Author's Notes: Thanks DarkRavie, for your review. I wasn't sure how readers would react but you like it and so do I. Nothing much to explain here but like I mentioned the characters will begin to get a bit more OOC. Zabuza will reveal a softer side he's never shown or knew he had; Naruto will slowly begin to leave his mask off; and Sasori wonders about the invitation he received. And so it begins.
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
+ To the End and Back +
'Why did I agree to do this again?' Jiraiya asked himself.
It was a beautiful day with clear skies and slightly warm weather, a perfect excuse to train outside and even at the same place where Zabuza first started training Naruto. They were further down the river, away from the waterfall. The old sennin was happy to hear the giggles of young nubile girls having fun in the water but both jounin and student warned him about spying on women, especially when he was suppose to be training his newest student. Neither of them were going to forgive him about the spa incident anytime soon, if ever.
"Okay, so you know about the nine-tailed fox and its red chakra, and this guy has been teaching you to use your natural chakra," he started. The blonde silently nodded.
"Hai. It feels weird having it back though," he exclaimed as he rested his hand on his stomach.
"Then, see if you can release that red chakra. Right now."
"If you're so desperate to die then allow me to do it for you," the jounin hissed, taking a step forward but pulled back when the genin held his hand out. Silently the preteen closed his eyes, feel the chakra rising but after a while his eyes opened.
"Nothing. All I can sense is my regular chakra.
"Geez... you have no talent..." he muttered as he rested his face in his hand.
"And you're a senile pervert who writes porn because he can't get any action," Naruto snapped. "What does Kyūbi's chakra have to do with this special technique you're gonna teach me?" Jiraiya sighed and ran his hand over his face before taking a deep breath to explain.
"Listen closely because I won't repeat myself. This jutsu requires much more than your normal amount of chakra which is why we--I mean you," he quickly corrected when the blonde growled dangerously, "need to be able to pull it out and use that sleeping chakra. Because of the demon inside it can become your greatest weapon and not using it is a huge mistake. Doing the same training as everyone else is pointless."
"Each person has things they are good and bad at, as well as their own style. So far your training has been focused on producing and releasing a set amount of chakra, then controlling it so you don't tire out. What I'm going to teach you is how to focus on this enormous power before control. Because of the two types of chakra you don't tire out easily but it also seems to make you restless, making you unable to stay in one place for too long. You should train to release the highest amount of chakra possible and then use that to its capacity. Once you've mastered that you can use tons of jutsus you can use.
Naruto titled his head to the side, like a curious kit. "Like the one you're gonna teach me."
"Hai. It's called, the Kuchiyose no Jutsu. By signing a contract in blood you can call forth various life forms with ninjutsu when needed. It's one type of space-time ninjutsu."
"... Alright... so when do we get started?"
"Well, before that..." the sennin grunted as he stood and smirked at his student; "use all of your normal chakra with water walking."
"Nani!? You want me to drown!?" he yelled out in disbelief and anger. Yet another teme that wanted to see him dead.
"It's to make it easier for you to release the red chakra."
"Pathetic," Zabuza grunted and walked out onto the water, barely making a ripple as though it were solid matter. "Naruto, I want to see you perform a Mizu Bushin perfectly."
"Hai hai," but he slowly walked out onto the water, trying to focus and stabilize his chakra so he was able to walk atop the water. Though he was creating ripples even while standing still it was a vast improvement than when he first started. Jiraiya watched them closely, realizing where he heard the name Zabuza before but all the rumors he had heard painted him a picture of a blood-thirsty oni of old who fought for the thrill of the kill, whose weapon was permanently stained with the blood of his victims, a killing monster but what he saw was a jounin who put on a mask of indifference around everyone around but with the blonde gaki he treated him how perhaps a distant relative would. He watched as the boy concentrated, the water bubbling before it morphed into a version of himself but there were several flaws.
He sighed and once more his acute hearing picked up the hearing of the ladies shrieking and water splashing. A sly grin crossed his face and he turned to do some 'research'. He parted the thin branches and leaves, hands itching but he jumped when water surged and enveloped him up to his neck in water. "Nani!?" He struggled but the water was thick and I kept tightening around him.
"Ne, Zabuza-sensei... if you kill him who's gonna teach me the Kuchiyose?" the blonde asked.
"He can still teach you if I just break everything waist-down," he said gruffly. Sure enough, he was standing on the shore, one hand submerged in the water prison but there was another standing on the water with the kid. "Do it again but concentrate. The clone is still transparent."
"I heard you the first time." Relaxing he kept at it, over and over even as he felt his energy slowly drain out. He lost count how many times he failed but finally, with a strong burst he made an exact clone that it was almost like looking in a mirror. However, with all his focus and chakra being forced into the jutsu he lost his ability to stay on the water and sank like a rock, his heavy clothes greedily sucking up the water and making his form even heavier.
The former Kiri Nin said nothing but kneeling he reached into the water and pulled his foster son/student out and laid him out on the ground. He watched as the blonde gagged and began to cough up what water he had swallow, moving onto his side to make it easier. He waited and helped him sit up. "You alright?" he asked with a hint of concern.
A bit more coughing but he nodded. "Hai... almost had it," he coughed. Grunting he shrugged off his soaked jacket and the armored vest he wore over the mesh shirt. "So, how was it?"
"It looked just like you but you lost your focus on keeping yourself above the water and sank fast. Do it again." He just nodded and getting back to his feet, kept it up. Time passed and by the time he was exhausted he managed to create the water clone and stay above the water for more than five minutes. By this time Zabuza released the prison but didn't dismiss the clone. Jiraiya looked at the two men warily but sighed, now knowing why that woman had him watch over their training.
"Looks like you managed to use up almost all of your chakra, so I'll teach you the technique."
"Finally."
"First, I'll show you how it's done." Lifting a thumb to his mouth he bit it sharply until it bleed. Smearing it onto a tattooed mark upon his left palm he focused the chakra into it and slammed it on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!" Seals spread along the ground and then there was a large poof of smoke. Once it cleared there stood before the two a large red-orange toad with black markings all over, holding a scroll within its mouth and wearing what looked like a beaded necklace with a large orb bearing the kanji "chu".
"..." Zabuza was not impressed and apparently neither was Naruto but right now he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He took the scroll as the long tongue handed it to him and unrolled it to reveal several names.
Jiraiya silently sat atop the toad's head as he watched him read over the names. "This contract with the toads has been passed down through many generations. You write your name and you press your fingerprints beneath it in blood," he explained. "When you want to call them you produce chakra and place down the hand you signed the contract with. The hand seals are boar, dog, rooster, monkey, ram."
"Give me a minute," Naruto muttered and bite his right thumb until it started bleeding. Dropping to on knee he wrote his name as neat as possible, spelling each kanji under his breathe until he was done. Then he coated each of his fingers in blood on the same hand and pressed firmly on the paper. "There we go."
"Now your current state should make releasing your red chakra easier. Give it a try."
"Hai." Taking a deep breathe Naruto's hand flashed through the signs before slamming his hand on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!" A puff of smoke smaller than the old man's but when it cleared it revealed--a tiny tadpole. "..." He looked up and glared at his masked sensei. "Not a word."
"..." Zabuza said nothing but inside he didn't know where to laugh himself sick or wonder if he really should have signed the worthless contract after all. "... At least your siblings aren't here." He wordlessly caught the kunai as it tried to make its home in his head.
--
The only warning Shiruba got was her nose twitching before she ducked her head down to cover her nose and mouth with her hands before releasing a powerful sneeze. The class couldn't help but laugh yet she just smiled and wordlessly wiped her hands on her shirt. "Someone's talking about me," she grinned.
Iruka smiled and called his class back to order. "Today we're having out history lesson outside," he explained. "As you know, on these stones are carved the faces of the hokage-samas. From the left to right are the shodaime, nidaime, sandaime, and yondaime."
"Iruka-sensei!! Who's the godaime?" a little girl asked.
"Hmm... It hasn't been decided yet but... it may be your sensei!!" he exclaimed. Shiruba couldn't help it and gave a bark of a laugh before quickly slapping both her hands over her mouth. The chunin turned and gave her a dirty look but she shrugged her shoulders though she was trying hard not to laugh. Even some of the students were giggling.
"Hai hai!! A joke from time to time is good..." an old voice commented. Sarutobi smiled as a puff of smoke drifted from the end of his pipe. "Looks like a nice class, Iruka."
"Ho...Hokage-sama..." the teacher stuttered.
"Oh!!" It's the third hokage!!" one of the students said with awe.
"Ah!! What are you doing here, geezer!!" Konohamaru yelled.
"See, told you the hokage plays hooky," Shiruba pointed out though she was smiling.
"I just wanted to look at the faces too," he explained.
"Perfect timing. Could you come over here, onegai?"
"Hai."
"Now then class, this is the owner of the third face on the mountain. Sandaime Hokage-same Sarutobi." The third was said to be the strongest of all, such a genius that he was often called the "professor"."
"The way you talk about him makes it seem like he's already dead, Iruka-jikei," the pale girl remarked. Iruka laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish look on his face.
The children were both surprised and skeptical. This old man was that strong? No way! Konohamaru was thinking along the same lines, his face turned up into a frown. But with all the disapproving looks the teacher felt himself growing red with such disrespect. On the other side of the hokage the temporary teacher's aid sighed and began counting down on her fingers.
'... 3... 2... 1...'
"H-Hey!! To be given the hokage name mean you're the strongest in the village!!" Iruka yelled out at the class. However, just about everyone was immune to his loud voice. One boy proudly stood up, a cocky grin on his face.
"Alright!!" he yelled back. "Then I'll become the fifth hokage!! Cause you'd be strong and cool, right!!"
Another snort of laughter caused everyone to look over at Shiruba. "Gomen but with your grades you'd be lucky if you pass the academy." This caused everyone to break up laughing, even the young boy as he grinned and scratched the back of his head. Sarutobi was grinning so big he couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahaha!! I'll be counting on you guys!! Unlike me, you kids are all really young!!" the old man laughed before calming down. "The person to receive the hokage name may very well come from this group. You only get one life, though. There's no need to choose an impossible path. It's fine to live as you like and die as you like. However..."
"..."
"..."
"Protecting a precious person... you must not forget this no matter what path you choose."
A little boy wearing a cap blinked. "A precious person?" he asked.
"Someone that you acknowledge with your heart, you trust, and love. Do you have a person like that?"
"H-Hai... my chichi and haha and... my otouto though sometimes I don't like him... and... my dog Gonta," he said with a light blush.
Daichi grinned broadly as he declared, "For me it's my friends."
"Hehe... me too." One by one the students each said who their precious people were and Sarutobi just smiled happily at the next generation of shinobi.
"Hokage-sama, do you have a person like that?" a girl with large ringlets asked as she raised her hand.
"Hai, of course I do."
"Wow!! Who!? Who!?" came the chorused cry.
"My kazoku, Konohamaru over there and Shiruba next to me," which caused the young boy to grin broadly and said girl to smile happily; "and... everyone in this village!!" For once, the children were stunned into silence, even the young grandson of the third hokage. Iruka just smiled at that as did Shiruba. For Sarutobi, he was thinking back to his successor who died in the line of duty.
'Just like you used to...' he thought silently.
--
Time rapidly passed by until there was only a few short days left of training before the month long rest was over and the final matches of the chunin exams were played out. For the shop owners and villagers, they were making sure everything was just perfect and were looking forward to earning some ryo with everyone coming to their village even if it was just to see the chunin exams. For genins in training, they were doing everything and anything to prepare themselves in order to defeat their opponents. Such as the case for Naruto as he continued to try and perfect his summoning...
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!"
... and failing.
A puff of smoke and it revealed a small frog with tomes markings all over its body but unlike the last several summons this one had all four legs but still had a stubby tail. The blonde couldn't have felt even more dejected, staring down at the small thing. But to make matters worse, he was alone. Zabuza had left a few hours ago but he said Hidama would be coming to overlook his training. He was beginning to feel left out and what was worse was that his supposed sensei was peeking in on the girls who had come back to swim by the waterfall. So he exploded.
"At least pay some attention to me!!" He blinked when he felt like his body was getting unnaturally heavy. 'Oh...' His legs felt like jelly, his brain like mush, and he was so tired he just couldn't find anymore energy to even hold his eyes open. He was out before he hit the ground. He had finally used up all his natural blue chakra.
Jiraiya turned when he heard a soft thumb and frowned when he noticed that his student had passed out. 'He collapsed again... can't blame him. Twenty-one straight days of training non-stop with not only the summoning but that Momochi's training on top of it... its like he's continuing on guts alone.' Standing to his full height he silently walked over to him, his wooden sandals making soft clicking noises over the small river rocks lining the banks.
'It's true that this control is difficult in pulling out and using the giant nine-tails' chakra when desired... His body is also too small a container to hold it all in. More than likely the power is kept in check to prevent bodily harm... If heightened emotion and personal danger is the key to releasing the nine-tails chakra...' He paused as he gently lifted the boy onto his back and carried him away from the river; 'I'll have his body learn how to use that key... forgive me, yondaime.'
Naruto was in a dreamless slumber, barely aware that he was being carried but then he felt his body hitting the ground enough to jar him away. He took a moment to feel his surroundings and realized that the ground was of dirt and not river rocks, that he could head the rush of water and the scent of the trees and wilderness assaulted his nose. Slowly pushing himself to his hands and knees he cautiously looked around.
"...Where are we?" he asked the old pervert.
"Get up." The blonde stared at him before slowly climbing to his feet. "The training ends today. If you don't want to die then figure it out yourself." With that as his only warning, Jiraiya reached out and what looked like a harmless poke to the forehead, was actually the amount of chakra he focused so it looked like the young blonde had been shoved backwards so far and fast that he wasn't aware he had been, literally, pushed over the edge and was falling into a large chasm. He screamed out at the top of his lungs, fear and betrayal shining in his eyes as he plummeted.
The sennin walked over to the edge and looked down. 'Now... let's see if the power given to you is really meant for you or not.' But the more he thought about the more the fear slowly began to increase. If the blonde died under his hand... then, he would have hell to pay by two extremely powerful, terrifying dangerous and protective parents. 'What have I done!!'
Naruto's mind was going a mile a minute, trying to figure out just how he was going to survive this mess. He noticed that the chasm's walls were covered in spike-like rock formations and a plan came to mind. 'If I don't grab this, I'll die!!' He focused his chakra into the soles of his feet and his hand, reaching out and grabbing one of the ledges. He didn't have a chance to even breathe as he slipped and continued falling.
'No good! The rocks are too wet and I don't have enough chakra to stick long enough and at this speed, even if there's water on the bottom I'll break my neck! At this rate... oh kami, at this rate... I'm gonna die...!! Die... D...' His heart pounded heavily in his chest, the overwhelming fear of dieing like this, the change of never achieving his dreams, the idea of never seeing his family again caused something inside him to churn and forcefully draw him within the deepest recess of his mind.
--
Baki looked up at his students, wondering once more why Sasori was looking out at the window and playing with that ring before explaining the plan to them. "Suna will join Oto and war with Konoha... this is a super-A ranked mission, so you understand the importance," he explained. Temari looked less than pleased and voiced her own opinion.
"But why start a war now!! It took so much time and sacrifice to create an alliance agreement... to break that... many will die..."
"In the end, shinobis are tools of war. The alliance itself was an object that threatened our existence. You genin don't know it very well, but Kaze no Kuni's baka minister used the alliance as a reason to forcibly weaken the military strength of our village. Because of the alliance agreement, the minister--fully trusting the Leaf--sends our clients to them and began to drastically cut back our funding because he thought it was cheaper.
"When the head is stupid, the hands and legs suffer... in order for our village to keep up... we had to raise the ability of each individual shinobi... that's why beings like you were created, Sasori."
"..."
"Right now, the existence of Wind Country itself is in danger. Kazekage-sama, fearing the weakening of Sunagakure, has decided to join forces Otogakure in order to teach the baka minister of the danger the country is in, and to measure the recovery of the Sand Village, we will destroy the Leaf. If any more time passes, we will lose all ability to fight this village." The jounin looked over at the red-head, catching his red-brown gaze. "For this mission, we're counting on your work, Sasori."
The young man said nothing but held the silver ring even tighter in his hand and looked out the window once more. Without another word he silently left the room, closing the door behind him. Even though he already had his answer, he would wait until after the exams to give it.
--
The sound of dripping water echoed all over him, an endless corridor stretching out before and behind him, numerous halls on either side with pipes running along the ceilings, and the floor covered in water up to his ankles. Naruto could only wonder where on earth he was. He tuned and jerked when a loud howl echoed from one of the halls, as if calling out to him.
'This feeling... it's that chakra...' he thought to himself and finding him self on his feet, began slowly walking towards the sound. His feet splashed through the water, a hand braced along the wall to help him walk he continued on until he stopped and looked up at a pair of huge bars that would surely put the Konoha gates to shame, in slightly tarnished gold. He sucked in his breath, holding it as he moved closer and realized there was a seal upon it. Something was within the cell though, something large and moving around. The faint image of glowing eyes could be seen in the darkness. That was all Naruto needed to know just where he was and who was trapped inside.
"Yōkai no Kyūbi..." he breathed.
The creature stirred and gleaming fangs pulled into a grin could be send, fangs as long as the boy was tall. "Come closer..." he said, voice rumbling like rolling thunder but Naruto refused.
"Iie. If I do, you won't hesitate to kill me on the spot." His blue gaze drifted up to the seal before lowering and looking at the fire-red eyes glaring at him behind the bars. "Though, as long as that seal remains on the gate, you can't touch me."
The kitsune chuckled and seemed to settle down but glared at him silently for a few moments before speaking up once more. "For you to come here... what is it that you seek?"
"... In case you're not aware, I'm close to falling to my death by a teacher I thought I could trust. That baka perv... he says, I need to draw out your chakra and use it, that its the only way to save me. I... I don't want to die, not at least without seeing my family one last time!" he shouted, startling himself but quietly, he knelt down in the water on his hands and knees, and bowed before the demon king. "Onegai... lend me your chakra so I can save us both!!"
"..." No human had dared come before him, asking for his assistance. Iie, that was a lie. There was one human who had done that but it had been so long ago. Oh how Kyūbi had longed to kill the brat he had been sealed within and now was his chance but seeing that gaki kneeling before him, begging him to give him some of his chakra to save his skin, unheard of! ... But not impossible.
"So be it." He was graced with eyes so blue, so full of hope, wonder, innocence and love it made something within the demon's chest beat harder he wordlessly released his chakra and let it surround the boy, filling his body before casting him out.
Naruto blinked, feeling the chakra fill every pore of his body he wasted no time in biting his right thumb and flashed through he signs before calling upon the chakra and summoned what he hoped would save him. A huge amount of smoke temporarily blinked him he had to close his eyes but opened them when he hit--moist skin?
Blinking watery eyes open he gaped as he looked down at what had to be THE largest toad he had ever seen before in his life! Webbed feet pressed along either side of the chasm kept them from falling any further. Reddish-mud brown skin with red markings, a long scar over the left of his face, wearing what looked like a dark blue yukata with the symbol "ebi" on the back. The blonde released the breathe he had been holding and fall onto his back, gasping for air greedily. His heart was still pounding that he thought he wasn't going to make it in time but he had succeeded.
"I did it... Kuchiyose no Jutsu, a complete success..." he breathed and laughed softly to himself. Now if he could just get his body to stop trembling.
Up above at the chasm's edge, Jiraiya looked pleased if a bit concerned. 'It looks like eh was able to pull out the nine-tails' chakra himself this time but it's not stable yet. He used too much of it but of all of the possibilities, he summoned "him"... I can't even control that one... Gamabunta...'
"You lil' punk!! What'cha do'in on my head!!" the large toad bellowed angrily, causing the blonde to jump and landed harshly on his back. "I finally get some fresh air only for what!!" He grunted and watched as a blonde kid dressed in bright orange climbed down to his face and looked at him. "Hey punk, where's Jiraiya!!"
"J-Jiraiya? Oh you mean ero-sensei?" he asked but the toad wasn't listening to him.
"That perverted geezer, calling me to such a place. Even putting some weird punk on my head."
"Ano... I-I'm the one that summoned you..." the blonde pointed out as he rubbed the back of his head. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto... and, to be honest I wasn't trying to summon you. I just needed some help to get out of here..."
"... you summoned me?"
"Hai..."
"... Hahahaha!! You shouldn't lie, punk!! There's no way in hell a lil' shrimp like you could common me!!" Gamabunta just continued to laugh long and hard, as though he was told the funniest joke he had ever heard but for the blonde still sitting on his nose, he was not pleased.
He was tired of people laughing at him, tired of being put down, tired of everyone calling him names whether or not he heard; just when he does something so unbelievable this--amphibian has the nerve to call him a liar and then laugh right in his face? He could feel ears rolling down his cheeks and he exploded.
"Stop laughing at you, baka gama!! I didn't even know you existed; I just wanted someone to keep me from breaking my neck and dying!! I didn't ask to be thrown down here and whether you believe it or not, I did summon you!! The sooner you get me out of here the sooner we can part ways!! Got that!!"
The huge toad boss frowned, making Naruto flinch but he refused to back down. "... Who the hell do you think you're talking to...!? Some little kid is telling the Boss Toad, Gamabunta-sama what to do? You want your head ripped off?! Eh?!"
"... Wouldn't you explode if someone laughed at you and called you a liar!!"
"...!!"
"I'm tired of everything thinking I'm useless... I want to prove that I can be just as good as everyone else, to earn their respect...!" The tears were still falling but he tried to hold them back, running the back of his fists over his eyes. "Gomen, Gamabunta-sama... for everything..." Like before, with no chakra to sustain him and his adrenaline rush seeping out of his body, the blonde genin felt himself falling for the bottom of the chasm once more.
The boss toad's dark yellow eyes widen and before the gaki could fall too far he reached out with his bared tongue and caught him before bringing him up to his face. 'This kid... is something else. Did he really manage to summon me?' Something didn't seem like it was adding up but the sooner he got out of here the better he would feel. Bunching his muscles up, he used his powerful limbs and threw himself with such frightening speed that for a moment, he was weightless and he could feel the warmth of the setting sun on his back but when he landed it was with a powerful slam that felt like a tremor vibrating through the forest, upsetting multiple animals and the likes. Hold long had it been since he was summoned out during peaceful times like this?
"Gambunta."
"Hmm?" Hearing his name he looked over and noticed the contract scroll laying on the ground, rolled open to reveal the names of those who signed it, briefly taking note that the kid's name was indeed on there but he also noticed a pale woman standing there, deck in blues and silvers with her hair wrapped and trailing behind her like a whip, one hand on her hip as the other was dragging the unconscious form of on perverted sage. He knew her anywhere and smirked, lowering himself down a bit so he could hear her better.
"Hidama. It's been a long time." She slowly nodded and gestured to the blonde.
"I see you've met my son."
"This gaki is your son?" How long had he been gone for??
"Hai. But wait until you meet my partner and the rest of the kids," she smirked, causing him to chuckle. "I felt the release of chakra and I came rushing. When I found out what this baka did I came close to killing him... Arigato, for coming to his aid when summoned."
He didn't say anything but calmly placed the blonde on his head, talking around his pipe. "I didn't expect someone as young as him to do this and I thought he was lying, but the proof is in the scroll." He took a puff of smoke then released it. "He's exhausted; I could share my power with him but I think it would be best if I took him to the hospital instead."
The pale woman smiled and bowed to him in gratitude. "Be careful, Konoha isn't used to seeing toads as big as you out and about." Dropping the sennin she knelt and rolled the scroll before putting it on her back. Her hands flashed through the signs, creating a mud clone of a fox that wordlessly pulled the pervert onto its back. "I better take this thing home but don't worry, while I don't care if this one lives or dies I'll make sure the contract is kept safe. Onegai, protect Naruto." Saying her farewells she left with the mud fox following. Gamabunta smirked and silently took off for the hospital, making sure the blonde didn't fall off.
Some time later the hospital shook, the ground rumbling strongly that all the doctors looked around stupidly before racing to the windows to see what could have caused such a rumble. At first all they could see was a huge cloud of smoke but as it cleared it revealed a rather large set of footprints and an unconscious boy lying on the street. One question was on their mind, how on earth did he get here, or better yet, what brought him here?
--
Haku silently read one of the books Shiruba had gotten him, making notes in a blank scroll he carried around when he heard a soft groan. Setting his pen down, he looked over and smiled as his brother stirred and slowly cracked one of his eyes open. He smiled when the blue eyes blinked and focused in on him.
"Finally awake, Naruto-kun," he said softly.
"Haku... where am I?" he asked softly.
"You're in the hospital. The doctors said you've been asleep for three days straight."
"Three days...?" He sighed deeply, closing his eyes briefly then opening them. "Where's everyone else?"
"They all have training to do but they said they would come visit you later on. But don't feel bad, I brought you something if what Shiruba told me was true." Smiling he reached down and brought up a take out box to reveal a big bowl of still hot miso ramen. "I got it before I came today and it's been kept warm in the box."
"Arigato!" Slowly sitting up so not to make himself dizzy or sick he watched as his pretty brother set he bowl on the tray then placed it on his lap. He brought the chopsticks and was prepared to dig in when he paused.
The teenager blinked, wondering why his brother wasn't diving into the food with his usual gusto. "Naruto, are you alright? I thought this was your favorite ramen but if you want I can go get something else," he said, getting up to leave.
"Iie iie it's not that, just... you remember that bet Shiruba-ane made with me during the preliminaries?"
"Hai. I believe you won because her match took longer than five minutes."
"So..."
"Hmm?"
"So where's my month free of ramen dinners that she said she would give me?"
"... Shut up and eat before I take it away and eat it myself." He couldn't help but laugh at he look on the blonde's face as he moved the tray away from him, but they were both teasing one another.
"Itadakimasu!"
Author's Notes: Is it so wrong for me to be having fun with this? ... Hell no!! Now, before anyone asks there are two things I would like to point out:
1) You may have noticed that a few of the sentences are in bold. This makes it easier for everyone's eyes and to distinguish when someone is yelling. And since Gai has a tendency to yell, or rather talk very loudly, I figure this would be better than writing it out all in caps. That just gets really annoying, especially for writers!
2) I am using the manga as a guideline to help me write this but I am not copying word for word. So yeah, the manga and the anime are different which is why I didn't write about Naruto playing 'bucking bronco' with Gamabunta. Beside, I like how I wrote the confrontation between him and the toad boss better.
I'm going to cut this short since I'm having trouble trying to finish the next chapter of my Inuyasha fic "Broken". I've rewritten the chapter like 3 times and I'm still stuck. Ugh! A very slight preview for the next chapter will be as followed.
Kakashi will begin to doubt himself; Haku and Hinata get closer; Neji learns that fate can be crueler than others; Gaara begins to open his heart to others; and two adults slowly begin to learn how to love. Love you all, laterz!
chu: friendship/loyalty
chichi: referring to self's father
haha: referring to self's mother
otouto: referring to self's younger brother
kazoku: family
Suna: Sand
Oto: Sound
Kaze no Kuni: Land of Wind
baka: stupid/idiot
yōkai: demon
ebi: shrimp