Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Prices of Being a Ninja ❯ Chapter 7

`Damn it… so tired.' Naruto found himself being acquainted face to branch more frequently as he progressed. He had lost the energy to keep all of his shadow clones out and about. All of their individual toils and running and tiredness found its way back to him.

 

You've slowed them kid, but for how long?

 

`Shut it.'

 

You know, wouldn't it be humorous if baka-girl meant what she said? And you're a low life. You left the good life for a life on the run with a boy that ain't worth the time or effort.

 

“Sasuke is not a boy or worthless.” Naruto cursed for saying it out loud. He was lucky to catch it this time. It was becoming harder and harder to tell when he was thinking versus saying things to the kyuubi.

 

I didn't say worthless. I said he ain't worth the trouble you're going through to save him. How is it rescuing if the one you would have to save him from is himself?

 

`What's your point, Kyuubi? I'm getting tired of your drabble.'

 

My point is you could live a happy long life, me too might I add as I have no control over what you do. We could live peacefully in Konoha with baka-chan.

 

`Too late.'

 

Watch out for that branch.

 

No sooner had the fox demon warned him than he hit the branch full across his bare chest. His lungs were bereft of air, leaving him flopping like a fish out of water as he sailed to the ground a good fifty feet below. He had enough time and energy left for enough shadow clones to catch him if he could time it right. His first clone hit the ground too fast and only brushed his arm leaving the second trying to hoist him up. One more and crash! He landed on the back of the third and as soon as it dissipated his back picked up the stinging.

 

`Damn it! A little bit more advanced notice would have been nice. For one living long you sure don't seem to care about the condition I as your host am in.' Naruto grimaced as his left lung took air in a little quicker than the right.

 

Considering how much distance we undoubtedly have, you could take it a little bit slower, notice these things, and then I wouldn't have to, young kit. The kyuubi sniggered, unimpressed.

 

“Don't refer to me as anything like you.” Now he was slipping up. It would be better to get more rest, more control, and more resolve to keep from alerting any others in the forest.

 

That's right… cause you're not a fox. You're not an outcast of society, thinking you're a barbarian for simply breathing. Well, I'm not anymore that is since you are doing that for me.

 

`You'll get no sympathy from me. You've made my life a living hell. Maybe… if it weren't for you I would have stood a chance with Sakura-chan.'

 

If you really feel you have no chance, second or whatever the hell the number this one is, then you really are a baka. And I have nothing to do with your turning her down, so… you'll have yourself to live with for that one, not me.

 

`Leave me alone.' The hairs on his arms and nape began to raise a little. He was getting too close to the brink and the kyuubi felt his freedom within his grasp. But the twit was onto him so the ninja would get it under control, leaving him to his confinement.

 

You're on your own for branches then.

 

Finally… silence. Just a short nap couldn't hurt. He would need all his energy again. If he could send out a little less than ten shadow clones then perhaps, perhaps, he could make a trail leading away from his real spot and doze off. Heck, just a little more energy and leave them to run onward while he slept.

 

***

“Do you really think we stand a chance, with Kiba and Hinata after him while we have been here?”

 

“Don't forget Shino. Maybe not, but it is the only chance we got. Sakura… do you know anyone else we could trust to come with us?”

 

“Not really, Shik. Kakashi-sensei knew- he had to. He led Anbu off of my trail at his place. That was where I originally went when I saw he was already packed but to go with another team.”

 

“Ino is out. She might even be able to keep the Hokage in the blue that I'm out and about.”

 

“Speaking of, you really feel that you are up to moving now?”

 

“Do I have a choice? And yes, I'm a bit sore but it is nothing like it was.” He stood up and lowered his hand, catching her off guard. He was all too aware how her skin hinted the same pink as her hair.

 

Damn. Women don't know what they do to men and they are so unpredictable.

 

“We can talk on the way then. We need to get out of here. It would be nice to have some way of sniffing him out.”

 

“Oh!” Sakura ran into the bedroom nook and returned with a brown nylon sack. With a slight flush she held out what appeared to be the thick content of a summoning scroll.

 

“What is this?”

 

“It belonged- belongs,” she corrected herself, “to Kakashi-sensei. He thought I would need it, or so I think.”

 

“You think he can or will try to prevent them from attacking Naruto?”

 

“It is a better chance. My biggest concern is Naruto. I don't want what happened to you, Shik, happening to anyone else.”

 

“Kakashi-sensei found me, did he not- What I mean is that Naruto was already gone, correct?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then that means Naruto got a hold of himself-either that or he left. Perhaps, if he is as you suspect and `still there' then he can prevent himself from doing that again.”

 

“I hope that is a correct assumption Shik. He really needs someone.”

 

“If there is anyone he needs, it is you, Sakura.”

 

He had passed her and leapt over the threshold of Konoha into the forest beyond and she had just placed her foot. She stopped, a rebelling tear landing inches from the soil of her family, her friends, her home. It then dawned on her that what now lay behind her would no longer be her home… not until this was finished.

 

“Sakura-chan, let's move. We can keep going and I will worry about the details, ne?” Damn Ino… You are rubbing off on me without my consent. Blast it all.

 

***

 

“Think anyone will follow our tracks?” Kiba shook his sopping mass of hair in appreciation as the storm raised to a downpour. Miserable was an understatement for the rest. It seemed Kiba had a warmer nature like his companion and the dropping temperature was starting to impede them.

 

“It is possible but with this storm to cover us, I doubt they will be very successful. Besides, Shino has already taken care of that, haven't you?” With a start Kiba, Hinata, and Yamato turned to face the bug master. His glasses glinted and for a brief moment Kakashi could swear he noted surprise.

 

“Yes, I did dispatch a few of my companions to keep watch. I must say I thought it went unnoticed, but then, you are Kakashi- son of the Fang. They dislike this weather though, so I imagine we should also keep an eye out.”

 

“Could we not split up and Akumaru and I go on ahead?”

 

“We do not split up. This is a mission where we set out together, stay together, and end together.”

 

“Perhaps, Kakashi… we should? Forgive me, but, I can track each of us here and know if there is danger by their sudden change of chakra… should anything go wrong that is. Kiba and myself could go on ahead.”

 

“You are equally cold and wet, Yammato. We should stick together and that's final.” Kakashi could not suppress the feeling of breeding mutiny. Shino was too observant for his liking though it was good for the sake of Konoha. But surely the Hokage realized that bringing back Naruto with the force of Anbu was not really in anyone's 'good interest.' To be honest with himself, he disliked that he had not been told in person but given these orders, hand-written, from Sai.

 

What perturbed him more was that Sai was eager to go and help but was apparently forbade that. Kakashi was bereft of any of his younger familiars and this team was under the impression Uzimaki Naruto really might be a traitor. This was nothing compared to the daunting fact that Yamato might actually beat him if it came to a skirmish. He, after all, did not have his summoning scroll and did he feel naked without it.

 

With a slight wince he took a leg from their folded positions and brought it up to support his dangling arm. He felt stretched thin and fought off weighted eyelids with painstaking success. If the rain had not been so cold, eating through right to the bones, he would have fallen into a merciful sleep. Perhaps. Then again, his nightmares had begun again. He had absolute faith, however, in his latest blooming pupil. She had brains and, though her odds outweighed her substantially, she might just be Naruto's savior.

 

He had read the notes on Naruto by his former tutor, Jiraiya. After the blow of Jiraiya's death, he had noticed the steady decline of Naruto's flair. It was painful to live through that pain yourself, and another kind of pain entirely to see someone you wished to avoid that pain go through it. Sakura was all too insightful. She was ever in his thoughts, the one he lost and the one he longed to have back. What might have been, what could have been, if only... all of the if's, each more cruel than the last. The final tick on the list was the if he had not been too late.

 

He tried to stifle his sigh too late and noticed the light glinting off of Shino's downwardly turned glasses. Masks were a blessing. What he wouldn't give to see under his fellow chuunin's right now. All he could do was hope that Sakura and Shikumaru had found their trail and were gaining speed. Hope was all he had left but he didn't know how much more he had to spare.