Chapter 10: Rain

Naruto slowly started to wake. His head felt as if it would explode any minute. He gazed around the room and realized he was in a place he'd never seen before. There were light yellow curtains hanging in the windows. He shook his head a few times before slowly sitting up. There hadn't been much in the room itself, except for maybe a side table and a dresser. As his eyes wandered to the outside world beyond the pane of glass he instantly jumped out of bed and gripped the ledge.

His eyes instantly widened at the sight he saw. He was in a tall building, taller then the Hokage tower in leaf. There were buildings everywhere he looked. He couldn't believe it, never in his life had he seen so many people, or so many buildings. He couldn't contain himself; he wanted to break out of the room he was in and explore his new surroundings.

As he was about to open the window he heard the door open from behind him. As the blonde slowly looked behind him he noticed a woman standing there in a traditional kimono. Her eyes widened immediately as she dropped the small glass and vase she had been holding and ran out of the room as fast as possible leaving the poor blonde confused. As Naruto quickly ran to stop the woman, and assure her he wasn't going to attack her in anyway. A man stepped in front of the door and looked straight into the blonde man's eyes. Naruto gave a startled gasp as he instantly jumped back and grabbed the place where his heart was located and looked at the taller man.

The other man who had stepped in was quite tall, maybe around 6'6. He had long dark blue hair, and deep lilac eyes. He looked to be in his late thirties, he wore a pair of loose fitting pants, a netted shirt that ended past his wrists and long white short sleeved shirt that had no buttons and was completely opened. As he stopped directly in front of Naruto he seemed to look him up and down a few dozen times before he gave a low sigh and shook his head. The man seemed very well mannered and very well kept. As Naruto looked at him he couldn't seem to avert his gaze. This man was so calm and cool that it made you want to be drawn towards him. The elder man then slowly gave a bow and stood straight up again and stuck out his hand towards the blonde. Naruto looked confused for a moment before he straightened up and took in a deep breath and shook the other man's hand.

"Hn, what's your name?"

"Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto," said Naruto plainly as he forgot his urge to ask where he was, and what happened.

"My name is Takanozomi. It means tall, honourable hope."

"Where the hell am I?! How did I get here? What happened to those to freaks, and what of the old man?" rambled the blonde, breathing heavily as he looked at the man, remembering the thoughts of the night before.

"You are in Ronin, the second largest city in Tanaka. You got here late last night. My twin sons saved you last night when doing fairy duty, while the old boatman saved you, I believe. Those two men left soon after, I am not certain if they followed or not. The old man as you speak of is back home safely," finished the man as he looked at Naruto.

" I got across…the ocean…" said the blonde as he gave a small smile on his now hidden face.

"I believe so, unless you wanted to get across to that barbaric land across-"

"It isn't barbaric!" snapped Naruto as he looked unsurely at the man.

"By your appearance, I have to say otherwise."

"You try traveling for seven years, sleeping outside earning what money you can. Staying hidden all the time…" muttered the blonde under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing…hey old man-"

"I am not old, I am only 35"

"Whatever, I'm looking for a man who lives on the side of the coast. He's a great medical ninja. Or at least that's what the old pervert told me."

"A great medical ninja? The only ninja over here are my sons and an old man by the name of Yokousagi. But no one has seen him in over 20 years."

"Can you show me where he lives?"

"Now?"

"Yes, I'm kind of in a rush."

"My sons can show you. They seem to hang around there a lot. Though they've never seen him personally. Just his home, I'll get them to take you there when they return home," said the elder man as he gave a low sigh and knitted his brow together, as if trying to think.

"Thanks."

"Why do you need to see him, so badly?"

"I don't need to see him. I need his help."

"Help?"

"Yes."

"But, from what I've heard my sons say. Aren't there medical ninjas where you live that can easily help you out?"

"Not exactly," smiled the blonde as he turned his gaze.

"I heard you say there aren't any ninja on this side, but you and a lot of people below are dressed as ninja?" added in the blonde.

"Travelers, and I'm retired. I don't much go into fights anymore. We came from the land you claim you came from. But I haven't been back since, when I was there it was barbaric. That had to be over 15-20 years ago…"

"That would have been around the time of the great ninja war…" thought Naruto aloud.

"Yes, that is about right."

"Well, times have changed since then. There aren't any great wars going on anymore."

"Then why are there still ninja?"

"…what?"

"If everything was at peace you wouldn't need ninja."

"That's true, but there will always be bad people in the world. No matter where you are or where you go. Things just happen, and there's nothing we can do about it. Shinobi are all merely tools in the hands of destiny. There's no point in wondering if its right or wrong. It just is. It's the same in the village hidden in the leaves."

"I see, but what is the reason for that. You tell me?"

"I had a friend ask the same question many years ago when I was just a kid. And these are the exact words my sensei told us. Well…it's a question without an answer. And we ninja have to deal with that every day of our lives."

"That's what you believe?"

"Nope, not at all. I'm currently fighting to change that." The blonde grinned.

"What do you believe then, Uzumaki?"

"Ok, I've just come to a decision. From now on, Im' finding my own ninja way. A way that's straight and true without any regrets. From now on, I'm following the way of Naruto."

"What type of answer is that?"

"A twelve-year-old's naïve answer. And part of what I said is still true. But I know now, we could never live in a time without regret. It's impossible. But I will find my own way that is straight and true, to help out everyone."

"But-"

"Dad, we're home!" yelled two boys as they entered the room, they dressed exactly like the man, except their shirts were closed. They looked identical. They had the older man's hair, and looked no older then 15. They then froze and looked at the blonde.

"Yuni, Oni. Take Uzumaki Naruto to Yokousagi. You know where that is."

"Right now?" they asked at the exact same time.

"Yes."

"But-"Again at the same time, they seemed to speak at one person instead of two.

"Don't back talk to me. Take him now."

"But, do you realize that will take a good week. Or longer with this guy, I mean he could be the slowest person in the world," said the two as they walked towards the man and split up and walked around him, then walked towards Naruto and started to circle him.

"He's a ninja like you. And you will take him there now," he demanded as he left the room.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Naruto as he looked at the twins, who were looking him over very oddly.

"You of course. Where do you come from, what's your name, how old are you?" they asked in unison as they stood in front of him, crossing their arms at the exact same time while tilting their heads at the exact same time, it was like looking at a mirror copy of one boy.

"I come from Konoha, village hidden in the leaves. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm 23 years old, 24 in October," said Naruto as he watched them stand up straight again and walk closer to him, it was really like watching a boy standing next to a mirror it was creepy how in unison they were.

"Village in the leaves, did he say?" said the boy named Yuni.

"Indeed. He said that, and he'll be 24 this year. But to be from that village he must be a very skilled ninja…" said Oni as he looked at his twin. Then they both put there newly formed fists in the palm of there other hands as if they just came upon a new idea and looked at the boy evilly.

"…" he stayed silent as he looked at the two.

"We'll take you there…but, in return. You must take in a small match against us before hand. And give it all you got, we want to see how strong real ninjas are," smiled the two as they stopped speaking to him.

"I can't."

"What?!" said the two as their mouths literally dropped to the floor.

"I can't…that's why I have to go see old man Yokousagi."

"…Fine, after what ever you have to do there. You promise to battle us?" they asked as they looked at him with the largest puppy dog eyes ever.

"…Uh..."

"Did that sound like a yes to you?" asked Oni as he turned to his brother.

"It was close enough to one for me," smiled Yuni as he turned towards his brother.

"But I didn't-"

"Doesn't matter. Come now," said the two as they dragged the blonde out.

"Oi, hey! Wait…but-HEY!" yelled the blonde as the two jumped out the closest window.

"You know, I've been thinking. Maybe he's gay."

"Midori, he isn't…gay," said Yukio as he gave a glare over at the girl in between the two teenagers at Naruto's favourite ramen stand.

"I was just suggesting it…"

"Midori, think before you speak. And if you have anymore ideas like that, don't say them," said Masakazu as he lamely stirred the bowl.

"Hey, you guys tore me away from practice just to come and eat ramen. I think I should be allowed to suggest anything I want," she said as she gave a glare at the bowl in front of her and continued to eat.

"Hn, anyways, Sasuke-sensei isn't gay."

"How do you know he isn't?" questioned Masakazu as he looked over to his teammate.

"It's Sasuke-sensei…I've caught him looking at girls. Well, that was once but still. He isn't gay"

"Ok, ok. But really we have to come up with something soon…or by the time things finally do work out, they'll be old," muttered Midori as she stopped eating.

"Why do we keep coming here? There are other places to eat," said Masakazu looking completely bored while getting a glare from the man behind the counter.

"Because it's cheap," Yukio stated as he ordered another bowl.

"For who? You, because you never pay for them yourself, or for a normal person who only buys one bowl?" teased Midori as she placed her elbow on the counter and her head in her palm as she looked at him amusingly.

"Shut up," said Yukio as he slurped the last of his bowl and looked at her.

"I don't get how you're not dead yet. This is all you ever eat," said Masakazu as he rolled his eyes at the long-haired blonde.

"I don't just eat this. I do eat other food, when I'm over at Sakura or Sasuke-sensei's homes."

"What, you just go over there for food?" questioned the female.

"…No, I go to Sasuke-sensei's to train, and Sakura invites us all over when she's bored. Another bowl!" said Yukio as he lifted up his bowl. The older man nodded and started to make a new bowl for him.

"I swear, you like this as much as Naruto did," smiled Ayame as she handed the bowl to the blonde.

"You mean Naruto used to eat here?" questioned the three.

"Of course he did. Every single day since I can remember, he used to be here for breakfast, lunch, and supper. And sometimes in-between," chirped the female.

"Is that true, old man?"

"Yes, Naruto and the fourth used to come here everyday."

"The fourth, let me guess Naruto used to drag him down here, too. Like Yukio does to us?" questioned Midori as she looked at the two behind the counter.

"Well, from what my father told me, the fourth Hokage used to come here a lot when it first opened. Then when he returned, he's the one who'd drag Naruto down here."

"So they really loved this place? Who's bill was bigger, Naruto's or his?" asked Masakazu as he pointed his chopsticks at the blonde, only to get a glare in return.

"Naruto's was quite large. There's no way this young man could match it. Even if he ate 20 bowls a day, five times a day for the past two years, he might just then get half of Naruto's bill," smiled the old man.

"Hey, old man, what's Naruto look like anyways?" questioned Yukio as Midori hit him for calling the elder man old.

"Naruto? Well, he had bright blonde hair, lighter then yours. Tall, large blue eyes and a smile that looked like it had never stopped. What else-"

"Konoha's number one knucklehead ninja," cut in Kakashi as he dragged a small silver haired clone behind him covered in dirt, water, more dirt and an odd mix of paint.

"Kain! What happened?!" shrieked Ayame as she came out and ran to the small, beaten up child.

"Nothin'!" said Kain as he looked away.

"Nothing? Don't tell me this isn't nothing. Look at you!"

"He got into a fight with Sasuke," said Kakashi plainly as he sat down next to Yukio.

"Who won?" asked the orange haired boy, not really paying attention to what the elder man said and getting a bizarre look from the silver haired man.

"Sasuke, of course. He went over there demanding that Sasuke go say sorry to Sakura…or something like that," said the man as he slowly started to get sidetracked while reading his horrid book.

"Weren't you reading a pink one before?" asked Midori.

"I was, but then this one just came out. It's issue number 34, the first one out in the last two years!" smiled Kakashi as he showed them the cover.

"Is it just me, or is he a total pervert?" asked Yukio as he looked at his two teamates.

"He is," said Ayame as she got a bowl for Kain.

"You're Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto's sensei, right?" asked Midori while looking at the man, who didn't even glance up from his book.

"Yes."

"So, when do you think he's coming back to Konoha?" she questioned.

"Don't know. Maybe tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, ten years. Won't know till he comes," said Kakashi as he flipped a page in his book.

"So, who's stronger than you in your four man team?" asked Masakazu as he looked at him.

"Sakura has the brains. Naruto has the strength. Sasuke has both."

"So it would be Sasuke-sensei," smiled Yukio.

"No."

"But you just said-"

"I know what I said. Just because he has both doesn't mean he knows how to use it. The strongest man on my old team would be Naruto. Now, if you had asked me 12 years ago, I would have said Sasuke."

"But Sakura told-yelled at me, that no matter how much stronger you get, that one person who is stronger then you will always be stronger. So that means Sasuke-sensei should be stronger," said Yukio recalling the events that happened three days before.

"True, she was right about that."

"Then-"

"But Naruto is a bit different."

"That's what Sasuke-sensei said."

"Did he," smiled Kakashi from behind his mask.

"Yeah, so how is it that-"

"…You see. Naruto was always stronger then Sasuke, but dumber at the same time. Sasuke was always more skilled; it came to him naturally. Naruto had to work at it because it didn't come to him as easily. And so, Naruto trained more, and harder then ever to become the great ninja that he is today. Even though Sasuke did train hard, Naruto had something he didn't."

"What's that?" asked Kain as he now listened.

"Spirit, a dream, and something to protect. Others would say Chakra."

"Spirit, a dream, and something to protect? What were those things?" asked Masakazu.

"His dream was to become Hokage, and be the greatest there ever was, to surpass all the other Hokages and bring peace to the ninja villages. He's already done that with sand and mist. And the thing he had to protect, you'll have to ask him that yourself," smiled the man as he stood up, left money on the table, waved good bye to the woman at the counter and picked up the small child. He threw him onto his shoulder and continued to read his book while walking back to his house.

"What a show off…" muttered Yukio.

"I wonder how strong he really is?" Masakazu mused as he thought of a tall, bleach-blonde-haired man with dark blue eyes, who has crazy amounts of power. In his mind, he was looking at a blonde, blue-eyed terminator.

Sakura sighed as she gazed out the window. She had just got news on Akatsuki only hours before. And now she was wandering around there old training ground. She found herself standing at the same pole Naruto had been tied to when they had been twelve. She gave a faint smile as she ran her fingers across the wood. She then stood up and turned around to see Sasuke standing a few feet behind her.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" she questioned as she looked at the Uchiha.

"Hn," was his only reply as he walked towards her and leaned on the middle pole.

"Did you come here just to think or-"

"I knew you'd be here after the Hokage told you the news."

"Oh," said Sakura as she looked down to the ground.

"I thought about it, too."

"What?"

"Hn, about how close Akatsuki is to getting Naruto. They already have the eighth Jinchuuriki. It's just a matter of time before they truly go after Naruto."

"They've been after him since he was 12. And who knows, maybe even before then. But maybe they won't…"

"Hn, foolish thoughts. This time it may be more then two going after him, maybe the rest."

"I heard that there were ten in the beginning, but Orochimaru is gone, so that left nine. Then the one that I and the old woman from sand killed. Then the two Shikamaru and Naruto took out. And the one who used bombs, you took him out a long time ago. That only leaves five. And maybe less than that. We don't know."

"The leader is planning something large to want all the tailed beasts. And we need to stop it before they get Naruto."

"It would be more helpful if we knew where he was," muttered Sakura.

"He crossed the ocean, to see a man."

"He did what?" questioned Sakura as she looked at him, dumbfounded.

"He went to see a man."

"And how do you know this?" asked the pink haired woman as she crossed her arms and looked at him.

"I overheard-"

"You were eavesdropping weren't you! You're lucky you didn't get caught, Sasuke. It's just got to the point where the village has begun to trust you again. But if you had been eavesdropping on top secret information, then I don't even think what would have happened!" snapped Sakura as she glared at the man.

"Shikamaru knew before any of us."

"That's different. He knows how to keep it to himself! And let me remind-"

"Naruto had Jiraiya's haircut," said Sasuke plainly as he watched the young woman's face go from pissed off to confusion then utter amazement, then to disgusted.

"He didn't! …it was bad enough when he let it grow to look like the fourth's. But why his? He has to have the worst hairstyle in the century," said Sakura as she looked around to make sure he wasn't there.

"It's going to rain," said Sasuke as he gazed up at the sky.

"No it's not," said Sakura as she absentmindedly waved her hand in the air.

"Hn," was Sasuke's only reply until the rain started to fall in giant sheets, soaking the two instantly.

"…Just shut up," Sakura growled warningly as she glared at Sasuke.

"Come on," said Sasuke as he started to walk back towards town.

"Come on, where?" asked Sakura as she watched Sasuke start to walk away.

"Hn," was his only answer as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Why are we walking!? Its raining out here!" yelled Sakura as she ran to catch up with him.

"Hn."

"You're annoying."

"Hn."

"Sasuke. That's it! I can't stand it anymore! Why do I even bother liking you, you cold-hearted bast-" And before the young woman could finish, Sasuke turned around, grabbed her and looked her straight in the eye, causing her to stiffen.

"Sasuke, what are you-"

"Hn." Then, as quickly as he had turned around, he crashed his lips onto hers while smirking to himself as he felt her stiffen under him. She instantly loosened as he pulled out of the kiss. He gazed at her now bright red face. Just as he was about to turn around and continue back to the village, Sakura grabbed his hand and looked at him.

"What, what was that all about just then…?" she asked as she looked at him, rain pouring down harder each passing second.

"…" He barely even glanced at her as a small tinge of pink played across his face.

"I see," she said as she lunged towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck, while his arms wrapped around her waist and he looked her in the eyes. They were spinning at that moment and she was laughing while he smirked and within that second she quickly closed the gap between them. The rain continued to pour, but neither one cared.

Canadain-Girl : Thanks Moogle! Anyways sorry for such the late up-date! And those of you who reviewed! Hope you like it!

Moogle: Moogle rushed a bit. ;.; Curse you, life! Hope I didn't miss much-OMG SasuSaku! OO