Naruto: The Way of the Ninja

by A. Crane

He's been betrayed by his best friends, he's hunted down by evil mercenaries, and his inner demon is taking over him. When Naruto's life grows dark, his new found crush will shed light on him and make him find strength he never imagined. NaruHina

6. Chapter 6: Painted Black

CH

Hi! If you're a devoted Naruto fan like me, you keep checking the Internet for the latest episodes. While all that's cool, it brings me some trouble because I'm trying to stay as true as possible to how the series is progressing while adding my own elements as well. This chapter went through several different incarnations (and titles) until I settled for the one you're looking at here.

By the way, this episode is much longer than what I expected. Oh yeah, that whole crossover thing…turns out it didn't fit in the overall story.

CH. 6: PAINTED BLACK

Saturday, October 29

Dear diary:

Something amazing just happened today. Naruto is finally out of the hospital! I learned about it when I went to pick up some flowers for my mother at Ino's shop. Unfortunately, I had an unexpected run-in with him on my way home. I was so late to get home I knew my father was going to be angry. It was a good thing he let me off the hook gently this time. But I totally wasn't ready to see Naruto again. I just bumped right into him when I turned at a corner. I realized it was him but it was too late to react. I think I passed out but I immediately woke up when I realized that my face was on his chest. I was so embarrassed; I just didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. I know that everyone is afraid of him again and he's aware of that, but I really want to support him. The problem is that I don't know how to treat him because I don't know how he'll react. He looked really different from the Naruto I know. He seemed a lot more serious than usual and spoke without that cheerful, energetic enthusiasm. I'm pretty sure it was because of what he learned about what will happen to him if the demon broke loose. I sure hope he starts to feel better soon. I wish there was a way I could help Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya to find a way to cure him.

Anyway, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to talk with him after a long time, but I completely made a fool of myself. He had a small coupon that got stuck in my jacket right at my chest when we bumped into each other. After all that was done, I was able to talk with him for a while, but he then seemed really interested in the fact that I went to visit my mother's grave. Suddenly, he told me I gave him a great idea and he hugged me. I thought I was going to faint. On the inside of my head, I could hear a voice that was just screaming with joy. After that, he just left. I didn't realize that Sakura had been standing there this whole time. At first, we were afraid to talk to each other, but we did eventually. She said that when they went to the road that leads to the outside of the village to remember Sasuke, he spoke in a similar way to how he spoke to me. Also, he felt guilty for everything that's happened: the outbreak of Kyuubi and Sasuke running away. He also apologized for what he said to Sakura after his fight with Orochimaru and Itachi. I think that was really noble. It was so kind of him to forgive Sakura even if she was responsible for what happened to him, especially when nobody, including myself, would have expected that. I don't think any of us would have forsaken her if she did something like that.

This may sound good, but it's not all that good. I'm worried that we might stop seeing the Naruto we know. I like it that he's acting more grown up, but I still want to see the Naruto I really like. The one that is always so full of energy, life, and determination to do anything. I know I messed up tonight, but tomorrow is a new day. It's another chance for me to get closer to Naruto. I want to show him that not everyone fears him because of the demon. I'll show him I like him for who he is. I will make sure he starts to notice me a lot more. Okay, maybe I'm getting a bit over my head here, but I know I must stop being so timid when he's around. If I want to be with him, I need to change. I know I can do this. I will change. I won't go back on my word. That's my way of the ninja.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto woke up at noon. He had never slept in such as this. His head felt heavy and full of pain he couldn't get rid off. His eyes felt fuzzy and hard to keep open. In many ways, he felt worse than how he had felt yesterday. He thought to himself why should he get up. If he did, that would mean he would have to go out, where people stare daggers at him and curse him. Nonetheless, with a deep groan, he lifted his head from the pillow and got up. Light was coming in from the windows, revealing his dusty, messy apartment.

'Oh, yeah.' Naruto thought. He realized that he came back so late at night he hadn't remembered it had been over a month since he had set foot in it. He pushed the covers and stepped out of the bed. He walked to his laundry and opened a closet, where he pulled out a broom, a dust pan, a piece of cloth, and some cleaning detergent. He started sweeping the floors, dusting the furniture, cleaning the windows and polishing them to a shine. He did all this forcedly and with no motivation.

When he was done, he wiped his brow and pressed himself against the broom while standing up. He observed the results of his work while he tilting from side to side. His apartment was back to its former state. After enough recess, he put all his cleaning materials away. He started wandering around the room until he opened the door to his balcony. He walked all the way to the edge and leaned on the railing. He could see Hokage Mountain from where he was. Down, he could see the busy streets of Konoha. He saw crowded marketplaces and children playing in green fields. He scoffed as he withed them. He started examining the entire village. He looked around quickly as if desperately looking for something but had no luck.

'Some much for a good idea.' Naruto thought. 'What is going on here?'

'Awfully pensive, are you?' He jolted when he heard that booming, distorted voice inside his head.

"You scared the hell out of me!" Naruto shouted out loud. "Can't you even give me a sign before you appear all of a sudden?"

'You hear me inside your head. It's not like I can tell you when I'm here or not.' Said Kyuubi.

'Listen, I've been meaning to talk to you about what happened yesterday.'

"What makes you think I'm interested?"

'I may have overreacted. You see, for a human, I really like you. But you must understand I'm not pleased at all about my current state. How would you like it if you were locked up for fifteen miserable years with no escape? Please understand I only seek my freedom. I would see your death as a-'

"A necessary sacrifice? You wish. There's no way I'm letting you outta there."

Kyuubi howled in laughter.

'What makes you think you have the power to suppress me?'

"I'll find a way. I'll always do."

'Still the optimist, are you? Face it, you could never win any fight if it wasn't for me.'

Naruto didn't answer this time. He just walked towards his closet and pulled out his clothes. Kyuubi stopped as he undressed and stepped in the shower. The water on his face felt refreshingly satisfying. Kyuubi didn't start talking until he was done bathing.

'I bet you don't even have a plan to bring back that Uchiha kid, do you?'

Naruto stopped briefly. He then continued drying himself with a towel.

'In my opinion, you're better off without him. He's nothing but a power-hungry bastard that only thinks about his own power and glory. He's twisted and rotten. That's nothing like you, you that are so loyal to this miserable town. You can't change his mind. He is walking down a path you could never step on.'

"Since when do you tell me what to do? I'm going to find him, I'm gonna beat the living hell out of him, and I'm gonna drag his sorry ass all the way back here. I can't call myself future Hokage if I can't rescue my friends." He threw the towel into a basket full of dirty clothes. He then started getting dressed.

'You mean you still plan on being Hokage after what's happened? Those people hate us again, just like all those years ago. This is why you should let my power consume you so you can take your revenge on these people. You know, humans like you are impossible to understand.'

"Story of my life. Besides, those people are ignorant. They only fear what they can't understand…or anything that's big and scary and looks like a threat to them, for that matter." Naruto said as he hung Tsunade's necklace around his neck and hid it beneath his black t-shirt. He pulled his jacket that was hanging behind a chair, put it on, and zipped it up. He opened a drawer and got his wallet. He grabbed his headband from the table by his bed and wrapped it tightly around his forehead in a knot. With a quick look in the mirror, he went to the kitchen to get some breakfast. When he opened the refrigerator, he pulled himself away with a grimace across his face. He covered his nose and let out a disgusted sigh. Naruto growled in frustration. He then noticed he had done it again just like he had yesterday.

"By the way, I've been meaning to talk to you about this. Yesterday, I started walking on all fours, smelled all kinds of different things, and I saw and heard music coming from hundreds of yards away. Why weren't you answering when I asked you what's up?"

'Like we really want to hear each other talk all day.'

"Yeah, but that was urgent! Why didn't you answer?!" Naruto was now starting to lose his cool.

'I must've been asleep.'

Naruto sweat dropped. "You go to sleep?"

'You could say I was always asleep until you were confronted with a dangerous situation and you start to use my power. While I'm asleep, I know what happens to you but I can't do anything about it. It's like the seal is setting me in a state where my senses and motor skills are disabled until you call on my power or are faced with a life or death situation. Now that the seal is weakening, I can choose when I can be around talking to you or see what happens to you and when can I sleep.'

"Sounds to me like you're living the life. You get to chill inside of me where no one can disturb you until I get in trouble and you show up for battle. I got to say, that's pretty sweet." He grabbed a large plastic bag from the kitchen and started tossing all the spoiled food into it.

'Care to trade places?'

"Nice try."

'Fine, then. It's not like you'll have a choice.'

"I'm sorry, but this ain't over 'till it's over." With that, he tied the bag into a knot. He grabbed his wallet and stuffed it into one of his pockets. He walked out of his apartment and shut the door closed. He slowly descended the stairs and walked around the corner of his building. He tossed the bag into a large container. He dusted his hands and started walking off.

Ino and Sakura were standing in front of Ino's shop with their backs to the door. Sakura was looking upwards with her hands behind her back while Ino had her arms cross and was patting the ground with her foot impatiently. She started biting her lip.

"Relax, would you?" Said Sakura. "She'll be here any minute."

"What's the point of her telling us to get here if she doesn't show up before we do?" Ino whined.

"Maybe she's working on something. You said she's the one that suggested this whole idea. She's probably planning something for us to do."

"I guess you're right." Ino sighed. "TenTen has been like Hinata's best friend ever since we brought back Naruto. Now that I mention it, she has been visiting the Hyuga clan a lot more frequently than usual."

"Maybe that's why they get along so well."

"I know, but I think there's something else."

"Well, both she and Neji are on Team Guy. They must be dealing with some mission assignments."

"Yeah, but I still think there must be another reason." She gasped. "Do you think she-" A quick flash of red and white started rushing towards her and stopped.

"Found him." TenTen said. "Come on, follow me."

"What took you so long?!" Ino was exasperated.

"Hello! I've been looking for our targets. Hurry up or we'll lose them." She was quickly gone the way she came.

"Hey, but why would you… ah, forget it. Wait up!" Shouted Ino dashing right behind her. Almost hesitantly, so did Sakura. She proceeded with a much slower pace than her friends. She was afraid to see Naruto again. She also felt awkward when she thought about going on with what had been planned. She doubted if she should continue.

"Hey, Sakura!" Exclaimed Ino up ahead. "What's holding you back there?"

Sakura slowly reacted as she was lost in her thoughts.

"Oh, it's-it's nothing. I'm coming." She picked up her pace to catch up.

"So where's Naruto anyway?" Ino asked TenTen.

She stopped at a nearby rooftop. "Right there." She signaled with her finger towards a large district to her right.

"The marketplace?" asked Sakura.

"I was on my way to the building where his apartment is and I had the luck to see him walk out

the front steps. This is where I last saw him. He was getting some groceries around here."

"But he could be anywhere by now. How do you plan on finding…?"

Someone was heard arguing right below the girls. They all peaked below to find an old

lady beating Naruto on the head with a stick. He was holding a plastic bag full of apples. He tried

to block her, but seemed to be holding back. Many people were gathering around them.

"OK, OK! You can keep it!" He handed the bag to the woman. She swiftly snatched it from his

hand. She scoffed at him and gave her back to him. With an angry frown, he left the small lot.

The small mass of people opened up to let him pass as they all stared at him.

"Poor guy." TenTen said.

"I guess news go a long way in this village." Ino followed. Sakura was quiet. She observed how

Naruto kept walking down the street, turning around to find a lot that wouldn't eye him as if to

tell him to drop dead. All three girls felt grief for their comrade. They were all watching what

they couldn't understand when they were children. They could feel the frustration and sadness within him, the feeling of isolation and loneliness. It was truly heartbreaking. He really was reliving his childhood.

"Anyway, have you seen Hinata?" Ino asked TenTen when Naruto had vanished.

"I went to her house before I started looking for Naruto, but she wasn't there. I haven't had luck ever since."

"So what do we do?"

"For now, we wait."

"Do we really have to?" asked a concerned Sakura. She had her hand on her chest. "Do we really have to watch him go through this?"

"I understand, but if this has to work, we can't let him out of her sights."

"Can't I go look for Hinata?"

"She could be anywhere for all we know. She could be receiving a mission assignment or who

knows what. It's best if for now we stick together. Now, let's go before he gets away."

For the rest of mid-day, the three Kunoichis spied on the blonde ninja, who was clueless of their snooping. Everywhere he went, there would be someone who gave him a mean look. Every time that happened, he would try to be nonchalant about it, as if to show he was used to it. By the seventh time it happened, he had had enough. It was too much anger and frustration for him to take. He turned to a small alley and made sure no one was around. Before he did, he looked around among the people to make sure nobody was following him. He walked all the way to the end and raised his hands to his chest, making the hand sign for the Transformation Jutsu. A small, white cloud surrounded him for a moment to reveal his disguise as Kakashi. Everything about his former sensei was present down to the last detail. The mask over his face, the platinum, bushy hair, and his headband that tilted to one side, covering his eye. He felt satisfied now that nobody seemed to notice him at all anymore.

"I can respect that." Sakura told herself.

Naruto continued carelessly along the many stands buying all that he needed to replace with the three spies not too far behind. They kept their distance and a low profile at all times to avoid suspicion. He friendlily waved at the people in the stands to masquerade his true identity and his gloomy outlook. Even with this advantage, he was aware of the obvious problem. With his free eye, he constantly looked around to make sure that the real Kakashi wasn't around.

When he was done, he went back home to leave his groceries. When he finished putting them away, he prepared some hot water for his favorite instant ramen.

"Looks like he'll be here for a while. Maybe we can use this time to look for Hinata. Both of you spread out and keep your eyes peeled for her." TenTen ordered.

"I'll check her home and then the training grounds." Ino suggested.

"I'll ask Lady Tsunade." Sakura said.

"I'll go check downtown." TenTen affirmed. They all took big leaps in the air and vanished in opposite directions.

When Naruto had finished his fill of ramen, he dumped the cups on a garbage can and headed out the door with haste. He dashed down the stairs and quickly started running. He soon started jumping through the air to increase momentum. Even if it was a little disturbing, he felt a rise of adrenaline that felt good. He soon got on all fours again and leaped with the pride of a wild beast. He found himself covering larger distances with each jump. He felt powerful and savage.

'I have to admit this is totally sweet.' He thought to himself. 'That doesn't mean I really want it, before you even think about it, OK?.'

Kyuubi was silent.

He arrived at the training grounds in the middle of the village. He picked one located by a small lake where hundreds of cods could be seen gliding across the water. There was a huge tree right beside it. He positioned himself under its shade and closed his eyes for a moment to gather his concentration. He inhaled deeply and relaxed himself. He felt the breeze going through his golden spikes, the shimmering of the water, the birds singing in the distance. He extended his right arm in front of him with his palm facing upwards. He once again took a deep breath and started to focus Chakra into his palm. At first, he seemed to be having no problem at all as his hand started radiating of the energy leaking out of it, but soon, his arm started to slightly quiver. He let out a small grunt and clenched his eyes shut tightly. Soon, the chakra on his palm started to spin into a sphere. The Rasengan was a lot smaller than it normally was since he usually did it with the help of one of his clones. Inside his head, he was telling himself he didn't need one. He started to bare his teeth as he pressed his jaw tightly and grunted in great effort. His entire arm was now shaking out of control.

'Don't stop. Don't stop. You can do this.' He kept thinking to himself, but the orb on his hand wasn't increasing in power. His grunts became intense shouts as the pressure started to make his arm hurt like it was being exposed to a large flame. He knew he had to work through the pain if he wanted to succeed. He started to feel the intensity of his chakra increase. The energy on his hand started to turn red. The pain felt like it was vanishing. Naruto immediately stopped and dropped his arm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He shouted to Kyuubi out loud.

'If you used my Chakra, you could do it. Don't be stupid. You can't do it with only one hand on your own.'

"I can and I will! I don't need your power! Just you watch!"

'Just try it. Now that the seal is weaker, my chakra is leaked with much greater ease. You'll have no choice when you start to form the Rasengan.'

"Shut up!" He tried building up Chakra again. He started off as before until he reached the unbearable pain. He struggled once again to increase the power in his hand, but the red chakra started to leak out. Naruto now had to concentrate on suppressing the demon's energy.

'It's all useless.'

The energy started to intensify. He had to stop again. Pearls of sweat now began to dot his face. He fought to recover his lost breath. He took a seat under the tree and placed his arms over his knees.

'That was might foolish of you.'

"I'll tell you when I want your advice, OK?" He tilted his head backwards towards the tree. He crawled over, again on all fours, towards the lake and dipped his hands in. He used the handful of water to splash it on his face and dipped them again to have a drink. The water was cool and tasted clean. He exhaled when he finished his drink. He then stared off onto the other side of the lake, where a small group of trees could be seen before the city itself.

"I never thought it would be this hard." Just then, he heard a creaking sound from behind him; the sound of a twig snapping. It was followed by distant rustling. Naruto turned towards the nearby brush and saw movement among the plants.

"Who's there?" Naruto shouted. "I know you're there so come out."

For a moment, no one seemed to answer, but the trees started moving again. Slowly, from behind one of the trunks, Hinata shyly poked her head out. She was blushing, which was already common for Naruto, and her eyes looked busy. Naruto was briefly shocked.

"Where you listening to that?! How long have you been standing there?!" He quickly asked. The girl slowly walked from behind the tree. She looked down and started playing with her fingers in familiar fashion.

"N-No, I-I was…just, um…nothing."

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Y-You see, I was just…on my way here to train." She nervously explained herself. "I was on the other side of the lake when I heard you scream and I thought you might be in trouble. I-I didn't mean to interrupt you or anything. I was just…just…worried."

"Worried about what?" he asked

Hinata gasped and turned her head. She felt the color of her face was intensifying.

"W-well…about you. You were, um…talking with…the demon?"

"Yeah."

In an almost awkward kind of way, a bird flew over both their heads squawking.

"So, Naruto…what were you doing just now?"

"I'm trying to make a Rasengan with only one hand and without the help of a Shadow Clone."

"Oh, but why would you do that?"

"It should help my Chakra control. I want to be able to do it on my own power and without the Nine-Tails' chakra. Using them could be a sign of weakness."

"But Naruto, you're already strong."

"Apparently, it's not enough."

Hinata's face turned a little gloomy.

"Do you, uh…need any help?"

"Sorry, but I think it's best if I try to do it on my own. Thanks, anyway."

"But Naruto-"

"Hinata, please. I know you have good intentions, but this is something I must really do myself. And besides, I keep having conversations with Kyuubi randomly, so if you don't mind, could you just stay out of this?" He was firm and direct, but his tone was moderate. Hinata gently rested her fist over her chest. She could feel his determination pushing him as far as to take himself too seriously, how he felt miserable over the release of the demon and how he wasn't strong enough to hold him in place. She was reminded of the time he ran into her before the Chunnin exams three years ago and he was feeling down before his big fight against Neji. He turned around and inhaled sharply again. He stretched his arm forward and began gathering his focus.

"Naruto, in your current condition, you won't be able to do it." She shouted as energy started to cover his arm. He turned to see her as the power vanished. He was surprised to see such a comment coming from Hinata.

"Are you doubting me?"

Hinata felt like she had embarrassed herself again. She curved her head downwards and once again played with her fingers.

"I, uh…that's not what I meant. You see, there's an irregularity with your chakra network when you gather power for the Rasengan that doesn't allow you to do it."

Confusion and frustration covered Naruto's face.

"How do you know that? Did Grandma Tsunade tell you about it?!"

Hinata gave her back to Naruto as she only started to feel worse about herself.

"I was…I was kinda looking at you with my Byakugan back there."

Again Naruto's face was puzzled.

"Why?"

"B-Because…I-I wanted to see if I could help you somehow. You see, I can help you regulate your chakra networks to make it easier for you to gather power using my G-"

Naruto let out a sigh.

"Hinata, I know you just want to help, but right now I can't have the luxury of you and the other guys worrying about me and being scared of me. Please try to understand."

The girl felt like she was stuck in a corner. If she didn't say something, she would have no choice but to leave. She had to say something that could get her to help him, just like she did three years ago before the Chuunin exams. She had already promised to herself that she will be committed to get more related with her crush. She gathered her bravery and took a deep breath.

"Naruto, please understand that what is going on with you right now doesn't allow your body to work properly." She said as she took a step forward. "When I checked your chakra network, your chakra was constantly in conflict with that of the demon which didn't allow you to make the best of your own power. The only way to restore this is by fixing certain areas of your chakra network."

Naruto was impressed by the assertiveness that Hinata was showing. It was something so unlike her, like what happened before his fight with Neji three years ago. Once again, Hinata's words had completely rearranged his thoughts.

"You mean you want to fix my chakra network?"

Hinata's bravery was all drained out as she processed that sentence. She couldn't help but to turn bright red at the thought of touching her beloved crush around his body.

"Y-Yeah, that's what I w-want to do."

Her voice was shaky.

"Are you sure this will help me with my training?"

"I'm really positive."

"All right, then. Do what you need to do." He extended his arms to his sides.

A mixed bag of thoughts was building up inside Hinata's mind. First off, Naruto seemed to be lacking his common enthusiasm and secondly, she knew she was about to come in contact with him. Only this time, nothing will be accidental. She slowly approached Naruto without making eye contact.

"Do I need to do anything?" asked Naruto.

"No, it's OK. You don't have to. Just start gathering chakra as if you're about to form the Rasengan. I need you to keep it up until I finish. You should be able to make a full Rasengan by the time I'm done."

Naruto nodded and obliged. Once again, the strain from before made him grunt in pain and sweat started rolling down his face. Hinata formed a hand sign in front of her. The veins around her eyes became visible as they increase in thickness, showing the power of her Kekkei Genkai. Naruto's chakra looked like blue and red colored snakes fighting for supremacy. She could see the red overpowering the blue. Using her Gentle Fist, she poked at chakra points across his chest, arms, neck, and back. She tried to stay as focused as possible, taking in mind that this was important to Naruto. She tried to forget that she was feeling his hard biceps and his chest. Obviously, this was a lot easier for her in theory. The spiky haired ninja started grunting more intensely as the strain seemed to increase. The red chakra continued struggling to make its way towards the expanding spherical pool of chakra in Naruto's hand. Hinata found herself increasing her pace and precision to balance out both types of chakra. She had to make inexplicably fast paced combinations to keep up.

'This isn't going anywhere.' Hinata thought. 'I need to do something to end this.' Hinata drew both her arms back and rapidly hit a number of chakra points across Naruto's chest and stomach using concentrated chakra. The concentration of chakra on his hand stopped as he started gagging and collapsed to the ground screaming in pain and coughing up blood.

"Hinata! What the hell?!" He shouted

She screeched in horror as she started freaking out. "Naruto! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean t- Please let me." She reached out and helped him rise to his knees. She helped him get his back to the tree as she positioned herself in front of him. She wiped the blood off his mouth. Deep down, she was full of embarrassment for hurting Naruto when she was supposed to help him. There was also a tender feeling that made her warm.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto. Please forgive me. That last hit was supposed to get to a chakra point in your heart, but I didn't expect this to happen. The whole purpose was to arrange your flow of chakra to make it easier for you to use it. Please, forgive me." She hanged her head in shame. Her voice was meek.

"Well, did you do it?" Naruto asked straining his voice.

"What?"

"Will that let me do the Rasengan normally?"

"Well, it's supposed to."

"Then that's fine." He tried to get up.

"Naruto, wait." She held him down by the shoulders. Even she was surprised by what she did. She felt like screaming on the inside. "There's a chance that your heart might have suffered a secondhand effect from that hit. Let me check on it." She made a hand sign and her eyes started blazing. She was observing Naruto's heart. Several veins had been burst and he was starting to have some minor hemorrhaging. But soon she had the feeling that someone was watching them from behind. She turned around quickly to find no one. She could have sworn that she had seen someone. Whoever it was, that person was gone.

"What is it?" asked Naruto.

"It's nothing. I just…" She stopped. She had turned back to Naruto to find the strangest thing she had ever seen. The spilled blood was drying up and the veins were reconnecting with one another. It was a disturbing, grotesque sight, perhaps the most bizarre thing she had ever seen.

"You know what, Hinata?" He started getting up again. "I think I'm fine now, so don't…what's wrong?" He looked at her, who seemed to be in a trance. "Hinata."

When she came back to her senses, she looked up to him. She quickly stood up.

"Alright, let's give this a shot." He cracked his knuckles and extended out his arm again. He prepared himself and started focusing energy, which erupted out of him rapidly. He stared in awe at the clear blue chakra spinning in his hand. It was biggest Rasengan he had ever made. Chakra was leaking out of the sides of his hand. He started laughing excitedly as he stared in awe. Hinata was standing by his side, watching the spectacle.

"Look at it!" Shouted Naruto excitedly. "Look at it!" He let out a big whoop. Hinata was filled with joy to see him happy again. Soon, he started to decrease the power on his hand until the orb was nothing more.

"I can't wait to try that out on somebody! Hinata, you rock!" The Kunoichi was blushing like she had never blushed before. That was the best compliment she had ever received from him. She felt like she was falling back and her sight was getting dim.

"Uh, Hinata?" Naruto looked confused. As he saw that Hinata was about to collapse, he rapidly sprang behind her and made a last minute save before she touched the ground. She opened her eyes when she didn't feel the grass around her head. She looked up to find out that she was in the arms of her beloved.

"Are you OK?"

She gasped and quickly got up. She gave her back to him and brought her finger to her lips. She was so excited that she was being held by him but still couldn't let her see her face looking like a big red dot.

"I'm… fine."

"Are you sure? You almost fainted. Don't you think you should go see a doctor?"

"No, don't worry about it. I'll be fine." She was still afraid to show her face to Naruto. She felt a hand on her shoulder pulling her towards him. She was turned around to face him. He placed his hand on her forehead.

'Whatever you do, stay calm.' She thought. It just wasn't possible. The glow on her cheeks was just getting brighter.

"Well, you look red," he took his hand off her. "and you're a bit warm, but I don't think you have a fever."

"I-I'm sure it's just the heat."

"What heat? It's like 70 degrees."

"Ohhh, I…" She froze. Her mind was a blank. If she didn't say something, she would look like an idiot again.

"You see, Naruto I…am…I…"

Naruto adopted a face of confusion once again.

"I think I'm just a little thirsty." She let out.

"You think?" He looked even more puzzled.

"Yes. That is why I almost fainted. I think I need some water." She approached the lake and put her hands together to have a sip.

'OK…' Naruto thought. 'I guess this could explain a lot. But, maybe it's just me.'

"Well, why couldn't you just take your jacket off or something?"

Hinata gasped and her face went fiery again.

"OK, that didn't come out right." He corrected himself. "What I meant is that if the heat makes you uncomfortable, maybe you should lose the jacket."

Uncertainness and embarrassment were all that were passing through Hinata's brain.

"Oh, you don't worry about it, Naruto. I'll be fine. Really."

"If you say so." He shrugged. "Anyway, think you can teach me anything else?"

That was almost too good for Hinata to believe.

"Well, since what you just did works really well for my chakra control…what do you say?"

"O-Oh, sure. Of course, Naruto." She was still feeling the effects of the surprise.

'Wait, what am I supposed to teach him?' She went completely white. 'Oh, no.'

"Are you OK, Hinata?" Naruto asked. "You went…paler than usual just now."

She snapped back.

"I-I'm fine, thank you."

'OK, OK' she thought, 'He's not from the Hyuga clan, so he doesn't know the kind of training you do to control chakra. Just think of something.'

"Well Naruto, this next technique will also help you control your chakra. Now, you're not from the Hyuga clan, but I'm sure you can still learn it." She stood up and backed away from him until she was standing at the edge of the lake.

"You mean it's an exclusive move to the Hyuga clan?"

"Yes."

"Sweet! Alright, show me!" He shouted excitedly and moved closer to where she was standing. She was happy to see him like that, but still a little nervous.

"OK, you may recognize what I'm about to do. Do you remember when we went to look for the Bikochuu beetle with Kiba, Shino and Akamaru?"

"Oh, yeah." He got depressed all of a sudden. He remembered how he ruined what was back then his last chance to bring back Sasuke.

"I'm sorry."

'Why do I keep doing stuff to embarrass myself? I'm not going to accomplish anything like this!' She thought frustrated.

"Don't worry about it. Just continue."

"OK, as I was saying, when you and the boys were held captive by the Kamizuri clan, I used my new technique called the Protective Eight Triagrams Sixty-Four Palms. What I'm going to show you is a slightly similar version, only much slower so you can see what I'm doing."

"But, what I'm I supposed to accomplish with this?"

"Much like with the Gentle Fist, the Hyugas attack by releasing streams of chakra through any part of our body. When I attacked those beetles, large streams of chakra were fired from my fingertips to kill them. Now, watch."

Hinata closed her eyes and made her hand sign. She stood there gathering her energy, picturing the Protective Eight Triagrams around her. Naruto stared at her in wonder, eager to learn something new. The girl's eyes flew open and the veins around her eyes started swelling. She revolved towards the lake and with a quick extension of her arm, a thin strip of chakra speedily flew out. The wind started twisting wildly across its path, picking up droplets of water from the lake and swirling them in midair. Hinata quickly spun with a twist of her heels towards her left. Another stream of chakra flew out towards the surrounding forest. Small water drops were collecting in the air again. She kept repeating this until it seemed like an almost invisible dome of chakra was surrounding her. Naruto looked in awe at the spectacle.

'Wow, that's so cool.' He thought. He observed all of her movements. The speed of her arms, the movement of her feet, how she turned and precisely executed her objective. There was something about it that looked so hypnotizing, almost familiar.

Naruto's jaw slowly dropped open. The sun was beginning to set and the orange light was hitting her. The airborne water glittered vibrantly. The rapid movements, the swirling water in the air, the beauty of that scene, it was as if he had seen it before a long time ago. He couldn't precisely put his finger on it, but he was sure this wasn't the first time he had seen something like this.

When Hinata stopped, she realized Naruto's stare. He was simply amazed and speechless. She turned a hot scarlet when his eyes met hers. She turned away.

"Wha-" He sounded like he was in a daze. "Oh, sorry. It's just that you were-um…that was just kickass."

"Y-You think so?" She now turned, but she was still blushing.

"Yeah, totally. I've never seen something like that. Did you come up with it on your own?"

"Well, yes." She said with a miniscule tone of pride.

"That's awesome. Now, let me try." He got up and began positioning himself.

"Wait, Naruto. I know you want to learn, but you need to take it slow. You don't possess the Byakugan, so we may have to find a different way for you to do it."

"Like what?"

"Well, honestly I have no idea." She didn't feel so helpful anymore.

Neither of them were noticing that they were being watched from the other side of the lake. Three girls were all bundled up, trying to look at them from a space through the leaves.

"See? What did I tell ya?" Ino bragged. "She made the first move all on her own."

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it." Said TenTen. "Guess we won't have to do anything ourselves now."

"I guess you're right. It's kind of a bummer, you know?"

"What do you mean "bummer"?"

"I mean I would've never expected her to make a move like that."

"Yeah, I was really looking forward to have to help her. It would've been fun, right?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with you? Why are you so quiet?" She turned to Sakura. She was indescribably shocked. Her eyes were trembling and looked like they were about to leave her head. She watched them talk, how Naruto reacted towards what Hinata did. She was almost afraid.
"Hey, wake up!" Sakura snapped back. "What's with you?" Ino asked

"What are you talking about?" She asked faking her obvious surprise.

"You were looking out there like Naruto had transformed again."

"Ino!" TenTen said with distaste.

"What? Too soon?"

"Look, it's nothing. I was just a little surprised."

'Little?' Ino thought.

"So, what do you think I should do?" Naruto asked Hinata.

"Well, try expelling some chakra from your hand. We'll see what happens." Hinata said. She felt glad she was starting to be more useful.

"Like this?" He rapidly gathered energy in his hand and tried to mimic Hinata's movements. The energy violently exploded from him and blew up in his face. He was tossed back and fell backwards. Hinata quickly reacted and grabbed him by the shoulders before hitting the floor.

"Naruto, are you OK?" She asked. Her face went colorful again, but she was amazed at herself for being brave enough to hold him like that.

"Yeah, thanks." He was helped up back to his feet. "What happened? I did it just the way you did and it blew up in my face!"

"Well, your style is very different from that of the Hyuga clan so maybe you shouldn't try to copy what I do."

"Then what?"

Hinata went pensive for a moment.

"It would be a good idea to start on practicing the direction of your chakra flow. That way, it will flow in a straight line and not expand wildly out of control. You can even use it to reach for something and grab it, but for now we should concentrate on just making your chakra flow properly."

"You mean straight in one direction?"

"Yes."

"But what can I use as a target?"

Hinata looked around for possible options. Nothing looked right.

"Hey, how about this?" He got an idea. He knelt down and took off his sandals. He grabbed one of them and leaped to the edge of the tree branch, placing it there. Hinata giggled quietly.

"I first thought to use my headband but I thought that would be offensive." Naruto said, scratching the back of his head when he returned to the ground. The Kunoichi giggled again.

"OK, let's see…" he prepared himself once again, just like he did before.

"Focus on one particular spot, then concentrate your chakra's path on it." Hinata said. He nodded and returned to the sandal on the tree. His hand turned blue started erupting chakra. His stare turned fierce and concentrated. Hinata stood to his left admiring his dedication to the task. Naruto drew back and quickly thrust his hand forward. The chakra intensified and poured out strongly. Grunts of struggling were let out as he tried to turn it into a straight path. Hinata did not move. She was still there, motionless, watching him work himself out. A small line of Chakra started coming out from the center of his hand. It tiredly grew longer until it stopped when it reached five inches in length. His struggling was more intense and his face was dipped with sweat drops. No progress was made in what seemed to be ten minutes. Hinata grew worried for him, she felt her powerful heartbeat at her chest. In an instant, the small string of chakra shrank back into his hand and an explosion of blue knocked Naruto back, making him land on his bottom.

The sun had painted the sky with red and yellow as it disappeared behind the mountains faraway. The only sound now was his labored breathing as he got up with a moan. Hinata tried to help him up, but he signaled her with his hand telling her he could do it himself. He cracked his neck and got set again. He repeated the same procedure as before, now he was able to sustain it for eleven minutes before it exploded on his face again. He got back to his feet again and continued working on his new technique. Trial and error continued as he kept throwing himself to the ground. Hinata knew through what she was seeing that if she tried to interrupt him and told him what to do, she would offend his pride as a ninja. Now matter how much she wanted, she knew she couldn't help. She had to restrain herself for his own sake.

White sparks started dotting the sky as the sun started vanishing. She hadn't realized how much time they had spent together. Naruto didn't seem to be making any noticeable improvements, which is why he persistently got up despite the fact that his eyes were exhausted and his entire arm trembled as he held it in the air.

"Naruto," she spoke, "don't you think you should take a break? You've been at this all afternoon."

He turned to her, panting. He was lacking any expression.

"D-don't worry about i-it." He was gasping for his breath. "I've been through tougher stuff."

"But Naruto, this is a technique that normally needs the Byakugan to work. I know you want to learn it, but you shouldn't push yourself too hard or who knows what might happen?" She tried to make it sound like a complaint the least as possible. He meanwhile looked up for a moment to his sandal, still in the exact spot where he left it.

"What'd you think I should do?"

"Well, looks like you could use some wa-"

"I meant to move that." He pointed to the end of the tree branch. Hinata was perplexed. She couldn't let out another opportunity to continue advising Naruto and showing him her worth.

"Let's see… tell me what you do when you gather chakra."

"Well, I just gather as much as possible and then I try to shoot it out in a straight line. It's kind of like doing the Rasengan, only the chakra is extended and held back with more pressure, which is why it keeps going off in my face."

"The beam of chakra you fire doesn't have to be so pressured with chakra. You only need to let out a continuous stream of it in one direction. Think of it as extending your body to reach for something you normally couldn't." She explained while making the appropriate gestures with her hands.

"You make it sound so easy." Said a deadpan Naruto. "At least it should be worth giving it a shot."

He took his stance again and repeated the process. Instead of gathering massive amounts of chakra, he only focused on a small point in his hand. He visualized the point on his mind and gathered his strength in it. When he felt his focus was ready, he released a thin thread of chakra from his palm. The string extended until it was halfway from the tree. There, it stopped. He pressed down on the ground and tried to expand it, but it was useless. Almost as soon as he had begun, he collapsed to his knees and his energy was gone. His friend rushed to his side.

"Are you OK?"

"I-I don't understand…why I can't do this." He fought to catch his breath. He sounded deadly tired and annoyed.

"Don't blame yourself, Naruto. It's not as simple as it looks. Did you know it took me months to learn the entire Protective Eight Triagrams Sixty Four Palms? Besides, I bet it's just because you are tired." She said reassuringly.

"But, I…what I don't get…" his voice was raspy and his breathing felt like it was being cut off multiple times. "…is why I'm I like this when the seal is weakening. I thought Kyuubi would make me more resistant even…if I didn't call on its power. I know I don't want to use it, but why does it feel like its not reacting?"

Hinata tried to think of something convincing to make him feel better.

"Well, obviously this type of training is done by the Hyuga clan, so maybe neither you nor Kyuubi are adjusted to training like that. You just have to find a way that fits your style and will help you control your chakra release."

Naruto had never heard Hinata talk like that. She sounded really secure of herself, or at least more than her usual self. She trusted that he could do it, and even though that was something he would have expected from her, he could still feel surprise. For a moment, Hinata's eyes had met his. None of them were moving or said anything. The intense, harsh look in Naruto's eyes had turned into a more peaceful stare. Hinata was frozen as she looked upon his blue orbs while he continued thinking that the Hinata he was looking at wasn't entirely the one he thought it was.

Hinata broke away when she returned to senses. Naruto realized why.

"S-sorry, I'm just a little…it's been a tough day, and well you know…"

"I understand." She said with her back still to him. "N-Naruto, I hope you don't mind, but I better be going home now. My father must be worried." They both got up.

"Sure, it's cool. I was just planning on going home myself." He said smiling tiredly. There was an awkward silence that followed as they were both standing in front of one another. He was putting his sandals back on and she was playing with a curl of her hair.

"Well…good night, Naruto." She said and turned around.

"Wait, Hinata!" He shouted out. She turned back to him. "Is something wrong?"

"Uhh…" his mind had instantly gone blank. He didn't have the word to explain himself. "…you know…these streets get dangerous at night. Do you mind if I uh…walk you…home?"

Hinata's heart felt like it had somersaulted. Her face was all bright pink. Those words came out so unexpectedly she couldn't help it.

"Look, I don't have to if you're not good with it. I was just, um…you know…trying to be…well, nice and all, but if it's gonna make you uncomfortable then-" He had trouble finishing his sentences. He felt like he was tripping on his tongue.

'Pull yourself together! This is a great chance!' Hinata was telling herself mentally.

"O-Oh, sure. Of course I can walk home w-ith…you." She was now involuntarily playing with her index fingers. They looked at each other again. He grinned dumbly.

"Alright then, let's go." He walked to her side and they both started walking.

"Whoa, did Naruto just try to make a move on Hinata?" TenTen couldn't believe her eyes.

"I think he did." Ino answered. They both looked at each other and started squealing excitedly.

"This is too good to be true! Do you think he's…" Ino was too excited to finish.

"I don't know, but that was so cool!"

"Come on, let's go!" They both jumped with a mighty push and followed the couple from afar. They realized that they were missing somebody.

"Where's Sakura at?"

"I don't know. I thought she was right there just now."

"Do you think she's ahead of us?"

"I don't know. Well, anyway, let's hurry. They're getting away."

Naruto and Hinata were walking side by side, he with his arms thrown behind his head and she in her traditional nervous style. He constantly turned to look at her, but seemed to be keeping to herself, almost as if she was afraid to look at him, even if she didn't look terrified. His vision would often wonder around the surrounding buildings. It was dead silence and a number of streetlights were off. A voice inside his head was telling him to try to make conversation with her.

"So Hinata," he finally interrupted the silence. "It's uh…been a while since I've been around. Is there anything I should learn about? You know, anything interesting happen to somebody?"

She faced him, looking calmer.

"Well, you probably know already that TenTen is now working at Ino's store part-time."

"Yeah, I ran into her yesterday while they were closing up. I didn't see you there."

"Well, I'm not working at the shop."

"I know, what I meant is that I thought you'd be visiting the shop. You said you were going to see your mom."

"Oh, I was, but I must've been there after you left. Wait, that reminds me, last night you were saying something about me giving you a great idea or something and then you just left. What happened?"

"Oh, that. You see…you know what? You shouldn't worry about it."

"Was it something personal?" She assumed she understood his reasons.

"Well…yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it has something to do with me and some other people."

"But, what was that great idea that you said I gave you?"

He didn't answer right away. "You promise you won't tell anybody?"

"Sure." She tried to sound as reassuring as she could.

"You see, I don't know why, but I've never really thought a lot about what happened to my family. You know, how is it that I haven't met anybody else that has Uzumaki as a last name. It's been only recently that I have really been more interested on it. I've tried asking to Iruka and Kakashi-Sensei, but they don't seem to know anything. Anyway, the idea you gave me when you talked about your mother's grave is that maybe I could find my own parents' graves or any of my family member's. Unfortunately, there was no luck finding any."

Hinata felt sorry for Naruto all of a sudden. She also felt a little depressed for not being any real help to Naruto in the end on that issue.

"I also tried looking for the Pervy Sage. He usually goes out to do his "research", that's what he calls it…"

Hinata smiled warmly and let out a giggle. For a moment, Naruto took a puzzled look at her.

"Well, like I was saying, I couldn't find him either. So now, I have no idea who my parents are. They could've been simple merchants trying to have a good living or maybe they were talented ninja who died while fighting. They could've died the day of the Kyuubi's attack, for all I know. I don't suppose you know anything about it, don't you?"

"Sorry."

"Don't be." He said grinning. The shine of his smile made Hinata blush.

"So, is there anything else I should know about?"

"Well now that you mention it, I just heard some news today. I don't know if they're for real or just rumors, but Kurenai-Sensei and Asuma-Sensei are dating."

"Seriously?"

"That's what I've heard. Some people say that she might even be pregnant."

"No way!" He said laughing. She couldn't help but to join in. Hinata felt a little spark in her heart as they both expressed their happiness. Hinata was relieved to see that the Naruto he knew, so optimistic and cheerful, was the same one that was standing beside her.

"Oh yeah, I think some of your friends have returned too."

"What friends?"

"Sai and your former captain, Yamato."

"Oh yeah, those guys. I head they had gone to the Land of the Tides to investigate on a runaway from that area. I didn't know it was gonna take them months."

"Some missions sure are more challenging than others."

"I know, but still it was way too long. Should be nice to see them again."

They continued walking down the dark streets of Konoha until they arrived at a street corner in front of a large metal gate. Hinata stopped walking.

"N-Naruto…" She was back to her usual personality. He turned when he realized she wasn't following him anymore.

"If you don't mind…could you…is it OK…? I think I can go on my own from here."

"What? Why?" He asked, somewhat disappointed.

"Well…you see…I…don't…I really…"

"What is it?"

"I just…don't want my father to see us together."

"INO!" Both she and TenTen froze with fear when that familiar voice rang from behind them. "Where have you been? We've been looking for you all day." They both turned around to find Shikamaru's care-less face and Choji hidden behind a bag of chips.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Keep your voice down!" Ino whispered loudly.

"What's going on?" He approached their hiding spot while Choji clumsily followed.

"No wait don't-" The girls tried to hold them away.

"What are you girls hiding?" He managed to poke around their heads to find Naruto about thirty feet away talking face to face with Hinata outside the gate to the Hyuga clan's district. He was looking a little disappointed and frustrated as she explained something unintelligible to him. Choji was stuffing his face while peeking through his bag.

"OK, now you have my attention." Shikamaru turned to see the girls. "What have you been up to?"

Ino and TenTen looked at each other. They both knew they already knew too much.

"Well…" TenTen was the one who answered. "…we were supposed to set them up but somehow things got started on their own somehow."

"Set them up? You mean like getting them hooked up?" Choji said with his mouth full of potato chips.

Both the girls nodded.

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Look Ino, Asuma-Sensei has reported that we have been appointed a new mission and we leave tomorrow at the crack of morning." Shikamaru sternly affirmed.

"OK, OK! I'll make sure I'm ready! Now could you just leave? We're in the middle of something."

"I'm not going anywhere. This I gotta see."

"Uh-huh." Choji said with his mouth full. They both turned their attention back to the ninjas at the gate. The girls gave each other a confused look.

"I'm really sorry Naruto, but I hope you understand. I really can't afford to get in trouble with my father."

"Don't worry. I'm used to this kind of crap. Don't pay much attention to it." Naruto said disappointedly. Hinata looked down looking depressed as well.

"Are all fathers like that?" She looked at him again. "You know, real hard-asses?"

Hinata's smile returned and turned into a small laugh.

"I don't think I can answer that. I mean, my father just does what he does because I'm his daughter and I'm meant to take his place when I'm older. When I was younger, he looked down on me for not being as strong as Neji or my sister, but I've been pushing myself constantly so he can see me as worthy of ruling the Hyuga clan. I can't afford to have any problems with my father…"

Her face started lighting up before she finished.

"…even if it means to sometimes keep my distance from you, to whom I owe a lot of m-"

"Wait did you say you're going to rule a whole clan?!" He took two steps forward when he left her coming undone. A diminutive squeal escaped her lips and her cheeks looked like they were burning up.

"That's awesome!"

"Well…yeah that's…that's awesome." She turned to the side, so Naruto wouldn't see her bashful face.

"Are you OK? You look like you're sick again." He reached for her forehead. Hinata realized and immediately jolted back.

"Really, I'm fine N-Naruto."

"Alright, you're the boss." He said doubtfully. What followed was an uncomfortable silence where both just looked at each other for a while. Naruto was thinking about what to do next, but the only thing going through his head was a bowl or hot, steamy ramen. He hadn't eaten anything since lunchtime. He tried to get the picture out of his mind, but it proved to be difficult.

"Well…good night, Naruto" Hinata finally spoke. With a smile, she headed for the gate and started to pull it open.

"Hinata, wait!" He shouted before she reached for the handle. She turned to him. When she did, it looked like Naruto wasn't thinking straight.

"Uhhhh…" The words were slipping out of his head. "…Thanks for everything. You know, the training and stuff." He was able to process his message on time. He scratched the back of his head.

"O-Oh, you're welcome." She answered back shyly. Any compliment from Naruto was enough for her to get nervous. "It was nothing. I-I just…thought you might like it."

"I did. Thanks again!" With that, Hinata smiled again and turned to the gate.

"Wait!" She turned again. Naruto felt that last "wait" slipped out on its own. He nervously sweat dropped.

"Uhhh… I was just…wondering if we could…you know, do this again sometime."

Hinata felt like her heart had gone to her stomach.

"You know, we could train and finish what we started today. And maybe I can show you some of my moves or something." He started to get anxious as he finished his sentence. Hinata's eyes had gone blank and she looked like a statue.

"So, is tomorrow OK with you?" He scratched the back of his head again.

The Kunoichi was back to herself again.

"Oh, Naruto…I…would love to but I…" She looked at him again. He was uneasily awaiting her answer. She could tell he had a good time and wanted a second time to do it.

"I have to…leave for a mission tomorrow." The blonde ninja felt like he had been knocked down like a tower of blocks. It hurt Hinata to disappoint him.

"But…I'll be back on Wednesday. We can train then" Naruto's hopes were raised.

"Really?"

"Sure."

"Alright!" He jumped for joy. Hinata timidly showed her amusement with a silent chuckle.

"OK, I'll see you down by the training ground by the lake. I'll be there around noon, OK?"

"Of course."

"Alright, see you then!" He waved goodbye and turned around. "Good night!"

"Good night, Naruto." She waved back. She had a lively look in her eye. They didn't stop until Naruto turned around the corner. When he was out of sight, he excitedly jumped and threw his arms in the air in various poses. All his sadness from before was gone. He stopped until an unfamiliar feeling started settling in.

'Wait, what am I doing?'

"Holy crap, did Naruto just ask her out?" Shikamaru asked with incredulous eyes.

"Well, it's not like it's an actual date. They're just going to train." Choji answered. He had finished his bag of chips.

"But just think about it. Him. Her. Alone." Ino said. Her eyes were glistening and she had her hands together at her chest. "Before we know it, one thing will lead to another."

"How can you be so sure? You know how clueless Naruto is."

"Well, he was the one who proposed a second time." TenTen pointed out. "He must've enjoyed it. If there's one thing that Naruto admires over anything else are skills as a ninja. If he continues to be impressed, he might start to like her."

"Look you guys," Ino got serious. "You were not supposed to know about what we were doing. What happened in here, stays in here OK?"

"Don't you think everyone else will start noticing soon enough?" Shikamaru affronted the question.

"The point is that no one should know we're spying on them OK?"

"OK, fine. Don't lose your head."

"By the way, didn't you guys see Sakura on your way here?" TenTen asked.

"What about her?"

"She was with us, but she was gone before we realized it."

"No, sorry."

With that, everyone said their goodbyes and were on their way home.

Sakura was lying on her bed, hands crossed over her belly. The moonlight was reflected on a mirror by her wall. She had taken off her headband and her sandals. A small tear descended from her left eye and disappeared on her pillow. Her heart felt heavy and she felt a knot in her throat. She turned herself until she was facing the wall next to her bed and she was resting on her shoulder. She grasped her bed covers tightly. There was no noise outside. The silence of her room was almost foreboding the realization of her thoughts. What she had seen today was playing on her memory like a needle skipping on a record. They both looked happy, they were having the time of their lives, even if Naruto was struggling with training. She had never felt as alone as she was right now.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

With a pained groan, Orochimaru tried to get up, but he felt like his body wasn't responding. He couldn't feel his arms or legs. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt too heavy. His mouth tasted like blood.

"Lord Orochimaru, please don't try to move." He could barely hear a familiar voice.

"K-Kabuto…" His voice was raspy and thirsty.

"Your body has taken serious damage. I've been able to stop the internal bleeding for now, but it should take a few days for you to recover at your fullest."

"W-What happened to me?" Orochimaru asked with a weak voice. "The last thing I remember was…where is…?"

"He's gone."

He groaned in pain again.

"It's unbelievable how was he able to do that. He drained you chakra supply until there was barely any left and he absorbed half your body tissues, along with your recovering abilities. With that power, he could be the most powerful ninja in existence. But don't worry my lord; I have taken a sample of your body cells and your blood to reconstruct your DNA. You will have your immortality back, along with a new body. Unfortunately, I can't tell how long it will take."

"K-Kabuto…"

"Please, you're too weak in your current state. Wait until your wounds are better."

Kabuto walked to a desk by Orochimaru's bed. He took a small flask with blood inside and showed it to his master.

"But your new body isn't the best part. I was able to take a sample of his blood before he escaped. If I add this to your new body during its development state at just the right time, you will have the same properties as him and you'll be able to find him and make him pay for what he did to you."

Orochimaru looked like he had fallen asleep, but a crooked smile was slowly and weakly drawn on his face.

"G-Good work, Kabuto. Thank...you."

"It was no problem my lord, but there is a favor I want to ask. I've thought about the danger that could follow and I don't think I would be of much utility seeing that I'm no match to his power or your own. So I ask of you to please allow me to carry his blood in my veins as well. I will remain loyal to you and use my power for anything you desire."

He knelt down and hung his head waiting for an answer. Orochimaru gently tried to lift his arm and carried it towards Kabuto. He placed his palm over his head and rested it there.

"Thank you, my lord."

…………………………………………………………………………………

The thick trees prevented any light from entering the forest. Nothing could be told apart from anything else. In the middle of the pitch blackness, the figure of a young man was swiftly leaping from one branch to another. He was carrying a long sword behind him. His eyes glowed red. Seeing what was in front of him was no problem at all. Soon, the thickness of trees started to decrease. The young man's eyes soon ceased their glowing. The light of the moon shined on his colorless skin. His pupils had a peculiar shape. They were long and stretched out from top to bottom, like a snake; the kind of eyes that struck men with fear and despair. Around his waist, a purple rope was tied over his white robe, which was open in the middle, revealing his well sculpted body. His hair was as dark as the night surrounding him. His thousand yard stare was sinister and yet it was still expressionless. He could see the forest ending in front of him. An open field lay in front of him, revealing huge plains that stretched out as far as the eyes could see. When he touched ground, Sasuke made a strong jump from a tree branch and ran across the long grass.