No I haven't forgotten about my readers. I still am numbered among the living, but if finals have their way i'll be nothing but a husk in three weeks. Also writing is getting more difficult as i now have to take a very close look at the story line and see what can and can't be done and what should and shouldn't be changed. You guys deserve something to read for the long wait so i'll indulge.
If you've ever been hit over the head, had the air knocked out of you, and managed to get drunk, all in a very short time, you might have some idea of how Naruto felt when he woke the next morning.
The first his friends knew of his waking was a muttered curse. "Damn. Did someone get the number of that truck?"
Sakura giggled a bit as she took a canteen over to him. 'He still manages to be funny even after being knocked out for close to twelve hours,' She thought. The blond groaned as he saw the canteen come into view above him. He was still on the ground. He grasped at it and when Sakura handed it to him he promptly dumped half of it on his head then guzzled the rest.
Naruto sat up with much head rubbing and pushing away of helpful female hands. "I'm fine. I don't need you to baby me now Sakura."
The pink haired girl throttled the impulse to level her teammate and put him back to sleep for another twelve hours. Instead she backed off and pasted an amused expression on her face while he stumbled to regain his proper footing. She was a naturally caring person but she had learned quickly that caring rarely got anywhere with Naruto so instead she tried to make him feel bad for being such a jerk. It hadn't worked yet.
Naruto stood fully and quickly moved to the support of a near by tree trunk. With the regaining of conscienceness the memories of the pervious day returned to Naruto in full force. He lifted his shirt to find no unusual marks on his belly. He sighed and let his shirt drop.
Sakura answered his unspoken question for him. "Jiriaya-sama saved us last night. He drove that guy away and took care of you. He unsealed the seal that Orochimaru placed on you."
Naruto's eyes hardened. He had a name to go with a face now. Sakura continued.
"It was really amazing. After he got us down here he took one look at you and knew what was wrong. It only took him a few seconds to release that seal. You were really lucky to have him as a sensei."
Sakura wanted to say more but stopped herself. She had had no idea what their opponent had done to Naruto but when she saw what Jiriaya did she understood that it had been a seal. What it was sealing was the problem. When she had asked Jiriaya the old man had simply given her a look that said 'don't ask that again' and left it at that. Of course being the inquisitive girl that she was this only fueled Sakura's wish to know what was going on. So after Jiriaya-sama had left two hours ago she took a quick peek under Naruto's shirt.
What she found surprised her. Not only was Naruto...buff...but he sported what looked like another tattoo on his belly. But upon closer inspection she discovered the most amazingly strong seal she had ever heard of. She didn't get a chance to study it though because the markings quickly faded. Soon she found herself staring at just skin which began to bring out those parts of her mind that she kept hidden and under control around everyone but Sasuke. Not a good thing.
Luckily Sasuke had been away retrieving water, otherwise it might have been difficult to explain why she was staring at her teammate's belly.
Naruto rubbed his belly as an after thought. His mind had moved on to other things. He remembered how he had gotten in the fight with Orochimaru in the first place. The reason was sitting on an out thrust root about forty feet away.
Sasuke knew there was going to be trouble when Naruto woke up. So far the two teammates had gotten along well with only a semi friendly rivalry and their personalities posing a problem. But yesterday was the first time they had come to blows. Sasuke knew it was his fault. He knew that he had betrayed Naruto's trust. It hurt him to think about it. For the first time in years the Uchiha had a good friend, which he had betrayed just as they were really getting to know each other.
Sasuke felt the heat from Naruto's eyes fall on him from behind. He cringed inwardly, the echos of Orochimaru's killer intent mixing with the hatred he felt burning into him now. It wouldn't have been all that bad if Sasuke had managed to get the scroll back once Orochimaru relieved an unconscience Naruto of it but Sasuke hadn't even managed to do that. He had watched as the their scroll burned away in the hands of their opponent.
The raven haired boy sat as still as a stone and ignored the burning sensation on his back and mind. He knew he deserved it.
Naruto finally looked away and stuck his hand into his pouch where he had stored the scroll. Not feeling it there he looked at Sakura. The girl knew what the look meant and shook her head slightly. It was all the answer Naruto needed. He ground his teeth together and spitted Sasuke's back with another glare that would have melted metal. This time he had the pleasure of seeing Sasuke flinch just slightly.
"Fine then, if everyone's ready lets get going." Naruto's tone of voice was flat and totally devoid of an emotion. It seemed like he was draining all his emotions out through his eyes which were still locked on Sasuke's back. Naruto had learned a look often did more then words and he had perfected the art against Jiriaya.
Without a word Sasuke rose to his feet and the three jumped back into the upper branches of the trees.
Felt like picking on Sasuke a bit since his scaredy cat bit really pissed me off when I saw it. He deserves it. Sorry to any Sasuke fans out there. I'll continue as soon as possible. Hopefully by the middle of this week.
If you've ever been hit over the head, had the air knocked out of you, and managed to get drunk, all in a very short time, you might have some idea of how Naruto felt when he woke the next morning.
The first his friends knew of his waking was a muttered curse. "Damn. Did someone get the number of that truck?"
Sakura giggled a bit as she took a canteen over to him. 'He still manages to be funny even after being knocked out for close to twelve hours,' She thought. The blond groaned as he saw the canteen come into view above him. He was still on the ground. He grasped at it and when Sakura handed it to him he promptly dumped half of it on his head then guzzled the rest.
Naruto sat up with much head rubbing and pushing away of helpful female hands. "I'm fine. I don't need you to baby me now Sakura."
The pink haired girl throttled the impulse to level her teammate and put him back to sleep for another twelve hours. Instead she backed off and pasted an amused expression on her face while he stumbled to regain his proper footing. She was a naturally caring person but she had learned quickly that caring rarely got anywhere with Naruto so instead she tried to make him feel bad for being such a jerk. It hadn't worked yet.
Naruto stood fully and quickly moved to the support of a near by tree trunk. With the regaining of conscienceness the memories of the pervious day returned to Naruto in full force. He lifted his shirt to find no unusual marks on his belly. He sighed and let his shirt drop.
Sakura answered his unspoken question for him. "Jiriaya-sama saved us last night. He drove that guy away and took care of you. He unsealed the seal that Orochimaru placed on you."
Naruto's eyes hardened. He had a name to go with a face now. Sakura continued.
"It was really amazing. After he got us down here he took one look at you and knew what was wrong. It only took him a few seconds to release that seal. You were really lucky to have him as a sensei."
Sakura wanted to say more but stopped herself. She had had no idea what their opponent had done to Naruto but when she saw what Jiriaya did she understood that it had been a seal. What it was sealing was the problem. When she had asked Jiriaya the old man had simply given her a look that said 'don't ask that again' and left it at that. Of course being the inquisitive girl that she was this only fueled Sakura's wish to know what was going on. So after Jiriaya-sama had left two hours ago she took a quick peek under Naruto's shirt.
What she found surprised her. Not only was Naruto...buff...but he sported what looked like another tattoo on his belly. But upon closer inspection she discovered the most amazingly strong seal she had ever heard of. She didn't get a chance to study it though because the markings quickly faded. Soon she found herself staring at just skin which began to bring out those parts of her mind that she kept hidden and under control around everyone but Sasuke. Not a good thing.
Luckily Sasuke had been away retrieving water, otherwise it might have been difficult to explain why she was staring at her teammate's belly.
Naruto rubbed his belly as an after thought. His mind had moved on to other things. He remembered how he had gotten in the fight with Orochimaru in the first place. The reason was sitting on an out thrust root about forty feet away.
Sasuke knew there was going to be trouble when Naruto woke up. So far the two teammates had gotten along well with only a semi friendly rivalry and their personalities posing a problem. But yesterday was the first time they had come to blows. Sasuke knew it was his fault. He knew that he had betrayed Naruto's trust. It hurt him to think about it. For the first time in years the Uchiha had a good friend, which he had betrayed just as they were really getting to know each other.
Sasuke felt the heat from Naruto's eyes fall on him from behind. He cringed inwardly, the echos of Orochimaru's killer intent mixing with the hatred he felt burning into him now. It wouldn't have been all that bad if Sasuke had managed to get the scroll back once Orochimaru relieved an unconscience Naruto of it but Sasuke hadn't even managed to do that. He had watched as the their scroll burned away in the hands of their opponent.
The raven haired boy sat as still as a stone and ignored the burning sensation on his back and mind. He knew he deserved it.
Naruto finally looked away and stuck his hand into his pouch where he had stored the scroll. Not feeling it there he looked at Sakura. The girl knew what the look meant and shook her head slightly. It was all the answer Naruto needed. He ground his teeth together and spitted Sasuke's back with another glare that would have melted metal. This time he had the pleasure of seeing Sasuke flinch just slightly.
"Fine then, if everyone's ready lets get going." Naruto's tone of voice was flat and totally devoid of an emotion. It seemed like he was draining all his emotions out through his eyes which were still locked on Sasuke's back. Naruto had learned a look often did more then words and he had perfected the art against Jiriaya.
Without a word Sasuke rose to his feet and the three jumped back into the upper branches of the trees.
Felt like picking on Sasuke a bit since his scaredy cat bit really pissed me off when I saw it. He deserves it. Sorry to any Sasuke fans out there. I'll continue as soon as possible. Hopefully by the middle of this week.