Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Dragonheart	By : UmbreonMessiah Category: Naruto > General Views: 1644 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
A/N: It seems that Chapter 6 went over quite
well with the readers. I was hoping it would offer a whole lot for you, but I
never expected the reaction I got from it. I have to say I love you all for
loving my work. Chapter 7 won�t really be as action packed, but I hope you love
it all the same.

________________________________________________________________________

Dragonheart

Chapter 7

            Beep.
Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Kiba decided that he was quite displeased by
the sound of the heart monitor. The pulsing high pitched noise that indicated
the beat of one�s heart was all too unsettling for the dog-trainer. It wasn�t
as if he couldn�t hear the heartbeat on his own if he tried either. There was
something specific about the sound and the jagged lines on the screen that made
him uncomfortable. It was as if the entire apparatus were a way to foreshadow
one�s own death. Kiba really didn�t want the person who this machine was
attached to do die.
            The boy turned his narrow brown eyes to the
woman sleeping in the hospital bed he was sitting next to. Hyuuga Hinata hadn�t
woken up in almost six days now. She had fallen unconscious after their battle
with Orochimaru�s chimaera and had hardly budged an inch since then. Everything
that had happened to them was bad enough. Why did these doctors have to go and
make it look as though Hinata were on the verge of death?
            Currently the dark-haired girl was laying in
one of the many standard issue hospital beds. Her regular clothing had been
scrapped for an off-green hospital gown that Kiba could only assume covered all
of her front and very little of her back. Concerned for her overall health
after the story that they had told Tsunade had had the young heiress attached to
a heart monitor and a respirator. She was also being given her nutrition
intravenously. They had been running tests on her day in and day out since she
had been brought back to Konoha and this was the first day any of them had been
allowed to come visit. Naturally Kiba and Shino were the first people through
the door.
            It was only after he realized that she was
completely out of it that the young male began to understand how much he
disliked that heart monitor. It was the only thing making any noise right now
and it irritated him. He wanted Hinata to rise up off that bed and start
talking to them again. He wanted to see her smile and converse, to blush and
faint. He wanted to know she was okay and that everything would be alright.
            �It�s not your fault Kiba,� Shino said gently.
            Of course it wasn�t Kiba�s fault. That didn�t
stop the poor boy from feeling like he had had something to do with it. He knew
that it was Orochimaru and the Kusa shinobi to blame for Hinata�s current
condition, but some part of him couldn�t accept that as the whole truth. Deep
down he knew he had let her down. Somewhere inside of him he felt responsible
for what she had done and for what she had become in that moment.
            �I know,� was his only reply. �That still
doesn�t answer anything though.�
            Shino had heard the story and couldn�t believe
it anymore than Kiba did when he had seen it. The idea that some sort of evil
chakra could possess the fragile girl before them and turn her into a killing
machine bewildered the shady teen. He had known Hinata intimately for a long
time now and had never known her to be as violent as the person his brunet
friend had described. Something about the whole situation seemed amiss to the
bug ninja but he could do nothing more to understand it.
            There was a small racket as the sliding door to
Hinata�s solitary room opened. The two other thirds of Team Eight turned to see
the shaggy blond top of Uzumaki Naruto enter the small space, letting out a
short breath at his arrival. He was not wearing his typical orange and black
jumpsuit this time. Rather he had exchanged it for a simple white t-shirt with
his trademark spiral design and simple set of jeans. Naruto so rarely wore any
form of civilian clothing that it shocked the other two in the room lightly.
            �Gomen,� the blond teen whispered, �I was late
getting up.�
            The normal judgment and scolding that would
have followed that remark were not uttered this day. Kiba simply nodded along
with Shino as all three men turned their attention back to the unconscious girl.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Naruto slowly slid himself into a chair on the
other side of the bed from Kiba, looking his girlfriend over with a pained
face. There was no doubt that the whiskered teen felt the same sort of guilt
for what had transpired in that clearing as the Inuzuka did. The only
difference was that his emotional attachment to the young woman was perhaps even
stronger than Kiba�s was. The usually hyper ninja clenched his fist angrily for
about half a second before releasing it, taking a deep sigh.
            �Is your hand alright Naruto?� Kiba spoke
gingerly.
            �It�s fine,� he replied. �Doctor said that the
only thing the lightning did to my hand was numb it for a while. You?�
            The nin-ken trainer tried his best to put on a
smile. �They say my arm�s going to be alright,� he chuckled. �Tenketsu got a
nice blow but they�re recovering fully.�
            Whatever unease the two shinobi had been trying
to dispel won over in the end as the two became silent once more.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            �I�m such a failure,� Kiba cursed at himself.
�I couldn�t stop her��
            �Kiba,� Shino interrupted imperially, �you are
not responsible for what has transpired here.�
            �Shut up Shino!� Kiba barked. �You weren�t
there. You didn�t see what happened! I�I let her face that thing alone and
look at what it did to her!�
            �Kiba, stop it,� Naruto shushed. �Shino is
right, it wasn�t your fault. I held back too much�there was more I could have
done.�
            �Both of you stop trying to take all the
blame,� Shino scolded. �This is not a competition.�
            �Gomen,� both boys muttered, hanging their
heads low as they sat next to Hyuuga head�s eldest daughter.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.

            The sliding door to the hospital room opened noisily once again,
drawing three sets of eyes to it. Three figures evenly entered the from the
hallway and graced the doorway with their presence. Naruto�s two blue eyes
grappled with the forms of Kakashi, Jiraiya and Tsunade as all three shot him a
peculiar glance before turning to the other two shinobi.
            �Kiba, Shino,� the blonde woman stated, �could
you please leave just for a moment. We need to speak with Naruto privately.�
            Kiba looked like he was about to protest the
order but Shino accepted it for him. Reluctantly the brunet stood up and
followed his shady teammate out the door, offering one last look at Naruto
before they closed the door behind them.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Naruto was flung from his chair into the nearby
wall. The collar on his shirt tore slightly as Tsunade lifted him and smacked
him against the solid surface. The young male looked into her angry eyes with
shock, struggling against her grasp as she pinned him to the wall.

            �What the hell have you done Naruto?!� the Hokage snarled.
            �Wh-what do you mean what have I done?!� the
boy gasped with fear.
            �Tsunade,� Jiraiya said in a hushed tone,
reaching out and holding her wrist, �calm down.�
            The old woman slowly released her grip on the
startled young man, causing him to drop half a foot onto the ground. Quickly
regaining his composure Naruto looked around the room at the small crowd that
had gathered before returning his eyes to Tsunade.
            �The hell was that for baa-chan!?� he growled.
            �Gomen nasai,� the vexed woman sighed. �This
is just too much for me to take in all at once.�
            �What�s she talking about?� Naruto asked his
white-haired instructors, hoping they would offer more information than the
Hokage could.
            �The tests came back,� Kakashi offered simply.
            �Then that means you know what caused it!�
Naruto said with hope in his voice. �You know what made her go berserk like
that?�
            Jiraiya stared down his student. �You
shouldn�t be so cheerful,� he said grimly. �I think you know all too well what
caused it.�
            Naruto�s face fell as his fists clenched in
anger. �So�you mean it was�� he tried to say.
            �The tests don�t lie,� Tsunade growled. �The
chakra that possessed Hinata was indeed the Kyuubi�s chakra. It turned her into
that ravenous beast you saw when she killed the chimaera.�
            �In short,� Kakashi sighed, �it seems this
might be your fault.�
            Naruto�s face paled as he heard that. Of all
the outcomes it was the one he had dreaded the most. He had known the feel of
that chakra and the power that came with it, but he had hoped beyond hope that
it was not what he had thought it was. He didn�t want to think of anyone else
with the same curse as him, especially Hinata. He feared this because he knew
the only real way for it to have happened was something he did.
            �We�re still not entirely sure how though,�
Jiraiya sighed. �What we do know of the Kyuubi doesn�t give us enough
information to go on. All we have are assumptions and theories.�
            �I�I don�t know how this could be possible,�
the whiskered teen whimpered. �I just�this isn�t possible is it?�
�The only thing I can think of that would explain
it,� Kakashi offered, �would be that somehow the Kyuubi�s chakra infiltrated her
chakra system.�
            �Can that even happen?� Naruto asked.
            �It can happen in rare cases,� Jiraiya said
calmly, still holding onto Tsunade�s wrist to relax her. �But normally the
invasion only causes a slight irritability or something similar. Eventually the
foreign chakra is flushed from the system and everything becomes normal again.�
            �So what�s different in this case?� the blond
boy wondered aloud.
            �That should be fairly obvious,� Jiraiya
scoffed. �The Kyuubi�s chakra isn�t normal.�
            �You know that the Kyuubi seems to have an
unlimited amount of chakra, right?� Kakashi inquired.
            �Yes, I�m well aware,� Naruto replied
anxiously. �What�s that got to��
            �Of course, unlimited chakra isn�t really a
physical possibility,� the white-haired Jounin continued as though Naruto hadn�t
even spoken. �Nothing is infinite. Rather�the Kyuubi�s chakra seems to have a
form of self-replication.�
            Naruto�s eyebrow rose at that statement. �Like
a Kage Bunshin?�
            �You�ve got sort of the right idea,� Tsunade
finally spoke up, her voice trembling as she kept her anger in check. �From
even just a little bit of chakra a flood of it can be created. It constantly
seems to regenerate itself much like it regenerates wounds.�
            �The short form is that if even a little bit
got inside of her,� Jiraiya interrupted, �it would only need a little
provocation to grow enough to consume her whole body.�
            �How could it get inside her though?� Naruto
asked.
            �We were hoping you could tell us that,�
Tsunade sighed. �It doesn�t look like it though.�
            �Just think Naruto,� Jiraiya said. �Was there
ever a time you were with Hinata where the Kyuubi�s chakra could have made it
into her system?�
            Naruto shook his head solemnly. �No,� he
responded, �not a single time I can think of.�
            The three elder shinobi sighed in frustration.
They were quite aggravated by being unable to solve the mystery, which only
served to make everything even more complicated.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            �Wait!� the young blond shouted. �There�maybe
this one time��
            �Out with it Naruto,� Jiraiya said. �At this
point even random coincidence is better than nothing.�
            �It was a while back, before we were dating,�
the boy recounted. �She was trying to teach me how to do Jyuuken and I was
failing miserably. I�d used way too much chakra and in my anger I drew on the
Kyuubi�s chakra to��
            The jinchuuriki trailed off at that point,
seemingly lost in his thoughts. His white-haired sensei jabbed him slightly in
the shoulder.
            �To what?� Kakashi asked.
            �I struck her in the shoulder,� Naruto said,
emphasizing his words by patting his own shoulder. �I felt something come out
of my hands, but that was all. Jyuuken is supposed to damage tenketsu though,
not send chakra into someone else�s system�isn�t it?�
            �When performed properly,� Kakashi explained.
�Someone like you trying to do it with chakra like the Kyuubi�s could have
unforeseen consequences.�
            �In this case,� Tsunade said, �infecting a
perfectly innocent person with a demon�s chakra.�
            �N-no!� Naruto yelped. �That isn�t�I
didn�t�I��
            �Perhaps not on purpose,� Jiraiya said, �but if
what you say is true, then you are most likely the reason why this has
happened.�
            Naruto shook angrily in the center of the
room. Mentally he began cursing the Kyuubi as loudly and as horribly as he
could. His fifteen year old mind threw out every swear word and every vehement
insult he could think at that dark cage. No matter how much he tried though the
fox would not answer. Finally he gave off an aggravated sigh and looked up into
his sensei�s eyes.
            �So what�s going to happen to her now?� he
asked.
            �It�s impossible to say exactly,� Kakashi said,
his eye avoiding Naruto�s pleading gaze. �Unlike you, Hinata is not a
jinchuuriki. She has no real attachment to the Kyuubi like you do.�
            �Because of that it may end up affecting her
differently than it does you,� Tsunade tried to clarify. �Like you her wounds
may begin to heal faster.�
            �Unlike you however,� Jiraiya added quite
adamantly, �the true source of its power has no seal on her. That chakra will
be allowed to run rampant through her body if she�s not careful. She may begin
to act differently and she will definitely have even less control over it than
you do.�
            �Which means what happened against the chimaera
may happen again,� Kakashi sighed. �There�s even the possibility she may get
stuck that way. We just can�t possibly know.�
            �I�m�I�m sorry�� Naruto shivered in defeat.
            �Apologizing to us won�t make the matter any
different,� Kakashi said. �Don�t burden yourself with something you cannot
change.�
            �You should worry more about the fact that we
will have to inform the Hyuuga Clan about all of this,� Tsunade exhaled.
            The young boy�s eyes opened wide in fear.
�What do you think they�ll do?�
            �I don�t know,� Kakashi muttered dryly, �but I
would imagine hearing that the Demon Fox poisoned their heir is definitely not
going to please them.�
            �Once they have learned the Kyuubi�s chakra has
invaded her body,� Jiraiya grumbled, �they will do everything in their power to
keep you two apart.�
            With every word they piled on Naruto�s body
shook more and more. Kakashi was the first to become aware of it but said
nothing. Eventually the two Sannin slowed their speech as they noticed the
young man quivering before them, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks.
            �How could I?� Naruto said in barely a
whisper. �How could I do this to her?�
            A comforting hand was placed on his shaking
shoulder by his mentor. The Toad Hermit forced a smile to appear on his aging
face.
�It will be alright Naruto,�
Jiraiya said, trying to convince himself more than the young teenager. �The
important thing is you keep your head straight and do what you think is right.�
            �That�s just it,� Naruto sobbed as he looked up
into his teacher�s eyes. �I don�t know what�s right. Just what the hell is
right in a situation like this?�
            �That you die here and now you demon bastard!�
the gruff sound of Kiba�s voice snarled.
            The four other conscious people in the room had
barely turned to face the noise before Kiba was on top of Naruto, his claws and
teeth bared in rage. Shino stood at the doorway in shock, slowly reacting to
his partner�s fit of fury.
            �Kiba!� he shouted. �Stop!�
            Naruto had been forced to kick the brunet off
of him to survive, the look in the dog-man�s eyes filled with murderous intent.
The quick defensive maneuver only bought Naruto a second as Kiba landed on all
fours and raced after him again. Elongated nails sought to rip the flesh and
muscle straight from the whiskered teen�s throat as the nin-ken trainer lunged
forward.
            The assault was stopped as both Sannin and the
Copy Ninja restrained the enraged Chuunin. Kiba continued to growl as he
attempted to escape the steadfast grip of his superiors. Naruto found himself
pressed against the wall to the room, his heart beating crazily from the fear
the other boy had instilled in him. The ferocity that his fellow shinobi was
exuding terrified him deep in the core of his being.
            �You bastard!� the Inuzuka prodigy
snapped. �You said you cared about her�you said you loved her! But you
did this to her! You�you demon! You monster!�
            �Kiba, stop it!� Shino commanded.
            �Shut the hell up Shino!� Kiba barked. His
eyes refocused on Naruto as another deep growl rumbled out from his throat.
�It�s this bastard�s fault that Hinata�that she turned into that thing�it�s
all his fault! Get away from her you bastard demon fox!�
            Try as he might Kiba could not escape the iron
grip of the three elite ninja that held him. His eyes shot death towards the
young blond, letting him know that Kiba would never forgive him for what he had
done.
            Across from the animalistic teen tears began to
well up in Naruto�s eyes. The words he had thought he had escaped had now come
back to haunt him. What hurt the most was that they had come from someone he
had considered a real friend. The wounds that had been carved in the young
boy�s heart opened once more and bled profusely. With nowhere to turn to he
ran, opening the room�s window and leaping from it into the forests beyond. All
attempts to halt him were met with the sound of the gusting wind.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.

            Naruto ran. At some point he had landed on the
ground and kept going from there, racing through the streets of the village with
tears flying from his eyes. He ran from more than just Kiba�s fury. He ran
from the memories of his past, where the village despised him and treated him
like the demon that was inside of him. He ran from the horrid recollection of
his loneliness. But mostly the poor boy just ran.
            He ran until his body collided with the body of
Ryumoto Yakusho. The taller shinobi grabbed the sobbing blond and held him
steadfastly as he tried to escape.
            �Whoa, hold it there Whiskers!� Yakusho said,
pushing Naruto off him for a moment. �What�s gotten into you? You don�t say
hello when you crash into people?�
            �Shut the hell up and leave me the hell alone,�
Naruto spat. He shoved the other shinobi out of his road and tried to run off
again. He was stopped as Yakusho�s hand gripped his wrist tightly.
            �Hey, watch it,� the boy in red hissed.
�What�s up? You don�t seem like yourself.�
            �The hell would you care?� the blond snapped.
�I�ve ruined Hinata�s life, if you needed to know so badly!�
            One of Yakusho�s eyebrows rose on his
forehead. �You got White-Eyes pregnant?� he asked incredulously.
            Naruto finally wrested his arm from the other
boy�s grasp before giving an agitated sigh. �No damn it,� he growled.
�Compared to what I�ve done that would be a walk in the park.�
            �Whoa,� Yakusho gasped, holding his hands up in
defeat, �I don�t wanna know.�
            �You�re damn right you don�t,� the jinchuuriki
said solemnly. �Now just�leave me alone!�
            The tears started again as the blond ran off.
He left Yakusho behind on the ground as he sped off to the only place he knew he
could be alone for any period of time. Right now all Naruto really wanted was
to cut himself off from people. Those horrid remembrances of his old days
circled his head endlessly. The last thing he wanted was to stare into the eyes
of another person who might still hate him.
            He reached his apartment and slipped in through
the balcony. The second he was inside he collapsed onto his couch and let all
the tears flow into his favorite little pillow. His form shook and trembled as
he cried, his body trying desperately to curl about itself. Never had he wanted
so much to just disappear for a period of time. Some part of him fooled him
into think that it would make everything go back to normal.
            He was vaguely aware of the sound of his door
opening. He was also barely conscious of the thud of footsteps upon his wooden
floor. He became acutely aware of it all as he felt two arms wrap about his
chest and pull him into a smaller more slender body for a hug. His tears halted
momentarily as he turned his head to see who it was who had invaded his home.
Sitting on the couch with him in her arms was Sakura, wearing a wearied
expression that was on the verge of tears itself.
            �Are you okay?� the boy asked stupidly of his
teammate. �You look like you�ve been crying.�
            �Baka!� she shouted whilst smacking him on the
head. �It�s you who�s been crying.�
            �Gomen,� he said gently, �I guess I�m a real
mess.�
            �You�re damn right you are,� Sakura sniffed,
smacking him on the head again. �I heard what Kiba did��
            �Y-you�ve heard about that already?� the blond
asked.
            �I work at the hospital, remember?� she
reminded her friend. �News travels to me really fast.�
            �I see,� Naruto sighed. �So I guess you�ve
come here to see the great Demon Uzumaki Naruto before he runs off to destroy
another life?�
            There was a loud �crack!� inside the
room after those words. Naruto�s face was staring into the fabric of his couch
as the pain stung his cheek from Sakura�s vicious slap. He slowly turned to
face her again to see the moisture gathering in her eyes.
            �Don�t you ever talk about yourself that
way again,� she hissed. �You�re not a monster, or a demon, or anything like
that. Do you understand me?�
            �H-hai�� the boy nodded. �Gomen Sakura�I�m
just��
            She hugged him tightly again, he head slung
against his shoulder as she squeezed him. �Don�t let him get to you,� she said
softly. �He�s just a big puppy. It�s not your fault.�
            �The problem is that it is my fault,�
Naruto admitted solemnly, �and now I have to live with it.�
            �So live with it,� the cherry-haired girl said
as she let go of him. �Don�t let your mistakes get you down. That�s not the
Naruto I know.�
            The whiskered male slowly changed his frown
into a weak smile as he offered the first laugh he�d been able to have that
day. �Arigato, Sakura,� he uttered quietly, �I needed that.�
            �I know,� she smiled, �that�s why I said it.
You need some rest�and some time away from Kiba. Please don�t get into any
trouble?�
            �I won�t Sakura,� he nodded, �I promise.�
            She gave him another smile before patting his
head and standing up. She offered wordlessly to stay but he told her to go.
She exited the apartment with one last look at her teammate before shutting the
door tightly. After a few moments of indecisiveness the young shinobi decided
to make himself some food. There wasn�t too much to eat save his instant ramen
and he was quite happy with that. It took the bowl a few minutes to heat up
enough to cook it and another few to cool off enough for him to eat it. He sat
down at his table and partook in the small meal with a half-hearted
�itadakimasu� for no other reason than tradition.
            He was in mid-slurp when the haunting, plaguing
laughter rose in his head. Naruto clenched his chopsticks so hard they snapped
under the pressure as he snarled angrily.
            What�s the matter, kit? the
Kyuubi cackled. Aren�t you happy to hear my voice again?
            �You bastard!� Naruto spat. His fist met his
table with a loud bang as he attempted to vent his frustration on the creature.
Inside his mind as he stood before the giant cage that constrained the demon
beast within him he repeated the action, his mental fist smashing into the iron
bars and causing the whole structure to rattle. The Kyuubi�s two malevolent
eyes and wicked sneer materialized out of the darkness.
            My my my, the fox chortled,
that�s not a good way to show your appreciation. Cerebral collateral damage is
hard to repair, you know?
            �Shut the hell up!� the jinchuuriki shouted.
�How can you talk like you give a damn!? How could you do that to Hinata!? I
thought she was precious to you too!�
            The creature seemed taken aback by Naruto�s
statement. Don�t claim I don�t, little one, he snarled,
lest you find yourself having more headaches than normal.
            The idle threat had no effect on Naruto at
all. �Answer the damned question you bastard fox!�
            For starters, the Kyuubi sighed,
don�t ever tell me who is precious to me or who isn�t. Our vixen is only
my concern because she is ours, nothing more. To answer your question however,
I can only say that at the time I had no idea you would have taken things this
far.
            �That�s bullshit!� Naruto yelled. The faint
patter of dripping pipes could be heard in the recesses of his mind. �You can
read my thoughts! You would�ve known what I was thinking.�
            Precisely, the Demon Fox said.
At the time all you could think about was how frustrating it was to not be
able to get the stupid little technique right. You took your anger out on her.
I saw it as the perfect opportunity to displace myself from you.
            Naruto turned his avatar away from the seething
prison, looking up at the rafters of his own mental jail. �What do you mean by
that?� he asked passively.
            The Kyuubi smirked slightly and seemed to relax
inside his prison. To be honest, the nine-tailed beast said,
do you know how boring it is inside your body sometimes? I�ve been trapped
in here for fifteen years after a near eternity of freedom. Aside from the fun
you tend to have with your mate, this has been a very lackluster stay. Excuse
me for trying to escape.
            �I didn�t realize the seal was that weak,�
Naruto muttered.
            It�s not, the blond�s passenger
replied. My version of �escape� was simply to instill a part of myself in
someone else. In some odd way I thought it meant I myself could relieve myself
of your body and return to wreaking havoc upon humanity. Even though I�m still
here, it seems our little vixen is living up to expectations.
            �What!?� Naruto screamed. He turned again to
face the embossed cage. �How can you say something like that?! How can you
just sit there an act like she doesn�t matter!?�
            Because in the long run she doesn�t
really, the Kyuubi chuckled. I cannot deny that she is ours and
that I must look after her, but she is also merely mortal. I think in
retrospect I can call this an �upgrade�.
            �Just how much have you tampered with Hinata�s
life?!� the whiskered boy growled.
            Enough to make it interesting for what
little she may have left, the demon cackled. You complain too
much anyway. I would have thought by now that you�d at least appreciate some of
the pros to the situation. It seems I�ve been overestimating you again.
            �What pros could there possibly be from what
you�ve done!?� Naruto cried out.
            Well for starters, the bijuu
snickered, you can blame her feisty personality and�adventurous ideas on
my chakra. It seems to have had a more than positive effect on her mindset.
You do enjoy that, don�t you?
            Naruto stepped back a bit. He hated to admit
that the fox could be right, but he was indeed correct on this issue. Naruto
was more than pleased with the way Hinata had progressed. He was especially
pleased with what had happened the night before all this tragedy.
            I thought so, the Kyuubi
laughed. Secondly � and I can�t understand why you didn�t notice this
sooner � is that since she now technically shares my chakra, you could quite
possibly feel her presence and detect her at long distances much like I can.
            Naruto was about to protest when he realized
the fox was speaking the truth. Despite all his constant yelling and shouting
towards the demon those words rung true. Even with minor focus he could
instantly tell that Hinata was still asleep in her bed at the hospital, her
breathing normal and that she was being watched over by a rather homely nurse.
            �Holy shit,� Naruto gaped. �I didn�t even��
            Of course you didn�t, the Kyuubi
laughed. It is an interesting power isn�t it? Now you�ll always know
where she is. I believe I�m owed a thank you?
            �Like you�ll ever get one of those from me you
asshole!� Naruto snarled. �You�ve ruined Hinata�s life with your meddling! How
dare you even begin to think I�d thank you!?�
            Oh well, the demon creature
chuckled, I tried. Have fun.
            The eyes and mouth beyond the gates vanished
into the darkness. Naruto slowly found his mental state returning to the
conscious realm, where he was awoken to the realization that he�d been yelling
to himself in his apartment and banging his table quite hard. His food had been
flung all over his table in the few moments he had been arguing with the bijuu.
With a loud sigh he got some paper towels to clean up the mess before walking
into his room and collapsing on his bed.
            Maybe some sleep will do me some good,
he thought just before he floated away into his dreams.

            The world of slumber was not much of a relief
for the young man. Even his dreams seemed to plague him with the happenings of
the days previous. His once peaceful and hopeful imaginings of him becoming
Hokage with his love at his side were now replaced by images of the Demon Fox
tearing him and his village asunder, the beautiful Hinata at the center of the
blaze with the same rage and fury that had possessed her at the campsite.

            Naruto was flung into consciousness just as a
spear of red chakra pierced his heart in his nightmares. A cold sweat awaited
him as he sat up in his bed, wiping the moisture from his forehead. The shirt
which he had not changed since yesterday was also soaked through with his
unease, causing him to growl in frustration. It seemed the bad in his life
would not stop tormenting him.

            His self-hate was halted as his nostrils were assaulted by the
wonderful scent of food. He sniffed a few times and determined that someone was
cooking eggs with toast and a side of some leftover beef he�d had the first day
they�d gotten back from the mission. He wondered exactly why there would be
food cooking in his house and as such got out of bed to investigate.
            He rounded the corner out of his door and
stopped. Standing in his kitchen were Sakura and Yakusho who were both busily
preparing the food he had smelled from his prone position in the bedroom.
Sakura was in her usual early morning training garb, the tight black material
clinging to her form alluringly. Yakusho seemed only half-dressed, his red vest
still hung on the coat rack. He also did not have his gloves on, leaving his
calloused fingers to grip the cooking tools flawlessly. Another thing that
seemed out of the ordinary was the fact that the Dragon Fang was not in his
hands. Rather the blade was resting on Naruto�s couch at an odd angle.
            Sakura turned from the toaster for just a
moment and spotted him. She smiled and gave him a small wave from the counter
as she giggled quietly.
            �Ohayo, Naruto!� she said jovially.
            Yakusho turned from the frying pan and waved a
little as well. �Rise and shine,� he laughed. �What kept you? It�s already
nearly eleven.�
            �We were starting to get a little worried,� the
medical shinobi confessed, �so I decided the best way to wake you up was with
some food.�
            �Arigato you two,� the blond said absently as
he walked into his living room. �Especially you Yakusho.�
            �Yeah well,� the other male sighed, �I�m not
doing this out of the kindness of my heart. Pinkie threatened to beat the
living hell out of me if I didn�t help.�
            �Close enough for me,� Naruto responded, taking
a seat at his table. As soon as he made himself comfortable in the wooden chair
he was greeted with a glass of milk from his female friend.
            �I also figured you could use some cheering
up,� Sakura beamed. �Is it working?�
            �Quite well actually,� the jinchuuriki smiled,
taking his beverage from his colleague. �I really appreciate it all.�
            �I know,� Sakura smiled, mussing the boy�s head
of shaggy hair. �Now stop thanking us.�
            A moment later Yakusho placed all of the food
items on a single plate and handed it to Naruto. There was way more on the
plate than any normal person could eat, but Naruto was no normal person. He
smiled at the amount and looked up at his friends.
            �There�s no way I can eat this all,� he
chuckled slightly.
            �Oh bull,� Sakura grumbled. �I�ve seen you eat
ramen till your guts should have popped. You can eat that.�
            �You�ve got my vote of confidence,� Yakusho
called from the kitchen as he cleaned the pots and pans.
            �Alright,� the blond snickered. �I�ll try at
least.�
            Naruto was just about to dig into his well
prepared breakfast when a knock came to his door. The conglomeration froze
slightly at the noise before Naruto put his fork down and slowly walked to the
entrance of his little home and opened it. Standing in the hallway was the
dark-haired and lavender-eyed form of Hyuuga Neji.
            �Neji?� Naruto stated curiously. �What�re you
doing here?�
            �He�s already been by three times looking for
you,� Yakusho chuckled.
            �I was beginning to think you comatose,� Neji
joked. �They kept telling me you were asleep. It�s good to see you�re alive
and well.�
            �Thank you I suppose,� the blond smiled. �So
what are you doing looking for me exactly?�
            Neji looked into Naruto�s eyes as a small smile
crept onto his face. �She�s awake,� he said.
            Naruto stood in shocked silence for a few
moments. He then turned to Sakura and Yakusho as if to offer an explanation.
The two shinobi laughed and cut him off quite quickly.
            �Don�t explain,� Sakura smiled. �Go to her.
Get moving!�
            Naruto didn�t need another word from them. The
blond raced out of his home in his civilian attire with the Branch member
leading the way. Yakusho and Sakura spent a few moments standing motionless
inside their friend�s apartment before the Ryumoto sat down at the table, eyeing
his and her�s joint creation.
            �Well now that Whiskers is gone,� the boy
mumbled, �who�s going to eat all this food?�
            Sakura smirked and grabbed another plate and a
fork from Naruto�s dish rack, settling herself down next to Yakusho. She
grabbed the platter full of delicious looking food and scraped half of off for
herself while flashing a quirky grin.
            �We do,� she said simply.
            �I like the way you think Pinkie,� Yakusho
laughed as he began to gulp down the wonderfully prepared meal.

            Naruto�s fingers twitched as he was forced to
fill out forms and follow procedure. Procedures were a roadblock for Naruto
right now. He didn�t want to sign things and make agreements with anyone right
now. He wanted to go see Hinata. Unfortunately for him the nurses wouldn�t let
him past the front door without all of the proper tasks completed first, which
aggravated him even more.
            In the midst of his struggles with paperwork
the blond noticed Shino coming out of the nearby hallway. The pen just finished
scribbling out another signature as he realized that he could very well be in
for another assault by Kiba if he didn�t begin moving. Shino held out his hand
to stop the boy however, shaking his head in a dismissive manner.
            �Don�t worry,� Shino said softly, �Kiba�s
already been and gone. I made sure he came extra early. It was still a hassle
to get him to go.�
            �Arigato Shino,� Naruto sighed in relief,
returning to the pages before him. �Maybe if I can get all of these out of the
road sometime today I�ll actually be able to go see her.�
            �Haven�t you asked them to let you through
without doing them?� Shino questioned. �You are her boyfriend, aren�t you?�
            �Apparently that�s not good enough of an
excuse,� Neji sighed, rubbing his temple. The Hyuuga boy was standing just to
Naruto�s right. He seemed just as annoyed by all of these forms as Naruto
was.
            �Is there anything we can do to help?� Shino
asked.
            �Yeah,� Naruto joked, �fake my signature a
couple times.�
            As funny as the joke was none of them were
laughing. Naruto returned to the task at hand, finishing all of it in just
under seven minutes. As soon as he handed in the papers Naruto was off,
following Shino and Neji to Hinata�s small room.
            �Shino,� Naruto spoke abruptly as they neared
the door, �is she okay?�
            �She acts it,� the bug-user said
matter-of-factly, �but she is obviously suffering inside.�
            �Seeing you would do her worlds of good right
now,� Neji added comfortingly.
            With a nod Naruto slid the door to Hinata�s
room open. He could instantly tell that many others had already come to visit
her just from looking inside. The most obvious visitor of all was Ino, who had
given Hinata a small batch of gardenias which were currently resting in a vase
next to her bed. The blond off-handedly remembered something about potted
plants being a bad thing to give those who were in the hospital, but he couldn�t
remember why he knew that. Next to Hinata�s bed was Hyuuga Hiashi who was
currently talking to his daughter. Hinata � despite looking a little ragged �
seemed no worse for wear. As she talked to her father she seemed to feign
interest in everything he was saying. It was as if she weren�t aware he was in
the room, but at the same time she wanted to hear everything he had to say to
her.
            Her ashen eyes turned slightly at the sound of
her door opening. The full head of unkempt blond hair caused her whole world to
brighten in an instant as a wide smile spread across her face.
            �Naruto-kun!� she cried out happily.
            �Hey Hinata,� he smiled, �can I come in?�
            The smallish girl laughed at him. �Of course
you can silly!�
            Naruto filed into the small space with Neji and
Shino behind him. Hinata said hello again to her fellow teammate before
greeting her cousin in the same formal manner she always did. It was as if
everything was as it always had been. Naruto knew it wasn�t the truth, but his
mind delighted him in the possibility that none of what had brought them to this
moment had happened.
            Naruto pulled up one of the remaining chairs in
the room and took his seat on the opposite side of the bed from Hiashi. As soon
as he did Hinata took his hands in her�s quite possessively, a small flicker of
anxiety on her features before he was allowed to drink in her bright smile
again.
            �I�m glad you�re alright,� the blond said to
his lover.
            Her response was one of her trademark blushes
as she squeezed his hands tighter. �Of course I�m fine Naruto-kun,� she said.
With only minor hesitation in front of her family she pulled the fair-haired
teen into a tight hug. There was a certain emptiness to the affection that
worried Naruto slightly, but he tried to not pay too much attention to it.
            �Are you comfortable Hinata-sama?� Neji asked
her suddenly. Hinata did not let go of Naruto, instead opting to wave at her
cousin while she was still holding onto her boyfriend.
            �Hai Neji-niisan,� Hinata giggled. Her giggled
was followed by a cute little squeak as Naruto squeezed her even more tightly.
�Ack! Naruto-kun, my lungs!�
            �G-gomen nasai!� Naruto chuckled, rubbing the
back of his head as he let her go.
            �Never mind that silly,� she snickered as she
flicked him on the nose. �I hope I didn�t worry you too much.�
            �Nah, I knew you�d be okay,� the whiskered teen
lied. �You�re tough.�
            �Arigato Naruto-kun,� she beamed once more.
            �Since Hinata is alright,� Shino muttered
deeply, �I will be taking my leave. Good day, Hiashi-sama.�
            The insect shinobi left the small hospital room
slowly, closing the door tightly behind him. Naruto slowly became aware that he
had been left inside the room with the head of the Hyuuga clan and one of
Hinata�s most overprotective relatives. An awkward silence spread throughout
the room, nobody knowing exactly what to say or how to approach the subject.
After a few more moments of unwelcome silence Naruto began to hear the
ever-present noise of the heart monitor.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            �Could someone say something already?� Naruto
gasped suddenly. �This silence is driving me nuts.�
            Hinata laughed at her lover, reaching up with
one of her pallid hands to muss his thick head of hair. �Baka,� she said
quietly.
            �Your baka though,� he countered quickly. His
goofy comment earned him another giggle from his girlfriend and even a soft
chuckle from Hiashi himself. It seemed as if his attempt at light comedy would
do the trick and brighten everyone else's mood. It didn�t seem to have any effect on himself
however. A mere second later Naruto let out a rather depressed sigh as his eyes
lowered to the floor.
            �I�m so sorry about all of this,� Naruto said
miserably.
            �About what, Naruto-kun?� Hinata asked gently.
            �You mean they didn�t tell you yet?� he asked
in astonishment.
            Hinata�s smile slowly vanished as she lowered
her head in shame. Her fingers dug into the sheets of her bed whilst her body
trembled.
            �I know what happened out there,� she admitted,
her voice catching in her throat.
            �Oh,� Naruto muttered lowly. �So�how do you
feel?�

            She looked up at him incredulously. �How do you think I feel?�
            Neji and Naruto shared an awkward look before
the blond boy clasped Hinata�s hand in his own. Hiashi shifted uncomfortably in
his chair, another awkward silence threatening to take over the proceedings.
            �It�ll be alright,� Naruto said, trying to ease
the girl�s nerves.
            �Don�t you get it!?� she screamed, shutting her
eyes tight as she began to cry. �I knew what I was doing! I�I wanted to see
them all dead! I wanted to taste their blood damn it! I wanted it!�
            At that point Hinata broke down, latching onto
Naruto�s body as she began to cry over the events of several days ago. Her
startling revelation that she had taken pleasure in the near-massacre of her
fellow Konoha shinobi shook the other three people in the room deeply. Naruto
didn�t know what to do or say, so he began to simply stroke the girl�s head as
she rested her form into his own. Her frame shook and trembled as the tears
spilled from her eyes, staining his simple white t-shirt with the brine of her
sorrow. She continued to bawl for several moments before her cries began to
diminish. Eventually she did nothing but shiver and shake within Naruto�s
embrace. Shortly after that even her shaking stopped as she turned to look up
at her significant other and wipe a single beading tear from her eye.
            �I�m�I�m okay now,� she said. �Arigato.�
            �You�re welcome,� Naruto responded quietly,
placing a soft kiss on the troubled woman�s forehead.
            �Are you two�finished?� Hiashi asked quite
abruptly. There was no impatience in his voice. Rather it seemed that he
simply had an important point to get across. The two lovers blushed faintly and
nodded to the superior ninja, clasping each other�s hands for support.
            �You realize of course by now,� the head of the
clan said more to Hinata than Naruto, �that the Elders have been notified of
Sakura�s report?� Naruto flinched slightly at Hiashi�s words. They stung
deeply, reminding him of the predicament he had placed his girlfriend in.
�What will they do now?� he asked.
            �It is impossible to say right away,� Hiashi
stated. �More than likely they will see this as an affront to the �purity of
the Hyuuga clan�. On the other hand entirely, they may see it as her finally
having some sort of�worth�to them. Or they may simply try to remove her from
the clan�by whatever means necessary.�
            The implication that statement had made both
Hinata and Naruto gulp in unison. There was no mistaking the intent. If it was
the only way, the Hyuuga clan probably would go as far as to kill her. That was
something Naruto would not stand for no matter what befell him as consequence.
            �Either way,� Hiashi sighed, �there�s very
little worrying will do to change matters. When they have come to their
decision we will be able to figure out how to deal with it. Until such a time,
do not discuss this matter with anyone who doesn�t already know. Especially no
one from the Hyuuga clan other than the people already in this room.�
            �I would also suggest you do your best to stay
away from the Inuzuka for a while as well,� Neji added. �Confronting them right
now would not be in anyone�s best interest.�
            �What do you mean nii-san?� Hinata queried.
�Why shouldn�t Naruto talk to anyone from Kiba�s family?�
            �You didn�t tell her what happened?� Naruto
said in surprise.
            �I didn�t think it was a pressing issue,�
Hiashi admitted. �I apologize.�
            �What happened?� Hinata asked gravely.
            �The Hokage, Jiraiya-sama and Kakashi-sensei
were having a discussion with Naruto the other day,� Neji explained, recounting
what Naruto assumed he had heard from Shino. �Kiba and Shino were eavesdropping
and��
            �Kiba heard about the Kyuubi and how this
happened to you,� Naruto finally confessed. �He tried to kill me on the spot.�
            �N-No!� Hinata gasped. �He wouldn�t�Kiba
wouldn�t do that! He�s your friend��
            �Apparently he doesn�t think so,� the
blond sighed, running his fingers through his disheveled locks. �He�s far more
obsessed with seeing me pay for what I�ve done to you.�
            �But this isn�t your fault!� the Hyuuga girl
pleaded. �He has to see that!�
            �Debating the facts here won�t help,� Neji
stated firmly. �Kiba now knows about the bijuu and blames Naruto for what has
happened. Simply saying it is not Naruto�s fault won�t change Kiba�s mind.�
            �But I�� Hinata quivered. �Kiba�s my friend�I
can�t just��
            �Enough for now,� Hiashi said definitively.
�You need your rest. Take some time to consider everything before you jump to
rash decisions.�
            �But I want to stay here with Hinata just a
little more,� Naruto complained.

            �I think it�s best if you listen to my father Naruto,� Hinata said.
            �What?� he responded in surprise. �Are you
sure?�
            �I am,� she continued. �I�need a while to
think about everything. Please don�t be mad?�
            Naruto quickly put on one of his brightest
smiles. �How could I be mad?� he chuckled. �Especially at that adorable little
face.�
            The scion of the Hyuuga empire giggled at her
boyfriend�s words. �Flattery will get you everywhere,� she joked, �just not
right now.�
            �I�ll see you soon Hinata-sama,� Neji spoke,
bowing respectfully to his higher up in the Main household.
            �I can�t wait,� Hinata smiled.
            �I will see you soon as well,� Hiashi said to
his daughter. He stepped up from his chair and wrapped her in a tight hug
before walking out of the room with Neji.   Naruto stayed for just a few
moments, making sure Hinata was comfortable before he began to exit.
            �Naruto?� Hinata called just before he could
leave.
            �Yeah?� he replied, turning to look at her.
            �Are there�any good things that come from
the Kyuubi?� she asked meekly.
            Another awkward silence entered the room at
those words. Naruto was unsure of how to respond to the girl�s question, his
stomach doing flip flops as he pondered it.
            �There�are a few things,� he tried. �I hardly
ever get sick�and even if I do its only for a few days. I also heal really
fast�things that should kill me just keep me out for a little while��
            Naruto wanted to add so much more, but he could
see the pained expression on Hinata�s face. Not wanting to upset her or make
anything worse he simply walked back over to her and kissed her once, patting
her head softly.
            �Everything will be okay,� he whispered. �I
promise.�
            �Arigato Naruto-kun,� she sniffled. �I�ll�try
to cheer up.�
            The two flashed goofy little smiles at each
other before Naruto walked out, closing the door behind him. Hinata sighed in a
mix of fear and apprehension as she reclined on her small bed. Her long black
locks cascaded over the well-fluffed pillow as she became absorbed in her
thoughts. Slowly everything drifted away except for the sound of the heart
monitor.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.
            Beep.

            Naruto took the long way home. He did it to be
alone in a way that didn�t make him uncomfortable and sad. Right now the future
Hokage was trying to come to terms with everything that had happened and it was
not settling well. He had made a horrible enemy out of someone who should have
been his friend. He had corrupted the woman he loved with the very demon he was
supposed to keep trapped inside him. None of it would simply sit in his mind
and be still.
            He finally arrived home about an hour later and
was surprised to see that Yakusho and Sakura were still waiting for him. The
breakfast they had made him was gone much to his chagrin, but in its place was a
bowl of instant ramen. They confessed that after raiding his supplies for a
fitting lunch it was all they could find. Sakura added a few extra ingredients
to it to make it more than just some every day meal. Naruto could do nothing
but appreciate their effort and quickly broke his chopsticks open to partake.
With gusto he began to devour his meal while the other two watched. Naruto�s
eyes eventually looked up at the two people looking after him as he realized
what wonderful friends he had. He also quickly discovered he�d just referred to
Yakusho as a friend, which made his stomach twist slightly. It was not enough
however to stop him from enjoying his meal.
            As soon as he had gulped down the last remnants
of his ramen Sakura stole the bowl from him, pitching it to the trash. Naruto
looked up at her quizzically as she tidied things about the apartment. She gave
him a gentle smile as she passed by him, patting his head once to assure him of
her presence. Feeling refreshed Naruto turned towards Yakusho.
            �Why are you being so nice to me today?� he
asked bluntly. He noticed Sakura twitching in the corner at his words as the
phrase �don�t look a gift horse in the mouth� came to mind.
�What can I say?� Yakusho
chuckled. �For some reason seeing you sad just makes me irritable. You�re not
fun to tease when you�re sad.�

            �I suppose you expect me to be thankful?� Naruto asked sharply.
            �Oh please don�t be mad Naruto,� Sakura
whimpered. �We�re just trying to help, honest!�
            �I�m not mad,� Naruto said. �In fact�I�m
actually kind of happy.�
            �I didn�t realize me being mean to you left
such a sour taste in your mouth Whiskers,� the brunet stated. �Why didn�t you
tell me sooner?�
            �I didn�t want to give you the satisfaction,�
Konoha�s most prominent Genin joked. Yakusho�s response to the comic statement
was a full-hearted laugh.
            �I can see that,� the normally red-wearing boy
grinned. �Either way�now�s just not the best time to lay into you. Even I have
a heart, however deeply buried it may or may not be.�
            �Try and cheer up please?� Sakura begged of her
companion.
            �But I have cheered up,� the blond smiled
genuinely. �You two really have made my day, you know?�
            �I think that�s a strange way of saying
�thanks�,� Yakusho snickered, �but you�re welcome.�
            �Friends don�t need to be thanked Naruto,�
Sakura said as she came back to the table and sat beside her comrade. �We�re
here for you because you need us.�
            �Lord knows you need someone,� Yakusho
scoffed. �So stop sulking.�
            �Alright already!� the blond laughed. �I get
it!�
            �Good!� Sakura beamed. �Now let�s go do
something fun! I think a little training would do you good. Don�t you think so
Yakusho?�

            �I think me beating the crap out of him would do it better,� the
taller male said as he cracked his knuckles. �There�s no way he could beat me
in a spar.�
            �I�ll take that as a challenge!� Naruto
shouted, jumping up from his chair.
            �Bring it on Whiskers!� Yakusho chuckled.
            The smiles that adorned the faces of the two
males made Sakura smile as well. For the first time she�d seen since he�d
gotten home that day Sakura could say without a doubt that Naruto was happy
again. Things were not exactly as they should have been, but when he was
surrounded by his friends nothing truly phased Naruto. He was stronger than
most people would ever truly know.
            The loud knock at Naruto�s door cut the moment
short. After a curious tilt of his head the shaggy-headed male walked over to
his apartment door and opened it. Standing in the musty halls of the old
building was Jiyumaru, taking up most of the view in his grey clothes.
            �Naruto, Yakusho,� he stated loudly. �The
Hokage has called us for a mission. I trust you have no objections?�
            The edge of Naruto�s lip curled upwards in a
slightly twisted smirk. �It�s not exactly what I had in mind,� he acknowledged,
�but it�ll do. Coming Yakusho?�
            �You bet,� the other young man said, leaping
over the table to collect his sword and vest. �Last one there has to try and
catch Zurui next!�
            Jiyumaru�s face visibly paled at the deal the
Ryumoto had proposed. Before he could protest though the other two shinobi were
out the door and on their way to the Hokage�s Tower. Not wanting to be left
with the horrifying job of chasing his own perverted summon the ANBU Jounin
bowed once to Sakura before racing out of the building. The young kunoichi
could only laugh as she watched the antics before her. As soon as all sounds of
their movement had left the air she turned back to the small apartment with a
sigh. She summoned a deep breath before moving off to tidy some things, making
sure Naruto�s living space would look perfect when he came back to it. Just
before she left she gazed upon the picture that Team Seven had taken all those
years ago lying on Naruto�s desk. She continued to stare into the frame for a
few moments before she turned her head to the outside world, sighing deeply.
            �I hope you�ll be okay Naruto,� Sakura
whispered.

There ya go, Chapter 7. I know there was no action, so
stop whining! Chapter 8 will have lots of that to make up for it so don�t
worry. The real story is just about to begin!
- 7
- 8
- 9
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Dragonheart

Dragonheart