The Forgotten Past

Disclaimer: Does it look like I own Naruto? Didn’t think so...

A/N: And here’s chapter six. Thanks to all my reviewers. You’ve been so patient with me.

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Chapter Six


A half an hour found us at what used to be Team Seven’s training grounds, and just as I'd predicted, there was Sasuke and Lee. If a spar didn’t bring back any memories, then I didn’t know what would.

I called out to the two, “Hey Sasuke, Hey Lee.”

The two guys waved back. “Hey, my youthful friends, long time no see.” Lee called out enthusiastically.

Sasuke called with his familiar smirk, “Hey, dobe, how about a spar?”

I laughed and answered his taunt, “sure thing, teme! I’ll kick your ass this time like I did last time!”

“Whatever, dobe, you never beat me in a spar before, and you’re sure as hell not going to this time.” Sasuke taunted.

“We’ll see about that.” I said, getting into my favorite Taijutsu stance. It was an Anbu stance. I was, after all, an ex-Anbu.

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and copied my stance. Then he started to circle me, like a panther stalking his prey. I remained still and just watched him circle me, since I knew what was coming. In a flash of movement Sasuke came at me with a kick to the head, I dodged and countered with a kick of my own, which was blocked.

Our spars were always like this. We knew each others movements so well, that we knew exactly what the other would do, and this fight was no different.

Our fight seemed to go on forever, with each attack and counter. There was no way we’d finish this fight using just Taijutsu and no weapons, but I didn’t have any weapons on me, but that problem was soon solved with the arrival of Tenten.

“Hey Naruto-kun,” she called out to me with a wave. I blocked a punch and waved back.

“This fight is going to last forever if they go on like this.” Ino observed.

“Naruto-kun doesn't have any weapons on him?”

“Iie,” Ino answered.

“Hmm... maybe I can help with that.” She said pulling a katana out of her pack.

“A katana?” Sakura asked.

“This is a special katana. I made it for Naruto-kun myself. It is specially designed for his chakra.” She explained walking over to where we continued our spar. “Naruto-kun,” she called out.

I blocked Sasuke's punch and turned toward Tenten. “Yeah,” I called back. She walked towards me and held out the katana for me to take. I looked at the katana and then at Tenten. My confusion was evident.

She laughed and said, “I made that for you. I knew you didn't have one, so I made that for the next time you came here.”

I flashed her bright smile and said, “Arigatõ.” Then I turned back to the waiting Sasuke. I held up my new katana and he walked over to his things to grab his own Kodaichi. Now our fight was going to get interesting. I looked at my new sword and wondered what it could do. I knew that this wasn't just any katana. It had a power, but what that power was, I didn't know.

Well, there was only one way to find out. I grinned again and took my position. I looked again at my new sword and suddenly got an idea. Sasuke could be a long distance fighter if he wanted to. I thought about a weapon that could be used as both, and to my astonishment, the katana changed form. I grinned and looked at Sasuke. The teme had a stunned look on his face. I then turned to Tenten, who was wearing a shit-eating grin. I laughed and returned my attention to Sasuke and our fight. This was definitely going to get interesting. The katana turned in to a weapon that had a scythe at one end and a kunai on the other attached with a long chain.

Once again we took out separate stances. This time our spar was a lot more brutal. Out slashes more forceful than before. Chakra clashed as bodies came together with tremendous force. Our chakra seemed to increase with each blow. I was no longer sparring in regards to returning my comrades memory, but for the sheer adrenaline of the fight. I missed these fights, I never really realized how much until now.

Ghost Ino watched the fight with interest. She could tell that my mind wasn’t on my friends’ memories. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. She flashed a grin at Tenten and headed to where the younger Ino stood. Still wearing that mischievous grin she reached a hand out to touch the other Ino and disappeared.

A painful yell startled me out of my fight with Sasuke. I turned towards my class and saw Ino on the ground clutching her head. I immediately rushed to her side.

“Ino? What’s wrong?” I asked kneeling at her side.

“My head, it feels like it’s going to split open.” She answered between gasps of pain.

I picked her up and turned towards Tenten, absently wondering where the other Ino went, and asked, “Is there somewhere where I can take her to rest?”

Tenten nodded and said, “Follow me?” With her leading the way, we headed back towards the village. I noticed that the others were unusually silent. I turned to look back at them and asked, “Is there something wrong?”

Iruka was the one that spoke up, “No, not really. We’re just curious about the village.”

“Anything you want to know just ask?” I reminded him. He nodded, but didn’t say anything else. A few minutes later Tenten led us to a run-down, but otherwise decent, building. I recognized it immediately. “This is your place, huh?” I asked. Tenten nodded in response and led us upstairs to one of the bedrooms. I gently place Ino, who had fallen unconscious, on the bed and took a seat at her side. The others stood uneasily around the foot of the bed. I looked up from my student and turned towards Tenten and suggested, “Why don’t you show everyone else around?”

Tenten nodded and led everyone else out of the room.

I wearily slumped in the chair and tried to relax. This was not at all going the way I hoped it would. Not only were they not talking to me, but Ino had had enough of being patient and decided to take matters into her own hands. I just hope she knows what she’s doing.

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(Time skip 3 hours)

A low moan awoke me from my nap. I looked over to the bed to see Ino stirring. I quickly rose from my chair and knelt down beside her.

“Ino,” I called softly. She stirred, but didn’t open her eyes. I called her name again, and this time light blue eyes fluttered open.

Ino looked around the room in confusion before coming to rest on a pair of worried blue eyes. “Naruto?”

“Hai,” I answered, relief flooding through my entire body.

“What’s wrong? You look so sad,” Ino asked.

“Nothing I was just worried about you,” I answered.

Ino gave me a gentle smile and then suddenly, that gentle smile turned mischievous. I had a bad feeling. I knew I had seen that look somewhere before. Then it hit me; that was the look the Ino in my past always wore when she was thinking of ways to cause trouble.

My confused blue eyes met a now familiar blue. My jaw dropped in shock. “You remember?!” it was a statement not a question. Her smile only got wider. My gut twisted, and I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat. This was not going to be fun. I thought to myself.

Ino smirked as she saw how uncomfortable I was. She then decided to test her friend’s patience. “So Naruto,” she began, “what have you really been up to these last couple of centuries?”

I sighed. This was going to be a long day. I could only hope that Tenten came back soon. I once again made myself comfortable and started my long story.

“Well,” I began, “it’s like this…”

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A/N: I know that it took me longer to update, but I had a sudden case of writer’s block. But that problem is now solved and I’ll be posting a lot more often now.

Till next time. Read and Review. Ja Ne.