"Naruto!" Sakura yelled out as she landed on the tree branches. The two combatants before her stopped and both looked in her direction.
"Sakura…" Naruto muttered surprised, "What you doing? It's too dangerous get away from here!" The being in front on Naruto chuckled as the humanoid sand raccoon turned to her.
"You want to fight as well? You think you can beat me? Gaara of the desert? Take this!" The beast lashed out with a wave of sand and Sakura jumped up onto another tree branch.
"I'm not scared! Watery!" The water spirit appeared and rushed forward, dampening the sand and making it useless. "Now Naruto!"
"Okay!" Naruto responded with a smirk and rushed forward. Gaara turned and both battled up close till Naruto was struck away by the tail.
"Wind style: Air bullet!" Naruto looked forward as the attack rushed him.
"Windy!" Naruto watched as the gentle winds sliced the attack aside. Gaara growled and looked to Sakura who landed by Naruto.
"Let's work together…" Naruto glanced over and nods.
"Okay… Together…" Both turned to the beast as the sands rotated round him.
"Time to show you true fear… My true form!" In a blast, the trees were blown away and the pair landed in the open terrain staring down the large raccoon. "I'll wipe you all out!"
"We won't fail!" Both called out as they put their palm to the floor together. "Summoning jutsu!"
In a blast of smoke Sakura heard a voice. "Sakura…" And the smoke faded showing a giant Kero. "Sakura…"
"Kero?" Sakura glanced about confused. "Naruto?" Where was he?
"Sakura… Sakura…" The sound of Naruto's voice reached her ears and the world around her faded black.
"Hey Sakura, wake up." Opening her eyes, Naruto was busy shaking her arm with an annoyed look. "If you don't wake up, you'll be late." Sakura rubbed her eyes before sitting up. A dream…
"I guess I took your story to much in last night. I was fighting a raccoon with you Naruto." Naruto stared for a moment before chuckling.
"Well I hope you weren't too scared." Sakura glared, she was rather confident in their fight. "Reality and fiction would change that, if you saw Gaara for back then. I don't think you would be as confident…" She gave him the 'that's not fare' look. Naruto shrugged, he knew Sakura wouldn't be ready for someone like Gaara.
"Anyway, head down for breakfast. I'll pack for school." Standing she headed for the door to get ready. Naruto stopped after she left, 'Gaara… How are you doing my friend?'
XXXX Chapter 5
"Man… I can't believe how things have been so far." Sakura glanced to Naruto curiously as they walked to school. The ninja yawned before continuing. "The clow cards aren't very active are they? You'd think they would be causing chaos everywhere." Why did he sound like he wanted that to happen. "I wish something exciting would become more common."
"I'm just glad that so far, no one has been hurt by the clow cards…" Sakura muttered as both saw the van parked outside the shop ahead. "Hoe?" As they stopped short of the shop door, Sakura turned to the window and stared inside. But there were tons of boxes. "Oh… It's not open yet…"
"Woah…" Sakura turned to see a figure carrying boxes upon boxes. It sounded like a woman and she stumbled to keep balance. "Woah!" Sakura flinched as she watched her trip. But while the woman lay spiralled on the floor, Naruto was busy balancing the boxes he caught.
"Little help here…" Sakura quickly jumped to action and took some boxes off him. "Thanks…" The fact wasn't because they were heavy, the boxes were very light. It was the number in which fell on him. "You okay?"
The woman sat up quickly, shaking the events from her and quickly stood. "I am thank you for catching my stuff." She turned to open the door, only to walk into it. "Ow…" Both Naruto and Sakura glanced to one other, this lady had a… Accident prone, tag labelled to her. "Forgot to turn the handle…" Pushing the door open, she invited the two inside.
"You just arrived to town?" Sakura asked curiously as they set the boxes down. Thought her curiosity got the better of her.
"Well I've been here a while now, I'm trying to get everything ready to open today." The lady responded as Sakura gasped at all the plush toys in the box.
"They're so cute… What you think Naruto?" Naruto shrugged, to him, he wasn't much of a stuffed toy fan. But that didn't mean he didn't like them.
"Their okay… Not my style but it looks nice." While Sakura set it down, the shop owner turned to move boxes around. "We must take our leave now Sakura." He commented as he looked to her.
"Oh yeah… I'll be back this afternoon, I'll bring my friends." Sakura gestured to the owner, as both headed for the door, the woman bid them good day. "She's nice." Sakura muttered as they walked off.
"A bit quirky if you ask me." Naruto retorted before grinning. "Did you see anything you liked in their?" Sakura crossed her arms, she wasn't sure. "Guess we'll see later on then?" Maybe…
As the day began at school, Sakura was asking her friends if they wish to join her to the shop, which did of course, got positive responses. "I'd love to go!" Chiharu stated to Sakura, she just loved stuffed toys. Sakura smiled at the group, but there was still one missing.
Naruto of course, though right now before they could go, there was after school sessions, and while Sakura had now finished her baton, she was quickly checking up on Naruto before heading to get changed. If she was correct, it was soccer today.
Stepping round to the grounds, she could see everyone playing. "Go long!" Sakuras head spun to the voice and watched as Naruto weaved round the class mates as he played. To her, it looked like a dance; his movements were fluid as he stepped round them. Quickly passing the ball under ones feet to another, Naruto stepped out of the group set to get him. "Saito!" The young male kicked the ball over head and Naruto jumped.
She could only watch in amazement and worry as Naruto jumped and kicked the ball hard down into the goal. While she cheered along with his teammates, she worried if Naruto advanced ninja skills will get him into trouble at one point. The way he could jump so high really made him stand out.
But to his teammates and others, he was an ace in their stack of cards. She had expected Naruto to lead, stand above the rest. But he really did try to keep himself a lesser focus and made it more his teammates glory to scoring.
He did score yes, and when he did it was an amazing one, but he generally set up the goals for his teammates, more than anything else… And what made it more funny, was they couldn't guess what he would do next, he truly was an unpredictable one, just like when he was growing up.
"Hey Sakura!" She was brought from her musing as Naruto ran up. "Sorry we took so long. I'm not keeping you from going am I?" She shook her head; everyone was okay on waiting for the two. "Cool, lets hurry up and get changed; I'll meet you out front!" With that he ran off.
She quickly left as well; not wanting to fall behind, though one last glance back showed that everyone else at the pitch was exhausted and Naruto had ran off having only become short of breath. She had to wonder, where was his limit?
Once both had changed, they met up and with the rest of the group headed for the shop. It seemed quiet still and as they glanced through the window, they found boxes everywhere. "I thought it would be open today?" Naruto commented curiously.
"I wish it was…" They all looked to the woman who sheepishly smiled. "I sort of had issues getting it all together. I'm falling behind."
"Then let us help." Sakura chirped. "We'll help get everything sorted." Her friends and Naruto agreed and the woman was thankful for their help. Quickly getting to work and putting everything in place, though the older lady did make it more trouble and seemed so accident prone as Naruto had to leap and catch several falling items.
Tomoyo quickly put the lady aside, best to have out away from causing more trouble. "Hm…" Naruto looked at the toys curiously; these were so not his thing. The door bell chimed as someone walked in.
"Aww… wow! Look at all the toys!" A small voice chirped up as Naruto spotted the red haired blur. There was a male chuckle.
"Take your time picking one out then… Um, young lady…" Sakura turned round and stopped still a second. The male smiled, but Sakura found this man curious. She felt like she had seen him somewhere before? "Um, where is the owner of the shop?" The man said with a smile, it was obvious that he'd caught the girl off guard. He had to stop doing that at some point.
Registering his words Sakura quickly showed him to the owner. "This way sir..." As they stepped out Naruto turned to Chiharu.
"Where should these go?" Chiharu quickly pointed him in the direction and Naruto went and put the plush toy down. As he did, and small noise caught his ear and looked to see the young girl trying to reach one of the toys. Naruto chuckled and quickly walked over. "Which one do you want?" The girl looked to Naruto.
"That one!" She chirped with a smile while pointing to the stuffed bear. Handing it over, she giggled with delight. "Thank you…"
"No problem…" Naruto smiled, this girl… It reminded him of Sakura from when she was younger. "What's your name?"
"Nariko…" Wow, that sounded near enough like Naruto. Who would have thought huh? Naruto smiled lightly at the girl, she seemed to be carrying a familiar energetic energy under that small smile.
"My names Naruto… Nice to meet you..." Both grinned at one another before her name was called.
"Coming daddy!" She looked to Naruto and gave a small smile with a nod before heading to her father. Naruto chuckled before getting back to work.
"Come again soon." Was soon heard, with that the door opened and closed and Naruto glanced to Sakura who looked somewhat dazed.
"Something wrong?" She glanced to Naruto before shaking her head, it was nothing, and maybe just a feeling she knew that man.
With that out the way everyone continued to work till the last toy was set. And as tea and biscuits were placed down the shop owner glanced about with a smile. "I can't thank you all enough." The group smiled to one another, she would have been ages to set this up alone.
There was a clatter and all turned to see a panda toy hit the floor and roll over. Every relaxed having been startled, but Naruto spotted something odd. It was the woman who ran the shop, she almost looked… worried, or scared? Turning to Chiharu she picked the toy up. Looks like it was going with her?
The woman seemed reluctant to finish the sale on this toy. Her whole demeanour had changed with that panda. "Want to all come home for tea?" Chiharu requested, Naruto was reluctant, but he went none the less. Plus he felt he had to go, something seemed odd right now.
XXX
Now Naruto would say he'd seen a lot so far being a ninja… But by the gods he'd never seen anything like this. Stuffed toys everywhere, he stared at all the blank looks. All staring at the group, everyone looked surprised by the collection. "You really like your toys…" Naruto muttered aloud. She really did have a thing for plush toys.
As she set the panda down, everyone headed for the lower floor, but Naruto stopped just before they left, glancing back as the door closed, he eyed the panda. And as the door closed, he wasn't sure, but… Did that panda just look his way?
He didn't say anything, even when everyone was curious as to what was wrong. "Nothing, just that funny feeling that any moment one would come alive…" There was a few chuckles, even Sakura chuckled, but for some reason, felt that while seemed like a joke, held a hidden meaning. Had he seen something?
"Enjoy the tea." As the cups were set before them, everyone chatted quietly. Naruto seemed to be busy trying to put his thoughts together, that couldn't have been his imagination could it?
"Something wrong?" Sakura asked quietly. Naruto shook his head, he didn't think so.
"So Naruto," Rika spoke up, "what was it like where you lived before?" There was no hidden discussion that Naruto's background was full of holes. He never really said much about himself, normally just hanging out with Sakura mostly. This was also something on the girls list of curious questions to ask.
"Home wasn't bad, a small village deep within the forests. Like a village hidden in the leaves." Naruto stated amused at the double answer. Though the second part, Sakura got alone.
"So it was secluded?" Naruto nods, that was true. His 'home village' was rather secluded, so much so that they wouldn't find it normally. "How come?" Naruto chuckled.
"Let's just say, that when you want to find it, you don't… And when you're just idly wandering, it could just surprise you. Like a ninja coming out from the shadows." Naoko was enthralled with his comments, his home sounded so mysterious, and she so wished to see this village for herself. "Can't say for sure… Maybe one day." Okay, that was a lie; he couldn't bring these girls back to konoha, even if he wanted to. So by trying to put the topic of going on a lone string, it should go away after time the thought.
Just before more questions could continue, Narutos advanced skills picked up something, like a clatter…
Every noticed the frozen look. "Something wrong Naruto?" Chiharu asked, only for a loud bang and other noises to echo out. "That sounded like it came from my room?" Chiharu quickly dashed to the stairs and Naruto glanced to Sakura before he followed, he knew he should have done something.
Sakura was quick on his heels with everyone else, but all came to a slow stop. Chiharu's gaze stared in to her room. And all slowly looked on…
The room looked like a tornado of knives went through it. Cutting and destroying every plush toy in there.
The girls helped settle the broken Chiharu, for all her toys had been ruined. Naruto meanwhile was scanning the area, and Sakura could see he was looking for something. "Naruto?" Naruto glanced to her, and then looked forward.
"Look," He muttered quietly. "Can't you tell some things off here?" Sakura looked about, what was wrong with everything here over all the mess. She couldn't tell what he was meaning; all she could see was bears, sheep, and many other destroyed toys… Naruto shook his head slightly; he knew she might over look it. "I'll tell you after we leave…"
Soon all left, leaving the family to tend to their daughter. All went their own ways, their minds on tonight while Naruto walked with Sakura. "The panda…" Sakura glanced to Naruto curiously. "The panda wasn't there, amongst all the ruin." Sakura looked forward, her mind taking in all she looked at before.
She stopped, that's right. The panda from today wasn't there. "So what could that all mean?" Naruto shrugged.
"Not too sure, either someone or something decided that a break in or attack on the stuffed toys was needed or…" Sakura stared for a moment. A clow card… "Yeah, one that might have come with us from that panda..."
"Poor Chiharu…" Sakura muttered, if she had known a clow card was present, she would have done something. "Why didn't you say?" Naruto looked to her as he began to walk off. Sakura quickly caught up to him.
"I can't just jump to conclusions; I wasn't sure what was going on. From what I saw today, there could have been many other reasons." Sakura stared at him, he seemed too really take much thought into this, the Naruto she knew growing up used to jump the gun, but since he came here, he's had to act differently.
"So what now?" Naruto glanced to Sakura.
Once they returned to Sakura's, Sakura was busy getting a snack while Naruto explained to Kero everything. "Hm…" The guardian pondered for several moments while Sakura entered. "I've never known of a clow card to mess with stuffed toys…" Sakura set the food down and turned to the two. Kero quickly made his way over to get a biscuit.
"So it might not be a clow card?" Kero shrugged, he would have to go and see. "Th-then maybe…" Sakura muttered nervously. "C-could it be a ghost?"
"Do not make yourself panic Sakura." Naruto stated allowed as he stepped up behind her, which intern made her jump. "If you let yourself jump to conclusions, it will only lead to mistakes." Sakura glanced away, she knew that. "So what do you want to do?" What? "Well you are the cardcaptor, I think a plan is needed to check this out.
"Maybe we should go by tomorrow morning?" Sakura quizzed. Naruto looked on to see as to why she decided this. "If what you say is true, then maybe our answer will come from shop. Maybe we can ask the shop owner about the panda? You said it yourself that she looked worried." Naruto nods, good idea… And if it comes to point and the clow card was living in the shop? "Then we'll go capture it that night, Kero can come with us to identify it."
That was not a bad idea from Naruto perspective, if anything she had it nicely put together. True to fact Kero could spot the clow cards magical presence since Sakura had yet to begin handling her own power well enough yet.
Naruto went to sleep with his mind pondering on what tomorrows events will brings. But he knew no matter the issues, he'll make it all work to Sakura's plan.
And on that new day, Naruto and Sakura made an early start and headed for the shop. They found the shop owner busy tidying. "Morning!" Both called out as they entered, the woman was very happy to see them. As the pair talked, Naruto's eyes shifted round the building.
'Where are you?' He walked along the toys eyeing them, and then he stopped as there it was looking right at him. "Hey, didn't this go with someone yesterday?" Naruto stated aloud showing this to the shop owner. The woman stared, before panic showed on her face.
"Oh no…" Sakura looked to the lady worried, what was wrong. "I've had to move shop several times, because every time the panda here left my shop, trouble started. I was blamed and had many things said, and it's all because of the panda. It gets sold, and comes back somehow, and the people who by them have trouble left at their feet…" She sat down; Naruto glanced to Sakura who looked to Naruto. He set the panda back down and both knew that they had to come back and help tonight.
That evening, Naruto with Sakura, Kero and Tomoyo re-entered the shop. Sakura glanced to Tomoyo who nods slowly and went to play distraction for them, getting the owner out the way for a short while was important to keep the knowledge of the clow cards secret. Tomoyo already had a list to work on, time was all they had.
"Okay now while we have the time." Naruto commented and he and Sakura with Kero looked for the panda, in hopes to track the clow card. Finding it wasn't hard, but the second Kero looked at it.
"I don't sense the clow card… But, it is in this room." All three glanced about, they didn't have long. Splitting up, all three glanced about the room, looking for something that either stood out, or made notice to themselves. And as they did this, the clow card itself eyed the three, and jumped about the place keeping itself unseen, well that was until Naruto caught a shifting movement and turned to look at something. A pink rabbit looking creature.
"Wow, what a weird one…" Naruto stated looking at the dark glare it held. As Naruto squinted his eyes as he leaned forward. "Damn right ugly toy."
There was a yelp and Sakura and Kero turned to Naruto who was bombarded with toys. "Naruto!" She spotted it, a pink rabbit, followed by a mass of toys as it blasted into Naruto and then around the room. "Kero!" The small guardian was balled over and landing he looked to his target.
"It's the Jump card!" As he called out, the shop owner ran in from all the yelling, much to Tomoyo's attempts, the sudden sight of toys flying all over the place and the mess, pushed the lady into overload and she collapsed. And as she did, Jump burst out the window, taking the toys with it.
"After it!" Naruto yelled dashing out after it, Kero followed as Sakura turned to Tomoyo.
"Stay with her!" Tomoyo nods and Sakura rushed out the door as opposed to the window the three took. 'Naruto, don't lose it, I'm coming.' As she followed the path of destruction, she came out into the middle of the park. And there he was. "Naruto!" Naruto jumped back as wave after wave, toys barrelled down on him. Sakura glanced about; she didn't have time to wait. 'I better hurry!' Take a firm grip to her wand, Sakura rushed forward to help.
Jumping back, Naruto gripped his sword, 'I need to do something…' Skidding back as the toys funnelled up and down like a snake shot at him, Naruto rotated the sword in his grasp as the seal glowed and stabbing the sword into the ground, a blast of energy shot forward, blasting all the toys away. Leaving all the toys to scatter and Sakura toy slow down to a walk as it rained toys, was it really that bad to do something like that? He could have damaged the toys. "Hey, it was either being beaten slowly to death by wool and fabric, or knock, that pink rat flying." Well, guess he had a point.
"What did you do anyway to get this sort of response?" Kero asked flying over. Naruto scratched the side of his nose, as better not saying why. "Anyway, let seal the…" Kero stopped talking and the two looked to where he was looking. Slowly the toys gathered and began to form a mass, a large pink one. They're vision moved up, watching the mass tower over them. They watched the giant jump form and it looked down on them before taking a deep breath.
They stared dumbstruck by the… Would they call it, a roar…? "Wow… That was the least threatening thing I've ever heard." Sakura nods slowly in agreement. But they quickly were brought back to their senses by the fact it was going to step on them. So taking action, Naruto grabbed Sakura with Kero and jumped out the way. "We need to stall for time. Sakura, got a plan?" She pondered for a moment. Maybe…
"Get me some distance." Naruto nods and with his enhanced skills got Sakura a good distance away from jump. Its roar echoed out low and well… They guess threatening. Sakura gripped her wand as jump turned to them. "Here goes!" Sakura muttered taking the wood card.
"Got a plan?" Sakura nods, she had something, maybe it just came from being with him, but she felt a bit like doing a 'Naruto' like action.
"Wood card… Become the binding chain and bring this behemoth back to earth! Wood!" Striking wood, she pictured just how she wanted wood to defeat Jump. The spirit appeared as jump began getting closer and it instantly dipped at jumps feet, forming a mass of growth that caught jumps foot.
"Sakura?" Naruto muttered confused as Sakura smiled. The bigger they are… The harder they fall! Naruto and Kero stared dumb founded as Sakura turned to them with a peace sign as jump landed flat on its face and exploded into many small toys again. What did Naruto think? "It's… Different…" Sakura giggled, she was thinking on her toes, wouldn't he have done something similar. "I guess…" Naruto chuckled, he probably would have. Good to see she was getting this down now.
Now to seal the deal, and walking up the stunned clow card, Sakura proceeded to seal it away. "I've got to say Sakura, you're getting better." She smiled at his comment, nice to know. But for a moment they stood there glancing about. "I guess we better gather all these up…" Her mood became the opposite having now realised they have to take all these toys back.
Upon gathering it all, they began to notice something, half this lot couldn't have just come from one store? There was just too much! "Where the world did Jump find all this to?" Was Naruto's unanswered question, as he worked through the night.
By the time Naruto had finished, he'd long gone but to the shop owner, it was labelled as a break in, and while she couldn't place what had happened the night before, having dismissed the flying toys as her imagination, she was glad now that things seemed to be looking up.
And while Sakura was happy for her, both she and Naruto couldn't help but still watch stunned at how much the shop owner still was. Indeed, the most accident prone person they've ever met.