Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Clone ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

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

A/N
For those that have NOT completely given up on this story I apologize for the exceedingly long hiatus, all I can say in my defense is that my internet connection has been down for close to 4 weeks, I had to go to a library to get this chapter uploaded. Coupled with a mild case of writers' block and schoolwork the chapter was been delayed considerably. Barring apocalypse however there is no reason for you not to expect the next chapter within a week. Without further ado I give you the next chapter of the clone with (gasp) no obscenely irritating cliffhanger.
“Human speech”
Demon or summon speech”
Human thoughts”
Demon or summon thoughts
Disclaimer: …………………………̷ 0;………………… whatever
Chapter 9: Out of the frying pan into the fire
 
For a single instant the world seemed to move in slow motion before Hinata's all seeing eyes. Thanks to the byakugan she actually saw the silhouette of the monster's talon when it pierced Naruto's side and the viscous liquid it injected into the young blonds body. The final attack sent Naruto flying into the water and his body rapidly sank like dead weight. Diving into the water after him Hinata swam towards the body trailing thick strands of blood and some yellowish liquid. She grabbed him in the classic underhand rescue carry and placed one chakra-empowered hand over his side to help staunch the flow. Swimming to the near shore she waited impatiently for Kakashi to arrive with Sasuke over his shoulder.
“How does it look? Use your byakugan quickly!”
“Hai sensei”
“This, this is bad, the attack didn't hit any vital spots but the poison seems to be traveling slowly up his side, none of us have the training to handle this sort of injury sensei!”
“Calm down Hinata”
`He's dying I can see the poison spreading do something you're a jonin aren't you!!” Hinata was yelling by the end of her sentence, tears of frustration threatening to spill out of her eyes.
“Calm down I think I have a solution, here hold Sasuke.” Kakashi stared at the entry wound while shoving Hinata out of the way; the wound itself was deep though miraculously it had not punctured any vital organs. Kyuubi's chakra was already closing the wound. The main problem however was the poison still in Naruto's body. Taking a large coil of ninja wire from his pouch Kakashi wrapped it around Naruto's waist about 8 inches above the wound, which thankfully was closer to his hip than his diaphragm. Not afraid to tie the wire tight due to Naruto's healing factor he shushed Hinata when she made as if to speak after seeing the blood seep out from around the wire. When he was satisfied with the wire Kakashi pulled a kunai and made several large gashes directly above the wound so that as much of the poison as possible would seep out.
 
“Hinata that's all we can do for him right now lets move them further inland before we set up camp.”
“Shouldn't we avoid jolting their injuries?”
“Sasuke's injuries aren't life threatening and as for Naruto a little jolt wont make a difference either way. Lets go.”
“When they arrived at their makeshift camp Kakashi noticed that the incisions he had made on Naruto's side had already healed. “Hinata come here I need you to help with something.”
Hinata looked up from where she had been making Sasuke's comatose body as comfortable as possible and walked over to Kakashi. “Yes sensei?”
“First what is Sasuke's condition?”
“He's stable, he lost a lot of blood from those senbon injuries but I gave him a blood pill and I have staunched the blood flow from most of the wounds. He should be up tomorrow, though he will be weaker than usual for a day or two.”
“Do we know where Naruto sent the hostages? Did he even rescue them?”
“I believe so, knowing him he wouldn't have come if he wasn't completely successful, we have to trust that he had them go to a safe place.”
“I can understand this is your first mission but let me explain that ninja don't operate on trust alone, we need proof that this phase of the mission has been successful I need you to take care of Naruto you see these points?”
“Yes”
 
“I need you to slice them open periodically”
“Slice them open periodically? Why hasn't he lost enough blood?”
“Well… Naruto has a………bloodline that allows him to heal rapidly so the wounds are going to heal as you open them, whats more important is that we drain as much of the poison from his system so his… healing factor has an easier time of patching hom up”
 
“I see what will you be doing?”
“I need to go make sure than Naruto rescued the hostages, they couldn't have gone far so I'm going to search the surrounding area.”
“Ok”
“I'll be back soon.”
Hinata watched Kakashi travel for a while with her byakugan and then focused on Naruto, there seemed to be less of the poison than before though there was still a copious amount in his body, she didn't understand how he could still be alive with that much of it in him but she attributed it to his bloodline though if it was this powerful she wondered why he had no clan and was a relative unknown in Konoha. Following Kakashi's orders she proceeded to reopen the three wounds in the young blonds side. Glancing over at Sasuke she saw that he was breathing regularly under the thin campaign blanket they had thrown over his body. Turning back to Naruto she watched in morbid fascination as the wounds in his side visibly healed after a small amount of a viscous combination of his blood and the poison leaked out.
 
2 hours later
 
Kakashi had found the hostages within the first 30 minutes of his search, as he had suspected Naruto had taken the cautious option sending them through the swamp instead of directly to the village. Guiding them to the already prepped safe house took 2 hours and by the time he got back to camp he was convinced Hinata would have fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion. His estimation of the girl rose when he returned to see her still awake apparently from sheer willpower alone.
“ How are they?”
“Sasuke is still stable, I kept reopening Naruto's wounds until I couldn't notice any more poison pouring out with the blood.”
“Good initiative, go get some sleep leave the rest to me.”
Hinata thought she must have mumbled something in response before weariness overwhelmed her and her eyes closed.
The next day
 
Naruto cracked his eyes open and was immediately assaulted by brightest light he had witnessed in his short life, groaning he snapped them shut. “This must be what a hangover feels like.” In reality Naruto had never consumed alcohol, but the huge amount of red chakra Kyuubi had channeled in healing him had left him worn out in body and near splintered in mind. It was a miracle he had survived the coupled effects of the huge gash in his side and the toxic toxins the beast had pumped into him in its dying moments. Opening his eyes, painfully, by increments he noticed that he was within a room of some sort though it was on the small side, he saw one of Sasuke's crumpled gray shirts on the floor by another bed. The teme had survived then, good. Closing his eyes tiredly he was about to drift off when he heard the door creak open opening an eye he saw Kakashi saunter in lazily and lean his whipcord body against the far wall, feigning disinterest with his eyes glued to the orange book in his hand.
 
“Good job out there two days ago.”
“I've been out that long? That means Gatou is due in…”
“Yea in three days, though the mission is more or less over. Gatou despises ninja and apart from Zabuza he had no dealings with any missing-nin, the assassination itself should be relatively simple in itself.”
“That's cool then, how about Sasuke and Hinata?”
“They're both alive” Kakashi answered dryly “ incidentally I arranged a little series of spars between the three of you in two days time.”
“No fair!!! I haven't fully recovered.”
Kakashi snapped his book shut and headed for the door “That's your problem Naruto, if am right about you, you won't let a little thing like not being on form bring you down. Naruto sighed and snuggled down into his bed contemplating his fate which looked rather painful at the moment. He had just managed to stop worrying and fall asleep for a few hours when the door burst open again. Naruto jerked awake at the sound, his ninja reflexes announcing their return. Sasuke stood in the doorway breathing heavily. The clothes, rags, he was wearing were so torn up and mud splattered that Naruto for a second thought they belonged on a homeless person. Hair disheveled Sasuke glared down at the immobile figure on the bed.
“I know you're awake dobe.”
“Jeez if I recall you're the only one who failed to complete their assignment so whose the dead last?”
“Shut up, just shut up.”
“Or what Sasuke-teme?”
Naruto saw Sasuke quivering with suppressed rage and pondered his chances of survival if Sasuke decided to attack him. Suddenly the quivering stopped, the smile Naruto saw on Sasuke's face in the demonic half light was in some ways worse than the his visible anger.
“In two days Naruto, in two days we shall see who is the dobe… you are an obstacle. To defeat him first I must defeat you I see that now.” Without further ado Sasuke headed to his bed and without bothering to take of his clothes collapsed from exhaustion due to his harsh training regimen. Naruto sighed before drifting back off to sleep
Out of the frying pan into the fire.
 
The next morning
Naruto woke up in better spirits and decided that he had recuperated enough to attempt movement. Standing up gingerly he stood in front of the single cracked mirror and dusty mirror in the room. 3 days of little to no movement could ruin a ninja's conditioning for a week, luckily thanks in part to Kyuubi his muscles hadn't atrophied during his stasis. What caught his attention was the large scar on his side; Kyuubi had been so occupied with healing his side that it had failed to thoroughly close the wound to prevent a scar. The result was that Naruto had a large vaguely circular white scar on his side.
Stretching lightly Naruto ascertained that the disfigurement did not impede his range of movement in the slightest before he headed into the shower.
“Sasuke must have left earlier.” He thought idly “I wonder what happened to that mace I had earlier.”
“The Hyuuga threw it away in her haste to help you.”
Naruto started in surprise banging his head against the back of the shower stall.
Fuzz ball? Is that you?”
 
“I do not know… do you have any OTHER demons sealed in your belly.”
 
“Shit this is the second time since Jiraiya modified the seal…” Naruto mumbled aloud, “I need to tell Kakashi about this the seal could be weakening.”
“Let's not be too hasty shrimp, I assure you the seal is not weakened in anyway whatsoever.”
“Sure I should trust the word of the raging monster that destroyed half of Konoha for no reason.”
“Tch I have no time to argue with a mere bag of tissues, use your less than adequate brain, if the seal was weakening would I alert you to the fact by holding a discussion with you?”
“On the other hand if it was weakening and you talked to me inadvertently that is exactly what you would say.”
“Enough. What do you plan on doing about the lost mace.”
“And my plans affect you how oh mighty demon lord?”
“Your sarcasm is unbecoming, I can get you a new and vastly superior one.”
“Sure you can, the question is whats in it for you?”
“Why are you so convinced of my ill intentions?”
“Lets see maybe it's because I still remember the time I was six and you nearly convinced me that if I signed a contract with you an “angel” I would get anything I wished for?”
Naruto felt the Kyuubi chuckle in his mindscape “Can't blame me for trying, you were young and I wanted out. Now however I realize I'm stuck with you for a while.”
“That still doesn't tell me why you're so eager to help, plus what makes you think I want a damn mace?”
“Heh I live inside you remember? Besides you have an affinity for the crude things, anyone could see that from the way you butchered those poor mercs. I liked you're style, reminds me of my younger days when I was a newly spawned demon, I always liked em bloody.”
“I'm NOTHING like you!!” Naruto replied in a rage before settling down and replying in a more even tone. “I'll listen to your proposal, however I'm not a kid anymore anything fishy and the deal is off.”
“What deal?”
“Don't play coy with me, you have some mace type weapon you want to give to me right?”
“Well yes… I figure that if I'm going to be stuck in a useless container I might as well make sure it's the best damn container around.”
“What do you mean the best of its type? How many poor sods have a Bijuu sealed in their fucking stomach.”
Again the dark chuckle “More than you realize meat, more than you realize. I shall contact you again after the assassination.”
“Wait you bastard what did you mea-“ It was too late, Naruto felt the Kyuubi's vile presence retreating back to his cage. Aware of his surroundings once again Naruto noticed that the shower was still on. Shutting it off he padded back to the room he shared with Sasuke. Pulling his clothing and equipment on quickly he headed down retying his single long braid as he went.
Reaching the foot of the stairs he quickly noticed the smell of cooking to his right, following his nose he reached the kitchen. The woman who had hugged him was there as well as the little kid he assumed was her son or brother.
“Ahh you're awake, thank you so much for the rescue!”
“Yeah it was nothing” Naruto responded unable to respond to her strange exuberance with anything less. The kid on the other hand was engaged in the process of glaring daggers at him.”
“You can't win.”
“Begging your pardon.”
“It's impossible if he failed how can a lowlife like you hope to succeed.”
Naruto started to get angry “Listen here kid-“
But it was too late; the boy was already running out of the room.
“I hope you can forgive my son.” Naruto took one glance at the worried expression on the woman's face and calmed down
“It isn't a problem, Gatou killed someone important to him?”
`Yes his…. It's not my place to say... I'm sorry.”
“No problem…” The room fell into an awkward silence, which was broken by of all things Naruto's grumbling stomach. Laughing aloud the woman passed him a plate of steaming food, “There you go, you must be starving poor thing.”
Naruto accepted the food gratefully and promptly dug in.
After he had finished and helped her wash up he decided it was time to leave the house.
“Pardon me but which way is the front door?”
“Ohh? You're going out? Well you have to climb back up and then you'll see a ladder.
Naruto had noticed the ladder but had assumed it was for the attic.
“Why would the exit be up?”
“Well this is a safe house, we're several meters under the ground.”
“Ohh see you then' Naruto realized belatedly heading back up the stairs in embarrassment of course they were in one of the many safe houses ninja villages maintained for their operatives in foreign nations. “Jeez I'm so stupid.”
Meanwhile Sasuke was currently completing the objective Kakashi had set him, he was hanging upside down from a tree by his toes alone and lifting a large boulder up to his chest level and down methodically. Kakashi had said that the fastest way for him to increase in strength was to increase his chakra capacity and control. He could see Hinata meditating in the corner with her eyes closed occasionally she would burst into movement, extending some kind of lasso of Chakra to catch an animal hidden in the brush. Suddenly he saw a familiar shock of blond hair poking out from the ground deciding to have some fun he dropped to the ground and stealthily padded towards the emerging blond.
“Naruto extracted himself from the tight hole and brushed off his trousers lightly, seeing a slight blur of movement to his right he brought his hands up into a classic tiger crane guard.
Just in time, he caught Sasuke's kick and his knees buckled under the force of the assault.
Sasuke just smirked and deliberately lowered his leg slowly. “Good reflexes dobe, not bad for a slowpoke”
“Heh your kick wasn't to bad either, though a bit on the light side as is expected from such a pretty boy.”
“Will you two stop bickering?”
Both of them turned mouths wide open towards Hinata.
“Jeez I didn't rescue both just for you to kill each other before my very eyes.”
Naruto grinned slightly and moved to whisper in Sasuke's ear “She's melting.”
“Of course” Sasuke returned the grin and whispered back “Any female would, spending months with a pretty boy like myself”
“Nahh she likes rugged guys bro, she's been checking out my-“
Naruto was cut off as a blue lasso suddenly settled around his legs and yanked him off his feet.
“I can lip read you know.”
“Naruto grinned despite his new migraine “Told you pretty boy, she wants me.”
 
Kakashi watched from his tree viewpoint not sure whether to dance for joy or simply read another chapter of icha icha. His team was finally shaping up. Naruto and Sasuke were embroiled in their useless rivalry and that was all quelled by the sudden participation of Hinata. As he watched Sasuke and Hinata go back to their training and Naruto start some light stretches Kakashi found himself wishing that the good atmosphere persisted.
 
A/N
Well that's all. This is a necessary filler chapter before I finish this arc in the next chapter. I hope I did well with my take on Kyuubi and YES I was in complete control of my faculties when I decided to give a harridan like Hinata a lasso technique. Just IMAGINE the fun she and Naruto could have with that a couple years into the future (wink, wink). On a side note I know I got your hopes up when I said there was no cliffhanger but somehow I ended up with two huge ones, the impending Naruto Sasuke confrontation and the outcome of the Naruto Kyuubi deal. Ahh well what can I say, you didn't actually believe me did you? Tch am a storyteller you should no better. Till next time.
 
Darklighter