Chapter 8 - Konoha's "Dragon Boy"

Sakura finished getting dressed for the day, taking up a playful pose and wink while seeing how she looked in the mirror. She leapt back with a shriek as she saw Naruto’s Sexy Jutsu as her reflection. It took her a minute to calm down. Even when she was thinking clearly again, her body still shook a little bit.
That dream I had…maybe it meant nothing. I mean, I just broke up with Sasuke, dreaming about a hot guy hugging me is perfectly normal, right? Sure, the ending was a little violent, but it doesn’t have to mean anything. Me, in love, with Naruto? Some things just aren’t possible…Come on! Damnit, I KNOW my subconscious is playing tricks on me! Naruto is the complete opposite of Sasuke! Therefore, that makes him desirable at the moment, but in the future, no way! This is just a “rebound thing, it HAS to be!” Sakura’s thoughts were borderline desperate at the end. She didn’t WANT to be in love with Naruto. But what if it was true?


Ekyt let go of Ebisu’s collar in surprise.
“What? Seriously? I’m in? Without a team?” Ekyt stammered, guessing that he sounded incredibly stupid about now.
Tsunade roller her eyes. “And they wonder why I haven’t gotten married…men are either perverts or dumbasses…Yes, you’re in. You HAVE a team, they just happen to be ineligible, through no fault of your own.” Tsunade shrugged and gave her hair a push aside. “Certainly YOU won’t argue it, right?”
Ekyt shook his head. “No, of course not, it just kind of caught me offguard…”

Lee came barreling into the bar, his girlfriend, Linda, in tow.
“I am a jonin!” Lee cried loudly. Beside him, Linda kissed him on the cheek. Then her gaze fell on Ekyt.
“Come on, Lee, let’s go celebrate somewhere more clean…” Linda glared at Ekyt. Ekyt was ready with a snappy comeback.
“So, Linda, do you ever plan on doing anything besides insulting me and being his arm piece? (No offense, Lee, Ekyt muttered) I mean, I know you like to be easy…oh, damn, I mean, I know you like it easy, and I’m SURE you work hard for your money…”
At the insinuation of being called a prositute, Linda shouted her reply.
“You little, filthy bastard! How DARE you accuse me of that! You had your eyes on me yourself once!”
“Yeah, then I opened them,” Ekyt replied dryly.
“ENOUGH! Linda, Ekyt, cut it out. You are both mature genin, can’t you bury the hatchet?”
“In his pointed head, Lady Tsunade!” Linda replied, sticking her tongue out at Ekyt.
“Linda…for once, forget about insulting me,” Ekyt began, pointing at Lee, “He just got a huge honor. Instead of crapping on MY honor, shouldn’t you be extolling his?”
Lee had tears running down his eyes. “Thank you…it is all thanks to Guy-sensei, and to you! I could not have done it without a sparring partner!”
To Ekyt’s chagrin, Lee hugged him, tears streaming down his eyes. He had seen these strange scenes between Lee and Guy, and really didn’t think he wanted any part of it. This confirmed that thought. As happy as he was for Lee, Ekyt really didn’t like being hugged like this.

Linda, of course, couldn’t pass this up.
“Hey, Ekyt, don’t steal my boyfriend! Get your own!” she said with a nasty smirk.
Lee let go of Ekyt, mercifully. Also mercifully for Linda, Ekyt was immediately restrained by the newly-arrived Naruto and Sakura.
“Ekyt does not have an interest in me that way!”
“You got THAT right!” Ekyt agreed.
“Otherwise, he would not be called the ‘pervy samurai!’ for his habit of spying on bathing women!” Lee finished, hitting his “nice guy” pose.
“Damn rig-” Ekyt (insert sweatdrop) here. “THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT! I AM NOT A PERVERT!”
Naruto couldn’t pass up the bait. “Ninja Centerfold Jutsu!”
The ten naked girls that created Ekyt’s nosebleed both saved and destroyed Ekyt’s reputation. So, he was a pervert, but not “interested” in Lee.
Sakura giggled at the outcome. Ekyt had landed across three bar stools, a bowl of ramen across his face. Tsunade woke him up, where he was then forced to pay for the bloodstains that had come from his nasal appendage.
But Sakura’s glee quickly faded. But Naruto…am I really…seriously interested in him that way? Ah, this is gonna drive me nuts!


Kiba, Hinata, and Shino waited patiently for Kurenai to show up and give them a mission. They’d been run ragged with the string of C and B ranks. This mission, they were told, was A-ranked, in addition to being weird. They were taking turns comparing ideas as they sat under a large oak tree, relaxing comfortably in the shade it created.
“Weird? That could mean ANYTHING around here! Hope it’s at least a challenge!” Kiba’s commentary was full of assurance.
“Weird is open to interpretation.” This, coming from Shino, was ironic, because he was definitely weird in his own way.
“I-I hope it’s not an emergency,” came quiet little Hinata’s voice.
After a few more minutes, Kurenai landed in front of them.
“Good, you’re all here. Our mission is…strange, and it’s star is Akamaru. Apparently, there’s a spy in the village, working for the Village Hidden in the Mist. He was almost caught, but managed to escape and switch disguises. His attacker, however, managed to grab this.” Kurenai held up a shred of fabric.
“So what do we have to do?” Kiba asked cockily, scratching Akamaru on the head.
“Well, to use Lady Tsunade’s…delicate phrase, we need Akamaru to “piss on the spy” once we find him or her. We know he or she is in the village and”
“He.” Kiba spoke after taking a whiff of the fabric. “Definitely a ‘he’.”
Akamaru took a sniff at the fabric, recoiled in disgust, then barked and started to run.
“Hey, Akamaru’s got the scent! C’mon!”




“So, you’re finally getting to take the chunin exams? That’s great!” Naruto exclaimed.
“Good for you! It’s about time! You should have been a chunin before most of us!” Sakura added.
Ekyt thanked her and Naruto, but remained troubled, it seemed. Finally, he voiced his concern.
“Do you mind if I showed you what Master Jiraiya taught me? I haven’t quite got it yet, and since it’s similar to Rasengan in a way (Naruto), and needs really good chakra control (Sakura), maybe you can tell me where I’m going wrong…”
“Sure, okay!” Naruto was interested in this new technique.
“Alright, whenever you’re ready!” Sakura said cheerfully, glad that Ekyt was actually talking about what was wrong.


After Ino had stormed out of the hospital, she had decided to seek out Asuma-sensei. Predictably, he was at home, playing ‘Go’ with Shikamaru and smoking like a chimney. He invited her in and offered her tea. She took it with a nod of thanks.
Shikamaru glanced over at her. “You’re looking happy about something, Ino. Not that I care or anything, but I guess I should ask why…” Troublesome woman…
“I told Sasuke off. I told him what a bastard he was…well, ha ha, okay, I didn’t use THAT term. But I told him he was being a dick, and he was that way because it was his nature, not because of what happened to him.”
Asuma had returned and set tea in front of each of them. “Now, something’s on your mind, Ino. I’ve never seen you this happy, aside from when you’ve one-upped Sakura or lost another pound.”
Ino’s eye quivered dangerously, but she laughed it off. “Well, I’m just wondering, sensei, when will I be getting an assignment? I mean, I’ve enjoyed my time doing nothing, but I want some work. Shikamaru’s got a job at the academy, and Choji’s figured out some super pill-making deal. I’m just wondering where I’ll be assigned to.”
Asuma sat back, lighting up. “Is that all? Well, that’s largely up to you, Ino. You’ve got to figure out what your strength is and play to it.” Asuma exhaled.
Ino reached forward and grabbed a cigarette for herself. Asuma didn’t protest, most likely due to how surprised he was.
“That’s just it, sensei. I don’t HAVE a strength. I don’t have the personality for medical jutsu, and my best skill is worthless in combat without my teammates. I don’t know what to with myself.” Ino took a long drag off the cigarette. She HATED it, but at least it was something to do.
“If you don’t have a strength, Ino, you create one.”
These were words that Ino would take to heart in the coming days as she searched for her niche.

Ekyt picked out a tree. Rapidly he made handsigns:
“Fire Release: Dragon’s Circle!” he called. Fire sprang up in his hand. It was the size of a softball, but had the destructive power of a forest fire.
Ekyt ran toward the tree, leapt up high, and thrust his hand down. A branch fell to the ground, charred. Ekyt landed on it, stomping out the flame, then leapt again. The fire rolled down his body to the top of his foot. Ekyt kicked a second limb, this one too fell to the ground. Finally, Ekyt tried to transfer the fire to the bottom of his foot. It was a difficult place to focus chakra too, and this jutsu was no different. Ekyt felt the fire, so he began to uncoil for his sidekick. Then, the flame died down. Ekyt kicked the tree, knocking the branch off, but it didn’t burst into flames as the others had.
Ekyt looked at the branch, but shrugged it off. “Crap, I was hoping I would get it that time. Naruto, could you and a clone help me with one other jutsu? Sakura, if you wouldn’t mind, this might…injure me…”
Both nodded their agreement, despite their apprehension that Ekyt seemed certain this would end up with him in pain.
“Alright, first I’ve got to access that chakra…okay…Emotional Chakra: Activation!” he called. Pain immediately sprang up in his face. This chakra went against the body’s system, causing the user tremendous pain. It was an inadvertent discovery of Ekyt’s, and apparently a kekkaigenkai, as no Sharingan had been able to duplicate it.
“Okay! Naruto, have your clone kick the tree!”
“It’s too thick! It’ll never break!” Naruto protested.
“That’s the point! Trust me!” Ekyt said around the pain.
“Okay, if you say so! Shadow Clone Jutsu!”
The Naruto clone reared back and kicked the tree. Just before his foot made contact, Ekyt grabbed the clone’s arm and called the jutsu:
“Voluntary Pain Acceptance Jutsu!”
As the clone’s foot smashed against the tree, Naruto and Sakura waited for the clone to disappear. But, unlike every other time it had sustained injury, it didn’t. The reason was quickly found. Ekyt was holding his own foot. Beneath his black gi pants, a read patch of blood was growing in size.
Sakura took her cue and knelt down next to Ekyt’s leg. Naruto ended the clone jutsu.
“It’s a protection jutsu. I can take away up to half the pain a person would feel in an attack, and I would sustain their injury instead,” Ekyt explained.
“Why would you WANT to?” Naruto asked in surprise.
Ekyt looked up, an old pain etched in his eyes. “Someone once told me…if something is important enough to you, you FIND the strength to defend it, no matter what. If accepting pain is what the village needs to survive, I’ll take it. My emotional chakra can heal my wounds, but I’m not quite that far along with my medical jutsu yet.”


Tsunade smiled at Shizune.
“That’s one wrong righted. I can’t wait ‘till the kid is a chunin! I’ve got a mission I’m saving especially for him.”
Shizune seemed thrilled herself. “Oh, really? What mission is that, Lady Tsunade?”
“A new member for Team Kakashi.”
Shizune’s face became a mask of worry.
“Oh. Oh…you mean…”
“That’s right. Him. Ekyt can work with anyone, he’ll get the kid in shape in no time.”
“It’s not that one I’m worried about. It’s how Naruto and Sakura will take to having him on their team. I mean, he doesn’t really have people skills…or any knowledge of them, for that matter…”
Tsunade waved a hand dismissively. “You worry too much Shizune. It’ll work out, trust me.”
Shizune smiled and nodded. Trust you? Lady Tsunade is completely drunk right now…I’ll trust her when she’s sober…
“For now, I’m debating whether or not to tell Kakashi first, give him a crack at the guy. I think it would prove more…entertaining…to let Ekyt try his hand. Besides, he’s got to learn sometime…Shizune, I want you to send a message to all the senseis. Their teams are to be made available, one member at a time, to help train Ekyt. And the sensei’s too, I want to see how he handles sparring a jonin.”
“He’s sparred me, and let me say, he’s-” Ebisu began, but was cut off.
“Let ME say that I don’t know how YOU got to be Tokubetsu jonin. I’ve heard the stories, Ebisu. If a genin with a broken leg almost beat you, I have to wonder: is jonin the best spot for you?”
Tsunade wasn’t going to demote him. But he was such an irritating prick that the thought of scaring him was a happy one for her.


“I can help you there.”
Ekyt, Sakura, and Naruto leapt to attention at the voice. They had heard it more often than they liked. Every time this voice intersected with their lives, there were major problems.
“You again?!” Naruto snarled, balling his hands into fists.
“What do you want THIS time?!” Sakura growled, taking up a guard.
Ekyt stood up, stepping to the front. He looked their intruder up and down, nodded to himself, then spoke:
“Kabuto? Well, it’s been a while,” Ekyt said pleasantly.
“It has. Since the chunin exams where I destroyed your chakra coils. I see they’re fixed.” Kabuto paused, then indicated the tree limbs Ekyt had destroyed. “That was an impressive little display. And I couldn’t help overhearing your complaint about your medical jutsu skills. I can help.” Kabuto adjusted his glasses, smiling in that strange, unnerving way of his.
“And why should I trust you?” Ekyt asked back, equally polite.
Kabuto smirked knowingly. “You have the most talented medic-nin, aside from Tsunade, on your side. Her skills are on par with my own, and you know just how powerful I am, false modesty aside. She’ll tell you this is a real jutsu. I’ll even use it on myself to prove it.” Kabuto pricked his palm with a kunai.
“Autonomous Cell Regeneration!” Kabuto’s hand began to heal before the three Leaf Villager’s eyes.
“It…it’s a real jutsu…” Sakura stammered in wonder. “It’s very complex…”
Kabuto smiled. “Well, my time here is up. I have to be getting back to Orochimaru and telling him that the “Dragon Boy” is progressing.”
“ ‘Dragon Boy?’” Ekyt called. Kabuto’s fading voice answered:
“You’re getting quite the reputation…and a name to go with it…”


Temari fixed her hair just so. She had ALWAYS cared about how she looked, that was part of a kunoichi’s job. To charm boys into doing their bidding. In her case, Temari, beneath her rough personality, was still a girl. She cared about her looks, and enjoyed the attention boys bestowed upon her. Now, for the first time, she had her eyes set on a boy that she DIDN’T plan on using.


Kimimaro walked around the village, trying to read how people were receiving him. Odd stares, quick glances, avoidance…Not very well…It will take time, I suppose. I can’t say I understand them, or their thought process. My cousin could explain…Temari could as well…she seems so steadfast in her beliefs…she’s the more confident of my teammates, although slightly less approachable. Is that due to her past? Or is my cousin’s mystery tricking me into thinking she’s easier to approach…or is there another option? She has been welcoming to me, more so than any others, male or female…


Neji walked into the warehouse chosen as the battle site.
“Hello Neji,” came the stern voice of Hiashi Hyuga.
Neji nodded to him. “Hiashi.”
“We have both used fate as a scapegoat long enough for our family problems. Neji, I wish you good luck against me. It is my hope that, one way or the other, things will be changed…for the better.” Hiashi took up the Gentle Palm stance.
“We will find out. This battle was fate in and of itself. It’s outcome is dependent solely on us, fate has removed it’s hand for the time being.” Neji took a more aggressive stance.
In unison, the Main house proctor and the Branch house proctor, both respected Jonin, shouted “Begin!”

Ekyt just stood there, staring after Kabuto. Naruto finally tapped him on the shoulder.
“Come on, you’ve got training to do, remember! How about I jump in with your team, and maybe get Bushy Brows, and we’ll get you to chunin in no time! Believe it!” Naruto ran off.
“I’ll catch up!” Sakura called to Naruto’s retreating form. She turned to Ekyt. “Ekyt, I have a problem and…well, you’re really the only one I can talk to about it…”
THAT shook Ekyt out of his trance. Only I can help…what is she…unless…
“I- I had this dream. And it started off…well, um…romantically. I was healing someone, in a pool, or a spring. It had a waterfall and everything…It was a guy, and he didn’t have a shirt on. And, he hugged me, and I…Well, I think it was…”
Ekyt felt his jaw drop. He had never been more thankful that he wore a mask.
She can’t be…saying what I think…I’d never be that lucky…
“I think I dreamt about Naruto!” she finally exclaimed.
If Ekyt’s jaw wasn’t at the floor before, it was now. He snapped it shut, shoved aside his disappointment (He had revealed to Lee in the middle of a sparring match that he had something of a crush on Sakura), and tried to support his friend.
“This can’t be easy for you…Sakura, you’ve already done everything you need to do…personality and looks, I mean…but you’ve got to tell him about this. At least clear the air. Naruto might not say it, but he can sense just as well as anyone, and he knows something’s up with you. And it’s going to eat at him, and you, until you’ve both been honest.”
Sakura sat down on a rock. The wind tossed her hair, making her even more pretty than usual in Ekyt’s eyes. Ekyt knelt down; those jutsus were tiring.
“I-I should wait. I feel like I might just be grasping at straws because I broke up with Sasuke…Naruto, or whoever it is, deserves better than to get me on a rebound.” Sakura looked over at Ekyt with a smile on her face. She ruffled his hitai-ate.
“You’re a good friend. If you don’t mind my asking…do YOU have someone you’re interested it? C’mon, you can tell me!” Sakura said playfully, clearly relieved at having vented her problem.
Ekyt turned his head, acting like he had a crick in his neck. “I don’t know, really.” Ekyt closed his eyes, grinning under his mask. “Maybe I’ll get lucky someday.”
S***…and people wonder WHY I’m a miserable bastard. Maybe it ahs something to do with the fact that my love life is non-existant? But still… ‘Dragon Boy’…I guess I DO have a theme going…Dragon’s Ember Jutsu…Dragon’s Encampment Wall…Fire Release: Dragon’s Circle…Dragon’s Path…and a few others…oh well, down to business, everything else aside: time for the chunin exams. I’ve got two weeks to be ready. I’m getting that green vest, and I’m proving Ebisu and Linda wrong! This is personal!
It was then Ekyt realized something awful: Linda was going to be in the chunin exams too. Just what he needed. She was the worst opponent possible. Ekyt didn’t hit women, for starters. But this was also a girl who had helped train him in taijutsu…granted, he knew more styles than her, but she had been the master in a dojo they had once run side by side…and she brought back some very unpleasant memories about a one-way love…but that was for another time.
“No matter what, no matter who…the vest is mine!”

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