Before you start reading, I want to give out a sincere Thank You to all of those who are reading this.
The only thing that keeps me writing, is knowing that there are people willing to read it.
Thank you all so much.
Oh, and vocabulary note: Okonomiyaki is a dish from Japan that is like a pancake with various toppings cooked inside it.
CHAPTER RATING: T
Episode 9: Uzumaki Naruto, Personal Escort
Kakashi slowly walked up the steps to Sakura's house; taking a few minutes to look up from his prized possession, he raised his right hand and knocked on the door.
"Coming!" he heard a voice shout while patiently waiting for the door to open. As the door slowly opened as he saw Sakura. "Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here?"
"I've got orders from Hokage-sama, she wants me to train you."
"Train me?"
"Yes, she wants me to find out your chakra affinity, just like how I did for Naruto." He explained. "Speaking of which, where is Naruto?" Kakashi questioned. As he finished his sentence, he saw a small piece of black fabric protruding from the entryway of the kitchen. He gave Sakura a blank stare as he noticed that she was beginning to blush with a nervous smile.
"I see…" Kakashi started again, "Well, if you see him, tell him that I need to talk to him. We have a task that only he can accomplish." With her face still rose red, Sakura nodded. "When you get a hold of him, meet me by the library, we'll talk from there." Kakashi said while turning around. Before his foot touched the ground, he sarcastically added, "You two should take it a little easier, it's only been eight days since we've returned."
With that last remark, Sakura closed the door, with a smirk on her face.
…
Sometime later, the two of them exited the house, and began to walk towards the library. Naruto strolled with his head rested on his hands, looking up towards the sky, while Sakura walked alongside him.
"So, what do you think this assignment for you will be?" Sakura asked. Naruto didn't reply, he didn't even react to her question. "Naruto! Did you hear me?!" she shouted at him and delivered a forceful shove to his arm. Naruto was caught off balance and stumbled a few steps before answering.
"Yeah, sorry…I don't know..." His mind seemed to have wandered somewhere else before he looked at her sincerely, took hold of her hands and added: "Sakura-chan…I'm really sorry for what I did last night. Can you forgive me?" Sakura pulled away and crossed her arms as she turned away. Naruto's face drooped with depression.
"How can I forgive you now…" Sakura started, Naruto saw the beauty in her eyes as she turned around to face him. "…when I forgave you last night?" His face brightened with a smile as he heard her speak; together they continued walking to the library.
…
As the two reached the library steps, they noticed two figures waiting for them by the entryway.
"Yamato-taichou!" Naruto screamed out while waving his hand. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, Naruto." He replied with a smile. "I'm actually here to accompany you to the Intelligence Division, you're needed there." Naruto's eyes widened as he wondered what his assignment was.
"Sakura." Kakashi said to get her attention, "You're coming with me, we're headed to the training ground." Sakura nodded.
They both smiled at each other while going their separate ways.
…
"So, what is this assignment, Yamato-taichou?" Naruto asked. "Is it some scouting mission, or something? Why is it that I am the only one who can do it?"
"Well, Naruto, you're assignment is to keep a V.I.P company for the day." Yamato replied.
"V.I.P?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"Very Important Person." Yamato replied as Naruto wisely gripped his chin and nodded his head. "The reason why only you can do this is because; you have been specifically requested by this V.I.P."
"I have been specifically requested? Who is this V.I.P?" Naruto questioned.
"We're almost there, just be patient, just in here." Yamato replied as he held open the door for Naruto to step into the Konoha Intelligence Division building. While Naruto walked through the crowded office building, he could hear a very loud voice among the beeping and clicking of computers and keyboards.
"I'M NOT TELLING YOU JARHEADS ANYTHING! I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS! SO STOP ASKING ALL OF THESE DAMN QUESTIONS! YOU CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS OUT OF ME!" the voice shouted in a loud, harsh tone.
A man with a large, imposing figure and a scarred face stepped out of the room. He held his face in his palm while shaking his head. He brought his head up temporarily to face Yamato.
"You're here, does that mean that you have Naruto with you?" he asked. Yamato nodded and took a step back. Naruto started at this man in awe, and then he realized who this man was.
"AH! You're that guy that was testing us for the Chuunin Exams!" Naruto shouted. The man nodded and answered back.
"Yes I am, and it's good that you're here, we need you. Now." Yamato gently pushed Naruto forward into the interrogation room.
"Her name is Karin." He whispered to Naruto.
"YOU DUMBASSES STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND! I WON'T TELL YOU ANY~" the voice belonged to a girl with dark tinted magenta colored hair. Her voice slowly trailed off as Naruto stepped into the room. He noticed Karin adjust her glasses as he came closer to her. His face held a genuine smile as he looked at her. He saw her face soften in its expression as she gazed at him. She gently motioned for him to come closer; as he did she whispered into his ear. Her voice was softer now than it was just moments ago, it almost seemed timid.
"…I don't want to be here." She whispered into his ear. He turned to face her, and with a gentle smile, nodded his head. Naruto abruptly stood up and made his way back through the entrance way.
"Yamato-taichou, she says that she 'doesn't want to be here.' What do you want me to do?" Yamato looked around the room and nodded at the Intel personnel.
"It's up to you now, Naruto. You decide. You're the only one who can get any information from her." He answered with a wink. Naruto's face was dumbfounded in shock. "Just remember that whatever you say, you have to follow through with it. Also, it's best to cooperate with her, no matter what she asks for." Naruto stood still in deep confusion and thought.
"I'm going to have to ask that you all clear the way for me when I come back then, I know what I'll do." Naruto replied. As he entered the interrogation room again, his bright smile seemed to outshine the only light in the room. With his gentle smile, he extended a hand towards her.
"Come with me, Karin-chan. I'll take you away from here."
…
"Okay, the first thing we'll do is see what your chakra affinity is." Kakashi told her as he removed a pack of paper from a pocket in his flak jacket. "I'm sure I don't have to explain as much to you as I had to explain to Naruto."
Sakura slightly giggled as Kakashi smiled. He handed her a piece of paper.
"Run your Chakra through this piece of paper…it'll tell us what your affinity is. If it wrinkles, your affinity is Lightning. If it incinerates, your affinity is Fire. If it becomes soaked, your affinity is Water, if it crumbles, your affinity is Earth; and if it tears in half, your affinity is Wind."
Sakura took hold of the paper between her fingers, and closed her eyes. Not long after, they both heard the rippling of paper flowing in the wind. Sakura gently let go of the pieces of paper as they blew away with the breeze.
"Wind, huh? Pretty interesting." Kakashi told Sakura
"What's so interesting about wind?" Sakura asked.
"Wind-natured Chakra is very…very rare. Not only that, but it's also Naruto's affinity."
"Naruto has the same affinity?"
"That's right." Kakashi answered. "With that determined, let's move onto creating your own technique…"
…
Karin reached up to Naruto's hand and tightly grasped it; feeling her grip, Naruto firmly held onto her hand as he pulled her up to her feet. He turned and began to lead them out of the facility. While bobbing and weaving through the crowd of people, he noticed that her grip was loosening, and naturally, tightened his grip on her hand.
As they walked out of the building, he slowly let go of her hand and turned to face her.
"Doesn't it feel great to be outside?!" he shouted with a big gasp of air. She didn't answer. Naruto smiled and turned around. "Why don't I show you around the village? Follow me…Oh, my name's Naruto by the way. Uzumaki Naruto."
"N-Naruto?" she quietly let out; turning his head, Naruto felt her grab onto his hand and hold it tightly. He smiled nervously as he looked at her.
"Uh…What do you like to eat?" he asked. He watched as she removed her glasses, put them in a case and slid the case into her pocket.
"Okonomiyaki." She replied with a smile. He smiled back at her as he answered.
"I know the perfect place. They make everything there"
He pulled her by her hand, and rushed to Ichiraku BARBE-Q. A smile stretch across her face as he pulled her along.
Naruto burst through the door of Ichiraku BARBE-Q with a giant smile on his face, dragging Karin along with him.
"Ayame-neechan! Could I get a private booth for two?" He asked the woman behind the counter; who smiled at him as she replied.
"Right away, Naruto…Who's this girl?" she asked curiously. Karin gripped Naruto's hand tighter.
"She's a friend of mine, her name's Karin."
"Nice to meet you, Karin-chan." Ayame greeted her.
"N-nice to meet you." Karin replied back. Ayame turned to lead them towards the back of the restaurant. They were led through to the back of the restaurant, the lights were dimmer and the noise from the main room was dying down the further they moved in. They sat across from each other. Ayame smiled at them.
"What would you like?" she asked. Naruto turned his head as he answered.
"Could I have the usual?" Naruto asked as Ayame nodded while writing the order down on an order ticket.
"Karin-chan, what would you like?" Ayame asked.
"Okonomiyaki, please." Karin replied quietly.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Ayame enthusiastically replied. "We have something new that we can let you two try out!" She immediately darted back towards the kitchen, and soon returned with a portable stove, and frying pan. "These tables don't have the grills in them, so instead, we bring out these stoves. We'll bring you the ingredients and you can customize your Okonomiyaki as you like."
"Wow, really?!" Naruto shouted. "That seems really cool; thank you, Ayame-neechan!" Ayame smiled, turned around, and headed back towards the kitchen.
"I'll be back soon with the ingredients!" she shouted while walking down the hallway.
"So…" Naruto attempted to start up a conversation. "If I remember correctly, we brought you to Konoha just eight days ago. Have you been locked up ever since?"
Karin nodded.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Naruto nervously replied. "Most of the time, Konoha is a really nice place. The people are also usually very caring and welcoming."
To Naruto's surprise, Karin nodded as if she knew.
"There's something about this place." She began. "There's warmth here that doesn't exist anywhere else that I've seen." Naruto smiled and nodded at what seemed to be a compliment. Karin moved her hand and gently brushed it against Naruto's. "There's something about you, too." Naruto's face held an expression of confusion
"I…uh…" he was interrupted by the sound of Ayame dashing back to their table with a giant tray holding everything that they had ordered.
"Here's everything!" she shouted while turning around.
"Whoa! Thanks Ayame-neechan! It looks delicious!" Naruto shouted. The food was so delicious, in fact that Naruto soon forgot about the awkward moment that he had just had, and the time passed by quickly.
"Thanks again!" Naruto shouted as he exited the restaurant. The sun was beginning to set. Naruto began to walk home when his mind started to wander about Karin.
What am I supposed to do now? Yamato-taichou said that it was up to me, and I haven't actually gotten any sort of information from her…She doesn't seem to cooperate in that jail, so…Maybe I should…
Naruto turned around, placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. With a friendly smile, he asked her:
"Karin-chan, how would you like to come home with me?" She blushed, his smile broke into confusion at the implication he may have just made. Nervously smiling and laughing, he corrected himself. "I-I mean, you'd much prefer to be in a comfortable house instead of a jail cell, right?...Right! Okay, follow me!" Naruto said with confidence. He firmly grasped her hand and led her back to his home.
Halfway to his home, he noticed that Karin had tightened her grip around his hand. He took a deep sigh as he remembered Yamato's words.
"It's best to cooperate with her, no matter what she asks for.'
She moved closer, and embraced his arm, which surged with heat as he felt her body against it. Blood flooded his face as he repeated the words in his mind.
"It's best to cooperate with her, no matter what she asks for.'
Before he could grasp the gravity of the actions she was taking, he felt her magenta hair against the fabric of his jacket. Karin's head now rested on his arm as they walked together. He took another deep breath.
What have I just done?
