Chapter 9: Growth
Thanks for the input guys some of which was truly inspiring I love the reviews so if you feel a chapter was good let me know it means a lot. Sorry I haven't updated for a week. School was chaotic and I was away for a little while but I hope you like this one.
Oh and for those of you wondering why Gaara can sleep it's because the demon chakra and his have not mixed completely yet.
Now don't hate me but in this chapter Naruto does get stronger and progress as a ninja. Well I'll be honest read carefully this stuff will come back to haunt you later. Not gonna tell you what, but…, well, good luck.
Chapter 9-
Naruto awoke roughly after struggling in his mat bed. His heart beat quickly and it took him a minute to realize where he was. He rubbed his eyes gently as his eyes adjusted to the light.
He smiled, lightly and through the covers off. He had had a dream where he was in the desert and huge beast stood over him offering its help. Naruto could not remember much else except he refused and as it came closer he woke up.
He turned to Gaara's bed and saw that the boy was still asleep. Naruto rose slowly but fell as the place where the seal had been implanted into his back stung painfully.
Naruto decided not to wake him and walked downstairs exploring the hallways while avoiding closed doors. Eventually he found the kitchen and he rummaging through the kitchen found some ramen and began making breakfast.
'This is awesome. I wonder what we'll do today.' Naruto paused reflecting on recent events. 'I should check on Hinata after this.'
A blonde girl around the age of eleven walked into the room wearily and froze upon seeing the other blonde making breakfast. She waited for the boy to notice her when he did not she pointed at him her mouth agape. "Who…. Who are you?"
Naruto turned, "Hmm. I can't believe I didn't sense you… Well you don't have a threatening presence. My name's Naruto what's yours?"
"T-Temari… What are you doing here at???" She turned to look at a clock. "5:30 in the morning?"
Naruto grinned. "Getting breakfast I'm kind of hungry."
Temari blushed and then looked down she was in a night gown and she felt very uncomfortable with a boy in her presence no matter how young he was. She looked over the table that separated them and blushed even more seeing as he was wearing nothing more than boxers and a t-shirt.
Naruto sat down at the table facing her as he finished making his breakfast. "Itadakimas!"
Growing more comfortable she sat down facing him ready to begin the interrogation. "So you're Naruto. Why are you here Naruto-kun?"
Naruto looked up noodles connecting his mouth to the bowl. Slurping up the food he wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked up to the ceiling, thinking. "Well I was in the desert dying and Gaara came and saved me and after staying in the hospital for a day Gaara invited me to stay here until Hinata was ready to go back to Konoha with me."
She looked at him her eyes growing wider each moment as she processed the information.
"I take it your Gaara's sister. He said he had one."
She nodded. "So you're friends with… Gaara?"
Naruto nodded back smiling. "Yeah it was really nice for him to let me come and stay here. I don't have any money or clothes other than my pants which are at the hospital.
Temari got her breakfast and ate slowly thinking of what the blonde boy had said even after he left.
Naruto wandered the streets of the sand village in an outfit he took from one of Gaara's drawers.
He looked at everything and especially the alleys crawling with vendors trying to sell things to anyone who looked to have money, including Naruto who was wearing Gaara's nice clothes.
"Hey boy, come here and try this candy." An old lady called to Naruto who politely refused. Naruto continued to decline the vendor's offers until he saw something he knew right away he had to have.
In a dark alley one vendor stood at a stand, created by a cart turned sideways, where beautiful weapons hung.
Naruto walked into the alley and faced the nervous looking vendor who tried to shoo him off.
"Wait!" Naruto demanded as the man began to push him away. "What is that," Naruto asked pointing at a fan which hung steadily from the roof of the cart.
The man face shown with hope for a moment then shaking his head he pushed Naruto away. "You don't want that boy." His voice was raspy and tough, the voice of a soldier.
Naruto sighed, "It doesn't matter if I want it, I don't have any money. But please tell me what it is." The fan was divided into three parts with an X painted in green on each flap. The two metal dividers separating the inside sections from the two outside ones served as sheathes for two katanas which sat contently in there holders.
The man grimaced, "Boy, leave me before I punish you!"
Naruto did not move. "Please tell me."
The man hesitated for half a second but that was all. "Sign here and you can have it."
Naruto's face brightened. "You're serious?!"
The man nodded, "Sure kid, just sign your first name and it's all yours forever."
Naruto signed quickly and took the fan down with a great deal of effort.
The man's voice rasped in relief as if a grievance had been lifted from his shoulders. "Goodbye kid. I can finally live."
Naruto grinned and tried to lift the weapon which weighed over a hundred pounds onto his back. Finally succeeding in lifting the weapon which was as tall as him Naruto turned back to thank the man but he was gone along with the cart that held all the weapons.
Naruto backed up against the wall opposite where the stand had been. "Creepy." He mumbled. "I better go check up on Hinata and leave this scary alley."
Naruto left the alley as fast as he could which was slow as a result of the weapon he now carried which was actually three separate weapons the two katanas and the fan.
Walking slowly to the hospital he used a genjutsu to camouflage perfectly with wall and avoid nurses and doctors throwing him out. Naruto realized right away that if doctors saw the fan he would be thrown out.
He arrived at Hinata's room after exerting a lot of effort to get up the stairs. 'Why did I take the stairs there was no one in them,' Naruto wondered knowing the answer. 'Because,' He told himself. 'If someone bumped into me getting on the elevator later, I would have had no where to go.'
Naruto dropped the fan to the floor not carrying of the loud sound it made on impact with the floor.
He released the genjutsu as he saw Hinata contort in shock not knowing where the sound came from.
"Hey," Naruto said smiling at the Hyuga girl. "How are you holding up?"
Hinata smiled shyly back. "Good Naruto-kun I di-didn't know where you went but the n-nurses kept asking me where you had gone."
"How long did they say you have to stay here?" Naruto asked curiously.
"I have to say in the hospital for another week, but tomorrow I'll be a-allowed to walk around the hospital."
"What did they say was wrong?" Naruto asked sitting down on Hinata's bed his hands positioned behind him propping him up as he leaned back so when he turned his head he could look right at Hinata.
"The doctor said I was suffering from mental exhaustion and nutrient deprivation and that they were going to keep me until I was at normal health and then a few more days to make sure I'm okay. That's se-seven days in total… Are you going to get our parents?"
Naruto frowned. "Yeah I'm going to send dad a message today but it's so great here. I mean it's hot but there are so many cool things!"
Naruto spent the next half hour informing Hinata of everything that had happened including details about Gaara and their time in the desert.
After leaving Naruto decided it was time to tell his father. Using shunshin jutsu he quickly sped to the house where he was staying and Gaara and his siblings lived. Gaara sat on the roof and waved to Naruto as he saw him.
"Where were you, and where'd you get the fan on your back?" Gaara asked.
"I went exploring the village and checked on Hinata. This guy gave it to me. Do you know what time it is?"
Gaara nodded it's after noon.
"Great let's get lunch, I'm starving." Naruto said grabbing Gaara's hand to pull him inside. Gaara did not move instead he pulled Naruto back. "Well, um, we're eating with my dad… I promised him I'd introduce you."
Naruto scratched his head nervously. "Well okay…"
Gaara smiled not realizing that Naruto was not happy. Though the red haired boy was learning how to interact with people his age quickly he still had not learned to read expressions.
"Um Gaara what am I supposed to say, I mean your dad is the Kazekage and I know that each kage had different rules and things for eating and stuff."
Gaara hesitated. "I don't know, I guess if you don't want to go you don't have to."
Naruto seeing his friend's sad expression put his hand on his shoulder. "I'll go I'm just nervous."
Naruto and Gaara arrived in the Kazekages office fifteen minutes later. The Kazekage smirked as he opened the door for the two boys to come into.
"Hello I've heard a few things from Gaara about you." The Kazekage stated studying Naruto.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Naruto said, bowing.
The Kazekage bowed back. "So you're from the village hidden in the leaves?"
Naruto nodded.
"Well Naruto, if you don't mind me asking, who is your father?" The Kazekage asked this question with a tone of indifference, but the truth was he was extremely curious as to who the man was.
"Namikaze, Minato."
The Kazekage's eyes widened. 'This boy is the son of the Hokage. If I pull this off well this could lead to better relations with the village hidden in the leaves. Maybe if the two boys become friends I can convince the Hokage to help my village financially… And perhaps… Well let's not be crazy…Could the son of the Hokage change Gaara.'
The Kazekage nodded his eyes glossy while he wandered through his thoughts searching for all the political benefits.
The two boys meanwhile began to talk and Gaara pointed things out in the room.
As the Kazekage eyes regained focus he noticed how well the two got along. 'I better not push them. Yes, I'll just let them spend as much time as they can with one another until Naruto leaves. This is too perfect.'
Snapping his fingers a servant ran over to the Kazekage and bento to one knee. "Yes my lord?" A voice replied.
The Kazekage leaned toward the ninja and whispered to him. "Yashamaru I need you to bring a letter to the Hokage, but first get me some paper and a pen."
"Now Naruto, would you like something to eat?"
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Minato sat in the window of his house, one leg propped up against the other side of the wooden window and the other dangling over the ground which lay two hundred feet below them, the house which looked out to the village from the tallest tower in the village was huge in height. He had begun building the castle like house before Naruto was born and had completed it two years after. The building was beautiful, if not for it's architectural look, the building expressed the emotions he had felt when his first and only child was coming.
Minato played with a kunai spinning it and performing tricks he had learned when he was child. His face was for once empty forfeiting nothing. His eyes the coldest of all had the look of a seasoned killer.
His blonde hair ruffled softly in the breeze. He ran a hand threw his hair and tried to merge his soul with the atmosphere which surrounded him.
'Kami… Where the hell is Naruto? I should probably check on her, I heard she's still in the hospital.' Minato's thoughts were unconnected partly due to his stress partly due to not wanting to focus on any one thing lest he grew frustrated.
Minato propped him self up now both legs dangling over the drop. Then with a little push he let him self fall.
It felt amazing to let go and let the wind take him. He opened his body spread his limbs and slowed his fall a little as the wind pushed him against gravity.
The robe which he was wearing dangled above him pulled down only by his arms which pulled the sleeves. Flipping he landed on his feet in a crouched position.
Feeling a little better from the high he had felt for a few seconds he strode off to the hospital.
)X()X(
Anko lay in her bed bandages wrapped all around her stating at her neck and working its way down her chest and waist and to her left knee.
She was bored from staring at the ceiling and angry at the doctors who refused to let he go. In fact she would be happy if they just didn't tie her up.
Each wrist was shackled to the bed she was in and each ankle was also tied down. She groaned and tried to turn in her bed but was forced to stop when the pain from her broken ribs started up.
She turned her head as the window to her room was forcefully pulled open. She smiled, "Hey baby."
"Hello Anko." Minato said, walking over to her bed.
"Thanks for saving me." The purple haired jonin said.
Minato nodded thinking of the battle defending Konoha. She had several fatal wounds and he had saved her, this was true, nevertheless having been able to survive all her injuries attributed to her stubbornness.
"Well surviving for twenty minutes after being stabbed twice and slammed with boulders and a rock spear through her leg had nothing to do with me."
"Well how could I die when you were there to save me? I would have felt too guilty." Anko winked at Minato who chuckled.
"Thank you I would have... I would have been very angry if you died." The Hokage bent and kissed her forehead gently.
She laughed. "What? You call that a kiss? If I could I'd show you what a real kiss is."
Minato laughed back. "Would you now?"
She nodded, "You kissed me like I was your son. If I could use me arms I would-." Minato cut her off kissing her gently. She moved her head up, pushing her mouth into the kiss.
"Well, well." A voice boomed sarcastically as the door connected with the wall. "And here I thought you hadn't got over your wife's death." Jiraiya flinched realizing that he should not have said that.
Minato ignored the blow and faced his teacher. Anko growled and looked ready to kill the old sannin who had interrupted their moment.
"Anyway I figured I might find you here. I came to tell you we have just received a message from the Kazekage inviting you to come to his village in two days."
"Does he give a reason?" The Hokage inquired.
Jiraiya smiled and gave the answer readily trying to make up for his insult earlier. "It seems Naruto and Hinata after coming near death were saved by the Kazekage son and are staying with them now. The whole story is here written by the Kazekage told by Naruto and it makes sense."
The Hokage beamed, "Thank God, Naruto survived. Then again I knew he would."
He walked out of the room briskly, "I'll check on you as soon as I get back," the blonde ninja stated calling out to Anko as he left.
The Hokage left for sand country less than an hour later in a carriage he seldom used.
)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(- )-(-)-(-)-(-)-(
Naruto stood out in the barren wasteland right outside the village with Temari. She had agreed to help him use the fan he had bought in order to admire the fans beauty.
"NO, NO, NO! Not like that Naruto you'll break your wrist. Make sure your arm swing is controlled. Good that's better." Temari stood leaning on her fan as she coached Naruto.
Panting, Naruto lifted the fan again and did as Temari instructed. It was agonizing work as it was over a hundred degrees out but the eight year old would not quit. He focused and whipped the fan sending a huge wave of air toward the boulder he was ordered to destroy as practice.
"Really Naruto it's impressive how strong the wind is, but if you want to destroy that boulder you need to focus chakra so that the wave is smaller in size but more condensed with chakra and power so that it can destroy things as hard as rock." Temari told Naruto repeating the lesson she had received the year before.
Naruto nodded and tried again. "Though definitely stronger the wind was not stung enough to break the rock and instead moved it.
Not waiting for more instructions he pumped more chakra into the attack and send another blast of air toward the rock spitting it into several pieces. "Nice work Naruto!" Temari shouted impressed.
Naruto grinned at her. "Now that I have that down I have to find someone to help me learn how to use a katana.
Temari sulked, "What do you mean? You don't plan to become a master of the fan and wind?"
"Nope I just want to know how to use it. Maybe one day I'll learn to use it at a master proficiency, but for now I just want to be able to understand wind manipulation." Naruto smiled. "Maybe someday you can teach me how to use a fan at a higher level."
"It's such a shame to waste that talent Naruto." Temari sighed.
Naruto grinned and wiped his brow. He placed the fan on his back and walked over to Gaara who sat watching him.
"So Gaara can you teach me to move the sand like you do?" Naruto asked eagerly. Gaara winced and looked away from his friend. "I don't know how I do it." Gaara lied. He still did not want to tell Naruto about his demon, not until he was sure Naruto would not care.
Naruto shrugged at his friend, "Well if you can't do you know anyone who would be able to teach me sand jutsu?"
Gaara nodded. "Let's go see my father he knows lot's of wind jutsu and probably some sand jutsu as well."
The two friends walked back to the entrance of the village shoulder to shoulder.
Gaara took a quick glance at his friends face and looked away processing the image. 'What makes him different the other children besides the fact that they know. His determination, so clearly outlined on his face? His loyalty, clearly present to all those in his presence. What makes him someone I feel, I could, want to…Protect.'