Ino was, for lack of a better term, confused. Her thoughts from the day prior as well as her words to Sakura on graduation day were both playing repeatedly at the forefront of her mind. Her words and thought pattern were conflicting.
"Hey, if I can get close to him, maybe he'll teach me some cool jutsu or how to heal."
That simple phrase, as harmless as it may sound to the untrained or male ear, was basically handing Sasuke-kun over to her former friend and rival with her blessings. It was as though she were saying, 'Sasuke is all yours, Naruto-kun is far more interesting and worthy of my pursuit.'
"Wait, Naruto-kun?" she mused aloud.
She'd only just met the guy. Wasn't it far too early to start applying affectionate honorifics to his name? Okay, technically she'd known him for about a month and day, and they often hung out together after running into each other. Okay that wasn't true; she waited for him at strategic locations around the village for a chance to try and work that good old Yamanaka charm on him.
'Oh Kami, I'm becoming Forehead.' Ino thought, slumping at the thought.
But then at the same time, just yesterday, she wondered if her training with Naruto would garner the attention of the Uchiha. Her thought pattern was counterproductive: get the attention of the Senju heir and make him like you, or use the training he'll agree to in order to win the affection of the Uchiha heir. Gah! Everything was so confusing.
One thing did stand out to her though. When he carried her bridal style to the hospital, Ino found herself unconsciously snuggling closer. Even blushing profusely at the feel of those iron-like muscles. Not that she'd ever admit it, of course. With a sigh and a look at the time, Ino rose out of her bed and prepared to meet with her team, as they had another training exercise.
When Naruto opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he was no longer where he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be in the Land of Waves. Instead, he stood in a clearing of sorts, in what seemed to be a forest if the thickening trees surrounding the area was any indication. All of a sudden he sneezed. His first thought was to wonder who was talking about him. His second, however, was to ponder about the warm and very soothing chakra that was currently surrounding him.
Fog clung to the grass beneath his feet, the dew on the blades reflecting the majesty of the ethereal light of the waxing crescent moon above. It was beautiful; too much so. Turning around once more, he found himself face to face with a massive creature that held the air of familiarity. It had the body of a gargantuan white horse, but the head of a dolphin, four horns adorning its crown. A weird amalgamation of creatures, to be sure, but with five tails that waved serenely in the air, each tipped tan just like the hooves.
"Ko-chan?"
The creature gestured in a manner similar to a smile, which was certainly off putting to Naruto. With a nod, she proceeded to lay down before him. He was looking at the Gobi. Easily the most majestic out of her siblings, Kokuō seemed to be the living embodiment of serenity. But the smile soon disappeared and was replaced with a look that struck terror into the heart of the young Senju. A feat that wasn't necessarily easy by any means; but there was something about the otherworldly fury on the face of his Bijuu that he found nightmarish.
"Hello, Naruto-kun." her tone was polite, almost as ethereal as the moonlight bathing them, but still retaining an upset firmness. "While I am glad to officially meet you, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you not to do that again."
"Do what?" he asked densely, before his memories returned with a vengeance.
Fighting Zabuza toe-to-toe, saving Kakashi-sensei, performing the Substitution jutsu on Sakura so that he would get impaled by the Missing-Nin's sword instead of her. Using the Forbidden Ninja Art of Creation Rebirth and promptly beating the shit out of Zabuza as the stab wound closed. The senbon that pierced a pressure point on his neck as the Kiri Hunter-Nin took him away. If he wasn't mistaken that was a specified pressure point that put one into an induced coma. Even he didn't like to mess with that particular point.
Looking around at his surroundings again, Naruto came to the conclusion that he wasn't dead. No doubt the Pure World looked different than this, as he wasn't particularly one to just arbitrarily stare at the moon. Working under moonlight, however, was one of the best feelings in the… oh holy shit.
"You aren't dead, Naruto-kun." Kokuō explained. "Rather, we are within you."
If his research on jinchūriki was any good, then that would mean they were within his mind. An odd thought, given that once sealed into a human, the Bijuu and their jinchūriki become connected at the spiritual level. Even if he were to undo the seal used, which was child's play thanks to the perverted Toad Sage, he and Kokuō would remain inseparable. He would be able to draw on her chakra and she would still 'die' if and when he did.
"Well that's good news at least." he nodded sagely. "Means I can work on healing the citizens of the Wave when I wake up and then work on analysing that poison I liberated from the Demon Brothers."
"Are you crazy?" the Bijuu paused and eyed her twin soul. "Look who I'm talking to. Of course you are."
"The hell is that supposed to mean?"
Kokuō looked to the blonde incredulously. "You jumped in front of a massive sword to save someone when you could've undoubtedly just pushed her out of the way. You aren't some clanless nobody, and without a doubt people would've been devastated if you died."
"But I didn't die." Naruto shot back.
In reality, it was virtually impossible for Naruto to die in combat due to the two Forbidden Medical Ninjutsu passed down to him from his mother. The Forbidden Ninja Art of Creation Rebirth is a jutsu that released insane amounts of chakra from the Strength of a Hundred seal on the user's forehead in order to heal virtually an internal and external wounds. It's because of this release of chakra that the body's cell division is stimulated to the extreme. Unfortunately, it didn't heal damaged cells. Rather, it created new cells at such a rate that it didn't matter, thus resulting in the instantaneous healing. The only drawback is that the user's lifespan is shortened every time they use the technique.
On the other hand, the Ninja Art Creation Rebirth - Strength of a Hundred is a forbidden technique that healed instantly via accelerated cellular division, granted the user still has chakra left to use. Destroyed organs could even be repaired before one's very eyes. Theoretically, the user could be bisected and as long as they were still breathing, they could reattach the halves of their body. The healing power can also be passed onto another through direct physical contact. So long as the jutsu is active, the user cannot die. So unless he grew to Uchiha levels of arrogance, or someone got a really lucky or well placed shot off on him, he was a 'Combat Immortal'.
"That's not the point, Naruto-kun. It's the principle of the matter."
Naruto sighed. "I saved her and I still had enough time and breath to perform the Creation Rebirth. That's all that matters."
"You were being a martyr." Kokuō seethed.
Naruto scoffed at the ridiculous notion. "I would never martyr myself just for some fangirl to make feeble attempts to fuck the object of her obsession. Her ambition is pathetic. Besides, I haven't even started learning Senjutsu yet, so it's not like I'm just going to let myself get killed."
'Oh great,' he thought sourly. 'Now I sound like that fucking Uchiha.'
"Do you dare change the subject, Naruto Senju."
He looked at the overreacting Bijuu. "What's wrong with you, Kokuō-chan?"
Normally, he had a tendency to be the unreasonable one of the pair. Usually, she was the voice of reason. Despite being highly intelligent, Naruto had moments where he was ruled by his emotions, or by a sudden aloofness.
"You. Could. Have. Died!" the Bijuu roared angrily.
Naruto's facial expression changed to that of confusion, but he didn't say anything more than a mumbled apology. It wasn't like she would die if he did. If anything, it could be considered a brief hiatus from the world. The Bijuu are creatures that are made of chakra; they are literally living, breathing chakra. Chakra is energy, the energy that is within and surrounds all things. Energy cannot be created or destroyed - unless one was the Rikudō Sennin - but instead, it is only transferred. Death to a Bijuu is to be dispersed until their chakra is capable of reforming in a different area at a different time. That time could be anywhere from a year to a century.
In short: Kokuō and her eight siblings were perfect immortals.
"Just don't do it again, Naruto-kun." she sighed tiredly. "I actually like you."
Kokuō, unlike a majority of her siblings, didn't particularly mind being tied to a jinchūriki. It sure beat the hell out of being bored all day. Even if she was a pacifist. On that note, a thought came to Naruto.
"Say, Kokuō-chan. Do you have a human form?"
Kokuō gave him a droll stare. "No, Naruto-kun. I'm just a being of infinite chakra that can level entire mountain ranges with a sudden movement of the tip of one of my tails. As such, I cannot imagine that I would have something so miniscule as a 'human form'."
"You're in a sassy mood today." Naruto stated dryly. "A very shouty and sassy mood."
"Be glad it's sassy and not slappy." she said as she flashed the horns on her head. "Or stabby."
Naruto shuddered and willed himself to wake with that horrifying thought. Compared to her, he was an ant. Getting impaled by one of her horns would more than likely mess him up that neither of his forbidden techniques would be able to help him.
'Some pacifist you are,'
Naruto opened his eyes and merely laid on a rather comfortable mattress. His body was sore. Then again, he did take a sword to the chest. Nigh immortal or not, he was not doing that again anytime soon. Immediately, he became aware of the other chakra signature in the plain room he was in. It was small, but had potential. He sat up slowly, looking upon a shock of pink hair and viridescent eyes.
"Sakura?" he rasped.
She looked...conflicted for reasons Naruto couldn't fathom. "H-How are you feeling, N-Naruto?"
He shrugged. "Sore."
She cracked a faint smile, but it faded almost as fast as it appeared. The conflict rose once again in her eyes, almost as if she didn't know if she wanted to do whatever it was she planned.
"Did Kakashi-sensei start us doing any training?" Naruto asked.
"He had us start tree-walking,"
Naruto rolled his eyes. Why in the middle of a C-rank turned B-rank mission when they didn't know if another threat was going to jump out of the woodwork?
"Alright," he started to get up.
"Why?"
Naruto paused and looked at the girl. He didn't say anything. She could be asking why he relieved the Demon Brothers of their arms then killed them. She could be asking why he was getting up so soon after being injured. She could be asking why he took the blade for her.
"Why what?" he finally asked.
Sakura suddenly found her shinobi sandals highly interesting as she fidgeted with the hem of her qipao. Her voice was very quiet. "W-Why did you sacrifice yourself for me?"
He sighed. "Because I didn't think you'd be able to get out of the way in time. Sasuke probably didn't even see it coming. I didn't think Kakashi-sensei would get there fast enough either, not that I think he wouldn't have been fast enough. Besides, I figured that I could heal off whatever was done to me… provided I wasn't decapitated, that is."
"I… t-thank you, Naruto." she whispered. "H-How did you move so fast?"
Naruto stretched as he stood and held his right arm out, heating his chakra and allowing the steam to rise from his palm. "Some of it is my natural speed. Some of it is my kekkei genkai, the Boil Release. Basically, it allows me to superheat my chakra to the boiling point and it gives me a massive boost of strength and speed."
Sakura raised a brow, the bookworm within rousing excitedly. "I've never heard of that kekkei genkai. Can... can you tell me about it, please?"
"It's a nature transformation kekkei genkai, which means I have the two nature affinities that make the nature transformation, and my body mixes them to get the desired result. Its a mix of Fire Release and Water Release chakra natures."
"Wow," Sakura breathed. "So do you know any water or fire release jutsu?"
Naruto shook his head. "No, I've been focusing on trying to match my Kaa-chan and Nee-chan in Medical Ninjutsu. I'm good, but I'm obviously not even close to their levels. But I do plan to learn."
"Oh," Sakura once again looked like she was part of a heavy internal debate, but after a few minutes she steeled herself and took a steadying breath. "I'm sorry that I was mean to you, Naruto. I-I know that it might not be enough, but -"
"The past is in the past. We're teammates." though he really didn't want to be, but hey, whatever. "If you need help training or anything just know I'm here to help."
The pinkette smiled brightly and nodded. Rising from her place, clearly proud of how everything turned out, she left and soon Kakashi came into the room. Naruto looked up at the one-eyed Jonin. He grinned, hoping that the fact that he possessed the Sharingan was severely screwing with the Uchiha mentally.
"Yo, sensei."
"How are you feeling, my cute little genin?" he gave his patented eye smile. "I'm glad to see you up."
"Thanks. I'm a little sore, but I'll live."
There was growling at the edge of his consciousness. No doubt Ko-chan still wasn't over his decision to take the blade for the girl. Though if she told him what the actual issue was, then they could work on it and move past it.
"I would hope so. I could only imagine what Tsunade-sama what do to me if her one and only son died under my care." the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
Naruto chuckled. "Then we might want to leave me getting stabbed out of the mission report. Hell, if I died, she might have resurrected me just to kill me herself."
His mother could be quite ridiculous at times, but he loved her.
"Do you know where the hospital is, by any chance. Might as well get acquainted before I start working on analysing the Demon Brothers' weapons and poison."
Kakashi shook his head no, but suggested that he ask the bridge builder's daughter. When Naruto asked about training, Kakashi said that he'd be happy to teach the boy a few water release and fire release techniques, especially since he'd already mastered tree and water walking. After a short conversation about his affinities and his kekkei genkai they left the room. Something the Jonin learned about one of his genin was that his favorite jutsu revolves around poison; though he probably shouldn't have been as surprised as he was, given his introduction. Unlike his sister, he could produce numerous venoms via the jutsu whereas hers were all fatal.
Together, Naruto and Kakashi left the room and made their way into the kitchen. In the kitchen was a woman with blue hair and delicate features. By Kami, she was gorgeous. In fact, he was in the Pure World as stared into her ethereal eyes. Then he heard a voice. Inari, the son of the heavenly woman standing before him with a smile, thought it his place to alert Team Seven of the futility their mission against Gato. Naruto was instantly annoyed. This wasn't the first time he'd heard the boy yell. In fact, while he was in and out of consciousness, he heard the initial tirade and learned that his name was Inari.
He walked up to the boy and knelt before him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Listen. We are not heroes. We're shinobi; healers and killers that promised we would protect your grandfather."
Once again prophesying the imminent demise of Team Seven at the hands of Gato after insulting the blonde, Inari quit the room in a rather rude fashion. His mother called after him, but then turned and apologized to the Konoha shinobi. Kakashi waved her away and gestured to Naruto.
"This is Naruto Senju." he introduced as the blonde bowed respectfully to the mother. "And he wanted to know if you could show him to the hospital."
She smiled kindly. "I'd be glad to. Are you a medic?"
"Yep," he smiled with obvious pride.
For the next two weeks, Team Seven had been very busy. Sakura and Sasuke worked on mastering their tree walking skills while guarding Tazuna in shifts. Due to her small chakra reserves, the pinkette mastered it with little to no effort on her half, much to the ire of her dark haired teammate. If not in the Wave Hospital, performing operations and teaching the nurses or guarding the bridge builder when it was his turn, he was training with Kakashi. Between sparring and Ninjutsu, he was able to fine tune his particular style of combat. Usually, that boiled down to move fast and deal a lot of damage. He'd been sloppy in his fight with Zabuza; in truth, he was mainly accustomed to fighting untrained bandits, or disgraced samurai.
The citizens of the Wave all knew him by name, and no matter how much the insisted that they didn't refer to him with any kind of honorific, the older civilians referred to him the -sama honorific. It irritated him, but due to his dream, he figured that he should just get used to it. His uncles and mother were referred to as -sama. When not guarding Tazuna at the bridge, helping at the hospital, or training with Kakashi and his team, he would help Tsunami around the house. The woman was a pleasure to be around and they got to know each other better than Naruto would have expected. The day before he met Haku, a rather beautiful woman that claimed to be a man, Inari had once again taken up his hobby of preaching about how inevitable Team Seven's defeat was.
Having had enough, Naruto stood in front of the boy and gave him a kunai that he personally infused with poison. A poison so deadly that the smallest scratch was guaranteed to put even the strongest of shinobi down. Naturally, he gave Tsunami three vials of the antidote.
"Gato is a little man that hides behind money." the Senju had told the boy. "He has no true power. And if we don't kill him, you can stab me with that kunai. I don't think even I could survive that."
A half lie, given the fact that he was immune to any poison he created. Something he personally saw to. But the poison on that sheathed kunai destroyed the body at the molecular level. After delivering his promise, he left to 'meditate'. Needless to say, Kokuo was highly upset with the promise he made to the boy, as she thought he was once again playing the part of a martyr. Naruto knew that he wasn't as he fully intended to kill the little man for what he'd done to the Land of Waves. It was disgusting. Hell, he couldn't even count the number of thugs and bandits he'd put down while walking around.
That night, he'd inadvertently said out through the night. He was analysing the poison within the gauntlets of the Demon Brothers and even managed to find that the chains were made of chakra metal. He was going to have a little too much fun for hours to come.
When he opened his eyes, he was face to face with a woman that was almost as beautiful as Tsunami, with expressive brown eyes and dark hair that fell to her shoulders and framed her fair face. In her arms was a basket, but he could also see the faint glint of metal within the weaving of the basket. A senbon?
"You shouldn't sleep out here," she smiled. "You'll catch a cold."
Naruto sat up and smiled. "It'll take a lot more than a cold to keep me down."
'Like a sword to the chest,' he thought, chuckling at his own macabre humor.
Kokuo rolled her eyes and went to sleep. Naruto and Haku continued to conversed as he helped her gather herbs for her injured friend. Naruto liked her; she was kind, but blunt. Her eyes, while very expressive, held a deep sadness to them. It reminded him of his mother in a way. When he got back to Konoha, he was going to take her and his sister out. Just the three of them. After Haku left, he went back to Tazuna's house where he was met by a worried Tsunami and Kakashi. Surprisingly, Sakura was also worried about where he'd been. Weird, after there little talk, he and Sakura had become closer. Of course, she still obsessed over Sasuke, and Naruto still more than happily ignored it.
He had the feeling, though, that tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day.