Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did, I wouldn't have to go through college. Every character belongs to Kishimoto unless they are my own OCs.
"Talk"
"Thoughts"
"Bijuu, summons"
Jutsu
AN: Hey just a small clarification when I write "Ha!" it is the sound the shinobi make when accepting orders formally from their leader. It's like a roger. Like I said the updates will be slower now that I have to go back to class.
Both teams were treading slowly at a civilian pace on their way to Konoha's gates. The reason for this slow pace were their two prisoners, Sasuke and Sakura. Bound with ninja wire, bags over their heads and chakra sealing tags on their chests. Maybe it was overkill but they still counted as arrested ninjas even if they couldn't overpower their escorts.
Sasuke was seething inside the bag. How dared they arrest the best ninja in their village. He tried growling at them, but his still bloated head from Naruto's beating let him only produce whizzing sounds. They knew Sakura would scream all the way so additionally they gagged her with a ball of cloth before putting the bag. They still had to go through it when she was eating.
Ino refused to heal Sasuke's face and nobody complained about it. They had to ask her about it only because it was in the protocol for transporting prisoners. Sasuke was asked as well but his whistles were interpreted as no. Signed by Kakashi, Asuma and Zabuza while he was still here. Nobody would question three jonins.
She was scared a bit for a moment if it would have consequences but Asuma residing as the head for the Sarutobi clan eased her mind. "Don't worry I will ask the Hokage that he makes it a shinobi only meeting, no civilians and by proxy no elders since they retired long ago."
Naruto was having his own type of fun on the back road. He asked Shikamaru and Choji to help him prank Sasuke. Since he almost hurt their sister in all but blood they agreed in picoseconds. They befriended the blonde once again since he was their club "leader" in early years of the academy. The club was called "Go-home-earlier-using-the-window club". Shikamaru wasn't sure which Naruto was real the ANBU or the cheerful teddy bear as Ino called him. Apparently, they weren't masks for the other, he just had those two personalities that never collided, and he could switch from one another.
The pranks were easy but the most fun because when it hit Sasuke it would hit Sakura as well and vice-versa. That was made by the ninja wire that attached them both. This way Shikamaru would either use his shadows to make Sasuke fall or he would stop Sakura making the rope around them tighten and hurt them.
Choji was less stealthy about it. Since Sakura was bitchy from start to the end, they began feeding them at different hours and not every day making them hungry. He would put his bag of chips before their faces, the scent traversing the cloth over their heads. Sometimes they would have patches of saliva appear through the bags.
Naruto used his special awareness to do the pranks, he would most often pick a bug and put it in Sakura's bag making her run away with Sasuke trailing on the ground until she hit something. Then he would trail them both.
Ino swiftly joined in seeing her friends do that. She didn't need anything to prank them she just had to assume her role. Since she was the only girl in the team, she was the one to assure the needs of Sakura. She would make her pee and poop in poisonous plants still remembering her trying to jump out of the nettles being only forced back in by the rope.
It was a fun week and a half since the battle on the bridge that was coming to an end when they have seen the gates from far away. When Sakura and Sasuke heard the teams talk about it they were happy. Sakura for the possibility for at last being able to put some cream on her backside while Sasuke would go straight to the elders to make everyone pay for this humiliation.
To evade the problems at the gate, Naruto contacted the ANBU before to let them through with some escort. This way they wouldn't be stopped by the guards who could later on spill everything about Sasuke being arrested.
They were encircled by ANBU around half a kilometer away and guided into one of the tunnels. That was even better, they wouldn't have to parade them before the entire village. If Naruto was right, this one ended straight under the Hokage tower with a lift that would open a secret door in the Hokage's office.
He wasn't wrong. Hiruzen was already waiting for them, having gotten the message from Naruto, he made sure that no one would come in. They would have to blast these doors if they wanted to anyway. He was happy seeing everybody back from this mission.
"Kakashi, Asuma give me the report of the mission I will review that later and ask if I need some clarification. Now care to explain to me what exactly happened? Naruto sent his clone to tell me that Sasuke and Sakura were arrested. Why?" demanded Sarutobi
"Ha! Genin Uchiha rushed into battle and bit too much that he could handle. Especially since we had a plan to make the fight a series of 1v1 or 1v2 max. When he couldn't escape, he endangered the life of his teammate Ino Yamanaka by performing a Kawarimi with her. If not for Naruto doing the same to let her get to a relative safety, she would've been dead by now. We arrested him proceeding as in the protocol as you can see. Genin Haruno was arrested for trying to liberate the first offender. That's all. We have the testimonies of all the onlookers, that is three jonins, one chunin, four genin as well as the client." Said Kakashi straightening his back becoming all professional.
"What do you mean by three jonins and a chunin? Asuma please remove the bags from their heads, they have the right to tell their version as well." As Asuma did the order almost laughing at Sakura and Sasuke's faces, Kakashi replied.
"The ANBU you dispatched earlier were able to strike a deal with Zabuza, they would ask Mizukage-sama to let him get back to Kiri for help during the fight. He was the jonin, the chunin was Haku Yuki possessor of the Hyoton Kekkei Genkai." As soon as he finished Asuma ended removing the bags leaving the gag in Sakura just in case she wanted to shout.
"Genin Uchiha, did you use Kawarimi to put your teammate Yamanaka Ino in danger to save yourself?" asked Hiruzen
"Pffrrrrttt, whizzzzzz pffffrrrrt!" answered Sasuke still unable to speak with the swollen face. Everybody was mocking the Uchiha, even the ANBU hidden in the office.
"Kuma can you heal at least his mouth so he can speak normally?" said Hiruzen. The ANBU lazily descended and took his time healing the mouth zone. When he was done, he let Sasuke speak once again.
"So, what if I used Kawarimi on her. I'm your best ninja and I should be protected. Her life is less valuable than mine especially with this." He opened his eyes to show a first stage Sharingan. The room was blasted with unholy amount of KI thanks to the Hokage showing his spirit still strong and Naruto.
"I see that you still haven't learned, time for lesson number three. Such a shame that you won't even be able to resist." He wanted to beat him until his eyes came out of his orbits but Hiruzen stopped him.
"Naruto-kun don't kill him, if you do, we are going to have bigger problems than right now. Genin Haruno what can you say in your defense?"
"Ino should be honored to protect Sasuke! She loves him as much as I do!" she shouted
"I never loved him; I had a crush on him before he turned into this husk of weak nothing." Spat Ino making Sakura growl at her.
"Genin Haruno, Genin Uchiha, you are guilty of endangering your teammates lives and helping a convict. You are sent to jail until the council decides of your fates." He wanted to ask Neko to put them in cells until Naruto halted him.
"Hokage-sama, I believe it would've been better to send them to ANBU jail. We don't know if some civilians or the elders won't try to help them." Hiruzen agreed to this proposition seeing that Naruto changed into his ANBU personality.
"What a waste of space. Who has her mother slept with to let this girl become a shinobi" asked Kakashi into the wind. The wind just sighed.
Meanwhile Sakura was crying, she was sent to jail, ANBU jail. Her butt was still burned by the plants in which Ino made her pee. She wanted to put some cream on it, at least the cold floor of the cell would sooth it. Little did she know that in ANBU cells you never touched anything, you would be hung by your hands and legs spread apart. After all it was designed to contain A-rank and higher shinobi.
Everybody quit the office not sure how to feel. They just finished an A-rank and got their pays. On the other side they had to struggle with Sasuke and Sakura for so long that if not for the abuse they put them through it would get annoying fast.
Naruto was walking alongside Ino. A rare thing for him to do seeing that the villagers didn't want to see him either. It was almost night right now after all the talk in the office. He wanted to stay alone with her for a little longer and accompany her home.
She gathered her courage and grabbed his hand. Naruto looked at her seeing a light blush when they have passed a lamp post. He smiled at her and held it even stronger until left it to grab it once again this time binding their fingers. They certainly developed the feelings for each other, but they would take the baby steps.
They neared her house and walked to the door. Ino knocked on it waiting for her parents to open it for her. Her father peeked out the door elated by seeing his daughter until he has seen the youngsters holding hands. He would take Naruto to the side one day to scare him like every good father would seeing his princess' new boyfriend.
"Ino you are back. Everything went okay on your mission?" Ino changed her smile into a frown remembering the end of it.
"What happened?" asked Inoichi
"Inoichi-san, we should probably speak inside about it." Suggested Naruto. Inoichi invited them inside and ushered to seat in the living room. "Before we start, you should know that the Uchiha is already at the ANBU prison. Now I'll let Ino take the scene."
"You see Tou-chan it all started on the last day. We prepared for the battle, Naruto-kun taught me some medical jutsus even if he can't use them himself. I was posted as the battle medic and the last defense line. Shika prepared a good plan to make sure that everybody would live. The night before Naruto-kun said he would protect me no matter what. And he did but not from our enemies but from the Uchiha." Inoichi's face paled, the council would pay for pushing this boy into the program. When Ino has seen her father come back to normal she continued.
"Sasuke… he didn't listen, he went too far not caring about all of the defenses we made before. Soon he was outnumbered and used Kawarimi to switch places with me. If not for Naruto-kun I would've been dead, he switched with me just before a sword strike and took it himself. If not for the Kyuubi inside him he would've been dead as well."
Inoichi wasn't sure what to feel at the moment, the eagerness to torture Sasuke or to thank Naruto. He settled for the latter…for now. He came at Naruto who was holding his daughter's hand, he didn't mind after what he was told. He then hugged the boy with a loud thank you. It was too loud making his wife wake up.
She wasn't happy coming downstairs to karate chop her husband. This feeling subsided when she has seen her daughter with Inoichi hugging Naruto.
"Dear you are back! Inoichi-kun why are you hugging Naruto so hard? He's starting to become cyanotic." She was told the same story this time by Naruto to not put too much strain on Ino. However, after thanking Naruto with a cold voice she wanted to find Sasuke and strangle him. It would've happened if not for everyone else restraining her.
"Saki-chan calm down, he's already in the ANBU prison, he's probably on his session with Ibiki or Anko already." Inoichi told her, holding the raging beast of a woman, Ino's gripping strength had to come from her mother.
Then something clicked in Inoichi's mind "Ino-chan, you've said Kyuubi before, right?"
"Yeah, we've had some time to talk with Naruto-kun and he has told me everything I wanted to know. And even more, like the true purpose of this team."
"Ara ara Naruto-kun is it now?" said Saki forgetting about Sasuke, it was the best time to tease her daughter right now.
"Kaa-san!" Ino whined. Naruto has found a way to tease her once again. He took her hand into his and said with a big smile
"Yes, and she's Ino-chan." He didn't have shame about their budding relationship anymore. After all this time with adults having fun out of them and her sleeping with him it was nothing. Ino on the other side was red and Inoichi was lamenting about his princess growing too fast. As for Saki, she has found a new liking to the blonde.
After some late-night tea, Naruto decided it was time to go home. Anko was probably already sleeping, he would say hello in the morning. His exit was stopped by no one else but Neko knocking on the door.
"Sorry for bothering you Inoichi-san but Hokage-sama plans a meeting about the Uchiha tomorrow at 11AM. Naruto-kun you are to come as well." They all nodded, and Naruto finally said his goodbyes.
Entering his house, he was greeted by Anko sleeping on the couch. She must've fallen asleep when watching TV. He scooped her gently and put her in her bed. She was already in her nightwear so no need to take it off. He washed his face and went to sleep as well.
Fifteen minutes later he was beginning to fall asleep when he heard the window unlocking. He took a kunai under his pillow preparing for the attacker. At the right moment he pulled the attacker in throwing him on the bed pinning his arms.
Wait why were his clothes plushy and soft, and this smell it was "Ino-chan? What are you doing here?"
"Fufu Naruto-kun, how bold of you, not even a hi and you already throw me on your bed." She said teasing her favorite blonde, she wasn't sure about his reaction in the dark but the heat on his hands was a dead giveaway. "I'm here because I can't sleep. Having to remember that day has made me upset and I just couldn't sleep without my teddy bear. Can I sleep with you tonight?"
Naruto has let her go and moved her under the covers and joined her. "Yeah, now goodnight Ino-chan. It was too long since I had slept in a bed."
She nestled near him in the little spoon position taking his arm and putting it over her. "Good night my teddy bear" she giggled and let herself fall asleep with a feeling of protection and comfort.
Next morning Naruto woke up feeling a bit tight. Somehow Ino managed to crawl inside his oversized t-shirt making her head pop just next to his. "Her cheek is so soft…". He would've let her sleep longer but a sudden knock on the door and Anko's head coming inside left him pale.
"Naruto-kun, you are finally back, thanks for putting me in bed yesterday that couch is giving me severe backpains when sleeping on it… He hehe hehehe I see that I interrupt something, we will talk later. Remember to use protection." She closed the door. Ino's face heated up. She woke up at the sound of the door opening and listened to the conversation.
"Ino-chan care to tell me why are you inside my shirt?"
"Eeeee, in the night I half woke up and wanted more of your heat, so I crawled inside and fell asleep." She said with a massive blush. She was happy that she was sober enough to not take off her own clothes before.
She crawled back out of it making sure to not scrape him with the zipper. She decided it was already too late to sneak in her house. She borrowed some clothes from Naruto that would count as unisex and changed with Naruto turning his back to give her some privacy.
They descended seeing Anko smirking at them. They had a sense of déjà vu when it first happened in wave as well.
"So how far have you gone you little lovebirds?" Anko asked
"We only slept together in the same bed Anko-nee. If I were you, I would look around to find a boyfriend yourself if you don't want Yugao-nee and Kurenai-nee to laugh at you." Naruto said
"That was a low blow Naruto-kun." Answered Anko but he ignored her making his way to the stoves to make something to eat for Ino and himself. They all ate together talking about the mission. Anko was getting giddy about having a new toy in the cells. Looking at the watch Naruto decided it was time to go to the council meeting.
He Shunshinned with Inojust before the door, he wasn't fazed by the fact that both teams were with him. Having Kakashi as a witness would further make sure that Sasuke would get punished. Asuma wasn't here because he was already inside as the Sarutobi representative since Hiruzen was the Hokage.
The doors opened and an ANBU asked all of them inside. The civilian council wasn't happy seeing the demon boy here making whispers about it thinking that nobody would hear them. They have forgotten that everyone else here was a ninja with heightened senses.
"Hokage-sama, why these teams are here? Why my daughter and Sasuke-kun aren't with them?" asked a woman who resembled Sakura but older.
"Ah yes they will be here in a moment. This part of the meeting is about the events during their mission leading to the arrest of said genin Uchiha and genin Haruno." This made an outbreak at the civilian part of the council as well as for the elders who pampered the boy.
"SILENCE!" Sarutobi screamed "Now since this is shinobi matter, I will ask nicely for the civilians and I mean all the civilians out." That meant that the elders were asked out as they were biased to the boy. They couldn't even try to resist, if they did, a new replacement for them would've been found.
When the room was shinobi only Naruto took out a kunai making everyone anxious. He has thrown it at the ceiling of the room and an ANBU fell down. He didn't care about what happened, the clan heads knew about him and only one person from the teams didn't have the information about his true status.
"Hokage-sama, I think we have seen someone like this already, haven't we?" asked Naruto in a rhetoric way. Hiruzen would have to make the security tighter.
At last the prisoners were brought by the ANBU. Under the bags over their heads they already had plans to appeal to the elders and the civilians to earn them nothing more than a hit on the hands. Those plans were broken when Sasuke and Sakura got to see the scrutinizing eyes of the clan heads.
"Sasuke Uchiha, you were found guilty of endangering the life of a teammate who is a clan heir as well. Sakura Haruno you were found guilty of helping an arrested criminal. The council will now decide your fate."
The talks began. They first have studied the testimonies written that day until everyone knew exactly what happened. Then one by one the witnesses were called to ask any questions that the council had. Inoichi was left out because of his own volition to only watch because he would be biased.
"Sasuke Uchiha do you want to add something in your defense?" asked Hiruzen
"Yes, so what if she's a clan heir? I am as well a clan heir to the Uchiha clan."
"No, you aren't because first to be under the law of clans, a clan has to have at least one functioning family like the Kurama clan. Second only someone can be named clan heir when they attain the Chunin rank. Since the needs aren't met you aren't a clan heir because there is no more Uchiha clan." Said Hiruzen
"I want the arrested to quit the premises as we will discuss the penance." The ANBU took Sakura and Sasuke out once again with bags over their heads and the clan heads started to argue.
"Let's begin with the Haruno girl as it shall be easier. From the stories of Team 7 and 10 we can simply deduce that she isn't cut to be a ninja. We should revoke her license and seal off her chakra with a few weeks in the prison." Said Shikaku and everyone else nodded. This girl would kill someone one day because of her lack of skills.
"Now onto Sasuke, his case is much more difficult. We can't take him out of the program now, the civilians would be in an outrage. We can't kill him because of his genes and capacity to have a new Sharingan user as well. Shikaku what do you suggest?"
"I have a plan, but it would have with divulging some secrets about Naruto in here." Hiruzen turned to Naruto to see his reaction.
"You can do it Shikaku-san, out of everyone here only Choji doesn't know the truth. He showed to be a true companion during this mission, and he has to know since we will probably work in the future together as they are missing a teammate."
"I see, to remind you of the reason why the Team 7 was created. Inoichi didn't approve of Sasuke's mental status before putting him into the ranks but the civilians pulled some strings and pushed him through. Team 7 was designed to stop Sasuke from becoming a risk. Two ANBU posing as normal shinobi and a Yamanka to judge his psychology. Since Sasuke's state worsened I would have a seal put on him that the Team 7 could activate to incapacitate or kill him in the last resort. As his punishment I would say at least one month in ANBU prison." Choji was looking at Naruto with big eyes. Shikamaru was right Naruto did hold back a lot during the mission.
"Everyone who agrees put your hand up." Every clan head lifted his or her hand showing the approval for the method.
"Good, now bring the defendants in." Sasuke and Sakura were brought back in and the room awaiting the decrees.
"Haruno Sakura, you will be sent back to ANBU prison for two weeks. During that time your chakra will be sealed, and you will be thrown out of the shinobi program." Sakura wanted to protest but she was taken back to her cell by an ANBU.
"Sasuke Uchiha, because of your deeds you will be thrown in the cell for one month. You will have another seal on yourself. Team 7 will now be able to paralyze you or kill you if they deem it necessary." Sasuke wanted to scream at the last part but he was cut short by another ANBU.
"This meeting session is closed. Kakashi, Naruto, Ino come with me to the office." They followed him standing before the desk where he sat down.
"Since you are an incomplete team for now, I have new orders for you. Kakashi you will be back in ANBU for this time. Naruto you will take Ino as a pseudo apprentice to make sure that she can overpower Sasuke if needed when he comes out. Now for the last Naruto I have a mission for you. I'm old, too old for this job. You will depart tomorrow to meet with someone, you will be in search for the new Hokage, namely Tsunade Senju. Ino since you know of the real reason you can go downstairs and get your pay for your mission on your team."
"Ji-chan I will have to take Ino-chan with me, she's my apprentice after all."
"Ah yes of course. Dismissed."
They quit the room and Ino turned to Naruto with a smile "When do we begin Naruto-sensei?"
"Drop the sensei Ino-chan. We are the same age and it would make me feel old. We will start in two hours after we eat."
Naruto made them something to eat and they both went to the Team 7 training ground. He didn't waste any time, the best way to make her accomplish the most training would be to make her reserves bigger until she could at least make one clone without almost dying. That way she could train in iryojutsu while her real body would train in taijutsu.
That was a good plan in his head. He made her practice Shosen Jutsu until she was on the verge of collapsing and then boost her chakra with his Yang. It would make her reserves get bigger every time when he replenished them making the time necessary a lot shorter.
In the evening he accompanied her back home from the training. Well more like put her on his back from overdoing it since the use of Yang made her fatigue faster with each use. He has given her to Saki who has put her in the bed.
Naruto went home when an ANBU descended in front of him
"Uzumaki Naruto, the council requires your presence in twenty minutes."
"What council?"
"The civilian."
"I'll be there." He didn't feel like going but it would be a pain in the ass later. He decided to go to the Hokage before to learn what is going on. He Shunshinned to Hiruzen's house and knocked on the door.
"Naruto-kun what are you doing here?"
"An ANBU has just come to me telling me that the civilian council wants me to come. Seeing that you are here means that someone's trying to do something illegal."
"These fuckers are trying something once again. I'm too old for this, I really hope that you will bring Tsunade back... Naruto do you want to play a prank on the council?" Hiruzen said with a smirk
"Tell me more." Said Naruto with a glint that spelled bad in his eyes.
Naruto has come to the door of the chambers with Hiruzen. The former one placed a genjutsu on himself making himself invisible. Naruto and the old Sarutobi entered the room seeing only the civilian council and the elders inside. Naruto took a chair and sat before them earning their ire.
"Demon boy how dare you disrespect us the council by seating before you were allowed?" said one fat civilian.
"Talk about disrespect, you didn't even say hello and you are already spewing insults. Insults that could put you down if someone would hear them." Responded Naruto
"How dare you speak like that to us?"
"I won't answer that. Now before you start, I will wait for the rest of the council."
"There is no rest of the council. This meeting is only between you and us, so you better behave yourself." Said a crippled man that the Shinigami warned him about.
"Now you are going to do as you are told. You will tell to the Hokage that the allegations about my daughter and Sasuke-kun are false." Said Sakura's mother
"And why would I do that?" he almost let out a laugh feeling the people outside.
"Because we tell you to do it. If you don't, we are- "at this moment the doors opened with all of the clan heads entering with Inoichi and Shikaku at the front.
"We would gladly know as well what you would've done if he didn't accept your orders." Said Shikaku with a yawn, this was troublesome but maybe it would stop the civilians from getting too much power. At the same moment Hiruzen made himself visible. This caused all of the coloration from the civilian faces to disappear.
"Yes, I would love to know as well." He said with a cheerful smile. Behind it was something evil though that made them cower in fear. "Oh Naruto, can you punish the one who breached the law?"
Naruto didn't even have to answer the question. He concentrated Yang in his finger and pointed it at the offending councilman. The fatty tried to run but he couldn't go far as Naruto pierced his head leaving a large hole in it. "Anybody else wants to tell me I'm a demon?"
"ANBU take everyone, elders included to their new house in the ANBU prison, they will see their beloved Sakura and Sasuke in there." He wanted to do this for so long but then it appeared that Danzo was one step before him. It was a clone that came here that puffed away when an ANBU tried to grab him.
The real Danzo wasn't happy. Hiruzen and that boy tricked him. Hopefully his plan to get Konoha into his hands would work just fine in a few months. He would just have to wait in his lair.
Naruto wasn't happy when he came home. He wanted to speak with Anko but this whole ordeal made him get home late and she was sleeping already. Sighing he went upstairs to his room to go to sleep. Something wasn't right, there was a bulge under his covers.
He gently lifted them with a kunai in hand if it was someone trying to hurt him. There she was, Ino was sprawled on his bed in another onesie, this time it was a cat, and snoring lightly. She was too cute like that for him, if she wasn't sleeping, he would hug her to death. He restrained himself and has seen a note on his nightstand.
"I can't sleep without my teddy bear anymore. Anko has let me sleep here to wait for you. Signed Ino"
He didn't have the heart to wake her up. He changed as well not caring if she was here since she was asleep and went to bed with her. It was strange they haven't even kissed or anything and they were already sleeping together. "Whatever". He needed to sleep.
Time skip one day
Naruto and Ino were in his living room checking their gear as well as the exact location where they would meet this mysterious person. Ji-chan has told him to look for a white-haired pervert. That's all he has gotten as information. When ready they went on their way to the gates and to the indicated spot at least one day away.
Around a few hours away Ino has found her chance. Until now they were talking about the training, he would put her through. She wanted to know something else.
"Naruto-kun." she called him
"Yes Ino-chan?"
"What do you think about us? We aren't even dating, and I can't sleep without you since the wave mission. We hold hands but we never talk about us." She couldn't take it anymore. They were so close yet so far away.
"I'm not sure. I grew up without the feeling of love you know and when I finally had someone to call family, I was already in ANBU and mature for my age not needing the parental love. It's just that… I know I feel something for you, but I can't describe it. I just don't know how to show love to someone else. Just give me some time. Please" he said watching the clouds trying to find the right words to not hurt the girl with him.
She looked at him catching his eyes. "What was I thinking. Of course, he would have problems with relationships. Anko never had one and all the others were probably giving him answers so vague that he didn't understand." She came closer to him and gave him a hug, the same hug that she has given him that night in the clearing. "Don't worry Naruto-kun, I will wait."
She wouldn't change it anyway; they were compatible in her eyes. They were both boisterous and outgoing with Naruto being able to become serious and calm if needed. He helped her from day one being gentle yet firm. She was sure that he was the type of guy she wanted. Remembering Sasuke she could only laugh at herself. What was she seeing in him before?
She let him go and took his hand. They weren't running, this wouldn't pose a problem. They happily walked like that to the nearest point where they would stop. Naruto has chosen to stop earlier than planned to train her and let her sleep. After the session they set a tent and the fire. No need to make two when they both knew they would sleep together.
Naruto was thoughtful this time. He brought a much larger sleeping bag since whenever Ino came in, the smaller one was too tight for his likings. They both laid together in a looser hug since the sleeping bag let them. At least until Ino fell asleep and squished her blonde.
They were talking, sharing the fun stories about themselves even if Naruto didn't have much. Most were his blunders in ANBU or with his sisters. That was all fun and games until Naruto mentioned Hinata.
"… so yeah, I got beaten up by the kids, but they let her go. Since then I believe she developed a crush on me and is stalking me from time to time. I'm really thankful to the one who invented Shunshin or she would've known I was in ANBU."
"You knew about it? Why not act on it?"
"You know fully well, I'm the outcast, she's the princess of the Hyuga clan. The village wouldn't let it happen."
"Hmph so I'm only the second choice? And not a princess at that?" she turned around with a mock hurt. She knew it wasn't true but teasing him was her specialty.
"Of course you are a princess Ino-chan, my princess, and you never were a second choice. Hinata is a good girl but she never talked to me when you showed me kindness." He hugged her and she turned around making their faces separate by no more than a few centimeters. He started descending on her to kiss her, but she stopped him putting a finger on his lips.
"Don't do that Naruto-kun. I'm sorry about it, subconsciously I tried to push you in this direction. I don't want to rush you into anything you aren't comfortable with. I said I will wait for you my teddy bear, a month, a year or more, doesn't matter. We are still young so take your time. Though I will hold you accountable for the princess part, I want to be treated as one."
"Thank you Ino-chan" he said with a smile that made her heart go faster. She jumped at him; she said no kisses, but nobody said anything about big hugs. Once again, they fell asleep with Ino almost squeezing the life out of him.
The next day they arrived at the location pointed on the map, it was a small onsen village. There were more hot springs than houses in here. Ino whined about wanting to go into one after the training he put her through yesterday. He would have to search for their new team member, so he agreed.
Selecting the one the pair was directing itself into the right direction. Before Ino could enter it, they heard giggles. Manly perverted giggles. Naruto activated his Negative Emotions Sensing which made him look up. There was a man peeping on the women inside. He had white hair and looked at least in his fifties.
Wait white haired pervert. That had to be him, but Naruto didn't like the perverts after living with Anko, Kurenai and Yugao as sisters. He made Ino stop saying he would make something fun. He spread his hands into two opposite directions and fired an underpowered Bijuu Cannon at his target. The man couldn't escape and was hit head on by the blunt force making him go fly. Naruto wasn't finished, he charged a strong Yin Laser and shot it in the direction.
Have Jiraiya not been a veteran he would have lost his balls seeing the beam of light travel between his legs. He landed, but since he was still dizzy from the earlier strike he landed on his face, hitting a rock. Getting his bearings, he ran back to his godson who sent him flying thankful that he wasn't thrown in the women's side. Coming there a few minutes later with a laughing Naruto since he was bleeding out of his broken nose and a disgusted Ino since she almost went inside there.
"Not funny Gaki. I almost lost my balls have I not turned in the air!" he screamed
"That was my goal actually. I guess Ji-chan was talking about you, but he didn't tell me who are you exactly."
Jiraiya began laughing in a supervillain like style. He did a pose and summoned a giant toad behind him. The white-haired man began dancing, it could have some impact but the fact that blood was flowing out of his nose was making the sight peculiar. "I am the Sage of Mount Myoboku, living and fighting with the toads, I am the great Sage Jiraiya."
Naruto could swear he heard the name somewhere before. He couldn't remember even if life depended on him and the fact that he was asphyxiating from laughing at the man and his introduction. Catching his breath, he saw Ino getting shivers of disgust. He patted her head and told her not to worry about the old pervert. Then he remembered one part of it.
"Jiraiya? Like the same Jiraiya of the Sannin? Teammate of Orochimaru and Tsunade Senju? Now I understand why Ji-chan would send you on this mission."
"Yes, that's me mouhahahaah. But you forgot one thing I trained the fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze himself. Now that I think about him, if your hair was shorter you would look exactly like your father."
Then it clicked in Naruto's brain he remembered his parents getting angry when they learned that his godfather never met him. It was the same man that was before him who left him alone to the wolfs. The man who gave him his name. Ino was perplexed, Naruto never talked about his parents, it never came up since he was an orphan and she didn't want to scratch some wounds.
"Hey Ero-sennin." Naruto tried as hard as he could to keep a smile on his face to not let his plan of what he would do to Jiraiya. He came to about one meter from the man still keeping his killer intent subdued. He lifted his arms as if to hug him, that tactic always worked. Then he caught the old man's head and kneed him in the face empowered by a thrust of Yang.
"That was for leaving me you motherfucker." He said to Jiraiya not wanting to be near him.
"Naruto you have to understand. I couldn't see you because of my work. It wasn't safe." He tried to rebound but like always the excuses never worked.
"Yeah cause the village was much safer for me. Do you know what was even happening there?! I had to have an ANBU protection all my life because the village wanted me dead. I became an ANBU before the age of ten because it was safer for me to go on suicide missions than stay in the village." He took off his shirt to emphasize what he was talking about as well as revealing his tattoo. "So, tell me what would be safer for me. Going around with a spymaster learning directly from him or living on the streets asking myself when would I die from a villager's hand? Tell me!"
"I'm sorry" that's the only thing Jiraiya could muster out of his mouth.
"If saying sorry would solve every problem, the world would have been a much better place." He turned around taking Ino's hand and going to another onsen. He needed it as well right now.
"Naruto-kun, he was talking about your father before who was he?"
"I've never told you, did I? It's an even bigger secret than the Kyuubi inside of me. When the Yondaime sealed the beast, he didn't choose a random orphan. Only an Uzumaki could hold the massive chakra within. The luck was that his son was born thanks to Kushina Uzumaki. Yondaime sealed the beast in his own son, me." He said touching his belly.
Ino was baffled, all of the biggest Konoha's secrets were concentrated on this young man. The Kyuubi, the youngest S-rank demolisher and the son of the Yondaime. "Why you never talk about it? If you did the villagers would kiss the ground beneath you, they would treat you like… Sasuke…" she caught herself knowing the answer now.
"You have one part of the answer, there is another, if they learned of it, I would've been put under the CRA law and be required to have multiple wives to rebuild the clan. I don't want to do it, I have my eyes on a single girl anyway, don't I Ino-chan? I don't have the power to make a rebuttal to the council so it will have to wait."
The mention of a certain girl he had his eyes on made Ino blush knowing who he was talking about, she wouldn't want to be forced to share him. She wanted her teddy bear only for herself "Thank you Naruto-kun"
"Now let's go to the onsen, Jiraiya has a lot to think through before we continue the mission."
Next day
Naruto and Ino woke up in their bed. There wasn't much time to play today so they quit it and got themselves ready. They would have to find Jiraiya once again and work with him even if it would leave a bad taste in Naruto's mouth. Opening the door Jiraiya was already there waiting for them with a sour mood.
"Naruto, I know that you must hate me for everything till now but we need to continue this mission together anyway."
"I don't hate you, I'm just disappointed at your and Ji-chan's disability to look into the future. Don't worry I will be professional with you, I'm in ANBU remember?"
"Hey how about I train you?" this made Naruto a bit interested
"And what would you teach me?" Jiraiya motioned them outside until they arrived in a quiet place in the woods.
"I will teach you one of your dad's jutsus the Rasengan!" he said producing the spiraling sphere in his hand with a smirk waiting to see Naruto's reaction.
Naruto yawned at it and spawned his own with futon chakra imbued in it "This is the futon version of the Rasengan, Futon: Rasengan. It's not finished more like half away from the final product. If you don't have anything else to show me, we should go look for your teammate. I have my own apprentice to teach you know?"
Jiraiya had to manually lift his chin off the ground. This kid not only mastered the Rasengan, but he managed to add elemental chakra into it. Something that even the Yondaime or himself couldn't do. He had to pull out his ace right now. "Then there is something else, I will let you sign the summoning contract for the toads." He unbuckled the scroll behind his back and has laid it open on the floor.
This was something else. The toads weren't stealthy, but it wasn't his specialty anyway. He kneeled in front of it seeing the names of his father and Jiraiya written in blood. He bit his finger and did the same.
"Now what?"
"The hand seals are boar, dog, bird, monkey, ram. You will need to access the Kyuubi chakra to summon the head summon though."
Naruto yawned once again just to irk Jiraiya. He did the seals and concentrated his chakra "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!". A small puff happened on the ground and a cat sized toad appeared.
"Yo, I'm Gamatatsu. Who are you? Do you have any sweets?" Ino and Naruto were looking at the toad. She took out a candy and has given it to him.
"Hello Gamatatsu, I'm Ino and this is Naruto. He's the one who summoned you here. Here take the candy."
"Thank you, if you have any more candy be sure to summon me again." He said and puffed away.
"One strange summon that was." Naruto commented.
"I told you Naruto to use the Kyuubi's chakra. We will have to train you in order to access it." Jiraiya said smugly. He thought that at last he would have found something to train the blonde in.
"Who do you think you are talking to? I just decided to know what I could've done with a portion of my own chakra to test the things out." He did the same thing this time pumping himself full of Kyuubi's chakra. A humongous smokescreen appeared. Jiraiya couldn't take any more of those blonde geniuses. He just summoned Gamabunta on his second try.
When not only Gamabunta but Gamaken and Gamahiro showed from under the smoke Jiraiya was on the verge of tears.
"Jiraiya where is the danger? Why have you summoned all of us to this place?"
"It wasn't the pervert that called you. I used too much chakra and happened to summon the three of you. I'm sincerely sorry for that since I only wanted to summon the head of the Gama clan." Naruto said with a bow. From what he was told in the ANBU it was better to be courteous while first meeting the boss summon.
"Do you think I will believe such a young human as yourself summoned all of us? Don't lie to me or else I will punish you." Said Bunta with Ken and Hiro only acting as watchers to the situation in case Bunta got too angry.
"I'm not lying, Jiraiya just let me sign your contract. Before I limited myself to a small amount of chakra and summoned a small toad, Gamatatsu." Gamabunta was having nothing of it. He was summoned out of a mahjong game with Fukasaku-sama and Shima-sama. Someone would pay for it and this lying kid was a good victim.
He swung his large sword at Naruto who created a clone to send Ino away. The land cracked where the sword hit. Bunta was sure that it was a one hit one kill deal. But then he saw a golden orange glint running on the edge of his sword.
Naruto wasn't feeling merciful today. This toad first called him a liar and now he attacked not only himself but Ino as well with lethal force. Boss summon or not the toad would get its ass whooped. He jumped using his Yang, then shooting a one-sided Bijuu Cannon flying into the air while pushing the toad's head to the ground with the thrust. When high enough he used Yang Meteor at full power.
If it were a normal person, he would just evaporate. On the other hand, this was a twenty-meter-tall toad. Still Bunta would feel the burn on his head for a few days from the temperature made by Naruto compressing the air before him as well as the bruise on his chin.
The other toads weren't fast enough when they have seen this child go from polite to outright aggressive and not caring about the future wrath of the toads. Even if he took Bunta by surprise Hiro and Ken were impressed. This child might have been the real summoner.
Meanwhile Naruto was preparing for another attack. He would've used something even deadlier if it wasn't for two small toads appearing before him.
"Bunta-chan, what is going on here? We were worried when the three of you were summoned. We thought it was Jiraiya-chan, but he wasn't the one who summoned you. The scroll said it was Naruto-chan, you know the Minato-chan's son." Said the male looking toad.
Bunta growled and lifted himself up. Looking closer at the boy it was true that he looked a lot like Minato. "This is Minato's kid?"
"Yes I am. Now can you tell me why you attacked me and my friends?" asked Naruto tapping his feet on the ground. Fukasaku and Shima turned to Naruto then to Gamabunta asking for more details.
"He said he summoned us. I was sure that he was lying and I kind of attacked him because he just took us from the mahjong party with you Shima-sama, Fukasaku-sama."
Fukasaku jumped in the air straight at Gamabunta looking like he was going to karate chop him. What Naruto has seen was too weird. The small old toad chopped the giant one… and Gamabunta was sent to the ground. "Bunta-chan, I told you to be more polite to humans." He said with a disapproving voice and turned to Naruto
"Now Naruto-chan, can you explain why you planned on using lethal force on Bunta?" asked Shima
"I'm sorry you had to see that honorable elders of the Gama clan. Gamabunta here attacked not only myself but my friend and apprentice as well. Have I not intervened she would've been dead by now. That's why I decided to use lethal force to protect her, since fighting a twenty-meter boss toad isn't in my daily tasks." Said Naruto with a small bow. At this moment Ino and Jiraiya came back.
"Don't worry Naruto-chan, Bunta isn't always the most amiable of us at the beginning but he will warm up to you. And please we aren't honorable elders, you can call us Fukasaku Ji-chan and Shima Baa-chan." Said Shima
"Now Bunta-chan I think that has proven that Naruto-chan is worthy of being our summoner. We shall return home and clean this mess. Goodbye Naruto-chan, Jiraiya-chan." Said Fukasaku and all of the toads returned to mount Myoboku.
Everyone was tired. Summoning giant toads and almost getting killed by them or fighting them off isn't the best way to begin the day. However, they had to advance to the next stop where their target would be.
"Ino-chan, make a clone here. I will leave mine as well to teach you while we run to…?" said Naruto nonverbally asking Jiraiya their destination
"Tanzaku Gai."
"To Tanzaku Gai. Don't worry about chakra exhaustion, I will carry you if needed."
Ino did as instructed but left two clones testing her chakra reserves capacity. If not for the training Naruto has put her through, she would've died at a quarter of a clone. Now she could do two feeling a bit lightheaded. She was going to fall but Naruto caught her. She was getting ready to get piggy backed when he took her bridal style and ran off to their next destination.
It was already 10PM when they arrived at the town. Naruto has let Ino get on the floor for the first time since he took her in his arms. She descended gracefully feeling energetic, thanks to Naruto covering her in a warm blanket of Yang during the entire trip.
There was something strange in this town. A feeling of dread when they entered, a scent of danger and the foremost something was missing, something big. Right it was the castle that was supposed to be here. Only a few people in this world could've done it and one of them was the ultimate medic Tsunade Senju. They were on the right track.
"Let's begin the search. Naruto make as many clones as you can and scan every casino and every bar in the town. If she's here these are the places where we can find her." Said Jiraiya. He was right, fifteen minutes later one of the clones have found their target in one of the bars. They walked casually to the place, she was already inebriated and wouldn't leave until a few hours.
Entering the bar, they could see the buxom blonde with a brunette who was holding a pig. They came near her until Tsunade has seen Jiraiya.
"I knew that my win at the casino wasn't a fluke. To meet two of my teammates in a span of one day isn't normal." Said Tsunade
"Hello to you too Tsunade-hime." Said Jiraiya sitting next to her with Naruto and Ino sitting next to the brunette who presented herself as well as the pig named Tonton.
"What do you want Jiraiya? I know that you wouldn't have come if it wasn't for something."
"You hurt me Hime. Can't I check on my old teammate?" seeing that Tsunade wasn't buying it Jiraiya became serious "Tsunade Senju, by the order of the Sandaime Hokage you are to return to Konoha to become the next Hokage."
Tsunade scoffed at it "I don't want the position. Only fools become Hokage, they always die young. I bet that if sensei continued longer, he would die in a span of a year." She said taking a sip of sake.
Naruto couldn't listen to it anymore. Not only she insulted his surrogate grandfather but his father as well. Add to it the fact that she insulted her own family and Naruto was boiling inside showing his kyuubified eyes.
"Jiraiya, I don't think she's the right material for being Hokage. We must've made a mistake. The legendary medic who saved countless lives during the war couldn't be this unenthusiastic hag who only knows how to drink and insult those that sacrificed themselves for the village. I bet that even a genin could take her on if needed. Let's go back and look for a better candidate." Said Naruto. Ino was scared about what would happen in a moment. She already heard that cold voice with that cheerful smile on his face. She took his hand to calm him down.
"Brat who are you calling a hag? You wet behind the ears genin. You think you can take me on? Then let's take it to the street, I will show you the difference between us." Said Tsunade cracking the glass in her hand.
Naruto didn't have to be told twice he lifted himself and went to the door. "What are you waiting for hag?" he incited her. She wouldn't take such insults from a genin, she stood up and followed him outside. Jiraiya was sweating about what would happen if those two battled in the street. He took out a scroll to hastily create a barrier in case they decided to go all out.
They were around ten meters apart, a classic standoff taken straight from a western movie. The others were grouped at one side of the road with Jiraiya setting up the barrier. Tsunade scoffed at her opponent and lifted one finger.
"This will only take one finger to beat you into the ground. Let's make a bet if you win, I will come back with you and become the Godaime if not you will give me every penny in your wallet." She said. Naruto was ecstatic inside; she was underestimating him heavily and it would bring her to her downfall. Jiraiya being ready began the match.
"Hajime!"
Naruto didn't waste any time. He took out a shuriken and thrown it at her "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" the shuriken multiplied in the air making a barrage. Tsunade could only jump to evade them all. Naruto didn't stop his charge, using Yang he jumped at her with a cocked fist that she blocked with one finger even if it started to bend.
He fired Yang from his elbow overpowering her defense sending her to the ground where one of the previous shuriken transformed back into a clone. It was ready to intercept her and strike her down.
Tsunade used her old reflexes to maneuver in the air and hit the clone that was waiting for her on the ground with her fist. Normally she would've lost at this moment since she has broken her promise of only one finger, but she began running at real Naruto who just landed on the ground. She cocked her fist only to strike the air as Naruto vanished.
Behind her Naruto was forming a tiger seal while crouched putting out excessive amounts of Yang. She didn't have the time to dodge the jutsu he was preparing as she was still mid swing "Sennen Goroshi!" Naruto shouted pushing his fingers into her butt making her scream in pain and fly away. He still remembered when Kakashi used it on him during ANBU training.
On the side Ino was supporting a heavy blush seeing the technique while Shizune sweat dropped. On the other hand Jiraiya was noting something while giggling.
Naruto didn't waste the time and the opening and sprinted at the place where she would land striking her into the ground and leaving her a dazed and in pain from the attacks.
"I win even after you broke your promise of one finger." he exclaimed and turned to Jiraiya "See I told you she's no material for a Hokage. I humiliated and beat her because she was thinking I was a genin. Let's go back this hag doesn't have what it takes." Said Naruto
Tsunade hearing that was holding back sobs. She really became a loser who can only drink and gamble her life away. She was far from being able to become a Hokage, she was far from being one of the Sannin, a title she was so proud of. She made a promise to herself to become better to become the Hokage she promised to be before the fight.
Before the trio could go away, she stood up and shouted "Wait!" making them stop and look at her.
"I need your help, Orochimaru wanted to make a deal with me. I can't do it on my own. Please let me become Hokage and become a ninja I once were." This was a proclamation that Naruto liked to hear. He didn't care if she wasn't in her prime right now, if she struggled to become stronger, they would help her and come back with a true Hokage.
"What did Orochimaru want?" asked Jiraiya.
End chapter 5
AN: Thanks for giving me some of your time.