Chapter 18: Toads and Talks

Sorry for the delay guys. I had to go on a business trip a couple weeks ago that set my fanfic writing back. Should hopefully be getting back to the normal schedule now. I'll do my best to get the chapters posted on the days I say they will normally be out either Wednesday/Thursday or Saturday/Sunday. But may not always manage.

First a message to the rude guest that I've had to delete the reviews of on both my Narusaku stories, mostly on the other story but in case he wants to do it again here: Stop trying. You've worn out your welcome. You just criticize my choices of names and say the story is not good. You are entitled to your opinion but you offer no constructive criticism and more the mean-spirited kind. Instead of just saying you think the story is not good maybe offer some helpful suggestions instead of just negative stuff. You also sound like you favor Naruhina in that one review on gave this story with insulting Sakura calling her abusive. That maybe true to a degree but she only hits him when he is being stupid and I personally feel he deserves it every so often, not all the time but at least some of them. Regardless I don't take advice from people like you and you are no longer welcome in my stories so stop trying to review them.

As for the rest of you please enjoy the story and offer some comments. My other story will be completed in another few chapters so I believe it might be late for suggestions there but you never know. It probably would have benefited from some but ah well.

Naruto looked at the old man in surprise. He then frowned.

"What could you possibly teach me?" he asked. "You're just a pervy old man!"

"I happen to be one of the strongest ninja alive today!" Jiraiya declared. "I am Jiraiya the Toad Sage and one of the three legendary Sannin!"

"Sannin? Never heard of them," Naruto said.

"You're kidding," Jiraiaya said.

But by the look on Naruto's face, he clearly hadn't. The Sannin sighed.

"Well, I'm gonna show you a jutsu that can allow you to get a little extra help if you need it. You probably have a fighting chance against that Hyuga kid now with your new wind techniques and sword, but you never know," Jiriaya said. "I'm gonna teach how to… wait for it… SUMMON TOADS!"

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise but he frowned again. "Why would I want to summon toads, what good could they do?"

"These are not just your typical river toads kid! These are big toads!"

He then put a hand on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A diagram of some sort appeared on the ground and a small puff of smoke appeared with a pop. Naruto fell back in surprise. When the smoke cleared, he saw he saw a big toad… as large as a man standing in front of him on all fours. It even had a large sword at its hip

"Whoa!" Naruto exclaimed. "That is cool! I'll take it!"

Jiraiya smiled. He led Naruto to a clearing in the forest and pulled out a large scroll.

"This is the contract that allows people to summon toads. You have to sign it before you can summon toads," he said.

Naruto signed the contract with the pen provided.

"There's the easy part done," Jiraiya said. "Now to actually perform the technique!"

"No sweat! I managed to learn these new wind jutsu quick! I'll have this one done in no time too!" Naruto declared with a grin.

But he was wrong.

…

Three weeks past and it was only four days till the next round of the Chunin Exams.

"Uh! Why is it so hard!" Naruto yelled frustrated.

"This is much more advanced than anything you've ever had to do until now," Jiraiya reminded him for about the fiftieth time. "You need to put a lot more chakra into it! Dig deep into your reserves! I believe you have another source of chakra that you can call upon?"

Naruto knew what he was talking about. The Nine Tailed Fox's red chakra. He remembered meeting the fox on the bridge when the chakra had burned Sakura.

"I don't want to have to rely on that," Naruto said. "It hurt Sakura."

"The chakra hurt your friend," Jiraiya told him. "Not you. It is up to you to be able to control it. With power comes responsibility, and the Leaf Village could need it one day if it hopes to survive whether they know it or not."

Naruto looked at the man and could find no fault in his reasoning. He might very well need this power again someday. He wouldn't have been able to beat Haku without it.

"Okay, I guess I have to try," Naruto said.

"You know how to call upon it now?" Jiraiya asked surprised.

"Yeah, I've been down there in that seal before," Naruto said.

He closed his eyes and entered his subconscious and saw the seal holding the cage.

"Alright you stupid fox, I'm gonna use your power at least a little," Naruto said. "Give it to me."

The fangs of the demon showed in a wide grin and Naruto saw a red flash. Returning to the outside world he felt the spark of power fill him. He then performed the motion of the summoning jutsu, bringing his hand to the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke appeared and Naruto and Jiraiya were both lifted up off the ground as a GIANT Toad appeared. It was many times bigger than the one Jiraiya had used to demonstrate the technique to Naruto, nearly the size of a small mountain. Naruto climbed to the top of the Toads head.

"I did it!" Naruto exclaimed as he jumped for joy on the back of the Toad's head.

"Yeah, you did it," Jiraiya said. "You might have actually overdone it. You summoned Gamabunta, the leader of all the toads! Even I can't handle him. He's a handful."

"Jiraiya? That you?" the giant toad asked.

"Yes," the sage said.

"Why did you summon me?" Gamabunta asked.

"I didn't, this kid here did," Jiraiya said putting a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"What?" Gamabunta exclaimed.

"It's true!" Naruto said.

Gamabunta wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't come from Jiraiya. "Hmm, you must have some potential if you were able to summon me at such a young age. You also remind me of the Fourth Hokage in his youth… are you…

"Bunta!" Jiriaya shook his head.

Understanding the message to be quiet, Gamabunta held his long tongue.

"Never mind must have been mistaken."

Jiraiya turned to Naruto. "That should do. There's four more days till the Chunin Exams, you've been working hard. I think it would be a good idea to rest for a while. Review your new jutsu and sword skills."

Naruto nodded. He'd trained a lot and he felt ready to face Nejii, now that bullying Hyuga would have a harder time against his improved chakra control, wind, sword, and summoning skills. He smiled as he thought of throwing air slashes at his enemy. Nejii may have been a ninja of this village but he had bullied Hinata, and that made him worse in Naruto's eyes then Sasuke. At least he'd grown to bond with his Uchiha rival. He'd have to see how strong they were compared to each other now. But he felt a little pain as his mind went back to a certain pink haired girl. He hadn't seen Sakura since the day their team had split up to focus on their training.

Now might be a time to rectify that.

He headed to the village and walked to Sakura's house. He knocked on the door and hoped for Sakura to answer, but instead it was her mother, Mebuki Haruno, that did so. She saw Naruto and shifted uncomfortably at the sight.

"Hi is Sakura home?" Naruto asked politely.

"No… no she's not!" Mebuki said quickly.

"Mom? Who's at the door?" Sakura's voice asked from behind as she came into view. "Naruto! Hey!"

Naruto felt a sting of disappointment as he realized Sakura's mother lied to him. She must not like him, like many of the villagers. He'd have to change her mind just like he'd change the minds of the others. His disappointment vanished as quickly as it came though as he saw his girlfriend looking back at him with a grin on her face and a blush forming on her cheeks.

"Hey!" Naruto greeted back.

Sakura stepped out and wrapped her arms around him. "It's been so long!"

"I know!" Naruto said as he returned the hug with a deep blush of his own. "Have you learned any new jutsu?"

Sakura nodded. "Kurenai Sensei has taught me a lot of new genjutsu," she suddenly felt something on his back and noticed the new weapon. "When did you get a sword?"

"Just after we started training, I've been learning to use it, as well wind style jutsu, and I can control my chakra better now so I don't use too much," Naruto said.

Sakura smiled. "Great job! I bet Sasuke is making just as much progress!"

"We'll see!" Naruto smirked. "I'd like to see how well we compare now!"

Sakura giggled. "You and your rivalry! But I'm pretty sure you'll be as good as Sasuke sooner or later!"

Naruto smirked at her. "Yeah, I'm gonna become Hokage someday!"

Somehow, he felt less enthusiastic about the idea. Like a part of his heart just wasn't in that dream anymore. The thought of all the villagers entered his mind, glaring at him with hatred for a crime he did not commit, the recent assassination attempt crossed his mind as well.

Sakura didn't notice the change as it was only slight.

"So, are you finished with your training? I finished mine with Kurenai about a week ago so I've been practicing taijutsu as well with Ino."

"Yeah, I just finished learning one final technique today," Naruto said. "So, if you're free would you like to go out?"

Sakura nodded. "It's been a while since our last date, hasn't it?"

"Sakura, I think you have some chores to do actually!" her mother objected.

"No, I got all my chores done this morning!" Sakura objected, narrowing her eyes at her mother.

She hadn't exactly told Mebuki she'd gotten together with Naruto since she'd been afraid of how her mother would react. Sakura knew she would have to have a talk with a mother.

She sighed and looked at Naruto. "Why don't you come inside? We should probably have a discussion together with my parents."

She led Naruto inside as Mebuki followed reluctantly. Her husband Kizashi was already in the living room reading a magazine. He looked up and was surprised to see Naruto with his daughter and wife. They took a seat facing each other on two sofas. Naruto and Sakura on one and her parents on the other.

"Okay, Mom, Dad," Sakura began. "I know you know what's inside Naruto!"

They shook, having seen the Nine Tails attack when Sakura was a baby. She of course was too young to remember it. Kizashi being only a Genin was told to stay back since it was far beyond his caliber to deal with the Nine Tails. He'd helped in trying to escort citizens to safety.

"You know?" Mebuki asked surprised.

"He told me everything," Sakura said. "About the Nine Tails attack twelve years ago! How it was put inside him and that's why almost all the villagers hate him! But he is not the fox! He is just its container!"

"But he could still be dangerous! There is no telling what could happen if he can't control the power!" Mebuki tried to argue.

"I've SEEN him use that power!" Sakura countered. "He saved my life! And Sasuke's! When we were in the Land of Waves, we had to face ninja when we shouldn't have! It was the Nine Tails power Naruto has that saved us there!"

She didn't say anything about how the chakra had burned her hands for fear of it proving otherwise to her parents, or at least her mother. Her father seemed less biased as he didn't say anything.

"He is a good person!" Sakura said. "Sure, a little annoying and goofy, I used to not be able to stand him! But now I see him for who he really is! A warm positive and strong ninja! You didn't even bother to get to know for yourself who he was, you turned me against him before I could even think for myself!"

Her parents were both silent. They had both seen Naruto around the village when he'd been a child several times. But they'd treated him with disdain or indifference. Kizashi felt a wave of shame as his daughters' words sank in.

"Your right, Sakura," Kizashi said with a sigh. "We didn't give him a chance. He isn't the demon, just the one who keeps it locked up."

Mebuki frowned but didn't say anything. She was more stubborn than her husband but Sakura's argument had affected her just as much.

Kizashi looked at Naruto. "Thank you for protecting my daughter… Naruto. I'm sorry for not taking the time to get to know you first before I judged you."

"That's okay," Naruto said managing a smile.

"I hope we'll be able to do so in the future since you're dating my daughter," Kizashi said. "And I believe we will both be there to watch you and her in the Chunin Exams. Good luck with that."

"Thank you, Haruno Sensei," Naruto said trying to be polite.

Kizashi chuckled. "No need to call me Sensei Naruto, just Mr. Haruno will be fine for now. I'm not even a Chunin myself."

"What?"

Naruto had to resist the urge to laugh at the fact that a man the age of Sakura's father hadn't been able to get up from the lowest rank of ninja. He didn't want to goof things up with her parents.

Mebuki sighed. "I guess its alright for you two to go out and spend some time together. Good day."

Sakura smiled. That was certainly some progress with her mother allowing her to see Naruto.

"Come on!" she said taking his hand. "Let's go for ramen!"

Naruto grinned at the thought of his favorite food.

"Great I haven't had any in a week! Been trying to eat healthy a bit like you suggested!"

Sakura looked at him and noticed something.

"I think you got a little taller!"

Naruto chuckled at that.

Okay, another chapter done. So, they didn't have Naruto get injured from Gamabunta this time. I wonder how that could affect things. Uh oh! If Naruto's not there in the hospital there won't be anyone watching out for Lee! Gaara might kill him! No! You gotta give me some suggestions for how they could avoid that! Okay, Lee didn't come to rescue Sakura in the woods so she might not feel the urge to visit him. I'll have to check the earlier chapters and maybe see if I can have Naruto visit him. Yep! Phew! He admired Lee for becoming a ninja even though he couldn't use anything other than taijutsu. That will do it, now he can go check on a fellow ninja he admires.

Hopefully see you again in two weeks.