The Hidden Countries;
Chapter Sixteen
Tracking Skills
Rose found that Naruto was an extremely easy person to track, especially when he was throwing out his 'magical' signature like it was a beacon. No seriously, it had taken Rose a day and a half to completely find the two ninja. And Rose was sure that was because they moved so fast.
Rose hated how fast ninja moved – seriously.
"Nee-Chan?"
Rose grinned at Naruto and Jiraiya's incredulous faces upon seeing her. They really have every right to be shocked, and Rose expected them to be wary as well. "Rose-San?"
"Yo!" Rose called walking towards them at a sedate pace, in an attempt to ensure that they didn't try and kill her or something. "I've decided to grace you with my amazing tracking skills."
"You know how to track people, Nee-Chan!?" Naruto asked his voice excited. Rose nodded her head cheerfully. Naruto looked extremely happy with the news and Rose had no idea why. "Can you teach me Nee-Chan!?"
Rose blinked and tilted her head to the side. "I don't think so…"
Jiraiya didn't look overly convinced; in fact he was staring at her like she was insane. Hell, they all knew she was. "Naruto, I think I smell Ramen coming from that stand."
Jiraiya pointed to a stand and Naruto's eyes widened with glee, running for the stand without a second glance at them. "We really need to get him out of that habit," Rose mused thoughtfully.
"We do," Jiraiya agreed, sounding serious. "Why are you here, Rose-San?"
Rose paused. "Trying to help?" Rose tried, but seeing Jiraiya's face Rose realised that wasn't going to cut it for him. "Okay, okay, I need Tsunade to heal someone…"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You do know… That we're coming back with her right?"
Rose shrugged her shoulders, her eyes on the building that Naruto had entered, making sure that he was alright. "I'm not a very patient girl."
"…Kakashi got hurt didn't he? What happened to him?" Jiraiya pressed, sounding kind of stressed. He made a move to get to Naruto.
Rose's shoulders dropped. "How did you…? He's in an induced coma, because of some eye thing done by Uchiha Itachi…."
Jiraiya swore and started to make his way towards Naruto, Rose followed without much thought. "What happened to him and his partner?"
"How did you know…? I knocked them out," Rose said confusion in her voice, and she was pretty sure written all over her features.
Jiraiya stopped walking and turned to face Rose, surprise clearly shown in his eyes. "You what?"
"Knocked them out? They annoyed me!"
Jiraiya sighed, but there was amusement on his face. "Oh, you better come with us then…"
Rose grinned, happily. "Thank you! I can track her if you have something that belonged to her."
Jiraiya nodded his head, his eyes casting a glance over to where Naruto was. "As a matter of fact – I do happen to own something of hers."
The white-haired man then pulled out a DD-sized bra and Rose gave him a disgusted look. "Why do you have her bra?"
"I'm a super-pervert!"
Rose gave him a dead-pan stare. "That is just stupid."
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"Jiraiya," Rose said seeing that Naruto was about ten steps ahead of them, and not likely to overhear them. "Who are his parents?"
Jiraiya gave her a look that told her it was a need to basis kind of thing to know. "I just mean, I wanted to know how we are related. I honestly didn't know I was part of the Uzumaki clan or whatever."
Jiraiya paused, his face showing his conflict on the subject. "His mother would be where the relation is, Uzumaki Kushina."
Rose paused, judging by the way he was whispering the information, Rose had a guess that Naruto didn't know about his parents. Rose had to wonder why that was. "Does Naruto know about, you know?"
"No."
Rose hesitated, realising that they were on a thin ice with this topic. "What about his father?"
Jiraiya looked at Rose, as if assessing if she was worth the knowledge. "A very important person."
And he refused to talk about Naruto's family any more beyond that point. "Hey! Ero-Sennin! I burst the balloon!"
Rose looked at the blond strangely and Jiraiya looked proud. "Hehe! Well, the next step is to-!"
Rose walked into the bar, with Naruto clinging to her side. It smelt like alcohol and smokes. There were many tables full of gamblers, and Rose didn't see why they were there. She had thought she did the spell right – perhaps she had gotten it wrong somehow?
"Jiraiya, I swear this is where it told me to go…" Rose muttered to the white-haired male on her other side.
Jiraiya just nodded his head and chuckled slightly. "Oh, don't worry Rose-San, she's here."
Discreetly he gestured to a large busted, blonde woman who was sitting at a blackjack table, swaying like she was slightly drunk. Rose looked at the blonde woman in surprise, this was their master healer? They're new leader?
Was he messing with her?
Confidently, Jiraiya strode up to the woman, with Rose and Naruto trailing not so confidently behind him. "Tsunade, it's been awhile."
The blonde woman froze, and slowly turned around and Rose saw the woman's amber eyes and the jewel on her forehead. "Jiraiya? You leach, go away."
"Hey, that's not very nice; I've been looking for you for ages!" Jiraiya complained.
Rose looked at him like he was insane, hell, he most likely was. "What do you want?" She asked grounding her teeth.
"Konoha has asked you to become the next Hokage," Jiraiya replied getting straight down to business. Naruto's eyes went wide, and he looked incredulous. Hadn't he known?
"What!?" Naruto demanded.
Tsunade stared at Naruto with a growing horror on her face – Rose didn't like it at all. "Hush, Naruto."
Naruto looked at Rose with surprise, but it was the look she received from the blonde haired woman that shocked her. It was one of recognition – and it frankly made Rose nervous. Then her eyes slid back to Naruto, her mouth forming an O of surprise.
"Who've you brought with you Jiraiya?" Tsunade demanded, heatedly.
Jiraiya stopped what he was doing and looked back at them. "Oh, this is Uzumaki Naruto, and Potter Rose."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes at them, and then looked at Jiraiya with an unimpressed look. "No, I refuse."
"You can't refuse!" Naruto yelled dramatically, his face twisting in confusion.
"Says who, brat?" Tsunade shot back at Naruto.
"Says me!"
Rose groaned, she really didn't want Naruto to get into another one of his silly arguments that he got into with people. "Look, how about you come to Konoha and then try?" Rose asked, hopefully.
Tsunade looked at her for a few seconds and then said quite plainly; "No."
Rose's eye twitched. "Why not!?"
Rose just realised how much like Naruto – and even this woman to a degree, she was acting like. Rose sighed, at the exact same time Jiraiya did.
"Because I don't have to!" The woman retorted smugly.
"You can't talk to Nee-Chan like that!" Naruto yelled, loudly, gaining some attention from the people around them.
"Who says brat? Being Hokage is a joke, and I don't want it!" Tsunade said, rolling her amber eyes.
"You-!" Rose put her hand over Naruto's mouth, to stop him saying whatever insulting thing he would say – Rose needed this woman to come to Konoha and heal Kakashi. She just wanted him to be okay.
Rose wondered, why did she care so much? He was her friend of course, and Rose would do anything for those she considered as friends. That had to be it, yes; she would do the exact same thing for Ron and Hermione.
"How about… You come to Konoha, and, then decide if you want to be Hokage?" Rose tried again, not really caring if she became the Hokage or not. She really should, but she was more concerned with her silver-haired friend.
Tsunade looked at the black-haired teen with no amusement visible on her face. "What's the point?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you could, you know, heal a few people…" Rose said trailing off.
"Defiantly not!" Tsunade cut out, looking annoyed – and was that a bit fearful?
Rose huffed, and she let Naruto go; maybe he could convince the woman somehow. It seemed to be a talent of the midget, making people believe in him. It was a talent that Rose was sure that she did not have.
"How could you not want to be the Hokage!? Why won't you heal anyone!?" Naruto said, angry.
Tsunade frowned, lines creasing her forehead. "Do you even know who she wants me to even heal?"
"It doesn't matter! Anyone who talks like that – even if they are a girl, deserves to be punched in the face!" Naruto declared, and Rose hit her head with her open palm. Why had she let Naruto talk?
She was an idiot that's why.
"You!" Tsunade almost yelled, her voice coming across as majorly angry. Rose hit her head again. "You have guts, you, me, outside, now."
Rose groaned and followed the brown haired, pig-holding girl that Tsunade was with outside, after Naruto, Tsunade and Jiraiya. Rose sighed seeing the showdown position that Naruto and the older blonde was in.
"How did this happen?" Rose asked herself, slowly.
Jiraiya was suddenly beside her. "I blame you."
"How?" Rose asked incredulously. Jiraiya just shrugged his shoulders.
"I'll only need one finger to destroy you, brat!" Tsunade glared. Rose groaned; this really wasn't going to end well.
Naruto threw some knives at Tsunade, which she dodged with ease, moving forward, but that didn't deter Naruto. Naruto bought out more of his ninja knives and tried to swipe at Tsunade.
Tsunade held her finger up, and somehow managed to disarm Naruto. Then the older blonde flicked the younger on in the forehead sending him flying, creating a ditch in the ground.
Naruto and Rose groaned at the same time. "Why do you care so much about the name Hokage anyway, brat?"
Naruto glared up at the woman. "I'm going to be the Hokage one day, unlike you. It's my dream!"
Rose smiled softly at Naruto before remembering where she was and she scowled. Tsunade looked at bit shocked, and using this to his advantage, Naruto created a ball of energy to take Tsunade down with. Tsunade gasped, and knocked Naruto down – the ball of energy disappearing.
Tsunade turned to Jiraiya and the look on her face was so scary that Rose actually took a step back. "What have you been teaching this brat?"
"Hey, I'm his teacher!" Jiraiya defended himself.
Tsunade glared. "I'll say he'll get that move soon."
The older blonde glanced at the sunny-haired Naruto. "Hey, brat, let's make a bet?"
Naruto huffed. "What?"
"You learn that move in a week and I will become the Hokage… and give you this necklace!"
Before Naruto could agree or disagree, Rose cut in. "He'll do it… If you come to Konoha and heal someone, during that week."
"But Nee-Chan!"
"No, buts Naruto!"
Naruto huffed, and Tsunade smirked. "Deal."
Rose grinned, happy to have won.
#$%^&*()
"Which room?" Tsunade asked, uncomfortably looking around the hospital waiting room.
"Down here," Rose said. "Follow me." Rose lead the older woman down the hallway, she did remember where Kakashi was being kept.
On the way to the room Rose saw the nurse that told her that Tsunade would be able to heal Kakashi, and she looked shocked. Rose smirked.
"Who is this guy anyway?" Tsunade grumbled, not sounding at all pleased to be there.
"A… friend…"
Tsunade raised one of her thin eyebrows, and chose to not comment. A few minutes later, they were at the door, which Rose pushed open with no hesitance.
"Him," Rose said holding the door open for Tsunade. Rose watched the amber eyed women enter the room, and she watched as those odd coloured eyes widened.
"Hatake Kakashi?" Tsuande asked incredulously.
Rose shrugged her shoulders, her eyes never leaving Kakashi's prone form. Her eyes taking in the dullness of his hair, and she was sure if the mask was off – she would be able to see how pale he was. He didn't look like he was getting better.
Tsunade approached his bed, and grabbed the doctor's clipboard thing that was hanging off the end of his bed, Rose watched as she scanned the information, before setting to work on Kakashi.
Rose didn't leave the room; she just stood there and watched, wondering if Naruto would manage to finish that Jutsu that he had been working on. Where were Ron and Hermione? Did they actually go back home?
Tsunade's hand glowed green, breaking Rose from her musings. She placed her hand on Kakashi's forehead for a few minutes before pressing it on his chest. Tsunade stepped back.
"That's all I can do, it's up to him now," Tsunade said finally.
Rose's shoulders dropped and her eyebrows drew together. "You can't do anything else?"
Tsunade shook her head. "No, I can't."
#$%^&*()
"Oi, Baa-Chan!"
"What brat?"
"I finished the Rasengun!" Naruto declared, and Rose gave him a confused look.
Tsunade's face fell. "You – prove it!"
Naruto's face scrunched into one of confusion. "Kage Bunishin!"
Suddenly there was a second Naruto to Naruto's right. "That isn't the ransengun you idiot."
Naruto glared at her. "I know that! Rasengun!" He shouted, and with the help of the clone, there was a complete sphere of energy in his hand.
"Damn."
^&*()_3434343
"Haku?" Rose called opening the door the Haku's apartment.
"Rose-Sama?" Haku asked, walking out into the small room that Rose had walked into. Rose beamed at the boy.
"Hello, Haku!"
Haku blinked, somewhat confused. Rose looked around, somewhat nervously. "Eh, Haku? Do you know where Ron and Hermione are?"
"From what I gathered, they went home."
Rose cursed herself in her head. "Damn it, they actually listened to me."
Haku paused, pulling out a sheet of paper from his back pocket. "They left this, Rose-Sama."
Rose reached over to grab the note, she unfolded it, only to realise that it was written in English, but Rose recognised Hermione's neat handwriting anywhere. After all, Rose had copied Hermione's notes, how many times?
Rosie,
We decided to go back to England – it was Ron's idea.
We're leaving this with Haku so you don't freak out, but I think you're going to freak out anyway. Ron realised that you weren't going to come back until Kakashi woke up, and we realised that we don't have that much time.
No pressure, but can you come as soon as he gets better? We've gotten word of a… pretty big emergency… That really needs our full attention. Okay, so Ron's is getting more and more annoyed with how long this is taking and we really need to go.
Like I said, it's an emergency!
No pressure, but, hurry up!
Love Hermione and Ron!
Rose's eyebrows drew together, what was this emergency? Was it really that bad? If Ron and Hermione left then it most likely was… She needed to find Jiraiya…
"Rose-Sama?" Haku asked slowly.
Rose smiled at the gentle boy. "Everything's okay, Haku, just a little… issue back home."
Haku nodded his head seriously. "Then you will be leaving then, Rose-Sama?"
Rose hesitated. "…Only for a little while…"
Haku bowed his head, and Rose felt terrible. "I'm going to come back as soon as I can, Haku, I promise."
Haku looked at Rose with wide eyes, and Rose smiled, bring Haku forward to hug him. "I don't think I could ever actually leave you behind."
"Thank you, Rose-Sama."
$($# (*$(*# $*($(*$#
Rose stole a deep breath before walking into the Hokage's office. Tsunade was sitting behind a desk, whilst arguing with the person she was looking for. Jiraiya.
"Yo!" Rose greeted, and Tsunade looked at her with confusion.
"How did you get in?"
Rose shrugged her shoulders. "It's better that you don't know."
Tsunade shook her head, closing her eyes in annoyance. "Why are you here?"
"Oh, yeah," Rose said her small smile leaving her face, turning to Jiraiya. "I, uh, needed to talk to you right away."
"About?" Jiraiya asked.
Rose almost groaned, she should have just staked the room out – but people had been saying that Jiraiya was talking to the new Hokage allot. Rose didn't like waiting. "Uh, I need to go home?"
"Home?" The new Hokage demanded.
"Er, where I live?" Rose said questionably.
"Why?... Where are Ron and Hermione?"
"They went home, there's an emergency," Rose tried to explain, but she really couldn't explain much because, she didn't know what this emergency was.
"Someone explain to me what's going on!" Tsunade demanded.
Rose groaned, why did this always happen to her? "There's a sort of civil war going on where I'm from, and, I uh, may be the leader of one of the sides?"
Tsunade gave her a deadpan stare. Jiraiya looked at Rose seriously. "Do you need any form of help, Rose?"
Rose shook her head at Jiraiya. "I'm good, just thought I'd let you know…"
"A team is going with you!" Tsunade demanded, hitting her fist on the table, causing it to split in half.
"What?"
"A team damn it!"
"I don't want-!" Rose protested. She really didn't want to have to explain everything to anyone; it was simpler when she didn't have to.
"This isn't a discussion!"
"But!?"
"NO."