Review Reply:
SwordofMagus: Thanks for all of the reviews lately, you and some others have really made me get back into writing instead of being addicted to a new video game!
NarutoDaFox: Yeah I did steal it HAHAHA!!!
Unknown-nin345: Thank you so much for pointing that out to me I went back and fixed it in every chapter she was in. Thanks again!
Animeskid: Yeah I always thought that Naruto was beat the hell up in that episode, I felt that with him being more powerful in this that he deserved to at least throw Tsunade for a loop.
Chosha Kurenai: You'll find out about all of your questions in this chapter. All except for Akatsuki getting their hands on Oro.
Cloudfightback: Congrats on winning the prize, you're the 3rd person to get it. Just remember to keep reviewing!
Static44: Yeah the last couple of chapters have come out rather fast, but I've been really busy while I was trying to write this one so it's taken some time to get around to.
Royal Snaza: Yeah Yondaime is quite mysterious, he had his reasons…hahaha.
DeadlyDragon12: I'm trying to get them out fast but I've been busy.
Kaja'Rang: Just you wait, Naruto is yet to shine. Just like in the Manga, he's still rowing and improving.
Ryumikratos: Well thank you for your compliments, adding some romance makes a story just a bit more realistic…as realistic as the Narutoverse can be! It's the one thing that I believe Kishimoto-sensei could have done to improve Naruto vastly.
RasenganRendan01: You're the only one who commented on the little Akatsuki scene I had! Yay!
Raiton77: Whoa, you reviewed a lot in the last couple of days!
Uchiha-itachi-3434: I've actually gotten the 'best fanfic I've ever read' thing several times before and I really don't get it. I don't think I'm that good, and my review numbers don't really show it as one of the greats. Like the ones with several thousand reviews are bomb, like Team 8.
Konoha'syellowflash: Well thanks for your vote.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto, only Arashi!
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It had bee several hours since Hinata had fainted from the news her father and the Hyuuga Council had presented to her. She was currently lying comfortably in her bed while under the watchful eye of her little sister. Hanabi had practically volunteered to look over her sister when she was told to by her father. Her normal complaints and all around unpleasant disposition in respect to chores and tasks needed around the complex were gone and she had simply nodded and scampered off to Hinata's room. Seeing this Hiashi grew slightly curious about the reason behind his youngest daughter's behavior. But at the moment Hanabi was looking intently at Hinata's sleeping form with deep thought engraved on her face.
'What happened in there? Nee-chan hasn't fainted in a while, and never this long. Whatever they told her has to be huge…what could it be?' She thought trying to deduce what was spoken of behind the doors of the meeting room. But before she could even come up with a single guess, she was interrupted by the sound of Hinata's door sliding open. Looking up she was greeted with the tan jacketed form of her cousin.
"How is she Hanabi-sama? Has she awoken yet?" Neji said as calm as ever as he took a seat across the bed from Hanabi.
Without even looking in his direction, Hanabi snapped back at the prodigy. "Since when have you cared about issues dealing with Nee-chan?"
Neji then had to fight the urge to snap back at the young girl sitting in front of him. In truth the only thing that stopped him was the feel of his head band covering the Caged Bird Seal, and the fact that Hanabi wouldn't hesitate to use it. All he could do at the moment was to sigh heavily. "My eyes were open to the pain and suffering that I've caused Hinata-sama by her team mate Uzumaki-san during my match with him. I've been trying to heal those wounds and form stronger bonds with her, in truth I wish to do the same with you Hanabi-sama. After all, we are family." He then silently stood up and with a bow he left Hanabi with her thoughts once more.
Hanabi was a little taken back by Neji's answer at first; she had expected it was an order from her father. But now that she thought about it, he and Neji had seemed to become much closer in the last month, almost lie they were family. But the thing that caught her attention the most was his comment on Naruto, she still couldn't get over the fact that e had lost to him, so her train of thought hadn't even speculated the after effects of such a lose.
With a frown she turned back to her thoughts as her gaze drifted back to Hinata's serene looking face. 'Now what could they have told her? Let's see, it has to be big so that could only be a couple things…but it involves me! So what could it possibly be?' She sat there for several minutes pondering over what news could have bee told to her sister. Then suddenly a switch seemed to flip and she got an idea as to what it is. "Did they name her official heir!?!" She basically shouted with a look of absolute fright on her face. Even she couldn't deny her sister's growth since she became a Genin. If she had seen it then surly her father could have, and he is the one that is supposed to name the heir. Hanabi had been pushing herself ragged to one day take the title for herself. It was true that normally the eldest was named heir, but in the Hyuuga the most powerful is. Hiashi had not proclaimed who was to be the Heir, but Hanabi had speculated that it was to be her based on her sister's constant failure to perform to her father's standards. But now she was at and above Hiashi's standards and him naming her heir was a reality in Hanabi's eyes, and a scary one. What would she do with her life; she had trained as long as she could remember to become Head of the Clan one day.
Hanabi could do little but hold her head in fear as her entire world seemed to be crumble around her, her own assumption on the news told to Hinata had affected her so greatly that she hardly noticed as Hinata shifted around in the bed. But Hanabi noticed the second time she shifter around, pulling herself out of her thoughts she looked intently at Hinata as her face scrunched up into one that looked like she was confused. Then with a flutter her eyes opened up to reveal the pale lavender eyes of a Hyuuga. Looking up she saw Hanabi and wondered what she going on. "Anou…Hanabi-chan…what happened, the last I remember I was talking with Otou-san and he…."
Hinata's eyes then went wide as she remembered exactly what her father had told her. "He what? What did he tell you?" Hanabi burst out, desperately wanting to know if her fears had been realized.
Hinata didn't move or even respond. But after a deep breath she let out a loud high pitched scream as she got up and bolted out of the room in a mission to find her father. Elsewhere in the Hyuuga compound, Hiashi hear a scream that could only belong to his eldest daughter. With a sigh he spoke up to Neji who had been doing some light studying beside him. "Uh oh, Neji you should probably leave the room. I have a feeling my daughter is about to burst in here in a second." With a nod Neji got up and quickly left, not wanting to displease his uncle.
Not three seconds after Neji left the room, did Hinata burst in looking very frantic and a little afraid. "MARRIED!?!?!" She yelled in the loudest voice she had ever used. But immediately after she realized she had just screamed at her father and visibly shrunk back.
With a scowl, Hiashi motioned for Hinata to sit down before him. She immediately obeyed and sat down with her head down in embarrassment for her rash action. "Now Hinata, I realize this is an important subject and also very sudden. But that does not constitute yelling at your father and the Head of the Clan no less." Then with a sigh he continued. "You may come in as well Hanabi, this concerns you as well."
Then a very embarrassed Hanabi crept into the room, her face flushed at being caught spying. "G-Gomen Otou-san, I did not mean to pry."
"Yes you did." He said bluntly before turning back to Hinata. "Now as I have told you before Hinata…you are to be married. But you fainted on us before we could tell you anything else…as you I suspect have guessed is that this is an arranged marriage."
Hinata gulped audibly, arranged marriages were commonplace within noble clans such as the Hyuuga. She was now dreading what hr father would say next, just when she had finally had her love returned from Arashi she had to have this happen. 'Kami-sama must really hate me…' "Anou…w-who am I b-betrothed to O-Otou-san."
Hiashi could see the look of fear in his daughter's eyes and could easily guess why. He then sighed deeply and then looked her straight in the eye in a way only a father could. "…Arashi Himura…" He said calmly, but he could help it when his lips curled up slightly into a smile.
Hinata was speechless; she was expecting it to be some Daimyo's grandson or someone, not the one her heart truly wished to be with. So any thoughts were racing through her head that she said something barely audible. "…How?"
She was then brought out of her trance by the sound of her father chuckling softly. With a smile he reached forward and rested his hand on her shoulder. "If you think that I haven't seen both you and Arashi's development towards each other than you really must think I'm stupid. I've known for quite some time how you both felt about one another. So in wanting my eldest daughter to be happy and so that the Council didn't attempt to marry you off politically later, I met with the late Sandaime Hokage and had it arranged at the beginning of the second exam of the Chunin Exams."
"B-but how c-could you have d-d-done that, you must have b-both Guardians agree and sign the m-m-marriage document." Hinata stammered out, her stutter back in full swing.
"Yes that is right…and I did get his Guardian's signature and agreement." He then rolled out a scroll that clearly had Hiashi's name signed at the bottom, along with Sandaime's. "You see, Arashi has had Sandaime-sama as his guardian since he was about six years old. Naruto too, they were taken in by Sandaime-sama after some incident apparently." He then smiled widely. "So everything is true…you are to be married to Arashi Himura when the time is right and you both wish too."
He was then found in a rather awkward position for Hiashi, he found himself on the floor wrapped in a large hug from a crying Hinata. "Thank you Otou-san!" She said between sniffles. Hiashi did the only thing that could come to mind, he patted her on the back and smiled.
This tender moment of father daughter bonding was cut short by the other person currently in the room. "Ehem…and what does this have to do with me?" Hanabi asked sharply.
Clearing his throat Hiashi sat back up as Hinata went back to where she had been sitting. "This matter concerns you because eventually Hinata will no longer be a Hyuuga, but a Himura. This means that she can not become heir…" Hanabi's eyes went wide at this realization. "Therefore, you have been named sole heir to the leadership of the clan."
After prying Hanabi off of him Hiashi bid them good day and returned to his business with Neji, leaving the two sisters by themselves. Both of their dreams had come true that day, for Hanabi to eventually become Head of the Clan, and for Hinata to marry Arashi. But while walking Hinata suddenly stopped as a thought entered her head. "How am I going to tell Arashi-kun!?!"
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"Achoo!" A certain blonde Himura sneezed as he attempted to control his chakra flow within a balloon. After waking up in a bush he felt energized and ready to take a crack at mastering the Rasengan.
Back in town Tsunade was once again at a local bar with Shizune. She had been sitting there quietly as she drank her sake when she heard the familiar clacking sound of her white haired friend. "What are you doing here?" She asked without even looking up at the red vested man who was leaning over Shizune to look at the seated blonde.
"That's pretty cold Tsunade, don't say that." He then looked down to see Shizune looking at him pleadingly. "Shizune…Gomen, but could you leave us alone for a while." He then looked back at the brooding Slug summoner. "I want to have a drink with her." With a bow, Shizune left and began to make her way back to the hotel her and her master were staying at. "Eh! Old man, give me some sake! Oh, and some radish too!" He yelled out as he sat down.
'Please take care of her, Jiraiya-sama.' Shizune thought before she turned to leave for her room.
The two Sannin sat there in silence for a couple minutes as Jiraiya sipped on a glass of water before moving onto something stronger. "I didn't expect you to still have that necklace." Jiraiya said, breaking the quiet that had befallen the two. "I thought you would have already lost it gambling…After Nawaki…and the other." Tsunade then looked down at the sake in her hand with saddened eyes. "Does it bother you?"
"Does what?" She retorted, actually raising her gaze to look at the strong jaw line of the Gama-Sennin.
"About Naruto and Arashi."
"…" She stayed her tongue momentarily before responding. "Not really…"
"Then you must forget what it's like to be young…it's impossible to master that jutsu within one week. It took me two and a half years to do it and they've only been at it a month and a half. I wouldn't call that a bet…what's bothering you Tsunade?"
"There's nothing bothering me baka." She snapped back.
Jiraiya decided then that he was through with the small talk and needed to get to the point. 'Are you going to meet Orochimaru again?" Tsunade looked at her glass in shock that Jiraiya had figured out what it was that was on her mind. "The look on Shizune's face gave it away." He said almost as if her could read Tsunade's mind. "I don't know what he has come looking for…but don't hurry your decision. Also, one more piece of advice. I will tell you this…the past Hokage protected Konoha and its people. To keep things as they are, to protect the village and that very ideal, they gave their lives to live up to that ideal. It's not like you don't understand the past Hokage…" He then turned to look her directly in the eye. "And if you are going to betray Konoha…" He then took a look of utmost seriousness. "I'll be forced to kill you!"
Drawing her gaze away from the one face she had never expected Jiraiya to use at her she muttered to herself. "It doesn't matter to me anymore."
"You know everything yet you still say you don't care…you're just running away. You've really changed…there wasn't anyone else who care about the village as much as you did…even that day."
Tsunade suddenly interrupted him with a raised voice. "Stop you lecture right there! Why…why did you bring those kids with you?" She asked as their voices rang in her head, speaking of becoming Hokage.
"They're similar, aren't they…? Naruto's so much like Nawaki, he's about the same age as well."
"Its not just that…" Tsunade said under her breath. 'That dream…and that arrogant side as well…'
Elsewhere Naruto was on the ground and breathing heavily. The tree before him had several spiral shaped crater, but still nothing like what Jiraiya had shown him. "I-I can't do it, kuso! Definitely by tomorrow…" He said before falling asleep on the ground once more.
"Oh, my head…" Jiraiya proclaimed as he woke up the following day. "Damn that Tsunade, it's her fault I feel like this." He then looked over to see Naruto's trademark sleeping cap and still folded cloths alongside Arashi's cloths. 'Those guys…they stayed out all night again.' Getting up with a yawn and a stretch he made his way over to the window, opening it he gazed off into the skyline of the city. "What idiots…"
Off in another part of the city, Tsunade was slowly walking down the streets with a look of deep thought etched onto her face. Many things were running through her head and the voices accompanying those thoughts rang out in her head like chiming bells. "You beloved brother and that man, I can revive them with my Kinjutsu. Don't you want to see them, Tsunade?" The eerie voice of her snaky former team mate said from within her mind. All the while these thoughts were running through her head, she had found her way to a gambling parlor and was monotonously throwing money away as her thoughts moved on to other memories. "If I heal your arms, what are you going to do?" Her own voice rang out before it was accompanied by Orochimaru's. "This time…I'll definitely destroy Konoha completely." "Don't listen to his sweet words Tsunade-sama!! Their dreams…Your dreams…! Have you forgotten your dreams?!"Shizune yelled to her, Tsunade could see the desperation in her assistant's words and also feel how they cut into her. Next was the serious and deep voice of Jiraiya that chimed off inside her mind while she lost more and more money by the minute. "I won't lie to you Tsunade. The village has chosen you to become Godaime Hokage."
Images of those who had chased the dream of Hokage and fallen for it flashed over reality. Each one of them with the cursed necklace around their necks, then lastly she saw an image of Arashi and Naruto smiling brightly as they both held up the necklace before her and with the Hokage monument looming powerfully behind them. It was then that her vision on the gambling machine blurred out and morphed into a memory she hated even thinking about.
Tsunade was standing before the doorway leading to the place where Nawaki had died. Jiraiya and Orochimaru were standing behind her, despite his warning Tsunade finally let go of Jiraiya and decided to take a look. Now with a deep blue jacket that she would always treasure covering her trembling body she inched forward until all she could see was the blood stained sheet that separated her from the horrifying image of her brother's mutilated body. Shuddering at the sight she gripped her body tight and pulled the jacket closer to her, enveloping herself in Jiraiya's unique, musky, yet soothing scent. A scent that would forever calm her and bring her back to the feeling of security that his arms had given her.
Without even noticing it she had moved from the ambling parlor to the place she had been a couple days earlier. Atop the entrance to the city, she sat there while a cool and calming breeze blew by her, blowing some random strands of her hair in front of her eyes. She then squeezed the crystal tat hung from around her neck as tears streaked down her face.
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A hand wearing a pair of black fingerless gloves were currently stuffed inside the pockets of a pair of dark grey shorts as they moved back and forth as the person wearing them walked down the streets of Konoha. His sleeveless forest green jacket clung tightly to the tight white shirt underneath it that displayed the kanji for 'eat' on it and covered a developing six pack. His muscled arms tensed up every time he passed someone on the streets that would be looking him up and down. He then suddenly felt a tug at the end of his long white scarf that danced gracefully in the wind, looking back his spiral marked cheeks formed into a smile as he looked deep into the smiling face of the one he was happy to see. Pulling her forward he wrapped a strong arm around her waist as they began to walk together while getting several death stares from various girls that had been following the Akimichi. "Happy to see me?" Ino asked after seeing the wide smile that was across Chouji's face.
"You have no idea…I don't know how Arashi and Sasuke put up with this!" He said sort of under his breath, but damn Ino and her good sense of hearing.
"Put up with what?" She then looked around to see about fifteen random girls watching them intently while hiding behind telephone poles, corners, crates, and even people. "They couldn't be…" She hen saw Chouji sigh heavily and nod to no one in particular. What Ino did next completely surprised Chouji at first but then grinned at how 'Ino' it was. She grabbed him by the scarf and pulled him into a loving and passionate kiss that seemed to make the world around them melt away into bliss. After she broke the kiss, leaving a bewildered Chouji and several fan girls gaping at them in shock, she turned to them and took in a big breath. "SEE THAT! HE'S MINE AND ALWAYS WILL BE!! NOW SCRAM!!!" She screamed before returning back to the exact spot she had been in, wrapped up in one of Chouji's arms with a satisfied and slightly devious smile on her face.
"Wow…that was…" Ino looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, wondering what he could possibly say to describe it. "AWESOME!!!" He said as his face light up with a beaming smile that would make Ino weak at the knees no matter how many times she saw it. "You have no idea how annoying those girls have become since my abs started to show through this shirt!" He said as he raised his shirt up slightly to reveal a toned stomach, nothing like how he used to be before he started working his hardest to improve.
After stopping herself from going through with the odd desire to trace the outlines on Chouji's abs with her finger she started to think a bit more clearly. "So Chouji-kun, where were you going?"
Just now realizing what he was doing he explained himself. "Actually I was looking for you, so I guess I'm done with that part. Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei are playing a game of Shogi and Sensei asked me to go find you so he can talk to us and then he said something about training." Ino was sure glad she had all of her gear on her at the moment in Asuma was calling them for unscheduled training. Moving her hand so that it was now intertwined with Chouji's, they made their way to the other two's favorite Shogi spot.
"And…I win." Shikamaru said as he took Asuma's king with a smirk. "That makes 15 wins for me…and zero wins for you Sensei."
Asuma could only sigh at his utter defeat at the hands of his student. 'Why do I do this again? Oh, that's right…I thought I enjoyed playing Shoji until I learned that I would get my ass handed to me every time I played that lazy bum.' It was then that Chouji and Ino came up to them with their ever present smiles whenever they were near each other, Asuma was glad because now he could be spared from the gloating of the resident shadow user on his team. "Ah, Chouji, Ino, you made it."
"You wanted to see us Asuma-sensei?" Ino asked, perplexed as to why Asuma would call for them especially after their normal training time.
Asuma said nothing but motioned for the three of them to take a seat on a nearby bench, all three did so and could feel something nostalgic about the place. "Do you guys remember this place?" They all looked around, sure they had been there about a hundred times but they couldn't think of one particular moment that Asuma could be talking about so they shook their heads. "This was where we had our first meeting as Team 10…do you guys remember what we said there?"
'I get these kids? This is going to be hell…' Asuma thought as he looked over his new students, one was currently stuffing his face with several bags of chips while stealing glances at another team mate. Anther one was half asleep and was simply gazing at the cuds at the moment and the last member looked like she didn't even want to be there. She was looking off down the road to the Academy with a longing look on her face. The Sarutobi then took a long drag off of his cigarette before he spoke up. "Well I guess its time we got to know each other. Tell me your names, what you like and dislike, and why you want to be Shinobi."
"Umm, why don't you tell us first Sensei." The chubby boy said as he polished off another bag of chips.
"Me? Okay…I'm Asuma Sarutobi. You can probably guess but I like cigarettes and I also like fighting." He said with a glint in his eye. "I don't like gossip or if people try to touch my beard…so try to and you'll be missing an arm." All three paled a bit at his threat. "As for why I wanted to become a shinobi…I always wanted to be like my dad, and protect this village and its people. Doing so eventually got me this…" He said as he pointed to the sash around his waist that had the Land o Fire emblem embroidered on it. "I eventually become one of the 12 Guardians of Fire. Now let's start with you blondie."
"Well my name is Ino Yamanaka, I like flowers and Sasuke-kun…and I hate Sakura!" She said with a disgusted face at the thought of her pink haired nemesis, Asuma could only sigh at the crap he would have to deal with from her. "I guess I wanted to be a Shinobi because everyone in my family does it…and all the cutest guys are Shinobi!" She giggled off, their bearded Sensei only wished she was joking.
"You're next pineapple head."
The first thing Asuma heard was a groan, and it would forever be associated with Shikamaru to the smoking Jonin. "This is so troublesome…I'm Shikamaru Nara and I like watching the clouds. I dislike putting effort into things and pretty much anything that's too troublesome for me. "I want to be a Shinobi because it's the best thing you can do with yourself around here." He said short and to the point, all the while with his eyes still half opened and locked on the sky.
Chouji could tell it was his turn so he popped a chip into his mouth and began to speak once it was eaten. "I'm Chouji Akimichi, I like food, my friends, and…" He said while his eyes darted over towards his blonde team mate. "I hate being made fun of about my weight and will destroy anyone who uses the 'F' word around me! I became a Shinobi to protect those I care about, become a better person, and to show people that my family should be fear and not ridiculed for our abilities."
Asuma then broke out into laughter. "Chouji, your family is already feared. I know I wouldn't want to go up against your father!"
"I can't believe I said something like that!" Ino said as she clung to Chouji's rock hard arm, gaining a chuckle from everyone.
"You all have changed so much since back then and have grown into excellent Shinobi." Asuma said while lighting up another cigarette. "This takes me to the purpose I called you out here. None of you have as of yet progressed to Chunin, I know since the invasion no one was named. But if they had been named, only Shikamaru could have been a possibility out of you three. The next Chunin exams aren't that far away, only 5 months. I expect every one of you to make Chunin then, I know you are capable." He then got a look in his eye that sent a shiver down their spines. "Now…" Then in a swift and fluid movement, he suddenly had his trench blades in his hands and ready for combat. "…let's train!"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"GAAAAH!!!" A voice yelled out from among several twisted trees with deep spiral marks all over them. The yell was soon accompanied by the sound of wood crumbling off a tree. "It's no use…kuso! I'm going to…!" Naruto said with the last of his energy before he passed out from chakra exhaustion again.
But he wasn't alone this time; standing behind a large boulder was Tsunade. All the voices she had heard earlier in the day, she was now hearing again as she watched Naruto sleep on the cold ground. With a sigh she turned to leave as the moon's light was shadowed by a dark cloud.
"He's done this every night you know." A voice said from behind her, starling her and causing her to jump around to face him.
Looking down she saw Arashi standing there with his jacket slung over his shoulder and just standing there in a tight deep green shirt and his regular black Shinobi pants that ended almost at his ankle where his black Shinobi sandals met with the end of his pants. "Oh, it's Arashi. You startled me."
"He's passed out every night since your bet…we've passed out every night. I just decide to check on him before I gave it one more shot."
"…Why…" She said under her breath, but Arashi heard it none the less. "Why go this far, why Hokage?"
"Because we push to be the best, we want to be Hokage so we can protect the ones we love and the village. Like Oji-san used to say, it's our Will of Fire that drives us." He said calmly as he walked over and laid his jacket over Naruto's sleeping form. He then turned and made his way back to where he had been training; stopping right behind Tsunade he spoke up. "I really hope you do accept…with Oji-san gone we need a strong Hokage, and Naruto and I just aren't strong enough to protect every one. We need you…Konoha needs you." With that he was gone and back to where he had been before, leaving Tsunade's mind churning over his words. As she made her way back to town she was sure of one thing…she was going to have another voice in her head soon.
Many miles away in an underground hideout a voice broke the silence of the hideout. "I wonder which one it will be. If he agrees to what we have proposed, Orochimaru-sama, your arms will be healed. We can then destroy Konoha and Tsunade-sama will be able to be with her loved ones again." Kabuto said from within a candle lit room filled with preserved organs and snakes. "But…if she says no…"
"In that case, we will have to get her to heal my arms by force." Orochimaru interjected with a sneer.
"I wonder if it will go that easily."
"You're here after all…" A sadistic smile then crept across the medical Nin's face. "There is no need to worry. I'm the one who knows her best, only that fool Jiraiya knows her better…and he's back in Konoha now. I know her well enough, especially her weakest points! She will definitely agree to the conditions…without a doubt."
"Alright, in this third stage, you must remember all that you've learned. Use 100 percent of your power." Jiraiya's voice rang out in Naruto's head. Bringing his hands together before him he began to move them from side to side over the ball of spinning chakra that was forming in them. "HAAA!!" He yelled as the orb slammed into the tree, sending bark and dust everywhere. "As with the balloon, make a mark, and imagine your chakra being focused in that spot." The pervert's voice said as Naruto stared at the spiral gouged into the tree trunk, he seemed to be getting better slowly. Every crater he made, the more violent and deeper it seemed, but it was still far from being mastered and the deadline for the bet was the next day.
'Over and over in my head, I know it! But still…I can't extract 100 percent of my power properly!' He thought as he closed his eyes in concentration. With a snap they opened and he began to form the rotation of chakra as he spun it in dozens of different directions with his fast moving right hand. The chakra grew and picked up speed until a decent wind was coming from off of it, making Naruto's cloths sway in the chakra made wind. Then just as he was about to charge the tree, he fell down to one knee. With a grunt Naruto tried to stand but couldn't, the words of Tsunade playing with his head.
"Why teach him something he has no chance of mastering. He can't be serious about learning it. So that's why that kid is dreaming, saying he wants to be Hokage and that other nonsense." With a glare now on his face, Naruto yelled as he pushed himself to his feet and went at the tree in front of him.
Tsunade once again found herself in thought as she sat out on her balcony, bathed in moon light. "Tomorrow…eh?"
Of course not everyone was having such a bad time, at the moment a slightly drunk and satisfied Jiraiya left one of the more…mature shops in the town with a smile on his face. But after getting a block or so away from it his face shifter to a more serious one as he remembered his talk with Tsunade a couple days earlier. 'If she hesitated on answering about Orochimaru, there must be a reason…it bothers me to think why she made it one week.' Upon reaching his room he was yet again met with the sight on no Arashi or Naruto. 'And that they haven't come back here all week seems off to me…maybe I should have another word with Tsunade.' He thought as he turned around to make his way to the blonde's room.
"I…I don't have the time…" Naruto said to himself as he lay face down in the dirt before his word went foggy and his passed out again.
It was at that moment that Shizune had decided to check up on the boys for the first time, peeking her head from behind the boulder she gasped at the destruction that surrounded Naruto. The ground was ripped up in several places, trees had spiral craters all over them, and some even had been snapped in half from the amount of hits it had taken. He eyes then fell to his unconscious body. "Naruto-kun, are you alright?!" Then thinking that if Naruto was like this she picked the boy up and dashed off to find Arashi. Turning a corner she could only gasp once more as she found Arashi in a similar position but with hundreds of balloon shreds surrounding him. Shizune then groaned as she picked up both of the boys, having to resort to chakra enhancement to actually pick them up. 'What are they wearing to make them this heavy!?!' She thought before making her way back to town to get Tsunade's help.
"Knock, knock." Tsunade heard the knock at the door, so she pulled herself from her thoughts and made her way to the door. Upon opening it up she was greeted with the smiling face of Jiraiya. "What could you want?"
"The moon is out, you know? How about we go out for a drink?" He asked while sipping from an imaginary sake dish. No sooner ha she nodded that she found herself back in the same bar they had been in before. But once again silence had fallen over the two as their sake was given to them. "Tomorrow is the very day you made that bet with Naruto…one week ago." He said as he tossed a pair of die in his hand to break the silence. Tsunade didn't respond but took a long sip of her drink. "I wonder what has happened to those boys…"
She paused momentarily from her sake consumption, but just enough to let her mind mess with her some more. "I really hope you do accept…with Oji-san gone we need a strong Hokage, and Naruto and I just aren't strong enough to protect every one. We need you…Konoha needs you." Arashi's voice said in her mind. "I wonder…" She replied back to Jiraiya after an inaudible sigh.
"Maybe I should order something." Jiraiya spouted off while Tsunade filled her dish once more. "I'll take some radish." He said to the bartender, he then closed his eyes and took a long sip of sake. But what he didn't see was Tsunade's intense stare she was giving him, watching every movement. She then quickly flipped out a small packet of something and poured the white powder into Jiraiya's sake pitcher. While he was still sipping away she picked up the sake and swirled it once before nudging Jiraiya to pour him some of it. "Oh, for me?" He said as he happily let her fill up his dish. Once more Tsunade watched him like a hawk, and just as he was about to drink it his order came up. "Oh! This sure looks delicious!" He said and then flicked his wrist back and swallowed the clear liquid that had gained Tsunade's gaze.
After he had drank it she decided to leave, her plan already in motion. But when she returned to her room she was met with a very nervous and tired looking Shizune standing outside their room. "Tsunade-sama!" Once they were in the room Shizune showed the unconscious boys to her master with a concerned look on her face. "Naruto-kun and Arashi-kun…"
"Naruto's in critical condition. His right hand has been badly burned by chakra, Arashi isn't in much better shape…but their lives aren't in danger. I would think at this rate, they won't wake up till the day after tomorrow." She then looked intently at Naruto's hand and scowled at herself. "It seems like what Jiraiya said is true, about that crazy bet I made. The two of us…what are we getting so worked up about? And what's making Arashi push himself that hard, I didn't make a bet with him…it seems so stupid." All the while she was saying this, Shizune's face was getting grimmer and grimmer.
Finally she couldn't take it, she had to speak up. "Tomorrow…Tomorrow, please don't go!" Tsunade's gaze at her shifted down and verified Shizune's fears. "Why?" She almost yelled. "Why aren't you saying anything to me?! Tsunade-sama, please speak up and answer me!" She then became very quiet as she narrowed her gaze on her master.
If you're going to go…"
"What are you going to do?" Tsunade asked nonchalantly.
"Even if it costs me my life, I will stop you!"
It was then that Tsunade turned and glared fully at Shizune. "Shizune, who the hell do you think you are talking to?!" Before she could even react, Shizune saw Tsunade swiftly move past her. But this was also accompanied by a horridly sharp pain in her gut that made her fall to the ground unconscious. Tsunade was out of the room before she even hit the ground, leaving the three alone in the room.
The next morning the sun rose and shined brightly that beautiful day. "Eh, Old man its morning…time to go home." The bartender said as he saw Jiraiya's slumped over form still sitting where he had been the night before. With a sigh the man made his way over to Jiraiya and began shaking him to wake him up. "Hey, wake up!" He was then surprised when the white haired man simply fell off the stool and to the ground. "Hey! What happened to you?!"
Elsewhere, Orochimaru and Kabuto were making their way back to Tanzaku city to meet up with Tsunade. "If any disturbances were to arise, it would be most troublesome."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Tsunade's assistant could be a nuisance…" Kabuto then pulled out a kunai as his eyes glared at the thought of what he was about to do. With a pivot at the next tree, Kabuto shot off in the direction that held the hotels of the city.
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"Did you guys see Team 10 the other day? They looked like they were about to die!" Kiba spouted off before going off on one of his laughing stints with Akamaru.
"They have probably been given a new training regiment from Asuma-sensei.: Shino said calmly as he always does, pushing his glasses up a bit he sighed, actually sighed. "This probably means we will get a new one from Kurenai-sensei, considering their relationship…"
"Their what?" Kiba asked, completely oblivious to his Sensei's personal life.
"You're so dumb Kiba-kun." Sakura mouthed off as the three made their way to their meeting with Kurenai.
"No seriously, what are they brother and sister?" He asked while for some odd reason Akamaru chose that moment to make a mad dash off his head.
Kiba soon learned why Akamaru continuously did that when Sakura's fist slammed down on top of his head. "BAKA!!"
"Sakura-chan, please don't injure Kiba anymore. We don't know what Kurenai-sensei wants from us and we wouldn't want him hurt if we were to begin training later." Sakura frowned at her bug using team mate's obvious logic.
"Oh yeah…have any of you guys seen Hinata lately? She's been acting kind of strange." Sakura asked as she remembered when she had seen her the other day, there was something up and she couldn't put her finger on it. She had looked so incredibly happy, yet at the same time she look more nervous than Sakura had ever seen.
Almost as if he hadn't just been painfully beaten, Kiba popped up next to Sakura with a worried look on his face. "What?! What happened to Hinata!?"
"I don't know that's why I was asking you guys!" Sakura said as she rubbed her ear that had just been basically screamed in. "And why do you care so much?"
Kiba then blushed slightly and didn't really talk so Shino did for once. "He has had an infatuation with Hinata-san ever since the Academy. But as you have seen, Kiba usually has an infatuation with anyone of the opposite sex."
Sakura then burst into laughter, actually pointing at Kiba as she laughed. "You idiot, you like Hinata and our getting al up about it! What about Arashi? He'll kick you ass so fast you won't know what hit you!"
"S-Shut up! Just you watch, she'll be mine one day!"
"You baka, you actually think that Hinata would ever not be with Arashi!? Plus don't you think your sounding a little possessive there? I mean geeze Kiba-kun, of all the girls you want the one who have the least likely chance of breaking up with her boyfriend, and the one with the boyfriend who would most definitely kick you ass without a moment hesitation if you did anything to her." She said while still laughing, causing Kiba's head to droop slightly.
"She is right Kiba, Arashi would beat you within an inch of your life if you ever tried anything." Shino added, his collar was hiding it but he was enjoying this conversation.
"You guys don't have to come down on me so hard. A guy can dream right?"
"Yeah, but we all know you Kiba-kun and we now that if you don't know full well something's consequences you'll try to do it anyway. Plus you and Hinata just would never ever happen. It's like me and Naruto, it would never EVER happen! You would probably have an easier tie getting Ino to go out with you than Hinata." Even Shino let out a muffled laugh at that. Both of the others simply stopped dead in their tracks and stared at the Aburame.
"Y-You just laughed!" Kiba yelled while pointing an accusing finger at the boy.
"Of course, it was a good joke. It's funny because there is also no way that anyone could ever hope to pry Ino away from Chouji so saying that you would have an easier time with her is quite an ironic and funny joke." It was at that moment that they got their first taste of Shino's odd love of irony.
After getting over the disturbing fact that Shino can actually laugh, they finally arrived at the training grounds to find that it wasn't just Kurenai there. "Good morning guys, how are you all…what's wrong? Kiba, you and Sakura look like you're traumatized or something." She asked while the man next to her smirked.
"I-It's nothing Kurenai-sensei." Kiba stammered out as he looked oddly at the extra person there with them.
"Anou…what is he…" Sakura began before Kurenai cut her off.
"He is here for your training today; you all lack what he can teach you so today you will be train under him while I train his students in some genjutsu. No you can…" She said to the man but was cut off herself by him.
"YOSH!! Today I'll be teaching you all to unleash your springtime of YOUTH through the perfection of your Taijutsu!" Gai yelled out as the three present members of Team 8 paled as they remembered the horrifying sight of his and Lee training that they had witnessed before the Chunin Exam finals. "Now let's start off with five laps around Konoha!!!" He yelled as he began to jog down the road waving them on. The three groaned as they ran to catch up, they all knew they weren't going to be able to move the next day.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Hey, hey you!" A voice said that woke Shizune up. Looking up she saw both Arashi and Naruto leaning over her with questioning looks on their faces.
She then leapt up when she remembered what had transpired before she was knocked out. "Hurry! What time is it now? No…what day is it today?!"
"It's Monday…but…" Arashi responded to her, gaining an odd look from her as she looked at the boys. "What's going on?"
"Are you two alright? You should have been asleep for a good two days!"
It was Naruto that spoke up to answer her question. "For as long as I can remember, no mater how bad my injuries, if I sleep for a night I'll fully recover."
'I see…it must be because of the Kyuubi…' He gaze then shifted to Arashi who for some reason looked nervous. 'Then how did Arashi-kun recover so fast?'
"Anyways, that really doesn't matter now. But where is tat damn Baa-chan! Today is the ay we made the bet for."
"Oh, and what about the jutsu?" Shizune asked as Arashi helped her to her feet.
"Well it's not complete yet, BUT! When the time comes, I'll figure something out."
This caused Shizune to let out a small giggle that of which soon gave way to an immense pain in her side. 'That's right! I shouldn't be sitting here doing nothing!' She ten made a dash for the window. "Naruto-kun, Arashi-kun please stay here!" She then was about to jump out of the window, but was suddenly stopped by a whizzing kunai that zipped about an inch in front of her face.
"What's going on?" Arashi said as he opened the window more to look out and see who had thrown the kunai. He was soon met with a heavily breathing and sweaty Jiraiya who was leaning weakly against the wall. "Ero-Sennin?!?"
"Matte, Shizune!" After a bit they had him sitting down and Shizune was giving him a couple glasses of water. "That bitch Tsunade…she drugged my sake…Now I can't mold my chakra properly, and also my body is partially paralyzed. I can't even throw a kunai properly…"
'What would he have done if it had hit me?' Shizune asked herself as she looked at the kunai still stuck to the gutter of the building.
Arashi had a feeling this was going to happen, so he just leaned back and waited for Naruto to go off at their Sensei. "That's so LAME! Even though you keep on bragging about how great a ninja you are, you lost to some ero-ero attack you baka ero Ero-Sennin!!"
"SHUT UP! Even if she has changed, she is still a medical specialist. To paralyze a ninja with medicine like this can only be done by someone like her. However, in this state, even someone like me gets tired…"
Elsewhere Tsunade was currently standing with her back to the wall of the same ally where she and Orochimaru and met a week prior. She as lost in thought once more as she gazed upon the huge whole in the other wall that she had made.
Water was now quenching Jiraiya's thirst as well as making him feel a bit better. "Jiraiya-sama, how do you feel?"
"Much better than before. But still I'm only perhaps one third of my normal self." He replied as he set the glass down.
'Who would have thought that Jiraiya-sama would be here…' Kabuto thought from around a corner where he had hid upon seeing the Sannin. 'What a troublesome thing…I should back off for now.' He then looked at the others there. 'Even you're here Naruto-kun…and you Himura!' He thought as he rubbed his jaw, with that he left a quietly as he could. But still in his state, the Sannin picked up on it and could tell something was up.
"Shizune…what kind of conversation did you have with Orochimaru? Now is the time for you to speak up." He said with a very serious look upon his face.
The black haired woman then hung her head in shame, her bang covering her face from sight. "I wanted to believe in Tsunade-sama. That's why…I couldn't talk about it." She then clutched her torso where she had been hit. "But…" She then stood up with a serious look. "There is no time! Please follow me, I will explain on the way!" With that the four Shinobi sped off through the forest to where Shizune was leading them.
Hearing footsteps behind her, Tsunade turned to see the pale face of her former team mate half hidden behind his stringy black hair. "What is your answer?"
"What!? To that kind of thing, the answer has to be no!" Arashi said as they sped through the tree tops.
'This could be seriously bad…' Thought the Sannin with a saddened look upon his face. 'She's probably living on only by remembering those two.' Looking up he could already see the ruins of the castle so they were close. 'The worst-case scenario would be that Tsunade would have to be killed…and I just don't think I could do that…'
Tsunade simply stood there, no emotion shown on her face as she looked at Orochimaru. "I will heal your arms…however; do not lay a single finger on Konoha!"
"Kuku…sure why not."
Tsunade could only stand there, the thoughts of her times with Nawaki and Dan racing through her mind. Now she could be with them and Konoha would be safe. A gust of wind carrying four leaves then blew by her, almost pushing her over. "Now…" The snake said, the two Sannin then began to slowly make their way towards one another.
"Once his arms are healed, he'll attack Konoha!" Shizune said to Jiraiya as they neared the castle ruins by the second.
"He must be stopped now! Or else the situation will become even more dangerous."
They weren't the only people making their way to where Orochimaru and Tsunade were, Kabuto stopped only momentarily as he glared at the thought of having to run from Jiraiya and the others when he had really been looking forward to staining his hands red.
Orochimaru was now standing before Tsunade with a wicked smile on his face; slowly he painfully moved his arms out for Tsunade to heal. With a solemn look, Tsunade's hands began to glow blue and the healing chakra began to form between them. Orochimaru twitched as he inched his hands forward to meet up with the glowing blue medicine. Suddenly they both leapt back a mere second before a kunai jetted forward and into where their hands would have been.
Above them sat the silver haired Oto Nin, he was crouched down while atop the alley wall. Both Sannin were glaring intensely at him, and then quickly he jumped off and went into several back flips before coming to a halt behind Orochimaru with another kunai drawn and ready.
"What is the meaning of this?" Orochimaru said coldly. "Have you come here to betray me?" He eyes then widened as he looked at who he was talking to. "Tsunade!!"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Okay I have been really busy and have not been able to write so that's why this is so late so sorry about that. I didn't particularly think I did well on this chapter on certain parts. I thought that most of the chapter was good, but please forgive the last section of it
(Edit) Okay everyone I somehow managed to keep my computer, so the next chapter will be out much sooner than previously stated. But as always it depends on the amount of reviews I get!
Anyway, please review. I'll still be able to check those and get them from other computers, just not write. I know it sucks, so I'm still having the review rule on. I need at least 10 reviews.
Also once I get my computer back I'll probably redo this chapter so look for it to change after the 15th or so!
Also everyone check out my new profile icon, it's of my favorite pairing! I love the pic on there!!
Thanks for reading and please review or I'll have Tsunade bash you as hard as she can!