Forever

Long story short, my mom had emergency surgery to remove her gallbladder. She woke up New Years Eve and looked like she'd swallowed a basketball. To be honest, in keeping my mother from getting up and doing house work and cooking for my father after the surgery, I had to stay at her house and take care of her, and at times wrestle the mop away from her. For two weeks I completely forgot I was an author, and for a few days after that I just slept like the dead. (I now remember why my main goal of growing up was to move out of my parents house! They drive me crazy!!!) I'm back though and I'm sorry for making a promise I couldn't keep, but hopefully it won't happen again. I will be making regular updates from now on, and this time I intend to keep my word.

I hope you like it, and just a reminder, this is a very long story, and this is just one small part at the very beginning. I'm feeling better about my chapters, and I think they are starting to flow better as I get further into my proofreading. Thank you so much for my reviews, I love knowing that someone, even if it is only one person, is reading and enjoying my story.

Chapter 3

Shino was asleep again, but this time it was an emotional exhaustion. Naruto left him a note before he left saying he was going to be back in a few hours and slipped out the door and into the morning light. There were people everywhere, and Naruto enjoyed the activity around him. He noticed all the looks he got, but paid them no mind. It wasn’t like any of them could do anything about him being there, and their concern was unnecessary but unavoidable. He wasn’t in town for half an hour when he found himself with a shadow. It was slightly amusing for the first few minutes, but as he made his way down the main street in front of the Hokage tower he started getting a little annoyed.

He had no money, and as he turned the corner he realized it was still there. Ichiraku’s was still a ramen stand and Naruto’s grin spread across his face, wide and excited. He turned around and looked at the man standing about thirty feet behind him. He was looking at Naruto’s reflection in the glass of one of the windows across the street and flinched noticeably when Naruto waved him over. The shinobi turned and walked slowly toward Naruto shuffling his feet as he went. This man was obviously a Jounin and embarrassed at being caught doing something as simple as following someone. As he grew nearer Naruto could clearly see the blush that lit his cheeks, and smiled disarmingly. If he decided to stay he didn’t want to cause any problems he’d have to deal with later.

“Are you following me because you’re curious or did the Hokage assign you to me?”

He shuffled uncomfortably before he answered. “I saw you without an escort and decided to make sure there wasn’t any trouble Hokage Sama.”

Naruto was irritated by the title. “My name is Naruto. I haven’t been the Hokage for centuries, and I don’t want the position again. I would appreciate it if you didn’t draw attention to me by addressing me that way. What’s you’re name or should I just call you Nara?”

Naruto was impressed by how quickly the shock was erased from his face. “You didn’t think that just because you weren’t wearing my mask, I wouldn’t know who you were did you?”

“No Hoka… Naruto Sama. I just feel like I’m at a disadvantage.” The blush was back, and Naruto couldn’t help but grin.

“You don’t have anything to worry about. I was very well trained in all the Shinobi arts, but the way I look belies my true age and experience. You have nothing to be ashamed of. If you buy me lunch I might be inclined to let you pick my brain, I am as they say a fount of knowledge.”

Interest was clear in the young man’s eyes. Naruto was relieved and excited at the eminent meal. He motioned to the Ramen stand, and they brushed the curtain out of the way as they entered. Naruto took his usual seat and looked up at the menu. It was very close to the same, but the prices were much higher. The man next to him didn’t seem to mind though so it must not be that unusual.

“My name is Kuryoku. I’d like to know first how you sensed me. I was completely shielding my chakra.”

Naruto ordered a bowl of miso with all the extras while he thought about the answer. “First of all, chakra isn’t the only way to sense someone. You shouldn’t depend so much on it since you know that a lot of dangerous people don’t even have chakra outside of the village, and if they do and they are well trained they can hide it the same as you. It’s better to use other senses. It was your eyes that gave you away. You spent too much time looking at me while you followed me. It was like an itch on the back of my neck. When you follow someone try not to look at them as much as possible. It’s part of acting natural. Just look at your surroundings like you normally would, it makes you a lot more inconspicuous. Of course I’m a bit more sensitive than most, and you probably would have been fine if it had been anyone but me. I couldn’t tell you though, all I can say is that I knew you were there from the moment you appeared.”

Kuryoku didn’t seem very happy that there hadn’t been some great jutsu involved, but it was the truth and that was all Naruto had to offer, and the last part of course made him feel slightly better since the man he had been following was a legend. He gave himself the benefit of the doubt for the moment, and would save the self recrimination for later. Their ramen was served then, and Naruto savored the aroma for a long moment closing his eyes to get the full effect. The cook was looking at him strangely as he went to take his first bite, and couldn’t help but smile at Naruto’s obvious and thorough enjoyment. They ate until their bowls were empty, the only sound being the noises they made as they ate.

“You said in the Hokage’s office that you were trained by the Great Jiraiya as well as the Sixth Hokage. You had legendary teachers and you are yourself legendary. A great deal of knowledge has been lost to us over the years, and I was wondering if maybe you might be willing to teach me a few things or at least offer some insight on how to improve as a shinobi. I think I can speak for all of us in saying that we would all be truly grateful for any knowledge that you are willing to share.”

Naruto thought about this for a moment. Every time he was given any information about the village it just formed more questions in his mind. How could information have been lost? He’d made sure that all new jutsu’s were properly documented and ranked. He’d even made sure to pass on several powerful secret jutsu to Sasuke for safe keeping when he’d left. Something terrible must have happened, but it wasn’t his turn to ask. He owed this young man for lunch and he’d be sure to repay him at least enough for that.

“I don’t know exactly what you’ve lost or gained since I left so I think it would be best if you could let me know exactly what you have in mind first before we discuss anything. I have some things to discuss with the Hokage before I decided on whether I’ll be leaving right away or not, but we can go to a training field if you like, and you can give me a demonstration of your skills so I know which direction to go in. By the way what is your nature?”

They were leaving the ramen stand when Kuryoku gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?”

Naruto just kept walking toward the closest training field as he answered. “What is your chakra nature, your element? It will be easier to focus what I teach you if I know exactly what your affinity is.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

Naruto stopped in the middle of the street to look over the shinobi next to him. He sensed no deception, but how could anyone be the leader of the Anbu if he didn’t know his own elemental chakra? “You’ve never been tested for your element?” Kuryoku shook his head. “You don’t even know what I’m talking about?” Another shake. “Shit…” Naruto didn’t quite know what to think, but this was serious. He needed to see the Hokage right then. “Follow me.” He turned toward the tower and took to the rooftops to get there faster.

He walked through the gates and several Anbu tried to stop him, but he was so intent on speaking to his predecessor that he barely noticed his companion clearing the way. He charged through the door of the main office and found himself in the awkward position of interrupting a make out session with the Hokage and his very flushed and embarrassed wife. He just gave a guilty smile and said what he needed to say. After all this was important.

“Kuryoku has informed me that he doesn’t know anything about chakra nature or even what his element is. How is it possible for anyone to hold such a high position without this kind of knowledge?”

The Hokage sat down in his chair and looked as though he was trying to think of something to say that didn’t sound stupid. Naruto was angry that the Hokage of the greatest shinobi village in the world was cowering in front of him. It was unbecoming of someone with his title. “I’m afraid I don’t know what it is either. We lost a great deal of knowledge when a fire broke out in the library two hundred years ago. The village elders recovered what they could, but not everything. It was around the same time that the Final Shinobi War pulled our world apart and just a few years later, we were the only village to survive and none of the elders survived in any village, the highest ranking shinobi to survive was in fact a chunin. Because of these tragedies we even lost some of our most basic teaching, things that weren’t written because they were so easily passed on from teacher to student.”

Naruto nodded in understanding. He would like to hear more about this war, but that would be for later. Right now he needed to prepare to teach his village’s shinobi the importance of knowing their element. It seemed there was yet another reason to stay, and Naruto hoped that he didn’t burry himself so deep that he’d end up here for another lifetime.

“This is a very important step in improving as a shinobi. I will need you to be at the training grounds by the Memorial in three hours. That should be enough time to gather what I need. Also I would like you to bring several of your instructors and high ranking shinobi with you so that I don’t have to teach this more than once.”

The Hokage just nodded in answer and Naruto left through the window with Kuryoku following close after. “What is it that we are going to do Naruto Sama?”

“I need an Aburame first and then we are going to find a tree. A very rare and useful tree. Hopefully it will not be too difficult to track it.” They headed toward the apartment where he’d left Shino and knocked on the door when they arrived. The door was flung open and Naruto was grabbed up in an intimate embrace that made him blush in front of the Nara. “Shino.” Naruto hissed and he was let go quickly. Shino looked like a kicked puppy before he noticed Kuryoku, and then he looked chagrin.

“We need you to find a tree for us. It has come to my attention that the shinobi of my village are lacking in many skills that should be second nature to anyone chunin and up. I intend to correct that.”

Shino grinned at him before disappearing back into the apartment. Kuryoku looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t, and Naruto was grateful. He was sure that he wouldn’t be so lucky if he was caught alone though. Shino was ready quickly and they were on their way out of the village toward the Forest of Death.

When they came to the gates Naruto could tell that no one had been here for a very long time. Both of the men behind him shifted nervously.

“We need to go inside and find a special tree. It’s a tree nurtured with chakra, but I’m a little worried since it’s obvious no one had been caring for them for a long time. We might get lucky though. There is an immense chakra build up in this forest because of the training that is done here. It might be enough to sustain at least one tree.”

Shino looked doubtful. “I don’t think we should go in there. What ever it is that you need this paper for I can’t imagine it being worth it to go in there.”

“I went in there when I was twelve years old and I came out just fine. You’ll be fine too, just stay with me.”

Shino scoffed. “You’re different. You’re the greatest shinobi the world has ever known. The last time anyone went in there they didn’t come out.”

Naruto laughed, but he soon realized that both of them were serious. “I wasn’t the greatest anything back then, and neither were any of the others that went in with me and we all came out alright. This is the only way I can teach any of you properly so we don’t have a choice. If you want to be better shinobi then you’ll have to come. Shino, I need you to tell you’re insects to find the tree with the highest chakra core in the whole forest. When they find it we’ll go in and get it.”

Shino looked reluctant, but he did as he was asked. After a moment a swarm of very small kikaichu left him and took to the forest. They waited for over an hour before any of them returned. It was an awkward and uncomfortable hour of hesitant smouldering looks from Shino and hard judgment from Kuryoku. It was a relief to think of something other than guilt and sex when Shino began to relay where they needed to go.

“They found it, not too far inside to the north. It should only take a few minutes to get there, but they have informed me that the danger is very great and that the forest is alive, whatever that means.”

Naruto smirked. “It means that if you don’t stay close something will eat you, and it won’t necessarily be an animal.”

Before either could retort he was off heading north. A kikaichu passed him and he followed it over the fence and through the rough terrain. Naruto was soon standing in front of the tree that he needed and looked back for the others only to realize that they weren’t there. He cursed loudly and headed back to see what they had gotten themselves into.

He found Shino wrapped up in a vine unconscious while Kuryoku was trying to hack his way through it with a kunai. Naruto leapt easily to a limb beside Shino and let the chakra form into blades around his hand before slicing easily through the vine. Shino dropped into his arms. “Venom… shit. You’ll have to take him back to the hospital. I’ll take you to the gate and you can go from there.”

Kuryoku’s face shifted from an ‘I told you so’ look to a concerned look as they went. Naruto wanted to role his eyes, but holding Shino in his arms like this brought back too many bad memories. He focused on what he needed to do until he got them to the gate. “Take him.” Kuryoku took hold of Shino and a moment later he was gone. Naruto sighed and started to make his way back to the tree. He had some chopping to do.


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