A/N: Hookah! Next instalment! I've got a few days off from work so I'mma going to work on the chapters. Naruto's character is starting to rapidly mature just so you all know he's not OOC (well technically) it will be explained in the story I hope you all don't mind, but it is necessary for the plot. Oh and Kudos to the one person who noticed that Kyuubi's name keeps changing from Diago to Daigo I'm going to try and stop the confusion and keep it just as Diago from now on. Sorry bout that guys!
Disclaimer: No….
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Review
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Tsunade scoffed at the white haired sannin. "Yeah, but he hasn't proven anything to me yet and neither has Konoha. The latter has only shown me how much it takes lives rather than gives them. I am not going to protect a land that is doomed for death; I have seen enough death in my life time thank you very much. He is the new generation; he is the generation that will pull Konoha out of the depths of hell. Or at least that's what he has to show me before I ever consider taking the title of Hokage." She explained. "Jiraya-kun" Said after a moment of hesitation.
Jiraya laughed. "Then you are going to be surprised, if anyone is going to show you that Konoha can be turned off of the track to hell. It will be Naruto. Heck, the kid amazes me sometimes with his enthusiasm and loyalty."
"We will see, we will see." She said finishing off her Sake.
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Chapter 28: Betting against Time
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When Naruto opened his eyes he was in a nice soft hotel bed with Itachi beside him, he let his tails out; they hadn't been out in a while. Stretching Naruto figured that the elder teen must have carried him and tucked him in then fell asleep beside him. Speaking quietly and softly Naruto traced the lines on his face, "I know what to do now, but it won't be easy." He then traced over Itachi's lips. He remembered when Itachi had kissed him and he blushed lightly, then he heard Itachi's breathing pattern change and his heart beat quicken, but Itachi's eyes didn't open. Naruto smiled, apparently Itachi liked this. So continuing his actions his thumb brushed the raven teen's lips, and then his index finger traced up to the corner of his eye. Leaning down his head he softly kissed Itachi. "Wake up my sleepy prince." He said not realizing that he was calling Itachi his, Naruto was colour red him as he did it though. Naruto could have sworn there was a faint blush on Itachi's face but let the boy keep his pride and said nothing.
Itachi's eyes fluttered open. "You're up before me." He merely stated. Naruto could tell the elder one was shocked. Smiling he let out a little chuckle.
"I am capable of getting up with out being told." He teased back. Itachi's eyes softened and he let out a little smile. Naruto gasped and immediately hugged Itachi. "You look so cute! No wonder Aniki always does this to me when I wake up, if I look anything like you, I understand!" He said burying his head into the others chest. Itachi's first reaction of surprise fleeted as his smile returned and he put his one hand onto the blondes head petting the locks. And his other went to the blonde's sweet spot on his back petting the part where his tails met his back. The blonde couldn't help but purr.
A cough at the door startled both of them. Jiraya was standing at the door way. "Sorry to break up this loving moment, but we have things to do today." He said with a cat-got-the-canary grin. Naruto's whole face turned red and Itachi couldn't deny it this time he as well had a small but visible blush on his face. "Jeez, you two are such teenagers." He laughed, as he got some ideas for his next book.
Naruto knowing the old sannin the blonde shouted, "Perv! You better not be getting any ideas for any books!" He said, Jiraya just coughed and walked away. Naruto grumbled and mutters a few things. He pushed himself off of the bed and Itachi and then his tattoos retreated. "Let's get ready for yesterday's tomorrow." He said with a wink.
Itachi gave a soft smile and laughed mentally, 'He could have just said today...'
-- (I'm a breaker!-dance-)--
Naruto was a pretty smart boy, he knew how to set traps for his opponents and he could solve difficult problems in instants, however this problem ways flying over his head.
'Hmmmm I've heard from Lei-fai-nee that Tsunade had loved Konoha very much, but one day something happened and Tsunade-san hadn't returned since then. I wonder what happened... and I wonder how I can get her so see what she is missing out on in Konoha, there is no way that she could hate Konoha the way she was implying yesterday.' Naruto walked down the street with his head in his thoughts, no looking where he was going he bumped into someone. "Gomen-nasai!" He said giving a bow, as the person he bumped into did the same.
"N-Naruto-kun?!" The figure said, after hearing the voice he looked up to see who he had bumped into.
Gasping he pointed. "Shinuze-san! I haven't seen you in forever! How are you, how is Tonton, did you find that person you were looking for back then? Why are you here, Lei-Fai-nee never told me what happened to you!" He got out in one breathe. Shizune laughed patting his hair like an older sister to a younger brother,
"Hai, Hai I am fine, Tonton is right here, and hai, I found her. She is the reason I am here, she usually comes here anyways and Lei-Fai probably was just too busy." Shizune said with a smile. "Hey would you like to meet the one I was searching for, someone from her past showed up yesterday and I think she could use a refreshing person such as herself, as well as the results for the errands she sent me on yesterday." She said picking up Tonton who had been squeeling slightly since she bumped into Naruto.
"Un!" The pig squeeled. Naruto patted her on the head. The two then left to meet Shizune's friend.
-- (I'm a breaker!-flip-)--
"Y-Y-Y-Y-You! You are the person that Shizune-san looked out for 4 years!" Naruto exclaimed. Tsunade turned her head slowly and looked at Naruto. Blonde long hair, leaf chocker, azure eyes, and short, yes this was the boy she met yesterday.
Sighing Tsunade ignored the blonde and turned to Shizune. "Any luck?" Shizune smiled and handed her a piece of paper from her pocket while holding Tonton at the same time. "Ah this is good luck. I may win this bet this time, and have no karma attached."
Shizune nodded. "Let us hope so, your debt is very high another loss will not be good." Shizune said. Naruto got an idea.
"Tsunade-san, would you make a bet with me?" He asked. This grabbed Tsunade's attention.
Her eyebrow raised and she folded her right leg over her left. "You are probably way to young to be gambling, and you probably have nothing to offer me to get me interested." Naruto grinned as Tsunade fell into the beginning of his trap.
"To the opposite actually, I have been travelling with Lei-Fai-nee for around 7 years taking up missions with her, and I reassure you I have plenty to offer you if I do lose." He said. Tsunade ushered him to go on. "I know that deep down you actually care for Konoha." Tsunade scowled here. "I would like for you to, if I win, I would like for you to take the position of Hokage." Tsunade clenched her hand.
Calmly and stead, "Ah, this is a certainly interesting proposition you've handed me here." She pondered for a moment. "I'll agree to this bet on three conditions. I can set the bet, and I get at least 500 Ryou for even agreeing," Naruto nodded to those conditions," And just how much are you willing to wage on this bet?"
Naruto inhaled. And let his Azure eye challenge right though to Tsunade. "I currently in my bank account have 5,495,598.34 Ryou and I will be ready to wager everything for the sake of Konoha!" Tsunade was both shocked at the amount the boy was offering and his intensity. Jiraya had said that this kid was enthusiastic, but hell he could buy two full towns for that much nowadays.
"Brat, you know that you've just signed your own death, you don't even know what the bet is yet, hell I could say that the bet is for you to fly, and you have already agreed to it." She berated to him. Shizune watched the two go back and forth like a ping pong game.
Naruto grinned. "Don't you dare underestimate a Konoha shinobi or my word for that matter. You will regret it." He threatened. Tsunade laughed out loud.
"Oi, Shizune, just how good this kid, because last I heard, Konoha was pretty weak after fighting Orochimaru? And just how good can this kid's word be? He's only a kid." She bantered.
Shizune put her foot down. Startling Tsunade. "I can't vouch for Konoha, but Naruto's word is just as good, if not better than you and I put together." She said. "His word has saved me more than once, and I won't let you slander it Tsunade-sama" She spat out angered at the insult to Naruto's honour. Tsunade laughed once more.
"Moe, looks like you are taking away my favourite assistant brat, alright the bet will be..."
--(I'm a breaker!-pose-)--
Itachi and Jiraya were sitting in the hot springs they, as well as Naruto, were suppose to go but Naruto hadn't shown up late, Jiraya knew the boy could take care of himself and invited Itachi to join him anyways, he wished to talk to Itachi about the Akatsuki, it was actually better if Naruto wasn't there.
"Well, there is Pein, Konan, Zetsu, Sasori, Deidara, Hidan, Kisame, Tobi and Kakuzu. Each has their own ability and has their own reason for joining, everyone but Tobi has been partnered up, and Pein didn't think he was ready to be partnered just yet, however out of the whole Akatsuki Tobi is the one that makes me feel most uneasy." Itachi said. He opened his mouth to say something when both, he and Jiraya froze.
"Naruto's done something stupid."
--(I'm a breaker!-dance-)--
Naruto stood in front of Tsunade as she drew up the contract. Biting his thumb he placed his blood on the contract. "So even you knew that this would happen to Diago-sama." He said.
Tsunade sighed. "Yes, I knew that the seal would kill him, and I've been hearing stories about a boy who was training with Lei-Fai who was a Jinchūriki so I put two and two together. Now I want you to prove to me that Konoha isn't a land of killers but can give life. You have 5 days. Find and carry out a way to save your Diago-sama, do that and I will be more than willing to be the Hokage of Konoha."
Naruto gave a curt nod. "Excuse me then." He said leaving.
Tsunade sighed. "Stupid brat, he just threw 5.5 million Ryou down the drain for the sake of that place." Shizune gasped.
"You mean Naruto can't save Diago-dono?!" She gasped. Tsunade shook her head.
"Not unless he can create a body with no host for the Kyuubi to inhabit." She said.
Shizune put her hand to her quivering mouth, "Oh Naruto, you will lose your father-figure and the only thing that could save Konoha…"
--(I'm a breaker!-flip-)--
Itachi and Jiraya had decided to split up, one to find the blonde and one to, well, Itachi had a good guess at what the sannin would do but decided against speaking. He felt the pull of the pledge seal and followed that. He figured it would be better for Itachi to see Naruto alone anyway, he could feel Jiraya's uneasiness towards him. He quickly made his way to Naruto, getting through the city with ease.
He came to a dirt patched area his favourite -he wasn't too sure if he'd admit it aloud- blonde. Said blonde was sitting under the shade of a tree flipping through a big book that looked plenty of years old. The blonde had a puzzled look on as he flipped through then stopped at a page, pulled out a pencil and wrote something on a piece of paper beside him. Itachi slowly stalked over to the blonde, alerting Naruto of his presence encase the blonde hadn't noticed earlier. However the blonde remained nose-buried in the book. Itachi leaned over Naruto's shoulder to see what the boy was looking at. It looked like a different language to him. His ebony hair fell over his own shoulder onto the blondes. Naruto then craned his neck into the crook of Itachi's and gave it a lick.
That was when he noticed that the blonde's eyes were red. Naruto laughed and when back to his book. "Diago-sama is helping me translate the book. So he kind of has a really big influence right now. That was his warning to you to never be so unguarded in front of a fox." Itachi smiled and sat down he was leaning his back against the tree, inviting Naruto to sit in his lap. The blonde took the invitation and settled himself comfortably as he continued to translate main points in the book on to his paper.
"What are you doing any way?" Itachi asked as his curiosity got the best of him.
Naruto, without looking up from the book responded, "Well, Diago-sama has about a week left before his spirit is taken by the seal, and I've kind of made a deal with Tsunade-san about me being able to save him in order for her to become Hokage." He responded saying the last part extremely fast that the elder barely caught it.
Itachi wanted to hit the boy and maybe knock some sense into him but just couldn't. "So, what's the book for?" He re-asked the blonde.
Naruto jotted down a few words then spoke, "Well, unless I can make Diago-sama his own body there is no way to save him." He explained. "So I borrowed this book from Diago-sama and am looking for a way to get him his own body." He said flipping the page. "It looks like it is possible, but it may or may not take away every ounce of my demon chakra, making me back to the way I was before I got it." Naruto said. Coming across the page that had the seal design on it. He neglected to tell the elder that it will extremely painful for him as well as possibly deadly to both him and Diago. He didn't want Itachi to try and stop him.
The elder sighed inwardly, Naruto was taking to much on to himself. Itachi wanted to reason with the blonde, tell him he doesn't have to go so far for Konoha, no one would blame him. He knew however, that the very argument would be a waste of his breathe, the blonde would not change, besides he didn't want to have to force the blonde by using their pledge, he had a more useful purpose for the seal, he was just waiting for the right time.
--(I'm a breaker!-pose-)--
Itachi let his head rest on the tree and looked to the sky. Naruto every once and a while would fidget in his lap and it took every ounce of his control not to jump the blonde. He internally laughed at how naively the blonde could be about the things he does. It was starting to get dark and it didn't take an Anbu to realise that the blonde was getting tired from looking at the book all day. The fidgeting was simply another hint to him. He moved his head to rest it on Naruto's shoulder.
"We should probably be heading back to the room, you will need your energy." He suggested. Naruto nodded and the book disappeared in a small cloud of dust with a 'poof' noise. Itachi wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist and turned him around, Naruto instinctively wrapped his legs around Itachi's waist as the elder stood up.
Naruto tried to get down but the grip around his waist wouldn't allow it. "Hey 'Tachi!! Let me down!" Naruto said struggling. He stopped when he saw the glimmer of mischief in Itachi's eyes. "Oi…why do you look like that 'Tachi?" He questioned.
Itachi held back the urge to grin, "Since when did I say it was okay to use my name like that?" He almost chuckled as he felt the younger still as a sweat drop fell down his face. Itachi was thankful for his control on his emotions or this wouldn't have worked at all. He looked at the blonde with a face full of fake malice. "I clearly remember that when we first met it was Itachi-sama. And I don't remember changing that." He said with a stoic face.
Naruto tried to come up with an excuse but tripped on his own words. 'Er.. I.. Uh, eh… um.. Ack!" He said as the ebony haired boy came closer. He could feel Itachi's breath on his ear when something wet licked his own neck.
Itachi let his tongue dart out and lick the blondes neck in the similar spot as Naruto-Diago did earlier. "Never under estimate a weasel, Naru-chan." Itachi taunted as he felt the blonde try to get over the fact he was tricked.
Once he did grasp the concept he started laughing, his chest vibrating against Itachi's. "You so got me! But now Diago-sama says it's on, he always does love a challenge." Naruto said. He almost lost his balance in Itachi's grip and wrapped his arms around Itachi's neck pulling him closer. He inhaled and immediately felt at ease closing his eyes he rested his head on Itachi's shoulder. "I really don't know what I'll do if I lose him Itachi. It'll be so much worse then when Oji-sama left him." He murmured
Itachi tried to sympathize with the blonde. "Don't worry Naruto it will work out, and if it doesn't…" he said know how he wanted to end it, but not sure if he could. He inhaled and took every ounce of courage that he had and said, "I will always be here for you. I think I may even be falling in love with you. I think I care more about you than my brother even…" He said with an un-Itachi voice. When Naruto didn't respond he started to fear that the blonde had rejected him.
However the small inhale and exhale of the blonde told Itachi that he had fell asleep. The Uchiha laughed and continued walking to their room. "I guess it will still be a little longer until I can confess."
--(I'm the end of the chapter -muhahahahahaha-)--
Dei-chan here! Alright so yeah the chapters are getting shorter but I wanted this out before school starts… which is tomorrow. But never fear they will be no shorter than 3000 words. If they do become that. Shoot me. Please.
To leave off on a good note, I've got my laptop!! Everybody dance now!
So I now have spell check! But the grammar has seen better days. I know I should get a beta… but I'm too lazy….it's too troublesome.(Shika!! Cough..)
Reviews are loved, but not demanded.
Dei-chan!