Disclaimer: Again, I do not own any of the characters of Naruto. But I
don't, so this fic'll have to do. For those of you who like the story,
thanks for sticking by me for so long with your reviews. And now, I give
you the forth chapter...
Kyubi Unleashed
By DigiScanner-Shonen
Chapter 4: Reactions
Uchiha Sasuke still couldn't believe it. Yet here it was. His teammates, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura seemed to be interested in each other. Romantically interested. Sasuke was at a loss for words when, after training, he saw the two walk off together, no arguments or anything. And they were HAND IN HAND.
Sasuke would've expected Sakura to go for better. She had been extremely interested in him for the longest time, but for her to just go all over Naruto all of a sudden? Sakura still called him "Sasuke-kun" but just not with enough feeling anymore. Sasuke felt a weird twinge of anger at Naruto just then.
Was it jealousy? Was Sasuke jealous of Naruto getting Sakura's attention when back in the old days she couldn't care less? No. No that couldn't be it, Sasuke thought as he walked through the streets of Konohagakure. It felt more like a deep feeling of sorrow that he had felt all his life. Loneliness.
Sakura had stuck by him during all their missions. She mourned for him when they were in the Wave Country and everyone thought he was dead. She held him back from destroying the other ninjas in the Chuunin Exam with his new Curse Seal powers. She had cheered him on in the Chuunin Tournament. Sakura had done a lot for him and all Sasuke ever did was brush her off.
That was it. Sasuke was feeling loneliness. And it was because of Sakura now being with Naruto.
It was another reason for Sasuke to loathe Naruto. He had Sakura's attention, Itachi's targeting and it seemed he was more powerful than Sasuke. Again, Naruto had all that power that seemed to surpass Sasuke. Where did he get it?
Sasuke walked into a bookstore. He wasn't really in the mood to buy anything, but then he spotted it. It was a small scroll next to a bookcase. It had the title "How to Unleash Your True Potential". Sasuke grabbed it and asked the cashier how much it was. He replied that it had no price on it since it wasn't in the catalogue, but Sasuke could keep it since he found it. Sasuke dashed home in anticipation of reading the scroll.
This was it. This was how he could unleash his power. He'd again be stronger than Naruto. He'd again be the target of Itachi. He'd again be Sakura's idol. And all he had to do was one thing after he read the scroll.
Defeat Uzumaki Naruto.
*~*
It had been an idea of Gai-sensei's to train with other groups to further the development of the chakra. So Rock Lee and his team were training together with Ino, Shikamaru and Choji in a large field. Lee's team would show Ino's how to further taijutsu abilities and Ino's team would shoe Lee's how to use chakra to make their techniques more powerful.
It was about noon when Choji said it.
"I'm STARVING..."
"Choji, you're always starving," Shikamaru halfheartedly said.
"But I AM! I'm famished! I can't go on without food!"
"Well, it is noon and we break for lunch at that time. And I'm starving, too..." Ino told the others.
"All right, fine. We'll break for lunch," Lee announced, "but then we go right back to training."
"Great! I have this real hankering for ramen! To the Ichikago Ramen Bar we go!" Choji cheered as he marched off in the direction of the noodle joint.
"He never changes," Ino sighed, chasing after her teammate.
"Neji, you coming?" Lee asked as he, Tenten and Shikamaru started going off.
"No. I'm going to stay and train a bit more. Hinata's going there for lunch and you know how she and I get along..."
"Fine, you wait here and train some more. We'll be back in about an hour," Tenten said.
"Agreed. But Tenten..."
"Yeah?"
"Can you bring me back some ramen?"
"Of course! See you then!" With that the three ninjas were off.
*~*
Hyuuga Hinata sat down and was enjoying her lunch when Choji, Ino, Rock Lee, Tenten and Shikamaru came in to eat. Hinata noticed them right away.
"Oh! You're...Neji's teammates...aren't you?" Hinata asked Lee and Tenten.
"Yeah! He sends his regards," Tenten replied as she ordered some ramen, "How's your team doing?"
"They're...um...good," Hinata whispered, "We were doing training excersises when I got hungry. Um...I guess that's why...you're all here?"
"Uh huh," Choji demanded, "Where's my ramen? I'm withering away to NOTHING here!"
"Hold on, hold on," the bar owner said as he cooked up some noodles for everybody while Choji grumbled.
"Maybe Sasuke-kun will come by to eat with me..." Ino dreamily said, "Wouldn't that be great, Shikamaru?"
It was Shikamaru's turn to grumble. "It's always Sasuke with you, Ino. Why don't you think about someone OTHER than Sasuke for a change?"
"Like Sakura-chan..." Rock Lee said as he too fell into a little dream, thinking of Sakura.
"Sakura? No way! That pink-haired mess of a ninja isn't worth a thought of mine! And there's no way that she'll get my Sasuke-kun, even if they're on the same team. Sasuke-kun's nowhere near interested in her," Ino told the others, "She'll end up with some loser like that Uzumaki Naruto kid! He's absolutely the worst! I can see it now! Naruto and Sakura, the happy loser couple!"
"Yeah, we're happy, but we're far from losers," a voice said.
Everyone turned around and to their surprise, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura walked into the bar and took a seat.
"Na-Naruto-kun..." Hinata blushed.
"Sakura-chan!" Lee almost sang.
"Hey Hinata...guys...Thick Brows," Naruto smirked.
"Naruto-kun, be nice..." Sakura told him.
"All right, Sakura-chan. HEY! Can we get a couple of bowls of ramen over here?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, yes, I'll be a minute," the bar owner replied as he gave the orders to Lee and the others.
"Wait a second..." Lee said with eyes wide, "Sakura-chan did you just call him...'Naruto...-kun?'"
"Yeah! Jealous, Thick Brows?"
"But...but...but..." Lee couldn't believe what he heard.
"HA! I knew it! Sakura IS with Naruto! I guess that means that Sasuke-kun's all mine!" Ino squealed.
"Sure, you can have him," Sakura told her simply as Naruto and Sakura's order of ramen came.
"Wha?" Ino gasped, "This is some kind of dream, isn't it? Sakura just said I could have Sasuke-kun and she isn't doing anything about it! Somebody pinch me! OW!"
"Well, you asked to be pinched..." Shikamaru chuckled.
"Naruto-kun...when...did you and...Sakura..." Hinata whispered quietly as she slowly slurped up some ramen.
"It was a couple days ago. I could hardly believe it myself! I knew something good would happen to me soon!" Naruto cheered as he began to devour his food.
"Sakura-chan...why did...you...and him...with the...how..." Lee sobbed.
"I know it seems strange, Lee-san, but it's what I want. I guess it's what I always wanted," Sakura told him, "To have someone I cared deeply for feel the same way towards me. I thought I had it with Sasuke-kun but it turns out it's with Naruto-kun."
"Well, I'm happy for you Sakura," Tenten smiled as she ordered another bowl of ramen to take to Neji.
"So am I! Now Sasuke-kun is all mine! HA HA HA!" Ino laughed loudly as Shikamaru again grumbled.
"AH! That was good! Can we have seconds?" Choji wondered.
"No, we're going back to training," Shikamaru told him as he grabbed Choji who was longing for another bowl and a laughed-crazed Ino and dragged them out of the bar back to training.
"I guess we'll be going too. See you later Sakura, Naruto, Hinata," Tenten said as she grabbed Neji's order and took a sorrowful Rock Lee by the collar and made him walk beside her. He was still sobbing about Sakura and Naruto's new relationship.
"Naruto-kun...um..." Hinata began. She really didn't know what to say to her crush.
"Yeah, Hinata?" Naruto asked as he downed the last bit of his ramen.
"Ah...um...I'm really...happy for you...and Sakura-chan..."
"Thanks, Hinata."
"Yeah..." Hinata sadly said as she looked down to the floor.
"Something wrong, Hinata?" Sakura asked.
"No, Sakura-chan. I'm...fine. I'm not hungry anymore...I'm just...gonna go back to training..." Hinata said as she got off her stool and walked out.
"All right. Bye Hinata!" Naruto waved.
"Bye..." Hinata nervously waved back. She was a bit heartbroken that Naruto had gotten together with Sakura, but she was happy for him. At least Naruto- kun's happy, Hinata thought, that's the important thing. Even if Naruto was with someone else, at least he was happy.
Hinata walked back to her group and when they asked her what happened, she said nothing. Unbeknowst to her teammates, Hinata shed a few tears.
Whether they were for happiness or sadness was a secret only Hinata would ever know.
*~*
"So I hear Naruto's found himself a girlfriend," Iruka said as he sat with Tsunade in the Hokage Office. He was here to talk about Naruto and how he was doing since Kakashi was off training by himself, and Tsunade was the only other one close to him other than Jiraiya.
"Yes, he's doing quite well," Tsunade told him as she sorted through some papers on her desk, "Could you hand me that pen, Iruka?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I couldn't be happier that Naruto found another who cared for him deeply," Iruka replied as he handed the Hokage a pen.
"I know. Great thing, love..." Tsunade said silently as she remembered her old boyfriend. How she wished he hadn't died on that mission. If only she could've done more for him...
"Hokage-sama?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought. Anyway, you teach at the Ninja Academy?"
"Yes, I'm Head Teacher there. Right now I'm personally handling Konohamaru, the grandson of you predecessor, the third Hokage."
"Yes. And how is he doing?"
"He's just like Naruto was when he attended the Academy. Not too bright, struggling with certain ninjutsu and trying to be the class clown. He even has a special jutsu that Naruto taught him personally. Konohamaru has pulled it once or twice on me."
"What jutsu?"
"It's one that Naruto made up. He calls it the 'Sexy no Jutsu'."
"The What-jutsu?"
"I know. That's how I first reacted, too. Basically, when Naruto or Konohamaru uses it, they become a very, very attractive nude woman. And any males in the vicinity who see it get severe nosebleeds," Iruka chuckled, remembering how his students had used it.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Well, just picture Naruto or Konohamaru using that and imagine the reaction of all the males in the Village."
Tsunade thought. And laughed. "You're right. That is pretty funny," Tsunade said in-between laughs, "I think Naruto used it on Jiraiya once. And if you know Jiraiya like I do..."
"No, I don't. But how is the only good male member of the Legendary Leaf Ninjas?"
"Tired," a voice came. Tsunade and Iruka turned around and saw Jiraiya standing in the doorway, holding his side, looking badly battered and bruised.
"Jiraiya! What in the world?" Tsunade gaped.
"Long story."
"We've got time," Iruka said simply as he rushed to help the legendary shinobi in. He placed Jiraiya on the couch lying down and pulled up a seat next to Tsunade.
"Jiraiya, tell me, what did this to you?" Tsunade asked her friend.
"It was that disaster you sent me to investigate in the Cloud Country. It put up a hell of a fight," Jiraiya groaned, "Water, please. I've got a major headache..."
Tsunade got up and got a glass of water for the white-haired ninja. "Can you tell me what happened in your fight with it?"
"Not much to tell. It was big, mean and vicious. I never thought I'd see another one in my time. Even pulled out Gama-Bunta to help fight but he was no match. We both got a severe beating. Those ninjas you send before were like ants to humans. I was kind of like a, well, TOAD to it," Jiraiya told them as he sipped some water from his glass while Tsunade used some of her medical jutsu to heal a couple of his more gruesome wounds.
"What WAS it?" Iruka asked.
"..."
"Jiraiya, please?" Tsunade added.
"...I don't want to tell you. It's not your problem."
"Jiraiya, as long as it presents a threat to the country and the ninja world, it IS my problem. I am Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Country and I order you to tell me what it was," Tsunade demanded gently, "Now please."
"All right I'll tell. But only one thing you need to know about it."
"Why can't you tell me all of it?"
"I'm not entirely sure of it myself. It used something on me to block stuff of it from my memory."
"All right, just the one thing, then. Now, what is it?"
Jiraiya paused and closed his eyes, like he was trying hard to remember something. Tsunade and Iruka leaned in and waited for his response. Jiraiya's eyes opened and with two words, left a feeling of dread, fear and uncertainness.
"A monster..."
TO BE CONTINUED!
Again, please review! It lets me know that people like what I'm doing. More reviews means more chapters sooner! And check out my other Naruto story, "Wind". It's suffering in the way of reviews so I need reviews for that desperately.
Kyubi Unleashed
By DigiScanner-Shonen
Chapter 4: Reactions
Uchiha Sasuke still couldn't believe it. Yet here it was. His teammates, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura seemed to be interested in each other. Romantically interested. Sasuke was at a loss for words when, after training, he saw the two walk off together, no arguments or anything. And they were HAND IN HAND.
Sasuke would've expected Sakura to go for better. She had been extremely interested in him for the longest time, but for her to just go all over Naruto all of a sudden? Sakura still called him "Sasuke-kun" but just not with enough feeling anymore. Sasuke felt a weird twinge of anger at Naruto just then.
Was it jealousy? Was Sasuke jealous of Naruto getting Sakura's attention when back in the old days she couldn't care less? No. No that couldn't be it, Sasuke thought as he walked through the streets of Konohagakure. It felt more like a deep feeling of sorrow that he had felt all his life. Loneliness.
Sakura had stuck by him during all their missions. She mourned for him when they were in the Wave Country and everyone thought he was dead. She held him back from destroying the other ninjas in the Chuunin Exam with his new Curse Seal powers. She had cheered him on in the Chuunin Tournament. Sakura had done a lot for him and all Sasuke ever did was brush her off.
That was it. Sasuke was feeling loneliness. And it was because of Sakura now being with Naruto.
It was another reason for Sasuke to loathe Naruto. He had Sakura's attention, Itachi's targeting and it seemed he was more powerful than Sasuke. Again, Naruto had all that power that seemed to surpass Sasuke. Where did he get it?
Sasuke walked into a bookstore. He wasn't really in the mood to buy anything, but then he spotted it. It was a small scroll next to a bookcase. It had the title "How to Unleash Your True Potential". Sasuke grabbed it and asked the cashier how much it was. He replied that it had no price on it since it wasn't in the catalogue, but Sasuke could keep it since he found it. Sasuke dashed home in anticipation of reading the scroll.
This was it. This was how he could unleash his power. He'd again be stronger than Naruto. He'd again be the target of Itachi. He'd again be Sakura's idol. And all he had to do was one thing after he read the scroll.
Defeat Uzumaki Naruto.
*~*
It had been an idea of Gai-sensei's to train with other groups to further the development of the chakra. So Rock Lee and his team were training together with Ino, Shikamaru and Choji in a large field. Lee's team would show Ino's how to further taijutsu abilities and Ino's team would shoe Lee's how to use chakra to make their techniques more powerful.
It was about noon when Choji said it.
"I'm STARVING..."
"Choji, you're always starving," Shikamaru halfheartedly said.
"But I AM! I'm famished! I can't go on without food!"
"Well, it is noon and we break for lunch at that time. And I'm starving, too..." Ino told the others.
"All right, fine. We'll break for lunch," Lee announced, "but then we go right back to training."
"Great! I have this real hankering for ramen! To the Ichikago Ramen Bar we go!" Choji cheered as he marched off in the direction of the noodle joint.
"He never changes," Ino sighed, chasing after her teammate.
"Neji, you coming?" Lee asked as he, Tenten and Shikamaru started going off.
"No. I'm going to stay and train a bit more. Hinata's going there for lunch and you know how she and I get along..."
"Fine, you wait here and train some more. We'll be back in about an hour," Tenten said.
"Agreed. But Tenten..."
"Yeah?"
"Can you bring me back some ramen?"
"Of course! See you then!" With that the three ninjas were off.
*~*
Hyuuga Hinata sat down and was enjoying her lunch when Choji, Ino, Rock Lee, Tenten and Shikamaru came in to eat. Hinata noticed them right away.
"Oh! You're...Neji's teammates...aren't you?" Hinata asked Lee and Tenten.
"Yeah! He sends his regards," Tenten replied as she ordered some ramen, "How's your team doing?"
"They're...um...good," Hinata whispered, "We were doing training excersises when I got hungry. Um...I guess that's why...you're all here?"
"Uh huh," Choji demanded, "Where's my ramen? I'm withering away to NOTHING here!"
"Hold on, hold on," the bar owner said as he cooked up some noodles for everybody while Choji grumbled.
"Maybe Sasuke-kun will come by to eat with me..." Ino dreamily said, "Wouldn't that be great, Shikamaru?"
It was Shikamaru's turn to grumble. "It's always Sasuke with you, Ino. Why don't you think about someone OTHER than Sasuke for a change?"
"Like Sakura-chan..." Rock Lee said as he too fell into a little dream, thinking of Sakura.
"Sakura? No way! That pink-haired mess of a ninja isn't worth a thought of mine! And there's no way that she'll get my Sasuke-kun, even if they're on the same team. Sasuke-kun's nowhere near interested in her," Ino told the others, "She'll end up with some loser like that Uzumaki Naruto kid! He's absolutely the worst! I can see it now! Naruto and Sakura, the happy loser couple!"
"Yeah, we're happy, but we're far from losers," a voice said.
Everyone turned around and to their surprise, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura walked into the bar and took a seat.
"Na-Naruto-kun..." Hinata blushed.
"Sakura-chan!" Lee almost sang.
"Hey Hinata...guys...Thick Brows," Naruto smirked.
"Naruto-kun, be nice..." Sakura told him.
"All right, Sakura-chan. HEY! Can we get a couple of bowls of ramen over here?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, yes, I'll be a minute," the bar owner replied as he gave the orders to Lee and the others.
"Wait a second..." Lee said with eyes wide, "Sakura-chan did you just call him...'Naruto...-kun?'"
"Yeah! Jealous, Thick Brows?"
"But...but...but..." Lee couldn't believe what he heard.
"HA! I knew it! Sakura IS with Naruto! I guess that means that Sasuke-kun's all mine!" Ino squealed.
"Sure, you can have him," Sakura told her simply as Naruto and Sakura's order of ramen came.
"Wha?" Ino gasped, "This is some kind of dream, isn't it? Sakura just said I could have Sasuke-kun and she isn't doing anything about it! Somebody pinch me! OW!"
"Well, you asked to be pinched..." Shikamaru chuckled.
"Naruto-kun...when...did you and...Sakura..." Hinata whispered quietly as she slowly slurped up some ramen.
"It was a couple days ago. I could hardly believe it myself! I knew something good would happen to me soon!" Naruto cheered as he began to devour his food.
"Sakura-chan...why did...you...and him...with the...how..." Lee sobbed.
"I know it seems strange, Lee-san, but it's what I want. I guess it's what I always wanted," Sakura told him, "To have someone I cared deeply for feel the same way towards me. I thought I had it with Sasuke-kun but it turns out it's with Naruto-kun."
"Well, I'm happy for you Sakura," Tenten smiled as she ordered another bowl of ramen to take to Neji.
"So am I! Now Sasuke-kun is all mine! HA HA HA!" Ino laughed loudly as Shikamaru again grumbled.
"AH! That was good! Can we have seconds?" Choji wondered.
"No, we're going back to training," Shikamaru told him as he grabbed Choji who was longing for another bowl and a laughed-crazed Ino and dragged them out of the bar back to training.
"I guess we'll be going too. See you later Sakura, Naruto, Hinata," Tenten said as she grabbed Neji's order and took a sorrowful Rock Lee by the collar and made him walk beside her. He was still sobbing about Sakura and Naruto's new relationship.
"Naruto-kun...um..." Hinata began. She really didn't know what to say to her crush.
"Yeah, Hinata?" Naruto asked as he downed the last bit of his ramen.
"Ah...um...I'm really...happy for you...and Sakura-chan..."
"Thanks, Hinata."
"Yeah..." Hinata sadly said as she looked down to the floor.
"Something wrong, Hinata?" Sakura asked.
"No, Sakura-chan. I'm...fine. I'm not hungry anymore...I'm just...gonna go back to training..." Hinata said as she got off her stool and walked out.
"All right. Bye Hinata!" Naruto waved.
"Bye..." Hinata nervously waved back. She was a bit heartbroken that Naruto had gotten together with Sakura, but she was happy for him. At least Naruto- kun's happy, Hinata thought, that's the important thing. Even if Naruto was with someone else, at least he was happy.
Hinata walked back to her group and when they asked her what happened, she said nothing. Unbeknowst to her teammates, Hinata shed a few tears.
Whether they were for happiness or sadness was a secret only Hinata would ever know.
*~*
"So I hear Naruto's found himself a girlfriend," Iruka said as he sat with Tsunade in the Hokage Office. He was here to talk about Naruto and how he was doing since Kakashi was off training by himself, and Tsunade was the only other one close to him other than Jiraiya.
"Yes, he's doing quite well," Tsunade told him as she sorted through some papers on her desk, "Could you hand me that pen, Iruka?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I couldn't be happier that Naruto found another who cared for him deeply," Iruka replied as he handed the Hokage a pen.
"I know. Great thing, love..." Tsunade said silently as she remembered her old boyfriend. How she wished he hadn't died on that mission. If only she could've done more for him...
"Hokage-sama?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought. Anyway, you teach at the Ninja Academy?"
"Yes, I'm Head Teacher there. Right now I'm personally handling Konohamaru, the grandson of you predecessor, the third Hokage."
"Yes. And how is he doing?"
"He's just like Naruto was when he attended the Academy. Not too bright, struggling with certain ninjutsu and trying to be the class clown. He even has a special jutsu that Naruto taught him personally. Konohamaru has pulled it once or twice on me."
"What jutsu?"
"It's one that Naruto made up. He calls it the 'Sexy no Jutsu'."
"The What-jutsu?"
"I know. That's how I first reacted, too. Basically, when Naruto or Konohamaru uses it, they become a very, very attractive nude woman. And any males in the vicinity who see it get severe nosebleeds," Iruka chuckled, remembering how his students had used it.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Well, just picture Naruto or Konohamaru using that and imagine the reaction of all the males in the Village."
Tsunade thought. And laughed. "You're right. That is pretty funny," Tsunade said in-between laughs, "I think Naruto used it on Jiraiya once. And if you know Jiraiya like I do..."
"No, I don't. But how is the only good male member of the Legendary Leaf Ninjas?"
"Tired," a voice came. Tsunade and Iruka turned around and saw Jiraiya standing in the doorway, holding his side, looking badly battered and bruised.
"Jiraiya! What in the world?" Tsunade gaped.
"Long story."
"We've got time," Iruka said simply as he rushed to help the legendary shinobi in. He placed Jiraiya on the couch lying down and pulled up a seat next to Tsunade.
"Jiraiya, tell me, what did this to you?" Tsunade asked her friend.
"It was that disaster you sent me to investigate in the Cloud Country. It put up a hell of a fight," Jiraiya groaned, "Water, please. I've got a major headache..."
Tsunade got up and got a glass of water for the white-haired ninja. "Can you tell me what happened in your fight with it?"
"Not much to tell. It was big, mean and vicious. I never thought I'd see another one in my time. Even pulled out Gama-Bunta to help fight but he was no match. We both got a severe beating. Those ninjas you send before were like ants to humans. I was kind of like a, well, TOAD to it," Jiraiya told them as he sipped some water from his glass while Tsunade used some of her medical jutsu to heal a couple of his more gruesome wounds.
"What WAS it?" Iruka asked.
"..."
"Jiraiya, please?" Tsunade added.
"...I don't want to tell you. It's not your problem."
"Jiraiya, as long as it presents a threat to the country and the ninja world, it IS my problem. I am Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Country and I order you to tell me what it was," Tsunade demanded gently, "Now please."
"All right I'll tell. But only one thing you need to know about it."
"Why can't you tell me all of it?"
"I'm not entirely sure of it myself. It used something on me to block stuff of it from my memory."
"All right, just the one thing, then. Now, what is it?"
Jiraiya paused and closed his eyes, like he was trying hard to remember something. Tsunade and Iruka leaned in and waited for his response. Jiraiya's eyes opened and with two words, left a feeling of dread, fear and uncertainness.
"A monster..."
TO BE CONTINUED!
Again, please review! It lets me know that people like what I'm doing. More reviews means more chapters sooner! And check out my other Naruto story, "Wind". It's suffering in the way of reviews so I need reviews for that desperately.