Chapter: 7 (Gennin Exam Part Two)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto francise.
Kurenai was leaping through the trees trying to find a way out of this forest. Thus far every time she came upon the edge of the woods, at least fifty Narutos were waiting to ward her off with barrage after barrage of thrown kunai and shuriken. She came to a stop on a branch to rest for a second, when she heard a distinct THUNKsound on the other side of the tree. When she turned around she saw the base of the tree had a kunai with an exploding tag embedded into the trunk. She leaped away just as the tag went off, felling the tree. As she was in the air, three owl puppets flew through the air and slashed at her with their talons,. Kurenai dodged and weaved as best she could, and managed to avoid getting cut. (Although the same couldn't be said for her dress, which was cut in several revealing places.) Kurenai then delivered an axe kick to one owl's head sending it crashing to the ground. She then stuck an exploding tag on the side of another and punched it away as it went off, destroying the owl.
Seeing a spot on the ground that was not red hot, she twisted her body, and bounded off another tree at the last second just as the third owl came flying at her. The owl crashed into the tree, and broke apart. She landed on the ground gracefully. Hearing a loud trampling sound, she turned around to see a large wooden Rhinoceros charging at her. She leaped over it only to have the "tail" of the puppet shoot out, and wrap around her leg slamming her into the ground and dragging her behind it. Being dragged along the ground effectively destroyed what remained of her dress, and leg wrappings leaving Kurenai in only her white underwear. At that moment The puppets back burst open, and Hinata leaped out just as the puppet released Kurenai from it's grip.
"Juken!" Hinata yelled out as she performed several strikes to a disorinted Kurenai cutting off several vital tenketsu. At this point Ino came out of the bushes, and performed her Shintenshin no Jutsu sucessfully possessing Kurenai's body. She then took off Kurenai's rings, and passed them to Naruto, and Hinata before returning to her body.
Kurenai took a moment to put her humiliation aside. "Congratulations you all passed." She said. "You figured out that the purpose of the test was about teamwork, and for that I applaud you, but... DID YOU HAVE TO DESTROY ALL MY CLOTHES?!" Kurenai yelled clearly upset.
Naruto shrugged before answering. "It's not our fault you chose to wear such fragile garments. Perhaps now in the future you'll choose to wear something more practical in battle."
Kurenai didn't know whether to praise this kid for his intelligence, or to strangle him. "What the hell am I supposed to wear now?" She asked trying to cover herself with her arms.
"I have something for you. Naruto said as he pulled out a scroll, and wiped some blood across it.
"NO! I'M NOT WEARING THAT!" Kurenai yelled at she saw it. Hinata and Ino were speechless.
"Gotta go Kurenai-hime-sensei. See you tomorrow." Naruto said as he grabbed Hinata, and Ino and Shunshin'd away.
Kurenai simply stood there for a minute before screaming. "NARUTO!"
(10 minutes later, Hokage tower.)
Saurtobi, and his son Asuma were sitting in the Hokage's office waiting on the other two sensei's to arrive. Needless to say both were shocked to see Kurenai storm into the room wearing a pink bunny costume. (A mascot costume.) "Team Eight passes." She said through gritted teeth. Asuma couldn't help but snicker at the sight of Kurenai, which was a big mistake as Kurenai whirled around and punched him in the face, knocking him clean out. She then stormed out of the office not even bothering to wait for Kakashi.
"Typical Naruto..."Sarutobi thought as he heard Kakashi laughing hystericly outside his office, followed by him screaming in severe pain.
(A couple hours later. Naruto's apartment.)
After taking Ino, and Hinata out to Ichiraku to celebrate their passing, then escorting both of them back to their homes. He arrived back to his home, and when he entered it to find a familiar pair of sandals at the entrance. "Those look like Mikoto's... OH SHIT!"Naruto thought as he entered the kitchen to find both Kyuubi, and Mikoto sitting at the kitchen table chatting happily. Upon seeing him Mikoto said in a voice that sounded happy yet annoyed. "Hello Naruto-kun."
"Mikoto-hime, I can explain!" Naruto yelled trying to save face.
"It's okay... I was freaked out when I saw her, but she calmed me down, and explained a lot of things to me, and... I understand why you let her out, and that she only has three-percent of her power. I won't tell anyone about this Naruto-kun." Mikoto explained.
"Thank you Mikoto-hime." Naruto answered. "But why did you come here?"
"Why else..." Mikoto said as she pointed to a grocery bag. "I came to cook you a meal, you deserve to live on something other than ramen." Mikoto said as she stood up, and began working on a meal.
(Later that night.)
After they had all eaten, Mikoto had left to go back to the compound. Naruto and Kyuubi both went to bed, Kyuubi snuggled him close wrapping two of her tails around him along with her arms. Over a half hour had passed, and Kyuubi was already fast asleep. Naruto had just begun to doze off when he felt something begin to crawl into bed with them. Naruto quickly spun around in an attempt to defend himself, but was instead shocked to find Mikoto there.
"Mikoto what are yo-" Naruto tried to yell but she silenced him with a finger to his lips.
"Please don't turn me away Naruto-kun. I want to sleep here tonight." She told him.
"But what about Sasuke, won't he worry where you are." Naruto tried to reason.
Mikoto's face darkened for a second. "I don't want to hurt my son, but at the same time I cannot deny how much you mean to me. One night in your arms won't harm anyone too badly. Please Naruto just this once let me hold you not as a mother, but as something more than that."
Naruto looked at Kyuubi who was still asleep. "Okay." He said as he lifted up the covers. "Just for this one night."
Mikoto crawled in with him, and settled down. He felt one of her silk-soft feet brush against his own, making him silver a little at the feel of her. He knew even if this one was only for one night, that nothing would be the same between him and the Uchiha matriarch, and to be honest he welcomed what ever was to come. As Mikoto snuggled up to him, she began to doze off immediately. As she fell asleep she muttered three simple words. "I love you." As she went into dreamland.
"I love you too." Naruto thought as the heartbeats of the two beautiful himes in his bed lulled him into sleep.
Well that is the end of another chapter. Sorry I took so long to update I was just super out of it for awhile. I don't know when I'll have the next chapter up, but I'll try to have it up in less time than it took to put up this one. In the meantime here's two more puppet profiles.
Name: Owl
Description: A wooden replica of an owl, mostly just used for harassing targets. Naruto has three of these.
Weapons: Beak, claws, can be poisoned.
Name: Rhino
Description: A large wooden and metal Rhino. Hollowed out back that can hold another person inside it, can be operated from the inside.
Weapons: Large Horn, can be poisoned; Kunai Launcher, mounted in mouth, can be poisioned and/or have explosive tags attached; extendable "whip" tail, can be poisoned.