How can I tell you? - Chapter 22
The Awakening
On the last chapter where we were cut off... by a cliffhanger... :
Naruto reached hinata and held her hand.
Hinata began to cry.
"Naruto-kun!"
"Hinata! Im here...Dont-"
Naruto was cut short when a snake appeared below him and pulled him down, Naruto had let go of Hinata's hand so that she'll not go down with him.
"Hinata-chan!"
"Naruto!"
Naruto tried to kick the snake away but the snake was too big to feel something that powerless.
"Damned snake! Let go of me!" Naruto said as he threw a kunai to the snake's eye, making it release him, but he continued on falling on a faster rate... with a endless pit awaiting to swollow him (oh yeah... the pit was formed after the ground hinata was in rose...)
'This is it... Im a gon-'
Then he was caught by something... A flying fan? Temari!
"Hey... You cant die on this one Naruto! Hinata's in grave danger!"
Naruto sat up and looked around him...
"this thing flies?"
"this fan can glide.. NOT FLY... "
"oh okay..."
Then fan glided to a safe spot on the ground and Naruto and Temari jumped off of it. Sasuke and the others ran towards them.
"Hey... you alright dobe?"
"Im fine sasuke... but... Hinata-chan...!"
Sasuke looked up... Hinata was already way high up... and with an endless pit nearby... Even with the gliding ability of Temari's fan can't reach it...
"Orochimaru...?"
Shikamaru looked at sasuke in surprise.
"What? Orochimaru's alive! I thought you-"
"I did... but seems like someone else wants a burst of power... and the control of the world..."
"che...is that so? that guy's so cheap at his name..."
Ino looked worriedly at the cliff.
"Hinata... how will we get hinata..?"
Kankuro sighed.
"I dont have an idea..."
"okay... Now what?"
Temari lit up suddenly after she gave something some thought.
"I know! Izumi and Gaara can help together to Finish off Orochimaru!"
Naruto's face lit up too and he held Izumi's hand in hope... However Izumi wasnt that 'happy' with the idea.
"Yeah Izumi! you can do something about this with gaara's sand and your water powers right? right?"
Gaara looked at izumi.
"what's with the long face? anything wrong?"
"It's just..." Izumi tried tell something, but there was always this thought passing by her head that stops her form saying that she is acutally serving Orochimaru's heir.
"It's Just that..."
"If you cant say it then dont." Gaara snapped.
Izumi just sighed. Naruto didnt mind izumi's Out of charcacter behavior and just tried to think of a better plan to get hinata out of there.
"Gahhhhh! I cant think of anything!" Naruto shouted out as he crouched down and scratched his head in frustration. but as he was doing this a gigantic (Orochimaru's summoning is with snakes...so maybe this applies) snake appeared before him and started to head for him with great speed.
The other's were too surprised to even move...
"Naruto! Watch out!" Chouji shouted.
"huh?" Naruto aked as he looked up to see the snake almost near him. unluckily, His eyes met with the snake's eyes... and unexplainably... the blonde jonin cant move!
'I...cant... move...! Im... dead!'
"Initial Lotus!"
Everybody looked at the boy wearing green who just arrived... It was lee who successfully knocked the snake away from them!
"Lee!" Ino said... half suprised at his sudden appearance... and half glad that help came just in time.
Lee gave out one of his 'good guy' poses.
"came just In time!"
As Lee said three more came running towards them. Everyone was suprised at who they saw...
Ino rubbed her eyes to know if this was true or just her illusion.
"It... I-It cant be-"
...but the most surprised of all of them would be Sasuke...
"S-Sakura...!"
"Sasuke-kun! Naruto!"
Naruto looked at where the voice came from...
"Sakura-chan!"
"Naruto brooooooo!" someone else shouted out.
Naruto stood up and blinked as Sakura and two others came towards them.
"Konohamaru? what are you doing here?"
"Mission! Im on a mission with you bro!"
"this isnt a game Konohamaru..." Naruto worriedly said as he looked at the cliff holding hinata.
"I know! that's why Kana, Lee, Sakura and I here to help you bro!"
Sasuke looked at the girl in front of him...
"Sakura...? is that really you?"
"not really..."
"what do you mean...?"
"I dont wanna explain it to you now... Hinata's in grave danger... We have no time for this reunion or whatsoever..."
Kankuro nodded.
"We know... but we dont have any idea how the hell are we going to get Hinata back!"
"Lets go all out!" Naruto said in a serious tone, Running towards the cliff where hinata is... to attempt to save her.
"Naruto! geez! that baka of a jonin! Running out like that!" Sakura said... Running after naruto.
Sasuke ran after sakura too.
"Sakura!"
'I must save hinata no matter what!' Naruto thought as he dodged some snakes, and killed some others by throwing rasengan on them.
"Naruto! Dont run by Yourself!" Sakura cried out, "If you get killed no one will save hinata!"
"I dont Intend to get killed Sakura!"
"I dont give a damn! Just turn your butt and come back this instant!"
"No Way!" Naruto declared as he performed his kage bunshin to transform into 3 and ran faster towards Orochimaru.
Sakura stopped... oh well... so much for the effort to stop naruto...
"geez... -huff- will that baka -puff- ever listen?"
"never..."
"Sasuke-kun?"
"Comeon.. everyone has already left to fight orochimaru..."
Sakura stood up...
"oh well... so much for strategies... Once we're done with orochimaru... Im gonna mash the pulp out of that Naruto's body!"
Then after she said that she jumped off...
"pft... Is this really sakura?..." Then he jumped after sakura.
"heh... do you think you can beat me with such a measly amount of kage bunshins?"
"Dont underestimate me Orochimaru!" Naruto said," I had beaten the first orochimaru once... and If I was able to do it then... I CAN do it again!"
Orochimaru smiled evilly and did a Kage bunshin as well... however... he had 6 clones... That he scattered to everyone... One to Shikamaru, Sakura, and Sasuke; One to Temari, Kankuro, lee and Chouji and another one to Izumi, Gaara, and Ino. The original Orochimaru had to fight with Naruto on a 3 on 3 battle.
"Heh... seems we're even?"
"I'll win this Orochimaru! and Im not ever ever going to give up!"
- (on izumi's team)
"Oh... so the great Preistess Izumi has turned her back on me...?"
"Shut up!"
Ino looked at Izumi, confused at what Orochimaru meant by 'turned her back on him'
"Izu...mi... You..."
"yes... I admit I worked for Orochimaru..."
"B-but..."
Orochimaru laughed at the scene...
"Hahahaha... Look at you... Pathetic people..."
Izumi looked at Orochimaru... more angry than before...
"Im not pathetic Orochimaru!" She said as she wielded her weapon.
"...You really are pathetic... you dont even realize that I have been using a genjutsu on you for all these years?"
"what do you mean?"
"Your Family..."
Izumi started to get nervous.
"What about my Family?"
Orochimaru laughed.
"Youre family is gone... foolish girl..."
"no! I just took a picture with them a month ago!" She said as she took a locket and opened it...
Ino took a peek at the picture.
"...b-but no one else is in the picture except for you!"
Izumi looked at the Picture again... to everyone else's eyes she was alone in the picture.. but because of the genjutsu... she always had the illusion that she could see, hear, and even feel their touches.
"No! They're alive! Theyre at the Wave country!
Orochimaru smirked.
"oh really...? look at it now..." Orochimaru laughingly said after making some seals.
Izumi looked at the picture... Ino was right... she was the only one there! Izumi suddenly felt unworty to live... Orochimaru made her believe her family was alive so he could use her powers to get rid of the things that had gotten into his way... all her years of serving him was just because he promised her that they'll be okay if she agreed to. But now... there's nothing to protect. Izumi fell on her knees, crying...
"Mother... Father... !" She cried out loud.
Ino looked at orochimaru with angry eyes.
"You...You... EVIL DEMENTED DEMON! You used her!"
Orochimaru had summoned a snake while ino was saying that, The snake had gotten behind her.
"Ahhhh!"
Ino had already closed her eyes in hopelessness when Kana came into the scene and struck a kunai down the snake's eye, making it dissappear..
"Ino-san! are you alright?" Kana asked the Chuunin blonde while she jumped off the bloddy snake's head.
"Kana? Im alright... thanks to you..."
Orochimaru laughed, Kana couldnt help but try to strike a kunai at him but he was too fast and easily evaded her attack.
"I see you havent given up on changing things little girl..."
Kana smirked at Ororchimaru's comment.
"Yeah... and guess what? I've just burned the scroll of eternity down... ehehehe"
"so what?"
kana's smile dissappeared.
"w-what do you mean?"
"foolish teenager... I need the scroll of eternity no longer... I need no recipie for immortality with the maidens' power's at my side... and once I bring the 4 maidens together... me and my decendants shall rule the world...!"
'his desendants?' Ino thought, 'Orochimaru does not have a wife... or does he? how can he have decendants without a mother to bear hi- w-wait a sec... he's taking hinata as hostage... then... then...!"
"that means...! Naruto! Listen to me! Orochimaru wants Hinata to marry him! He's after the byakugan bloodline!"
"looks like your friends have already figured me out Naruto-kun..." The orignal orochimaru laughed, "what im after is the powers of the life jewels of the maidens... with the powers of the maidens' with me... and with the byakugan bloodline... my decendants will be unstoppable... the sharingan will never compare to the Byakugan..."
Even though naruto just wanted to slice his head off that moment, as a ninja, he has to control his temper at the moment so he could get info to defeat Orochimaru more easily...
"wh-what are the maiden's power's exactly?" Naruto asked in a tone that told obviously that he was just controlling his anger.
Orochimaru smirked.
"so the furious naruto-kun is interested? hehehe... okay... then let me tell you... The Maiden of Earth will grant me Unmatched strength... Wind will give me Speed... Water will give me Ultimate knowledge...lastly the Maiden of Fire can grant me Complete Immortality!"
Naruto backed off by one step.
'grrr... how will I beat this guy... as far as I know... He has the Wind and Earth (that he got from Hana) Maidens... What to do! what to do!' Naruto thought nervously.
Meanwhile... Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru were having problems of their own with their Orochimaru clone... It kept dodging Sasuke's Goukakyuu no jutsu and Shikamaru's Kage mane no jutsu...
Orochimaru smirked.
"is that all youve got?"
Sasuke smirked as well.
"No..." he said as he started using the Kyodori
"so youre going to use that on me sasuke-kun?"
A white flame started to appear on Sasuke's Palms. It also started to sound like a gigantic bird was flapping her wings.
Sakura clapped her hands together in happiness.
"Alright! Sasuke-kun's using the kyodori!"
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.
"kyo... dori? The great mythical bird?"
"yah... its where the chakra used for Chidori is optimized and instead of it turning into a thunder-like concentration of the chakra on the palms and having a weird sound of a thousand birds, the Kyodori looks like a white flame on the hand and has a sound similar to that of the flapping of the wings of a Legendary eagle."
"che... "
'You can do it sasuke-kun...' Sakura thought to herself.
"So my informants were right... you did develop some new technique..."
"pft..."
Sasuke lunged at Orochimaru and hit him with the Kyodori and dissapeared.
"stupid clone..."
Sakura ran towards Sasuke.
"Sasuke-kun! You did great! It was just a piece of ca-"
"It would have been hard to defeat it if it was the real Orochimaru..."
"Should we go help Naruto?"
"No... he wouldnt like that... and he'd like a good impression to hinata..."
Sakura giggled.
"yeah... I think so..."
Sasuke sat on the ground with a thump.
"ugh... even with the kyodori... I lose too much stamina and chakra..."
"Dont worry sasuke... everything will be okay..."
"Naruto kun..."
"Hinata-san!"
"eh? Oh! Hana-cha-"
Hana put a hand over Hinata's Mouth.
"shh! Orochimaru will notice us if we're not fast..."
"but how did you get here? its almost 80 feet above the ground!"
"Yeah... its pretty high... and I had some help from Ino-chan... she showed me how to use chakra to climb at surfaces..."
Hinata smiled, but it faded quickly.
"Hinata-chan? what's wrong..?"
"dont move hana...look!"
Hana looked in front of her more carefully... chakra enforced thread!
"...Tsuchi Kin!" Hinata announced.
Kin showed herself to the two.
"hehehe.. look at that... The little flower has a little bit of Ninja in her..."
"I thought youre-"
"dead? that's what I thought too... until Tenma brought me back from the dead... now dont move or else..."
"Or else what?" Hana shouted at Kin.
"Im gonna do... this"
"Dont anger her Hana!"
Kin's hand twitched for a moment, causing a invisible thread with chakra to make a small wound to Hana.
"Ouch!"
"Dont move Hana... Every inch of this area has Thread all around it now... If we move... There'll be some problems..."
not knowing what to do Hana Hopes and prays for some help. She's Not a Ninja, She's just a cook... how can she fight against a experienced Ninja?
"Help...us... Please..." as she said that Someone appears from behind Kin and bashes her to the left side of her flank.
"Konoha Seppuu!"
"Lee-kun!" Hinata said in relief,
Lee looked at Kin's Body, Thankful that the Taijutsu made her quite dizzy to stand or talk.
"That'll hold her till we three get down..."
"but this is really realy and I mean REALLY high... How can we go down without dying?"
"Calm down Hana... Im sure Lee-kun has a plan..."
"r..really?"
Lee Gave a 'good guy' pose to Hana. It made Hana blush a bit... She liked Strong men who dont rely on tricks, or magic-like abilities.
"Dont worry Hana-chan! Im gonna save us!"
Someone from behind whacked lee on the head.
"Gah... What was that for!" Lee said, With waves of tears on coming from his eyes looking like this - T-T
"Dont take all the credit... Kankuro and I Helped YOU to come UP here..."
"Okay... sniff"
Temari sighed.
"oh... whatever... Hinata... We have to go down NOW... Sit on my Fan so We can glide down..."
"What about me!" Hana Protested, worring how she'll go down.
Lee stopped crying and smiled at Hana, assuring her thats its 'not a problem'.
"Im gonna carry you on my back then...!"
Hana Blushed... On his back he said?
"on your back...? bu-but... how are we... gonna go down?"
"Kankuro made strings of Chakra when Temari and I came up here so the fan would come up, Temari just Removed the strings, and tied them to a rock..."
Lee pointed to a rock at the edge of the Cliff.
"see? Im gonna use my forehead protector to glide us down..."
Lee took off his Forehead protector from his waist and placed the metal plated part (you know, the part with the metal and Konoha symbol on it! XD) against the chakra wires.
Temari smiled as she saw Hana blush as lee was working on how theyre gonna go down. She signaled Hinata to hold on tight and she thrust the fan down the cliff... Giving them a landing similar to that of how a piece of paper falls from a desktop. Now, It was Lee and Hana's turn to jump down.
"are you ready Hana-chan?"
Hana was really nervous, But seeing the confidnce that Lee had in himself, all she had to say was...
"I-I trust you Lee-kun..."
Lee Smiled and Jumped down, holding tight to the Forehead protector as it helped them glide from above. Hana was holding on to him by his neck, just closing her eyes in realization of her fear of high speeds (is that possible? o.o;;). Kankuro, knowing they were coming his way, Tied the Chakra wires onto a tree and went to look for the place where Temari and Hinata glided off to.
"Kankuro Tied the wires to a tree... We have to Jump off at the count of 3... are you ready?" Lee asked Hana.
Hana nodded and gathered all her strength.
"okay then... one... two... three...!" Lee counted as when it reached 3 he let one hand go... making Him and Hana tumble on the Soft grass. They tumbled down wards on the hill and Lee ended up above hana.
"uh... you okay?" Lee said with a tint of Blush on his face, noticing how much Hana looked like Sakura, except the fact that she had redish eyes instead of Sakura's Green ones.
Hana was already as red as a tomato at that time.
"Y-y-yeah... I-Im okay... can i... um... get up?"
Lee paniced and Got up fast.
"heh..."
There was a loud eerie silence that was disturbed by chouji, who had successfully beaten an Orochimaru clone by himself.
"Hey Lee! I did It! I killed an Orochimaru clone!"
Lee smiled and gave a thumbs up to Chouji.
"Good work Chou! Comeon.. we got to Find Hinata and the with us Hana-chan?"
"Yeah... Im coming..."
Meanwhile again on Ino, Izumi and Gaara's own battle with an orochimaru clone, They were having their own hard time. Shikamaru was already on his way to help them, Sasuke had lost a lot of chakra and Sakura had to tend to him.
"ugh!" Ino shouted out as The Orochimaru clone Punched her.
"Ino-san!" Kana shouted as she tried to Run towards Ino to help her but instead got stalled by Orochimaru who had thrown a Kunai at her, Luckily she had dodged it beforehand, It was quite a close call too. Meanwhile, Izumi was still dazed... depression seeping through her eyes.
'Tell... me.. Why...!' she cried out mentally on her head, 'why!'
'why have I been such a freaking idiot... Ive been serving Orochimaru just to realize everything was just a lie...?"
Kana was fighting still with orochimaru and got hit by a dozen needles. Then Orochimaru threw her aside towards Izumi. Kana coughed up some blood and looked at Izumi with hopeful eyes.
"Izu...mi... Dont be so... d-down..."
Izumi stopped crying for a moment to look at Kana's face half-covered in blood.
"K-Kana-chan..."
"You... Have a... better reason... to live... you cant change the past... but you can change... the future...dont.. give... up.." Kana said before she coughed up blood again.
"Kana-chan... Thank you..."
Kana smiled, Izumi wiped the Blood from her face using her kimono and laid her on the floor.
"Gaara, Take care of her for me..."
After she said that she resummoned her pickaxe weapon again and dashed towards Orochimaru. Even if it was a clone... It was exremely agile like the original. Izumi tried using her powers on several hits, but it kept dodging with great speed. No sooner, The orochimaru clone tried hit Izumi on the back and she fell down to the floor.
"Had enough water-girl?"
Izumi used the last remnants of her strength to stand up, she smiled as her eyed changed from its normal playful pair into its scary side (like i described on chapter 13).
"Guess -huff- not orochimaru-baka..."
Orochimaru smiled as he saw Izumi Glowing like a blue flame surrounding her whole body. Fear or Interest wasnt shown in his face, but excitement of by an unknown reason.
"Guess you dont Give up do you?"
"again.. no..."
Gaara on the meanwhile, was guarding Kana with a sheild of sand just in case. he could feel and hear the intencity of Izumi and Orochimaru's confrontation. Although he seemed very much heartless... somehow Izumi had changed him.
"Izumi..." gaara said in a serious tone, trying to control his feelings."Be careful"
"Yes Gaara-kun... I will..." She said before she lunged fast at Orochimaru with blinding speed, with the pickaxe's sharp blade pointing at him.
"Assasin death attack : Mizutou no Jutsu!"
But however, despite the fact that Izumi was able to pull off her strongest assasination move, she was stopped when orochimaru lengthened his nails and hit Izumi deep on her side.
"Y-you..."
"cant you see...? whatever you are planning to do... It will never make me fall..."
Gaara's eyes opened wide in half shock and not beleiving in that Izumi was just beaten, wanted to come and help her (because he WANTED to beat her himself not by another), but he cant because Izumi had asked her earlier to take care of Kana. For the first time is his life he felt anger instead of happiness when he saw blood. Did that mean that he now had feelings for the Girl who bore the water preistess's spirit? Meanwhile Izumi was severely bleeding, She was hit almost near the heart and losing blood fast.
"ugh..."
"Maiden of water... Give me your Spirit..."
"a...a...a...ahhhh!" Izumi slowly shouted out in pain as Orochimaru's Hand came out of her body, Izumi's Life jewel was taken. Orochimaru Smiled as he swollowed the blue jewel covered in Izumi's blood and threw the unconcious girl aside next to Ino.
"I now have the Water Maiden... one more and I shall be the most powerful man... no... the most powerful GOD the world has ever seen..."
"Not If I can help it!" someone shouted from behind, "Kage mane no jutsu!"
It was Shikamaru, who successfully got Orochimaru in the traps of his shadow.
"Nara Shikamaru... what a pleasant surprise..."
"Not a surprise to me... Baka.. where's Ino!"
"Over there!" orochimaru laughed as he turned his head, looking at Ino's unconcious was enraged when he saw this.
"Damn you! Go to hell! Gaara! Do what you do best! Kill Him! Now!"
Gaara Happily obliged and ordered the sand to do so, but what they both saw came to their surprise when they saw it was a...
"Kawarimi!" Shikamaru said as he panicked to look where Orochimaru went. Gaara had formed a defensive sheild around him an Hana just in case.
Ino stood up just at that moment. Seeing Shikamaru Panicking. As she was wondering why, She noticed someone coming from above Shikamaru and opened her eyes wide. She had to act fast and do her 'Ultimate secret skill' that she never told anyone...
"Torikae Hito no Jutsu!" (its an transfer technique similar to the Shunshin no jutsu. Its where you exchange places with another person, taking the attack that was supposed to be for them. Its a Sacrificial techniqe which Ino never told to anyone.)
Shikamaru looked up and saw Orochimaru heading towards him with blinding speed, He blinked for a moment and then saw himself somewhere else! He looked around and gasped in horror to see Ino being hit by Orochimaru instead of him.
"INO!" he said running towards her.
Orochimaru smirked and licked Ino's blood that scattered on his face when he had hit her on the shoulder with a kunai. It wasnt that deep, but indeed, it was weakening and painful. Orochimaru walked away for a while to watch how Shikamaru suffered, looking at Ino's condition.
"Ino! Please tell me youre still alive...!" Shikamaru cried out with tears on his face for the first time on his life.
Ino tried her best to open her eyes. She did so, but it had drained her more energy.
"Shika...maru... ugh..."
"Dont stress yourself i-ino... you'll be okay... I know you will!"
Ino smiled.
"Dont be... such... a... lazyass... when I... die... okay!"
"No! you wont die..!"
Tears started flowing from Ino and shikamaru's eyes.
"I'm gonna go now...I.. I love you shikamaru..."
"Ino..."
Ino's heart suddenly stopped, she closed her eyes and shikamaru couldnt believe she was gone.
"I-Ino...No..."
A small red sphere that had flames flowing from within it came out of Ino's Forehead and started hovering towards orochimaru. Shikamaru tried his best to bring it back by catching it... but he wasnt able to. Orochimaru laughed evilly as his hand reached for it.
"hahaha! Now that I have the maidens... I will be Immortal!"
Meanwhile, Shikamaru was Holding tight to Ino's cold body, Hugging it tight. He let it go and laid her on the grassy ground, kissing her forehead and then looking at her beautiful face one last time before what he thinks would be the last battle of his life.
"not... While Im still alive..."
How can I tell you? - Chapter 23
Onto the distant future.
On the last chapter where we were cut off... by a cliffhanger... :
Ino's heart suddenly stopped, she closed her eyes and shikamaru couldn't believe she was gone.
"I-Ino...No..."
A small red sphere that had flames flowing from within it came out of Ino's Forehead and started hovering towards orochimaru. Shikamaru tried his best to bring it back by catching it... but he wasn't able to. Orochimaru laughed evilly as his hand reached for it.
"hahaha! Now that I have the maidens... I will be Immortal!"
Meanwhile, Shikamaru was Holding tight to Ino's cold body, Hugging it tight. He let it go and laid her on the grassy ground, kissing her forehead and then looking at her beautiful face one last time before what he thinks would be the last battle of his life.
"not... While Im still alive..."
"what are you going to do then eh shadow boy?"
Shikamaru gave a silent grin and Performed Kage Mane no Jutsu on Orochimaru, but it missed (so it seems)
"You missed.. what are yo-"
Gaara laughed as he lowered his sand.
"Look behind you..."
"What! How can he?"
Orochimaru realized that the Shikamaru that he was looking at was just an illusion, the real one was behind him, already stuck his shadow into His.
"NOW GAARA! KILL THE DAMNED CLONE!"
Gaara smirked and ordered the Sand at once to kill it. And so He did so, making the clone disappear.
Shikamaru ran towards Ino's Body and smiled while a tear fell from his eyes. Feeling how indeed cold Ino's Body was, she was dead... but Deep Inside Shikamaru, he knew that she was still alive and listening to him.
"Ino... I did it... I beat that Orochimaru clone for you..." he said as he removed the hair that covered her face.
"huh...? what's this?" He asked to himself as saw the Fire Maiden's life jewel rolled on the floor nearby Shikamaru. He picked it up and looked at it carefully.
"Ino's Life jewel... "
The jewel was flowing with the power of fire... if used with the other Maiden's life jewels it could make Immortality possible... but alone...It Grants courage.
"Naruto... I gotta give this to him..."
'this is troublesome but I've must do it for Ino!' he thought before he started running as fast as he could to Naruto.
Naruto was having a hard time Battling with Orochimaru and his clones. Naruto's Own clones had disappeared, and even if Naruto had already used the Chakra of The Kyuubi inside of him... The original Orochimaru smirked at seeking Naruto weaken and he called off the clones. Naruto was Panting from frustration and anger as he saw Orochimaru (or as we know, Tenma) come closer to him, with only a cut from a kunai to hit him from an hour of non-stop fighting.
"I see you have only achieved on cutting me on the arm... I see you have an enormous amount of Chakra... but as long as I have the Jewels... I will stay alive without pain or suffering...!"
'h-he's so strong... how can I beat him? how...?' Naruto thought as he stood up, holding his arm that had taken quite a serious blow. It was quite painful to Naruto, Even if the healing power of the Kyuubi helped ease the pain by healing it bit by bit (that's how serious it was).
"I.. I... Will beat you no matter what!"
-(set of flashbacks)-
I have friends to look after...!
Flashes of the gennin 9 when they were still gennin (on the actual series)
I have a village to protect!
Flashes of his Memories of Konoha and the 3rd hokage and the Jounin sensei's.
and lastly...
A smiling Hinata appears on Naruto's Mind...
I have to protect the one I had TRUELY LOVED!
-(end of flashbacks)-
"Do you think you need this Love to live?"
"Yes I do! and I swear it to the pain of my arm!"
"then lets ADD that Pain shall we!" orochimaru said as he lunged towards Naruto, To Naruto's Point of view... it was in slow motion, almost telling him that this was it.
"not if I could help it!"
"Shikamaru!"
"Naruto Catch!" Shikamaru said as he threw the Fire maiden's life jewel to Naruto. Naruto caught it and saw in it why he was going on, living for so long...
"I've been looking for someone who would acknowledge me ever since I could remember... and now not only have I discovered she acknowledged me... She was there... Loving me.. No matter how clueless I was to not notice her! I want to return the Favor to her!"
"Hmph... Give me the Jewel..."
"Never!" Naruto shouted out, then at that moment, The Jewel Reacted to his Courage and restored his Chakra by full and healed his wounds completely. Naruto looked at the Jewel and saw it glowing with an eerie red light coming from it, radiating power that slowly came to trickle upon his veins.
"Give me the Jewel Naruto.. ! Im Warning you!"
"I just told you I WONT!" Naruto said as he made the Seals for his most powerful attack... Rasengan.
A ball of Chakra formed on Naruto's Palms and started to grow in size. Orochimaru stepped back, Scared of the Plentiful Chakra Naruto was putting into one move.
"You're going to waste your Chakra... you're never going to beat me...!"
Shikamaru snickered and Used Kage mane on him secretly, Orochimaru discovered this just when It had already taken place on him.
"No! This... CAN'T BE!"
"Just shut up... You're going to die anyway... feh... how troublesome"
"no Matter how strong you may be orochimaru... We wont lose to you!" Naruto said as he threw the Rasengan onto him, Shikamaru took off the Kage mane no jutsu and jumped to safety just in time or else he might not get to live.
The Body of Orochimaru was disintegrated but he was able to release his soul once again onto the world, ready to take on another host to get revenge once again... but of course that would take on so much time before it happens.
"Naruto-kun!" Somebody shouted out from a distance, it was Hinata with the others.
Naruto smiled happily as he saw the one he loved run towards him and leapt into his arms.
"Naruto-kun..."
"Hinata-chan..."
Sakura smiled at Thanks, The evil Chakra of orochimaru had disappeared, and surely Peace was awaiting for the Shinobi of Konoha...
"Sasuke-kun... everything is okay now... Naruto did it... he had beaten Orochimaru..."
Sasuke smiled. Oh well, so what if the dobe became hokage?
"That dobe..."
Moments later the Life Jewels floated in all sorts of directions, each of them finding the body they were from. The Water Jewel came back to Izumi...
"huh? Am I dead?" Izumi asked herself aloud.
"No.."
"are you God?"
"maybe..."
"Who are you then...?"
"Just shut up... Im Gaara! Now wake up... Uzumaki has taken care of Orochimaru..."
Izumi Opened her eyes and thanked god she wasn't dead, As soon as she stood up she ran towards gaara and gave him a big hig,
"thank you Gaara-kun..."
"feh..."
The Jewel of Earth came back to Hana...
Lee stared in wonder as he saw the jewel go back inside Hana's heart. Hana had closed her eyes, concentrating so that the Jewel would get back into it's place properly.
"What's happening Hana-chan?"
Hana opened her eyes. Her red eyes were back to normal.
"I got my life jewel back... its just nothing Lee-kun..."
Lee smiled at her.
"That's great to hear..."
"Lee...?"
"what?"
"you know..."
"hnn?"
"I like you a lot."
"really?"
"yeah... I mean it too..."
Speechless, lee just did what he wanted and Hugged her.
'horray... someone likes me...screw sakura... im going for Hana...' He thought to himself.
((Im really sorry LeeSaku Fans...))
The jewel of wind came back to Sakura...
"Sakura! Your eyes!"
Sakura blinked, and took a mirror from her pocket and saw that her eyes were indeed , back to its normal state.
'Yes Im back to where Im supposed to be... !" Inner sakura said.
"Yay...! B-but what the hell!" she said, then seeing her hair all messed up, so she panicked to get a brush from her bag immediately.
Sasuke smiled, oh well.. old sakura's back again.
And lastly the jewel of Fire came back to Ino...
"Shikamaru-Kun!" Ino Shouted out to shikamaru excited to see him.
Shikamaru looked around and saw Ino Coming to him, He smiled and held his arms wide for a hug with ino. Ino no sooner flung herself into Shikamaru's arms, just happy to be with him again. Shikamaru had put his arms around her, wanting time to just stop for a short moment.
"Ino... Would you marry a genius like me?"
"Yes shikamaru... I would..."
"so you will marry me?"
Ino smiled, "of course I will! You lazy bum!"
Despite that everyone was indeed happy that the problem was solved, Kana lay on the grassy floor, feeling the wind flow on her face and the stars shine their light upon her. She turned her head, to see the fireflies have started to appear, no sooner making it seem that the stars were at their reach.
"Otousan... I hope I made you proud..." Kana said to herself quietly a she saw her own hand fading slowly, She saved the future, but it cost her existence,
Kana smiled as she saw Hinata and Naruto finally kissing among the light of the fireflies and thanked god for everything. She closed her eyes and smiled, readying for her last.
"and now... My mission is over..."
"O!"
"Huh?"
"Go!"
"Go?"
"ngo!"
"What the?"
"Sango! Wake up! Don't act like your father! Your Team exam starts in 30 minutes!"
"What exam? THE EXAM! OH NO IM GONNA BE LATE!"
Sango rose up from her bed and rushed to get a bath, and get dressed, She had Short blonde hair, and a pair of blue eyes. She slid her sandals, and fixed her hair in its usual straightness. She hurriedly ate her breakfast, not as delicious as she hoped it would be but well... it was an improvement.
"What's all the racket...?" a little boy asked his sister as he walked down the stairs.
"Good morning Inori. And hey! Not bad Okaasan... just needs to lessen the salt ne?"
Her mother sweatdropped, she wasn't that good in cooking as she was in ninjutsu but well She was improving.
"Yeah Ino... you always put too much salt in everything..." Sango's father commented as he flipped the page of his newspaper.
"Oh yeah...? Lets see you cook Shikamaru..."
'Geez they're always like that... grr...'
Sango finished her food and brushed her teeth. Kissing her mother's cheek before she leaves.
"Our Sango grows so fast... she might even make it to chuunin early like you Shikamaru..."
"Troublesome..."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing!"
And at the Uchiha Residence,
"Aori! Momoko! Are you two dressed? Breakfast will be ready in 5 minutes!"
"Hai Sakura-Okaasan!" said the two.
Sakura sighed as she went back into the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. Everything had to be done on her own when Sasuke died out of a mission months ago, leaving her 2 months pregnant and filthy rich. She got through it thanks to Ino's support. Momoko and Sango were very close like their mothers and usually reffered to each other as cousins.
"Momoko! Aori! Are you two ready?"
"Yes mom! Coming!"
The two twins came down running, hoping to get some great tasting food for breakfast. Momoko was an almost exact replica of her mother, except she had black eyes and a personality close to her father's. Aori's Personality was More like Sakura, but his outer look was more like Sasuke to the fact that he had black hair, and no... he does not have fangirls. Naguno does.
"we have chicken soup for breakfast... and don't forget we'll have a picnic with my Gennin batch so behave if you meet some students you knew at the academy..."
"yeah okay..." Momoko said as she drank her soup from a cup, she didn't like the idea of bowls that much.
"Hey Momo... what is your team number?"
"Team #3... you Ao?"
"Team #6... oh well... too bad... if a mission comes up we cant do the Uchiha rendan! (the special attack of the Uchiha twins)"
They finished their soup and walked towards the door.
"hey you two... Don't forget... you cant Use the Sharingan unless nessesary... got that? And Aori... you cant use the-"
"I know... I cant use the sharingan to copy answers... got it..."
"and Momoko youre forgetting something..."
Momoko rolled her eyes, not this again.
"Okay... whatever..."
Momoko Kissed her mother's cheek and bade her goodbye as She and her brother went out for their team practices.
At the Uzumaki residence...
"Naguno! Naguno! Wake up... um...please?"
"Oh mom... can't it wait 5 more minutes?"
"Im afraid not Naguno... Your father already left for the office... you'd better hurry if you want to catch up. And your team practice is today right?"
"Hinata-Okaasan... all riiightt... I'll go..." Naguno said as he jumped up and stetched.
Hinata smiled as she looked at her son, so much like her father in every way. The only thing different was the byakugan and he doesn't have those fox-like marks on his cheeks like his father.
"Don't forget to take a bath now...your teammates are girls I heard, you don't want to turn them off do you?"
Naguno sighed and got his towel. "Yes... Mom..."
After Naguno got a bath and dressed up in his father's old clothes that got passed on into him. For some reason it still looked like new. Naguno Yawned and slowly walked down the stairs to smell something good.
"Mom... that smells good... What's for Breakfast...?"
"Miso ramen..."
"Miso Pork Ramen?"
"Yeah"
Naguno Jumped up in happiness, like his father, Naguno too has quite a big liking for Miso Pork ramen... He gobbled it all up and kissed his mother before he headed out to the training fields for practice. He liked the idea of walking through the roads everyday. He greeted Lee and Hana, Walking their way towards his father's office. Lee had become more 'unweird' ever since he decided on putting back the look he had when he graduated from the academy. Hana was carrying their daughter that they had named Ran. Lee was so proud upon his daughter's death that he promised himself to teach him every taijutsu he knew. He waved a hi at them and continued on walking. No sooner that he looked up at the sky to see the clouds he bumped into a Blonde gennin.
"Hey! Watch where youre going!" Naguno said to the girl.
The girl sweatdropped and helped Naguno up as she tried to hurry.
"!" The girl said to Him and dashed off, leaving Naguno dazed.
'what the hell is going on?'
Naguno arrived at the Training fields, seeing a pink haired girl sitting on one of the training logs.
'WHAT? MOMOKO-CHAN IS MY TEAMMATE! ALL RIGHHTTTTT!' Naguno said to himself, happy that his crush was gonna be one of his teammates. Naguno liked Momoko because she was always top in class, however for him, he was just average. Naguno gathered all his courage and walked to Momoko.
"H-hey... Uchiha Momoko? Academy class number #2?"
"Uh huh... Yup im Momoko... Who are you?"
"Err... Im Uzumaki Naguno... Academy class #5..."
"Okay then... So your father is Hokage-Sama?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"tell me.. are you a member of Gennin team #3?"
"yeah..."
Momoko gave her 'nice to meet you' smile at Naguno.
"So that means we're teammates then... "
Naguno slightly blushed as he saw Momoko smile at him. The silence of being alone with her was broken when Someone came.
"Hi people..."
"And you are?" Momoko asked the guy who came.
"Konohamaru... Are you team #3?"
"yeah?"
"So you two are the only ones who passed the Gennin exam am I correct?"
Momoko Shook her head.
"No... According to Moegi-sensei, (the one who tested them for Konohamaru...) There was another one who passed... her name is-"
A gennin suddenly appears via Shunshin and looks pretty tired.
"Nara Sango... Academy class #2... is this Gennin team #3?"
"Yes it is Sango-chan..." Momoko answered laughingly, seeing her friend was still living up to her attitude of being late.
"Oh... you're the Girl I bumped into earlier..."
"Oh... You..."
"I believe we haven't introduced ourselves yet... Im Uzumaki Naguno... nice to meet you Sango."
Sango smiled and looked at the teacher.
"Hey... You our sensei Konohamaru-san?"
"why yes Sango... looks like youre late as usual... heard many things about you from Moegi..."
Sango sweatdropped in embarrassment.
"and anyway... We're not training today... "
Momoko raised an eyebrow.
"eh? And why not?"
Konohamaru started to walk to the path towards the park.
"We're going on a picnic... with Hokage-sama and your parents... well unless you want to do a D misson today that's fine..."
"No way Im gonna get another D mission... Id rather eat."
"Ramen available! Horray!"
Sango sighed and started to run after them.
"Oh crap. What will the future hold for me...?"