Thank you for all the readers of this little story of mine, if it wasn't for your reviews I would have just stopped long ago.
Chapter 8 The finding of lost soulsEntering the Hokage's office Inoichi walked up to her desk and dropped a thick folder with a bang onto her desk glaring down at her. Picking up the folder Tsunade flipped over the pages and slide it back to him.
"What did you expect?", said the best medic in the world.
"I thought she would be stronger, better than this, that is what I expected.", said the clan head of the Yamanaka.
"Every woman deals with rape in her own way Inoichi, you of all people should know that.", said Tsunade, if anyone was going to be disappointed today it was her with this Man in her office.
Tightening his jaw so he wouldn't say anything he would regret Inoichi opened the folder and placed his finger on the title of the report.
Ino Yamanaka
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS, SEXUAL TRAUMA, AND DISSOCIATIVE DISORDER
"I can read you know.", said the Hokage crossing her fingers and resting her chin on her hands as she looked up at the looming clan head. She was counting down in her head and if he didn't show some restraint in a couple of minutes she was going to throw him out the window, clan head be dammed.
"She is turning into a sexual predator, we have to do something.", said a worried father as he sat down in the chair that the Hokage kept to the side of her desk for just such a reason.
"Don't you think you're overreacting, so she tried to kiss Nariko, hell have you seen the girl? I would try to kiss her too.", said Tsunade trying to make a joke out of it.
"It's not just that, she started to dress differently and every time I see her she is following that girl around like a lost puppy.", said Inoichi looking deflated now that he had a chance to vent to the Hokage.
"Do you have something against being gay?", ask Tsunade.
"NO, Yes, I don't know, I was expecting to have grandkids and see them grow. It's not like she grew up that way, she was chasing that dam Uchiha all through the academy, and then she started dating a string of guys, last I heard it was someone named Sai. I really don't care but I know she isn't that way.", said Inoichi running out of breath and reasons for opposing this change in Ino.
Opening the report on her desk Tsunade spent some time reading it, as she flipped over the pages she wrote down some notes on the side of the page, highlighting some of the more outlandish statements, and continued to the end. Looking up she pushed the folder back to Inoichi who closed it and picked it up, placing it on his lap.
"The person doing that eval clearly has their own issues, I would replace them. As for Ino, time Inoichi, time will heal her wounds like all things and I am sure you will see grandkids someday. As for trying to kiss Nariko, I don't think she will do that again.", said Tsunade having had a talk with Kakashi after the incident.
Reading some of the notes in the folder Inoichi nodded his head in agreement. The Yamanaka that did the eval was an old rival of his wife's when they were dating, he thought that was long over but it wasn't for this woman as the Hokage pointed out.
"I still need Ino to remove the mind blocks from the six Anbu you uncovered. You need to focus her energy on that. Work is also a great cure for what is bothering her. Let her vent some of this pent-up anger on people that deserve it.", said the Hokage getting back to the business of the village.
Standing and giving a bow Inoichi said, "Yes my Hokage.", then with a grin on his face he went in search of his daughter. Ino needed work and focus and now he knew just how to get both things done at once. He almost felt sorry for those root agents they found in the Anbu force.
…..
Standing at the cooktop waiting for the water to boil for his cup of ramen, Naruto looked up at Nariko as she came storming into their little apartment. It was late and by Looking at her he could see the fire in her eyes as she threw her mask onto the table, followed soon by her head covering and glaring at him like it was all his fault she stomped into the bathroom slamming the door. Hearing the shower running he poured the now boiling water into his cup of ramen and sat down for the longest 3 minutes in the world for his ramen to cook, oh and to wait for her to come out so they could talk. He slowly stirred the ramen wondering what happen after he left the two girls to train today. Ino seemed to be acting a little crazier than normal with her flirting with him and Nariko so openly but he didn't think much of it at the time. Now with Nariko so pissed off he was wondering if something happen, something bad.
When the bathroom door finally opened and a wave of steam came out he remember that Nariko had had a little talk with the landlord about the hot water. He wasn't sure what happened in the landlord's apartment that day but the next day they had an endless supply of hot water and all the graffiti was being painted over by two teams of genin.
Stomping out of the bathroom Nariko was now wearing one of his oversized shirts as she dried her hair in the angriest way he had ever seen someone dry hair. At one point he was worried she would use a fire jutsu and just burn it all away.
"How did training go with Ino?", he asked figuring that was the safest thing to say at this point.
She glared at him between strands of blonde hair, with her blue eyes shining and lips pressed in a tight line, fearing for his life he got ready to run for the door.
"Fine, It WAS FINE!", she yelled at him throwing the towel at him and missed by two feet as it slammed into the door at his back.
Placing the chopsticks on the top of the cup of ramen he slide the cup to the edge of the table nearest Nariko until it almost fell off the side and then slowly backed away to the other side. She looked at him and the ramen and then back again before reaching over and taking the cup off the table to start slurping it down.
As she tapped the bottom of the cup trying to get the last noodle to fall into her mouth Naruto felt safe to ask, "So what happen today.", again getting ready to bolt for the door but she just looked at him over the top of the cup and burped.
….
She remembered the feel of Ino's arms around her neck as she was pulled down, the anticipation of her first kiss as Ino's hot breath blew over her own partially opened mouth as she held onto Ino's hips. Everything was in slow motion as she lowed her lips to Ino's as she pressed her lips tightly against the cold outer cover of a book.
Opening her eyes in surprise she could see the cover of that orange book Kakashi always had in his hand. Pulling back she heard Ino spitting on the ground as she moved away.
"What the hell is wrong with you letting me touch that book with my lips you bastard.", said Ino pulling out a water bottle and washing her mouth out as she spits again on the ground.
"It didn't seem fair that you would seal Nariko-chan's first kiss, don't you agree Nariko-chan?", said Kakashi adding the chan to her name as if she was a child or he cared about her in some strange way.
"I wasn't stealing her kiss, she was giving it to me.", fought back Ino as she tried unsuccessfully to get around Kakashi to stand next to Nariko.
"Ah, but you were, Nariko wants to kiss Naruto but you convinced her you would be a better substitute, you are not a child in the academy anymore Ino, those games are long over.", said Kakashi acting more like a sensei than Nariko could remember him acting in the last year.
"You have no right, we agreed it would be best, so go away.", said Ino not willing to give up on her prize.
"You are not a Jonin yet and if or should I say when I tell your father I am sure he will have something to say about it. It is too soon Ino, after what happened to you for you to decide how the rest of your life is going to play out. Even if you think you know, you should leave Nariko out of it.", said Kakashi still holding his ground between the two.
Nariko was confused and didn't understand what Kakashi seemed to be worried about. She didn't like Ino, well some, but only as a quasi-friend and student. Did he think it was something else, that she was betraying Naruto in some way? God, did she betray Naruto?
The idea that she had done something that would truly upset Naruto flashed into her thoughts as she listened to them fight about it not being fair that Kakashi would tell her father about this.
"Oh god I betrayed Naruto.", said Nariko as she pulled her mask back on.
"No no no, you didn't, I swear, don't think that,", said Ino now worried she pushed a little too far too fast, this wasn't the plan, the plan involved long walks and moonlight, holding hands as they talked about the future. Not this, god no Not This!
Slapping his book into his open palm Kakashi waited until he had both their attention.
"Sometimes it is the thought, not the deed itself that is the betrayal, so only you know who was in your thoughts as you tried to kiss Ino.", said Kakashi sending Nariko into a full-on panic attack as she didn't remember what if anything was in her mind at the time.
"Please don't get upset, it's not as bad as this pig says it is.", said Ino as she watched Nariko start to hyperventilate.
"I need to go see Naruto.", said Nariko, and using a body flicker any Jonin would be proud of vanished leaving a cloud of burning leaves in her place.
"NOW YOU'VE DONE IT", screamed Ino as she ran from the training field, all her careful planning ruined by that perverted bastard.
….
"I did something,", said Nariko clearing her throat to start again, "I did something I shouldn't with Ino."
"You killed her? I don't understand, you said you forgave her, how could you.", said Naruto thinking of the worst thing Nariko could have done. A stream of old memories flashed in his head of the things she had done, people she had killed all in the name of a mission but most of all it was the burning hate for the Mind Burner as she called Ino that was always constant.
"No! I didn't kill her, I almost kissed her,", said the blonde on the bed blurting it out without thinking about how it sounded until seeing the shocked look on Naruto's face. Why would he think she would kill Ino? 'Oh god does he know the truth?', she thought staring over at him.
"Why would you do that?", asked Naruto now totally confused.
"It was just training, I wanted to train on how to kiss.", said Nariko throwing the empty roman cup into the trash thinking now Naruto would want to train on kissing and ruin her big plans.
"I can help you train on that,", said Naruto making a hand sign Nariko had never seen him use before as he called out the Jutsu.
"Sexy-Jutsu", yelled out Naruto turning into an over-sexed version of himself with pigtails in her hair and breast way too big for her figure, being naked she looked like every guy's wet dream with strange clouds of smoke clinging to her body. Walking over to Nariko the sexy version of Naruto said, "If you want to train to kiss a girl, I can help.", making a kissing face at Nariko and moving closer.
Nariko looked up at this new version of Naruto for a whole two heartbeats before screaming as if the old third Hokage had walked into the room with Danzo close behind.
"That is not what I meant", yelled out Nariko as she pushed the naked blonde to the side and ran into the bathroom. As Naruto now back as his normal self sat on the bed Nariko came running out fully dressed in her combat gear running for the door. The events of the day had forced her to recall too many old memories, feeling trapped and not knowing what to do Nariko ran for the door.
"I am going to talk to Akia Sensei", she screamed to him as she jumped off their second-floor balcony and disappeared into the night.
'I don't know what is going on', thought Naruto as he put on his own clothes, 'I think I need to talk to Kakashi sensei maybe he knows.' Knowing his sensei's habits he knew right where to go to find him this late at night.
….
"You did what!", said Akia as she sat in her living room with an upset Nariko showing more emotions than she had displayed in the last year. Happy the blonde was opening up but why did she have to go and kiss Ino to break down her emotional barriers.
"I said I almost kissed Ino, we were talking about first kisses and she said that girls do it as practice at the academy and I don't know, it seemed like a good training for when you know I kiss Naruto.", said Nariko now talking in whole sentences. She had been a complete mess when she first banged on Akia's door and sounded like she was talking in tongues.
"Well yes, some girls do that but far from all of them, and you're not some pigtailed first-year student at the academy, you should know better.", said Akia, then realizing Nariko shouldn't know better she quickly tried to think of a way to take her words back as Nariko stared at her with those big blue eyes of hers.
"How, Akia-Sensei, HOW can I know better,", cried out Nariko now losing any control over her emotions she may have gained back in the last minute or two.
"Oh, I am sorry, I didn't mean it that way.", said Akia trying to pull Nariko into a hug but the blonde wouldn't budge from her seat and just pushed her away. Nariko had enough with women touching her for a while.
"Look relationships are hard, and for you and Naruto it is going to be even harder but I trust you two can work it out. After all, you're more alike than any two people can ever be.", said Akia getting back to what she felt was the root of the problem.
Wiping the tears that almost started to run down her face Nariko give Akia a look that she wish she hadn't seen before but many veterans shared that same look of regret and pain for things done but mostly for things they hadn't been able to do before it was too late.
"I have seen what this village has done to Naruto when he was a child. The hate, the pain, and loneliness was worst than any root training. I had people in my life, people that I mostly hated but some that did seem to care, care enough to train me but Naruto. God Akia sensei he had no one but some random ramen chef." said Nariko now showing some fire in her eyes as her voice broke Akia would expect tears to start from anybody else but not Nariko, her tears were long used up.
"If Naruto didn't stop me I would make them all pay. Pay in blood for what they did.", said Nariko the root shinobi they called the blonde demon of the night.
"What do you mean, you know? He told you about his childhood.", said Akia.
Giving Akia a hard look, a look she had only seen on much older Anbu members Nariko said, "When the fox transferred the memories into Ino he also mixed in our memories, it took me days to understand what I was remembering as I walked the streets and looking at the shop owners. I think Naruto knew what I was seeing as he always pulled me away.", said Nariko.
"Did he get your memories, then?", asked Akia now worried that she may have to report not one but two unstable Jinchuurki to the Hokage.
"He hasn't said anything, and with his iron will he won't say anything. He never talks about the past, its as if it never happen.", said Nariko.
Akia thought about it and knowing what little she knows about root and how it does its missions she had to ask.
"Did you go on missions when you were in root, missions that he may now remember.", asked Akia
"Yes!," yelled out a worried Nariko,", I have been telling them about some of the missions but only as if they had been reports I had read, I was trying to teach them that you can't allow yourself to be soft in combat.", continued Nariko
"OK, but now he would know they weren't just reports, that it was you.", said Akia thinking about how to put this in a report for the Hokage in the morning.
Staring at her hands in her lap Nariko was still for a long minute before she looked back up. The fire in her eyes was dimming as she tried to find the words, words that would take the pain away, words that would make the world right again. The image of Naruto pushing her away was all she could think of as she pressed her hands together.
"I have so much blood on my hands Akia-sensei, I can't talk to Naruto about it, I don't have the words that would make him understand what I had to do to survive.", said Nariko.
"If what you say is true then you don't have to, just open up to him about it. You will find your voice to tell your story.", said Akia.
"NO No no, I can't", said a panicked Nariko as she jumped up and ran out of the apartment like a ghost in the night.
"Damnit now I have to go report this to the Hokage.", said Akia as she got up to change into her Anbu uniform.
…
"What do you mean you know?", said Naruto as he confronted Kakashi as he stood at the memorial stone.
"I know that you don't understand, I know that for you the world is a hopeful place and all it takes is saying the right thing to make it all better.", said Kakashi still looking at the names on the side of the stone.
"I also know that not everyone can see the world that way. What you see as a bright future many see as a nightmare waiting around the corner to consume them.", continued Kakashi sharing some of his own fears without meaning to.
"Kakashi Sensei I am not that stupid to think the world is all happiness but I know that you have to work for what you want. I want a world that is at peace, where people can feel safe at night. Is that wrong?", asked Naruto.
Turning and giving Naruto a look with his one good eye Kakashi pointed at the lower half of the stone saying, "I knew them all, from the war when I was a genin," he said pointing higher on the stone,", to my friends in Anbu, each of them had hopes and dreams for a future that never came, so no it is not wrong wanting peace it's just unlikely you or anyone can bring it about."
"I will not give up Kakashi Sansei.", said Naruto in a low voice as he looked at all the names on the stone. He swore he would do everything in his power to prevent the names of his friends to be carved into the cold face of the stone.
"I do hope so, I don't expect you to but if you want to bring world peace then you will need to first find some peace for Nariko.", said Kakashi now turning away from the stone and facing Naruto.
"When the fox trained Ino to do her mind jutsu thing he also shared all our memories, I have images of going shopping with a blonde woman looking at dresses and hair ribbons.", said Naruto shaking his head with a grin.
"That is all you remember?", said Kakashi knowing that couldn't be the whole truth.
"No there is more, a lot more,", said Naruto breaking eye contact and squatting down and playing with some loose stones at the base of the memorial.
"She killed a lot of people Kakashi Sensei, so very many, and most she didn't even know why. They had her thinking she was just a tool and tools don't think.", said Naruto as he threw the small stones away from the memorial.
"She was root. They are trained not to feel, not to think, you know that.", said Kakashi, trying to find a way to ease the pain he knew Naruto was feeling.
Standing up quickly Naruto moved to face his sensei as if he wanted to hit him. Taking a deep breath seeing Kakashi hadn't moved a muscle Naruto stared into his one good eye.
"She felt it," he spits out,", she hide it so that that other Ino wouldn't hurt her again but she felt it all and just pushed it all down deep inside. Damnit Sensei she buried her pain JUST LIKE ME!", screamed Naruto as his own past bubbled to the top. All the endless nights full of tears, cold and hungry until that one small light of hope in a thunderstorm, a ramen chef and a young girl taking him in to share a bowl of hot ramen. That was his first and for a long long time his only happy memory.
"How can I help her when I am just like her? I hide my pain, my shame from everyone with a smile. You know that I know you do, I remember the one-eyed Anbu that watched over me.", said Naruto as close to crying as he had ever been in many years.
Kakashi moved slowly and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave it a squeeze to let him know he wasn't alone. Giving Naruto a shake to get him to look up Kakashi searched for any sign that Naruto would be losing control. The fox chakra was so close to the surface, Kakashi could feel it feeding off of Naruto's pain. It was only Naruto's iron will that was keeping this from turning into a very bad night for everyone in the village.
"You are an echo of each other, not a reflection, what you have felt she has felt in her own way. It is that connection, that shared pain that can pull you together or push you apart. It will take time and a lot of work but if you try to open up to her then she will do the same.", said Kakashi.
Wiping his hand over his face Naruto seemed to shake himself as if spiderwebs were clinging to him. Looking up at the night sky and taking a deep breath before turning to face Kakashi once again Naruto seemed to think for a moment.
"You're right Sensei, I will not let this push us apart. I am going to find her now and tell her I know how she feels.", said Naruto.
Sniffing the air as if he could find her by scent alone Naruto ran off into the night. Kakashi turned back to the memorial stone to pat it one more time before walking away and pulling out his little orange book.
"Master Jiraiya your words may have saved the village tonight.", said Kakashi as he turned to the chapter of the book where the two main characters confronted each other over their past pains, sharing their feeling and ending the chapter on a wild night in bed.
Now to find the nearest Anbu and order a search party to find and monitor the two Jinchuurki, he wasn't as oblivious as some seemed to think. It would take just one wrong word, one wrong move to send one or both of the fox containers into a rage that could take half the village down with them.
….
Naruto found Nariko in the spot he would have run to if he was upset with the world. The fact that the fox chakra was pulling him to her had nothing to do with him finding her so fast. As he walked over to her sitting on the head of the Forth Hokage, he moved slowly so as not to startle her but she felt him coming minutes before he landed on top of the mountain.
"I am sorry", they both said at the same time once Naruto sat down next to Nariko.
They both shared a grim smile as they locked eyes.
"I can move out tonight if you would like.", said Nariko as if this was the end of her world.
"No.", said Naruto, "I don't want you to leave now or ever."
Turning to fully face him they stared into each other's bright blue eyes as if looking for any sign of a lie. Naruto pulled Nariko's hand into his lap and played with her fingers as he thought of what to say. He could feel the calloused fingers that had caused so much pain in the past and he knew she would cause more in the future no matter how hard he tried to convince her his way was better.
"I know it's hard, it's hard for me to but we have to let the past be the past and move forward.", said Naruto.
Holding up her free hand she turned it over and over again as if looking for something.
"How can I forget when there has been so much blood, so much pain these hands have caused.", said Nariko as she placed her free hand on top of his hand locking Naruto in place.
Naruto looked at her and was torn on what to say, she truly had done things, things he could never forget. The memories of all her missions has flooded him that night at the Hokage's office. It took him days to process what he was remembering as they were all mixed together with Ino's childhood memories. He learned that she was a Ninja in every sense of the word, cold and mission-focused to a fault.
The only thing that stopped him from pulling away was the clearest memory of all, she would torment herself after every mission, hiding in her cold dark little ceil deep underground, crying as if her heart were breaking.
It was only her own fear, fear of the Mind Burner that keep her going on the next mission. He still worries that she will snap one day and attack Ino for what had been done to her.
Coming to terms with all these thoughts Naruto said, "We don't have to forget, we just have to learn to live with it, learn from what we have done to make ourself's better."
"We, We, you mean ME!", said Nariko in a flare of anger that showed red dots of fire in her eyes.
Not letting her go as she tried to pull away Naruto said, "No WE, I know what life you had to live, and I know you must have my memories, the pain I felt all those years before I decide to push it away."
"They hurt you, they hurt you so many times but you did nothing, let me make them pay, I promise not to kill anyone.", said Nariko as she was flooded with images of a small starving boy hiding in an alley late at night.
"No, Nariko-chan, it's long past the time for that, I have forgiven them and you need to forgive them too. But mostly you have to forgive yourself...", said Naruto leaving that thought hanging in the air between them.
"HOW!", cried out Nariko as all the faces flashed before her eyes. Being near Naruto broke down all her carefully built barriers until she was wide open to the raw feelings she had fought so hard to avoid. The echoes of all the screams of her targets filled her ears as the fox used her weakness to try to get free. The kyubbi wanted to be reunited once again with his other half, that touch of being whole once again was all he could think of and he didn't care what he had to do to get it back.
"I forgive you,", said Naruto, "Do you hear me, I forgive you.", he repeated this over and over until she looked up and locked eyes with him.
"How can you forgive me.", said Nariko after the tenth or twentieth time as the fox thrashed against the bars of his cage as he lost this battle of wills.
"That is easy, I first forgave myself, do you forgive me for my past?", asked Naruto
"Yes, I have always forgiven you.", said Nariko-chan without a moment's hesitation.
"Then use that feeling to forgive yourself.", said a smiling Naruto.
"Is it really that easy,", said Nariko using Naruto's strength to push the fox back into his cage and silence the screams.
"No, not really but it's a start, it's a beginning that has no end and that is a good thing because I don't want to stop helping you, as you help me. You see together we can make it work, and who knows maybe once we heal each other we can heal the world.", said Naruto.
"When did you turn into a philosopher.", said a grinning Nariko
Reaching up behind her ear Naruto pulled the mask away so he could see her face fully. The smile he felt was still there as he let the mask fall to the ground.
Now with his hand behind her head, he slowly pulled her forward as they locked eyes, each wanting this but not knowing what to do. The world fell away as their noses touched and she tilted her head to the side. As their lips touched a spark seemed to jump between them as a soft kiss grew into something more.
Naruto felt Nariko's hands slide up his neck and around his head as she held him close as she opened her mouth and he felt her tongue ask for permission to enter. It was better than she had ever hoped for and more as their tongues fought a battle neither of them wanted to win as they fell over onto their sides.
Wrapping their arms around each other Naruto soon found himself laying on top of Nariko as she entwined their legs preventing him from even thinking of moving away.
Nariko soon found her hands under Naruto's jacket as she tried her best to pull it off as they rolled around on top of the Hokage monument when suddenly they heard a sound, a sound that she thought sounded like clapping.
Naruto pulled his head up to see the Hokage and Akia standing not too far away along with what looked like half the Anbu force all watching them.
The sound was coming from Kakashi sensei as he slowly clapped his hands together.
"Ok, that's enough of that you two.", said Tsunade as she handed Akia a roll of money having lost the beat on what they would find.
"Hi Baa-chan, what you doing up here.", said Naruto as he moved back away from Nariko allowing her to move behind him to find and put on her mask once again. The fire in her eyes told him she was not happy about this and he had better make them go away soon or she would.
"We just wanted to check on our two favorite genin, you know you two have been using the fox chakra a lot up here. Right?.", said Akia as she used hand signs to order the Anbu to leave now that they knew they didn't have to fight two emotionally unstable Jinchuurki.
Now on their feet the two teens looked at each other and shrugged, they didn't feel any fox chakra.
"Sorry Akia-sensei,", they said in unison.
"Well until you two can get your fox chakra under better control I don't want you doing any of that,", said the Hokage waving at the ground they had been rolling around on.
"At least not in the village, do you understand me?", said Tsunade
"Yes Hokage", they said again in unison
"Good now let's all go home and cool off.", said Akia getting a little freaked out by them talking as one.
…
Ants, ants are funny creatures as they only live for the whole not for themselves, we could learn a lot from ants, some are fighters, some are hunter-gatherers while others spend their whole life caring for the queen. This ant was a special ant in that it was a scout sent out ahead of the gathers to bring back a sample of what it found.
This ant found a pink strand of hair that it followed until it found another and another all laid out in a row from one end of this endless room to the other. Finding no use for pink hair this ant went back and reported it found nothing useful in this room.
Sakura watched the ant leave as she pulled one more hair from her head using only chakra and a burning will that even Naruto would be proud of. It has been months or maybe even years, she couldn't tell but she knew that she was alone to spin her trap for the next person that dared to enter her ceil.
Grinning at the line of hair that lead from her feet to the doorway across the room seeing the final piece fall in place. Now it was only time before someone opened that door and she would unleash her plan to escape.
At some point, she heard a rattling sound as if someone was trying to open her door with the wrong key. A new guard maybe or one too drunk, she didn't care, now was her chance as she flooded the hair with her chakra making it stronger than ninja wire as it floated up to hover about eye level with her fierce emerald eyes that were glued to the door as it started to slowly open.
"Sakura, you in here,", said a strange voice from her dreams as a blonde head poked its way into her trap. Not wanting to miss her chance to get free, she coiled the hair around this new intruder's neck and pulled causing the hair to cut deep. As she stared into the blue eyes of her want-a-be saver he only had one last moment to say, "I found you Sakura-chan", as he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
"Naruto?", she said as if this had all been a dream as one of the guards comes walking in rubbing the back of his head where a large lump was forming.
"Don't know how you did that girly but that hurt,", he said still rubbing his head as he slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. Spitting the blood from her mouth she hit him in the face. Having used all her chakra already to kill her only savor she was unable to do more but stare. It took her days to store up enough chakra for one of her jutsu with so little food her body was nothing but skin and bones at this point.
"You know the boss said to keep you alive but me and the guys have been talking, we can still have a lot of fun with you and keep you breathing if you know what I mean.", said the guard laughing at his own sick joke.
"Now stop your crazy games or next time we are going to do a little more than get a feel of that little ass of yours.", now satisfied she got his meaning the guard picked up the key chain he found on the floor and walked out.
"Naruto after all this time you're still looking for me?", said Sakura to the room as she hung from the wall completely forgetting about what the guard said. He would die, she was sure of it, everyone in this base was going to die now that Naruto knew where she was. The thought of it made her giggle as she swung from her chains.
…..
Bolting up out of bed Naruto looked down at Nariko as she rolled over and pulled the covers over her head. Whatever he was doing she was willing to wait until morning to find out. Moving over to the window Naruto looked up at the moon and tried to make some sense out of the memories that just flooded back from the clone that died.
Sakura was alive, not only alive but still fighting back as the clone found out the hard way. Now if he could only remember how the clone found her. The base locations all looked the same and almost a hundred clones had died looking for her. He was going to have to focus on this one clone's short life and try to follow his memories and only his memories if he was going to find Sakura again.
Looking back over to Nariko-chan he decided it would be best to find a better place to think. With just one of her long legs sticking out of the sheets, she was a distraction he couldn't afford to have right now.
Getting dressed he headed to the roof and sat down under the moonlight and focused on tracking back this one clone's memories. The base was just like a dozen other bases he had found, what could be special about this one that would help him find it again.
Traveling back into the sights and sounds his clone had heard he realized it was colder than any of the other bases and the sun was setting too early. With that, he was able to trace back how he got there. It took him all night and by the time the sun had risen over the tree line he knew how to find her.
Going back down to the apartment he found Nariko stirring a cup of ramen and looking at him through a curtain of hair.
Brushing the hair aside she said, "I really hate this fox, have I told you that before.", giving him a smile at her own joke she got up and poured hot water into another cup and placed it on the table for him.
"So what was all that about last night?", she asked as he sat down to wait the dreaded three minutes.
"I found Sakura, she is alive but looks half starved.", said Naruto picking up his chopsticks to start shoveling noodles into his mouth.
"Do you remember how to find her?", asked Nariko knowing how hard it was after so many clones to remember just one.
"It took some time but yes I do. We have to go to the Hokage first thing this morning as I don't think she is going to like this.", said Naruto finishing the ramen and looking to the kitchen to see if there was more.
"OK, I will get dressed and we can go.", said Nariko jumping from her chair and pulling off her shirt to throw it onto the bed as she walked away. Naruto froze as he stared at her orange panties until the bathroom door closed. God he was never going to get used to that, at least he hoped he never would.
Entering the floor where the Hokage's office was they noticed how quiet it was as the staff slowly wandered in to start the day. Bouncing over to the front desk Naruto tapped on the tabletop as he waited for somebody to show up.
"Aren't you awake a little too soon there brat.", said Tsunade as she walked in from the stairs.
"We have urgent news for you my Hokage.", said Nariko almost dropping to a knee but stopping herself as she wasn't in the office and Naruto kept telling her to only do it in the office. It was one of those little requests of his she was really trying to honor.
Tsunade seeing that they were being all business this morning waved them into her office as she walked to her desk and sat down. Making a hand sign to her Anbu that only Nariko noticed she gave the all-clear so there wouldn't be any misunderstanding with these two coming to her office so dam early.
"Ok, what is it you needed to tell me so early in the morning,", said the Hokage.
"One of my clones found Sakura, she is alive and being held prisoner at a sound base.", said Naruto.
"Ok, that is good news, where is this base.", said the Hokage.
"That is why we are here so early, it's in the territory controlled by Iwagakure,", said Nariko having learned of its location on the way over.
"Are you sure?", ask Tsunade
"Yes I am sure.", said Naruto, looking around he spotted a map that the Hokage's Jonin commander had laid out to help plan the ongoing conflict with Iwagakure, it wasn't an open war as the Daimyo's of the two lands were in talks but the shinobi on both sides had been making probing attacks to test the other's defenses.
"It's right here,", said Naruto putting a finger on the map. As he stood there Nariko and Tsunade came over to look at where he placed his finger. Nariko let out a grunt on seeing the spot and Tsunade tapped her finger on her chin as she looked down.
"That is close to the northern border of wind country all the way to the Kakushi Sea.", said Tsunade, "It's as far from the conflict zone as you can get and still be in Iwagakure."
"So you think it's a trap.", said Nariko tracing the route needed to get from the leaf to this base.
You would have to cross the whole length of Iwagakure or travel farther south and that would take you into almost a dozen smaller countries. Small countries that had made a point of rejecting any treaties with Fire Country. Seems Earth Country's Daimyo had spent a lot of time making trade deals with them to protect his southern border with Wind Country.
Tracing her finger lower Nariko outlined a route that would force them to travel for two or more weeks in the high desert.
"That would be the safest route but you would be in the desert too long. It would drain the rescue party completely or they would have to take so many supplies it would slow them down even more.", said Tsunade.
"We don't need a rescue party, we can do it alone.", said Naruto getting a nod of agreement from Nariko as she stared at the map noting all the areas where the two forces had come into contact and where they were planning to move next. This had every marking of a trap for the leaf village.
"You know I can't let you go alone.", said Tsunade not wanting to risk her Jinchuurki to save one genin, even one she trained personally.
Grinning Naruto said, "I didn't say we would go alone, I think if I ask Gaara he will join us."
Nariko almost jumped back at the idea of that homicidal lunatic joining them before she remembered Naruto saying he was a friend. How he was able to make friends with Gaara was still a mystery to her even when he told her the story for the third time. The Gaara in both their worlds was almost the same all the way down to his love of using a sand coffin as his finishing move.
Looking back on it, would she have won if she hadn't been stopped? The fight Naruto brags about sounded epic in its scale and all the jutsu they both used. Her plan had been something a little more simple, like putting a Kunai in the back of Gaara's head but she also didn't have two teammates she was trying to save at the same time.
"And just how would you get Gaara to join you, my reports show he has been promoted to Jonin and is being trained to be the next Kage.", said Tsunade still looking at the map not seeing the reaction of the two blondes standing at her side. Naruto was grinning ear to ear and Nariko was shaking her head in shock at the idea Gaara would be the next Kage.
"Wow, that is great, I know he will make a great Kage.". said Naruto, clearly happy for his friend, "Anyway,", he said with a grin, "I already sent a clone to Suna to ask Gaara to join us so as soon as he gives an answer the clone will disperse so we will know."
Not being surprised that Naruto would send a clone without telling her Tsunade walked back to her disk and pressed her intercom to call in her assistant.
"Send for the Jonin commander", said the Hokage as she put the bottle that was holding down a stack of papers back into her bottom drawer. Now wasn't the time to relax with a mission to plan, a plan she hoped would return her newest apprentice.
As soon as the Nara entered the office Nariko and the Hokage filled him on what they knew and mostly what they didn't know. Getting bored Naruto wandered over to the map table and started to play with the little toy shinobi on the board moving them around and making jutsu sounds as he imagined them fighting.
"Naruto, stop that and come here.", said Nariko not even turning her head to look at her fellow blonde.
Turning and walking back to the Hokage's desk Naruto stopped and got a faraway look in his eyes before grinning like a fool saying, "Gaara said he would meet us in the high desert in four days" Reaching the desk to stand next to Nariko he grinned even more at her before saying, "I told Gaara all about you, he can't wait to meet you."
"God help us.", said Nariko thinking about the last time she had a run-in with Gaara of the desert.
"Do you think the plan will work now,", said Tsunade looking a the Nara.
"With three Jinchuurki even the worst plan in the world would work.", said Shikaku
...
I am back, moved across the country, and started a new job. Do we want a lemon in the next chapter or keep it more PG13?