THE DARK GATE

A NARUTO BASED FAN FIC

WRITTEN BY:

KYUBI-X

Chapter 7: Patience Truly Is a Virtue

Pain….what other word could Naruto use to describe it? But it was all so horribly blurry. Only flashes, only terrible flashes of that hideous face. That terrible face sneering at him, that terrible face that showed him he had failed. He looked down, and there was his pain, he watched, mesmerized as his blood dripped down chest from where the gaping hole in his heart had been filled with the hand of his best friend. He was lung shot and he could feel it. He tried to give out a desperate plea to his friend not to go, not to break their teammate's heart again. But he was helpless, he groaned as he felt the arm slide out of his body and he grunted as his knees hit the ground beneath him. Tears fell down his face as he watched his best friend walk away. Then a horrible flash, and there he was, chained to a wall being tortured by Morino but he could barely feel it. Then the seventh level, he screamed as his flesh was torn apart and the very soul he contained was nearly drained from his body. Then finally, his village on fire, and him standing before its gates…covered in blood, the blood of his friends….

Naruto woke up with a shuddered gasp and felt the terrible feeling that came with a cold sweat. He tried to curl up in a ball, but only groaned as pain shot threw his body, and so he lied there shaking until he heard the door open and saw Ino standing in the door frame with wide eyes.

Ino's POV

I decided that I needed to go and check on Naruto, he had been out for quite a while and it was almost time for breakfast. I opened the door and all I could do was stare and Naruto with shock. He looked torn up, and I mean really torn up, his eyes were blood red and he his shirt was covered in sweat, and the shaking, his body was shaking so hard I thought he was going to fall apart.

The next few moments went by in a blur, before I knew I had moved, I was sitting on Naruto's bed and I had removed his covers. I lifted his body gently and held it to my own. He was muttering incoherent words as I began to rock him gently and whisper comforting words to him. I felt his body stop shaking and I took in a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. I looked at him and gently asked the most obvious question, "Naruto-kun, what did you dream about?"

Normal POV

"I…I dreamed about the day I died at the hands of my best friend, then I dreamed about the torture…and then I….I….." Naruto began but couldn't get out without breaking down and sobbing into Ino's chest.

Ino blushed at the fact that Naruto's face was against her chest but she gave a sad frown at the broken man she was holding. "It's ok Naruto, they were only dreams, that stuff isn't going to happen ever again, I promise you I won't ever let those things happen again" Ino said with a soft voice, then she looked to the doors and saw their friends walk in one by one and say…

"Neither will we Naruto, we will never allow you to feel that pain alone ever again" They all chorused at once. Ino looked down at Naruto and saw him smile with tears of joy in his eyes as he whispered, "Thank you…"

Breakfast went normal until it was over that was. For it was then that the ladies cleared their throats; which caused the boys to grow silent and watch them. "Boys, give Naruto-kun a bath and get him dressed, then we will all go out together and do some shopping, grocery and otherwise, we have a few plans for our Naruto-kun." All the boys gulped and Naruto just sat there with a shocked look on his face.

Before they knew it, the boys had stripped Naruto of his clothes and had gently placed him in the tub. The boys then gave Naruto shampoo and soap and turned away to let Naruto have his peace. Naruto shampooed his hair with no problems but when he took the soap across his skin, he yelped as the soap entered into his wounds and burned. Naruto bit his bottom lip and finished cleaning himself.

The next series of events could have been the model for perfect teamwork. Kiba and Sasuke lifted up Naruto and Shino immediately wrapped a towel around his stomach and tied it. Shikamaru dried Naruto's hair with another towel while Shino took yet another towel and cleaned off his upper and legs. Kiba and Sasuke then placed Naruto in his chair and decided to let the towel wrapped around him dry him off itself. (Stupid Boys, using 3 towels to dry off another boy, he he he)

After he was dry, the boys quickly dressed Naruto who had been causing quite a fuss about the whole thing. When they were finally done, they brought Naruto down the steps to where the girls were waiting by the front door giving all the boys faces that said, "What took you boys so long?" All the boys scowled but Shikamaru spoke for all of them when he muttered, "How troublesome…" and with that, the group of nine went into the village market place to do some shopping.

And so, off they went to the market place, this time, Ino was pushing Naruto in the wheelchair, and was chatting with Naruto in a way that made all Hinata and Sakura send her jealous glares. They slowly made their way into the village, the crowds didn't dare look at Naruto due to the amount of killer intent that was flowing from the boys around him. They now knew why the village hated him, and they were ready to kill anyone who even dared to look at their new leader with disrespect or hate in their eyes.

When the entered the market place everyone stopped and Sakura cleared her throat to get all eyes on her, it worked. "Here's the plan boys, Naruto and Ino, Hinata, and I are going to take Naruto here clothes shopping with some money Tsunade gave to do so with. You boys are to buy enough groceries to feed us all for two weeks, after that you are to take the groceries home and put them away, after you boys complete that task, you have the rest of the day off, we will be back in enough time to cook dinner so I suggest that you find somewhere to eat lunch." With that being said, Sakura handed Shikamaru the grocery list and a separate bag of money.

None of the boys complained and so Sakura took it that they all agreed to the plan so she nodded at Ino and the three girls left with Naruto towards clothing stores.

With the girls and Naruto

"Um, why exactly do I need new clothes, what's wrong with the one's I had?" Naruto asked looking at the girls who looked back at him with disgusted faces.

"First off, you clothes are old and its time to get newer clothes, two, orange is a hideous color and we won't have our leader wearing clothes that make him look like a giant target. And finally, don't complain, if you're good Tsunade has two surprises in store for you later." Sakura said looking at Ino and Hinata from who she got nods.

And so, the girls and Naruto entered into a ninja tailor store and were met by a very handsome man who wore a fake smile. "Hello, what can I do for you fine ladies and your gentleman friend today?"

"We…we were hoping to g..get new clothes for Na..Naruto…k..kun…" Hinata muttered out and the man nodded and let his fake smile disappear with a genuine smile on his face.

"Can you stand on your feet or are you stuck in the chair Mr. Naruto?" Naruto thought for a moment before asking for a large stick. The man found one and handed it to Naruto who tried to lift himself up with it only to fail and fall back into the chair.

The girls helped Naruto and he slowly got onto his feet relying heavily on the giant stick. The salesman called for his assistant who helped Naruto stand up straight. The salesman took Naruto's measurements then he grabbed Naruto's jaw and looked straight into his eyes for what seemed like hours. "How many outfits do you require?" The sales man asked.

Ino took the money bag from Sakura and placed the heavy pouch in his hand. The sales man looked inside and Ino said, "We want as many complete outfits as that will buy." The salesman thought it over for a moment before saying, "Eleven outfits."

Ino began to haggle with the man and got him to create thirteen suits for the money and so the man shooed them out of the store and told them to come back in 4 hours to pick up the outfits. The girls were impressed that he could work that fast, Naruto was just glad to be out of the damned wheelchair. And so, ever so slowly, the girls kept a close watch on Naruto as he struggled to walk with the use of the stick as they began their trek to meet Tsunade for lunch.

In about ten minutes they arrived at their destination and found Tsunade sitting at a booth with Jiraiya, her eyes went wide as dinner plates when she saw Naruto walk in using the stick and she got up and walked towards them, fire in her eyes.

"And just what the hell do you think you are doing trying to get Naruto to walk already? This could be hurting him worse and you should have known better than to go against the doctor's orders!" Tsunade roared at the girls causing everyone in the restaurant to turn and stare. Jiraiya saved the day by forcing Tsunade to sit next to him in the booth and everyone else sat across from the two.

After a long winded explanation from all three girls and Naruto Tsunade finally calmed down enough to order food and they all followed suit. As they ate, Naruto asked Tsunade what the special surprises were. Tsunade smiled and told him that the first was lunch and that the second was a big surprise. Naruto scowled but they all ate happily, when the bill came, Tsunade took it and handed it to Jiraiya who paid it mumbling about how rude it was for a Hokage to make him pay for food.

After Tsunade gave Jiraiya a good knock on his head, they all got up, Naruto with much struggle. And followed Tsunade to an old black building in the middle of the shopping center. She entered with Jiraiya while the girls and Naruto looked at each other before shrugging and walking in. When they got inside, they were amazed at the sudden transformation, the old building turned out to be a weapon shop filled with beautiful yet deadly weapons.

An old man looked up and smiled brightly upon seeing the Hokage gracing his shop with her presence. "Hello Hokage-sama, what can I do for you today?" The old man said looking at all of the teens, with smiles, except for Naruto, whom he kept his eyes off of. Naruto scowled, but before he could say anything, Tsunade told the shop keep that they needed a weapon for Naruto. The old man finally looked over to Naruto with an odd look in his eyes.

The old man walked up to Naruto and began to give him a once over. "Much pain you have been in recently. Hmmmm, ready to sacrifice your life for those you love and quite stubborn about it, your loud and very unpredictable. You are a rare one flowing with power you are." The old man muttered continuing to observe every part of Naruto.

The old man instructed them to wait where they were and he disappeared into the back. Everyone was busy looking at the weapons everywhere that they did not notice Naruto began to shake as he gripped onto the stick. Everyone's attention was snapped to him however, when he let out a small gasp from weariness and pain as he sunk down to his knees. They all rushed to his side and helped him into a seat; they all began to grow nervous seeing just how upset Tsunade was getting.

The old man burst out of the back triumphantly carrying a rather large black box under his arm. "You are unpredictable like lightning from the heavens, fierce like a raging fire, you soul is beautiful like falling snow, you resolve to protect your friends is never ending like the ocean's water, and your compassion for others is as powerful as the wind. In other words, you are like the elements of the earth and so it is only fitting that one such as your self would control them. So the weapons I have chosen for you have no physical form, they can only come from the power that lies deep inside of you." With all that said, the old man opened the box revealing five medium sized scrolls.

Everyone eyed the scrolls disappointed that Naruto wasn't going to get a cool weapon, but just a bunch of stupid scrolls. Naruto just sat there with a confused look on his face but Tsunade and Jiraiya looked upon the scrolls with nothing but fear in their eyes.

"You told me you were never going to let anyone have those scrolls ever again," Jiraiya said with a trembling voice.

"And you told me that there would never be another person like your student Jiraiya so that makes us both liars doesn't it?" The old man said smiling with his eyes.

The old man then walked over to Naruto and got down on one knee, bowed his head, and held the box up to Naruto.

"This….these belonged to my father?" Naruto asked with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Yes Naruto, and Jiraiya, and myself invented them." Tsunade said with an equally trembling voice.

"What are you both afraid of?" Naruto said looking back and forth between the two sannin's feeling himself getting nervous.

"Because Naruto…if you cannot master everything in all five of these scrolls, then they will consume you thus ending your life. Do you accept these scrolls Naruto?" Jiraiya and Tsunade chorused at once watching the exhausted looking Naruto.

Naruto reached out and took the box from the old man. The old man stood and stepped back with a smile. "When you get home and you are ready for sleep, open one scroll, the training will take place in your mind, and if you complete that one, then you will awaken knowing how to control the element of the scroll anyway you choose without having to make hand seals."

With that, it was all to much to bare, Naruto eyes fluttered for a second before he dropped the box on the floor and began to fall forward. Everyone gasped as he began to fall out of the seat, but Hinata dived at the last second and caught Naruto in her arms taking the brunt of the fall for him. She let out a small grunt as she hit the ground but she continued to hold him close. And so with that, Jiraiya picked up Naruto, Ino picked up the scroll box, Tsunade paid the bill for the scrolls, and Sakura and Hinata followed close behind Jiraiya as they made their trek back to the fourth's no, Naruto's mansion.

A/N: And that's all for now folks, and before someone complains that the scrolls will just make Naruto too powerful to defeat, wait until the next chapter before you lodge a complaint, for I have a few tricks up my sleeve. So until next time, Read and Review!

P.S: I would like to take this chance to personally thank everyone who has left me a review, you guys are great and your suggestions help to make me a better writer! So here we go, I would like to give personal thanks to: One Azn Dragon, The 8th Sin, qclp, star's dreams, Dragon Man 180, Krows Scared, Dragon Noir, SoulRetriever13, Dark Naruto, eruza, matumoko, Miyata, Hinata'sBiggestFanBoy, Dargon Sheinto, blooming flower08, thestoneox, and the anonymous fans who have left me reviews, you guys are all great and thanks for sticking with my stories!