Chapter 93
'Where is Idate?' Miyuki thought running alongside the shoreline , the waves moving roughly by the strong wind and rain.
Up ahead She could see two people, Idate and a ninja. Idate being injured by the senbon attack, the ninja threw more needles Miyuki acted fast throwing her Shurikens deflecting the needles.
"Oh..you've got a friend?" Aoi smirked
"Idate! Miyuki!" Naruto shouted.
Naruto glared at Aoi, while Miyuki went to check on Idate.
"You rat!" Naruto growled.
'Idate…' Miyuki thought picking up one of the needles. 'These have some type of poison or paralysis in them..it's probably to slow him down..or worse.'
"Are you in charge of those rain village ninja?!" Naruto angrily demanded, Sakura manage to catch up swiftly ran towards Idate and Miyuki.
"Apparently, they were not up to the job." Aoi smirked." In a contest with Genin it seems that the leaf village is stronger."
"This is bad…" Sakura muttered tending to Idate's wounds.
'We have to do something..' Miyuki thought glancing at Idate. 'We have to deal with this ninja and treat Idate.'
" But genin no matter how strong they are, are no match against me." Aoi said
"Well let's find out!" Naruto declared he and Sasuke lunge at Aoi. The fight ensued between them, Aoi easily maneuvered and dodged their attacks. Aoi smirked taking out his umbrella with one swing blasting air at the group, there was no time to dodge so all of them got hit. Miyuki and Sakura shielded Idate, so they took most of the hits of that wind blast.
"Hmm, about what i expected." Aoi said smugly. "No more of a challenge than Idate, really."
"That's what you think!" Miyuki exclaimed Throwing shurikens at him, Aoi smoothly dodged it.
"My, aren't you spunky." Aoi said smirking lightly. "I'll just give you what i gave him." He put away his umbrella as he took out multiple needles. "No need to waste my chakra on you."
He launched the array of needles at the gennin, Sakura shielded Idate from the attack while Naruto tried to protect Sakura, Miyuki hissed feeling the needles pierce her body, she glanced at the Uchiha he showed a slight pained expression.
"Those needles deliver a deadly poison, no matter how strong you may be, you already have one foot in the grave." Aoi explained
"Yeah, yeah, we've heard that before." Naruto snapped at Aoi.
They heard a faint cheer and booing from the crowd that were miles away from the Shrine. Aoi turned his head towards the sounds.
"We must be near the temple."Miyuki said
"Fukusuke must have reached the shrine." Aoi said "The last sound you'll ever hear, the sound of all your plans going up in smoke."
With that the rain ninja disappeared. Miyuki pulled out the needles looking at the soaked poison, she went and pulled out a few needles that Idate has, since by all the commotion he went out cold.
"Naruto, Sasuke,Miyuki take this." Sakura said holding a small red pill bottle with the leaf village logo on it.
"What do you mean take it? What is it?" Naruto asked looking at the bottle.
"Lady Tsunade gave them to me." Sakura explained opening the bottle. "She stopped me as we were leaving the village." She handed each of the three the pill as they took it. "It's probably an antidote or something." Sakura tried to give Idate the medicine but no success.
"There is one way…"Miyuki said looking at Sakura, Miyuki whispered at her ear as The pinkette's eye's widen.
"You're not serious of doing that?"Sakura asked getting the boy's attention.
"Yes i am, If he cant take it he'll die unless you want to do that." Miyuki said Samura stayed quiet glancing at Sasuke, Miyuki let out a sigh. "No choice then i'll do it." She replied looking at a sleeping Idate. "You're lucky its a life or death situation. " Taking the pill of off Sakura's hand, she popped it in her mouth a very faint blush dusted her cheeks at her next action.
"What are you...ah!?" Naruto shouted fully shocked.
Just watching Miyuki kissing another guy made Sasuke feel the numbness in his chest It was only for a few seconds but it felt longer. It's a hard sight to see her kiss someone, he bit his bottom lip glaring at the ground. 'It doesn't mean anything.' He thought to himself over and over again.
"You! What'd you kiss him for?!" Naruto exclaimed pointing a finger at her. "Are you crazy?! Kissing some guy!"
"Shut up!" Miyuki snapped at him. "Its to give him that medicine! He wouldn't take it!"
"O-oh…"Naruto said
"Sakura, help me with Idate." Miyuki said grabbing his arm." We'll find someplace warm."
The small group manages to find a small cave, Sasuke started a fire for them to warm up and rest a bit or until Idate wakes up.
'Wake up Idate…'Miyuki thought as she tended to his wounds. She did a handsign her hands emitted a light green chakra, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke watched her as she placed her hand on Idate's leg, the large cut he had is slowly healing.
"Wow..how did you do that?" Naruto asked
"Daichi taught it to me, when we were on a solo mission." Miyuki replied.
"That's impressive." Sakura said
"Thanks." Miyuki said glancing at Sakura."If you want i can ask Daichi to teach you, he's pretty good at stuff like this."
Sakura stayed quiet watching Miyuki work on healing Idate's wounds. 'Miyuki, she does so much.' Sakura thought biting her lip. 'I don't want to be left behind...maybe i should go and train some more.'
Miyuki stopped her jutsu, looking over at Idate one more time . "I did everything I could from what Daichi taught me, so now we wait." Miyuki said leaning back at the wall, she stared at the heavy rain falling. 'I wonder how Red is doing?' She thought unaware that the young Uchiha is staring at her.
Meanwhile at the Sand village
"Thank you for helping me tend the cacti Gaara." Akane said gripping her cane. "My body isn't how it used to be."
"It's alright." Gaara said holding a pot, placing it with the other plants.
Lately, Gaara comes in every now and then visiting Akane the older flower shop owner. It eventually became a usual routine for them, They'd talk about different types of plants specifically cacti sometimes the older woman would rouse a conversation telling him stories of her youth.
"So..this friend of yours is she from here?" Akane asked
"She's from the leaf village." Gaara replied "We first became friends when she visited here when we were younger, then years later we saw each other again, She is.." He stopped talking feeling his chest warm. "She is someone that's kind to me, she helped me...even when I was at my worst, she didn't give up."
"Ah, I see." Akane said "So that's why."
"Why? What do you mean?" Gaara asked
"Your friend, is she someone who is precious to you?" Akane asked
"Someone precious?"
"The way you talk about her, your eyes change when you mention her." Akane said smiling softly. " It shows that she is precious to you."
"How do you know if that person is precious to you?"He asked
"Having that precious someone helps us bring out the best in each other." Akane explained "Whether their friends,family or someone that you love more than yourself, you're willing to do anything just to protect them."
"Miyuki is precious to me?"Gaara questioned himself about that, still feeling unsure with these emotions about the leaf ninja girl, he never understood these types of feelings but from what the elder woman said, it helped him understand a little bit.
Back with Miyuki and the others.
When Idate woke up, Miyuki immediately checked on him again for any other signs of injury, after that he revealed to them his story, of how Aoi tricked him into stealing a scroll and an old artifact that belonged to the second Hokage, of how he left the leaf village.
"Nothing I do goes right.." Idate solemnly said staring at the switchblade. "I've never been of any use to anyone."
'It's just like how Naruto was...before.'Miyuki thought staring at Idate. 'His eyes...they say it all.'
"But even so, Boss Jirocho-even though he knew I was no good, he still trusted me." Idate said softly clutching the object. "He put his faith in me..and now look what I've done!" He trembled a few tears fell down his face. "I've never been of any use to anyone."
'That's the way I used to feel..'Naruto thought
"Look at me, I'm worthless." Idate continued more tears ran down. "Everything I do goes wrong...Aoi said it, and he was right... I'd be better off dead!"
"Stop it!" Miyuki and Naruto exclaimed, Naruto stood up he tightens his fist in anger.
"You idiot! You just said it yourself. You've still got one person who believes in you right?" Naruto snapped as he gripped Idate's shoulders making him stare at the blond ninja. "One person is enough! That's all anyone needs."
"He's right." Miyuki said "You've still got him, he still believes..so don't quit!"
"Who says this race is over? You have no way of knowing how things are gonna turn out. " Naruto said trying to encourage the racer.
"Yeah, but-"
"No buts!" Miyuki interrupted, standing up as Naruto pulles Idate up.
"Stop it! Idate is still too weak to move." Sakura said "He still needs time to recover."
"We don't have time Sakura." Miyuki said
"So? I'll carry him on my back the whole way if u have to!" Naruto said Idate stumbled still recovering from the recent attack.
"Idate, you're not quitting!" Miyuki snapped.
"Naruto, Miyuki stop it!" Sakura intervened trying to reason with them until Sasuke stopped her.
"Leave them be." Sasuke said
"Jirocho is counting on you, so don't keep him waiting." Naruto said pulling Idate close to him. "So pull yourself together!"
"This is your chance, to show someone he was right to believe in you." Miyuki said, "He trusts you to do this, don't let him down."
Idate stared at the two shinobi, reigniting his resolve. "I'll do it, but I'll need your help." Idate said
After that Naruto carried Idate on his back with Miyuki,Sasuke and Sakura behind him.
'We will win this race!'Miyuki thought running alongside Naruto. 'We will win!'
That's the end of this chapter! Happy holidays to everyone! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon! Please leave a review and any suggestions or comments feel free to leave it in the review or just message me! See you guys soon!