Epic Fanfic: Our Ninja Way 2

Kakashi finally awoke to something rather unpleasant.
   A pair of huge canine eyes staring straight into his; a black, cold nose inches away from his hidden one; the whiff of dog breath curling from between sharp, pointed teeth and away from a slobbering tongue.
   “BULL!” Kakashi yelled, pushing the great animal away from him. “What the-? What are you doing here?!”
   The dog just panted.
   “Sorry about that, Kakashi,” a small, deep voice said rather tiredly, and a less-smelly, blue-jacketed, brown-furred pug dog jumped up onto Kakashi’s chest, setting himself down with the relaxed ease that came with a pet being reunited with his master. “I didn’t mean to bring Bull along when I came here, he just got caught up in the summon. We’re not used to coming without you bringing us here, you know.”
   “Uhm, right,” said Kakashi, blinking. “So… why are you here?”
   “Bad news, I’m afraid,” the small dog said with a worried sigh. “The Summons have gone rogue.”  

   Day 46
   Official Hokage’s Report

   This mission will take them halfway across the world- to places people haven’t seen in many years… perhaps even to places not yet on the maps. They must find the legendary lost village- Getsugakure, the Village Hidden in the Moon.
   People are no longer dying, but many are experiencing a sickness that will not heal- lethargy and insomnia alternate randomly, nightmares plague everyone who manages to rest, tempers are rising and emotions are running strife.
   Plants are not growing, the crops that once made us so rich are failing.
   Mothers… who have been pregnant for what feels like an eternity now are remaining so- keeping children that should have already been born. Those children already walking, already breathing their first breaths, are not experiencing the childhood that comes with age. They are not growing up.
   There are rumours- rumours of a mysterious item within the Temple of the Moon. According to said rumour, whoever possesses said item has the power to restore the balance to the world- bring back time, change the seasons, end this sickness. However, the rumour also speaks of a price to be paid… but what this price is, I do not know.
   This mission cannot even be classed because of the unspeakable horrors that lie ahead of those who take it… though, I assure you, it is higher than S-Rank.
   The Summons are beginning to rebel against us… refusing to fight… In the worst case scenarios I have heard and witnessed, the called Summons have even killed their callers…
   The Bijuu… the Tailed Demons… have done the unspeakable- they are uniting against us. They are forming allegiances with one-another, taking advantage of the chaos… I just thank the Gods that most of them- especially the First and Ninth- have been sealed away, otherwise I am certain that we would all already be long dead by now.
   I must somehow choose some Ninja from my village to make a team… a team that will perhaps have to battle with teams from other Hidden Villages, all desperate to be the ones to find this item and save the world… for the team that succeeds are surely the most powerful of them all.
   They will have to travel for many miles, visit many places, stop at many Villages, fight many battles. They will have to return to places previously seen only in dreams of the long-forgotten past.
   Perhaps even watch comrades suffer and die from fatigue and trauma.
   It is the hardest decision to make- who should I send?
   Would I just be sending them to their deaths, do I actually have faith in any of my Ninja? Do I believe that they can make it… succeed… save our world? We are renowned as being the village to produce the highest rate of nationally successful Shinobi… but this will take more than strength, or courage, or intelligence… it’ll require… something more.
   Sacrifice?
   I wonder if word has spread yet.
   I can’t trust this to be kept a secret forever.
   Surely somebody has noticed… that each day is exactly the same as previous.
   I should think that my people are not so clueless as to… be oblivious to this.
   What do I do…?

   Tsunade Senju, the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure

   Naruto looked as though he had drunk about twenty cups of coffee when his Sensei turned up- his eyes were wide and he seemed to be literally vibrating. The dark circles under his eyes told the whole story- he hadn’t slept a wink last night.
   That made what Kakashi wanted to say a little bit harder to spit out.
   “Bad news, I’m afraid- we’re not setting out until tomorrow at the least-“
   “WHAT?! But, I’m ready, I’ve packed, I-“
   “Put a paw in it, boy,” a small, gruff voice barked. “Learn to respect your Sensei!”
   “Pakkun?” the boy queried, looking surprised as the dog followed his master through the balcony door. It seemed that neither of them understood what a front door was.
   “Touch my pawpads?” the pug said suddenly in a wistful tone, offering a brown-furred paw.
   “Not right now, Pakkun…” Kakashi said with a sigh. “Listen, Naruto, there are things going on right now- things that are more urgent than our current mission, and so…”
   “More important?!” Naruto spluttered. “Sensei, you told me that we have to go somewhere to stop this frozen time thingy- what could be more important?!”
   “Time will stay frozen while we sort this out, Naruto, just help me with-“
   “But- OW!”
   “Listen to your damned Sensei!” Pakkun growled as he opened his mouth to let go of the boy’s leg, having just nipped it sharply. “Stop interrupting!”
   “Pakkun…” Kakashi said in warning tones. “Please resist the urges to bite my pupil, no matter how annoying he gets… or I’ll send you back to your own realm and handle the situation myself.”
   The dog instantly looked contrite. Clearly this was something he did not want to happen in the slightest.
   “Right… Naruto, do me a favour- try and summon a toad.”
   “Uhm…” the boy began, looking like he was about to add “why?” when he caught Pakkun glaring at him from the floor. “Okay…”
   He quickly made a few handsigns, shouting their names as he did so.
   “I, Tori, Hitsuji, Inu, Saru: SUMMONING JUTSU!”
   “Must you yell…” Pakkun sighed.
   Naruto slammed his hand down onto the floor and a circle of symbols, with his palm at the very centre, surrounded his body. A puff of smoke erupted around his form, and he lifted his hand to reveal…
   “Yo, Naruto!”
   A small, orange toad with a turquoise jacket sat where the centre of the symbols had been, beaming up at the people- seemingly surprised that he had been summoned.
   “Urgh, Gamakichi…!  Sorry, Sensei, I tried to-“
   “No, no, Naruto, this is fine. Gamakichi, is it?” Kakashi said in surprisingly gentle tones, addressing the little toad directly.
   “Yes, uhm, sir?” the creature replied, looking up at the silver-haired Ninja with a worried frown.
   “Have you anything to report on the status of the toad swamps?”
   “Not good, sir… Gamabunta-sama is furious- he’s torn down most of the trees and stuff…”
   “Furious…?” Naruto queried. “Why, what’s going on?”
   “Naruto, you know how our world and the Summon world is intricately connected?” Kakashi said suddenly, turning to the befuddled young boy.
   “Uhm… yes?”
   His face read “no”.
   “Well, as time has stopped here, emotions have run wild in their world. Their prisoners in their own minds- and every time they are summoned they arrive in a world that is now as chaotic as their own, and it is making them mad. Some Summons have even killed those who have called for them.”
   Naruto’s mouth dropped open.
   “Summons are killing people?!”
   “Yup…” both Pakkun and Gamakichi said sadly.
   “Pop hasn’t yet, but he’s been even crankier than usual recently- and you know what he’s like normally. I’mma kinda worried- I haven’t seen Gamatatsu around in forever, I think he’s hiding…”
   Suddenly, Pakkun sat up straight and ran to the balcony, sniffing. The others, puzzled, followed him outside.
   “What is it, Pakkun…?” Kakashi said, kneeling by the small dog and placing a gloved hand on his head.
   “A… sniff… strange scent… sniff… one I haven’t smelled… sniff… since…”
   Suddenly there was a cry and a yell of pain from below and they all crowded around the railing, looking down. There was a boy grappling with a small dog, which was snarling and scrabbling at the boy’s clothing and body.
   “Kiba and Akamaru?!” Naruto gasped. “But… why is Akamaru doing that?!”
   “We must get down there- and quickly,” Pakkun said in grave tones.
   “Before Akamaru kills his best friend,” Kakashi finished, leaping over the balcony, Pakkun following and leaving Naruto and Gamakichi standing there in silence. Naruto seemed unable to move.
   “Akamaru… kill…?”

   When he awoke he began to thrash and yell- kicking the blanket off of his body and tumbling off of the slightly raised mat and onto the floor. The jolt brought him back to his senses and he took in a short, sharp breath- lying still on the strangely warm floorboards.
   Breathing heavily, Minato finally realised that he was starving and reached for his pouch to see if there were any rations hidden in it, but knocked his headband onto the floor in the process.
   It bounced and the metal plate smacked him squarely in the nose.
   He shuddered and sat up, picking up the offending headgear and setting it down on his lap as he rummaged in the pouch for something to eat. Eventually he found a small packet of emergency food pills and, reasoning that they were better than nothing, gulped down two with a dejected sigh. Once he felt his energy returning to him, he looked more closely at the headband sitting on his folded knees.
   “What does it mean?” he whispered, tracing the symbol with his left forefinger. “It means something, I know it does… it looks like a leaf… where did I get this? Why do I have it?”
   He looked at a wall scroll, and noticed that the same symbol decorated the corners. Obviously the symbol was linked to the place he had teleported to…
   “Konohagakure!” he suddenly said with a happy smile. “Village Hidden in the Leaves! Right, so that explains why the symbol looks like a leaf- it is a leaf… it represents this village, or something like that… now, I must have one because I was a part of this place once- it was once my home. Maybe citizens wear these to distinguish themselves as members of this village? But if I just lived here, why do I have all of these weapons, and this coat…”
   He slipped off the great, white coat, which was more than a little muddy because of his “adventures” in the misty forest, and stared curiously at the symbols on the back.
   “Yondaime Hokage…” he murmured slowly, tracing each symbol. Suddenly, he began to intone. “The Hokage controls all the Ninja in Konoha, by far the largest Shinobi village. His wisdom and courage are godlike, and he stands at the pinnacle of not only Konoha, but the entire Shinobi world. The village lives and dies with the Hokage- the village itself having been formed along the path the Hokages walked. It is the dream of most young Ninja to obtain the rank of Hokage, but few make it. To date, there have been four Hokages in Konoha- Hashirama Senju, the Founder, his brother Tobirama Senju, the Second, their disciple Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third, and the pupil of his own disciple, Minato Namikaze, student of Jiraiya, the youngest Shinobi to ever obtain the rank of Hokage…”
   The man froze, eyes slowly widening. He gazed down at the coat, his headband, his kunai.
   “… I am… the Fourth Hokage…? What happened, I-“
   Before he could get any further, he heard a scream and jumped to his feet. He ran to the tiny window and looked down, a mixture of confusing emotions once more.
   Although the streets were many, many feet below him, his keen eyes could pick out a crowd of people gathering in a small space- and the sound of many people shouting and screaming.
   Instinct took over.
   Minato threw his coat back on, grabbed his kunai, uttered, “Hiraishin no Jutsu!” and disappeared in a burst of light.
   He had been the Hokage once, after-all.
   The streets had once been his to roam.
   And now there was trouble… he couldn’t help but investigate.

   There was pandemonium in the streets as everybody crowded around the boy struggling with his Ninken- yelling as the normally cream-coloured pup took on a red-orange hue and began to grow, snarling viciously and attempting to bite his master’s throat. People couldn’t quite believe what was happening- everybody knew Kiba and Akamaru, as a pair, the closest Shinobi-Ninken relationship in the village, save from that which Kakashi shared with his own pack. And now the innocent, sweet, protective little pup was attempting to kill his best friend and owner…? It was all a little too much to handle.
   “Kiba, Kiiiiiba!” a boy dressed in orange called, diving straight into the centre of the ever-growing crowd and attempting to pull the dog away from the boy- receiving a painful bite to the hand as a reward. Blood welled to the surface and he yelped, backing away and clutching his hand. “Kiba! What’s going on?! Why is Akamaru attacking you?!”
   “I… I don’t know…!” the other boy gasped, attempting to throw the small dog off, but it continued to attack, fur now glowing red. “He just… he’s trying to kill me, Naruto, I dun’no what’s got into him! Akamaru, stop it, STOP IT!”
   There was a flash of brown fur and Pakkun slammed into Akamaru, sending the puppy flying off of Kiba and onto the floor. The pug dog then attempted to pin the crimson-furred dog to the floor and talk some sense into him, but he was thrown off and slammed into a wall with a whimper, sliding down and collapsing on the ground. Kakashi was by his side in an instant.
   “Naruto, stop Akamaru!” he commanded, scooping up his injured Ninken.
   Naruto nodded slowly and wiped the running blood off of his hand, running as though to grab the pup before he could attack Kiba again.
   Several things happened before he even took three steps.
   There was a burst of light and Naruto fell backwards with a cry, shielding his eyes with his blood-covered hands.
   A figure appeared in the centre of the burst, white coat flapping around his form. He had a strange, three-pronged kunai clasped in his right hand.
   As the flash faded, Naruto caught a glimpse of a head of blond hair, a small smile, and a kindly face that was so familiar… though Naruto was almost sure he had never seen the man before.
   Almost.
   He had only seen him before… in two places.
   His dreams, and the stone-
   The man began to move, almost too fast to follow, and just as soon as he had appeared, he disappeared again- leaving both Kiba and Akamaru unconscious on the floor. The Ninken was white-furred and small once again.
   For a brief moment, there was nothing but silence. During the time it took for a butterfly to flap its wings once, everything was still- as though the frozen time had taken one step further, and stopped everything completely.
   Somebody breathed out, and the noise began.
   “Who was that?!”
   “How did he stop the dog from attacking that boy?!”
   “What did he do- is everyone okay?”
   “Are they… dead…?”
   “No, look, they’re still breathing!”
   “Somebody get a Medical Ninja!”
   “Can anybody explain what just happened?!”
   Naruto just sat there, dumbfounded, silent for once in his life.
   The same questions ran over and over in his mind.
   Who was he? How did he do that?
   And…
   Why have I been dreaming about him for the past two months?
   Kakashi was also still, his heart pounding.
   “No,” he whispered. “No.”

   The waves rushed up the beach and she dug her toes into the silvery sand, sighing softly as the tiny little particles tumbled over her feet. It was a peaceful night and the ocean was calm- the moon was shining upon the water, casting her ghostly glow. She picked up a handful of the grains, watching them tumble between her fingers and form a little mound on the beach, the specks sparkling and flashing with the bright silver that the people of the mainland considered “lucky”.
   What stupidity.
   The mainlanders would believe anything.
   She laid back, closing her eyes and feeling the waves tickle the bottoms of her feet, washing away a little of the sand with every rush.
   There was a certain… relaxation… to be had- lying on a beautifully soft-sanded beach under the light of the moon and perfectly starry skies, with the waves making that keee… haaar… breathing noise, like it was some sort of majestic, beautiful living creature…
   “Escaping from our lessons, are we?” a voice suddenly said, and she jumped, sitting bolt upright instantly, looking around herself in a panic.
   “I… uhm… uhm…” she began as she saw a man standing there, arms folded- not looking in the least bit amused. Sheepishly, she stood up, attempting a small grin. “I’m… uhhh… sorry?”
   “I’m afraid “sorry” just won’t cut it today, Kokoro. This is the fifth time this month you’ve deemed my classes too “boring” to attend and, quite frankly, I’m beginning to take offence. You could’ve at least found a new hiding place to skulk in- but it’s obvious that you haven’t been paying attention to me at all. Disappointing, young Kage.”
   “Kage, Kage, Kage!” the girl sighed, tossing her head of long, black hair. “That’s all I ever hear from you, Sensei! How I am going to make a terrible Getsukage- how I’m going to fail my people, fail the Islands, fail myself, and- most importantly- fail you. Sensei… I don’t want to be the Getsukage- I don’t want to sit in a boring old office all day, listening to people timidly complain that their house is eroding, or that the price of exports is rising again, or that mainlanders have been spotted on the waves. It’s not like we’re at war, is it, Sensei? There’s nothing interesting going on here. I couldn’t have picked a worse time to be born into this job… I really couldn’t have…”
   “Kokoro Yuukei!” the old man interjected sharply. “That’s enough of that! It is a privilege to be born into the role of Getsukage- and I’ll take a kunai to my own throat before you let that pompous, self-centred ass Higami take your place.”
   “But Higami is older than me Sensei, and he has learnt everything you had to teach him already…”
   “Higami Gokoro is not Getsukage material, and you know it. The only reason I was forced to teach him was because your dear mother seemed to find herself unable to get pregnant! Being your cousin, he was the only choice we had… until of course, you yourself were born and the role automatically fell to yourself. It is not a question of choice, it is a question of birth- something you know very well.”
   The girl’s face fell and she looked totally dejected, staring downwards, light eyes dull and disappointed. Her Sensei instantly took pity on her and wrapped his frail arms, which were still full of strength enough to perform the most complicated of Jutsu, around her shoulders, drawing her close.
   “I am sorry, Kokoro, it is just the way things have to be. If we had true Ninja like those on the mainland, then the Kage caste would not be more like royalty- the Getsukage would be chosen for suitability, not right of birth. Then I would be able to train you to your true potential- you would become a fine Ninja and go on all of those adventures you dream of so… but it cannot be. While your mother lays trapped in sickness we have very little time to train you in the arts of the Getsukage, so that when the time comes you will be ready to ascend to the position that is yours by birthright.”
   “Yes, Sensei…” the girl said dully, pulling away from the man. “I understand… I won’t miss any more lessons…”
   “Good girl,” he said approvingly, nodding his head. “Though seeing as you owe me five already, we’re doing two laps of the beach.”
   Kokoro groaned loudly as her teacher, so full of life even though he was past at least six decades, began to jog away from her and towards the harder sand near the water, which was easier both on the feet and to run on.
   “Mainlanders!” she shouted after him. “You’re all screwed up!”
   Nonetheless, she obediently began to follow him- cursing all the way.

   ”Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox suddenly appeared. Its tails lashed out, smashing mountains and sending tidal waves crashing to the shores. The Ninja rose up to defend their villages.”
   Chaos; people running for cover as the Fox, laughing and snarling, whipped out a tail and caused buildings to crumble, trees to topple over- people to be crushed, screaming for help before their cries were snuffed out like candle flames.
   He acted on instinct, quickly making five symbols and slamming his palm to the floor, summoning the gigantic toad Gamabunta, King of the Swamps, without even uttering a sound. Standing upon the head of the massive Summon, he merely pointed in the direction of the evil creature and the toad was off- running so swiftly despite his bulk and the great katakana he held in his hand. Though no matter how quickly he ran, the man standing atop of his head never moved an inch- he was the very picture of “unstoppable”.
   When they neared the Fox the creature snarled a challenge and stood its ground, nine deadly tails lashing out like whips behind its form- massive, as bright a red as the Chakra surrounding the creature. Visible Chakra, glowing and pulsing like an aura.
   He knew in that instant that, no matter how long and hard they fought, they would never defeat this creature with strength alone.
   This was the end.
   Kneeling down on Gamabunta, the man began to whisper to his mighty Summon.
   Various expressions crossed the great creature’s face: disbelief, shock, horror, pleading, and finally; acceptance. He nodded slowly as the man got to his feet again, facing the snarling creature not more than one hundred feet away.
   Then Gamabunta turned and ran back towards the village.
   The Fox, surprised at first, then began to laugh, lifting its head and opening its great jaws, crying an early victory to the skies.
   PITIFUL HUMANS! YOU WILL ALL FLEE BEFORE ME!
   The man and the toad ignored this taunt, running back to the main village as quickly as they could possibly go. As they reached the main gates, the man leapt from his Summon’s head and onto the parapet, grabbing the kunai he had hidden there. He turned and looked at Gamabunta once before initiating the Jutsu and disappearing.
   The scene changed and he appeared once again in a small, seemingly deserted room. The man looked around slowly, as though caught in slow motion, before his gaze fell upon the softly crying form of a baby.
   “Kushina, where are you…?” the man whispered, scooping up the baby and placing a delicate kiss to its little forehead. “I wanted to say… goodbye.”
   The pair disappeared again.
   Once again he was standing stop of Gamabunta’s head, the great toad rushing through the flattened trees. Only this time the man was not alone- the sleeping baby was wrapped in his cloak, eyes closed. Tears streamed from the man’s eyes and down his cheeks.
   The baby began to whimper and the man brushed his hand on the child’s stomach. A tiny hand closed around one of his fingers, and the man shuddered, shaking his head. He was clearly struggling with some inner turmoil.
   “Shhh, shhhh…” he said in soothing tones.
   They were before the Fox once more.
   The man placed his hands together.
   The Chakra chime sounded.
   “Mi. I. Hitsuji.”
   FOOLISH HUMAN… YOU THINK JUTSU CAN STOP ME?
   “U. Inu. Ne.”
   YOU THINK YOU’RE ALL SO CLEVER… LET’S SEE HOW CLEVER YOU CAN BE WHEN YOU ARE DEAD…
   “Tori. Uma.”
   I AM GOING TO RIP YOU APART, PIECE-BY-PIECE, AND THEN I WILL DEVOUR YOUR CHILD WHOLE…
   “Mi.”
   Time seemed to slow, and the very air itself seemed to freeze. The man seemed to crumple from within, falling down onto his knees with a small gasp of pain. A shadowy figure appeared behind him. Shinigami- the God of Death.
   “Time to die, Fox…” the man gasped as his child began to scream. “You are going to make my son the Hero of Konoha.”

   Naruto Uzumaki…

   … and Minato Namikaze…

   Both awoke screaming.

   Once again, Kakashi Hatake found himself unable to sleep. This time, however, he was not restless due to nervousness of a mission in the morning, or fear of what his dreams would bring him- but because of what had happened earlier that day…
   Oh, why hadn’t he just said he’d help Pakkun later and left that morning? Suddenly he was desperate to be out of the village and far, far away from all of the memories that it harboured… away from… the memory that had just been created… somewhere with his team, sighing at Naruto’s antics, trying to get Sasuke to cheer up a bit, stopping Sakura from following him like a lost little puppy…
   “Pakkun,” the man said suddenly, and the dog appeared at his side in an instant. Obviously Kakashi hadn’t deemed it safe enough for the pug dog to return to his own world… that, and the poor dog was injured due to being thrown against the wall. Being a Ninken, he was made out of sturdier stuff than a normal dog, and so he wasn’t seriously hurt but still seemed a little weak and out of it.
   “Yes, Kakashi?” he answered, jumping onto the sofa and pressing his head into the man’s hand. He was, after-all, a dog, and dogs needed affection from their owners.
   “Did you… what was the scent you caught earlier? Before Akamaru attacked Kiba?”
   The dog looked up sharply.
   “Kakashi…”
   “I’m not going to call you crazy, I promise. Just tell me when you scented.”
   “… The Fourth Hokage.”
   Kakashi sighed deeply, closing his visible eye and running a hand through his silver hair. He paced around the room a little- his dog watching him from the sofa with a worried frown.
   “You don’t believe me, do you?”
   “Pakkun, I saw him. You were unconscious on the floor- and he… appeared. It was the Hiraishin, I am sure it was… he appeared, he did… something… and then he disappeared. That’s the mark of that Jutsu- in, event, out again. No mark…”
   “Kakashi, this seems…”
   “I know, I know!”
   The pug was surprised- he had never seen the man act like this. But then, it was understandable… his Sensei, the man who had helped teach him everything about the concept of teamwork back when he was a pupil, appeared to be back in Konohagakure.
   There was only one problem with that; he was supposed to be dead.
   “C’mon, Pakkun,” Kakashi said suddenly, heading towards the door, grabbing the handle. “We’re going to find him.”
   “But… it’s pitch black…”
   “Your nose works better at night- less scents, remember? Come on!”
   Pakkun gave a concerned little whimper, but dutifully ran to his master’s side.
   If Kakashi wanted to have a little excursion, he could have one.
   It was just rather worrying that he appeared to be on a ghost hunt…

   People rushed into the hospital room as soon as they heard the cries. When they ran in to see a small boy, hand heavily bandaged, thrashing and screaming on his bed, all they had to do was glance at the whiskers on his cheeks to realise what was going on.
   This was, after-all, the third time something like this had happened in the space of a few weeks.
   “Get a Medical Ninja in here- quickly,” one of the doctors said, rushing to the boy’s side even as the air began to thicken and breathing got more difficult. A red aura began to surround his body, and the whiskers began to thicken and grow more feral. His canine teeth could be seen visibly lengthening as he yelled, eyes still tightly shut, and claws sprouted from the ends of his nails, curling in a vicious way. “Strap him down!” the doctor barked, and the two nurses obeyed instantly- clearly terrified but not prepared to disobey their superior. They grabbed the straps from under the table, which were present just for this kind of situation (and were the reason Naruto had the same room whenever he made one of his frequent trips to the hospital) and clipped them together, hindering the boy’s movement somewhat.
   A Medical Ninja then rushed in- but not the one any of them were expecting.
   Sakura Haruno had arrived.
   “Naruto,” she breathed, eyes wide. She hadn’t seen him like that since… the second Chûnin Exam, wasn’t it…? “I…”
   “Can you help or not?!” one of the nurses asked worriedly.
   Sakura took a step closer, then shook her head furiously.
   “I’m going to get Lady Tsunade…” she stammered, and then turned and left the room.
   Instantly, she felt terrible.
   What kind of a friend was she…?
   Running at the first sign of danger.  
   “No…” she whispered. “I wouldn’t know what to do. The best thing to do is to get Lady Tsunade- she will help him! I… I am not yet… strong enough.”
   A terrible scream made her stop, and she took in a deep breath, turquoise eyes suddenly full of a new strength.
   “I’m coming, Naruto…” she whispered, and turned and headed back towards the room again. “I’m coming.”