A Different Path

A Pleasant Reunion

Naruto's POV

"I see." Sakura's veins seemed to be literally pulsing as soon as she heard his voice again. For the ninth time, actually.
"Sai, I swear to God, if you don't stop with those mental notes, I'll make sure you won't be thinking at all anymore." She hissed through her gritted teeth, her gloved fists clenched to the point where they were trembling. Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck with exasperation written all over his face. Sasuke just rolled his eyes while he crossed his arms over his toned chest. Idiots..
Naruto sighed upon seeing them bicker like toddlers. And I thought I'd already gotten rid of a pair of morons.
"The world is filled with morons, kit. No one is as intellectual as we are, nowadays." Kurama huffed, his muzzle held proudly. Naruto had to stifle a laugh.
"I'm sure that is so." The fox glared at him as soon as the blond showed a small smirk.

Naruto pulled himself out of the Tailed Beast psyche and placed his hand on Sasuke's right shoulder, making him jump slightly. He did the same for Sakura who had stopped yelling at Sai and placed hers on Kakashi's shoulder. That left the newcomer to throw his arms around the two Sharingan users, utterly choking them.
"Hands off, you idiot!" Sasuke didn't get to brush him off before a white smoke screen engulfed them entirely. A second later, they found themselves surrounded by lush greenery and a heavy atmosphere which made it hard to breathe properly. Not for the Jinchuriki, though.

"Don't panic. Here we're surrounded by Nature Energy so it's harder to breathe. Just relax and you'll get used to it in a few hours." Naruto tilted his head and looked at them with the corner of his right eye once he had started walking away from the group and towards the buildings a few yards in front of them. He could hear Sasuke's steady breathing as he was trying to calm down.
"How can you act so calmly about all of this?" Sakura's face was slowly getting paler.
"I grew up here and I'm a Toad Sage. I fight using Nature Energy."
Naruto's voice remained monotone, albeit he still was worried about the safety of the toads.
"Wait, was it that thing you did when you first attacked Pain?" His shoulders stiffened as soon as he recalled some memories regarding his cousin.

"Yeah. When I first managed to catch him by surprise." His voice was void of any emotion. Sakura caught onto his sadness and pushed him no further. Instead, she broke the awkward silence that had set over the five shinobi. "Well, apart from the air, this place is more than beautiful." Her eyes glinted with delight as they flew over gigantic statues and flora. Sasuke only glanced around but didn't say anything while Sai remained unaffected by their open conversation. Kakashi nodded his head slowly in agreement. He must've remembered that his sensei had once fought just like his son, even though he wasn't exceptional at it.

Before Sakura could ask about the village's residents, as if on cue, a small female toad popped out of a nearby oversized mushroom, relief washing all over her greenish face.
"Naruto-boy! I'm so glad to see ya!" She hopped her way to him as the blond got on his knees to meet her height. "Shinobi of the Leaf." She smiled at his companions.
"Lady Shima." Naruto nodded his head respectfully. "Is everything alright?" Worry was now more obvious in his behavior.
"Right now, yes. Do not stress yourself, boy. The problem is not that big. Batches of snakes have been poppin' out of nowhere. I suspect it to be some kind of Reverse Summoning but that shouldn't be able to bring 'em here." She pulled her tiny arms away from Naruto's knees.

"I see. Where are the others?" Naruto sighed softly before he got up to his feet. The toad didn't get the chance to answer when a loud thud was heard and a small cloud of yellowish dust formed at their left, leaving Sakura and Sai coughing slightly.
"Yo! Naruto!" A different toad came into view, a wide grin plastered on his face. He was much bigger than Lady Shima and he yet he wasn't as big as Gamabunta or Gamaken. Yet. His skin was a reddish orange and he had deep-purple markings, a blue jacket covering his back.
"Gamakichi." The Jinchuriki gazed at him gently as his right hand raised to bump fists with the huge newcomer.
"Man, you've grown two centimeters in these past two months! Are you sure you're still seventeen?" The corners of his sandy eyes creased as he smiled.
"Yes, I'm sure." Naruto let out a small chuckle, pulling away from their brotherly skinship.

"I know you!" Sakura found herself mumbling. "You're one of those two toads who used to train with Naruto and Master Jiraiya, back in the day." Her eyes clouded.
"Yeah. And you're the pink banshee, I recall?" Gamakichi gave her a teasing smirk only to have her scoff at him playfully. "You're the cold bastard. Uchiha, right?" He stopped grinning as soon as Sasuke glared at him. If looks could kill, the toad and Sai would've had their heads drilled into by now. His gaze moved onto Kakashi and the new team member. "That's the Copy Ninja and you.." His voice trailed on. He felt as if he'd seen the guy before yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "You seem familiar. But what am I saying? All ROOT shinobi basically look the same." Gamakichi was unfazed by Sai's lack of reaction or any type of emotion. He'd gotten used to it by now, since he's always had Naruto around. "My theory is that God got tired of making you new faces so he made you all look the same. Nawaki is quite similar to both these guys and the Uchiha, isn't he?" He cranked his neck to look at the blond who put an end to his suicidal rambling before Sasuke actually used his Mangekyou and burn him to ashes.
"Where's the chief?"

"He's been summoned by some guy from a northern village. But Lord Fukasaku would be very much pleased to see you, you know." Gamakichi snickered upon relieving an old memory of the old toad. Lady Shima seemed to have read his thoughts since she jumped on the toad's back to smack him in the head, earning a groan from the other.
"Be respectful Kichi-boy!" She scolded him.
"Yes, ma." Gamakichi lowered his head in defeat and started walking towards the village, Naruto and his team following suit. He was smiling softly. He'd missed all of this. The toads, the laughter, the love and warmth they emanated. It made him feel as if he'd gotten home after leaving the battlefield.

Except his scars weren't visible on his body, but on his soul.

And those ones are particularly hard to get rid of, or to forget.

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Yo! Sorry for the delay and everything. Short chapter, I know. I've done better, I know. Sorry but things have been rough around here and pretty stressful, you know? Three weeks full of exams and stuff. I promise I'll do better though! Plug in my headphones, listen to some more BTS and I'll be good as new in a second! 😂 Btw, all ARMYs out there, DNA's first on MWave! Our boys are really gonna go high this year!
Fighting!
Next time, on Naruto Shippuden:
'Just Like Old Times'
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~Bella~
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