Chapter 26

He was panting heavily after that impact. He takes two steps forward, the blond woman's attention turns to him.

"He.. hit you with that technique, yet you can still move?" She inquires, panting herself.

He snickers and steps forward again. "I accumulated chakra to my abdomen, and began healing myself before I took the hit." He replies smugly. "Orochimaru-sama does not favor me because of my techniques or sense... but because of my unrivaled regeneration. The ability to activate my cells and create new ones." He takes yet another two steps forward. "It seems that technique was Naruto-kun's last resort..."

Naruto lay on the ground whimpering in pain, yet unconscious at the same time. The blond woman gives the grey-haired boy a glare. The grey-haired boy- Kabuto.

Kabuto steps forward again with a snigger, but then suddenly he stops with a cringe, his eyes widen, and his glasses crack. He falls to his knees and falls completely, his face to the ground, his eyes wide, completely immobilised.

Upon a twitch of Naruto's hand, the woman leans down and puts her ear against his chest, listening for a heartbeat. She gasps and sits up straight in panic. "He has arrhythmia!"

She unzips his jacket and puts one hand on his chest, the other on his stomach.

"Damn it, his heart muscles are torn up. How did it happen?" She panics. She clenches a fist and puts two fingers over Naruto's heart, starting her mystical palm technique to attempt to heal it.

Kabuto shakes slightly and lifts his head up smirking. "Naruto-kun cannot be saved. The organ that converts the Chakra of the Nine-Tails into power.. The heart. I cut up the Chakra circulatory system in his heart, with everything I had. It was to eliminate the possibility for him to heal on his own. There's no way he can recover!"

...

"Setsuki-chan~"

I blink a few times, snapping out of my daze.

"Heh, you realize you're just standing in the middle of the street in a complete daze.. right?"

"Sakura-chan?" I ask. She giggles.

"Yeah, it's me." She says. "...? What's with that look?"

"S-Sakura-chan, I think something bad happened.." I say, becoming concerned.

"Huh?" Her face turns serious. "Like what?"

"I.. don't know.. I just get the feeling.." I say, scratching my arm, then realizing I have goosebumps.

Sakura shakes her head with a slight laugh. "You're just imagining it." She says. I look back at her.

"But.. Naruto-kun, I feel like something has happened to hi-"

"Listen Setsuki, this kind of thing happens all the time. It's just your subconscious, you've been separated too long, now you're worrying that something's happened to him. It's because you miss him." She explains. I relax a little.

"If you say so." I reply.

"So, I heard you were knocked out yesterday, hm?" She mentions.

"Y-yesterday? You mean I've been unconscious over night!" I question. Sakura laughs with a nod.

"Yes! You ought to be more careful you know. You got lucky this time it was only a small wound which they fixed up in like 10 minutes." She says. I rub the back of my head and wince.

"It still hurts..." I groan.

"Well obviously. Have you been home yet?"

".. No..?"

"Well I think you should. You need a shower, sleeping in that ghastly thing all night." She says. I frown.

"Pfft, call it what you want!" I say, pointing at her. "It is awesome, and nothing will change that!"

"Oh..? Reaaaally?" She chimes.

"Hai." I reply with a nod.

"Not even.. a visit to the Hot Water Village?" She asks. I only began listening as she said water.

"What about water?" I inquire, giving her an interested look. She rolls her eyes.

"The Land of Hot Water! I hear they have great hot springs there, and that they heal fatigue and apparently it's good for your beauty." She says, flicking her hair with her hand femininely. "I'm sure if we go, then we're bound to get a lot of boys' attention!"

"But uh.. I don't really want boy's attention... I already have Daisuke-kun trying to have me as his girlfriend." I say.

"Daisuke? That blonde guy on your team?" She asks. I nod. "Oh, well.. better boys!"

"Like who?"

She giggles. "Like Sasuke-kun." She says.

"But.. Sasuke-chan's too young for me."

"... Teehee that means less competition for me~" She chimes.

"What about Lee-san?" I mention.

"Well... I don't know why, but if you want him after you then that's fine too." She says. I shake my head.

"No no, I meant, why don't you go out with Lee-san? He really likes you Sakura-chan." I say.

"Yeeah, but.. I don't know.. I mean, he's not really.. my type." She says.

I frown. "It's because of his eyebrows, isn't it?" I groan.

"Whaa? No... no of course not." She says, her eyes turning to avoid mine. I just stare at her with a frown. "... Okay, maybe his eyebrows are a little too big for my liking.."

"AHA! I KNEW IT!" I exclaim.

"BUT! I still think he's a good guy! It's just.. I like Sasuke-kun." She says. I sigh, I suppose you can't really force someone to like someone, it's a natural thing.

"It's alright. I understand." I reply, giving her a small smile. "So the Hot Water Village, eh?"

"Hai! Me and the girls were planning it out. You wanna come along?" She asks.

"Hai! Is there someone coming to supervise us, or are we going on vacation?" I ask.

"Oh, Kurenai-sensei offered to take us girls. It's going to be great! No boys to spy on us either!" She exclaims.

"I'm definitely coming! When are we leaving?" I inquire.

"At 11am. We're meeting up at the village gates. Kurenai-sensei says it'll take about 5 hours to get there, and we'll be allowed to stay there for a night too!" She says.

"Great! What time is it now?" I ask.

"Uh.. maybe 10?"

"THEN I MUST PACK! I WILL MEET YOU AT THE VILLAGE GATES AT 11AM ON THE DOT!" I exclaim, saluting her. She sweatdrops.

"Setsuki I-.. Setsuki?"

I was now running home to pack. Sakura face palms.

I burst in through the door and runs straight down the hallway to my bedroom and grab the backpack out from under my bed and plop it on my bed then open my wardrobe and search through it.

"Hey hey! What's all the noise?" Takashi questions, walking up to my bedroom door, standing in the doorway.

"I'M GOING T-"

"INSIDE VOICE!"

"... I'm going to the Hot Water Village with Sakura-chan!" I exclaim, grabbing a few of my favorite blue shirts and 2 pairs of my dark blue pants and stuffing them inside my backpack as well as I could, then go and grab an extra bra.

"Waaait wait wait, the Hot Water Village? Is someone going with you?"

"I think Sakura-chan said Kurenai-sensei is coming." I say.

He folds his arms and leans against the door frame as I stuff the bra in my backpack too. "Any boys going that I don't know about..?"

I frown. "Nooooo. It's a girl's vacation!" I exclaim, going to my dresser to get some underwear.

"Ah, that's what you tell me now." He says with a small chuckle. I turn to him and poke my tongue out childishly, he just laughs more.

"Yeah yeah." I groan, then stuff the underwear in my bag too, then throw a book in there in case I get bored, but like that'll happen. I then pick the backpack up and throw one strap over my shoulder and walk into the kitchen and grab a canteen and fill it up then throw that in there too. Then I had to try and close it..

"You shouldn't just stuff things in there, you should learn to pack neatly." Takashi says.

"I'll get it! Believe it!" I exclaim, still trying.

".. You've been hanging around that Kyuu-"

"His name's Naruto!" I exclaim over the top of him, annoyed.

"Well whatever. You've been around him too much, you're beginning speak like him." He says. "Speaking of which, I haven't seen him for a while."

"He's out with Jiraiya-sama to find Tsunade-sama to become Hokage." I say.

"They let him out of the village..?" Takashi mutters to himself.

"Well, I gotta get going, it's close to 11. I'll be back tomorrow sometime." I say, then walk over and peck his cheek. "Love you~"

Takashi smiles and kisses my forehead. "Love you too. Now be safe." He says.

I nod. "Hai, I will. See ya!" I say, then literally jump through the window and run off to the village gates.

I waited around for 30 minutes.. I guess I left too early, but oh well, at least I wont be late. I was doing sit ups by the time Kurenai-sensei arrives.

"Oh? Well aren't we an eager one? Setsuki, wasn't it?" She asks.

"Huh?" I sit up and smile at her. "Yup! Gai-sensei says I must look after my figure, and train up my muscles!" I exclaim.

"Ah." She laughs slightly. "Gai, huh? Hah, I can clearly see you have taken a liking to him, the way you're dressed.. half like him." She mentions. I blink then look at my suit and laugh.

"Yep! In my opinion Gai-sensei is the best Jonin in all of Konohagakure!" I exclaim.

Kurenai-sensei puts a hand on her hip. "Oh.. well in that case..."

I blink a few times, then jump to my feet, waving my hands about. "A-after you, of course!" I say, feeling like I just insulted her.

She just merely laughs and puts a hand on my head, ruffling my hair slightly. "It's alright. So by the look of your backpack, you're coming too?"

"Hai! Sakura-chan told me about it!" I say.

"Hm. Very well." She says with a smile. "The other girls shouldn't be too far away. It's almost 11."

"Hai..." I stood there, spacing out for a second. "Must keep training!" I sit back down and resume my sit ups. Kurenai-sensei shakes her head smiling.

"Kurenai-sensei, I'm here!" Ino calls, running over.

"Oh, hello Ino." Kurenai-sensei replies.

".. Setsuki? You're coming t-" Ino stops talking and sighs. "I really refuse to be seen around you wearing that g-"

"Ghastly thing. Meh!" I say, ending her sentence while still doing sit ups.

"Alright we're here!" Sakura calls, walking up to us beside Hinata. I sit up again.

"Is this all of us? What about Tenten? Is she coming?" I ask.

"Yes yes, Tenten is coming too." Kurenai-sensei says.

I look around in my sitting position, then after deciding she'll be late, I put my hands behind my head and lay back down for a moment, with my eyes closed.

I heard giggles and open my eyes, seeing Tenten's face upside down, inches from mine. My eyes widen. "WAHHHHHH!" I jump to my feet and cling to the closest person – Hinata.

Tenten cracks up laughing. "Slacking off already? We haven't even left yet, Setsuki!" Tenten laughs.

"E-e-ermm.. S-Setsuki-san.." Hinata stutters. I blink.

"Oh.. eh heh.." I let go of her and stand up straight.

"Alright, are we all set?" Kurenai-sensei inquires.

"Hai!" We all reply. Kurenai-sensei smiles.

"Alright, it's 11am on the dot, lets head out." She says, and we follow as she starts walking.

"Did'ja know these hot springs are meant to make you appear more beautiful?" Ino says to Sakura who she is walking beside, they are walking behind Kurenai, I was walking beside Tenten, and Hinata on the other side of me.

"Yes! And when we get back Sasuke-kun's going to absolutely fall in love with me!" Sakura replies.

Ino's eye twitches. "How the hell would he like someone like you?" Ino questions.

"I'm on his team! He's more likely to love me, than you, Ino pig!" Sakura gushes.

"Yeah! Well he's only bound to notice you more because your big billboard brow will be in the way!" Ino gushes back. I sweatdrop.

"What'd you say!"

"You heard me!" Ino gushes.

"Girls.." Kurenai-sensei sighs. Sakura and Ino growl at each other, before looking away from each other with a 'hmph!'.

"Sure glad we're not like that, eh Setsuki." Tenten sniggers.

"Yup. I.. get that kind of thing enough from my clones anyway." I say.

"So girls." Kurenai-sensei says, looking back at us all with a slight smirk. We all give her clueless expressions. "Got any crushes, aside from the obvious?" She inquires, looking at Sakura and Ino, then us three at the back.

Hinata's face turns red and she presses her index fingers together. My eyes widen. "My gosh Hinata-chan! Are you alright?" I question. Tenten laughs.

"No Setsuki, that's called a blush." Tenten says.

".. Blush?" I ask.

"... Seriously?" She asks, frowning at me. I blink. "A blush is when your cheeks go red from thinking about the person you like, or if you're near them."

"WHAT?" I shout, remembering what happened earlier at the hospital. "B-but I don't like Lee-san in that way!" I say.

"YOU DO LIKE LEE!" Tenten exclaims.

"Of course she does!" Ino exclaims. "Don't you remember that day when we over heard them talking?"

"No pig, Setsuki doesn't like Lee. She told me." Sakura says.

"Watch it billboard." Ino growls.

"Then, who do you like, Setsuki?' Tenten inquires. I put a finger to my chin.

"I've.. never really thought about it." I say. They sweatdrop.

"Naw come on, a girl your age has to have developed at least one crush." Kurenai-sensei says. "We're all girls here, we have to have these sorts of conversations."

"But I don't like anyone!" I say.

"Alright, we'll take your word for it.. For now." Kurenai-sensei says. "So Hinata, is it still who I'm thinking of..?"

"H-hai.." Hinata quietly replies.

"Who who?" Sakura questions.

"Hinata would rather keep it a secret." Kurenai-sensei giggles.

"Well as for me, SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura shouts.

"NO, SASUKE-KUN'S MINE!" Ino shouts.

"Alright, and you Tenten?" Kurenai-sensei inquires.

"M-me?" Tenten asks, getting the slightest tint of pink on her face. She scratches her cheek. "I'm.. in the same boat as Setsuki. I've never really thought about it."

"Tenten..?" I ask.

"Yeah?"

"We're not in a boat, we're walking on a footpath.." I mention. Tenten face palms.