Our Sugar Coated Disclaimer: Owning is a privilege we do not posses but writing in Fanfiction is something that we deem our tool to manipulate the laws of the copywriter
The Chocolate Filled Authors Note: Welcome to the world according to Peppermint and Sugar, we hope you enjoy what you read while visiting. A review would be nice but not compulsory; we just like to know our work is appreciated. Well we hope you enjoy. Oh and for those who need such things there is Sakura bashing throughout our work.
With Grace,
Peppermint and Sugar
Chapter 1 A New Task At The Bridge
A raven haired boy with onyx eyes walked slowly across the dew-spattered grass, breathing in deep breaths of the fresh, early morning air. He sat upon the ground, not minding that the grass was wet, and looked up at the sky, counting the few stars still present. He rarely got to have moments to himself anymore, instead preoccupying himself with the intense training he needed to overcome his goal.
He sat silently, watching the world come to life. The sun that started to peek over the horizon, reminding him of a certain blonde-haired teammate of his, who seemed to light up the world of darkness he was so constantly encased in, giving him a much needed fresh breath of life.
Shaking his head hoping to rid himself of such thoughts he stood up. He would soon have to start his morning training. He couldn't let thoughts of Naruto to creep into his mind; it would only make things more difficult. As he walked away he kept his eyes focused on the ground, the sun not able to warm his cold exterior.
On the other side of town said blonde was ever so slowly getting up from his bed grumbling about how it shouldn't be possible to wake up at such a god forsaken hour. When he finally scrambled to his bathroom mirror he stared into it, his mind not fully comprehending what he was looking at. When it finally clicked that he was in the bathroom he groaned before dunking his head in the basin and turning the cold water on.
As soon as the water hit the back of his head, he was awake. Pulling back as quickly as he could without banging his head he glared at himself in the mirror. He was now wet, tired, annoyed and covered in Goosebumps. Turning he grabbed a clean towel before getting ready for a shower shivering the whole time.
A shrill "SASUKE-KUUUUUUN!!" pierced through the village causing Sasuke to flinch at the annoying high-pitched noise that came from his strawberry haired teammate. "What do you WANT Sakura?" Sakura, not noticing Sasuke's angered tone, continued to blither on about some thing or another, while Sasuke found himself wondering where the dobe was. He always seemed to be here right after him...this morning he was late.
"Sakura." The giant foreheaded girl stopped her talking immediately when the sound of her dear Sasuke-kun voice reached her ears. "Hai, Sasuke-kun?" She said, her voice coated in teeth decaying sweetness. "Where's Naruto?" Sakura deflated at this. "I don't know Sasuke-kun, that idiot is probably distracted by a rock. He's always late and he needs to keep his time better."
She paused her once annoyed face turning to adoration as she said "Unlike you Sasuke-Kun" Crossing her arms over her almost completely flat bosom she smiled up at him. Sasuke merely glared at the girl as he went back to ignoring the world letting her continue with her meaningless babble, it's not like he ever listened to her anyway.
Sitting high above them however sat none other then the third member off there team Naruto Uzumaki. Looking down at them Naruto felt like sighing. He knew they disliked him but it was still hard to hear it when he really did want to be friends with them. There were only two people he had ever really connected with and become close to they were Shikamaru and Iruka-Sensei.
He heard the almost painful sound of Sakura's laugh so he focused back on the conversation below him. She was hanging off of Sasuke like a leech. Rolling his eyes he felt like asking why Sasuke didn't just push her off of him, but he refrained that would be unusual behaviour for the loudmouth knuckle head ninja. Instead he silently climbed down from the tree, deciding that he might as well go save the teme. He sure looked like he needed the help.
Just when Sasuke was getting ready to dismember Sakura he felt the beginning of chakra forming in front of him, but before he could figure out who it was, a loud POOF sounded and before him stood nearly half the shinobi of the village and they seemed to be being lead by… "KAKASHI-SENSEI!!! YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura shrieked next to the dark haired boy, making him flinch slightly. Recovering the raven asked "Kakashi-sensei...why is everyone here?"
"They are here for our latest Mission. We are all here to audition for a play!!!" Sasuke felt himself twitch. "A…..Play?"
Naruto who had doubled back so it looked like he was coming from the direction of his house reached the bridge just after Sasuke had given his disbelieving answer. Eyebrows furrowing he stopped next to Sakura and asked "What about a play?" Turning to him Sakura glared before whacking him on the side of the head while saying "If you were early like Sasuke-Kun you would know!" A glare went to form on his face but knowing he couldn't do anything without rousing suspicion he merely said "Aww you know I'm sorry Sakura-Chan."
He heard a snort come from Sasuke making him turn and huff "You got something to say teme?" Sasuke didn't even look at him. Glaring he was about to yell at the teme but he was stopped when Kakashi spoke up by tiredly saying "We are going to be performing a play for a client. They will be meeting us hear to pick out the people who they want to preform roles in it."
Crossing his arms over his chest Kakashi glared with his one visible eye at Naruto while saying "So we will all wait here until the client arrives. We will be on our best behaviour and we will NOT do anything stupid while were waiting okay?"
Kakashi stayed looking at Naruto for a few seconds before turning to talk to Iruka who was standing with Ino and TenTen. Turning Sasuke glared at Naruto before saying "You heard him don't do anything stupid usuratonkachi." Naruto's eye twitched causing Sasuke to smirk.
He enjoyed it when Naruto got all huffed up but he loved it when Naruto get mad enough that he wanted to start a fight. It was worth the lecture from Kakashi just to see that cute little pout Naruto got when he was told off. He didn't really know when there fights became enjoyable and not annoying or when he had stopped seeing Naruto as a total idiot who shouldn't have passed the graduation exam. Yet one thing was for certain, during the battle with Haku when he had run in front of Naruto to take the attack it had become positive that the dobe was more then just his teammate .
The hyperactive blonde had sparked something in him that he had never felt before; it was both confusing and liberating at the same time. Locking eyes with Naruto Sasuke felt his cheeks lightly heat up in a blush, looking away he felt his blush intensify at the thoughts he had been having about the blonde. He was confused and he didn't like it. Why couldn't his heart stop insisting that there was something to unravel surrounding his feelings for the blonde?
Naruto on the other hand didn't feel much for Sasuke, sure he didn't mind the guy, after all someone jumping in front of a bunch of needles for you, tends to make them likable but other then a friend he just hadn't thought much about the Uchiha. He had other things on his mind, and contrary to popular belief it was not Ramen or becoming the next hokage. What was floating through his mind was usually the wise cracks of a demon fox.
Sighing Naruto looked around for anyone to talk to besides the fox in his head. When he's eyes landed on Shikamaru he grinned before walking over to him. "Hey Shikamaru, you get dragged into this to?" Shikamaru just shrugged, he wasn't in a talking mode….but was he ever? Sighing again Naruto plopped down next to him content to start playing with a twig in the dirt while waiting for there 'client' to arrive.
Sasuke frowned a little when Naruto moved away in order to sit with Shikamau, but he didn't give much thought otherwise. "OI! Naruto!" He turned to look at the voice who had yelled. It was Kiba. When he reached the lazy Shikamaru and hyperactive Naruto he said loud enough for everyone to hear "What's up Uzumaki?" Flopping down next to Naruto he let Akamaru jump on Naruto before proceeding to lick the fox boy on the face.
As Naruto started laughing while trying to pull the enthusiastic dog of his face Shino slowly came over before sitting on the opposite side of Shikamaru, gazing at the clouds with the other boy. Just when Naruto started having trouble breathing from laughing so hard both Akamaru and Kiba turned their heads to look in the south-western direction. Sitting up Naruto followed there gaze as did everyone else.
Standing up with the assistance of Shino, Shikamaru watched suspiciously as a grand red carriage drawn by horses stopped in front of them. When the driver stepped down, he gave everyone a weary glance, before opening the carriage door. After a few seconds a rather large man clambered out of the carriage. He had an orange moustache with balding hair and his smile was one of a grandfather; trustworthy and kind.
As he looked over the crowd of shinobi he said "Hello Konoha ninja. You are to be my characters, yes?" When Kakashi gave a slight nod he clapped his hands together before saying "Wonderful, wonderful" Turning back to the compartment he said "Come, Come now Kazuhiko, you must meet our young actors." After a few seconds of silence the carriage moved as a young boy stepped out.
He looked to be the same age as Naruto, he had jet black hair that was messily scrunched around his head creating spikes everywhere, he had eyes the colour of jade that seemed to search the soul of everyone there, but his aura was what made everyone curious; it whispered of haunting anonymity.
Smiling the man clasped the boy's shoulder before saying "Everyone, this is my nephew Aramaki Kazuhiko and my name is Nimoto Sadao" He then gave another heart filled smile before saying "Now that you know who we are may we get down to business?" That question seemed to snap Kakashi into action since he said "My name is Hatake Kakashi, I was charged with the task of collecting all the people who fit the requirements for the mission."
The man; Sadao almost seemed to jump up and down as he looked over the people. When his eyes landed on Iruka he grinned before turning to the driver of the carriage and said "Notes, my young man, take notes." Within an instant the man was holding a clipboard and pen. Smiling Sadao said "Kakashi-san was it?" Kakashi nodded. Continuing the man pointed at Iruka and said "Who are you my good man?" Iruka blinked before nervously saying "Umino Iruka."
Turning back to the driver the man said "Capulet, my good man, Iruka-san shall play Capulet." The man nodded, pen poised ready for the next note to be taken. Looking over the crowd Sadao grinned and pointing at Shikamaru said "And who is this young man?" Looking up lazily Shikamaru answered "Nara, Shikamaru" Before Sadao could say anything another voice cut in saying "Mercutio, he shall play Mercutio." Everyone followed the voice, it had come from Kazuhiko, who was leaning against the carriage.
Sadao smiled, seemingly uncaring about the interruption. Looking through the crowd again, his eyes landed on Sasuke before saying with a hint of surprise "I believe we have found our young Romeo." Sasuke blinked before giving him a incredulous look, but it was ignored. "What is you name son?" Sasuke bristled before muttering out "Uchiha Sasuke."
The man scribbled down the name while the other searched the crowd. After a few minutes he gained a thoughtful expression. He flicked his eyes from Ino to Naruto and back again, after doing this for a few minutes he finally threw his hands up in the air before saying "I have come to an impasse. I can not choose who will play a character." Everyone looked at him, they were already to confused to ask questions and this just added to there inability to speak.
After a few seconds Sadao turned to Kazuhiko and said "I need your assistance Kazu." Looking up with bored eyes Kazuhiko asked "Yes?" Walking over to him Sadao whispered something in his ear. When he was done Kazuhiko had a smirk on his face. Looking up at Sadao he said "If I can play Paris, I'll pick you a Juliet." Sadao seemed stunned but happily nodded.
Straightening himself up Kazuhiko walked over to the driver turned scribe. Lifting up his hand he pointed straight at Naruto "There's your Juliet." Everyone was dead silent as they processed it. Naruto was the first to speak "WHAT THE HELL? I'M A GUY I CAN'T PLAY A GIRL'S ROLE!" His eyes flicked to Sasuke and with a slightly shaking hand he pointed to him. "AND THE TEME IS ROMEO, I AM NOT KISISNG HIM!" Everyone was so focused on Naruto's outburst they didn't notice the blush and small smile that had formed on Sauske's face.
What Happens When Liquorice Twists An Author's Notes: As the door to our world closes so does realities door open, and since we are caught in an limbo for now we shall simple say thankyou for visiting and reading our work, we hope you enjoyed your time and will wish to come back. Now since we can not know of who has entered we ask that you sign our guest book, or what is more commonly known as a review. As it was written above reviews are not mandatory just appreciated. We must leave now, but until we meet again, have safe travel and pleasant dreams.
With Grace,
Peppermint and Sugar