Naruto Temari
Naruto Deserted Island
Disclaimer: I have no ownership of anything related to Naruto…because if I did…I wouldn't be doing this.
( ): Thoughts
(( " ")): Conversation with the Kyuubi
Author's notes:
This is the seventh installment of the Deserted Island series and so far looking rather good at the moment, so we have yet another pairing for this number…
For this one I'm going to try a pairing request and his is between Temari and Naruto…now in this case I know that a lot of people might ask WHY I did this pairing…and the answer to that is why not?
Now no doubt I will get some flak from Temari & Shikamaru fans but I have to point out that in both the official manga and the anime…there's no mention of Temari and Shikamaru ever have any romantic ties but they are more of the associate and friend types and work well together.
In the case of Naruto and Temari's relationship….well, there IS the fact that Temari does thank Naruto for being the one to have changed Gaara….so we can bet that there IS a chance this can work out if done right.
Now off we go!
Naruto yawned a bit more as he walked out of his room on the transport ship and headed to go grab some cold water to drink. The blonde Genin rubbed his eyes and yawned a bit more as it was early morning on the second day of the third week of his mission. The blonde Gennin had been assigned this duty by Tsunade and he was surprised at this as well.
They had just finished the newest mission of tracking down Akatsuki and he was about to get ready and go training to find Sasuke once more after he got back from Konoha when he was told that he was to be on an escort mission. The blonde ninja was somewhat surprised by the request and wondered just who he was escorting on this day of all things. And the fact that he was doing it alone was also weighing heavily on his mind at the moment. However that couldn't be helped due to several things cropping up.
Sakura was currently working on healing the wounded ninja coming in from the missions and the Medical Nin Corps needed everyone to be there at the moment, Sai was also injured and had to be in recovery from their mission after taking some pretty serious hits himself at the moment in their mission, Kakashi was currently handling the duties of being leader to Asuma's team at the moment as the trench knife wielding Jonin was on a personal mission of his own, and Yamato was busy gathering intel on Akatsuki with Jiraiya at the moment. The other teams were also busy at the moment….Kurenai and her team of Hinata, Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino were currently on another mission of their own, while Guy's team of Neji, Tenten, and Lee were on another mission of their own….leaving him with few supporting team-mates.
He had talked with Tsunade about it and she explained that the person he was going to be escorting would be familiar to him soon enough. And he was getting even more curious as to who was this person he was escorting at the moment. He got his answer when the person walked in.
Flashback…
"You want me to escort someone? Why me Tsunade-obasan?!"
"Because you're the only one about?"
"But can't you assign some ANBU or even Shizune-neechan for this kind of mission?"
Tsunade sighed and replied.
"Shizune's busy with her own missions and being my secretary isn't an easy job and she needs to take a vacation every now and then, the ANBU can't go cause we need them here to help protect Konoha for the time being, this leaves you since you're the only ninja available at the moment…besides….it's a commonly routine mission….you need to escort this person in question to Sea Country for a simple diplomatic mission….and here's the catch…."
"What's that?"
"The person in question is a ninja like you….and a Jonin."
"A Jonin?! If that's the case, why do I have to come along?! The guy's a Jonin for crying out loud, they don't need an escort that much…."
"Normally yes….but it was requested by the leader of the village where the Jonin comes from and he specifically requested you to do this mission. He had seen that there were not that many ninja available and when you're name was the only one that was free of any missions, he requested you."
"Me? How does this leader know me anyway?"
Tsunade smiled at that and replied.
"You helped him years ago Naruto and because of you he changed for the better….in simple terms, the current Kazekage of Suna asked you to escort their envoy to Sea Country specifically because you are one of the ninja he trusts the most."
Any thought of arguing further vanished from Naruto's mind when he found out that Gaara was asking him to help escort one of their envoys. He and Gaara were good friends and both had become closer over the past few days since he had rescued Gaara from his captors from Akatsuki….it had been a few weeks since the incident and he had heard that Gaara was fully back and taking great care of his village. And if there was one thing Naruto was known for…it was doing what he could to help his friends.
Gaara trusted him above the other ninja in Konoha for the safety of the village's envoy and he couldn't break that friendship for any reason and that was enough for him to think his answer over, if Gaara wanted him to do the mission, then he would…though he was rather curious on just who the envoy was.
"All right Tsunade-obasan, I'll do it, just who am I escorting anyway?"
"That person is a very important member of Suna and to Gaara as well….seeing that it's one of his siblings."
Naruto raised an eyebrow at that and asked.
"Is it his brother Kankurou?"
Tsunade shook her head and it was then that the person in question walked in and spoke.
"So who is going to be my….hey Naruto, what are you doing here?"
Naruto turned and recognized the person very quickly.
"Temari?!"
End of Flashback…
And here he was at the moment….escorting none other than Gaara's big sister and that was something that he had no idea he was going to be doing….apparently Temari was going to Sea Country to see through a special diplomacy meeting on having a trade agreement for Suna….this would allow the village to get a special trade route established to bring in new materials and supplies from the outside….Temari and her brother Gaara had planned to establish several outposts run by the ninja of their village to act as resting points for all travelers into Suna…as while those who were their allies already knew the way, others beyond the continent would have a very hard time in reaching Suna and they had been working on fixing that particular detail. As he made his way to the room Temari stayed in, he wondered just what was going to happen in the main hall of the ship he was currently on.
The ship itself was one of the new pleasure cruise ships that was now being used in the ninja world. The ships were very spacious and worth the time to be in and were also well designed as far as he had heard, but then again, he was no ship expert and he had no idea about how the ships were built in the first place. As he walked the halls however, he was amazed that all this took a year or two to build and he liked the way it was made.
As he arrived at his destination….it seemed to be time for the ship to have a move played in the main hall and there was Temari on a nearby chair, cradling a glass filled with water with ice. The blonde Jonin then turned to Naruto and gave him a slight smile and he smiled right back at her.
"How are you Temari-san?"
"I'm okay….though I have to admit that this was a good experience."
Naruto nodded and he then sat down next to the Jonin and the nearby waiter took his order of a glass of water with ice, as the waiter came back a few minutes later, the blonde Genin drank his round and then spoke to Temari about the outcome of her meeting with the leaders she had come to do business with.
"So how did the meeting go anyway? I was not allowed in there much."
"The situation went well…but it will be at least three to four months before the first shipments come through. They have to pay a portion of the funds to Konoha and the Daimyo of the Land of Fire….not that much and then they would make their way to Suna for trade."
"I see…so what do you plan to do once you get back to Konoha?"
Temari looked and smiled.
"I don't know…maybe take a break and get some decent sleep….it's still going to be tiring once I get there….with the planning of the soon to come Chuunin Exams…what about you Naruto-kun?"
"I might train again and go find Sasuke with Sakura-chan, Sai, Yamato-sensei and Kakashi-sensei….I made a promise after all and I will do what I can to keep it."
"I see….well, there's going to be a movie being here today….you want to watch it?"
"Really? Sure….I don't mind, I just hope it's a good movie and worth watching."
"Yes it is…I think it has a real life princess who's the lead actress…"
"Wait….you mean Princess Koyuki of Snow/Spring Country?! Oh man, that is going to be sweet!"
"You know her?"
"Yeah….I met her once and I was escorting her back to Snow Country and me, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei later found out that she was a real princess…she had a lot to deal with and when I fought with her uncle who was the tyrant ruler of Snow Country at the time and she called me her ninja protector, and after Doto, her uncle, was defeated, she took her place as leader and despite being a princess continued to act….if she's going to be in this movie….I am certainly going to watch!"
"You sound like you really like her."
"Yeah….before she was really to get along with….but he's really kind hearted deep inside and she can be funny and friendly as well. Plus….she gave me a rather interesting picture."
That got Temari's attention and she looked at the slight blush on Naruto's face as he finished the explanations.
"I wanted to get an autograph but she made one for me, she wrote there for me to a great Hokage someday….though it was kind of embarrassing to see myself sleeping, wrapped up in bandages and being kissed on the cheek by a real life princess."
"She kissed you?!"
"Yeah….that was before the incident with Sasuke running off and before I got into training with the Pervy Sage and the many years afterwards. I heard she was doing many great things back in Snow Country….I was actually hoping to see a new movie of hers and to see her again."
Temari nodded and they turned as the movie began to play, and true enough, it was Princess Koyuki and Naruto was happy that she had not lost her beauty, poise, grace, and skill even he had not seen her act or see her in person for the past three years due to him training in the art of the ninja with the Pervy Sage. Temari also found the movie to be rather pleasant and certainly entertaining, and she could see why Naruto was a big fan of the Princess/actress leader of Snow Country….she was a great actress, and from what she heard….was an excellent leader of her people.
(Maybe Gaara would consider asking permission from the Hokage-sama to extend a trade and peace agreement with Princess Koyuki….though the idea of going to a country covered with so much snow certainly is not something I am willing to try just yet. Hmmm….it might even be easier to do if Naruto comes along…given the history between the two of them.)
However the situation was not going to end well when the end of the movie came. That was the exact moment that the ship's alarm came on and that was when the passengers and the two ninja as well looked out the window to the side and that was when they saw other ships coming at them…and the sight of the kinds of people on the boats told Naruto just who the heck they were.
"Pirates….that's just great….at least this trip's going to be a bit interesting."
"You want to tell me what's going on?"
"Pirates are like the bandits of the sea lanes….they'll rob any ship they think has anything valuable on it….be it goods, money, hostages, food, and women for….well….you can wager a guess."
Temari didn't need to be told twice as she was aware of what that last phrase meant….and there was no way she was going to let herself or any other woman for that matter deal with that kind of humiliation….she'd kill the bastards thinking that idea first. She then took out her fan and that was the silent message to Naruto that she was more than ready to fight the incoming pirates. The two moved out as the prates began to climb onboard the large ship with grappling hooks….several of them got clonked hard on the head by Temari's massive fan as she used it like a club and it worked beautifully in that role as many of the pirates were either knocked out cold or were sent flying by her attacks….
That told Naruto that while she didn't have any thick or super large muscles….she had the strength and muscle tone to use her fan like that and that was one of the reasons why she was not someone that any person could take lightly in battle as one hit on the head from that fan was a quick guarantee to having either broken bones or cracked skulls. The two fought side by side as the pirates continued their attack as the cruise ship's crew took their weapons and they were thankful with the presence of the two ninja to make things even for them all at the moment as they were caught off guard by the pirates.
Naruto used his kunai to give himself an edge when the pirates clashed with him and they were armed with weapons. His training with the Pervy Sage had not just improved his Ninjutsu, but his Taijutsu as well as he launched punches and kicks with great speed, power and accuracy at the moment, he also used his Kage Bushin to attack the pirates with surprise and increased effectiveness…The blonde might be still a Genin, but his skills and abilities were in par with a high level Chuunin or a Jonin at the moment and he was going to make sure that he continued to improve…
His Kage Bushin were proving to be quite a help for him as they took blows from behind and fought with the same level and power that the real Naruto had and would often disperse to disrupt the flow of attacks from the incoming pirates and make them think that they were wining, but Naruto himself or another Kage Bushin would then use the smoke from the dispersed clone to score another solid hit and knock out the pirates….this tactic was used against a single pirate and used up one clone, or several clones when more than one pirate made the attack attempt on Naruto. The blonde Genin also had the Kage Bushin defend Temari from possible attacks as this was not an open field and the pirates could use the closer quarters to their advantage….
And that truth was out when several pirates managed to get behind temari and tried to attack her….two got brained in the head while another got hit in the stomach hard by the fan of the blonde Jonin but another came too close for her to react quickly….Naruto however came in and his Kage Bushin kicked the pirate on the chin from a rolling move and then Naruto slammed a powerful kick to the chest and sent the pirate slamming into another band who were just coming up via ropes and the result was a large pair of splashes into the water. The battle was continuing and the pirates were getting their butts handed down to them as Temari had finally unleashed the full power her fan and sent the pirates flying about and they were unable to attack her directly, Naruto also defended her from the rear to make sure she was not suddenly attacked from the back, along with the fact that the pirates were also focusing on attacking from the side as well as they tried to overwhelm the ship….
However….despite the pirates' numbers and weapons, they found themselves being slowly but surely outmatched as Naruto and Temari fought with the crew to keep them from overtaking the ship completely and it seemed that the pirates were starting to lose hope that they could take over the ship, but they were not going down without a fight as several of them rushed into the ship….Naruto wondered what they were doing and hoped that the crew would be able to stop them quickly….however that hope was not rewarded as the pirates came back out and then they signaled the others to leave…
Temari was confused at first and so was Naruto until the ship they were on suddenly began to move violently and then tilt to the side….one of the crew came out with a very shocked expression on his face at that moment.
"The blasted pirates have used explosive tags on the ship's hull….we're sinking!"
The people of the cruise ship panicked at the news but Naruto and Temari knew that they had to focus on escaping quickly…without a moment to lose, the blonde Genin grabbed her hand and he rushed to the life boats….he knew that learning where to go to when the ship was in danger of sinking was going to come in handy as he had been taught this by Kakashi-sensei before when they had escorted Yukie to her homeland and he was thankful he recalled where the life boats were before all this happened. Temari turned to look at the crew as they struggled to get the passengers off the ship.
"We have to help them!"
'I know….but I was given orders by Tsunade-obasan to make sure that you are safe, besides….Gaara and Kankurou would have my head if anything happened to you Temari-san….we have to trust the crew they can do this."
"But…"
"Trust me on this….I was told to guard you and I will."
Temari could tell that now was not the time to be arguing with Naruto and he was right….even if she helped the crew and her fellow passengers, there was no telling how fast the ship would sink at the moment and if she didn't escape soon, she could be killed or lost at sea. With that in mind she followed Naruto and they quickly arrived to the life boats and they managed to cut the ropes and off the boat went and it landed into the ocean….Naruto went first and as he dived and swam to the boat he decided to call Temari to hurry.
Temari did so and used her fan to glide down….though she hoped she was going to hit it right as she knew that if she got it wrong, then she would drown and for a desert dweller like her, the thought of dying in all that water had a very deep feeling of dread in her. She moved out and Naruto managed to get the boat in position as best he could and she landed on the boat and folded her fan and placed it on the deck and sat down as Naruto guided the boat out of the area…they spotted several more boats coming in and they knew that the crew were escaping though the pirates would no doubt strike again at them….thankfully the pirates had too many injured to launch another attack and were in the process of retreat and to lick their wounds at the moment.
As soon as there was a semblance of calm, she spoke to Naruto.
"What do we do now?'
"We need to find a place to rest….there's no way we can stay on a life boat for long….we'd better see if there are any supplies we can get on the ship."
And thankfully the life boat was not only well designed and large enough for more than six people, but it had some supplies, a few flares, some packs of dried food and grains, bottles of water, and a small pack of medical supplies, Temari determined that they had enough supplies for at least three days…..but without extra supplies, there was no way they could stay in the ocean without any other form of food, water, and more. They needed a place to stay until rescue came or a place to rest and gather supplies.
Naruto thought that very same thing as he looked about to find any sign of either ship or island….his only worry was that there might still be pirates operating in the area and the islands there might be safe havens for such men and women, and if they knew that Temari was the daughter of the late Kazekage and the sister of the current Kazekage, then who knows what they would do if they captured her at the moment. He was not going to let anything happen to Temari, not only because that he respected her abilities and skills, but also because she was the sister of his best friend Gaara and Gaara had charged him to protect his sister and he was not going to disappoint Gaara at all.
As they made their way through the ocean, they stayed on the boat and in the ocean for as long as they could and look for an island or ships….they stayed the for at least a day and by the second day and not seeing any other ships or an island…. they were looking for some help until they spotted a nearby island….though it was going to be hard to see as it was already nearing night time and to make things even worse….there was an incoming storm and Naruto knew that they had to make it to the island quickly before the storm came at them, the two of them were very fearful of the first night they had spent in the ocean and had to use flares to see where they were….and the idea of doing so again in a storm no less was very uncomfortable and very dangerous as the storms could easily make the waves high enough to sink them and the idea was twice as unpleasant at the moment.
Naruto then had a very risky but worthwhile idea.
"Temari-san….we need to get to the island quickly….can you use your fan to push us there?"
Temari thought about that and seeing that they had no choice at the moment, she nodded.
"I can try….it might not work but what choice do we have at the moment."
Temari did so and unleashed her fan at full force and the power of the fan was worth it as they moved more quickly on the waves as Temari used the wind to push the boat faster and the situation looked more and more promising, as they came ever closer with Naruto steering the boat with the back oar….it was then that the storm came at them with a vengeance and the situation looked bad as the waves began to grow….Temari had no choice but to put her fan away and hold on for as long as she could….the ride proved to be a real rough one as the waves sent them moving about and both of them could only look on as the clouds darkened the sky and plunged them in semi darkness….
The rain and the winds made them feel very clod and the waves were moving them about….the only good news was that they were not caught in any riptides that would have dragged them back out into the ocean and leave them in the mercy of the ocean and they were in the real tides to bring them to the island better….and that was a good thing….however, it didn't take very long for things to get difficult as the two spotted several large rocks and there was the chance that there would be sharp coral reefs in the bottom and if they collided with either….they were in great trouble, and they were already in great trouble as salt water corrupted their food stores and damaged half the contents of the medical kit.
Naruto focused however on the more important matters and he did his best to steer the boat as they came closer into the island and thankfully they were able to move past the corals and the massive stones and soon enough….they were able to reach the beach and they decided to get the boat out of the beach and into a safer place for it.
Despite the fact that they were getting soaked to the skin in the rain, they dragged the boat into the island and managed to get it away from the tidal line and then they spotted a large outcropping of rocks that was like a cave and they quickly made their way there to avoid the cold wind and rain. They stayed there and soon enough….the wind was more tolerable and they were at least out of the rain and were able to rest a bit. As the storm passed over them and the rain stopped though the strong wind was still there at the moment, Temari who had been silent ever since the whole thing spoke as she felt her teeth chatter.
"Damn it….it's so cold…"
The Kyuubi then spoke to it's jailer at the moment.
(( "You two need to dry up those clothes but right now you guys need to get warm….get some dry wood if you can find some, along with dry leaves and more if you can….and grab some large rocks as well….there should be some still dry flares there in the boat so you should use that to light the wood."))
Naruto agreed with the Kyuubi and he went to the boat and thankfully he spotted a still serviceable pair of flares and he took those flares and use them to start the fire that they needed at this moment and time, he managed to locate some dry wood and it was in a good number as the wood was shielded by other barriers that protected them from the lashing rain and that allowed Naruto to get enough materials. He then got the rocks needed though what they were going to be used for was a bit confusing to the blonde Genin….but he had little to no options at the moment and he had to get himself and Temari dry.
As he made it back to the shelter….he decided to check the food bin and thankfully there were some food left that was not contaminated by the sea water and there was some dry meat….not much but the blonde ninja knew that they didn't have much in terms of options at the moment and this was all they had at the time. He handed the food to Temari and they both ate the food and felt some comfort in the fact that the food calmed them somewhat. Temari sighed and she took off her fan and placed it on the ground and she managed wring out some water from the hem of her kimono like outfit.
"Damn…it's going to be a while before we get dry….and I'm too tired to dry these out…"
"I know….I better get a fire going."
Naruto got the fire ready and soon enough the dry wood and leaves with the still serviceable flares finally got them a good fire roaring away and they finally felt some warmth come to them and Temari couldn't help but say something about the situation.
"I can't believe something as simple as a fire….can feel so good…."
"So do I…."
As they watched the fire and sleepiness began to take over….the Kyuubi spoke to Naruto.
(("Hey….don't fall asleep just yet….you're going to need to warm properly….remember those rocks I told you to get? Put them in the fire…"))
(What for?)
(("Simple, stones retain heat more than other materials and the rocks can be buried in the sand and they will heat the sand to make a hot bed."))
(You sure about that Kyuubi?)
(( "Yes I am….get to it kit."))
Naruto waited as the fires cooked the rocks that he had placed in the fire as Temari was sitting nearby, trying to warm herself up as the cool ocean wind continued to blow. As the fires began to die down and their clothes were somewhat dry now, Naruto spread out the rocks and the embers and then piled up the sand on the rocks, making sure that the sand was thick enough to prevent the stones from burning them….as soon as the work was done…the blonde ninja felt the sand and smiled a bit…
(Looks like that suggestion you made worked Kyuubi….)
(("No problem….better get some rest kit….those rocks will keep the heat for hours and hours so you don't have to make a new one. You're going to need all the rest you can get."))
The blonde Genin agreed and after getting as comfortable as he can and Temari did likewise….they were very tired and some decent sleep was certainly something that they all needed and Temari had to admit that the heated sand and rocks was certainly worth the effort of doing at the moment. She sighed and so did Naruto as they both went to sleep.
The next day…
Naruto yawned as he got up from the mound of soft earth covered by leaves that he had slept on last night ever since they came to this island….the good news for him was that the rain from last night had stopped and the sun was slowly coming up. He looked at Temari and saw that she was still with him and was alive and safe. The blonde Jonin was sleeping nicely and the Konoha Genin was happy that she was all right. But then he heard his stomach growl a bit….telling him that he had not eaten for quite a while.
(Oh man…I wish I had some ramen right now.)
The Kyuubi then spoke to the blonde ninja.
(("Too bad kit, but we'll have to make due with the food we can find on the island….come on, time to go hunting."))
(What about Temari-san?)
(("She'll be fine Kit, plus the lady needs the rest at the moment….let's inventory the gear and see what we need for the hunting."))
Naruto then checked his gear and was happy that his shuriken and kunai were still with him, along with his scrolls, which he had stored in a special water proof pack that he had bought on a whim earlier as well. The blonde was happy that his gear was still with him and the Kyuubi also noted that and was also in a good mood as well.
(("Good…let's get going….we need to salvage what we can and hunt what we need for food…but first we need water sources to drink."))
(What about sea water?)
The Kyuubi shook it's head and replied.
(("Salt water is NOT drinkable kit….you'd waste away your kidneys and what's worse….the salt water won't quench your thirst, but make it even worse, and in a matter of hours, you'd be delirious and you'd do something very stupid."))
(Point taken…)
The pair moved out and Naruto was able to find a long pole of bamboo and used it as a make shift spear by using his kunai to sharpen the end of it into a spear point and he moved on and found himself near a large river that flowed into the sea that was close to where he and Temari were staying in at the moment and the Kyuubi informed him that there would be good sources of fish there in the water…he looked carefully and spotted schools of fish below and with his long bamboo spear managed to spear a number of fish….fresh fish while he was at it….it was then that his stomach growled at him. The blonde ninja could only sigh and shake his head and tried to ignore his stomach's growls and go back to catching some more fish, but it didn't take long for his hunger to finally win him over and he stopped and sat down near the fish that he had speared already.
(Damn….I am really hungry now….)
(("I know that….listen, time to get something in your stomach to shut that sound up for the time being….come on…grab one of the fish you have and eat it."))
(All right….but I don't know that I have enough energy to cook fish at the moment.)
(("You can eat the fish raw for the time being…"))
(WHAT?!)
(("Normally fish from the sea have to be cooked to prevent food poisoning….but fresh water fish are better….just wash off any mud and dirt, and then make sure that most of the water is not still there on the fish and you can eat it….trust me."))
(Oh all right….but if you're wrong….I'm seriously going to have words with you soon enough.)
Naruto took one of the fish that he had already speared and held the fish tightly and with that done, the blonde ninja washed the fish once more and as soon as he was sure that the dead fish was really clean and had no water left on it….he bit into it….the fish was a bit tough and the ninja had to really bite hard into the fish….but with hunger driving him on, the blonde ninja was finally able to bite through the scales and skin and bit a chunk off the fish….the guts fell out and Naruto chewed the meat and found the fresh fish to be rather tasty….he wasted no time and chewed the meat and swallowed it….and sure enough….his stomach's growls began to fade away and he felt a lot better….
(Man….I never knew that even a chunk of food can taste this good….even if it is raw.)
(("Good thing then…eat the fish and cook the rest later….you can't work on an empty stomach all the time….the human body can go for at least three weeks without food and you CAN live with just water, but if you don't get the protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, salts, and sugars you need….then you're body will begin to eat itself….and starvation and malnutrition sets in…and that's bad news already."))
(How do you know that stuff?)
(("Kit….I am a demon who's lived for over a thousand years…long before your kind ever walked this world. I might relish combat, slaughter, and battles, but even I get bored of that unless I get to face good foes. Besides…you're my host after all….I prefer you to be alive and breathing….because if you are alive….then so am I, and that's the way I like it."))
(Fair enough.)
Naruto ate the fish and consumed it all despite it being raw and soon, only the head and tail and bones were left, along with the guts….Naruto sighed as the food settled the growling in his stomach and he got the fish and used another long stick of bamboo and cut it into a short spear and used that to spear the fish and he went out to see if he could find more food. And it didn't take very long for Naruto to find a number of off looking plants that had sausage shaped parts on long stalks…
(What the heck are these?)
(("Those appear to be Cat Tails….this is good news….we can use those things very well."))
(How exactly?)
(("The upper portions are a great amount of dry cotton like fibers when you break them, those can make good fuel for making a fire, the stalks themselves are very strong and even be used as shafts for arrows when dried, you can even eat those as they are nutritious and healthy, and the roots are good sources of carbohydrates once the dirt and mud's washed off….this is a good find kit….grab a good number of those cat tails and let's head back to the camp we've got, there are other uses for this plant, though we'll get to that later. But we're going to need form flint first to make a fire….let's look at the beach or near the river….we might find us some flint here."))
Naruto looked about the river and then to the mouth near the sea and since the river was fairly calm and not too strong, the blonde was able to wade through the water and he grabbed a good draught of the water and felt more energy flow back into his body as the cool and fresh water filled his body. He then explored the river's sides and mouth and sure enough was able to find a piece of flint rock and he took that with him, he and the Kyuubi looked for anything else and found a number of banana trees and there were some fresh ripe bananas that the blonde ninja decided to take the fruit and the Kyuubi told him to take the leaves as those could prove useful…Naruto also took the bananas as he headed back to the camp. As soon as he made it back to the camp, he tore the sausage like parts of the cat tails and found the cotton like fibers and took out as much as he could find and placed them on the ground as he quickly made a fire pit for the time being and used nearby stones to shield the fire and with a good deal of drift wood with him at the moment…Naruto was finally able to get a very good fire going and the blonde had to admit that the sight of a very simple fire somehow filled him with a greater sense of peace and warmth as well as the breeze from the ocean came to the beach.
(("Not bad kit….these fish will certainly be a treat….but roasting them over the fire will not e a too good idea."))
(Huh? So how are we going to cook them?)
(("We're going to make a make-shift oven….here's the deal, find a hollow trunk of a tree and use the mud to cook the fish….place the mud inside and use the thick leaves to prevent the mud from mixing with the fish and cover the fish with more of the leaves on top and then place mud on top….once that's done, place fire wood and tinder on top to further cook the fish.")
(Why do all that?)
(("Simple kit….cooking the fish over an open flame is all right, but if you want the taste of the fish to be in the meat, then you make this oven. The result of doing that will keep the moisture, and oils in the fish so it will still be tasty and fresh to eat…now let's get to it."))
The blonde ninja went to work and found a pair of logs that he was able to split open with his kunai and he carved out the inside and as soon as he was told by the Kyuubi that it was enough, the blonde then headed to the river and gathered some of the mud there from the edges of the river and when he came back there to the camp he placed the thick and strong mud into the grooves and then took the thick banana leaves that he had found and cut them….he placed the four fish into the ovens and then placed another set of banana leaves on top and he placed more mud.
Naruto looked at the fires and the two ovens that he had crafted….following the advice given to him by the Kyuubi, he placed the wooden ovens into the fire and covered the tops with more of the cat tail fibers and wood and as soon as that was done, the two headed out and aimed to climb up the nearby coconut trees to get to the green coconuts that were better than the ones that had already fallen to the ground as the green ones had better stores of water and the edible coconut flesh in them was much better as well. Naruto decided to use his Kage Bushin for the task and soon an army of Naruto's trade mark Kage Bushin were on their way up several coconut bunches and the ones on the trees cut down the coconuts while the others gathered the fallen coconuts and as soon as that was done for the day….Naruto then headed back to the camp and that was when he took the ovens he made out of the fires and he peeled off the leaves and he gave a slight curse as he burned his hands a bit but as soon as he removed the leaves and the upper mud….he was greeted by the smell of freshly cooked fish and he saw that the eyeballs were out on all four fish…and the Kyuubi told him that the fish was properly cooked through that sight….Naruto then opened up the coconuts he had gathered and as soon as he was sure that the food was ready….he turned and was about to wave up Temari….but the blonde Jonin had awakened just as he was about to go into their camp and wake her up…she rubbed her hands on her eyes to get rid of the sleepiness she was still feeling at the moment and she spoke.
"What is it…."
Naruto was about to reply when his eyes were suddenly aimed at Temari's exposed shoulders as her clothes had been loosened somewhat when she was sleeping, and that allowed her shoulders to be seen….as well as her upper breasts. Naruto gulped and he felt a faint blush coming on….however, that was when Temari noticed his staring and she responded with a shout.
"Hey!"
Naruto shook his head and realized that she had caught him staring at her un a very different fashion and she was NOT happy, he quickly looked at the angry Jonin and tried to say something but his mouth wasn't cooperating at the moment and his eyes seemed to stray despite his best intentions and his planning to stop them from looking any further….however…
Temari glared at Naruto and lashed out with a growl and a punch that hit Naruto on the cheek….Naruto was hit and he quickly backed away and the blonde Jonin spoke to him with a glare as she fixed her clothes.
"You pervert!"
Naruto looked at Temari and spoke back…
"It was an accident Temari-san!"
Temari then replied as she got out of the camp…
"Then the least you could have done was turn away and let me fix my clothes! Geez….just the one thing I didn't want to be doing at this time of the day…"
Naruto rubbed his cheek a bit and looked at Temari as she was still glaring at him and he didn't get mad….after all he did stare at her perversely for a few seconds and she reacted in a very normal fashion in that case. He felt the pain in his cheek fade away for the time being and he got up and spoke once more.
"I'm sorry Temari-san, and I mean that okay?"
Temari looked at Naruto and saw that he meant those words and she couldn't help but feel a bit bad….he deserved the punch for looking at her that way, but it was truthfully an accident and Naruto was not being intentional about the whole thing at the moment.
"All right….I accept the apology….you did help me out when those prates attacked the ship…and I guess we're going to be working together for a while Naruto-san…but just where are we at the moment?"
"I'm not all that sure just yet Temari-san….all I know is that we're on a very large island for the time being…."
"I see…hey….that stuff smells great….is that fish?"
Naruto nodded and allowed Temari to see the food he had been able to collect while she was still sleeping in their camp at the moment. As soon as Temari was told that Naruto had woken up early to find their food for break-fast it made her feel a bit more guilty for slugging him in the face for all his trouble.
"I guess I need to thank you for what you've done while I was sleeping Naruto-san….thank you…"
"No problem Temari-san…we should eat for the time being before the food gets cold….nothing's worse than cold food."
Temari nodded and the two of them decided to have a good meal and the two enjoyed the cooked fish as the ovens that Naruto made were able to preserve the oils and fluids of the fish and those cooked well and seeped into the meat of the fish and that was very much welcomed by the two as the meat was very delicious at this point, as they finished the first half of the fish, they tried the cat tail roots, the two found the roots of the plants to be very delicious and also good in carbohydrates, they also ate the bananas and the blonde Jonin admitted that this was the first time for her to try eating fish in this fashion….surprising Naruto a bit.
"You've never had fish like this before Temari-san?"
"Not really….that's why I look forward to eating at times in Konoha as they have access to some food items that are hard to find in Suna…we do live in a desert world and having fresh fish is a bit hard to have at times."
"I see….say….have you ever tried ramen before?"
"No….I don't think so."
"You want to try some when we make it back to Konoha, The Ichiraku Ramen Stand's got the best ramen in all of Konoha, and I should know that for a very serious fact as well."
Temari noted that and from what she knew of Naruto from her time in the village, he would usually be found there in front of the ramen stand when the normal times for break-fast, lunch, and dinner were on and she was amazed at what she had heard about the blonde's appetite when it involved ramen. Shikamaru would tell her about how Naruto could inhale bowl after bowl of ramen like a vortex and amazingly not become fat at all from all the ramen he had eaten in his growing up years.
"I'll keep that in mind."
As they finished the food they had….the two decided to explore the island to see just what sort of resources and material they had to work with while they were on the island. Naruto released his Kage Bushin to scour one side of the island while Temari did the other side of the island while being escorted by a pair of Kage Bushin. It still amazed Temari that Naruto had the stamina and energy to make an army of clones with so little effort. She had seen him use the Kage Bushin to face many foes….the one named Kiba and his pet dog Akamaru, then the battle with the Hyuuga Clan member named Neji, who was considered as a genius of the Hyuuga Clan's fighting style, and most of all….his use of Kage Bushin to defeat her little brother Gaara even when Gaara was using his full power to defeat him and Sasuke.
She recalled how Naruto revealed to her, Sakura, and Kakashi that like her little brother Gaara, he too carried a demon inside of him, and not just any demon, but the demon king, the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Temari was very familiar with lore and knew that the Kyuubi was considered as the ultimate bijuu, out shining the Shukaku and all others in raw power…and she knew that the Kyuubi was somehow defeated by the ninja of Konoha with heavy losses, including the death of the famed ninja and the youngest Hokage they had, Konoha's Yellow Flash and was never seen again anywhere else….though the details never came to light. However…when she learned from Naruto that he was the one who contained the Kyuubi, she was shocked and surprised that the one who defeated her little brother and changed him….was the same as he was.
She couldn't believe at first that the blonde Genin who was like a loudmouth, a goofball, and a shrimp before was actually the same as her brother, he didn't show it at first and despite the present fox whisker like marks on his face, she thought nothing of it. There should have been indicators that gave it away, such as his fierce determination and temper, and his hidden skills and untamable will, but the real indicator should have been the red chakra he used when he fought that Hyuuga Clan member in the tournament….she had felt something in the air when that happened but thought little of the sensation. But hearing Naruto's words on how others treated people like Gaara and him….seeing them as nothing more than monsters and how it angered him and then….the tear from his face that hit her cheek told her that he did know more than he let on about how it felt to be a Jinchuuriki.
She thought about it and began to ask the questions that she knew that she would soon ask him. What made him live out his life even with the fact that his village saw him as a demon? How did he keep going? Who were the people he cared about? Who guided him? There were so many questions that she wanted to ask him as to how he had been able to change her brother and how had he managed to live his life in Konoha without becoming like Gaara in the past. Gaara had changed all for the better because of Naruto and it made her all the more curious about the blonde Genin that she was with at the time. For now she decided to have those questions at a much better time as she needed to focus on exploring the island.
The two were able to determine that the island was very large and there were a number of things that they were able to find that would prove to be very helpful for them at the moment. There were several small springs of fresh water and the sand on the island was actually able to hold water well unlike normal sand and the soil inland was good for a large number of trees and plants. There were also animal tracks and there were a good number of the tracks as well. They explore further and then Temari found a few old ships that ran aground on the rocky and jagged side of the island. One such ship was very large….almost the same as their ship….she and the real Naruto and the Kage Bushin explored the wrecks and the large one turned out to be a ship that carried animals and livestock….which could explain the animal tracks on the island.
The other ships were also carrying a number of items which were still useful for the two of them…..there were some still good conditioned tool boxes that were left there….and the tools inside were still useable for them, some old hammers, chisels, a pair of still sharp and un-rusted saws, and packs of nails that were apparently stored in containers that were well sealed and protected the nails from the water and wind to prevent rust. There were other things as well….some fishing nets that they could use at the moment, old coils of strong rope, some plastic, a few cups and large metal pails that were still good to use, some old spools of fishing line, a large number of old pins that were still clean of rust, and to the combined relief of both ninja….there were some medical kits on the ship's captain's area….and the kits were still intact as they were in well made containers and were filled with salves, bandages, ointments, and more, perfect for dealing with any injuries that they might suffer while they were on the island for the time being….there were a treasure trove of the supplies and the Kyuubi told Naruto that these supplies would be the key to survival while they were there on the island for the time being. But for now they would need to see what else they could find before they came back to get these materials for them to use later on while they were on the island, more exploration had to be done and more sources of food and water had to be found, along with shelter..
They then entered the island and found it to have several areas there were jungle, there were also marshes there as well….making the island appear to be a multiple environment location and that was a good thing for the two ninjas….they found some bamboo and decided to see if they could use the bamboo for their purposes, but the Kyuubi first told Naruto to tap the bamboo with his kunai. The blonde was confused at first but did so and heard a sound in the stem of the bamboo and the Kyuubi told him to cut into the stem and when he did so….there was fresh water that came out and Naruto took a drink and the water was cool, clean, but with a distinct sweet taste that was not the same as the coconut's water, but was not bad at all.
As soon as he had his fill, he decided to let Temari try some of the water from a different bamboo tree and she drank the water they found as well….apparently the rain that came to the island was taken in by the bamboo as well as the water already on the island, the water was then purified by the bamboo and stored there, and therefore they now found that the bamboo would be perfect for many things at the moment. They found themselves a nice area near the tree line and the beach and near a large spring that was fed by a nearby river of cool water and it was there that they rested for the time being as it was still morning and the heat was growing for the moment. As they rested….Temari decided to snooze for a bit and lay on the sand with the covering of a large coconut tree above her to shield her from the sun and before she rested, she spoke to Naruto.
"You know….this place isn't so bad."
"Yeah…makes me wonder why no one made a home here."
"I need to rest for the time being….we'll hunt lunch later so wake me before you do."
"All right."
Temari was tired and went to sleep, allowing Naruto the time to relax a bit as well and he took it as he looked at ocean beyond and he wondered just how the crew of the ship were doing at the moment….the pirates had done a number on the ship before he and Temari fought them off and he hoped the people onboard would be all right, plus he hoped that they would make it back to the mainland and some would spread the news about the attack as well as he and Temari being among the missing on the ship when the explosion occurred that severely damaged the ship at that time. He then looked at the resting blonde woman before him and thought about how long it had been.
Sure they had met again when he had gotten back to Konoha after his long training journey with the Pervy Sage and there was the time that he and Sakura, as well as Kakashi had traveled with Temari when they had gone to rescue Gaara from Akatsuki but that was about it and it was only on this mission that he was able to meet Temari again. This also allowed him to notice how much she had grown up in the past years when he last saw her when they went to rescue Gaara's student Matsuri from the ninja that tried to siphon chakra off Gaara and Shukaku to bring back that Seimei character.
He had to freely admit that Temari had certainly changed since they had last met and she was still as tall as ever though he was equal to her height now or maybe taller by a few inches. He had to admit that she was rather attractive despite her temper at times and he couldn't help but notice how peaceful she looked when she slept….and how calm she looked at the moment as she rested. He studied her face and noted the soft lines there, though he knew for a fact she could be as tough, strong, serious, and crude at times, and had an overbearing nature, and loved to speak her mind when she wanted to. But she did have a caring side at least, and showed great concern or her friends and family and she was actually the peace loving type….which in his mind was a bit at odds with her talents and abilities, being in par with his buddy Shikamaru.
He was rather curious why the two of them never got along, in fact, he thought of them to be a very good couple…however, as he stared at her and watched her….he began to think about that time he had a dream of seeing several women wearing nothing but towels and she was….
(Augh….I don't need that at the moment….)
The Kyuubi however chuckled lightly at that as it remained in the cage of Naruto's mind and the demon fox decided to tease it's container just a bit.
(( "Thinking about that wet dream of yours again kit….you naughty boy, I think the Perverted old hermit is beginning to rub off on you….though I have to admit that WAS a very interesting wet dream you had….who knew a guy like you could…."))
(Shut up Kyuubi! You're one perverted fox, you know that?)
(("I'M perverted?! Hah! Says the guy who's wet dream included the female Hokage, her assistant, that white eyed Hyuuga girl, the pinked haired babe of a team member, the blonde woman with the ability to switch minds with another person, the former apprentice of the snake bastard, the red eyed babe who's the teacher of the white eyed Hyuuga lady, the lady who cooks ramen for you, the girl with the buns on the head and hangs out with a white eyed male Jonin, the devoted student of your best friend who used to house the Shukaku, the young girl with the orange hair….and of course….the big sister of your best friend….who happens to be right here…"))
(Damn you…)
The Kyuubi laughed a bit more and then replied.
(("Though I have to admit that at least you had a dream like that, I'd be seriously worried if you didn't have it. And at least you're with someone you already know….I wouldn't know how you would react if you were with a complete stranger on this island. And it certainly helps that she's a good looking babe…"))
(Geez…oh well, I can agree with you at some points there.)
(("Heh….at least you've gotten that right….come on….let's wake her up and get moving, there's a lot of work that we need to do and the sooner we get all that work done, then we're all better off at the moment.."))
(Right….now how do I wake her up gently so she doesn't either punch me or clonk me on the head with that fan of hers?)
(("Sorry Kit, that YOUR problem, but relax, I can heal you if you get either a swollen lip of a cracked head remember?"))
Naruto replied sarcastically at that.
(Thanks a lot…)
Naruto managed to avoid both as he gently nudged Temari and her own ninja trained senses woke her up and as she was felling better, the two of them decided to hurry up and get to work….they had a LOT to do after and now was the right time to do it all in the time. They hunted what food they could find and both Naruto and Temari gathered some Cat Tails, and the found some more banana trees and still fresh bananas, there were also some wild melons there as well….and those were large ones too. The two looked and spotted some wild chickens and amazingly enough….some wild sheep and a few rabbits as well. The two decided to hunt the food before them and hours later…managed to kill one sheep and two rabbits as well as a chicken, they then located a good place to eat and they started a fire with Naruto's kunai and the flint he had after gathering some dry leaves and wood, after they got the meat, they spent some time to skin the sheep, the two rabbits and then de-feathered the chicken. They then went back to get the fruit and had a very good feast for lunch after all the meat was properly cooked and the cat Tails were properly cleaned and used….they ate the well cooked meat and then the fruits and then the Cat Tails' roots and stems while keeping the inner cotton like fibers as spare kindling…
"Man I am full…."
Temari couldn't help but snicker at the comical wayNaruto was acting and the two began to relax and Temari had to admit that she was lucky that she was with someone who can actually make her laugh for the time being and she didn't like the idea if she had been on the island all by herself….she would have had a very hard time adapting to the place without anyone to talk to at the moment.