Chapter 28: After the Exam
The five made their way back to Tsunade's office and told the three Kages what happened. Naruto and Vin were escorted to the hospital, there by forcing Naruto to miss all the parties and celebration over his accomplishments.
Vin was out of the hospital by nightfall and was able to celebrate with his team. The Grave ninjas were with Ibiki telling all they knew. They were only there for their own protection, depending on if Gaze would decide to come back and kill them.
Naruto was sitting on his hospital bed hating every moment he was there. Tsunade had told him that he would be let out once the stab wound was gone because by the time it was gone, any other remaining injuries would be minor enough.
Medic ninja had already gone as far as they could with the wound, all that was left was about a week. 'A whole damn week! This isn't fair! Everyone else is out having fun. Partying at the end of the exams. I got second place and I'm stuck here alone,' Naruto thought fiercely.
There was a knock on the door that shook Naruto from his sulking. He called for the visitor to come in and was slightly surprised to see Sakura and Sasuke walk in.
"Hey, what are you two doing here?" Naruto asked.
"We're here to congratulate you on being the last of our class to make it to chuunin," Sasuke said with a grin as he sat down.
"Yeah, I bet I made it farthest in the tournament though," Naruto said.
"No, Lee won his," Sakura said.
Naruto was a little shaken by the quickness of the statement, but not by the statement itself, Lee is the type who would win.
"So, how long you in here for?" Sasuke asked looking around the room.
"A week at best," Naruto said sulking again.
"Yeah, well once you're out you'll start getting high ranked missions so…" Sasuke said.
"I've already had A rank missions. All that's above that is S, and I won't get one until I'm a jounin," Naruto said.
"What was the big deal with the Grave ninjas? I heard some rumors about a prevented attack," Sakura said.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, they decided to turn against the plans," Naruto said.
"Really, of their own accord?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Seems like it. They even attacked and injured their team leader," Naruto said.
"But that wouldn't stop another village from attacking," Sakura said,
"No, it was the Alliance that would attack. They were Kids," Naruto said.
"What? But the Kids were supposed to be in their late teens, not early!" Sakura said.
"They had a weird henge," Naruto said thinking back.
The three sat in silence for a while, none knowing what to say. Finally Sasuke spoke up, "So does he know yet?" he asked.
"Huh? Who?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah," Sakura said looking at Naruto and smiling, "he knows."
"Who, me? What do I know?" Naruto asked.
"Nothing apparently," Sasuke said standing up, "I'll leave you to fill him in," Sasuke said to Sakura. As he reached to door he turned back to Naruto, "After today, maybe you'll finally be able to beat me," he said then left.
"Hmpf. I probably would've beaten him at any point over the past month if Kakashi-sensei hadn't kept restricting what I cold do," Naruto said.
Sakura didn't say anything, she was just happy that Naruto was okay and with her. Naruto looked at Sakura and smiled, she returned it, "I know what you're thinking," she said.
"Really? What?" Naruto asked grinning.
"You want me to speed up the healing of the stab wound," Sakura said.
Naruto's grin vanished, "Wow, you're right," he said stunned.
"I've known you practically my whole life. Of course I'd now something like that. But I can't do it," Sakura said.
"Please, Granny didn't give me a time frame, just by the time it's healed," Naruto said.
"No Naruto, I physically can't. as far as it was healed is as far as anyone can get it. It was a bad cut, and with all you did once you had it, it only got worse. Tsunade-sensei might be the only one that can do anything, and you know she won't," Sakura said.
Naruto started sulking and Sakura smiled, he was always so easy to predict.
x-X-x
Jiraiya knocked and entered Tsunade's office. He walked up to her desk and she offered him a chair on the other side. The mere face that there was a chair to sit in meant something was up.
"You wanted to see me?" Jiraiya asked as he sat down.
"I just got the full reports the Grave ninjas gave," Tsunade said tossing a file to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya didn't touch it, "what's the damage?" he asked.
"Well, it confirms the basic structure of the Alliance. We also got name to go with all the members. Plus we got word on their eventual plans, what they want to do once they get all the bloodline limits," Tsunade said.
"They are?" Jiraiya asked.
"Written in the reports. I haven't fully read them yet, so I don't know myself. That copy is yours by the way," Tsunade said gesturing the file she previously tossed to him.
"Why do I get my own copy?" Jiraiya asked taking the file.
"It concerns you mission," Tsunade said leaning back in her chair.
"Really? Am I to infiltrate the Alliance or something?" Jiraiya asked sarcastically.
"No, you're going to get information on them. Confirm all you can from this, and anything more you can find," Tsunade said.
"You don't trust it?" Jiraiya asked thumbing through the documents.
"Not entirely. These three seemed to fall into our laps a bit too perfectly. They could be completely legit, but it could all be a deeper plan," Tsunade said.
"And you'd rather be safe knowing, then left hoping," Jiraiya said.
"Right. You, of course, have a choice of who goes with you. You'd be the team leader and deciding when to get home. Try to make it a minimal number of years, just in case," Tsunade said.
"No contact at all, even in emergencies. Strange how familiar that sounds," Jiraiya said with a chuckle.
"Any idea on who to take? I'd like a finalized list in two days," Tsunade said.
"No trouble, I can list the whole team for you now. Me and Naruto," Jiraiya said closing the file.
"No one else? The last time must've been real fun to want to do it again," Tsunade said with a smile.
"I can't do it alone. I've learned that last time, and I know I can count on him. plus I could probably help him with his control, I noticed it's slipped a bit since he died," Jiraiya said.
Tsunade nodded, "you can tell him tomorrow, till then jut read the file and I'll do the same. You'll be able to leave once he's released," she said.
Jiraiya stood up, "right, I'll let him know tomorrow," he said before turning to leave.
"One more thing Jiraiya, only you and me are to know what this is. I don't want the Grave ninjas thinking we don't trust them. To anyone else, it's for Naruto to gain his control back. Don't even tell Naruto the truth until after you leave," Tsunade said.
Jiraiya nodded again and left. He left the tower and headed home. As he walked he passed few people, even fewer were ninja. One made themselves known, "oh, Jiraiya-sama!" the ninja yelled.
Jiraiya tuned to see a chuunin standing before him, "Yes?" Jiraiya asked.
"I've been wondering and meaning to ask, when will you pick a new sennin?" the chuunin asked.
Jiraiya was taken aback by the question, not expecting anything remotely near it, "What are you talking about?" Jiraiya asked.
"Well, Orochimaru is dead isn't he? That means there are only two sennin left. When are you going to pick a replacement third?" the chuunin asked.
"We won't. sennin are picked in threes. They hold the title till death, and are very rare, when a three man team survives into adulthood together and all reach Kage level. If there's no current sennin they get the title, even if one becomes Hokage," Jiraiya said.
"Oh, I though it was always the three best, aside form Hokage," the chuunin said.
"No, I believe I'm only in the second set of sennin since the Leaf was founded," Jiraiya said.
"Oh, cause I… I was kinda hoping," the chuunin said.
"Sorry, but it's up to the elders anyway," Jiraiya said before walking away, 'what the hell is up with that guy? Asking that question, thinking he'd be in the running… if it were the three best then ANBU would get it before him…'
x-X-x
The next day Jiraiya went to tell Naruto what's going to happen. He walked into the room to see Naruto tossing a ball into the air and catching it.
"Where'd you get that?" Jiraiya asked closing the door.
Naruto looked at him and sat up, ceasing his tossing of the ball, "Sakura. She said it could help pass the time faster," Naruto said.
Jiraiya nodded, "Well, firstly, good job in the exams," Jiraiya said.
Naruto smiled, "thanks."
"Tsunade has a mission for you once you get out of here," Jiraiya said sitting down.
"Really? What is it? What am I going to be doing?" Naruto asked leaning towards Jiraiya.
"Training," Jiraiya said.
Naruto flopped back into the bed, "training? That's not a mission," he wined.
"Yes and no. Your control isn't quite perfect anymore and she wants it back to normal before you get any real missions. You and me are going to leave as soon as you get out," Jiraiya said.
"Leave? Why do we have to leave?" Naruto asked sitting up again.
"There are a few errands Tsunade wants me to take care of and I'm going to do both the errands and training you at the same time," Jiraiya said.
"How long will this take?" Naruto asked.
"The training should be a few months, but the errands could take into the years," Jiraiya said.
"Years! You want me to leave for years again? I just got back!" Naruto yelled.
Jiraiya looked at him a moment, "how about this, once you finish the training the first chance we get, I'll drop you off here. I can't say a chance will come, but it's always a possibility," Jiraiya said.
Naruto crossed his arms, 'not much of a compromise. But I don't have a choice either way, it's a mission,' Naruto thought. "I don't really have a choice do I?" he asked.
"No, not really. Tsunade said it should be three or four more days till you're out," Jiraiya said standing up, "Don't do anything to make it longer, your training may be able to be postponed, but the errands can't." Naruto nodded and Jiraiya left.
x-X-x
Two days later and Naruto was much better. He'd be released tomorrow, and leave for the mission day after that. The only problem is that he hadn't told Sakura yet. She'd been to see him everyday, and spent a lot of time there, but he just couldn't bring himself to say anything. But with two days until he left, he knew his time to stall had run out.
Sakura was busy fixing up the room when Naruto finally decided o tell her, "Sakura, I have to tell you something," Naruto said.
Sakura spun around to look at him, her face instantly changed to one of concern, "Naruto, what's wrong?" she asked slowly walking to the chair beside him.
Naruto waited for her to sit down before continuing, "I got a mission," he said.
"What? But you're still in the hospital," Sakura said standing up.
"No, we don't leave until the day after I'm out. but I'll be gone a while," Naruto said.
"How long of a while? Who else? What are you going to do?" Sakura asked as she sat back down.
"Perv Sennins going with me. We're going to be training and running some errands for Granny, and I could be gone anywhere from a few months to a few years," Naruto said.
"A few year? For training?" Sakura asked.
"And the errands. I don't know what they are, but if I finish my training and we get close by, Perv Sennin said he'd drop me off here and keep going," Naruto said, from the time he stated to tell her he'd avoided Sakura's eyes, and now was no different.
"What training?" Sakura asked.
"Control. It's still bad, and Granny wants it back to normal before I get any other missions," Naruto said.
Sakura sighed, "My first mission as a chuunin sucked, but it wasn't that bad," She said.
Naruto nodded, "Everything seems to happen to me," he said downcast.
Sakura grabbed him in a hug, "and you always overcome it," she said.
x-X-x
Two days later and Jiraiya, Naruto and Sakura were standing at the gates of Konoha.
"Good bye Sakura, I'll be sure to get back as soon as I can," Naruto said as he hugged her.
"Just don't get hurt while you're gone, please," Sakura said.
Naruto kissed her, "I promise," he said.
The two stayed together for a moment then pulled apart, Naruto heading off with Jiraiya, and Sakura standing there watching them go. After they were out of view of Konoha Jiraiya started talking.
"Naruto, I lied to you back there," Jiraiya said.
Naruto's head snapped to look at Jiraiya, "what do you mean you lied?" he yelled.
"There's only one errand, and your mission is to help complete it. We're gathering information again," Jiraiya said.
Naruto looked at the ground in front of him, "why didn't you say that back there, now I lied to Sakura," Naruto said.
"No, you misinformed her with misinformation. Not your fault. And why I didn't tell you is because it's a secret mission. Only us two and Tsunade know about it," Jiraiya said.
Naruto looked at Jiraiya, "what kind of information is this?" Naruto asked.
"Before I tell you that, have you ever heard the tale of the first shinobi?" Jiraiya asked.
"No, what about him?" Naruto asked.
"Not him, them. Whether it's true or not is disputed, but the story is unaffected either way," Jiraiya said.
"What does this have to do with anything?" Naruto asked.
"The documents on this mission remind me of them. Would you like to hear the story?" Jiraiya asked.
"Okay, we got awhile don't we?" Naruto asked.
x-X-x
AN: alright this ends the Chuunin Exams arc and part two, part one was identical to the manga and anime. I will now do like the series did and tell the tales of some stuff. I have one I'm gunna tell, but if you would like me to do any others, send me word, if I can do it, I will. So any back stories you'd like to know let me know, and if I can, or don't mind revealing it now, I'll do it, plus I'll mention who suggested it when I start it.