Disclaimer: Nope don't own Naruto, and I never will. I'm only saying this because I'm at gunpoint. I do own Naruto…I mean I don't!
Story: Naruto is outgoing, outspoken, and oblivious. His female counterpart is the same, only she's engaged, in love with a jounin, and the Hokage loves to dress her up. And she can use mokuton jutsu.
Set as an AU.
Spoilers: Eh, not really.
Warnings: ?
Pairings: KakaNaru, NaruOthers
Yare, Yare! Naruko Gaiden
Chapter Thirteen: From the Depths of Hell
"Shit, Naruko!" Kakashi tried to jump over the border separating him and his student.
A purple barrier of chakra stopped him.
"Look, those kids are creating the barrier. They've surrounded the fight. No one can get to Naruko or Hokage-sama," Kurenai narrowed her eyes around her.
Everyone had been knocked out because of the genjutsu.
"Kakashi, wake up the rookies and get them to find a way to reach Naruko. We have company," Kurenai added, waking up Asuma and Gai.
Kakashi growled but did so. If they could find a way to get to Naruko, then Kakashi would have no problems having a massive killing spree.
These Sound-nin and Sand-nin were going to wish they had never endangered the Copy-nin's pupil.
Outside the barrier, an ear-splitting screech reached them.
"Naruko!" Kakashi growled.
He held himself in check and immediately ordered the genin to do their part. He fought against the enemy ninja desperately, hoping to get to Naruko soon.
The Hokage stared sadly over the stadium, his eyes lingering on his blonde brat.
"She's grown to be quite the stunning lady, Sarutobi-sensei," Orochimaru's voice reached his ears.
"What do you want with Naruko?" he asked sharply.
"She'll make a fine heir, you know. The Curse Seal will make her turn to me and I will give her everything she's ever wanted. Such a beautiful and powerful body. I will enjoy taking over it. She will be a perfect vessel," Orochimaru said as his tongue flicked out.
"You will never get the chance. I'll kill you first!"
Naruko meanwhile was dodging sand attacks as Gaara continued his transformation. She didn't know how long she could keep dodging.
She had screamed once, she wouldn't do it again. Not when she had to be brave to defeat Gaara. But could she really? Wasn't Gaara stronger because he didn't have attachments?
Was she weaker because she cared?
"Oi, gaki. Shut the hell up and ask me for more power. I want to beat the brat into the ground. They should learn their place," Kyuubi snarled.
Naruko took a deep breath.
'Sorry, fox, but I gotta do this.'
First up, Naruko created thousands of kage bushin and attacked Gaara all at once. After several combos and performing sennin goroshi on Gaara with an explosive result, Gaara had finally finished transforming into the raccoon.
But the Suna-nin was put to sleep.
Naruko summoned a little more of the Fox's chakra, readying herself to summon the boss toad.
"Gamabunta-san, please help me defeat Shukaku!" Naruko asked as she stared down the demon.
The giant toad blew a large cloud of smoke, "You got it, Naruko. But we're going to have a small drink later on."
Gamabunta tried getting a hold of the raccoon, but had to keep jumping away because of the air bullets being shot at them. Deciding something with claws was needed, Naruko henged into Kyuubi with Gamabunta.
Once they had a good grip, they un-henged and Naruko used that opportunity to run up Shukaku and try to hit Gaara's sleeping form. Sand stopped her, but she managed to do a head butt and wake up the red-head.
Shukaku disappeared along with Gamabunta, but Gaara and Naruko still faced off. With one last hit, Naruko beat Gaara.
"See? You have already lost!" Hiruzen grinned in triumph at his old pupil.
"The Ace may have been lost, but I haven't!"
Orochimaru performed Edo Tensei, summoning two caskets before the Third Hokage put a stop to the third. Hiruzen breathed heavily, the battle taking its toll on him.
"Age before beauty, Sarutobi-sensei," Orochimaru laughed creepily.
With his monkey summons Enma, Hiruzen prepared to launch a katon dragon Orochimaru's way while Enma attacked Orochimaru from another angle.
He had to stop those caskets from opening.
Orochimaru had to jump away from the caskets as Enma swung at him and Hiruzen almost sighed in relief. The Snake Sannin was away from the caskets.
But then his worry came back as the smoke dissipated and the caskets were opened.
"Too late," Orochimaru cackled.
A little ways away, the Shodai and Nidaime stared blankly at him.
As Naruko said –chikuso.
Hiruzen and the Shodai and Nidaime fought all out, with Hiruzen's mind just barely remembering that Orochimaru hadn't taken total control of the two former Hokage.
It was time to seal Orochimaru's soul.
"Enma! I'm counting on you to distract these two as I fight Orochimaru."
Sandaime darted forward moving his hands through a sequence of seals only the Yondaime knew. The Shiki Fujin.
Orochimaru laughed again, seeing nothing happening.
"Have you gone senile, old man? What failure!"
He didn't expect the Sandaime to stop right before him, stopping at one last seal. Hiruzen's hands froze like that and Orochimaru felt unimaginable pain.
"The Fourth Hokage used this jutsu to seal away the Fox. I will use it to send you to hell!"
As Enma tired against the other two, the monkey lord saw Hiruzen and Orochimaru struggling to win over the other. Suddenly, the Sandaime scrunched his eyebrows together.
The Hokage remembered a small gift in his pocket and looked thoughtful. Could it really work?
He decided to seal Orochimaru's arms and took out the gift. He stared at it before tossing it nonchalantly towards Orochimaru's pained face. It exploded and Orochimaru gagged before screeching.
Hiruzen really has been spending too much time with Naruko.
Enma sighed, thinking along the same signs and watching as Orochimaru jumped away, still hacking from disgust at the result of the explosion.
Hiruzen grinned. He should ask Naruko if he could get her Uzumaki Crank Bomb patented.
He passed out and Enma disappeared with a poof. With his battle ended, so had Gaara and Naruko's private but such an intimate and intense conversation. They quietly lay next to each other, exhausted and wiped out, before Temari and Kankuro appeared. But then so had Genma, who had retreated to just inside an entryway for contestants on the other side of the arena when the match had begun, allowing for the two to have room and free reign to go all out without having to worry about him getting in the way. Which meant that, once the invasion had started, he couldn't reach either Naruko or the Hokage because that stupid barrier prevented him from getting close, and instead he'd had to deal with the Suna genin team's jounin sensei. But now, with Orochimaru retreating and the purple barrier gone, he was able to head over to Naruko, after having defeated Baki.
He and the two Suna-nin faced off, watching each other warily. The girl tentatively moved closer to the two wasted combatants on the floor, who watched either side with tired curiosity, and he narrowed his eyes at her. Seeing no danger and that she meant no harm, he didn't move as he watched as she grabbed her brother and fled with the other one. He turned his attention to his girl, hurrying going over to her and picking her up. She hesitantly curled her hands into his vest and buried her face into his neck, lips accidentally brushing against it. He let himself squeeze her closer and then he started rushing to the hospital and hoped that nothing was wrong with Naruko, but completely proud of her all at the same time.
Meanwhile, there were battles all over the place. Kakashi was still speeding his way through gangs of enemy ninja, having caught sight of Genma and that the man had safely taken Naruko. Though discontented that he hadn't been the one to get to her and take care of her, at least she was out of harm's way. Asuma happily felt the same, one of his trench knives making quick work of another man. Zabuza was grinning as he rushed around, hacking away with Kubikiri Houchou, Haku exasperatedly trailing behind but also expertly taking out those who'd threatened not only his new home but his other favorite person in the world, Naruko. Following behind at a more leisurely pace, the Demon Brothers took out those the two rarely missed, their metal claws digging in and then whipping right back out, all as they were discussing what Naruko might cook for them for dinner, if she wasn't too tired or hurt, and the merits of crashing in her home (and finding out who the hell that blond guy was) while she was recuperating in the hospital.
The two put their heads closer together, more focused on their talk.
"Mm, we should get the groceries," one brother contemplated, flinging his weapon out and taking out an enemy shinobi that had been running at them.
"Probably nothing fresh and perishable, or else it might get wasted," the other agreed, before throwing his claw out and hitting an Oto-nin head on.
Nakago wasn't as blasé in his fighting. He was infuriated at the turn of events, especially that his fiancée's life had been threatened. He was now especially worried about her and wanted to quickly end this invasion so that he could hurry to her and see if she was alright. He was making quick work of the shinobi around him, not even pausing to see their fates as he kept going and took them all out. His niece was unflinchingly following his lead, also systematically taking them down.
This was probably going to out him already, but it couldn't be helped. With his obvious involvement in the battle, there was no way that he could keep hidden and keep himself secret. Besides, how could he not get involve? Naruko was either hurt, in danger, or any undesirable thing. And they'd already attacked and involved her, so their fates had been signed and sealed, and he had no regrets.
The invasion went and ended in Konoha's favor, but the two main fighters had to be healed and looked over quickly.
In the hospital, Hiruzen shared a room with Naruko. After the battle, the Hokage had passed out and the Anbu had finally reached him. All the injured were rushed to hospital, but the two most important people in the battle were secured privacy in a closed-off wing.
Only those closest had been allowed to see them.
Kakashi stayed close to Naruko, not paying attention to the Anbu and Tokubetsu Jounin around the Sandaime. He diligently sat there by her side, holding her hand.
He silently pleaded for her to wake up.
"Um…Kakashi-san…" Iruka's voice lingered behind him.
Funny. He hadn't even noticed the chuunin's presence. Nor the others that stood with Iruka.
He gave a brief nod towards their direction before focusing on Naruko again.
"How is she?" Haruko asked.
"Stable. It's chakra exhaustion," Kakashi answered them curtly, not looking up from staring at Naruko's face.
"I see," Iruka said nervously, though he couldn't help the jealousy that was creeping in.
"Um, Kakashi-san…when will she wake up?" a surprising person said.
Kakashi gave her a quick glance, having not seen Sakura since the Bell Test. He was surprised to see her.
"I don't know…the doctors say a normal person will wake up from this severe of a chakra exhaustion in a month or so, but Naruko's known to be fine the next day. It's hard to predict," Kakashi's voice cracked a little.
"But she will wake up, right Kakashi?" Kurenai tried to soothe him down.
"Why don't you visit Sandaime? He's in a more critical position," Kakashi said stubbornly. His eyes were still glaring holes into Naruko's face, as if mentally willing her to wake up.
"Why won't you?" Kurenai snapped back.
Kakashi didn't answer, not wanting to say he didn't want to leave Naruko's side.
"Look, Kakashi. I know you are in love with her, whether or not you admit it I don't care, but give a girl room to breathe, eh? You'll suffocate her if you start doing this while she's awake, which you will start doing now that you've had a reason to. After all, it isn't everyday your student and love is seriously hurt. Have faith in her, will you?" Kurenai berated him finally.
"I just don't want to lose her."
"She'll be fine. Naruko's too stubborn to go down like this."
Iruka, Hakuro, and Sakura were stunned at the revelation that Kakashi felt that way. Sakura was the only one who was feeling positive about that, finding herself in a girlish and squealing mood.
But Iruka and Hakuro were another matter.
Iruka especially. Naruko was like a little sister, and now he was beginning to put the truth together. But before he could confront Kakashi, Kurenai literally ushered them out.
"Kurenai-san, is that true? Kakashi-san is in love with Naruko?" Sakura asked as they walked out of the hospital.
"Hm? That? Yes. He was in denial for a while, but Asuma, Gai, Zabuza and I beat him into submission," Kurenai grinned.
"Isn't Naruko a little too young to be in a relationship? And Kakashi is her teacher, should that be alright for their relationship too?" Iruka asked a little too heatedly.
"Relationship? Hohoho! That's funny, Kakashi's in love with Naruko, Naruko is in love with Genma, and Genma is in love with who knows! As far as I know, their relationship is nonexistent. Kakashi's too busy screaming about how Naruko is in love with Genma, how it won't work out, she's too young, she's his student, and blah. He's too busy blushing, trying to be the perfect gentleman, and saying he would never betray her trust like that," Kurenai ranted, seemingly saying things that she's wanted to get off her chest.
Iruka grudgingly gave a point to Kakashi in his book, smiling inwardly that at least Kakashi wasn't going to take advantage of his little Naruko.
They left and soon it became later, closer to nighttime.
Kakashi awoke from his slumber, having fallen asleep at Naruko's side. Whispers had been the cause of his sudden wakefulness.
"Kaka-sensei?"
Naruko…
"Naruko? Is that you? Are you really awake?" Kakashi immediately became alert, his head snapping up to meet Naruko's.
"Hi," she said sheepishly, though she still seemed a bit tired.
Mouth agape for a second, he closed it and lunged forward, enclosing Naruko in a tight embrace.
"You're awake…you're fine," he mumbled into her shoulder.
Naruko blushed bright red, unsure what had happened and why her sensei was acting like that. She awkwardly closed her arms around him and returned the hug.
"Don't scare me like that ever again, okay?" he mumbled again.
Naruko blinked in surprise, "Um, I'll try, sensei."
She wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but she was willing to guess it had something to do with what had happened during the Chuunin Exam.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Kakashi just burrowed even more into her arms. Naruko tried to calm her heartbeat from such a simple gesture, but for some reason her heart refused to stop speeding up. Her face was burning red, but she couldn't stop herself from holding her sensei a little tighter and laying her chin atop his head.
"I'm so happy. I don't know why, but you've made me so happy. Have dreams of me, onegai? Just like I think I was dreaming of you. You made me feel safe and warm so I'll try to do the same now," Naruko said as Kakashi drifted off to sleep.
"For now I'll stay up and think of you. Until tomorrow, I'll just hold you tight," Naruko mumbled, lying back with a goofy grin, Kakashi still in her arms.
The Anbu still hidden in the room watched and tilted their heads in curiosity and a bit of amusement.
Nakago grumbled to himself, wishing Hiruzen would wake up already. With the village in disarray after the invasion and he having been found out in being there and on close terms with Hiruzen for some reason, the Sandaime's old teammates had cornered him into helping out.
Well, more like he'd volunteered to help out with paperwork and whatever else Hiruzen usually did and help with rebuilding after the attack, they then suspiciously agreed quickly and piled a bunch of stuff on him, and then kept the civilian council unaware while he was stuck in Hiruzen's office working.
He hadn't been able to visit Naruko the whole time, dammit.
And it still looked like he wouldn't be able to, he eyed the piles of paperwork before him. Thank Kami this was at least temporarily.
Somewhere else, Asuma was also plagued with thoughts. He was worried about his father, who'd collapsed after his fight with Orochimaru, and still wouldn't wake up. There was nothing outwardly wrong with him, other than a few cuts and bruises and things like that. Internally, nothing was wrong either –again, on a physical level. Something had happened to keep the Sandaime from waking up.
He was also worried about Naruko, though he shouldn't be. It wasn't his place to worry; that was Kakashi's job, and people close to her. He was glad she was okay, though she too just needed to wake up. But she still looked so small and vulnerable from where he had stood silently gazing at her, having snuck in to visit her before Kakashi could come and claim her bedside all to himself. A twinge in his chest made his heart ache, and he was starting to fear even more finding out what feelings were being drudged up from in him.
He'd thought of it a few times, but he'd never truly admitted it to himself and certainly not aloud.
Nothing good came from having a…a crush on the girl.
Started 6/10/07 –Completed 6/16/07
Revised 4/4/11 –Completed 4/4/11
A/n: Yay, another chapter. So we start Tsunade next chapter and that'll have even more changes, I'm pretty sure. And the little twist I have with be in there too, with a hint of it in here. Crazy Sarutobi though, eh? Too much time with Naruko. Anyways...So, please review if you enjoyed the chapter! It'll be much obliged and appreciated!
Queen of the deathberries: Thanks and I'll definitely check that site out!