Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor its characters!
"Konohamaru?"
Our favorite hero of the fourth great ninja war called out his apprentice from old days in a rather startled manner. Well, not to blame him for that since the kid always showed up in a dazzling image of a female beauty often wearing skimpy outfits, that is when not in two piece swimwear or even bath wear at times.
"Of course, kore!" The modeled beauty was encased in a plume of smoke, only to reveal the brown haired Chunin in his presence.
He had spiky brown hair with incredibly longer sideburns reaching up to his chin. He wore his headband whose style of wearing it had changed after the war; from tying strands to wearing a loop. He wore a high collar dull green top with long sleeves and black cargo pants that stopped above his ankles, revealing his black ninja shoes all the way.
"So how was it! Awesome, right kore?" Konohamaru shouted as if to force praise out of the blonde.
"..."
The two glared at each other for a while. The young Sarutobi definitely noticed the differences between the Naruto he met on the day he saw his Jiji earn a defeat with a nose bleed from the same technique, and the one that stood in front of him.
The height was one of the things that obviously gave a difference to the earlier pipsqueak. His hair was groomed short, leaving its spiky nature though, possibly because he never wanted to have the cut; but he had to accept that he looked like a man whose whole essence was purely "respect."
He wore a black collarless top with long sleeves both folded once at the ends with a red armband on his left arm bearing the Uzumaki swirl. The orange pants didn't miss, seeing that it was his favorite color. His pants too, reached above his ankles allowing his foot gear to be fully seen. His right arm was bound in bandages, a good solid reminder of the sacrifice he made for his best friend which he now carries as a badge of honour and pride. His headband, finally, rested on his forehead, having the same design as that of Konohamaru; or rather everyone else in the village.
"Why aren't you saying anything, kore?" Konohamaru snapped at his big brother before coming to a realization. "Could it be that you are so stunned that you can't say anything?"
"No way in hell, 'ttebayo! I don't want to remind you what happened last time!" Naruto shouted back with fury. "Hanabi-Chan and Hiashi Tou-San chased me down for a day. Have you ever played hide and seek with a Byakugan, huh! HAVE YOU?"
Konohamaru brought a pout to his lips in disappointment, but also portraying a certain amount of grief. His big brother, his boss and also his Sensei was changing fast and he was so frustrated that he couldn't do anything about it. Entering the realm of love after discovering the gallant Lady Hinata's feelings for him gave his life a complete turn over and he was trying his best to impress the family as per now.
"Sorry!" Konohamaru retained his pout, looking away from the blond's gaze.
The brown haired boy felt a hand test on his head, gently patting him.
"It's not wrong to use the technique since it's a ninja-technique, but because of its… well, nature, we can't use it in public, just like you can't train ninjutsu in such a place."
Konohamaru gazed around him for the first time. Many people had just gathered around to watch their actions. Some protective parents had placed their palms over their children's eyes. He had to consider who was watching them or not, not that it mattered to him. Neither did it matter to Naruto, but there was a certain level of maturity that he had, thinking about how his actions would affect others; not it mattered anyway, since he was the hero of the world.
"Say, Konohamaru? Why shouldn't we go training today evening?" Naruto brought his usual smile to his face. "You can show me how much you've improved since last time."
"Really!" Konohamaru perked up immediately.
"Of course, Dattebayo! You can show me all the skills you've learnt."
"Even the—"
"I said all the skills, 'ttebayo!" Naruto grinned at his rival who in turn brought a smile to his face, in astounding happiness.
"You'll see how I've improved, Naruto Nii-Chan! Be ready for the surprise, kore!"
"Bring it on, Dattebayo!"
Immediately, an ANBU appeared beside them on one of his knees.
"Naruto-San, Lord Sixth requests for your presence immediately!" The ANBU said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
"Let's meet in the evening, shall we?" Naruto waved at Konohamaru and then performed a quick Sunshin.
"A rock!"
"Yeah! It's a rock!"
"But seeing it's on my table, I suggest that it's a special rock!" The man who held the mantle of leadership and protection on the village exclaimed as he eyed an ordinary rock resting comfortably on his desk.
Looking over to his assistant, Shikamaru, he noticed him scratching the back of his head, something he didn't do often after taking on the role of being the Hokage's assistant; unless when the situation was a headache.
"Ahh! Troublesome!" The Nara exclaimed, putting on his signature lazy face.
"Surely, I've got to agree with you this time." The masked silver haired Kage said to his assistant.
Despite being Hokage, his outfit showed as if he was a Jonin; same as his assistant. They both wore the Jonin flak jacket, this time not having the Uzumaki swirl behind and also had the village headbands as well.
"Despite it being troublesome, we still have to solve this case." Kakashi told his assistant before stealing a glare towards the stone. Immediately both of them threw out a deep sigh. "Troublesome!"
Kakashi was tempted to bring out his favorite book from the drawer after seeing Shikamaru fighting himself not to bring out the box of cigarettes from his pocket. He had recently picked up a habit of smoking for reasons best known to him.
The village of Konoha being in the hands of these two lazy bones was doing well compared to what would have been expected. Though when motivated, they can do most anything.
Kakashi signaled for one of the ANBU to come.
"Summon Naruto Uzumaki. I need him as soon as possible."
"Hai!" Was the simple response of the ANBU before disappearing from sight.
"Naruto?" Shikamaru asked. "Why him of all people?"
"Well! He can surprise you! He has the energy."
"You just need motivation!" Shikamaru concluded as he locked eyes with his boss.
"Ma… So do you, Shikamaru-Kun! If we do this like this, we're going to end up asleep in no time." Kakashi replied, oblivious to the fact that his hands had already subconsciously picked up his favorite book which didn't go unnoticed by Shikamaru.
"Haa! Troublesome!" Shikamaru could only say so much before their source of motivation, without knocking, entered the office without caring for any cases of disrespect.
"Kakashi-Sensei! Shikamaru! Long time no see, 'ttebayo!"
"Naruto! How're you doing? You know, with…" Kakashi, despite trying to make fun of the blond since his recent relationship, showed a lazy expression visible from his blank looking eyes.
"We're fine! We're fine, Sensei!" Naruto obviously answered, unknown to his Sensei's intentions. "So! What's up?"
"That!" Shikamaru pointed to the Hokage's desk in disinterest.
"Paperwork? You know I don't like these things, Dattebayo."
"Not that, Naruto!" Kakashi spoke out. "The rock beside the papers is the reason we're here."
"..."
Silence filled the room. Kakashi stared at Naruto who also stared back at him expecting him to continue his explanation. Shikamaru simply gave a loud sigh at the sight.
"What's so special about that rock?" Naruto asked him with his eyes closed into slits.
"That's what we're here to find out, Naruto!" Kakashi simply answered, not beating about the bush at all.
"Huh! Why call me? I'm sure Sakura or Ino or anybody else can do this better than me." Naruto spoke with a disappointing voice. "I was getting pumped for an interesting mission."
Kakashi eyed Shikamaru and suddenly started communicating just with their eyes.
Think of something fast, Shikamaru! We need his motivation.
Ahh! How troublesome! Let's just tell him what happened! He'll get hooked.
"Well what's special about this—" Shikamaru had just started speaking when his blond comrade suddenly shut him off.
"Wait a minute! There's something odd about this stone." Naruto suddenly got a serious look, eying the stone carefully.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, paying full attention to his student after placing his favorite book back in the drawer. "What is it, Naruto?"
"I can feel chakra in it!"
"What?" Both gentlemen gasped. "How in the world?"
"And not not only that. There seems to be a link attaching it somewhere."
In the busy streets of Konoha, a pretty heroine walked through the crowds with a lost, yet hopeful look. Her pretty pink hair, like the cherry blossoms of spring, fell perfectly over her face and didn't even want to roll it back. She wore a sky blue colored dress, long enough to reach just below her knees with a pink belt around her waist.
She turned to enter the Yamanaka flower shop. Her friend, Ino, who she expected to see, talked to some customers with a brilliant smile. Sakura noticed her teammate, Sai, who had been checking some flowers out too.
Ino and Sai had also been seeing each other for a while now and how sudden it was to the twelve remnants. Sakura had to face each and every emerging couple with a smile and however genuine that happiness was, it would only inflict an injury back towards her, asking herself when her time was meant to be.
First, Naruto and Hinata, Shikamaru and Temari, Ino and Sai which surprised her the most. Even Choiji was sneaking out to see someone behind his friends' backs. When would it ever be Sakura and Sasuke?
Sakura turned back towards the door to leave the shop; actually to leave Ino and Sai to enjoy their moments together, only to be stopped by Ino's voice that called out to her.
"Sakura! Hey, Sakura!"
Sakura turned to face her oldest friend who came rushing towards her.
"Hey, Sakura! Are you alright? You look, wow, gloomy!"
Sakura couldn't deny it. She felt terrible. The loneliness hurt her like never before. Even the company she had with Naruto slowly reduced after he started seeing Hinata. Her best friend Ino was in a relationship.
"I'm just fine! I came to look for some flowers and I saw that you didn't have the type I wanted." Sakura plastered a fake smile on her face as she lied obviously.
"Oh, really? Which one?" Ino challenged her, placing her hands on her hips.
"Um.. you know, that black o— I mean blue one." Sakura hustled to find words of her own.
"Haha, nice try!" Ino told her friend as she turned back to the shop. "Sai, Sweetie! Please help me look after the shop! I'm going out for a bit."
The pale skinned man clad in a black outfit head to toe turned and replied in his usual tone of oblivion. "No worries, I'll take care of it,..."
Sai stared at Ino with his eyelids almost closed, a good sign that he was thinking of something.
"He still struggles to come up with nicknames, doesn't he?" Sakura joked as she waited patiently for the man to finish his sentence.
"Yeah! Though it's worth it since he comes up with good ones in the end." Ino smiled at him that made her pink haired friend envious for a moment.
"... my SUGAR!"
Sakura couldn't help but suppress a laugh behind her hands that clutches her mouth, only to let a single chuckle escape her mouth.
Except this time! Ino thought to herself, suddenly getting embarrassed in front of her friend.
"Come on, Sakura! Let's go!"
•••
A five minute walk later, the two ladies entered a restaurant quite famous for sweets and tea, a natural pick for them as people who love them.
"Ready to order?" A well dressed waitress asked both Ino and Sakura who had sat at one of the tables inside the cafe.
"Yes please! I'll get a chocolate soufflé with chestnut ganache and a cup of green tea please." Ino turned to her friend on the other side. "What about you, Sakura?"
"The same, please!"
"Okay!" The waitress said as she took a few notes on her notebook and left them alone.
"Sakura! Tell me!"
The pink haired lady looked at her wondering what she meant. Not that she didn't know, but quite had some doubts since the order came in an unexpected way.
"About… Sasuke-Kun?"
"Yeah! Of course about him!" Ino snapped into lecture mode as she raised her voice. "He's there traveling the world leaving behind this sweet cupcake waiting. What is he going to find there, huh? Atoning for his sins you say? What's a better way to find atonement than to love those who loved him in the times when he was berserk? Maybe he isn't that—"
"There's nothing wrong with him!" Sakura yelled at the top of her voice, attracting all the attention from all the other customers. "It's his choice! I have no right to change it, so the best thing I can do is to support him."
Sakura looked up to face Ino only to catch a smirk lying on her face.
"Ino?" Sakura asked in confusion.
"That's what I wanted to hear. If you haven't given up on him, then your feelings will not end up in the drainpipe. They will definitely reach him!" Ino comforted Sakura who developed some wetness in her eyes.
"I mean you're Sakura, the girl who waited for that long when he wasn't himself. This wait is nothing. So cheer up, girl!" Ino continued.
"Yeah! Thanks, Ino!" Sakura wiped the tears out of her eyes and gave her a bright genuine smile.
"Now that's what I call a smile, eh Forehead!"
"What? Are you jealous, Ino Pig?"
"Yamanaka-San, Haruno-San. The Lord Sixth requires your presence." An ANBU appeared out of nowhere and knelt on one knee beside their table.
"Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asked as the ANBU disappeared.
"What do you think is the matter?"
"Well, there's only one way to find out." Sakura replied as they disappeared from the sight of normal people.
"Chakra, you say? And there's also a link to this stone? Can you follow the trail?" Shikamaru asked if the blonde.
"I can if given time. All I know is that it ends somewhere outside Konoha, very far from it." Naruto replied.
"Well, that's a start. I knew Naruto would find something that we couldn't notice." Kakashi lied through his mask triumphantly.
You lie, Kakashi-Sensei! Shikamaru thought as he scratched the back of his head.
The Hokage in his seat summoned one of the ANBUs who knelt one knee beside where he sat.
"I need Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, ASAP." Kakashi commanded before the ninja silently left the place in a swish.
"Why?" Naruto asked the two gentlemen who stared at him with lazy expressions. Wow! Seems both are too lazy to explain anything. May Kami help Konoha. Naruto thought as he plastered a worried smile on his face.
"Ahh! This is Troublesome!" Shikamaru started. "Some man being confined had this stone on him. He had attacked Sakura earlier this week, though his attack failed miserably. Sakura might know something about this man. Whereas for Ino, we might need to infiltrate his brain. Got that?"
"Ohh! Okay! I've understood, Dattebayo." Naruto answered only to notice something. "EHHH? SAKURA-CHAN GOT ATTACKED?"
The voice of the blond rocketed from the Hokage's office to almost the gates of Konoha. The man hadn't lost his touch yet from the vocal cords.
"Annoying!" The lazy assistant sighed, pondering when this will end.
"Calm down, Naruto. Sakura is fine, as you can see." Kakashi pointed towards the door revealing his pink haired teammate with her blonde friend, both wearing their casual clothes. Ino had a long purple dress with an open back section, though covered by the black jumper that she wore.
"Naruto! How loud can you get?" Sakura brought her fist towards the blond's face, not making contact though but allowing him to feel the possibility of impact. Naruto was suddenly challenged as the strongest wind user because the girl's punch really packed a tonne's worth of force. The papers in the office flew up and about getting into a disorganized mess.
"Sakura-ch..chan!" Naruto squealed out as their former sensei's eyes suddenly turned white, bringing forth imaginary tears.
"My papers!"
"Troublesome women!" Shikamaru exclaimed.
"So, why are we here? Tee-hee?" Ino innocently asked, gaining a deep sigh from the two office dwellers.
•••
"The man who attacked me? No, I've never met him!" Sakura told the silver haired Kage in her presence.
"I see!" Kakashi replied. "Is there anything he said to you?"
"Hmmn! Not exactly! Oh!! That time when I defeated him he told me —I knew it. You are strong— and I told him —of course I'm strong. I'm a Kunoichi of the leaf, trained by Lady Tsunade herself, SHANNARO!—"
"Ma ma… Sakura, relax!" Kakashi smiled awkwardly beneath his mask, not wanting his student to disorganise another week's worth of paperwork. "So in short, it was like he wanted to gauge your strength?"
"Yeah! It definitely felt that way."
Shikamaru, Naruto and Ino entered the office immediately after.
"So, any leads?" Lord Hokage asked the new entrants into his office.
"Well! There definitely is some connection." Shikamaru said before signaling Ino to make her report.
"This man was sent to gauge Sakura's strength. There were some gaps in his memory meaning that they were either erased or blocked off."
"Did you manage to get a name!"
"Jun Akira! By piecing together some shattered memories, I managed to get his name. Akira seems to be chasing Sakura for revenge, but the reason wasn't disclosed to the captive." Info continued her confident speech. "His possession of the stone remains unknown as it wasn't disclosed either."
"Jun Akira, huh!" The Sixth Hokage sighed. "How are we supposed to know him? Any sightings in the bingo book?"
"Not at all! Though there's one named Miko Akira in one of the old bingo books. She used to be a resident of the grass country, and a major smuggler for Orochimaru, bringing him infants labelled as test subjects." Shikamaru clarified.
"Used to be?" Kakashi hinted out.
"Yeah! She was eliminated and her name in the bingo book was crossed out. About ten years ago." Shikamaru clarified.
"Ahh! By that time I had gone to train with Ero-Sennin!" The blonde brought his presence back in the conversation.
"Yeah! That's right. The mission was held shortly after the Chunnin exams. It was to investigate the cases of disappearing children and Miko Akira was at the centre of it all." Shikamaru continued to hint out the details.
"Ahh!"
Both Sakura and Kakashi exclaimed as they arrived at the same realization.
"What, 'ttebayo? Is there something we should know?" Naruto eyed them surprisingly.
"That mission! I remember it. I was the team leader with Sakura, Neji and Lee." The silver haired Kage informed his audience. "Miko Akira attempted an escape and in the process of apprehending her…"
Kakashi took a long pause and looked at Sakura who had suddenly become sad. The others in the room noticed the tension, but still managed to continue.
"So, she was killed; and by your expressions, I can conclude that Sakura eliminated her. So, the husband has now come for revenge." Shikamaru always had a way of rubbing salt in old wounds. "Nothing could be helped! She was in the wrong and even worse, tried to run."
"It's not like that, Shikamaru." Sakura slowly murmured slowly under her breath while looking down. She started shaking like a leaf as if old wounds had begun to re-open.
"Ma ma… Sakura. Don't blame yourself for that." Kakashi tried to console the lass but deep down he knew that she had no other choice.
"Sakura-chan! Are you okay?" Her teammate asked in worry. She stood in one place facing the ground and gritting her teeth. Tears formed in her eyes and she folded her hands into fists.
"Like I said, it wasn't like—"
Hardy had she finished her statement, when someone suddenly dropped from up behind her with a kunai. At the same moment, within the quickest reaction, all members in the room drew their attention to the man.
He brought a Kunai to the back of Sakura's head. Before impact, Sakura quickly ducked, making the Kunai totally miss. Not giving the infiltrator time to land, Naruto brought a hard punch to his cheek, sending him to the other side of the room.
On standing up, he was caught by Shikamaru's Shadow Bind Justsu and a large stream of purple lightning sparks could suddenly be seen from behind the Hokage's desk.
"How foolish of you to attack someone in the Hokage's office." A fierce shadow of the Kage's face, brought by his flashy Justsu, eyed the infiltrator so intensely that he would die the next minute if he didn't answer carefully.
"Ino!!" Shikamaru yelled at his teammate.
"Hai! Mind Transfer Justsu!"
It only took a while for the platinum blonde to get the information they needed.
"That's Jun Akira. He seeks revenge against Sakura who killed his wife, Miko Akira about nine years ago." Ino confidently declared to the rest of the members who were frozen in their battle stances. "But Sakura was stronger than expected and also surrounded by strong friends, so he'll... kill her when ...she's ...young and weak?"
"Huh! What nonsense are you saying?" Naruto asked the blonde before Kakashi realised something critical.
"You? How come? You've not aged a day ever since then, 9 years ago." Kakashi asked. "You're Jun? Impossible!"
The infiltrator looked up with his hood off due to the commotion. He had organised smooth brown hair rolling back to his neck. He had a scar on his face that ran from his right eye diagonally to his left cheek across the nose. He wore a grey cloak with a hood, a black shirt beneath it and black cargo pants too. He looke to be in his mid forties.
"I'm honoured for the great sixth to know me, but I believe that I last met you was when my wife died, nine years ago." Jun replies with a deep and hoarse voice. "Unless your eyes no longer work as perfectly as when you had the Sharingan."
Kakashi ignored the insult. Turning to Ino, he asked her, "Are you sure he is Jun Akira."
"Hai! Lord Sixth! All his memories coincide with him being named that."
"I'm not sure what you're discussing but…" Suddenly the white stone on the Hokage's desk shone brightly, started vibrating and then leapt in the hands of their infiltrator. "... I really have somewhere to go."
"Time travel, huh!" Kakashi's eyes narrowed with realization.
"Huh?" His loyal assistant who was standing next to him then exclaimed in confusion before turning to Ino and Sakura, signaling them to leave since things were getting out of hand. "Ino, protect Sakura!"
"As expected of the genius Hokage. To figure it out with so little evidence. However, my plans remain unchanged."
A brilliant white light emerged from the stone, canceling out Shikamaru's shadows.
The blond Uzumaki charged in straight despite being faced with the blinding light. He brought his Kunai towards his neck that was parried using a short ninja sword.
"Naruto!!! Naruto!! Protect Sakura!" Kakashi shouted out causing the hero to look back briefly.
"Sakura-Chan?"
"That idiot!" Shikamaru, who hustled to maintain his clan speciality Justsu, blurted out on noticing him leave his opponent heading for the window.
Before Naruto could make a second step, Jun Akira was surrounded by a brighter white light that enveloped his opponent as well. Kakashi and his assistant hid their eyes from the blinding light.
Naruto could only be filled with regret at the thought that his teammate would be killed by the idiotic moron chasing after revenge. It kind of reminded him of someone who used to be like that. After hearing Kakashi's declaration to protect Sakura, he needed no more explanation.
"I've got to go where Sakura-Chan is!"
Hardly had he made a step when the light became even brighter. He shouted as his head throbbed intensely, only for the next moment to find himself facing his tailed beast friend in his mind.
"Kurama?"
What have you gotten yourself into this time?
"What? I'm trying to save Sakura-Chan. But that guy's light became bigger and brighter. Next thing I know I'm here. I've passed out, haven't I?"
Yeah you have. And of course I know what's going on.
"Then why did you ask?"
Just wanted to know if you knew. And by the likes of it, you don't!
"Then why not tell me, you big fuzz ball?"
Let me leave it to you as homework for training to be Hokage. Now wake up.
"Wait, Kur…
•••
...amaaa!"
Naruto found himself in the hospital sitting on the hospital bed, with his hand raised in front of him. The big fox did it again.
"Oh! Thank goodness! You're awake." A familiar voice sounded beside him, that brought relief to his heart.
"Sakura-Ch—"
What? What? What the heck is going on, Dattebayo!
(Hey guys,
This is my first fan fiction ever. I've been thinking about this story for a long time and I guessed it was time to finally get off my butt and start writing.
Please review; though depending on the comments I might not continue. (Least probably though.) I would also love to hear your ideas on my premise and what I can do to improve.
And finally, English ain't my first language, so please guide me where necessary.
Peace Comrades.)