I Can't Change Back (SasuNaru) ✔

Mission 16: The Nine Tails

"All available Jonin ninjas must report to the Hokage for an important notice!"

Dozens of Ninjas from every part of the village began to make their ways to the Hokage's requested location.

As I looked at every ninja coming into the building, I knew we were going to need everyone's help. I stood next to the Hokage fearlessly. I need to save Sasuke, and I'll do everything in my power to save him.

Sakura took my hand in hers and nodded confidently: "We're gonna protect our village and save him!"

"Believe it!" I shouted with a smile.

After every ninja came in, the Hokage rose his hands to calm everyone down. In seconds, everyone went quiet.

"You all must be wondering why you have been called upon here today...and the reason for this is that the nine tailed fox is on his way to destroy this village."

All of the ninjas looked at each other in fear. "I thought the beast was sealed within that boy Naruto!" one of them yelled.

"Yeah! How did it escape?! It's that kids fault!" another yelled.

Sakura clenched her hands into a fist as she began to yell: "It's not Naruto's fault!"

I looked down at the ground in shame. "No Sakura-chan, he's right. It is my fault."

"Naruto?"

The Hokage was trying his best to calm everyone down. I raised my head and began to walk forward to speak to the crowd.

"Please settle down!" yelled the Hokage as everyone yelled with anger.

"Ple--"

I raised my hand to stop the Hokage from yelling again. "I got this," I said with confidence.

He nodded, giving me permission to speak. I looked at the crowd and yelled loudly, getting all of their attentions.

"Listen up! The Nine tails is loose and it's heading this way to destroy the village. The worst part is that he has our friend Sasuke, and we need to save both him and this village."

"Why do we need to clean up your mistakes?! Our parents died protecting us last time the beast attacked, and now you want us to die as well?!"

After a ninja said that, every other one agreed with him and began to protest.

I balled my hand into a fist and yelled angrily, "Shut up!" I began to untie my headband angrily as I yelled, "This is my fault! This is all my fault, and I know that! But the fact that you all are acting this way is sick. This is your village and you don't want to protect it?!"

I took off my headband and held it in my hand. "If this is what the hidden leaf's strongest Ninjas are like..." I then threw my headband at the ground angrily, "Then I don't wanna be apart of it!"

I ran out angrily as Sakura ran behind, calling out my name: "Naruto!"

"Don't stop me Sakura! I'm gonna save Sasuke and this village no matter what! Even if I have to do this alone, believe it!"

She caught up to me and hit me over the head. "You idiot! You're not doing this alone; I'm here to help too, you know?"

I stopped running to turn around and look at her with a shocked expression.

"What? I'm useful too!"

I gave a weak smile hugged her tightly. "Thank you Sakura-chan..."

As we hugged happily, I saw Kakashi-sensei walk up to us while holding a scroll. I looked at him with a suspicious gaze. "You can't stop us," I said.

"I'm not going to stop you guys," he then handed me the scroll that was in his hand. "If you want to seal Kurama away again, you're going to have to learn this sealing jutsu. It's the Uzumaki Clan's most powerful sealing jutsu to hold the nine tails. Jiraiya wanted you to have it."

I opened up the scroll to see the information. "This--"

"Good Luck Naruto!" He then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

I looked over at Sakura while taking a huge gulp. "Yeah, no pressure. It's not like the fate of my village and the life of my friend depends on me learning this hardass jutsu in point two seconds or anything."

I sighed and closed the scroll. I got this. Believe it!

***

I went over to Sakura's house to prepare for our quest. While Sakura was packing our bags, I was trying hard to do my hair.

"This always takes me forever! If I knew long hair was this much of a struggle, I would have done a sexy jutsu with short hair," I whined as I untied my pigtails for the fifth time.

Sakura sighed as she put down the bag and grabbed the hair tie out of my hand. "It's not that hard Naruto." She began to brush my hair softly before she tied my hair up. "As a girl, you gotta learn these things."

"But I'm still new to this girl stuff..."

"That's why I'm here to help." She placed the brush down and hugged me from behind, "I'm sorry for being such a bitch."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," I said with a forgiving smile.

She released me from the embrace and began to tie my hair as she spoke to me in a serious tone. "Naruto, are you sure you wanna be a guy again?"

"I--"

"Once you save Sasuke and this village, you'll turn into a guy again...are you sure you're really fine with turning back into a guy?"

I looked down at the floor in confusion. "I don't know...I mean, after being a girl for a while now, I've gotten used to it. I've also been able to connect with you guys on a different level...especially Sasuke."

"So?" She asked as she finished tying my other pigtail.

I looked at her confidently as I spoke: "I want to stay a girl because I lo--"

I was then interrupted by yelling that was coming from outside. We ran to the window in panic, watching people run down the streets in fear. "The Nine tailed beast is back!" We heard someone yell.

We ran outside the door and saw the shape of his tails approaching the gate.

I looked at Sakura in fear. "He's here!" I quickly ran back inside to grab the scroll I somewhat learned in the past hour. "Let's go!"

***

We began to run towards the gate of the village to see all of the Jounin ninjas that were refusing to fight, line up nobly to defend the village.

"What happened here? I thought they didn't wanna fight," I said to myself.

"Your speech convinced them."

I looked over to see the third Hokage. "Old man..."

"After that show you put on, you really impacted them. They realized their errors and now want to protect the home they love," he said as he pulled something out of his sleeve. "I believe this is yours."

He showed me my headband as he passed it to me. I took it from his hand and placed it on. "Thanks old man."

Suddenly, the ground started to shake. We heard the roar of Kurama as he placed a paw over the gate, slowly bringing himself up, looking at us over the gate with a bloodthirsty stare.

"Missed me?"

As I looked at him in anger, I saw Sasuke standing on his shoulder like a puppet. "Let Sasuke go!"

"Not gonna happen," he laughed.

I clenched my hand into a fist and yelled: "Imma take you down, believe it!"

Don't worry Sasuke, I'll save you!

Kurama began to laugh madly at my threatening words. "I like to see you try, Naruto!"