Choose your own Naruto Adventure- Team Kakashi it is
From Create Your Own Story
You decide that you want to stick closer to Kakashi's team.
"I think I'll go with you guys in the front..." You say.
Naruto grins at you.
"But there's a teeny little problem..." You laugh nervously.
"What's wrong, Kimiko-chan?" Naruto asks.
"As much as I hate to admit it...Neji was right before..." Neji shifts around and seems to be interested in what you have to say.
"I am not a ninja, I won't be able to keep up with you..." You grudgingly admit.
"Hmmm...that is a problem..." Kakashi admits as the others just look on in silent observation.
"I know!" Naruto yells out all of a sudden.
"Yes, Naruto?" Kakashi responds almost lazily.
'Why do I have a bad feeling about this...' you think to yourself.
"I can carry Kimiko-chan on my back! That way we aren't slowed down, dattebayo!"
Your eyebrow twitches.
The other girls are trying not to laugh and it almost looks like Neji feels sorry for you. Almost.
"That's the spirit Naruto! Challenge yourself!" Lee cheers.
"So youthful..." Gai smiles.
"Neji!" Lee runs up to his team-mate. "Perhaps I can do the same for you?"
Neji stiffens. "No."
"Tenten?"
"No way, Lee. Besides I can keep up just fine."
"Lee, I encourage your enthusiasm!" Gai flashes Lee a glitzy smile and a thumbs up.
You start taking a few steps back.
"Come on now I-I'm sure we could come up with an alternati-" You are interrupted when Naruto hoists you onto his back and starts running and leaping away, everyone else had set out themselves and all you can do is hold onto the blonde-haired ninja's shoulders to keep yourself from falling off.
You are amazed at how fast Naruto is able to travel considering the extra baggage he is carrying.
You risk a look back, Gai's team is keeping about 5 to 7 meters distance...it is hard to tell.
You can feel Naruto tense up.
"Naruto-kun?"
"Gaara..." You hear him say.
Kakashi, Temari and Sakura are close enough to hear him too.
"I can't stand it!"
You know what's coming.
"The Akatsuki, I know why they are after Gaara and me..."
"You still don't know...Do you Sakura-chan?" Naruto continues. "Inside of me...is sealed the demon fox Kyuubi..."
Silence.
"Me and Gaara...because we have monsters in us, that's what they're after! That's what I can't stand! Just seeing us as monsters, I cant stand them looking at us in whatever way they like! Gaara and I...we are exactly the same..."
You really feel for Naruto right now, regardless of any ridiculing you might have done back in the day.
"He was always fighting...and he was lonelier than I was...he is being targeted by Akatsuki...Just like I was before! But...Why is it always him! Why does he alone have to suffer! Why is it always he alone?!"
You wrap your arms around Naruto just a little more, and bury your face in his back, just like when you'd read the manga chapter, when you had seen the episode, you had so desperately wanted to comfort him...and now you are here, but you find yourself at a loss...there is nothing you can possibly do or say to take away so much hurt.
"That's why...That's why I won't just sit around and ask 'why'! I will stop the Akatsuki from taking Gaara!" Naruto is crying, you can tell.
The other team had likely not heard a thing.
'Naruto...' you think to yourself.
You must have dozed off at some point because you are being shaken awake by Sakura, "Kimiko-san?" She has her hand on your shoulder.
"Sakura-san?" You say sleepily.
"Kimiko-san you can...let go of Naruto now..." Sakura tells you.
You then realize you are still clinging to Naruto's back.
"Ah!" You jump back, stumble but are able to maintain your balance.
"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, I didn't realize...I hope I wasn't too much of a burden..." You laugh nervously.
"That's alright, Kimiko-chan, you are much lighter than you look." Naruto responds.
"Thanks, I think." You respond and look to the sky. "Wow...dark already..."
"Kimiko-san." Sakura approaches you. "We are setting up camp here and..." She pauses as she gets a good look at you.
"What's wrong?" You ask.
"Eh, there's a spring nearby, you should be able to get a look at your reflection there..." She tells you.
"Okay..." You walk over to the place Sakura indicated, kneel by the water and lean over to get a look at your reflection.
It is the first time you actually get a chance to check out what exactly it is you look like in the Naruto world, but you don't have a lot of time to dwell on that when you catch sight of your hair.
"Gah!!!" Your hair is going off in every possible direction and to make it worse it has twigs and leaves tangled through it. You hastily start yanking the offensive material out, maybe a little too hard.
"Itai..." You groan.
"Having some trouble?" A girl's voice asks.
You turn around to see Temari observing you with a flat expression.
"Just a little." You admit and return to...grooming yourself.
A second pair of hands join yours and glancing from the corner of your eye you see Temari helping you.
"I'm sorry..." You whisper.
She remains silent.
"You could be travelling so much faster if it wasn't for-"
"Stop apologizing, it's annoying." Temari snaps, but softens her tone as she continues, "If you are able to prevent Gaara from getting hurt...that's all that matters..."
You remain silent as she plucks the last twig from your hair.
"Besides...I don't think we would have been able to get any further than we did today anyway, with or without you." She adds.
"Thank you..." You respond as you finger-comb your hair.
You return to 'camp' and see everyone busy making various preparations...well, sort of...Kakashi is reading his book while Gai is trying to challenge him, Naruto is poking around the fire with a stick, Lee is trying to outdo Neji in whatever he is doing and the only people who seemed to be getting anything done are the two girls Sakura and Tenten.
"Need some help?" You offer.
"God, yes!" Tenten exclaims.
So you along with Temari help out and eventually, everyone is gathered around the campfire.
An uneasy silence settles around you.
"So, Kimiko." Kakashi starts. "Perhaps you could tell us more about our opponents?"
You nod, "Of course...you should know that there are two Akatsuki members who will be attempting to kidnap Gaara..."
And you begin explaining about Sasori and Deidara, their various abilities and their intentions towards the Jinchuriki.
Naruto tenses.
"Kimiko...I know Tsunade instructed us not to ask but...how could you come by such information?" Neji inquires.
All eyes are on you.
"I...have my sources." You reply carefully.
"I just find it hard to believe that a person who is not even a ninja could be capable of possessing such dangerous knowledge and not be targeted by the Akatsuki..." Neji continues.
"Well, they can't target me if they don't know..." You respond.
"I must admit, I am curious as well..." Kakashi adds. "But...if it's the truth, where you got your information from does not really matter. He smiles...well, you think he's smiling, he has the 'happy eyes' so you assume he is.
"Is there anything more you can tell us?" Temari asks.
"Yes...I...have reason to believe that someone within in the Sand Village is an Akatsuki agent..." You continue.
"What?!" Temari is stunned.
You proceed to explain the matter, careful to present what you know as 'proposed theories'.
"Anything else?" Gai wants to know.
"No...that is all."
"Let's call it a night then...we head out early tomorrow." Kakashi tucks his book away.
Having gotten a 'nap' earlier, you aren't feeling too tired, so you have time to think and reflect on what has happened to you so far...and you can't help but wonder...should you continue to stay on the path of the good...or feed your inner (metaphoric) demon and perhaps consider helping the Akatsuki...after all...you have information they might be interested in themselves.
Two days of travel go by, during which the others warm up to you a little more. Lee and Naruto take it upon themselves to teach you some taijutsu during your breaks, it helps that you know some basic self-defense prior to this, but not much. Even Neji gives you a couple of pointers. Tenten shows you how to properly handle kunai and shuriken, while Sakura lectures you on the code of the ninja. You find the whole experience very exciting and take everything in with enthusiasm, you have made some astounding progress by the end of the two days. Even Temari had joined in by teaching you some basic meditation exercises that eventually allows you to mould chakra. Even the senseis have to admit that if you keep at it, you could potentially become a decent ninja...or at least skilled enough to stay alive longer than a month.
After those two days, you arrive at the village...and it is time to face the music.
