TIA

Feelings and Discoveries

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Yamanaka Flower Shop;

Ino is currently working in her families shop while awaiting customers but business was slow that afternoon but something big is approaching this peaceful flower shop and whatever it is good or bad, it is big. It was almost dinner time when it came in, "Welcome to our shop!" Ino spoke in a cheerful voice, "How can we help~ SASUKE-KUN!"

Sasuke was real mess, his hair was messy and ragged while his skin was covered in sweat and his clothes weren't any better. It looked like he went through a storm and kept on going; Naruto warned Sasuke that using that burst of Chakra didn't harm him that time but one must never ignore the costs as it happened to him slowly and painfully. He had been trashing through dirty alleyways and down stairs but this new Sasuke kept on going with his Sensei's orders in mind. "What happened to you Sasuke-kun!? Did Sensei put you through~ mmph...?" Ino stopped her ranting when Sasuke placed his finger on her lips efficiently silencing her.

"Sensei...koff..." Sasuke spoke through his exhaustion, "and I...fought with...Big Brother and a...cough...guy called Kisame. We won...and they are...gone...but I had to...use my...curse mark to...save myself from...a Genjutsu that Big...Brother tried to use. Sensei told me...to go here...and give these...seals to your family. Okay?" Ino nodded through her tears and took the bag of seals from Sasuke, "Now I may...pass out, so...Ino," Sasuke said to grab Ino's attention, "You were...the girl for me so...koff...I wish that...I can see you...become strong to...follow your heart...that is what Sensei taught...me so please...take me...to the hospital...I am counting...on you." And on cue, Sasuke fell unconscious and Ino felt like fainting but managed to fight it and win with enough energy to deliver him there. Once they were at the entrance, the staff took over and Ino only asked to be around him for moment's time every day to tell he is doing okay. Everyone had not room to argue so they agreed.

Yamanaka Family House;

"Hello! Is anyone home!?" Ino yelled once she entered through the front door to notice that no one was in sight. Until Inoichi Yamanaka, Ino's Father appeared from one of the halls. "Ino? What happened? You were not in the store when I came to check on you and why do you have a bag in your hand?" Inoichi asked while waiting for a big lecture that always came out of his daughter's mouth yet, "Well daddy, I was at the store when Sasuke-kun came in originally holding the bag." Ino started out slowly while hoping that she isn't insulting the request she got from Sasuke and surprised her father, "He told me something about fighting a pair of ninjas, one of them was his older brother and that they left and Sensei told him to come to the store, probably to gain my attention in the matter and gave the bag to me saying it has seals Sensei makes inside." Ino finished her story and her father looked at the seals that were inside the bag,

"These seals I only saw only once before it was stolen," Inoichi said confusing Ino; her father saw one of these before? "These were to be used so we can establish a mental link between all ninja without worrying about any wasted use of our Chakra! Your Sensei must have learned about this in order to make them. I am going to ask him once he returns, still Ino I am proud that you turned out to be a good girl for following orders from your new Sensei; he knew that these seals will come in handy for us ninjas." Ino felt like her heart was rising in happiness from the praise she was receiving from her father, "Go and rest up, you have a rough afternoon. I have to go and let the elders know about this development, rest assured I will be done in time for dinner." Ino nodded and went to her room for a good nap for a few hours while her father had another Yamanaka to run the store.

With Naruto and Jiraiya;

"Are you sure that leaving that bag full of impressive seals in the hands of an Uchiha, Gaki?" Jiraiya asked his companion. It is what he was wondering about since they left right after they cleaned after the attack of those rogue ninjas. "In trust him as much as I trust all my students." Naruto answered with no hesitation, "I am confident that I have reached for the real Sasuke and freed him of the darkness. If he would fall to it again, I will be the one to face him again." Jiraiya had seen the Sasuke that was Naruto's student and saw no more loneliness or hatred in his eyes; it seems that Naruto's teaching has done the trick and he even witness him forced to do a difficult decision to save his student. "Anyways, have you been practicing that jutsu like I told you?" "I was when I had a couple of visitors trying to kidnap me." Naruto answered plainly that had no room for arguments so Jiraiya just rubbed his temples.

"So..." Naruto spoke again, "Is there anything we can look for to find your former teammate?" Jiraiya scratched his head, "She is very beautiful even among women famous for their looks but she doesn't wish to age gracefully and she is the same age as me." That left Naruto thinking that this Tsuande uses a special version of the Henge to mask her real appearance. That meant that he will be looking for a woman that looks young for her age and their first stop was the town.

"Okay gaki," Jiraiya got Naruto's attention, "I am going to every bar and casino because Tsuande loves those places the most while you train here. You may take a break if your body can't move or when it is meal time. Than return to where we will be staying; here is the address." Jiraiya gave Naruto a piece of paper with address to an inn a short distance into town; he then put it into his pocket and went for training.

Later that day Jiraiya thought that if he would do his perverted habits, so he did what he said; he gathered info about his teammate and found out that she wasn't in town but he did find out where she went. So he went to find Naruto to see craters and rocks piled on themselves but no sign of Naruto. "Oi (Hey) Gaki where are youuuuu~!?" Jiraiya move d out of the way of five rock slabs to fall on the last on the ground. "What are you trying to do? Make me a sandwich!?" Jiraiya stoke the earth stack in anger only for it to separate and for the Sennin to fall through.

"Hmm...Interesting..." Jiraiya heard mumbling and saw the boy with a notebook, Naruto. "I can disrupt an opponent's balance by levitating the stones...hmm..." "What is the big idea Gaki!? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Jiraiya bellowed angrily, "Well I won't have that happen before you finally started teaching and godfathering me; no wonder Tsuande didn't fall for you." Naruto said casually that really pushed the Sennin's buttons.

The Next Day,

"I still can't believe it Gaki." Jiraiya said to a giddy Naruto and his wallet stuffed to capacity with yen (Japanese Money: 10 yen roughly equals 1 dollar) from the last casino that Tsuande was until she left. He noticed a coin on the ground and through he tried out on the machine and by the luck of the gods; he got a jackpot so he also tried out the rest of the slot machines and ran the owner dry of coins. Luckily for him, he used seals on his wallet that it can store up to a billion yen despite its small size.

"Well you better Ero-Sennin, and also the fact that we find this teammate of yours so I can use whatever this gift is to help her debts." Naruto remarked back as Jiraiya was once again unable to argue; this is embarrassing that a Sennin keeps getting outwitted by a 14-year old (yes Naruto is fourteen). "Anyway, we are in luck because I am sure that we are in the same town as Tsuande as no one has seen her leave since she had arrived." Jiraiya explained to change the subject and Naruto smiled yet he went towards a bar.

"Gaki! What are you doing!? You are too young to be in a bar ~OWW!" Jiraiya ranted until he received a hit on the head and where the sun doesn't shine by the boy in question. "When you brag about your tracking and info gathering skills, you always said that a bar is the best place to start with. So I am being a good boy and doing that." Naruto scolded until, "And I just found what we are looking for." Naruto pointed to a blonde, mid aged woman with a younger raven haired with her inside the bar which pecked Jiraiya's excitement. "Tsuande-hime!"

The woman in question turned towards hearing the way her name was used but then noticed Naruto and thought of something huge. 'He can be the one. My leader."

End of Chapter 8

*Here is another chapter to The Inventor's Apprentice! I know that i promise to show why i am making this story a crossover between Naruto and Toriko but except the reason to be in the tenth chapter once i am finished with it. Thank you!*