Chapter 2: I'm not who I was
Naruto tightened the knot at the back of his hitai-tae. He was at the gates of Konoha leaving on a confidential mission of the up most stealth and secrecy. Naruto gave a last glance back at Konoha before dart
ing off into the trees.
No one knew about this mission not even Sakura-chan. This mission was between the Hokage and himself. He was going to retrieve the teme.
I wish you could see me now.
I wish I could show you how
I'm not who I was.
I'm not gong to fail you this time Sasuke. You will come back even if I have to break every bone in your body. I've changed Sasuke. I'm not the same 12 year old I was back when you left. I will bring you back.
How they had competed. Dashing through the trees leaping from branch to branch Naruto remembered their rivalry and strange friendship. The smile summoned by the nostalgia slipped as he remembered how it took a bitter turn when Sasuke started to hate.
I used to be mad at you
A little on the hurt side too,
But I'm not who I was
Like Sasuke, Naruto had changed and was coming to bring his friend home. All that had occurred was in the past. Naruto had a friend to rescue and if needed, knock some sense into him. Sasuke was coming home. Naruto wasn't going to fail his friend.
I found my way around
To forgiving you
Some time ago,
But I never got to tell you so
(':')
The door of the hotel room creaked open and closed. Sakura dumped her jacket and purse onto the floor before collapsing on the bed savoring the quiet and ability to rest. It was her temporary home for now. Her real place was being fixed up and fumigated.
Sakura had a patch of moonlight dancing across her face. She turned her head to look at the window. The curtains were slightly parted letting the moonbeams shine in, but that's not what held her attention. Two photographs held her attention captive and refused to release it. One was of her six years ago with Team 7 before they were broken.
I found us in a photograph
I saw me and I had to laugh
You know, I'm not who I was
A grin spread across her face with the capacity to light up the room like the sun with its brilliance. Her smile was perpetually shining but obscured by clouds at times.
I look ridiculous. I was an idiot when I was twelve. I mean look at my attempt to make a cute face.
Sakura smiled fondly at the younger less jaded Sakura who hadn't yet learned the meaning of betrayal and heartbreak.
You were there, you were right above me
And I wonder if you ever loved
Me just for who I was
Sasuke, did you ever care? Was I just…annoying? A nuisance, a pest to endure? Surely, I was something more. Surely, I was at least your friend, but that doesn't matter know.
When the pain came back again
Like a bitter friend
It was all that I could do
To keep myself from blaming you
I'm the jaded girl. I'm the one not letting go of the pain. It's my fault. Correction, I wasn't letting him go. That changed months ago. Sasuke is his own person. We shouldn't force him to return if he has no desire to.
For that reason Sakura had released Naruto from the promise he made her.
"'I'm going to bring him back Sakura. A promise is a promise, and I'm going to bring him back not because of a promise, but because I am his friend.'"
Sakura looked at the picture beside it. It was a picture taken two years ago with Team Kakashi. In her home she had photo albums of all her friends. Ino and herself posing, Ino yelling at Shikamaru, Ino's team, Naruto hugging Hinata, Naruto running away from Neji, Neji and TenTen sparring, Team Gai, Gai-sensei and Lee-san, Tsunade-sama and Shizune, and the list went on and on.
All her friends except one were in an album. He was quite photo shy. The only picture she had of him was one he was forced into by Kakashi-sensei, and loudmouth Naruto. In that picture he was scowling.
In the end before your brother showed did you ever really care? For you team, friends,… or for me?
(':')
A campsite can tell you a lot about the person who made it. The fire and all signs of it were gone expertly concealed and wiped away. This person was cautious. If you had been there the night before you would have seen the campsite carefully concealed with numerous genjutsus, a sleeping roll under the stars, a katana beside the bedroll, and a guitar leaning against a tree.
I reckon it's a funny thing
I figured out I could sing
Now I'm not who I was
The guitar and singing thing had started back in Oto. It was the village hidden in sound. There was a requirement for all shinobi to learn to play a musical instrument.
All of two people alive know Sasuke can sing. Himself and Orochimaru, and Orochimaru isn't talking much now, is he?
In a way it was funny, hilarious and ironic. Cold, cruel hearted Sasuke singing. But then again Sasuke was no longer who he used to be. Kami-sama knew why.
I write about love and such
Maybe 'cause I want it so much
The other funny thing was that Sasuke wrote songs and lyrics about love. You would think it would be major brother bashing, deep, dark and depressing songs, but no; it was about love, the fluffy feeling.
Sasuke assumed it had something to do with how there had been a vast period of time in his life where no one had shown him proper, genuine love. The shameful fact was that when he had found love in his team and friends he rejected it for hate and revenge. But he had changed.
No longer was his heart filled with vengeance, but peace. In a sense he had undergone a heart transplant replacing the heart thirsting for revenge with one at peace. He neither understood how it happened nor how it was possible, but it was. He was changed. Divine intervention had stopped him from destroying himself. Quite simply, Itachi lived, and Sasuke didn't feel the need to kill him.
I'm not who I was
Sasuke had made a decision. He would most likely suffer the consequences for his past actions, potentially death, a bad reputation (well and thoroughly earned), and no one would probably trust him, believe him, or give him on an ounce of integrity to his name, but he was going all the same. Sasuke was returning to Konoha.
That's where he was heading now leaping from tree to tree. He would have to think of a pretty believable lie because he was convinced no one would believe the truth.
"Yes, God changed my life, and I have no desire to avenge my family now."
Yep, coming from him that was totally believable, but it was the truth. Oh stow it. He was going to tell the truth and nothing but the truth no matter how unrealistic it seemed. He had changed. It had started to show then and would show in the village through his actions.
I was thinking maybe
I should let you know
I am not the same
Sasuke furrowed his brows. His stealth training kicked in. He cast a genjutsu that bended the light surrounding him making him invisible to all. He focused hearing very faint foot falls, and the rubbing of fabric against fabric, but it was extremely quiet. The ninja was exceptionally skilled in stealth. To the untrained ears the ninja would be silent and undetectable, and even to trained ears the ninja would also be silent, but Sasuke was exceptional too.
But I never did forget your name
The orange jumpsuit was a glaring give away to the identity of the shinobi. Sasuke silently debated with himself. Keep going or greet his former teammate?
"Naruto," he deadpanned and cancelled the genjutsu. Naruto halted.
Hello
"You can cancel your bunshins. I was already returning to Konoha willingly anyway with peaceful intentions."
The real Naruto dropped out of the above canopy right where Sasuke had sensed he was located. The shadow clones poofed out of existence. Naruto took a double take.
Here we go…
"Is that a guitar teme?"
(':')
Well the thing I find most amazing
In amazing grace
Is the chance to give it out
Maybe that's what love is all about
Naruto and Sasuke had passed Sakura sitting on a bench glaring at the last Harry Potter book when they were enroute to the Hokage's office. Sasuke knew because he had briefly appeared in front of her, read the book title, looked up, caught her eyes (oops), and reappeared beside Naruto.
Now the Hokage was glaring at him judging his story, deciding his future. Well, if I die, I die. That's it. I'm covered.
"You expect me to believe you just lost your desire for power and revenge, no longer wish to neither kill nor hate your brother, have forgiven him no less, and wish to rejoin Konoha who you betrayed. Why should I trust you?"
Sasuke leveled a sensible, respectful gaze at the Hokage.
"Because Hokage-sama," more respect then he had ever given anyone post Uchiha massacre, "I'm not who I was. Any observer of my actions will prove it."
Tsunade sighed, "I don't know why I am listening to you, believing you or sticking my neck out for you, but…you are now on probation!"
Naruto, the sole audience to the whole dealings, pumped his fist in the air, "Yes! Teme's home alive!"
In the background Tsunade muttered about the council having a fit then the door burst open. Two figures appeared. Shizune's voice was heard.
"I'm sorry Lady Tsunade, but I couldn't stop her,"
"Naruto?" a slightly panicked voice came from a pink haired kunoichi.
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.
The dust cleared and settled as the window was opened. Sakura, oblivious to Sasuke's presence, walked up to Naruto.
"Naruto, I had the weirdest daydream. I thought I saw Sasuke in Konoha!" Naruto tried to say something, but Sakura plunged on oblivious.
"I came to find you, but you weren't anywhere then I decided to ask Tsunade and Shizune if you were on a mission and Shizune wouldn't let me in-"
I wish you could see me now
I wish I could show you how
"SAKURA-CHAN," Naruto finally interrupted her chant, "turn around," he said in a much lower tone. Sakura still confused turned around and her eyes widened.
I'm not who I was
I'm not who I was by Brandon Heath