Life As A Fox

Chapter 6: She's Been Awake?!

By: Passionate-Eyes

The ton of paperwork on her desk couldn't keep Tsunade from thinking of today's events. Even Shizune, who was always nagging at her to get her work done, couldn't come up with anything to say to her. She was also worried about the two teens. And why shouldn't they be; first their apartments are destroyed in an explosion, then they're attacked by cloud nin, and now they've run off somewhere with nin that appeared to be from another village.

"Lady Tsunade, do you think it was the right thing to do, just letting them go like that?" Shizune finally asked.

"To tell you the truth, I'm still wondering that to."

"Then why did you just let them go like that? Especially since Hinata still weak from earlier?"

"I know, but we're just going to have to trust her safety on Naruto, after all, once that idiot finds something precious to him, he does everything he can to keep them safe." She paused to turn and look out the window. "The only thing I'm worried about is what those two have to do with a private matter from another village, but just in case, I want any and all information concerning those two."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hinata wasn't sure of what she was doing. She had finally heard the words she's always dreamt of hearing from Naruto, and now she was following him with two people she didn't even know. What scared her, the most, was the look that Naruto had on his face when he turned to look at her. The same thoughts came rushing into her mind, 'How is it possible? Does this mean that he knows about her? No, that's not possible, but if the does know, oh, I don't want to think about it. What if he thinks I'm some sort of monster?'

'Don't you think that way, kitten, even if he did know, I highly doubt that he'd think of you as a monster. Especially with the his secret.' Said a reassuring voice in her head.

'I know, I know, Shichubi, but,'

'Look kitten, if he really does love you, he wouldn't care if I were sealed inside of you. Just remember what I always tell you,'

'Always look towards the side that has the happier ending' they both said simultaneously.

- - - - - - - - - -

Naruto was at a loss to what to say to Hinata, 'How is it possible, does this mean that her father knew the whole time? That would explain why he hates her so much instead of helping her!!'

'CALM DOWN, BAKA!!'

'Why should I calm down you stupid fox?'

'Cuz if you don't, your going to activate our tailed forms, and I don't think our mates are ready to see that jus yet.' At the hearing of this, Naruto immediately called down, but something else began to nag him.

'WHAT DO YOU MEAN "OUR" MATES?!'

'Easy, your mate has my mate sealed inside her, so that means that both of them belong to us, and no one else.'

'You better not do anything to Hinata, or I swear to god, I will drag you into hell with me.'

'…' (The kit sure is getting stronger, I think its almost time, I just hope that his mate is also ready)

'That's better'

Naruto had been feeling very uneasy since they left the hospital. This made him feel even worse with what he would have to explain to Hinata. "Hey, Pain,"

"What's up Naruto?"

"When are we gonna stop? I'm sure that we're far enough from the village by now."

"I agree with him, I'm sure this is far enough," Sara was getting tired of running through.

"Fine, we'll stop here."

The four of them had been running for quite some time. They stopped at a small clearing that was surrounded by trees.

"Okay, straight to business," Sara was the first one to break the silence, "Hinata-san, our leader wishes for you to join our organization,"

"Well I wouldn't call it that Sara," Naruto interrupted, with a sarcastic tone in his voice.

"Shut it, Fox," it was Pain to speak up this time.

"Why don't you make me, Howl?"

"I'd watch my words if I were you little brother."

"Just because you my older brother, doesn't mean that you're stronger. If I recall, I remember that in all the sparring matches we've had, you haven't beaten me once."

The two of them kept screaming at each other until Hinata was finally able to speak up, "WOULD YOU BOTH JUST KNOCK IT OFF!!" everyone, including Hinata herself, couldn't believe what she had just done. For the first time, or should I say second, she worked up the courage to be noticed.

"Ano…..umm.." Now she was blushing greatly.

"Wow, nice Hinata-san" Sara said to her, she was impressed that she made such a huge scream, "well, as I was saying before I was interrupted, our leader wishes for you to join our organization. For one reason is to help train you, and to keep you safe from the Akatsuki,"

"Akatsuki?" Hinata asked with a confused look on her face.

"They're the one that have been chasing after me and the rest of the group." It was Naruto that answered the question, "for some reason, they've been searching for us. Why? We still don't know what they want with us exactly, but Lady Chihiro formed the organization in order to keep us safe and properly train us."

"But why are they after us? And how am I involved?" Hinata was desperately wishing that it wasn't about Shichubi. Again it was Naruto that answered first.

"Hey, Howl, Liz, can you give us a few minutes alone?"

"Why not. There's no harm in giving you a few minutes alone. C'mon Liz." Pain turned to go into the trees, with Sara following close behind, only to run up to him and hug him from behind.

"Looks like those two ore doing okay," Naruto said with a grin on his face. But his face suddenly got very serious when he turned to Hinata. "To tell you the truth, I asked him for some privacy cuz I don't want him to poke fun at me later. I guess still feel that I should handle things head first, but when I stop and think about it, I realize that I was just being overconfident. I've had many doubts over the years, but not many people who I could fully trust. Even now, there aren't that many people I could trust."

She couldn't believe what she had heard him say. "But, why is it that you feel that you can't trust them?" This sentence hit Naruto, and hard, she could tell. His eyes suddenly showed nothing but sadness, "Does it have to do with your secret, Naruto?"

Naruto just stood there, he was shocked to here her mention his secret. But he knew that eventually, he would have to tell her, and might as well be now.

"Yeah, it does," there was a sudden sadness in his voice, "Hinata, do you know why the village hates me?" he began to undo his jacket, "Why their always talking about me under their breath?" he removed his jacket, "Always calling demon brat?" he began to pull of his shirt, Hinata quickly turned away with a strong blush on her face, "Hinata, don't turn away, this something you have to know," she picked up her courage to look at the now shirtless Naruto. Even with the spying she did on him, she never really got a good look at him, but now, she fighting with herself to keep from fainting. "I'd understand if you'd be scared of me," he began to focus his chakra. Hinata was amazed as a spiral began to form around his navel. It was soon followed by markings that she recognized as a seal.

"Naruto, why do you have a seal on you?" her confusion quickly turned to worry as Naruto face began to show sadness.

"This is the reason the village hates me," he said sorrowfully as he placed his hand on the seal, "it's because of what's inside me, that they despise. It's because of HIM."

"What do you mean HIM?" Hinata wasn't sure on what he was talking about.

"…all my life, the villagers only saw me as this monster. The very monster that almost destroyed the village nearly 18 years ago before it was sealed away by the fourth hokage." He turned away from her, not wanting to see the look on her face, "I am the holder of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon."

"So it's true, everything she told me," Naruto turned around with a shocked look on his face, "Naruto, I don't care about what's sealed inside you, because that doesn't matter to me. Even more since the two of us are more alike."

He was completely confused, "Does this mean that you know about HER?" Hinata simply nodded. He was even more surprised to see a smile on her face.

"She first started to speak to me only a week after you left. I was really scared at first, but she helped me overcome that fear." She was getting closer to him, "To tell you the truth, she kept telling me that your chakra always had some of her mates feel to it."

"So she told you that I had her mate sealed in me,"

"No, she wouldn't tell me, but I had a feeling that it was the reason I was in love with you," she was now hugging him, "and it's the reason that I don't want to leave your side, because I don't want to be separated from you."

Naruto couldn't believe it, for a long time he thought that there was no one in the village that understood how he felt, but here in his arms, the woman he loves, has felt the same way for a long time.

- - - - - - - -

"Hey Howl,"

"What?"

"Do you think it was okay to leave those two alone? I mean, did you forget that there have been reports that the Akatsuki has been seen in the area?"

"No, I haven't, and that's the other reason that Lady Chihiro sent to two of us, in case they show up."

- - - In a town close by- - - -

"Are you sure about the rumors about Seven-Tails, Itachi?"

"Yes,"

The two Akatsuki members were making their way towards Konoha. Hoping to capture the Seven-Tails.

--

Preview of chapter 7: 6 and 8 vs. Kisame of the seven swordsmen and 7 and 9 vs. Itachi of the Sharingan

"Even if you have that kind of power, you are no match for my Tsukuyomi."

"And don't think those eyes are gonna keep you alive against us."

A/N: So here it is you guys...i still think there are some things that i need to work on