Ok it´s me again! Hope you liked the first chapter.
Disclaimer: I don´t own Naruto.
Chapter 2: Scars
Uzumaki Naruto wandered in the empty streets, searching by instintc Iruka-sensei or Kakashi-sensei, hell even Ero-sennin, to have someone to talk about what had happened. But he found himself alone again.
Completly alone, he felt as he was falling into the void of loneliness again. He could feel the wall between his comrades and himself getting thicker. He didn´t shattered one single tear, he was done crying over that same old subject. However, his face reflected his sadness, frustation and resentment...
His eyes were drawned to the Hokage´s Monument and clenched the letter he had taken from the chest his parents left him, one more time he felt the urge to open it, but he didn´t, Naruto didn´t want to suffer any further. He clenched his fists even harder if possible, suddenly someone appeared behind him.
-"Go away Neji..."-Naruto mumbled not wanting to talk.
-"Naruto..."-he said temptly, his normally impassive face now showing worry and confusion.
Naruto needed to be alone! Why didn´t he understand? It was better sooner than later, anyways they were going to hate him when they find out. At the thought, the little control Naruto had over his emotions began to evaporate, the Hyuuga prodigy didn´t notice tough.
-"What happened? All were worried about you-"
They were worried? Yeah right... If it weren´t for that stupid fox he-!In that instant the Kyuubi vessel lost himself in anger, his faccions began to contort looking more and more fox-like.
Neji was astounished, even though he coulnd´t see his face and didn´t dare to use the Byakugan, the Hyuuga could feel his anger. He had never seen Naruto so angry or affected, everything seemed to just bounce on him, but now... This had to be damned serious to get Naruto that way! What the hell was going on?!
The Uzumaki tried to regain control, but his feelings got the best of him as his fangs and claws began to appear.
-"Get the hell out of here Neji! LEAVE ME ALONE IF YOU DON´T WANT TO GET HURT!"-he menaced.
Neji was officially alarmed. He coulnd´t do anything, he felt helpless. So he did as he was said, hating himself for not being able to help as he ran away.
OoooooooooO
That same night, the eleven nins gathered themselves to discuss the matter.
-"I found him after what happended and..."-Neji turned more serious if possible.-" I have never seen him like that. No, I have never seen anyone like that."
-"I asked my parents but they say they can´t tell, Hokage´s orders... How troublesome..."
-"Sakura, you´re his teamate, you know him the best, has anything like this occured before?"-cuestioned Shino.
-"No, nothing like this... not even close..."
-"I-I h-have."-stated Hinata startling everyone.-" N-Naruto-kun has suffered a lot, b-but he n-never showed... I-I saw him when h-he was 8 years old, he was being beaten by some Jounin."
-"Whaaat?!"-some yelled.
They went quiet, they got even more confused by the minute. They had more questions than answers, in fact they didn´t have any answers.
-"In my opinion, the best we can do for now is to support him and hope he tells us himself."-Ino sighed.
The nins nodded approvingly.
-"This is what we´re going to do..."
UUuuUUUuuuUUUuUUuUUUuUUUu
The 11 found Naruto in his swing in front of the Academy, they intented to talk to him and lightned him up. At the beginning he was relucant to speak, but with a few jokes, dares and kind words, they finally managed to get him in a good mood.
What was important was to keep him as far as possible from the festival. So, they ended up in the forest of Konoha, near the training areas.
Kiba, Chouji, Naruto, Lee, Tenten and Sakura played football; Shino, Sai and Shikamaru sat beneath a tree, the first one observing the bugs in the area, the second painting the scene of his friends and the last one watched the clouds with a never-ending laziness. Hinata and Ino talked not too far away, Ino determined to end Hinata´s stutters.
-"Come on Neji! Cheer up! Join our team!"-yelled Sakura, getting the young Jounin´s attention.
Neji abandoned his meditation to consider the offer. He doubted before entering the game field.
-"No fair! We´re one short now!"-Naruto protested.
-"Don´t scream Naruto, Akamaru counts too, right Akamaru?"-Kiba said, the now huge dog barked and also joined the game.
-"You´re right."-Naruto admited with a smile.-"Watcha´re waiting for? It´s game time!"
With that the game continued, all worries long forgotten. But elsewhere things weren´t as peaceful as in that field in Konoha.
XXXXXXxxxxXXXXXX
The fifth Hokage of Konoha was in real trouble, no, not only her, the whole village was in mortal danger!
-"Damn it!"-she glared at her imprisioner with hatred.-"What do you gain of all this?"
-"You still ask? I don´t need anything from them anymore, I´ll do it all myself."-a cold masculine voice replied.
-"What do you mean?"
-"You don´t need to know."-he said with a smug smirk.-"You, Hokage-sama will help me capture the Kyuubi brat."-it wasn´t a question.
-"What makes you think that?!"-she yelled,
-"Simple... You send a message asking for backup, and ask for him and help me capturing him or..."-he smirked.-"I´ll just have to do it the hard way, see, I don´t like big fights or wars, they´re too long and tedious for my taste. I like to get the things I want quickly with lies and traps, like this."-he laughed pointing the situation.-"But that doesn´t mean I won´t do it if I have to."
Tsunade was speechless at this.
-"If you don´t help me, I will be forced into atacking Konoha and take the boy by force."-now it was Godaime´s turn to laugh.
-"HA! You´re way wrong if you think it´s going to be that easy!"
-"Oh yes it will, as long as I have their beloved Hokage in my hands and certain friends from Akatsuki to help."-he mocked.
-"YOU SON OF A-!!"-she insulted from inside her prision.
-"And? What do you say? A brat or the whole village?"
Tsunade clenched her fists in anger and the misterious man smiled triumphat.
¨¨¨¨¨¨
The same old stares laid on him as he made his way through Konoha. But strangely he didn´t care anymore. He had his friends and that was enough. When he becomes hokage then they´ll have to respect him!
He headed to meet the only one who knew his pain, Subaku no Gaara or current Kazekage of Suna. After their fight, Gaara had changed almost drastically and now they were friends, then Naruto went to train. Odd enough, the next time they saw eachother Gaara was dead, but was revived by Chiyo.
It would be nice if, for once, when they see eachother they wouldn´t be fighting for their lives or...well one of them...dead.
-"Hey Gaara!"-he greeted the redhead with his usual entusiasm.
-"Uzumaki Naruto."-he acknowledged him.
-"Hey just call me Naruto, ok?"-he smiled.-"I was looking for you!"
-"Hm?"-god he was ever monosilabic.
-"Yeah, well how´re you doing?"
-"Fine."-he turned to see him.-"You?"
-"Hehehehe there´s no use in lying to you about it, not that good."-he laughed pretending to sound indifferent.-"You know what the festival´s about, don´t you?"
-"Yes."
-"Now that I think about it, our situations are slightly different."-Naruto said out of the blue.-"You´re Kazekage now, after people learned not to fear you things changed for you. With me it won´t be that way."-he concluded suddendly deppressed again.
Gaara eyed him with curiosity and maybe a little worried. Naruto sighed before continuing.
-"In Suna no one hates the Shukaku, at least not personally, they only fear him."-he explained.-"But Kyuubi killed so many people that it´s odd if someone doesn´t have a dead relative or friend from that day. Hence, they all hate my guts. It won´t be easy."-then his voice changed from sorrow to determination.-"But sure as hell I will do it! You won´t leave me behind dattebayo!"-he said now pointing at him dramatically.
Gaara continued to observe the young ninja with amazament. Naruto was really the most surprising ninja.
-"Enough of me! Don´t you think I didn´t notice you only spoke 7 words!"-Naruto said jokingly.
-"What do you want me to say?"-he asked surprising the blond.
-"I don´t know, stuff about yourself I guess.What about your birthday?"
-"January 19"-he said simply and glanced at Naruto believing that formulating the question was a waist of breath.
-"Oh! Mine?"-he asked and turned serious one more time.-"I thought you figured that one out. In 4 days."
-"Oh"-the Kazekage understood.
-"Don´t tell anyone though, they might put the pieces together."
Gaara nodded.
-"At first I was surprised when I heard about the festival was celebrated each year, and I hadn´t ever assisted or even heard about it."-he started.-"But then I remembered that the old Hokage or Iruka-sensei always took me out of the village those days, for my birthday they said,"-he smiled at the memory.-"your turn."
-"..."
-"Your siblings?"-he asked knowing he wouldn´t talk until he asked.
-"Fine."
-"Suna?"
-"Good, with plenty of missions."
-"Girlfriend?"-he laughed but was soon shut down by the glare Gaara was giving him.-"Ehehehe gomen, gomen got carried away..."
Naruto doubted before continuing the "interrogatory".
-"...Hobbys?"-he tempted.
-"The Kazekage doesn´t have time for..."-Gaara started but was cuted off by a now frustaded Naruto.
-"You must do SOMETHING in your free time!"-he yelled moving his arms in a anime way.-"God, you don´t even sleep!"
Gaara seemed to consider this, trying to find an answer like he had never wondered about it before, but desisted and that was the last straw in the glass for Naruto.
-"That´s it! You´re coming with me! We will look for a hobby for you!"-the blond said pulling Gaara from his arm. The redhaired nin freed himself from his grasp but followed him.
-"Let´s see...what might it be?"- he wondered while walking in the emptied streets because of the festival, followed by the ex-jinchuuriki.
-"Football?No.Art?No.Dance? HELL no."-he was thinking rather hard trying to push away mental images of Gaara in a football outfit, with a beret and a tutu respectivly.
They pass right straight a bookstore when an idea struck Naruto and went back on his steps.
-"Bingo!"-he cheered pointing at the bookstore and Gaara observed the store a little shocked.
When they entered the first thing Naruto saw was the manga section, while the redhead was atracted to a huge shelf of books and took one in his hands.
Naruto peep from behind Gaara´s shoulders and grunted without understanding.
-"B-O-R-I-N-G"-Naruto stated and turned back to his manga.
The Kazekage eyed book after book, all of them were one different world, a different story, he picked three and payed for them, kind of happy at his new discoverment. The only reading he did was paperwork, he never thought reading could be fun.
-"I don´t get you Gaara."-admitted the most surprising nin.-"How can you like those books and not my comics?"-he said as he hugged his manga.
-"That´s how I am I guess."-Gaara shruggered.
-"Hummm!"
The shadow of a smile crossed Gaara´s features, he felt happy to have a precious person who loved him back.(as a friend mind you)Now he had something he loved too. All thanks to him.
-"Thank you."
-"Ehh? For what?"-Naruto was astouned, Gaara never thanked for anything!
-"In that fight you said somethings that made me change."-Naruto blinked, surprised.-"I never thanked you for that and for saving my live."
-"You don´t have to thank me..."-he laughed sheepishly no one ever thanked him for anything.-"Besides in the saving thing I had plenty of help."
Naruto smiled a real smile, not a fake one like the ones he used to wear, and Gaara´s lips seemed to curve into a smile too, when...
Shizune appeared in front of then very agitated.
-"Naruto-kun! Tsunade-sama has asked for your presence and the rest´s in a S-Ranked mission!"
-"S-Ranked?! Gaara see you later, I need to go! Don´t you dare going back to Suna before I return!"-he said goodbye before following Shizune who ran to the exit of Konoha.
090909090909
Teams 7, 8, 10 and Gai were alll present in the Konoha gates waiting for instructions.
Finally Shizune reappeared in front of them with the papers she had gone to take.
-"Yor mission is to go to this location near the Hidden Village in the Mist and meet with Tsunade-sama and our allies."-she handed a map to Shikamaru.-"understood?"
All nodded.
-"But why us?"-Neji asked suddendly.-"We are 10 chuunins, 1 jounin and 1 genin. Why not send the anbu?"
-"I´m not aware of the details but Tsunade-same especifically requested you."
-"I know what you mean Neji but we have to follow orders, even if it could be a trap."-said Shikamaru.-"Who´s the leader?"
-"The leader of this mission is Neji."-answered Shizune.
-"Understood."-nodded the Hyuuga.-"We will divide in groups, to not atract too much attention The groups will be: 1st Shino, TenTen and Lee; 2nd Sai, Naruto and Hinata; 3rd Shikamaru, Ino and Kiba; 4th sakura, Chouji and I. Team 4 will go in front so I can give orders, team 1 to our left, team 3 on our right and team 2 behind. Any questions?
-"Yeah, how much distance should we keep?".asked Sai.
-"At least 600 feet"-the leader responded.-"Ready?"
-"More than ready! Tsunade-baachan here we go!"
End chapter
Author´s PDs: Sorry if the chapter lacked action I just wanted to put some peaceful moments before I mess their lives too much mwuahahahah-choke! Please review!! It´ll make me post faster! R&R!
Next chapter:
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