Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Weapons of Old and New ❯ Six ( Chapter 6 )

 

Weapons of Old and New

Or, Not Another Super Naruto Story

(Really. It's Not.)

By Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: Oh, yeah. I SO own Naruto. That's why I have to bust my ass working at minimum wage to pay for college. Psh. Sure.

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“Sakura-chan! How nice to see you! I'm afraid that I didn't get to stop by and say hello do to my training schedule, as Gai-sensei felt I was lacking YOUTH! Ergo, I am pleased to finally meet you at the meeting for this mission!” Rock Lee gallantly proclaimed, his `Nice Guy' pose and shining grin at full affect. Sakura nodded numbly with a vacant smile on her face.

 

“It's not a problem, Lee… Really,” Sakura emphasized, as Ino giggled somewhere out of her line of vision. The pink haired girl spared a second to glare at Ino, before turning back and smiling at Lee, who smiled right back.

 

“So, how have you been, Sakura-chan?” The pink-haired nurse shrugged a bit, her eyes wandering at the rest of the Rookie Nine and Gai's team assembled around the Hokage's office.

 

Seven… Rookie Seven, she thought for a moment. She banished that thought with such ease now, as she returned her attention to Lee's question.

 

“Oh, allright I suppose. I mean, there was a peeper at the hot springs last night, but other than that…” Lee nodded in sympathy.

 

“I too heard of the pervert! I am sorry to hear you suffered such un-youthful and immoral behavior!” Sakura shrugged.

 

“Actually, I was… Kind of hoping it was Jiraiya.” Lee blinked, as Sakura rushed to explain.

 

“I mean, because that would mean that Naruto was…” She trailed off, offering a sheepish shrug, to which Lee nodded thoughtfully.

 

“Ah, yes. I too have hoped for the swift return of Naruto! I miss his youthful enthusiasm for life! He was a worthy rival!” Sakura nodded.

 

“Yeah… Though, no offense Lee, I don't think he saw you quite like that.” Sakura grinned. “Though I'm sure he would have taken you up on it if you'd challenged him to, say, a ramen-eating contest.”

 

“YOSH! I wish I had thought of that! Gai-Sensei engages in many such contests with Kakashi-sensei!” Lee went on berating himself for not thinking of that, while Sakura managed to sneak away. She found herself in the midst of Team 8. Shino, Akamaru and Kiba had been clustered, almost protectively, around the Hyuuga heiress since they arrived.

 

“Hey guys… Hinara? You allright?” Hinata was still blushing strong after - Sakura checked the clock hanging on the wall - two hours! Kiba shrugged with a smirk.

 

“We haven't been able to get much out of her… But, I think her scent says enough.” Sakura frowned. To her knowledge, the only reason Hinata would be like this would be because of…

 

“NARUTO!” Lee's cry practically shook the roof down as he leapt from the surprised Neji and Tenten and tackled a blond figured dressed in black who had just entered. “YOU RETURN!”

 

“ACK!”

 

“N-Naruto-kun!”

 

“Uzumaki! About time!”

 

“Tch. Was it too troublesome to write?”

 

“Don't blame him for that, the Hokage said his letters were mis-mailed!”

 

“Uzumaki… Welcome home.”

 

The entirety of the group had closed in around Naruto, shouting and laughing and greeting and grunting… As Sakura simply stood still, just staring. Finally the crowd parted, as Naruto, grinning and returning pats on the back and smiles, pushed his way through. Their eyes met, before Sakura took stock of Naruto.

 

He'd filled out, certainly. No longer a runt, that was for sure, Sakura noted tracing how his black shirt outlined his well-defined but lean chest and torso. His face was longer, but still held that boyish smile that both infuriated and enamored her. As he walked closer, she was startled at the fact that he was a few inches taller than her now, and not because of his tough-looking boots. His smile, bright and flashy for the crowd, softened and warmed a bit for her.

 

“Sakura-chan.”

 

“Baka!” Sakura shouted, striking at full speed with her fist. Naruto avoided the blow, shock evident on his face.

 

“Sakura-chan? What the-!”

 

“How dare you vanish for three years and not write me!” Sakura seethed, lashing out with her improved arsenal of chakra-enhanced kicks, punches, and strikes. “Hold still so I can-!”

 

But he didn't. Naruto twisted about, nimbly dodging each of her attacks with no visible effort. Cheekily he dodged and got right inside her defenses, his nose almost touching hers. She blushed as he grinned.

 

“Same old Sakura-chan,” he teased, back-hand springing away from her roundhouse kick. Still blushing furiously, a smile now appeared on her face.

 

“Naruto… Nice to have you back,” she said quietly, but sincerely. Naruto gaped a bit in pleasant surprise-Before dodging her punch once again.

 

“DAMNIT HOLD STILL!”

 

“It wasn't MY fault, Sakura-chan! Honest! Ero-Sennin mailed all his dirty stories to Tsunade baa-chan and my letters to his editors!” Naruto grimaced, sidestepping her roundhouse punch/knife strike combo. The other Rookies were laughing, even Shino, Neji and Shikamaru wore smirks.

 

“Enough already!” Shouted Tsunade, coming into her office. Her fiery gaze silenced the Rookies, and froze Sakura and Naruto's “fight”. She sighed, rubbing her temples.

 

“Well, according to ANBU, someone already dealt with the problem this meeting was supposed to address,” she growled, shooting a glare at Naruto. The assembled shinobi turned their gaze as one onto Naruto, who shrugged, smiling in a more subdued manner.

 

“Er… Surprise?”

 

“… You mean I had to get up at six in the morning for this? Naruto…” Shikamaru grumped. Naruto smirked.

 

“Hey, get it done early and you've got more time for slacking off,” he rationalized. He turned to Tsunade, smirking foxily, though Sakura and Tsunade could both see something dark in his gaze. “So, how much was that job worth, anyway? Er… I want to buy breakfast for all my friends!”

 

“Is that why you took care of the job, Naruto?” Ino asked, skeptical. “It just… Doesn't seem like you, to plan ahead like that.” Naruto raised an eyebrow, his gaze hardening.

 

“No… I guess it doesn't,” Naruto said, quietly but coldly. The room temperature seemed to dip noticeably, and Ino shivered under Naruto's deadly gaze… Before his face brightened.

 

“So, who wants ramen?”

 

“Ramen? For breakfast?” Asked Neji, shaking his head.

 

“I'll throw in orange juice?”

 

“Add in miso soup, ham and rice and you've got a deal!” Chouji shouted.

 

“D-D-Does it matter what we eat? Naruto's home, w-we should celebrate that…”

 

“Heh, I think Hinata would like to have a private celebration with Naruto,” teased Kiba, the blush to Hinata's pale face returning full force. Neji rolled his eyes.

 

“Stop insinuating such slander against my cousin, Inuzaka, or you'll receive a Kaiten in return.” Kiba gulped as Shino smirked behind his collar.

 

“So, it's settled?” Tsunade rolled her eyes, and tossed Naruto a bag of money. The blond smiled, saluted in thanks, and led the way out the door, most of the Rookie Nine following. Sakura hung back a bit, before shooting a look at Tsunade.

 

“He… Handled it? Did you have him do so?”

 

“No, I didn't,” Tsunade sighed. She looked over the reports on both Iruki and the informant… Shaking her head. She looked up and glared at Sakura, who had been peeking.

 

“Sakura!”

 

“Sorry sensei!” Sakura returned nervously, before bowing. Tsunade sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

 

“Don't worry about it right now, Sakura,” she said quietly, and gently. “Naruto may look all smiles right now, but…” Sakura nodded. Tsunade mentally smiled. She knew. Good. It would make things easier…

 

“Tsunade-sama? The ANBU Head is here to see you,” Shizune stated. She and Sakura locked glances just long enough for heat to pass between, before Sakura bowed to Tsunade once more and took her leave.

 

“Send him in,” the Hokage ordered, rubbing her forehead as Shizune bowed and left. A moment later, a tall, foreboding man with bandages wrapped around the top of his head and over his right eye entered, an old sword at his waist.

 

“Danzo-san… What an unpleasant surprise,” Tsunade stated in false cheer. The grizzled man smirked back.

 

“Hokage-sama,” he returned. His one visible (and, as Tsunade well knew, remaining) eye scanned over the documents on the Hokage's desk. “I wasn't aware you had a personal interest in a rather… Low-level assignment.” Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Of course he knew. But then, he knew she knew, so it didn't really matter.

 

“I wasn't aware you had an interest in Uzumaki,” she stated brightly, venom boiling in the sun. Danzo smirked.

 

“He accomplished the mission with the same professionalism as a member of Section 6 would have. In truth, I feel this adds more credence to my requests for its reinstatement.”

 

“Turning more young men and women into nameless killing machines?” Tsunade asked with a snarl at the end. Danzo shook his head.

 

“All of the operatives were volunteers, including-“

 

“Say his name and I throw you out through the window,” Tsunade stated, a volcano boiling beneath a caldera. Danzo wisely withdrew from that line with a nod.

 

“My apologies. However, given the circumstances developing with Akatsuki and Orochimaru, you must admit that reopening such a training program would have immense benefits.” Tsunade sighed, knitting her fingers in a steeple.

 

“… I will consider it. However, since Naruto now owns the training course, it would only be prudent to consult with him first. And only with myself or someone I trust alongside when you do.” Danzo nodded.

 

“With your permission?” Tsunade nodded, and Danzo left, his hand on his sword. Tsunade sighed, and held her temples. She just knew her headache was going to get worse…

 

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Next time: Naruto catches up with the others, while news reaches Akatsuki of the change in it's fortunes…