Good Job on a Mission Well Done!
Disclaimer: This belongs to the series, Naruto. None of these parts are mine and are only written for entertainment purposes.
"Naruto!" yelled Sasuke, jumping after him.
Naruto flipped and landed on the ground, cracking a bone within his body. "Yaargh!" yelled Naruto, clutching his left leg.
Sasuke, Kakashi, Pakkun and the medics appeared around Naruto to check on their comrade. The concerned medical persons examined him and after a time, one turned to Kakashi.
"Broken leg," he announced, "we'll have to carry him back to the hospital."
Naruto groaned, "I have to stay in a hospital?"
"Yes," he replied and they put him on a stretcher and carried Naruto back to Konoha, followed by the other three.
Naruto sat on his bed, arms crossed, pouting at the thought of not being able to train. He stared at his broken leg and sighed. 'Six whole weeks, how am I going to train if I have to sit around for that long!' thought Naruto. He heard someone opening and closing of the door and looked up.
"Sakura!" exclaimed Naruto, giving her thumbs up, grinning.
"Naruto…" she said, smiling and took three arching long steps to him and hugged Naruto. "Thank you... thank you so much for bringing Sasuke back."
She sniffled and wiped her tears before they fell.
"I did say that it was a promise of my life, Sakura," said Naruto, scratching the back of his neck.
"And if I remember right, it was your wish too," he said.
Her eyebrows arched up together, her mouth smiling at Naruto. "Yeah, it was," she said, struggling not to let sheer happiness come through her voice.
She stared at him and sighed, looking at his leg covered in cast.
"I'm sorry, I hadn't realized just how much you really liked me until you left for the mission, Naruto," she said, pulling a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Its fine," said Naruto, "I knew you liked Sasuke enough, that you would even help him with his revenge. So forget about me."
"Naruto," she said, pausing.
"Thank you."
She took out some apples out of her bag and gave it to Naruto, "I thought you might be hungry."
"Thanks!" said Naruto, accepting one and began to eat it.
She smiled, putting the rest of the apples on the table near him. Sakura stood up, putting a hand on her hips.
"Well, I better go now, Naruto. I'll see you around," she said, leaving the room.
Naruto slowed down on eating his apple, looking at Sakura as she left through the door, and frowned.
'I wonder if Tsunade can heal my leg?' wondered Naruto, patting his leg and let out a loud groan. "Ah, damnit!"
"Cursing so early in the morning, I see," said a woman, entering the room.
"Granny Tsunade!" said Naruto, sitting straight as he forgot the pain he caused himself.
"You have quite a spirit, Naruto," she said, studying his cast. "Hmm, this is a simple remedy, do you want me to heal it?"
"Yes please!" said Naruto, grinning.
"Too bad," she said, turning around and left the room, leaving Naruto with his frozen smile.
"What!" yelled Naruto.
"Just kidding," her head appeared at the door, chuckling and reentered the room.
"That was not funny!" he complained, crossing his arms.
She stared at him, biting her bottom lip in thought.
"Naruto, has Kakashi spoke to you about the state between you and Sasuke?"
Naruto's face lost all signs of cheerfulness and shook his head no.
"No, Tsunade, he hasn't given me the lecture he promised, yet. I understand that the… high risks that our rivalry involve. Don't worry, we've already discussed the issue ourselves. It was, after all, the reason why he came back to the village. I can't help it, though, that this feeling that he was meant to leave the village. Have I changed the fates of the world?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, peering closer to his face, poking his head with her finger.
"This isn't like you, Naruto, when have you gotten so wise?"
"Wise? Me? Ha, ha, that's funny, Granny," he said, scratching the nape of his neck. "In all seriousness, Tsunade, I have at least kept the promise of my life to Sakura… I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I couldn't keep my promise."
She smiled at him, and with a touch of her hand on the broken leg, the bone healed as the cast fell apart. Once finished, she cleared her throat as she checked to make sure the leg is healed.
"I have news, Naruto, I understand that the personnel of the medic have told you that Chouji and Neji were in critical stage," she said, pausing.
"Don't tell me that they're…" said Naruto, gripping his hands on the blanket.
"They're on their way to recovery," she said, leaving the room. "Take it easy, Naruto," she smiled.
She closed the door behind her, leaving Naruto dumbfounded. 'Everyone on our team… survived!'
Naruto's eyeybrows arched up, his mouth curving into pure happiness, clutching his blanket to control himself to not cry from joy.
"Kid, it's alright to cry if you're happy," someone said at the window.
Naruto looked up, spilling tears from both eyes, spotting his instructor, Jiraiya, on top of the Gamabunta, the Toad Master. He grinned at Naruto with thumbs up.
"Good job on a mission well done, Naruto," he said, "I thought that Sasuke would have left the village forever. Seems like I have underestimated you, again," he said, grinning. "I saw Tsunade healed your leg," he paused, "you wanna go and eat a bowl of ramen? My treat!"
Naruto sniffled, wiping his tears with the blanket.
"Yes Pervert Hermit," he replied, "I would like a bowl of ramen noodles!" his voice choking up on the pain of delight.
"Yeah… after you pull yourself together," he said, a sweat drop falling down the back of his head.
The door opened again, revealing Shikamaru; he paused, surveying the scene, a sweat drop forming alongside his face, glancing at Naruto and Jiraiya.
"Er, did I come in at a bad time?" he asked.
"It's fine," said Naruto, drying his face. "Wwhat do you want Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru sighed, looking away from Naruto, sighing. 'This is so difficult to say it to Naruto…'
"Good job on a mission well done," he said, looking at Naruto, "We all survived and you brought Sasuke back. Without you, I don't think there would be any possibility of completing the mission." Shikamaru sniffed inaudibly, "That is all. Anything you want to say?"
"Yeah, I do," said Naruto, getting out of bed and walked several feet in front of him. Shikamaru backed away from him, wondering what he wanted.
"Thanks for leading us, Shikamaru, without you, we would have all died."
Shikamaru stared at him in silence and smiled.
"Heh, heh," he said, scratching his hair, "thanks Naruto… well, I'll be sure to do better next time so none of the lives are compromised."
"I don't think that will be possible," said Naruto, stepping back from him and walked towards Jiraiya. "There is a war going on, or at least, there will be one; and there will always be a possibility of losing lives, no matter how easy a mission can be. Except for a D-rank, of course," he chuckled nervously.
Shikamaru and Jiraiya glanced at each other then studied Naruto.
"Not you two, too," groaned Naruto, "I did not become any wiser. I just…"
"Just what, Naruto?" asked Jiraiya.
"Fine, I'll let you guys think I've gotten wiser," he said, then he pointed to himself with his thumb, "but I'm still an idiot that you all know!"
Shikamaru smiled hesitantly, "Okay… and you consider that a good thing, Naruto?" he asked.
"Of course," replied Naruto, closing his eyes, giving him a big grin. "Hee, heh, heh."
"Right, I better go find Kiba and see how he is doing," Shikamaru said. "I'm glad to see that you didn't suffer much," he paused, turning around and faced the door.
"Bye Naruto."
"Bye Shikamaru," said Naruto.
After a moment of silence passed after Shikamaru left and closed the door, Jiraiya spoke up.
"Well, how about that bowl of ramen noodles?"
"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Naruto, jumping out the window and joined him.
"…In your hospital clothes?"
"What?" he asked, pouting, "Food don't need any fashion sense, Pervert Hermit!"
Jiraiya sighed and leapt off the Toad Master, Naruto followed and the toad disappeared. The two began walking to Naruto's favorite restaurant.
