llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura
"Normal Talking"
Thoughts/Sound Effects
"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"
"Demon speak"
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Key Through the Heart
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.
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"Focus, Naruto… Reach deep inside you… Within you is a pocket that should feel like twinkling stars," Vivi said in a even, almost hypnotic voice. He stood next to Naruto, who was sitting in the Lotus position with his eyes tightly closed. The blond tried not to think about the uncomfortable rocks pressing into his legs and bottom, and did as the little mage instructed.
Through the warm chakra that had been readily available to him to summon, he caught a glimmer…
"I can feel it," he said, grinning but staying calm. Vivi nodded.
"Good… Now, pull it up, slowly..."
The Keyblade flashed into existence in Naruto's hand, and he held it in front of him, pointing it towards the sky. He kept his eyes closed, willing the magic into his weapon.
"Now, think of fire. Think of what fire needs. Air, heat and fuel. You have them all, you just need to combine them. Make them react, and release the flames. They are at your command, with only a word!" Vivi pressed.
Naruto opened his eyes, shooting up to his feet and bringing the Keyblade down, pointing at a nearby tree.
"FIRE!" He roared.
POOF! A small cloud of smoke and sparks emerged from the tip of the Keyblade.
"…" Gawked Naruto.
"…" Blinked Vivi.
"YOU IDIOT!" Ino bellowed. BONK!
"OW! OW! DAMNIT, WOULD YOU QUIT THAT YOU CRAZY-?!" Naruto shouted, holding the back of his head. Ino snorted in irritation, spinning her staff.
"We've been at this for days, and you still can't make FIRE?!"
"It's harder than it looks, okay?!" Naruto snarled.
"I did it my first try!" Ino growled. "What happened to learning the Kage Bunshin in a few hours?"
"This is different! It's like I have to dig all the way around for the magic through all my chakra!" Naruto complained. Ino rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on! It can't be that hard!"
"It wasn't hard for you because you don't have that much chakra anyway!" Naruto retorted. Ino's eyebrow twitched.
"And just what are you implying by that?" She got out, eyes narrowed. Naruto saw this… And grinned evilly.
"What? I'm not implying anything..."
"Then what the hell are you grinning about, huh?!" Demanded Ino. Naruto just snickered.
"Oh, nothing at all… Ino-sensei… Must be easy to get at your magic, with so little chakra!"
"THUNDER!" She bellowed, and Naruto leaped out of the way of the blast. Covering his face with one hand to shield himself from the cast up rocks, he leveled a mocking grin at the seething girl.
"Ha! Your aim sucks!"
"Oh yeah?" Ino smirked. She focused and held out her staff.
"FIRE!" She shouted, and Naruto instinctively leapt out of the line of the spell… Only to see the flame curve around and follow.
"OH SHI-!"
BOOM!
Hinata looked up from a few scrolls she'd been reading by the riverbank. Her eyes widened and she rushed over to Naruto's side.
"N-Naruto-kun! Are you all right?"
The Keybearer twitched and groaned, smoke rising from his charred clothing. Ino walked over and smirked.
"Ha! I can target my magic now! Thanks, Vivi-sensei!" She grinned, winking at the little black mage. Vivi's glowing eyes closed in his version of a smile.
"It was nothing… She got it just fine… Though she does have a lot less chakra to interfere…"
Ino groaned. "Vivi-sensei!"
"I'm-I'm sorry! I can't help that it's true!" Vivi protested.
Hinata clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
"Cure," she murmured, and green energy that resembled scattered leaves erupted from her hands over Naruto's body. The burn marks vanished, and the blond held up his hands to his face.
Wow…! That's even faster than when the fox healed me…He grinned thankfully at Hinata, who blushed.
"Thanks Hinata-chan! You've really got that down!"
"It-It took a while to be able to do," the shy girl replied, tapping her fingers together. Naruto's grin turned bestial as he locked eyes with Ino.
"Well hey, you got it down at least, right? Me…" He looked glumly down at the Keyblade. Hinata smiled nervously.
"D-Don't worry, N-Naruto-kun… I'm s-sure you'll get it down…"
"Well, maybe we should hold off on black magic for now, since you haven't been able to get any of the spells I've tried to teach you. I think you'll need support magic more than anything else," Vivi said reasonably. "I think the Reflect spell would work best as a starter."
"Reflect?" Naruto asked. Vivi nodded.
"Yes. It's White Magic, but you can learn it from this ring," he said, holding it up. "You use it to reflect spells back at your opponents. Very useful."
"I'll handle this, Vivi-sensei," Ino said with a smile, taking the ring from the black mage and walking back over to Naruto. She handed him the ring and began pushing him in the direction of a clearing nearby.
"Hinata, when we get back we'll try the Haste combat again, okay?" Ino called over her shoulder. Naruto groaned.
"Oh man…"
"Don't be such a baby!" Ino snorted. They finally reached the center of the clearing, and Ino stepped away from Naruto. She held out her staff, as Naruto slipped on the ring.
"So, what do we do first?" Naruto asked. Ino looked determined.
"Simple. I'm going to shoot spells at you, and you try to reflect them back at me," she said. Naruto sighed.
"Right… More target practice for you, huh?" He groused. Ino crossed her arms over her chest and glared.
"Look Naruto. You haven't had any more luck with summoning, and you suck at black magic. We have two weeks before the finals, and you're going to need every advantage you can get to beat Neji, and after that…? Well, you'll probably face either that Gaara kid or Sasuke-kun."
Naruto grimaced, remembering the killing intent that the red headed Sand sibling had demonstrated. Ino's eyes softened a bit.
"Hey, I know it's a pain, but I don't want you to die, you know?"
Naruto blinked at her, silent. Ino frowned.
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
The blond just grinned, and Ino couldn't help the fluttering in her stomach from the sincerity of the smile.
"Thanks Ino-sensei… That means a lot to me," he said. Ino sighed and shook her head with a smile.
"All right… Ready?"
"Ready."
"FIRE!"
"REFLECT!"
BOOM!
"OW! OW! SON OF A-! SHIT!"
"Sorry! Sorry!"
"NOW YOU SAY SORRY?!"
Vivi sighed in exasperation at the yelling, and then noticed the frown on Hinata's face. Her Byakugan was activated.
"Hinata?" He said gently. Hinata blushed.
"Oh! Sorry Vivi-sensei… You were saying?"
- - - - - - - -
"Gah…"
Hours later, Naruto was shuffling home, gritting his teeth against the burning aches and pains throughout his body. The Keyblade leaning against one shoulder, he smiled as his apartment complex came into view, a familiar dark shape against the shining stars.
"Home," he grunted happily, picking up his pace a little. He stretched, feeling a few muscles pop. In some ways he was glad for how few people lived around his area. It made him feel like he had a whole apartment building to himself… Which he had to pay triple the standard rent for, but still…
He came into his apartment through the window, stretching again with a yawn. Midway through, he noticed the fact that the lights were on.
I don't think I left them on… Naruto sniffed the air.
I also know I didn't cook anything… He shifted into a fighting stance and cautiously, silently walked towards the entrance to his bedroom. He froze.
Someone's coming… But… It's not an enemy? He frowned, the signals the Keyblade were sending him somewhat confusing.
A familiar face peeked through the bedroom door, smiling cheerfully at Naruto.
"Hey Naruto! Perfect timing! I was just about to give up on you."
"Ayame-ane? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked incredulously. The ramen girl giggled a bit and shook her head.
"You haven't shown up at the stand all week, so I decided to come over and check up on you." The older girl frowned disapprovingly.
"And with good reason, too. You've got nothing but ramen in your cabinet! And your milk's gone bad!"
"Wait, wait… How did you get in here?" Naruto asked, blinking with the Keyblade hanging limply from his hand. Ayame shrugged.
"You left the door unlocked… Really Naruto, you should know better!"
"Nobody would try to steal my stuff anyway; I'm like the only person in the building!" Naruto protested. Ayame sighed.
"Oh well… I made dinner. Come on," she said, turning and walking into the kitchen. Naruto followed and gaped at the spread on the table.
"Holy… This is great, Ayame-ane! You didn't have to do all this!" He gushed, sitting down and piling his plate with beef, rice, and vegetables. Ayame smiled and sat down across him him, putting some food on her own plate.
"No, but with the Chuunin Exams and all, I wanted to do something special for you," she admitted, almost shyly. Naruto grinned and began digging in, causing the ramen girl to giggle just a little.
He hasn't changed since I met him, has he? Still the same messy eater…
Ayame picked at her food, eating slowly, still keeping her eyes on the blond as he continued to eat like a starving man. She couldn't help but keep recalling all the times she'd seen him eat, shoveling away bowl after bowl of ramen into his mouth as though each were his last meal. Anger stirred in her heart as she recalled why he ate so much. No grocer would sell him any food except the worst stock; no restaurant would let him in but theirs.
She could still remember seeing him at their stand, so small and innocent looking, barely able to peer over the counter as he sniffed the smell of ramen cooking. When her father had laid eyes on him he'd cringed, as though expecting to be yelled at.
"Here. Take a seat. You want some ramen, right?" He said to the little boy with a kind, honest smile. Ayame smiled with her father, and slowly the boy pushed himself up onto the stool. He looked up and two shockingly blue eyes peered back at her, questioning, hopeful.
"Ramen?" He asked plaintively. Her father chuckled, and set out a steaming bowl of miso.
"Here, give it a try. I guarantee you'll like it!" He enthused. The little boy clumsily held some chopsticks between his fingers and dipped them down into the broth, collecting noodles and tugging them up to his mouth. Hesitantly he slurped some of them into his mouth, and he made a pleased sound. The boy dove in, furiously devouring the ramen with a speed that left both Ayame and her father gaping in astonishment. The boy finished with a happy sigh and held out the bowl again with a grin.
"More please, dattebayo!" He shouted, a broad smile on this otherwise downtrodden looking little boy warming Ayame's heart and bringing a smile to her own face.
"Certainly," her father said with a big grin, preparing more noodles…
"Hey, Ayame-ane?"
Ayame blinked, seeing those same brilliant blue eyes right in front of her own. She blushed furiously.
"Um, yes?" She managed quietly. Naruto drew his face back and pointed down at her plate.
"Um… You going to eat that?" He asked, indicating her mostly full plate. Ayame blinked and looked at the food she'd set out. She sighed with a small smile at how empty the plates and bowls were.
Probably shouldn't be surprised…
"In a bit," she said. Naruto sat back down and frowned thoughtfully at her. Ayame blinked.
"Something wrong?"
"Hm? Oh, no. Just remembering when you first came to the ramen stand," the girl confessed sheepishly, smiling at the blond. Naruto blushed a little and smiled back.
"Really? I… I remember that too."
"You should," Ayame commented with a smirk. "I still have no idea how you pack it all away."
"Er, good living?" Naruto offered. Ayame laughed.
"So, what have you been up to that's kept you away from the ramen stand so much?" She asked pointedly. Naruto sighed, leaning back in his chair slightly.
"Training," he groaned. "Have to be ready for the exam finals."
"How is that going? Are you learning a lot? Who is training you?" Ayame asked, interested. Naruto grinned.
"Well, it's going pretty well so far. Mostly it's just been training my speed and taijutsu with some of my friends. Though I am working on this really cool spe-er, jutsu one of them taught me."
"What does it do?" Ayame asked. Naruto smiled.
"It basically creates this bubble of chakra around me that bounces anything that hits it right back at whoever threw it, like a kunai, or fire blast."
"That sounds incredible! I've never heard of such a technique," Ayame enthused. Naruto shrugged, rubbing the back of his head modestly.
"Well, it will be if I get it down. I can never quite get the right… Chakra to power it."
"Eh? Right chakra?" Ayame asked. Naruto shrugged.
"It's… Complicated. Ninja stuff. But, all the training I'm doing should help me get it down!"
The blond winced as he recalled just how he was training those things. Alongside the spell training he'd been going through, every day Ino and Hinata double teamed him afterwards, attacking furiously in a sparring brawl. Ino could direct her spells into her staff, which made her dangerous at both long and short range, while Hinata, as she seemed to spar more and more with him, got more confident and began showing off more of that famed Hyuuga speed. Which resulted in his tenketsu points being closed. Painfully.
It had gotten even harder when Hinata had mastered the Haste spell. Though the Keyblade gave him cues for where to block and how to strike back, if he wasn't fast enough to execute the moves properly he was screwed.
Just like with Sasuke and Lee…
A thought occurred. Hey wait… Lee doesn't use chakra to get so fast… So maybe… What if I didn't…?
Noticing Ayame's expectant look, Naruto decided to save the thought for later.
"Oh, and this old hermit's teaching me summoning and a few basic jutsus to help with that," Naruto added. Ayame smiled.
"Wow! Summoning? Really? What do you summon?"
"Toads," Naruto said simply. Ayame blinked. Naruto sighed.
"I'm not joking."
"I wasn't going to say you were," Ayame said with a smile. "I remember seeing the Fourth Hokage ride a giant toad into battle… The night the… Um…"
"Kyuubi attacked?" Naruto prompted. Ayame smiled at his nonchalant expression.
"Yeah… It was so amazing, seeing what happened. The light, the tails…"
"Well, I can't summon that big toad… But I will! Just you wait; we'll go hopping anywhere you like when I do, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned. Ayame smiled.
"I'll hold you to that, Naruto…"
The two made mostly small talk while Ayame finished her meal, and it wasn't too long before her gaze drifted to a small, beat up clock on the counter. Her eyes widened at how late it was.
"Dad's going to kill me," she groaned, getting up and putting her plate in the sink, preparing to wash it. Naruto came up to her side and took the plate away, grinning at her.
"It's okay, Ayame-ane! I'll take care of it. Later. When I get back."
"Get back…?" She asked. Naruto frowned.
"From walking you home."
"Naruto-!" Ayame began to protest, but Naruto just crossed his arms and gave her a determined look she was all too familiar with. She sighed in defeat.
"All right…"
Naruto grinned as he led her out the door. It was amazing, really. After his hard day of training he'd felt like he was ready to drop, but after that nice dinner and conversation with Ayame, he felt back to one hundred percent!
Definitely perks to eating things other than ramen, he reflected as he and his surrogate big sister came out of the building entrance and headed down the dark street.
Far above, in the shadows of a building, two observers watched Naruto and the ramen girl walk towards the civilian district of the village. One stared, unblinking, studying the blond with a frightening intensity. The other divided her attention between the target and her little brother's reactions to him.
Why is he out here? Why is he always out here, watching him? Temari wondered. She couldn't understand it… The Uzumaki boy wielded the Keyblade, true… And that killing intent of his had been familiar.
Frighteningly familiar…
The whisker marks on his face… The taste of his chakra… A terrible theory was beginning to form in Temari's mind.
Who else but a fellow demon container would arouse Gaara's interest? A demon container who seemed idiotic, maybe, but when his demon was unleashed…
Temari shook her head and stared. This boy… He was talking, laughing with that girl. She didn't fear him. She was a civilian, unable to hide or deceive a kunoichi of Temari's caliber with her body language. There was no lie in her smiles, her eyes.
The boy was also at ease, also happy, without insanity or rage hidden behind a thin veneer of humanity. Temari knew foxes were tricksters, but something told her that this was truly as the boy was.
Uzumaki Naruto… She shook her head, eyes darting between her brother and the blond far below. So different, yet both with demons inside them?
I need to know more…
Naruto paused and turned back, frowning, gaze sweeping the rooftops. Temari froze, wondering if he'd spotted her. Only a few meters away Gaara remained equally still, sheltered by the shadows of a water tower.
The ramen girl frowned and asked if something was wrong, too far away to be heard but her lips easily read by Temari. The blonde shook his head, muttered about "hearing something", before turning back to the girl, broad grin returning.
They continued on their way, unaware of the two Suna ninja they were leaving behind. Both determined to learn more about their quarry, but only one wanting him alive to answer their questions…
- - - - - - - - - - -
The kimono was racy to begin within, but a few helpful hints from Anko had it cut to an almost scandalous level. Not enough to get arrested, of course. Ending up in jail was not in Kurenai's plans; unless it got Hiashi in as well, and Kurenai had drawn up a few contingency plans for that.
But, she was content to stick with her original plot. It would be calling in a favor Anko owed her, but she comforted herself with the fact that she owed several more to the genjutsu mistress.
Checking her reflection in a pocket mirror, Kurenai pressed her lips together, spreading a deep red lipstick she favored. She winked and smirked.
Hyuuga Hiashi was going down tonight.
She prepared her genjutsu accordingly and made her way to the Hyuuga compound, a henge only displaying her in her standard uniform. The guards let her in, one raising an eyebrow at how late the jounin was meeting with Hiashi but saying no more.
She knew the way to the sitting room by memory by now, and patiently waited for Hiashi to appear. Kurenai could barely contain a smirk, her anticipation growing.
The Hyuuga lord soon appeared dressed in an elegant evening robe over purple silk pajamas. He spared her a cursory nod and sat across from her.
"Yuuhi-san, what brings you here tonight?" Hiashi asked in his usual flat, 'why-are-you-wasting-my-time' tone. Kurenai smiled.
"Hyuuga-sama, I merely wished to give a report on your daughter's current training program," she began. Hiashi frowned.
"I do not understand why this has to be held at so late a time," he pointed out. Kurenai bowed slightly.
"My apologies, Hyuuga-sama, but I could not meet with you at any earlier a time," she demurred, looking up through her eyelashes in an expression she had practiced several times in the mirror. Anko termed it "Bedroom Eyes no jutsu", and the results were worth the 'training'.
Hiashi flushed, ever so slightly, and coughed. Kurenai kept her inner glee restrained. Phase one, complete!
"Discuss this training you have devised," Hiashi stated in a slightly more strained tone. Kurenai smiled, making it a touch sultrier than she usually did. The Hyuuga lord's cheeks reddened just a little bit more.
"Very well, though it is rather extensive. Do you have any tea?" She asked politely, dropping her lower lip into a very slight pout. Kurenai couldn't help but love the power she suddenly held over the richest, most politically influential man in the village, as he coughed and again averted his eyes!
So much like Hinata, she thought.
"C-Certainly," Hiashi coughed. He cleared his throat and called out of the room. "Tea!"
A few moments later, a servant girl arrived. Instead of tea, however, she brought a bottle of rather expensive-looking sake and two bowls.
"My apologies, Hiashi-sama, but we are currently out of tea," the girl replied, and judging from the mark on her lowered forehead she was of the Branch house.
"Will sake suffice?"
"Sake will be fine," Kurenai assured the girl, and before Hiashi could protest the girl set it down and with a final bow, padded out of the room. Kurenai smiled demurely and took the bottle, pouring herself a bowl, bending over very slightly. Her henge just showed her standard outfit, but she could tell that Hiashi was watching her very closely.
"You first, Hiashi-sama," she said respectfully, presenting the bowl with her sultry smile. Hiashi coughed again, and Kurenai tilted her head in an innocent manner.
"Hiashi-sama, are you all right? You seem somewhat flushed. You're not ill, are you?" She asked. Hiashi managed a glower, which in his current state seemed more like a pout. Her smile grew just a little.
"Get to the point, Yuuhi-san," he emphasized, clearly irritated. Kurenai waited for him to take a sip of his bowl.
"She's currently training in advanced taijutsu with Uzumaki Naruto."
Hiashi, rather than spitting out his sake (as she'd hoped he would) instead choked on the warm alcohol, coughing and sputtering.
"WH-WHAT?!" He fairly screeched. Kurenai gawked, as though surprised at his outburst, while Inner Kurenai did a victory dance.
Oh, if I only had a camera! Damnit, knew I forgot something…
"Well, the two have developed a good relationship and Uzumaki is extremely talented in hand to hand," Kurenai explained. She shrugged.
"I currently require as much time as possible to get Aburame Shino, the only one of my students going to the finals, prepared. So, I felt it was best-"
"You felt it was best?!" Hiashi snarled angrily. "He's-! I mean, that-!"
"He's what, Hiashi-sama?" Kurenai asked quietly, with a hint of danger in her tone. She'd idolized the Fourth Hokage as a little girl and had tried to treat Naruto with respect, and after everything he'd done (and learning of Hinata's crush) had felt somewhat protective of the jinchuuriki.
"He…!" Hiashi coughed, trying to regain his composure. "You… May not be, ah, aware of this, Yuuhi-san, but my daughter… She, well… She has… Feelings for Uzumaki."
Kurenai blinked. Hiashi blinked back at her. Kurenai poured herself a bowl of sake, and downed it easily, her face turning slightly red.
"… Hiashi-sama, everyone knows that!" She expressed in exasperation. "Every single person in this village knows that your daughter has a crush on Uzumaki Naruto, save for Naruto himself!"
"Yes, and the less time he spends with her, the less chance there is of him figuring that out. So make. Her. Stop," Hiashi growled. Kurenai scowled, her low tolerance for alcohol already slightly impairing her judgment. Of course, the fact that her revenge was taking such an unexpected twist, and that now, after all his dismissals and disinterest, that now he was taking an interest in his daughter's training…!
"You have no authority to make me change anything about how I run my team, Hiashi-sama," she stated angrily. "And I find it rich that you are taking an interest in your daughter's well being now!"
Hiashi slammed a fist on his desk and glared right back at Kurenai.
"I will not be insulted in my own house by a common ninja!"
"Oh really? Let's see how common I am, you egomaniacal, self-righteous asshole!" Kurenai snarled back. Hiashi's Byakugan activated, and Kurenai had the presence of mind to initiate the final phase of her plan.
Hiashi, furious, was already feeling himself prepared for battle. His Byakugan saw the genjutsu already around Kurenai, and he narrowed his eyes, scanning through it.
So, she came prepared? Is she here to assassinate me? Is she a spy disguised as Yuuhi… San…?
He stared. Blood dripped slightly out of his nostrils. Kurenai smirked, and dropped her henge, opening the kimono and unveiling her bare chest to the Hyuuga lord.
FWUMP! Hiashi fell back, eyes spinning, blood gushing from his nose. Kurenai sighed.
"You can peep on me when I'm fully clothed without batting an eyebrow, but when I'm naked, that's when you pass out?" She muttered, feeling vaguely insulted. Kurenai took a swig of the sake and grinned.
Revenge complete… And the best part was Hiashi couldn't do a damn thing! Not unless he wanted to admit to being a perv...
"Ooooh…" She murmured, the genjutsu mistress beginning to feel light headed. She tried to stand up but the room just spun more. Closing her eyes, she too fell unconscious, her kimono open and revealing her entire body to any would-be voyeur.
Hanabi entered the room, grinning evilly. She turned to the servant girl and gave her a thumbs up.
"Phase two, complete! Now, help me with phase three!"
"Yes, Hanabi-sama," the servant girl replied, smiling a bit evilly herself as she helped the small Hyuuga heiress drag her father away. This scheme of hers would definitely increase the morale in the Branch house…
A floor above, Hinata slept blissfully on, her dreams filled with a certain blond shinobi.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Tsume Tenten leaned against a tree, the clearing where her team usually met for training and practice slowly brightening in the light of the rising sun. She stifled a yawn, and checked her watch.
Five minutes to go… She absently wondered if waiting for men was going to be a common occurrence in her life. Tenten resumed leaning against the tree, closing her eyes. She loathed getting up early in the morning. Very much a night owl, the fact she was on a team of early risers still pissed her off to no end.
She bit her lip. That was right. Lee was no longer…
"Tenten."
At the sound of Neji's voice, she opened her eyes. The Hyuuga prodigy stood before her, stoic as ever, arms crossed over his chest. She pushed herself up to her feet.
"Neji."
The Hyuuga eyed her carefully. "I have asked you here to help me with training."
She blinked.
"In what?"
Neji's face became somewhat strained. To anyone else it would have been a momentary twitch, but Tenten could read Neji's facial expressions pretty well after over a year on the same team. He was… Nervous?
"Tenten… Can I trust you?" He asked.
The weapons mistress managed to hide her astonishment at Hyuuga Neji, of all people, asking her that. She really, really looked at him, and saw what it was. She sucked in a deep breath.
Neji was… Vulnerable. Opening up, just a crack, but still…
She knew she had to tread carefully here. This was a chance that, if she screwed it up, she would never have another. Neji would close right back up if she made a false move.
"Neji… We're on the same team. We've been on missions together, and we've covered each other's backs in battle. That requires trust. If you're on my team, then I'm going to look out for you." Tenten bit her lower lip. This part would be kind of delicate, but she wasn't about to be dishonest.
"Even if you're a pompous, self-centered asshole, I do care about you. You, Lee, and Gai. And the last thing I would ever do is betray or harm you."
Neji raised an eyebrow, ever so slightly. Tenten sighed.
"And Naruto is my friend, Neji, but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell him about anything you don't want me to. Okay?"
Neji stared at her. Tenten stared back. The silence continued, and just when Tenten thought she had failed miserably… The Hyuuga prodigy visibly relaxed, and his lips twitched upwards for only a second.
He smiled! Yes! Yes! Tenten thought, her inner self doing a victory dance. Neji nodded and turned away.
"Very well…"
Tenten followed at a short distance as Neji walked into the center of the clearing. He turned around.
"The Main House of the Hyuuga Clan has maintained several techniques that it has held over the heads of the Branch House," he began, eyes narrowed. Tenten held back a sigh. She was very familiar with Neji's "Curse the Main House" rants. Still, he was her friend… Sort of… So she listened patiently.
"Among the strongest is the Kaiten. The ultimate defense in hand to hand contact. I have seen it used by the Hyuuga elders, and I can duplicate the technique. I require your assistance in perfecting the technique."
Tenten nodded. "What do we do first?"
"First, I need to duplicate the spin they employ," Neji stated. Tenten stepped back, as Neji held his arms out. He raised one knee up, before pressing it down and swinging his arms around. He pirouetted on his toe, kicking the ground in order to keep up his rotation.
"… Um, looks good so far," Tenten offered with a straight face, reflecting that Lee would kill to see Neji, his Eternal Rival, spinning around like a ballerina.
Neji continued his spinning until he was satisfied he could maintain his balance perfectly.
"What's the next step?" Tenten asked.
"The Kaiten creates a dome of pure chakra, an impenetrable barrier of energy," Neji continued. "It is made by rapidly expelling chakra from every tenketsu point on my body."
"So, the spinning creates a rotation effect to make the dome?" Tenten asked. Neji nodded.
"Yes. The Elders thought I could not decipher the means by which the technique is performed. But Fate has shown me the means. Stand back, Tenten."
Tenten complied, getting some distance between her and Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy took a deep breath.
"Byakugan," he murmured, his bloodline emerging. Chakra began to emerge from every point on his body, his aura quickly being consumed by bluish flames. They abruptly stopped and faded, and for a moment Tenten thought something had gone wrong.
"KAITEN!" He bellowed, releasing massive amounts of chakra as he spun, holding his arms out. Tenten watched, fascinated, as the streams of energy were shaped into a dome around Neji. The technique was truly amazing, and the fact that Neji had gotten it this fast-!
Fwip.
Tenten blinked as something fell on her head. Reaching up, she pulled it off and stared at the object in her hand. A white, elastic, ripped boxer-briefs shaped object. She turned back just as Neji disengaged the jutsu. She was acutely aware of the torn clothing littering the area.
And the very pale, very mortified looking, very naked Hyuuga genius standing before her.
"…"
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out as her cheeks burned bright red. Coughing and dropping the torn underpants, she averted her gaze as Neji tried to preserve some sense of modesty, covering his crotch with his hands.
"Um… Neji… Why don't we… Pick this up… A little later, ahem… After you get some more clothes… I think my uh… Goldfish is on fire."
Oh yeah, real convincing, Inner Tenten scoffed.
Neji nodded stiffly. Tenten turned away mechanically, walking away slowly, her cheeks bright red.
It's okay, Neji thought to himself, after all it's Tenten. You can trust her. You can trust-
The brunette girl stopped after her tenth step, shaking violently, before collapsing into a fit of hysterical laughter. Neji sighed.
Damnit…
- - - - - - - - - - -
The same morning, Naruto was standing at the riverside, standing in a somewhat meditative stance. He narrowed his eyes in concentration. Jiraiya was sitting on a blanket under an umbrella nearby, watching patiently.
"So, think you can do it this time?" The Sannin asked. Naruto smirked.
"Definitely!" The blond shot a glare at his sensei. "No thanks to you!"
Jiraiya held up his hands.
"Hey! Your learning style works best by me showing you the basics, and then letting you do it and figure it out on your own! You'll never get anywhere if I watch you like a hawk at all times."
"And while I'm practicing, you're off doing what? Peeping as usual?" Naruto snorted. Jiraiya sighed.
"C'mon, show me what you've got."
"All right, I will!" Naruto huffed, turning back towards the river and beginning to form hand seals.
Snake… Ram… Monkey… Boar… Horse… Tiger…
Naruto took a deep breath, feeling his lungs fill with chakra as he completed the hand seals. He breathed out.
Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu! He thought, as his mouth was occupied with releasing a large fireball. It blasted out over the stream and slammed into a boulder, blasting it with chakra-enhanced super hot flames.
The blond grinned and whooped.
"YEAH! All right! That's way bigger than anything Sasuke's done!" He cheered. Jiraiya smirked.
"Well, it's about time you got it right…"
"Hey, I got it in an hour after reading it in the scrolls! Way faster than I even mastered Kage Bunshin! Say… Why aren't we all taught this jutsu in the Academy anyway? It's awesome!" Naruto enthused. Everyone at the Academy had lauded Sasuke for his mastery of fire jutsus, but having learned one himself Naruto could say it wasn't all that impressive.
The Goukakyuu, for instance, only required you to make a few hand seals, provide a decent amount of chakra, and breathe out. With his massive chakra capacity, he could easily outmatch Sasuke fireball for fireball, even with his comparatively poor chakra control. This was a jutsu you didn't worry about overloading-The more chakra you poured into it, the better. It should have been perfect for him. All the pranks he could have done with it…
His inner pyromaniac roused, Naruto felt a foxy grin emerge on his face. The Sannin saw this and shook his head.
"That would be the reason," Jiraiya pointed out. "We'd have a whole village of genin setting things on fire. Or, if they put too much chakra into the blast, like you do, we wouldn't have a village at all."
Naruto scowled. "Hey! I wouldn't blow anything up…"
Jiraiya raised his eyes brows.
"… Okay, maybe I would," Naruto amended. "So, why are you teaching me this one now?"
"Simple. Toads can spit highly potent oils for attacks. Combine it with fire and you've got a very effective means of burning your enemies alive," Jiraiya said with a grim smile. Naruto nodded in understanding.
"Yeah, that's a pleasant thing to hear about first thing in the morning," a familiar female voice huffed. Naruto turned and saw Ino standing near the river bank, Hinata and Vivi flanking her.
"Morning Hinata-chan! Vivi-sensei! Ino-chan-WOAH!"
Naruto ducked the small fire ball Ino shot at him. She raised her eyebrow.
"Ino-sensei," the Keybearer grumbled. Ino grinned and twirled her staff around.
"Heh…You'd think you'd get it down after a week…"
"Well you haven't taught me anything!" Naruto protested.
"I have too, and I'll prove it! FIRE!" She shouted, letting loose a fire blast not from her staff but from her hand. Naruto, in his anger, formed the ram seal over the handle of the Keyblade, but after practicing so long with the magic-wielding girl the day before, the action he performed wasn't a jutsu, but a spell.
"REFLECT!" He shouted, as a scarlet bubble of energy flashed into existence around him. The fire spell bounced against the shield and zipped right back at its caster. Ino's eyes bugged out of her skull just before the blast hit her.
KABOOM!
Naruto grinned, spinning the Keyblade around in triumph, as the blonde girl coughed, glaring at him with a positively venomous scowl: The effect of which was completely ruined by her blackened face and burned clothing.
"You-! I-!" She sputtered, looking like she was about to go into a rant. Naruto's grin grew just a bit more smug, as Hinata covered her mouth to hide a smile and Vivi's eyes turned into crescents.
The blonde kunoichi sighed, and shook her head, a slow smile growing on her face.
"Well… Not bad at all… I thought you still couldn't get it?" Ino asked. Naruto shrugged.
"Well, if I can't do it with magic, I'm going to do it with chakra. It's a hell of a lot easier for me!" he said with a grin. He gawked, Ino's last words processing in his brain.
"What?! You shot me with that spell not knowing if I had mastered it?!"
"Looks like I know what I'm talking about, hm?"
Jiraiya smirked as Ino managed a pain-filled beam. Hinata blushed and smiled happily at Naruto, whose indignant expression slowly morphed into a broad smile.
Vivi, however, frowned.
"One problem. Blizzard!" The little mage stated, shooting a bolt of ice at Naruto. The blond yelped as the frozen burst of magic hit him square in the chest and sent him crashing to the ground.
Jiraiya smirked.
"Indeed. Chakra has some advantages over magic, but one it does not have is longevity. Unless you keep up a constant stream of chakra into a jutsu, it will only last for maybe an instant."
Naruto scowled, his teeth chattering.
"S-So what? I-I only n-n-need it t-to work f-for an in-instant!" He got out. Ino smiled a bit impishly.
"Well, considering how much he's going to be running around, it probably only needs to work for a second or two. He can always recast it, right?"
Vivi looked thoughtful, and nodded.
"True…"
"Besides, it only needs to last long enough to deflect one jutsu or attack," Jiraiya added. He smiled down at his still-shivering student, as Hinata crouched next to him and focused her own magical abilities.
"Warmth," Hinata murmured, and Naruto flushed as the ice melted and his body temperature returned to normal.
"Thanks Hinata-chan," he said gratefully, and the Hyuuga heiress blushed.
"Y-You're welcome…"
"So, what do I learn next?" Naruto asked. Ino and Vivi glanced at each other, before looking at Jiraiya. The Gama Sennin smiled unpleasantly.
"Oh, I have a few ideas…"
Naruto couldn't help but gulp.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Hiashi nuzzled deeper into the warm, fleshy pillows. Mm, even my import pillows don't feel this good… I'll have to buy more…
A feminine sigh reached his ears, and Hiashi became aware of a pair of arms around his shoulders. He frowned. Wait a minute…
He opened his eyes. Hiashi found himself staring into hooded red irises. A familiar, ruby red mouth opened. He felt his own mouth open as well.
"AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Far away, despite his nudity under the quick henge he'd made, when Neji heard that scream… He smiled very slightly, and continued on his way to the Hyuuga compound.
- - - - - - - - -
Edit 11/24/07: Extended the walk home with Ayame with Temari and Gaara watching Naruto (scene marked with a ). As well as correcting a few grammar and spelling mistakes.
Wow… Over 1,000 reviews… Incredible… Though if you subtract all the anonymous "Narusaku" reviews it's more like… 950 something, but still! Truly incredible. I am humbled by your love of my story.
Speaking of which: To the anonymous reviewer who keeps demanding NaruSaku? Cursing me out and threatening me, not to mention constant reviewing with only one word STILL has not convinced me to acquiesce your request. In other words, NO NARUSAKU. DEAL WITH IT. As this IS a Naruharem fic, Sakura MAY, I repeat, MAY be part of it. But I'm not telling, and I'm not making the entire focus of the story on just one pairing anyway.
Okay, rant's over.
To all of you who thought Naruto was weak? Well, who's weak now, huh? Sure, I'm not showing a whole lot of his training (In this chapter, just wait for it, it's only the first full week after all), but he can certainly kick ass. And he HAS kicked ass since the beginning, thank you.
Special thanks to Renalin for helping me with the Neji/Tenten scene. Check out her stories, she's a spectacular writer. And no, this does NOT mean Neji and Tenten will be a couple. Just so you know.
Also, a big thanks to The Fanfiction Forum for all their help as well.
Next chapter, we'll catch up with Sakura and Sawada (Who is NOT Maleficent. You'll never guess who she really is, bwahahaha! Go ahead, try, I DARE you, guess!), Hiashi and Kurenai in "The Morning After", and more fun with Sasuke in Traverse Town. See you next time!
Now, if I show you guys more omakes, will you promise not to just comment on those? Because the name of the fic is "Key Through the Heart", not "Omakes of Key Through the Heart". You promise? Okay, here you go:
By Captain Deoxys: Red eyes vs. Green eyes
Uchiha Itachi is usually a very fearless and emotionless kind of guy. He
never flinched or ran in terror from a fight, no matter how much killer intent
the opponent had. Hell, he could have Satan glare at him in the face and he
would just stare back like it was a teddy bear looking at him. But today would
be an exception. He and his partner, Hoshigaki Kisame, were currently
tracking down the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, Uzamaki Naruto in the Olympus coliseum
and Itachi was currently getting ready to start the platinum match, and
was confident he would win, though he didn't show it outwardly.
"Are you sure that idiotic dumb blonde of a jinchuuriki is here, Itachi?"
Asked his gruff sounding team mate Kisame. "If he isn't than why are we
participating in this tournament anyway?"
"Kisame, we need the money for our organization and this is the closest thing
to get money from." Itachi said coolly.
He entered the stadium, Ready to fight his opponent. Suddenly he was starting
to feel regret of gong in the stadium, and felt like leaving, but he stayed
anyway. Suddenly, a gold light composed of three orbs appeared in the sky and
three beam shot down combining into one as it went down appeared and crouched
down in the middle was a tall man with long, silver hair dressed in black with
silver shoulder pads and a bluish black wing coming out of his back with
menacing green eyes. He was unleashing a killer intent that would make even
Satan dive in a vat of acidic holy water. Itachi, for the first time in his
life, was downright Horrified. The wing stretched out, as, the man turned
around showing green eyes with a could fiery rage and power that was
rivaled by no one else through out entire universes. A being with truly
godlike abilities beyond comprehension. His name… Is Sephiroth. He had his
left hand on his sword, ready to used it as Itachi looked into Sephiroth's
purely evil eyes.
"Boo," Sephiroth simply stated.
"AHHHHH!" Itachi screamed like a girl, and with a cry of forfeit he ran at a speed
that sonic the hedgehog would envy.
"That was boring." Sephiroth stated." Maybe I over did the entrance a little.
Oh well. So, who's next?"
By Me: Back to the What?
The vehicle was certainly bizarre. Its surface was like the surface of a poorly shined forehead protector, an angled yet sleek skin for the object. Bars at the front of the vehicle between four eye-like lamps (two white, two yellow) framed three odd symbols. One shaped like a bow, the second shaped like two lines angled into a point locked between two straight lines, and the last like the crescent moon, only thinner.
It held two seats, and was mounted on four wheels, but like no wheels Naruto had ever seen before. They were metallic on the inside, but firm and bouncy on the outside, like flattened rice balls. The black material was like nothing Naruto had seen or felt before. The rear of the vehicle, in addition to red and yellow lights arranged like a sign, packed various wires and gadgets whose purpose Naruto could only guess at. Two vents, similar to those on air conditioning units Naruto had seen, stuck out from the back of the vehicle, and nestled between them was a tall white cylinder with a strange foreign language written all over it.
"What the hell is it?" Naruto asked, awe-struck, as the bizarre contraption ambled out of the shed that had been holding it, backwards he assumed, judging by which direction the driver was facing. Said driver emerged from the vehicle, it's broad windows clearly showing it's two-seat interior covered in gadgets and glowing lights, just like the rest of the thing.
The maniacal grin on Jiraiya's face was not helping Naruto's anxiety level.
"It's better to show you, brat! Hop in!"
Naruto glared. "Just what the heck is this, Ero-Sennin?"
"You'll see..."
Ten minutes later (or sixteen years before-God I hate time travel...)
Naruto gaped at a tall, beautiful woman with pink hair. She smiled happily at him and his teacher.
"Hello Jiraiya, how are you?"
"Not bad, Haruno-san... I've heard that you've been looking for someone to fix your pipes," the Toad Sage remarked with a wink. The pink-haired woman giggled pervertedly.
"Why yes! Won't you both come in?"
Naruto dragged Jiraiya off to the side angrily. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"
Jiraiya smirked. "Well, one of us is going to be Sakura's father... Want to flip a coin?"
"EEEEYYYYYYYAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"
Back in the future, Hinata smirked evilly. If THIS didn't get Naruto off his fixation on that pink-haired brat, nothing would!
By SJC: What if Tenten's Mom was…?
Kiba: Hey Naruto have you heard the news about Tenten.
Naruto: No what?
Kiba: Turns out her mom was from another world that got destroyed. And she's got some sort of weird kekkei genkai.
Naruto: Really what is it?
Kiba: Well she.
Watchman: Orochimaru approaches with an army of ninja and Heartless. All Ninja to battle stations. All civilians to the shelters.
Suddenly a strange Sheeooow sound was heard
Naruto: What is that?
Tenten laying flat on a strange white machine was flying towards the oncoming army. Tenten then drops off the strange machine holding a sword in-front of the army.
Tenten: I am Tenten Daughter of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Student of Master Yupa. You who dare defile our country in the presence of heartless.
I forbid you advance one step beyond this sword. Withdraw Immediately
At this command most of the Ninjas and heartless were already in retreat.
Tenten: Looks like you're army's left you Orochimaru. I suggest you leave too unless you want to try attacking with so few troops.
At this comment Orochimaru and his army goes into full retreat.
Tenten looks around and spots Naruto.
Tenten: Naruto you are taking me out to dinner tonight. Dress nicely and no Ramen.
Naruto: Err. Of course Tenten.
Kiba: And that is her kekkei genkai no one can seem to say no to her. Hell most of the Aburame bugs are obeying her.
AN: Yes I lifted most of Tenten's speech from the Manga.
Always looking for more omakes, so feel free to submit them. I especially like "What if Tenten's Dad/Mom was…?" stories. Also, Key Through the Heart can also now be found on The Original Naruto Fanfiction Archive. Check it out!