Alternate Dimension

8

We were standing outside the main gate with our gear ready. Kakashi Sensei was fired up and ready to go while Guy Sensei who was drained of energy, sulked on the ground.

"Don't tell me they've swapped places," mumbled Sakura and I nodded my head.

"It seems so."

We stood next to Kushina and Minato, but I looked over my shoulder to see Naruto standing away from us.

"Don't worry, I'll go talk him," said Kushina as she patted my shoulder and walked over to Naruto while I kept my ears perked.

"What are you scowling for? Is someone trying hard to look cool in front of someone, hmm?" Snickered Kushina as she nudged him on the arm, but Naruto swatted her hand away.

"Don't touch me!" He ran off closer towards the gate and leaned against it.

"W-What was that for? Has he reached that age already?!" Huffed Kushina as she angrily stared at her son.

I stepped right up next to her and patted her shoulder, "I'll try talking to him now."

She nodded her head and I walked over to Naruto with Sakura following right behind me.

"What was that for? Is this how you've been since last night?" I asked and he turned his head away from me.

"Forget it. I'm not their Menma, anyway," he coldly responded.

"At least try to act a little nicer with them. It wouldn't kill you to do that," I responded back and he merely shrugged his shoulders which slightly irked me. "Ah, forget it. Do what you want!"

I turned away and walked back over to Minato and Kushina while Sakura was torn about what to do as she glanced between Naruto and I.

~Timeskip~

"The Tome of the Vermillion Moon should be up ahead. My master is bound to have set up some kind of trap." Minato skimmed the area in thought before turning to look at Kakashi Sensei.

"Kakashi, please take the lead and use the Sharingan to predict any danger."

"Understood....which is what I would like to say, but...I sort of pushed myself too hard from leaving the Sharingan activated this entire time so..."

"Actually I need a rest too," sighed Guy Sensei as he slumped against the tree. "You can't win against old age."

"No choice then. Let's take a break," firmly said Minato while using his hand to rub his forehead.

"I'll use mine then," I offered as I stepped up next to Minato and I was now overlooking the plain area that had a cluster of trees in the center.

"Yes, please save our poor old souls. The days of our youth are gone," tiredly said Guy while leaning his head back against the tree.

I chuckled and activated my Sharingan. My red eyes carefully scanned over the area, until my eyes caught something hidden within the grass.

"I see-"

"Hey, where's Menma?" Suddenly asked Kushina.

I looked over my shoulder and saw him nowhere in sight until I whirled my head back and saw his bright blonde hair moving below the high cliff.

"Down there," I pointed and everyone noticed him too. We jumped off the cliff and roughly landed on the grass. Up ahead a large cloud of smoke appeared and we quickly ran to catch up towards Naruto.

"We were too late," said Minato as we saw Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro appear from within the cloud of smoke.

"You're such a nuisance Menma," muttered Kushina as she went into a fighting stance while Minato tried negotiating with the toads, but it didn't work out.

"Boss, just hear me-"

Gamabunta shut him and up threw the cigarette that was in his mouth at us, but we scurried away and watched as it landed where we once stood.

"Doesn't look like we've got room to negotiate. We've got no choice but to break through!" Minato took the lead with the rest of us following behind him.

As we were running towards the three toads, an array of numerous small toads were falling from the sky and began to land on the ground or on top of the others while I slipped past the toads who were trying to catch me.

I looked over my shoulder and saw a pile of toads stacked on top of each other and no sign of anyone else so I assumed they were all under there. I looked up ahead and saw the three enormous toads standing in my way.

'Should I try going through? But...there's traps up ahead.'

"(Y/n)!"

I looked over my shoulder once more and saw Naruto jump off the pile of toads and ultimately run past me as he ran up Gamabunta's arm and reached the top of his head.

Gamabunta swung his arm at me and I jumped out of harms way. Since Gamabunta was now distracted with Naruto, I ran past Gamabunta, but Gamaken and Gamahiro tried squashing me as I was running in a zigzag motion.

I stopped in front of the tiny forest that was ahead of me before I could activate any of the seals that were inside.

I turned around and saw both toads with a weapon in hand, but looking past them, I saw Gamabunta shoot a small purple orb at Naruto. My eyes widened when I saw that Naruto didn't move from harms way and simply closed his eyes and tried channeling his Sage Mode.

I ran back and avoided the incoming weapons and used Gamaken as a means to push myself off and reach Naruto, but Kushina beat me to it and was hit with the purple orb on her ankle which turned out to be a liquid that burned her.

She cried out and let go of Naruto and was now falling to the ground, but Minato caught her in his arms and gently put her  down.

Naruto and I landed right beside them and I crouched down to examine her ankle.

"W-why would you...?" Trailed off Naruto in disbelief as he stared at Kushina who had just saved him moments ago.

"Stay here. I'll finish this," said Minato as he threw his kunai in the direction of the small forest. He disappeared in a flash and left us waiting there for him.

I turned my attention to Kushina and began to heal her ankle to the best of my ability while Naruto stared elsewhere in thought with a tiny sense of guilt welling inside.

"Like I said, they aren't bad people. They really do care about you," I spoke up and a grim expression appeared on Naruto's face before turning away.

A minute had gone by and that's when all the toads disappeared. Minato reappeared right before us with the scroll in hand before placing it inside his pouch.

"For now, we'll go inside the forest and continue to treat Kushina."

A/n: can't believe it took me long to update such a simple chapter 😐