Chapter 4 : Ambush
About two weeks had passed since Naruto's return from his training trip with Jiraiya. The whole thing with the council and the slight uproar it caused afterwards lasted for a few days. Naruto was announced as the Namikaze heir the next day and while it did set a decent number of the villagers straight and made a few feel guilty for being so cruel to their savior's son, a large amount still hated Naruto. A mob of irate civilians did try to attack him two days after his meeting with the council...try being the key word. They were all now in Konoha General Hospital recovering from broken bones and in one case severe head trauma. After they were healthy enough to leave, they each had a nice little jail cell waiting for them, to which they didn't really mind at this point...better than being out in public where Naruto could find them again.
It was a tense peace between him and the villagers, one that would not likely last if they let their ignorance get the better of their judgment.
Tsunade, Shizune and Kakashi also set to work on their own little plans for our favorite blonde Hanyou. Shizune let Naruto's clan status as last heir and his ability to have more than one wife due to the Namikaze practicing Polygamy leak out. Tsunade, since she knew that Temari was interested, contacted Gaara. The young Kazekage was very much for the idea and if need be would tender an arranged marriage proposal under the pretense of strengthening bonds between Sand and Leaf...Gaara never did much like Shikamaru due to the boys laziness. Kakashi kept Naruto busy with some training and simple inner village D and C-Rank missions since things were quiet.
In the past Naruto would have complained allot about doing such easy low ranked missions but during his training trip, in order to gain more travel money when missions from Tsunade were sparse, Naruto had to gain a number of non-shinobi skills due to Jiraiya's...rich tastes and tendency to waste money on women and booze. As such Naruto learned Carpentry, Smithing, Land Scaping and Construction. He used these as a form of physical training while his Shadow Clones covered things like Chakra control, reading books and scrolls and Jutsu training. In the end, due to the large mass of Shadow Clones Naruto could use he ended up with roughly four hundred years worth of training in just four years since he made one hundred clones per day when he wasn't training by himself.
The inner village missions were quite simple given his amount of skills. Gardening had always been one of his hobbies and the Yamanaka flower shop occasionally needed some extra help in the green houses so Naruto was assigned or rather hired as a part timer...much to Ino's delight. Cooking was another thing that Naruto had become good at, especially baking. So Yuki Haruno, knowing her daughter liked Naruto, often requested his assistance at Haruno Bakery. Tenten owned her own weapons smith and shop, left to her by her parents, and had asked Naruto to help her out every now and then since he was good with a forge. Hinata and Temari worked mostly at the Hokage tower when not on missions or training since Hinata was getting medical training along with Ino and Sakura and Temari had paperwork and such to deal with due to her position as ambassador. Naruto had limited medical skills so he occasionally sat in on Tsunade's and Shizune's lessons. He also helped Temari with her work on various trade agreements between Leaf and Sand figuring it would be good practice should he ever achieve his dream. It turned out he was quite good with finding flaws in trade agreements and contracts.
Naruto had no idea that Tsunade, Kakashi and Shizune had set up all these odd-jobs or C/D-Ranks just to get him closer to the girls. He never would either...due to being oblivious to the fact that it wasn't anything more than a simple assignment that he was lucky enough to be doing with friends. He did still get the occasional B or A-Rank though so as to not raise his suspicions. Hence why he wasn't present in the village at the moment. He was on a B-Rank escort and delivery mission. He was to escort a rich nobleman back to Wine Country and deliver a large shipment scroll full of fine wines back to Konoha. Sure it wasn't to high class but the man was the target of several missing ninja so it would work and satisfy Naruto's need for a bit of excitement...more than he would have thought.
Naruto had been walking back to Konoha at a leisurely pace. He had already sent the shipment ahead with one of his summoned toads, a large blue one named Gamatachi. He had only just passed Fire Countries borders three hours ago when he was ambushed by a familiar face and a group of not so familiar faces. Mizuki had somehow escaped from prison and joined Sound...probably during the Sand-Sound attack. It didn't help that the bastard had a level two cursed seal that made him look like some sort of demented Weretiger, nor did it help that he could smell that the Oto-Hunter ninja had weapons laced with a deadly poison called Demons Bane...it was a supposedly holy herb that was made to kill demons, meaning he was in for a world of pain if he was hit.
Naruto drew Ebony and Ivory from their sheaths and twirled them once before settling into a stance, Ebony's blade resting on his shoulder.
"Aw...a reunion party, just for me? You shouldn't have Mizuki-teme." Naruto smirked.
The cursed seal enhanced Mizuki glowered at Naruto, his glowing putrid yellow eyes narrowing as horribly tainted purple chakra surrounded him. Naruto knew what kind of chakra this was...it was amongst the worst there was, it was Devil chakra, the cursed seals seemed to draw upon it as an energy source. He and Jiraiya had discovered that Orochimaru created the seal from the cells and chemicals within a man who had somehow been tainted and genetically altered by some sort of Devil. The seal holds a good portion of the tainted devil chakra in it and once it is placed it siphons and taints the holder's chakra and in turn their genetics turning them into a part devil.
Devil Chakra was much like Demon Chakra. The only difference was that not all Demonic chakra was tainted and when it was it could be purified. Devil energy was evil incarnate...vile and sickening evil in its purest form...it cannot be purified. Also where as Demon's tended to be more bestial, Devil's were more humanoid in looks and natures, they also tended to try to subjugate Demon kind such as the Biju and Dire Beasts aka Summons. Hence...Demons and Devils did not get along.
"Silence you nine tailed freak!" Mizuki snarled. "Finally after nearly five years I can have my revenge! You will die DEMON!" He roared out the last part.
Naruto shot the enraged man a rather deadpanned look. "Says the baka that sold his soul to a devil." Naruto let out a yawn. "Seriously though, it's the same old song and dance everywhere I go...you shall die demon or kill the demon brat...c'mon...can't you morons think of something more original than that after all this time?"
Mizuki's clawed hands twitched as he snarled. "How dare you, demon, it is because of you that my life has been RUINED! It's all YOUR FAULT!!!"
Naruto snorted. "Cry me a fucking river, you betrayed Konoha, you screwed up and I kicked your ass...ready for round two yet dip shit or do I have to start things off?"
"They must be big..." One of the sound ninja said in the back ground.
"Huh...what?" His partner said.
"The size of that guys brass balls, who'd be stupid enough to challenge Mizuki-dono?" The ninja shuddered.
Mizuki let out a roar and flung two large Fuma Shuriken at Naruto. Naruto dodged them easily but the scent of the Demon's Bane on it was strong. If he were to get hit with one of these weapons there was a good chance he might die from the poison...he'd have to hope his human side would be enough to protect him.
"Dammit...maybe I shouldn't have screwed around with the bastard and just killed him instead." Naruto grumbled silently as the group of Sound ninja surrounded him each armed with various weapons...all covered with the deadly poison.
"Mizuki-sama...remember we must bring Uzumaki back alive, Sasuke-sama wishes to deliver the final blow and obtain his Magenkyo." One of the Sound ninja near Mizuki said.
"Why am I not surprised...I wonder is Sasuke-teme, even realizes that the only reason Itachi left him alive and screwed with his mind so much was so that he could steal his Magenkyo when the time came and could gain Madara's damn immortality and perfected Sharingan...pitiful if you think about it...the sad little avenger is still nothing more than a pawn." Naruto thought sarcastically.
Mizuki growled, grabbed the ninja's head and smashed it in his massive clawed hands. "I don't care what the little brat wants...I will have my REVENGE!"
Mizuki then hurled the corpse at Naruto who in turn cleaved it in two. With the distraction set, Mizuki gave the signal and his troops all began throwing countless shuriken and kunai laced with the deadly poison on it at Naruto.
Naruto grunted in pain as he felt numerous kunai and shuriken embed themselves into his flesh along with the acidic burning from the Demon's Bane poison. The effect was near instant, his healing factor slowed to a near halt, his demon chakra flow weakened and he could feel his body getting weaker. He had been hit by a lethal dose but it seemed that his human genetics were slowing the affects...but not stopping them. His only hope was to finish this quickly and get the hell back to Tsunade and hope she can purge the toxin.
"Does it hurt demon brat?" Mizuki taunted.
"I've had worse." Naruto admitted. "But not enough to save your sorry asses..." Naruto let a feral grin cross his features.
"I've got to end this quick and without using too much of my demonic powers or I'll just speed up the toxin." Naruto thought as he shot towards a random Sound ninja and cleaved him in two, three others behind him also fell in severed pieces from the force of the strike.
"C'mon guys, this in no time to fall to pieces on me, really takes the fun out of it." Naruto taunted.
The remaining eight ninja, except Mizuki, lunged at Naruto at the same time. Naruto let out a growl and spun with his blades out catching all of his attackers, though one did manage to impale Naruto's lower torso with a Wakizashi. Blood and body parts flew in all directions as Naruto dropped back into his stance to face Mizuki, a lone head rolling over to rest at his foes feet...Mizuki stomped on it making it splatter across the ground.
Sweat was beading on Naruto's forehead and his breathing was slightly labored due to the poison. He silently cursed himself for not being more observant...had he really been paying attention with all his senses the ambush would have failed. Who ever made up the bull about Half-Demon's being all powerful and omni-potent needed to have a kunai enhanced explosive tag shoved up their ass. Hanyou are powerful and extremely difficult to kill unless you know what to do...using a poison like Demon's Bane or venom from a creature like a Manticore could be deadly to even Kyuubi. Thankfully both were rare...it was just his damn luck that a psycho like Mizuki happened to get some of the crap.
Mizuki let out another enraged roar and flung several more Fuma Shuriken at Naruto. Naruto dodged two and smacked the other aside with his sword before darting at Mizuki.
Mizuki now lost to his madness as the cursed seal has taken out what little humanity he had left, blindly lunged at Naruto and began slashing with his claws recklessly. Naruto cursed, the damned cursed seal made the teme much faster and stronger...and he was at a bit of a handicap at the moment.
Naruto did manage to dodge most of the blows though he did get raked diagonally across the face once and his chest got cut up pretty good in the process. Mizuki however lost his left clawed hand due to a deft swipe of Ivory. Mizuki let out a howl of pain and grabbed the bleeding stub, Naruto didn't hesitate. Ebony raised up and came down in a fast arc while Ivory's blade came from the other side. The strike ended with Naruto's arms crossing in front of him as Mizuki's corpse fell at his feet in three separate hunks of flesh and blood.
Thankfully during the fight several of the kunai and shuriken had fallen out, he opted to leave the sword in him to help stem the bleeding until he could get the toxin out of him. With another swipe of his sword he severed Mizuki's head and quickly placed it in an ANBU sealing scroll meant for such occasions, he'd collect the bounty later.
"D-damn...Konoha is about thirty miles from here. If I try...to element-port I'll speed up the damn poison...but if I run...I...might be able to make it in about two hours...damn Mizuki-teme..." Naruto grunted and took off in a dead run towards Konoha.
As skilled as he was, not even he could get out of every fight without a scratch...to think otherwise would be utter foolishness. It was true that he could defeat Jiraiya and that he was better than most Jounin in Konoha but even Jiraiya could still knock him around a bit. Hell the only reason he did so well on the test they gave him was due to Kakashi, Gai and Kurenai severely underestimating him.
Two and a half hours later...
Naruto walked through the gates, not even bothering to stop to talk to the guards...who shot him concerned looks. His body was a mass of pain at the moment, the burning from the poison was steadily climbing, his healing factor had shut down completely and wouldn't restart until the poison was purged, he was leaving a small trail of blood as he walked and his strength was beginning to fail him.
Granted the ambush had caught him slightly off guard but that still hadn't been any excuse for taking the damage he did...poison or not. Simple truth was he had made a slight lapse in judgment and it had cost him...next time they wouldn't be so damn lucky.
Naruto silently cursed, while he had discovered that the poison wouldn't kill him because he was still part human it did weaken him substantially. Thankfully the damnable herb was so rare that it was likely that they had used up most if not all of the poison made from it in the ambush.
Ignoring the pain and glad once again for his unusual high tolerance for it...one of the few useful things gained from the damn villagers, he turned and walked the short distance to the hospital.
As luck would have it...depending on how you looked at the situation...Sakura, Ino and Hinata were all working at the hospital that day. Though Ino and Hinata were there mainly for lessons, Sakura worked there part time as an intern with Shizune as her boss.
It was a pretty slow day for the girls all things considered. Hinata and Ino had just finished learning the Mystical Palm jutsu from Shizune and Sakura was on break so the three decided to take a rest in the front lobby and drink some tea. Of coarse the subject of their girl talk was a certain blonde haired Namikaze. So imagine their horror when he walked through the doors with a Wakizashi jutting out of his gut, several kunai and shuriken still stuck in him and a small trail of blood droplets following him...not to mention the four scratches going diagonally across his face.
"N-Naruto!?!" Ino yelped. "What the hell happened to you!?"
Hinata and Sakura whirled around, their eyes widening in shock, Hinata had to stifle a scream and Sakura looked like she wanted to cry...she was always rather emotional.
Naruto grunted. "Sound ambush...Mizuki-teme, must have joined them after he escaped...he had a level two cursed seal. Their weapons were laced with a deadly poison...it's halted my healing powers so...could one of you get Tsunade or do you know the Purging jutsu Sakura?" He asked.
Sakura just nodded and then snapped to, this was no time to let her emotions get the better of her. Ino and Hinata rushed out of the room and came back a few seconds later with a stretcher bed, wheeling it over to him.
"Thanks." Naruto grunted and sat down on the bed as he began removing the kunai and shuriken.
He nearly fell over when the girls began rushing him back to the ER. Shizune saw what was going on, blanched and followed hastily behind them.
Once in the ER, Ino and Hinata began removing the kunai and shuriken that were out of Naruto's reach. Sakura began cleaning his wounds and Shizune began running a diagnostic jutsu and winced.
"You've received what should be a lethal dose of Demon's Bane and some deadly nightshade poison...if you had been a full blooded demon...you'd be dead. I doubt even Kyuubi could of lived from a dose that concentrated, thankfully you're only half." Shizune said worriedly.
Naruto shot her a slight glare. "Don't you think you should be more quiet in mixed company?" He said a bit annoyed...so much for secrets.
"Naruto...we already know." Ino said from behind him.
Naruto's eyes widened slightly as he stiffened. "When and how?" He asked...not angrily but stern and slightly confused.
Sakura looked him in the eye and touched the sword in his stomach, he gave a curt nod and she pulled it out with a gout of blood, the only indication of pain on his face was a twitch of his eyebrows and lips.
Sakura then sighed as she began cleaning the wound. "We've known since the first night you got back...we were worried about you so we thought we'd come to talk to you...well...I did and the other girls followed me. Anyways...when we saw you talking to Kakashi...in your...err...other form we decided to listen and not interrupt. I...I'm sorry if your mad...but we didn't mean any harm...we just want to help." She said.
Naruto let out a sigh. "Don't worry about it. I had planned on telling you all sooner or later anyways. It's not like I could really keep it a secret for too long anyways."
Shizune began going through several hand seals stopping on the boar seal. "Medical Arts - Purification Purge Jutsu." She said causing her hands to be covered in a dark green light. "Now hold still, Naruto-kun, this will take a bit of time. Ino, Hinata and Sakura...could you three tend to his other wounds with Mystical Palm?"
The three girls answered in the affirmative and began going to work as Naruto shucked off his destroyed trench coat...thankfully he had several others just like it. Naruto could feel the poison slowly get purged from his system. His healing factor began to kick back in after about ten minutes and went to work flushing the deadly nightshade poison from his system.
Shizune found it a bit difficult to flush out the Demon's Bane since it wasn't a poison to humans, to them it was a harmless herb, to someone like Naruto it worked like some of the special poisons developed by ninja to stop chakra usage and other abilities. It would weaken him and as time passed, if left unchecked or uncured it could kill him...slowly.
"Sakura, give me a hand in purging this poison...there is more in his system then I thought." Shizune said concentrating.
Sakura nodded and performed the necessary jutsu. Hinata and Ino finished healing the wounds on his back and eased him to lie down. Naruto closed his eyes while the two girls ran the healing jutsu over his face to heal the cuts there while Shizune and Sakura worked on purging the toxins. It was a bit lucky that he had bled a lot of the toxin out and now that his healing factor had kicked back in they could use it to boost the purge.
Naruto fell asleep during the treatment. To Shizune's surprise some of the trace amounts of Demon's Bane left in his system had slightly altered his immune system. His healing factor, rather than completely flushing the toxin began building immunity to it. Large doses would still weaken and harm him but it was likely that they would no longer be lethal anymore considering that his healing ability finished up for them and all traces of the toxin had vanished. It was also lucky that the rest of his wounds, including the ones on his face, had healed up without leaving any noticeable scars.
Shizune gathered up the weapons that had been laced with the poison and placed them in cold storage intent on creating a antidote for Demon's Bane, she also drew four vials of Naruto's blood to help with the testing.
The three girls transported Naruto to a vacant room to rest, his system was still recovering from the toxins effects and it would take a day or so before he was back to full strength. Naruto woke as they placed him in a more comfortable bed.
"Thanks for the help, ladies." Naruto yawned a bit. "I'm a bit ashamed I got caught off guard so easily."
He was still sore and a bit tired from draining the poison but he could feel his strength and powers returning to him steadily, by morning he'd be at his peak once again. Naruto sat up from his bed and prepared to get out of it, he had to go give his report and debriefing from Tsunade.
"And just where do you think your going?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms below her chest causing her girls to raise a bit...Naruto swallowed and averted his attention elsewhere while Sakura smirked.
"I...err...need to go make my report." Naruto said turning his head only to get an eyeful of Ino...who, he just noticed, was wearing a low V-cut purple muscle shirt that also bared her midriff as well as showed a good amount of cleavage.
"What the hell! Okay...I'll just look the other direction and...crap..." Naruto sweatdropped, his eyebrow ticking a bit.
Hinata to cool herself off a bit from so much blushing had removed her coat. This would have been fine normally but she was wearing a skin tight black tank top that showed off just how much she had really grown during Naruto's absence.
What Naruto didn't realize was all three of the girls...even shy Hinata...were teasing him. Though Hinata was very embarrassed there was no way in hell she was going to let the other two girls out do her...she could blush and faint into unconsciousness later.
Ino mimicked Sakura in crossing her arms causing even more cleavage to come into view as she looked Naruto in the eye.
"You can make your report later after you have rested up, that toxin took a lot out of you." She said in a professional manner while leaning forward a bit and giving Naruto a better view.
"How the hell did I suddenly get into this mess???" Naruto wondered. "I'm fine...honest."
"N-no, Naruto-kun, you need some rest." Hinata said shyly.
"Besides...I think you owe me or us and explanation." Sakura said tapping her foot and putting on a stern look. "Why didn't you tell me...err...us about the Kyuubi? We're your friends and we know you're not some kind of evil demon or something."
Naruto sighed and shifted into his Hanyou form. It was more comfortable to actually let his tails and ears out since if kept hidden for too long the tail began to cramp and the ears began to ache. His fangs grew longer, hands became clawed, round pupils became slit and his whisker marks turned darker and wider as his six tails swayed lazily behind him...his fox-like ears twitched when Hinata let out a quiet giggle...what the hell was that about?
"And you mean to tell me that this doesn't freak any of you out?" Naruto asked his eyebrow arched in disbelief.
"Well it is a bit weird." Sakura said tilting her head slightly. "But I have to admit...the look suits you."
Ino smirked and eyed him up with a rather smoldering gaze causing Naruto to squirm slightly...she was looking at him like he used to look at ramen...it was freaking him out.
"I have to admit...the whole feral thing is kinda sexy." Ino winked.
"I-I think...i-it's cute." Hinata said shyly.
"What the hell is going on here!? They are supposed to be terrified of me...not looking like they want to eat me alive...well...Ino looks like that. This makes no damn sense...none what so ever!" Naruto's mind screamed at him.
"Don't you ladies understand what I am? I'm no longer human...or at least not completely. Because of the seal, assimilating the fox-teme's power and his chakra I became half demon...a Hanyou. The bastard is still sealed in me but that's only until I finished absorbing his powers and abilities, hell I can even take on the form of a six tailed fox! How the hell are you three not terrified of me, I'm going to be the next Kyuubi!" Naruto ranted in confusion.
Sakura shook her head. "Do you plan on destroying the village then?" She asked.
"What!? Not a chance in hell!" Naruto exclaimed losing some of his composure. Where the hell did that come from!?
"Naruto...we know all of what you and Kakashi talked about. We even talked to Tsunade-sama, she and Jiraiya-sama explained many things to us...you horrible childhood, the hatred you have to deal with and the responsibility of the power you now have." Ino said being serious for once.
"W-we don't hate you, N-Naruto-kun, we...just want t-to help you...and...umm..." Hinata trailed off blushing deeper.
"We want to show you that we care. Ino and I weren't the best of people to you when you were younger and kami knows I was a terrible friend and teammate but like you, we grew up. We won't judge you just because you're different. Gaara is just like you and he's the Kazekage now, and look how he used to be before he met you. If he deserves a second chance and happiness then you deserve it that much more." Sakura said with a small smile.
Now Naruto had grown much smarter over the years and for the most part could control his emotions quite well unless under heavy stress. But right now his mind was riddled with confusion. He had been sure that the girls...Ino and Sakura especially, would freak out once they learned the truth. His confusion was quite obvious due to the fact it shown in his eyes.
"They are right you know." Tsunade said walking into the room with Shizune.
"I...don't understand." Naruto frowned. "If the villagers had see..."
Tsunade interrupted him. "We are not those small minded fools. Even they do not have the right to act as they do since I know for a fact that you have never given them reason to." She let out a sigh. "Don't you think it's time you let go of the past? I was able to let go of my past pains because of you...why can't you do the same for yourself?"
"That's easier said than done, I have to relive those moments each night when I am asleep...the mobs trying to kill me, the assassination attempts, the beatings...it never ends. Then to top it off the bastard fox as a last measure of revenge makes me dream about the night it attacked with me in its place." Naruto closed his eyes. "The scary part is...sometimes I enjoy being the fox...I enjoy the destruction and the taste of blood...hearing the screams sometimes even gives me a thrill...it disgusting." He spat out the last part with a scowl.
"But you would never do any of those things." Shizune protested.
"No...I wouldn't." Naruto sighed. "I know it's just the fur-balls last ditch effort to try and corrupt me, to be honest its more annoying now than anything. It's why I don't fear Genjutsu when cast on me...they don't really compare to those dreams or memories."
"Is there a reason you came here, Mom?" Naruto asked pushing his earlier confusion to the back of his mind.
"Yes, I wanted to check up on you and see if you were being nice to the girls and not trying to push them away with your insecurities." Tsunade smirked.
"Crap...busted." Naruto groaned mentally. "Okay...I get it. Not like I enjoy the whole angsty bit anyways." A few things then clicked into placed and Naruto shot Tsunade a rather deadpanned look. "You are trying to set me up...aren't you?"
"And if I am?" She asked.
Naruto sweatdropped. "Does this have to do with my clan scroll?"
"Well it looks like you really did get smarter." Tsunade quipped. "Why complain, the girls like you and it's not like your being told to marry them or anything, I just want you to give them a chance."
"All three of them? Are you going senile? Sakura is in love with Sasuke-teme..."
CLUNK!!! Naruto was cut off by a metal bed pan to the face from Tsunade.
"I'm not senile and you forgot about Tenten and Temari, they seem to like you as well." Tsunade said crossing her arms.
"But..."
"She's right, Naruto, we aren't asking for anything big right now...just get to know us." Ino said with a grin.
"B-but..."
"I...I would like t-to be, Naruto-kun's, girlfriend." Hinata said shyly.
"...!?" "But..."
"No buts, Naruto-kun, did you honestly think I wouldn't have gotten over Sasuke after all this time?" Sakura added.
"Just give it a shot, get to know them, go on a few dates or something. They can help you get over your past, we all can, but you need to let us in." Shizune stated.
"Besides...you've been brooding for nearly two weeks now and brooding doesn't suit you, I was beginning to think you were going to turn into a Uchiha." Tsunade jabbed. "That should do the trick."
"I haven't been that bad..." Naruto trailed off at the three glares leveled at him from Tsunade, Shizune and Sakura. "...okay...maybe I have. Sorry...I've just had a lot on my mind. I'll stop brooding so much and mellow out a bit." Naruto then looked at the three girls.
"Now for your three...I am very flattered and in Sakura-chan's case surprised, but I will need time to adjust to this and think it over. I would suggest you ladies do the same, don't let your hormones make decisions for you or make a hasty choice. You also need to consider your families, I'm pretty sure they won't like the idea that their little girls have suddenly gotten a crush on the village half-demon, they will probably think I did something to you. Just think on it for a while...I will do the same, but until then...lets just be friends." Naruto said.
The three were a bit disappointed but nodded.
"When can I leave, Tsunade?" Naruto asked.
"In the morning once you're back to full strength, otherwise I want you to rest...and no arguments." She answered.
"Alright, alright...I'll take it easy." Naruto grumbled. "I hate hospitals..."
"Demon spawn!"
"Die! Suffer as we have, Fox Brat!"
"Destroy! Kill them...DESTROY THEM ALL!!!"
"No..."
"Feast upon their flesh, drink of their blood...savor the marrow of their bones! Bring about beautiful destruction! Kill, Kill, KILL!!!"
"Gut the little bastard before we get caught!"
"Stop!"
"Total annihilation...is but one broken will away...you will complete what I once started...hahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Naruto's eyes shot open, a thin sheen of sweat covered his form, his breathing slightly labored. It was that dream again...the dream where he loses control and becomes a Black Kyuubi. He could feel his muscles stiffen and relax as he calmed himself, the early morning sunlight filtering in through the window.
"Dammit...when will I be free of these damn dreams, they are really beginning to get on my nerves. To think the baka fox still thinks it can break my will, oh well...in a few more years he will cease to exist and I will finally be able to wash my claws of the bastard." Naruto thought.
Naruto then felt a slight stirring on his stomach. "Huh...what's that?"
Looking down he saw a mop of bubble gum pink hair resting on his stomach. Glancing over a bit he noticed that Sakura was half sitting on a chair, her upper half resting on him and her hand holding his own. He let out a small sigh, he must have been making noises in his sleep again, Jiraiya said he sometimes made noises during some of his worse nightmares. She must have heard him and tried to offer some comfort.
A small smile crossed his lips. Four years ago he would have sold his soul to be in this position, even now he wasn't about to complain but it was an odd feeling. He really didn't know what to make of the girls knowing his secret or the fact that not only Tsunade wanted him to date them but they seemed to want to try it out too.
It's not like he was against the idea, only a damn fool would turn down a group of beautiful women and a fool he was not. It kind of weirded him out that none of them seemed to care that he was supposed to practice polygamy...perhaps women just looked at things differently. Though he would have thought, given their strong personalities, that they would not be so willing to even consider the thought of sharing...once again it must be how they perceived the situation.
Though one thing was for sure, if he did agree to this, things would be taken slowly. He, himself, had to get used to the idea and, if he was honest with himself, he needed to learn how to open up more. He was aware that he always tried to shoulder all the burdens by himself, he had been since he was a child and was fairly used to it. But he recalled something Jiraiya had told him his father had once said. Even a Hero needs heroes of their own or the fires in their heart will flicker and burn out...and without that fire...love will fade with it and then all that remains is emptiness.
Jiraiya had also told him once that it was his love that was the source of his power and strength. Naruto had been confused at that since, while he had loved others, he had never really felt love. Could such an emotion truly boost his power like the old pervert had suggested? Was that emotion truly the reason he could become so strong? It never really crossed his mind that when the ones he loved were in danger and his body was broken and his power nearly gone...that was when he somehow could rise up, more powerful than ever before. He did it against Shukaku, Kabuto and even Kyuubi when it tried to control him to harm his precious people.
Naruto was powerful, that was certain. But within him lay a great potential fueled by an emotion...if he were to ever discover and harness that potential then he would gain power that could even surpass the gods. All it would need is a trigger.
Pushing back his jumbled thoughts, Naruto, raised a clawed hand and gently pushed back a few pink locks from Sakura's face. He wasn't sure just why, but watching her like this seemed to ease his mind and give him a sense of inner peace.
Sakura's eyes fluttered open, she had woken from a pleasant dream about her and a certain blonde fox-boy and a gentle touch. She looked up and blushed. Naruto was looking at her with the most kind and gentle look she had ever seen on his features. His lips were slightly turned up in a smile, his eyes, though still piercing, seemed to radiate warmth and gentleness...they were even giving off a faint glow.
She had come in to check on him last night and had found him in the middle of a nightmare. She had tried to wake him up but she couldn't. He was whimpering slightly and occasionally letting out growls. He had been so tense and his body beaded with sweat. She felt so bad for him so she tried to comfort him as best she could...when she grabbed his hand he seemed to calm a little. Eventually she must have fallen asleep.
"Good morning, Sakura-chan." Naruto said his voice a bit softer than usual.
"Morning, Naruto-kun." She replied a bit shyly and sat up with a small yawn. "Are you feeling better now?"
Naruto nodded and frowned slightly...the sudden loss of warmth suddenly bothered him. And she was still using the "Kun" suffix…that was going to take some getting used to.
"I'm back to full strength, thanks to you and the others. Thank you for the help." Naruto said with a slight bow to show his gratitude.
Sakura smiled. "No problem, I'm just glad we could help."
Naruto sat up and stretched a bit, his six tails stretching out behind him as he worked the kinks out of his bones. Sakura enjoyed the little show as he flexed his muscles and twitched his ears in a cute fox-like manner. How he managed to pull off sexy and cute at the same time she didn't know but she wasn't about to complain a bit.
"Tenten and Temari stopped by last night while you were asleep and brought you some fresh clothes." Sakura said as Naruto stood. She blushed a bit...he was only in a pair of black boxers. "Why don't you go ahead and get cleaned up, I'll go get you some breakfast...anything you want in particular?" She asked.
"Some tea, a bowl of rice and a apple sounds nice if that's not to much of a hassle." Naruto responded.
"None at all...you go ahead and shower, I'll be back in about ten minutes." She said her cheeks still twinged pink and hurried out the door.
"Wonder what's got her so worked up?" Naruto wondered and looked down. "Oh...I see."
He was in nothing but his boxers, thankfully not suffering from morning wood, but the boxers were a bit on the snug side so they did nothing to hide the sizeable lump in front. It wasn't his fault that he was built a bit above average, for all he knew it ran in the family. Slightly embarrassed he quickly dismissed his Hanyou form and went to shower, he'd apologize to Sakura later.
What he didn't know was that said pink haired medic ninja was on the other side of the door hastily stuffing some tissue up her nose to stem off the nose bleed she had gotten. Once that was under control she scurried off to get them both some breakfast.
Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto