The Gardener

I know...I promised a Gundam SEED fic called Of Blue and Silver Hair...but my mom hasn't gotten me the dvds yet! -pout- I only have vol 5 and I cant write the first chapters if I only have vol 5!

So yea, deal with me for a moment, please. I'll try to give you guys other stories until I get that one completed...I have the ideas for 2 others Gundam SEED stories, but I cant promise anything! Enjoy this fic!


"Do you see it? That pitiful place. No light reaches in there." A black haired woman whispered to her friends.

"Shh! I hear an evil spirit lives in there!"Her brunette friend said.

"Guys...It's just a dead garden." The third, a red head, and most sensible of the three broke in.

"Don't you see the wall around it? It's been closed off ever since the gardener died of a mysterious illness!" The blacked haired woman whispered back. The brunette nodded furiously.

"Whatever. Let's go find Tom and Jack. I'm sure Nick'll be easy to find." she rolled her eyes as she led her friends off.

A blonde head popped out of the bushes and looked across the street at the wall. It looked so intimidating...covered in vines...dirty from the years...but no one had been inside. The blonde boy ran across the street to the other, non-visible side of the wall. His bright blue eyes traced the lined in the wall and he placed his small hand in a crack he found.

The boy was no more than 6 or 7 years old. He had several cuts and bruises, but the determination in his eyes drew away from them. He wore a black shirt, dirty from not being washed and cut from his many falls while running through the city. His shorts were dark blue and at night he'd be hard to see.

Slowly, he climbed the wall and peered over. The boy gasped. Inside, the world was dead. He looked at the trees around the garden and then at the garden itself. Dead flowers, dead trees, dead everything. It was as if the breath of life could not reach here.

Climbing inside, the boy scrapped a piece of bark from a tree and found it was still slightly green inside. A smile crossed his face in less than a second. The garden wasn't dead yet! He could save it! The blonde ran to the shed embedded in the wall of the garden and looked inside...Ok, first off...clean the shed.

-

2 months later

People walked by the garden without a second thought. Over the wall, came a soft sound. A flute of some sort was playing inside the garden! It was a beautiful sound. Why was no one staring at it then? Why weren't they listening?

The sound of a flute playing inside the garden had started more than a month ago. No one was surprised by it anymore and they left it to itself. No one in town knew who played the flute, so rumors spread that the gardener was responsible. The dead guy had come back to once again make his home flourish.

Of course, that's not what was happening. Inside, a blonde boy named Naruto was merrily playing the flute for the plants he'd saved. They were beautiful and shone with glory in the sun. A gentle wind blew and rustled his hair as he stopped playing. He laughed and began running through the garden, admiring the plants and spinning in circles.

"My secret place..." he smiled, stopping before he hit the wall, and placing his hands gently on the rough stone. "But...now the city looks dead compared to it's beauty..." he smiled at his intelligence and use of words. "I know! I'll help the town too!"

-

For weeks, Naruto kept his garden during the day, and helped the city's plants at night. He watered the flowers in one couple's yard, and helped the trees grow in a man's orchard. All around the city, everything was bright and growing. Rumors spread for this as well.

'The Gardener,' as they called him, was a spirit of some sort who wished to make the land beautiful and came in the late hours of the night. He would help anything dying to grow, if you put it outside. Everyone hoped their plants would be visited by this magical creature called 'The Gardener.'

One night, Naruto came to a deserted part of town he'd never been in before. It seemed so dark...so dead. But Naruto could smell in the air that someone still lived here, so he went in.

All around him were the remnants of yards that had once shown with beauty. Naruto frowned at the appearance of the dead things and walked over to one of the flower beds. All that night he worked on the beds in this area, hoping he wasn't to late and they would still grow.

This continued for 2 weeks, as Naruto cared for all of Konoha's garden plants. He paid careful attention to the dark place he'd visited, and they were slowly coming back to life. People spread the story of the Uchiha area blossoming and they wondered how 'The Gardener' had brought that place back to life.

Tonight was no different, though it rained, he still came out and did his job. When he was done, Naruto was almost too tired to notice the small eyes filled with sadness that blinked at him through the windows of the main house in that area. But he turned and ran before they could really see him.

-

A dark haired boy sat atop his roof wearing dark clothing. He blended perfectly with the night...a creature hunting it's prey...Now all he had to do was wait. 3 nights ago he'd seen a man in his yard, presumably this 'Gardener' everyone was fascinated with. But it would not go unchecked!

Uchiha Sasuke, sole surviving member of the Uchciha Clan, would not let this man trespass on his land without him giving permission. He was sad, true, but knew the penalties he could tell the man he was to receive.

Suddenly, a blur of dark yellow, gold maybe, caught his attention. So lost in his thoughts, he hadn't seen the man as they helped his clans' gardens. He was at Sasuke's house now. Sasuke was perched to pounce on his roof.

The blonde knelt down to a plant of slowly flowering white roses and Sasuke prepared to jump. He froze when he heard the boy talking.

"I'm back...I hope you were doing ok while I was gone...I wonder who lives here in this house. I saw a boy about my age through the window a few days ago..." Naruto smiled at the flowers and tended to them.

Sasuke anger rose. So he was the man from before! His foot slipped and he found himself falling off his roof. Naruto heard the slip on the roof tiles and shot his gaze upward. The dark haired boy landed on top of the blonde.

"Ow..." the both muttered, then saw the other one and stared before screaming. "Ah!" they both jumped back a bit.

While Sasuke got in a stance to fight, the blonde smiled a wide smile, grabbed his stuff, and ran. Sasuke blinked before following.

-

"Oh no..." Naruto thought as he scaled the garden's wall and ran into the shack, putting his things away.

He ran back out and looked around the garden. No one. He supposed he'd lost the boy and went about tending to the garden.

Sasuke blinked at the wall. The haunted garden? The garden that had suddenly began to flourish? He slowly began to scale the wall, using a vine for support.

When he was at the top, he sat down for a moment as he heard soft humming. It was the blonde boy! He was tending the flowers. Sasuke and the boy blinked at the same time and looked up to see the sun was already rising.

Naruto ran off and Sasuke was about to run after him when he came back. A flute was in his hands.

"Flute?" he somewhat remembered music as he walked silently through the town. But then everyone started staring at him and he rarely came over here anymore. "Hm?"

Naruto began to play, a beautiful tune that in Sasuke's mind sounded like the world waking up in music instead of light. He closed his eyes and swayed slightly to the music. His eyes widened and he slipped.

"Ah!" Sasuke fell off the wall and landed on Naruto.

"Ow..." Naruto blinked and looked up at the dark boy on him. "Ah!" he made a scramble, but being under someone as heavy...heavier than he was, he went nowhere.

"Shh! Shut up!" Sasuke clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth and put his weight just below his neck. Naruto fell and lay still. "You're the gardener...aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" he said as if asking 'so what' to doing something bad. Sasuke blinked.

"You've really helped the town. Why not let yourself gain the glory of them knowing?" he asked.

"Glory? No one would let me help them if they knew it was me." the blonde said bitterly, staring dejectedly at the grass he was laying in.

"What? Why?" Sasuke let up on Naruto and sat next to him.

"How should I know? It's been like this ever since I was born." Naruto didn't move but was glad the pressure on his upper back was gone.

He should've stopped there. He should've gotten up and run away. But Naruto had already started talking, and his lonely life never required much talking. Sasuke sat and stared at the ground as he listened to the blonde.

"No one's ever been kind to me. No one's ever listened to me. I've been alone all my life. Except when I was a baby and had care-takers. I don't even know who my parents were!" he jumped up and ran off, through the trees and plants he'd grown in this garden.

"Wait!" Sasuke jumped up, reaching out as if to stop him. But the blonde was gone, he couldn't see him anymore. "What's your name?" he muttered.

Sadly, he turned and climbed the wall out of the garden. Naruto sat behind the bushes, just out of view. He refused to cry. He never cried. Why cry now? But...that boy had wanted to know his name. He'd wanted to know him.

Well, he'd provide. Everyone would know him. Everyone would acknowledge him! He wouldn't be ignored anymore!

Naruto stood up and looked defiantly at the sun creeping over the wall. He jumped the wall in two leaps, running to his house to plan. What to do? He couldn't decide. How do you cause enough ruckus to have everyone notice you?

"I'll start small." he smiled, grabbing some brushes and running off to the market.

'Life is gonna be so lonely...' he thought.

"But so fun!" he cheered, drawing a few eyes as he ran.

-

Dark eyes peered evilly from a window in a dark house. But they weren't evil. They were sad. But, it had been decided. That boy hadn't wanted to stay with him. His family was gone. He'd be alone for ever. No one mattered but oneself.

'No one's ever been kind to me. No one's ever listened to me. I've been alone all my life. Except when I was a baby and had care-takers. I don't even know who my parents were!'

He blinked. No! Sasuke shook his head. No time for that thinking! No one mattered! He'd live for him and him alone! No one could shake him again. He had to kill his brother, that's all that mattered.

Since all the girls wanted him, but no one wanted to know him...he'd never get to know anyone either. His pretty face would never smile...Sasuke Uchiha would be the perfect warrior, no emotions, only living to kill his enemy.

He turned from the window, letting the curtain fall over it. Walking into his dark house, he went to take a shower. To wash away the useless memories and start anew.

"Aniki(1)...I will kill you..." he swore.

-

6 years later.

"Hey!" a blonde boy called, running to the bridge that was Team 7's meeting place today. "Ohayo Sakura-chan!(2)"

"Huh? Oh...Hi Naruto. You know, you were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago!" Sakura complained.

"Gomen Nasai!(3)" Naruto apologized.

"Hn. Dobe." came a voice. Naruto turned to see Sasuke leaning against the bridge.

"SHUT UP!" Naruto yelled immediately. "I am NOT a dobe!"

POOF!

"Good Morning!" Kakashi yelled happily. He blinked and looked around. "Where might Naruto be?" Sakura had her hands over her mouth, while Sasuke merely smirked at the ground near Kakashi. "Huh?" he looked down.

Naruto was under Kakashi's feet. He was on his stomach and couldn't move due to the fact that Kakashi's right foot was just below his neck.

"Oh, sorry Naruto. Strange...I didn't aim for your back." he smiled and hopped off. Naruto didn't move as he grumbled.

"Man...today is starting out bad..." he muttered. Sasuke's eyes flashed for a split moment, then he shook his head.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you alright?" Sakura asked.

"Who cares?" Naruto asked, jumping up. "Let's get started!" he turned and ran to the end of the bridge, back to Sasuke. "Let's go!"

Sasuke shook his head again. What was this?

"Ah!" Sasuke fell off the wall and landed on Naruto.

"Ow..." Naruto blinked and looked up. "Ah!" he made a scramble, but went nowhere.

"Shh! Shut up!" Sasuke clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth and put his weight just below his neck. Naruto fell and lay still. "You're the gardener...aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" he asked. Sasuke blinked.

"You've really helped the town. Why not let yourself gain the glory of them knowing?" he asked.

"Glory? No one would let me help them if they knew it was me." the blonde said bitterly.

"What? Why?" Sasuke let up on Naruto and sat next to him.

"How should I know? It's been like this ever since I was born." Naruto didn't move.

Sasuke sat and stared at the ground as he listened to the blonde.

"No one's ever been kind to me. No one's ever listened to me. I've been alone all my life. Except when I was a baby and had care-takers. I don't even know who my parents were!" he jumped up and ran off.

"Wait!" Sasuke jumped up, reaching out as if to stop him. But the blonde was gone, he couldn't see him anymore. "What's your name?" he muttered.

"No way..." the dark haired genin muttered.

"Sasuke! Let's go!" Kakashi called back to him. Sasuke blinked once AGAIN and looked up.

The others were already off the bridge and walking. He didn't hurry to catch up, but caught up anyway. They then picked up speed, since they were late as it was.

-

Sasuke was walking home, the moon had long since risen. He passed by the garden wall, and his curiosity spilt. Walking over to the wall, he inspected the wall like he did the first time and then inserted his hands in the same holes as he climbed.

Sasuke had a mental image of trees and flowers, all growing magnificently. What he saw wasn't that. The garden looked dead...like rumors before' the gardener' showed up. No life seemed to be in this place.

Sasuke jumped down into the garden and frowned. What had happened to the blonde boy? Sure, he didn't live here. But he was supposed to have been the one to care for this garden. He stepped halfway onto something before he stopped and looked down.

"Flute?" he muttered, bending down to pick it up.

It was dusty, old, and looked like it hadn't been used in awhile. He used his shirt to wipe it off and soon the silver instrument shone again in the moonlight. He blew through it to clear the inside of dust and then cleaned the mouth piece. Raising it to his lips, he blew.

The sound was horrible! Sasuke couldn't play at all! He nearly dropped the flute and then set it down. The dark boy turned around and saw something strange.

A flower, a lily, was sitting next to a dirty pond and seemed to be the only thing left that was still alive. He knelt down next to it and caressed one of it's petals. It was so soft. Sasuke took the small plant pot next to the flower and scooped up some water. Pouring it slowly on the flower, he moved away the dead things that kept moonlight and sunlight off of it.

Feeling better about the garden, he stood up and turned back to the flute. But it was gone! Sasuke looked around, but couldn't see it. Where was it? He'd just set it down a second ago. Suddenly, a tune filled the air. Slightly airy due to the dust in the flute, it still sounded like the earth as it was tired, going to sleep for the night.

Sasuke listened for but a moment before he flipped around to see who was playing. He could only make out a silhouette against the moon. But you could still see the blonde hair and tell his clothes were darkly colored. He smirked.

"Hello Gardener." he greeted. In response, the boy stopped playing. "Why's your garden dead?"

"This garden never belonged to me, trespasser. I come here to think. Even long after all the things I grew died...6 years is a long time, don't you think? You can grow so much." came a voice Sasuke knew, but was somewhat different. "Why'd you ask my name...last time?"

Sasuke blinked. He thought for a moment.

"Because...I was alone too...and I wanted to be your friend..." he said, as if talking to the 6 year old he'd met again. The figure paused. Suddenly, two shuriken were thrown at him. Sasuke blocked them both, each landing in the dirt. "What the hell-?" he shot at the blonde attacker.

"Moron. If you wanted to be my friend, you should've just said so." he jumped down, his sad voice echoed slightly against the walls. "Nice night, huh Sasuke?"

"Perfect for playing the flute...Naruto." Sasuke answered, smirking. Naruto smirked back, nodding.

"How about I teach you?" he offered.

"Teach me? Teach me what?" Sasuke asked, confused what the dobe could teach him.

"I'll teach you to play the flute." Naruto said enthusiastically. Sasuke took a double take.

"What?" he asked. "The flute?"

"Well yea. You know how to handle one, but you suck at playing one. So, I'll teach you. Here, at night, whenever. And in return..." Naruto said.

"In return?" Sasuke was suspicious.

"You'll help me become a better ninja. I know you know some attacks that I don't, and I want you to teach them to me." Naruto said with a huge smile on.

Sasuke scoffed, it almost sounded like a laugh, and nodded.

"Alright Dobe. Tomorrow, same place, same time. I'll teach you ninjutsu, you teach me the flute."

'How manly.' his mind taunted him.

'Shut up.' he responded. It obeyed. Naruto smiled a larger smile than before and it was set.


1 - Aniki - I got this from another story. All of my Japanese comes from reading stories. I believe it means Older Brother. - Spelling may be wrong.

2 - Ohayo, Sakura-chan! - Good Morning Sakura! - Any endings you should know.

3 - Gomen Nasai - I'm Sorry or I'm Really Sorry - Spelling may be wrong.

Ok, that was it. End of The Gardner. This was a one-shot, so it's over. Ha...Your loss, not mine. (Blame AmishDonkey. The Big Red Button!) Please review! I hope you liked it! -smile- I've got 2 more, I'll post them later.

School's Out! More Writing Time!