Back for more! Only three chapters remaining after this one until we're caught up. Before we begin, I just want to let you know that I will be continuing with the Naruto Chi Chi pairing place holder. I do, however, have a different pairing in mind for the blonde Jinchuriki. Anywho, let's answer some reviews (guests go in ascending order).
Guest 1: Oh my dear reader. He's gonna receive painful lessons from the most powerful kunoichi.
Guest 2: Glad you like Sakura's role so far. Hope your prepared for the big surprise about her when it's revealed.
With all that out of the way, let's start the chapter. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball.
Time Branch 147, Near Frying Pan Mountain
Naruto had the most curious group with him, matching the kind of group he'd find on the tv shows when he went into town. First there were two shapeshifting animals. The first was Oolong, a pig who could shapeshift into certain objects and creatures for a short amount of time. The second was Puar, a cat who could shapeshift into anything he wants as long as it's not too big but he can hold the transformation for as long as he wants. They might bicker from time to time, but they were getting better as time went on.
Then there were his two fellow humans. Bulma, heiress of the Capsule Corporation, was the brilliant bluenette who basically started the group. She definitely wasn't a fighter, but, being a scientist and inventor, she had a lot going for her in the group. Then there's Yamcha, a bandit who joined them for a very specific reason. To finally get over his fear of women, unaware that their objective could bring him closer than he thought this trip could get.
Naruto chuckled at the thought of his group. His companions really were something. He frowned as memories from a shadow clone filled his head. They were being followed by those two idiots again, but his genjutsu was a big help in throwing them off. They were following that tumbleweed for hours before the clone dispersed out of boredom.
He looked out the window of the mobile home as they entered a more grassy area. They must have finally left the desert. He took note of all the sights. A group of pterodactyls, some cute baby triceratops with their mothers, a girl running from a famished t-rex, a neat looking tree... Wait a minute?
He looked back to see a girl almost catching up to the vehicle, before turning left.
"STOP THIS DARN THING!" shouted Naruto in shock. Bulma hit the breaks as Naruto hopped out of the vehicle. The others ran out as Naruto took off after the girl. The girl continued to flee until she suddenly tripped. She looked up as its mouth widened, a fear filled expression plastered on her face.
A kunai suddenly struck the beast in the eye. It roared in pain as it tried to remove the weapon, but its puny, pathetic arms couldn't reach it. Naruto ran up its back and yanked the kunai out of his eye. Two clones suddenly ran by and carted the girl away. The t-rex was about to give chase, when an orange glow appeared behind it.
It turned to see the original Naruto preparing his signature attack. "NINE TAIL BARRAGE!" The beast gulped as the attack came flying at it. There was a huge explosion, making multiple creatures flee the area. Funny enough, a huge steak lay where the massive beast once stood.
The girl soon found herself unharmed and right next to the slab of meat. She looked over to see Naruto standing like a hero. His short blonde hair flowed through the wind as his headband worked like an extension. Her eyes went starry as he looked over to her. He hopped over to check on her.
"You alright?" The girl blushed at the blonde.
"Uh... y...yeah." answered the girl. Naruto looked around, making sure no enemies remained. The rest of the gang came by quickly, the bluenette of the group soon taking the lead. Bulma knelt down to check on the girl as Naruto backed away.
"Are you alright?" asked Bulma. Naruto gave her a thumbs up in confirmation.
"Already asked. She said she's fine." Bulma nodded to the ninja and turned back to the girl.
"You mind telling us your name Sweetie?" The girl was nervous and wary. She noticed her blonde hero didn't seem worried, so she just went for it.
"M...My name is Chi Chi." answered the girl. Bulma nodded.
"I'm Bulma." introduced Bulma. "That's Naruto. Over there are Yamcha, Puar and Oolong. Do you know where your parents are?" Chi Chi nodded.
She then pointed to the mountain in the distance.
"I live up there with my daddy." Bulma nodded. Yamcha sounded his concern.
"Uh... You guys realize that that's Frying Pan Mountain, right?" asked Yamcha. Bulma looked down at the radar.
"According to the radar, the dragon ball is there too." said Bulma. She snapped as she came up with an idea. "How about we give you a ride home since it's on our way?" Chi Chi was unsure. That was until she realized she'd get to travel with her savior.
"OKAY!" shouted Chi Chi as she pumped her fist in the air. Naruto flinched a tiny bit at the sudddn motion. He didn't show it, mind you. He had a very, very good reason to be wary. The blade on her pink helmet was of much concern to him.
They soon found themselves back on the road, making their way to the firry mountain. Bulma had given Chi Chi some clothes that didn't fit herself because she looked like she just came from a pool. Naruto found himself smiling at the raven haired girl as she took off the helmet, and put on a pink shirt with Bulma's name on it and shorts of the same color. The weapon was out of her reach, so it'd be easier to calm her down should there be a misunderstanding. He found that she was a very curious girl, if all the questions about his techniques were anything to go off of.
Bulma stopped as they reached the base of the mountain. Chi Chi was at the back of the group for her own safety. Naruto sent a clone to scout ahead, knowing full well the dangers of an unknown terrain. Chi Chi was still fascinated by just how well the boy could fight. Naruto stumbled a bit as he held his hands on his knees.
"What's wrong Naruto?" asked Puar. Naruto looked to the group.
"Something large got my shadow clone." answered Naruto, when a hardy laugh reached his ears. Chi Chi was about to run ahead when the blonde Jinchuriki looked to the group with a serious face. "Guys! You keep the girls safe while I deal with this giant!" Naruto ran ahead as the guys nodded.
He soon found himself looking at a large giant with a strange helmet. He noticed the giant pick up a large rock. He suddenly turned and threw it at the shinobi. Naruto jumped and used the rock for extra lift. He threw several kunai, but the giant used a huge sword to block the weapons.
When the giant moved his sword, he saw a swarm of Narutos falling towards him. He slashed his sword, destroying them all. Naruto stood on a nearby tree as the giant turned to him.
"You're tricks are no match for me intruder!" shouted the giant. "I rule this mountain! Leave now or face my wrath!" Naruto smirked as he pulled back his hand. He charged up a small ki blast as he held his nose.
"I should've smelt you coming from a mile away." mocked Naruto. The giant growled as he ran for the boy. Naruto threw his blast forward, causing the giant to dodge. Naruto jumped on him and started pulling his ears. He was taken by surprise, however, when the giant grabbed him and held him against the wall.
He really should've used a shadow clone.
"Let's see how you smell after I'm done with you." The giant was about to slash as Naruto closed his eyes.
"DADDY!" shouted an angry voice. Both fighters looked over to see Chi Chi piping mad. "PUT HIM DOWN!" The giant looked to Naruto, then looked to his new companion. This was her frickin father?!
"But Sweetie, he's an intruder." Chi Chi puffed her cheeks as she crossed her arms. "You know I can't just let someone trespass on my land."
"He saved me from a big mean dinosaur, and his friends gave me a ride home. Is that how we're supposed to treat guests? Well that's such a great example!" The giant flinched and dropped the blonde. Naruto groaned as the giant walked over to his daughter.
"Awe come on Chi Chi. You know how protective I've been ever since you were almost kidnapped by that fire spirit." Chi Chi just turned away from her father with a harrumph. The man sweat dropped as he turned to the blonde. "I'm very sorry, and thank you for bringing my little girl home."
Naruto was confused, but he was glad to have this fight over with. He had so much to work on in his ninja training. He grunted as he tried to stand up. He looked over to the giant as he continued to plead with his daughter. Yamcha ran over, then gasped in shock.
A scowl came to the giant's face, but then Chi Chi cleared her throat. He looked to her, then rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. After some explanations, Both parties had a better understanding of the situation. Turns out the giant, also known as the Ox King, was an overprotective father who had trust issues. The Ox King suddenly went into a deep respectful bow.
"I want to apologize again. I just couldn't stand the thought of what would become of my daughter." The group smiled as Bulma waved her hand in the air.
"A dad does what he can to protect his family." said Bulma, eliciting a grateful smile from the giant. She then remembered something. "Have you by chance seen an orange ball with a certain amount of stars in it?" She held her hand out as Naruto passed her one of the dragon balls. "It'll look kind of like this, but with a different amount of stars."
The Ox King recognized the orb immediately. His smile faded in realization.
"That's... gonna be a problem." Bulma tilted her head.
"Why?" The giant turned and pointed at the castle that was literally on fire.
"It's at the top of the castle, but the flames are so hot you can't get any close." Naruto snapped his fingers in frustration.
"If only I got Uncle Fu to teach me the Water Shark Bomb Jutsu." said Naruto. "This would be so easy." The Ox King shook his head.
"The only thing I know of that could put these flames out is a fan owned by the Turtle Hermit, Muten Roshi. You know he taught me all I know as a fighter." Naruto pondered the name.
"He wouldn't happen to go by Master Roshi would he?" The Ox King looked to Naruto. "Bald with a long beard. Wears a turtle shell."
"Are those just guesses or did you actually meet him?" Naruto and Bulma smirked at each other before returning their gaze to the Ox King.
"We've met him, but we don't exactly know where he lives." The Ox King pointed to the east.
"Just keep going east till you see a small pink house on a small island. You'll know it's it when you see the words 'Kame House' on the front." Naruto smirked as Bulma pulled out a capsule.
"You guys stay here. We'll be back soon!" The others waved as Bulma threw the capsule on the ground, a plane appearing in its place. "FLYING NIMBUS!" Naruto hopped on the cloud as Bulma took off in her plane.
The four men chuckled nervously, unsure of what to do. Yamcha cleared his throat as he looked to the giant.
"So... you're the Ox King." said Yamcha. The giant nodded.
"Yes, and you're the Not So Wanted Bandit of the Desert. I always wondered what you did for your wanted poster to say, 'If found, we'll pay you to keep him.'" Yamcha groaned as Puar patted him on the back.
Kame House
Master Roshi rested in a lawn chair. He was still awaiting the day that Fu character returned to help him move. He looked to the sky, trying to decide what to bring with him. His face ran red at the promise of... He was brought out of his thoughts as a plane and a cloud moved towards his island.
"HEY OLD MAN TURTLE!" shouted Naruto. He hopped off the cloud as he walked over to the man. He received a huge bonk on the head from the old master.
"DIDN'T ANYONE TEACH YOU RESPECT FOR YOUR ELDERS!" shouted Master Roshi. He noticed Bulma walk over.
"Can you two argue later?" asked Bulma. "We need your special fan to put out the flames from Frying Pan Mountain." Master Roshi looked to Bulma with a serious face.
"Sounds like my student needs me. Alright then. Turtle, please bring me the fan." Turtle shook his head.
"You lost the fan at the casino to that one green haired girl." informed Turtle. "And you already gave your sister the spare for winning a bet." Master Roshi mused as he remembered those little details. He nodded his head as he turned to face the two teens.
"Then I'm comin' with ya." The two looked at him in surprise. "Watch the place while I'm gone Turtle." Bulma was about to retort, when Naruto hopped on the Nimbus. She groaned as she got in her plane.
When they arrived, the Ox King did an even deeper bow for the hermit.
"I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO COME IN PERSON MASTER ROSHI!" shouted the giant. "IT'S AN HONOR TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" The old hermit rubbed his temples, then turned to the castle.
"You're in quite the pickle aren't ya?" asked Master Roshi. He stroked his beard in thought. He suddenly got an idea. He held his hands back. "Everyone get back."
The Ox King recognized the position and began to usher people out of the way. Naruto recognized the move as well and ran to find cover, but kept his eye on the technique. The old hermit began to charge his energy. Naruto watched as the energy gathered between the hermit's hands. "KA...ME...HA...ME...HHHHAAAAAA!"
Master Roshi thrusted his hands forward, sending a large beam towards the castle. Bulma was suddenly sent backwards by the shockwave of the attack. She grabbed on to something as she tried not to go flying off the mountain. Yamcha squealed as Bulma clung tightly to his foot. When the attack dissipated, the entire castle was a pile of rubble.
"My castle!" Master Roshi rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Guess I overdid it a little. Sorry there." Chi Chi watched as Naruto scoped out the damage. She watched as he pulled the five star dragon ball from the rubble. She fell to her knees.
"Our castle." mumbled Chi Chi as she started to weep. "It's gone." Her father picked her up in his arms and wiped a tear from her eye.
"We can always rebuild a castle." said the Ox King. He looked to the group. "You all look like you could use some lunch. Why don't you stay at an inn at the nearby town for tonight, and we go get some grub." There was no complaint or refusal, especially from Naruto.
They were soon found eating at a dinner. There was a bit of shock due to the amount of ramen Naruto managed to put away, but it wasn't unusual. It definitely didn't turn away Chi Chi, who strongly favored the young blonde. When Naruto finally finished, he actually began to conversate with the girl. There were many things in his stories that got her attention, but there was one thing above them all in her mind.
Kunoichi. Strong female ninjas who could do just as good as any man could. One that really stood out to her was the Great Medic and Legendary Sannin, Tsunade Senju. Knowing that a girl could get that strong lit a fire in Chi Chi's eyes. If they could do it, then why couldn't she?
The one thing, or rather one person, became clear to her when her father walked over.
"I think it's time we all get some rest." said the Ox King. "It's way past your bedtime Chi Chi." The girl frowned, but never the less conceded. She walked off with her father. She heard a multitude of farewells from the group.
"Night Chi-Hime!" shouted Naruto. Chi Chi smiled at the voice of her savior. In the hotel room, Chi Chi was looking into a mirror. She knew what she wanted to do. She just hopped her father would allow it.
She breathed in as she walked over to her father.
"Daddy?" asked Chi Chi. Her father turned to her with a smile on his face.
"What is it Sweetie?" asked the Ox King. Chi Chi looked to the floor.
"Is it okay if I go with the others on their journey?" Her father's eyes widened at the question. He was starting to panic.
"Why would you want to leave!?" Chi Chi looked him straight in the eyes. "Just this morning you were almost eaten by a dinosaur!"
"I want to get strong enough to protect myself and others, like the kunoichi from Naruto's story. I want to be able to take down enemies in one fell swoop, like you. If there are girls who can do just as much as guys, then why can't I do it?" The Ox King began to think that Naruto was trying to take his little girl away, but the boy showed no signs of any threat or that kind of attraction and Master Roshi trusted the boy. He still didn't want his baby girl to leave, mind you.
"I can easily teach you here if you want. I just can't see you leave." Chi Chi hugged her father's leg.
"I know you don't want to lose me like Mom. I barely even knew her. I want to be strong enough so that you don't have to worry about me as much." She also wanted to be around Naruto a little more, but that was a minor detail that the giant didn't need to know. The Ox King looked to the sky as he sighed.
"I can't talk you out of this can I?" Chi Chi looked up to her father, and nodded her head. His little girl was growing up too fast for his liking, but she was a teenager. "Alright, but I want you to make sure it's okay with them. If not, then I'll train you myself."
Chi Chi smiled as she jumped up and hugged her father around the neck.
"Thank you Daddy! I'll make you proud!" The Ox King smiled as he wrapped his arms around his little girl. Naruto was laying down in his bed for the night. He frowned as a memory came to him.
His shadow clone just spotted the two strangers heading over to the road to intercept them. That would be troublesome tomorrow. Naruto gained an odd feeling from that sentence, but shook it off as he got back to the task at hand. He made three more shadow clones as he sat up.
"I need you guys to either get those idiots away from the area or mess up their ambush." instructed the original Naruto. "Do whichever one is easier, or whichever one makes me laugh the most." The three clones nodded and took off. Naruto finally shut his eyes as he went to sleep. The next morning, he woke up chuckling.
All throughout breakfast, no one could explain the smile on the boy's face. Master Roshi was prepared to offer Naruto some training, having seen one of his training shadow clones use the Nine Tail Barrage technique last night. He was in his room, getting ready to return to his island. He grabbed at a bag of groceries and 'other things' that he purchased while he was there. A note suddenly fell from the bag.
He picked it up and began to read it.
'Dear Muten Roshi.' thought Master Roshi as he read in his head. 'I'm almost done with preparations. I will arrive to pick you up tomorrow, so please make sure you have everything you need for when I arrive. I wanted to talk with you in person yesterday, but I found myself needed elsewhere quickly, so I wrote this note. Hope to see you soon, Fu.'
He rubbed his temples in disappointment. The boy probably won't be finished with his adventure by then. That was going to cause him some problems. That meant that he wouldn't be able to train the boy, since he wouldn't be in the same place. It truly was sad to lose such a talented student, but he definitely thought the pros outweighed the cons.
Bulma lent a spare plane to the old geezer, who said his goodbyes and took off. Naruto quickly sealed all the dragon balls into the scroll. He put the scroll away as he finished packing. He placed his bag down, then his ear twitched as he heard a sound. He looked outside to see Chi Chi trying to keep them from heading out.
He walked out, causing her to come to a screeching halt.
"Wait!" shouted Chi Chi. The whole group was outside. Turns out, she rushed because she thought they were leaving when Naruto walked inside. She tried to catch her breath as she held her bag on her back. "Don't go yet."
"Need something Chi-Hime?" asked Naruto. The girl looked at him, then blushed at the twinkle of his sapphire eyes.
"I...uh... wantedtocomewithyoucanIplease?!" Naruto rubbed his head in confusion. Chi Chi breathed in, then started over. "I want to come with you." The group gave her surprised faces.
"Why do you want to come? What about your dad?" Chi Chi smiled.
"He's alright with it as long as you guys agree. I want to be strong like the kunoichi from your stories. What better way than to see the world? Can I please come with you, Naruto-sensei." Naruto blushed at that nickname.
A sensei though? That was kind of overwhelming. He looked to her father, wondering if he was really okay with this. The man was hesitant, but he had a hopeful pleading eye looking at Naruto as he nodded. This would be harder than any mission Uncle Fu could be on right now.
"Why not?" The group looked between the two. "Let me warn you that I'm genin level, so I'm not entirely versed in the shinobi arts. I'll do my best in spite of that fact." Chi Chi smiled as she wrapped the blonde in a hug.
Her father wasn't very pleased, but he could tell it was out of thanks. Bulma walked over and took Chi Chi to help her find a place in the mobile home to sleep. Naruto smirked as he hopped on the Nimbus. He looked back at the Ox King. The look in his eyes was all Naruto needed, and the boy gave the worried parent a thumbs up.
That seemed to appease the giant. Naruto was the first to take off. The others followed behind. A shadow clone appeared beside him with a 'teaching for dummies' book. He lay back as he began to read the book.
They soon approached the ambush area. Naruto took note of the lady and the dog preparing to blast them with a cannon. What they didn't know, is that the shadow clones rigged a little surprise. The canine ninja pointed to the oncoming RV.
"FIRE AT WILL!" shouted Shu as he pulled the string of the cannon. Instead of blasting the others to smithereens, the weapon took off into the distance. Mai and Shu looked down to see two long ropes tie around their ankles and tug. They looked to each other as they were pulled along by the makeshift rocket. Naruto burst into laughter as the rocket just kept on going.
He truly was a master of pranks. What he didn't know, was that Chi Chi saw the event unfold, and was just as humored.
Time Branch 149, Road to Konoha
Goku looked at his sword as the group stopped for a break. He remembered the oath he took with the sword. He looked over to Haku, a frown still on his face. He had so many responsibilities, but it would be worth it to carry out the dreams of his sword's previous owner. The three Jonin caught the group's attention as they motioned for them to continue.
Goku couldn't stop glancing back at Hinata. His tail started to stretch out again, but he learned to control it by wrapping it around his own waist. He looked forward, his Uncle's words still fresh in his mind. He didn't want to mess up the team dynamic. What if she didn't even see him the same way?
He mentally shouted at himself as he returned his focus to the road ahead. This action didn't go unnoticed, however, as a certain Uchiha caught his sworn sibling trying to shake off the thoughts. Sasuke knew Goku well, so he knew that if Goku wanted you to help him, he'd ask. There was something different this time, however. The boy seemed to be putting distance between himself and the rest of his team.
"We've arrived." announced Kakashi. The group stopped as the Jonin walked up to the guards. They talked with them for a bit, then the guards opened the gates. Goku found it harder to break away from the group, especially since he had to be there to report to the Hokage. Sasuke decided to test something, and hung back a bit.
He noticed the boy's tail start to wiggle when there was nothing between him and Hinata. He knew Goku wasn't one to hide his tail from people. It was his pride as a Toyotomi. There was something amiss, but he couldn't quite figure out what. He got back into step as they reached the Hokage's office.
"Enter." said Hiruzen. Team 7, Team 8, Team 10 and Haku entered the room. Hiruzen was pleased to see them, but remained wary around Haku. "Mission report first. Team 8, since you were the ones to inform me of the complications of the mission, you go first."
Kurenai nodded to the Hokage as she and Kakashi stepped forward. She informed him on all the important parts of the mission from the first complication. Kakashi added Goku's recent acquirement and the full situation with Haku to the report. Hiruzen nodded, then turned to Haku. "I will get full details from you on the events that led you here today soon young lady."
Haku nodded as the Hokage motioned to Team 10. Guy stepped forward and gave his version of what went down as of his team's mission. The explanation made Kakashi and Neji groan, especially when 'Guy Junior' would add on to it. Hiruzen rubbed his temples, but he got the gist of the report. He cleared his throat as he looked to all present.
"Very well. You will receive the mission pay assigned to your teams. I will ask young Haku to stick around for a bit, but the rest of you are dismissed." All Konoha ninja bowed then exited the room. They all bid each other farewell, but Goku quickly broke away and flew to his Uncle's house.
He was about to just barge in, but he heard humming. He decided that it'd be best to knock. Aunt Anko was the one to open the door.
"Good to see you kid." greeted Anko. Goku smiled as he respectfully bow.
"Hey Aunt Anko." said Goku. "I'd love to chat, but I need to talk with Uncle Fu about something. Is he home right now?" Anko shook her head.
"He's not, but he should be soon. Come in kid." Goku nodded and walked in. He sat down on the couch as Anko began sharpening kunai. Anko looked over to him, then had a startled face.
"Is something wrong?" She pointed to him, or more specifically something behind him.
"WHERE THE HECK DID YOU GET SUCH A BIG SWORD!?" Goku pulled the large sword from its sheath.
"I got it during our mission. I made a swordsman's oath, so it won't leave my side until I see the goal complete." Anko shook her head, but she was smiling. Leave it to Goku to pick up a new object or technique and act so nonchalant when he surprises someone with it. The front door suddenly opened.
Uncle Fu came in, looking kind of swamped. Anko brought him some tea as he sat down.
"Thanks honey." said Fu. He downed the cup, then breathed in. "I really needed..." He received a huge bonk on the head.
"You're supposed to drink it slowly." said Anko with some annoyance in her tone. Fu sighed as he rubbed his head. Goku was confused since Aunt Anko was usually mellow.
"Sorry hun." Fu looked forward to see Goku. "Oh hey Sport! How was the mission?" Goku poked his fingers together as he tried to think of his words.
"Actually, something happened on the mission." replied Goku. "Can I talk with you about it for a bit?" Anko was getting in full on mother mode as she was about to interrogate him, but Fu held his hand up. He looked to her, as if telepathically speaking. She nodded and went back to sharpening kunai.
"So what's the deal Goku? You don't usually come to me with stuff like this." Goku sighed as he looked towards a pink flower.
"Remember what you told me about my clan and their tails?" Fu rubbed his chin.
"You mean what I told you after the training trip or..." He stopped as he noticed the loss of attention from Goku. The boy kept looking at a set of pearl earrings he had left. He had gotten them for Anko on their anniversary date while Goku was out on his mission. Fu had no idea why Goku would be so interested in...
Fu suddenly sounded his understanding. "You mean to tell me that your tail wrapped around someone." Goku shot up with a red face. "I think I can guess who." Fu walked over and grabbed the earrings.
Goku sighed in defeat as he looked to the side.
"Yeah." Anko dropped the sharpening stone and looked at the kunai.
"I told you didn't I?" Anko put her hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Goku doesn't need an 'I told you so' right now." scolded Anko. "He needs advice from his adorable Uncle." Fu chuckled as he kissed her hand. Goku sighed as he looked to the floor.
"Right. So how what's the help you need?"
"I don't even know if Hinata-chan likes me back." answered Goku, not even caring about the sudden honorific.
"Then just ask her." said Anko. Fu chuckled and gave her an agreeing nod. Goku's face, however was one of shock.
"I can't just ask her if she likes me! If she says no it might mess with the team dynamic!" Fu sounded his understanding.
"So you're thinking about this strategically." said Fu. "If you ask her out and she says no, then that might draw a wedge between you and her." Goku nodded his head.
"That's no reason not to ask her." said Anko as she pointed her blade at the saiyan "It shouldn't mess with your team dynamic if she says no." Fu sweat dropped once again. Anko definitely wasn't subtle. Goku still held the shocked expression.
"Do you realize how awkward this is for me!?" asked Goku. "I haven't felt this way about a girl before! What if she says no and her clan suddenly leaves Konoha forever or..." He was the next to receive a bonk on the head.
"Don't raise your voice at me." Goku rubbed the sore on his head as his aunt backed away. "If you keep this up too long, you'll be the only one driving a wedge between your team. You have to take this situation by the horns as soon as possible." Goku nodded his head, but he still felt the pain.
He said goodbye and left, but was still confused by the change in his aunt's attitude. He was glad to learn the next day that Haku was assigned to the chunin rank for his skills and put on a team that needed a spot filled. While Haku went out on a C-Class mission, Team 8 was back to D-Class chores. Goku didn't have a problem with this, mind you. He just kept a closer distance from the rest of his team.
This went on for a week. Kurenai said something that sounded important, but Goku actually didn't hear her. He was in deep thought over how he was going to ask Hinata if she liked him. It's not like he could walk up and ask "Hey Hinata, do you like me and think we're soulmates?" That's embarrassing and awkward!
The part he did hear was that they were dismissed. He decided to once again walk home on his own. He thought of all the ways he could ask, but they all seemed too embarrassing or weird. He looked up to take note of the Uchiha Compound. He walked past the front gate, when someone grabbed his tail and squeezed.
The boy blacked out, still not used to the squeeze. He could barely feel himself being hoisted on the attacker's back. He awakened when a bright light hit his face. Sasuke stood before him. Both boys had a stumped look.
"What's with you Sasuke!?" shouted Goku. He looked down to see himself tied to a chair by chains. Sasuke looked the boy over. He had already tried to dispel any genjutsu that could be effecting him or hiding the fact that he wasn't Goku. He shook his head.
"I could ask you the same." said Sasuke. "You've been distancing yourself from your team, the first day you took off in a hurry, and now you act different around the Hyuga girl. You're not under a genjutsu, so what's your deal?" Goku sighed. He didn't want to ask like this.
"What's your opinion on love?" Sasuke was taken aback by this question. He composed himself, however, because it could be a trick question.
"Depends on the meaning. Do you mean love as in friendship or the village?" Goku shook his head.
"Like, past friendship. The kind you'd have for family or... someone special." Sasuke kept a straight face. This was a question a good bit of people asked him about his fan girls.
"I guess when you love someone like that you can see them with you for the rest of your life. That's how I feel about you and the kids." Goku let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Sasuke caught this. "You?"
Goku rubbed his foot across the ground. His face was a little red. Goku started several sentences, but never finished them. The Uchiha put two and two together. "So you like Hinata that way huh?"
Goku chuckled awkwardly.
"Don't know when it happened. I only noticed when my tail wrapped around her waist black at Tazuna's. Ever since it's been repeatedly trying to wrap around her. Uncle Fu said that it'll only do that once I've fallen for someone and, well here we are now." Goku looked down.
Sasuke understood both meanings of the gesture. He unchained his sworn brother from the chair, and unfurled a scroll. The large sword popped out, and Goku quickly returned it to its sheath. The boys looked to each other. "Well now all that's left is to ask her out."
Goku went to leave, but Sasuke held up his hand.
"It'd be best to wait till after the Chunin Exams, or did your sensei not tell you about the upcoming Chunin exams?" Goku rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "The exams are basically a competition where ninja work their butts off to go from genin to chunin as the name implies." Goku's eyes sparkled at the concept of a tournament.
"I wish I heard Kurenai-sensei the first time!" Goku raised his fist into the air. "Let's do our best!" shouted Goku. Unknown to them, pleased eyes watched them talk on. Meanwhile, with Hinata, she was facing her own pandemic.
She had found a note from Goku, telling her to meet him at the training ground. She was hesitant, knowing Goku would usually just ask someone to meet him somewhere or get to the point right then and there. It must've been important if he was being so secretive. She soon arrived at the area to find Goku standing in the middle of the field.
"I..is everything okay G...Goku-kun?" asked Hinata as the boy turned to her.
"Hinata, the exams are too dangerous." said Goku, causing Hinata to take a few steps back. "I don't want you getting hurt. If something happened to you I..." He suddenly gasped as he fell to the ground.
Hinata was frozen with fear as two kunai rested in the saiyan's back. She was about to scream, when something felt off. She clenched her fist as an unknown ninja hopped in front of the body of her crush.
"If you enter the Chunin exams, you will meet the same fate." said the assailant. He was about to continue, when a ki blast hit a tree behind him, splitting it in half.
"Why did you have to do this Iruka-sensei?" asked Hinata. "Why did you have to play with my feelings?"
"I am not your sensei, and he will not be here to save y..." Five more ki blasts split the same amount of trees.
"You're energy's the biggest telltale sensei. Now answer the question." Iruka noticed the tear running down Hinata's face, then sighed as he gave in. He returned to normal in a puff of smoke.
"I'm sorry Hinata." apologized the Chunin as the fake body of Goku dissipated. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just testing you to make sure you were ready to take on the Chunin Exams. I guess training with the Nisekuma school brought up your sensory capabilities."
"That wasn't even the first clue." Iruka raised his brow at the girl. "You messed up when you made Goku not believe in me. I know he has more faith in me than that, and I'm not about to disappoint him now." Iruka smiled as he nodded his head.
"Glad to hear it, and I'm sorry for going too far." Iruka disappeared via the body flicker technique. Hinata looked up into the sky, the events replaying over and over again. She wondered what she would ever do if something actually happened to the saiyan.
"You're the strongest girl I know Hinata." said Goku in the heiresses memories. She smiled at the memory. If Goku believed in her, then what did she have to lose? She remembered that one moment from the same day. She could still feel the warmth of his tail around her waist.
She held her arms as she reminisced the feeling. It was so warm and inviting, and the memory brought a huge smile to her face. Her night shirt had lifted a little, so she could feel every hair. It wasn't annoying, mind you, but she kept going back to those first two feelings. They were really key traits of the boy.
That's probably why she liked the boy so much. She sighed, remembering how dense Goku could be. Does he even know she likes him? The honorific should've been a hint, intentional or not. She continued to think over the subject as she moved on.
Meanwhile, on a nearby roof, Kakashi read a book until Iruka appeared beside him.
"Your verdict?" asked Kakashi as he closed his book.
"You were right. All my students are ready for this. I was a little worried about Kiba, but he proved he could handle it." Kakashi nodded at the fellow Jonin. Only time would tell what the exams would bring.
Iruka suddenly jerked as he slowly turned. Kurenai stood before him, her signature blade in her hand.
"I'm glad you agree with me." said Kurenai. She grabbed him by the back of his hair before he could run away. She quickly pulled back her leg. "Now then, DON'T MESS WITH MY GENINS' FEELINGS EVER AGAIN!!!!" Iruka's pained scream could be heard through the night.
Meanwhile, at Konoha's gates, Fu Nisekuma and Caliban Kurosagi stood in wait. They weren't on guard duty, but they were waiting for a specific person. Suddenly, a man with long, spiky white hair approached them. Red lines ran from the bottom of his eyes down his face. He wore a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armour that is visible at his wrists and ankles.
He also wore hand guards, a black belt, traditional wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. He often carried a large scroll on his back, and had a tattoo on his left palm, and he wore a horned forehead protector with the kanji for "oil." He looked between the two men. He was wary since they could easily be regular guards. Fu was the first to step forward.
"The lily flows from the mouth of the waterfall." said Fu. The man breathed in a sigh of relief.
"It's descent is slowed by the wind's will." responded the man. Fu nodded his head.
"I thank you again Jiraiya-sama for deciding to take Naruto under your wing. It's probably been hard for him since his adopted grandfather passed." The man, now known as Jiraiya, smiled.
"Would I be a good godfather if I didn't take the opportunity to take care of him and have my spy network in tact?" Caliban stepped forward this time.
"It also has nothing to do with the promise of 'research.'" scoffed Caliban. Jiraiya looked to the saiyan with a look of hurt and betrayal. "Let's just get this over with." Jiraiya handed Caliban the contacts for his spy network, and the man sped off. Fu shrugged as he led Jiraiya away from the village.
Jiraiya was then blinded by a strange light. He soon found himself on Mount Myōboku, the place where he trained with the ninja toad clan. There was something off, however. The whole land was surrounded by a vast ocean. He looked out into the distance.
He saw a small island with a pink house on it fade into existence. He was wary as an old man wearing a purple turtle shell walked up the shore. Fu walked over to the old man.
"Good to see you again Muten Roshi." greeted Fu. "You are just in time to see the new land that will take residence of this area." Both Jiraiya and Master Roshi were stunned.
"This whole mountain is going to take the place of my island?" asked Master Roshi. Jiraiya walked over, one of the ninja frogs on his shoulder. "I'm being replaced with a frog man?" Jiraiya took great offense to that comment.
"I'll have you know that I am one of the legendary Sannin and a..." started Jiraiya before Fu cut him off.
"Could you not pronounce that last one to the whole world?" asked Fu. Jiraiya groaned, but nodded. Fu clapped his hands together. "I can see some tension in the air, so why don't we have a little spar to show that you're respected territories are in good hands?" Jiraiya and Master Roshi looked to the young Nisekuma, but then nodded.
Soon they stood across from each other. Both in their respective stances. There were only two rules to this spar. No outside objects and ring out only since they were near the water. The first rule put a handicap on Jiraiya, but he was sure he could manage.
Fu suddenly lowered his arm, and the two elders met halfway in a clash. Master Roshi took note of his opponent's strength and size. He was not going to win a push battle, so he hopped back and prepared to attack. He came at the old man with a barrage of punches and kicks. Jiraiya was able to block each and every attack, except for the last punch to the face.
Jiraiya reeled for a bit, before catching himself quite literally. He quickly went in for a combination, but was caught by an uppercut from the Turtle Hermit. He was sent reeling, but he went up in smoke as a log tumbled across the ground. Master Roshi turned to block a hard kick from Jiraiya. Master Roshi only saw the technique the sage used once.
This man was a shinobi, like Son Naruto. He decided to hold nothing back. He held his hands backwards as he began to bulk up. Jiraiya caught on and pulled together his technique. He put one of his hands behind him and used the other to push chakra into it.
Both suddenly had a ball of their respective mastered energy. Two moves that were purely energy, waiting to be unleashed. The old men locked eyes as their attacks charged.
"KA...ME...HA...ME..." started the Turtle Hermit as the ball grew larger. Jiraiya suddenly rushed forward, the sphere still in his hand. He thrust it forward as he got in range.
"RASENGAN!" shouted the Toad Sage. Master Roshi also thrusted his hands forward.
"HHAAAAAAAA!" The beam shot forward, clashing with the orb. Large pulses were sent across the sky, seeming to stop at a barrier made by Fu. There was a large explosion as the attacks burnt out. Both men panted as the smoke cleared.
Fu clapped his hands together once more.
"Let's call it a draw shall we men?" asked Fu. "It's getting late and I really need to finish this up properly." Both men reluctantly agreed. Master Roshi and Fu returned to Kame House as it began to disappear. Jiraiya looked at the piece of paper in his hands.
It was a map leading to what seemed to be a small town. He sighed as the two men and the island disappeared completely. He quickly made his way to the indicated location. He imagined how similar Naruto would be to his father. He shook off the thought as he continued on his way.
"I'm coming Gaki." said Jiraiya as he looked over the horizon. Mai and Shu flew overhead as the rocket had went airborne. They weren't getting down any time soon.
"I HATE KIDS!" shouted Mai. Shu nodded his head.
"I'M STARTING TO THINK THAT WE NEED A NEW LINE OF WORK!" shouted Shu as Mai kicked him in the head.
"WE'RE BLASTING OFF!" shouted both lackeys.
That reference gets me every time. As you can tell, I'm going with the motherly Kurenai, and poor Iruka might not survive the night. Now, instead of Goku having to worry about if Sakura likes him more than Sasuke, he just have to worry about if Hinata even likes him like that. That's the exact same problem Hinata is facing, making the irony so sweet. Bare with me as we slowly get to where the original left off.
Did you like the changes made to the chapter? What do you think of the peal earrings reminding Goku of Hinata? Will Iruka survive Kurenai's wrath? Leave your opinions in a review down below and I'll try to respong as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.