Naruto: Her Secret
Hi guys, I want to thank you for reading my story and I'm so glad to hear that many of you enjoy it. I really enjoy reading the reviews that you post and some of the guesses as to what's going to happen, some are close :P
This is a Naruko adventure.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…..or Naruko…. Oh if only, if only
Chapter 4: Face your Demons
-Meadow path outside Gonguko-
"Hey there… Sasuke, Sakura." Naruko said in a strained voice; her feet frozen to the spot she stood, her body still as a statue, and a cold sweat dripping down her cheek.
Sasuke and Sakura stood next to each other a ways down from Naruko, the village to their backs. They wore their jounin gear along with cloaks. Naruko couldn't help but noticed they were armed…not a good sign.
"Hey there? That's really the best thing you could come up with?" Sakura growled with an angry expression. Naruko was really glad she was way over there…. out of punching distance. Sasuke stood next to her obviously waiting to say something, clenching his fists.
Naruko put her one hand behind her head and gave an unconvincing smile "Umm… YO WAT UP GUYS?! What brings you to these necks of the woods." she shouted suddenly shooting her hand into the air to give them a wave and grin.
"STOP GOOFING OFF!" Sasuke shouted at her, causing Naruko to flinch. She bit her lower lip trying to think of something to say… nothing really came to mind.
"What brings us here? What the hell do you think Naruko? Did you really think we wouldn't come after you?" Sakura yelled stomping her foot at the last question. Sasuke just nodded, as if to hold himself back from yelling more.
"Didn't you guys get my letters? I said I'd be back… eventually." Naruko said the last word quietly, but Sasuke still caught it.
"Eventually? Naruko you shouldn't have left in the first place. Or at least have the guts to tell us face to face. Everyone's worried, we're worried. You leave suddenly, with barely a goodbye, saying you may be gone for years, you can't tell me you really thought that no one would come looking for you." Sasuke said, still clenching his fist. Even though his words were calm, Naruko could tell he was angry.
"Exactly, come home Naruko, talk to us, if you're in trouble we'll help, but don't just leave us." Sakura added, her eyes getting a little watery.
Naruko looked down at the ground and shuffled at the dirt with her foot. Naruko sighed "Look guys, I didn't mean for it to seem like I don't care, I do." She paused to look back up at them "It means a lot to me that you came looking for me. I just felt this would be a better way of dealing with things. I knew someone would come looking for me… was hoping it wouldn't be you but… look, I just can't go hom…"
"WHY!" both shinobi yelled down to her.
Naruko could only stared at them.
"Why Naruko? You at least owe us that much." Sasuke said giving Naruko a concerned look. Sakura nodded.
"I… have to deal with some personal issues okay. I can't do it back at the village, and I don't know how long it will take to… take care of." She hoped it would satisfy them, but doubted it would… she was right.
Sasuke sighed and tapped Sakura's shoulder once; she nodded and started to put on her gloves. Naruko got the message too. Sasuke looked hard at Naruko "Do you remember what you told me on the day I left the village all those years ago?"
Memories from that day came flooding into her mind. The valley, the water, the fight, god that fight… and the words she had spoken, the words she could never forget no matter how hard she tried. Naruko nodded.
"Of course I remember." she looked down and gave a light chuckle "How could I forget? I told you I'd bring you back home even if it meant I had to break every bone in your body and drag you back." Still looking at the ground she shook her head. "This isn't the same Sasuke! I'm NOT leaving for good I promise I'll come back, I just…I need to…"
"What? What do you need to do? Unless you can give us a good reason for leaving" Sasukes eyes turned red as he activated his sharingan "We are going to take you back here and now."
Sakura took a step forward and though her eyes had worry in them she had a hard stern look on her face "Naru… this isn't like you; you're reckless and forgetful, but never secretive and cowardly, what are you hiding from us?"
The question brought Naruko's head shooting up to look at the pink hair Kunoichi. She had a look of shock, almost fright on her face. Thoughts ran through her head, like did they know? Had Kakashi told them? She took a deep breath, no, he wasn't the type to tell, and even he didn't know the whole truth. No one did, no one but her and Kurama.
Naruko leaned back putting all her weight on one leg and looked to the stars "Sakura, everyone has a secret, even me; and when you have to face it or can't you have to take action, mine was this, a journey" so quiet Sakura barely heard it she added "away from everything."
Sakura watched as Naruko looked back at them, her eyes had changed from that of a comrade to that of an enemy, cold, hard, and determined.
The wind picked up and blew through the trio. Sasuke sighed and came to stand next to Sakura "There's nothing we can say to change your mind?" he asked.
Naruko didn't look away, she didn't hesitate; she just smiled warmly at them "Sorry guys, I just can't… not willingly."
Sakura gritted her teeth and got into her fighting stance. Sasuke pulled out a kunai and did the same.
Naruko studied them for a moment, and then she too got into a fighting stance. No one move, no one breathed; even the wind had died down as if holding a breath waiting to see what would happen. That's when a rain drop fell from the sky and to anyone else would not have been noticed… but there were three legendary Shinobi here, they did notice and when it hit the ground… launched into action.
Sasuke and Sakura charged at Naruko with blinding speed splitting up and coming at her from different sides. Not taking her eyes off of them Naruko made her hand sighs so fast even Sasuke's Sharingan saw it as a blur.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" Naruko said as the whole area filled with puffs of smoke. Sasuke and Sakura didn't stop their charge. As the smoke cleared they saw hundreds of Narukos standing there ready for a fight. They all rushed forward meeting the two shinobi head on. Ducking and dodging Sasuke kicked and punched every clone he went past. Sakura hit one clone sending it flying into the group of clones making many of them disappear. After moving forward more Sakura started to get surrounded by clones all moving to stop her from advancing. She gave a small smirk and raised her fist into the air and then hit the ground…hard. The ground beneath her cracked and splintered, causing many clones to fall and poof away. Jumping away she moved on; in the air she saw Sasuke look to her and nod. She got the message, as she reached the ground she punched it again creating a large crack in the ground that she proceeded to take cover behind.
Once he was sure Sakura was out of the way Sasuke flew though his hand sighs "Katon Gokakyu no Jutsu" Sasuke sent the giant fireball forward into the crowd of clones. The Fireball flew forward dispersing many of the clones. When it finally died down there were only a few clones left. Sasuke and Sakura continued their rush, but then Sasuke stopped.
Skidding to a halt Sakura looked back to him "What is it?"
"Tch, she got me that time." He said. Sakura looked to him with a confused look. He looked back to the remaining 10 Narukos. They were all just waiting for the two of them to come at them. Sasuke looked to the forest to the north. "She used the clones as a distraction… shes not here."
Sakura looked back to the clones startled "What! She ran off?" she stomped her foot, then to the clones "She went to the forest right, where is she headed?!"
All the clones relaxed and just smiled at Sakura then at the same time they all said "Sorry gotta run." Then they all vanished in a puff of smoke.
Sasuke started for the forest looking for any sigh of which way Naruko may have gone, Sakura close behind. As they rushed into the forest Sasuke summoned a hawk "Fly high and look for any sign of Naruko." The hawk flew off. They stopped and waited for a moment before the hawk came back. It flew past Sasuke and headed deeper into the woods. "He's got something." Sasuke said following after the hawk. As they followed the hawk Sakura noticed the festive sandals that Naruko had been wearing on the ground below them, they were on the right track.
Looking at Sasuke, Sakura had an inner debate with herself. She had an idea of why Naruko might have left but she wasn't 100% positive. From what she had read it was only a hunch and in truth she wasn't sure how, if it were true, she felt about the situation.
"Sasuke." She said
He looked over his shoulder at her "Hmm?"
"I might know why she left." She said. That got Sasuke to stop and look at her, obviously waiting for more. Sakura just looked at him, and then sighed.
"Look I'm not sure that I'm right… it's just that what I read in her diary, it suggests at what she's feeling."
When she didn't say anything "Sakura if you think it's relevant then tell me, I know you don't want to make assumptions but we don't have much to begin with here."
She nodded "Alright, well from what I read I think she is…"
-Somewhere deeper in the forest- (hahaha I know I know I'm teasing you with not saying it out and out but it's just too much fun now XP)
Naruko jumped from branch to branch, looking over her shoulder for any sign that Sasuke and Sakura were on her trail.
…it didn't seem like they were there. She releases a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. Pushing on, she increased her speed… just in case. She knew that they wouldn't give up that easily but if she can get ahead a bit she can lose them. Making her hand signs she creates three more clones. All four of them are jumping along the branching when the main Naruko nods, the clones nod and all head off in different directions.
Naruko continues on, every once in a while looking over her shoulder. She gets this feeling in her gut. A uncertainty. What was it? She really didn't know. She smiles a bit, no that was a lie, she knew.
She had been happy to see them. It had hurt to leave… again. "damn." She said through gritted teeth.
I know we've talked about this before Kit, but are you really sure this is the way you want things?
She shook her head "Of course it's not the way I want things Kurama, it just the way things have to be."
The way it has to be, huh. I don't agree; you haven't even tried to tell them. I may not be the best advisor there is in the matter but…
"No, it has to be this way. Any other way would ruin me I think, and if I got what I wanted…" she laughed a single laugh "It would just be too selfish of me."
Kit… you have every right to be a little selfish.
Naruko shook her head again and when she did she noticed something. A building; she made her way over to it. It was an old ruined shrine, with stone steps and everything. There was even a well for wishes. Making her way over to the well Naruko smiled. She remembered the first time she realized, god it had been so long ago. As she reached the well she let her hand fall to the stone and skim across the rough surface.
It had been when Sasuke had left, when she made that promise to Sakura, a promise to herself. She would never tell anyone, only Kurama knew because he shared her mind and body with her. She kneeled down and looked into the well. She saw nothing but darkness, couldn't even see the bottom.
She smiled, it was the same with her; she saw no end to this. One day they would know, she knew that, but right know she just couldn't deal with it. With them knowing, or rather their reaction. That was truly only half of it now, but it was still the main reason, the main fear.
She looked to the trees around the shrine, and then up to the sky, it all seemed to close in on her.
Kit…
"It's alright Kurama, I'll be fine, I just have to keep moving, if I do that it won't catch up, I won't have to face it." She didn't move though, she just kept staring into that well.
"Is that really what you believe?" said a voice from behind her making her jump.
Still kneeling next to the well she looked over her shoulder to see Sasuke and Sakura standing by the stone steps; Sasuke stood closer waiting for an answer to his question.
Naruko sighed as she stood up and brushed the dirt off her kimono "You caught up quick, wasn't expecting you to find me that fast."
For a moment they didn't say anything, just stared at Naruko with a puzzled look. "It's been two hours." Sasuke finally said.
Naruko didn't understand "What do you mean?"
You've been staring into the well for a few hours there Kit.
The news shocked Naruko, had she been so caught up in her thoughts that she let time slip by.
She laughed loudly causing both Sasuke and Sakura to becaome worried, and it showed.
"Naru…" Sakura started
"I'm sorry bout that guys, I was lost in thought, even more than normal. Man really losing my touch huh?" She said as she leaned back and sat on the edge of the well.
"Enough Naruko, just tell us why you left the village. We want to know, we want to help. Let us." Sasuke pleaded.
Naruko watched the two of them as they walked closer but stopped about 6 feet away. They waited for her to talk to them. Naruko looked up to the sky; it was cloudy now with signs of rain coming. She wanted it to rain, then maybe she could cry at the irony of it all, at her own stupidity. But she knew she wasn't that lucky.
"Sorry Sasuke, but my answer is the same and this time you won't catch me." She said as a poof of smoke burst in the trees startling Sasuke and Sakura. When Naruko looked back at them she had frog eyes and orange around her eyes.
Both Sasuke and Sakura jumped back at this "What Sage mode!" Sakura yelled.
Standing up Naruko nodded "Yea, I had a couple clone head out and meditate just in case, now sorry but I have to be going." She said as she was about to jump away.
That's when Sakura pushed past Sasuke and yelled "I KNOW!"
This made Naruko stop and stare at Sakura, a fear growing in her gut. "You know? Know what?"
Sakura figitied a little before Sasuke put a hand on her shoulder and nodded to her. She nodded back and took a deep breath, then looked to Naruko.
"Before we headed out from the village we stopped at your place to look for any sign of where you were headed. We didn't find anything about where you were going but I did find… your diary." Sakura let the information sink in.
Naruko had a cold sweat running down her neck. She knew her secret wasn't in it per say but anyone with a brain would be able to get a hint. Sakura had a brain; it wouldn't be hard for her to…
Naruko gulped "You… you didn't read it, did you?" Naruko hoped, she prayed, she begged Kami, the devil anything, that she didn't read it.
Sakura nodded. Naruko broke.
"I wouldn't under normal circumstance Naru but we needed to find you. From what I read I'm pretty sure I got you reason for leaving. Your…"
"no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Naruko started. She started quiet but it grew and grew into a scream and she clutched her head shaking it back and forth. "YOU CAN'T! NO NO YOU CAN'T KNOW!"
"NARUKO! STOP! It's okay! Please Stop." Sakura said inching closer Sasuke right behind him.
They could see tears running down her face as she thrashed about screaming. Then she let out one last mighty roar, one filled with chakra that shook the forest around them, making the two shinobi freeze in place.
Naruko went slack as her arms lay lifelessly; her back bent backward, her face looking to the sky. Sasuke and Sakura couldn't see her face.
For what seemed like hours but was really only a moment everything was silent. Then quickly Naruko bent forward and put one hand to her face the other on her hip. Her hand covered her nose and eyes as she sighed.
"Naru" "Naruko" Both Sasuke and Sakura called to her.
"Great, now look what you two have done." Naruko said but her voice was strange, it had a roughness overlapping her normal voice. She stood straight and took her hand away from her face.
Both Sasuke and Sakura gasped.
Naruko's eyes were no longer frog like with orange or her beautiful sky blue. No they were Demon red silted eyes filled with anger and hate.
"Naruko?" Sakura asked. "No, that's not her." Said Sasuke.
"With those eyes I guess you can still see me huh Uchiha. That's right I'm not Naruko, names Kurama, and thanks to you two, she's gone into hiding, to a place I can't even get to." Said Kurama from Naruko's body. "Nice going."
…
Well guys there it is and I'm so sorry that this took so long to get out. I'm getting really bad at updating but I'll try to get better. Let me know what you're thinking and I got a question for you readers.
I'm thinking on a few other ideas for stories and what some opinions on which one people want to her more.
Street Fox: that's the name of this story and it takes place in a modern time AU. Naruko is a street kid, who has grown up in the hardest of places, she has become dark and ruthless. She steals, mugs and yes has killed. Her newest mark is a mansion that is owned by the Uchias. There is the young lord Sasuke and he sees her as she runs off… he is mesmerized and wants to know more about her. He finds her and employs as his dirty worker in his underground society. What will happen?
A Darker Half: This one is a Naruko and Naruto story, twins yes. Well when they are young they are mobed and hurt well while in the hospital Naruto receives a visit from a stranger and is offered power beyond his dreams. He takes it and his path of a darker nature begins, while Naruko takes more or less the path he was meant for.
Let me know what you guys think please and thank you.
