I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Leaches, Bugs, and Fish
Almost a day after leaving Konoha, Naruto, Amaru, Shinno, Sakura, and Hinata were all sitting comfortably in canoes heading up a river, apparently the last stretch before Amaru's village.
"Amaru's village is upstream, deep in this jungle," Shinno stated. "There are some ancient ruins nearby."
"Yeah?" Naruto questioned. "Then why do we have to paddle up the river? We'd get there faster if we went on foot."
"Through a jungle like this filled with giant bugs, deadly spiders, and all kinds of bloodthirsty beasts?" Sakura questioned, clearly wanting to scare him.
"Don't worry Sakura," Naruto grinned. "I'd think about protecting you."
"You asshole!" Sakura laughed.
"Don't forget, the river's host to man-eating catfish, hungry alligators, and lots of poisonous fish as well," Shinno stated smirking.
"Poison isn't very fun but I'm not afraid of the other crap," Naruto stated. "Quick question, how come the Medical Nin and the girl that can see poison in someone's body are both sitting with the doctor and I'm stuck with the underling?"
"Hey, I'm a skilled doctor too!" Amaru snapped hitting Naruto upside the head with his paddle.
"That is very true," Shinno laughed. "And it's not a very wise idea to insult Amaru either."
"Duly noted," Naruto groaned before returning to rowing for a moment before stopping and signalling the others to do the same. "Hinata."
Hinata silently activated her Byakugan and looked into the sky.
"I see a flier out there," Hinata reported. "The kind that attacked the Leaf Village.
"Uh oh," Shinno muttered. "Under the trees, quickly!"
He and Sakura steered his under the trees but before Naruto could do the same, the ninja flew into view.
"Damn," Naruto growled before grabbing Amaru and diving into the water, flipping their boat over since the underside was simply a log.
He swam to the surface inside the boat where he and Amaru could breathe and they waited silently. After a few minutes, Naruto heard Sakura let go of the tree branch they were holding down over them so he swam out from under the boat and rolled it over, climbing in with Amaru's vest, Amaru himself having swam underwater to retrieve his dropped scalpel. Just as he pushed off the ground, his foot got caught in the plants growing there. After a couple seconds, Naruto arrived just as Amaru started to pass out. Naruto drew a kunai cutting him free then swam to the surface, lifting Amaru into their boat as Shinno pushed off of a tree, moving toward them. Just as Naruto began to pull himself into the boat, fish that looked suspiciously like piranhas began jumping around him. He dragged himself into the boat and sat down glancing at Amaru and sighing shaking his head. Without the vest on, he realized for the first time, to his shame and embarrassment, that Amaru was a girl. He looked down and his eyes widened. There was a fish latched onto his outer thigh.
"It's poison!" Amaru gasped.
"Figures," Naruto grinned. "Just drop me on shore."
"Oh yeah, and lose my reputation?" Amaru scoffed teasingly. "Yeah right."
Naruto ginned before his head suddenly spun and he black out. When he stirred again, the red in his face from the poison darkened a bit when he saw that Amaru was sucking the poison out of his leg. After a moment, Amaru applied the anti-venom then put a small bandage over the bite. Sakura checked her work with her Medical Ninjutsu and raised her eyebrows.
"Good job," Sakura commented. "It's perfect."
"Amaru," Shinno said kneeling in front of her. "I'm very proud of you."
"Thank you, Master," Amaru replied smiling and only Naruto noticed the color appearing in Amaru's cheeks.
"Hey Amaru," Naruto groaned pushing himself up, leg shaky. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Amaru smiled.
Suddenly Naruto's leg gave out but Hinata caught him, holding him up. Shinno stood gathering their things and they left, heading through the trees. After a while, Amaru took Naruto since Hinata was getting tired.
"No need to worry," Shinno called back after a time. "No bugs or wild beasts around here. We're almost to Amaru's village."
Naruto stopped and Amaru did the same, sensing that Naruto needed to take a break. They both sat down while the others continued, not noticing they were gone.
"Hey Amaru," Naruto spoke up. "Not to sound like a jerk or an idiot but...are you really...a...you know...girl?"
"Are you serious?" Amaru scoffed. "Do I really look that much like a boy?"
"Actually, yeah," Naruto stated. "It's mostly the vest and bandanna."
"Oh," Amaru sighed. "I wonder if that's the only way Doctor Shinno looks at me."
"Doctor Shinno?" Naruto questioned then grinned. "Oh, so you're secretly in love with the old man, huh?"
"Idiot!" Amaru shouted slapping him, hard, despite her face being beat red. "It's nothing like that!"
"Ow," Naruto said voice clipped. "Guess I still can't move all that good."
"Oh God, I'm sorry," Amaru apologized.
"It's okay," Naruto smirked just before Hinata started shouting.
Amaru sprinted through the trees and Naruto attempted to follow but repeatedly stumbled on one good leg and one that would barely they reached the top of a hill and could see smoke just as Amaru began running toward the village.
"Amaru!" Naruto called just as he arrived.
"Wait," Shinno called. "Don't rush into this!"
"Hold on a second!" Naruto shouted, earning no response.
They all began to rush after Amaru, Naruto's leg finally starting to work and soon came to a stone wall and followed it around to the entrance, Shinno at the head of the group and pulling away. Just as they got inside, Shinno broke into a full sprint, shoving Amaru out of the way and using his machete to block several kunai launched by crossbows triggered by a trip wire. For a moment his former ninja training served him and he was able to block them all until his machete broke and they began hitting him. Amaru stood just as it ended and Shinno turned toward her.
"Amaru," Shinno muttered. "Are you alright?"
After another moment, a tree, burning as was the rest of the remains of the village, collapsed and Shinno's legs gave out. He fell forward, tumbling down the stairs, driving several kunai further in, before Amaru caught him.
"Doctor!" Amaru pleaded setting Shinno's back on the steps carefully. "Doctor, hang in there!"
"Talk about close calls huh?" Shinno smiled down at her. "I got there just in time."
"But, why?" Amaru questioned.
"Because you're the one I recognize, as my apprentice," Shinno stated removing his bandanna and handing it to Amaru. "It's all up to you now. Work with our new friends and...find...the villagers. You must hurry. Find them. Save them."
He leaned back, breathing slowing down and Sakura rushed forward to try to save him, the shock having worn off.
"Doctor!" Amaru cried. "Doctor! Please you can't die!"
After a moment his head fell to the side and Sakura lowered her hands as Hinata squeezed her eyes shut.
"He's gone," Naruto stated.
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