Title: Train Me!
Chapter: ten
Rating: Pg 13 light cursing
Pairing: Naru/Kaka
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… I just drool over him!
Summery: Before the final phase of the Chuunin exams, Naruto begs Kakashi for extra training and is denied! Naruto doesn't take it very
well.
Beta: aimless38 I couldn't do it without her!!!!
Sorry it took so long! Happy Holidays!
Note from Authoress: to eliminate confusion,
'Naruto was thinking at the time'Naruto is talking to you
"Someone said something at the time"
"Ok Baa-chan, why did you send for us?" I rudely demanded.
I had just entered the temperamental woman's office with the rest of my team and I confess to having been very curious. She normally gave out assignments in the mission room but for some reason, we were summoned here to the Hokage's private office.
Her eyebrow twitched at my less than respectful manners. "I hate to do this so soon after reuniting your team but I need to send Kakashi off on a separate mission." She began.
Hell no!' I thought.
She was studying her papers in an unconcerned manner; "We have received a request for his services at a diplomatic meeting with Grass. He was especially requested. The rest of you will remain here."
Shit!' I finally get to be with him and now they want to separate us.' I silently fumed over the separation and that I couldn't even say goodbye in private! The old hag was sending him off immediately. I
watched longingly as he dashed from the room, I knew full well that the idiot would probably be reading on some roof for the next hour and I would not be able to go look for him if the old bat had anything to day about it!
"I want the three of you to take guard duty while your sensei is away." We all groaned miserably at the very idea of boring guard duty. On one hand it made sense to have strong ninja on guard duty but on the other hand, "Ni-chan! That would be such a waste of our abilities!" I whined.
Looking exasperated, she opened her mouth to scream at me and was interrupted by the door slamming open and a young woman bursting through. Tsunade's already throbbing forehead vein threatened to explode. "Just what do you think you are doing barging into my office that way?" she bellowed.
The nervous woman paled and she bowed before her superior. "Please forgive me Tsunade-Sama. I have a high priority message from Sand." She rushed forward to hand her scroll to the angry blond.
Tsunade-ni-chan read the letter before rolling it up with a sigh. "Change of plans, Team seven will be going to Sand." Shizune attempted to protest but was silenced by Tsunade. "The Sand was attacked and the Kazekage, Gaara, was abducted by the organization Akatsuki. They are requesting our aid as well as any knowledge that we have on the organization. The three of you are to leave immediately."
Shizune and Iruka, who were both present, protested loudly only to be cut off by their leader, "I have no choice. This is an emergency and I know that they can handle this!" She growled. Nii-san could be scary when her judgment was questioned and both timid people cowered before her.
I felt Sakura hesitate beside me but could not allow her to hinder our speed with useless questions and insecurities. "Lets go!" I growled out. She turned to me in exasperation thinking that I only cared about an exciting mission. She was about to learn otherwise, "I won't let Gaara down Nii-chan.!" I growled out, "I will do everything I possibly can to help my friend or I will never be worthy of the title I seek."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sakura's jaw drop. On my other side, Sasuke gave me a slight nod to say that he was with me on this. Grabbing the pink haired girl's wrists firmly, we raced to the gates of the village that we had so recently come in through, dragging the konichi behind us and stopping only for supplies.
My mind was a whirlwind of thought while we dashed from branch to branch. Images of what could possibly be happening to my friend swam before my eyes. I tried my best to remain sensible and calm but my emotions have always gotten the better of me and this time was no exception. I pushed my team and myself faster and faster without any conscious thought to do so. I had no idea how fast the pace I had set was until Sakura complained about it.
"Naruto, we may be in a hurry but don't you go and leave your team behind."
"But…" I allowed my anger to show through my voice.
Sasuke jumped in this time, "Don't flare up like that! Didn't Ero- Senin just talk to you about that?"
It was true. As we were walking out of the gate, he came across us and reminded me that I needed to keep my cool or I could get into some serious trouble. He also reminded me that the pricks were also after me as well as Gaara and that I had to be careful not to lose control the Kyuubi through my anger.
No sooner had I calmed myself then Sakura shouted behind me, "Temari-chan!" Sure enough, Temari was walking on the path to sand below us.
We all dropped to the forest path before her and my heart ached with the sad news we were about to deliver.
Sakura stepped forward to speak but Sasuke knew me well enough to put a hand on her shoulder for silence. "Temari-nichan," I shakily began, "I have distressing news." She cocked her head at me. "Your village was attacked and in the act of saving his home from the enemy, Gaara was taken by the Akatsuki." I near whispered.
"GAARA!" She exclaimed. I could see the worry in her eyes clearly.
We spared her a few seconds to comprehend what I had told her before Sasuke stepped up, "We still have two and a half days travel time until we reach the sand." No more words where needed. We all rose back into the trees and this time no one complained for a while about the speed I chose to go.
Trying hard to stay at a steady pace, after a time I couldn't help myself anymore. Against my will, my mind wandered to the few times that I had come across the cloaked bastards that Sasuke's brother was a member of and my feet moved faster.
They had nearly cost me my brother due to one of their wretched members and another former member. They had attacked my home and I three years ago in pursuit of the fox demon. They were now attacking another of my precious people and still wished to harm me. The bastards cared only for ultimate power and they felt that the pain they caused to others is inconsequential!' my mind whirled with these thoughts and my steps started to peel bark off of the branched unlucky enough to be my stepping stones.
Sakura finally got fed up, "Naruto! Didn't I tell you? Don't go too far ahead.."
"I hate them!" I hollered passionately. "I know why they are after Gaara and I! I'm sure you know too Sakura-chan." She had always been very astute and as Tsunade's apprentice I knew that she had to have access to records that were none of her business and therefore irresistible to her. "Inside of me, the Kyuubi is sealed."
I heard Temari's gasp of surprise but the silence from Sakura told me that she had already known, just as I thought. "Gaara and I were born with monsters in our bodies!" I cried, "That's all they think about us and that's what I can't stand! I hate how we are always seen as monsters and that it's the only way they look at us. I hate that they refuse to see us otherwise!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs as a lifetime's worth of suppressed pain leaked out.
My tongue can never remain still once it is set in motion and my words pushed themselves up out of me, "He and I were completely alike. He was left fighting completely on his own."
In my mind's eye, I could see the small child that my friend used to be, all alone. Standing beside him was me, also alone. As time passed, I gained precious people, while he remained all alone and sad.
I could hear the red heads voice ringing clearly in my ears, I was a fragment of the past that they wanted to get rid of. Then why do I exist and continue living? When I was thinking like that, I couldn't find an answer. But while you're alive, you need a reason for your existence. Being unable to find one is as good as being dead!' He had said to me.
"And now, Akatsuki is targeting him, just like with me! What's more, why is he always put in that situation? Only him!? Why is he forced to always be the one to suffer the most?" I turned my head just enough to take in a glimpse of pink hair flying about. "You want me to keep my cool and slow down but that is not something that I can do in this situation. I have to help him because he could have easily been me!"
I had some semblance of love in my life. The only love he ever received was a cover for more hate and deceit. His bastard of an uncle used Gaara's love for him as a weapon.
My emotions gave me an extra burst of speed that my teammates and Temari now matched eagerly. We each put our all into getting to Sand as fast as possible.
Temari took the lead when we reached the edge where the forest met the dessert. She led us through the blazing sun and across the scorching hot sand toward our destination. I was just beginning to gain a little hope when a sandstorm blew in from out of nowhere. I was enraged by the delay to our journey when we were forced to take shelter in a small, protected cave and wait out the storm.
I felt like a caged animal and paced back and forth from one end to the other. "You are not helping Temari-chan with your worry Naruto. Don't you think that she has more cause to be upset then you do?" Sakura demanded.
Looking sheepish I plopped down and tried my best to refrain from running blindly into a disorienting sandstorm. I knew that it would be suicide but my heart was urging my to get there faster! My feet itched to be running again and I exerted all my will power to end my fidgeting.
"Naruto?" I jumped when Tamari suddenly spoke, "Why do you care about Gaara so much? It can't only be that you … bear the same burden… can it?" She appeared nervous but determined.
I thought for a moment about what I wanted to say, "Its partly because we are so much alike but more because he makes me see what my life would have been like without ramen."
Sakura's outburst made my ears ring, "RAMEN?! What the heck do you think you are doing Naruto? She is asking you a serious question and you are a creep for making fun of her when Temari's little brother is in such danger!" No telling how long she would have ranted if Sasuke hadn't taken the prime opportunity to stuff her forehead protector into her wide open mouth.
"Thanks!" I sighed. "Now, as I was saying, Gaara didn't have Ramen (sp) growing up to help him through the hard times. Ramen is very special to me. I remember that the first time I met the Third Hokage, I was about six and some bad people had chased me off of the playground with sticks, rocks and insults. He found me in a dark alley and he patched up my wounds."
"What does any of this have to do with ramen?" asked the pink haired girl with a very dry mouth.
Ignoring her I continued, "When my tears had been dried, he took me to Ichiraku's Ramen. Whenever he or Iruka-sensei wanted to reward me or cheer me up, they would take me to get ramen. When I needed to talk, I would take them. The people who own the place can always be counted on for a smile and some encouragement when I am feeling all alone."
I could see the understanding dawning in Temari's eyes, "I used to have to go to the ramen stand for the feeling of belonging somewhere, now I only have to smell ramen and I feel like I am at home. Gaara never had that feeling and I want to give a little back to the ones who gave that feeling to me by passing it on to someone who needs it even more."
Sakura seemed to be ashamed and Temari was fighting off tears. I had made my point and left myself a bit more open then I had intended to.
Searching for a distraction, I glanced out of the cave's opening and was relieved to see the storm letting up at last. I dashed back out onto the trail determined to make up the time we had lost.
I knew that the rest of my group was wearing down, but I refused to slow any more than absolutely necessary. At long last, the gentle slope of the domed rooftops in sand came into view up ahead. Energized by the end of our mad dash being within sight, my companions found the energy to push a bit more speed into their steps.
The gate guards where overjoyed to see us arrive and rushed us straight into the village. They explained that Kankuro had gone after the men who had taken his brother and had been seriously injured.
Poor Temari lost all color in her face upon hearing that she might lose not only one but both of her brothers this day. Sakura made me proud when she took on a professional air and soothed our worried comrades with her confidence in the abilities Tsunade-sama had beat into her.
We got to the hospital room as fast as we could and stood back while Sakura worked her magic. She looked like a different girl now that she was in her element. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and ruled the hospital room with an iron fist that refused to be questioned or denied.
Her talent and knowledge was astounding. She used a bubble of chakra and some type of liquid to draw out the foul poison that plagued the strong man. Working diligently, she used the advanced technique on each of Kankuro's internal organs until all of the poison that she could find had been removed.
Taking the poison she had extracted, the pink haired girl left to develop an antidote to take care of any remaining taint.
The whole time that our teammate worked, an old hag sat beside me and glared. She seemed to be wary of us for some stupid reason. I finally got tired of her attitude, "Got a problem granny?" I growled.
She smiled a stupid fake smile that I could see right through, "I am not surprised that Konoha sent us a team of inexperienced children but I am surprised that the girl is so competent."
I could feel my blood boiling beneath the surface, "Sasuke" I gestured to my stoic brother, "is the Uchiha prodigy and we were both trained by the legendary Sannin Jiraiya." The creepy old woman's eyes grew round, "Tsunade Sama, also one of the Sannin and the current Hokage of our village, trained Sakura personally. Not to mention that I am the same age as your Kazekage and we were not ordered to come but rather we demanded to come. So, if you aren't going to be helpful, stay out of my way. I won't let some stupid old rivalry from days long past get in the way of helping my friends!"
Her jaw dropped to the ground and I could see that she hadn't expected me to see through her so easily. She gave me a long appraising glance before coming to a decision of some sort. "I will help you pipsqueak. You will certainly need it." She thankfully walked away before I could blow my fuse but good.
I was still a bit steamed when Sakura got back with the antidote. She was administering the dose when I asked an official to take me to the place where Kankuro had fought. "No need." The sick boy coughed. "I tore a scrap of fabric from the bastard."
"Great!" I beamed. "I have a special friend who can track smell." I retrieved the fabric from the broken hand of his puppet and summoned a few special frogs that had been trained in scent tracking. Jiraiya often used them as an advanced warning system when peeping. They could smell an approaching spoiler of fun.
I held the cloth out to them and they all dashed off to find the trail. We were off and running again, getting ready to go within the hour.
I received word that team Gai was on their way and sent Gamachi to meet them and guide them to Gaara directly. Then my teammates, the old lady named Chiro and I bid the siblings goodbye and set out to retrieve their youngest brother.
I would save my friend no matter what. He deserved to be the one with a happy ending for once in his life!
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