~Taboo~
~Forgetting the Unforgetable~
Its been almost 6 days since my little misadventure and I have yet to fully recover. As of right know my stomach is wrapped in layers of gauze pads and bandages, and my leg has a faint scar now. One to add to my growing collection it seems.
Sakura was über PO-ed when she discovered I had run off from the hospital. Heard that she was severly reprimanded for my little stunt. I apologized a million time yesterday and today, but she's still miffed.
I can't help it that I hate hospitals. Though people always says its a place for healing, I can't get it out of my head that hospitals are where people go to die. Not a pessimist as far as I know, but I just have bad expiriences with the sterile, cold, and unwelcoming building.
"TenTen!"
I was pulled out of my thoughts and into the real world by Naruto's usually loud self.
"Yes, your oh so loud-ness," I said covering my tender ears.
"Sorry about that," Naruto rubbed the back of his head and gave his usual award winning smile and grin. "I didn't mean to get so loud, but you were like really spacing out. Whats on your mind?"
"Nothing much. Just thinking about this and that." I said wiping down the table I had started on before "spacing out" as Naruto had put it.
"This and that being?" he prompted for an answer.
"The past, present, and future," I joked, but part of me knew that it was only half hearted. "I'm going to go change and lock up, okay."
"I'll be waiting here," Naruto played with the polished iron candle holders at the table as I dissappeared into the locker room to change out of my uniform.
After last week's incident, it was decided among my new friends that I should be escorted home after work if it got late. I protested, but part of me welcomed the company and the support. Of course my pride would never let me say so. Things were really moving ahead, weren't they? Even if their was the occasional backslide.
Today had gone better than expected, except for the side glances that Sakura shared all day when ever I came within her line of sight. It was just a little unsettling, but I thought not of it.
I tossed on my leather jacket and made sure my knives were easily accessible in my boots before heading out and locking up.
Through the kitchen I walked past a paper bag that I hadn't paid much attention to before when I was working. There was a note attatched and it read:
TenTen-chan,
Enjoy the treats on the house! Get well soon.
Boss
I smiled at boss's small gesture of care due to my injuries. Still worked me like a slave, but a gift is a gift. I looked inside and found a dozen pasteries inside. Nothing like a bag full of leftover sweets to say get well soon!
Grabbing the bag I walked to were I had left Naruto minutes before.
"Ready to to go?"
"Yep!" I replyed with a giant smile on my face.
Naruto then spotted the bag in hand,"What's that?"
"Leftover pasteries that boss left for me." I said as we walked out the front door and locked it behind us.
"Sweet."
Totally saw that one coming didn't ya?
The wind was howling tonight and pulled my jacket tighter around me to ward of the cold. "Brr. It freezing!"
"Yeah. Gets like this most night, but you get used to it." Naruto said stuffing his hands into his coat pockets.
"Really? Better get a thicker jacket then. Can I ask you a question?" I asked as we started walking toward my apartment.
"You just did," he laughed his own joke.
I giggled a little. Not exactly form the joke, but the slight feeling of joy that Naruto seemed to radiate. Felt safe.
"Honestly, though. What is you favorite thing about Konoha?"
"Strange question to ask, but okay." He took a moment of consideration before his eyes lit up with chilidish glee. "Ichiraku Ramen. The old man sure knows how to cook up a mean bowl of the stuff."
I let out a laugh. I said honestly and that I swear to god was honest. "Ramen of all things is your favorite thing about Konoha."
"Yep. Nothing like it. Practically eat ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." He did one of those gestures to imply that it was finger-licking-good. "Now my turn to ask a question. What made you decide to come to Konoha of all places?"
I hesitated to reply as my brain debated whether telling him a lie or the truth. I don't particularly like to lie, but as of late my situation has called for it. But I don't feel like I could lie to such an honest soul. So instead I decided to perhaps not tell him the truth in its entirety.
"Well, it started with my mother. She grew up here and she always told me about how it was a wonderful place." I remembered the days she would tell me of her childhood in Konoha. Those days weren't coming back anytime soon though. "After my mom died it I felt that going back to our roots would be a good change for me and Hikaru."
Their was a moment of silence before he spoke. "Your mother was right ya know. This place is special. I'd give my life for this place any day."
I looked at him and their was a fire in his eyes that showed just how deeply he cared for this city and it inhabitants. As much of a child Naruto seemed most of the time, right now I couldn't help but admire him for a moment.
"Konoha really means that much to you." I said feeling a little guilty for not seen Konaha the way he did. Must be nice to be so passionate about your home I thought.
"Wouldn't dream of being anywhere else."
We arrived outside my apartment building surprisingly fast I thought. Then again I'm not going and getting lost am I? Another upside to being escorted home.
"Thanks for walking me home. Do you want to come inside for a bit before you head out?" I then proceeded to make a show of the paper bag in my arms. "We have dessert."
"Tempting, but I should really be getting home." With that we said our good byes and split ways. If I hadn't been caught up with unlocking the door and balancing a bag of sweets, I might have noticed the person in the blue ferari californi across the street watching my every move.
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There is a fine line between a friend and an enemy ~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*:~:*~:*:~
Its been almost a week since Sakura asked for Sasuke to do a background search on TenTen. She hasn't heard anything from him or Shino.
Enough was enough. She needed to know now. The trained operative in her portrayed a calm cool exterior, but on the inside all hell was breaking loose.
She needed to know. It was killing her inside not knowing that perhaps a seemingly innocent bystander she had just met last week might be an enemy of the country. As an operative it was drilled into her head that knowledge is power. And lack of knowledge would be a weakness.
Walking down the tiled hallway Sakura walked with a purpose. She was a girl on a mission and nothing was going to stand in her way.
Turning the corner she practically ran into the target she'd been seeking. Perhaps not quiet the way she had imagined, but either way she was getting what she wanted.
"Sakura, be more careful will you," Sasukes voice was lined with irritation.
She flushed at her display of carlessness and quickly gathered herself. "Sorry, Sasuke. I'm just on edge today. So did you find anything?"
"Yeah, here's the report you wanted. Everything from dental records to her elementary report cards," he said handing her a manilla folder, which she proceeded to flip through rapidly. "I didn't find anything about her being linked with Kumogakure, other than thats where she lived."
A crease formed as she knitted her eyes together. 'That can't be possible,' thought Sakura. "Are you sure this is it?"
"As much as we could find. I was surprised at the lack of information, but its all in order," said Sasuke as he pulled out a cigarette and took a drag.
"That's a nasty habit," said Sakura as she fanned away the foul smoke.
"I like nasty," wispered Sasuke as he moved closer to her.
He knew exactly how to push her buttons and make her vulnerable. She was just another possibility for the playboy.
Sakura felt like her skin was one fire. Pushing a blush down, she backed up and composed herself.
"Thanks for this," she said holding the manilla out for him to take.
He took the folder, taking care that his fingers brushed her hand in the process. "No problem. So what was you hunch, anyway?"
Shaking her mental lightheadedness Sakura answered, "You know how last week she underwent surgery."
He nodded in acknowledgement.
"Well while she was there, the doctors noted that she had a scar on her back, near the shoulder. It was a burn, like she had been branded. It was the Lighning Society's mark."
Sasuke took a second to digest the news then breathed out a long stream of smoke, "Sakura, I know your worried, but if anything from what I've read and what you've told me she seems more like a victim than a conspirator."
"I guess your right," groaned Sakura, then ran her fingers through her soft pink hair. Sasuke always wondered about her choice in hair color, but never asked. "But I wish if their was something going on she would tell us."
"Sakura, there are somethings that people just can't talk about. There are somethings that people would like to die in the past."
Sasuke looked her straight in the eye, with a look that was cold and compassionate at the sametime. At first it made Sakura flinch, but she grew quiet knowing that he was right.
"Being in this business you should know that better than anyone else."
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Secrets, secrets everywhere, but not a spot of truth
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A young man lay on his bed and looked as though he were asleep. But in fact he couldn't be more awake and more aware. He was currently deep in thought focused by the small pendant held securely in his hands.
It brought back painfully memories of joy, and even more painfull memories of loss.
Neji knew this life better than anyone. How demanding it was physically, mentally, and emotionally even though people often regarded him as little more that a robot when it came to emotions.
They were right though. He filtered his thoughts when on the job, and even off sometimes. Life had taught him that too many emotions would cloud your judgement and leave you with a bullent in your chest. All it took was one moment of second guessing yourself that decided life and death.
The days blurred together for Neji now. Nothing seemed to quite stand out for him since that day.
His cell rang on his bed side table urging him to answer. Reluctantly he picked it up and looked at the caller. It was Tsunade, the head of the organization. The organization that ran Japan from the shadows and technically wasn't supposed to exist.
He always thought the idea was amusing. How he wasn't supposed to exist and yet here he was.
"Hello."
"Neji, where the hell are you? The meeting for all Squad captains just ended and you weren't there. You better damn well have better been dieing for missing such an event!"
Tsunade's angry yells forced him to distance the phone from his ear.
If she was mad just because he missed the conference, then she was going to be pissed if she knew he missed the conference for the sole reason that he would rather spend his day in isolation than listen to a bunch of people play nice just get on the director of the organization's good side.
"I didn't go because I had better things to do."
"Don't give me that bull shit! You were doing absolutely nothing, but lying in your room and staring at the cieling!"
"You sure you don't have my room bugged?" He asked suspiciously eyeing the lamp on his bed side table.
"Neji!"
"Alright. So what if I did?"
He heard and irritated huff on the other side of the conversation, "You can't be doing that. Its not healthy. You work too hard when your on duty and when your on your off duty you seal yourself away from the world. I need you to be at your best, but you've become increasingly difficult ever since last year."
I don't want to talk about it." Tsunade knew she was treading in dangerous territory and dropped the subject.
"Look, I'd rather have you doing work instead of moping in your room. Especially now that Orochimaru seems to be acting up. There's been reports all around the region saying that activity has increased in the past few weeks, something that you would have know sooner had you attended."
Yes, she was still miffed at him being absent at the meeting.
"You want me to look into it don't you?"
"Of course. But first I want you to ally yourself with their next target. Limited information is given about her, but I find her name keeps popping up in all our investigation. We always hit a dead end because her file has been altered extensively. Find out what her role in all this is with Sound and report back immediately. Understood?"
"'s the targets name?" Neji asked realizing that all he knew of the target was that they, who ever they were, was female.
"TenTen Akira"
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Who are you really?
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I'm sooooooooooooooo sorry for not updating in over a year. I swear I've been working on it, but I got stumped a little and then I couldn't get internet access anywhere. School sucked cause I'm in smart people classes. In know these are just excuses, but I swear that the Universe hates me T_T
Anyways thank you to all who reviewed and keep doing what your doing! Also and constructive criticism is welcome.
~*~Hyper~*~Child~*~4eva~*~