Growing Up!
Fight 3 Delayed! Ninja Medical Emergency!
"S-Sakura!" Naruto's hands shook lightly as he gripped the railing tightly. His face twisting into pain as he stared down at the charred body of her former teammate. Where was Kakashi-sensei? Why hadn't Tsunade-sama stopped the fight before Tamachi attacked?
"S-Sakura-chan!" Leaping from the floor of the lounge, he sat on the railing for half a second before leaping from the window. Falling to the earth, his eyes closed for meerily a second, reopening the eye of the Kyubii appeared as Naruto slammed into the ground, forcing dust into the air and a harsh crack into the ground.
Blinking quickly once more, the eye of the demon was gone… standing slowly, Naruto watched, his body frozen as medics finally began to move into the field. Dashing from the wall, he ran to Sakura's side as the medic's lifted her onto a gurney.
Another team of medics moved to Mamimi, taking the blood soaked girl away as two other medics picked up Lee and Kankurou. Gasping softly, Naruto moved beside Sakura, walking with the medics. Her once lifeless happy face was black and bleeding. Moving his hand once her charred fingers, Naruto gripped her hand lightly. "S-Sakura-chan,"
Tears fell over her body as Naruto's head hung over her, sniffling lightly Naruto sobbed heavily as he held her hand tightly, his other hand clumsily stroking over her face as torched strands of hair fell. He lighted wiped off the ash covered metal plate of her forehead protector, restoring it's original shine.
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"Hokage-sama!" The lead medic stepped into the Kage's viewing box, panting heavily as sweat beaded the medical nin's forehead, he lightly placed his hand on his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"We- We need your help, the kids from this battle are in much worse shape then appears. Hokage-sama, we can't save them without your expertise," His eyes fell as his head bowed to Tsunade.
"What do you mean you won't be able to save them?" Tsunade's eyes widened with fear as she left her position at the railing, looking back to the medic as Baki stood as well.
"Are you saying my Kankurou may die?" Baki slammed his fist against the stone chair as he rose from it, cracking the back support down the center.
Tsunade turned back to Baki quickly, placing a finger on his lips. "No, no one is going to die, Kazekage-dono… I am going to delay the exams till this is settled. I can't stay here and over watch the exams till this is taken care of. Gaara is going to have to wait to compete in the finals like everyone else, I'm sorry,"
"Anything, it's fine as long as there are no fatalities, please go. I'll make the announcement if you wish,"
"Thank you.. Baki-san," She kissed his forehead lightly with a smile before turning quickly to join the medic on their way out of the area to the emergency room. Tossing the Hokage crown from her head, it rolled along the floor as she disappeared into the stairway.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that the remainder of the Chuunin Exams have been delayed! The four that just battled showed you everything they had with all their heart and soul. Hokage-sama had to leave for the time being in hopes of saving the lives of these ninjas who gave it their all,"
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"What are their conditions?" Tsunade stepped into the emergency room, pulling the Hokage's gown from her body she tossed it onto the waiting room chairs. Running a hand through her hair as she sighed softly… too much time. Too much time was wasted on the medic coming to get her and their travel to the hospital… now even more time was to be wasted as she listened to their reports.
"Tanaka Mamimi, 11 year old Genin, massive blood lose, herniated disks in the L4 and L5. She has gone into shock from the total blood lose,"
"Rock Lee, just turned 14, Genin, the poisoning in his lungs seems to have done more then knock him unconscious. He is having a violent reaction to antidote we gave him when he fist got in five minutes ago,"
"Haruno Sakura, age 13 as of two weeks ago, Genin, She had extensive burning on approximately 80% of her body. She isn't breathing too well either, she has regained consciousness but has not stopped screaming and coughing up ash and blood since she awoke,"
"Kankurou of the Sand, now age 17, Genin. When he came in we thought it was just exhaustion. On closer inspection and overview we saw that his heart is beating erratically and seems to be very unstable. He has not woken up since he came in,"
"All four of them?" Tsunade's eyes fell as her head fell into her hands, groaning softly she shook her head slowly before groaning softly. "I-I don't know… umm, okay. Lee, put him on oxygen and go ahead and but him on a IV. Introduce a deluded antidote to him through a slow drip, then report back to me,"
"For Mamimi, go find Shizune-san, she will be able to heal and close most of the girl's wounds till I am ready to go in and check for any internal bleeding, give her blood but no more then a one pouch since if she is bleeding internally we don't want her to just bleed it back out,"
"As for Sakura, put her entire body on ice… to an extensive check on her throat and lungs every few minutes. I am hoping the coughing of blood is just a burn in her throat and not something in her lungs,"
"I am going to go and handle Kankurou right now, he seems to be the one to worry about most at this moment. How is he right now?"
"Pulse is nearly 170,"
"170? That can't be right?" She froze for nearly half a second before she kicked off her shoes, sending the high heels under the row of chairs. She dashed off once again, already she formed hand seals quickly, chakra appearing around her fingertips as she moved to the black suited ninja. Running her fingers along his chest quickly, she cut the suit in half. His pale form rising and falling quickly as he breathed heavily, his face would slowly shiver into a grin of pain and anguish.
"Hurry, get Shizune! Sakura will have to wait, I need Shizune's help here now!"
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"Naruto-kun?"
"Huh? Oh, Hinata-chan," Naruto smiled lightly as he looked over his shoulder to see the small Hyuuga girl standing in the doorway. She didn't make eye contact with his as usual, slowly she made her way into the room, standing at the foot of the bed, she looked over the bandaged form that lay beneath the sheets.
"Is Sakura-chan going to alright?"
Naruto looked back to Hinata slowly, a light smirk on his face as he nodded lightly. "Yeah… Hokage-sama said that Sakura should be fine and back to her old self within two months, she is asleep right now,"
"Two months? But that means she won't be in the finals of the Exams…"
"Yeah, I know. But it may have been for the best that she isn't. Look at the condition she is in and realize that she was the winner of the fight. If all this could happen to her, what would happen to us?" Naruto spoke softly as tears slowly filled her eyes once more, holding the bandaged hand of Sakura.
"No, everything will be fine Naruto-kun. This won't happen to us… it was Tamachi, the beast that Mamimi summoned. It is all his fault this happened. Tamachi won't be in our fight, we will be fine,"
"But what if something worse then Tamachi shows up?! Hinata-chan, look at Sakura! I came in here when they were wrapping her up like this. It was as if she never had skin to begin with! It's horrible what happened to Sakura-chan. After everything Konoha and it's people have gone through, more always happens. If it goes by plan, some one else will be hurt tomorrow as well… it seems ever since Sasuke left, someone has been injured or died everyday! And what if tomorrow, you or I am the ones the die or become injured?!" Tears rolled down his cheeks heavily as he sniffed once more, wiping his face on his arm. "We does all of this happen?"
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata bit her lip softly as she crossed her arms in front of her, lowering her gaze from his slowly as she gave her own gentle sob.
"What?" Naruto's head fell as he pressed his face into the sheets beside Sakura, sobbing into them heavily as he shook softly.
"Kankurou of the Sand died earlier today,"
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Naruto pulled his jacket on as the sun was slowly falling beneath the trees of the Konoha forest. Sighing lightly, he placed his hand on Sakura's head, lightly he leaned down, kissing her forehead gently. "I'll be back tomorrow after my fight, Sakura-chan,"
He pulled himself away slowly, rubbing his face dry once again before moving to the door. Stepping into the dark hallway of the hospital, he closed the door to Sakura's room, staring at the flood in silence, he sighed heavily.
"Kankurou! Damn you!"
Naruto's head lifted as he looked down the hall to see Shikamaru and Temari. Slamming her fist down on Shikamaru's collarbone, Temari screamed as she bawled and sobbed into Shikamaru's shoulder. Naruto could see the heavy makeup staining her cheeks as her face was soaked with tears and sweat.
"What do I do now Kankurou?! You said you wouldn't leave you bastard! How am I suppose to raise Gaara by myself?! You said you wouldn't ever leave us!" As she sobbed, Shikamaru slowly lifted his arms, wrapping them around her then frame slowly, he held her tightly. Temari grabbed at Shikamaru's jacket lightly, pulling at him as she shook in his arms.
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Naruto sat in silence atop the ninja housing complex. Sitting on the edge of the building, his legs dangled off the edge as he leaned forward. His head in his hands, his eyes closed tightly as the wind rushed around his, clouds were forming in the sky above Konoha. It would rain tonight.
"How is Sakura-chan?"
Naruto's eyes sprung open as he stood quickly, turning on his palm, he dashed forward. Leaping out, his fist tightly curled as he connected with his punch. Stumbling back Kakashi grunted lightly, rubbing his cheek lightly, he chuckled softly.
"I suppose I deserve that,"
"Where were you?" Naruto rose up, standing toe to toe with his former sensei, fists tightly drawn shut as cold eyes starred up to the elder ninja.
"Naruto, I-"
"WHERE WERE YOU?!" Naruto roared as he took a ready stance, ready to fight with his sensei if that's what was needed. It wouldn't be but Naruto felt like it would be.
"I was busy," Kakashi sighed softly as he slipped his hands into his pockets, his head fell as he looked away from Naruto slowly.
"Too busy to even visit her? Do you even know what happened?!" Naruto hissed softly.
"Yes, Kurenai-sensei told me. Naruto, I am sorry, but I didn't have the time to attend the exams, I just got back to Konoha," His eye slowly fell shut as even he was angry at himself for the entire matter.
"Where were you then? What was more important then us, your students?!" Stomping his foot down, Naruto yelled once again.
"Your not my students anymore," Kakashi rose his head to face Naruto once again with a cold unfeeling stare. "You are Jiraiya-sama's student, Sakura is Shizune-san's student, and Sasuke is Orochimaru's student,"
"So just because we don't train with you means you don't give a shit about us anymore?!" Growling Naruto reeled back, droving his fist into Kakashi's face once more. Kakashi simply waved it off as he just stared silently back to Naruto.
"It's best not to associate with the Sannin,"
"What are you talking about?"
"You don't see it Naruto? This was planned from the beginning. You three are being trained to be the new Sannin,"
"What are you talking about?"
"Think about it, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke… you three are nothing more then their modern day counterparts. Your being used… the world needs the Sannin, the ninjas of legend to protect it, to heal it, and to destroy it," Lifting his hand slowly, he placed it lightly on Naruto's head, rustling up his hair a bit.
"We aren't the Sannin!" Naruto lifted his hand, smacking it away quickly.
"Believe what you want Naruto, but hopefully soon, you will realize it. You are already filling the parts. The Toad User, The Slug User, The Snake User. The Protector, The Healer, The Destroyer… it's all falling into place Naruto,"
"Stop that! We aren't the Sannin! Don't say our fates are predetermined when they aren't! I will become Hokage, just you watch!"
"Naruto-kun, I am sorry but you will never be Hokage. Look at the pattern… the Sannin were trained by a Hokage… The Slug User was the only one who in the end still showed true loyalty to Konoha, she became Hokage. The Healer is meant to be Hokage…"
"Then we aren't the Sannin after all since we weren't trained by Hokage! Sakura isn't a slug user either! And she isn't being traning by a Sannin, she is being trained by Shizune-sensei!"
"She will learn to summon eventually… Naruto, the reason I wasn't hear for the Exams was that I have been tracking down Sasuke and Orochimaru. I only found Kabuto… we didn't fight, only spoke with one another. I can not kill Orochimaru and he knows that… where I am now, I couldn't even successfully kill Kabuto,"
"What did you find out about Sasuke?"
"He is coming to Konoha…"
"To destroy it?" Naruto's eyes widened slowly as he clenched fists tighter, staring sternly up to Kakashi.
"No… to kill you and obtain the Mangekyou…"