Chapter Eight:
Recap: The two jutsu's clashed, just like old times, but this time, Naruto could feel something new. He frowned, wondering why there was a tight feeling in his chest and why blood was bubbling up in his mouth when Sasuke's Chidori was still forming a black ball with his rasengan.
Staring down, Naruto found, to his surprise, a lightning-filled blade buried in his chest.
"Be prepared." And with that, Sasuke vanished in a burst of ravens, his sword still buried in Naruto's chest.
"Kit…" Naruto heard Kyuubi's voice, and it sounded hazy and unsteady to him.
He collapsed to his knees, coughing out blood, 'Fumio, Katashi and Hanako…'
"Yeah, you've got to help them."
'Heal me up, already!'
"It's not that easy. This is going to take time, and be very painful. The area around the wound's been burnt. It's going to take time."
Naruto created a shadow clone, coughing painfully. He closed his eyes, grunting, and pulled out the sword, coughing and bleeding even more.
"Kit... hold on!"
Naruto collapsed on his front, breathing heavily and fighting unconsciousness with all his might.
Katashi could tell he was in trouble. Hanako was trapped in a chakra-sucking prison, unconscious because of chakra exhaustion, and Fumio was also out of the battle after receiving second degree burns to his left arm. Now he was the only one left, and Soba was taking his time. After all, his feet were stuck in the ground.
"It's going to be fun, killing you." Soba taunted, and suddenly turned towards his comrades.
"Hmm… she's going to die of chakra exhaustion anyway. What a pity. She would have been great fun. But… let's finish off this one, eh? I think roasting him will be fun. No, that'll be too quick."
Soba made hand signs, standing more than ten feet away from where Fumio lay, dead to the world.
Katashi watched in horror as red-hot burning multiple shuriken, three times normal size, headed towards Fumio.
'NO! I've gotta help him!'
And out of nowhere, his feet ripped out of the ground, and in a burst of speed he was standing in front of Fumio, a kunai held out in his shaking hand.
'I'd rather die than let my… my friends die.'
But as he prepared himself for the pain, a white blur appeared in front of him and took all three shuriken.
"SENSEI!" Katashi screamed, but the Naruto in front of him was gone in a poof of smoke as another Naruto took Soba out with a rasengan.
Immediately after Soba collapsed, that Naruto disappeared too.
"Sensei." Katashi tried to move, but his knees buckled.
He looked down and found that his feet were cut up, blistered and bloody from tearing out of the rocky ground.
"Kuso." He gasped, trying to stand up.
Finally he gave up, gasping and retching, supporting himself with his arms. The only way they could get out of here now was if some Konoha shinobi crossed by here.
Or if he sent them a signal. Katashi worked quickly, and in a few minutes, he had sent a messenger bird to Konoha. Satisfied, he grunted and passed out.
Naruto blinked furiously before finally opening his eyes. He stared at the white ceiling, waiting for his mind to start working properly. His mind finally caught up. That ceiling belonged to the Konoha Hospital.
Pictures flashed in his mind. Sasuke… Chidori… his clones helping Katashi…
'Katashi!' He sat up weakly, supporting himself against the wall.
He stared down. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and bandages criss-crossed over his chest.
"You're awake!" Akira's voice made him turn his head to the left.
"How're Katashi, Fumio and Hanako?"
Sakura stepped in the room, a clipboard in her hands and worry evident in her eyes.
"They're fine, to an extent. Exhausted heavily; they won't be training or going on missions for a few days at the minimum. Katashi suffered injuries to his feet and minor blisters and bruises. His right ankle is sprained, and his left is bruised. Fumio's received second degree burns to his left arms that are already healing. He's also bruised. Hanako's left elbow is sprained, and she received major and minor cuts as well as severe chakra exhaustion."
Before Naruto could say anything, she continued, "You may be your jonin sensei but you can't have prevented this. They're shinobi. Soba's been imprisoned. And you suffered a nasty cut and burns to your chest. You could've died. Tsunade-sama is on her way. You'll be giving her your mission report and she'll be looking you over."
"How long was I out?"
"Twenty four hours."
Naruto cursed, "Call baa-chan now."
Tsunade had barely entered his room when Naruto started telling her what had happened.
"Sasuke's going to attack Konoha soon. I don't know when, but he'll come with an army. Send a message to the ASF. And should Uchiha Sasuke be seen anywhere near Konoha, I am to be informed immediately. I want my clothes; I'm going home."
"Naruto…"
"I don't want to argue right now, baa-chan. I want to go home." Naruto said firmly.
Akira sighed and handed him a small bag.
"This contains your clothes. I brought them just in case." Akira smiled stiffly, "I knew you would want to rush home."
Naruto nodded. The three women hung there, staring at him.
Finally, he sighed and cleared his throat.
"Do you people want me to take off these hospital pajamas in front of you?" He asked seriously.
Blushing and smiling, all three women went outside.
Naruto opened the bag and took out the clothes Akira had brought. He quickly slipped into the black pants and the orange shirt, and went outside.
"I want to see my team first."
"They're over there." Akira gestured to the room opposite his.
Naruto headed inside. There were three hospital beds in the room, and only Katashi and Fumio were awake. Both had flowers and chocolates on their bedside tables.
"Hi sensei. Are you okay?" Katashi asked.
Naruto nodded, glancing at Hanako, "You guys?"
"Tired, for the most part." Katashi answered, "Hanako sleeps a lot. She's really exhausted. That chakra draining prison seriously drained her."
"That's what it's for." Fumio rolled his eyes.
Naruto sighed, "Sorry for dragging you guys into this."
"Sensei, we're proud to be your team." Fumio spoke up.
Katashi nodded, "You've proven to me how to get stronger. We're seriously proud to have you as our sensei."
"Thanks, guys."
"Go home and rest, okay?"
"Yeah. Bye guys. I'll come visit again."
"Sure. Thanks, sensei."
More exhausted mentally than physically, Naruto went straight to his room. But to his dismay, he found his hyperactive, over-tensed brain wouldn't let him sleep.
So he lay awake, thinking over battle plans and strategies.
"Naruto?" Akira stepped in, "Are you okay, otouto?"
Naruto nodded silently.
She sat down beside him and kissed his forehead gently.
"You sure you're okay?" She asked.
He nodded again.
"Go to sleep, please."
"Can't." He replied automatically, "I've tried, ne-san. Can't stop thinking, y'know?"
Akira sighed, "Okay. Are you hungry?"
"Not really. I'll come down when I am."
"Sure." She gave him a quick smile and stood up.
When Akira was gone Naruto sat up. He went over to the dusty bookshelf in the corner of his room and dug out six books: Barrier Ninjutsu, Protection Barriers, Barrier Seals, Protection Vortexes, One Thousand Barriers, and Barriers and Seals.
Jumping out of the window with the book, Naruto landed in his training ground and made five shadow clones. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, they started reading.
Exhausted, Naruto collapsed in bed. His eyes were red-rimmed from reading the entire night, since all of a sudden he couldn't relax enough to sleep.
Sighing wearily, he ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't eaten or slept throughout the previous day. After reading extensive books and scrolls on Barriers, he'd decided to make one of his own. He'd done research on that and trained feverishly.
And he was now completely exhausted.
The door opened, and the light flipped on.
Naruto turned on his side to gaze at the beautiful, pale-skinned and lavender-eyed visitor.
He didn't try to smile. The empty, almost dead look in his eyes brought tears to Hinata's eyes, but she held them back.
She approached him hastily, and as soon as he sat up she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"Are you okay?" She whispered, running her hands through his hair.
He nodded, and then shook his head.
"I don't know." His voice was unsteady, croaky.
Hinata hugged him tighter, "I'm so sorry. It's going to be okay, Naru-kun. I promise, everything will be all right."
Naruto didn't answer her. She pulled back to stare at him, and found something in those blue eyes she hadn't seen in a long time. Fear.
"Naruto-kun…" She whispered softly, hugging him again and stroking his back gently.
This time, Naruto sagged in her arms, clearly exhausted.
Hinata kissed his head, whispering desperately, "It'll be all right, Naruto-kun."
"Hinata-chan, I can't do it." He whispered, "I'm… I'm too weak."
She lifted his chin up with her finger, "Naruto-kun, look at me."
Naruto stared in her eyes. Tears pooled at the bottom of the lavender orbs he so much treasured, but they were filled with confidence, for him.
"Listen to me." Hinata whispered fiercely, "You are the bravest, nicest, kindest, friendliest and most loving person I know. The entire shinobi world respects you. You have defeated opponents your superiors couldn't dream of defeating. You are Naruto, and you can and will overcome this. You will protect our village, and you will defeat Uchiha Sasuke."
And with that she kissed him as passionately and fiercely as she could. Naruto took a few seconds to kiss her back, but wrapped his arms around her waist when he could.
They didn't notice the position they were getting themselves in. Naruto supported his weight on one hand, but lay on top of her, stroking her sides.
Breathless, Naruto pulled away and littered kisses down her face and neck.
"Arigatou, Hinata-chan." He whispered softly between kisses, "I love you."
"I'm right here, Naru-kun." Hinata assured him.
Naruto flipped off her and turned on his side, facing her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair. Within minutes, he was fast asleep and snoring softly.
Senjutsu, Mangekyo, Fox Summoning, Frog Summoning, all in the next ULTIMATE FIGHT!