Chapter 14: The search continues.

The run starts to set as the group arrives a small clearing outside the blast radius (probably made from the blast) Shikamaru stops the group to set up a base camp.

"We will start searching in the morning. Remember that ANBU are in the area so ask for ID before attacking."

"Right." The group says as they set up tents. Hinata walks over to Shikamaru.

"What do you want Hinata-chan?" Shikamaru asks not even looking at her.

"How did you know it was me?" Hinata asked.

"Cause I knew you would have a problem with staying behind and not being in the search, am I right?" Shikamaru said finishing up his tent.

"Yea. I want to be out looking for Naruto-kun as well and…"

"Listen I know you do but you have to trust me ok? I need you back here because I need you to keep an eye on the search groups because you will be the one who will tell me if any of the search teams find Naruto-kun or an enemy. You are too important to have here then anywhere else. Understand?" Shikamaru said looking back at her.

"Uhuh…" She didn't like it but she would have to suck it up. She turned around. Shikamaru put his hand on her shoulder and spoke to her.

"Hey, we will find him. He is a stubborn guy. He's probably resting up to come back to the leaf in some cave. Don't worry alright? So why don't you do the same so we can find him tomorrow."

"Thank you." Hinata said walking away and having a bit more faith.

"Well I never heard you be that nice before…" Temari says behind Shikamaru.

"Yeh well I don't know what she is going through. It could help her in searching it may not. Either way I need her back here to help me and her being down doesn't help anyone."

"Well that's still very sweet of you." Temari says with a smile on her face.

"Like you know what sweet is…" Shikamaru says with a smirk on his face. Temari laughs at his remark.

"Well it doesn't matter. Either way don't forget our promise."

"Yeh… yeh… don't be such a girl and hold me to everything I say."

"Then don't be such a guy and 'forget' them." Temari says walking away.

"Women…" Shikamaru says under his breath. The group rests the night and first thing in the morning sends a letter back to the Hokage telling her they have started the search. Shikamaru gathered everyone around the burnt out fire. "Alright listen up. Naruto-sama is out there somewhere. He is our comrade and most of all, our friend. So let's give 200% on this. Hinata-chan is staying back with me so that I can get a fix on your location and if you found anything. If you find him remember to not move him. Make a lot of noise so that the other teams can assist and Sakura-chan can assist in checking him out before he is cleared to be moved. Bring him straight here. You all have your areas to search. Now find him."

"Right." The groups said running off in different directions. Shikamaru sighed and looked over at Hinata who was worried about him.

"Do you really think he is alive Shikamaru-kun?" Hinata asked him.

"He is stubborn and because of the fox inside him, he is hard to kill. Also knowing how lazy he is, I'd say he is over sleeping in a cave and gonna wake up later today and head to the leaf. That's my thought anyway." He said walking over to the burnt out fire and sitting next to it. 'at least… that's what I hope you are doing Naruto-kun...' Shikamaru thought. Hinata left to set up a few traps leaving Shikamaru to think.

)))))))))))) Ino and Shino

"I think we shoulder split up so my bugs can cover more ground and you can search the caves and other hiding areas. I'll keep a bug on you so I know where you are." While Ino didn't like the thought of bugs on her it was for Naruto so she hesitantly nodded and split up. Shino stopped and spread his bugs all over the forest in the area. Since he knew where Ino was going he could spread his bugs were she was passing and in other directions. Ino running through the trees and looking all over the place decided to go a different way. She felt a pulse inside her head. It was strong enough to make her loose her balance and fall off the tree. She then heard a weak voice.

"Help me." In a weak voice.

"Naruto-kun? Is that you Naruto-kun?" Ino yelled in the area.

"Please help me!" The voice kept pleading.

"Just tell me where you are! I promise I'll help you just tell me where you are!" She continued to yell into the empty forest. The pulse was her only clue to where he was. She had to follow the pulse in her head. It got weaker as she move one way. She turned around and felt it get stronger. 'It has to be where he is.' She felt the pulses get stronger. 'when I was in his mind, he must have done something to connect with me.' The pulses became stronger and she saw a waterfall. Ino thought he heard Naruto talk of a waterfall in one of his stories before. 'I remember…'

(Flashback)

"I swear guys I saw this girl. She was dancing with flawless chakra control in a waterfall!" Naruto explained as he devoured his bowl of ramen.

"Yeh right. Like any girl would dance for you…" Ino said crudely to him.

"I swear she was really pretty. "

"Uhuh… why don't I believe you? Maybe cause it never happened…"

"I-I think he is telling the t-truth…" Hinata said eating her ramen a few seats down.

"Hinata-chan… you would believe anything Naruto says. My experience tells me only like one of every five stories he tells is remotely true. The fact that a girl danced naked in front of him is one of his tall tales."

"I swear it happened!"

"D-Did you really think she was pretty?" Hinata asked shyly.

"MORE THEN! Man… if I could only see her again."

"Just eat your ramen, and if you shut up I'll pay your bill too." Ino said wanting to hear silence.

"Alright…" Naruto said unable to resist free ramen.

(end of flashback)

'This must be it.' She felt the throbbing in her head get harder as she approached the waterfall. 'No doubt… Naruto-kun is in there.' She walked behind the waterfall to find a small cave. 'This cave was made… not natural. He must be in here' She moved deeper into the cave where it was hard to see. 'If I only had something to light up this path I'd be fine.' Ino could barely see anything but the cave wasn't very damn anymore. She could still hear the waterfall. "Shino-kun's bug… go get Shino-kun and bring him here. Tell him to bring something to light up this place." The bug flew out of her collar of her shirt and zoomed off. She noticed something… the pulses stopped. "Oh no don't tell me I went the wrong way…" Silence. "Aww damn. All this way for nothing." She started to walk back when she heard very raspy breaths from deeper wthin the cave. She turned around to notice a small orange light appear. It was very dim but very noticeable in the dark cave. It turned and beyond that was the light. She wasn't sure she was ready for what was beyond the corner. She could hear him struggling with his breaths as if he were very old. Ino stood near the corner not wanted to see if Naruto was badly hurt. She didn't want to see him like that. "Naruto-kun is that you?" Only the breaths where heard. "Naruto if that's you we have a whole rescue team here to help you." Still nothing. "Hinata-chan is here." She heard coughing… more like gagging to speak.

"No…" Naruto said very weakly. "She… can't … see… me…" Naruto could barly speak. Ino really didn't want to turn the corner and have nightmares on what she saw.

"She is very depressed without you. She hasn't even trained in the past 3 days. Or left her room until this search party was organized."

"You… don't… want… to…see…me….either." Naruto said.

"I…" Ino knew that was true but didn't want to say it.

"Don't… lie."

"I can't bare the thought of how bad you look. I know it is selfish of me but please understand. It is hard for me to even hear you like this. I just don't want to turn the corner and find you…" She went silent.

"Imagine…Hinata…seeing….me…when…you…can't."

"Are you…"

"Yes…" Ino broke out in tears. Just listening to him barely cling to breath.

"Please… promise me…." Naruto stirred and coughed violently. "Just say… I'm dead…" Naruto gasped for breath as he felt tons of pain throught his body.

"Can… I see you?"

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"Cause I won't lie to her about you being dead unless I see you for myself."

"No. Just… tell… her." He said dimming the light to almost nothing. She turned the corner and saw a figure she could barely make out. It was a lot taller then Naruto. She took a step closer to step in something. She slowly put her hand down and felt the liquid.

"Naruto-kun…. This is…"

"My blood. Please tell her…" She saw his figure move away. Ino walked through his pool of blood and grabbed something that belonged to him. He turned around and looked at her. His now glowing orange eyes scaring the crap out her.

"Naruto-kun…" she said softly staring into his eyes.

"The demonic blood of the fox turned me full demon. I can transform into the old Naruto but eventually it would end and my demon formed would be exposed. I could never let Hinata-hime see that. Even if it means she thinks I'm dead. Do you understand now?" Naruto said gently removing her arm from him.

"When will you return?" Naruto started walking further in the cave.

"Never." Ino ran after him and felt and heard the pools of blood her feet went through.

"Wait Naruto-kun. Wait!" Ino said stopping him. He looked back at her."Then at least tell her yourself. Don't have me say it. What is the harm of that? Tell her Naruto-kun."

"I… can't."

"Why not? I'm looking at you and your fine."

"You havn't seen me yet. You only see my outline." Naruto turned around and was about to continue walking away.

"Then show me!" Ino said hastily . She really didn't but she didn't have a choice. "Show me…" Ino said again this time he turned around and walked towards her.

"Ino-chan…"

"Show me Naruto-kun." His eyes poured hate for himself down upon her. She just resisted it.

"Alright but you have to come in a little deeper. Shino will be here soon and I don't want everyone seeing me like this." He started turning away.

"No, let's go outside and I can see you there."

"But i…" Ino grabbed what she hope was his hand and pulled him.

"No buts let's go…" Ino was strong but not that strong. He started walking with her. Soon they both found the cave entrance. "See only a little bit more and I will see you." Naruto started seeing the light for the first time in days. Naruto pulled away from Ino and started dashing back to the rest of the cave. Ino sighed and continued walking out of the cave. "Guess I have no choice then. I'll have to get Hinata-chan over here." Ino walked past the waterfall and outside. Naruto dashed to the waterfall and flew out of it. Causing Ino to turn her head and Naruto stopping in front of her. Naruto was completely black furred with streaks that made it shine, but standing on four legs and yellow-green/acid color marks all over his skin. Nine tails blowing in the breeze and flames coursing out his paws and tails. He had been infused 100% with the demonic blood and the nine tailed fox. Ino started at her former human friend and her jaw dropped. It was Naruto's now form.

"Please… you can't let her see me like this."

"You're…" Ino said backing up. His eyes where gleaming orange and disappeared behind his eye lids.

"I can never return to the village. Even if I wanted too…" Naruto said having his tails lay on the ground.

"Can… I touch you?" Ino asked still very much afraid but wanted to see what his fur felt like. Naruto nodded and Ino slowly approached him. Naruto suddenly started growling with intensity. Ino backed off. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"We are sourrounded by people. They are hiding themselves from my eyes." Naruto closed his eyes. "Then I'll use my true eyes!" Naruto's eye hids opened to a bloody red colored slit. A small wave of force (just from the eye lid forced open) caused the trees to shake and having Ten Ten, Kiba and Shino fall out. All three of them scrambled to their feet . Naruto growled at them as his body began releasing black chakra.

"Damn, what is that thing?" Kiba yelled throwing a kunai at Naruto. Naruto easily dodged with no effort. His speed was un matched. Kiba saw Ino behind the Fox demon. "Come on Ino-chan, I'll distract it!" 'it…it…' Naruto could hear over in his mind.

"It's Naruto-kun you stupid dumbshit!" Ino yelled. Running over to Naruto to check on if he got grazed by the kunai or not. Ino looked in between the fur to find nothing. Just more acid colored burns across his skin.

"No way!" Kiba yelled in return. None of the three believed her until they saw the fox demon exmine him. "Hey no hard feelings right Naruto-sama?" Kiba said relizing Naruto could kick his ass way to easy in this state. He tried adding a laugh but Naruto snarled at him. Kiba took a few steps back and was about to start running until Ino talked to Naruto.

"Calm down Naruto-kun, you can kill him whenever you want. But for now let's go back to see Lady Tsunade-sama and…" Naruto jumped back and landed on all fours. His fur fumed ckakra.

"I can never go back!" Naruto yelled. Tears fell from his eyes. "Never like this." As he turned around he heard a firmilar voice.

"Naruto-kun…" A weak voice spoke from the bushes. Naruto stood frozen. 'No…'

End of chapter 2. Next chapter coming up. With battles!