Plan of the Light

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Chapter 4- Newfound Love Part 2

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Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies

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"This is talking," she said.

'This is thinking,' he prayed.

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Neji walked towards her, wondering if Sakura's advice would help him win her heart. It wasn't as if Sakura would want to ruin his chances with her, right? Well, hopefully it would work.

"Hi Tenten," he said, getting nervous of what was to come.

"Oh hey Neji. You don't look so good…"

The Hyuuga boy did in fact look sick. He had paled to an even lighter color than before, and sweat was running down his face. He couldn't take it anymore, Neji couldn't say it. He just couldn't. Neji's knees buckled underneath him and he fell forward, right onto Tenten. The brunette half shrieked (Meaning that it wasn't a squeal and she didn't break poor Neji's ears) as both of them toppled over into the dirt.

"I-I'm so sorry, I-"

Neji was cut off when Tenten's lips connected with his in a quick, yet heartfelt kiss.

"It's about time you did something," she whispered.

'Well, that definitely didn't go according to plan…' Sakura thought from behind a tree.

Neji didn't have a crush on Tenten. It actually was some random girl on the street who had thanked him for something stupid. But being Neji, he neglected true feelings, but took meaningless words to heart. No, wait, Neji didn't do that; something was up.

Sakura looked back over to take a picture anyway to find that the two were kissing again. Now, she wanted blackmail material on Neji, but she didn't want to involve Tenten too; when two girls have a grudge, it ain't pretty.

'I'll come back later…' Sakura thought as she turned to leave, 'I have to get ready for my date with Sasuke anyway.'

With that, she went off to her apartment to get ready.

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Sakura was excited about her date with Sasuke. It had been her dream to actually get the Uchiha's attention. Since it was Sasuke, she didn't expect to have anything romantic; he may be nicer, but you couldn't change your true nature. She had chosen a plain white spaghetti-strap and a pink skirt a few shades darker than her hair.

"I hope he comes soon," she said.

A knock came at her door. Sakura immediately brightened up and ran to the door.

"Hi Sasuke I-"

She frowned.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" she asked.

The blonde gave her a cold stare.

"I don't like playing messenger, so listen 'cause I'm not going to repeat myself."

Sakura nodded dumbly; since when did Naruto become so cold?

"You apparently didn't specify a date, so you are going out tomorrow and he said to not put up a fit about it because of whatever it was he said; I don't really care. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to waste my life somewhere else."

Sakura's heart dropped. Her dream date with Sasuke was tomorrow.

"Oh, ok."

Naruto grumbled something under his breath.

"What did you say?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing," Naruto replied coldly.

He was acting just like Sasuke used to.

"Tell me what you said," Sakura retorted, her anger building.

"I said it was nothing. And I don't feel like repeating myself to you."

Sakura suddenly was pissed at the blond punched him in the gut.

"Don't you dare mouth off at me again!"

But he just smirked (Which earned him a shudder from Sakura). There was also something else in his eyes… something wicked.

"You know Sakura-chan," Naruto growled, "I haven't felt so powerful in a long time…"

He was grinning evilly. It seemed that Naruto wasn't just outsmirking Sasuke, but outcreeping Gaara too.

"It feels good. And it would be a shame to let this power go to waste..."

They were now face to face.

"You probably wouldn't want me to use it on you, now would you?"

When Naruto's cerulean eyes locked onto hers, Sakura felt like melting in fear. He was different; Naruto definitely was no longer the dobe everyone claimed him to be. She knew that he was acting strangely the day before, but this was extreme. Why was everyone acting so weird?

"Naruto, what's wrong with you?" Sakura whispered, on the verge of tears.

Naruto pulled out his new maniacal grin.

"Nothing is wrong; I'm finally right. All this time I've been living in lies and false hopes. Fate is planned out this way and it can't change, no matter how hard we hope. My fate is to open up the eyes of others so they too can see the light."

Something was definitely wrong. This wasn't Naruto, Sakura was sure of it. She looked up to him, eyes filled with tears, trying to find the answer to her questions. Naruto just glared at her, not showing her any emotion whatsoever.

"You are weak Haruno-sama. You let your emotions cloud what you do. Let me introduce you to the light. Know what is to be and feel liberated of worries of the future."

She shook her head.

"Naruto, this isn't you. Please, turn back to normal."

He growled in return.

"I told you; this is the true me. Just like the others I have enlightened. First it was Lee, then Sasuke, and Neji. Soon, the rest will follow in a domino effect, granting them the truth. I realized my true life mission last night as I lived in the forest; it is my purpose for being."

Tears streamed down Sakura's face as he spoke those words. She wrapped her arms around the blond as she sobbed.

"Naruto, I can't believe you would- you wouldn't mess up Konoha this bad."

He pushed her aside.

"Get away from me," he snarled, "And the village is better. It's what got you a date with your precious Sasuke…"

"I don't care about Sasuke anymore," she whispered, "I'd rather have back the old Naruto."

"Too bad the 'new' Naruto doesn't love you like the old, weak version."

Sakura slumped to the floor, wondering what to do next. She had never known Naruto to be evil. But she knew that no matter what, if he had a goal, the blond would strive to achieve it. It was then that a plan formulated in her mind.

"Naruto, is there anyway I can join you?"

There was a long pause before he replied.

"Of course; any who see the light may join. Your fate is to be betrayed by Sasuke when you pledge your love to him. You will then become powerful to get revenge, but kill him in the process, thus filling the rest of your existence with guilt."

Sakura's watery emerald eyes looked up to meet his. Naruto had become pessimistic, he had told her what was to happen and she wasn't too happy about it.

"I-Is there anyway to stop that?" she asked, "Is there any way to avoid fate?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Fate is meant to happen; there is no way to escape it. But a select few who join me, will lose their emotions as I have, and no longer feel the pain that destiny puts before us."

Although it made no sense to her, Sakura nodded in agreement. Since she mentally declared Naruto an official psychopath, she figured it was best not to anger him. Just look at who angered the once crazy (And still is a little) Gaara. Sakura also knew that when comparing Naruto's personality to Gaara or Sasuke was a bad thing.

"Talk to me again when you have met that standard," Naruto said.

And with that, he disappeared.

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Sakura had no intention on turning into another 'Naruto'. She was going to join and get to the bottom of the mystery. There was more to it than what the blond had said, whether he knew it or not. Although, it would explain why everyone was acting so strangely.

"I need to find information on what happened so I can help everyone," Sakura promised, "Especially Naruto."

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The first stop was Tsunade's office. Sakura went to knock on the oak doors only to find that they were open.

"Hello? Tsunade-sama, are you here?"

Sakura turned to find the office empty yet again. Except that all of the paperwork on the desk was complete…

"Strange…"

The pink-haired kunoichi screamed when she found something on the floor, rather someone who screamed too.

"WTF?"

"Oh thank goodness it's only you!" Jiraiya exclaimed, "I'm hiding from Tsunade, she's really scary."

"So you're in her office…"

"I know; ingenious, right?"

Sakura couldn't help but sweatdrop; at least someone was normal.

"Well, do you know where she is? I need to figure out this mystery."

"No way!" he exclaimed, "I'm HIDING from her. Last time I barely got away before she molested me!"

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed, "If you're lying, I'm not amused!"

Jiraiya put up his hands in surrender.

"I'm not lying! I think it has to do with the fact that she didn't get her daily dose of alcohol yesterday so her minds cleared up."

"You seem a bit scared for a so-called super pervert," Sakura stated.

"Well, after almost being molested, I have realized how horrible it is for women to have perverts around so I have decided to give up my ways and become moral just like my student. Oh, and maybe I should actually teach him something..."

She sighed; maybe he wasn't 'normal' after all.

"Well, just to warn you, Naruto isn't himself anymore."

Jiraiya nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he left me behind to face the wrath of Tsunade's love using the excuse of 'letting' me get research done. But I guess that now I've seen the light, I no longer need to do research or stick to my lecherous ways."

And to Sakura's luck, Kakashi walked in at the same time that last sentence was said.

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Kakashi had been wandering the streets, looking for something to do. His team had somehow disappeared to do other stuff and that left a bored Kakashi. He had been noticing some strange things going on lately. Actually, it wasn't until he found Lee downing a 4th sake bottle without destroying everything in sight did the copy ninja realized something was up. And he knew there was only one thing to do…

Consult his Icha Icha books.

Of course, they were not in his kunai pouch, or in his apartment. There was only one logical explanation: Tsunade had them.

So, of course, Kakashi went after his beloved books. But when he entered his office, he heard this one sentence:

"-I've seen the light, I no longer need to do research or stick to my lecherous ways."

'Please don't be Jiraiya. Please don't be Jiraiya…'

Kakashi opened his eye to see Haruno Sakura talking to the one and only Jiraiya.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" he yelled, "IT CAN'T BE! THE ICHA ICHA SERIES IS CANCELLED?!"

Both of them looked over to the crying (anime style) Kakashi. Both of them nodded simultaneously. This caused a whole river of tears to flow down the jonnin's face. This situation just got worse.

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Sakura was still on her quest to find out answers. She was going to ask Neji, but he and Tenten had been MIA the whole day and she'd rather not know why… Her next choice was Rock Lee, but she hadn't seen him since the day before when he was at the bar.

She walked down the street and heard that annoying chanting again. A man came running up to her, shaking her shoulders.

"You've got to see this! This KID is on his 10th BOTTLE of sake! Can you believe it? It's a new bar record!"

Sakura was about to reply that she didn't care until she caught a glimpse of green spandex. Pushing her way through the crowd, a very drunk Lee was sitting at the pub, drinking more than even Tsunade or Anko.

"L-Lee? Don't tell me that-"

The intoxicated Lee grabbed hold of the kunoichi and gave her a deep kiss which earned many 'Ooohs' from the crowd.

"Sakra meh luv! Yoo camah to may… I neeeeeeeewww tha yooooooo wuuuld luv may suuuum daaaaaay…"

His breath stunk heavily of alcohol, yet she didn't want to leave him yet. There was something wrong with her…

'Oh no!' she thought, 'IT is getting to me too! Noooooo!!!!! Now who will solve this?'

Lee pulled her back.

"Done leeeeeve meh Sakuuuura!"

"Don't worry Lee, I won't."

Sakura stole his bottle of sake and took a swig herself while in his arms. Sasuke was passing by with Hinata when he saw the scene before him.

"Holy crap!" he exclaimed.

Hinata turned to see what he was cursing at.

"I-I-Is that Sakura a-a-and Lee?"

"Who'd think they'd be so close and… getting drunk together? Can Lee even do that?"

Hinata shrugged.

"G-g-go ahead and h-h-handle this. I know you w-w-want to Sasuke-kun. I can f-f-find my own way home."

"Thank you Hinata-chan."

She smiled sweetly before departing. Sasuke mentally sighed.

"Thank Kami she left. Now I can woo Sakura and finally break bushy-brows' heart. Then I can use her for my own needs; Mwahahahahaha!!!"

"You know, you sound a lot like Itachi," Naruto stated from behind.

Sasuke growled.

"Oh wait; Itachi isn't someone who enjoys raping his friends."

"Go away dead last."

Naruto smirked.

"I'm more powerful than you now. And no one hurts a future member of my society; NO ONE. Fate may plan it this way, but it does not have to happen THIS way."

"Awww," Sasuke mocked, "Does someone still have his baby crush on Sakura?"

Naruto slammed a fist into Sasuke's face. The Uchiha went flying, with blood streaming down his face and onto the ground. The blond advanced on his target.

"I have seen the truth. I am the messenger of fate, and a future believer must be kept safe. I do not love that weakling. I no longer possess that emotion, and neither will she once her initiation is complete."

Just the sheer hatred in his cerulean eyes made Sasuke shiver in fear. And no matter what, Uchiha Sasuke never got scared. Naruto created a katana made of light in his hand and raised it above Sasuke.

"W-w-where did that come from?" Sasuke stuttered.

Naruto grinned evilly again.

"The power of seeing the light is most… rewarding…"

Sasuke didn't even get a chance to scream.

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Kabuto watched from the trees with glee; his plan was working perfectly. Ahem, I mean, Orochimaru's plan. The snake sennin was right next to him, his back turned from the one-sided fight between Naruto and Sasuke that was just beginning.

"What's wrong Orochimaru-kun?"

"I can't stand it! My poor Sasuke-kun will die! Now I'll need to find another body!"

The silver-haired sound-nin didn't like it when Orochimaru was sad; it just made him feel bad too.

"Don't worry," he said softly, laying a hand on his master's shoulder, "I'll keep him alive for you."

The snake sennin sniffled and nodded his head; he always knew how to make Kabuto do whatever he wanted without even an order. It was a game of his that he always won.

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Sakura woke up the next morning somewhere in the forest. She had no clue why she was there. All that she remembered was finding Lee and… Lee! Now it all came back to her before she got drunk.

"Oh Kami, my head hurts," she whispered.

"Sakura-chan?" Lee mumbled.

She turned to see that he was right next to her. Although she had a bad hangover and no idea of what happened, Sakura knew it was all alright. As long as she was with him, it would be alright…

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Naruto was watching from a tree, making sure she was alright. But after the past nights events, he doubted she would make it to his side.

"And I thought you'd be promising…"

The blond leapt from the tree, away from the two teens and failed to notice Shino 'fluttering' around and pouring silly string over them; not that he would have laughed. No, Naruto had been consumed by the light…

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A/N: First, I want to thank Parade for giving me half of the reviews for this story. It's much appreciated. Um, sorry for the seriousness of this chapter, but semi-evil Naruto is like that, sigh so cool… So, sorry about this chapter's lameness. Hopefully the length made up for it a bit. So, until the next chapter,

Amei