Chapter 6
Training GroundThe wooden training post exploded into splinters and saw dust as Sakura Haruno panted. She gazed around at the destruction of the training ground and winced knowing a Genin team was going to have a hell of a time cleaning it up and making it useable again.
"Holy shit! Who crapped on your welcome mat and peed in your porridge forehead?"
Sakura turned to see Ino Yamanaka leaning against a tree. "Hey Ino." She said. "And no one. Just trying to get rid of some pent up energy." Sakura said as she headed for her gear stacked nearby. She grabbed a towel and a bottle of water.
Ino shook her head. "That's what sex is for." Ino said. "Rearranging the landscape is for bad or missed dates."
Sakura took a drink from the water bottle. "So, how've you been?" she asked the blond trying to change the subject.
"Well I joined the T&I division and got assigned to Anko and Konoha Police." Ino said softly the continued before she lost her nerve. "I tried dating Naruto." Ino said and watched as the water bottle was destroyed, its contents covering the hand and ground beneath it.
"But it didn't work out." Ino continued pretending she didn't see her friend destroy the source of water.
"I tried dating Shikamaru for a while too and that was a disaster. Not as big as him dating Temari from Suna, but close." Ino pretended to looking at the sky and mentally smirked at having the pink haired girls attention.
"I discovered that Naruto and I were better as friends. Who knew I'd ever say that in a sentence when were in the academy." Ino gave a slight chuckle and continued. "You know forehead, being a girls suits Naruto better. Well that and living with Anko, Shizune and Tsunade."
Sakura swallowed and had wondered where they were living as she had stopped by their old apartment only to find it bulldozed and a ninja scroll shop in its place. Ino was still talking and she listened, desperate to hear about the blond who had been in her mind for the last couple of years.
"Lady Tsunade moved them out of the apartment they were in and into the Hokage mansion. Wait until you see Naruto's room."
Sakura felt her knuckles tightening hearing on Ino being in the other blonds room.
"Not that she's there a lot." Ino said. "Either she's at the hospital, the tower, the police station or the Inuzuka's." Ino rattled on.
"The Inuzuka's?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah, Naruto and Hana have become two peas in a pod over the years." Ino said and before she could say anything watched as the pinkette walked away.
"Sakura? HEY!" Ino shouted the last word as Haruno took off at a speed she found hard to follow.
"Shit." Ino said. "I should have told her without teasing." The blond thought and wondered if it was too late to send a warning to Hana.
XX
Inuzuka Estate, Clinic"Thanks again for helping." Hana said as the whisker marked blond put the last dog back in the kennel.
"Its no big. Besides, it gives me a chance to study the hounds and Eureka a chance to burn off her excess energy." Naruto said jerking a thumb towards the yard where her own dog was roughhousing with several of the clans dogs.
"I could have had Kiba do this." Hana said.
"You know he wouldn't and you need to rest that arm and leg at least another day." Naruto scolded.
"So, you want to talk about it?" Hana offered.
"Talk about what?" Naruto asked busying with several clipboards.
"Oh, how about a certain female is back. You're not fooling me Naru-chan. I can smell the lust on you from a block away."
"Stupid enhanced senses." Naruto muttered.
"Yes, especially when sharing a tent with a certain blond who rubs one out moaning a certain name at night while on a mission. Now spill or I'll tell mom and she'll drag it out of you."
Naruto sighed. "I tried dating like mom said while Sakura was gone. You saw how Ino and I nearly destroyed the village."
"Exaggeration. The flower shop and the bar yes." Hana said motioning for her to continue.
"Hinata and I had a brief one time fling." Naruto said. "And Shino and I…" Naruto shuddered. "At least we discovered I firmly like girls before it was too late."
"And thru it all you managed to remain friends." Hana said. She liked having Naruto around. She was the little sister she should have had. But no, Kiba just had to be born a boy, a perverted and idiotic boy. She thought.
"But with Sakura-chan…I'm scared." The blond said, hesitant in sharing her fears.
"Scared? Naruto, that kiss she gave you was an indication…"
Naruto turned and shook her head, the topknot whipping around. "She's traveled. Whose to say she didn't meet someone?"
Hana snorted. "You can't be serious. During the mission she looked ready to kill Lee or me anytime we interacted with you. Seriously Naru-chan, go find your girl, kiss her until her toes curl and tell her how you missed her. You climbing into every duty you can find can't last forever."
"I'm not avoiding her, I just have duties. You know that." Naruto said.
Hana shook her head. "Denial your name is Naruto."
The blond shot her a look but was stopped from saying anything as an earthquake shook the room.
"What the?" Naruto gasped as the room shook and the sound of something collapsing.
Naruto stepped to the door and looked out. "Looks like I'm having a talk with Sakura-chan sooner rather than later."
Hana looked over her shoulder as the compounds security wall collapsed. "See if you can take her to the training ground. Mom's gonna be pissed about the wall as is."
Naruto strode towards the obviously pissed off pinkette even as the clans dogs were moving to intercept. Naruto waived them off.
"Sakura-chan, you need to calm…" Naruto began and was forced to dodge a blow as the other girl let out a growl. A very feral and very angry sounding growl.
Sakura was beyond rational thought. If her teacher saw her right now he would dig a grave, climb in and leave a message after ground zero.
Naruto however wasn't Jiraiya and used her training.
Sadly Sakura learned to far to late that Naruto had learned something from Hinata while she was gone. Pressure points mixed with the medical know how and the fact she studied more than Sakura did in school showed that she could handle the rage monster and with a few jabs Sakura was on the ground with one leg and both arms temporarily paralyzed.
"What the hell Sakura?" Naruto asked and looked up to see Ino rushing over the remains of the wall and skid to a stop. "Crap." The Yamanaka heiress said seeing the end result.
Shaking her head, Naruto looked at Hana, "You go put your leg up." She turned to Ino, "And you are going to help me carry her home and tell me what set her off."
"Um…" Ino tried to find a way out.
"March Yamanaka." Naruto said in a growl leaving no room for argument and the pair maneuvered Sakura between them.
XX
Hokage Mansion"Put her on the couch and then you can go home." Naruto said as she went to the hall cabinet to get a medical kit. Ino had told her on the way how she had told Sakura. "Wait, stop and tell my mom what happened then go home." Naruto said as she looked at the green eyes that were filled with rage. She was amazed the pinkette had remained silent this whole time.
"Do you promise not to go on a rage rampage and talk with me if…no when I release you?"
Sakura took a breath. She had listened as Ino talked to Naruto on the way from the Inuzuka's and she realized how badly she had reacted. "I promise." She said softly.
Naruto jabbed several points and Sakura could feel her leg and arms again and Sakura looked at her.
"We should have talked once you came back, but I was scared." Naruto said before Sakura could speak.
Sakura blinked, "What were you scared of?"
Naruto shook her head. "It was stupid, old fears that fed on you being out of Konoha with the biggest pervert in the Elemental Nations."
Sakura sighed. "Do you want to go first?"
Naruto hesitated. "I guess."
She sat on the couch next to Sakura and took a breath.
"The day you left I began my training…"
XX
AN: Next chapter will have Naruto telling Sakura about her life while she was gone.