"Naruto?!" I shouted down into the ravine as I leaned off of the cliff, Jiraiya stood close behind. I squinted my eyes, looking down at huge toad back.
Naruto answered back with a loud groan, laying flat on his back. "Are you okay?" I asked, calling out to him again.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Of course, I could've done without the falling on my neck part." Naruto groaned as he sat up, rubbing the side of his neck with a sigh. 
"Huh?" Naruto's eyes widened as he looked around the giant toads back. "Look at that!" He exclaimed with a smile, "Awesome!" He laughed, I gave a relieved sigh. 
"Man, that is humongous!" Naruto grinned, as he stood up on his knees. "Wait a minute, hold on here." He mumbled to himself, crawling along the toads back. He squinted his eyes as he tried to make his way through the darkness. 
"Huh? What's that?!" Naruto shouted as he looked at one of the ravine's walls, two large feet were holding onto the jagged rock side.
"This is.....a toad? Isn't it?" Naruto tilted his head, continuing to crawl around. He stood on top of Gamabunta's head, holding a hand over his forehead as he looked down.
"Let's see here....." He mumbled, "Ha!"
"There's no tail there!" Naruto shouted, it echoed around him. "Ha! I did it!" Naruto grinned, jumping up and down.
"It's really a real toad!" 

Jiraiya chuckled quietly, I turned my head up to him. Looks like he's released the chakra of the nine-tailed fox all on his own this time. Jiraiya thought with a smile, I squinted my eyes up at him. But still, I certainly can't say that he's proficient at it yet. He overdid it with the chakra's power, and to summon him of all things---- Jiraiya's smile suddenly dropped.
"Ha!" Naruto laughed, patting the top of Gamabunta's head. "I finally pulled it off!"
"Why you little snot!" 
Gamabunta shouted, the walls of the ravine shook. Naruto yelled as he went rolling down, landing on Gamabunta's nose. 
"You little snot! Who's head do you think you're dancing around on anyway?!" 
Naruto struggled to keep his balance, sliding around. 
"Well, let me tell you! I am the wise and powerful Lord Gamabunta, the Cheif Toad, and you're an idiot!" Gamabunta knocked Naruto off of his nose, Naruto shouted as he flew backward, hanging off the tip of Gamabunta's pipe. 
"Ah, what is this guy?!" Naruto groaned, "He seemed cool, but give me a break here-----!"
The pipe flew up into the air, Naruto hung down, desperately holding onto the pipe as Gamabunta balanced it on his tongue.
"Just when I finally get to breathe some fresh air again, I find some weird kid tap dancing on my head!" Gamabunta shouted out, "Hey, Jiraiya! Where are you, Jiraiya?! Just what do you think you're doing?!" Gamabunta shouted out.

"Uh oh." Jiraiya mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. I learned a little farther off the edge, watching Naruto hang from the edge of the pipe. 
"Hey, y sage," I began, turning my head around, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Huh?" I tilted my head slightly.
Jiraiya hid behind a tree, his palms against the bark. This doesn't look good, Jiraiya thought with a sigh, not even I am able to handle Gamabunta. I mean, he's a real handful. He thought, scratching the back of his neck.

"Jiraiya!" The same loud voice boomed out of the ravine again, shaking the walls with each breath. 
"Show yourself, you buffoon!" Gamabunta roared, I took a small shuffle back from the edge.
Jiraiya let out a loud sigh, I turned my head back to him. He slowly started to walk away from the tree, his hands clasped behind his back. "It would be a pain in the neck if he found me out......" Jiraiya said with a nod,
"So, I better hightail it out of here while I still can." "Hey! You wait a minute!" I shouted, standing up with my finger pointed towards Jiraiyas back.
"I came to ask you about you teaching me a new technique!" I started to walk closer, "Listen kid, I've really gotta---"
"You're Jiraiya, right? The person that huge toad's been calling out for? It seems he really needs to have a word with you, I bet he would just be thrilled if I pointed him in the right direction." I crossed my arms, grinning over at Jiraiya.
Jiraiya let out a long aggravated sigh as I came closer. 

Gamabunta let out a loud groan, moving the pipe backward, Naruto dangled just above his face.
"Hey, little snot." Gamabunta called out to him, Naruto tilted his head as he looked down at him. "Um, yeah?" Naruto gulped, "Where's Jiraiya hiding?" Gamabunta asked, squinting his eyes as he tried to focus on Naruto.
"Huh? Who's this Jiraiya? I don't know any-----!" 
Gamabunta shook the pipe, knocking one of Naruto's hand off as Gamabunta moved closer.
"Don't play dumb!" Gamabunta roared, Naruto shouted as his fingers started to weaken, flailing in the air.
"I'm talking about that lecher who calls himself the Toad Sage!"
Naruto fell down on Gamabunta's nose with a loud cry, landing down on his back.
"Now where is he?! Well?!" Gamabunta commanded, Naruto held his back as he sat up, a wide frown on his face.
Man, he's scary. Naruto thought, his eyes widening as he looked up at him.
"Look, I'm giving you an order. If you follow it, I'll even consider making you my henchmen. So,
Hurry up and answer me!"
"Okay! Okay!" Naruto shouted back, "If you're talking about the y sage, he's on the cliff up there, Cheif Toad!" Naruto said with a gulp, pointing upward. 
"Up there?" Gamabunta mumbled, moving his head upward as he looked at the cliff above.
"Um....can I ask you one question, sir toad, sir?" Naruto tilted his head, Gamabunta's eyes rolled back to him. 
"What is it?" Gamabunta answered back, "What business do you have with that y sage anyway?" Naruto asked, his arms crossed. 
"That's the very same question I want to ask that ert!" Gamabunta roared back, "I mean, what in the world does that fool want of me?! Summoning me to a dank place like this!"
"Oh! But, uh---!" Naruto stuttered, rubbing the back of his head. "What now?" Gamabunta sighed,
"Well, actually, heh, the funny thing about that is I'm the one who summoned you. Well, you see, I fell off the cliff, and I thought that maybe you could rescue me. So, thanks, boss!" Naruto flashed Gamabunta a smile,
"Whahaahahahaha!"
Gamabunta's laugh shook the walls violently, pieces of rock fell out of place, tumbling down deeper into the ravine. 
"Give me a break! What does a puny little kid like you know about that? There's no way a little squirt like you could have enough power to summon up a being like me!"
"Huh?!" Naruto leaned in, his eyes wide. "No, no, it's true! It's true!" Naruto flailed his hands around, "I mean! I really, truly, did summon you!"
Gamabunta let out another earth-shattering chuckle, Naruto furrowed his brow, clenching his fists as Gamabunta continued to laugh.
"KNOCK IT OFF, YOU TOAD JERK!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, 
"Hmm?" Gamabunta squinted his eyes down at Naruto, Naruto stood up, raising his fists.
"You've been talking down to me and saying whatever you want since you first got here! But I'm the one who summoned you, and that means I'm your master! You have to start respecting me and doing what I say! You got that, Toad?!"
"Hmmmmm?" Gamabunta rolled his tongue, "What was that?"
"You've got some nerve! Who do you think you're talking to?! A meaningless little squirt like you, barely old enough to stand, and you dare say to Lord Gamabunta, the Cheif Toad, that you're his master?! That's it!"
"Huh?"
Naruto snapped his head around, watching as Gamabunta's tongue came flying down towards him. He cried out as it wrapped around him. The tongue moved up into the air, sending Naruto flying back, tumbling down Gamabuntas back. Naruto desperately grabbed on, holding as lightly as he could onto Gamabunta's back as he started to move. 
Pieces of rock shattered as Gamabunta moved, sinking each footstep into the walls of the ravine as he moved upwards, arching his knees as he stared up at the sky. Naruto continued to scream as Gamabunta launched himself upward.
Naruto's face smashed down into his back as he flew upwards, curving in the air like a thrown ball.
Gamabunta started to jump down, Naruto almost lost his grip, kicking his legs around as they started heading back down onto the ground.

Gamabunta landed in the middle of the forest, sending a strong gust of wind, moving like a wave through the forest. Trees pushed back, some breaking from their roots as the winds brushed past. Gamabunta sunk into the ground, sending bits of rubble flying up.
The girls by the waterfall screamed as strong waves splashed against them, being thrown back by the strong winds.
Jiraiya was out of breath, balancing on a high tree branch.
"Let me go!" I shouted, wiggling underneath his arm. He dropped me down on the tree branch, I sent him a furious glance as I got to my feet. Jiraiya had moved just in time.
I crossed my arms, looking over at Gamabunta, Jiraiya turned his head around as well. 
"Well, it looks like he reached the top, thanks to Gamabunta." Jiraiya mumbled, "So, that's his name." I said with a small sigh.

"AH!" Naruto shouted as he tumbled off of Gamabunta, landing on the ground in front of him. Naruto scrambled up to his feet, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Whoa....." Naruto mouth was wide open, 
"That was awesome....." 
Gamabunta let out a short chuckle, looking down at Naruto. 
"I hate to tell you this, little snot, but even if I were willing to believe that you were actually the one who summoned me, and trust me, kid, that's a really big if, if you're the kind of guy who could fall off my back that easily, then there's no way I could ever accept you as my master! You got it?! Hmm?! Hmm?!"
Gamabunta angrily growled out, pushing Naruto back a few feet with his nose. 
"Now," Gamabunta called out, sitting up straight. "Since I'm back in the world, after such a very, very long time, if Jiraiya doesn't need me, I'm going for a walk." 
Gamabunta turned his back on Naruto, starting to walk the other way.
"No! Wait!" Naruto cried out, Gamabunta stopped for a moment.
"Listen, why don't you just get out of here and go home? It's clear that you are incapable as serving as my henchman! Heh!" 
Gamabunta chuckled as he started to walk away, leaving a path of broken trees and large footprints behind. Naruto clenched his fist, shouting as he started to run after Gamabunta, climbing his back with ease, Naruto jumped over his head, landing on the top of his nose, dead center in his face.
"What?! What do you suppose you're doing now?!" 
Gamabunta shouted, 
"Fine! If making you respect me depends on me staying on your back, well then----" Naruto plopped down, sitting with his legs crossed on Gamabunta's nose, 
"I'll just make sure I don't get off your back the rest of the day, no matter what!" 
"What?!"
Gamabunta growled furiously, Naruto crossed his arms. 
"That's right! And when I do, you'll have no choice but to recognize me as your undisputed master! Humph!"
"You really are a snot! Fine, if that's what you want, but don't think I'm going to go easy on you!"

"Ha! This is getting pretty interesting!" Jiraiya said with a grin, sitting down on the tree branch with a pair of binoculars. He watched as Gamabunta swung his head around, desperately trying to knock Naruto off.
I sat next to him, dangling my legs off. 
"Hey, let me get a look." I called out, he passed me the binoculars, watching Naruto hang off of Gamabuntas nostril. 
A loud shrill laugh sounded below, "Huh?" Jiraiya turned looked down, 
"Ha! Stop!" One of the waterfall girls cried out, "You've got leaves in your hair!" Another giggled, "Stop! Ha! It tickles!"
"Hey, give me those," Jiraiya quickly snatched the binoculars out of my hands, moving his head down.
"Tch, ert," I mumbled, standing up on the branch. "Don't you remember? Yesterday you told me about a new technique! So what is it? Spill the beans, grandpa!" I shouted at him,
"Shh!" Jiraiya waved me off, "Why don't you go over there and help your boyfriend with Gamabunta?" Jiraiya called back, climbing along the branch to get a better look.
"He's not my boyfriend!" I shouted back, stomping on the tree branch, "Quiet down already, I'll teach you the technique tomorrow." 
Jiraiya mumbled, I let out a loud sigh. 
"Fine." I sighed, jumping down from the tree branch.
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"I am going to eat until I can't eat no more!" Choji called out a victorious cry, Shikamaru stalked behind him with his hands in his pocket, Asuma by his side as they entered Yakiniku Q.
Kankuro leaned on the porches railing, his arm dangling off the side. "Heh. Those guys are eating barbeque again." Kankuro chuckled, "Giving themselves a reward for training so hard, I guess."
"Hey! I thought you were told not to let Gaara out of your sight, Kankuro." Temari snapped back, leaning on a wall with her arms crossed. 
"Oh, don't worry." Kankuro gave her a small shrug,
"Even someone like him wouldn't dare to do anything in broad daylight." Kankuro turned his head over to Temari, pointing the palm of his hand upward.
"But about you. That guy, Shikamaru, or whatever his name is, he's the first guy you're fighting, right? Shouldn't you be formulating a battle plan?" Kankuro asked smugly, crossing his arms. Temari looked away from him,
"Huh!" Temari scoffed, "There's no way I would lose to a guy who's at that level. No way."
"You blew it, didn't you." Kankuro called out, tilting his head slightly. "What?" Temari looked over at him, surprised.
"If you had taken the exam a year earlier, then you would have made chunin easily, right, Temari?" Kankuro said with a shrug,
Temari turned her head away, 
"Don't say that." She mumbled, closing her eyes. "You remember why we're here."
Kankuro let out a loud yawn, 
"I'm bored." Kankuro groaned, "The day sure does go by slowly when you're not doing much of anything." Kankuro sighed,
"I guess." Temari shrugged.
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I sighed, pulling myself up the stairs. I hung my shoulders low,
"What do you think we should have for dinner tonight Kale?" I asked him, a few steps away from the front door. "Kale?" I called to him again, still no answer. He was loosely hanging around my neck,
"Are you still mad at me?" I crossed my arms, standing in front of the door. "Hey, I didn't know what was going on. I thought that y sage was trying to kill Naruto or somethin----" 
Kale cut me off with a low hiss, my eyes widened. "What do you mean? You hear something?" I whispered, looking back down the dark staircase, "I don't understand......inside?" I took a step closer to the stone door, leaning my ear to it.
"Wait......yeah.....I think I do hear somethin......" I nodded, "It's like......sand?" I wondered aloud, Kale moved his head up, slithering down my arm. 
"You're right, it might be the person leaving the cards." I nodded back to Kale.
I slowly opened the front door, being as quiet as I could, I opened the door only a crack. I slipped in, quietly closing it behind me. It was dark, none of the lights had been . Only slithers of light cracked through the darkness, but not enough to see anything.
It's a lot earlier than I usually come home, I thought, sticking to the wall. They must of found out which times I usually go out in the day, that's when they sneak in and leave the cards.  My eyes slowly started to adjust to the darkness, Kale moved over my left foot, circling around my leg as he scanned the room. I wonder if he can see them, the sound seemed to have stopped. 
I started to side step, laying my palms flat against the wall, I moved along it. Kale moved his head to the side as if he was calling out which direction for me to go in, I followed. Heading closer to my bedroom, my eyes widened as I looked at the door. 
It was opened by only a crack. I closed that door in the morning, before I left the house to go see Lee. I'm sure of it. I stared at the door, lost in thought. Kale plopped back down on the floor, making a beeline straight for my bedroom door.
I followed close behind, pushing through the crack in the door.
I paused. My back faced the door as I stared directly at my bedside table. A lit candle stared back at me.
It's dim light floated around the room, Kale had already made it onto the table, nudging the card underneath the candlelight.
 I quietly walked over to it. None of the candle wax has melted yet, I thought as I looked down at it. The candle had just been lit.....if that's so, could they still be in the house?
I quickly turned around, spinning on my heel, I rushed to the bedroom door, taking the candle along with me. But I was too late.
The front door was wide open. 
"Dammit." I said with a heavy breath, Kale moved closer to me with the card in his mouth, nudging me with the edge. I looked down at him, crouching as I took the card from his mouth.
I plopped down on the ground, placing the candle on the floor next to me. I held the card above the lit candle, squinting my eyes as I stared down at the pitch black ink.
Thursday.
"What the heck?" I wondered aloud, tilting my head. Kale tilted his along with me. "'Thursday'? What's happening Thursday?" I mumbled, chucking the card to the side. "Ugh," I let out a loud sigh, "There's just too much mystery surrounding this thing, isn't there Kale?" I called out to him, rubbing the side of his face with my thumb. 
"Hmm. Thursday." I mumbled, "Eh, whatever." I shrugged, Kale silently moved, turning his back to me, he climbed up the leg of the kitchen table, looking back at me from a higher angle, I raised my brow.
A quick flash of red, sparkled in his eyes, I tilted my head slightly.
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"Good work, Baki." 
His voice ran around the dimly lit room. The Kazekage sat behind a thin blind screen, his face covered completely by the dark shadows overhead. Two of his supporters sat beside him, shoulder to shoulder, two others outside of the blinds with their attention set on Baki.
Baki sat on his knees in the middle of the room, his head down as he bowed down in front of him.
"Thank you, Lord Kazekage." Baki called back, his head staying down. "I successfully moved all three pawns into the final rounds as planned." 
"Hm. And the pact with the sound village has progressed as well?" The Kazekage asked, Baki moved his head up slightly.
"Yes, sir." Baki paused, grabbing the small scroll behind him. He placed it on the floor, his hand still on it.
"This scroll contains the details of the sound villages plan." Baki explained, moving his hand back.  One of the guards sitting at the side walked up to the scroll, taking it to pass to the Kazekage. He knelt down in front of the screen, clicking it open only a crack, he carefully passed him the scroll.
"Is there something else?" The Kazekage asked, staring at Baki. "Well...." Baki said quietly, 
"What? Out with it." The Kazekage said brashly, Baki gulped.
"Yes, sir. I was wondering if you could position soldiers near the border," Baki paused, hanging his head low, "Under the pretext of a tactical exercise. With just the four of us---"
"The Hidden Leaf Village isn't full of dimwits, and the Anbu are active in that area. If we do what you ask, they'll see right through what we're planning. Everything we've worked toward would be ruined." The Kazekage called out, quickly cutting Baki off.
Baki shook his head, "But with only our current military capability---" 
"That's why I've sent Gaara and the others. The restoration of the sand villages glory is resting in your hands. Now, go."
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The sun was just finally starting to set, Jiraiya sat alone on the edge of a cliff, watching Naruto and Gamabunta's feud.
The sun dyed the lake's water a dim orange, it sprayed past Naruto as Gamabunta ran through it. Naruto's hands were aching, but he didn't give up.
Just a little longer! It's almost over! Naruto thought with a wide smile. He was visibly tired. Scratched and bruises lined his arms and legs, small sticks and leaves were stuck in his hair, and he was soaked head to toe by the lake's water. But he didn't let go.
"Once that sunsets, and I haven't fallen off, then you're going to be calling my master! Ha!" Naruto shouted out to Gamabunta, Gamabunta let out a loud groan.
"Never!" Gamabunta roared back, hopping out of the lake and into the forest.
"I never said I agreed to your deal, did I?!" Gamabunta shouted back, 
"I don't care! I'm not falling off no matter what!" Naruto growled out, digging his fingers a bit deeper in Gamabunta's back.
That Naruto. He's already way past his limit. I wouldn't be surprised if he fell off any minute now. Jiraiya thought with a frown.
Naruto was out of breath, laying the side of his face down, flat out on Gamabuntas back. 
I suppose that I could simply ignore that little snot. Gamabunta thought, standing still in the middle of the forest. But even the thought of losing to him burns me up! There's no way I'm going to let that happen. Gamabunta let out a low growl, alright, I'm going to end this once and for all. 
"Hey snot!" Gamabunta called out, moving his head upward, "What is your name? What do they call you?"
"My name?" Naruto shot his head up, "I told you! Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Well, listen up, Naruto Uzumaki!" Gamabunta tilted his head down, bending his knees.
"I hope you don't hold it against me if you die!"
Gamabunta shouted, launching himself up into the air once again. Naruto's face smashed down into his back as he screamed.
Jiraiya shook his head. "Play fair, Gamabunta. This is a matter of pride for Naruto too----AH!"
Jiraiya jumped back as Gamabunta went flying over him, skidding to the cliff.
"Huh?!" Jiraiya gasped as he saw Gamabunta land in front of the waterfall.
"No!!" Jiraiya cried out, "That's where all the pretty ladies hang out!"

"Wha! AH!" Naruto shouted as he lost balance, starting to slide down the side of Gamabuntas back. Naruto held on at the edge, gritting his teeth.
"No way!  I'm not going to fall off! Not when I'm so close to winning! No!" Naruto screamed, clapping his hands together.
Ten of his shadow clones popped out of a large cloud of smoke, all with shocked faces.
"What?!" Gamabunta roared out, Jiraiya's eyes widened.
Incredible. Even in the condition, he's in the kid's still able to use more chakra. Hm. Jiraiya thought, squinting his eyes down at him.
"AHH!" Naruto shrieked as he fell off, his clones darted after him. One locking hands with the other as the real Naruto hung down at the end, like a chain. They pulled one another backup, each disappearing in a puff of smoke as they reached the top.
"Ha!" Naruto shouted, standing on the top of Gamabunta's head.
"How do ya like that, chief toad?! I'm still on your back!" Naruto shouted out, jumping up and down like he was on a trampoline, continuing to laugh. 
"Ha! That's right! I beat you! Ha! Heh....ha.....eh....." Naruto's legs started to shake, his head turning as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
Naruto fell backward, tumbling off the top of Gamabunta's head. 
"No! If he falls like that, he'll die!" Jiraiya jumped up, 
"Hmmm." Gamabunta mumbled, watching Naruto fall down in front of him. He quickly dropped down his tongue, Naruto landed on it, sliding down slightly. Gamabunta rolled him up, picking him up into the air.
Too bad for you, little snot. Gamabunta thought, looking down at him. And you almost made it, too. 
"Amazing." Jiraiya said quietly, he could hold out that long against a tough opponent like Gamabunta. "Heh." Jiraiya held the scroll in his hand.
The scroll spun down from the waterfall, rolling in front of Gamabunta. The wind pushed it opening, showing Naruto's signature.
Hm. Naruto Uzumaki, huh. You scandal, Jiraiya. Gamabunta squinted his eyes down at the scroll, I am fully aware that this boy summoned me all on his own. He is courageous. It's the first time since the Fourth Hokage that someone had dared to climb on my head. As may be expected after that battle, he looks completely drained from energy. I don't mind giving him some of my power, but I believe that taking him to a place a healing would be best.

To be continued..............