The Light Within the Darkness
Part 2
Disclaimer: I don't own this story, yes I know, heartbreaking isn't it?
Naruto kept a steady pace as he leaped from tree to tree. He kept his guard up even though he was in the territory was supposedly friendly. Jiraiya had taught him that there was never such a thing, but Naruto tried to stay optimistic about it. Besides, he was on the outskirts of Konohagakure for the first time in almost three years! There was nothing that could spoil his good mood today, even with Jiraiya's constant nagging behind him.
"Naruto, don't forget to keep your eyes on the little details, but don't focus so much that you miss the bigger picture. Remember how to keep and even amount of attention on both while maintaining a good speed. Don't forget to keep one hand near your kunai pouch and be…"
"Will you stop with the last minute training session already! We are done with the training now, you can feel free to stop picking out every little thing that senile brain of yours can pick out and just enjoy the fact that we're almost home."
Jiraiya smiled slightly at the remark, he sometimes forgot how much Naruto had grown. Though he could think better on his feet now, and didn't feel the need to loudly announce every jutsu he ever did five minutes before he did it. He had made many similar improvements over the last three years that Naruto had been with him. He had gotten more knowledge of the shinobi skills and what makes a Hokage so great. Naruto turned out to be a good learner after a few months, which really surprised Jiraiya. Naruto never seemed like the book studying type, but when it came to what he aspired to be Naruto could bring himself to do damn near anything. And he had proven that time and time again. For the first time in many MANY years, Jiraiya was proud of himself.
"Hey Naruto, how about we stop here and take a break for a bit. These old legs just aren't what they used to be."
"Fine, but if it's a last minute lecture than spare me. I've had enough of your all-knowing wisdom for one lifetime. That, and I really want to see everybody again. Two and a half years is a long time to go without seeing someone, even by your infinite years, old man." Jiraiya snorted at that last remark Naruto made.
"I may be old but I could still rip you a new one. Never forget Naruto, you may get stronger than me, but you will never, EVER, be meaner than I am."
Naruto got a wicked grin of his face and looked Jiraiya right in the face.
"What if I went four tails on your ancient ass right here and now?"
Insert long pause here
"Er….ummm… I guess you got me there, but that's not really fair though. You know as well as I do that's something you don't want to go trying anytime soon. I don't think either of us would survive another Kyuubi episode."
The scene grew glum with that last remark and Jiraiya felt bad for killing Naruto's good mood. He had to make it up to him somehow. But how was the real question. What did Naruto really, REALLY, enjoy to do?
Something…..anything…..but what?….
Then it hit Jiraiya like a round-house kick to the face.
"Hey, we've rested long enough, let's get headin' home and I'll take you to Ichiraku, my treat."
Naruto's face lit up like the Forth of July. (Not that is means much to them)
"REALLY, THEN WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?"
And like Rock Lee's Leaf Hurricane Naruto spun around towards home and went flying.
Jiraiya just stood there shaking his head and smiling.
"Hahaha, I guess I was wrong. Naruto has a two-track mind, training and ramen. But to each his own I suppose." Jiraiya walked off in the direction of Konohagakure and hoped that Naruto wouldn't cause too much trouble while he wasn't there to dictate his every move.
Naruto stopped just short of the gates. He was so pumped up now. Free Ichiraku Ramen and he was home for the first time in almost three years. Nothing could make this day a bad one. That was until he finally heard a voice calling his name off in the distance.
"HEY BOSS! LONG TIME NO SEE!"
Running towards Naruto not but a football field away…was Konohamaru, with a grin so wide it seemed to split his preteen face.
'Awww shit, not now. Not when I'm almost home. My luck isn't this bad.'
Sure enough, it was. Because Konohamaru kept coming and he showed no signs of slowing down even though Naruto was running from him.
'Slow down…please…please…PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!'
For the next part, let's just say Konohamaru didn't stop. And since Naruto was expecting him to…well you can see where I'm going with this.
Konohamaru spear tackled Naruto right in the gut. This sent both of them tumbling off for a few yards until they both rolled right into a tree.
"What in the hell is wrong with you kid? You could have killed me!"
Konohamaru was still grinning from ear to ear while he rubbed his shoulder.
"Aww come on boss, I was just kidding around. You know it's been a while since I've seen you and I just got a little over excited that's all."
"Well could you tone it down a bit, any more 'excitement' and I might break a rib!"
He glared at Konohamaru with such intensity that the young shinobi had to look away. Konohamaru started to get back on his feet, his gaze still lingering on the dirt beneath him. In that moment Naruto saw an opportunity he just couldn't pass up.
He showed a hint of a smile….and acted swiftly.
While Konohamaru was bending over to finally stand up straight, Naruto attacked.
"A THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!"
And with that Naruto stuck the young shinobi with four fingers right in the rectum, sending Konohamaru flying toward the great walls that protected Konohagakure and smacked into them. Naruto bust out in uncontrolled laughter.
"HAHAHAHA I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FELL FOR THE 'FAKE PISSED OFF ACT'. DOESN'T IRUKA SENSAI TEACH ANYTHING TO YOU GUYS ANYMORE?" Rolling around in the dirt and holding his sides to keep them from splitting, Naruto laughed till he thought he was going to burst. After a good ten minutes he looked over at Konohamaru and got up off the ground.
"Ok Konohamaru, you'll be fine. Just walk it off and you'll be feeling just peachy."
But Konohamaru didn't move, he still lay there on the ground.
"Konohamaru?"
Still no answer.
"Ok Konohamaru this isn't funny. If it's a joke you're taking it way too far."
As he neared the body, he noticed something. There was something different about Konohamaru all of the sudden. As he grew closer, he noticed something sticking out of Konohamaru's shirt.
A piece of straw…
Jiraiya was now in sight of the village, and he couldn't help but sigh.
"Well, it least it's still here. That means nothing too horrible has happened just yet. No screams of terror or pain, no smoke from fire, no explosions. Maybe Naruto has become more subtle in his approach towards-"
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Jiraiya jumped at this yell of anger coming from the village gates.
"Maybe I spoke to soon…I just hope he hasn't hurt anyone yet."
Running off in the direction of the ear-splitting noise, Jiraiya moved as fast as he could and prepared for the worst.
" DAMN IT ALL KONOHAMARU, IF I EVER GET AHOLD OF YOU I'LL HIT YOU SO HARD THAT THE THIRD HOKAGE WILL FEEL IT!"
As Jiraiya came to the source of the noise he stopped. He saw Naruto on he knees before a straw dummy with a sign on the forehead reading 'Missed' on it. And piece-by-piece it came to him. That Naruto had been fooled by the young Konohamaru and was pissed at himself for his foolishness. Currently Naruto was rendering the straw dummy limb from limb in anger.
"Ok, so he's still a little hot-headed, nothing a good ass-kicking won't fix," Jiraiya mumbled under his breath. "But more of that later, right now I need to calm him down."
Jiraiya walked over to Naruto who was still pounding at the dummy as if it really were Konohamaru. A sad sigh escaped him and he shook his head. Walking over to Naruto Jiraiya pulled him up off the ground and spun him around so that Naruto was facing him.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing? If this is how you act in the face of defeat, then I have just wasted two and a half years of my life."
The angry expression on Naruto's face quickly left and now in it's place was a look of shame.
"I'm sorry master Jiraiya. (It's what Jiraiya had started making Naruto call him instead of 'pervy sage' but Naruto only did in times of guilt and when he knew he was in the wrong) It won't happen again. Just being tricked by some little Genin really pissed me off." The angry expression slowly reappeared on his face. Jiraiya had no intention of letting it get him again.
"Hey, first off need I remind you that your still a Genin and that nobody is perfect. You went all that time spent with me with little or no mistakes, so you were bound to slip up sometime. It's just the nature of being human. If you can't accept that Naruto Uzumaki, then I have failed you as a teacher."
Naruto bit his lower lip in frustration.
'I can't stand it when pervy sage gets like this. All emotional and the whole 'I failed you as a teacher' shit that he's told me a good 400 times over our whole training period. But the only I can do is apologize and humour him until he shuts up.'
"Yes sir, I'm truly sorry for my immature behaviour. I will make sure that nothing like this will even happen again. Will I be allowed to get revenge on the little shit?"
Jiraiya let out a hardy laugh and looked at Naruto with a grim amusement.
"Kid, there is only one thing I can think of that could possible make you regain your lost honour. That's to get that kid back ten-fold. And here's how you're going to do it. But not today, you let him have the battle, and we'll get the war."
Jiraiya slowly leaned over and whispered something inaudible to Naruto. All I can say that happened after that was Naruto slowly got that prankster grin across his face.
"That's horrible Jiraiya. I love it!"
Jiraiya and Naruto walked slowly but eagerly over to the Ichiraku Ramen stand. It had been many a day's travel to Konohagakure and they both had little to eat in that time. Naruto sat down in the seat he usually sat before he left with Jiraiya. Jiraiya plopped down next to him and made the order.
"Hey Teuchi! How 'bout two large bowls of ramen with pork over here please."
Teuchi (the guy who runs Ichiraku for those of us who are a little slow) turned around and regarded the newcomers with a hearty smile and cheer to boot.
"Jiraiya and Naruto. It's been awhile since I've seen either of you two around here. I really missed my favorite regular." He nodded towards Naruto who grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, how's about I make those two bowls on the house. Considerin' you two have been gone for a while, call it a welcome home gift."
Both of the two men at the counter grinned and nodded.
"Ok you two, consider these bowels on me. HEY AYAME! TWO LARGE BOWLS WITH PORK ON ME!"(snicker he said 'pork on me')
After a few minutes a young woman walked out carrying two large bowels filled to the top with ramen out. She regarded the two men at the counter much like her father did. She handed them their bowls and smiled.
"Hey you two, it's been a while hasn't it."
Naruto was WAY too busy stuffing his face as fast as he could. Luckily Jiraiya was there to acknowledge her and respond.
"Yeah, we've been out training here and there. We've been traveling for several days now with minimal rations, so you can well imagine how hungry we…well…just look at Naruto." Naruto was at the time looking around in his bowel for any small morsel he may have missed in his gorging. Ayame just laughed at the sight.
"Ok, well, I can see you two are busy filling up. I'll leave you to your meal and welcome home."
"Thank you miss."
And with that Ayame turned and walked out of the room and behind the curtain. Jiraiya was pleased at the welcome they had received so far but was wondering as to how long it would last. Something had to go wrong sooner or later, but he just wrote it off as being pessimistic and continued eating.
Naruto walked toward the Hokage's office after finishing up at Ichiraku. He had downed five bowls while Jiraiya only got two. For once in his life Jiraiya actually PAID for it when he said he would. This only added to Naruto's great mood and he even whistled while he walked. Nothing was going to ruin his day.
"Ummmm….Naruto?"
Naruto turned around and saw a girl standing in his shadows. She had long dark hair and beautiful eyes that could make a man's knees shake. Her body was curved in such a way it made Naruto wish that she wore less clothing. He looked up at that face that made him stutter for a moment…
It was Hinata.
She had grown up into what Naruto thought was one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes in. Despite all of her good looks, he couldn't help but stare at one thing, and that was her chest. (Yes, almost 3 years with Jiraiya has had some effect on his views on women) Despite the baggy jacket that she wore, her chest was of such size that it would take a lot more than a baggy jacket to cover it up. Realizing he was thinking all this about her and that he still hadn't answered her, Naruto blushed a little.
"Hey Hinata, how's it going?"
As soon as Hinata met the young mans gaze she blushed and quickly looked away. She twiddled her thumbs in an old nervous habit as she spoke.
"I just…umm…wanted to make sure you got back ok. And…umm…to tell you…that I…I…I'm glad your back…" She looked away and her blush deepened. Naruto didn't know what was going on though; he never did when it came to Hinata. (And may the Gods slap-eth him upside the head for it someday!) But he felt he should compliment her looks though. That's what guys were supposed to do right? Problem was, he just didn't know how to do so. He just went with the straightforward approach, much like he did in battle. However, that's was never as easy as it seemed.
"Thanks Hinata. You know…I think you look really good. I MEAN…umm...you look beautiful…I mean…damn it. I'm sorry, I just wanted to tell you that I think you've gotten very beautiful over the time that I have been gone. HA, there I said it and I'm still in one piece." Grinning from ear to ear, Naruto noticed that Hinata seemed to have frozen while he was talking. Her eyes were opened so wide he thought they were going to split and her face was the color of a tomato. He tilted his head as he walked over to her.
"Hinata, are you alright? You're not moving much. Hinata?" And as he approached he stopped mid step as he saw Hinata start to fall to the ground. Quickly realizing this, Naruto jumped over and caught her just before she hit the ground. He grumbled a bit and stood up holder her in his arm. She still looked the exact same though.
'Ok, this hits way up there on my 'weird shit' o'meter. I mean, I gave her a complement right? I didn't know this is how women react to that sort' a thing. Oh well, I'll just have to take her somewhere that I know well be alone so that I can talk to her and find out what's up. She always was a weird one…Of course…she's gotten pretty good looking for a weird one if I do say so myself. Anyway, I know just the place to go where we can be alone to chat.'
And with that, the young Uzumaki boy walked off into the distance, still holding the petrified Hinata in his arm.
To be continued…(duh)
Author's Notes: Damn that took longer than I wanted it to. So what do ya think? I'd really appreciate a little read and review here. I mean come one, I'm not writing this shit just for your benefit only. I thought it moved pretty slowly though, maybe that's just me. OH WELL! Tell me what's on your minds so that I can mull it all over. It'd make my next instalment better if I got a little review every now and then, a big shout out to THE HEE-HO KING, my first review. Thanks, every bit counts in my book. Next time, Tenten gets breast implants….HAHAHA…just kidding, but in my opinion they could hurt…me at least. More Naruhina goodness in the next instalment of The Light Within the Darkness!