked up from his book at the three of us, his face as neutral as ever. "So you must be the new member of the team. Sai was it? It's nice to meet you." He gave a short wave with his one free hand, not looking up from his book.
"Thank you." Sai's reply was simple and polite, however it sounded difficult to say over the swelling and bruises growing on his face. It made me feel good that he was made uncomfortable for insulting Sakura like he did. But in a small way I was saddened that he had to endure that pain. But it was a very small part of me that felt that way.
Kakashi called Sakura over to him; he hid their faces with his book and started to whisper a question to her. I though I overheard something about a fight, and a bad temper, and surprises. I was scared for a second that he was going to ask her if she got mad and hit both of us, but her reply was simple, if not with a hint of nervousness. "Oh no, we're all good friends, it was nothing really." Was she sweating? She was nervous about her reply! Oh no, he did ask if she beat us. Well, it is the truth, but still, you should never ask her about it. But thankfully he seemed to buy the answer and leave it be.
"Oh, well that's good then, every thing is okay then." Kakashi gave one of his smiles at the three of us, and Sakura just laughed off her nervousness. But then her cheer seemed to fall from her face, she looked up at me and I could see the disappointment and fear on her face.
"Naruto-" She didn't even look me in the eye, she was on the verge of collapse, she wanted to tell Kakashi about our mission, but she couldn't handle it. She was pleading with me, if without words, to tell him about our failure.
"Kakashi, we uh-" I couldn't keep my head up. "We, our mission that is, we didn't-" He seemed to stop reading his book at this point and sighed.
"I've already heard about it from Yamato, about Sauske and everything." He seemed sad almost, open and unguarded. The silence was deafening, each of us avoiding looking into the eyes of another.
"We don't have a lot of time left. At this rate, in just a bit longer he'll-" I couldn't say it. I couldn't say that we are running out of time before that bastard snake takes Sauske's body. I was on the verge of tears by this point. "And at the level he's at, well he's too strong for us. We don't stand a change at bringing him back at the level we're at now. He's too strong for us." He's too damn strong. Too fast for us to catch! Damnit this is getting us nowhere, I should just ask Kakashi to train us. To train us harder than we've ever pushed ourselves before.
"Well in that case, all you have to do is become stronger than him, right?" He knows we need to get stronger. He has a plan, and it's a good one too. He knows we need to train and already has ideas on how to do so. This is good, we're becoming prepared. We can do this.
Then Sakura spoke up. "But I was talking with Lady Tsunade, and she and I agree. He's gotten far too strong far too fast to be normal. I'm not sure how he's done it, be it forbidden jutsus or if Kabuto has been using drugs throughout his training. And even with these books, there's no way for me to be sure what he's done to his body."
Kakashi turned the page then looked up at me. "Well in that case all you need to do is become stronger than him at a faster rate." He returned his gaze to his book. But why would he look to me? Am I the one he thinks that can bring him back? What is his plan?
"Yeah but how?" Sakura sounded desperate. I think she's as confused as I am as to where Kakashi is going with this.
"You guy don't think I've been laying about sleeping all the time have you. I've been thinking, the whole time I've been thinking about our situation, and I've come up with something." A coy smile seemed to form behind his mask. He looked up at me. He looked me straight in the eye with that smile on his face, and it scared me. "Still, the method I had in mind is nest for someone like Naruto." Like me? He has a way to train like I would? This is good; we'll get Sauske back next time! "Actually, I should say that it's more like something only Naruto can do. Heh, with this training Naruto, you might surpass me in a manner of speaking."
I can't believe it. I could become stronger than Kakashi. Stronger than Sauske. "Surpass you? I could surpass you Kakashi?"
"Yup."
We were speechless. How could I ever be able to surpass Kakashi? He's always been stronger than me, smarter than me, hell you name it he's better than me at it.
"During this training you'll be with me the whole time. And this will be different than any other form of training you've ever gone through so far." He was dead serious about this. What would we be doing?
"What will we be doing then?" I couldn't hide the nervous tint that was in my voice. Here I was being offered the most intense training ever developed. And it was all for me. It was so I could complete the goal I set out on all those years ago.
Kakashi forgot his book and stared into my soul with his one open eye. "I'm going to help you to develop an ultimate ninjutsu to call your own." I was speechless. Kakashi was going to help me create a brand new attack. Something no one has seen before. I'm going to have a new ace in the hole to use against Sauske, something he won't be ready for. "In other words, we are going to have you acquire a new ninjutsu even greater than rasengan. But to gain such a power it is going to take an enormous amount of time and effort. It's not like some hero from a book or story, where he learns some all powerful strength overnight. And this is completely different than learning the rasengan. It's not like you are learning a move that has been created and perfected before. You are going to create a new move."
"A Massive amount of time? We just finished telling you that we don't have time as a luxury. We need to get stronger now!"
"Yeah but I found a way to do so in a fraction of the time. So what might have taken years, you could do in a matter of days, maybe weeks." He was grinning under his mask, and I was shocked. He has an answer to everything. A way to get a year's worth of work done in days!
"But how?" I had to ask him, I want to know. If I can get that much training in such a short time, how do I do it?
"Well you see-"