Thank you! First of all, I would very much like to thank Ash and Aethos (Sharingank and TheGreatAnimeFan on - look at their work! Go on! They are fellow NaruSaku and ShikaIno fans as well!) for proofreading and reviewing the beta of this chapter! I owe you guys a lot for taking the time to help me with my writing. You rock.
And I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and review this. Your comments have helped to keep me going! I will provide feedback to your reviews in future chapters, I want you to know I do read and care about what people think!
Disclaimer: The Naruto manga and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, however this story and original locations/characters belong to me!
The sun peeked over the horizon, washing the clear sky around it with a golden light. Purple remnants of night retreated, flowing into the horizon to the west and out of sight. Streams of sunlight bounced off the colourful buildings of Konoha, casting long shadows across the ground. The rock face of Hokage Monument shone with a soft glow, radiating the warm colour of the stone.
Amongst the stone faces of the previous four Hokages, a rickety, unstable-looking scaffold covered with white canvas was mounted next to the bust of the Fourth. Underneath the rough canvas cloth, work was underway on the developing stone effigy of Tsunade, Fifth Hokage of the Leaf.
On the roof of the Shinobi Mission Centre, a white haired man casually leaned back against a steel railing, his arms crossed over his massive chest, his eyes keenly studying the scaffold, catching every moment a canvas cloth fluttered in the wind, hoping to glimpse the rock face that was beginning to take shape.
He smirked to himself.
Who would have thought that foul-mouthed, vain, hot-tempered and hopeless gambler would become a Hokage? If someone had come up to him ten years ago, and told him that Tsunade would become Godaime Hokage, he would have laughed the prophet out of the building.
Life was funny in that way.
His ears picked up the familiar clopping of high heels against hard ground. He didn't need to look up to know who it was, for that woman's footsteps had a certain pattern to them from decades of taijutsu training. Precise, cautious, rhythmic, yet light - her feet were always cocked, always ready to move fast. Plus, how many female taijutsu experts wore high heels?
"Morning, Tsunade," he greeted, his mouth briefly stretching into a cheery grin. His eyes wandered over to his right. They were greeted with the sight of a slightly dishevelled blonde woman. She was dressed in her usual attire of a sleeveless white kimono top, which exposed a considerable amount of cleavage, black slacks that ended at her calves, her trademark green jacket and of course those black strapped high heels. She rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, a slight groan escaping her lips as she sought to shake off the last remnants of sleep.
"You better have a good reason for wanting to meet me so early, Jiraiya," Tsunade muttered, a slight snarl in her tone. Her expression was one of irritation as well as tiredness. Her hands went to her hips as she impatiently awaited the man's answer.
Jiraiya's face took on an extremely serious countenance. His right hand slowly reached into his gi, and pulled out a tiny brown scroll with white edges. He held it up for Tsunade to see, then casually threw it over to her. She expertly grabbed the scroll out of the air with her hand. Her gaze remained fixed on her fellow Sannin as she slowly unravelled the scroll. Then her brown eyes flitted down to read the message contained within the brown paper, its writing tiny and precise.
Jiraiya folded his arms across his chest once more, and allowed Tsunade a moment of silence for her mind to digest the message.
"The Akatsuki are starting to move again. My friend tells me that they are stepping up their efforts to capture Naruto," he spoke calmly, his tone grave. "It seems that Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame have realised that he is starting to harness the power of the Nine Tails. Also, they know that I am protecting him. Apparently, upon hearing that news, their superiors decided to commit another Akatsuki cell to the cause of capturing Naruto."
Tsunade's jaw set, her frustration evident. Her deep brown eyes blazed with anger. The scroll crackled and tore as it was crushed within her fist. Her knuckles grew white as her fingers dug into her palms.
The white-haired man continued. "Now we have four Akatsuki members after Naruto. It's obvious he figures heavily in whatever they are planning," he sighed. "I do not know the identity of the additional two members, but we can be sure that all four will be waiting for an opportunity. For the moment we let our guard down."
The blonde woman's lips pressed hard against each other, becoming pale and thin. Ever since she had met Naruto, she had come to regard him as family - even if he was annoying and bratty at times. He reminded her of her long-deceased brother. The same brashness, the same cheeriness, the same spirit.
The same dream.
She would not let them take Naruto. Not if she could help it. She had no intention of letting a bunch of power-hungry murderers get their filthy hands on him.
She would not let them destroy his dream.
"I will make sure that the guards are on high alert. I will meet with the ANBU. Then I will talk to you afterwards," Tsunade snapped, the words rapidly coming out in the manner of a general issuing orders.
"And I will personally make sure that they don't get anywhere near Naruto," Tsunade snarled through clenched teeth, a piercing determination showing in her eyes. She could feel a burning resoluteness swell within her chest.
Spinning upon her heel, Tsunade marched to her offices, her blonde pigtails flying out behind her. She strode with a fierce determination, her heels clacking loudly against the concrete floor. Brown dust filtered out of her hand, the remains of the scroll wafting away into the wind.
She was not about to let another boy's dreams end.
She would protect Naruto and his dream with her life.
Not even God could stop her.
Neji lay in his bed, his pale eyes staring through the window in his room. He gazed at the cloudless sky, a faraway expression upon his face as his mind catalogued the events of the past few days. On occasion, his brow would twitch and his eyes narrow slightly while he pondered.
The mission has and will change so many people, he ruminated.
The image of Sasuke swam into his mind's eye. Neji frowned. He had respected the dark-haired Uchiha survivor for his skill and power. But now, he was perturbed by the other boy's betrayal.
Sasuke is in a terrible, dark place now. Not even Naruto could stop him.
He closed his eyes, shutting out the peaceful scene beyond his window. The faint sound of birdsong was all that remained. He remembered the day the Hyuuga family members had whispered about the terrible massacre of the Uchiha clan at the hands of Itachi.
Sasuke has given in to the pain and hate of his terrible past. I fear he now treads a path that will ultimately cost him everything.
Although Neji no longer automatically labelled people – a habit he had broken thanks to his defeat by Naruto – he still allowed himself to analyse others, to try and delve into their personalities and futures.
People interested him.
He was not one to chatter endlessly in an attempt to learn more. Instead, he would silently observe people's reactions, their mannerisms, their body language and their eyes. To him, those actions revealed so much more than mere words.
The most interesting pair of eyes Neji had seen belonged to a certain blond boy.
Uzumaki Naruto's cerulean eyes burnt with a courageous spirit. In their fight, Neji had tried so hard to break Naruto's spirit, to instil doubt into those eyes so that he could enjoy seeing the very moment the blond's dreams crashed down.
He had failed. Naruto's spirit was simply too strong to be broken. It was as if it was forged in intense flames. As if the blond had seen hell and lived through it.
Neji smiled wanly to himself. Naruto was one of the simplest people to read, yet he continually managed to surprise. Every time Neji thought he had figured out the blond, a new facet of his personality would show.
A rapid rapping on the door stirred the dark-haired Hyuuga out of his thoughts, his eyes snapping open. He straightened himself up in his bed, and swept a few stray locks away from his face, making himself presentable. He interlaced his fingers and rested his hands on his lap. Finally, his gaze swept to the door.
Neji spoke in an even and cool voice.
The door suddenly swung open and revealed a short boy with unruly blond hair and a mischievous grin on his whiskered face. Like Neji, he wore neatly ironed green pyjamas provided by the hospital.
Neji allowed a faint smile to break through his imperturbable exterior.
Naruto pulled a chair out to sit on, the legs making a faint scraping noise as he dragged it along the hard floor. He sat down roughly with a thump, and continued to grin at his pale-faced comrade.
Hey, Neji, Naruto spoke cheerfully, how are you doing?I am fine, thank you Naruto. I am glad to see you are now recovering well, Neji replied, his pale eyes scanning the visitor.
Naruto's toothy grin closed into a sincere smile, his cerulean eyes focused. Thanks, Neji. I knew you could beat that spider freak.
Neji sighed lightly, remembering his intense battle with Kidoumaru. It had been the closest brush he had with death, and it was also the first time he had killed an opponent. In the end, Naruto's words had spurred Neji on to victory, the Hyuuga unwilling to admit defeat.
You're not a loser like me!I had a good role model, Neji spoke sincerely, looking upon the blond. Just like you, I refused to give up even though my opponent was formidable.
Naruto's brows shot up, and he blinked at Neji. He was surprised to hear he had inspired the stoic genin. His hand immediately started ruffling his unruly mane of hair, an idiotic grin plastering itself across his face. A hint of embarrassment could be detected.
Neji scoffed quietly. So Naruto could also be modest at times. Another surprise.
An expression of slight concern washed over Neji's face. Have you talked to Shikamaru yet, Naruto?
The blond boy shook his head, frowning.
I see. Neji set his jaw. His pale eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Have you seen him yet? Naruto asked curiously. He wondered why the other boy seemed so concerned about Shikamaru.
No, I have not, Neji replied, I have only seen Yamanaka Ino, his former teammate. She delivered their card, and was very concerned for Shikamaru.What's wrong, Neji?From what I can gather, Shikamaru has been greatly affected by the failure of his first command mission and the death of his close friend, Chouji.
The blond genin inhaled, and nibbled on his lower lip. He didn't like the sound of this. He had come to respect Shikamaru as a leader. Even though their mission had failed, he had been very calm and focused – an admirable leader. He also knew the ponytailed chuunin would lay his life down for his comrades.
Naruto, if you are leaving soon, perhaps you could speak to him? Neji requested. He hoped that the other boy would be able to help Shikamaru up and snap him out of his depression.
Naruto nodded gravely. He didn't like hearing Shikamaru was down. Yeah... I will. I might be leaving today, he spoke casually. A look of surprise briefly flickered upon Neji's eyes.
Hinata-sama, Lee and Tenten told me Naruto almost died... and he may be leaving today? his mind questioned. But then, Naruto always surprised him. Perhaps it was that mysterious power he showed in their Chuunin tournament fight – did he possess a bloodline of sorts? Nobody knew his parents, after all – the orphan's past was shrouded in mystery.
How about you, Neji? Will you be leaving soon? Naruto's words interrupted the other boy's thoughts. His cerulean eyes wandered over to the heavy bandage on his friend's left shoulder.
The dark-haired boy shook his head sadly, a rueful smile upon his lips. I am afraid I will not be back to training for a considerable amount of time. My shoulder and side will take up to two months to heal.
Naruto sighed, his shoulders dropping.
Neji continued I hope I can be allowed to leave the hospital and return home. I certainly plan to attend Chouji's memorial service if I can. He was an honourable shinobi.
The blond's lips tugged into a frown as he thought of Chouji's tragic end. He had died so young, at a time when he was starting to flourish as a worthy ninja. It still hurt Naruto's heart to think of it.
Naruto nodded sadly. Yeah, I'm gonna try to attend too. Chouji was a good guy, I wish I knew him better.
Neji nodded slightly, agreeing with the blond's words. As do I. The past few days have changed everything, and many of us need time and help to deal with the aftermath, he said.
Naruto felt himself twist inside. He felt horrible for not being able to stop Sasuke, to pull him back to his senses. And Sakura... He hated to see her cry. Even though Sasuke was the object of her love, Naruto had been more than willing to bring him back for her – so he could see her smile.
When Sakura had told him that she had realised Sasuke would never love her, Naruto felt worse. Even if her love had been for his friend and rival, he hated seeing her heartbroken.
He would do anything for her. He would fight just for her to be happy and safe. Even if it cost him his happiness.
Neji's pale eyes carefully studied Naruto. He watched the cerulean eyes unconsciously flit from one direction to another, and the very subtle twitches of his facial muscles. He could tell that his visitor was experiencing uncomfortable feelings and memories. He wanted to offer encouragement, to cheer the blond. But the Hyuuga boy was never any good at that kind of thing. It never did come to him naturally.
Then Naruto smiled at the dark-haired boy, who could so easily see it was forced. I hope you get outta here soon, Neji, this place is damned boring.
Neji smiled slightly. I hope you will train hard, Naruto. I would like a rematch at some point in the future, he said.
Naruto grinned wolfishly. His eyes glinted dangerously at Neji. You bet I'll train my ass off! You'd better train hard too, Neji! I'll kick your ass again!
The Hyuuga snorted and smirked. I will look forward to it, Uzumaki Naruto.
I'm sure you will surprise me yet again.
In her office, Tsunade leaned back in her large high backed leather chair, its soft and firm padding contouring around the woman's back. She closed her eyes and sighed quietly, taking comfort in the feel of the chair against her back. Her right hand glowed faintly with chakra and she gently rubbed the back of her neck with it, letting the flow of the chakra soothe away her stresses. She smiled slightly, letting herself enjoy the sensation for a moment.
It had been quite a stressful morning.
"Long morning, Tsunade?"
Hearing the deep voice, the Hokage blinked her eyes open and they slowly turned to face the speaker. Jiraiya casually leant against the door frame, his muscular build almost filling out the entire doorway. He had a lopsided grin on his face. Tsunade felt like slapping that grin off, yet she did not wish to leave her comfortable chair. Instead, she continued to massage her neck, but she allowed herself to frown and glare slightly at her fellow Sannin, the feeling of pleasure from the massage now lost.
Even though she knew Jiraiya was only trying to put her at ease, his relaxed mood in the current situation only served to irritate her.
"Unlike you, Jiraiya, the Hokage has to work hard for the village and its people," she said sternly, finally finishing her massage and placing her hands on the desk, interlacing her fingers. "I've just conducted TWO meetings." She lifted her right hand up, and started to count them off on her fingers. "One with the guardsmaster. One with the ANBU commanders."
A third finger joined the two outstretched ones.
"And now I have to speak with you." She let her three fingers stand out for a moment to emphasise her words, before placing her hand back onto the cool wooden surface of the desk.
She sighed, rubbing her eyes with the balls of her palms. Her ears picked up a faint clinking sound. Opening her eyes, she stared at a small cup of warm sake on her desk, a faint trail of steam rising from it. The sunlight shimmered and danced about on the liquid's surface. It looked so refreshing, so enticing to Tsunade.
She quietly picked up the cup, and knocked it back in one shot. She sighed contentedly as the warm sake ran down her throat.
"Thanks, Jiraiya, I needed that," Tsunade smiled.
The white haired man had already squeezed his large frame into the small leather chair across from the desk. With a slight smile, he waved her thanks away, indicating it was no trouble.
"So..." he began slowly, his eyebrows rising to convey his curiosity. "How did those meetings go?" He poured another cup of sake for Tsunade.
Taking the cup, Tsunade slightly licked her lips in anticipation. She quickly knocked the drink back, letting out another contended sigh.
"The first wasn't bad. They agreed to upgrade the guard to high alert. No guard will be left on his own, and the ANBU will be called in at the first sign of a missing guard or a late report. The second meeting, with the ANBU, was a little lively. I had to restrain myself from punching one of the commanders through the wall." She gritted her teeth slightly, allowing a small smirk to form at the corner of her mouth.
"Oh?" Jiraiya asked curiously, his eyebrows rising even further.
The blonde threw her hands up in exasperation. "That idiot Toho had the nerve to say it would be a lot easier for all of us if Naruto hadn't been spared when he was a baby! It's a good thing Ibiki and Yaiba showed their disapproval for his behaviour, or the elders might have had to call in the cleaners and decorators." Tsunade had heard that the villagers did not take to Naruto because of their fears and prejudices, but she had not expected for those prejudices to spread to some elements within the elite ANBU and higher ranked shinobi. She thought they would know better. But some veterans, like Toho Tanku, let their wounds from the battle against Kyuubi Kitsune fester.
They could never close those wounds until either they changed their mindsets, or that demon was dead.
At least they remain loyal to Konoha, Tsunade mused, but will that last?
The hermit smiled slightly at Tsunade. Ever since she had met Naruto, she had become protective of the boy. She would never publicly admit it, but she had also started to show some motherly tendencies towards him.
"Anyway," she sighed, "the ANBU have agreed to keep their eyes and ears open for any information on the Akatsuki, and will move to terminate any members they can find."
"Easier said than done," Jiraiya replied, a serious expression washing over his face. "The Akatsuki are all S-Rank criminals from what I can gather, and I cannot glean any information about their leader. Any organisation or brotherhood has to have a leader of sorts." He drained his cup of sake as soon as he had finished speaking.
Exhaling, Jiraiya continued with his explanation. "The Akatsuki don't ever trust anyone. That makes placing spies within their ranks impossible. They also travel a lot, making it hard to follow them - they don't even seem to have a permanent base of operations. My fellow Sennins and I can only gain information from rumours and any chance meetings we can get. I'm too high-profile, so I can't get anywhere near them without having them scamper away like cockroaches." He smirked ruefully at his last words.
Tsunade shrugged. "Well, at least we can try. We've also made it as hard as possible for the Akatsuki to get in here. They won't be able to come in as easily as last time, now that Konoha's defences are fully rebuilt. We even added a few new surprises."
Jiraiya nodded in agreement. Then he tilted his head questioningly. "So, what's the plan for Naruto?"
"After he has had his 'rest'," Tsunade smirked at the word, then continued, "he will rejoin Team 7 and continue his training with them and you. You will accompany him on his missions since he is your student, and you are protecting him. As long as the Akatsuki cannot locate him, he should be fine. Just don't ever let him get out of your and Kakashi's sight."
"Alright then," the white-haired man nodded. He slapped his hands together and rubbed them, momentarily glancing at the sunny scene outside the window.
"One more thing, Jiraiya."
"Yeah?"
Tsunade leant forward, and smiled. Jiraiya knew that glint in her deep brown eyes. He groaned inwardly, and shifted uneasily.
She had something planned.
"WHAT!?"
Naruto's deafening scream ricocheted off the walls of his room, and echoed down the hall. Muffled complaints could be heard from outside the window and the other rooms along the hall.
Shizune swayed slightly on her feet, looking dazed and clutching Tonton tightly. Her hair was slightly frayed. She had expected the blonde boy to react with shock, but she had not expected him to be so loud.
"Hey, hey! Tell me why you're doing this!?" Naruto was now standing on his bed, still dressed in his green pyjamas. His finger was pointing accusingly at the black-clad kunoichi. His eyes blazed furiously at her.
He did not like the sound of this. Shizune had just come into his room and told him that he could leave hospital. That he had been overjoyed at. He had then babbled on about how he hoped he still had some instant ramen in his larder, and how he so looked forward to being able to sleep in his own bed. The hospital bed was comfortable, but it didn't feel homely to him. It didn't feel snug.
That was when the bombshell dropped.
Naruto was not going back to his old apartment. He wasn't going back to his instant ramen. He wasn't going back to his snug, old bed.
He had been told he would be living with Tsunade and Shizune at the Hokage's home.
Now that was something he had not expected to hear.
The ringing in Shizune's ears eventually subsided, allowing her hearing to return to normal. She shook her head, trying to clear it, amazed that Naruto could make people go deaf with a full blast of his lungs.
She knew she couldn't tell him the real reason why Tsunade wanted him to move in with them. They didn't want him looking over his shoulder all the time.
"Naruto-kun..." she began uneasily. "I thought you might like it if you had people to live with. And we like having you around." She made one of her cute smiles. Tonton grunted as if agreeing with her.
Naruto plopped down onto his knees and put his hands behind his head. He gazed up at the ceiling, his lips forming into a thoughtful pout. Shizune had a point. He did like her and Tsunade oba-chan. He did like the idea of living with others. But he couldn't deny that nagging feeling. While he was quite lonely at his apartment, at least it meant he never had to worry about unwanted interruptions. And he was in charge there, deciding when to clean (if he ever got around to it), what to eat and what to do.
He wasn't sure he could handle living with others.
"Hmm... I dunno..." he mused.
"Why don't I show you our place, and you can decide?" Shizune offered. She cocked her head slightly, looking at Naruto out of the corner of her eyes and smiling.
He sucked a breath in, and held it for a moment, still gazing at the ceiling.
"Alright!" he shouted, punching the air with both fists. "But that doesn't mean I've said yes!" he finished. He leapt off the bed, then looked at himself. "Er, I need to get changed..." He grinned nervously and scratched the back of his head. Shizune smirked with amusement, and reached into her bag. She pulled out a pair of orange pants, a black shirt and his trademark orange jacket. She smoothed the pile out, and held it out to the blonde boy.
"Here. All washed and ironed. The shirt is new, and I even fixed your jacket!" she chirped merrily.
"Thanks, Shizune!" Naruto's grin threatened to split his face in two, and he grabbed the clothes. He darted behind a green screen in the corner, and proceeded to change his clothes. Meanwhile, Shizune busied herself, collecting the cards on Naruto's bedside table and carefully stashing them into her bag. She glanced at the flowers in the vase and cursed under her breath for not bringing something to carry them in.
She shrugged and took out a pen and scroll.
Well, I suppose there's no harm in taking the vase as well as long as I return it as soon as possible! Shizune thought, impatiently scribbling down a note in the scroll. She then placed the scroll down on the bedside table, and picked up the vase - flowers and all.
"OK, let's GO!" Naruto yelled as he burst from behind the screen, green pyjamas under an arm, his headband on his forehead once more. Shizune smiled at the sight of the hyperactive blonde looking like his old self in his trademark orange outfit. He could not keep still as he constantly fidgeted and shifted his weight, waiting for the kunoichi and her pet pig to lead the way.
"All right, Naruto-kun, let's go then," Shizune spoke as she opened the door to the hall, her other arm holding the flowers and vase. Tonton shuffled alongside her feet, occasionally sniffing at the ground. An orange blur burst into the hall, the pent-up energy within Naruto obviously seeking an outlet. He dashed down the hall gleefully, enjoying the sensation of being free. Shizune walked as quickly as she could, heels rapidly tapping against the tiled floor, desperate not to lose sight of the blonde boy.
Sakura sprawled on her bed, staring up at her legs, which she had propped against the wall. Her light pink hair tumbled over the side of the bed, her bangs no longer kept tidy by her forehead protector which now lay on her dressing table. She now wore a white shirt and red cords which she felt very comfortable in. She closed her eyes and listened to the music blaring from her stereo. She could feel the beats making the walls shake, the vibrations travelling down her legs. Her hands gently slapped onto the duvet in time with the beat.
She loved listening to that CD of her father's. It was a foreign band, and their music was unlike any in Konoha. It was intense, and coursed with energy.
It was a good thing Sakura's father was away on a mission, and her mother was working at the shop. If she had played the music that loudly while they were around, she would have never heard the end of their nagging.
She really needed to lose herself. She tried to drown herself in the thudding bass, in the intense lyrics. She tried to hide from the world. She didn't want to think about him.
The stereo whirred as it randomly selected a new song from the CD. Once again, beats shook the bedroom walls.
Don't lose your head,
Don't lose your head,
No don't lose your head,
Oh, damn it. Sakura muttered to herself. She screwed her eyes shut harder, and hid her face with her palms. She didn't want to hear that particular song.
Don't lose your head,
Hear what I say
Don't lose your way - yeah.
Remember, love's stronger, remember love walks tall,
She balled her hands into fists and slammed them down at her sides, onto the soft duvet. Her teeth ground with frustration. She could not shut out the song. It relentlessly assaulted her ears.
Don't lose your heart,
No don't lose your heart,
Hear what I say
Don't lose your way - yeah.
Remember, love's stronger, remember love walks through walls,
This was one of her favourite songs. But this was one song she did not need to hear. It was a song she knew by heart, and one she lived by.
Don't drink and drive
my car,
Don't get breathanalysed,
Don't lose your head,
If you make it to the top and you wanna stay alive.
It was a song that had driven her through her fruitless pursuit of her crush.
Uchiha Sasuke.
It hurt to think of him.
It hurt so much to think of how he had betrayed his friends.
It hurt to think of how she had bared her heart to him on that night, only to see him walk away.
Don't lose your head,
Don't lose your head,
No don't lose your head,
Hear what I say - yeah,
Hey, don't lose your way,
She threw her legs above her head, gracefully flipping from the bed, landing on the floor on her feet. She strode the few feet to her stereo, which still played the song in blatant defiance of her wishes.
Remember, love's stronger, remember love conque-
The song was cut short as Sakura harshly slapped her palm onto the stereo's power button.
The pink-haired girl took a few shuddering breaths, each one saturated with a bitter mix of emotions. Her left fist shook at her side, while she wiped away emerging tears with her right hand.
Sadness. Fear. Regret. Confusion. Rage.
She could not understand how Sasuke could abandon everything for revenge. She could not understand why he had severed his bonds with his team-mates and Konoha.
She could no longer trust him for he had almost killed Naruto.
She felt she no longer knew Sasuke.
But then, did I ever know him? Sakura thought, a bitter smile briefly flickering upon her lips.
Even before the Curse Seal had been placed upon Sasuke's neck, the Uchiha boy had been cold and distant to her most of the time – the only sign he cared at all was when he had protected her as a team-mate.
She had placed him upon a pedestal of perfection, and believed in the myths and illusions she and many other girls had woven around Sasuke. She had let herself become seduced by those legends.
To her, Sasuke was perfection.
Her hand brushed through her silky pink hair. I grew it long for him. But did he ever say he liked long hair?
She thought of Ino. I gave up my best friend for him. Just because she dared to desire him as well.
She thought of how she had hurt Naruto so many times. I hurt Naruto-kun so much, elbowing him aside while I ran after Sasuke.
She smiled sadly at the thought of Naruto. She could not understand how he could take the brunt of her barbs and still smile for her. No matter how much she had hurt him in the past, he was always there for her. After he had told her of his painful loneliness, she had told him of the painful night that Sasuke left her and her heart shattered in pieces.
Naruto had listened in silence while she poured her heart out. Unlike Sasuke, he did not walk away. He did not treat her words lightly.
He was there for her. As always.
He understood her. As he somehow always did.
Later, Naruto told her that Sasuke cared about her like a sister. The blond wanted her to know that Sasuke did at least care about her.
That had been little comfort to Sakura. She felt she had been a terrible fool, making so many sacrifices for a crush, an illusion, a selfish love. Emboldened by the song she believed in, Sakura had ploughed on in her pursuit, believing that she could make Sasuke fall for her.
She felt she had so much to make up for.
It would not be easy for her to let go of Sasuke, but she knew she had to move on or she would wither away.
Her lips pulled into a frown, trembling with sadness and anger.
She was sick of crying. She was sick of feeling sorry for herself. She wanted to be stronger. She needed to be stronger. For her friends.
For Naruto.
I have a lot to make up for with Naruto-kun, she thought. Gaara's words filtered into her thoughts.
Protect him just as he protected you.
She didn't know if she could be stronger. But she owed it to herself and to him to at least try.
Thinking back to the Chuunin exam, she remembered how Naruto seemed to have that incredible ability to make her want to do her best. How she felt she could believe in herself when he encouraged her.
How she felt so free while screaming for him to win against Kiba and Neji.
Sakura had never felt those kind of sensations with Sasuke. They were strange, and did not always make sense. She did care for Sasuke, and she did will him to win. But he never made her feel stronger. In fact, he had made her feel the opposite many times.
She didn't understand how Naruto made her feel so good, so secure, despite his faults. Perhaps she would in time.
I hope I will, Sakura thought. Her frown became a fond smile.
A slight rapping sound at her window alerted the pink-haired kunoichi. Her emerald eyes flickered open and looked at the full length window.
Behind it stood Ino. She carried a packet of sweets in her right hand, and wore a sky blue tank top with dark blue jeans. The blonde mouthed her words and motioned frantically with her hands, asking Sakura to let her in. Her frenzied movements made Sakura think of a mime.
She smiled at her old friend and giggled, her emerald eyes glinting with amusement, and she began to feel warm again.
Today's a good day to start making up for my mistakes, she thought as she opened the window.
Tsunade's deep brown eyes were solely focused on the thick tree trunk before her. Its outer bark was battered and chipped, the pale green inner bark showing through in many places. The sapwood even peeked through in a few areas, laying testament to the brutal blows that had rained upon the trunk.
To the Hokage, nothing else existed in her world. She and the tree trunk were all that had ever existed. Everything else simply faded away into oblivion.
She spun, slamming her left heel into the trunk. The bark groaned and cracked. Without a pause, Tsunade immediately threw a right cross as soon as her foot landed onto the ground.
A deep thud resounded where her fist had connected. She then angled her right arm slightly, allowing her right elbow to slam into the very same spot her fist had connected. Thick fragments of bark showered down onto the ground.
Again, without any pause, Tsunade spun, momentarily turning her back to the tree, and slammed her left elbow into the trunk. The satisfying crack of bark greeted her ears. She removed her elbow from the trunk, and listened as pieces of wood pattered down onto the soft dirt.
She allowed herself a smile of satisfaction. Ever since she had returned to Konoha as the new Hokage, Tsunade had trained hard to make up for her lack of combat sharpness. Her rustiness had almost cost her when she fought Kabuto, and she was saved by Naruto.
The Hokage smirked to herself. She had left Konoha so long ago, even before Naruto was born. She had heard news of Yondaime's sacrifice and the sealing of the Fire Youkai, Kyuubi Kitsune, and later learnt the name of the container.
Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she would meet Uzumaki Naruto, container of Kyuubi Kitsune, and that he would inspire her to rekindle her spirit of fire and take up the office of Hokage.
Not bad for a brat, Tsunade smiled to herself. But I'm not about to massage his ego.
She knew Naruto had a lot to live up to. He had a lot of potential. But that was all it was. Unless he worked hard, all that latent skill would go to waste.
For his sake, the truth had to be kept from Naruto as long as possible. She needed him to grow as much as he could. If he found out too soon...
Tsunade exhaled sharply and cleared her mind. She closed her eyes and positioned herself into a ready position and began a kata. She moved precisely, her arms and legs making graceful sweeping motions.
Once again, she became focused and alone in her own world.
Or at least she was.
The blonde woman came out of her stance, and shook her arms and legs briefly to relax them. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw Shizune, Naruto and her cherished pet pig Tonton, who trotted over to her, grunting happily. Smiling, the Hokage bent down and scooped the pig up into her arms.
About time you guys got here, Tsunade greeted, scratching the pig behind its ears. I take it you've agreed to live here, Naruto?
The blond boy crossed his
arms indignantly. I haven't decided yet, Tsunade oba-chan!
He huffed.
She raised an eyebrow, and frowned slightly in irritation.
Shizune grinned nervously, and waved a hand at her mistress. He wanted
to see his room before he decided, Tsunade-sama.Well, what are you
waiting for, Shizune? Show him! Tsunade smirked. He's going to accept
when he sees the house. Or at least I'll BEAT him into accepting it... she
thought.
This way, Naruto-kun, Shizune smiled. She slid a door open and led the way into a hall. Naruto allowed an interested expression to appear on his face and followed the dark-haired kunoichi, his hands stuffed into his pockets. As they passed a door, he smelt the faint odour of sulphur. He raised an eyebrow and sniffed the air curiously.
Shizune looked over her shoulder and noticed Naruto's behaviour. We have a natural hot spring in this house. A nice luxury here, she explained smiling.
Cool... Naruto grinned broadly as Shizune moved on. He hadn't seen much of the house, but it was a large traditional-looking Japanese house with its own training area in the middle. Not only that, it also had a hot spring.
He liked it a lot so far. But he wasn't about to admit it just yet.
Here we are! Shizune announced merrily. She slid the door back, and stood aside to let the blond boy enter. Naruto peered inside, his cerulean eyes wide with curiosity and taking in every detail.
The bed was a traditional futon, and considerably more spacious than his old bed. Naruto walked over to it, and prodded it. It felt nice, just the right amount of firmness. Even though he liked his old bed, it had been starting to get very lumpy over the years of use. Taking his hand away from the bed, his eyes wandered over to the window. He sauntered over, the view expanding as he moved closer. He blinked and squinted in the bright sunlight.
The lush green outskirts of Konoha greeted him. To the left was a small red bridge crossing a stream.
Naruto smiled bittersweetly at it. He could almost see himself and his team-mates carrying out their usual morning routine.
Ohayo, Sakura-chan!Morning, Naruto... Ohayo, Sasuke-kun!
And of course, Kakashi would turn up hours late. Naruto and Sakura would scream at their sensei for being late and a terrible liar, while Sasuke would snort derisively and ignore them.
Naruto found himself wishing he could return to the old days. They seemed so carefree and innocent.
But he knew it was no good pretending things would go back the way they were.
Tearing his eyes away from the bridge, Naruto's gaze explored the rest of the scenery. He could just make out the dark stone walls of the Hyuuga clan peering over a hill on the horizon, the low roofs of the clan mansion barely visible over the wall. As his eyes swept to the right, the green scenery slowly gave way to the roofs of the houses and shops of the town centre.
He frowned as his eyes scrutinised the buildings.
I can't see Ichiraku from here... That was definitely a bad point in Naruto's mind. But then, he had never been able to see it from his tiny apartment.
He turned away from the window and gazed around the room. There was plenty of storage space for his clothes and things. Far more than he had ever had. There was no television, but he supposed he could bring in his battered old set if he moved in. Something on a corner table caught his eye. He scurried over, and peered closely at the curious object.
He looked at Shizune with wide eyes, pointing incredulously at the offending item.
Hey! Is that a... telephone? Naruto asked disbelievingly.
Shizune nodded dumbly, an eyebrow arched. She wasn't sure why the blond boy was making such a big deal out of such a common everyday object.
His grin grew and threatened to split his face apart. His eyes shone. His chest swelled.
ALRIGHT! My own telephone! I never had a telephone back at the apartment! My own telephone!
Naruto was dancing and laughing, pointing at the telephone like a crazed child. Shizune could not help but laugh at the spectacle before her eyes.
I take it this means you like this place? the kunoichi asked, her eyebrows arching. She smiled as she awaited Naruto's answer.
Aaa... I guess so, Naruto replied, still grinning. He ruffled the back of his head with his hand.
I'll go and let Tsunade-sama know, Shizune said, winking. She swept out of the room, allowing Naruto to explore the rest of his new quarters.
Chapter 8 - "To Fly Again" will soon be up! I will also be correcting small mistakes made in earlier chapters to help ensure the story is fully in line with canon and consistent.