DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Naruto" and am in no way associated with it's writers or producers.
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It was very hot and humid outside the very next day.
Naruto was out in the woods again, alone, practicing and training by himself.
He began running as fast as he could up the side of a tree. Practicing his tree climbing again, Naruto raced himself upward a giant two-hundred foot tree in the forest, maintaining chakra control at his feet. "Hehehehehe heh-heh-heh-heh!" Naruto laughed with excitement and a bright smile. "I bet I can make it to the top in just 60 seconds." He challenged himself.
Racing with adrenaline and excitement, Naruto kept climbing as fast as he could, motivated by his love and desires, and remembering his love for Hinata.
Finally Naruto reached the top. With a great view of the entire forest, he began jumping around in excitement and victory, throwing his fists.
"Yeah! He-hehehehe! I did it!" he shouted.
From the branch he was standing on, Naruto walked out to the end and fell back, still focusing chakra to his feet to hang upside-down from the branch edge. He had a big smile with his eyes closed.
"Ha! I'd like to see someone try and beat that! I bet there's not another ninja who could….."
But all the sudden, Naruto heard a loud crash of thunder.
Shocked, Naruto's eyes shot open, as he noticed a big thunderstorm cloud out in the distance, despite the blue sky and bright sun above him.
"What the….!" Naruto gasped.
But the surprise made Naruto lose his concentration. He lost his footing and felt himself falling. "Woah! Oh NO!" Naruto's feet came off the branch and he frantically tried to grab it back with his hands. But it was too late.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Naruto screamed, falling in mid-air towards imminent doom back to earth.
Back in the Leaf Village, others in the street could see small dark clouds blowing over them. They could also see a small bit of the giant thunderstorm cloud, heading in their direction.
"Ah" Kakashi said. "Beautiful. Haven't seen a good storm here in quiet a while. 'Bout time."
He was standing back against a wooden fence looking at the sky with a smile underneath his mask. Unlike some people who were afraid of thunderstorms, Kakashi loved them. He loved getting to watch them and feel the wind and the rain. He began walking away.
Back out deep in the forest, Sakura was seen walking around and climbing trees.
She had a blissful smile and was walking and humming to herself. Thinking of romantic songs she knew, she danced around with her eyes closed, spinning around holding her face up to the heavens. Feeling the breeze pick up, she danced more. She gracefully leaped up to another tree branch. She pulled out another kunai blade, and knelt down to the treeside. Still humming and smiling, she carved a heart-shape into the tree, and slowly carved Naruto's name in it. Sakura was feeling great. Still holding the kunai, Sakura put her fingers to her teeth and began pulling out some ninja string.
That's when she heard what sounded like a strange crashing noise, not far from her out in the forest. Sakura turned her head and gasped, looking thru the trees to see if she could see something. Sakura seemed worried.
At the Hyuga family home, Neji and Hinata had just finished a training session and eating lunch. They were standing outside in the backyard surrounded by the rest of the home's walls. Both of them were looking up into the sky, watching the bright blue sky and the small back clouds blowing, feeling the fast winds in their hair.
Hinata didn't want to tell anyone about the confrontation with Sakura yesterday…..…not even Naruto. She just hoped they could let it pass. Afterall, she did seem to make Sakura feel better after letting her let her anger out. She had even seen Sakura earlier today: Sakura had greeted her friendly and she was smiling like new. Everything seemed to be a thing of the past.
"The actual storm isn't far now." Neji said looking up into the sky. "I think the village is in for a good hard pounding."
"I know" Hinata said with a smile. "It's still gonna be beautiful and fun to watch."
Neji looked over to her. That Hinata, he thought. She sure has a habit of looking on the bright side of things and trying to stay positive. I sure hope it's a good habit.
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Meanwhile, Sakura was still out in the forest, now running as fast as she could in order to get back to the village. She tried to outrun the storm coming in.
"I've got to hurry." She said to herself with a determined and worried face.
Later that same afternoon, Kakashi was visiting with Lady Tsunade in the Hokage's office. Kakashi was staring outside at the now completely overcast sky, full of dark grey and black clouds. The wind was still blowing fast, but the rain was still a long ways away.
"So how has your squad been holding out Kakashi?" Tsunade asked. "I know it's been pretty hard on Naruto and Sakura having Sasuke run out on them."
Kakashi sighed looking out the window thinking about them.
"Yeah. Ironically, Naruto and Sakura seemed to be holding out just fine though." Kakashi answered. He paused for a moment. "A little too fine."
Meanwhile out in the village, Hinata had gathered once again with her team Shino and Kiba. They had met up so they could sit outside and watch the storm together. It was only around 2:00 p.m. but the sky was still overcast with dark clouds and fast breezy winds. Little bits of thunder could be heard.
"Man, this is exciting!" Kiba yelled. "Why can't we get rain like this more often?"
"We don't need it." Shino told him. "You're talking about more than just rain you know. The fast winds, the dangerous lightning, once in a while even hail. Why would you want that all the time?"
"Ahhhhh! You just have to criticize my every opinion huh Shino!" Kiba yelled in aggravation.
Hinata just giggled listening to them.
"All I said was it should 'rain' more; not the other stuff." Kiba told him. Kiba's dog Akamaru was on his back and barked to him.
"I'm just saying" Shino said. "I enjoy storms as much as the next person, but I don't get that excited about them."
"Why not then?!" Kiba yelled.
"Yeah" Hinata got in. "I even enjoy them, just because of the rain and they're fun to watch."
"I'm glad at least someone agrees with me." Kiba jokingly said.
"Hmmph, if you say so." Shino replied.
"Oh come on you guys" Hinata smiled to them.
But their little ordeal was suddenly interrupted. On Kiba's back, Akamaru barked a couple times. Kiba turned around to him to see why he was barking, but then he noticed: someone frantically running towards them.
"Hinata!" she cried out.
Team 8 all three turned around at once in surprise to see Sakura, running and gasping for breath trying to get her attention.
Hinata gasped. "Sakura? Is everything okay?"
"No! It's not." Sakura replied, panting with a scared face. "I need your help right now Hinata. It's an emergency!"
"Huh?" Hinata said.
"Something's happened to Naruto! We were out in the forest, and I think he had a training accident. He's been seriously injured. We need to help him!" Sakura cried.
"Wh….what?!" Hinata gasped scared. "Na…..Naruto?"
"We'll help you Sakura" Shino spoke. "Let's go!"
"No, no!" Sakura stopped him. "I only need Hinata."
"What?" Kiba asked shocked. "Why?"
But Sakura just glanced back at Hinata. "Listen Hinata. You know a lot right now about medicine and medical healing right?"
"Uh…..um…..yes, a little bit." Hinata answered.
"I couldn't bring Naruto back here myself, and Lady Tsunade hasn't taught me nearly enough just yet." Sakura panted. "I need your expertise to Hinata! Naruto needs us both!"
"Oh no!" Hinata panicked.
"You really sure ya'll be okay by yourself out there?" Kiba said. "It is about to storm you know!"
"Yes." Hinata said to him. "We'll be fine. The rain might actually help even."
"We don't have much time" Sakura said. "We need to go."
"Alright then!" Hinata replied. She was extremely frightened, knowing that Naruto, her lover was actually in grave danger and needed her help badly. "Let's go!"
With that, Sakura and Hinata took off together out of the city and into the deep forest, leaving Shino and Kiba by themselves. They looked on as Hinata left. The wind blew even harder around them.
"That was strange." Shino replied.
"Yeah, you aren't kidding." Kiba told him.
Up in Tsunade's office, Kakashi began flashing back to the last couple of days. He recalled the day Naruto was in a hurry running and almost ran into him. He recalled a couple days ago when he sent Naruto on the mission with Sakura, Hinata and Rock Lee. He remembered how shocked he was when he found Naruto in the forest, just randomly excited and bursting with energy. Kakashi was happy for him, but still suspected something.
***FLASHBACK***
Kakashi greeted Naruto when he got back from the mission.
"So Naruto" Kakashi asked. "I assume the mission was success, right?"
"What? Of course it was. You bet!" Naruto answered with a bright smile and still excited.
"Good, I'm glad to here it." Kakashi said
Naruto looked at Kakashi for a second and paused. "Is there something else you needed Kakashi sensei?" Naruto curiously asked.
Kakashi paused for a second then answered. "Not at all Naruto. You're free to go."
Naruto was back on his way, to hang out and train with Hinata.
That's when Kakashi turned around, revealing his Sharingan eye. The whole time he was talking to Naruto, he'd cast a genjutsu on him, making Naruto believe Kakashi was still covering his Sharingan up like he always does. Kakashi used it to look into Naruto's mind. That's when he discovered the truth behind Naruto's energy: that Naruto and Hinata were together and had confessed they were in love with each other.
***END FLASHBACK***
Kakashi sighed, looking out into the storm over the village.
"You know, there's really nothing to worry about Kakashi." Tsunade spoke to him.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Kakashi said. "It's just amazing. I never really paid that much attention to how Naruto and Hinata felt for each other all this time. And to think, now that they're finally together and in love……… it seems everything is going so perfectly for them."
Tsunade curiously glared at Kakashi for a while. "What do you mean Kakashi?"
Kakashi just stood still, curiously looking out the window. "I'm not sure right now Tsunade."
Leaping thru and into the forest, Sakura and Hinata were racing as fast as they could. Hinata followed Sakura the whole way.
"Do you know exactly where he is out here?" Hinata panicked and looked at Sakura.
"Yes." Sakura replied. "He's not too far from here now."
Hinata just looked down with a worried face and they kept moving. "What exactly happened to him Sakura? I'm worried."
"Well" Sakura spoke up. "we were training. Naruto was practicing his tree climbing, and then he went up too high and fell."
"What?!" Hinata was surprised.
"I'm saying he lost his balance and concentration." Sakura kept saying "He was up way too high and apparently couldn't grab back on while he was falling."
Hinata still looked down. "That doesn't make sense." She said. "I mean…..I've watched Naruto climb trees a couple times days ago. I thought Naruto was very good at tree climbing."
"He is, Hinata" Sakura said. "But Naruto always gets distracted too easily sometimes. So apparently something caught his attention and caused him to fall. He was hurt so badly, I couldn't carry him back to the village all by myself."
Hinata shrieked, now scared even more for her Naruto. Sakura glanced over to her.
"Don't worry Hinata" Sakura said. "I'm just as scared and worried as you. But we'll be alright. Naruto's waiting for us both."
Just then, it finally started raining in the forest while they were still jumping. Sakura and Hinata began getting wet. Although the trees shielded them from most of the rain, they still got drenched, and the branches became slippery, forcing them to slow down and go cautiously. But despite it, Hinata kept going, knowing what had to be done.
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About five minutes later, Hinata and Sakura were still leaping thru the trees. Naruto was still a ways away. The thunder began picking up and it still rained lightly on them. Both Sakura and Hinata were running out of breath and they were jumping so fast.
Finally Sakura stopped on a tree branch, then Hinata stopped right beside her. They both breathed heavily.
"I'm sorry Hinata" Sakura spoke "that I didn't tell you it was gonna take us a while to get to him."
Hinata was about to let out a tear. "I can't believe Naruto has been out in the forest, all this time alone and hurt, with no one around to help him or heal him. His must be in so much pain right now."
"I know" Sakura said with a scared face as well. "But we'll make it. And so will Naruto." She reached behind her side, breathing heavily and pulled out a bottle of clear water. "Here, let's catch our breath back for a second."
Sakura handed Hinata the bottle. "Thank you." Hinata gasped out of breath. She opened and drank a big gulp of the water then handed it back to Sakura. Sakura took it to get a drink herself. Rather than drink the water, Sakura poured the water behind the side of her face where Hinata couldn't see it, and it blended in with the rain.
"Come on" Sakura said. Finally her and Hinata were back at it, leaping thru the trees towards Naruto.
In the Leaf village, Shino and Kiba were walking by themselves in the street. The rain hadn't reached the village yet, but it was still very windy and dark, and the rain could easily be smelled close by.
"I wonder" Shino spoke "should we have gone with them Kiba?"
"Nah, of course not!" Kiba replied. "Hinata's a smart and brave girl. She can handle helping Naruto."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Shino said. "Ever since her and Naruto finally confessed their feeling for each other, Hinata's confidence and strength seems to have increased tenfold. And she'll do anything for him now."
"She really will." Kiba said with a smile. "I just hope Naruto, will be okay. That knucklehead is always getting himself hurt and in trouble! Hinata doesn't………"
But before Kiba could finish, he got distracted. Akamaru suddenly began growling on his back. Kiba looked at him and Akamaru suddenly lifted his head and began barking outloud. Kiba was worried because he was barking so loud and not stopping.
"What?......what is it now boy?" Kiba asked.
Akamaru was looking out far in the distance and sniffing. Shino saw it to and suddenly stood still. Finally Kiba turned to where they were both looking. It caught his eye to.
"No…….. it can't be….." Shino whispered in shock.
"What?" Kiba whispered jaw-dropped. "Are you kidding me?"
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Out in the distant crowd, Naruto was walking by himself in the street. He was looking up in the sky with a smile and his hands in his pocket……walking just like normal: not a scratch or a bruise on him. He to was excited about the storm that was blowing and on it's way in. Feeling the fast wind in his face, listening to the soft thunder, made him feel even more hyped.
He turned and walked straight into the Ichiraku ramen bar and took a seat, spinning on the barstool.
"Naruto" the chef said with a smile. "'Bout time you came back. I didn't expect to see you here in this weather."
"I know, me neither." Naruto said smiling back. "I've been so busy training; I hadn't had anything to eat all day today!"
"Well, whatever you're gonna get, you better get it fast." the chef told him. "Once the storm finally gets here, we're closing the place down and shuttering the building up!"
"Hey, I don't mind." Naruto said. "Then let me just get the usual so we don't have to waste time. What better time to eat ramen than now huh?"
"Heh, if you say so" the chef said. Just seconds later, he put Naruto a nice bowl of ramen out in front of him. "Enjoy. I'm going back inside for a moment."
Naruto brought his silly smile on once he saw the ramen noodles. Happy and hungry, he finally dug his fork into the bowl. Lifting the fork with the noodles, he was ready to eat the first bite as Shino and Kiba suddenly appeared behind him.
"NARUTO!" Kiba yelled at him.
"Whaaaa!" Naruto screamed and jumped in shock. He fell off the stool from the surprise, dropping the fork full of noodles on him by accident.
"What? Kiba!" Naruto frantically turned around. "Did you have to yell my name like that! Look what just happened!" Naruto yelled in his face.
"I didn't mean to freak you out." Kiba yelled. 'But just what the heck are you doing here?!"
"What?!" Naruto yelled. "What am I doing here? Why, I can't eat ramen noodles in peace for you?!"
"We thought you were badly hurt Naruto." Shino finally spoke up. "Did something happen, or are you felling okay already?"
Naruto suddenly froze and looked at Shino in confusion.
"Huh? Me getting hurt…… what the heck are you guys talking about?" Naruto asked them.
In the forest it was still raining. Sakura and Hinata were leaping thru more trees, but then they finally slowed down. Sakura led Hinata to the ground and they started walking.
"He's this way!" Sakura told her.
Sakura led Hinata out into the middle of an area between two giant trees. There was a big hole in the ground in front of them.
"He's down in there Hinata." Sakura said looking at the hole.
"What?" Hinata gasped in shock. "You serious?"
Just then, Hinata could hear a moaning noise coming from the hole. Hinata and Sakura ran together to the edge of the hole. Hinata looked down and gasped with fear. There down at the bottom of the hole, Hinata saw Naruto lying down, not moving, clutching his arm and leg in pain.
"Na……Naruto!" Hinata cried to him. "I'm here."
Hinata immediately jumped down into the hole for him.
"Hurry Hinata" Sakura said. Still standing up at the ground looking down on Hinata.
Hinata knelt down so she could help 'Naruto'.
While in the hole, Hinata put her hand on 'Naruto's' face to comfort him. His painful moaning quietly and slowing started turning into giggling. Up above with her fake face and her eyes shaking, Sakura reached behind her back.
"Huh? Naruto?" Hinata whispered.
Suddenly 'Naruto' turned and looked at Hinata with a disturbing smile. He was still giggling, but his giggle started growing louder. "Naruto!" Hinata shouted to him wondering what's wrong.
Then before her eyes, 'Naruto' exploded…….. disappearing in a cloud of white smoke (a shadow clone created by Sakura).
Hinata shrieked outloud. She shook in complete shock and fear. "What?!............"
Hinata heard a sudden wisp. Up above, Sakura pulled out and threw a shuriken up in the air. Then a loud tick noise was heard. Hinata started hearing a loud rumbling noise from up above……and it wasn't the thunder!
A frightening lightning flash lit the forest. Hinata looked up and screamed as she saw several giant huge rocks and boulders falling from out of the tree, heading into the hole to crush her to death!
Hinata screamed out loud!
TO BE CONTINUED