Chapter 68: Home Again
"What the hell are you doing here?" Grim asked upon seeing the two.
"I live here, remember?" Naruto asked still grinning.
"I know, but you're not due back for a few more days," Grim said, his eyes on Elvo.
"We made good time while traveling, nothing more than that," Elvo said.
"No matter what the reason, Tsunade'll want to see you," Grim said.
"She picked it back up when Nomad died?" Naruto asked.
Grim's eyes shot to Naruto, "how'd you know he died?" he asked.
"The watcher joined us. He filled us in," Elvo said.
"Watcher?" Grim asked completely confused.
"I'll explain when unwanted ears are not present, and your comrades are," Elvo said.
"They're on a mission, hunting down Nomad's killer," Grim said.
"Sasuke… why did you stay?" Naruto asked.
"I'm least likely to be targeted, Sasuke knows I can beat him. And one of us needed to stay here to keep an eye on things," Grim said.
"Then let's go to the Hokage. How much of my true reasoning have you told her?" Elvo asked.
"None. We didn't know what you wanted her to know, so we decided to leave it up to you," Grim said and Elvo nodded.
"It is not necessary for you to join us Naruto, but if anyone asks, you know what to tell them," Elvo said.
"The truth, I was training and have no idea when I'm getting another mission or leaving again," Naruto said with a straight face.
"Right," Elvo said nodding and Naruto ran off.
"Does he know?" Grim asked once Naruto was gone.
"About why I took him, yes. If he succeeded, no. He truly has no idea when he'll next be leaving," Elvo said.
"Did he make it?" Grim asked.
x-X-x
Naruto was running to the hospital. Either Sakura was still hurt and was staying there, or she was working there. When Naruto reached the hospital and asked the nurse at the desk he found neither to be true. Cursing to himself he ran off again, this time to Sakura's house, hoping to find her there. When he got there he knocked on the door.
"Yes? What is it?" Sakura's mom asked opening the door and looking at Naruto.
"Hi, is Sakura home?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"No, she doesn't live here anymore," Sakura's mom said.
"What? Why'd she move out? And when?" Naruto asked.
"Hokage's orders, and I don't know where she moved to," Sakura's mom said.
Naruto sighed; thanked Sakura's mother and left. He started running all over the village, looking for anywhere Sakura could've been. He checked all the restaurants she liked, even all the training grounds. Naruto had been looking for nearly three hours. He knew Elvo would want to talk to him again soon. His feet carried him to the Hokage monument where he had spent so much time thinking. When Naruto realized where he was going he decided to at least check it out and see if she was there.
As he ascended the last few steps he saw that there was someone else up there, and as he got closer he smiled widely. Slowly he walked up behind Sakura and was about to grab her in a hug when she spoke.
"What is it Shikamaru?" Sakura asked.
Naruto froze in his tracks, "Why would you be expecting him?" he asked.
On hearing his voice Sakura spun around wide eyed and grabbed him in a hug. "Oh Naruto! Tsunade-sensei said it would be a few more days, I was so worried when Sasuke said he was after you," Sakura said.
"And I was worried when I heard you were hurt," Naruto said in her ear.
The two stayed like that for a long while, neither saying a thing. Finally they broke apart and sat on the fourth's head, watching the sun set on the village.
"How are you, I know you were attacked awhile ago," Naruto said.
"I'm fine, but Tsunade-sensei won't let me go on any mission yet. How'd you hear about it?" Sakura asked.
"One of the guys who trained me told me about it, and about Ivike," Naruto said.
"Yeah, Tsunade-sensei has taken the Hokage position again, until whoever Nomad-sama has designated is ready," Sakura said.
"Do you know who it is?" Naruto asked.
"No, only the terrors and Tsunade-sensei know who Nomad-sama chose," Sakura said.
"Why did he go after you?" Naruto asked after a long pause.
"To get to you, this is all to get to you. I think he might even be coming back here soon, he knows when you're supposed to get back," Sakura said.
"I hope I'm still here when he does so I can beat some sense into him," Naruto said.
"What do you mean still here?" Sakura asked looking at Naruto.
"I hope I'm not out on a mission," Naruto said not looking at Sakura.
"You know something… you're leaving again aren't you?" Sakura asked, her voice on the verge of anger.
"I don't know, I honestly don't," Naruto said looking down, "but if I do, I have just over a week until I do, unless I stay and get a normal mission before that," he said, his eyes still on the floor.
"Why does everyone always take you away?" Sakura asked grabbing Naruto in a hug.
"Because I'm lucky…" Naruto said quietly.
"Too lucky I'd say," a voice said behind them.
They two broke apart and turned to see Shikamaru standing there, "So that's why you thought I was him," Naruto said glancing at Sakura.
"He's the one who always comes up here to get me when Tsunade-sensei wants to see me," Sakura said shrugging slightly.
"Now I'm here to get Naruto, and this one seems urgent," Shikamaru said lazily.
"Thanks, I'll be right there," Naruto said and Shikamaru nodded and vanished in a puff of smoke. "Wanna come?" Naruto asked Sakura as they stood up.
"Would I be allowed to?" Sakura asked.
"Don't see why not. And if you can't, I'll meet you afterwards at you're new place," Naruto said.
Sakura recoiled a bit in shock, "how'd you know about that, and how do you know where it is?" Sakura asked.
"You're mom told me about it when I looked at her house for you, and Tsunade'll tell me after the meeting, if you can't stay," Naruto said grinning.
Sakura just smiled at him. Then Naruto started walking to the edge of the fourths face, to the edge of the cliff. "Naruto, be careful, you'll die if you fall," She said as Naruto got closer to the edge.
"I'll be fine," Naruto said stopping and turning around.
"The fall's to big and it's really hard to get your feet the grab the wall as you fall," Sakura said.
"I'll be fine," Naruto said again, a grin on his face. He reached his hand out to Sakura, "Come on, the sooner we get there, the sooner we get out," he said.
"Naruto, even with my control my feet won't grab," Sakura said unmoving.
"Trust me, we'll be fine, I promise," Naruto said his grin fading slightly.
It was those words that made Sakura walk to him, his promise that they'd be fine. He never broke a promise, even when he was dead. And when Sasuke attacked, he wasn't there, but Sage was, and it was Naruto who brought the terrors to Konoha, it was still him saving her.
Sakura took Naruto's hand and stepped next to him. Naruto swung her up and held her in his arms, his left under her knees and his right at her back. Sakura put her arms around his neck, joining the hands together at the back of his neck.
"We'll be fine just hold on," Naruto said quietly. Sakura nodded and tightened her grip before Naruto jumped over the edge of the cliff.
The two plummeted towards the earth. The feeling was exhilarating, the rush of the wind, the pressure of gravity against their bodies. Naruto had a big grin on his face, fully enjoying the experience. Sakura was getting more and more terrified as the ground closed in, Naruto wasn't even trying to get closer to the wall to grab it with his feet; he was planning on landing this fall. Sakura closed her eyes and buried her head in Naruto's chest, overcome with the fear of it all.
Naruto felt Sakura burry her head in his chest and his smile vanished. 'damnit! I scared her. I should've known this would scare her,' Naruto thought as he pulled his feet under him, legs slightly bent, ready to take the impact. He landed on the ground somewhat hard but Sakura didn't seem to notice that they had stopped falling.
"Sakura, we're done falling, sorry it scared you," Naruto said.
Sakura opened her eyes and saw Naruto looking at her, a somber look on his face. Her eyes widened when she realized they were on the ground, "Naruto…"
"I thought you would like it, I'm sorry," Naruto said again.
"How, how did you land that? It's impossible," Sakura said looking around, still not entirely believing they were on the ground.
"I had some unusual training while I was gone. But I won't do that again if you don't want to, I should've asked instead of forced you," Naruto said, he was looking away from Sakura now, and she could tell he was feeling really bad about it.
"No, I was scared because you weren't trying to grab on with your feet, and I didn't think you would be able to land it…no one can land it…" Sakura said looking up at Naruto.
"Okay, I'll just let you know everything next time, I'll just listen to you next time," Naruto said pulling his left arm back so that Sakura's feet swung to the ground.
Once she was standing Naruto pulled his other arm away and Sakura let go of his neck. "It's not that Naruto…" Sakura said, but Naruto was still looking away, he started walking away too.
"I'll see you later…I won't come by tonight, if you don't want me to… I'm really sorry I scared you," Naruto said as he started walking away, Sakura could hear the sorrow in his voice.
"Naruto," Sakura said running up to him and grabbing his arm, "you didn't scare me. I didn't listen to you, you promised we'd be fine, and I didn't believe you, that's why I was scared, not because of you," she said looking him in the face.
"Really?" Naruto asked almost eagerly.
"Yes, now come on, we still have to see Tsunade-sensei," Sakura said as she started pulling Naruto towards Hokage tower. Naruto just smiled to himself and followed behind Sakura, soon beside her, his arm around her.
Naruto knocked on Tsunade's office door and entered when he received the call to do so, Sakura beside him. Elvo and Grim were the only ones in the room with Tsunade, Grim occupying one of the two seats, Elvo standing by the windows.
"Naruto, how kind of you to finally join us. And I see you've found Sakura," Tsunade said looking at the two.
"Is it okay if she stays for this," Naruto asked.
"I would advise against it. You may tell her later, but she doesn't know of past events, we would waste time bringing her up to speed," Elvo said.
Sakura nodded and turned to Naruto, "See you afterwards," she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek and walking out of the office.
Naruto just smiled as he watched her leave. Once she was gone he took the seat next to Grim and looked at Elvo, "So what's the news?" he asked.
"First, I have been informed of Elvo's reasoning behind taking you to train, as well as what happened and the results of it all," Tsunade said.
"You also know if I'm staying or not, right. All three of you know, and you're just stalling time before you have to tell me," Naruto said.
"You got here early, you should know the answer," Grim said.
"We left with a week to travel because it was a week's time away. We moved fast on the way back, that's why we're early. I don't know how far I got, Elvo wouldn't tell me," Naruto said.
"You have three extra days here, at least. You know that much and you know that on that third day I will be gone, as Chaos has already left," Elvo said.
"Yeah, but that's all I know," Naruto said sighing.
"That's because the decision isn't made yet. Chaos is asking those in the afterrealms and we must await the other terrors return here," Elvo said.
"What? Why? Why can't I know now?" Naruto asked.
"We have a hand in the decision apparently. Word has already been sent out to them, they should be back in time," Grim said.
"When, dusk on the third day?" Naruto asked.
"You know how things work, I have until sunrise on the fourth," Elvo said.
"What was the point of telling me all this? Why did you even bother to call me here?" Naruto asked.
"To get your reaction. This is a very complex situation Naruto, and we have many things to weigh," Elvo said.
"You always said it was based on my reaching full potential. You never said there was anything else to it. Why do you spring this on me now?" Naruto asked.
"Your potential was the only one you could directly control. And it was the first and most important part of all of this," Elvo said.
Naruto looked at Tsunade, "how long do I have here? How long do I have with her?" he asked.
"At least the three days. Neither of you will be given a mission until all this is settled," Tsunade said.
"Thanks," Naruto said standing up, "where's her new house, I heard you relocated her," Naruto said.
"Yes, incase Sasuke comes back," Tsunade said nodding.
"Who said you could leave?" Elvo asked.
"You did, when you said none of this was up to me. I'll come by when the other terrors show up to find out what your decision is," Naruto said looking at Elvo.
"Naruto you know who you're talking to," Grim said standing up.
"Yes, I do, and it doesn't scare me, if I'm not at full fighting him will get me there, then we'll be evenly matched," Naruto said.
"I'm immortal, you can't kill me," Elvo said.
"It didn't stop me last time. You remember it, I've only been told about it," Naruto said staring at Elvo.
"You really have more brains than you're given credit for. I've no doubt you remember what would happened if I die, and how that would be against everything I am, meaning I would be forced to flee from any sign of fighting you," Elvo said.
"Right, unless you get another, and I can see Chaos coming, and the other two can't get here," Naruto said.
"Naruto, do you really want to be threatening him?" Grim asked.
"I'm not threatening him. I'm letting him know that I understand what would happen if he tries to use force to stop me from leaving, and that I know there is no longer a reason for me to stay right now, aside form getting Sakura's address," Naruto said.
"Chaos seems to have left a mark on you," Elvo said calmly.
"No, I've just been kept away from Sakura too many times for too long and you're looking to do it again for a lifetime. I just want my last few days with her," Naruto said calmly.
"Here, it's her address," Tsunade said handing Naruto a piece of paper, "destroy it once you've gotten there or memorized it, we don't want it falling into the wrong hands," Tsunade said.
Naruto nodded taking the paper and walked out, stopping at the door when his name was called, "Enjoy these days kid, I don't want them to be your last, but part of me needs them to be. I'm sorry for all of this," Elvo said.
"Don't be. I made the choice to be a ninja, this is all part of the job, just an extension of it all," Naruto said before walking out the door and heading over to Sakura's.
He got there and began telling her everything, who Elvo was, what he was taken for, and what might happen in just over a week. She listened wide eyed to everything, almost not believing parts of it. When Naruto was done neither said anything, there was nothing to say, they just spent the rest of the night together in relative silence.
x-X-x
AN: I seem to have not mentioned the fact that after the first fight between Elvo and Naruto they moved to a new location, the place they fought was only temporary because Elvo had until sunrise. So it was really a week's journey away, not a night's journey. As for Naruto's percentage, it will be given when the decision on what will happen with him is made, which I plan on being next chapter.