Chapter 9
XxAshishxX : Oh dear lord xD I don't know about doing that, but I can tell you she is going to have a rather large part later in the story. Hope you enjoy today's chapter.
Sakura was starting to get tired, and bored. She didn't know how long she'd been making her way from tree to tree but the way things were going right now, she hoped that they would stop soon.
"Hey gu-" She was cut off as Shikimaru stole the words right out of her mouth.
"Alright team, let's stop her for the night, it's becoming dark."
This time it was Kiba's turn to speak up.
"C'monnnn Shikimaru we don't need to stop, my nose still has his scent in it, I can find him in no time if you give me just a little longer."
Sakura, while grateful that they had stopped, also agreed with Kiba, the quicker they can find Naruto, the less risk for him to get hurt.
"Shut up will ya Kiba? You might as well alert every ninja within a mile radius of our location that we're over here."
Kiba just looked down before shaking his head. "Sorry."
Shikamaru just looked at the boy and sighed, he didn't mean to snap on the Inuzuka like that and he could tell it hurt him. Sighing he looked around before saying his next few words.
"It's…alright; I guess I'm just a little on edge at the moment, seeing tree after tree with no apparent progress was starting to get annoying."
Seeing that Kiba hadn't responded, he continued.
"I didn't mean to snap at you Kiba, I mean it, it's just….there's a lot riding on this mission. I don't even want to go back to the village if we can't find Naruto."
Sakura just chuckled lightly to herself as he said that.
'Tsunade wouldn't let you back even if you wanted to.'
"I'm saying the truth when I tell you this Kiba; you're a tracker, a damn fine one at that." The Inuzuka looked up as he said that.
"Right now what we all need is some rest, how are we going to show Naruto that we've become stronger if we're half asleep?" Kiba just nodded solemnly in agreement.
Shikamaru just sighed again as he realized what he'd have to do. Sure he was their "leader" for this mission, but that didn't mean he was going to act all bossy and mean now.
'How troublesome'
He cleared his throat rather loudly, hoping to garner the boy's attention, which he did.
"Kiba, I'll make you a deal okay?"
"What is it?"
"If you rest for a while, and you don't go around making a lot of noise, I'll let you go scouting for a bit, but if you, by some chance stumble across Naruto, you are in no way allowed to get him on your own, we don't know what's happened to him. I don't care what you have to do, make your ass back to us and we'll all go and get him. If you don't see him, make your way back to us anyway, we'll continue once we're all together understood?"
Kiba had a smile across his face as Shikimaru finished talking.
'I'll just stay and rest for about an hour or so before heading out, don't worry Hinata; I'll bring him back to you.'
-Meanwhile-
Naruto awoke to a pair of maroon eyes staring at him.
"AGH!"
To say that it properly freaked him out was an understatement.
"Hi Naruto-san!"
As Naruto came out of the feeling of grogginess from waking up he realized that it was just the boy who he had found.
"Hi…"
He stopped as he realized he didn't know what to call the boy.
"Hey…I have a question?"
"Yes?" The boy looked at Naruto with curiosity as he wondered what his question was.
'I hope he isn't going to ask if it's okay to leave, as much as adore Master Orochimaru and Lord Kabuto I don't mind Naruto's company, in fact if he left I'd be all alone again. I don't want that to happen.'
Naruto cleared his throat before speaking.
"How would you like a um..a name?
…
There was silence as Naruto just stared at the boy who hadn't spoken for a good two minutes.
"You know, neverm-"
"Yes" It came out as quiet as a mouse but for Naruto he had heard like it was shouted at him.
Naruto just grinned goofily as he reached his hand over to where the boy was before patting him on the back. The boy looked up as soon as Naruto's hand had landed on his back.
'What is he doing?' The boy thought as he looked at the strange blond-haired ninja. He had never experienced something like this before, at least not in a pleasant manner but when his eyes connected with Naruto's he visibly relaxed, there was no evil intent in what Naruto was doing, he was just doing it to ease the boy who must've looked like a nervous wreck to Naruto.
'He's going to strike out at me…I know it, I just know it. It's what Orochimaru did whenever I was unresponsive or too scared to speak.'
He clenched his eyes shut, his body starting to shake slightly again as he waited for the strike to happen.
-Forests-
Kiba got up, it was pitch black but that wasn't a problem to someone like him.
"Naruto I swear to god, I'm going to kick your ass when I find you, I could be back at the village, hanging with Hina- I mean training with my team, but no, I have to bring your dumb ass back to the village because-"
"Get to the back of the line Kiba, if anyone's going to be kicking his ass it's mine."
Kiba was startled to think that someone else was up and at first he thought it was an enemy but he soon dismissed that thought as his eyes made out the other figure, Sakura.
"Why do you want to kick his ass? You're the main reason we're where we are now." He asked in a growl.
"Just because I want to get him back the most doesn't mean I don't want to kick his ass."
Kiba just smiled at that before barely catching what she said next.
"It's the least he deserves for leaving m- I mean K-Konoha."
She didn't understand why she nearly said what she said, it didn't matter what she wanted. What mattered was the fact that someone who had become a close friend of hers had disappeared and she was close to losing a second person she cares about.
Kiba, while still a bit groggy, did hear what she said, or almost said and so he whistled out, gaining her attention before shooting a knowing smile that sent the message.
'I caught that'
Sakura just caught her breath as she realized he heard what she said. Suffice to say, the Inuzuka had just witnessed the color of her face, match her hair.
"Don't worry Sakura, he'll be alright."
"I want to believe that, I really do but when was the last time Naruto wasn't able to get out of a bad situation, adding onto the fact that he's been gone for three months doesn't make me feel like he's completely fine."
"Pft, Sakura if he can beat me, he can beat anyone, so don't worry or else you might turn into Hinata…silly Hinata."
"Kiba-"
"Please Sakura I don't need pity."
Those words stung Sakura and she felt her face getting a shade of red as she gradually let those words sink in.
'Asshole, all I'm trying to do is to be nice.'
"I've come to realize quite a long time ago that I'll never be as good in her eyes as Naruto, all I can do is hope now."
Sakura felt her internal temperature lower after hearing that, she truly felt for the boy. Always trying to gain the attention of the one you have feelings for but not being able to get them to notice because of their feelings toward someone else. It truly must be painful.
"Hey Kiba-" she cut herself of as she realized the boy that had been standing across from her was no longer gone. She tried looking around but she realized that he must've just gone and looked for Naruto like he said he was going to do earlier.
Sakura just sighed sadly as she made her way back to their campsite before lying down and trying to escape back into her world of peacefulness.
'Oh Naruto, where are you…'
-Caves-
Naruto just studied the boy carefully, wondering what caused him to start shaking again.
'It's those bastards's fault; first you take Sasuke and now this kid?'
"Pl-please Naruto, if you're angry with me, I'm sorry but please don't strike me, I don't like it."
When he said that Naruto realized that the boy was unfamiliar with what he was trying to do. He quickly took his hand off the boy's shoulder and shook his hands apologetically to show he meant no harm in what he was doing.
"No no, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that what I was doing was wrong."
"It's not wrong Naruto-san…I just don't have great experiences with being..comforted."
Naruto quickly caught on to what he was referring to and bit his cheek in response to his carelessness.
"Er well-Hey! I thought of a name for you."
This piqued the boy's interest.
"How does the name Yori sound?"
After hearing the name he just stood there, not knowing what to say but then a thought popped right into his head.
"Isn't that a girl's name Naruto."
"No no no no it's a boy name! I promise."
"…"
"It means trust, and since your name is now Yori that means that I'm putting my trust in you, don't go throwing it away now."
The boy just nodded absent mindedly as he quickly understood what was just given to him.
"Alright now let's-oof" Naruto was quickly enveloped in a hug by the boy.
"Thank you Naruto-san." It came out as a whisper but it was all Naruto needed to hear.
"Don't worry Yori, and you can drop the honorific, it makes me feel important but I haven't done anything to deserve that."
The boy just nodded as he removed himself from Naruto.
"Alright now let's get the hell out of here!"
"Yea…"
A/N: Alright so that's just about it for the set up, from here on out things are just going to keep on getting better and better, this chapter in and of itself was nothing to special but it sets up the next chapter, which is going to have the return of some familiar faces and the meeting that you have been waiting for. Have a great day c:
