NARUTO: A CHRISTMAS CAROL
PT: I hope you like this. This is a Naruto version of A Christmas Carol.
Time: This is before the Chuunin exams and after the Land of Waves mission.
Disclaimer: You have Kishimotou Masashi and Charles Dickens to thank for opening up their wonderful worlds to you.
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Christmas Eve-Konoha, 7:00 A.M.
Sasuke grumpily let out a puff of air through his nostrils as he looked outside. He hoped his mission would come to an end soon as he helped Sakura organize the sake cups. Another D-ranked mission. Today, Naruto had complained for half an hour as Team 7 received their mission.
----------------------------------------------------FLASHBACK--------------------------------------
Tsunade handed the paper to Sasuke. "Your mission today is D-ranked. It's a simple request from a villager: The villager is holding a Christmas party tonight at his house. Only, he has to go out and do some last minute holiday shopping. So he requested that you prepare the house for his party while he's out."
Naruto immediately began whining.
"Awwwww. But Tsunade-baachan! It's Christmas Eve! We can't get one day off or at least get a better mission!?!?!?"
Tsunade looked sternly at the blonde knucklehead.
"You are expected to do what you must for your village," she said in short, clipped tones.
Sakura was clearly embarrassed. Her face made that very clear.
"And stop calling me old!" the slug Sannin added. A small temple was pulsing on her forehead.
As Team 7 marched off, Naurto's grumbles and moans could be heard all the way.
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Sasuke allowed himself a grin at the memory as he watched the falling snow outside. That dobe…
"Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke spun around, startled.
Sakura was done arranging the sake. She was looking at the clock on the wall, determined not to meet the Uchiha's gaze.
"D-did you just smile?" she stammered, turning red.
Sasuke scowled "No."
"Done!" came the cheer. Sasuke and Sakura looked around. Naruto had hung the mistletoe in the doorway, sniggering. Sasuke gulped at the thought of ending up under it with another person. That kiss with Naruto was enough…
"I think we're done now." Sakura was purple in the face now.
Sasuke nodded curtly.
"I'm home!" a voice came from the front door as it opened.
"Oh! The owner's back!" Sakura squealed.
The three genin scurried through the halls as one, past doors and into the mud room, where the house's owner stood.
"I'll see how you shinobi did." He said stepping past them. He was a good-looking young man, 5"1 feet tall, with brown hair slightly spiked and pupil-less, blue-green eyes. As he passed, he gave Sasuke an approving look, Sakura, a long, flirtatious look and Naruto, a cold glare. Sasuke answered the man's expressions immediately. He twisted his deadpan expression to a glare upon seeing him glare at Naruto. Sakura, with a glance at Sasuke, immediately turned her innocent look into a ferocious glare. Whatever Sasuke was doing, she was doing it. Naruto, of course, glared icily at the man.
The man looked away.
He headed to the kitchen. The three genin could hear him walking around, inspecting everything.
"Er…Sasuke…" Sakura mumbled, taking advantage of the man's absence, "There's a Christmas party at my house today. You're invited."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Nah," Sasuke looked away before saying coldly, " I don't want to be annoyed."
"Oh…" Sakura was clearly hurt.
"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto muttered, "Can I come?"
Sakura hesitated. She really didn't want to invite him, but all the Rookie 9 and Team Gai would be there.
"Sure," She said finally, "We'll go to my house together. The party starts half an hour from now.
Sasuke closed his eyes as Naruto's cheers echoed around the house. Christmas… Sasuke didn't want to think about it. It pained him with memories of spending it with his family…
"You can go now. Great work."
Sasuke opened his eyes. The man was back. They nodded curtly at each other. Then, the shinobi left. What a cold day. Sasuke thought as he and his friends stepped out. A blast of wind came by, spraying snow into their faces. In more ways than one.
"See ya…Sasuke." Sasuke didn't turn around as he heard Sakura's voice, heartbroken. There was a pause.
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto was obviously getting impatient.
"Right." Sakura turned and joined Naruto. They headed off. Sasuke still didn't turn.
He just started walking home, alone and cold, not a friend in the world beside him.
77777777777777Sasuke's Home777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777
Sasuke sat down wearily on a sofa in his room and closed his eyes. He had been working all day today and was quite tired. A great weariness settled over him. His head began to droop.
"Christmas," He mumbled, "Bah, humbug."
Bah humbug.
His mind agreed with him as he drifted off into darkness…
Clunk. Sasuke's eyes flew open as he heard the sound. He had fallen asleep. There it was again.
Clunk. Sasuke tensed. There was someone in his room.
Clunk. Was it an enemy shinobi?
Clunk. Sasuke activated his sharingan and leapt out of the sofa and stood up straight, ready to fly. Only, what he saw was worse than an enemy shinobi. A thousand times worse.
"Mother!" he choked, backing away. No mistake.
Mikoto Uchiha stood before him, serene and loving as she had been in life. She wasn't any different from when she still walked the earth. The only difference was that she was slightly transparent.
"Sasuke," she whispered, " Listen to me. Tonight you will be visited by three spirits. They will tell you things of grave importance. If you heed what they tell you, your life will lead to happiness."
"Whuh?" Sasuke gripped what she said, yet still, he couldn't believe that his beloved mother stood before him.
"Sasuke." Mikoto whispered, "I don't want you to end up like Itachi. Your future is clouded. Please, I beg you to heed the three spirits and me tonight."
She began to fade away.
"No! Wait!" Sasuke sprang to his senses at one and leapt up, reaching out…His fist closed upon air.
"No!"
The raven-haired Uchiha sobbed, stumbling as he collapsed on his bed. He sobbed into his pillow, willing for his mother to return, for it to all come back. If only…
The sad teen's fist closed upon the pillow as he cried to sleep, mind whirling, a pain in his chest…
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PT: I hope this was good. I'm begging for reviews. I rrrrrreeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllly hope you enjoyed this.
