#::Hidden Spirits: Village Hunting & Side Effect::#
A Naruto Fan-fiction -- Sequel from 'Hidden Spirits'
By: Climax

Disclaimer for ALL chapters: Do not and never own Naruto. Except this story plot, idea, and my own characters I create on this story.

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Scroll 7: You Should Leave
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She smiled warmly and then said, "Anyway, welcome to my private garden."

Rhaera gaped in unbelievably and awe. "Your… private garden?"

She chuckled lightly. Her voice was really a clear one. "Ah, yes. No one will expect a vulnerable looking woman like me to be in this dangerous place and claiming this little part of the cave to be her 'private garden'. But I have no other choice."

What did she mean by 'this little part of the cave'? This place was no little. Even if Rhaera couldn't see it, he could 'feel' it from the wind blow and the long echo that resounded through the cave. "What do you mean by you have no other choice?" asked Rhaera.

She just smiled sadly and said, "Because there is no 'place' for me to stay out there. Besides, I can't leave my husband."

Rhaera became more confused. "Your husband?"

She decided to change the topic. "By the way, the name is Arsunta. Yours is?"

"Rhaera." He answered shortly.

Arsunta raised her eyebrows. "Isn't it a girl name?" she asked softly in tone.

Angry veins popped on the archer's forehead. "I'm one hundred percent human boy. But it looks like the one who named me was desperate to have a daughter…" that stated clearly that he was detested by that topic.

"Oh, sorry. And who is that boy on your back? He looks so terrible." She pointed Naruto who was unconscious and looked no better than a shinobi that had just came home from a war.

Rhaera was totally forgotten about Naruto. All those things that came up into his mind made him. And Naruto was not too heavy for a trained shinobi too.

"He is my teammate. He… was injured because of the monsters, blue glow poisonous pollens, and me," Rhaera said it as honestly as possible.

"Hmm…" Arsunta decided to not comment about that.

"I, I heard from Akaki and Hakai that you can do something about his wounds…" Rhaera quickly added.

"That's right. If you are wounded, you came to the right person. Put him down, I'll take my herbs and medicine. Boys these days…" she added a sigh as she walked away. Rhaera didn't care much to complain. He put the stubborn blonde down carefully, trying to not make too many movements. Then he looked to the two fairies.

"You don't mind if we stand on these flowers?" asked Rhaera. He needed to be more careful to plants since their 'friends' were here. The two shook their head.

"Don't worry, we don't mind. Glowing plants like us won't die easily by just stomped on. Though we don't like it…" said Akaki.

"Sorry."

"You don't need to apologize! It's not our body you are standing at so we don't mind!" Hakai said cheerfully. If they have byakugan, they could see that Rhaera narrowed his eyes. The way Hakai said those words… the little fairy seemed to hold so much grudge against the seven glow flowers. Maybe it was because they didn't get enough sun while these flowers did.

"Do you hate them? I mean, these flowers," asked Rhaera to make sure his prediction.

"No. Just jealous." Then Hakai glared to the flowers with a glare that could melt steel but sadly not burn those plants.

"You should stop being jealous to them, Hakai…" Arsunta's voice came into their conversation. "They have a hard job, you know…" she said as she proceeded towards Naruto with a basket of medicines and herbs at the crook of her right elbow and a bucket of water with white towel on her hands.

"I can't. They have all these sunlight when we live in dark together with those monsters as their decoy. I can't easily and silently sit on my roots with this kind of destiny and life," said Hakai, determined.

Arsunta remained silent. She concentrated her job in treating Naruto's wounds. But no one noticed the strange look she gave to Naruto.

"But aniki, as we have our job, they have a job too. And that job is a heavy task to support this frail cave to not collapse entirely and rebuild this cave's life. We got our job because we aren't qualified enough to do that. Our roots are too short," Akaki tried her best to calm her big brother down but the said brother didn't.

"Just wait when I have the power to freeze this cave so they won't be needed anymore…" Hakai hissed dangerously. If he had an adult's voice, his words would be scary enough to scare those cute animals (i.e. rabbits, pigeons, chicks, etc).

That did it. "Hakai, you are to remain silent." Arsunta said it in a very polite manner that could match a queen of a kingdom but some of the words' tones were spicy enough to make Hakai shut his terrible mouth. Akaki couldn't help it but glad that there was an adult here and now.

Arsunta asked Rhaera if she was allowed to take Naruto's shirt off once she was done at tending minor injuries including the poison part. Rhaera said that it was not his privacy but Naruto's; but at the end he allowed her. Due the fact that Rhaera mentioned that Naruto had broken ribs, Arsunta tried her best to not move the boy too much. Broken ribs are more painful than broken leg or hand because you'd found that it was hurt when you breath steadily, let alone harshly.

After the shirt was gone, Arsunta checked how bad it was Naruto's ribs by pressing a few spots lightly. Naruto flinched a bit when the lady pressed her finger then palm in the middle of his chest and groaned loudly when she checked his back. But none of her actions made the blond shinobi woke up. Maybe he was exhausted enough to just breathing.

Rhaera had nothing to do while Arsunta was treating Naruto. If he had good eyes, he surely would watch her in great interest. But it was an 'if'. Decided he shouldn't push himself too much or he would ended up like Naruto —more or less— he rested his back and head against the flowers. It was very nice bed than he could imagine. The flowers' petals and stems were so soft. This place was sure a good for sleeping and relaxing place. Not to mention the warm sun ray and the soft breeze of the wind. It wasn't long before he admitted his defeat and fell into light but relaxing slumber. But before he completely gave up, his mind wondered to where and what were the two fairies doing.

While Rhaera was lulled into sleep and now he was, Arsunta was tore between treating Naruto's ribs and observing the seal on his belly. The seal strangely reminded her of something and definitely charmed her curiosity. But she decided to finish her job first. It took longer than she thought. Maybe it was because her eyes were moving from her work to the seal and to the work again continuously. But still, she finished before Rhaera woke up. Her mind wondered briefly about where Akaki and Hakai. But at the next second she noticed that the two were gone for their weekly job of observing the cave, checking if there were any living things in this cave beside intruders. Not that they resent it, they carved for it. Arsunta knew what exactly happened in this cave that made it lack of living things beside strong flowers like them and her self. She even knew more than those fairies.

Yeah, all happened because of that. She mused as she touched her bracelets. The last defense of this cave. If these bracelets were either destroyed or left this cave, this cave would be a history. She looked to her patient's belly, seeing a unique seal on it. She could feel it. The strong chakra that was more than enough to be able to destroy two or more mountains. She went back to her memory again. If anyone who was old enough would remember what this cave was once, they'd remember how sacred this place was; the place where the strong power of wood sleep. And the bracelets, was made to protect it. But now this cave was no more than the place where she spent her remaining life and also the place where her husband sleep. And that power… it wasn't vanished. It was inactive.

It was the flowers that made the cave still remain as a cave till now. Although it was a great effort to grow their roots to be long enough to support the cave. She had to put the greatest genjutsu she has to prevent intruders for coming here and used her power to make this cave was a much greater and bigger maze than before. After done for security, she had to make a hole on the ceiling to give the flowers as much sunlight and moonlight as possible. Of course, she needed to place another protection for the huge hole.

But why she sacrificed that much for just the cave? She was more than capable to leave the cave. What a good time to remember her reason and memory. The reason why the cave was sacred was; because it was the only place where the souls could be seen with bare eyes. Although only in this part, some other parts were contained with pure life power that could strengthen the souls and the beasts. And this was the place where one of the strongest beasts, Kyuubi no Youko, once slept.

Thinking about that bloodlust but at the same time idiot fox, had bring a sad smile across her face. His fights with her husband were absolutely ridiculous but serious at once. They fight as friends, not enemies. But it wasn't the fights; it was her fault to make the Kyuubi attacked Konoha.

Okay, enough thinking about sad things. What matters was now. She glanced at the waking up archer who apparently was trying to suppress his yawn but failed. She watched the archer appearance. It brought some déjà vu but she didn't know where she ever seen him. Then something caught her eyes. Black and rectangular earrings. That hit a button in her brain.

"Where do you come from?" asked Arsunta to Rhaera once the said archer finally 100 percent —or so she thought— active.

Rhaera was a bit sleepy, but he caught nobody was around except he, Arsunta, and Naruto. But he knew Naruto was not conscious. "You are talking to me?" he asked just to make sure.

"Yes." Arsunta didn't bother to nod. It was useless to nod when the one who supposed to know could not see it.

"Where I come from… hmm… I don't know what you're meaning, but I'm from Konoha right now. I have been staying in Konoha for three years." It didn't take long for him to think about his answer.

If he could see, he would see a suspicious brunette lady in front of him. Her eyes narrowed, and suspiciously watching he and his aura. Why a person from that place bothered to stay in Konoha for three years? "I mean, before you came to Konoha…"

"I don't know," Rhaera answered shortly. He felt a strange feeling that Arsunta was interrogating him.

Arsunta's eyes narrowed until half of her eyes closed. "Amnesia?"

Rhaera nodded. That explained the three years part in Konoha. Akaki and Hakai were back when they noticed something wrong. At least, at Arsunta only. Arsunta stood up, she didn't notice Akaki and Hakai yet. Her eyes became so sharp till you could think that she hated the one that in front of her — lips quivered, but her voice was calm, "I'm sorry, but I think you should leave. Now."

Rhaera faced her with confused a look. "I will, but I'd already promised to Akaki and Hakai to get rid of those monsters. And they said you know how to get rid of them."

"Never mind, I'll do it." Before she could has a change to expel Rhaera again, the fairies interrupted them.

"Wait! Nee-sama! You can't do that!!" shouted Akaki — her face was in pure horror and worry. Her brother was no different. They ran towards Arsunta and stop to hug the brunette lady.

"If you do that, they would be—!" Hakai started but Arsunta's determined glare stopped him.

"I know. There's a big chance that person would know where I am. But regardless, from the start the monsters are here because of me. So it's my responsibility to get rid of those monsters."

"But nee-sama…" Is it just Rhaera's imagination or Hakai was really sobbing? "We can't let you do that…"

"And I can't let you two suffer anymore."

"The hell with losing friends! That person would do something much more horrible if he get you in tow…" Hakai buried his face in Arsunta's cloth, preventing anybody to see his expression. Arsunta smiled warmly to those two fairies. She strokes their shining blue hairs with care.

"Shh… Hakai, you shouldn't say that. No matter what happens, they are still your friends. You mustn't dump them so easily like that." Before Hakai could protest, all two humans and two fairies heard a groan.

It was Naruto. Probably he had a hard time having his sleep with those shouting around. Rhaera quickly went to his side (while Arsunta and the others shut their mouth) to prevent in case the blonde would try to get up. Ribs are not nice to get up when they are broken. "Ngghh… who the… hell is that..? Shouting… around… I'm… going to… skin that… person… alive…" Naruto wake or not was no different. Not as loudmouthed as his wake version but still, his language needed to be watched — although his voice lacked of scarily threatening tone…

Naruto felt nothing but dizziness on his head and numbness all over his body. This was good since his fogged mind barely remembered that he had broken ribs. He opened his eyes and what welcomed his sight was a soft ray of sunlight. Correction: sunlight and a huge hole on the cave's ceiling that he registered as the source of the light. He tried to get up but his numb body prevented him to even move his hands.

"Have you already waked up?" asked Rhaera. It sounded so far but he did hear the archer clearly.

"Almost." Naruto managed to mumble and surprised how raspy his voice sounded.

He decided to survey the area since he couldn't get up. There was Rhaera, nearly towering him. That was reasonable since he was wounded and no Sakura around to tend him. He moved his eyes. He found colorful glowing things; he wasn't sure since his sight still a fuzzy. His sight became clearer as he found a brunette lady and two glowing kids. Just a mere sight. Wait. When you found a lady in such dangerous cave, could you say it was a mere sight? Moreover, no human that has the ability to make their body glowing BLUE. Yep, no one.

Instead of screaming like a girl in horror, Naruto found an unthinkable strength to get up and point his index finger to Akaki and Hakai. "Wh-wha-t are they?"

Everybody including Rhaera excluding Arsunta blinked (though no one could see that Rhaera did blink). "He can see us?" asked Akaki. Meanwhile Hakai, "Is he ACTUALLY can hear us?"

"Yes he can." Everybody turned to Arsunta. "Everybody can see and hear you. But only in this place…"

"Why is that? And why don't you tell us?" asked Akaki rather forcing.

"It is…"

"Hey! I'm not a statue for your information! Stop ignoring me, you lecherous brats!!" Naruto interrupted. Hakai and Akaki glared him in a brat's way as if screaming 'who did you call lecherous brats??' But Naruto —who was sitting now, thanks to Rhaera's help— gave the two fairies a glare that was daring them to 'don't be a chick and come here to finish this problem, NOW'. And neither of the two sides seemed will back off soon. Kids.

"Naruto, lay back." Rhaera commanded crisply before they had a bloody fight around.

"Akaki, Hakai, sit." Arsunta was doing the same way. But nothing could stop the fairies and the blonde for having a quarrel.

"Not until I make those lecherous brats know how to respect a going to be Hokage." Naruto prepared his fists though his injuries wouldn't let him throw a punch.

"Not until we make that sonofabitch regrets underestimating we the blue glows' souls." Hakai was the only one who spoke those 'must-be-watched' words but the two fairies had their own fighting stance.

Rhaera tried his best to have his patience remained. "Naruto, a Hokage is not childish like you. Now sit down before I kick your ribs to force you." His tone was as plain as always, but how could it be as threatening as rarely.

"Hakai, where did you learn those unlicensed languages?" Arsunta's voice contained poison.

Ignoring the tone in Arsunta's voice, Hakai calmly explained. "From those previous intruders. When they got a trap on their way they said 'bitch', 'son of bitch', 'what the hell', 'fu—"

"Enough." Arsunta had to interrupt before the blue fairy said all those illegal vocabularies before she reached for their heads and pushed them down to the ground. At the same time Rhaera slapped Naruto's back before he said any provoking words.

Naruto's injured ribs made the pain doubled. He whined in pain before shouting in rage.

"What's that for??"

"For the sake of peace."

"What's the mean of that?!"

"That means I told you to silence." Rhaera said in a military tone. He paused to see Naruto's disagreed face and continue before the blonde had the chance to protest. "Your noisy rants are inviting monsters." It was a lie. Everybody knew that.

"Uh… Rhaera, I hope you are lying…" Akaki's face was in pure horror. Meanwhile Hakai lost his tongue.

"Of course I'm lying. I'm not a fortune teller or something right?" he asked. Why would they buy his unserious words?

"You think you are not. But we think you are…" Hakai finally found his voice.

"Get to the point brats." Naruto grumbled impatiently. He would be tapping his foot if he could stand.

Arsunta narrowed her eyes. She already sensed it from the time Rhaera spoke his lie but she thought this one would pass the genjutsu.

"Those monsters…"

Arsunta didn't need to finish. The said monsters did it for her. They rampaged through the not so big entrance causing some parts of the tunnel collapsed. All of them could feel the shaking ground from the rocks fall.

"Oh, man! I don't need any collision again right now!!" whined Naruto. True, he had more than enough back then. Three times including this. He really-really-really and really wanted to— to show what he made of to those plants but sadly his body wouldn't allow him. How ironic, Rhaera had began his assault meanwhile he, this Hokage cadet, was as useful as sitting duck. Geez, what would Sasuke say if that Mr. Show-Off (sadly genius) had been here? He would snicker, mocking at Naruto's weakness and uselessness, and then— and then… AARRRGHHH!! Just the thought of it made his blood boiled!!!

You doesn't have to think about it when it annoys you…

If Naruto was drinking, he would choke it. He rarely heard that voice but he was more than certain of whose voice was that. That ungrateful Kyuubi; no doubt.

'How could you??' Naruto didn't have to continue his mind screaming.

I don't exactly sure, but this place has a strange but strong power to lessen the seal power.

'You aren't going to escape, are you?' the blonde's voice was more a question than a threat.

You want me to try?the fox asked gleefully.

'Good luck. But there is no space for you 'cause have more than enough monsters here.' He grumbled mentally. Then a brilliant thought came from his brain. 'Wait. If the seal's power is lessen, then you could heal me faster, right?'

I can. But with that kind of wounds you have, it won't one hundreds percent healed.said the Kyuubi honestly. There was a limit on everything of course.

'Would you rather die with me in a low ranked monster hand than heal me? I don't believe you are the most arrogant monster that ever attacked Konoha…' Naruto pressed his tone in 'low-ranked' to get what he wanted.

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm a beast.

Naruto rolled his eyes. 'Isn't it the same?'

No. It is different.

Naruto was going to retort back when a thick branch slammed to the ground of his side, barely missing his body. Naruto could hear a voice that shouting his name from the other side of the field. But he wasn't sure whose voice was that. The sound of a thick branch lifted from a ground was the cause.

'So, are you going to heal me or not?' yelled the blonde.

Why should I say no?The Kyuubi asked as Naruto felt the hot red chakra was emerging from his stomach and on its way to all parts of his body. Not long, he felt the pain at his ribs was lessening.

The giant plants thankfully distracted by Rhaera's attack. So he had the time to yell and the Kyuubi had the time to heal him.

"HEY, YOU IRRITATING-MONSTROUS-UNFORGIVEABLE-PLANTS!! LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I'M MADE OF!!" Immediately Naruto's voice rang and echoing through the cave. Everybody (the Kyuubi almost swear he did see the plants) sweat-dropped.

::Sigh::. That's why I was refusing to heal you. You are embarrassing.

'I'm afraid that's my business…' the blonde shot back sarcastically though his face was flushed by embarrassment.

The kyuubi was saying 'whatever' when Naruto has his kunais on hands and began to attack the monsters with them. But as stubborn as they could be, mere kunais would never work on them.

"NARUTO! AKAKI! Get away from there!!" Arsunta's voice reached his ears. He immediately complied. In this situation, he had no way for being stubborn.

When he was far enough, he felt an enormous chakra from Arsunta. He moved his eyes so he could see the bracelets that Arsunta wore were glowing and changing color from green to blue back to green again. She had brought her palms in front of her chest, in close a position as if they were going to clap each other. Soon, a bluish chakra formed a glowing ball in the middle of her palms. When it was as big as a tennis ball, she thrust her palm forward.

"FIRE ELEMENT! BLUE FIRE!!" Like its name, a blue colored fire shot from the place where the ball of chakra was. The fire quickly burned the thick branches of the monsters. Even Naruto was far away, he felt how hot the fire was. So hot until he felt it was enough to burn him if he came closer a step. The fire finally died down and left a black flower with a clear crystal glass like ball on its center and what was remaining from those monsters.

"Did she do it?" asked Naruto hopefully and doubtfully.

Hakai was the one who answered for him. "No." And he was right. The crystal began to shine brightly as the black flower suddenly moved and from it, grew many vines. Too many if you asked them.

"Uh, oh. Bad feeling." Naruto moaned worriedly.

Quick kills it, kid! Before it recovered!Kyuubi's voice was hurried when the blonde ninja heard it. And later he regretted why he didn't listen to the nine tails.

The vines started to grab any living things nearby. And the unlucky ones were the Seven Glow plants. The black flower started to suck the life out of the plants. And when the life energy was completely sucked from a plant, the said plant ended up like the previous blue glows, black and dried. Naruto could only watch as the black flower consumed a large amount of plants while the fairies have their eyes teary. Arsunta was out of energy until it was hard to stand while Rhaera had drawn his large bow out and aimed his arrow to the black flower.

Unfortunately, when his arrow was shot, the black flower had recovered fully and repelled the attack. This time it was ten times larger than previous. When the previous was a double sized taller than a normal human man and as big as a one floored standard house, this time it was definitely enormous. Its size cost ¾ of the field. Plus the fact that its branches were replaced by thorny vines. Definitely a bad sign. At least, they knew it was monster not monsters.

As a greeting, it attacked Arsunta with its thorny vines. It was more to revenge than a greeting. Naruto reflexively ran and snatched Arsunta away right before the vines could reach her. But the bigger size also means bigger stubbornness.

"AAARRRGGHH!! I thought that fire did a good job getting rid that monster!!" Naruto screamed in frustration. He jumped forward to avoid another vine.

Arsunta tried to say between the commotions. "It should be. But I don't expect that the monster has an astral!!" Naruto halted his feet.

"A— what?"

"I'll explain later. But now, if you don't remove the crystal from that monster, it'll continue to regenerate each time you wounded or nearly kill it!"

When they reached the place where Akaki and Hakai were hiding (the fairies have no power to assault), Naruto placed Arsunta to the ground and quickly went to try Arsunta's advice.

"Rhaera! We need to remove the crystal from the monster so we can kill it!!" shouted Naruto. He him self was drawing another kunais and thrust himself to the monster's black flower.

"Crystal? What crystal?" asked a confused Rhaera. Naruto fought the urge to smack his forehead. He forgot that Rhaera was blind. Oh yeah, there was another way to track the crystal.

"Just aim your punch, kick, or whatever you use to the place where the chakra is the strongest!!"

The fight continued. Naruto desperately tried his best to remove the crystal but he didn't even can get five meters near the black flower. The vines were anticipating him as if they knew that he was aiming for their source of power. Rhaera was no better.

'Shit! I can't even get close! The kunais and shurikens don't work too! What should I do?' he thought hardly as he kept his attacks. Then a brilliant (at the same time dangerous) idea came. 'Wait! How about if I distract the plant's attention and Rhaera use his arrows to hit the crystal? Sounded crazy, but worth trying!'

"Rhaera! I'll distract the monster! When I give the sign, you fire your arrow with all of your power to our target!" Without bothering Rhaera's shout of 'why', Naruto prepared his palm for his trump card and ran towards the monster at the same time. Blue chakra began to emerge and swirl in his palm as he ran. Meanwhile Rhaera was cursing and had no other choice but prepared his arrow.

When he was near enough, the chakra in his palm was strong enough to be released. He shouted as the ball of chakra was beginning to widen and forming a top and the top was growing bigger, bigger, and bigger. He stopped as he thrust his palm upwards, facing the black flower. "FIRST PART OF RASENGAN TRAINING! SUPER SIZED!!"

The chakra was motivating the air to be a large tornado. Arsunta, Akaki, and Hakai were trying their best to not being flied by the great wind. Rhaera was amazingly keeping his composure. His not shot yet arrow was following the black flower wherever it went at the same time he pulled the bow string as strong as he could and sent his chakra into the arrow. The arrow was glowing with blue chakra now. Meanwhile the plant was spinning upwards in the tornado. When the tornado ceased, Naruto felt that this was the right time. The plant was near out of the cave because of the tornado.

"NOW!!"

Arsunta realized what Rhaera was going to do. "WAIT! You shouldn't—!"

Too late. Rhaera had already fired his arrow. The arrow shot upwards with an incredible power and speeds to its target. The crystal at the center of the black flower hit by the arrow and shattered. When it was shattered, a bright light exploded from it. It was almost the end of the dawn so the light seemed so bright as if it was the sun. Even it was so bright, Naruto could see that the fragments of the crystal were embedding to the cave walls and the walls seemed to absorb them. After a moment, the light was gone leaving an awed group of people (and fairies).

"Wha— what was that?" Naruto had to force his voice to speak. He was absolutely in awe but at the same time confused. Even Rhaera, who was blind, had the same opinion. Before anybody could answer the blonde's question, he noticed something glowing fell towards him. He extended his hand to catch whatever it was. It was already strange enough that the falling speed was slow as if it wanted to go to him. When the thing landed on his palm, he noticed that it was a small piece of fragment from the glowing crystal. The size was nearly as big as his necklace. Surprisingly, the thing was warm.

"This is…"

"An astral." Arsunta finished for him. Naruto stared at her as she was an alien but before he could ask anything, the brunette lady continued. "You two should get out of here. Quickly."

"Huh?"

"Why?" Rhaera was beside Naruto now.

"Don't you notice? The cave is livelier now." And she was right. For the first time since they entered this cave, they felt that this cave was… lively now. A lot livelier than previous.

Naruto turned to Arsunta after finished examining the cave. "Why is that? And what is the point that we must leave?"

"That crystal, even it is remained as fragments, contains pure and strong life energy. But it would do no good if the cave received that energy too much. This cave will become more unstable than before. I suggest you two leave when it is still stable." Arsunta's voice was serious and charismatic, made the two boys had no way but believe her.

"But… what should we do with this one?" asked Naruto as he displayed the astral fragment in his palm.

"I suggest you to keep it. A fragment is not as strong as a crystal ball, but it's enough. If you got the full version one, you'll end up seeking more power like that poor flower." She pointed the previously black flower. It was a surprising sight that it was a blue glow flower. Now it was dull and lifeless. No wonder why Akaki and Hakai remained silent in this conversation. Guilty were they felt.

"But before that…" Arsunta took the fragment from Naruto. "Hand me your necklace."

Naruto was confused but he did the demand anyway. He handed the green necklace that was given by Tsunade to the brunette lady in front of him. Arsunta took it and held it in her free hand. Once again, her bracelets started to glow but now bringing the fragment and Naruto's necklace glowing. Then the fragment and necklace floated above her palms. Not long, the green stone at the necklace glow brighter and absorbing the fragment. It looked like the fragment was sending a glowing white liquid to the necklace and the size reducing as the time went. It was not long until the fragment was no more exists and the green stone's color at Naruto's necklace was lighter than before.

Naruto stared at her in awe. A shinobi could do taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu, make or destroy something but could not merge something solid. 'Wow, is she a witch or something?'

Before Naruto could ask, Arsunta explained what had she done. "I merge the fragment to your necklace so it's easier to keep." She gave Naruto his necklace. "This thing should protect you."

Rhaera eyed her bracelets. The light wasn't gone yet. Why she kept it glowing?

Arsunta turned to face the archer. "Rhaera, before you go, I'll tell you something. Your place is not here, either in Konoha or another hidden village. You should go home as soon as possible once you realized where you are belonging to because… your people need you."

Rhaera was confused. "My people?" He didn't remember having a subordinate or two. Of course, after amnesia. Suddenly the ground shook, interrupting anything he wanted to say.

Arsunta smiled sadly. "It looks like this is the end of our conversation and… meeting, though I want you two ninjas to be able to stay longer. Now, get out of here before this cave burry you."

Naruto and Rhaera were preparing to leave when they noticed that neither Arsunta nor the fairies made a move to save them selves. Naruto stopped and turned.

"Hey! What are you three waiting for? Come on! We must get out of here quickly!" The ground shook harder and on its way to collision. Surprisingly, Arsunta shook her head.

"No. We stay here."

"WHAT?" Naruto stared at her as if she had grown some heads on her body.

"Like I said to Rhaera, there is no place for me to stay outside." Her tone was a mix of sadness and disappointment.

"But—! You'll die!!" protested Naruto.

"I won't." she said colder and more determined than she intended to.

Naruto wasn't lost yet. "If you don't have any place to stay, then I will be the one you could stay at!! I don't mind having a roommate or two!!"

Arsunta smiled at the naivety of Naruto. As they spoke, some earth glaive sprouted from the ground, even she swore she saw some giant roots from some overgrown plants that received too many energy. She realized she should not waste anytime longer. "That's not what I mean."

"Then— ugh!" Naruto's sentence was interrupted by something hard that landed on his head, knocking him unconscious.

Rhaera went alert. But his blind eyes help nothing but disadvantage. "What the—" the next second he too, was knocked out from the land of reality.

The culprit was Akaki and Hakai. They did this because Arsunta ordered them to. Arsunta nodded a 'thank you' to the fairies and turned to the two unconscious boys. She once again collected her power then covered the two boys with a ball shaped shield. The balls began to float to the hole, bringing the two boys out of the cave. She smiled lovingly to the departing boys as the cave began to have its rocks fell.

"Please take care of my son, Kyuubi."

Naruto opened a bit of his eyelids. But his eyes were not blue, they were red as blood. Kyuubi had taken control of him for a moment. Just a moment but enough for the fox to see Arsunta before the a big rock fell right in front of her, providing him to see, and his power to take control ceased.

:-:-:-:-:-:

Ended on: 26th January 2005

VERY VERY IMPORTANT NOTE (CONVERSATION)! READ IT!! Or you'll be sorry!!

Climax: (pouting) Really. It makes me wonder. My user status in says that I have SIX users that insert me to their favorite author and FIFTEEN insert me to their author alert. Even though I know some of them are the ones who read my Star Ocean fanfic, I still wonder; WHY I ONLY GOT ONE REVIEW EACH TIME I POST THIS NARUTO FIC?? Around FIFTEEN users are more than enough to make the reviews on this fic increased to at least twenty!!

Orochimaru: Ah shaddup you rascal. It's your own fault.

Sasuke: … (watching/staring to both of the people)

Climax: (ignoring Oro-chan) YOU KNOW, REVIEWS NOT ONLY MADE THE AUTHORS HAPPY, BUT MAKE THEM ACKNOWLEDGED!! I couldn't help but feel a little jealous to the ones who get (much) more than one hundred reviews. I know I must work hard since I am not a native speaker of English and my ability to make a chapter is limited to five till eight page a week according to Microsoft Word setting of Verdana 9 pt, page setup: letter. Plus I'm so inexperienced in bring out good conflict! Curse to my motto that sounded: 'a good foundation makes a good conflict of a story'! Though I'm still grateful that at least I got (only) one review compared to those who received none. But I'm grateful, NOT SATISFIED.

Orochimaru: I said shut up.

Sasuke: …………… (still staring, but fighting the urge to sweat-dropped)

Climax: (looks like ignoring Orochimaru, but in heart: rage)What a good timing. I'm interested to make a Full Metal Alchemist fanfic. Should I discontinue this fic to concentrate on that fic and my Star Ocean story? Your reviews help me decide!

Orochimaru: You are a bad talker.

Climax: AAARRGGHH!! Shut up you snake sennin!! I'm the one who have the control in this fic! I can easily kill you!!

Orochimaru: No way. Not before I get my turn. When is my turn then?

Climax: If you patience enough, you will get it.

Orochimaru: I've been waiting for eight chapters, seven scrolls, and do you think I'm not patience enough??

Climax: eyed Orochimaru with suspicious stare Rather than your turn, you actually are waiting for the moment you could put your soul into Sasuke's body, right?

Orochimaru: YES!

Climax: No way. Not in my fic. You may request to other authors.

Orochimaru: FINE! You are the worst author anyway!!

Climax: WHAT?? I'm a talented writer! You could say, I'm as talented as Sasuke if I'm a shinobi! You just don't realize it yet.

Sasuke: This is ridiculous, I'm leaving. (walk away from the scene)

Orochimaru: (didn't notice that Sasuke was leaving) You are too proud of yourself!

Climax: It's better than lack of spirit! This feeling help me to survive one review per chapter!!

And the fight is to be continued to the next chapter…