A/N: After a...very long hiatus, I have returned with a new chapter. I apologize for my absence; life kinda got in the way. NaNoWriMo is in full swing, and I wish everyone participating the best of luck!
Kishimoto owns Naruto, I do not.
Chapter XL: Elder Knowledge
Naruto cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms. For good measure, he stretched his neck, popping a couple of vertebrae in the process. Just across the way, Sasuke was doing some of his warm-ups, which were a sort of variation on yoga.
Satisfied with his stretches, Naruto rolled his shoulders and reached into his kunai pouch, fishing out one of his custom-made weapons. "Alright, let's see if I can do this."
He took a deep breath. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the kunai soaring towards the creek. He quickly threw up a one-handed seal and disappeared in a flash of orange light, reappearing in front of the kunai. Without missing a beat, he caught the kunai mid-air by its wooden handle.
"Not bad, whiskers," Sasuke called.
Naruto smirked, an idea hatching in his mind. He fished out two more kunai, dangling them by their rings. The blond stepped off, dashing towards the trees. Just as he approached, he sidestepped and let the kunai in his hands fly. With a thunk, they dug themselves into the bark of three trees, each about ten feet apart. Naruto leapt back, throwing up the hand seal once more while maintaining his focus on the kunai.
In another flash of orange, Naruto disappeared. This time, there were three distinct flashes that appeared where the kunai were planted. The blond reemerged just in front of the third tree, his eyes as wide as ramen bowls behind his sunglasses.
"Holy shit," he breathed. "I can't believe I just did that!" He let out a half excited, half maniacal laugh. "I can't believe I got that on my first try!"
"That was impressive," Sasuke remarked, suddenly by Naruto's side.
The blond yelped, jumping backwards. The initial shock and surprise gave way to annoyance and irritation. "Why do you feel the need to sneak up on me like that?"
"Just to mess with you. But seriously, that was impressive. You can do a lot with a jutsu like that."
"Guess I'm a natural at this, huh?" Naruto quipped with a foxy grin.
"Maybe. Could be beginner's luck, too."
Naruto blew a raspberry.
"Or you could be a savant," Sasuke added with a shrug. "But who can say?"
The blond harrumphed, trudging along and plucking his kunai from the trees.
"Have you two beaten each other up yet?" a familiar voice called out. Naruto and Sasuke turned to see their pink haired teammate approaching, a coy smile on her face.
"No, at least not yet," Sasuke replied.
"I was just practicing using Hiraishin with my kunai," Naruto proudly declared.
"The special kunai?" Sakura questioned as she cocked her head.
In response, Naruto produced one of the weapons in question, handing it to her. Sakura examined the three-pronged blade. Her eyes stopped on its seal-adorned handle.
"That's the Hiraishin seal," Naruto explained.
"That's what let you move with that orange flash of light last time?"
"Bingo," he confirmed, snapping his fingers.
Sakura hummed, turning the kunai in her hand while studying the unique design. "But why something like this?"
Naruto laced his fingers behind his head. "Well, you remember that day we went to Kakashi-sensei's apartment? And he showed us that kunai?"
The kunoichi glanced back at the object in her hand, realization setting in. "This is the exact same design," she said quietly. She held the weapon out to him. "This is the same kind that your dad used, isn't it?"
Naruto nodded, taking the kunai and placing it back in his pouch. "Yeah. I had these made so I could use Hiraishin the same way he did."
Sakura nodded, moved by his desire to take after his father. She offered him a small smile, suddenly finding herself looking at the blond for longer than she realized. Naruto's voice snapped her back to reality.
"So, what's up? Do you not have anything with Granny today?" the blond asked.
"Oh! Well, my shift at the hospital starts later today, so I figured I'd come see you two," Sakura hurriedly answered.
Sasuke arched his eyebrow ever so slightly, noticing the way Sakura's gaze lingered on the blond. He chuckled internally. "Just to watch us train, like the old days?" Sasuke asked.
"Oh, well, actually, I was hoping to ask you something, Naruto," Sakura remembered as she turned to him.
"In that case, I'll be over by the stream practicing kenjutsu," the Uchiha announced.
With Sasuke making his way back to his spot, Naruto turned back to his pink haired teammate. "So, what'd you need to ask me?"
"I know I've asked this before, but do you think you could help me with learning Sage Mode?"
Naruto's face fell slightly. "I mean, I can explain what I know to you again, but I dunno if I can actually teach you teach you."
"I know, and I know the risks, but I really really want to learn this," Sakura said resolutely.
Naruto hummed. "Well, do you remember what I explained last time?"
"I'm not sure, actually. Could you explain again?" Truth be told, she did remember the majority of what he said, but she wanted to be sure. That, and something in her felt the need to hear his voice more.
With just as much enthusiasm as before, Naruto told Sakura about Sage Mode and the training required for it to the best of his ability. Sakura listened intently, hanging onto every word, despite having heard it before. Despite fumbling a couple of explanations, and tripping over his words, his explanation was clear enough.
"So, what exactly is natural energy, anyways?" Sakura wondered.
"Well, to be honest, I'm not one-hundred-percent sure, either," the blond admitted. "Alls I know is it's all around us, and every living thing emits some kind of energy."
"Wouldn't that just be chakra, then?" the kunoichi poised.
"I mean, you can add natural energy to chakra to get sage chakra, but it isn't the same as chakra," Naruto explained.
"Well, okay," Sakura hummed. "But how can you tell when you're absorbing natural energy in the first place?"
"It's one of those things you just have to feel. It's tough to tell at first, but once you gather enough and start mixing it with your own chakra, you feel it."
The duo sat for a moment, pondering over the subject matter. Sakura processed his words, while Naruto was deep in thought over how he could help his friend—his crush—with her goal. They could hear Sasuke stepping through various kenjutsu drills in the distance. The only other sounds were the stream, chirping birds, and the wind.
"I have an idea," Sakura said, finally breaking the silence.
Naruto perked up, watching her expectantly.
"Would there be a way for me to ask the toads for help?" she asked.
The young toad sage's face twisted into a pensive expression. He pored over her question for a moment. Truth be told, he wasn't entirely sure how any of the toads would react to such a request.
"Y'know, that might not be a bad idea. Lemme summon Gamakichi and his brother. They might be able to help us."
Naruto bit his thumb, weaving the necessary hand seals and slamming his hand onto the ground. After the cloud of smoke dissipated, there sat the toad brothers, Gamakichi and Gamatatsu. The former appeared to have grown since the last time Naruto summoned him, now reaching almost seven feet while seated. Gamatatsu had grown, as well, but not quite as much as his older brother.
"Yo, Naruto. Ya need somethin'?" Gamakichi greeted.
"Do you have snacks?" Gamatatsu wondered aloud.
"Hey Kichi, Tatsu. Sorry to summon you guys outta nowhere, but I wanted your help with something," Naruto explained.
"So you don't have snacks," the younger toad surmised.
Gamakichi groaned. "Tatsu, we just ate, for crying out loud." The orange toad turned back to Naruto. "What kinda help do you need?"
"Well, I was hoping you would be able to help Sakura learn Sage Mode," Naruto stated, gesturing to the pink haired kunoichi, who waved at the two toads.
Gamakichi blinked. He opened his mouth to respond, but found no words. Even Gamatatsu was a bit perplexed. After a moment of thought, the orange toad finally spoke up.
"Uh, that's great and all, but I'm not exactly qualified to teach anyone Sage Mode, Naruto. Old Man Fukasaku taught you, remember?"
"Yeah, of course. But do you think Sakura would be able to learn from him? I don't really feel ready to teach someone just yet. I can explain what I can, but do you think Grandpa Sage could lend a hand?"
The orange toad hummed, gears turning in his head. "Actually, lemme ask. Gimme a sec to head back home and see if I can bug the old man about it. Sound good?"
Naruto nodded, which prompted the two toads to disappear in plumes of smoke. He turned back to Sakura. "Grandpa Sage is tough when he's teaching, but he's pretty nice other than that."
"Kinda like Master Jiraiya or Lady Tsunade?" the pink haired kunoichi wondered.
"Nah, Pervy Sage was just that: pervy. I dunno how Granny is with you usually, but I remember you telling me that she was pretty hard on you, too" Naruto answered.
"Yeah, but all in all, it worked out. I don't think I would've progressed as much as I did if she wasn't hard on me," Sakura admitted. Her demeanor shifted slightly. "Why do you keep calling her 'Granny' anyways?"
"I mean, she is old," the boisterous blond answered.
"She's not that old."
"She is too! She just doesn't look like it because of a transformation or something like that."
Sakura arched a pink eyebrow. "And who told you that?"
"Pervy Sage," Naruto said matter-of-factly.
"And you believed him?" the kunoichi asked, her tone dripping with skepticism.
"What, you think he'd lie about something like that?"
"You have to admit he would stretch the truth."
"Not when it comes to Granny or girls," Naruto retorted.
"That really doesn't help his case much," Sakura deadpanned.
The blond shrugged. "Maybe not. But I guess the only way to know would be to ask Granny, and I'm not about to get beaten to a pulp." Sakura giggled at that before Naruto continued. "Anyways, I'm kinda curious as to why you wanna learn Sage Mode so bad."
Despite expecting it, Naruto's curiosity still caught Sakura off guard. She suddenly found it difficult to string words together into coherent sentences. "I, well, you know…"
Naruto cocked his head, his spectacled gaze unwavering as he watched her.
Sakura finally let out a sigh. "Honestly? I just want to get stronger."
"I mean, I kinda figured that. Learning Sage Mode isn't something you do for fun, y'know," Naruto quipped. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him, drawing a chuckle from the young sage. "But seriously, how come?"
The kunoichi chewed on her lower lip, purposely avoiding Naruto's gaze. "I…just want to be able to stand beside you and Sasuke. Both of you are really strong and took on enemies that were no joke." A dejected sigh escaped her. "I just feel like I'm…falling behind."
Naruto blinked, his features softening along with his voice. "You're wrong, y'know," he declared.
"How? You beat Pain. You beat Kisame. Sasuke arrested Itachi singlehandedly. Both of you have a dōjutsu. Heck, you have the strongest dōjutsu in the whole freakin' world! And you're a sage!"
"Yeah, I did beat Pain and Kisame, but I had help. The Nine-Tails had to come out for me to even come close to beating Pain. Plus, I had a few of the toads helping me at first, remember? Plus, you, Haku, and Captain Yamato really helped out with Kisame. Even Kakashi-sensei was there."
Sakura pouted slightly, sticking her lower lip out. "Quit being so modest, you doofus."
"Hey, I'm just being honest," Naruto retorted. "Don't forget that you beat Sasori, too. Yeah, you had Granny Chiyo helping you, but I don't think that makes it any less impressive." He cupped his chin, thinking harder. "You also beat that guy Kakuzu. I heard that you did a lot during that fight."
The kunoichi's pout was replaced by a light dusting of pink on her cheeks.
"Yeah," Narut went on, "you might not be a sage yet, but you're one hell of a medic. And you have a Kekkei Genkai! You and Haku are the only people I've ever met that have Hyōton. You even have that seal on your forehead on top of having your enhanced strength. Seriously, Sakura, you're amazing."
Sakura turned away, trying to will her blush to calm down. Just as she was about to respond, she heard a familiar voice in her head.
'That blockhead! Who does he think he is, being all smooth and cool like that?'
'Really? Of all the times for you to decide to come out, you pick now?'
'Hey, it's not my fault that moron decided to be suave and praise us!'
'What, you forgetting about Sasuke now?'
'Leave it to the pot to call the kettle black.'
'The hell is that supposed to mean?'
'You're the one that started ogling him when he got that new outfit! Him making dinner and being this nice and supportive is just icing on the hunky cake!'
Sakura gasped internally. 'Hunky?! What are you saying?!'
'You heard me! I mean, come on! Look at him! He's as strong as they come. His hands are rough and calloused from all the hard work he's done. He practically oozes positivity. And those whisker marks on his cheeks are adorable—'
'Alright, already. You made your point. So he's cute and he's strong and…stuff. What's your point here?'
'Don't ask me. I'm just the you that you keep to yourself.'
Inner Sakura left it at that, also leaving Sakura flabbergasted at the exchange. Though she wanted to deny it, she knew her inner self was at least half right. The pink haired kunoichi had definitely taken notice of her blond friend, enough to the point that she was beginning to come around to the idea of opening her heart for someone other than Sasuke. She'd never admit it to herself, much less out loud, but she had an inkling of interest to really get to know Naruto.
Sakura snapped herself back to reality, remembering why she was here in the first place. "Do you think Gamakichi is done with whatever it is he said he was going to do?"
The blond blinked. "Oh yeah. I should probably summon him back to see if he has anything for us, huh?" He bit his thumb, once more weaving the necessary hand seals.
Once the plume of smoke cleared, there sat Gamakichi with an unexpected guest sitting on top of his head.
"Grandpa Sage?" Naruto said, mouth agape.
"Good to see ya again, Naruto-boy," the small, elderly toad croaked. He leveled his gaze at Sakura. "So, you're the one wantin' to learn Sage Mode?"
The kunoichi blinked before shaking her head and snapping herself out of her stupor. "Yes, Master Fukasaku," she replied, giving him a respectful bow.
The older toad hummed. "I'm guessin' you've asked Naruto-boy here to help ya. Am I right?"
"Yes," Sakura answered, straightening. "I figured I would ask, since he's a sage and all, but he told me he doesn't feel ready to teach someone just yet."
"Honestly, I'm still kinda figuring it out myself, so I didn't wanna tell her anything wrong," Naruto added, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well, that was a pretty wise decision, Naruto-boy. Recognizing your own limits is important, especially when they concern other people," Fukasaku stated. "Now, about this whole Sage Mode thing…"
Naruto and Sakura watched the older toad with bated breath and expectant looks on their faces.
The older sage glanced between the two shinobi. "As much as I'd love to teach ya, Sakura-girl, I think you would benefit more from learnin' from Lady Katsuyu."
A frown darkened the pink haired girl's features. "But, I thou—"
She was silenced by a webbed hand being raised. "Before ya ask me anything, I want ya to summon her here."
Sakura shot Naruto a glance. He offered a commiserating shrug. She nodded, biting her thumb and performing the summoning jutsu. When the smoke cleared, there sat the familiar white and blue slug, who was about the same size as Fukasaku.
"How can I assist you, Sakura?" the polite slug asked.
"Actually, Lady Katsuyu, I think they wanted to talk to you." Sakura pointed to Gamakichi and Fukasaku, prompting Katsuyu to turn around.
"Oh! Lord Fukasaku and Gamakichi!"
"Good to see ya, Lady Katsuyu," Fukasaku greeted with a bow.
"Nice to see you, Miss Katsuyu," Gamakichi added, bowing his head slightly.
"Sakura-girl here would like to learn Sage Mode," Fukasaku stated.
Katsuyu's eye stalks twitched slightly. "Oh, really? Are you going to be helping her with that? Or is Naruto going to be teaching her?"
"Actually, I was thinkin' you could help her out, Lady Katsuyu," the older toad declared.
"Oh dear. Are you sure? I've never really assisted anyone besides Naruto when it comes to Sage Mode. Even then, I was only a passenger along for the ride. Plus, to my knowledge, nobody has ever learned Sage Mode from us. The snakes and you all have been the ones to have that honor," Katsuyu reasoned.
The old toad nodded. "I'm positive. She's a smart one, and I have no doubt she'll figure it out."
Sakura's brow furrowed slightly. "But, Master Fukasaku, how would I even begin? Naruto told me that absorbing natural energy is a pretty tough balancing act. And as far as I know, the slugs don't have any kind of oil or anything to help with the process."
"Actually, Sakura," Katsuyu spoke up. "I could technically help you with that. In the same way I can administer healing chakra, I can assist you in absorbing and mitigating the flow of natural energy into your chakra system."
Sakura blinked. "Wait, so you could actually help me become a Slug Sage?"
"In a manner of speaking, I suppose. The thing is, I've never actually done it before." Katsuyu ended on a slightly dejected note. Sakura frowned slightly.
Fukasaku took notice. "Don't worry. Slugs, just like toads and snakes, are pretty in tune with the natural energy in the world around us, so it shouldn't be too tough for ya to figure somethin' out."
"Wait a second. Doesn't Sage Mode need a lot of chakra, Grandpa Sage?" Naruto wondered aloud.
"It does, but it also takes a fair bit of control to be able to properly channel the natural energy into your system and mold it with your own chakra," the older sage answered.
"Sakura's chakra control is excellent. Near perfect, even. Her reserves may not be as large as Naruto's, but if I'm not mistaken, her control should help make up for that," Katsuyu reasoned.
"You mean, there's a chance I could really learn Sage Mode?" Sakura's emerald eyes gleamed with apprehensive hope.
"Well, now that I think about it, I don't see why not," Katsuyu responded, turning to her summoner. "Shall we begin training soon?"
"Yes, absolutely," Sakura answered. "Allow me to tell Lady Tsunade about this first, though." .
"Of course. Just summon me when you're ready." Katsuyu bowed slightly.
"Yes yes, I will. Thank you so so much, Lady Katsuyu." The kunoichi mirrored the gesture before Katsuyu disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"And thank you, Master Fukasaku," Sakura said, bowing once more.
"Yeah, thanks, Grandpa Sage. I owe you big time for this," Naruto added.
"No problem at all. Good luck, and be careful, Sakura-girl. Good seein' you two."
Gamakichi waved a webbed hand before the two toads disappeared in another plume of smoke. Naruto and Sakura sat for a moment in comfortable silence before the kunoichi sprang to her feet.
"I'm gonna go tell Lady Tsunade and see when I can start training."
"Man, you're really determined, huh?" Naruto quipped.
"Of course I am! I could be the first Slug Sage ever!"
The blond let out a chuckle, smiling ear-to-ear. "That'd be amazing!"
Just as she was about to leave, Sakura turned on her heel to face her friend. "Thank you, Naruto. This means so much."
Naruto clasped his fingers together behind his head and shrugged. "Ah, it's nothin'. I mean, all I did was give you some pointers and summon the toads. You're the one that's gonna be doing all the work and being this great sage soon enough."
"Maybe, but I wouldn't have gotten here if you hadn't agreed to help me in the first place," Sakura said sincerely. "So, I'll say it again: thank you, Naruto."
Before she knew it, she was leaning forward towards the blond, and before she realized what she was doing, she'd planted a small kiss on his right cheek. Only after she saw Naruto turn the same shade of red as his sage cloak did it dawn on her.
In an instant, Sakura's face felt like it was on fire. She turned on her heel and sprinted away from the training ground, leaving a completely stupefied Naruto standing there slack jawed. She didn't dare look back.
'Ha! Took you long enough!'
Sakura didn't even bother answering her inner self this time.
A/N: Naruto having an orange flash was too good to not use. It makes sense, even if it's a bit on the nose. Inner Sakura was always hilarious to me, and it kinda sucks that she never made an appearance after part one. She could have been some good comic relief or something like that. Her serving as a means to develop the ship is just icing on the cake, for this. Sage Mode Sakura is a really interesting idea, I think. I know that there's the whole thing about chakra reserves, but it makes logical sense to me that her control would be able at least sort of make up for it, if not entirely make up for it. I want to apologize again for how long the hiatus was, and express my thanks to everyone who checked in to see if this fic was updated or not. Thank you so much for reading! Next chapter is in the works!