Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Immortal Bitches ❯ Chapter 9 Con't. ( Chapter 10 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 9: One Month Training (Continued)

~*Three weeks later*~

Naruto hadn't got any better at the summoning jutsu and was frequently passing out, but today he was determined to get it right. The girls were in the river cooling off. Jiraiya was spying on them, even when he said he wouldn't (he crossed his fingers) and was giggling about how big their boobs were.

~*With the girls*~

“Hold on girls, I have to take out the trash.” said Rouyakan as she walked over to the bushes that Jiraiya was hiding in and punched him so hard he hit a tree a good distance off.

Rouyakan then saw a spasing Naruto start screaming about `where the frogs go' and that what he summoned wasn't a frog. Jiraiya, who had now just recovered from Rouyakan's abuse, got up.

“Hey Rouyakan, come back, we want Pepsi!” yelled Alex from where she was.

Naruto started to yell at Jiraiya. “Hey, can't you have a little faith in me?” he then promptly passed out. The other girls had just come back from the river and saw a passed out Naruto.

“Oh damn it, did he work too hard again?” asked Alex. They heard Jiraiya mumbling to himself.

“He passed out again, no wonder, he's been practicing hard these last three weeks.”

“How very observant of you, considering that about ninety percent of the time you were peeping on girls.” said Rouyakan as they all looked at a swirly-eyed Naruto.

“Oh shut up.” Jiraiya gave the girls an annoyed look as he went to the river with a bucket, filled it, and dumped it on Naruto. “Wake up!”

Naruto shot up like a bullet and shook the water off, asking, “What's the matter?”

“You passed out. That's what's the matter.” answered Rouyakan.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto for a long minute, then stated, “To tell you the truth, you have no talent at all.”

“Ero-sennin…” said Naruto in surprise.

“Three weeks have passed. Any more training is a waste of time.” said Jiraiya.

“That's not true! I'm doing my best here.” defended Naruto.

“I know that.” Jiraiya sighed.

“Huh? But you just dissed him! I'm so confused…” whined Alex.

“Alex, be quiet. He's still talking.” instructed Rouyakan.

“But you need to try harder to acquire the summoning technique.”

Naruto jumped up. “That's what I'm doing!”

“Jiraiya's right. You do have no talent.” smirked Rouyakan.

“You bitch, I struggle to create chakra everyday!”

“But if that's what you're really doing, then you should have summoned a frog by now.” said Cassie.

“If you have time to not train, you should teach me the secrets of you success.”

“Baka. You can't have us teach you; you're a mortal, we're immortal…” Alex said like it was totally obvious.

“Secrets of success?” echoed Cassie.

“About the secret of success--” started Jiraiya.

Naruto turned to Jiraiya. “Huh? Are you willing to teach me?” Jiraiya ignored the interruption and continued what he was saying.

“--Is to try it as if risking your life.” He sounded grave.

“To risk you life…?”

“It's no joke. Are you willing to do it?”

“Yes, of course, I risk my life all the time.”

“Yeah? Then follow me.” Said Jiraiya as he led everyone away from the river.

“Why do I get the idea that there's a hidden meaning?” asked Rouyakan.

“Most likely because something sinister is a-foot.” Alex whispered back.

“I guess you're right…” said Rouyakan as they found themselves in front of the bathhouse. They were going in when Alex decided to ask, “Why are we here? Are you going to peep on the women's side?”

“What?” said Naruto. Jiraiya turned to face them. “Peeping is nice, but we're here to bathe today.”

“Well that's a big surprise.” said Rouyakan.

Naruto was still confused so the girls went to go to the women's bath while Jiraiya and Naruto went to the men's side. (Rouyakan had promised much pain to anyone who looked on the women's side) so for once in his life Jiraiya wasn't going to look at the girls. He actually stayed far away from the dividing wall. Soon they were all done in the baths

“Now what?” asked Cassie.

“Naruto, ask what were going to do next.” ordered Rouyakan, wringing out her hair

“Okay, okay, fine. Hey Ero-sennin!”

“Call me `Toad Man'!” Jiraiya struck a pose.

“Whatever. Where are we going?” Jiraiya just stayed silent and kept walking. “I'm asking you something!” exclaimed Naruto as he ran to catch up to him, but unfortunately bumped his head on the big scroll Jiraiya was carrying.

“Who knew he would do something stupid?” Cassie sighed.

“Me.” said Rouyakan and Alex simultaneously.

“Say something!” ordered Naruto after he recovered from his head bumping incident.

“Hey Naruto.” Jiraiya didn't even turn around. “Do you want to eat anything?” The four looked at each other and shrugged. Soon everyone found themselves at Naruto's favorite ramen place. Naruto was on his fifth bowl and the girls were a little unnerved.

“Good god, how can you eat all that?” asked Alex as she waited for her ramen to cool.

“Because it's good and delicious and it comes in many different flavors.” answered Naruto, beginning to stuff his face as his seventh bowl was served.

“Eat as much as you like.” said Jiraiya. “After all, it is your last meal…”

“Huh?” Naruto totally missed what Jiraiya had said. But the girls didn't. They looked at Jiraiya as if he was up to no good. Jiraiya then began to choke and turned to Naruto.

“Eat! Eat as much as you like. Don't hold back.” He began to laugh. Naruto now had a look that said `I can't believe I know you' and asked, “What are you talking about? All I have to do is eat? Right.” Naruto proceed to go back to eating his ramen happily.

“Uh Rouyakan? Do you think Jiraiya is going to go all crazy ax murderer on Naruto?” whispered Alex.

“Alex you moron, you can sense if someone's going to die.”

“Oh yeah.” They turned to look at Jiraiya, who was looking at Naruto a bit grimly, watching him slurp the soup in his bowl.

“Give me another bowl! Another miso ramen!” yelled Naruto.

Later when the girl finished their ramen and paid, Naruto was now finishing his last bowl.

“I'm so full…” said Naruto as he patted his stomach. Now what Naruto didn't know that the girls knew was that… Jiraiya was gone and probably not coming back, so they would probably have to bail him out.

“Thank you Ero-sennin--” said Naruto as he turned to thank him, but in Jiraiya's place was a large stuffed frog.

“Well you got to admit, Jiraiya is creative.” observed Cassie.

“Yeah, when do you think Naruto will stop spasing?” asked Alex as she watched Naruto as he ran around yelling he had no money.

“I don't know, but he better stop, it's hurting my ears.” said Rouyakan. “Besides, I already paid for him.”

“Should we stop him?” asked Cassie the girls thought about it.

“Nah” said the girls for they were greatly entertained.

Soon his spasing was getting out of hand and so Rouyakan went up to him and slapped him.

“We already paid for you! Now lets go find that ditcher.” Before they left Rouyakan turned to him said, “Your paying me back you know.”

Soon they were looking for Jiraiya. Right now they were randomly walking around when suddenly a voice out of nowhere.

“Hey, are you full?”

They all turned around and saw Jiraiya. Everyone was pissed beyond hell.

“You're joking, right Ero-sennin?” yelled Naruto, shaking his fist.

“Why the hell did you ditch us?!” yelled Cassie.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Were you dropped on your head?!” yelled Rouyakan. But Alex was the worst. Cassie and Rouyakan had to hold her back for she was about to literally kill Jiraiya.

“I'll kill you! I'll kill you! How dare you leave us, you ass!” she yelled.

Naruto was now crying fake frustrated tears and said, “Didn't you say your treat?!”

“Uh, no, he didn't.” said Rouyakan to the girls.

“You idiot, I didn't say that!” said Jiraiya.

Naruto then ran up to Jiraiya and began pound on him and yell, “You adults are so dirty!”

“Naruto, stop being so melodramatic.” said Alex as she hit him on the head. Jiraiya then said something really random.

“Naruto, do you have a girl you like?”

“Huh?” said everyone (except Jiraiya).

“I asked if he had a girl he likes?”

Alex, being the dense girl she was, said something stupid. “Oh, oh! He likes Hinata!”

“What? No I don't! I like Sakura-chan!” yelled Naruto.

“Uh Naruto, sorry to break it to you, but she doesn't like you… she likes Sasuke.” said Rouyakan.

“Well I don't care!” said Naruto stubbornly.

Jiraiya cut in. “You do? Good, go and hug her right now.”

“What?!” yelled a confused (but happy) Naruto. “Is it a method of training?”

“You can say that…”

“Yep. Jiraiya's going to kill him.” said Rouyakan.

“Poor Naruto, not seeing all the signs of his doom.” said Cassie.

“Jiraiya is just making him not regret anything before he kills him… quite sad, really.” said Alex “But maybe he'll figure out what Jiraiya's doing.” The girls then turned to Naruto who was babbling about how Sakura would kill him if he hugged her and how it was all for the training.

“…He's doomed.” all three said.

“Go there this instant!” yelled Jiraiya as he kicked him. Naruto fell on the ground. Soon Naruto meet up with Sakura on a random street corner.

“What do you want?” Sakura looked like she was ready to bolt.

“Well…well…” stuttered Naruto as he pushed his pointer fingers together.

“Don't ask to borrow money from me. I don't have any.” Sakura was starting to get suspicious.

“It's not that… well…” said Naruto. He stopped and looked to the side a bit depressed, as if contemplating about whether it he should tell her about the supposed training.

“If you have nothing to say, I'm going.” said Sakura as she turned to go.

“Ah, wait!” said Naruto as he grabbed her shoulder. She lost her footing and tripped straight for Naruto's arms. He was smiling like Christmas had come early. Unfortunately, Sakura regained her footing, saw what Naruto was about to do, got pissed, and yelled, “What are you trying to do?” as she reeled her fist back and punched Naruto in the face.

“You must be kidding!” yelled Sakura as he went flying in a blood mess.

“It hurts so much…” moaned Naruto. Sakura stomped away.

Behind a fence, Jiraiya and the girls were watching the entire thing.

“Oh damn. That must've hurt like crap.” said Cassie.

“Yeah, but she sure did make him go flying.” Rouyakan grinned.

“What the hell?” Alex looked like she was about to open a can of whoop-ass on Sakura. “Naruto didn't even touch her! What the hell is she so upset about?!”

“Who knows?” said Jiraiya. “I have never see a girl act like that with me.”

“That's because you mostly hang out with strippers or hide in the bushes.” said Alex. Jiraiya feigned a hurt expression. They picked Naruto up and headed out on the road again. Naruto was wondering what was going on with this weird training.

“Hey, can I really produce a frog by doing this?” asked Naruto in a bored tone.

“Yes.” Jiraiya seemed distracted but Naruto didn't notice. The girls were absolutely shocked by this lie he was telling.

“Really.” asked a unimpressed Naruto. Jiraiya then stopped and asked another random question.

“Is there anything else you haven't done?”

“Huh?” questioned Naruto.

Jiraiya turned to Naruto. “There isn't, is there?” Naurto was utterly confused.

“What are you talking--” but Naruto never finished his sentence, for Jiraiya punched him in the gut and knocked him unconscious. The girls ran to Naruto. Cassie, Alex went beside Naruto and Rouyakan went in front of him.

“Don't you dare touch him! What kinda stunt are you trying to pull here?” growled out Rouyakan.

“Ladies, ladies. Please, nothing bad will happen to him. I just did this to… Shut him up… So to speak… Yeah, so lets go to some cliffs I know you'll like… So just let me take him so you won't strain yourself.” said Jiraiya, saying all this while trying not to make eye contact with any of the girls yet still look at Naruto, which was kind of hard.

“…Okay…” said the girls, and Jiraiya picked Naruto up.

“Hey, why are we going there?” asked Cassie.

“Well… we're going there to help Naruto out with drawing out powerful chakra at will and using it; it's not easy to control an ability like that. Naruto's body is too small to contain Kyuubi's chakra. To lesson the burden, Naruto body resists Kyuubi's chakra, but when he's in danger or excited he can draw the power out. I'm going to make him learn how to use it.” They proceed to walk in silence, only stopping when Jiraiya stared at the monument of the four Hokages. He looked deep in thought.

Soon they arrived at the cliff and Jiraiya threw Naruto to the ground with a loud thud. Naruto woke up looking confused and disoriented.

“Huh? What is this place?” questioned Naruto. Jiraiya stepped in front of him with a serious look on his face.

“Stand up.” he ordered and Naruto, for once in his life, listened.

“What--?”

“Your training ends today.” Naruto got angry.

“What? You taught me nothing--”

“Naruto.” said Jiraiya sharply. “Die now.”

“Huh? Die--?” Naruto started forward but Jiraiya roughly shoved him to the edge of the cliffs.

“No!” yelled the girls, but Jiraiya held out an arm to knock them on the ground.

“To escape form the terror of death you have to create powerful chakra. You have experienced the feeling and learned the secrets of successes. If you don't want to die, think up a solution. Understand?” He flicked Naruto's head, lightly, but enough to make him lose balance and go backwards. Naruto fell off the ledge of the cliff just as Rouyakan, Alex, and Cassie got there a second late. Jiraiya followed them Alex Noticed him

“You're going to teach him to draw demon chakra by pushing him off a cliff?!” She yelled.

“Yes.” answered Jiraiya.

“You bastard--”

“Hold it! Alex, look at your scythe.” ordered Rouyakan. So they all did and they saw a corridor-like room.

“Well I do believe we're seeing into Naruto's subconscious.” said Alex.

“If he was in our world he would be a janitor.” snickered Rouyakan.

“Shh!” ordered Cassie as they saw Naruto get up. A deep growling reverberated through the air. Naruto followed what was making the growling noise.

As Naruto went though a tunnel and came out they saw huge iron bars that disappeared into the dark ceiling overhead. A small white paper seal was stuck on them.

“Is it normal for people to have cages in their subconscious?” asked Cassie.

“Only cured schizophrenic people.” answered Alex and they continued watching as Naruto stepped forward. A huge claw came out. (A/N: They can't hear anything that's being said.)

“Oh… my.” said Cassie faintly.

“Naruto, you're an idiot…! Never trust a demon, especially one that is sealed inside you!” groaned Rouyakan. Slitted red eyes and insane, conniving smile became visible from inside the cage.

“Wow, I'm strangely reminded of Hellsing and Alucard's crazy smile.” said Alex.

“Yeah, me too.” said Rouyakan.

Suddenly realization came upon Naruto as he realized what the smiling demon was and where the chakra was coming from… Kyuubi. Naruto began to yell at it, they saw the Kyuubi chuckle.

Suddenly Naruto woke up and did the hand seal for the summoning jutsu.

Putting his hand down in midair, smoke appeared and when it cleared a huge frog was there and Naruto was on his head.

“Holy shit! It's a giant frog!!” yelled Alex in astonishment.

“Uh girls? I suggest we go. Now.” said Jiraiya worriedly.

“No, we must congratulate Naruto!” said Cassie as she hopped on her broom and Rouyakan hopped on Alex's scythe and flew down to Naruto, who was muttering about how big the frog was.

“Naruto you did wonderful! Even if `Perverted-bastard' did push you down a cliff to your near-death and you did it out of sheer desperation.” said Rouyakan.

“Really? You mean it?” cried out Naruto, happy that he was being praised.

“Yeah. You worked really hard to achieve this!” said Cassie.

“And it only took you what, a month?” said Alex.

“Hey!” said Naruto pointing a finger at her. Naruto then seemed to remember something. “Oh yes.” He said as he crawled to the side and saw a huge webbed arm. “A frog… right?”

“Yes… last time we checked, yeah it was.” Rouyakan frowned.

Naruto didn't even seem to hear as he sort of ran and slid down the frogs' back and checked to see if there were tails and there wasn't.

“This is a real frog!” yelled Naruto.

“Well done.” said Alex.

Naruto then began to pound his hand on the frogs back. “I did it!”

“Yes, yes. You've stated that already.”

Suddenly, the frog began to move and yell. “Damn you all!” Naruto went tumbling forward in front of the frog to face him and the girls quickly got in the air just in time.

The frog didn't look too happy.

“I say, is Naruto going to be killed?” Cassie looked at the others.

“Well, that would be a pretty pathetic death…” said Alex.

“Shall we see how this plays out?” asked Rouyakan.

“Yeah.” said the other two as they went to where Naruto was. When the girls landed the frog yelled at all of them.

“You four just suddenly jump on my head and start shouting up there?!” The girls cringed at the volume. “Bastards! Behave yourselves!”

“If it's any consolation, um…we didn't know the rules?” said Alex.

“Shut up!”

Alex then jumped behind Rouyakan who also was cringing.

Naruto had fallen off, grabbed onto the frogs' mouth, lost his grip, went flying backwards and began to grab the pipe.

“What's wrong with this guy? He seems very powerful…”

“Uh Naruto, you're on your own!” said Rouyakan as she turned into her true form and flew upwards.

“Uh yeah, see ya!” said Alex as she and Cassie mounted their things and flew upwards towards Jiraiya but before they got there they heard the conversation between Naruto and the giant frog.

“I seldom come out for a breath of fresh air, and what do I find? People messing around on my head!” The giant frog semi-spoke to himself as he balanced the pipe on his tongue. “Hey where is that Jiraiya? Get yourself out here; what are you trying to do?”

“Jiraiya, get yourself put here you bastard!” When Jiraiya didn't show, he lifted his pipe with the dangling Naruto, brought it eye level and asked, “Hey kid.”

“…Yes?”

“Where's Jiraiya?” asked the giant frog.

“Jiraiya? Who is that?” asked a confused Naruto.

“Naruto is a dumb-ass” said Alex.

“He doesn't even know that the guy he calls Ero-sennin is Jiraiya.” said Cassie.

Rouyakan just nodded because speaking human in her true form was tricky and took time.

“The one called the toad man!” barked the giant frog as he dropped Naruto on his face. “Where is Jiraiya? Tell me.”

`S-scary!' thought Naruto.

“Naruto looks like he's about to piss himself!” laughed out Alex.

“If you tell me I'll let you ride on my head.” said `giant frog'. When it was apparent that A) Naruto was not responding and B) He wasn't even paying attention, he yelled out, “Do you hear me?!” Naruto began to spas a bit.

“I-I understand! If you want Ero-sennin, he's on top of the cliff.”

“Up there…?”

“Can I asked you something?” asked Naruto timidly. The ginormous frog looked at him.

“What?”

“What do you want from Ero-sennin?” asked Naruto.

“Simple” The frog's voice was rather loud and being surrounded by cliffs wasn't helping. “I want to ask him why he summoned me!”

“But…”

“Yeah?”

Naruto laughed nervously and pointed at himself. “It was me that summoned you here; I was falling down the cliff and was hoping you could help me… Boss!”

“My god he's a suck-up!” Alex slapped her forehead.

“For once in our lives, I totally agree with you.” said Cassie. Alex sent her a glare that said `And just what does that mean?!'

The frog burst out laughing. “I didn't know you'd say that. How can a kid like you summon me?”

“I'm intervening.” Alex called over her shoulder as she flew down.

“Oh Alex, get back here!” called Cassie, but Alex was out of hearing range. “I guess we have to follow her.”

Rouyakan rolled her eyes and shook her head, like when a kid does something unbelievably stupid.

Soon Alex landed next to Naruto. “Oh, but it's true. One hundred percent true!” said Alex, like some saleswoman.

“Who the hell are you?” The frog looked from her to Naruto and back again, wondering how the hell he ended up with these two.

“I'm Alexandria Sarachson, but you can call me Alex, and I'm the daughter of Death.”

Unexpectedly the giant frog burst out laughing at Naruto again, and now Alex for going along with it.

Naruto was getting pissed. He yelled out, “You bastard frog!” Alex looked at Naruto.

“See you!” said Alex as she mounted her scythe. She really didn't want to see a pissed off frog.

“Let's go find Jiraiya.” Cassie whispered.

“All right, in a minute, but lets here how this will turn out.” They heard Naruto start to yell again.

“I was being nice to you, but you went too far! I used the summoning jutsu to summon you. I'm your master!”

“Let's go now. I don't really want to see Naruto die.” Alex flew up towards the top of the cliff to find Jiraiya, only to find out he wasn't there.

“Oh man, where'd he run off to now?!” sighed Cassie, looking around.

“Rouyakan, can you sniff him out?” asked Alex.

“Sure.” said Rouyakan as she sniffed the air. “He's that way.” She pointed. Rouyakan and the girls ran really fast after Jiraiya. They had no trouble catching up to him.

“Oh hello girls.” said Jiraiya nervously.

Suddenly a big guest of wind went though their hair, tussling it and swishing it across their faces.

“What the hell was that?!” Rouyakan combed her hair from her face, looking pointedly at Jiraiya.

“Uh-oh.” Jiraiya looked uneasy.

“What?” asked Cassie.

“It seems that it's here.”

They all jumped up on a tree branch to see what the hell Naruto was doing. They saw the frog throw his head around like a violent horse.

“Don't you think we should help him?” Cassie started forward.

Then they heard girls laughing at the river, and Jiraiya took out binoculars, pulled aside the bush and began, of all things, to look at the girls.

“Though I'm sorry for Naruto, I'm going to continue my work obtaining research materials.” As he looked on, the girls splashed each other and giggled loudly.

“You're--”started Rouyakan. She paused. “Well, I don't know what to say. I feel like I should be surprised, but somehow, I'm not.”

Instead of watching the perverted man watch girls, the trio opted to watch Naruto's predicament. “You know, this is very entertaining. It's just like a rodeo!” Alex squinted to get a better look.

“I'm very tempted to kick her off the branch.” said Rouyakan.

“Poor Naruto.” said Cassie as the continued to stare at Naruto and the big frog.

A few hours later the frog was still very unsuccessful to get Naruto off. The girls were lounging against the tree trunk, bored as hell.

“Is it over yet?” Then they noticed that Jiraiya had stopped looking at the girls and was watching Naruto.

“Naruto doesn't seem to be having an easy time.” Jiraiya sounded like one of those fake wise men trying to be sage-like.

“No duh! The frog is like a skyscraper!” said Alex.

“Yeah, but it also seems he used up most of his chakra to summon Gamabunta.”

“That enormous frog has a name?” Cassie arched an eyebrow.

Then the girls down in the river start to speak and Jiraiya then turned his attention back to them, semi-drooling.

“You idiot!” Rouyakan snatched the binoculars out of Jiraiya's hands. The girls continued to watch Naruto stay on the frog, this time more clearly because they had binoculars.

Soon it was sunset and Jiraiya had also begun to watch what was happening since the river girls had gone home.

“Naruto looks screwed.” said Alex, yawning.

“Yeah. It looks as if he'll fall any time now.” Rouyakan rolled over from her spread-eagle position on the branch, now dangling her arms and legs off as she laid on her back.

The frog jumped up really high.

“Well, I never want to get on him. Ever.” said Alex squinting upwards.

“It appears that Gamabunta is becoming serious.” Jiraiya noted.

“What to you mean `becoming serious'? Isn't this all been serious?!” screamed the girls.

“Just what I said” said Jiraiya. Then Jiraiya saw that the frog was coming towards them and he picked up the girls and started running.

“We better leave.” he said but the frog sailed right over them, smack dab into Jiraiya's precious peeping spot.

“No! My precious peeping spot!” he yelled in horror.

“Stop being so melodramatic. It's wasn't ruined, it just has a giant crack-smoking frog in it.” said Rouyakan. Naruto's eyes were spinning and her was about to fall off, but a bunch of Kage Bunshin clones helped him back on. But right before he passed out, he gasped, “I'm still on you!”

“Damn.” said Jiraiya.

“What?” asked Cassie.

“He'll die if he falls from that high of place.”

“He's not going to die. I would know” said Alex as she saw the frog wrap his tongue around Naruto.

“Girls I'm bored. Let's go to Naruto's house and raid his fridge.” said Rouyakan.

“Okay!” Chorused Alex and Cassie as they flew off. Jiraiya watched them leave before taking out a scroll.

~*Three days later*~

The girls found out that Naruto was in the hospital and unconscious so they visited every day. But on this day, Shikamaru was here and he and Rouyakan had started a game of Shoji. Shikamaru was winning.

“Man, this sucks. If Naruto doesn't wake up soon I'm taking his soul to heaven.” Said Alex impatiently. Cassie giggled.

“Oh hope he doesn't.” She started putting makeup on him. Rouyakan turned as Shikamaru was busy making his move.

“Cassie, wash that off now.” Rouyakan sighed. She had been saying that everyday now.

“Troublesome…” muttered Shikamaru, moving his Shoji pieces. Rouyakan looked back to see that Shikamaru had won. “Dammit! Not again!!”

A little groan was heard and everyone turned to Naruto as he began to gain consciousness.

“Hey. You're finally awake?” said Shikamaru, sitting next to the bed smiling.

“Welcome back to world of living!” sang Alex.

“Where is this place?” asked Naruto.

“The hospital.” said Cassie. “You slept for three whole days.”

“Three days…” said Naruto weakly. Then a burst of energy came to Naruto and he started to yell. “Three days and three nights?!” He then stood up in bed in nothing but his black shirt and grey shorts.

“Hey, what are you doing?” asked an alarmed Shikamaru.

Naruto turned to Shikamaru and yelled, “Shikamaru! When does the official selection begin?”

“Tomorrow…” said an astounded (and rather harassed-looking) Shikamaru.

“What?!” yelled Naruto as he grabbed Shikamaru's shirt and pulled him upwards.

“Why didn't you wake me up sooner! I don't have time to waste here! Where's Ero-sennin? I have to ask him to train me more!”

Shikamaru was totally confused and said right back, “What are you talking about? I don't understand you.”

Rouyakan went up to the two of them and hit Naruto on the head. “If you don't calm down I will make sure you don't leave the hospital. Ever.” She growled out. Naruto seemed to get the message and got out of bed and said something about getting his clothes and destroying his bed. Shikamaru was totally weirded out.

“Geez, you were in a coma and now you're a pest.” said Shikamaru as he slapped his forehead. He then yelled out, “Stop it!” Naruto froze.

“Thank you!” said an annoyed Cassie.

“I now believe you are god.” said Alex as she hugged him.

“He's right. You can't accomplish anything in this panicked state.” said Rouyakan. Naruto sat down on the bed.

“Hey, Naruto, what's wrong?” asked a concerned Shikamaru. Suddendly, there was a loud growling noise.

“I… I'm hungry.” whined Naruto.

“Is that all you think about?!” yelled Alex as the girls recovered from their anime fall.

“Try not to scare us next time.” said Shikamaru with a sigh. He then seemed to remember something. “Oh yes.” He bent down and placed a fruit basket on the side table. “Though it's bothersome, I brought a gift for Choji, but the doctor forbids him to eat them. So let's share them.”

Naruto looked shocked. “Is Choji in a bad condition?” Shikamaru smirked.

“Don't misunderstand. He doesn't feel well because he ate too much roasted beef.” Everyone laughed.

“Here.” He said as he passed everyone a piece of fruit.

“It looks delicious!” said Naruto, but before he bit into it he got a look that seemed like he was in pain.

“What's wrong?” asked Alex.

Naruto began to laugh evilly. “Since we're gonna eat these, let's do it in front of Choji.”

“You cruel bastard.” said Alex. “Let's do it.” As they were about to leave Rouyakan went tense.

“Guys, I feel a strong murderous aura.” she said, sniffing the air.

“We have to check it out.” said Cassie, heading to the door. Soon the boys were being dragged behind Cassie and Alex. They came to Lee's room and opened the door quietly just in time to see Gaara with sand swirling around Lee. It looked like he was in pain or something. Shikamaru, thinking quickly, used his Kagemane no Justu. Naruto, being the impulsive boy he was, rushed headlong at Gaara and punched him, yelling, “Bastard!”

“Smart going, idiot. You just had to go and punch a psycho in the face.” said Rouyakan. She then looked a Gaara and said, “What are you doing here?”

“Hey! Naruto,” said Shikamaru as he rubbed his cheek. “You hit me too when I'm using this jutsu.”

“Ah, sorry Shikamaru.”

The girls noticed how sand was dropping to the floor from Gaara's cracked face. He looked at them with that crazy look, like he was about to murder them.

“Eep!” said Cassie as she hid behind Alex. Alex sighed and asked, “What are you trying to do?” Soon a staring contest began; it was basically Gaara versus everyone in the room, minus sleeping Lee.

Naruto was getting mad again and asked fiercely, “What are you trying to do to Fuzzy-eyebrows?” Gaara continued to glare.

“I was about to kill him.”

“That's strangely blunt.” said Rouyakan. “Need therapy much?”

Shikamaru, Naruto, and Cassie gasped in horror. Rouyakan and Alex looked unaffected, being accustomed to dealing with abnormal people.

`How can he act so cool?' thought Shikamaru. “Why did you do this, didn't you win the match? What's your grudge against him?”

“I don't have any. I am here because I want to kill him.” said Gaara.

“Who do you think you are, you bastard?!” screamed Naruto.

“Naruto, simmer down. He hasn't done anything… yet.” said Rouyakan, flexing her claws. Alex gripped her scythe.

“You don't seem to have any manners. Being so arrogant in front of ladies.” Alex smirked.

Cassie went up to Rouyakan and whispered, “This guy is weird. I feel a chill in the air.”

“Calm down. He can't hurt you.” The wolf youkai still didn't relax though.

“If you dare hinder me, I'll kill you.” said Gaara unemotionally. Rouyakan and Alex burst out laughing.

“If you've forgotten, dear boy, we're immortal.” smirked Alex.

“I didn't mean you. I meant the one's behind you.” spat Gaara.

“What did you say? You just try!” yelled Naruto. Rouyakan slapped her forehead.

“Naruto you moron, he's way stronger than you.” said Rouyakan. Shikamaru decided to bluff.

“After seeing you fight, we know you're very powerful, but the two of us aren't bad either. We didn't use our best skills during the primary selection. Besides, it's you against the two of us--”

“Five of us.” interrupted Rouyakan.

“Right. But with the five of us here, you're at a disadvantage. If you listen to us peacefully, we may let you go.” finished Shikamaru.

“I'm not in the mood to repeat myself. I'll say it one more time: if you dare to hinder me, I will kill you.” The red-haired boy stared at them with his emotionless, pale green eyes.

“If you dare touch them with your sand, I'll take your soul! Or should I say, souls?” The blonde girl twirled her scythe expertly until it came to rest with the blade pointed at Gaara's chest. Gaara's glare intensified at Alex's comment.

“Yeah, go Alex! You tell him!” cheered Naruto. “How do you like the daughter of Death threatening you?”

“Shut up Naruto. You know he's as powerful as a monster, and just as ruthless.” Shikamaru hissed, but since he still had his Kagemane no Jutsu in place, he couldn't physically stop him.

“But I wouldn't lose to him.” said Naruto cockily.

“Naruto, there's a big difference between you and him.” said Rouyakan. “He's possessed.” Everyone gasped.

“How do you know?” Shikamaru asked Rouyakan.

“Easy; I'm a youkai, and I know when a person is possessed or just a holder.” said Rouyakan. “A holder is in no immediate danger, because the demon is sealed. But possessed people have no seal. There's no way to curb the demon's influence on their mind.”

“A monster. We're the same then.” said Gaara, smirking. “You're right. I don't have very good manners; when I was born I killed my mother in order to make me the strongest shinobi. My father used ninjutsu to put a sand demon in me, so the wolf youkai is half right. But I've always been a living monster. It's the living spirit of an old Sand-nin village monk--”

“Okay, you just said that you had a demon possessing you. Where the fuck did a monk come in? Aren't they good people?” interrupted Alex. Gaara sent a glare at her that said `Just shut up, will you?' So Alex shut up and Gaara continued.

“-- That was sealed in a pot called Mamutsuru.”

“Why did you name a pot?” asked a clueless Alex.

Rouyakan noticed a shaking Shikamaru and sighed. Rouyakan explained. “So, in other words, he's been fused with the soul of another. It's a skill done prior to a persons birth.”

“And someone to did that to you? That's crazy.” said Alex. Naruto just stared at Gaara.

Alex suddenly began to tear up. “How can parents do that to their unborn child? Didn't they love you at all?” sniffed Alex as her tears threaten to spill from her eyes.

“Love?” Gaara said the word like it was a foreign language, not giving a damn about what Alex said. “Don't use your sympathy on me girl. Family… I'll tell you the meaning of the word. We're just bodies born by hatred and killing intentions. I ate my mother's life as if she was food. I am the masterpiece of the village where I was born because I'm the son of the Kazekage. Father taught me many jutsus; he overprotects and dotes on me as well as lets me do whatever I want. I think of that as `love'. Until that thing happened…”

“`That thing'…?” echoed Shikamaru. Gaara didn't say anything and looked at the ground.

“What's `that thing'?” asked Naruto.

Again Gaara didn't say anything

“What happened?” asked Cassie, bewildered.

Gaara looked up with and insane smile on his face. He said, an insane smile slowly spreading across his features, “These last six years after I turned six, I have almost been killed by my father, many, many times.” He sounded almost happy about this.

Shikamaru, Gaara, and Cassie were shocked. Rouyakan looked a little unnerved and Alex was on the verge of tears.

“Didn't you say your father dotes on you?” asked Shikamaru. “What on earth is going on?!”

“Because I became too powerful, which frightens him. My mental condition is very unstable.” said Gaara. “That what the villages discovered. To my father, the Kazekage, I'm the ace, the trump card, of the village, but he seemed to judge me as a danger after I turned six, so I am treated as a dangerous tool, and am being taken care of carefully. To them, I'm a thing they want to destroy. Why do I exist? Why do I live? When I think of that I can't find any answer. Living has to have a reason, or I'm the same as the dead.”

Shikamaru turned to Rouyakan again. “What's he talking about?”

“I have no idea. I'm not really paying attention. All I know is that the demon in him is making him go crazy.”

`I can sympathize with him…' thought Naruto. `The guy's like me…'

Gaara began to talk again.

“So I have come to a conclusion: I exist for killing all people other than me. I live in fear of being killed, so I feel at ease thinking that I prove my existence by killing those killers. I fight for myself alone and I love no one other than myself.” Suddenly a hand came in contact with his face. Alex slapped him (and, by accident, Shikamaru).

Alex was talking and crying at the same time. “Can't you hear yourself? You think of your own mother as scum, and how you're proud that you killed her! You think that your father loves you? Well, that's just fake love if he's willing to kill his own son!! And your philosophy on existence is horrible; you may be insane, but this is just wrong! How do you what love is if you only love yourself?!” Alex then broke down crying. Rouyakan came to her side and helped her up. Shikamaru and Naruto looked disturbed.

`What's wrong with him? He's way too dangerous!' thought Shikamaru, shivering.

`I'm also alone. I sometimes feel pain because I don't know the reason of my existence, but because Iruka-sensei acknowledged me, I can feel I really live in this world. But this guy… is always alone. He proves his existence by killing people.' thought Naruto. Suddenly he looked petrified.

“Shit. Cassie, I have to get Alex to stop crying. Take care of Naruto.” Rouyakan tried to make Alex stop crying. Naruto took a step back as if about to run.

“Naruto, what's the matter with you?” asked Shikamaru. Suddenly they heard sand slithering across the tiled floor. Both of them turned and saw Gaara's sand snaking its way towards them with alarming speed. Naruto and Shikamaru couldn't move.

“Shit! Alex, stay here!” Rouyakan ran in front of the two boys and Cassie, who got scared when the sand had started to fly at them.

“Naruto, pull yourself together!” yelled Rouyakan. When Naruto wouldn't move it, she growled.

“Damn bastard!” growled Rouyakan as she saw sand heading straight for Naruto. She heard Gaara mumble something, but couldn't hear exactly what he said.

“That's it!”

They all turned to the door and saw Gai with a fierce frown on his face.

“The official selection starts tomorrow. No need to feel anxious, or do you want to lie here today?”

Suddenly Gaara clutched his head and the sand retreated back to him. He seemed to gain control again and his glare was back. He walked coolly to the door.

“I'll kill you all, just you wait.” he said, without turning around.

Alex stood up suddenly, her scythe held in a defense position, eyes puffy from crying. “If you try, I'll kill you first.”

Gaara just stood there for a moment longer, then left. Alex fell to the floor, and immediately Naruto ran over. “Alex! Alex, are you okay?!”

“Yes, I'm fine.” said Alex with a small smile. Gai had departed shortly after Gaara.

“Yeah, she's fine, she just hates to see people like that.” Rouyakan walked over and helped the blonde girl up.

“He has cried so many tears in his life, until one day he just gave up, and started listing to those insane voices in his head.” Alex leaned on her scythe and stared at the empty doorway.

“Come on Naruto, lets go home.” said Rouyakan quietly. They all shuffled quietly out the door and headed back to help Naruto train for his upcoming match.

~*End Chapter*~

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CR: Whew! Sorry this chapter took so long to update, I just had never found the time to edit much. ^^;;; Sorry!!! I'm not going to waste a lot of room here, because… we now have a (unofficial) site!! *omg!* Check it out!

http://www.xanga.com/Rouyakan/

I'll put majority of the fic-related stuff up there, like writing/editing progress, and any extra stuff as Luna and I see fit. Until next time, look forward to chapter 10!!