GreengageTREE: KONOHA GATES Chapter I - Of Confusion & Fear

PREFACE

Hi! Welcome to my first story. Trust me, when I wrote the first few scenes out, it looked a lot longer, so bear with me while I attempt to attempt writing an actual story. Also bear in mind that I only have a loose plan, any improvements you have, you can let me know. (And I might just ignore you! )

This story set a few years after Shippuden in the shinobi world. I can't guarantee I won't put up to date stuff in here, and most likely I will, so I'll try and comprimise as much as I can for those of you still at post-chuunin exam episodes... (have I got that right?) By up to date I mean up to 11th of April, being it then which I started writing (yeah, like a date will help. I honestly don't know how much warning I can give, don't shoot!). Oh, and there will be cross-gender relationship(s) and stuff too. Dunno what to rate this yet. It should be decent enough.

So, all that said, I don't own Naruto at all, no rights, nada... Except for a key ring i'm too proud to use (Don't scratch Naru-kin's precious face!). Oh, and all the charecter interaction and thoughts that aren't necessarily canon are my interpretations, be they personal or purposeful. I won't character bash, but I will make Naruto and Sasuke gay (sorry guys!).

This chapter is all about the mood, so don't worry if you get confused, it's meant to be weird like that. Now that I've destroyed the mood, on with the show. Enjoy!


Voices… They're faint. Who is it?

"Get away from him!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Just leave Sasuke alone!"

"Get out of my way, I'm not done here!"

"He's done with you, so back off!"

More noises… Closer this time. What's happened?

Slumped on the ground in a heap lay a figure, emitting soft, strangled groans. A face, bruised and battered, stared helplessly at nothing with clouded, tired eyes. Blood trickled out of the corner of a thin mouth, rolling thickly down his face, matting the broken frame of black hair.

He was tenderly pushed onto his back, and was vaguely aware of the feeble moan that crept up his hoarse throat. Something squeezed around his shoulders as memorable pink hair permeated his vision and a light flowery scent filled his bloody nostrils. The man barely recognised the muffled sound of racking sobs around him and an energetic, desperate voice of a man who seemed awfully familiar…


"Sakura, please!" A young man barked frantically, before shooting off to take care of the remaining threats.

"Right!" her sniffles ceased as the girl set to work, her eyes blurring at the sight before her.

It was him, her only crush for the past, what, 10 years now? And not to mention her team-mate for the past 7, and the cause of all the mental pain she had had for the last 5. Just how did he look? Sakura knew, which is why she had to see, so that she'd know what to do, but as much as she needed to, she couldn't.

She literally couldn't comprehend the extent of abuse done to this man. It was bad enough that she thought she'd never see him again, but this, this was just salt on the wound. Despite this, she straightened up. If she screwed up now at let the situation get the better of her, this would've all been for nothing.

Pulling off her leather gloves, she set about locating the various wounds. Green chakra flared around her hands and Sakura massaged the healing stuff into the broken body in her lap.

"Breathe," the girl whispered gently. "Breathe!" she urged him, half addressing herself. She almost swooned with relief as the man's chest began rising and falling, albeit too slow for comfort, but it was better than nothing at least. She inhaled noisily and roughly wiped the tears from her cheek with her bare shoulder.

"This is Haruno Sakura. Please don't be alarmed, you have several fractures and some fatal ruptures. I need to know if you can respond to me."

Her pale green eyes locked onto the ruined man's face as a weak cry slipped out between his chapped as blood stained lips. Almost falling over herself, she eagerly wiped off the caked blood with a damp cloth and waited for his to speak.

"Sa… k'… ra…" She bowed her head to listen. It would be easier if her ears were actually working, but her mind was temporarily shut down, adrenalyn and anxiety rendering her giddy. She strained out the sounds of clashing metal and guttoral yelps and focused on the man's faint voice.

"Th… Thhh… sorry…" The girl blinked, her face contorting at the poor attempt and she stroked the matted black strands of hair from her patient's purpling face. Her healing chakra slowly repaired the spattering of cuts along his jaw. She didn't want to think about how many bruises she wouldn't be able to reach, but did her best for him.

"It's okay," she choked, huge salty tears spilling out onto the weary face below hers.

"It really is." she wept.


It was dark. It was bright. There was noise. There was silence. He was lying down. Upside-down? No…

Something had happened though. He was certain, but what was it? All the fight had been a blur, like it hadn't happened. Almost like a horrible nightmare, as if he hadn't had enough of those to last a lifetime. Well, It felt like it wasn't happening at the time. Like now. This couldn't have been happening, because nothing felt like it was. Unless…

Voices again… Outside? Where's outside?

"He's really quite lucky."

"Is he awake?"

"Maybe. It wouldn't matter greatly, given his severity of the damage."

"True. Ha, I just can't believe how close things got. We nearly didn't make it in time…"

"…That's not funny, even for you…"

"Hey, be nice."

A scrape. Loud? Soft. Two gentle sets of footsteps echoed around the… room? Supposedly. A pause of hitched breath. A laboured sigh and the slap of a palm on a shoulder, and receding footsteps.

Someone is still here.

The visitor gave a grave chuckle, jaw set in his stony face. The voice was, gruff, yet soft spoken, manly, yet boyish. It was very familiar.

"You are so damn lucky." The mystery visitor murmured, as clothes rustled. There was movement from above, hesitant, and radiating heat. Uneven breaths, further rustling and it was gone.

"Get well soon, I guess…" sighed the visitor, turning slowly on a heel and sauntering out of the room. The soft click of a closing door was barely audible, but it felt deafening.


It was scary. To say the least. Naruto was so spooked by the arrival of the original news that he wasn't even sure if all of what had happened since then had actually sunk in yet. In fact, Naruto had become so accustomed to the disappointment, he had half expected to wake up in his bed (or on the floor, his sleeping habits being what they were), and not in the hospital room where the outcome of his hard work now lay, mere metres away from him. Now that was scary.

Naruto's gaze fell on the man's sleeping form, the official occupant of the room. He was there, alive. Barely, but still alive. And he wasn't trying to kill Naruto, berate Naruto or totally abandon Naruto, believe it or not.

"If only when he's awake." he thought sourly.

Instead, the man just lay there, unconscious, wallowing in bandages and the ward bed he'd occupied for a week now. There was a wilting daffodil in a thin glass vase on the bedside table, a testimony to the man's amazing ability to still look handsome after being severely smacked about. Naruto gazed thoughtfully at the flower, intrigued at how times had changed. In the old days, a daffodil wouldn't be fit to be in this man's presence after a day, let alone the week it now recieved. He couldn't help but wonder if anyone really cared, deep down.

In other circumstances, Naruto may have made fun of the fact the man looked like he'd just had plastic surgery, everywhere. However, this wouldn't be the case.

It terrified him that the life of this fragile sleeper was balancing on a sharp knife point, when he'd not even had a tiny slice of the good life yet. He knew he'd have to help him once he finally woke up, but all he could do now was watch, wait and worry.

He decided in his pensive mood to explore the possibilties of what would happen when the man awoke. Naruto hoped that there wouldn't be any death involved. He'd come close to dying by this person's hand two times already. Maybe the man's famous pride would stop him from doing something drastic to the people he now owes more than his life to. If he acknowledged that debt, of course.

"He'd better, that bastard. It'd be a major first." scoffed Naruto to himself.

That was a lie, and it wouldn't be a first, which was the scary thing. This man, potential killer, was the first person to even acknowledge Naruto's worth. They'd been team mates, rivals, best of friends. What would they be when he woke up, when they faced each other properly for the first time in years? What would they be? Enemies? Surely not, else he wouldn't be here. It hurt to think about.

Naruto didn't know what he was going to say when the time came. It frustrated him that he'd have to make this giant decision when he was already confused about his life. He didn't want to think about that, either. It could wait until after this game of Happy Families was over with. Who owned this man? Would he come back willingly to his side? Would he be rejected again, by the only person who understood him and was able to hurt him so much? He didn't want to know. Not now. Not while he was still running away from himself, and everything else.

Gazing out of the hospital window on the other side of the bed, Naruto had a perfect view of the Hokage monument, the petrified faces of Konoha's protectors bathing in failing afternoon light, and looming overhead the Hokage's office building. As he reflected on his childhood, he realised that he held that place of his dreams in a different esteem in the present. that place was no longer the unreachable goal, to be jealously fought for and won. Now, it was a reminder of the troubles he'd had, was having, and soon to have. It was a reminder of his private promise to change Konoha, and the legacy of the true will of fire, which was quickly being snuffed out by the present council, the villagers, and though she mean it, Tsunade.

Everything precious to Naruto was breaking, and he was lost.

It was scary.


COMMENTARY

So... there we have it, honourable reader. My first ever chapter. Oo

I suddenly feel really good about this story, but I'm biased so tell me what I should be thinking, guys. I don't care if you don't have an account, or you didn't think anything much of this, but I really understand how other writers feel when I haven't reviewed. It's annoying! So, even it's a simple "meh", give feedback! That way I don't have to write anything so "meh" next chapter. It's like the circle of life... except without singing baboons and dangling lion cubs over cliff faces for all the plain to see...

Oh, by the way, if this seems angsty, I apologise. I don't want to head in the "rant" direction, but I think that at least some indepth analysis on how the charecter is feeling helps move the story along. This is meant to be a drama...

Stay tuned... Yes, don't turn that imaginary knob on your computer. Does anyone even say "stay tuned" anymore? I'll update as soon as I can, whine, moan, whinge. I do have some GCSE's at the moment so don't expect much! Sorry.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and peace out.

GreengageTREE