The Search
Tsunade was sure Naruto left the village, but she was unsure when or how it happened. It doesn't matter though, because the elders are furious either way. Even the Feudal Lord was angered that the spirit host of the 9-Tails was able to escape so easily. "SHIZUNE!", the Hokage yelled out after spending hours working on a plan. She runs in & the assistant of the Hokage inquires, "Yes Lady Tsunade? What can I do?". Shizune walks toward the desk as Tsunade lays out a few scrolls. "I wasn't sure how to go about this at 1st, but if Naruto does not return soon...well...no good will come of it. I have 3 teams performing searches for Naruto.", she states before a pair of ninja came in. Shortly followed behind them were Anko Mitarashi, Sai, Yamato, & Choji.
"Good, you're all here. Now, Shizune, your team will keep a perimeter around the village. You'll watch for Naruto or any other other teams returning & report back immediately.", Tsunade declares with authority, Shizune nodding in acknowledgment. "Next, Anko & Choji, you two will head to the East. See if Naruto tagged along with Kakashi & Asuma's team. Sai & Yamato, you'll head West & try to find Naruto with Tsachi's team. Is that understood?", she commands the others. Both teams nod in understanding & all 7 of them rush out of the room to start their mission: Naruto must be found & brought home.
"So, any idea why we got partnered up?", Choji asks as he munches on some chips. Anko sighs & replies, "Look kid, I'm not the talkative, friendly type on missions. So let's just get this over & done with.". They continue travelling through the trees silently for a few minutes before Choji gulps loud & mutters, "freakin' bitch.". Anko lands on a branch & stops, grabbing the backplate of Choji's armor & throwing him into the tree with deceptively scary strength. "Alright tubby, fine, we'll talk. I'm a bitch, deal with it. You are a disgusting pig of a shinobi that couldn't keep food out of his mouth for a second even if you tried. I certainly will have to deal with that. We're both rude sacks of crap, maybe that is why we were put together..."; Choji stares at her with a mixture of anger, fear & shock. The latter of which paralyses him to where he just listens.
Anko continues uninterrupted, "or maybe, just maybe, it's because I know Kakashi & both of us certainly knows Asuma, then add in the fact that your teammates are with them. Does that make sense to you, or was I too bitchy for you?", Choji nods quietly before Anko lets him go, "Good, now let's keep going.", she demands with some annoyance.
Later that night, Anko sets up camp while Choji gathers some firewood & food. As they wait for the birds Choji caught to finish cooking, they sit in silence while he eats some chips. Finally though, the silence is broken when Anko asks, "You..you wouldn't happen to have any dango would ya?". Choji looks at her, somewhat surprised that she'd even talk, before replying, "No, sorry. You can have some chips tho...", Anko groans & fires back, "Save it, both the talk & my food. Actually make an effort not to eat it, ok?". Choji growls at her & yells, "WHAT IS YOUR DAMN PROBLEM? I was trying to be nice! Sorry I don't have any damn dango to give you!". Anko's hand twitches, almost wishing she could go for her kunai. Instead she responds, "My problem is that I'm in the middle of a fucking forest, with a fat turd who can't understand what 'shut up & leave me alone' means, chasing after an idiot too stupid to listen to the Hokage!".
Unlike Anko, Choji doesn't hold back. He quickly pulls out a kunai & dives at her, she reacts & in an instant he is on top of her, their kunai locked together. "You can insult me, even though it pisses me off, it doesn't matter what a bitch like you thinks. There are only a handful of people I will NEVER LET YOU INSULT, & Naruto Uzumaki is 1 of them!" Choji bellows at the Tokubetsu Jonin before she rolls around & jumps off of him. "Why does it matter? He's the spirit host of the 9-Tailed Fox! He's a freak, & a...", she stops short as she sees him seething in rage. Choji glares at her & responds, "Naruto is a better person that you'll ever be. He isn't as judgmental as you, & he certainly cares more than you. He says he'll do something, he does it, no matter what it means for him. So shut the fuck up about my friend, NOW!".
He sits down, grabbing his bird & taking a large bite of it, burning the roof of his mouth. He keeps going though, refusing to give Anko any satisfaction at all. She watches him for a moment before heading for her tent, thinking, "These kids & their ideals. 'he certainly cares more', blah blah blah. Let's see what happens when the shit really hits the fan, then I'll believe it.". Choji finishes his food & puts Anko's away for her before cleaning up. He goes to sleep awhile later, relaxed & full, but certainly not happy.
Choji's eyes shoot open in the middle of the night as he hears a piercing scream. He scrambles out of his tent to see who it is, to find that it's coming from Anko's tent. He can't help but laugh a little, thinking, "Aww, she's having a nightmare. Guess I should help her, even if it's just so I can sleep.". He opens the tent & quickly backs out, a kunai almost stabbing him in the face. "ANKO! ANKO, WAKE UP!", he yells to try to alert her. It has no effect though, so he does the only thing he can think of.
Partial Expansion Jutsu!
Choji's hands grow to a massive size, & he picks up the tent, tearing it in the process. Anko falls out & lands hard on the ground, groaning before looking up at Choji. "what...what's goin' on? What'd you do to my tent?", she asks as she starts to wake up & realize what happened. Before she can jump up to cut him, he states, "You were having a nightmare, & you couldn't hear me so I did the only thing I could think of.". She stands up, dusting the dirt off of her & inquires, "So, YOU COULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT OF A BETTER WAY?", Choji shrugs as his hands return to normal size & responds, "Maybe I could have. How about you tell me about your dream instead?".
She looks at him, eyebrow raised in confusion as she asks herself, "Why is he being nice to me? Maybe he feels bad, or he could be bored. Maybe he's trying to trick me! He could be just like all the others!". For a moment, neither of them move, both of them looking at the other. He sits down & says, "You seemed really scared. I know what that's like."; Anko sits up, not taking her eyes off of Choji. He sighs & grabs a couple bags of chips, setting 1 in front of Anko before opening his up & eating a few, "Eating has always helped me, I guess you'd say, 'deal' with things. I tell people it's to keep my chakra up & all this other stuff, really though it's just to relax me. Even now, I'm kinda uncomfortable, which is why I'm eating. I get scared, I eat. I get angry, I eat a lot. Heck, even when I'm happy I eat. It's just the way the Akimichis are.".
Anko picks up the bag of chips & slowly starts to open them. Choji smiles softly as he opens another bag, & Anko can't help but shoot him a small one herself. She cracks open the bag & states, "I...I have really bad dreams, about my past, about things that haven't happened & might never will, yet they scare me all the same.", Anko mutters just loud enough for Choji to hear. She starts to eat a few chips, the 2 of them sitting in silence until they both finish them. "Anko, I'm sorry. If you wanna talk, I'm here. If not, I understand.", Choji states sympathetically.
For the 1st time in many years, Anko trusted somebody & they didn't stab her in the back. They didn't make fun of her, & while she knows that the possibility is still there, as he looks into Choji's eyes & at his face she believes that he wouldn't hurt her. She smiles at him & kisses him softly on the cheek before heading toward Choji's tent. "Hey, what was that for, & what do you think you're doing?", he asks feeling confuzed. Anko smirks as she opens the tent & kneels inside, "You destroyed my tent Choji, so I'm allowing you to be the gentleman you are & taking yours. Night!". He laughs quietly & leans against a log, staring up at the stars & listening to the crackling of the fire.
The rest of the night was quiet & uneventful, but there was 1 thing different. Anko slept peacefully for the 1st time in years. While her mission is to find Naruto, she found something else; proof that the world isn't so cold, that there are people you can trust. You just have to find them.
You know what time it is, so let's get this show on the road! Naruto Trivia!
Which of these are not 1 of the 3 Colored Pills?
A. Green Spinach
B. Red Chili
C. White Corn
D. Yellow Curry
You know the drill, use your brain, not the internet.
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I know, I know. You're ON the net. Don't use it to cheat!
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I mean it: DON'T CHEAT!
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If you cheat, the Akimichi clan will fry you up & eat you with a side of sashimi!
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Gross ain't it? SO DON'T DO IT!
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The answer is: C. White Corn! The others are, used in this order: Green Spinach, Yellow Curry, Red Chili.
Come back soon to test your knowledge with more Naruto Trivia!