Heart
CHAPTER II: MEMORIES
The blues eyes of Uzumaki Naruto looked at the dirt worn path as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. Which, in a way, was. His surroundings were made up of burnt trees and dead grass. The sky wasn't pleasant either, for it decided to rain on this particular day. He didn't really mind, his skin was used to the droplets after having no shelter for such a long time. After all, he had no home to go to when it rained.
His home was destroyed ten years ago, and so was his life. No, he wasn't dead, but to him, it sure seemed like it. His only human contact since then was either a dead body or another traveling hermit, like himself. He's made it a habit to talk to himself, so he doesn't forget how after not talking for so long. He wound up back at his home a few hours ago, and he was sorta glad he did.
He didn't forget anyone's faces anymore, and if he did, all he had to do was take a look at the photographs, the things were now the most precious to him, second being his memories, and third being his tin of crackers in his hand.
As the rain continued to bathe his skin, the rocks below him started to take shape into his memories. He watched the gravel as he started to replay them in his head...
Flashback
"EHHH! Kakashi-sensei's late again! When he gets here-" a currently angry blond haired boy ranted on until a puff of smoke appeared before him.
"Sorry I'm late, you see, an old lady dropped her contact and I-"
"LIAR!" the silver haired man was cut off by the sound of two voices. One was the voice of the one who was ranting on earlier, and the other was from an angry pink haired girl, who was pointing her finger accusingly at their sensei. Standing against the railing of the bridge they were standing, a youn boy with black haired muttered a "Hn".
"Well anyways, their's no training today! Aren't you all ha-" he opened his eyes to see three very pissed off faces glaring down at him.
"You mean you made us wait for three hours for no training...?" the pink haired girl spit out venomously. Even the black haired one joined into the glaring party.
"Ja ne!" Kakashi sweatdropped and ran off, afraid to face the wrath of the threesome. The three stopped their muderous glares and looked at each other.
"I'm going to go get some nice pork ramen. Maybe I should get an egg this time, or try out that new three meat special. Or maybe just a jumbo bowl..." Naruto talked to himself as he vanished, leaving only the girl and the rather stoic boy.
"Hey Sasuke, do you wanna go to the-"
"Not now, Sakura." The girl was cut short of her sentence as Sasuke started to walk away. Looking sadly at the floor, she perked up a little.
Well, at least he used my name this time. Maybe I'm getting closer to him...!
With a newfound courage in her chest, she went off to the market, after all, she heard about this great deal on scarfs from Ino, makes sense being as it is summer time.
---
"...Or maybe beef ramen with extra noodles, or maybe, if I'm lucky, they'll put in an orange!" So, Naruto approached the ramen stand, and looked into his little frog pouch. He flashed a bright smile and pulled out a coupon and some money.
"One pork ramen old man!" he said, grinning as he talked. The man at the counter smiled and nodded and said some things to the yound woman next to her, sho nodded and went off to who knows where. So as the man made his ramen, Naruto saw in the corner a girl with purple hair.
"Oi! Hinata-chan! Come sit next to me!" Naruto shouted over to Hinata. Hinata blushed three shades of red and walked over to the seat to the left of Naruto. Naruto smiled and looked at Hinata with his blue eyes, who, in return, received another shade of red.
"So, Hinata-chan, how are you? Did you get the day off, too?" Naruto asked the timid girl next to him.
"Y-yes, N-naruto-kun..." Hinata poked her two index fingers together, N-Naruto-kun i-is talking to m-me...
"Weird, eh? You think something weird is up?" Hinata opened her mouth to respond, but was instead given a bowl of ramen, like Naruto. Suprisingly enough, they had the exact same kind. Naruto graciously took a heaping serving to his mouth. Hinata smiled and began to eat her meal as well. Her blush finally faded away as she dumped it into ramen, which gave Naruto a chance to look at her for once.
Hinata's slender frame was hidden from lurking eyes under her oversized jacket. Her soft purple hair flowed ever so gently. And her eyes, to Naruto, they were one of the most beautiful things in the world, it was actually really close to ramen, which was saying something for the ramen addict. Hinata glanced at the boy, and seeing him looking at her made her blush, and Naruto, getting caught, blushed and slurped up ramen until his cheeks were going to explode. But a single thought loomed in his head while he nearly chocked.
She's cute when she blushes...
---
Sakura strolled down the street, to see a brown haired girl and a girl with long blonde hair in a ponytail. It was the third time this week Ino tried to get Tenten to wear a skirt for once in her life, and it was Monday.
"Oh, c'mon! At least wear the darn thing!" Ino pushed a jean fabric into Tenten's face.
"I said no, Ino!" Obviously scared, Tenten tried to escape, before Ino put her hands up, in the position for her clan's jutsu. "Ino!"
"I mean it Tenten," Tenten shuddered at the thought of Ino getting into her head, think of all the things she do to her! A nightmare!
"I surrender..." Tenten spit out reluctantly, and sighed while Ino squealed with joy. Tenten was pushed into the stall with the accursed piece of fabric. Ino tossed in a blue tank top for fun.
"Besides Tenten, what will Neji think of you in a skirt?" Sakura slyly joined in, much to Tenten's dismay. Ino started to laugh.
"Yeah, what would Neji-kun think?" Tenten glared at the white wall that seperated her from strangling her friends.
"Shut up! What would it matter to him anyway!" Tenten shouted back, her voice only a tiny bit saddened. She shook it off quickly. "Besides Ino, what about you and Shika-kun!"
"Shut up Tenten! Shut up! Me and Shika-kun, err, Shikamaru have nothing!" Ino retorted, earning a good laugh from Tenten and Sakura. Ino glared like only the demons in heck would. "And what about you Sakura?"
"Me? I'm clean!" Sakura shakily said. Ino smirked.
"Tch. You're still a hopeless fangirl over Sasuke!" Ino said to the pink haired girl. Sakura gasped, and as they prepared to fight, the white door swung open. Sakura and Ino gasped. Tenten wasn't Tenten anymore. She was pretty she had the legs of a goddess underneath the baggy cargo pants, and her tank top showed off her formerly invisible curves. Sakura dared to catch Tenten unexpectedly and pulled out her hair ties. Her chocolate hair fell below her shoulders as the light gleamed against it. It framed her face perfectly, and just when Tenten was going to attack Sakura for doing that, the two other girls blurted out the now obvious.
"Oh my god Tenten, guys dream up people like you!" Ino and Sakura gawked over Tenten's body, complimenting and wishing they had it. They now thanked kami that Tenten was a tomboy so they had no overwhelming competition. Training with Neji endlessly has its perks. Tenten blushed, not used to this kind of attention. And, to add more to it, Neji walked by the shop window, in all his stoic glory. That is, until he glanced at the window and nearly gave himself a nosebleed. Blood rushed to his cheeks as he got away.
...Tenten?
Tenten blushed, seeing Neji pass by. It's a good thing Tenten quickly turned her head away, or it could've turned into something... Awkward. However, that didn't mean the two girls next to her didn't notice anything.
"Oh my gosh! Did you see Neji, Tenten!" Ino blurted out excitedly at the poor, unexpecting Tenten.
"He seriously checked you out!" Sakura and Ino were congratulating each other for a work well done, and saying things like "I'm so proud!" and "She grew up so fast!". Tentens faced remained red as she went back into the dressing room.
Today so far has been... Interesting? No. Awkward. Yeah, awkward'll do. Tenten thought to herself and put on her former outfit.
---
Shikamaru and Chouji casually strolled down the streets of Konoha, looking at the restaurants passing them as they tried to decide where they would eat. Of course, Chouji in today's scenario decided to be a critic, commenting on the food, prices, and costomer service as they passed each restaurant.
Troublesome, I'm going to die of starvation right next to hundreds of restaurants...
Chouji stopped in front of one restaurant.
"Here! One of the best places ever created on the face of the earth!" The plump boy held his arms out towards the building. On the sign was written in red, bold letters:
All You Can Eat Barbeque Special- Today Only!
And thus, Chouji dragged poor Shikamaru into the building.
"Oi! Chouji! Shikimaru! Over here!" a boy with a puppy on his head, and another boy in green spandex waved at the boy passing their table. Another boy sat next to the window, his hand stuffed in his light blue jacket. Chouji and Shikamaru smiled.
"Hey Kiba, Lee, Shino. Did you guys all get the day off, too?" asked Shikamaru, who received nods from everyone at the table.
"Yeah, weird huh, Akamaru?" Kiba looked up at the dog on his head, who barked in response. Kiba laughed a little bit.
"Kiba-kun, Chouji-kun, sit here!" Lee flashed them a good guy pose, which momentarily blinded Shikamaru and Chouji, but they both sat down anyways. Shikamaru shook the light out of his eyes before the waitress came over. The four of them started to argue over what they wanted, since it was the kind of place where you cook the food yourself and they were all sharing. The waitress was in the lines of fire and was scared for her life before Shino spoke up and ordered the special. The waitress sighed in relief and dashed off, leaving the four to look and Shino.
"...What?" Shino spoke. The others just shrugged and tried to start a conversation.
"Soo... Shikamaru-kun, is it true you like Ino-san?" Lee spoke out after many failures in the conversation starters. Chouji and Kiba sniggered, and Shino even cocked a brow in amusement. Shikamaru blushed and glared at Lee.
"I'm sorry Shikamaru-kun, but I just happened to over her it from Tenten-san when she was talking to Sakura-san after training. Ahh, Sakura-san! My angel in the darkness, my sweet amidst the grabage-" Lee was silenced by none other than Shino. Who told him to stop. Lee, seeing the bugs that threatened him ever so much, was scared for his poor life, and did the smart thing, and shut his mouth. The other three looked at them in surprise, but said nothing.
"Yep, Shika-kun here is head over heals for none other than Yamanaka Ino!" Chouji and Kiba started laughing really hard. Lee started to join, and Shino gave him a grin.
"Don't be ashamed Shikamaru-kun, I'm sure you'll grow more accostumed to this feeling and one day you and Ino-san will get married and have many, many children!" sweet innocent Lee said to the now twitching and blushing Shikamaru. Kiba and Chouji took it another way and started to laugh until they chocked on their own siliva. Shino even started to chuckle a little bit. The waitress returned with their order, and was treated with two people that have gone insane, one staring at them confused, one red as a tomatoe, mumbling things under his breath, and a guy in the corner, who, from her point of view, thought it should be wrong for him to smile. She placed their order on the table and ran off to the kitchen.
"Troublesome, be quiet Chouji," Shikamaru placed a hand on his forehead and propped his elbow on the table as the laughter slowly stopped and the eating commenced. Shikamaru sure hoped he wasn't going to be the one with the empty wallet after this...
---
As Neji walked through random roads and pathways, Neji tried to get the image out of his head. If he wasn't a Hyuuga, he would've banged his head against the wall. For Hyuuga Neji had seen a sight that was rarer than Lee not wearing spandex.
Tenten's hair down.
And to add to that, she was in a skirt. No, not a skirt that flowed against her ankles, but a short one, above her knees, exposing her long, tanned legs... Darnit Neji! You're a Hyuuga, you cannot think of that! Not after all of the work you've done to keep your social status! Neji resisted the urge to bang his head aginst the wall, and to anybody, he was as stoic as ever, whil inside, he was going to explode.
And it was all her fault. His jet black hair fell over shoulders slighty as he looked at the gravel. Her hair was beautiful, flowing down her back in soft ripples of chocolate, framing her petite face... No! Hyuuga Neji, snap out of it! Don't let your vile and evil hormones control you! Neji walked to who knows where and bumped into Sasuke, who surprisingly enough, was also looking at the interesting little rock beneath their feet.
"Hyuuga."
"Uchiha." The two equally stoic boys had a glaring contest, and ended up in a tie.
"So, Uchiha, thinking about the Haruno girl?" Sasuke growled and narrowed his eyes at the other boy, who's ego was dancing in his clear, white eyes.
"Shut up Hyuuga, after all, you're thinking about Tenten, aren't you?" Sasuke smirked and now it was Neji's turn to glare. Their ego radiated for a while before giving out a curt nod and walking away from each other. Typical stoic boys. Hardly any excitement at all.
---
"I suppose you all don't know why I've called you here, right?" a woman with blond hair and caramel eyes looked at the people in front of her. They all shook their heads as a "no".
"Our recent ANBU intelligence mission was rewarded by four of them dead," some people flinched, "The sole survivor brought us back this," the woman lazily threw a vanilla envelope to them. Their eyes widened in shock.
"Tsunade-sama, this can't be true!" a woman with ruby red eyes spoke to the other woman, who sighed in response.
"Another plot to take over already? It's hardly been three years to recover!" a man with a cig in his mouth spoke up.
"That's what they're using against us. And he's plotted it all ou just rightt, too. Most of our ANBU are out on missions, leaving us practically defenceless," widened eyes spread across the room. "And if it's planned out right, they'll strike any time this month."
"Hokage-sama, we need to evacuate the villagers as fast as possible," the man with silver hair spoke calmly out to their authority, who nodded to the woman with shorty, black hair.
"Shizune, go report to the villagers, hurry!" Shizune ran out of the room and the floor started to shake.
"Nani!" the man in green spandex exclaimed.
"It's the invasion! Everyone! Gather the gennin and head to the walls! Get the villagers inside! HURRY!" and they all dashed off, leaving Tsunade alone. Tsunade nodded to herself and jumped out the window, ready to defend anyone with her life.
---
"Okay, let's get some lunch, I'm starv- AHHH!" Tenten fell to the ground as the earth below her shook. Sakura managed to cling unto a nearby wall but Ino fell as well.
"Sakura! What's happening!" Ino shouted out to her friend. Tenten wearily stood up and helped Ino get up to. Then they heard the familiar sound of roof tiles being stepped on. They looked up and expected one of their senseis. They didn't expect three sound nin.
"AHHH!" Sakura and Ino screamed. Tenten, having faster reflexes, engaged in throwing kunai. One of them grazed one man's cheek as they avoided them with little difficulty. Tenten's eyes widened as the nin glared at her.
"SAKURA! INO! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Tenten said with difficulty, trying to block the nin's attacks. Sakura and Ino cleared their heads and tried to fight the nin that were speeding straight towards them. They both pulled out a kunai and tried to fight, but ended up on the floor fast, the two being overwhelmed by the enemy jounin.
"Sakura! Ino!" Tenten looked at them distracted, to receive a blow to the leg. She winced and took out her scrolls. "Shoshoyru!" Tenten twisted and turned, summoning hundreds of shuriken and kunai, even some katana and fuuma shuriken were thrown into the mix. The nin had some difficulty avoiding them, because of Tenten's high accuracy, until one of them grabbed Ino.
"You don't want your friend to get hurt, ne!" he took one of the scattered kunai and pointed it and Ino's neck. The three girl's eyes widened as he pressed the cold metal. Tenten stopped, and was about to get hit by an incoming shuriken before Sakura slashed it away from her at the last second.
"Even?" Sakura asked, Tenten nodded and smiled, and they both faced the danger of their friend before them. That is until a woman with purple hair tied into a spiky ponytail popped out of nowhere and proceded to send a kick towards the nin's head. The enemy nin had to let go of Ino to defend himself, but the kick still hit head on.
"Anko-sensei!" the girls shouted happily.
"You didn't start the party without me, ne?" Anko said with a wink. The nin she had just hit stood up and joined his comrades, who started to perform a series of hand signs.
"Not so fast, mister!" Ino whipped out a shuriken at them and they had to stop their jutsu to get away.
"Payback!" Ino shouted at the enemy nin. They regrouped again. The girls got ready for whatever was going to face them.
---
"Hey Hinata-chan! Are you going to finish that?" Naruto pointed his chopsticks at Hinata's bowl of ramen. Hinata looked up and gasped when the ground started shaking. "EHHH!" Naruto yelled as his seat started to shake. The two people at the counter gasped as well. Then nin came down to help them. Or at least that's what Naruto thought before Hinata pointed out shackily that they were from the Sound. The two people behind the counter screamed and pulled out the sheet of metal that they usually only put up when it closed.
"Oi! You just interupted my lunch!" Naruto yelled at the two nin in front of him. They sniggered.
"And what are you going to do about it?" the enemy nin taunted him. Naruto grunted.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto's clones appeared everwhere. "I'm gunna kick your butt!"
"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata shouted, but ran with him anyways. "Byakugan!" Hinata saw Naruto trying to take down the enemy nin, but failing, after all, it was two against one. Or two against twenty... Well, they were all jounin. Hinata rushed in to help the hyperactive ninja.
"Jyuuken!" Hinata thrust her palm into one of the enemy nin, only to have him disappear into a puff of smoke. "Nani?" Hinata looked behind her to see the enemy appear and kick her back. Hinata winced in pain.
"Hinata!" Naruto looked at Hinata fall, only to be punched in the face for looking away. Naruto wiped the blood that escaped from his mouth and as he saw that Hinata was all right, he proceded to fight. There was no way he was going to lose to some guy who just spilled his ramen and hurt Hinata.
Err... He meant him punching his face. Yeah, yeah...
---
Meanwhile, back at the barbeque restaurant, Chouji and Shikamru were facing off two enemy nin, Lee was blocking and attacking another enemy, while Shino was having a face-off of his own with another enemy. Kiba was hand to hand with another one. Things were heating up.
"I've seen that cruddy Shadow Technique of yours before. You really think it's going to work against me?" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as the enemy sniggered. Everyone seems to snigger alot in this story. Ah well.
"Chouji," the tactician said to the plump boy next to him, who nodded in response.
"Meat Tank! Rollrollrollroll!" Chouji became a large ball of...well... Chouji, and head out in a mad dash for the enemy nin, who instantly jumped out of the way.
"Do you really think you'll get us like that?" one of the enemy said.
"Yes, yes I do," the enemy suddenly couldn't move, and turned to look at Shikamaru, who just smirked. "Chouji," the Sound nin's eyes widened as the human ball came rolling towards them...
Lee blocked a kick, dodged a punch, and delivered a sweeping kick, which was merely jumped over. The Sound nin punched, only to come across air. Lee took this chance to try and punch his stomach. But then, the other nin grabbed his arm and sent Lee spiralling towards a brick wall. Lee's eyes widened, until a pair of strong arms caught him.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" the similar man in green spandex pushed Lee out of the force that compelled him into smashing him into the wall. Lee's eyes sparkled.
"GAI-SENSEI!"
"LEE!"
"GAI-SENSEI!"
"LEE!" and despite the grim circumstances, they hugged, the waves crashing against the rocks as the sunset, dolphins were seen jumping merrily in the distance. All this in a city no where near the ocean, and the fact that it was the afternoon defyed all logic. They eventually stopped hugging and got into battle position, ready for the enemy to come and get them.
Shino's arms spread apart as he sent out his fleet of bugs. The enemy tried to slash out of them, but kept missing. Until one strike managed to bring down five of them. Smirking at his really small and pitiful victory, he looked at the boy with sunglasses. Shino was twitching. No one gets to even touch his bugs without his permission, none the less kill them. Shino was mad, and when Shino gets mad, bad things happen.
"Akamaru!" Akamaru barked in response and leapt up to bite the enemy's arm, which failed. The enemy laughed at this poor attempt and punched the dog away. Akamaru was sent into the wall, and Kiba ran off to help his buddy. Kiba was beyond pissed. He spun around to face off his opponent, and lunged into a punch. The punch was easily avoided and rewarded with a kick to the face. He was about to receive a kunai to the head before another jounin appeared and stopped it.
"Asuma-sensei?" Kiba looked up, Asuma's bracers (?) shined in the sun. The enemy's eyes narrowed at a new, stronger enemy.
"Yo," Asuma called out.
To Be Continued in Next Chapter!
---
I made up for the short chapter didn't I? Hehe... Anyways, the things on Asuma's knuckles... What are they? I called them bracers, correct me if I'm wrong.
I left out the battle scene with Neji and Sasuke on purpose. Don't tell me anything like I forgot them.
And thus, that completes probably the most humorus part of the story. You know how even scary movies have a light beginning? Yeah, this is it, besides the last chapter, but yeah.
The chapter was supposed to have EVERTHING, how the gang got seperated and stuff in it. BUT LOOK HOW LONG IT IS! So, I decided to split it into two chapters, so you won't get bored reading the extremely long chapter.
OH, who saw the new Naruto Opening, the Japanese one anyways. NEJI LOOKS PRETTY. (insert fangirlism) OH, and the song is awesome. Ohh, and they got the Japanese song into the English one, MUCH better. 8D
Reveiw:D