Dream Walkin'
Chapter 5: A Day Off (Part 2)
Naruto's Apartment – Time: 09:00 am
Ino finally woke up, after her pillow finally dispelled. She sat up in the bed, wrapping the sheet around her body, and looked around. She saw a set of her usual gear, sitting on the chest of drawers, and a smile came to her face, thinking of Naruto sending a clone out to get her stuff. She is soon broken out of her reverie by the smell of breakfast cooking. So she went and showered, before dressing and heading into the kitchen.
"Something sure smells good," she commented as she noticed Naruto in front of the range, "Did the pervert teach you to cook, too?" She looked over his shoulder to see eggs cooking and bacon frying on the stove.
"He didn't just teach me jutsu," Naruto reminded her, "He also taught me a lot of what it meant to actually be a grown up. He took those three years to not just train me, but to raise me, too. That's something I had never had." He walked over and set a plate down for Ino, before making his own. "He always did say I needed to eat more than ramen. So, he insisted that I learn to cook."
"You really have changed a lot since you left with Jiraiya," Ino noted, "Sure, the change was noticeable when you came back. However, I think the time when I really noticed it was when you came to our aid against Kakuzu. There was something different about you there, a determination that I hadn't seen in you. Of course, I had heard about your fight with Gaara during the Chunin exams, and against Sasuke during the retrieval mission. Lady Tsunade told us just how bad you were injured during that fight. You never fought for revenge or for any other reason than to protect those you cared for. I guess I considered myself lucky to be among those people."
"You really surprised me, too, Ino," the blonde male said, "Especially in how you helped during the war. I doubt that, if you hadn't been around to get word out to the rest of the alliance, we would have been able to win at all. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for at times." He takes a drink then turns back to Ino. "So, what does your day look like today?"
"I have one appointment today, a PTS patient," the mind-walker replied, "Yugao Uzuki. She had to fight Hayate during the war, and has been having trouble coping since."
"I had read something about that," Naruto thought out loud, "damn Kabuto and the Edo Tensei. Sometimes I wonder what caused the Second Hokage to even consider creating that jutsu."
"It has caused a lot of problems, once it got into the wrong hands, especially Orochimaru and Kabuto. It's given me and other therapists a lot of PTSD patients to deal with."
"Any chance I can sit in?" Naruto asks, "I know the Hokage normally reads the therapy reports, but I'd like to see how you work. Plus, I'd like to talk to Yugao myself, if possible."
"Sure," Ino responded, "I don't see why not."
The rest of breakfast went in comfortable silence. Naruto considered what to do with the rest of the day after Ino's appointment, and Ino thinking about the coming appointment, and how best to help Yugao.
Ino's Office – Time: 10:30 hours
Naruto sat in the office, off to the side, listening to Yugao talk about the mission, during the war, where she had to face off against a resurrected Hayate Gekko, the lover she lost over 3 years ago, prior to the Sand/Sound invasion during the Chunin Exams. To say that he felt for her would be an understatement. Ino sat in her chair in front of the couch where Yugao lay and recounted the mission to the letter, almost as if she were giving a mission report.
"You told me this before, Yugao," Ino said to the former ANBU agent, "What I'm trying to get through to you is, I need to know what you felt, during these events."
"What I felt?" Yugao began, "I felt as if my own heart was shattering again, like it did after he died. Kabuto knew just who to bring back to have the worst psychological effect on us, Ino, and he got that effect by making me have to face Hayate. My heart was breaking during that fight, but I was also furious at the one who made this all happen. Now, I just don't know what to feel. I was relieved when the Edo Tensei was released, so Hayate's spirit could finally find peace, but it also felt like losing him all over again."
Ino looked over at Naruto, who was looking like he wanted to say something. Of course, she remembered him saying he wanted to talk to Yugao, so she nodded for him to interject.
"How long were you and Hayate together, Yugao?" Naruto asked, "From one person who's lost a loved one to another." Naruto walked over and sat down beside Yugao on the couch, looking at her with the eyes of someone who understood her pain.
"Since we were in the academy," Yugao answered, "I was also with him when the doctors at the hospital diagnosed his respiratory condition. I'm sure you saw the way he was coughing during the Chunin Exams. He was already dying from that. He had maybe another 2 or 3 years left before it finally claimed him."
"And Hayate was a proud shinobi, right?"
"As proud as they come."
"I have a feeling that he wouldn't want to go out to some disease, if he was that proud of being a shinobi," the future Hokage stated, "Also, he wouldn't want you to suffer through watching his health deteriorate. I've talked to Tsunade about these things at length. These things are tough on the patient, but even more so on their loved ones, who have to watch them slowly die every day, once the disease becomes terminal. Hayate went out as a shinobi, during the Chunin exams. He wouldn't want you to suffer through watching him slowly wither away. He also wouldn't want you to give up on your life either. That's what I'd like to think, at least. I know that pervert of a godfather of mine wouldn't have wanted me to just give up when he passed. I look to him as a source of strength, even to this day. Never forget how you felt for Hayate, Yugao, but use those feelings and memories as a source of strength. And look to your friends, too. I'm sure I've heard that Kurenai and Anko are worried about you. You still have people that care about you. Believe it or not, Kurenai could also be one you could confide in as well. She knows your feelings all too well, after losing Asuma."
"I'll think about that, Naruto, thank you," Yugao replied, "I'll see if Kurenai and Anko want to get together tonight."
"That should work well for you. Also, find me at the Hokage's office in a few days. I have something I'd like to talk to you about, but it's not a dire emergency, so it can wait a while."
"And that's why you'll soon be Hokage, Naruto," Ino said, with a slight laugh, "Your ability as a ninja may be legendary, but that, combined with your empathy with people is what is going to get you the Hokage's hat."
"Thanks, Hime," Naruto nodded, as Yugao got up and started to walk to the door.
"Come see me again this time next week, Yugao," Ino told the purple haired woman, "I want to know how everything went, and how you're feeling after. Naruto's right. Go out with your friends, and have a good time. Lean on them for support, and believe me, you'll feel a lot better." Yugao nodded and left the office. "What do we do now?" she then asks her blonde boyfriend.
"I was just thinking something, Hime," said blonde smiled, "Hiashi's party for Kiba and Hinata was way too stuffy, and just not….us. US being our group. I think it's high time WE threw them an engagement party ourselves. Something less stuffy, and more fun."
"So, you want to get all our friends together for a BETTER engagement party for them?" Ino inquired, "Where?"
"Training ground 19. The one with the huge lake in it, where everyone goes to practice water jutsu."
"Oh, I like this idea. Want me to get everyone together?"
"You get the girls, Hime," Naruto told her, "I'll get the guys. I'll send some clones out, but I have a feeling I'll need to go personally to drag Sasuke there. Tell them, since we're going to the lake, to bring a swimsuit, too. I'll have some clones set up everything for a bonfire, and we can just spend the night having fun, and toasting Kiba and Hinata."
"Ok, what time?"
"Say, 7:00? I'll tell Baa-chan that we need the training ground for tonight, too. Want me to come get you at your place at 5?"
"Make it 4," Ino tells him, with a smile on her face. She then leaves her office, with Naruto not far behind. Outside the hospital, Ino heads off to find the girls, while Naruto makes a small army of shadow clones.
"I want one each to find Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Shino. The rest, split up evenly into 3 groups. One group go get some coolers and drinks. One will go grab food. The other will head to training ground 19 and start setting stuff up. I want a pyre for a bonfire that they'll be able to see from Kumo. I'll go see Baa-chan, then go find Sasuke myself," Naruto ordered his clones.
"Right," the clone army answered and split off.
All over Konoha, it became apparent that something was happening, what with the small army of Narutos running around.
Ino
Tenten, Sakura, Temari and Hinata were rather easy to find, as they had gotten together for lunch at a tea house in the market district. "Hey, Piggy," Sakura said to her best friend, "I thought you might be with Naruto all day today."
"Actually, Naruto had an idea that I like," Ino replied, "No offense to your dad, Hinata, but that engagement party he threw for you and Kiba was a little stuffy. So, Naruto and I decided to throw you two one, more fitting of our generation. He's taking care of set up and letting the guys know."
"You know, a party does sound fun," Tenten laughed, "We could use a chance to cut loose for a while. Where at and when, Ino?"
"Training ground 19, 07:00 this evening," the blonde bombshell informed her friends, "The one with the huge lake. Also, since we'll be at the lake, bring a swimsuit. Speaking of the guys, though, Sakura, we may need your help. Naruto's going to tell Sasuke, but we may need you to drag his ass there. Seriously, we're at peace now, and the mission load isn't nearly as bad as it was before the war. One would think he'd like to take a break from all the training."
"I'll make sure he's there," Sakura stated, "This is going to be fun."
"It's been fun, girls," Temari noted, getting up, "But I've got to go meet my brothers at the gate. Mind if I bring them to the party tonight?"
"Mind? Gaara and Naruto are practically brothers," Ino shot back at the Suna nin, "You'd better bring them with you tonight." Temari left the tea house with a smile, headed to the main gate, while the other girls gossiped about life in general, Tenten wanting to know more about Ino and Naruto, especially.
Naruto
"Hey, Baa-chan," the blonde future Hokage said from the window, surprising Tsunade to the point where she spat tea across the room, "Nice distance, by the way."
"I thought I gave you the day off," the busty Hokage said to her successor, "Weren't you going to spend it with Ino?"
"Ino and I are throwing a party for our friends tonight, and I needed to talk to you about it," Naruto answered, "We're having it at training ground 19."
"Don't worry about a thing," she told the young man, "I've got it covered. I take it this is why I've been hearing about an army of you running around the village?"
"Yeah. They're getting the stuff we need, plus I have a group of clones setting up the training ground for the party, and letting the guys know. Ino's telling the girls."
"You guys have fun, ok? I'll see you tomorrow. At least be here by noon, ok?"
"OK, see ya, Baa-chan." Naruto then jumped out the window and headed off in the direction of the Uchiha home.
Time skip – Ino's Apartment – 04:00pm.
Naruto knocked on Ino's door, and she showed him in. "Thank Kami you're here," she said, greeting him with a kiss, "I need your help." Naruto had chosen a pair of black and orange trunks and a black tank top shirt to wear. Ino looked him over, giving an approving nod. Over the years of training, Naruto had built himself up a rather muscular, yet lean and sculpted physique. He didn't look like a bodybuilder, by any sense of the word, but he sure had some well-defined muscles in his chest, shoulders and arms.
"With what, Hime?" He asked, following her into the bedroom, where she had a number of bikinis spread out on the bed, "Oh...I see." He gave her a smile. "You need help choosing one, right?"
"I figured it'd be fun to get your opinion," she grinned, "You tell me which one you like best."
"Hmm," he thinks out loud, "Knowing you, Ino-hime, there's nothing you won't look amazing in. However." He picks up the scarlet red top and thong bottoms, "Why not let me see how you look in this one."
"Go in the living room, and I'll be out in a minute." Naruto walked out of the bedroom and sat down on the sofa, waiting. Roughly 5 minutes passed and Ino soon walked out of the bedroom in the swimsuit. The blonde male's jaw hit the floor as she walked over and did a turn for him to see how the suit looked on her figure.
"I said it earlier, Ino," Naruto just said, "There's nothing that you wouldn't look amazing in, and I was right." To say Ino was gorgeous was a monstrous understatement. But put that suit, on that body, with her long legs, 34c cup breasts and hourglass figure, and Naruto swore he'd go deaf from all the cat calls and wolf whistles coming from the fox in his head. Naruto himself was wide eyed when she came out of the bedroom. After she showed how it hugged her curves to him, he extended a hand to her, which she promptly took, and he pulled her into his lap, wrapping her up in his arms. What started out as a kiss quickly erupted into an intense make out session. The two stayed like that for several minutes, only breaking apart for the necessity of air. "What are you gonna wear to the training ground?" he asked.
"I had that set out, too," Ino responded to his question, "Hang on." She got up from his lap and walked back into the bedroom, coming out in a tight fitting white tank top, and a pair of short, cut off, jeans shorts, with a pair of gray heels. (A/N: YES, I put Ino in a pair of Daisy Dukes. Those legs would look awesome in them.) Again, Naruto had the feeling that he would go deaf, just from the fox making wolf whistles.
"Cut it out, Kurama," he thought to his tenant, "I know, she's gorgeous. Hell, she's the only one I know that could make those standard uniforms from the war look good. How she did that is beyond me."
"Not only would Kushina and Minato approve, Naruto," Kurama stated back, "But that godfather of yours would be bowing down before you saying 'I'm not worthy'. I'm a fox, and I can say absolutely, that girl is a certified stunner."
"Don't we know it," Naruto nodded, then said to Ino, "Sorry, Kurama was about to drive me crazy with the catcalls and wolf whistles. " This just made her laugh, thinking of the "fearsome" nine-tailed fox doing something so ridiculous. She looked at the clock on her wall.
"We'd better get going," Ino told Naruto, "We don't want to be late to the party we're throwing, do we?"
"I guess not," the young sage responded, taking her hand, "Let's go."
Training Ground 19 – Time: 06:45 pm.
"Hey, guys," Naruto said as Tenten and Neji were the first to arrive. Neji had chosen to go with a pair of brown and white trunks with a white t-shirt, while Tenten wore a blue and silver two piece swimsuit under a pair of off-white shorts.
"Naruto," Neji Hyuga replied, "When your clone said you were throwing a party for Hinata and Kiba's engagement that was 'more befitting our age group', and at this place, too, I figured there'd be a bonfire, but THAT?" The Hyuga prodigy pointed to the pyre that his clones had built, which was made from several trees they had cut down with wind chakra. Naruto just laughed.
"I said I wanted one that could be seen from Kumo. I guess my clones took me literally."
"Damn, man," Kiba Inuzuka whistled as he and Hinata soon joined the party, "When you set things up for a party, you go all out. " Kiba had chosen to wear a gray vest, open, and a pair of black trunks.
"Thanks for doing this, Naruto, Ino" Hinata smiled. Hinata, while dressed more conservatively than Ino or Tenten would still turn heads in her lavender and white one piece swimsuit and white shorts.
"No problem. It's just our way of getting our friends together to celebrate your coming marriage," Ino replied, getting into the conversation, "We did things your Dad's way. Now we're doing them ours. Sending you two off into marriage as only we can."
It wasn't long before everyone else had arrived. Sasuke and Sakura arrived not long after Kiba and Hinata. Sasuke in a dark blue t-shirt with black trunks and Sakura in a pink and red two piece with red shorts. After them was Shikamaru and Temari, followed by Choji, Lee, and then Shino.
Just a few minutes after they thought the last people had arrived, Naruto was surprised to see Gaara walk up with Matsuri, followed by Kankurou. "Gaara," the blonde male smiled, "I didn't know you were coming to Konoha today."
"We had a meeting with Lady Tsunade," the redhead answered, "And Temari told us you were having this party. We couldn't stay away." He walked up and shook his long-time friend's hand. "It's good to see you again, my friend."
"You too, Gaara." Naruto then went over, walking up behind his girlfriend, and put his arms around her waist as the Konoha 12 and the Sand trio, all watched the sun set. It was after that, that Naruto looked over at Sasuke and said, "hey, Teme, want to do the honors of lighting this fire?"
"Thought you'd never ask, Dobe," Sasuke responded, cycling through his hand signs, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke blew a fireball at the enormous pyre that immediately caught, bathing the training field in its radiant glow. Soon, everyone had grabbed a beer from one of the coolers and Naruto clinked a kunai against his. "Guys, a minute, please?" he said, "We're here because we're friends. As friends, we celebrate the good times with each other. Kiba and Hinata are getting married soon, and I'm sure we all couldn't be happier for them. Raise your drinks, everyone." They all did so, as Naruto continued, "To Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata Hyuga. Two great friends, and their coming life together. May it be a happy one."
"Hear hear," Neji interjected.
"Now, can we get this party started?" Kiba asked, as he put his vest down by the radio that Naruto and Ino had set up. Laughter and music could be heard coming from Training ground 19 for several hours as the 15 friends all drank, danced, swam, and generally had a great time together. It would be a party, and a sendoff that none would forget anytime soon.
Time Skip – Ino's Apartment – Time: 02:00am
After everyone had left, Naruto had a group of clones clean up the training field, while he and Ino returned to her place. They soon shed their damp clothes and were in bed, snuggled up together, peacefully drifting off to sleep.
End Chapter 5
Next Chapter will have a mission, and a time skip of a few months, which will be up to Kiba and Hinata's wedding.
NEXT CHAPTER – MISSIONS AND MARRIAGE