Kaden
04-05-2008, 03:16 AM
Odd title for hinatat right? yeah i went and wrote this a while ago and a couple people asked for it so here it is. (hinata cuddle this is the story i sent to you in e-mail...)
“Where does the ninja reside? Where does he call home?” said a figure on top of the mountain. He looked down from his perch into the valley below. Expansive woods stretched for miles and miles below him. As quietly and suddenly as he appeared on the mountaintop, the figure vanished in a swirl of black flames.
“Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun! Wait for me!” said Sakura as she ran down the street.
“We never can fool her can we Hinata? She always knows when we’re leaving the village.” Said Naruto as he turned around. Come on Sakura hurry up already! We’re going to miss the sunrise! Naruto shook his head and turned to leave when a hand gently grabbed his arm. He looked over and saw Hinata looking at him and she shook her head.
“Naruto-kun the sunrise will wait a couple more minutes no?” Hinata said.
Naruto sighed and turned towards Hinata pulling her into his embrace. He looked over her head and watched as Sakura got closer. Ah Hinata, I never could refuse you before, so how can I refuse you now? He gave another sigh of impatience and tightened his embrace. Hinata laid her head against his chest and laughed softly while tracing the wind element symbol on his shoulder.
“Naruto you idiot, why did you try and leave me again? Every time you go to the mountaintop and view the sunrise you’re gone for a couple hours. Whenever I ask why you go and take so long you say “Sakura you just have to be there to understand.” Well, I said I wanted to go the next time you leave and then you try and leave me?! You idiot!” Sakura said as she reached the couple.
“Well you took so long in getting here that I began to think that you got Kakashi-sensei’s sense of time! I was turning to leave but Hinata here held me back. Come on lets get going already.” Naruto said. He walked down the street and headed out the gate to the Hokage Mountain with the girls in tow.
~_*_~
“Oh wow Naruto you were right! This is amazing!” Sakura said. The trio had reached the mountaintop with no incident and light badinage between themselves. The sky was a dull cold gray with the morning mist still heavy in the area. However, the view from the mountaintop made one forget about everything else.
“You just wait Sakura; the best part is yet to come.” Naruto said. He put down his backpack and came up behind Hinata and wrapped his arms around her. She sank into his embrace and leaned her head back against his chest eyes closed. Naruto kissed the top of her forehead and relaxed relishing the moment. A spark of light appeared in the cold sky and then turned into a pink horizontal streak across the horizon. The streak of light splintered and turned into two, then four and kept splintering until the sky looked like a jagged spider-web. The web of lights then swirled and blended into one another causing the sky to become a low pink. That pink turned into a light orange and then into a blazing yellow until at long last the top of the sun appeared over the crest of the valley.
“Beautiful.” Hinata said softly.
“Indeed it is.” Naruto said. He looked down into her eyes and was lost. The sunlight and the vibrant hues of colors swirled in her pale lavender eyes making them seem like a lake of fire, making her eyes seem alive. He bent down and kissed her gently.
The moment of peace was not to last long however. A pair of shuriken came out of the woods headed straight for Naruto’s back. He sensed the shuriken and dropped to the ground pulling Hinata down with him. The shuriken flew harmlessly overhead heading straight for the sun. . Naruto rolled over placing Hinata beneath him an arm wrapped around her waist peering into the woods. There! The tree’s shadow just lessened! That must be the attacking person moving. He slowly got up to his feet eyes never leaving the tree line. Sakura reached into her bag and pulled out her gloves and put them on.
“Naruto, look sharp, there’s a man in the woods. Get out of the way…NOW!” Sakura said. Naruto didn’t argue. These days when Sakura said move you listened or she was going to blow you away. He picked up Hinata and back flipped out of the way just in time to dodge the exploding pieces of earth.
Sakura had been training with Hokage Tsunade for the past two and a half years. Tsunade had been utilizing Sakura’s mastery of her chakra control to teach her medical jutsu but also to teach her powerful punches and kicks. Sakura knew that the man in the woods wasn’t going to come out unless he was forced to. So what better way to smoke out a fox then to blow up his whole den? Sakura focused her chakra into her hand and punched the ground as hard as she could. Grass, dirt, rock and stone flew from the ground where she struck and headed to the woods in a fourteen-foot wave. The woods also shook violently and trees were uprooted and fell down in a ten-foot radius from the tree line.
From the top of the explosion jumped a man. He landed at the edge of Sakura’s crater without making a sound; head bent downward arms folded across his chest arms in his sleeves. “Where does the ninja reside? Where does he call home?” said the man softly.
“Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! What in the world were you thinking trying to kill me like that?” Naruto said. He stood tall with his hands at his sides ready for a fight. Hinata stood behind him at his right arms at her sides also.
“I come for blood.” The man’s arms came out of his sleeves and he threw more shuriken at Naruto. Naruto dodged to right and the shuriken flew past. “I come for the life of a powerful ninja.” The man crouched ready to spring. “I…come…to…destroy…YOU” said the man. With blinding speed the man leaped at Sakura and shoulder checked her to the ground. Sakura hit the ground hard rolling violently. The man turned around and threw another set of shuriken at Naruto. He sprinted towards Hinata and kneed her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her. She fell to the ground stunned.
“Why you…I’m going to kill you!” Naruto said. He charged at the man and threw a barrage of punches. The man blocked all of them with relative ease and countered with an elbow across Naruto’s face. Then another. A knee to the stomach. An elbow to the face again. With a graceful spin the man spun kicked Naruto off the cliff which he had been precariously balancing on. “Wha…whoa...whoa…aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Naruto said as he fell.
~_*_~
Sakura groaned and tried to push herself up to look around. Every muscle and bone in her body ached from that shoulder check the man had so violently hit her with. “Naruto! Hinata!” Sakura said. She forgot all about her pain and jumped to her feet. She looked around and saw the damage she had caused with her chakra punch. Whoa! I might have over done it a little… She saw Hinata packing up her backpack and reaching for Naruto’s. “Hinata! What happened? Where’s Naruto?” Sakura said.
“I don’t know! All I remember was that man and him appearing in front of me and stunning me with a knee kick.” Hinata said. She slung her backpack over one shoulder and Naruto’s over the other. “I must find him! That man is so fast and so powerful he might kill Naruto-kun!” Hinata said. She turned and looked around, trying to determine which way Naruto might have gone.
“Hinata stop! Listen to me. We can’t just go look for Naruto by ourselves. We are only chunin; we don’t have enough power to bring this man down. Let’s go back to the village and tell Kakashi-sensei. He’ll know what to do.” Sakura said. She picked up her own backpack and walked to Hinata. She rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “Hey relax, that man will have to use up all of his chakra to even hope to bring Naruto down. And Naruto is tough, he’ll keep fighting until we arrive with help and then we’ll bring that man down together.” Sakura said. Anxiety contorted Hinata’s face but she turned and started running down the path towards the village. She really loves him. Come on Naruto hang in there! If you die…Hinata will never forgive me for making us return to the village. Sakura ran after Hinata.
~_*_~
Naruto was indeed living, although he was receiving quite a pounding. He grunted as he hit the tree he was thrown in to. Man! What is with this guy? Everything I’ve thrown at him he’s blocked and countered. Okay, it’s time to get serious! He got up slowly and wiped the trickle of blood off of his chin. “Okay you jerk. You’ve kicked me around pretty good so far. But now it’s my turn!” Naruto said. He formed a quick hand sign. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Fifty Naruto’s surrounded the area in every available space.
“Well what do you know? The little man has a fighting spirit. I’ve read your file Naruto Uzumake, there is nothing I don’t already know about you!” the man said. He formed his own hand sign and laid his hand down on the ground.
“Ha! Try this!” Naruto said. He charged the man and his clones came in one big mob. The man smirked. He pressed his hand into the ground. Twelve pillars of indigo colored fire shot up from the ground and burned through the trees…and the attacking swarms of Naruto’s.
“Fire Style: Twelve Pillars!” the man said. Naruto twisted and managed to avoid the brunt of the flame pillar but the intense heat burnt holes into his jacket and pants and the pressure sent him tumbling through the air into a tree. Grimacing, Naruto stood up again and looked at the man. The man looked up and laughed coldly.
What the heck was that?! There is no way fire can be that hot! What type of chakra is that? Naruto looked over the man and glared. “Okay so you’ve got some weird jutsu going on there, but it doesn’t matter.” Naruto said. The man just smirked and pressed his hand into the ground. A swirling vortex of indigo flames twisted and turned around his body faster and faster. The heat coming off those waves was intense and the force of the flames was way stronger than any wind jutsu that Naruto could come up with. Hmph. This guy is weirder than Gara. Let’s see, how can I get past those flames of his? Naruto’s thoughts were interrupted when the flames twisted and came writhing for him. Naruto flipped backward onto a tree branch and then onto another. The twelve swirling flames around the man’s body became like arms and reached out trying to wrap themselves around Naruto. Naruto kept moving from branch to branch always narrowly avoiding those deadly flames. He flipped behind a tree and leaped onto another branch two trees behind the last tree, putting three trees between him and those deadly flames. He closed his eyes and did another quick hand sign.
"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Naruto said. This time, only twelve clones appeared. “One for each one of those flame arms.” Naruto said. He leaped back and hid behind a tree, performed another hand sign and waited.
~_*_~
“You have to believe us! There is a ninja out there that attacked us on Hokage Mountain and is currently fighting Naruto. We have to go help him!” Sakura said. Tsunade leaned forward in her chair and rested her arms on the desk.
“Sakura, can you describe this man to me?” Tsunade said.
“What?! He’s out there trying to kill Naruto! What does it matter what he looks like?” Sakura and Hinata said in unison.
“Sakura, Hinata calm down. Tsunade is the Hokage and has her reasons. Just calm down and answer her question.” Kakashi said.
“No! If you won’t help me then I’ll go myself!” Hinata said. She ran out of the room and the bottom floor door slammed before anyone could try and stop her.
“That girl has changed so much ever since Naruto got back a year ago. She went from a wall-flower to a powerful ninja.” Kakashi said as he shook his head. He went to the window and watched her running down the street towards the gate. A vibration shook the window and it cracked into a spider web. Smoke rose from the woods around the Hokage Mountain where Sakura had said they were attacked. “Hokage Tsunade I’ll take Sakura and Shikamaru-kun with me. From the smoke and rumblings coming from the woods, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them.” Kakashi said. Tsunade nodded.
~_*_~
Naruto heard the man laugh as his clones twisted, ducked and jumped trying desperately to stay away from those deadly flames. He heard the puffing sound like smoke as his clone’s dissappeared one by one. Okay guys, my turn! Naruto closed his eyes in concentration. Okay you stupid fox, you want out? Well here’s your chance!
The man toyed with the remaining clone but soon tired of the game and obliterated it with a simple swipe of one of his flame arms. “Naruto, you’ll never beat me with these shadow clones. Come out come out wherever you are!” the man said.
Naruto stepped out from behind the tree he was hiding behind. He was aglow with the demon fox’s chakra. “Okay you, let’s get this going!” Naruto said as he charged the man. He dodged the flames and delivered a powerful kick into the man’s side. Naruto’s foot was caught in a swirl of flames and he flew backwards. He flipped and landed on his feet sliding to a stop. “So, your flames are like Gara’s sand armor. They cover your body as well. No problem, here we go!” Naruto said.
The man made a quick hand sign. Got to knock this punk out before my chakra runs out. “Fire Style: Giant Spear!” the man said. The flames swirled together forming a giant spear. “Now!” the man said. The flame spear honed in on Naruto with blinding speed.
Naruto had seen the man form another hand sign. Okay fox, it’s time to end this and bring this guy down! The demon fox’s chakra swirled around Naruto and became brighter. Naruto’s eyes went from blue to red and his nails turned into claws. The chakra intensified and two tails appeared. Naruto clenched his fist and when his hand opened it was full of swirling chakra. He charged the man and jumped over the spear, which obliterated a huge oak tree. Naruto came down from above and struck the man with the ball of chakra. Naruto’s body was starting to burn from the flames and the pressure inside the vortex buffeted him about but he pressed his attack. His arm forced its way through the man’s flame armor and struck his unprotected chest.
“Rasengan!” Naruto said. The man flew backward and smashed into a tree the flames surrounding his body dissappearing. He made an effort to rise but collapsed to the ground unconscious. Naruto released his own chakra and stood there panting heavily. He slowly started the long and painful walk back to the village.
~_*_~
Hinata stood leaning against the gate crying softly. She had run away from Tsunade and the others in search for Naruto. She heard a loud yell and then fell to the ground as the ground shook from an intense vibration. She looked up and saw smoke coming from the woods and flames licking the trees. She had run as fast as she could towards the woods and met Kakashi, Sakura and Shikamaru. After a brief planning session they had all entered the woods and followed the smoke and vibrations to their origin. All of a sudden the vibrations stopped and an eerie silence ensued. The group had stopped and listened but heard nothing. They had followed the smoke and came into a clearing where the man laid unconcious. Kakashi walked over and felt for a pulse. He said the man was alive and barely breathing with cuts, bruises and burn marks all over his body. There was profuse bleeding from his chest which Kakashi had said came from a jutsu called Rasengan. He had picked up the body and they called for Naruto and searched for him until the man couldn’t wait any longer for medical attention. They had headed back to the village all the while looking and calling for Naruto but to no avail.
The sun was setting and cast a blood red hue on the mountain and village and still no sign of Naruto. Hinata cried even harder and looked out the gate once more. She gasped suddenly as a figure appeared over the crest of the hill. There was no mistaking that familiar gait, that stance. She ran out of the archway of the gate and headed toward Naruto. She stopped short when she saw him more clearly. His jacket was open and his black shirt torn and burn marks where evident on it and his upper body as well. His pants looked the same way. She looked at his face and cried even harder. His headband, his prized possession was resting at an awkward angle and his hair was singed. His face was bruised, bloody and cut all over and his eyes were filled with an intense pain but relief at seeing her. She ran to him and hugged him tightly.
“Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun…” she said as she cried into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, kissing the top of her head.
“I’m okay Hinata, I’m okay.” Naruto said. They stood there for a couple minutes neither willing to let go. After several long moments they walked back into the village, Hinata’s arm around his waist supporting him. Without word or gesture Naruto collapsed to his knees and fell flat onto his face.
“Naruto-kun!” Hinata said. She dropped to the ground and rolled him over while checking for a pulse. She found one but it was weak and his cuts, bruises and burn marks were starting to bleed freely. “Someone help! Anyone! Help!” Hinata said. She collapsed onto Naruto’s chest crying.
~_*_~
“This is not good, not good at all. Naruto must have used so much of the demon fox’s chakra that it’s trying to overcome the seal. His wounds aren’t healing and my guess is the demon fox is trying to break Naruto’s spirit so it can have more influence over him. My own jutsu can’t heal him because of the demon fox’s interference.” Tsunade said. She stared at Naruto with a mix of anguish and anger.
“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see how strong Naruto’s spirit and will is.” Kakashi said. He stared at Naruto for a long moment and then walked out of the room. Tsunade pulled the blinds around Naruto’s bed tightly closed and with one last look at him followed Kakashi out of the room. She stopped and looked to her right and saw Hinata leaning against the wall. She walked over and pulled her into a hug, which was so uncharacteristic of her.
“He’ll pull through Hinata. After all he has to become Hokage after me so he’ll wake up soon.” Tsunade said. She let go of Hinata and brushed away a tear from Hinata’s face and walked down the corridor. “Oh, don’t let the ANBU black-ops stop you. You can see him whenever you want.” Tsunade said. Hinata nodded her thanks and walked slowly towards his room.
~_*_~
Hinata never did like the hospital. It was full of such sadness and pain that she stayed away at all costs. Dread filled her as she reached the wall of curtains surrounding Naruto’s bedside. Taking a deep breath she slipped inside the wall and closed it softly. Her face filled with anguish when she saw Naruto lying there on the bed. The wounds had stopped bleeding thankfully but they refused to close. His cheeks were swollen and the whisker marks were the demon fox’s mark resided on Naruto’s body were bright red and jagged, aglow with red chakra. Naruto groaned and twitched and the blanket covering him fell to his waist. Hinata reached for the sheet to re-cover him but stopped when she saw his upper body. Every vein in his upper body bulged as if his blood pressure was at its peak. Hinata checked his pulse and found that it was weak. It must be the nine tailed fox’s chakra coursing through him. Naruto! His upper body was criss-crossed with wounds that like his whisker marks were aglow with red chakra. Hinata gently covered him again with the blanket and kissed him gently.
“Naruto-kun…wherever you are…I believe in you.” Hinata said as laid her head down on his chest and fell asleep.
~_*_~
Sakura walked into the hospital and asked if she could see Naruto. “I’m sorry, he can’t talk to anyone. He’s still out cold.” The nurse said.
“That’s ok; I just want to watch over him for awhile.” Sakura said. She walked down the hallway and stopped outside Naruto’s room. The ANBU black ops were standing guard and blocking the way in.
“Move aside men, she can see him.” Shikamaru said. Sakura turned and saw him walking towards her from the other end of the hallway. “He’s out like a light but Hinata’s been in there all night talking to him softly. I have no idea what she’s saying but hey, she’s a girl and I don’t understand them. I don’t even understand Temari half the time but women are women. You can go in and see if you can get her to come out and eat breakfast, maybe walk around a little.” Shikamaru said.
Sakura smiled. For all his pretense that women are bothersome and such drags he actually cares. Ever since the Chunin Exams and his fight with Temari he has changed. He’s become surer of himself and turned out to be an excellent leader, a natural for the ANBU black ops. What a big softie he is underneath it all. “Thank-you Shikamaru, I’ll see what I can do.” Sakura said. She walked into the room and stopped outside the curtains. Hinata was talking and it seemed rude to walk in.
“Remember that time when you cheered for me in the Chunin Exams? I was so weak compared to anyone else and in that match against Neji that I couldn’t dare to think to fight him. You made me want to succeed, to show you the real me. You mean so much to me Naruto-kun, please don’t give up, please fight on and come back to me.” Hinata said.
Sakura parted the curtains and stepped into the small space. She lost her calm demeanor when she saw Hinata stroking Naruto’s hair tears running down her face. “Oh Naruto…” Sakura said.
Hinata jumped and folded herself into her chair when she heard Sakura. Oh she must have heard me and seen me making a fool of myself just now! Oh, what do I do? What do I say? Her face got real red and she looked away.
“Oh I’m sorry Hinata; I didn’t mean to startle you. I just came to see Naruto and see how he is doing. How is he?” Sakura said. Man you’re such an insensitive jerk walking in on her like that. Now how do I fill the awkward silence?
“Well, um, no one really knows. He hasn’t opened his eyes or said anything coherent.” Hinata said. She forced herself not to look at Naruto.
Sakura walked over to the bedside and looked at Naruto. Wow, the demon fox’s chakra is really visible. She lifted the covers and saw it glowing in the wounds on his upper body and his bulging veins. There has to be a way to fix this. Tsunade tried everything she knows and still it doesn’t seem to help. I bet Naruto would relax if I could relieve the pressure in his veins.
Sakura performed a hand sign and focused her chakra in her hands. This needs to be just right, or I could make it worse. Her chakra went from a light blue to a dark blue and her hands visibly shook. Okay here it goes. She placed her hands on Naruto’s stomach over the spot where the seal was. She closed her eyes in concentration and pressed more firmly. Sweat began to form and drip off her face but she maintained the pressure. Finally she opened her eyes and pulled her hands away. She gave a huge sigh but smiled all the same.
“I did it Hinata. He’s going to be okay now.” Sakura said.
Hinata was surprised when Sakura had focused her chakra in her hands and pressed them on the seal on Naruto’s stomach. She was about to say something when Naruto’s red chakra began to glow and become brighter but it started to fade in intensity and eventually disappeared.
“Sakura what did you do?” Hinata said.
“I went into Naruto’s subconscious and spoke to him. I told him about his dreams and goals, his friends and the village. The demon fox tried to oust me but I told Naruto that you were sitting here at his bedside. I told him that you were crying out to him. With that the old Naruto came back with a vengeance. He broke the demon fox’s hold on him and came back with me. Now he’s just resting from the whole ordeal. Look, his wounds are starting to close. He must have regained control over the demon fox.” Sakura said.
~_*_~
Naruto pulled on his jacket and zippered it slowly. He walked to the window in his hospital room and looked out into the morning mist. That was a close one for sure. I’ve never felt the fox try and take over that strong before. He almost had me but Sakura appeared out of the fiery pit I was in and told me everything that was happening in the real world. Okay fox; let’s go see who’s the strongest, you, or me! Naruto slipped the latch on the window and opened it slowly. He jumped out of the small space and landed softly on the ground below. He looked around to see if his escape was noticed but no one was out this early in the morning. Haha it’s just like old times! Naruto ran down street, jumped over the wall and disappeared into the morning mist.
~_*_~
“What do you mean he just disappeared?” Tsunade said. She was facing Shikamaru and wished she could smack some effort into this slacker clown.
“Hokage, I have men posted around the floor as you asked. He couldn’t have gotten past anyone of them if he tried to leave through the door of his room. I wanted to post a man outside the window but you said not to. I distinctly remember you saying, “How could Naruto escape through a window? Look at him, he can barely breathe.” Well, Naruto did just that, he went through the window.” Shikamaru said.
“Oh you and your stupid calm demeanor! All right, I am wrong in this situation. To rectify my mistake I’m ordering you and your squad to find him.” Tsunade said.
“Wha...as you wish Hokage.” Shikamaru said. Women, they can’t fix their own mistakes and make the men fix them. What a drag! Shikamaru walked to the window and jumped out followed by his men.
“That bothersome little pest! I outta wring his neck when he gets back. Where does he think he’s going? What can he possibly want to do in his condition?” Tsunade said.
“Well, if you ask me Naruto went to a clearing somewhere in the woods to train. You know how he is when he loses; he hates the mere thought of it. I wouldn’t worry too much about it Hokage, he’ll come back.” Kakashi said.
“But doesn’t he realize the danger he’s in? That ninja he fought with knocked out every single ANBU black ops guarding this floor and blasted a hole in the wall to escape. He very well could be out there looking for Naruto right now.” Tsunade said. All she got in response was a soft chuckle from Kakashi and his characteristic tilt of his head before he walked past her and disappeared around the corner.
~_*_~
Naruto leaped from tree branch to tree branch heading for a clearing in the woods. I got to settle this dispute with the demon fox or I’m toast in the next battle. He dropped from the tree branch into a small clearing with a waterfall at one end and a small pool of water at the other. The clearing was coated with soft springy grass and secluded from every major path in the woods. This is where Hinata and I went to talk that night when I got back with the pervy sage. If I can just meditate in the solitude of this place, I know I can beat the demon fox. A kunai flashed from a tree across the clearing and stuck in the ground inches from Naruto’s feet.
“Foolish boy, you should have never left the hospital. You could have gone on playing your ninja game in safety there.” A familiar voice said. The ninja dropped out of the tree and landed on the ground across the pool of water from Naruto.
“Who the heck are you and what do you want with me?” Naruto said. He was tense ready to attack. Looks like that short conversation I had with the demon fox in the hospital is all I’m going to get!
“I’ve come with the simple task of killing you. Killing you would bring me great satisfaction since you defeated me in our last battle. You surprised me back there little man, but now I know your ace card and I’ll make sure to not let you use it on me twice.” The ninja said. He made a familiar hand sign and pressed his hand to the ground.
“Before I kill you, what’s your name?” Naruto said.
“My name is Hotaru Dykuro, from the Tykuro clan. Prepare yourself Naruto.” Hotaru said.
Naruto made a hand sign and pressed his hand down on the ground. “Okay you big jerk, you tried to kill me before but failed, you won’t this time either.” Naruto said. Naruto’s hand glowed with red chakra and the ground shook violently. “I’m not going to let you destroy the things I care about anymore!” Naruto said.
Twelve pillars of flames appeared around Hotaru. This time however the color of the flames was black and the pillars of flames turned into swords. Hotaru’s skin turned midnight black and gold runes appeared on his arms and legs. His eyes turned a fiery gold and were unfathomable. “Foolish boy, you know nothing of power. You think being a ninja is a game. A ninja like you is worthless, they need to die. My master wishes for this and I am his blade. Prepare to die Naruto Uzumake!” Hotaru said.
Naruto reached into the base of the demon fox’s chakra. All right you stupid fox, if you’re there give me your strength! Naruto made the same transformation as before but this time four tails appeared instead of two. He lost all thoughts of right and wrong, he became the beast that was inside him. He ran at Hotaru and leaped into the air to deliver a powerful punch.
Hotaru grabbed two of the swords and met Naruto halfway. Naruto proved the stronger and Hotaru flew out of the clearing swords in tow. He flipped over and slid to a stop. Naruto came at him again and Hotaru threw a sword at him like a javelin. Naruto grabbed the sword by the blade and broke it in half between his hands. Hotaru slashed at him with two more of his swords and when Naruto ducked to avoid them, Hotaru kicked him back twenty feet with a kick to the face. He followed up that attack by throwing four more blades at Naruto in rapid succession. Naruto dodged the first three but the last one pierced his stomach and came out through his back. Naruto staggered and dropped to the ground. His red chakra grew even brighter and exploded in a savage manner. He got up and rushed at Hotaru again. He launched a rapid one-two combination and then a knee into Hotaru’s body. He followed up with an elbow smash to the face. An uppercut. A shin kicks to the side. A vicious head-butt and finished with a flying spin kick which sent Hotaru rocketing backward. Hotaru got to his feet with blood coming from his eyes, nose and mouth.
“Okay Nine Tailed Fox, let’s finish this!” Hotaru said. Swirling the five remaining swords around him Hotaru charged at Naruto. Naruto charged Hotaru. Dark charged light; hate clashed with love and their resounding clash could be heard for miles.
~_*_~
Hinata raced through the treetops. She had heard that Naruto had disappeared from the hospital and the mysterious ninja had also. She had been frightened because she knew that Naruto would fight the ninja again if he met him. The whole village heard what sounded like an earthquake in the middle of the woods. The shinobi had assembled in the council room and a fierce debate ensued. Some where worried that the mysterious ninja would get the best of Naruto due to his weakened condition and others felt that the seal was weakened and the demon fox might escape. All agreed that the duo must be found, but how they would deal with them once they were, was still be hashed out when Hinata had left. Hinata saw splintered trees and broken up ground and picked up her pace. Naruto-kun! She stopped short when she came over the next valley and saw the battle ground below.
The valley once held a large basin of water and was surrounded by a thick volume of trees. It was a peaceful spot and many shinobi came to meditate here after a hard battle or a wrenching loss. They called it the Valley of Solitude. Now, after what appeared to be a horrific battle, the valley looked anything but a place of solitude. There were no more trees in a ten-mile radius of the valley, just a few scattered stumps. The ground was full of craters and holes with mounds of dirt piled up at random places. The once serene lake was no more. In the heat of the battle the heat of the combatant’s chakra must have evaporated the water. From her place on the edge of the scarred valley she saw Naruto surrounded by the red chakra with four tails at one end and the ninja in a midnight black with gold eyes at the other. Both charged each other and met at the middle. Naruto once again proved the stronger and the other ninja collapsed to the ground. Naruto let an out a savage yell in triumph.
Naruto was reveling in his victory as any beast would when he heard his name being called. He turned his head and saw Hinata running down the slope of the valley towards him.
“Naruto-kun! Naruto you’re okay!” Hinata said. She stopped short when she came within ten feet of Naruto. She gasped and put her hand up to her mouth. This isn’t the Naruto I know! What happened to him? His eyes, their red and filled with bloodlust. This must be the influence of the demon fox. No, I mustn’t shrink away; I must be there for him, to calm him down.
“Naruto-kun…” Hinata said. She walked towards him and reached out for his face. Suddenly she was snatched up and spirited away.
“Hinata what do you think you’re doing?! That isn’t the Naruto that you know, he’s been taken over by the Nine Tailed Fox! It’s not safe to go near him.” Said Neji.
Hinata looked around the clearing and saw all of the shinobi standing at the ready. Oh my goodness, everyone is here. There’s Kakashi-sensei, Mighty Guy-sensei, Ino, Chouji, Sakura, Rock Lee, and Kiba over there. And over there is Gara, Kankuro, Temari and Shikamaru. All the jonin are here also along with the Hokage Tsunade. Everyone is here.
“What’s going on Neji? What are you all doing here?” Hinata said.
“We came when we finished the council meeting. We heard the battle and saw the smoke. What happened? Never mind that now, we have to suppress the demon fox somehow…Hokage Tsunade might have to sacrifice her life to re-seal it though.” Neji said.
“No. You’re all wrong. There is a way to get the real Naruto back, without anyone dying or getting hurt.” Hinata said. She walked out of the safety of the ring of shinobi and headed for Naruto. She disregarded all the warnings and yelling from everyone and kept walking towards Naruto.
When she reached him she got right up in front of him. She stared him straight in the eye and ignored the swirling chakra whipping all around her.
“Naruto-kun, come back to us, to me. Let go of the anger and revenge, the despair and hate.” Hinata said.
Naruto’s conscience awoke inside the beast. What? Where am I? What the heck happened here? Wait, that’s Hinata! Okay you stupid fox, go back to where you came, your part in this battle is done. Naruto’s body shook and he seemed to be having a seizure. Hinata stood before him unfazed. No you stupid fox, I will not let you kill her! The red chakra swirling around the couple intensified and became more erratic, but suddenly it started to fade and go back into Naruto’s body.
“Hinata-san…” Naruto said softly. He collapsed to the ground eyes closed. Hinata knelt down beside him and cradled his head in her lap stroking his face gently.
“I knew you’d come back to me Naruto-kun.” Hinata said as everyone ran down into the valley heading towards them.
~_*_~
Naruto stood quietly looking over the pond at the clearing where he had met Hinata when he came back two and half years ago. What have I done? Everyone in the village treats me as if I’m about to explode and suddenly go all violent on them. Well, I guess with the battle and all…they have a good reason to be afraid. The worst part is that I can’t even talk to Hinata. I mean what would I say if I saw her? Sorry Hinata-san, I never should have brought you into my life. Tears fell down Naruto’s face as he came to that thought.
“I thought I might find you her Naruto-kun.” Hinata said softly.
Naruto whirled around and looked at her through his tears.
“Hinata…” Naruto said. He turned back around and faced the pond as the tears flowed freely down his face.
A gentle hand grabbed his. “Naruto please don’t hide from me. I care about what you’re thinking and what you’re going through. It makes me sad inside that you are out here all alone beating yourself up.” Hinata said.
Naruto broke down inside with her soft spoken words. “Hinata…I killed a man today. I had his life in my hands and I took it without hesitation. I became the beast that lives inside of me and nearly lost myself to its carnal nature. If you hadn’t been there… I’m too much of a burden on the village.” Naruto said.
“No you’re not anything like the demon fox. You killed that man today because he was going to kill you. You didn’t go and seek him out like a beast. He attacked you and you responded as any shinobi would. You did what you thought was necessary to save the village from harm. You were willing to sacrifice your life to do so and that shows how much you care.” Hinata said. She pulled him close and laid her head on his chest, hugging him tight. “I love you Naruto Uzumake. You’re not a savage beast to me.” Hinata said.
Naruto choked up when he heard these words. He wrapped his arms around Hinata and held her tightly to him. “I love you too Hinata Hyuga.” Naruto said.
“Where does the ninja reside? Where does he call home?” said a figure on top of the mountain. He looked down from his perch into the valley below. Expansive woods stretched for miles and miles below him. As quietly and suddenly as he appeared on the mountaintop, the figure vanished in a swirl of black flames.
“Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun! Wait for me!” said Sakura as she ran down the street.
“We never can fool her can we Hinata? She always knows when we’re leaving the village.” Said Naruto as he turned around. Come on Sakura hurry up already! We’re going to miss the sunrise! Naruto shook his head and turned to leave when a hand gently grabbed his arm. He looked over and saw Hinata looking at him and she shook her head.
“Naruto-kun the sunrise will wait a couple more minutes no?” Hinata said.
Naruto sighed and turned towards Hinata pulling her into his embrace. He looked over her head and watched as Sakura got closer. Ah Hinata, I never could refuse you before, so how can I refuse you now? He gave another sigh of impatience and tightened his embrace. Hinata laid her head against his chest and laughed softly while tracing the wind element symbol on his shoulder.
“Naruto you idiot, why did you try and leave me again? Every time you go to the mountaintop and view the sunrise you’re gone for a couple hours. Whenever I ask why you go and take so long you say “Sakura you just have to be there to understand.” Well, I said I wanted to go the next time you leave and then you try and leave me?! You idiot!” Sakura said as she reached the couple.
“Well you took so long in getting here that I began to think that you got Kakashi-sensei’s sense of time! I was turning to leave but Hinata here held me back. Come on lets get going already.” Naruto said. He walked down the street and headed out the gate to the Hokage Mountain with the girls in tow.
~_*_~
“Oh wow Naruto you were right! This is amazing!” Sakura said. The trio had reached the mountaintop with no incident and light badinage between themselves. The sky was a dull cold gray with the morning mist still heavy in the area. However, the view from the mountaintop made one forget about everything else.
“You just wait Sakura; the best part is yet to come.” Naruto said. He put down his backpack and came up behind Hinata and wrapped his arms around her. She sank into his embrace and leaned her head back against his chest eyes closed. Naruto kissed the top of her forehead and relaxed relishing the moment. A spark of light appeared in the cold sky and then turned into a pink horizontal streak across the horizon. The streak of light splintered and turned into two, then four and kept splintering until the sky looked like a jagged spider-web. The web of lights then swirled and blended into one another causing the sky to become a low pink. That pink turned into a light orange and then into a blazing yellow until at long last the top of the sun appeared over the crest of the valley.
“Beautiful.” Hinata said softly.
“Indeed it is.” Naruto said. He looked down into her eyes and was lost. The sunlight and the vibrant hues of colors swirled in her pale lavender eyes making them seem like a lake of fire, making her eyes seem alive. He bent down and kissed her gently.
The moment of peace was not to last long however. A pair of shuriken came out of the woods headed straight for Naruto’s back. He sensed the shuriken and dropped to the ground pulling Hinata down with him. The shuriken flew harmlessly overhead heading straight for the sun. . Naruto rolled over placing Hinata beneath him an arm wrapped around her waist peering into the woods. There! The tree’s shadow just lessened! That must be the attacking person moving. He slowly got up to his feet eyes never leaving the tree line. Sakura reached into her bag and pulled out her gloves and put them on.
“Naruto, look sharp, there’s a man in the woods. Get out of the way…NOW!” Sakura said. Naruto didn’t argue. These days when Sakura said move you listened or she was going to blow you away. He picked up Hinata and back flipped out of the way just in time to dodge the exploding pieces of earth.
Sakura had been training with Hokage Tsunade for the past two and a half years. Tsunade had been utilizing Sakura’s mastery of her chakra control to teach her medical jutsu but also to teach her powerful punches and kicks. Sakura knew that the man in the woods wasn’t going to come out unless he was forced to. So what better way to smoke out a fox then to blow up his whole den? Sakura focused her chakra into her hand and punched the ground as hard as she could. Grass, dirt, rock and stone flew from the ground where she struck and headed to the woods in a fourteen-foot wave. The woods also shook violently and trees were uprooted and fell down in a ten-foot radius from the tree line.
From the top of the explosion jumped a man. He landed at the edge of Sakura’s crater without making a sound; head bent downward arms folded across his chest arms in his sleeves. “Where does the ninja reside? Where does he call home?” said the man softly.
“Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! What in the world were you thinking trying to kill me like that?” Naruto said. He stood tall with his hands at his sides ready for a fight. Hinata stood behind him at his right arms at her sides also.
“I come for blood.” The man’s arms came out of his sleeves and he threw more shuriken at Naruto. Naruto dodged to right and the shuriken flew past. “I come for the life of a powerful ninja.” The man crouched ready to spring. “I…come…to…destroy…YOU” said the man. With blinding speed the man leaped at Sakura and shoulder checked her to the ground. Sakura hit the ground hard rolling violently. The man turned around and threw another set of shuriken at Naruto. He sprinted towards Hinata and kneed her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her. She fell to the ground stunned.
“Why you…I’m going to kill you!” Naruto said. He charged at the man and threw a barrage of punches. The man blocked all of them with relative ease and countered with an elbow across Naruto’s face. Then another. A knee to the stomach. An elbow to the face again. With a graceful spin the man spun kicked Naruto off the cliff which he had been precariously balancing on. “Wha…whoa...whoa…aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Naruto said as he fell.
~_*_~
Sakura groaned and tried to push herself up to look around. Every muscle and bone in her body ached from that shoulder check the man had so violently hit her with. “Naruto! Hinata!” Sakura said. She forgot all about her pain and jumped to her feet. She looked around and saw the damage she had caused with her chakra punch. Whoa! I might have over done it a little… She saw Hinata packing up her backpack and reaching for Naruto’s. “Hinata! What happened? Where’s Naruto?” Sakura said.
“I don’t know! All I remember was that man and him appearing in front of me and stunning me with a knee kick.” Hinata said. She slung her backpack over one shoulder and Naruto’s over the other. “I must find him! That man is so fast and so powerful he might kill Naruto-kun!” Hinata said. She turned and looked around, trying to determine which way Naruto might have gone.
“Hinata stop! Listen to me. We can’t just go look for Naruto by ourselves. We are only chunin; we don’t have enough power to bring this man down. Let’s go back to the village and tell Kakashi-sensei. He’ll know what to do.” Sakura said. She picked up her own backpack and walked to Hinata. She rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “Hey relax, that man will have to use up all of his chakra to even hope to bring Naruto down. And Naruto is tough, he’ll keep fighting until we arrive with help and then we’ll bring that man down together.” Sakura said. Anxiety contorted Hinata’s face but she turned and started running down the path towards the village. She really loves him. Come on Naruto hang in there! If you die…Hinata will never forgive me for making us return to the village. Sakura ran after Hinata.
~_*_~
Naruto was indeed living, although he was receiving quite a pounding. He grunted as he hit the tree he was thrown in to. Man! What is with this guy? Everything I’ve thrown at him he’s blocked and countered. Okay, it’s time to get serious! He got up slowly and wiped the trickle of blood off of his chin. “Okay you jerk. You’ve kicked me around pretty good so far. But now it’s my turn!” Naruto said. He formed a quick hand sign. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Fifty Naruto’s surrounded the area in every available space.
“Well what do you know? The little man has a fighting spirit. I’ve read your file Naruto Uzumake, there is nothing I don’t already know about you!” the man said. He formed his own hand sign and laid his hand down on the ground.
“Ha! Try this!” Naruto said. He charged the man and his clones came in one big mob. The man smirked. He pressed his hand into the ground. Twelve pillars of indigo colored fire shot up from the ground and burned through the trees…and the attacking swarms of Naruto’s.
“Fire Style: Twelve Pillars!” the man said. Naruto twisted and managed to avoid the brunt of the flame pillar but the intense heat burnt holes into his jacket and pants and the pressure sent him tumbling through the air into a tree. Grimacing, Naruto stood up again and looked at the man. The man looked up and laughed coldly.
What the heck was that?! There is no way fire can be that hot! What type of chakra is that? Naruto looked over the man and glared. “Okay so you’ve got some weird jutsu going on there, but it doesn’t matter.” Naruto said. The man just smirked and pressed his hand into the ground. A swirling vortex of indigo flames twisted and turned around his body faster and faster. The heat coming off those waves was intense and the force of the flames was way stronger than any wind jutsu that Naruto could come up with. Hmph. This guy is weirder than Gara. Let’s see, how can I get past those flames of his? Naruto’s thoughts were interrupted when the flames twisted and came writhing for him. Naruto flipped backward onto a tree branch and then onto another. The twelve swirling flames around the man’s body became like arms and reached out trying to wrap themselves around Naruto. Naruto kept moving from branch to branch always narrowly avoiding those deadly flames. He flipped behind a tree and leaped onto another branch two trees behind the last tree, putting three trees between him and those deadly flames. He closed his eyes and did another quick hand sign.
"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Naruto said. This time, only twelve clones appeared. “One for each one of those flame arms.” Naruto said. He leaped back and hid behind a tree, performed another hand sign and waited.
~_*_~
“You have to believe us! There is a ninja out there that attacked us on Hokage Mountain and is currently fighting Naruto. We have to go help him!” Sakura said. Tsunade leaned forward in her chair and rested her arms on the desk.
“Sakura, can you describe this man to me?” Tsunade said.
“What?! He’s out there trying to kill Naruto! What does it matter what he looks like?” Sakura and Hinata said in unison.
“Sakura, Hinata calm down. Tsunade is the Hokage and has her reasons. Just calm down and answer her question.” Kakashi said.
“No! If you won’t help me then I’ll go myself!” Hinata said. She ran out of the room and the bottom floor door slammed before anyone could try and stop her.
“That girl has changed so much ever since Naruto got back a year ago. She went from a wall-flower to a powerful ninja.” Kakashi said as he shook his head. He went to the window and watched her running down the street towards the gate. A vibration shook the window and it cracked into a spider web. Smoke rose from the woods around the Hokage Mountain where Sakura had said they were attacked. “Hokage Tsunade I’ll take Sakura and Shikamaru-kun with me. From the smoke and rumblings coming from the woods, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them.” Kakashi said. Tsunade nodded.
~_*_~
Naruto heard the man laugh as his clones twisted, ducked and jumped trying desperately to stay away from those deadly flames. He heard the puffing sound like smoke as his clone’s dissappeared one by one. Okay guys, my turn! Naruto closed his eyes in concentration. Okay you stupid fox, you want out? Well here’s your chance!
The man toyed with the remaining clone but soon tired of the game and obliterated it with a simple swipe of one of his flame arms. “Naruto, you’ll never beat me with these shadow clones. Come out come out wherever you are!” the man said.
Naruto stepped out from behind the tree he was hiding behind. He was aglow with the demon fox’s chakra. “Okay you, let’s get this going!” Naruto said as he charged the man. He dodged the flames and delivered a powerful kick into the man’s side. Naruto’s foot was caught in a swirl of flames and he flew backwards. He flipped and landed on his feet sliding to a stop. “So, your flames are like Gara’s sand armor. They cover your body as well. No problem, here we go!” Naruto said.
The man made a quick hand sign. Got to knock this punk out before my chakra runs out. “Fire Style: Giant Spear!” the man said. The flames swirled together forming a giant spear. “Now!” the man said. The flame spear honed in on Naruto with blinding speed.
Naruto had seen the man form another hand sign. Okay fox, it’s time to end this and bring this guy down! The demon fox’s chakra swirled around Naruto and became brighter. Naruto’s eyes went from blue to red and his nails turned into claws. The chakra intensified and two tails appeared. Naruto clenched his fist and when his hand opened it was full of swirling chakra. He charged the man and jumped over the spear, which obliterated a huge oak tree. Naruto came down from above and struck the man with the ball of chakra. Naruto’s body was starting to burn from the flames and the pressure inside the vortex buffeted him about but he pressed his attack. His arm forced its way through the man’s flame armor and struck his unprotected chest.
“Rasengan!” Naruto said. The man flew backward and smashed into a tree the flames surrounding his body dissappearing. He made an effort to rise but collapsed to the ground unconscious. Naruto released his own chakra and stood there panting heavily. He slowly started the long and painful walk back to the village.
~_*_~
Hinata stood leaning against the gate crying softly. She had run away from Tsunade and the others in search for Naruto. She heard a loud yell and then fell to the ground as the ground shook from an intense vibration. She looked up and saw smoke coming from the woods and flames licking the trees. She had run as fast as she could towards the woods and met Kakashi, Sakura and Shikamaru. After a brief planning session they had all entered the woods and followed the smoke and vibrations to their origin. All of a sudden the vibrations stopped and an eerie silence ensued. The group had stopped and listened but heard nothing. They had followed the smoke and came into a clearing where the man laid unconcious. Kakashi walked over and felt for a pulse. He said the man was alive and barely breathing with cuts, bruises and burn marks all over his body. There was profuse bleeding from his chest which Kakashi had said came from a jutsu called Rasengan. He had picked up the body and they called for Naruto and searched for him until the man couldn’t wait any longer for medical attention. They had headed back to the village all the while looking and calling for Naruto but to no avail.
The sun was setting and cast a blood red hue on the mountain and village and still no sign of Naruto. Hinata cried even harder and looked out the gate once more. She gasped suddenly as a figure appeared over the crest of the hill. There was no mistaking that familiar gait, that stance. She ran out of the archway of the gate and headed toward Naruto. She stopped short when she saw him more clearly. His jacket was open and his black shirt torn and burn marks where evident on it and his upper body as well. His pants looked the same way. She looked at his face and cried even harder. His headband, his prized possession was resting at an awkward angle and his hair was singed. His face was bruised, bloody and cut all over and his eyes were filled with an intense pain but relief at seeing her. She ran to him and hugged him tightly.
“Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun…” she said as she cried into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, kissing the top of her head.
“I’m okay Hinata, I’m okay.” Naruto said. They stood there for a couple minutes neither willing to let go. After several long moments they walked back into the village, Hinata’s arm around his waist supporting him. Without word or gesture Naruto collapsed to his knees and fell flat onto his face.
“Naruto-kun!” Hinata said. She dropped to the ground and rolled him over while checking for a pulse. She found one but it was weak and his cuts, bruises and burn marks were starting to bleed freely. “Someone help! Anyone! Help!” Hinata said. She collapsed onto Naruto’s chest crying.
~_*_~
“This is not good, not good at all. Naruto must have used so much of the demon fox’s chakra that it’s trying to overcome the seal. His wounds aren’t healing and my guess is the demon fox is trying to break Naruto’s spirit so it can have more influence over him. My own jutsu can’t heal him because of the demon fox’s interference.” Tsunade said. She stared at Naruto with a mix of anguish and anger.
“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see how strong Naruto’s spirit and will is.” Kakashi said. He stared at Naruto for a long moment and then walked out of the room. Tsunade pulled the blinds around Naruto’s bed tightly closed and with one last look at him followed Kakashi out of the room. She stopped and looked to her right and saw Hinata leaning against the wall. She walked over and pulled her into a hug, which was so uncharacteristic of her.
“He’ll pull through Hinata. After all he has to become Hokage after me so he’ll wake up soon.” Tsunade said. She let go of Hinata and brushed away a tear from Hinata’s face and walked down the corridor. “Oh, don’t let the ANBU black-ops stop you. You can see him whenever you want.” Tsunade said. Hinata nodded her thanks and walked slowly towards his room.
~_*_~
Hinata never did like the hospital. It was full of such sadness and pain that she stayed away at all costs. Dread filled her as she reached the wall of curtains surrounding Naruto’s bedside. Taking a deep breath she slipped inside the wall and closed it softly. Her face filled with anguish when she saw Naruto lying there on the bed. The wounds had stopped bleeding thankfully but they refused to close. His cheeks were swollen and the whisker marks were the demon fox’s mark resided on Naruto’s body were bright red and jagged, aglow with red chakra. Naruto groaned and twitched and the blanket covering him fell to his waist. Hinata reached for the sheet to re-cover him but stopped when she saw his upper body. Every vein in his upper body bulged as if his blood pressure was at its peak. Hinata checked his pulse and found that it was weak. It must be the nine tailed fox’s chakra coursing through him. Naruto! His upper body was criss-crossed with wounds that like his whisker marks were aglow with red chakra. Hinata gently covered him again with the blanket and kissed him gently.
“Naruto-kun…wherever you are…I believe in you.” Hinata said as laid her head down on his chest and fell asleep.
~_*_~
Sakura walked into the hospital and asked if she could see Naruto. “I’m sorry, he can’t talk to anyone. He’s still out cold.” The nurse said.
“That’s ok; I just want to watch over him for awhile.” Sakura said. She walked down the hallway and stopped outside Naruto’s room. The ANBU black ops were standing guard and blocking the way in.
“Move aside men, she can see him.” Shikamaru said. Sakura turned and saw him walking towards her from the other end of the hallway. “He’s out like a light but Hinata’s been in there all night talking to him softly. I have no idea what she’s saying but hey, she’s a girl and I don’t understand them. I don’t even understand Temari half the time but women are women. You can go in and see if you can get her to come out and eat breakfast, maybe walk around a little.” Shikamaru said.
Sakura smiled. For all his pretense that women are bothersome and such drags he actually cares. Ever since the Chunin Exams and his fight with Temari he has changed. He’s become surer of himself and turned out to be an excellent leader, a natural for the ANBU black ops. What a big softie he is underneath it all. “Thank-you Shikamaru, I’ll see what I can do.” Sakura said. She walked into the room and stopped outside the curtains. Hinata was talking and it seemed rude to walk in.
“Remember that time when you cheered for me in the Chunin Exams? I was so weak compared to anyone else and in that match against Neji that I couldn’t dare to think to fight him. You made me want to succeed, to show you the real me. You mean so much to me Naruto-kun, please don’t give up, please fight on and come back to me.” Hinata said.
Sakura parted the curtains and stepped into the small space. She lost her calm demeanor when she saw Hinata stroking Naruto’s hair tears running down her face. “Oh Naruto…” Sakura said.
Hinata jumped and folded herself into her chair when she heard Sakura. Oh she must have heard me and seen me making a fool of myself just now! Oh, what do I do? What do I say? Her face got real red and she looked away.
“Oh I’m sorry Hinata; I didn’t mean to startle you. I just came to see Naruto and see how he is doing. How is he?” Sakura said. Man you’re such an insensitive jerk walking in on her like that. Now how do I fill the awkward silence?
“Well, um, no one really knows. He hasn’t opened his eyes or said anything coherent.” Hinata said. She forced herself not to look at Naruto.
Sakura walked over to the bedside and looked at Naruto. Wow, the demon fox’s chakra is really visible. She lifted the covers and saw it glowing in the wounds on his upper body and his bulging veins. There has to be a way to fix this. Tsunade tried everything she knows and still it doesn’t seem to help. I bet Naruto would relax if I could relieve the pressure in his veins.
Sakura performed a hand sign and focused her chakra in her hands. This needs to be just right, or I could make it worse. Her chakra went from a light blue to a dark blue and her hands visibly shook. Okay here it goes. She placed her hands on Naruto’s stomach over the spot where the seal was. She closed her eyes in concentration and pressed more firmly. Sweat began to form and drip off her face but she maintained the pressure. Finally she opened her eyes and pulled her hands away. She gave a huge sigh but smiled all the same.
“I did it Hinata. He’s going to be okay now.” Sakura said.
Hinata was surprised when Sakura had focused her chakra in her hands and pressed them on the seal on Naruto’s stomach. She was about to say something when Naruto’s red chakra began to glow and become brighter but it started to fade in intensity and eventually disappeared.
“Sakura what did you do?” Hinata said.
“I went into Naruto’s subconscious and spoke to him. I told him about his dreams and goals, his friends and the village. The demon fox tried to oust me but I told Naruto that you were sitting here at his bedside. I told him that you were crying out to him. With that the old Naruto came back with a vengeance. He broke the demon fox’s hold on him and came back with me. Now he’s just resting from the whole ordeal. Look, his wounds are starting to close. He must have regained control over the demon fox.” Sakura said.
~_*_~
Naruto pulled on his jacket and zippered it slowly. He walked to the window in his hospital room and looked out into the morning mist. That was a close one for sure. I’ve never felt the fox try and take over that strong before. He almost had me but Sakura appeared out of the fiery pit I was in and told me everything that was happening in the real world. Okay fox; let’s go see who’s the strongest, you, or me! Naruto slipped the latch on the window and opened it slowly. He jumped out of the small space and landed softly on the ground below. He looked around to see if his escape was noticed but no one was out this early in the morning. Haha it’s just like old times! Naruto ran down street, jumped over the wall and disappeared into the morning mist.
~_*_~
“What do you mean he just disappeared?” Tsunade said. She was facing Shikamaru and wished she could smack some effort into this slacker clown.
“Hokage, I have men posted around the floor as you asked. He couldn’t have gotten past anyone of them if he tried to leave through the door of his room. I wanted to post a man outside the window but you said not to. I distinctly remember you saying, “How could Naruto escape through a window? Look at him, he can barely breathe.” Well, Naruto did just that, he went through the window.” Shikamaru said.
“Oh you and your stupid calm demeanor! All right, I am wrong in this situation. To rectify my mistake I’m ordering you and your squad to find him.” Tsunade said.
“Wha...as you wish Hokage.” Shikamaru said. Women, they can’t fix their own mistakes and make the men fix them. What a drag! Shikamaru walked to the window and jumped out followed by his men.
“That bothersome little pest! I outta wring his neck when he gets back. Where does he think he’s going? What can he possibly want to do in his condition?” Tsunade said.
“Well, if you ask me Naruto went to a clearing somewhere in the woods to train. You know how he is when he loses; he hates the mere thought of it. I wouldn’t worry too much about it Hokage, he’ll come back.” Kakashi said.
“But doesn’t he realize the danger he’s in? That ninja he fought with knocked out every single ANBU black ops guarding this floor and blasted a hole in the wall to escape. He very well could be out there looking for Naruto right now.” Tsunade said. All she got in response was a soft chuckle from Kakashi and his characteristic tilt of his head before he walked past her and disappeared around the corner.
~_*_~
Naruto leaped from tree branch to tree branch heading for a clearing in the woods. I got to settle this dispute with the demon fox or I’m toast in the next battle. He dropped from the tree branch into a small clearing with a waterfall at one end and a small pool of water at the other. The clearing was coated with soft springy grass and secluded from every major path in the woods. This is where Hinata and I went to talk that night when I got back with the pervy sage. If I can just meditate in the solitude of this place, I know I can beat the demon fox. A kunai flashed from a tree across the clearing and stuck in the ground inches from Naruto’s feet.
“Foolish boy, you should have never left the hospital. You could have gone on playing your ninja game in safety there.” A familiar voice said. The ninja dropped out of the tree and landed on the ground across the pool of water from Naruto.
“Who the heck are you and what do you want with me?” Naruto said. He was tense ready to attack. Looks like that short conversation I had with the demon fox in the hospital is all I’m going to get!
“I’ve come with the simple task of killing you. Killing you would bring me great satisfaction since you defeated me in our last battle. You surprised me back there little man, but now I know your ace card and I’ll make sure to not let you use it on me twice.” The ninja said. He made a familiar hand sign and pressed his hand to the ground.
“Before I kill you, what’s your name?” Naruto said.
“My name is Hotaru Dykuro, from the Tykuro clan. Prepare yourself Naruto.” Hotaru said.
Naruto made a hand sign and pressed his hand down on the ground. “Okay you big jerk, you tried to kill me before but failed, you won’t this time either.” Naruto said. Naruto’s hand glowed with red chakra and the ground shook violently. “I’m not going to let you destroy the things I care about anymore!” Naruto said.
Twelve pillars of flames appeared around Hotaru. This time however the color of the flames was black and the pillars of flames turned into swords. Hotaru’s skin turned midnight black and gold runes appeared on his arms and legs. His eyes turned a fiery gold and were unfathomable. “Foolish boy, you know nothing of power. You think being a ninja is a game. A ninja like you is worthless, they need to die. My master wishes for this and I am his blade. Prepare to die Naruto Uzumake!” Hotaru said.
Naruto reached into the base of the demon fox’s chakra. All right you stupid fox, if you’re there give me your strength! Naruto made the same transformation as before but this time four tails appeared instead of two. He lost all thoughts of right and wrong, he became the beast that was inside him. He ran at Hotaru and leaped into the air to deliver a powerful punch.
Hotaru grabbed two of the swords and met Naruto halfway. Naruto proved the stronger and Hotaru flew out of the clearing swords in tow. He flipped over and slid to a stop. Naruto came at him again and Hotaru threw a sword at him like a javelin. Naruto grabbed the sword by the blade and broke it in half between his hands. Hotaru slashed at him with two more of his swords and when Naruto ducked to avoid them, Hotaru kicked him back twenty feet with a kick to the face. He followed up that attack by throwing four more blades at Naruto in rapid succession. Naruto dodged the first three but the last one pierced his stomach and came out through his back. Naruto staggered and dropped to the ground. His red chakra grew even brighter and exploded in a savage manner. He got up and rushed at Hotaru again. He launched a rapid one-two combination and then a knee into Hotaru’s body. He followed up with an elbow smash to the face. An uppercut. A shin kicks to the side. A vicious head-butt and finished with a flying spin kick which sent Hotaru rocketing backward. Hotaru got to his feet with blood coming from his eyes, nose and mouth.
“Okay Nine Tailed Fox, let’s finish this!” Hotaru said. Swirling the five remaining swords around him Hotaru charged at Naruto. Naruto charged Hotaru. Dark charged light; hate clashed with love and their resounding clash could be heard for miles.
~_*_~
Hinata raced through the treetops. She had heard that Naruto had disappeared from the hospital and the mysterious ninja had also. She had been frightened because she knew that Naruto would fight the ninja again if he met him. The whole village heard what sounded like an earthquake in the middle of the woods. The shinobi had assembled in the council room and a fierce debate ensued. Some where worried that the mysterious ninja would get the best of Naruto due to his weakened condition and others felt that the seal was weakened and the demon fox might escape. All agreed that the duo must be found, but how they would deal with them once they were, was still be hashed out when Hinata had left. Hinata saw splintered trees and broken up ground and picked up her pace. Naruto-kun! She stopped short when she came over the next valley and saw the battle ground below.
The valley once held a large basin of water and was surrounded by a thick volume of trees. It was a peaceful spot and many shinobi came to meditate here after a hard battle or a wrenching loss. They called it the Valley of Solitude. Now, after what appeared to be a horrific battle, the valley looked anything but a place of solitude. There were no more trees in a ten-mile radius of the valley, just a few scattered stumps. The ground was full of craters and holes with mounds of dirt piled up at random places. The once serene lake was no more. In the heat of the battle the heat of the combatant’s chakra must have evaporated the water. From her place on the edge of the scarred valley she saw Naruto surrounded by the red chakra with four tails at one end and the ninja in a midnight black with gold eyes at the other. Both charged each other and met at the middle. Naruto once again proved the stronger and the other ninja collapsed to the ground. Naruto let an out a savage yell in triumph.
Naruto was reveling in his victory as any beast would when he heard his name being called. He turned his head and saw Hinata running down the slope of the valley towards him.
“Naruto-kun! Naruto you’re okay!” Hinata said. She stopped short when she came within ten feet of Naruto. She gasped and put her hand up to her mouth. This isn’t the Naruto I know! What happened to him? His eyes, their red and filled with bloodlust. This must be the influence of the demon fox. No, I mustn’t shrink away; I must be there for him, to calm him down.
“Naruto-kun…” Hinata said. She walked towards him and reached out for his face. Suddenly she was snatched up and spirited away.
“Hinata what do you think you’re doing?! That isn’t the Naruto that you know, he’s been taken over by the Nine Tailed Fox! It’s not safe to go near him.” Said Neji.
Hinata looked around the clearing and saw all of the shinobi standing at the ready. Oh my goodness, everyone is here. There’s Kakashi-sensei, Mighty Guy-sensei, Ino, Chouji, Sakura, Rock Lee, and Kiba over there. And over there is Gara, Kankuro, Temari and Shikamaru. All the jonin are here also along with the Hokage Tsunade. Everyone is here.
“What’s going on Neji? What are you all doing here?” Hinata said.
“We came when we finished the council meeting. We heard the battle and saw the smoke. What happened? Never mind that now, we have to suppress the demon fox somehow…Hokage Tsunade might have to sacrifice her life to re-seal it though.” Neji said.
“No. You’re all wrong. There is a way to get the real Naruto back, without anyone dying or getting hurt.” Hinata said. She walked out of the safety of the ring of shinobi and headed for Naruto. She disregarded all the warnings and yelling from everyone and kept walking towards Naruto.
When she reached him she got right up in front of him. She stared him straight in the eye and ignored the swirling chakra whipping all around her.
“Naruto-kun, come back to us, to me. Let go of the anger and revenge, the despair and hate.” Hinata said.
Naruto’s conscience awoke inside the beast. What? Where am I? What the heck happened here? Wait, that’s Hinata! Okay you stupid fox, go back to where you came, your part in this battle is done. Naruto’s body shook and he seemed to be having a seizure. Hinata stood before him unfazed. No you stupid fox, I will not let you kill her! The red chakra swirling around the couple intensified and became more erratic, but suddenly it started to fade and go back into Naruto’s body.
“Hinata-san…” Naruto said softly. He collapsed to the ground eyes closed. Hinata knelt down beside him and cradled his head in her lap stroking his face gently.
“I knew you’d come back to me Naruto-kun.” Hinata said as everyone ran down into the valley heading towards them.
~_*_~
Naruto stood quietly looking over the pond at the clearing where he had met Hinata when he came back two and half years ago. What have I done? Everyone in the village treats me as if I’m about to explode and suddenly go all violent on them. Well, I guess with the battle and all…they have a good reason to be afraid. The worst part is that I can’t even talk to Hinata. I mean what would I say if I saw her? Sorry Hinata-san, I never should have brought you into my life. Tears fell down Naruto’s face as he came to that thought.
“I thought I might find you her Naruto-kun.” Hinata said softly.
Naruto whirled around and looked at her through his tears.
“Hinata…” Naruto said. He turned back around and faced the pond as the tears flowed freely down his face.
A gentle hand grabbed his. “Naruto please don’t hide from me. I care about what you’re thinking and what you’re going through. It makes me sad inside that you are out here all alone beating yourself up.” Hinata said.
Naruto broke down inside with her soft spoken words. “Hinata…I killed a man today. I had his life in my hands and I took it without hesitation. I became the beast that lives inside of me and nearly lost myself to its carnal nature. If you hadn’t been there… I’m too much of a burden on the village.” Naruto said.
“No you’re not anything like the demon fox. You killed that man today because he was going to kill you. You didn’t go and seek him out like a beast. He attacked you and you responded as any shinobi would. You did what you thought was necessary to save the village from harm. You were willing to sacrifice your life to do so and that shows how much you care.” Hinata said. She pulled him close and laid her head on his chest, hugging him tight. “I love you Naruto Uzumake. You’re not a savage beast to me.” Hinata said.
Naruto choked up when he heard these words. He wrapped his arms around Hinata and held her tightly to him. “I love you too Hinata Hyuga.” Naruto said.