Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Atelier Uzumaki ❯ Chapter 6

Good gods, Naruto hated being a ninja. Or at least, hated being a genin. As he pulled out a few weeds along with his teammates, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke (whose real name is Saki, which Naruto has yet to find out), he wondered why the hell he was given such a damn awful and hard test by that jounin Kakashi if this is what they were going to do:

 

Pull weeds, baby sit, walk dogs… D-Rank missions? Hah! More like frigging chores!

 

Plus that bastard Kakashi, who had not even trained them at all, still appeared late during morning meetings (he'd almost appear in the afternoon times), was just reading some orange book, giggling like an idiot under the shade of a tree while the three were sweating under the great big ball of fire they call the Sun.

 

This was not the life Naruto had been expecting. He imagined knocking off a few bandits, escorting pretty princesses or lords, transport precious items from one place to another… and here he was, pulling some damn weeds.

 

Moron,you're pulling out vegetation…

 

Naruto seethed, not caring… until Sakura did the honors, and slapped him behind his head, saying, “You idiot! That's not weed you're pulling!”

 

“Sorry, Sakura-chan!” Naruto grinned back towards the girl, appreciating the love-tap she just gave him.

 

Gwendolyn just sighed. One of these days, she'd have to set up her partner with someone more… worthy. Someone nice, gentle, caring…

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Somewhere else, Hinata sneezed.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“Dismissed,” Kakashi declared after they have returned to the Hokage's office to receive their pay. Naruto shouted with glee, finally free from these awful missions, and ran out of the office, imagining himself much later, when his day really starts.

 

Kakashi's training exercises were pretty boring, and although he claimed to be doing this to help bring the team closer together, Naruto wanted more. Kyuubi had given him a taste of what hard training felt like, and plus the promise with his new Wind Mana partner, he wanted to be quickly competent with his spear as with his cards.

 

Moments later, the blonde genin was in a forest clearing, in between two training grounds. Grabbing his Fate Cards, he took two blank cards along with his own card, poured energy in it. The result was the two blank cards becoming copy of his cards, and when he put those cards back in the deck, two of his copies emerged.

 

“Time for training, I see,” Gwendolyn stated. From the blonde's shoulder's, she emerged, glowing, and growing in size until she was similar to the form she had used when Naruto and her fought back in the Corridor of the Wind, spear in her hand.

 

“Yeah,” Naruto smiled, his cards still on his hand. “As usual… I'm with the bastard.”

 

Kyuubi sniffed, annoyed.

 

“I'll be training with Gwendolyn-cha…”

 

The Wind Mana bopped Naruto's head gently, but with enough force to convey her displeasure. That clone, and the original Naruto grimaced as they felt the top of their heads stinging.

 

“Gwendolyn-sensei,” she corrected the blonde, her eyes narrowing.

 

“Sorry, Gwendolyn-sensei,” the clone declared, smiling sheepishly.

 

“And I'll gather materials!” the third clone declared.

 

The set-up was something Kyuubi had designed a week ago, when Naruto had realized he didn't exactly want to just do boring teamwork-nourishing exercises and stupid D-Rank missions only each and every day.

 

Kakashi's survival test only convinced the blonde boy one thing… he wasn't strong enough yet. Kyuubi laughing, Gwendolyn being embarrassed, being faced with the punishing thought that he had just disregarded his partner's thoughts even after promising he wouldn't… the blonde genin knew he didn't want to experience that day again.

 

For the past week, Naruto had been using Jade Shift, a very peculiar skill that Kyuubi taught him first. It was potentially deadly, both for and against the user. Put it simply, it made a clone of himself, but more importantly, a clone so very well connected that whatever the clone experiences, Naruto does as well. If a clone gets injured, Naruto gets injured. If a clone spots something the original hadn't… the original would see it.

 

The connection was so close that even death-blows will feel like death-blows. It won't, thankfully, result in death, but Kyuubi had warned not to even try getting hit by one.

 

In combat, it's restrictive, if not complex. One cannot just foolishly send clones to attack an enemy. The battle of the corrupted Wind Mana had taught the blonde that responsible usage of his clones was the best way to go… and he hated that little fact since he had discovered it. It was one of the coolest skills ever! It also represented his (somewhat) mastery of his weakest jutsu, the Bushin, and now, he finds out, he couldn't liberally use it?

 

It sucked! It was unfair! Foul!

 

Of course… that was until Kyuubi said the Jade Shift skill could be used as a training tool. The self-proclaimed Great Mana of Chaos had explained that the clones and original were so closely connected (he was actually talking about the skill bending time-space whatchamacallit and something… Naruto didn't fully listen) that if he trained one of his clones with different techniques and forms, he would remember it. Mental and muscle memory… whatever those meant.

 

As usual, when he hadn't understood, Kyuubi made him and a clone of his train both cards and the shortened spear weapons, separated the two by at least a good kilometer… and when the whole training session was done, Naruto's muscles burned with his mind flashing in all the forms Gwendolyn and Kyuubi had taught him.

 

Needless to say… he had remembered both their teachings, and he could do the two different forms, and Naruto was pretty much ecstatic.

 

Kyuubi called him a machoist. Guess that Fox Mana hadn't met Lee and Guy. Or was it Gai?

 

Anyway, because of the boy's progress, Kyuubi had fulfilled another promise… he allowed Naruto to expand his alchemic work. Graduating from bombs and healing potions, Naruto had began to move on more specific curative concoctions. He learned to make a potion that cured almost all poisons and other induced ailments, a potion that naturally increased chakra and energy production, and finally, Nectar, which was a powerful potion that allowed it to heal any fatal wounds as long as its applied before the person dies

 

Naruto was also cleared to start making weapons and armored clothing. In the works, currently, was his new jacket, something Kyuubi had been clamoring about for the past week. The new clothing was supposed to make Naruto look more dignified and whatnot, and the blonde only agreed to wear them when he could add orange to them.

 

Naruto also was given the responsibility of making alterations to his Fate Cards, and so far, the blonde could only think of a couple ways to improve his weapon, and held off that project until his clothes were done.

 

Speaking of weapons, Naruto also began to make and maintain his basic utilities. Kunai and shuriken, the basic tools of any ninja, which he usually bought in sparse amounts (they were expensive, and considering how much he ate).

 

Now, all he did was get all his blunted and rusty metal weapons, and after minimal time in the alchemic pot, he'd have them new again, even sharper and more balanced than before. If he needed new ones, he'd take a quick visit to the blacksmith where he'd buy pig iron and he'd combine it with some charcoal to transfigure them to weapons.

 

Of course, it wasn't as cheap as it sounded. Any new alchemic items meant more materials needed. Potions, he could usually get by with plant wildlife, which was pretty abundant in Fire Country, but for weapons and clothing armor, he had to visit the blacksmith.

 

Pig iron may have been cheap compared to ready-made weapons, but he also had to contend the fact that the Third Hokage had stopped giving him allowance since he had graduated. The old man explained to the boy that as a ninja, he was now considered an adult in the village, and thus, his allowance would be forfeited.

 

On the plus side… ninjas never ran out of work, especially in the Hidden Leaf… but unfortunately, D-Rank missions don't pay much, especially with the things Naruto was doing. Explaining that, the old man suggested selling his potions.

 

The blonde agreed, thinking he'd get a few extra Ryo along with his D-Rank missions… he had thought it wouldn't help much, until the Hokage gave him a C-Rank payment for only fifteen vials of healing potion. And they weren't even large vials too!

 

Getting that much money it afforded Naruto to buy even more materials, he could pay his water and electric bills easily, and he would never go hungry anymore (or at least not always leash Iruka on getting free ramen).

 

Ever since that day, Naruto made three clones; one to train his usage on his Fate Cards, one to train with Gwendolyn, and the other to gather materials for synthesizing healing potions.

 

Unbeknownst to him, his training scheme had made him avoid a very curious and quite forceful kunoichi…

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Uchiha Saki scanned the streets, watching out for anything orange or yellow. It's been a week, and questions she had wanted to ask Naruto had been festering inside, bubbling with anticipation, and stashed with failure. She could never corner the Uzumaki genin alone... so many questions she had wanted to ask, so much to learn. Yet, every time they would finish their missions, the blonde would run away, never to appear until the next day.

 

The young Uchiha had went, at first, towards Naruto's apartment, which she had burned down. No luck… there was nothing to indicate the blonde had returned there. Actually… there was no evidence the place was actually being occupied anymore.

 

She asked questions in that sector, wondering if anyone had seen the blonde. They responded negatively (to her question and to Naruto's name, much to her curiosity). Realizing inquiries were going nowhere, she went and searched all Ramen restaurants and stands (Naruto was a self-proclaimed Ramen addict), and she, surprisingly, couldn't fine Naruto anywhere.

 

Of course, Saki could try and talk to the blonde in the morning, when they first meet. Kakashi pretty much arrives late, but she was held back by the notion that the blonde wouldn't be too… accommodating. Threatening him was rather useless, especially in front of Sakura, as he may spill the beans about the Uchiha's true nature, and she wouldn't have that.

 

Another alternative was to wait the whole day to look out for him, but she couldn't cut her training time… her brother wasn't getting weaker, she told herself. Kakashi's team exercises weren't exactly demanding or taxing her in any way… and it annoyed her to no end.

 

She needed more power and skills to kill Itachi.

 

Distracting her from her thoughts, she spotted a blonde figure walking down the streets… and she was about to celebrate her success when she just realized it was just another fangirl of hers… what was her name? Piglet?

 

Saki sighed, realizing that today was another mission failure. Her thoughts scrambled as she went back towards her residence.

 

There was another day, another time, as she always said to herself for the past week.

 

Unfortunately, her thoughts were not as comforting as it was before. Every passing day… she was somewhat desperate in finding the blonde and interrogate him; about his weapons… and to get back at him for making her search for him.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“Wow… I… we look cool!” the third Naruto clone looked solemn as the original Naruto and the second Naruto clone began to spar against each other.

 

It was already evening. They had been training for almost four hours straight, not even stopping for ramen dinner. Naruto's form with his Fate Cards has vastly improved in a week. Gone were the irritating small steps he'd take every time he'd attack, and his defensive form, Water, was now flowing without a hitch. He was even using new attack katas and forms.

 

The second Naruto clone handled the spear, and the shortened version of the weapon quite well. In fact, Gwendolyn was smiling widely, seeing her teachings being used correctly (finally, she can forget the all the nightmares Naruto had induced when he first used her weapon in combat against a jounin), and cheered the boy on, in a dignified manner, of course.

 

The spar looked spectacular, but all present knew it was nothing but a show. What the original Naruto and second Naruto clone would use, the other would dodge cleanly. They knew each other's attacks, and they knew what they'd use, making the whole fight rather pointless, but it did serve its purpose… it allowed Naruto to use both weapons and their forms in combat. Any flaws, Gwendolyn, Kyuubi and the third Naruto clone would point out.

 

“Good,” Gwendolyn declared as the two Narutos separated from themselves. “Let's call it a day, shall we?”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Another week passed. Haruno Sakura asked her crush for a date, only to be turned down. Uchiha Saki, known widely as Uchiha Sasuke, steamed more and more as her search for the blonde after each D-Rank missions, only to keep failing… plus the fact that Sakura got more annoying (if that was possible) everyday.

 

Add to the mix that Kakashi hadn't still gotten out of his apparent laziness in teaching them anything useful (in her eyes), and as a result, her temper was beginning to tread on dangerous grounds.

 

What lit her fuse though was Naruto. The blonde genin had been looking more and more tired everyday, walking oddly, like he was suffering from the most severe case of muscle fatigue. He still acted like the same idiotic blonde, but Saki, being a prodigy, correctly assumed he had been training.

 

Hard.

 

She realized that while she tried to satisfy her curiosity, scrambling over the rooftops of the Hidden Leaf Village, the blonde had apparently been busy… and it bothered her. She knew, in terms of skill, she had the upper hand, but now, she realized, it seemed that the dead-last of her class had gotten his hands on two odd weapons.

 

Sure, he wasn't proficient on that weird expanding spears of his but that was two weeks ago… how much had his skill increased by then? Had it, she dreaded the thought, become higher than hers?

 

Saki never liked to disillusion herself… she'd never think herself to be invincible, or gods' gift to the Elemental Countries. Itachi had made sure of that, especially when… when…

 

She shivered and shoved out memories of her brother away… the good, and the bad alike. Right now, she reminded herself, she was focused on only one boy… and that was Naruto.

 

She decided, finally, to search for him full time. She needed to know where she stood compared to the Academy's so called dead-last. She needed to know how much Naruto had improved.

 

And punish him for hiding from her.

 

“Yo…” a voice called, taking Saki back to the real world.

 

“YOU'RE LATE!” Sakura and Naruto shouted towards their jounin-sensei, pointing an accusing finger on him.

 

Great… wonder what Jounin Late Wonder's excuse is today, the Uchiha thought before donning the brooding avenging mask of Uchiha Sasuke, and said nothing.

 

Kakashi didn't disappoint.

 

“I was on my way when I came across a black cat…”

 

“LIAR!”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“I hate D-Rank missions…” Naruto declared, earning a small smile from Kakashi, hidden behind his mask, behind his orange book.

 

Just earlier, Team Seven was assigned to walk a minor lord's dogs. He had an impressive array and breeding, declaring boldly that any dog he owned was either a champion or from a lineage of champions.

 

The shinobis present were not impressed. Inuzuka dogs were definitely stronger and bigger, and (their opinion) more beautiful than these dogs. Plus, they were extremely well behaved and trained.

 

Unfortunately, these dogs were not, as the blonde genin would attest to later.

 

Hoping to impress his crush, Naruto went and grabbed as many leashes as he could, and began to make a complete fool of himself. His muscles were already overworked and tired, so the dogs had no problem overpowering him as they began to drag him everywhere… including a training area filled with landmines.

 

Saki had winced as she felt and heard each explosion, punctuated by a shockwave. The blonde had screamed after each explosion, and the youngest Uchiha felt some satisfaction, hearing the blonde yelp in pain.

 

He deserved it, she had thought.

 

“Maa, maa,” Kakashi declared, placing a bookmark on the page of his orange book, before closing it. “Let this be a lesson for you, Naruto. Don't bite off more than you could chew.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Naruto looked miffed.

 

“Anyway, good job guys,” Kakashi declared looking at his students. “Meet back at the training grounds tomorrow, same time. Dismissed.”

 

“Ne… Kakashi-sensei… would it hurt for you to come early?” Naruto asked.

 

The jounin's visible eye smiled, before he disappeared, leaving swirling leaves in his wake. The three genins rolled their eyes, having expected that from their teacher, and the blonde one went on his way, leaving the two kunoichis alone.

 

Saki was about to follow when he found himself staring at Sakura, who placed herself between her and her target. The Uchiha's eyes narrowed.

 

“Sasuke-kun… would you… um… like to train… with… me?”

 

If she hadn't squealed the last part, Sakura would probably have half-convinced the raven-haired kunoichi into thinking she actually meant it (but get rejected anyway), but since she had, and Saki had other things to deal with, the youngest Uchiha just scoffed, and pushed her away.

 

It was meant to be a forceful push… a threat, or a warning, telling the pink-haired kunoichi that the youngest Uchiha was not interested, ever, and that she was getting annoyed with her person, tactics, and pink hair (sure, Sakura couldn't be blamed for genetics, but come on). However, instead of those, Sakura almost blacked out as her face flushed to crimson at contact.

 

Thankfully… Saki had gone before she could hear the pink-haired kunoichi talking about how Sasuke-kun touched her.

 

She would have gotten burned, figuratively… and maybe, if Naruto's apartment could declare, literally.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

In the Forest, in between training grounds, Naruto and two of his clones began to their daily regiment. For now, Gwendolyn had decided to take it somewhat slow, and Kyuubi agreed with her. Instead of learning new forms today, Naruto would just practice the forms he currently knew.

 

The third Naruto clone, whose only job was material gathering, was about to do his job when he remembered something. Snapping his fingers, he cursed somewhat, realizing he had overlooked something quite important.

 

The other Naruto's took some time before they too remembered.

 

“Hey… weren't we supposed to deliver to Hokage the forty-five vials of healing potion?” the original Naruto declared.

 

“Yeah… plus those cotton cloths we had pre-ordered,” the second Naruto clone added, remembering they were going to put more touches towards his new clothes.

 

“No worries!” the third Naruto clone declared, looking happy. “I'll get `em!”

 

“Don't sneak out for ramen you bastard!” the original Naruto declared, reading the smile off his clone's face.

 

“Meh… you're no fun,” the clone replied, sullen.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Uchiha Saki growled louder, sitting near the rooftops, spying for anything orange and blonde. She had decided that if she hadn't found him today, she'd corner the blonde pervert, and beat the crap out of him.

 

Fortunately for the blonde, it wasn't even sundown yet when she spotted Naruto. Her eyes narrowed, her mind going to hunting mode… using all stealth skills she had been taught by the academy, and by her own clan notes as well, she stalked the orange blonde as he went on his way.

 

The first thing he had went to was a strange house near the commercial part of town. Raising her eyebrows, she spotted Nartuo take out a key, and enter the house. Jumping towards the house's roof, she slid quietly along the wall, and with as little movement as possible, peeked through the glass window.

 

Inside looked like a lab of some sort. There were vials everywhere, and other strange glassware. Some pots littered around the room, boiling in strange liquids. Naruto was pouring those liquids into small vials, and putting it delicately in one of his bags.

 

What the hell is going on, Saki wondered. She slipped into the shadows when Naruto exited, and she followed him towards the Hokage's tower. She dared not enter, too many ninja's in a small cramped space, and she dared not give an inclination towards the blonde that she had been following him around. Instead, she just waited, and waited…

 

“YATA!” Naruto's shout announced his presence after a few minutes, now leaving the Tower. Jumping up and down, he looked towards his frog wallet, and it was filled full with paper bills, some sticking out of the opening. The youngest Uchiha raised her eyebrow, curious how Naruto had gotten that amount of money.

 

Humming to himself, Naruto continued on his way. Saki sneaked from the rooftops, hiding her presence well enough to study the boy as he went on his day. She witnessed, to her surprise, more of the villagers' coldness… she had logically concluded it was from all the pranks the boy had pulled, though a part of her mind had wondered what kind of prank would induce such level of frostiness.

 

She had first witnessed it when she asked Naruto around in his old apartment's neighborhood… but seeing it here, a more ninja-intensive part of the village, it was shocking at best.

 

The blonde boy ignored them, his humming continued, unaware at the fact he was being shadowed by his teammate who he would `affectionately' call psycho-girl. Spotting a cloth shop, he made his way there, greeting a cold-faced woman, who didn't even pay mind to his salutation.

 

It didn't bother Naruto much. He was used to it. He only had one friend in the business world, and they provided him with the best food a boy could ask. Instead of dwelling towards their attitude, he just left the woman to her own devices, and made his way towards the woman behind the counter, and told her he was here for his pre-order.

 

Saki's eyes followed the blonde as he exited the store, with a roll of cotton cloth under his arm, and continued to stalk him as he walked back to the house he entered earlier. Concluding that house was his new home, she put that into her future references.

 

The blonde hadn't even stayed for a minute before he was out again, and this time, though, walking towards the wooded areas, near the training grounds. Saki had thought the blonde was walking back towards their assigned grounds, she was surprised when Naruto just looked towards her general area, and she ducked, thinking Naruto had spotted her.

 

It was not the case. Apparently, the blonde was looking everywhere, making sure the area was clear before he moved into the forest. Raising her eyebrows in curiosity, she waited for a few moments before she too made a jump towards the nearest tree.

 

What are you hiding, Naruto? Saki asked silently, looking for any signs where the blonde had moved. Finding a few disturbances in the area, she began to follow and track her teammate, and spotted his person, apparently harvesting a few herbs.

 

Before she could even wonder what those were for… Naruto suddenly looked alert.

 

“Hey! Who's there!?” he demanded. “Come out!”

 

Saki cursed, and hid her presence more. How the hell did the blonde spot her?

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“Hey! Who's there!? Come out!” Naruto shouted, looking alert. He hadn't felt the presence until he had gathered his third Spinacherb.

 

There was a slight rustle in the background, and his ears picked it up. Without second-thoughts, he lunged towards it, and tackled the figure spying on him.

 

“EEP!”

 

Everything turned dark. Naruto felt nothing but softness and warmth as his vision suddenly faded. He scrambled, trying to free himself… whoever he caught, he was good to trap him!

 

Hyuuga Hinata's face became flushed as she felt Naruto's hands all over her, his head digging in her stomach, his spiky hair tickling her chest. She didn't know what to do… one moment she had been gathering some Spinacherb for her healing balms, when she spotted her crush. Not wanting to show herself, she hid behind the bushes, where he discovered her, tackled her, and somehow caught his head inside her jacket.

 

Uchiha Saki looked torn. Her chest suddenly started feeling somewhat funny, seeing the spectacle on the ground. Naruto seemed to be struggling to get inside the poor genin's jacket, and the Hyuuga heiress herself seemed more than accommodating, letting him touch her like that.

 

She had no idea what to feel at that time… so she settled on anger. Anger at herself for panicking needlessly as she thought the blonde had spotted her... and righteous anger of seeing a boy feel up a girl… yeah, that's it.

 

Nothing more than righteous anger.

 

Finally, freed from the tricky trap his enemy just sprung him, Naruto was about to unleash his mad skills (as he described it) when he spotted a pale-eyed kunoichi laying still, her face a-washed in… happiness?

 

Wait a minute… a girl? Naruto's face flushed as he realized what the soft things he had been touching for a moment, his nose spurting somewhat as his imagination got a bit wild.

 

“Sorry!” the blonde declared, offering his hand to help the girl up. “Sorry… I thought you sprang a trap or something…”

 

Hinata took the hand, somewhat disappointed that her touching session (one-sided) with Naruto was cut somewhat short… not that she'd admit it.

 

Naruto saw her disappointed face, and panicked. Thinking she was deciding whether to hit him or not (a defensive instinctual habit he had developed over wooing Sakura over time) because he did something perverted (accidentally, he'd add), he tried to change the subject, something that would spare him from receiving hits.

 

“Hey… I know you,” the blonde recalled. The pale-eyed genin looked embarrassed for a moment, of not a bit happy.

 

Naruto-kun remembers me, Hinata was thinking.

 

“You're that weirdo in the classroom, Hirata… right?”

 

The Hyuuga heiress stumbled, her face blushed as her heart raced with slight anger and disappointment. It was bad enough to be called a weirdo, but he could have at least gotten her name right… right?

 

Up in the trees, Saki strained her ears to listen. She couldn't read much of their body language from her distance. She knew of course, like everyone in class who wasn't as dense (mainly that drooling pervert, Kiba and the blonde teammate of hers) that the Hyuuga heiress had a very bad crush on the boy... so bad that she had once fainted in his presence.

 

“It's… um… H-Hinata…” she stuttered.

 

“Ah, sorry, Hinata-chan!” Naruto scratched the back part of his head.

 

The Hyuuga looked a bit satisfied with his apology, anger subsiding from her emotions, though now her shyness began to re-appear. She didn't know what to say... which was fine because the naturally friendly Naruto was there to save this scene from a silent-fest.

 

“Hey, whatcha doing here?” he asked, smiling.

 

“Um... I'm... um... g-gathering s-some herbs,” she replied, her blush appearing, her fingers twiddling against each other.

 

“Oh? Cool,” Naruto smiled. “I'm doing that too!”

 

“W-what kinds of h-herbs?”

 

“Spinacherbs, mostly...”

 

“R-really?”

 

“Yeah… making some healing stuff from them.”

 

Hinata's eyes widened. Her hands opened her jacket, somewhat forgetting she's gracing someone's company, but now she found someone who somehow shared her interest... and more importantly, it was her crush (or in Hinata's terms, love of her life or something...). She began to rummage on her jacket's inner pockets, oblivious to the fact that she was giving Naruto something to stare at.

 

The blonde's blue eyes widened, his cheeks flushing and his nose spurting with more blood as he was blessed with a site he would never have imagined. Hyuuga Hinata... was even bigger than he thought! He knew she had something, especially after accidentally diving inside her jacket (by accident, he'll add again), but he never knew she was that...

 

Wow. That's all he could think. Wow.

 

Saki, who had slowly been approaching, found herself angry as the blonde began to ogle at the Hyuuga heiress. It took all her will-power not to send killing intent, though her hand readied at her kunai pouch, almost daring the blonde to do something he might, no, will regret.

 

Hinata finally found what she was looking for. A small container, filled with green-ish cream. Handing it to Naruto, she shyly twiddled her fingers again, and was about to explain what it was when Naruto suddenly spoke up.

 

“Oh... wow. Is this a cream made from Spinacherb?”

 

“Y-yes...” the shy girl replied.

 

“Did you make it yourself?”

 

“Y-yes...” the girl repeated.

 

“That's awesome!” Naruto declared, smiling widely, though he frowned as he noticed the faint smell of the cream. “I mean... it's not as good as the good ol' healing potion, but...”

 

Hinata's eyes went down. “N-not... good...”

 

“Hey, hey,” Naruto felt guilty. “I didn't mean it that way, Hinata-chan! Look... here!”

 

Diving his hands towards his pockets, the blonde took out a small vial of blue-ish healing potion, and handed it to her.

 

“That's my healing potion,” the blonde explained. “It has Spinacherb, blue flower petals, and some water.”

 

Hinata's eyes widened. She was no expert when it came to medicine, but because her own cream was very close to the recipe Naruto had just given her, yet the smell of the Spinacherb is stronger, even in liquid form.

 

“What's the flower petal for?” she asked.

 

“Um... I think it enhances the innate trait quality of the Spinacherb...” Naruto replied, not really knowing what he just said. The bastard fox said the same thing when Naruto asked what the petal was for when he first started to mass produce healing potions...

 

If he had asked what the innate trait of Spinacherb was its healing properties, he probably would have gotten it.

 

Hinata did get it though. The cream was a recipe that her mother had passed down to her before her untimely death. Before she died, her mother had said to the young Hinata that a special friend gave her the recipe, though admitted that it was far from perfect...

 

However... this potion...

 

The pale-eyed genin suddenly struck her arm with her fingers, shivering slightly as she felt her attack ruptured some blood vessels as she overloaded them with chakra, took the vial, and opened it. She took a slight sip and was surprised suddenly when the wound stopped throbbing.

 

This potion... Hinata's eyes widened. It could even heal Jyuuken strikes? Not even her cream, even in a drinkable stage could do that! Naruto had perfected the recipe that her mother had given her... how!?

 

Naruto, lost as he didn't know anything about Jyuuken attacks, just translated her awe as unbelievable praise. His cheeks reddened not because of something perverted but because he felt very happy being given a compliment, no matter how wordless it was. He scratched the back part of his head with a wide smile.

 

“N-Naruto-kun... this... this potion is... g-great!” Hinata declared.

 

“Of course it is!” Naruto pointed at himself. “I'm the great Uzumaki Naruto, kick ass alchemist and future Hokage!”

 

There was one word that caught her ears. “Alchemist...?”

 

“Oh... yeah,” Naruto smiled, feeling even prouder. “My mom was one... found out the day I graduated when I... uh...”

 

The story of him stopping Mizuki had been sealed off records, the Hokage had told him the morning after he was given his forehead protector. The old man asked him not to brag about it, as it could spell trouble for the blonde boy... he did steal the scroll, even if he was coerced into doing so, and Naruto promised he wouldn't...

 

Then, he opens his big mouth and almost declared it to the world (well, a girl)… but fortunately for him, Hinata was more interested in Naruto's lineage.

 

“Y-your m-mother was an a-alchemist?” the Hyuuga asked.

 

“Uh-huh,” the blonde nodded. “One of the best, I heard.”

 

So that explained it, Hinata thought. Alchemy... a very shrouded science according to the Academy, but pretty much well-known, though forbidden to be spoken aloud, in the Hyuuga clan. It dated back in the creation of the clan, Alchemy and Mana had been an instrumental part of giving the Hyuuga's their bloodline, which in turn they would perfect over generations. Not much was known about the specifics of it, as the scrolls were forbidden to be opened, sealed in a hidden location that only the Clan Head would know.

 

Hinata's mother was very interested in alchemy, and being the wife of the Hyuuga Clan Head made the information accessible to her. The potential to create life saving medicines cheaply and quickly was one of her passions as a medic-nin.

 

She discovered the healing properties of Spinacherb through experimentation, when the herb was just used as a cheap vegetable for meals, and with her friend, made a recipe that would be used as an analgesic that would coat the wound, enhancing the body's natural healing abilities.

 

Her mother had told her many stories about alchemists, and there was a time when Hinata too dreamed of becoming one.

 

“N-Narutko-kun...” Hinata looked at the blonde with a smile. “T-that's great! I-I'm sure you'll m-make a w-wonderful alchemist...”

 

“Nehe...” Naruto scratched the back part of his head shyly. Too many praises for one day, he decided. “I guess... I'm on my way though. I made a pact with tw...” he paused. Kyuubi was still a secret he'd want to keep. “I mean, I made a pact with a Wind Mana already!”

 

Hinata blinked.

 

“Wanna see her?” the blonde asked, grinning at the girl's surprised look.

 

“… u-um… s-sure…”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Later on, Hinata and Naruto had reached the clearing. The girl noticed two more Naruto's resting under the tree and she spotted their shadows, prompting her to wonder where the blonde had learned Kage Bunshin (she assumed it was), while a beautiful woman with wings on her hips looked at the blonde leading Hinata with a hint of annoyance.

 

“Naruto… you ought to be more modest,” Gwendolyn sighed. “Talking about your abilities, or even about your lineage so easily could be your downfall.”

 

“Eh, Gwendolyn-chan…”

 

“Sensei!”

 

“I mean, sensei, she's Hinata, my classmate!” Naruto declared. “She's pretty cool too… she's doing some synthesis as well, showed me her cream, which was pretty cool considering it didn't use the recipe I had…”

 

“Even so…”

 

Hinata was lost in the argument, wondering for a moment who the beautiful woman was. For a wild moment, she imagined the woman to be Naruto's lover, and she slowly felt her chances with her crush (in Hinata's terms, Love of her Life) lower, but when the blonde called the woman sensei, she recovered (if somewhat).

 

“U-um… I… I'm s-sorry for i-intruding!” Hinata declared as the two began to argue a bit. She bowed her head. “I d-don't want to cause trouble to N-Naruto-kun! So… please…”

 

Gwendolyn and Naruto stopped on their tracks, with the Wind Mana looking at the girl with surprise. She suddenly smiled, thinking the girl carried herself well.

 

“Don't fret much, child,” Gwendolyn declared, looking serene. Her aura had a rather calming effect on Hinata. “I am Gwendolyn Silverlance… Wind Mana.”

 

“U-um… H-Hyuuga Hinata,” the kunoichi introduced herself with a respective bow.

 

And she has manners too! Looks like Gwendolyn found someone she could set Naruto up with…

 

“Please take care of my partner,” the Wind Mana. “I know he's rather a handful…”

 

“Hey!” the three Naruto's complained, making Hinata giggle.

 

“… but he's a kind young man,” Gwendolyn finished.

 

“I… I will t-try…” Hinata smiled happily. “It's a p-pleasure to meet you.”

 

“Pleasure is mine,” the Wind Mana declared, with a small smile.

 

Suddenly, there was a small blip of energy, making both Gwendolyn and Hinata look towards a distance. The Narutos followed, not really knowing what the two had felt, looked at the direction where the two were looking.

 

There was nothing but leaves.

 

After a few minutes, the two females were satisfied, and the Wind Mana looked at the Hyuuga heiress expectantly…

 

“So, Hinata-san… please, tell me about yourself.”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Uchiha Saki locked the door of her apartment, and immediately went towards one of the hidden compartments, thinking how close she was on being spotted by the Hyuuga Heiress and that weird winged woman. The youngest Uchiha had approached them dangerously close to gain more info about Naruto… and it paid off.

 

So… Uzumaki Naruto was a bloodline Alchemist. That explained almost everything she had found odd with the blonde… from his introduction about wanting to continue a legacy, synthesizing things, the weird glass materials in his new lodgings… and even his weird weapons.

 

Unrolling the scrolls, Saki began to scan the writings, and began to fold when the writing began to detail Alchemy, Manas, and more importantly, their connection towards the Sharingan.

 

Her blonde teammate wouldn't know, but his importance has now increased. Her mind began to work, filtering all the information she had just gotten earlier, and the information she had in the Uchiha scrolls.

 

She could use him… with the amount of potential power the boy had…

 

Yes. She would definitely use him.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Omake!

 

Damn it…

 

Gwendolyn and Hinata began to get more and more friendly with each other, their talk lasting more than ten minutes. The Narutos just grouped together, and after a few minutes of silence, Kyuubi was beginning to curse.

 

Fucking stupid.

 

Shittymonth.

 

Stupid chapter.

 

What the hell are you going about, ya bastard? Naruto asked, getting tired of hearing random sentences pop on his head.

 

It's this damn chapter! I didn't have much lines! Gwendolyn stole my spotlight, she has more lines than met even!

 

Poor Naruto was confused.

 

I don't wanna know…

 

That's because you're a moron.

 

Screw you, bastard!

 

Hah! Bet you would… gay moron.

 

I'm not falling for that.

 

Coward.

 

Caged fox.

 

Born idiot.

 

Defeated by a mere human.

 

Suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder.

 

…

 

HAH! I win!

 

I don't even know what that meant!

 

And the day went on.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Author's Notes:

 

It seems lots of AI2 fans… that's great!

 

Alright, I want to clear this up. I will not follow AI2 storyline, though I have some inkling about it (Wikipedia). Yes, I appreciate the help, but for me to really put in the stuff on AI2 means I would need to play the game. I don't wanna half-ass it. Maybe in the future, when I secure my own copy and play it, will I include its aspects.

 

I appreciate all your reviews, especially the constructive ones. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.

 

Next, we move on the Land of the Waves arc. I guess my next question would be… would Haku be a girl? xD

 

Later.