The sun was rising as morning was beginning to present itself. Doctor Mizhrahi and a crew of eight security guards sped upstairs to Naruto and Sasuke's hospital room. Just before the good Doctor could open the door, Kakashi had stepped out, meeting them.
"What in God's name happened here?" The doctor asked with no hesitation.
"My team came under attack by two powerful ninjas" Kakashi began explaining
"THIS is an attack? More like a catastrophe if you ask me" One of the guards interjected
"Well, in any event, we'll need to discuss this matter in detail, among other issues. I send my subordinates to tend to your team." The doc proclaimed
"Of course" Kakashi complied
Kakashi and the doctor walked down the hall with some of the security team to discuss the incident further. Two of the guards were left in front of the door.
Meanwhile, back in the room, Sakura was still looking over her teammates.
"OUCH DAMMIT, can't you act more like a woman instead of some barbarian?" Morrigan yelled as Sakura wrapped a bandage around her kunai wound, compliments of Malhavoc.
"DEAL WITH IT, BE HAPPY I'M EVEN HELPING YOU AT ALL YOU TRAMP!" Sakura retaliated.
Naruto and Sasuke were both looking on, watching the two women go at each other verbally like a couple of sailors. Furious Sakura began storming out of the room. But before she made it out the door, a hand grabbed her arm.
"GET THE HELL OFF" she snatched her arm away from the hand that grabbed her.
She then turned around to give the person a thorough thrashing. But to her surprise, it was someone she didn't expect.
"Sasuke-kun, I'm so sorry, I thought you were that bitchy princess" She apologized, smiling
"You know, you were really impressive tonight." Sasuke for once was giving someone praise.
"Huh" Sakura was confused.
"You're a lot tougher than I ever gave you credit for"
"...Thank you Sasuke-kun"
Inner Sakura
CHA...Sasuke-kun has a heart after all. I knew he'd notice me if I was persistent.
Sakura left with her anger greatly reduced thanks to Sasuke's acknowledgment of her. She still took a walk anyway to blow off the steam. Morrigan really knew how to push her buttons. Sasuke watched his teammate walk down the all and turned back into his and Naruto's room.
"Wow I knew you were tough blondie, but you stood up to two strong ninjas. You're impressive" Morrigan praised him while stroking his hair.
"It wasn't much. Heck I'm known for coming through when it counts. Besides since I'm gonna become hokage one day I need to be on the top of my game. I can handle anything." The fox boy said grinning
"Oh is that so? Can the future hokage handle women?" Morrigan said as she slowly sat on his lap
"Well...I... uh um..." Naruto was caught off guard and completely nervous. His face was beat red and sweat was pouring off of his forehead.
The princess knew how to tease an innocent boy like Naruto. She began to slowly push Naruto back down on his bed and she slowly laid her body on top of his. She leant her head upward to meet Naruto eye to eye.
"I think we found something the future hokage can't handle" Morringan started to giggle while Naruto sweat bullets.
"HEY I can handle ANYTHING" Naruto tried to defend himself from the princess's teasing
"We'll see if you're still saying that after what I do next" Morrigan was slowly beginning to meet her face with his own, closing her eyes.
"If you two are going to do that, do us all a favor and get a room of your own" Sasuke broke up the moment.
Naruto sprang up in embarrassment. Which in turn made the princess pout. She almost had Naruto.
" Um I have to go to the bathroom" Naruto darted out of the room as fast as his feet would carry.
The princess gave Sasuke the most evil of glares once Naruto ran out of the room
"Was that REALLY necessary?" the princess asked with annoyance evident in her voice
"Oh let's see, forcing yourself onto an innocent guy that can't handle women."
"If he didn't want me close to him, he'd say it." The princess's voice became progressively loud.
"Whatever, it's not my prob anyway" Sasuke shunned it off, discontinuing any further conversation on the matter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naruto and Sakura accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway.
"Hey Sakura-chan" Naruto said nervously
"Naruto, why are you so red?" She saw as Naruto was still blushing due to Morrigan's advances.
Naruto didn't respond as he looked away. Sakura put her hand to his forehead.
"Ewww you're all hot and sweaty too"
"It's nothing really, I'm fine Sakura-chan"
"Uh huh I doubt it, Come on" Sakura took Naruto's hand in her own and began walking down to the restroom.
Naruto was actually blushing now even more so than before. The woman he was in love with was literally guiding him by the hand. He could care less where she was taking him. He was more than happy enough knowing he was hand in hand with her.
Sakura found the restroom and sat Naruto down on a chair inside. She took him to the women's restroom, much to his dismay.
"Sakura-chan, this is the..." he was halted
"Girls' bathroom, uh yeah I know that. Scared?" Sakura tried to ease Naruto's worry with slight humor
"No, not at all" he lied. Being in a women's facility as the only man made his nerves palpitate frantically
Sakura began wetting a rag in the sink. She began humming and warm smile began to form on her face. She turned to Naruto and took the rag to his face.
"You have a nice voice Sakura-chan."
Sakura began to blush but she didn't want to let on that she liked the compliment.
"Can't you let me do this in peace?" She couldn't hold back the blush that her face enveloped
She continued wiping his face. She had wiped the sweat away long ago, but for her, this was a moment of tenderness. She was lost in the sweet caress of his face. She slowly continued wiping.
Inner Sakura
"This feels so right...For once, I'm taking care of you. I'm paying you back for the many times you've taken care of me Naruto. I never thought I would enjoy taking care of you like this...I hate to admit it, but the princess was right about you...you are special. I should have seen it so long ago. I wish I realized it sooner."
"Sakura-chan, I'm fine now thanks a lot" Naruto said with his normal goofy grin.
"Stop grinning at me like some idiot" She tried to offset her embarrassment
They both began to walk out of the bathroom. Naruto began to head out of the room first. He already missed Sakura's tender touch.
"Thank you Sakura-chan." He showed his gratitude as he took his first step out of the door.
A delicate hand took his in hers. Naruto stopped in his tracks. Sakura took her other hand and place it on his cheek. They made eye contact. Sakura gave Naruto a lover's smile.
"You never have to thank me Naruto-kun. I should be the one thanking you...for always being there. Just promise me...you'll always smile for me. Your smile...it's a constant that I want and need in my life" Sakura voiced to her blond teammate, truly speaking from the heart.
He did as she asked and smiled for her.
"Kun?" Naruto was shocked to hear 'kun' at the end of his name.
"Yes, Naruto-KUN" she said gracefully as she kissed him tenderly on his cheek
She pushed Naruto the rest of the way out of the bathroom and closed the door. She didn't want him to see her so giddy and in full blush over kissing his cheek. Naruto walked out to the hospital courtyard for some air. He couldn't believe how his life changed over the course of just days. Girls shunned him in Konoha repeatedly. Now there was a beautiful princess making almost shameless advances at him, and the girl he was in love with was actually being gentle and tender with him.
"Man since when am I popular with women" Naruto asked himself being used to being hissed.
He sat in the courtyard, alone just pondering random thoughts to himself
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sakura, after cooling down, finally gathered herself up and left the bathroom. She made her way back to the hospital room to find Sasuke sitting quietly in his bed and the princess pouting.
"What's the matter with you" Sakura asked Morrigan just to make conversation. Not out of concern.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Morrigan arrogantly replied.
"She's mad because I saved Naruto from her." Sasuke interrupted.
Hearing that definitely sparked Sakura's interest. She wanted to know exactly what she'd done to Naruto.
"And exactly why would he need saving from you princess?" Sakura asked suspiciously
" He didn't need saving. You act like I was killing him Sasuke geez."
"SO what exactly did you do to him?" Sakura asked, almost in demanding style
"Nothing major, I just wanted to see how much my favorite future hokage could handle" the princess answered devilishly grinning
"STOP PLAYING GAMES DAMMIT. WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" Sakura sure enough was tired of getting the run around from the princess.
"I just lay with him in bed and teased him a bit. Your acting like I made love to the boy"
Hearing that was the last straw she was going to let her have it, princess or not.
"If you hurt him, I will kill you bitch. STAY AWAY FROM HIM." Sakura was enraged at the thought of her laying a finger on Naruto.
"He's not your boyfriend. Stop hovering over him." The princess replied in equal fury
"I will protect him. If a friend is going to get hurt, you do everything you do to stop it. That is what FRIENDS do."
"Hurt him? ...HURT HIM? What makes you think I can possibly hurt him any more than YOU DO?" The princess paused Sakura
"What makes you think I can possibly hurt him any more than YOU DO?"
"... YOU DO?"
That last phrase echoed throughout Sakura's fragile soul. Hearing that took away Sakura's will to continue on fighting with Morrigan
Inner Sakura
"She's right...who am I to say not to hurt him...I'm the one that's always caused him pain"
Sakura tilted her head and slowly closed her eyes, signifying defeat. She had no more will to fight. Thoughts of her many past mistreatments of the teammate she's came to admire flashed through her mind continuously. Just then Naruto walked in. He immediately felt the high tension within the room
"Uh...Did I interrupt something?" Naruto asked, feeling a little out of place.
"Just a bit of cat fighting. Care to know what it was about?" Sasuke tried to peak Naruto's interest.
"NO!" The two women said in unison.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Kakashi and doctor Mizhrahi were beginning to conclude their discussion on the attack of the two jounin.
"Well I'm glad you were here to make sense of the matter Kakashi" the doctor said, collecting and gathering all that Kakashi had told him.
"Yeah, I'm just sorry we've caused you such trouble" Kakashi tried to apologize for the incident.
"Don't worry about it. But Kakashi, there is another matter we need to discuss. Your students" The doctor had a serious tone
"Yes?" Kakashi replied with equal urgency
"Well...it's strange. When you first brought the two boys to me, my instincts told me that Sasuke was the one who needed medical attention more severely. But in reality, Sasuke is the one that may have gotten off easy"
"I don't understand doc. Could you continue?" Kakashi began to worry
"Of course. Well Sasuke just had normal injuries. Chakra burns, loss of blood, and broken bones. We've treated all of his injuries easily. Now all he has to do is rest. Naruto however is in much higher disrepair. He's been hooked to the stabilizer. But...in truth he's changing. It's as if he will begin to deteriorate within 3 years."
"Changing? Why...and into what" Kakashi's fear was paralleled by his curiosity.
"Naruto's body will first regress...then evolve into that of a demon. From what I can gather, it will have the traits of a fox..." The doctor told Kakashi with great sadness.
Kakashi was shocked but at the same time wasn't as shocked as he should have been. I had a theory on Naruto's condition. But he decided to keep that to himself. He decided to wait and report this news back to the hokage. The doctor and Kakashi continued walking back to the room where the others were.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tension was still high with the young teens. It was apparent that Sakura and Morrigan had quite the rivalry going. Sakura truly wanted to protect Naruto with every fiber of her being from Morrigan. But Morrigan's words hit Sakura's psyche hard.
"Did you have a nice walk blondie?" Morrigan winked to Naruto as she began walking to him
"Yeah uh...really nice" Naruto's nervousness started returning
"Hey...I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'll...try...not to come on so strong in the future." Despite Morrigan's normal aggressive demeanor, she was genuinely sorry for making Naruto uncomfortable.
"Hey you don't have to apologize. Your fun to be around...you come on strong, but that makes you who you are. And I wouldn't want my friend any other way." Naruto tried to offset her sadness.
Sakura and Sasuke just quietly observed. Sasuke could care less about the situation. Sakura, however had a mixed look of defeat and disgust.
Inner Sakura
"I shouldn't feel this way at all...I love Sasuke-kun. It's not that I want Naruto...I...I just don't want her to have him...who knows, maybe I am jealous of her. Naruto is a wonderful guy after all..."
Kakashi and the doctor walked into the room with serious looks on their faces.
"Ok everyone, listen up. We have to get back to Konoha and report everything that's happened back to the hokage. Whatever healing anyone has to do will have to be done back in Konoha. Sasuke, once we get back, you'll be taking some off time regardless. Once we bring the princess back to her manor, we head out immediately" Kakashi had extreme urgency in his voice.
The team walked the Princess back home. It was bittersweet to say the least. True enough, they were happy to head home, but that would mean parting ways with their new found friend. Sure, she was brash and aggressive. But she proved to be quite a good friend to them all. They made it to the princess's doorstep and the difficult goodbyes began.
"Well princess, this is goodbye. It's definitely been interested hasn't it" Kakashi gestured, smiling through his mask.
"It certainly has been" the princess smiled.
She then walked over to Sasuke and stuck out her hand.
"Sasuke, hopefully next time I see you, you'll have a bit more personality" she teased him
"Whatever" Sasuke's normal reply
"See, that's what I'm talking about 'whatever'" the princess repeated him and they shook hands with mutual respect.
She then turned her attention to Sakura, her newly developed rival over a certain boy.
"Sakura I know...I've been...rash with you. I want to say I'm sorry. But just so you'd know I'd never hurt him." She apologized to her rival
"I'm sorry too...and you were right...I was jealous of you. But...I'm not ready to be honest to myself...not yet" Sakura began looking downward
Inner Sakura
She really wasn't so bad...I just never thought I'd be so...flustered over that blond goof. Still...
"I understand, but just so you know...I do care about him too...I won't give up" She told Sakura with confidence. Not as a competitor, rather as a friend.
"I understand..."Sakura held out her hand and they shook as friends with mutual respect.
Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke all began walking off, setting out on their long way back to Konoha. Naruto didn't leave just yet. He and Morrigan made eye contact.
"Morrigan, I really enjoyed meeting you. You've taught me a lot." Naruto was sad to be leaving his newfound friend.
" Oh Naruto...I enjoyed what little time we've had together. I wish you could stay longer...I really do"
"Yeah..." Naruto didn't exactly want to say goodbye. It wasn't that he treated Morrigan differently than anyone else. He just became really attached to his friends.
"I'll miss you...you know that don't you?" Morrigan's eyes began to water
"We'll meet again Morrigan..." He was confident in that as he waved and began to walk off to catch up to the rest of his team
She ran up behind him hugging him tightly with tears in her eyes.
" You know...if you ever feel out of place...or the people of Konoha continue to hurt you...you have a home here...with me..."
"...Thank you..." Naruto was touched by her offer. Morrigan was a friend true.
He then walked away. They waved goodbye to each other. Morrigan really wanted Naruto to stay, but she was confident that someway, somehow she would see him again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zabuza and Malhavoc stood outside of the gate of the prison.
"So this is where this 'master' holds up huh? This is most...unimpressive" Zabuza scoffed
" Whatever happened to the 'grateful dead'. There are worse places than a prison. Be happy that you've a second chance at life." Malhavoc replied to Zabuza's smart remark
" Let's just get this over with" Zabuza was impatient
The two walked into the prison, ready to report what they've learned. Zabuza was especially interested in meeting the man responsible for his revival in the first place. In any case, information will be exchanged and questions will be answered.
To be continued...