(AN: So after talking to a fan of the story, I'm going to switch up how I show mental thoughts. When a character is thinking, instead of the usual (Mind) at the front, they are going to be in sing quotes and indented. For example, 'blah blah blah.' I know I usually use this format when I do flashbacks but don't worry, I will indicate a flashback with a line breaking header so there will be no confusion. During flashbacks, thoughts will still be indicated with single quotes, so just be aware of this change. I hope this makes the story flow smoother!)
Chapter 6
The Smell of Rain…
-2 days later - Land of Trees-
A young man dashed through the harsh bending and twisting of the large trees that covered the landscape. His pace was quick, his breath ragged, and he was badly injured. His left arm was in front of his face to protect him from the tree branches that assaulted and swept past him in waves. His right arm hung limply at his side, broken, as he jumped from tree to tree. He was bleeding from cuts and scrapes he had obtained from the harsh terrain and the wicked attackers who were pursuing him.
The young man's name was Kuya Honra; he was dressed in very casual clothing. A cut and bloody blue collar shirt and black jeans draped his beaten body. He had been wearing flip flops in the nice warm air, but during his chase, they had fallen from his feet and left forgotten somewhere in the forest. His hair was a shiny black and draped his face with its grown-out cut. He had a prickly face from being unshaven for a couple days, signifying he was in his mid-twenties. His eyes were dark and squinted, showing internal pain and sorrow that had been bottled up over years and years. The most interesting choice of his attire was the black leather glove he wore over his left hand… It just seemed out of place, being that he didn't wear one on his right. Kuya growled to himself in pain as he pressed on through the trees.
The moon that illuminated the sky hung lonely in the air, casting the dense forest in shadows and darkness. It was hard to see what was in front of him through the thick trees, and the fact it was the middle of the night didn't help. The man could hear his attackers approaching behind him quickly… it terrified him. What did they want with him? Why did they suddenly attack him on his way home from the nearest village? Who… were these people?
All these thoughts and his pumping adrenaline rushed through his mind and body. He rushed through another onslaught of dense trees, but he made a fatal mistake… he slipped. His foot skidded off the side of the branch he had chosen to land on, making him tumble and crash through the tree branches. He cracked and smashed against them on his way down before finally smacking hard against the cold and dirty forest floor. He rolled his beaten and broken body to his back in an attempt to run once again, but was too late. Three figures cloaked in the darkness of the night landed around the man, encircling him as they stood motionless and silent.
Kuya was able to lift his broken body and lean his back against the tree from which he had just fallen. He sat on the floor with his legs outstretched and his left arm caressing his broken right. His breath was even more ragged, the fear of rupturing one of his lungs from the fall in his mind. He glared at his pursuers before he finally gathered the nerve to speak.
"W… (Cough) ….. Who are you people? … What the HELL DO YOU WANT!?" Kuya yelled through his blood soaked mouth, anger as well as disparity written on his face.
One of the figures stepped out of the shadows and into the scattered moonlight shining through the trees. He stopped just a few feet from Kuya, giving him a good look at one of his attackers.
The man was well built and toned. He had tan skin and he wore a black headband on his forehead. Kuya was shocked to see that the plate was blank… it held no symbol to represent where these people had come from. The man's head was shaven with a bright red Mohawk going down the middle of his scalp. He wore a plain black ninja vest, but Kuya had never seen the style before… it was from a nation he didn't know. The man wore black Jonin pants and the usual ninja equipment strapped to his sides and leg. He wore combat boots instead of the usual ninja sandals that the five nations usually wore in their military uniforms. Kuya was frightened even further after taking in the man's apparel. If he couldn't recognize the ninja's affiliation….then that left an even sicker feeling in his stomach.
'These guys… are mercenaries…' Kuya thought in a cold and scared tone.
The man in front of Kuya spoke calmly, yet there was a tinge if malice in his voice.
"Oh where are our manners? My name is Jurobii and the two behind me are Mikio and Akumi," Jurobii said flatly, as he gestured over his shoulder at the two dark figures behind him.
The two men stepped out of the shadows to join Jurobii in the moon light. Kuya studied the two other ninja just as closely as he had done Jurobii.
The one he gestured to known as Mikio had short, spiky hair that was the same red color as Jurobii's Mohawk. He wore the exact same ninja attire, except that he wore his headband around his neck. He wore metal forearm protectors similar to the Anbu black ops as well as shin protectors. He had bright blue eyes and a tattoo on his neck that was the kanji for "Dream". He looked to be a late teenager, no more than 20 at the latest.
The other, known as Akumi, had long black hair that was tied in a low ponytail similar to the late Neji Hyuuga. This man didn't wear the ninja attire the other two had. He wore a skimpy blue compression shirt that was sleeveless and showed off his toned upper body. His arms were bare except for the black athletic tape he had wrapped around his hands. His blank headband was on his forehead just like Jurobii; only it was blue to match his shirt. He wore white Jonin pants with the usual equipment, black athletic tape holding them in place. His shoes were also blue, just like his headband and shirt. Akumi had a tattoo on the side of his neck of the Kanji "Dream" as well. His eyes were black, just like Jurobii's, and showed no emotion. This man was in his thirties by the look of him.
Kuya looked back to Jurobii with malice in his eyes.
"What do you fuckers want with me!?" Kuya asked in anger, as he let go of his right arm and flipped the bird with his left.
The three men smiled darkly at Kuya, as Jurobii stepped closer.
"We don't have any business with you, Kuya Honra… but we do need that power you possess… so why don't you just surrender and we will try to keep from breaking any more of your bones," Jurobii said flatly, as Akumi and Mikio smiled darkly behind him.
Kuya growled angrily at the men, trying to hold back his hacks from the blood that stung his throat. He glanced down at his gloved hand quickly before returning his gaze to Jurobii.
"Power? ... I have no idea what you're talking about, you stupid bastard." Kuya said in a wheeze, his ruptured lung was beginning to take its toll on his breathing.
"Oh please," Mikio said in a scoff. "We know all about you, Miru Hito of sin."
Kuya scrunched his eyes and focused his gaze upon Mikio. He was beginning to fade fast. The blood loss was making his vision blurry.
"What's a (Cough)… What's a Miru Hito?" Kuya asked in a raspy whisper, a single drop of blood running from the corner of his mouth.
Jurobii crossed his arms and the sides of his mouth gave a slight curl upwards. He questioned himself if he should even bother answering the little shit's question.
"It's what you are… You're the Miru Hito of Sin, one of the Six Paths of the Great Sage," Jurobii said in a darkly calm tone. "We also know of your power… or should we say curse, in your case."
Kuya bared his teeth and growled at Jurobii in hate. He didn't understand all of what he was saying, but he did know that these people were absolutely insane… and there was only one way out of this. With carful movements, Kuya began to twitch and move his fingers slowly. His glove began to crinkle and remove from his left hand, he focused on the task as Jurobii continued his annoying monolog.
"The power of Sin… What an interesting ability… With a single touch from your marked hand, you are able to kill anything or anyone… instantly. Quite a useful little tactic, if I do say so myself. Though, in the hands of a non-shinobi like you… I'm sure it's not very useful, huh?" Jurobii asked in a comical tone.
Kuya didn't answer his question, rather choosing to send him another blood soaked glare as he worked on slowly getting off his glove. With a last little wiggle from his pinky…the glove was removed. Kuya balled his fist at his side, reading himself to strike and hopefully flee once more.
"(Cough)… Well, well, well… Don't you have all the answers," Kuya said in a mocking tone, building himself up to make his move. "This little "Power of Sin," as you call it, is a real pain in the ass sometimes (Cough)… but you wouldn't know anything about that now, would you?
"But… since you seem to be such a huge fan of it…" Kuya whispered quietly, as he lunged forward with all of his remaining strength, stretching his Sin marked hand out in front of him. "WHY DON'T I JUST SHOW YOU MY CURSE PERSONALLY!?"
Kuya's left arm was stretched out fully in front of his body. The Sin mark on his palm glowed with the flow of Chakra in the dimly lit forest. Jurobii seemed unfazed by the sudden attack, and still stood casually with his arms crossed and in uninterested look upon his face. He looked at the glowing Tattoo that was on Kuya's palm a few inches away from him, completely uncaring of the potential threat of instantly ending his life with its touch. He studied the Sin mark quickly.
The mark was a glowing purple with the help of the chakra that flowed into it. The symbol was the size of a coin, with the tattoo itself being the Hell-worshiping pentagram.
'Fitting symbol for the Miru Hito of Sin,' Jurobii thought as he smiled darkly.
His death grew closer, but yet he still stood motionless. From the corner of his eye, Jurobii saw Akumi throw something with deadly speed.
Kuya was a mere inch away from touching Jurobii's chest when he felt a sudden sharp pain pierce his palm and send it reeling backwards. Kuya's hand flew back and smashed against the tree behind him, pinned to the trunk. Blood splattered onto Kuya's cheek with the impact as he screamed out in pain.
'W… what the fuck!?' Kuya thought in shock as he looked up at his pinned hand.
Kuya's eyes grew wide upon realizing a kunai knife was the object that pierced his hand and held it above him. Kuya's breath caught in his throat as the blood from his hand dripped down his wrist and arm, drenching his already battle-scarred clothes. Kuya's eyes were wide with despair as he began to struggle to free his hand.
'Nononono! ... I won't lose!' Kuya thought to himself in horror, pain filling his every pore as he tried to yank his hand free from the knife….but to no avail.
"How pathetic," Akumi said nonchalantly as he slowly walked over to the terrified Kuya.
Kuya was facing away from the three men as he struggled to free his hand, oblivious to the approaching threat. Akumi walked up silently behind Kuya, raising his arm to strike. With a swift blow to the back of his neck, Kuya's body went limp as it slumped against the tree. Kuya was knocked unconscious.
"Annoying little bastard…" Akumi said quietly as he turned away from Kuya's limp body. "You're very lucky I decided to save you, Jurobii… You would be dead if it wasn't for me."
"Ha! Like I needed your help, Akumi," Jurobii snarled in protest as he walked over to the body.
"Oh, will you two just shut the hell up and grab the freak so we can go home?" Mikio said flatly, as he wiggled his pinky inside his left ear lazily. "I'm tired, and that fucker made us chase him for miles!"
"Yes… Well… We are lucky we didn't have to put much effort into catching this Miru Hito. If Kira and Haru have just as easy of a task as ours, the gathering of the Six Powers will be quicker than expected."
Jurobii rolled his eyes as he yanked the knife that had been pinning Kuya's hand out of the tree, letting the bloody hand flop to the floor with a twitch. Throwing the knife back over to Akumi, Jurobii looked at the unconscious man on the floor in front of him. He smiled wickedly as he picked the body up and placed it on his shoulder, careful not to let the cursed hand touch him.
Turning to look back at Akumi and Mikio, Jurobii smiled.
"Miru Hito of Sin… obtained."
-Matsuni Estate - Molly's Bedroom-
It was midnight in the Land of Rain. The sprinkling pitter patter of rain against the lone window was a soft and relaxing sound to the ears. It was dark, with only the light of the full moon shining into the room. The air was cool and moved nicely with the help of the ceiling fan above. Molly snored softly as she slept in the bed on the left side of the room, bundled in her large comforter that provided warmth from the cool night air.
Naruto laid on the other bed above the sheets. He was still dressed in his full ninja attire just in case he needed to act quickly against a night attack. His hands were behind his head and his eyes following one of the blades on the ceiling fan, his eyes going round and round in circles. It relaxed him and kept his mind at ease. He had his headphones in his ears and was listening to his music. The volume was lowered quite considerably as to not wake Molly. Naruto laid quietly as he thought of random things from what he would do with Molly tomorrow to his boredom with how little there was to do in this place.
The last two days since their arrival at Hiro's home had been rather lax. There hadn't been any threat of an attack so far and everything seemed to be calm. Naruto hadn't seen much of his comrades as he was in charge of keeping track of Molly until the mission was over. The home was rather large, with the only contact with his friends being the nightly dinners Hiro held to thank them for their help. Naruto felt odd being cut off from the rest of his friends as they ran guard duty and roamed the home in shifts as added protection. Naruto didn't mind staying with Molly and playing games with her, but Naruto was a ninja… He wanted action!
Naruto looked away from the ceiling fan and turned to look at the sleeping Molly. She looked so calm and peaceful when she slept. Naruto let a soft smile grace his face at seeing her so still. Naruto focused his thoughts to the conversation he'd had with Molly the previous day. He just couldn't wrap his head around why in the world the Sage had given Molly a mark.
(Flashback)
"Naruto-Sama? Why are you being so quiet?" Molly asked innocently, as she stood in front of the sitting Naruto.
Naruto and Molly were currently in the Garden in the middle of the large estate. There was a single bench in the middle of the large grassy area where Naruto currently sat lost in thought. For the last couple hours, he had watched Molly play in the grass and chase ladybugs that had flown by. He hadn't even noticed Molly walk her way over to him until she jutted her face right in front of his.
"H…huh?" Naruto asked confusedly, torn from his thoughts.
"Why are you being so quiet!?" You've been spacing out all day, Naruto-Sama! You haven't even played with me today!" Molly whined in annoyance, stomping her foot on the ground slightly.
Naruto blinked a couple times to regain his focus before smiling softly at the little girl.
"Sorry, Molly! I guess I just have a lot on my mind," Naruto said while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
Molly turned her head to the side and gave Naruto a curious look.
"What are you thinking about, Naruto-Sama?" Molly asked sweetly as she swayed side to side playfully.
Naruto scrunched his eyes at the girl and gave her a questioning look.
"What do you mean, what am I thinking!? You can read freaking minds, so you should already know!" Naruto said loudly as he crossed his arms and jutted out his lower lip.
Molly giggled slightly before regaining her composure. She leaned forward and poked Naruto on his cheek playfully.
"You're silly! I don't always want to read your mind. That would be intruding," Molly said in a joking tone as she giggled.
Naruto furrowed his brow before letting his eyes soften kindly.
"Molly… Can I ask you a few questions about your mark and how you got it?" Naruto asked quietly with a serious tone.
Molly raised her brow at the question as she looked at her bandaged hand, then back to Naruto. She scrunched her brows at Naruto curiously.
"Sure, Naruto-Sama… What do you want to know!?" Molly asked enthusiastically.
Naruto leaned forward so his elbows were on his knees and his eyes focused on Molly. He thought briefly about how he wanted to go about the questions.
"Molly… This old man that gave you your mark… What did he look like exactly?" Naruto asked inquiringly, his hands clasped together in concentration.
Molly looked away from Naruto over to a patch of wild flowers to her left. She hummed quietly to herself, clearly thinking about the question carefully before answering. Keeping her eyes on the flowers, she gave a slight pout.
"I don't know really… He wore a cloak and had his hood up, covering his face…" Molly said quietly.
"Well… Did he happen to say anything to you? I mean… I'm sure he didn't just walk up and grab your hand, right?" Naruto asked quickly, the lack of information frustrating him.
Molly looked at Naruto and beamed a huge smile. Her eyes wide like a light bulb just went off in her head.
"Ya! He did say stuff! Although… It really didn't make sense at all," Molly said while pouting again slightly.
Naruto leaned forward even more towards the girl standing in front of him. His eyes focused as his curiosity itched at the back of his mind.
"What did he say, Molly?" Naruto asked in a soft tone.
Molly scrunched her face in annoyance at the memory of the old man.
"He spoke in these big words that I didn't know… It was really hard to understand what he meant at all," Molly answered in a whisper, the irritation on her face fading slightly.
Naruto sighed in exasperation while he rubbed his temples slightly.
'Well…I really couldn't understand him that well either…so I don't blame her,' Naruto thought to himself in a sigh.
"Though…" Molly said quickly, interrupting Naruto's thought. "He did keep mentioning something about how pure I was… whatever that meant."
Naruto refocused his eyes on Molly as he pondered what she just said.
"Pure… What do you mean he said you were pure?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.
Molly shrugged her shoulders and grunted. "I dunno. He just said I was pure of heart… And that's when he asked for a handshake, but I suggested a high five!"
'Pure… Why would he call her… pure?' Naruto thought to himself quietly as he leaned back on the bench to look up at the dark clouds above.
"Can I go play now!?" Molly humphed as she stomped her foot once again. "You're making me waste my whole day!"
Naruto looked back down from the sky as his thoughts were broken once again. He smiled softly at the girl as he gave her a playful wink.
"Ya, go ahead, little pest," Naruto said playfully as he shooed her away with his hand.
Molly crossed her arms and humphed her loudest yet before turning on her heels and running off into the grassy field.
(End Flashback)
'Pure… I still have no fucking idea why that word bothers me!?' Naruto thought to himself in frustration. 'For all I know, it could mean nothing!'
Naruto scrunched his eyes together and grabbed his head, violently rubbing and pulling his hair in frustration as he tried to understand what all of this meant. In his little fit, Naruto accidently bumped his mp3 player off of the bed. It fell, unlinking itself from his earphones and bouncing onto the floor and skidding into the middle of the room.
"Sigh… Great! Now I gotta get out of bed!" Naruto grumbled to himself.
Rolling over and onto his feet, Naruto lifted himself off the side of the bed. Tiptoeing quietly over to his mp3 as to not wake Molly, he raised his knees high and dramatically with every step. He bent down and grabbed the small device forcefully, then straightened himself and stood motionless in the middle of the room. He turned his head to the right and looked at the small window his device happened to fall next to. It still glistened with the rain that was falling on the other side and ticked quietly with every droplet.
He turned fully and walked over to the window. Looking out, he could still see the distorted visual of the flower garden that lay out below the second story window. The rain on the windows surface blurred the visual but still allowed the making out of large shapes and figures. For the first time since arriving at the home, Naruto took in the beauty of the flower garden below.
The garden was round and was about fifty yards in diameter. In the middle of the garden was a fountain with a beautiful woman carved in stone. The carved woman looked to be old, with chips and cracks along her surface. She was holding a bowl in which the water flowed out of and into the small pond below her. The style of the carving looked to be of old Renaissance, which just further showed off Hiro-San's wealth. Next to the fountain was a single street lamp to help illuminate the area at night. Around the fountain were flowers upon flowers of all shapes and sizes. The colors of the small plants glowed beautifully with the help of the rain and beams of moonlight through the storm clouds.
A small stone path ran through the garden and up to the fountain. The path ran back towards the home towards two large wooden doors that were below the window Naruto was currently at. On the path was what appeared to be… a person in front of the stone fountain under the street lamp? Naruto scrunched his eyes trying to make out the figure through the blurred window.
'Who the hell would be out this late and in the friggin' rain!?' Naruto wondered.
Looking at the figure, Naruto could only tell they were holding an umbrella and were clearly watching the rain fall upon the stone woman. Naruto raised his brow and looked at the figure a few more moments before sighing.
'Great… Now I'm curious and won't be able to sleep until I see what the fuck this mystery person is doing!' Naruto thought in slight aggravation.
Naruto turned to his left and looked at the sleeping Molly with a worried look on his face.
'But… I can't just leave Molly… Oh… She will be fine! I'll be gone like five minutes!' Naruto thought happily, reassuring himself.
Naruto turned on his heel and tiptoed to the door while throwing his mp3 back onto the bed. He quickly placed on his sandals and pulled the door open quietly and stepped through. He pulled the door shut behind him as he made his way down the hall in search of the entrance to the garden.
After making his way through the spooky ass hallways and down the large stairs at the front of the estate, Naruto finally was able to locate the two large wooden doors that lead to the garden. Grasping the large metal handle, he pulled the right door open as it creaked loudly in the still night air; his ears immediately filled with the sound of rain. It wasn't falling as heavy as it had been earlier, but it still sprinkled loudly. Looking out into the darkness, Naruto could still see the figure underneath the street lamp standing in front of the stone fountain. The umbrella they were holding was still blocking the person's upper body, leaving Naruto unable to pin who it was. Naruto slumped slightly as he looked up at the rainy storm clouds above while still standing inside the dry entranceway.
'… I'm going to have to go out there, huh?' Naruto thought to himself in exasperation.
Naruto grabbed the hood to his jacket and flicked it up over his head to protect himself from the cold downpour. Sighing quietly, he placed his hands in his jacket pockets for warmth and stepped out into the night. The rain tapped against Naruto's jacket softly as he made his way down the stone path and over to the lone figure.
'What the hell am I even doing this for!? This could just be some crazy maid, or even a body guard on duty… I pray to god this isn't a waste of time.'
"What have we said about praying to the woman we killed, Kit… It's pretty stupid of you… Hah!"Kurama laughed out from Naruto's mind.
'You know there are more gods then just her!? I could be praying to one of them!' Naruto thought back it aggravation.
"Uhuh! Sure," Kurama replied, sarcastically.
Naruto rolled his eyes, not even bothering to argue with the damn fox this time as he continued on his way through the rain.
Naruto's pace was slow; his feet splashed faintly with every step. The cool puddles that lined the stone path rippled and bounced from the oncoming rain. Naruto loved the rain and loved to stand under it and just let it wash away his troubles. It was funny how the darkest of Mother Nature's moods was the weather that helped Naruto out of a funk… Perhaps it was because when it rained… he didn't have to hide his tears.
Naruto took in a deep breath, enjoying the sweet smell as he continued his slow trek over to the mystery person. As he drew closer, he was able to make out better details of the person that stood at the end of the path.
He was able to tell it was a she from her small figure. She was holding a dark black umbrella that still covered most of the woman's upper body. She had on what appeared to be a purple medic skirt and black skintight leggings underneath. Her knees had fish netting covering them and her feet had on black sandals. The woman's right thigh was taped in white athletic tape with a quick-access kunai knife pouch strapped on. A long tail of platinum blonde hair hung down just above the woman's bottom from under the umbrella.
Naruto let his eyes soften as he didn't have to see the rest of the woman to recognize who he was about to meet. He knew of only one person with that blonde of hair and purple medic skirt.
'Ino… What the hell are you doing out here?' Naruto thought to himself quietly, and for some reason… slightly worried.
The rain that pattered on the cold stone path muffled the sound of Naruto's footsteps as he made his way closer to Ino. He was only a couple feet behind her before he decided to make his presence known to his friend.
"You on guard duty or something!?" Naruto asked quite loudly over the rain fall.
At his sudden loud voice, Ino shrieked out and flung herself around, drawing a kunai with her right hand and still holding the umbrella with her left. She stared at the hooded Naruto, who stood before her with a wicked grin upon his face. He knew he had just scared the absolute shit out of her.
Ino lowered her weapon and grew bright red with embarrassment at being taken so off guard.
"DAMMIT NARUTO! YOU SCARED THE FUCKING PISS OUT OF ME!" Ino hollered loudly as her shoulders shook with anger and her face still bright red.
Naruto giggled slightly as he walked closer to the girl to join her under the light provided from the street lamp.
"Well then, you should be glad it's raining, because then that would be really embarrassing HAHA!" Naruto mocked as he stopped just a few feet away from Ino with a bright grin on his face.
Ino's face grew even redder at getting Naruto's joke and she turned crossing her arms quickly and turning her face away to partially hide her flushed face. She re-pocketed her Kunai Knife and adjusted the umbrella in her hand to hold more comfortably.
Naruto smiled at the girl's actions, knowing he had embarrassed her even further with his comment. He rubbed the back of his head slightly as he pointed to the umbrella Ino was holding.
"You got room for another under there?" Naruto asked quietly, getting Ino to turn back towards him to see what he meant.
Following his finger to the umbrella, she smiled softly and moved it to the side of her body to allow room.
"Sure… Come on, you idiot." Ino said, keeping the smile on her face, but losing the blush.
Naruto gladly walked next to Ino underneath the umbrella. He lifted his hands and pulled off his hood, then shook his hair slightly. Ino turned away to look back at the fountain of the stone woman like she had been doing previously. Naruto glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ino, seeing she was looking out into the garden once again.
"You didn't answer my question… You out here on guard duty, or something?" Naruto asked softly as he also looked out at the beautiful flowers that surrounded them.
"No," Ino said, shaking her head slightly. "Its Sakura's and Sai's night for that… I was just out enjoying the weather."
Naruto nodded in understanding as he put his hands back in his jacket pockets for warmth. He looked out at the dark sky, watching the dark rain drops fall heavily onto the ground and flowers. He smiled and hummed slightly to himself.
"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be guarding Molly?" Ino asked sternly.
"I saw you from the bedroom window," Naruto informed while throwing a thumb behind them in the direction of the second story window. "Thought I'd come down and see what was up. Molly is fine as well… She's sleeping like a baby right now."
Ino nodded as she turned back to the flowers. Both stood in complete silence for a few minutes as they watched the rain fall around them. Naruto turned and saw how Ino looked so relaxed and calm at the moment, completely different from her usual loud and boisterous personality.
"You like the rain, Ino?" Naruto asked in an almost whisper as he watched the droplets fall from the heavens.
"Yes… I do," Ino replied softly. "I love the smell."
Naruto turned his head slightly and gave her a puzzled look from the corner of his eye.
"The smell, huh?" Naruto asked softly. "Why?"
Ino scrunched her lips together while she pondered how to answer the question.
"I guess… it's because there isn't any other scent like it in the world." Ino gave a soft smile. "I spend almost all my time around flowers, so I breathe in all of these beautiful scents all the time… but… the smell of rain is just different from all of them. It's… one of a kind."
Naruto nodded with a calm look upon his face.
"Ya… I totally know what you mean," Naruto said in a soft tone. "When it rains… the smell… and the sound… I don't really know how to put it, but I feel… safe."
Ino turned her head away from the fountain and gave Naruto a large shut-eyed grin.
"Well, would you look at that? Looks like we have something else in common besides our blond hair and loud personalities!" Ino informed happily.
Naruto laughed slightly at this as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Ya, haha! I guess we do." Naruto said sweetly, letting his arm drop down back to his side.
Ino and Naruto turned to look at each other with smiles on their faces. Their eyes met and for a brief moment they stared into each other's eyes. Naruto stared sweetly at Ino as she stared lovingly back at him. Ino noticed how Naruto's eyes weren't as hollow as they had been two weeks ago. They weren't the bright blue sapphires they used to be, but they had at least regained a little of their shine. Yet she could still see fear and regret deep with them, making her slightly sad.
Being under the umbrella together, their faces were mere inches away from each other. The moment was broken soon after, though, as Naruto blinked a couple times quickly, realizing he had just been staring at her strangely.
Naruto turned away quickly with a slight blush on his face as he whistled nervously to himself. Ino only smiled wider as she turned away, also with a slight pink tint to her cheeks. The sadness from seeing his true feelings faded quickly.
'What the fuck was that!? Did… Did I just have a moment with Ino!?' Naruto thought to himself, flabbergasted and completely embarrassed.
The two stood silently once again as the rain continued to fall around them. The sound of the rain pattering against the umbrella was soothing, but Ino was beginning to feel awkward with the silence between her and Naruto.
"So… How's your puzzle coming?" Ino asked sweetly as she elbowed Naruto gently in the side to grab his attention.
Naruto turned back towards Ino with a baffled look, not understanding what she meant.
"What puzzle?" Naruto asked confusedly as he crossed his arms.
Ino turned her head slightly as she rolled her eyes playfully.
"You know, dummy… Picking up your pieces and putting them back in place?"
Naruto stared at Ino with a blank look before his eyes grew wide, finally understanding what she meant.
"Oh! Well, it's coming along… I mean, I'm not locked up in my apartment anymore, so I guess that's leaps and bounds from where I was... I'm also on this mission with you and haven't had a nervous breakdown… So all in all, I'm doing quite fine!" Naruto informed, giving her an awkward, forced smile.
Ino studied Naruto's face for a brief moment before sending him a scowl. She crossed her arms while still holding the umbrella and focused her gaze upon him.
"What have I told you about doing that?" Ino asked quietly, a slight tinge of anger in her voice.
Naruto blinked owlishly at Ino, again not knowing what she was talking about.
"Huh?" Naruto asked.
Ino rolled her eyes as her foot began to tap in annoyance.
"What have I told you about lying to me, Uzumaki?" Ino asked again as her eyes began to narrow.
Naruto blinked a few times before he gulped in nervousness. He rubbed the back of his as he scrunched his eyes to gather and gave a goofy forced smile. A sweat drop rolled off the side of his head.
"W…what are you talking about Ino? I… I'm not lying to you." Naruto said in a shaky voice, trying to lie himself even further out of the hole he was digging.
"Oh, please! I know when you're lying to me, Naruto! It's as obvious to see as that bright-ass orange you always wear!" Ino hollered as her patience began to run thin.
Naruto brought his hands in front of his chest as he waved them back and forth quickly, trying not to piss of the young woman even more then he already had.
"OK, OK! I'm sorry, I'll stop!" Naruto pleaded, trying to hide the fear he felt from Ino's anger. Sakura and Ino always scared the shit out of him when their tempers were up.
'This woman's scarier than Baa-Chan!' Naruto thought in a shriek.
"Well, then… tell me how you really feel, dumbass!" Ino stated in annoyance as her glare never faded.
Naruto gulped and shook slightly where he stood.
"W…well," Naruto began, trying to compose himself. "I guess… I'm actually really scared, Ino." Naruto murmured as his eyes dropped to the ground.
The little color and life he had left instantly, leaving the blank cold eyes she had first seen two weeks prior.
"I really don't want to mess up on this… The last time I was in a fight… I lost my best friend… I… I…" Naruto spoke in a shaky whisper with his eyes downcast.
Naruto was cut off by small smooth hands pressing under his chin, lifting his head and sight upward. Looking up, Naruto saw Ino looking straight into his eyes again, giving him a look he didn't really see very often from people. It made his cheeks feel warm again.
"Like I said before, Naruto… You are going to do fine. If anyone ever does try and attack Hiro-Sama's home again, I'm sure you will be there to save the day," Ino spoke sweetly with the most loving smile spread across her face.
Naruto looked back at Ino with his mouth slightly agape. Naruto's bewildered look slowly faded, though, as his eyes focused and his brow furrowed. With a quick movement, Naruto knocked Ino's hand away from his chin gently as he looked at her questioningly.
"Ok… What the fuck happened to you?" Naruto asked with an aggressive tone.
Ino frowned at her hand being knocked away and the sudden mood swing from her blond friend. She blinked in confusion while she cradled the hand that was knocked away like it was injured.
"W… What do you mean, what happened to me?" Ino asked in confusion, sadness in her voice.
"I MEAN… with you being all nice to me as of late. You never used to act like this, and as a matter of fact… You are usually pretty rude to me!" Naruto explained as he crossed his arms tightly.
Ino was taken aback slightly by what he said. She recovered quickly though, as she as well starting glaring at Naruto and crossed her arms aggressively.
"What!? So I can't be nice to my freaking friends, Uzumaki!?" Ino asked heatedly. "Or do you prefer me calling you an ass and an idiot, which by the way, YOU'RE BEING RIGHT NOW!"
Naruto growled in anger.
"I don't mind the being nice to me, but stop all this crap about how you think I will be fine! You don't know what goes on in my head! You don't know how I feel inside! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FUCKING SCARED I AM!" Naruto hollered as tears he was holding back threatened to emerge. "I appreciate what you're trying to do here Ino… but stop!"
"WHY!? So you can continue to wallow in your own self fucking pity!? GOD! I know you're hard headed, Naruto, but knock it the fuck off! IM TRYING TO HELP YOU!" Ino yelled back, her fist balled at her sides and shaking.
"WHY!? I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR HELP!" Naruto countered as he as well balled his fists and yelled over the roar of the rain.
Ino stomped her foot heavily as she jabbed a finger into Naruto's chest.
"BECAUSE I WANT THE OLD YOU BACK!" Ino hollered.
Naruto's mood dropped instantly at hearing that. He looked at her with wide eyes with his mouth agape once again. His shoulders slouched in sadness, waiting for her to continue.
"I'm sick of you being like this. The old Naruto wouldn't have a sudden mood swing and yell at his friends! He wouldn't doubt himself or what he could do. The fact of the matter is, Naruto, I do know you better than you think I do. Get your head out of your ass and be… well… Naruto! Not this little bitch you have been," Ino informed as she as well let her mood slightly drop.
Naruto was left speechless as Ino turned on her heel and began to walk back to the two large doors at the end of the path, aggravated. Naruto was left standing in the rain, the cold water beginning to droop his hair and wet his headband. He looked on at her sadly with his posture slouched.
'Great... Why did you have to go and be a dick, Naruto? She was only trying to help out and you go and flip out on her. I'm a fucking dumbass!' Naruto thought to himself angrily.
Naruto quickly ran after Ino, meeting her halfway down the path.
"WAIT!" Naruto called out as he reached the pale blonde woman.
Naruto reached out, grasping Ino's left hand making her stop in her tracks. She didn't turn and look at Naruto, instead choosing to keep her eyes towards the exit at the end of the path.
"I… I'm sorry… I know you're just trying to help. To be honest, I really like that you've been nice to me lately. I'm just a little freaked out by all of the doubts and fears I have going on inside my head. I'm not used to these feelings, and I don't really know how to handle them. Ino… I really appreciate everything you've don't to help pick me up and put me back on my feet. I didn't mean to freak out on you like that… That's not like me, and it's not how you should be treated. Please forgive me," Naruto whispered out in pain, the grip he had on Ino's hand tightening.
Ino looked over her shoulder only revealing her left eye, her expression unreadable. Naruto looked back at her with pleading eyes. Ino quickly turned on her heel looking Naruto sweetly with a small smile on her face.
"I forgive you. I know you are scared and confused… After all, I felt the same way when I lost Asuma-Sensei and my father. Just… if you're gonna vent with me, next time… Can you at least give me some warning?" Ino laughed slightly.
Naruto blinked slowly as a slight blush spread across his face.
"Haha… Ya, sure! I'll try and warn you when I'm about to freak out again." Naruto said with an embarrassed smile on his face.
"Good!" Ino said loudly. "And Naruto…"
"Huh?" Naruto asked in a confused grunt.
"You're still holding my hand," Ino said softly, sending a wink towards Naruto.
Naruto's blush grew tenfold as he quickly let go of her hand and rubbed the back of his head quickly.
"Uhh… Sorry, Ino!" Naruto responded with an embarrassed, shaky voice.
'Idiot,' Ino thought in a loving tone as she walked close to Naruto to allow him back under the large umbrella.
The two walked back over to the street lamp and watched the rain fall in silence for a few minutes, both enjoying the calming sound the droplets provided with their impact. Naruto looked out of the corner of his eye, studying the calm blonde female next to him. He smiled softly to himself.
'You know… You're not that bad at all, Ino. As a matter of fact… you are actually quite… pleasant' Naruto thought sweetly, letting his eyes roam softly over her face.
Naruto's sweet thoughts were broken, though, as a nagging question resurfaced in the back of his mind. He turned his face to look at Ino completely. A look of concern on his face.
"Hey… Ino," Naruto spoke out softly, just loud enough to grab the blonde's attention.
"Hmm?" Ino moaned out questioningly, turning to look at Naruto.
Naruto swayed back and forth trying to find the best way of asking the woman his question.
"I know we are having a nice night and we are bonding as friends for the first time in like, ever... despite how much of a dick I just was," Naruto spoke out, earning a nod from his blonde companion. "But I was wondering if I could ask you a question that I've been wanting to for the last couple days."
Ino's eyes began to widen as her heart fluttered lightly.
'He isn't about to ask me what I think he's about to ask me… is he!?' Ino thought in shock, with tones of hope radiating off of her.
"I mean, this question might piss you off, and I really don't want to make you angry again. Although, you might not want to answer it at all, making this an even more awkward situation. Just know when I ask this question, no matter how you answer, I will completely understand, and hope you don't unleash your fury upon me!" Naruto babbled on, using his hands to emphasize his words.
Ino bounced up and down in anticipation. Naruto's jumping around the question she thought was coming was killing her.
"JUST ASK ME ALREADY, NARUTO!" Ino hollered in annoyance and excitement. Her heart pounding in her chest rapidly.
Naruto gulped loudly, preparing himself before he blabbered out his question quickly.
"Why are you so pissed at Sai?" Naruto asked quickly and in a high pitched voice, throwing his hands up in front of his face to protect from an attack that never came.
Ino's heart stopped as her mood quickly changed from excitement… to disappointment.
'Oh… He meant he was afraid to bring up my ex… not ask me out… fucking… (Sigh)… perfect," Ino thought glumly.
Naruto dropped his hands and opened his eyes after a few seconds to see a disappointed and saddened Ino standing in front of him, although he thought it was because he brought up Sai… not because he didn't ask her out.
"I'm sorry, Ino! Just forget my question! I was afraid you would be put off by it," Naruto spoke softly as he looked at her in concern.
Ino snapped out of her sudden onslaught of sadness as she shook her head slightly. She looked up at Naruto and gave him a reassuring but fake smile.
"No, it's fine, Naruto. I just thought… Oh… Never mind, it isn't important." Ino pulled her bangs to sit behind her ear. "Now… What do you want to know about that dick Sai?"
Naruto looked at her, not knowing he if should continue on with the issue, but decided to believe her.
"Like I said… Why are you pissed at him? I mean… I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries by asking this," Naruto said while pushing his hands into his jacket pockets. Eyes locked onto Ino's face.
Ino turned away from Naruto to look at her reflection in the puddles on the ground. Her image rippled and swayed as she looked at herself.
"I don't know if I really want to talk about it yet," Ino spoke out quietly, apprehension evident in her voice.
She crossed her arms, not in the manner of aggression, but more of comforting herself. With her free hand, she rubbed her arm to help soothe herself. Naruto's eyes dropped as well to look at himself in the small puddles of water on the ground.
"It's that bad, huh? I mean, I've seen you pissed off and even sad before, but… I've never seen you… hurt." Naruto informed sadly, eyes downcast.
Ino didn't respond as she continued to hold herself. Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes upon hearing the word "hurt" come from Naruto. She was hurt… and she felt trapped by her emotions. She perked up as Naruto spoke again.
"Ino… I know I've never really been there for you like this before… But since you're so willing to help me out with my current issues, then it would only be fair to help you out with yours! So… I mean… What I'm trying to say is that… if you're willing to help me pick up the pieces with my life… I'll gladly do the same for you," Naruto said sweetly as he looked at the withdrawn Ino. "If you'll be my vent… I'll be yours."
Ino smiled softly at hearing Naruto say those things to her. She turned to look back at Naruto with glossy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She quickly wiped her eyes and face, letting out a cute sniffle as she did.
"Thank you… Naruto. I would really appreciate that." Ino spoke appreciatively, her eyes begging to calm from her ramped up emotions. "It would be nice to talk about it to someone who isn't overwhelmed by gossip like most of my friends are."
Naruto smiled widely at Ino, giving her a wink.
"Hey, if you tell me something personal that you don't want getting out, I'll gladly listen and lock it away forever," Naruto said happily, lifting his right hand and jutting out his pinky. "It's a promise, Ino!"
Ino smiled wide and gladly wrapped her pinky around Naruto's, letting a completely content look grace her face as she spoke.
"Ok… It's a promise, and from here on out… you and I are vent buddies! You can talk about your problems with me, and I'll talk about mine with you," Ino said happily, tightening her squeeze on Naruto's pinky.
Naruto nodded while giving a big toothy grin with his eyes shut tightly. The smile made Ino drop her hand back to her side and gasp dramatically.
"Naruto!" Ino hollered out in overdramatic shock, getting Naruto to blink in confusion. "W… was that the ever famous foxy grin!? I thought I would never see you happy enough to see you do that again!"
Naruto blushed slightly as he once again rubbed the back of his head.
"Haha! Ya I guess I'm just…really happy to have a friend like you Ino!" Naruto said happily as the blush faded from his face.
This got Ino to blush slightly, though she turned away from Naruto to let out an awkward couch muffled by her hand. Ino took a couple seconds to recompose herself before she returned and gave a large, toothy, shut-eyed smile to Naruto as well.
"Well, thank you, Naruto! I feel the same way," Ino spoke out, receiving a thumbs up from Naruto.
Ino let her happiness drop slightly though as she looked at Naruto.
"Well… since we are vent buddies now… I guess since you already had your moment… it would only be fair if I answered your question." Ino tried to keep her perkiness up.
Naruto shook his hands in front of his chest to try and back the girl down from the idea.
"No, Ino, it's okay. You really don't have to do that if you aren't ready to! We could talk about it another time or something," Naruto pleaded as he continued to wave his hands.
Ino giggled a little as she shook her head.
"No really, it's okay… Maybe I need to get this off my chest. Have someone hear what happened and get an outside voice for guidance on how to handle it. I've kept it bottled up for months… Maybe you can help me deal with it." Ino went back to cradling herself while holding the umbrella.
Naruto looked at her apprehensively, but gave in and nodded kindly. He reached over and took the umbrella from her, deciding it was his turn to shield them from the downpour. Ino stood quietly for a few moments as she gathered herself for her story. She glanced all around the drenched garden before returning her gaze to the stone fountain. She took a deep breath and sighed slightly.
"Sai and I broke up almost 2 months ago. Knowing that you were locked away in your house, I'll let you know Sai and I started dating shortly after the end of the war," Ino informed, trying her best to keep her voice steady.
Naruto nodded in understanding, gesturing for her to continue.
"We dated for just over four months, and to be honest, everything was going fine. He was actually being a good boyfriend… granted everything he knew came from those stupid ass books he reads!" Ino said with a little frustration, earning a laugh from Naruto, who understood completely what she meant.
Ino's mood turned serious quickly, getting Naruto to also turn his mood and become more focused on what she was saying.
"So…Ya… Things we were going really well. We were reaching that point… and so we decided to… you know… take a very large step in our relationship. My very first LARGE step, mind you," Ino said gently, putting emphasis on the word large.
She looked from the fountain over to Naruto waiting for him to get what she had meant. Naruto looked at her blankly with a slightly puzzled look.
"Oh…" Naruto said nonchalantly before his eyes grew wide and he recoiled. "OH!"
Ino rolled her eyes and looked back at the fountain quietly, letting Naruto absorb what this meant. Naruto recovered and looked at Ino like she was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.
"WAIT! SO YOURE NOT A VIRG-!?" Naruto hollered but was cut short by a hand clasped over his mouth.
"SHHHHHHHHHHHH! You fucking dumb ass! You want the entire Rain Country to hear you, jackass!?" Ino hissed back letting her hand drop from Naruto's face.
Naruto sweat-dropped and coughed awkwardly.
"S… sorry. Please continue," Naruto whispered out as he refocused himself.
Ino flicked her head, getting her hair to move over her left shoulder, showing off her attitude and displeasure with Naruto practically announcing one of her secrets to the world. She began to play with her ponytail as she relaxed and continued her story.
"Yes… Naruto… I lost my V-card to Sai… but it only happened once," Ino informed quietly, growing sadder with every word.
Naruto raised his eyebrow, wanting to ask why, but chose to let her answer it herself if she wanted to.
"We only ended up doing it once… well… because… it was the main reason we broke up." Ino said softly as she stopped and stood quietly, trying to gather herself.
With her sudden pause Naruto was left with whirlwind of thoughts racing through his head…and he didn't like any of them.
'What did this fucker do!? He… he didn't rape her, did he!? Oh, I'll fucking kill him if he did that! Or maybe he was really shitty in bed? … No, wait… Ino isn't that shallow, but then maybe he…' Naruto continued to think at a thousand miles an hour before being interrupted by Ino.
"Naruto… what I'm about to tell you never leaves your mouth and is only between us… Got it!?" Ino asked forcefully, receiving a confident nod from Naruto.
Ino took a deep shaky breath.
"The reason I hate Sai and why we broke up is… On our very first time… MY… very first time ever making love… he… he moaned another person's name," Ino whispered out coldly, her voice trembling trying to hold back her tears.
Naruto stared at Ino with wide eyes and an open mouth. He was completely speechless and didn't even have the courage to move.
"W… wow… That's heavy," Naruto whispered out, receiving no response from Ino. "So he… moaned another girl's name right in the middle of…" Naruto asked out but chose not to finish his question.
Ino curled her fist at her side as she looked at Naruto through unfallen tears. Her teeth gritted together angrily.
"I… I never said… it was a female's name… Naruto," Ino hissed out as the tears finally broke free.
If Naruto was shocked before he was downright awestruck now. He almost fell off of his feet with that sudden information. His mouth opened and shut like a fish out of water while his hands hung loosely at his side.
"Sai's… gay!? WOW! ... That's… um… Wow," Naruto mumbled out as Ino quietly cried next to him.
Naruto recovered from his shock at hearing the slow sniffles coming from his left. Turning to look back at Ino, he saw just how hurt she truly was. She trembled and her cries shook her voice. She tried to cover her face with her hands, but the tears rain through her fingers, landing with the already falling rain.
'I guess the rain can only hide your tears sometimes,' Naruto thought sadly, as he reached forward and placed his hand on Ino's shoulder.
"Ino… It's okay, I..." Naruto tried to speak out but was broken from his words as Ino broke her hands from her face and smacked Naruto's hand away forcefully. She stood heatedly next to Naruto with half of her body hanging outside of the umbrella, getting wet from the rain. Her face was red with anger and her eyes glossy with sadness. Tears continued to flow down her face, seemingly unstoppable.
"NO, NARUTO! IT'S NOT FUCKING OKAY! THAT BASTARD TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! HE TOOK MY INNOCENCE! HE TOOK MY HEART AND SMASHED IT INTO A MILLION PIECES! BUT…." Ino's voice trembled and fell slightly, unable to keep up her yelling through her shaky voice. "But worst of all… he lied to me, Naruto."
Naruto also began to shake with emotions. He felt for the woman in front of him, but he just didn't know how to help her. He had never dealt with a problem like this before.
"He lied to me..." Ino whispered out through her tears. "He made me start to love him… start to feel for him… He let me make the choice to give myself to him… and he wasn't even interested in me. Wasn't interested in any woman. That's why I hate it when you lie to me, Naruto… because it reminds me of that bastard… It reminds me of my broken heart and soul. I was willing to give him everything… but he turned out to just be a liar!" Ino was flat out bawling by the time she finished her rant.
"I feel so alone, Naruto…I feel so naked and afraid!" Ino whimpered out through her hands.
Her shoulders shook violently and she was about to fall to her knees when she felt a large, warm embrace encircle her. Her voice caught in her throat but she didn't move her hands from her face. Naruto had grasped her in a tight hug, letting the umbrella he was holding fall to the ground next to them and allowing them to get wet from the slight drizzle that fell on and around them. She leaned into the embrace as she continued to cry. Naruto leaned in close to her ear as he whispered. He rubbed his hand up and down her back to sooth her.
"Shhhhhh… It's okay, Ino… it's okay. Just let it all out… I'm here for you… I'm not going anywhere.
At hearing this Ino flung her arms around Naruto's chest as she buried her face into the crook of his neck, her tears beginning to soak his already slightly damp jacket. She continued to sob as he spoke.
"Like I said before… if you're willing to help me pick up the pieces in my life… I will undoubtedly help you pick up the pieces to yours. You're an amazing woman, Ino… even I can see that! You deserve the best, and you will find it someday. Losing your virginity isn't that big of a deal, anyway… I'm actually jealous of you, haha! I'm the same age as you and I haven't even kissed a girl yet. So… please don't let this bother you anymore, Ino… I will always be right here if you need me. If you truly feel lonely… I'll always be right here… and if you feel naked out in this cold, cold world we live in… I'll gladly be your jacket." Naruto whispered out in the most soothing and loving voice he could manage.
Ino's sobbing had long since stopped as she still stayed buried into Naruto's neck, listening to him speak. Her heart fluttered at hearing his words and for the first time since the incident with Sai…she felt okay about it. Lifting her head and looking up at Naruto, she smiled sweetly. The tears had stopped falling, leaving only glossy eyes and puffy, red cheeks. Naruto smiled back at her as they stayed intertwined in their close hug.
"Do you really mean it, Naruto? Will you really always be there if I need you?" Ino asked in a soft voice as she studied Naruto's eyes, their faces extremely close.
Naruto blushed with the closeness but didn't break away from the embrace.
"Of course, Ino! After all… you are one of my oldest friends and one of my precious people!" Naruto spoke out confidently, sending another large foxy grin at the woman in his arms.
Ino's face lit up and her blush increased tenfold. Her breath was caught in her throat for a brief moment.
'I'm one of his… precious people,' Ino thought happily as her heart danced.
Naruto continued to give off his foxy grin with his eyes closed before he felt a small, warm peck on his cheek. Naruto opened his eyes quickly, seeing Ino lean away from his face. Naruto blushed even deeper as tried to focus his thoughts.
"W…w…what was that for?" Naruto asked in a shaky voice as Ino looked at him lovingly.
"That's… for being such a sweet guy… Naruto-Kun…," Ino whispered out as she winked at Naruto seductively.
Naruto let go of his embrace on Ino as she did the same, allowing him to step slightly backward. He rubbed the back of his head as he blushed deeply. He looked into her eyes with complete bafflement.
"D… don't worry about it, Ino," Naruto spoke out, trying to keep his voice calm.
Naruto's eyes widened slightly as he finally registered the nickname she just spoke.
"Wait, did you just say -Kun!?" Naruto asked with wide eyes.
Ino looked at him with her head titled and a glossy, loving look in her eyes. She was about to respond to his question when both were caught off guard.
(BOOM!)
The ground shook as a loud explosion came from behind them. Both turned quickly to look up over the tall building to see smoke and fire dancing in the distance.
"What the fuck was that!?" Naruto asked loudly as he clenched his fists.
Naruto was answered by 2 louder explosions that came from directly in front of them, sending shrapnel and debris from off the building.
"Shit, we are under attack!" Ino yelled out as she protected her face from the shockwave.
Naruto turned away from the explosions and focused on Ino. More bombs and explosions began to rattle off around the compound, shaking the floor with their impact.
"Ino! Go find the rest of the squad and protect Hiro! I'm gonna go get Molly and get her to safety!" Naruto ordered out loudly over the rain and explosions.
Ino nodded in understanding as she put a confident look on her face. The lovey-dovey moment she had been having with Naruto was over. It was time to do what they were sent there to accomplish.
"Right!" Ino confirmed as she turned to run towards the front of the compound as Naruto began to run back towards Molly's room.
"Naruto-Kun!" Ino called out getting Naruto to skid to a stop a few yards away from her. He looked over his shoulder questioningly.
"Be safe…" She called out with a worried look on her face.
Naruto gave a confident smile as he threw a thumbs up over his shoulder.
"You too, Ino!"Naruto hollered back and with those final words, both set off in the direction they were needed.
Naruto ran over to the wall with Molly's window above. With a great leap, he jumped towards the small square with great speed.
'Well… time to find out if I'm truly ready to do this shit!' Naruto thought as he crossed his arms over his face to protect himself, as he crashed through Molly's window.
The battle had begun.
END CHAPTER 6
(Next Chapter: Naruto is finally back in action!)