Author's Notes: Whee this story is getting more reviews! I don't think I ever remember having this much fun writing a story before. I guess it helps when I have the manga to help me along but as you can see, I keep throwing in a few twists here and there. And if you, the reviewers, think I need to correct something (aside from spelling and grammar) let me know. But that's doesn't include suddenly throwing in an OC. I worked hard with these two for a very long time.
Great news though! Since someone royally screwed up the Naruto articles at Wikipedia . Org I have been desperately searching for a website to not only help me with jutsus but place names with faces. I tell ya I have a terrible memory! If I can't remember a name I end up making really corny nicknames based on appearance and/or how I feel about them. The only way a name sticks if I really like the character of if something about them really stands out.
Yes, I'm weird and I've finally accepted it years ago:p
Before I end this note I would like to welcome kyuubi-rain for stopping by and reviewing, as well as thanking DarkRavie and Janime Lee for staying with me so far. I hope you continue to read and enjoy the story I'm working hard to complete. This is one of my most precious babies :D Now, go on and read then review if you like it, please!
Disclaimer/ Warnings: From now on I will only post these on the first chapter. I don't want to fill up the chapters with these things and annoy you, the readers. Sound fair?
"Family Ties"
By: Beloved Shadow of Light
+ A Month of Training +
With only a month to prepare for the final exam and the visit or neighboring lords from the surrounding villages, everyone was getting excited. Shops put in countless orders so they would have their best wares on display in time, restaurants preparing the most extravagant menus they could think of to impress the important visitors, and single women sought out the most beautiful outfits in order to catch an admirer. But even so business kept on as usual: classes were still being taught at the academy, shinobi kept taking missions to keep the funds flowing, and for the genin who had made it through the preliminaries, they were training with every bit of energy they had.
Haku took it upon himself to train and strengthen his own abilities in his own way but he still made time to visit Hinata even after she was released from the hospital. He wanted to learn everything about her that she was willing to tell him and he truly enjoyed her company. He found it great that she was trying to become a medic and explained that without medics, the people of the village would have no one to care for them and help them get better so they can spent more time with their families. Hiashi, Hinata's father and head of the main Hyūga branch, didn't like him spending so much time at the compound but he didn't care as he thought his eldest was too unworthy and focused all his attention on his youngest daughter, Hanabi. Even Neji tried to discourage the friendship, saying that the teenager was only using the heiress so he could steal their secrets but neither of them listened to him. Despite his feminine appearance, Haku was a perfect gentlemen and a pleasant person to be around. Hinata finally felt like she had a friend whom she could confide in no matter what.
Maito Gai seemed to have lightened up as he began training Gaara, and true to what Hidama said, he did not hold anything against the young boy with a demon locked within him. The first thing he did after he meet him was to assess his skills and found that what the pale woman said was true. With her permission as well as his new student's, gave the redhead a set of weights and started a rigorous training. From the crack of dawn until dusk the two worked on taijutsu, speed, stamina/endurance, and patience. For a while Hidama would watch them, having to step in a few times when it looked like the redhead was ready to snap but Gai understood the dangers and bluntly said that he trusted the boy to not kill him. Two close calls and he was still alive. When they didn't train, Gai continued to visit Lee everyday, telling him all the stories from training Gaara. The genin was happy that his beloved sensei was training someone with such amazing youthfulness and exclaimed that once he was out of the hospital he wished to fight against his sensei's student. Gai just smiled. No one had the heart to tell the young man that he would never become a shinobi and would let him believe what he wished.
Shiruba was released from the hospital the following day and ended up spending most of the day eating her favorite dishes from nearly all the restaurants in the village "to get rid of the horrible taste of hospital food". It didn't appear like she was training but she was in her own unique way at the dead of night, using her speed and strength to not only make herself stronger but to keep the curse at bay. She refused to lose herself like before and vowed to never take another life. Time to time she would pop in with her brothers' training, never interfering, mostly watching but when they needed help all they had to do was ask and she would assist then it would go back to her own training. She also spent time with the hokage and his enthusiastic grandson, Konohamaru, playing pranks on the closet perv, Ebisu, as well as hang around in the Mission Office with Iruka where she enjoyed watching him blow up when someone turned in an extremely late report with no valid reason. She found Hinata fascinating and when her brother was too busy with training she would hang with her, even do a bit of simple sparring. Not only was Hinata's self-confidence rising but she found another friend.
Zabuza proved to be one strict teacher as Naruto found out the hard way. At the crack of dawn if Naruto wasn't already awake he would be awaken by having water filled with ice water dumped on him, even in bed. It took only a few days to ensure he was up and ready before his sensei came to see him. Following similar guidelines Gai had placed on his student he had weights made for the blonde but only enough give him a challenge. Several miles of running around the village followed by some stretches and warm-ups then followed by sparring where anything went. The young genin learned that while honor and respect had a place in the world, when it came to fighting one had to use every dirty trick in the book in order to defeat your opponent. It still took some time but he was learning and using that fact every time they fought. The next step, though, was pulled a halt when Zabuza tried to teach the blonde chakra control. Every time Naruto tried walking on water he would sink as soon a he put his foot in, almost causing him to nearly drown more than once. Even tree climbing proved to be fruitless as his chakra was barely enough to get him a few feet off the ground even with the weights removed.
"I don't get it, when Ka--I mean Hatake taught us how to do it I messed up sure, but I got the hang of it. So why can't I do it now?" he asked as they took a break to have lunch.
"You mentioned something about that nin who attacked you, that she struck you in the stomach," Zabuza said as he thought back to the exams.
"Hai... you think it might have something to do about him?"
"Maybe... I need to find Hidama and get her opinion."
When Hidama was told what happened she took a closer look at the seal and explained that the demon's chakra had been sealed away. Unless someone knew the counter seal Naruto would have to work on using his own chakra. It wasn't easy as the blonde had been so used to the fire-red chakra he had been born with but it only made him more committed to become stronger. Sandaime Hokage knew of only one person who could help but he had no idea where to find him. So for now Zabuza helped him train. It took longer but soon he was able to walk on still water with barely a ripple and now learning how to keep his concentrating while doing basic jutsus. The following morning found the genin walking to his new training ground.
'Hope I'm not late,' he thought to himself as he entered the hot spring inn and asked if a man looking like his sensei was here yet. The inn keeper said no but that was fine, it would give him some time to practice that Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu he was learning. Entering he stopped when he heard--giggling? 'Must be the ladies next door,' he thought to himself.
He sighed as the rush of heat enveloped his body, causing him to relax. Setting the towel down he began to undress, placing his jacket and shirt on the bench but as he started to remove his sandals he could still hear giggling only it was a lot closer. Peering through the heated mist, he realized it was some old man with unruly, long, white hair was squatting at the wall. He was actually giggling! He frowned and silently walked up to him; tilting his head he listened closer and recognized the voices on the other side.
"Oh this feels great idea! I can feel all my stress drifting away," came the happy sigh.
"A-Arigato for inviting me Shiruba-san, Hidama-san," answered a soft voice.
"There is no need for formalities here, Hinata. Just call me Hidama," the older woman said as she managed to pin her hair up.
The girl with the lilac eyes smiled though she was blushing lightly. She felt so calm and relaxed here with these strange women and they were so nice to her. She giggled at Shiruba and lightly splashed her back, for once not caring that someone would report back to her father about how unlady-like she was acting.
The blonde smiled lightly as the ladies enjoyed themselves but he did not appreciate the fact that this old man was peeking in on them. "Oy, what do you think you're doing?" he asked angrily.
"Sshhh!! Quiet gaki, you're disturbing my research!" he hissed back without even looking at him.
"What kind of researching are you trying to do, ero?"
Sighing in annoyance he pulled back and gave the kid a brief look before smirking. "You're probably too young to know who I am but... I am Mt. Myoboku-gama's Holy Master, the great Gama Sennin, heart throb of women everywhere, and famed author of the procliamed Icha Icha Paradaisu!! Now, let me get back to my research, gaki!!" he exclaimed but quickly went back to peeking and writing notes in a small notebook of his. Luckily the women didn't seem to hear him but that was fine with him.
Naruto was considered loud, annoying, hyperactive, and a clumsy goofball that couldn't seem to do anything right but that was a mask he had a tendency to put on when in front of strangers. The truth was, he was quiet and calculating, sometimes deep but protective; he hated being betrayed and ignored but he held morals in high respect. One of those morals was to treat all ladies with respect they deserve; another was that he would protect his family and friends from all the evils in the world; but the most important was that one who didn't treat his beloved mother and/or sister with respect would have their asses handed to them on a silver platter. Including old, perverted men who used the hot springs to peek into the women's bath.
The older man paused in his writing, feeling a burning heat at his back he couldn't help but try and swallow the sudden lump in his throat and turned only to see the brat glowing an angry and vibrant blue. He opened his mouth to speak but his eyes caught the sight of an unusal mark on his stomach.
"You... You!... ERO-SENNIN!!" With only a few feet seperating them, the blonde lunged forward, grabbing the old man by the front of his red coat and threw him to the other side of the spa. He vanished, appearing behind him and delivered a painful kick that sent him flying not only through the wall seperating the two spas, but to land into the same water the girls were in, causing a huge splash to rain down on them. The loud crash barely covered the girls' screams as they jumped from the spa and watched as a red blob was slowly rising from the bottom of the spa only to resurface, sputtering water from his mouth.
"Nani!?" Shiruba didn't wasted any time as she and Hinata pulled on the robes the inn provided, hoding them tightly closed as they stayed away from the stranger.
Naruto was seethering as he made his way into the hole, his full intent on maiming the over-aged pervert but stopped when he heard someone calling to him. He blinked and shook his head, looking up at the concerned gaze of his sister. "Shiruba?"
"Naruto! What did you do? Who is this guy?" she asked.
While he tried to explain what happened in his own words Jiraiya pulled himself free from the water, coughing and muttering about "annoying brats interrupting his precious research" when he looked up and found himself gazing up a pair of firm, long, legs belonging to a pale beauty of a woman, a small washcloth she had been using held just below her waist and her armored arm hiding some of her chest from view. The water silently dripped down her flawless and moonlight skin, illuminating her sensual curves. Already he could feel blood trying to break free from his nose he missed the rage in her ice blue eyes.
"I never thought I would find you... you are--the one and only... Taketori Monogatari...!" he whispered, earning a 'WTF' look from just about everyone but then he did one thing that was absolutely forbidden to Hidama. Faster than anyone could react, he wrapped her in his arms in a strong embrace with his hands firmly clasping her rump in his calloused hands, and buried his perverse grinning face directly into her barely covered cleavage. Whatever he was trying to say was too heavily muffled.
"Kuso..." was the only warning the two gave the beet-red Hyūga girl before pulling her into the locker rooms of the inn and covered their ears for the large explosion. They didn't have to wait long for it to happen.
"Suiton: Daibaku no Jutsu." Though the jutsu wasn't yelled out the tone it was said in was enough to chill the very blood in the pervert's veins. He felt the massive amount of chakra building, heard the water rushing into one place, the wind building strongly around them. He knew he had to get out of the way but he found himself trapped and why Jiraiya junior was very happy where he was his eyes told him the startling truth. The clone glared at him as it turned into a puddle of water just as the massive pillar struck.
Sarutobi nodded to the jounin when he was given the details of his next mission and sighed but he was startled (as was everyone else in the tower) felt the ground shake from the force of a powerful jutsu being released. The amount of chakra being it sent many unexpected shinobi to their knees, the killing indent enough to try and choke them while others were doing their best not to submit to it. He didn't waste anytime as both he and Iruka vanished from the table and were heading for the place of the disturbance.
"Could we be under attack, hokage-sama?" Iruka asked.
"I don't know but we'll soon find out," he said. They stopped once they caught site of what was happening. There, in the middle of the street was a whirling pillar of water, spinning in a rapid movement, causing the trees to almost bend with the force of the wind and anything that wasn't nailed to the ground be engulfed. Everyone just stood there, watching with dumb-founded expressions on their faces. Who could be causing this?
"Iruka-jikei!!" Naruto ran up to them, followed by Hinata and Shiruba who looked like they had gotten dressed in a hurry.
"Naruto! Are you three alright?" the teacher immediately asked.
"We are but that pervert isn't!"
"Nani!?"
"Some old guy made a big mistake and groped okaa-san but before that he was peeking in on us!" Shiruba explained. "She's the one doing this!!"
Sarutobi's eyes widen and looking around he found Hidama was indeed causing the attack. She was standing atop the roof of the spa house, one hand still covering her chest but her hair was flowing freely, nearly hiding part of her body from the public eye though no one seemed to realize she was there--or naked. Her other hand was facing palm out, fingers curled, making the pillar grow tighter and tighter. When he heard what the pervert looked like he couldn't help but sighed heavily.
'He had to peek in on one of the most dangerous women in the five nations,' he groaned but his hands were already flying through the seals. "Doton: Doryūheki!" The mud that was created from the pillar of water bubbled before rapidly riding to form walls around the figure caught in the center of the pillar. He struggled to keep the walls up and strong, hoping Hidama would calm down soon enough.
Kakashi had seen it and was trying to come up with a way to dispel it but when the Hokage arrived and used the Earth Wall he managed to locate the person behind it. Imagine his surprise when he noticed it was a woman that called herself Naruto's mother but he didn't have time to waste. Moving swiftly yet silently he moved up to tackle her, hoping to break her concentration. Before he could touch her someone appeared at her side and wrapped a shirt around her naked form, glaring at him. The pillar erupted, sending a torrent of water to fall down like a heavy rain storm that lasted but a few moments; everything and just about everyone in Konoha was soaked to the bone.
Zabuza glared at the masked nin, refusing to release Hidama. If he hadn't gotten her to break the concentration, she could have used the jutsu and killed him on the spot. As it were he was lucky to be alive but not so lucky not to be injured--the thin blade in his stomach proved she hadn't trusted him completely yet.
"Hidama, it's over," he whispers to her, increasing his chakra so she could recognize him. At first she does nothing but after a few moments she takes in a shuddering breath and releases it, slowly pushing against him. Slowly he releases her and watches as she calmly pulls the large shirt on and buttons it close. Only then does he press his hand to the stab wound in order to slow the bleeding.
"Is she alright?" Kakashi asks from where he stands.
"Hai," he says simply. Zabuza locates a roll of bandages and patches the deep wound as he continues to watch Hidama quietly, still standing motionlessly but when the Copy-Nin moved closer she whirled and lashed out at him with a bloodied dagger. He moved out of the way but the attack had been aimed for the front of his throat. Though her reflexes were sub-conscious there was no doubt she had no quall about silting his throat open if he dared to approach her, growling behind clenched teeth. "If you value your life, stay away." The jounin took a few steps back but she refused to relax. He remembered the last thing something like this happened but to use a jutsu that powerful meant the pervert lunged over the line.
The walls of mud crumpled and an old man with a somewhat young face stood there, his clothes covered in multiple tears and parts of his visible skin bleeding from cuts. He blinked and released a deep breathe then noticed his old mentor who was giving him a less than pleased look that spoke of so much disappointment.
"That's him!! That's the ero-sennin!!" the blonde boy shouted angrily. "He groped okaa-san!!"
"And right now he is so lucky to be alive!!" the silver-haired girl snapped.
"Jiraiya. Still up to your old ways," the hokage said calmly.
"Nice to see you again, Sarutobi-sensai," he grinned. He turned and smiled at the pale woman, opening his arms for her but all he got was a punch in the nose. He fell back, eyes swirling as winged-toads flew around his head. The hazed looked in Hidama's eyes faded as she slowly lowered her arm, forcing the tension from her fist.
"I take it this is the one you were talking about, Sarutobi."
--
"I still don't see why I have to pay for damages from my pocket," the pervert compained. It sounded funny as he kept his nose pinched shut to try and stop the flow of blood. He swallowed when he was greated with several looks hot enough to melt the flesh from his bones. "... I said I was sorry!"
Hidama said nothing but she was still wound up so tightly the slightest movement he made made her go on the defensive. It seemed that only her pants and sword managed to survive the half-ruined spa so she continued to wear Zabuza's uniform shirt. Haku, Gaara, and Gai had just arrived when Hidama had punched Jiraiya and were told of the situation. It took all the strength Gai had to not allow his pupil to crush the sennin with his sand and drink his blood. Shiruba managed to calm him down and took her panda brother to get something to eat, promising to meet up with Gai-sensei later. Haku escorted Hinata home, repeatedly asking if she was alright or if she needed anything. The poor hieress was fine if a bit shaken up. Iruka and Gai all managed to get the people to go about their business and set about to try and help clean up the mess along with help from other shinobi who had witnessed the attack as Kakashi left to complete whatever he was doing. The hokage gathered the group together and lead them to his office where both men were patched up from their slight injuries.
"Jiraiya, you coming back to Konoha couldn't have come at a better time. I need you to do something for me."
"I already told you, Sarutobi-sensei, you're gonna have to buy the next issue of my book when it comes out just like everyone else."
The hokage turned an interesting red and Naruto groaned about another "old pervert" running around. "That's not what I'm talking about," he coughed polietly into his hand. "Naruto..."
Growling he lifted his shirt and concentrated on his chakra. The Hakke no Fūin Shiki appeared on the flawless skin but there was something new there. Frowning Jiraiya stepped forward, kneeling down and examined the markings closely.
"Where did he get the Gogyō Fūin from?" he asked.
"Orochimaru." Hidama silently nodded at the look on his face. "He attacked my son and placed this seal on him. Sarutobi told me you know the counter seal to undo it."
"Hai... I do. But how can he be your son?" he asked suspiciously.
"Because he is my son. Do not begin to question something you have no chance of understanding," she growled lowly, a warning for him not to dig any deeper than he had too. Jiraiya frowned but nodded.
"Prepare yourself gaki, this is gonna feel strange."
"Don't call me--urk!!" Without warning the sennin slammed his hand into the seal, each fingertip glowing with five of the elemental chakras: water, metal, earth, fire and wood. Naruto fell back several feet, dropping to his knees as he held his stomach. Once he caught his breathe he growled and made to attack him but was stopped by Zabuza's command.
Hidama silently walked to her son and lifting up his shirt noticed that the seal was gone. "Kit, can you sense him?"
He blinked but his eyes lost focus and he slowly nodded. "Hai... the wall that was blocking him is gone."
"Wait a minute, are you telling me this gaki knows about that demon?" the sennin asked with wide eyes.
"He knows because I told him when he was still a child." Hidama reached up to gently run her fingers through his hair in a tender and motherly gesture. "He was stripped of his real parents when he was born so I took him in and gave him all the love and discipline a parent gave and more. One day, he asked me about the mark and why people called him names..." Slowly she looked up at the hokage, eyes silently challenging him. "He had a right to learn why bigots accuse him of being something he isn't."
"I understand... but it would still be best if Naruto acted as if he knew nothing about the Kyūbi," the old man added gently.
"Don't worry hokage-sama, okaa-san already told me to keep quiet about him. Besides, I'm not the only one that has a demon inside," the blonde smirked. He winced when the hand that was gently stroking his hair popped him in the back of his head. "Itai!"
"We're talking about you, not your brother," she reprimanded as she stood. Jiraiya looked over at his former sensei but he made a motion to not ask.
Zabuza sighed as he slowly stood from his spot, giving a brief nod to the kage. "C'mon gaki, we're behind your training as is."
"Oh right! I'll see ya later." With a grin Naruto waved to everyone but promised a lifetime of pain to the pervert before leaving with his sensei. Sarutobi sighed as he leaned back in his seat, smoking at his pipe for a few peaceful moments. It was quiet in the office and that was fine for the hokage and the pale woman but Jiraiya's mind was going a mile a minute with thoughts. He just had to ask and deal with the consequences.
"So he knows about the kitsune... does he know he's been using its chakra?" he asked.
"Iie. The seal instilled at birth caused his natural chakra and that of the demon's to meld together as one. He had trouble with the most basic of techniques which is why I taught him the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu at such a young age," the woman explained as she rubbed at her temple, trying to will away the headache. She missed the mixed looks on the two men's faces but continued anyway. "During a mission to Nami no Kuni, Naruto took in a great amount of Kyūbi's chakra and with it, nearly killed Zabuza in his rage."
"... how did he revert back to his loud self?"
"I was the one to bring him back. Naruto recognized me and I have a feeling so did Kyūbi which is why he didn't kill me. I almost lost two of the most precious people to my heart that day..." Her voice betrayed how she truly felt at the moment: alone, scared, and tired.
Jiraiya stared down at the floor, feeling a greater sense of respect for the woman but for entirely different reasons. "... Has there been any other instances?" he asked softly.
"It happened during the second part of the exams," Sarutobi said as he exhaled some of his pipe's smoke. "I do not know the full details but he reacted when his teammates were being attacked by Orochimaru who was then disguised as a Grass nin he had killed earlier. He recognized his teammates enough to protect them but then he received the seal. And from Hidama has told me, when the seal was placed on him it was a shock to his inner chakra network. He has been slowly building up his natural chakra 'til now."
"It would appear, that he taps into the demon's power when his emotions are at its highest. Similar to how we as shinobi are faced with death our bodies produce more adrenaline in order to survive. But other than that he has not tried to draw upon it consciously?"
"Iie."
"Very well then... I know this is a lot to ask but... I would like to train Naruto." Sarutobi looked at him questioningly and Hidama glared silently. "Hear me out! The boy has a lot of potential and I would like to help him further it. I know he can become a great shinobi if he puts his mind to it."
"He is on his way to becoming one, no thanks to his bastard sensei who refuses to train him and baby that Uchiha gaki," she hissed. "What can you possible teach him that Zabuza cannot?"
"The Kuchiyose no Jutsu and the Rasengan." Silence answered him so he continued. "I have been looking for someone to pass my skills onto and I think Naruto could learn a lot. After all, I taught him." His smirk died down when he saw a sudden flash of pain pass across the woman's eyes as she gazed up at the framed photos of the past hokages.
"... Only on the conditions that Naruto agrees to have you as a sensei, and only if Zabuza will supervise said training," she said quietly.
"Why him?"
"It takes a demon to train a demon, it might be enough to keep him calm... even if the title of demon is in name alone." Looking at their still faces, unwanted and painful memories were brought to the surface, making her heart pull sharply in her chest. She reached up, grabbing at her chest but held the tears back with sheer power alone. Jiraiya nodded to his sensei and quietly left via the window, leaving the two alone. Sarutobi hated to see her in pain and as he prepared to try and speak with her there was an urgent knock on the doors. "Come in."
An ANBU black-opt entered the office, glancing a quick look at the pale woman she silently dropped to a single knee before the leader. "Hokage-sama, we have a situation," she explained. "One of our own was found dead a short while ago."
He frowned, not liking where this was leading. "Who was it and how did it happen?" he asked.
"Gekkō Hayate. He was murdered."
--
'So much for visiting Sasuke-kun alone,' Sakura thought to herself as she and Ino, best friend and rival, entered the hospital and made their way to the front desk. She noticed it was cracked with a powerful force but ignored it and smiled as the nurse looked up. "I was wondering if you can tell me--I mean tell us, where Uchiha Sasuke's room is?" she asked polietly.
The nurse looked down at the papers, quietly nodding. "He's in room 214 and you're in luck, he's allowed to have visitors," she smiled at the two young kunoichi. "Let's me show you to his room."
"Arigato." Both girls were smiling at seeing their crush, each holding two different flowers though the pink-haired girl was holding two instead of one. But she was barely listening as the nurse spoke to them wondering how he was doing. When she heard that her teammate had been attacked she couldn't believe it and wished to see Sasuke but the doctors said he was unable to see anyone at the moment. She went back home in defeat but she kept visiting even though each time it was the same thing. The head nurse at the desk gave her a sympathetic smile and told her to try in about a week. Hence the reason she brought the flowers today: one for Sasuke and the other for Lee.
'I can't believe what they said is true... he'll never become a ninja,' she thought to herself sadly, gazing down at the two daffodils in her hands. She stopped and looked up when the nurse gasped. "What's wrong?"
"Uchiha-san is not in his room!" Sure enough the there was no one lying in the bed and the sheets were cool, meaning he had left sometime during the night.. Rushing off the nurse rushed to inform the doctors and the girls were forced out of the room. Now they were sitting at one of the benches in the hall, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Well that was a waste," Ino sighed as she frowned at the red rose in her hand. "Where did Sasuke-kun go anyway?"
'That what I'd like to know,' Sakura silently thought to herself.
"Iie!! You must not!!"
"!!" Both girls were taken back by the concerned shout and turned, looking out the window that led to one of the small courtyards located on the hospital grounds to come across a site that surely did not expect to see.
Rock Lee was panting as he attempted to do push-up with only one arm as the other was still in a heavy cast. There was a nurse trying to get him to stop, looking on worried but he kept counting as he slowly pushed himself up then lowered himself down.
'Lee-san...'
"Lee-kun, stop this!! Your body isn't..."
He paused and looked over at the nurse, his face pale. "Onegai, be quiet for a bit!!"
"..."
"..."
Silently he returned back to his exercise, counting each rep. 'I'm not... finished yet... I'll never... never... give up!!' he thought fiercely, still pushing himself. '... 199...' However, his desire to reach too hundred fell one short as his body couldn't take the strain anymore and with a soft pant lowered his weary to the ground and slipped into unconsciousness.
"Lee-kun!!"
"Lee-san!!" Both girls didn't waste anytime as they pushed the window open and jumped out, running over to where the nurse had carefully rolled her patient onto his back. His skin was covered in sweat and his breathing was hard but while sleeping he looked, almost at peace.
Sighing in relief the nurse nodded to the two kuniouchis as she stood. "Onegai, watch over him while I go bring the stretcher," she asked of them and rushed off, calling for a stretcher and help with her patient.
Sakura silently knelt by Lee's head, looking down at him. She could feel tears building but she refused to let them fall. Lee had worked so hard and now, to have that dream ripped away like that? No one deserved something that cruel, especially not to Rock Lee.
"Ino..."
"...?"
"Why do boys... try so hard..."
"... Why are you asking me? I'm a girl, too..."
"... gomen..."
It was a few hours later and Lee found the strength to slowly open his eyes but not much else. He was lying once more in his hospital bed, the sheets tucked around him warmly as a soft breeze entered via the open window, ruffling the simple curtains gently. He tried to move but his body was so spent all he could do was look over at the small table next to his bed and notice a small glass vase was holding a yellow daffodil in water.
"... who?" he asked weakly and though there was no answer he couldn't help but smile at the meaning of the flower.
--
Kakashi huffed and puffed as he scaled the somewhat steep rock wall steadily. His fingers clung to the small bit of rock and his muscles tightened as he pushed himself up with his feet. Behind him his left hand formed into a tight fist but didn't break it from where he tired it before he started. Most of his focus was on to keep climbing until he reached the top and to make sure he didn't slip and fall for it was a long way down.
'For this cliff-climbing to be hard... geez... I'm out of shape...' he huffed to himself, breathe coming in hard and hot as he panted through his mask. 'Will I even make it in time?' Pausing for a moment he thought back to what the hokage and council had told him, causing a lump of worry drop to the pit of his stomach like a lead cannonball.
"Nan... Hayate was...!"
"Hai. He was found by Kikyou Castle this morning..." the hokage replied.
"Was the opponent Orochimaru?" Anko asked.
"Iie, we can't make that assumption," Kakashi swiftly told her. "Hayate was most likely tailing that Oto spy, Kabuto. Though it is clear that Orochimaru is up to something."
"Then we must cancel the chunin exams... with Orochimaru..." a man with severe burn scars running from his left cheek down his neck exclaimed.
"Iie... he revealed himself to Kakashi when Sasuke was attacked and urged us not to not to cancel this exam among our shinobi allies..."
One of the council members, Mitokado Homura, turned to look at him with a frown on his old face. "What are you saying?"
"Orochimaru has enough power to destroy a small country all by himself, if he really wanted to," Hidama spoke up, staring intently at the hino symbol on the hokage hat, where it sat before Sarutobi. "With his leaving Konoha and no one able to catch him, he has not only our secrets but those he has stolen from others. Add the fact that he holds a strong and undying hatred towards this village would have anyone outside Konoha willing to give and do anything if it meant he would join their village." Slowly she looked up and gazed only at the hokage himself. "Including any, if not all, our allies."
"Then... one of our allias... has joined with Orochimaru to betray Konoha!!"
"..."
"Since when has alliance agreements ever prevented any great wars?" someone in the back accused angrily.
"Either way," Sarutobi interrupted before an argument could break out, "we don't have enough information right now. Let's not worry endlessly."
"We already have ANBU gathering information in other countries," the other elder, Utatane Koharu, replied in a wizen voice. "We shouldn't be too focused on this, the enemy may use that."
"Plus..." The hokage allowed a small smile to show, something that seemed to calm the jounins down immediately. "I trust you guys. If the time comes, we will assemble all our strength... and fight!!"
Kakashi hugged as he gripped at a small rock, his upper body stuck over a large boulder jutting from the cliff-face. He brought his leg up, resting his foot on a small piece of rock and began to push up but the rock proved to be weak as it crumbled once the slightest bit of pressure was applied. With his leverage gone the jounin seemed to fly off the rock, his body momentarily weightless but his reflexes kicked in and his hand tightened over the ledge he had been holding him, bringing his body into contact with the rock wall with a light slam. With barely a groan of pain Kakashi panted, looking down he knew that he couldn't have survived a fall like that but as he looked up he could see he was almost there.
Taking a deep breath he held it, then slowly released it, closing his eyes as he tried to regain focus. His mind was running through all possibilities of how to do this when an idea stuck out the most. Snapping his eyes open he concentrated all his muscle power and literally threw himself upward, holding his breathe and managed to overcome the slight obstacle but now found himself barely a foot away from the top. He was almost there.
A shadow cast over him, making him look up at the person who calmly remarked, "Hey..."
Kakashi did nothing but continued to slowly climb, using his one free arm and legs to push and pull him the rest of the way up. "So, you're finally here."
Author's Notes: Now, before anyone complains yes I made a lot fo the character seem OOC but its beneficial. They still retain some of their original characteristics but I changed them a bit to try and suit my story. And even though I would love nothing more than to personally torture a few chocie characters I won't do that. That's what journals and such are for.
Now why did I have Hidama explode on Jiraiya the way she did? Well her full story will be revealed (unless you've read "Guilty Until Innocent") later on as the story goes on. But knows that even though she has children and a male partner she despises physically contact of any kind. ESPECIALLY when she's naked. And besides, who doesn't think that pervert had it coming to him? I'm surprised he hasn't been nuertered yet!
And yes I realize him trying to teach naruto the Rasengan is early but for now Jiraiya will be teaching Naruto how to do the Summons first, then comes the Rasengan! After all the blonde cutie does need to know them for the storyline to progress.
Okay, this chapter is done and I am so hungry! Next up, interaction between the genin leads to some interesting discoveries. Until the next chapter!
Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu: Water Clone Technique
gaki: brat
Gama Sennin: Toad Sage
Icha Icha Paradaisu: Make-Out Paradise
ero-sennin: perverted sage
Taketori Monogatari: Princess from the Moon (for those of you who read 'Kakashi's WHAT!?' you can see just how much a pervert Jiraiya really is)
Suiton, Daibaku no Jutsu: Water Style, Great Explosion Technique
Doton, Doryūheki: Earth Style, Earth Rising Wall
Hakke no Fūin Shiki: Eight Trigrams Sealing Style
Gogyō Fūin: Five Elements Seal
kage: shadow
Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Summoning Technique
Rasengan: Spiraling Sphere