Alright, here is the new chapter, this is basically the calm before the storm, things are going to start to liven up very, very soon
i would like to thank all of my reviews, i thank you all for taking the time and review/critic my story, and in return, i take the time to respond to you
TGMaker - Thank you for your review, and i am always looking for ways to better myself, i will try to use two rather then 2 from now on, however a few may slip by, since i do write these at night when i am tired :P but i will do my best
xzavx - thank you once again for your review, i hope you enjoy this new chapter, keep up the reviewing :)
RSfan - thank you for the review, and i agree with you, i am not going to make her call him Naruto Kun all the time, i used it to show that she had affection for him, since the word Kun is added to the name of someone you like, just like when Sakura called Sasuke Kun and yet only called Naruto by his name in the anime, but like i said, she will call him by that name rarely :)
Ymere - Thank you for your review, i understand what you mean when you say the story is progressing slowly, but its my attention to detail that slows me down, however, i think that what makes me story stand out from the others, as Cloud Ex-SOLDIER, the description is so vivid that he has no problem at all to imagine the charecters and whats going on, however do not fear, this is going to change real soon, as like i said, this is the calm before the storm, once all hell breaks loose, things should start going faster :)
- WOW, like that's all i have to say, i am really touched that you are enjoying my story this much, i can only hope that my future chapters be up to the same standards that has made you happy enough to make such a great review, i look forward to new reviews :)
Alright, that's all of them, once again thank you all, keep reviewing, it only inspires me more and more, well on with the show, here is chapter 8!
This chapter was revised on May 18th 2017. Most grammar errors should have been addressed (Hopefully :P) I did a few enhancements and changed a few things around but the story remained unchanged
Saving old bonds
Chapter 8 (Revised)
Naruto was in the shower, still trying to get over the fact that Sakura had actually asked him out, him of all people! He figured that with Sasuke back, that she would try and spend more time with him, perhaps try and convince him to turn back to our side and maybe fall for her, but no, she wanted to spend time with him, and not Sasuke, but was it for the right reasons? Was she asking him out because she liked him, or because they were friends, but she also called him Naruto Kun, something she had only reserved for Sasuke up until now, maybe he was overanalyzing and over thinking things, he had a date, that's all that mattered, and he had to make it perfect, he had to prove to Sakura that he wasn't a screw up, he turned the water off and dried himself off and grinned at himself in the mirror
Sakura had already finished her shower; she was trying to figure out what to wear "I mean, do I try something nice? Or just my regular clothing. It's hard to decide, considering its Naruto, maybe I should just wear my normal everyday clothing, he is probably going to do the same anyway" "That is unacceptable! How are you going to make his jaw drop in those cloths?" Inner demanded "He is probably just going to bring me out for some ramen, anyway right?" "So what if he does? I want him to drool over us! And I know you want him too as well" Sakura grinned at Inner knowing she was right "Alright, then I will go with my red dress that I only keep for special occasions Sakura though happily "CHA! With this dress, he is going to melt in our hands!" Inner said approving of the dress, Sakura was pleased with how she looked in the dress as well, she glanced at the clock, it was almost 8, Naruto would be here at any moment to pick her up, she made sure that her hair was perfect, suddenly she heard a knock, it had to be him, she was getting excited, she finished up and ran to the door, she checked herself out one last time in the mirror by the door and opened it
Sakura couldn't believe it, was that really Naruto? Sure, he was blonde, he had the same dreamy eyes but it couldn't be him, he had an orange shirt with a black t-shirt under it, he was wearing black jeans and a pair of black shoes, his headband had been wrapped around his right arm, it allowed his hair to be free "OH, MY, GOD!" Inner-Sakura couldn't believe her eyes "Naruto?!" Sakura asked as she was surprised, she was expecting him to just be in his regular ninja clothing, with his orange coat and orange pants and sandals
Naruto grinned, knowing he made he had made a good first impression "You look stunning Sakura Chan" He said while kissing her hand "Shall we?" he said offering his arm, she took it, still in shock
"Is this really Naruto? The Naruto that I know?" Sakura though to herself "So, where are you taking me tonight?" She asked, expecting it to be out for ramen
"There is a new Barbeque grill restaurant that just opened, I got us some reservations" He said, his grin had grown
"I have to say Naruto, I am impressed, I expected you to take me to Ichiraku"
"Well, I guess we have never been on a REAL date before, at least not a serious one, so I wanted it to be special" he told her "Wow, Sakura is so beautiful" he thought to himself
Sakura smiled, Naruto had grown up, he wasn't the immature little kid she grew up with
Ino and Hinata were walking home together, they had both just finished their shifts at the hospital, Ino spotted Naruto and Sakura walking down the street "Oh my, is that Naruto?!" Ino said in a surprised voice as her heart almost skipped a beat
Hinata looked in the direction Ino was looking and saw Naruto, she was also surprised, but upset, Sakura was holding onto his arm, why did he have to like her? Couldn't he see that she was just as good as Sakura? Or was she? She looked at herself and then at Sakura in her red dress, her perfect hair and flawless skin, and to top it all off, her emerald green eyes, who was she kidding, Sakura was better than her in each and every way, she was even a better medical ninja
"Naruto is sooo hot! Sakura is lucky, I wouldn't mind to be holding onto Naruto myself" Ino said with a grin, not realizing Hinata was very depressed "Oh well, I knew they were going to end up together, it was only a matter of time" Ino looked at Hinata for a moment and noticed her condition, then it hit her, she just remembered how Hinata had had a crush on Naruto ever since they were kids, much like how Naruto had his on Sakura since they were kids. Ino felt bad for her "Hey, want to go see a movie? I can get Shikamaru to join us and I bet Kiba would come too"
"I don't know, I don't really feel up to it"
"Nonsense, you're coming" Ino said while dragging Hinata along "It's time this girl got over Naruto, and I think I know how" Ino though evilly as a grin crept up on her face as she thought up a plan, and Shikamaru was going to help, even if he didn't know it yet
Shikamaru suddenly had a chill run through his body "I have a feeling something troublesome is about to happen"
Meanwhile Shizune and an ANBU team were patrolling the perimeter as per Tsunade's orders, they were walking near the coast line
"What do you think about these night ninja's?" one of the ANBU members asked
"I don't know, no one has ever seen or heard of them so we don't have any idea of what they are capable of, perhaps we should ask them for some friendly sparing sessions" The other ANBU responded
"Yeah, that sounds like fun"
Shizune suddenly stopped walking, the ANBU stopped and went on guard not sure why they had stopped
"Look out there, is that a ship?" Shizune asked
"No, it looks more like a small boat, a very rundown and damaged boat" The ANBU responded
"And its coming this way, let's check it out" Shizune ordered
They all concentrated chakra to their feet and began running on the water towards the small boat, the sail was damaged and there were weapons lodged in the hull, the team boarded the boat
"It looks like this boat has been through a battle" Shizune commented looking around
"But where is the crew?" One of the ANBU asked
"Hey over here!" the other ANBU screamed out signaling them he had found something
Shizune and the other ANBU member ran towards him, they find a dead body, he had a ninja headband on him "He is a hidden in the mist Ninja" Shizune simply said
"Yeah, look, this boat is a hidden in the mist boat" One of the ANBU members said as he pointed towards a hidden mist image on one of the damaged sails
"Then what happened to him, and the crew, not to mention the boat itself"
"And what is it doing here" Shizune asked "Let's explore the inside, you stay out here and keep watch while we go in"
"Yes ma'am" the ANBU member answered
Both Shizune and the other ANBU member entered the inside of the boat, it wasn't big, but it had a lower deck, other than the wheel house. They entered the inside of the boat and found some stares that went the lower decks, they found a kitchen and a living space, and empty rooms, well almost empty, they did have dead Ninja's in them, there was also blood all over the place "What the hell happened here" Shizune said out loud
"Shizune! You have got to see this right now, I found someone, and he is alive, barely"
Shizune ran towards a room in the back where the ANBU was, and pushed him aside, and to her shock and horror, a man was wearing the Mizukage's robes "We have to inform the Hokage right away"
Back in Konoha, Naruto and Sakura were finishing up eating, some people were looking at the young pair, some couldn't believe Naruto was in something other than his ninja outfit, some couldn't believe Sakura was out with Naruto, and some of them thought they were a cute couple, whatever the reason, they had become the center of attention, it only made Sakura feel slightly embarrassed, not because she was being seen with Naruto, but of all the attention they were getting, Naruto on the other hand was just shutting everyone else out, all he saw was Sakura, that's all he really needed to care about really. The night was proceeding perfectly, but they were almost done eating and it kind of made him sad. It would mean that the night would end "Hey Sakura Chan, do you think after we are done eating, that maybe we could, I don't know, take a walk together? You know, away from all the people?" It was a long shot, but he wanted to try anything to extend the night
Sakura stared at him, and smiled "I would love too" She simply said while a very slight blush crept up on her face
Naruto smiled back at her, she had agreed! She had agreed! If he could have gotten away with it, he would have jumped all around the room in joy, but of course, he fought the urge, they finished up their meal and left the restaurant after Naruto paid
Sakura was holding onto his arm and laid her head against his shoulder, she couldn't feel any happier or safer at that very moment, she was thinking about how much time she wasted by ignoring Naruto and only seeing him as a friend
They were now walking near the river that went through the village, there was a huge Sakura flower tree in bloom near the water "How about we stop here and sit down, watch the stars" Naruto asked
"I would love too, it's so nice and warm tonight" she answered warmly
They both sat down at the foot of the Sakura tree, and began to stare at the stars, Sakura was sitting in between Naruto's legs with her back against his chest
Meanwhile, Shikamaru, Kiba, Ino and Hinata were just exiting the movie theatre "So you got the plan, right?"
Shikamaru sighs "Why do you want to try and hook them up, Hinata has no interest in him anyway"
"Yes she does, she just doesn't know it yet, and he likes her, so we just need to give her a nudge in the right direction! Naruto is taken and she needs to get over him" Ino responded
"You know, you're really troublesome"
"Oh shut up, you know I am right, now are you going to help me or not?"
"You know I can't say no, so yeah, I will help you, but you owe me"
"How about a date with me eh?" She said with a grin
"And how is that a good thing?"
Ino kicked him, it caused him to grin slightly
While they were talking, Kiba and Hinata were having a conversation of their own
"What did you think of the movie? I love the part when they find out the truth, and it's not what anyone expected it to be" Kiba said
"Yeah I guess" She said simply, she was still thinking about Sakura and Naruto, and how they looked so good together, as if they were meant to be together "Why couldn't it have been me hanging onto his arm" she though and sighed
"Hey, so what are you doing tomorrow? Maybe we could all hang out together, right Shikamaru?" Ino said nudging him
Shikamaru sighed "Yeah, it could be…Interesting"
"I have nothing planned, what did you guys have in mind?" Kiba asked
"I don't know, but I am sure that we can think of something to do, what do you think Hinata? I know you're not working because we are both off tomorrow, so what do you say?"
Hinata didn't look interested in the idea, but she didn't want to seem rude to her friends "I don't have any plans, so I guess it's alright"
"Perfect!" Ino said grinning, she was going to make those 2 fall for each other, even if it killed them
"Oh boy, she has that look in her eyes…How troublesome" Shikamaru thought to himself, but he couldn't help but smile, she had good intentions, Ino had changed a lot since they became a team all those years ago, he remembered when it was Sasuke this, and Sasuke that, you could not say one bad thing about him without getting an ear full, she also only thought about herself and even put her needs in front of others, hell, she went to war with her best friend Sakura over Sasuke, but now she and Sakura had mended their relationship, and Ino was thinking of others and trying to help them out, and although he would never admit it, he though she was kind of cute, however, she was much too troublesome
End Chapter 8
That's all for now, thanks for reading, hope you all enjoyed it :) don't forget the three R's Read Rave Review!