Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto-cuz if I did, Naruto would say "dattebayo" less. XD
Warning:
Violence
Language
Sexual Content
Possible Spoilers
Yaoi
Key:
"talking"
thinking/talking to kyuubi
kyuubi talking in his mind
'writing'
Chapter 3 - "the Preparations" - Start.
Naruto exited the Hokage tower, clutching the folder of statistics and details at his side, heading towards the heart of the village. Sakura followed quietly behind him, allowing him to think about the mission that was rapidly approaching. She was worried for Naruto. Ever since Sasuke left, Naruto had been obsessed with getting him back-to keep his promise with Sakura-and he was willing to use any form of self-sacrifice to do so.
Frankly, it scared her. She had come to think of him as a brother. Ever since she had found out that he was the Kyuubi vessel, she had realized that he had been alone, abandoned and hated for reasons that were far beyond his control. She had become protective of him, and wanted to see him happy-see him smiling.
But, she had also begun to notice small details-like the fact that his eyes were no longer as bright as they used to be when he smiled. He no longer laughed without it actually sounding genuine.He seemed to be hiding quite a lot-but she didn't want to question him about it out of fear that it would upset Naruto more. Out of fear it would make him sad.
She never wanted to see Naruto sad. She had always known him as the peppy, bubbly annoying boy who was naturally loud. It was disturbing to see him quiet.
Sakura snapped back to reality when Naruto let out a small (nearly undetectable) sigh. She saw him frowning out of the corner of her eye and then the frown suddenly turned into a smile.
A clearly fake smile.
"Hey, Sakura-chan. I'm going to go back to my apartment so that I can prepare for the mission. I'll see you at the village entrance at sunrise, okay?"
She smiled politely. "Yeah. Catch you later, Naruto."
He turned to leave but was stopped by Sakura's voice. "Oh wait, Naruto! I'll have your clothes cleaned and returned to you after the mission, ok?"
He turned his head a bit towards her and smiled, nodding. He turned back and continued on, heading towards his home.
Sakura sighed and frowned, worry etching her features, "I hope everything is going to turn out alright.."
Naruto stopped in front of his apartment and looked up. It was still pretty bright out-about to be sundown. He tilted his head down a bit and observed the outside of his small apartment. It was a cheap building, made from who-knows-how-old bricks that had faded from (what he assumed was) a bright red to a dull orange-yellow.
There were small windows, about 7 out of every 10 were either broken, shattered- or strangely- ripped out of the wall. The windows that weren't violated or vandalized were grimy or had spray paint covering them-shrouding the inside in mystery.
The apartment itself was in a questionable neighborhood, not exactly on the best side of the village. It had many different types of people living in or around the apartment. Yes, quite the variety. You had your druggies, your failures, your rapists and outcasts.
He frowned, finally dropping his once-nearly-unnoticeable facade. He stepped inside the cracked wooden doors that led to the main hallway and started to his room. He hung his head down low, avoiding the disgusted looks of the people passing by. He came to his door and flung it open, stepping inside and swinging it closed to keep what little privacy he had.
I stepped inside the dirty place in which I called home and immediately sat down on my bed, tossing the mission statistics and details onto the small table next to my bed. Well, this is just lovely, isn't it? I've been waiting for this mission forever and now I'm having second thoughts. How can that be? I've been wanting to save him for years now... and now... now...
You're scared he doesn't want to come home with you.
Kyuubi! No--
You are kit. Like you said, you've been wanting him back for years and have been constantly trying to do so. But, every time you meet him, he either tries to kill you, ignores you, or specifically tells you to leave.
Great way to cheer me up, furball. Yes, I know that. I really do. But, I don't really give a damn. He's coming back whether he wants to or not. I'll drag him if I have to-but... I guess I'm scared of rejection again...
Kyuubi seems to raise a questioning brow at this.
Rejection? You make it sound as if it's a love confession!
I growled and got off of my bed. It is not a love confession. I really want him back. He was the first one to actually befriend me-the first one to look at me as if I were human. It really hurts when he isn't here. I feel like I have to be with him to be someone.
Yeah, yeah. Don't go all sappy on me, kit. Aren't you supposed to be preparing for a mission? Get busy, or you will either fall asleep or lose your track of mind.
Hey! I'm not an idiot.
I never said you were kit, I never said you were. Kyuubi shrugged mentally in his mind and said softly, although you probably just proved it...
"Shut up!" I said aloud. I dropped to my knees and began shuffling through my belongings under my bed muttering about stupid killer foxes that thought they were all high and mighty...
I pulled out an old, worn-out back pack that I had been using for my ninja missions for years. Standing up, I opened the pack and looked through it. There were still a few bandages and medical supplies that could be used for the up coming mission. I had left some of my kunai, shuriken, poison needles, and mask in there.
Yes, I had a mask-meaning I was an ANBU.
I had been ANBU for a couple of years now-since I was 16 years old. In fact, I was one of the youngest ANBU there were. (It took a year and a half for the council to finally agree for the "demon boy" to be allowed in the high ranks of ANBU) The thing is, I was mainly an ANBU by name. I didn't like the killing needed for the job-never have, never will. I killed when it was necessary and when sent on missions, I tried to find other ways to resolve the problems.
Heh, I wonder what Sasuke would think if he knew that I was an ANBU..? That is something I would like to see... I thought as I held the white and red fox mask in front of me to examine it.
Yeah. It would be fun to see the Uchiha freak out. If he does. I wish he would...
No kidding there, furball. None at all.
I picked up the stack of papers that I had recently tossed aside and began to flip through them, passing the papers that were seen and studied earlier on in the Hokage's office. I stopped on the mission details going through what was to be done in my head.
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I shifted in my seat. The lumpy couch was getting uncomfortable, fast. Sakura glanced at me quickly from her seat next to me, trying to read my expression once again. The Hokage looked at her hands and began to speak again.
"Alright, Naruto. First, I'm going to need to let you know something. There are two reasons for this mission. First of all-we heard a couple of rumors that the Uchiha and his nakama(1) were traveling in rain country, looking for the eldest Uchiha. I know that if I withheld this information from you, when you finally found out, you would spaz and take off after him by yourself." She chuckled to herself, obviously remembering quite a similar event that had taken place a few months ago, resulting in me being lost in a desert for nearly a month and a half. I scowled at the memory. I had never thought that sand could be such an annoying sight until I had the delight of being buried under it 5 times a day for over a month.
"Secondly, I... need you to stay away from the village for a while." I looked up at this, surprise evident on my face. I opened my mouth to speak but was silenced by the Hokages hand being held up, motioning for me to wait.
"The council has been trying to use the excuse of your... experience in the sand those few months ago... to get you banished from the village."
My jaw dropped open, all words that were once ready to be spilled out lost, leaving nothing but incoherent stutters. "Bu--! Wh--! Ho--?!"
The Hokage scowled. "Yes, that was my reaction, too. They said all of this ridiculous stuff about you being a nuisance and an endangerment to the people. It was--! Was--! Absolutely infuriating. I nearly castrated each and every one of them on the spot. But, I must say, my control was to be proud of at the time..." She started mumbling something too low to be heard.
She looked up at me and smiled softly though. "Don't worry, Naruto. They aren't going to win without a fight. And who better to fight them than a legendary sannin and Hokage? It would just be much easier on me if they knew you were doing your missions, not causing trouble and... well, you were just away for them to cool down a bit. I promise you, I won't let them win."
My scowl lightened to a small frown. "Okay then, baa-chan. Explain the exact mission details to me."
Her smile brightened a bit. "Naruto, Sakura"-I just remembered Sakura was sitting next to me on the horrible, lumpy couch-"you are to track down and find Uchiha Sasuke and try to bring him back with minimal injuries-that includes you and the Uchiha. You are going to have 7 other shinobi joining you in the mission to ensure that you, Naruto are safe from the Akatsuki and given proper backup. The maximum mission time is one year, with at least 2 mission reports per month. Naruto, you are to bring your ANBU mask for emergency purposes and are expected to properly lead them, am I clear?"
I stood up. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I will make sure that this mission is a success and will return as soon as possible." I bowed politely and turned to Sakura, helping her up off the couch. Sakura went to the door with me following. Before shutting the door I heard Tsunade whisper softly, "be careful. Good luck, and godspeed, Naruto..." I smiled and leaned on the now-shut door. "Of course, baa-chan. How can I not be careful and try to return home when I've got someone like you waiting for me..?" I turned my thoughts back to the mission at hand, passing Sakura who was holding open the main doors of the Hokage tower for me.
I'm scared. I want to go after Sasuke and yet the thought also terrifies me...
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I sighed and tossed the papers back on to the small table next to my long-forgotten hitai-te(2).
I turned to my counter and opened up the small, rotted, wooden door. In the back there was a large, metal box with a seal on it. Performing the proper hand signs quickly a poof of smoke appeared followed by the click of the top opening. I pulled it closer to me and took out it's contents-a small dagger, some of my most important scrolls, some of Sakura's long-lasting medicine, more ninja weapons and lastly-a hitai-te with a large scratch gouged across the Konoha leaf symbol.
Sasuke... I will come after you. I made a promise to Sakura and myself that I was going to bring you back, and I don't go back on my word. No more hesitations. Just move forward.
I shoved the items from the metal box into my faded backpack, keeping hold of the old, scratched hitai-te. I closed the backpack, and tossed it to the side. I kicked off my ninja shoes, pulled off my new blue top (courtesy of Sakura) and flopped down onto my bed, staring at the forehead protector still in my hand.
I drifted to sleep with one last thought swirling in my head.
I swear I'll bring you back home, Sasuke. Just wait.
-Chapter End-
(1) - "nakama" - japanese for "comrade" or, on a looser term "friend"
(2) - "hitai-te" - it's the forehead protector! (it says it in there somewhere close to the end. Like, the last paragraph..)
XxXxXxXxX
So, read and rate.