Hey everyone! Long time no see! Finished my term last month and got a 4.0 so I was stoked. About a week after I posted the last chapter my computer broke. Anyway it's fixed and regular updates will begin again. There's a surprise character in here for everyone. Also this is turning more into a Tayuya-centric story so if it skips parts of the anime/mange it's because you've already seen it/read it and rewriting it isn't creative and wastes both my and your time. So for those parts I skip she's doing something else or I skip over it cause you already know it. Or it's filler and for the most part I hate most of those. Also, I was waiting to see if anyone got the names from previous chapters and no one did :/ Kuki is a play on words, Kuki = air in japanese and in sounds like kooky in english = strange, crazy. Few other easter eggs like that. Enough ranting, please enjoy!

Naruto and Tayuya stood in front of Kakashi in a field waiting to begin their training. Kakashi was impressed by the two. Both were injured in their fights and were already back on their feet in such a short time. The Kyubi really does wonders… when it's not trying to kill everyone. He knew though that the training wouldn't be easy.

Kakashi began to speak, seeing that the two were eager to learn a new jutsu. "The purpose of this training is to create a ninjutsu of ultimate power just for you. A jutsu that will exceed the Rasengan."

Kakashi then raised his finger as he continued. "Two techniques, change in chakra nature," he rose up another finger, "and change in chakra form, are crucial for that."

Tayuya saw the confused look on Naruto's face and explained it before he asked what that was. "It's simple Shithead. The Rasengan is mastering the change in chakra form." Naruto still looked confused as she pinched the bridge of her nose in agitation. "Spinning and compressing it is changing the form. You can do that. We just need to add our chakra property into the mix and we get a badass jutsu. Makes sense?"

Naruto nodded eagerly before looking slightly baffled again. "Wait, I don't know my property."

Kakashi heaved out a heavy breath at his ignorance. However, he knew Naruto wasn't at fault. If anyone was, it was him for not teaching him sooner. "Listen Naruto, there are basically only five types of chakra properties. The five types are fire, wind, water, lighting, and earth. These are the basis for the names of the "Five Great Nations" and they're also the foundations of all ninjutsu."

Tayuya nodded along already knowing this and picked up from where Kakashi left off. "Yeah and everyone generally has chakra that falls under one of those properties."

Kakashi pulled out a few pieces of paper and grabbed one and held it in front of the teens. They both watched as it wrinkled up. Tayuya's eyes opened a little surprised while Naruto was more amazed that the paper did that.

"The paper gets wrinkled if it's a lightning property. It'll get cut if it's wind, burn if it's fire, get wet if it's water and crumble if it's earth." Kakashi then held out the paper to the two. "This is litmus paper that reacts easily to chakra."

Tayuya walked forward and snatched two pieces out of his hand, before handing one to Naruto. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with. Just channel your chakra into it."

Tayuya watched as Naruto nodded and concentrated. Instantly his piece split down the middle. He smiled enthusiastically as he proclaimed, "Wind! I got wind!"

Tayuya smirked a bit at how happy he was to know his property. She held her own up and watched as it turned to ash. "Guess I'm fire."

Kakashi then interjected. "Wind is chakra with outstanding battle strength. Now it comes to the training to master it. However, it will take an enormous amount of time to learn that technique. And so I hit upon a way to drastically reduce that time."

At that moment Captain Yamato landed by them, almost scaring Tayuya to death. "What the fuck?! Who's this?"

Naruto looked at her before beginning to laugh. "He filled in for Kakashi on that Orochimaru mission. That's Captain Yamato."

Yamato gave her a small wave. "Sorry for dropping in like that. I'm here to help with the training." He then jumped up and used a jutsu to form a wall that lifted the earth high into the air before using another jutsu to make a waterfall.

"I have two charka properties, earth and water."

Before Naruto could ask Tayuya sensed and answered his question. "Yes, Naruto… You can have more than one. Jonin typically have two or more. You can train to have more. Like my doki, those are yin chakra, not fire."

Naruto nodded before asking, "So is his Wood Style a property too?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, it's the combining of water and earth. He does it at the same time for the new wood property. To use two is called the Kekkei Genkai. Remember Haku? He used it. I can't copy those with my Sharingan. It's a special jutsu."

Tayuya then jumped in, "Well let's get started already. How can we cheat time on training?"

Kakashi looked down in disappointment before responding. "Reduce time…"

Tayuya just waved him off. "Yeah, whatever. What do we do?"

Kakashi sighed. How we got to deal with two impatient teens he would never know. Not that he really minded but a little patience would go a long way. "Multiple Shadow Clones."

Naruto and Tayuya looked at each other confused before returning their attention back to Kakashi. He could tell they had no idea what he was getting at. That and both of them looked skeptical.

"Listen, the Shadow Clone Jutsu is a ninjutsu that allows you to make a copy of yourself." Both of them nodded as he continued. "There is a particular effect this jutsu has on the caster. Anything experienced by the Shadow Clone is also experienced by the caster after the clone has returned to the caster's body."

Tayuya got it right away. "So if we make Shadow Clones and they conduct the same training with two people, the experience will simply be doubled? And would take half the time?"

Naruto continued where she left off, "And if we make a bunch of them, it'll be a bunch more!"

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much it. But your training will be a bit different because of your properties. Naruto, sandwich a leaf between your palms and cut it just with chakra. Tayuya, you will try to keep a leaf from burning."

Both of them looked at each other before asking simultaneously, "How many clones should we make?"

Kakashi scratched his chin in contemplation. "Well one person per leaf…" He pointed towards two trees. "Maybe one tree for the each of you."

Both teens looked at the trees hesitantly before looking at each other. Both smirked and all signs of uneasiness towards the challenge dissipated. They could do it, they knew they could. Nothing was going to stop them. Just one more obstacle to overcome. Both formed the hand seal made hundreds upon hundreds of Shadow Clones.

The clones plundered the trees leaving them bare. One of Tayuya's clones approached Kakashi sporting a wide grin and held up her leaf. Instantly it burst into flames. "That was easy. What's next?"

Kakashi just sighed at her. "The challenge is not to set it on fire but keep it from burning for as long as possible… Watch." He grabbed a leaf and pressed his thumb into the middle. It began to burn outward as he held it in his hand. Then it stopped and remained burning where it was.

"Do you see? The goal is to control it so it doesn't turn it to ash. Try it out." The Tayuya clone nodded before finding another leaf and telling everyone else what to do. Kakashi could only watch as both Naruto and Tayuya struggled to figure it out.

After a few hours had passed Tayuya still couldn't figure it out. Each and every time she tried the leaf would combust in its entirety. How the hell does he stop it? At that point she and all of her clones had ravaged three more trees of their leaves. At this pace the whole forest would be devoid of green in a week's time.

She glanced over at Naruto and saw one of them talking to Kakashi. He then ran back over to her with a gigantic grin on his face. How'd he know I was the real one? That's weird… Wonder how I know the real him is over there. Something to think about later.

She looked up at him as he stopped in front of her. "What are you doing?"

Naruto replied, "Going to look for Asuma Sensei. He has a natural wind affinity like me. Want to come?"

Tayuya tried one more time only to see her leaf explode in a ball of fire. "I could use a break. The rest will stay I guess." Naruto smiled as he grabbed her hand and began running back to the village.

As they made their way down one of the busy streets, Tayuya stopped him. Naruto looked at her perplexed waiting for a reason. She knew he was looking for advice for his training, but it wouldn't help her. She needed to figure it out herself.

"Go find Asuma. I need to think."

Naruto only looked more confused from her answer. "Think? About what?"

Tayuya sighed. She didn't want to vent all her frustration on him about the training. It hadn't been that long but every leaf she destroyed only raised her agitation to new levels of rage. "Can't figure out the training. Just need a while to cool my head."

Naruto nodded. He couldn't blame her. He was getting frustrated too but he was headed in the right direction at the very least. He had made small cuts to the leaves. She on other hand just burned all of them in giant fireballs. "Alright. I'll see you later then."

As he tried to walk away, Tayuya pulled him back in. His brows rose in surprise as she leaned and gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing his face to turn as red as her hair. "We're together now. We can do that. Don't do anything stupid, Shithead." With that she turned and walked away from him. Seeing Naruto frozen and blushing like that helped ease her nerves. That and kissing the guy she liked also helped.

Tayuya walked aimlessly for a few hours until she noticed she was in another training ground. What training ground is this? She heard some noise and walked towards the source of it. In the clearing was a small wooden shack near a stream.

Who the fuck lives out here? That's weird. Being Tayuya, she had to investigate. She approached it and walked through the entrance covered by some animal pelt. "Anyone home?"

Tayuya looked to see it was just an old man sitting facing the wall opposite of the doorway with lit candles behind him. "What are you doing out here?"

The man didn't turn towards her. He replied seriously, "Get out."

Tayuya scoffed at him. The nerve of the guy telling her to get out without even facing her. "Hey, this is a village training ground. I'm training so I can be here. What the hell are you doing living out here? I could be telling you to get out."

She waited anxiously to hear his answer. It was a good point even if she did pull it out of her ass.

The man replied simply, "Training?"

Tayuya nodded. "Yeah, trying to master chakra nature. Fire is hell of a lot harder than I thought. Now answer my question."

Again the man responded in a tone that pissed her off. "Only a fool seeks their own destruction."

Own destruction? The fuck? And who's he calling a fool? "Hey old man, watch it with that fool bullshit. I have to learn it to protect someone. It's my destiny and I won't have you shitting on that."

The man responded angrily, "Destiny?! What would a girl know of destiny? If a fish lives its whole life in this river, does she know the river's destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on out of her control. She may follow where it flows, but she cannot see the end. She cannot imagine the ocean."

"What the fuck are you talking about? What ocean? And are you calling me a fish? I have to master this discipline. It's my duty."

The man shook his head. "To master the fire discipline, you must first master discipline itself. But you have no interest in this, so I have no interest in you. Now, get out."

Tayuya was now beyond furious and confused. What the hell was the guy shouting at her? "No interest in me? Do you know about fire property?"

The man finally turned towards her for the first time in the conversation. "Are you deaf? How can I teach you if you refuse to listen?"

"Teach me? I didn't ask you that? The fuck do you know about it?"

The man eyed her as he put his hand by one of the many candle's flames. "Fire is alive. It breathes, it grows. Without an earth jutsu a rock will not roll itself. But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it. That is its destiny. You are not ready! You are too weak!" As he finished the flames from all of his candles shot up high in the air.

Tayuya's mouth wasn't hanging after his rant. Who is this guy? And where does he get the balls to talk to me like that? But if he knows something about this leaf bullshit, I got to find out. Regaining her composure she replied to him. "So you know about mastering fire chakra nature?" He continued to stare daggers at her.

"Teach me."

The man grunted at her.

"Teach me or I let the village know you're living out here rent free and they'll kick you out."

The two stared at each other for what seemed to be eternity before he relented. "Fine… I will teach you." He stood up and walked past her, heading outside. She followed with a shit eating grin. Wasn't every day you could make someone do what you wanted by saying you would tell on them.

He stopped when he reached the bank of the stream and pointed at the water. Tayuya understood and jumped and landed on the water, using her chakra to stand on it. "By the way, what's your name old man?"

His eye twitched before he responded. "Jeong Jeong." A few awkward moments passed as the two stared at each other before he spoke again. "Widen your stance."

Tayuya didn't like being told what to do but she complied. If he knew the trick she was going to find it out.

"Wider! Bend your knees!" Again she followed along. "Now, concentrate." Jeong Jeong began to walk away.

Tayuya looked at him and yelled. "Wait! What do I do now? What am I concentrating on?"

Jeong Jeong turned and yelled in his usual way. At that point, she began to think that that was his normal speaking voice. "Silence! Speaking is not concentrating! Feel the heat of the sun. It is the greatest source of fire, yet it is in complete balance with nature. Now concentrate and breathe. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth."

Tayuya mumbled, "I know how to breathe jackass."

"What was that?!"

Tayuya dropped her head before righting herself back up and following with his teaching. This old man better know what the fuck he's talking about. She concentrated for a while before seemingly slipping off.

Tayuya awoke in a damp place. She stood up to find herself in a long narrow hallway wit pipes all along the ceiling. The pipes were dripping a bit and she there was a little bit less than an inch of water on the ground. Feeling a pull, from what she didn't know, she walked down the hallway.

What seemed like hours passed before she exited the corridor into a large room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small door blocked by bars with a seal. She began to approach it and saw a floating ball of light. It glowed with a tint of mint green. Reading the seal she was surprised to see it read Rebirth. "What the?" Tayuya asked herself.

A booming voice vibrated through the room as he called out to her. "So you've finally came to visit."

Tayuya spun to see a pair of hungry eyes behind bars that spanned the entire front of the room. The hairs on her neck stood up and she felt goosebumps. For the first time in her life she felt more than just afraid. She felt terrified. However, she wouldn't back down from any enemy.

Walking slowly to the cage she stared at it until her eyes adjusted to the dark and she saw the fox the eyes belonged to. To say it was huge would be an understatement. All she could think was that was only half of the beast while the other half was in Naruto. She didn't want to see it if it became whole again; not if it could make her that terrified from only half of it.

The Kyubi spoke to her first. "I've been watching you. You think you can protect him?"

Tayuya gulped before responding. "Ho-How do you know that?"

The fox leaned down eye level to her as he cocked a snarling grin. "I see everything. I've heard your thoughts, your dreams, your primal urges with the boy… All of it. You just want peace. A place you two can run away to. A place he will never leave you. But you won't have it."

"He wouldn't leave me." Tayuya yelled back at the fox.

A cackle escaped from the Kyubi's lips before he resumed. "Willing, perhaps not. But if the Akatsuki get him."

Tayuya interrupted, "They won't. I won't allow it."

Again the fox laughed. "Even if you stop them, I or my other half will get out. If you lose control for even one second, I'll take over. When that happens, I'll tear him apart to get my other half. And you'll watch, and not be able to do anything. You're his greatest threat."

Tayuya stepped back in fear from his words. I wouldn't, I couldn't! The stupid fox is lying.

The Kyubi interrupted her thoughts, "Am I?"

That startled Tayuya. She wasn't even safe in the depths of her own mind. How could she stop him from messing with her? From driving her crazy? Then she pictured Naruto's face and she calmed down.

The Kyubi attempted to gloat as she looked down. "Realize it's futile? Why don't you just submit to me willingly? Give in. Give up."

Tayuya interrupted him. "Shut up." Before the fox could respond she continued. "You're just so… wrong. I won't lose to you and neither will he. I told him I would protect him. He taught me to never give up and never go back on my word. I won't start doing that now because some overgrown rat tried to scare me."

"You can't-!"

Tayuya didn't let him finish. "Shut the fuck up. I'm done talking to you fur ball." Tayuya walked away as he roared and screamed at her. She wasn't going to give in to him or anyone else. She smiled as she walked back down the hallway into a light. I won that battle but I know they'll be more to come…

Tayuya blinked realizing where she was. She was still standing on the river with Jeong Jeong in front of her. "It was all in my head?" she asked more to herself but Jeong Jeong overheard.

"You spoke to the beast within, didn't you?"

Tayuya looked at him baffled. "How did you?"

Jeong Jeong waved her off. "I know a lot. I could sense it as soon as you stepped into my camp. Fire is very much like that demon inside of you. Fire is a horrible burden to bear. Its nature is to consume, and without control destroys everything around it. Learn restraint or risk destroying yourself and everything you love… Do not give into that demon's influence."

Tayuya could only think about what he said. Whoever he was and wherever he came from, she couldn't argue the wisdom of his words. A leaf floated by and he snatched it with ease. Walking over to her he pressed his thumb in the center and smoke began to come off of it.

"I want you to keep this flame from reaching the edges of this leaf for as long as you can."

Tayuya looked down at the leaf as he handed it to her. Using her chakra and the breathing techniques she had worked on she concentrated. A wave of calm passed over her as the leaf didn't disintegrate in her hands. "I did it." Tayuya whispered to herself.

Jeong Jeong nodded, slightly impressed with her work. "Good, now you know how to restrain it, harness it. Control its flow."

Tayuya bit her lip as she concentrated further.

Jeong Jeong spoke as she tried. "You pushed or held back the flame. Now let it flow to you and channel its direction. Let it flow like a river and be the banks that tell it where to go."

Tayuya tried just that as she let the flames expand outwards on the leaf. It expanded rapidly unit it burst into a ball of fire. However, instead of blowing up and going away, the ball of fire remained in her hands. "Holy shit."

Tayuya tossed the ball back and forth between her hands and began laughing enthusiastically. Jeong Jeong watched and breathed out a sigh of relief. He walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder bringing her attention back to him.

"Now that you can do that the rest you can do on your own. It's time you get going."

Tayuya looked at him confused. "Thanks, but what are you going to do?"

"I'm needed elsewhere. Now go. And remember what I've taught you."

Tayuya stood up and gave him a slight bow. "Thank you." He nodded back as she began to run out of the forest back towards Naruto and the others. She couldn't believe how easy it was once he told her how to do it in his weird nonsense speaking way. Whatever, results are results. Can't wait to show Naruto.

Tayuya approached Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato. She skidded to a stop as she looked up and saw the waterfall was much wider than before and a bunch of Naruto's clones were trying to do something to it.

The real Naruto looked over and locked eyes with her. That was all it took as he leaped down and ran to greet her. "Tayuya-chan! I split the leaf and now I'm trying to cut a waterfall!"

Tayuya smiled at him. They both were making progress faster than she thought they would. If they could do this they could train so much and no one could take him away from her or her away from him. She raised her hand and created a ball of fire in it. "I figured out mine too."

Kakashi stepped over to voice his thoughts. "Well, made a fireball with no hand seals. Impressive. Guessing you got the leaf trick figured out?" Tayuya nodded in reply. "Good, that would have been after the leaf but it seems you already have it done. Was wondering what happened when all of your clones dispelled a while ago. Anyway, we can work on combining it with the Rasengan."

Naruto interrupted. "Combine it with the Rasengan? We can do that?"

Kakashi then created one in his own hand to show them. "The Fourth Hokage created this but it was unfinished. He wanted to combine his own property into it. He never finished and I couldn't do it with my lighting property. It's not going to be easy."

Tayuya scoffed at Kakashi. "I'll work on that as soon as he cuts the waterfall. Right now I want to work on other things. Can you do a Gravity Seal Jutsu?"

Kakashi stopped his Rasengan as he looked at her confused. "I suppose. But why?"

Naruto looked at her too wondering the reasoning. "Guy I fought with on the last mission used them to move really fast."

Naruto interjected, "Oh like Bushy Brow's leg weights!"

Tayuya continued, "Sure I guess. Anyway, me and Naruto should learn how to do those and train with them. That and we should work on doing the Rasengan with only one hand. That and I want to make the flame hotter."

Kakashi looked at the two and couldn't argue her logic. It was a good idea. "Alright we can do that. But the physical training will have to be you two. Clones won't help in that regard. Just experience. Let's get those seals on. And I can only know one level. If you want more "weight" you'll have to research that on your own."

The two nodded eagerly as Kakashi began to use a few hand seals. In an instant he place one hand one each of them on their stomach. "That should do it. Now be careful, that should be like walking with an extra sixty pounds of weight on every part of you."

Naruto cried out as he tried to take a step forward. Tayuya laughed before taking a step back and almost collapsing. "Shit, I wasn't expecting this."

Tayuya then form the hand seal and made a few hundred Shadow Clones. Naruto followed along with her. She began to bark orders at all of them. "You fifty Tayuya's, go over there and practice making the fire hotter." Pointing to the next group, "You fifty go work on doing a Rasengan with one hand."

Tayuya looked at the Naruto clones and barked at them as well. "You fifty follow them, any tips everyone shares." She pointed at two Naruto's and two Tayuya's. "You four, go research how to make gravity seals." They nodded and raced off. "The rest of you go practice taijutsu until you're all gone."

At that moment one of his clones by the waterfall began to jump up and down. "I did it!"

Kakashi looked up and shouted back, "Show us!"

The clone dispelled himself along with the other clones at the waterfall. The original Naruto's eyes lit up as he made his clones again. This time, twenty of them leaped back up and began to funnel their chakra into the waterfall. The entire waterfall spit shocking Kakashi.

He did it, in such a short time… These two are remarkable.

"Alright, guess we can combine it with the Rasengan now…"

Amegakure

Kuki stood in front of Konan. A twisted smirk lay on her face as Konan finished some paperwork she was doing. "Apologies. Running this village makes a lot of paperwork. Anyway, we want you to lay low for the time being."

Kuki clenched her fists in agitation. "But why Kony? After kicking those amateur's asses and getting you the Seven-Tails I thought you'd want me to do more? Why lay low?"

Konan rubbed her face as she became agitated. There was always something with this woman, and she knew how to get on anyone's nerves. "For the last time, do not call my Kony. And for waiting, we work in groups of two. No one else for your team so you'll wait. That and you're our trump card. We wouldn't want to risk losing you." She finished the last part with a hint of sarcasm.

Kuki brushed her hand through her hair as she snorted. "Sure. Whatever you say. Still don't get why you didn't let me finish off that red headed bitch when I had the chance. Had her beat."

Konan just stared at her with disdain. They should have never let the lunatic into the organization. "She wasn't the target."

Kuki interrupted, "But she is a target, just not at that time. That was coincidence and we should have taken it when we had the chance. You say we'll create a better world when we get them all. Why not take her then?"

Konan tried to rebuttal, "We're not ruthless. She can have a life for a little longer. You need to accept that."

Kuki stood up and slammed her hands down on Konan's desk, almost breaking it. "She gets to have a life? What about me? When the war came my parents were killed. I got separated from my big brother. No one tried to give me a life. I had to fight to survive!"

Konan tried to interject, "I know. We all have struggled."

Kuki wiped her hand through the air in fury. "No, don't say that. Remember? I was waiting in that tiny town waiting for that slaver Mui to come in. I was going to kill him then myself but he never showed. That was to be my last fight. Instead I wandered until I ran into you."

Konan nodded. "I know. That does not mean we kill everyone we see. Have patience. Your time will come."

Kuki walked away grumbling. "Fine."

Konan dropped her head into her hands. Damn that woman is infuriating.

Several days later

Naruto stood facing Kakuzu. Kakashi stood back and watched as Naruto formed a Rasengan. Naruto's began to make a whining noise and become larger. And formed what looked like a giant shuriken. Kakashi was stunned at the sheer power in his student's hand.

Naruto held up his hand as it finished forming, and yelled out, "Wind Style: Rasen Shuriken!"

At that same moment Tayuya was with Shikamaru in the forest fighting Hidan. Tayuya looked at Shikamaru and laughed bitterly. "That blonde girl of yours won't save you this time."

Shikamaru's eye's bulged out a little as he replied, "What?!"

Tayuya laughed. Even in danger she couldn't miss messing with him a little. Maybe Naruto was rubbing off on her too much. "Just fucking with you. Reliving the memory of you and that blonde chick crushing me under a tree."

Shikamaru just scolded her. "Whatever. Just follow the plan."

Tayuya nodded. "I have an idea. If it doesn't work he'll fall into it. Just trust me."

Shikamaru stared at her suspiciously a moment before relenting and giving her a nod. She dropped down from a tree and began to form a Rasengan.

Hidan watched and laughed manically at her. "That won't stop me."

The next moment the Rasengan began to turn violently red as it became engulfed in flames. It began to expand out into a large ball as she held it above her head. A giant smirk engulfed her face before she yelled out, "Fire Style: Rasen Bomb!"

Shikamaru gasped from the intense heat the jutsu was emitting. He was at least ten feet away from her and still felt like he was standing directly in an oven. How can she even hold that thing?

Tayuya began sprinting towards Hidan as the ball of fire continued to grow hotter. He tried to move but Shikamaru held him in place with his Shadow Possession Jutsu. Tayuya leaped forward and slammed the ball into him causing him to let out blood curdling screams.

She felt fire wrap around the area as it formed a sphere around the both of them. Tayuya would be lying to herself if she said it wasn't hot. It was scorching to the point she thought her skin would melt off. She just had to hold it a little longer to make sure he died.

A few more excruciating seconds passed as his screams ceased and the ball in her hand expanded further engulfing her up to her forearm. Tayuya let go as she went sailing back through the air through the vortex of fire her jutsu had created. She landed on her back and skid several feet on the ground before coming to a halt.

Shikamaru leaped over to her and tried to help her up. Tayuya shrieked in pain as she sat up and immediately grabbed her arm to feel that it was wet. She looked down and saw that her forearm was covered in third degree burns. Fuck. Doubt the fox can heal that.

The vortex of fire died out leaving only Hidan's partially melted scythe and a charred spot on the ground where he died. Tayuya sighed in relief. "At least the fucker is dead." Shikamaru nodded in agreement. He got the revenge he wanted for his sensei with the help of a former enemy.

Leaning over he helped her up and leaned her weight into him to help her walk. "I was wrong about you. Thank you."

Tayuya just grunted and began moving forward. "Glad to hear it. Let's get back to them." Inside she was feeling a lot better, emotionally that is. Physically she felt like someone had lit her on fire, and it pissed her off that that someone was her. She felt good because one of Naruto's friends finally trusted her, and it was the one she had tried to kill at one point.

They moved quickly and found Naruto and the rest of the group standing by a crater. Tayuya saw Naruto's arm and rushed towards him. Naruto looked up and saw her arm and rushed towards her as well. The two met in the middle and hugged each other with their good arms before letting go to examine one another.

Naruto looked at her worried and spoke first. "Are you okay Tayuya-chan?"

Tayuya nodded as she inspected his arm. "It's okay. Doesn't even hurt, but that might be because the nerves got burned away. How are you? Your arm looks shredded."

Naruto shrugged. "It'll be fine… Let's just go home." Tayuya nodded as she leaned into him.

"Alright, let's do that."

Konoha Hospital

Tsunade stood in front of the deceased Kakuzu with Kakashi and Yamato on the other side. "Every chakra network connecting his body cells has been severed. I'm assuming that the wind chakra changed in chakra form into infinite small blades, attacking all the cells within his body." The three took that in as she continued.

"The same condition afflicts Naruto's right hand. Although it's not nearly as bad as this one. If he continues to use that jutsu, he will lose his ability to mold chakra… Kakashi, forbid him from using it again. Same with Tayuya."

Kakashi looked at her and nodded, but he had to ask. "What do you think happened with her Fire Style: Rasen Bomb?"

Tsunade thought as she rubbed her chin. "Well, their opponent turned to ash but from her injuries… I think that it attacked his cells, like Naruto's, and burned them at the microscopic level. That and it completely fried her nerves in her arm. Even with the Kyubi's healing, her arm will be scarred pretty badly. She's luckily she'll even be able to use it. Probably held the jutsu for too long."

Naruto and Tayuya lay in hospital beds across from each other. Sakura finished casting Naruto's arm. "Alright guys, you can't do this. You're bodies can't handle it." Naruto looked over at Tayuya and saw the pain in her face. Her arm looked like it had been in a grease fryer.

Sakura went back over Tayuya and began using her medical ninjutsu to heal her. As each second passed, Tayuya wreathed in agony as sweat began to percolate on her forehead. It killed him to see her like that but he couldn't help her any more than Sakura could. He'd just make it worse.

Tayuya managed to form a coherent sentence. "Naruto, it'll be okay. You were smart and let go of the jutsu before I did." Unfathomable pain shot through her arm as she tried not to cry out. Sakura gave her an apologetic look as she continued.

"At least it's just one of us like this instead of both of us."

Another pain shot up and she let out a small yelp. Naruto looked at Sakura with anxiety. "Why is it hurting her so much?"

Sakura stopped her healing a moment to give Tayuya a break. "Naruto, the jutsu she used burned her skin and her nerves. One more second and there wouldn't be any nerves to regrow. That's what's hurting her. Re-growing them."

Naruto didn't look any more comforted. If anything he was more worried about her now. "Will she be okay?"

Sakura wiped her forehead. "Well you two are freaks of nature when it comes to healing, but she'll get full use of her hand and arm again. It'll just have some nasty scarring." She looked at Tayuya and gave her a weak smile. Sakura began to leave and added, "I'll be right back," before closing the door.

Tayuya laughed bitterly before responding. "It'll be okay. I'll just wrap my arm. No one would even notice anyway."

Naruto got out of bed and went over to her. He grabbed her good hand and held it as he looked into her eyes. "I would notice… You're flawless. Perfect. Everyone would notice."

Tayuya choked back a bit from that statement. "Damn it, Shithead… Why do you got to say things like that? I'm not perfect." She wanted to be angry at him, but one look into his blue eyes and all of her anger dissipated.

Naruto smiled sadly as he squeezed her hand tighter. "You're perfect to me." She wanted to cry. He was the only guy alive that could get her worked up like that, and she didn't want him or anyone else to know. Before she could say anything, he leaned his head over hers and locked lips with her a few moments before pulling away.

She was quite for a few moments, trying to say something. Nothing came to mind so she said the only thing she could. "Naruto…"

Naruto just smiled as he sat beside her. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Tayuya just smiled before closing her eyes to get some rest. The day had put a toll on her body and she really could use some time to rest. As she drifted to sleep she thought what he said. Good, you better not leave.

Kakashi stepped into his apartment to see Shizune doing one armed push-ups in the living room. "What are you doing?! You're still healing?!"

Shizune stopped as she saw him and got herself back on the couch. "Good you're here. I'm starving. And I've never heard you be that concerned before… Feeling pretty special right now."

Kakashi sweat dropped before he replied. "Looks like you worked up an appetite… What happened to healing?"

Shizune laughed as she waved him off. "Stop worrying so much. Got to stay in shape for when I'm out of these casts. And I'm almost done with them anyway."

Kakashi gave her a deadpanned look as he replied, "If you say so."

Shizune nodded, "Yep and I'm starving so if you would be so kind."

Kakashi sulked his way into the kitchen to whip them up some food, much to Shizune's enjoyment. "Oh and wear that one apron, you know how much I like it on you." She heard him stop what he was doing and open the squeaky cabinet she knew the apron was in. He really does spoil me. "Don't worry, when I'm all good I'll make you dinner."