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For now, my other stories are…well…on a writer's block and I'm more a person to start ideas than to continue them…I know…that is—quite in most people's opinion—a bad habit…I'm am very sorry.
There is now greater joy for me to either review other people's writing, but also creating stories and spinning fresh ideas into a web of plots has also become a great joy, unfortunately, most of my work is easily comparable to chicken scratch as I also bet my rambling is boring you…so on with the story.
Also, to clarify a former reviewer's question, Sasuke is now 15 as well as the other—no longer referred to as, but I shall anyways—gennin teams. Not including Team Gai of course, as they will be a year older just like in the original story. The rest I leave to you readers to do the math from my previous info in chapter one.
On with the story (I said it before, but apologies for not doing so myself)!!
Furious tapping noises could be heard as Akari stamped down the bustling streets of Konoha's market area.
'OH GOD, OH GOD, what am I going to do?!' Akari panicked while bumping into several miscellaneous objects. WHAM—she had bumped into someone as well.
"I am s-so s-sorry!" Akari apologized while bobbing her head up and down in an attempt to make very quick bows as she hurried past the person.
"You dropped your—" But the sentence couldn't be ended as Akari had long gone left a trail of dust. The boy, who looked very obviously like a ninja, ruffled his oddly perfect bowl cut hair and knitted his overly large eyebrows.
"Lee, what are you sitting around for, help me carry the supplies!" shouted an angry female.
"Much apologies, Tenten, but a lady bumped into me and rushed off. She left her, um, library card, or what looks to be a library card," Lee looked confused, not just because of what kind of card the "lady" left, but also why she was in such a rush.
"Well, I guess we have a little extra time…," Tenten made a thoughtful look, "Help me drop the supplies off at the training area, and I'll help you look for her."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Lee gave a signature full teethed grin with a blinding flash.
"Ugh, Lee, you have to stop doing that…I swear I might go blind," Tenten blinked furiously, "You might as well put that thing to good use…maybe a temporary blinding agent against enemies?"
"That is a great idea Tenten!" Lee exclaimed.
"Whatever, just help me carry these bags…," Tenten sighed, it was a wonder how she even survives.
Back with Akari…
'Not good, not good,' Akari paced around quickly. Her manager at the bookstore had went out. The shop was locked. And she dropped her key somewhere, 'How many places can a simple card key be?!'
"Um…is this the H-himitsu Yume b-bookstore?" a shy voice asked behind her.
"Ah, y-yes," Akari peeked behind her to find a cute looking petit girl with short navy blue hair and white milky eyes. The girl was constantly glancing at the floor and twiddling her fingers—and obvious sign of nervousness, "So, w-what can I do for you, little miss?"
"Ah, um…I cannot s-seem to g-get into the store and I r-really w-wanted to see if t-they have a book I want…," the girl once again looked down and took a peek at the locked door.
"Man, what can I do…," Akari sighed, "Actually, I work here, but it seems I am locked out as well, I must've dropped my key somewhere…"
"Oh, w-would you like me to h-help you find it?" the girl gave a shy smile and looked up towards Akari's face, but quickly lost her courage and looked back down.
"Hm, that would be n-nice um, e-excuse me for asking, w-what is your n-name?" Akari smiled weakly. It seems they both have a habit of stuttering. But this girl was cute and seemed innocent, so Akari's nervousness quickly faded.
"Hyuuga, Hinata, pleased to meet you," Hinata bowed.
"Hyuuga, huh? Well, Hinata-chan—can I call you that—pleased to meet you as well. My name is Akari, and I'm currently trying to figure out how to get in." Akari smiled and patted Hinata on the head, "How about we break in?"
"Eeeeeh, b-break in, I couldn't do that!" Hinata waved her hands frantically with fright.
"No worries, Hinata-chan, I work in here, so it won't really count as breaking in!" Akari smiled and dragged Hinata towards the door.
"C-can't you use a key?" Hinata dug her heels into the ground to slow down Akari's dragging.
"I would, if I didn't lose it," Akari went back to sighing and gave up pulling Hinata.
"O-oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that happened…," Hinata looked like she was going to cry.
"NO DON'T CRY!" Akari pulled Hinata into a hug and blathered out a burst of apologies while crying huge crocodile tears.
"…," Hinata didn't—couldn't I mean—respond.
"AHHH!! I'm sorry!" and Akari released Hinata from her death grip bear hug.
"I-it's okay," Hinata blushed.
"You're so adorable!" Akari squealed and hugged Hinata once again, but gentler this time. But by chance, someone walked by and saw this leading to…
"YOU! UNHAND HINATA-SAMA (HIME)!" another with eyes similar to Hinata's and long dark brown hair tied in a low pony tail swiftly leaped towards Akari and knocked her out by hitting her VERY hard on the back of her head. A loud thump was heard as Akari dropped to the floor unconscious.
"Neji-niichan! W-why d-did you knock out A-akari-san?!" Hinata panicked, while picking up Akari.
"Sorry Hinata, it just looked like she was trying to choke you…," it was rare to see Neji so decomposed, but he couldn't help it, as Hinata had become very dear to him. She was like a little sister to him.
"It's okay, Neji-niichan, but we should bring her to the hospital, incase you hit her too hard," There was a very noticeable bump forming on her head…
"I guess, if we must…," Neji sighed and carried Akari on his back, "I think this woman is a little too big for you to carry."
If Akari were conscious, she'd either be blushing madly, or throwing a tantrum because he basically called her heavy—or in other words fat…
Hinata followed Neji to the Konoha Village Hospital.
"Ugh, I feel like I just got rammed into by an elephant…backwards," Akari groaned as she slowly sat up in a bed.
"That might be possible, cause you have a pretty nasty bump there on your head, but I think you'll live," a nurse giggled while recording Akari's recovery.
"Where am I?" Akari looked around the puke green painted room. Then she looked down at her white bed sheets and hospital gown that looked like childish patterned pajamas.
"You may leave now, Kayo-san, I'd like to have a word with this lady," Tsunade stepped into the room and shooed the nurse away, "So, Miss Uchiha, like to explain yourself?"
"Um…uh, where am I?" Akari said in attempt to change the subject.
"A hospital," Tsunade said while checking the recovery charts next to Akari's bed. Tsunade was, after all, a medical-nin, before an interrogator.
"Oh…," Akari's gaze strayed away, as far as possible from Tsunade's figure. This wasn't going anywhere, she had to do something. Keeping a secret like this for so long really wore Akari out anyways.
"Tsunade, I want to tell you something…about a friend of mine," Akari started.
"Ok, I'm listening," was the reply.
"When I—er, my f-friend was little, she was never well a-accepted into the U-uchiha family. Although her father was Uchiha, her m-mother was not. T-to make matters worst, her mother was of l-low social s-standing. My f-friend, also never gained the Uchiha's prized S-sharingan. She was b-basically a n-nuisance in the Uchiha family. When the m-massacre occurred, she had nowhere to go. Even the neighbors of the Uchiha estate, had never heard of her, and refused to take her in. That is why, s-she decided to live her life like a shadow, not wanting attention, only supporting from b-behind, and living a life she need not have many to worry for her," Akari spoke in a silent, wavering voice, contemplating the risky affects of her telling Tsunade so much about her 'friend.'
"Well, I believe, your friend is being foolish," Tsunade spoke boldly, even after Akari made a noticeable flinch, "but I also believe that this friend of yours is hiding something more—for good purposes or bad ones, though, I cannot judge. Further more, what's done is done, and that your friend can tell me more about this later. The most important thing is, though, is that your friend—no matter what kind of person she is or what intent she has—I don't believe anyone wants to live as a shadow, because a shadow can also be cared for."
"Deep lecture, Tsunade-baachan," it was Naruto—at the door, apparently trying to eavesdrop—wait, why is he at the door…? "Too bad Akari-neechan already made a run for it." There was no look funnier, compared to the one occupying Tsunade's face. First it was surprise, then it was anger, then it was 'baffled,' then it was twisted into something more like a dog when it's flicked on the nose. In other words, 'what the hell.'
"But she was—when—but—FWAP!" she simply swiped at his head out of frustration.
"Aww, why'd you hafta hit me? I didn't do anything!" Naruto whined. How many times must he go through this?
"I'll get back to you on that." Tsunade was in a rush. Akari made a break for it when she was giving a very important lecture. That conniving brat! Ninja or not, she was a lot more sneaky than the average kid.
"Whew, nearly got caught there. Tsunade must be after my neck by now." Akari huffed. It did seem she was a lot more composed (no stuttering) when she was by herself.
"A-ah, Akari-san?" there was a familiar, soft voice. Hinata watched her from around the corner of the wall. A little while ago, while Akari was still unconscious, Hinata had wandered off from the hospital. Seeing as though Akari wasn't awake, Hinata thought it would be nice to pick up a get well present for Akari. By coincidence, they meet.
"Hinata-chan…," Akari's eyes went watery, imitating a splurge of—obviously fake, but hard to refuse—tears, "I'm…"
And I stop here! Err…I know it was short. I know I took a long time to update…I HAD REASONS THOUGH!! One, lack of time (homework…dawdling habits), two, for a fraction of my non-updating time, the computer was infact, refusing to work with any software, and three, I accidentally lost the file in my computer…couldn't figure out where I put it…SO I'M VERY SORRY!! Next chapter I promise—if not by tomorrow—within the month (and if it takes with in the month, I'll drag up a double posting). Thank you readers for keeping up with me!