-"You're LATE!"
-"No I am not."
-"What, you now deny that?"
-"Yeah."
-"So?"
-"So what?"
-"Where's your pathetic exuse?"
-"......."
No exuse, but here's the new chapter!
'Thank you' to everyone who reviewed so far! Your support is greatly appreciated!
As always both of my stories are updated on the same date. Have fun!
-"Speech."
"Thoughts."
Emphasis on the word
Chapter 7 bittersweet temptation
She concentrated on her body, then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, she imagined her chakra flow down her feet, and then, feeling that she was ready, she made a step forward.
Feeling that she still stands, she made another step, and calmly stood observing her feet. After a minute or so, she made two more steps with some confidence, believing that she made it, and on her face appeared a small smile. She raised her arms and carefully walked ahead, now knowing that she can make it. She was ready to laugh at her accomplishment when
-"Oh shit, you did it Forehead!"-Was a loud shout from behind her, which startled her and loosing her focus, she fell… right into the water under her.
The wide splash and a scream later, from underwater emerged the pink haired head, with a twitch of the temple and dark waves of madness. The girl slowly turned around and let her dark waves fall over the intruder.
-"Give me one reason not to kill you right now, Ino-pig."
The blonde who stood on the bank gulped and nervously smiled.
-"Um… don't be mad…I' m still wet myself, see?"-The blond pointed at her purple clothes that still clung to her after she fell into water failing in the attempt to walk on it.
They were not too far from the waterfall, that was used in training the body and mind of monks, the river that flowed here was transparently clear, and the place in its self seemed a piece of heaven. The trees and bushes here were not as high as in Konoha forest, but one would dream of living in this place.
Not far away from the scene, the other genin were trying to water walk too, though, with far less success. It appeared that as with the trees, the less are chakra reserves, the more precise control over them, and like always, the girls had the smallest reserves. The Uchiha and Akimichi heirs were the least successful, and surprisingly, Sai already knew the exercise, so he simply sat leaning on the nearby tree observing the rest.
The blonde girl looked at her teammates, Choji was panting and decided to take a break, while Shikamaru stood on the bank with his bare feet in the water, as he stared at his reflection on the surface. To her, the lazy teammate was behaving strangely, not only today, it started on this mission, and she had a suspicion that the monk they were supposed to guard was responsible for this somehow. She narrowed her eyes and thought that if they were to spy, she has a right to expand her training and 'add' another target or two…
Five hours of training were boring and tiring, after a dinner, whining and complaining, they joined the monks' taijutsu training, supervised by Asuma, who lost the unknown bet to Kakashi.
Somewhere in the rice country
Underground in the darkness of a labyrinth, one figure strode with a lit candle in hand, seemingly not having any emotions, nor care. It was a man, who possessed confidence and skill, which he hid for his secret intentions. He had glasses on, and his hair was in the low tail, while the candle light warmed his pale white skin.
He silently entered the room, as not to be noticed, and started to close the door, when he heard his master, who waited for him.
-"Did you find out the reason the sand jinchuuriki knew about the Kazekage's death and refused to cooperate with the council, Kabuto?"-the voice hissed, startling the glasses wearing man, and the figure emerged from the shadows and its slated eyes dangerously gleamed in the gloom.
-"Yes, I believe the leaf jinchuuriki must be responsible for this. Before the event, Gaara and his team traveled to the shrine of fire, where at the moment the mentioned resides."
-"Is that so?"
The boy nodded.
-"Also, Gaara started to make demands that the sand village seeks revenge on you, Orochimaru-sama, and joins Konoha, in the upcoming battle. We believe the sand might have sent a message with info they had, to Hokage, to inform him of the current events."
The man with a snakelike features frowned, he grimaced at the thought of someone messing with his plans.
-"Things go the wrong way..."-He said, narrowing his eyes and holding his hands in front of his face, as he stared into nothingness.
The shrine of fire
Under the wide hood appeared a smile, and then could be heard a quiet laugh. Kakashi, who sat nearby, reading his precious smut, looked up.
-"Something funny?"-He asked, looking at the monk in black, who sat cross legged with his back to him, under a statue.
-"…will have an interesting visitor soon…"
-"Ah… Do I need to get ready?"-The jounin asked as he turned back to reading.
-"Hmm, no…"
It was quiet for some time, and Kakashi considered taking a nap. He heard the voices of genin coming back from the training, and sighed.
-"Think I should hurt Asuma and tell him his students are obviously spying on me? Appear everywhere I am and ask me stupid questions? Just for a fun of it…"
-"That would be cruel."-Was a monotone reply.
-"Never said I was sweet and fluffy."
-"You keep repeating you're fair and loyal."
The jounin grimaced.-"To whom…? Never said such a thing."
-"To yourself, obviously."
-"What, you read my mind now, Naruto-sama? What next, I find out the God does not exist?"
-"You know that you're just that easy to read, I don't read minds… And do you really want to know the answer to your second question?"
The jounin looked up and frowned, he made a thinking pose, placing his finger to his chin and sighed.
-"No, I don't. If Kami-sama exists he is ashamed of me, if not, I'd feel that life is really unfair, we're lonely, and there's no justice. Though it depends, if Kami-sama exists, then so is Hell and Heaven, and I can believe I will have a chance to meet my friends and family. If not, I don't have to worry about afterlife, but I will start to question the reasons for living…"
Under a hood, a brow was raised.
-"…or I would start to look for a reason to live, like Gaara…"-he added.
-"You need a rest, Kakashi."
The late evening, an old monk with a long white beard and a lit candle in hand knocked on the door. The chubby boy opened it with a frown.
-"Yes?"
-"Good evening."
The old man said with a smile and looked inside the room, he slightly bowed to the other occupant.
-"Naruto-sama wishes to see you, young man."
Shikamaru nodded and put on his sandals. He strode to the door.
-"Do you want me to show you the way?"-the monk asked.
-"No need to, I remember, thank you."-the boy replied and walked out into the corridor, not followed, not noticing the worried look his friend gave him.
He was… glad. He wanted to come himself, but felt it was inappropriate, as he had no real reason to do so. Even though he knew that his teacher wouldn't like that, he still walked there eagerly. He was more than curious, his attention was captured fully. That was new to him, because there was nothing and no one he wanted to know so much before; as if all his life until that moment was boring and not worth living. As if he now woke up and actually wanted to live.
He made a step inside and noticed that Asuma was there too. He already switched with Kakashi? He calmly nodded to his teacher and walked farther hiding his uneasiness, feeling a gaze on his back. He soon appeared beside the black covered person, who raised the right hand in a gesture, the dark eyes of the guest instantly fell on the beads, that were red, white and gold in color, that hung on the wrist.
-"Sit down."
He did, carefully, in a similar way.
-"You ask a lot of questions yourself lately."
The boy looked down and away.
-"I'm not sure if I should ask anyone else."-He said, not sounding convinced in his own speech.
-"You can ask me."-Voice sounded kind, and soft. Shikamaru looked up slowly and stared at the unmoving person. Then he tilted his head a little and glanced at his teacher. He considered asking what made his sensei to be suspicious and what part of it belonged to the monk. He wanted to ask, who was given the permission to touch first, and where he… or she was, because somehow he didn't believe it would be Hokage. He was curious… he wanted to ask how he could know things he shouldn't. He wanted to know what the toad hermit was doing in the shrine, why he hid his looks and… Too many questions… and most of them seemed too personal… to him, at least. He didn't feel in place, to ask those. It would be more logical to ask about himself, but at the same time illogical to ask someone what they thought of you when they didn't know you… But he's a monk; he could help him sort out at least one thing.
-"I… feel like I've woken up."-He looked on the floor. "-I want… to fight. To be strong, not 'the strongest, the most powerful' crap… just… to be always strong enough…I've never, ever, had these kind of desires, hell, I've never wanted anything."-His smile was bitter, as if his previous life seemed ridiculous. –"Somehow… this seems wrong to me; like I shouldn't, want anything. It's as if I can be another person but I am not sure I can trust that person… as if I could become someone I loathe."
-"You're scared of changes."-He was told. That made him even more doubtful, and he laughed quietly but that sound was empty of emotions.
-"Probably…"
The one eyed jounin stopped in the corridor on his way to his room, and lazily raising a brow, looked behind. His book still in hand he turned on the heel and strode in the opposite direction, where he felt the chakra of one of the students. "Shouldn't Ino sleep already? She and Sakura were very tired after training today. What is she doing there? Spying? If my memory is correct, then her team must spy on my students and me. Oh… maybe she thinks that I am still there? Not a good choice of time and place for that action. Too obvious, and unplanned, I think. Well, let's see her expression when she sees I'm not there." He thought as he used an average genjutsu to hide his presence.
The blonde girl silently crouched by the doors and glanced around to make sure for the last time that she was alone by the hall. Then she held her breath and nervously leaned with her head and shoulder to the door, to eavesdrop using her left ear. She frowned and closed her eyes to concentrate, and added a bit of chakra to her ears. Hidden by the illusion and observing the scene, Hatake raised a brow, and tilted his head back a bit, as if asking himself if he should do anything about it. "What, she thinks we talk there about personal stuff a lot?" That thought created a twitch of his eyelid. He placed his smut back in the pouch and almost made a step toward her when he stopped and frowned. Slowly, carefully he turned to the doors, stared at them and a minute later on his face appeared a scowl.
-"Water?"-Asked a boy not understanding.
-"Yes, what do you know about water, how do you feel it."
Shikamaru gave him a strange look that said "How am I supposed to 'feel it'?"Then his right hand scratched his neck as he thought about what he knew, and he knew that simple answer 'wet, cold or warm' will not satisfy the monk. There was more to it. Like the nature of this element and its heart.
-"Well… it's soft…when it's calm. And it's strong… when it turns into the storm. It can be kind and warm, or cold and… merciless. It can save the life… or take it."
The hooded figure slightly nodded.
Inserted Flashback 6 years ago
-"What do you know about fire."-Asked the monk a person behind him, who stood not moving, nor speaking. The question caused the person to look up with a slight frown behind the mask.
-"The fire…burns. It… hurts. It is anger, hatred, and destruction. It is power and the curse. It warms you… when you're cold…It gives you strength, and will, but keep it within for too long, and it will turn you to ashes…"
-"Yes, and there are things you can know about it, but never be able to form them into words."
-"Like what?"
The monk raised his left hand, and opened the palm. The boy looked down and his eyes searched, but couldn't find what he was supposed to see, until in the middle of it, appeared a drop of water, clear, like a tear, and shiny, then a second one, and the third, they raised a bit over the palm and started the irregular dance in the air, as more and more drops appeared. Then they started to connect, and combine together, forming the water sphere.
-"Fire is one of the hardest elements to control, though, that's why it is the strongest."-Said a cloak covered figure, as in its right palm, appeared a flame that burned brightly in the dark room.
The dark eyes widened and mesmerized, observed the bluish sphere that could be described as waves that crashed together in the limited space. He gulped, when the hand rose higher, as if encouraging him to touch it. And hesitantly, with a shaking hand, he reached to that orb, and let his fingertips brush against its surface, feeling the chakra, and water inside it, possess emotions, unknown to him, indescribable, strong, even loud, but so natural, and wild.
In the darkness, the person made a step closer, and another, until he was beside the monk. And to see more clearly, he didn't hesitate to take off the mask, and crouch. In this person's eyes, could be seen the reflection of that flame, its sparks, red and yellow, and though small, it lit the space between the two.
The sphere dissipated, and the palm closed. The hand slowly, almost unwillingly, retreated back into the sleeve, and the boy let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He still stared at the space, where the sphere had just been, and tried to understand the emotions, that it possessed and showed to him.
-"Amazing…"-He whispered.
-"Think you can find these emotions again yourself?"
-"Huh?"-The boy looked up.-"Oh… I… will try."
The girl skillfully stood up and crawled into the corridor, she used all of her stealth training to not get noticed, and not looking behind, she walked silently back to her room.
He was already sleepy. The whole shrine became completely silent. He narrowed his eyes in hopes to see more clearly through the shadows and gloom of the corridor, and strode the way he remembered. Then suddenly, he felt the wind from behind, but turning around, he didn't see anything suspicious. Where this paranoia came from? He frowned and decided to continue on his way, glancing at every corner he passed suspiciously, and almost reacting at every sound that he heard nearby. Turning on his way he saw that he was almost there, when suddenly he felt like someone grabbed him from behind, and not even the second later he saw leaves swirling around him, which after he realized that he was outside of the shrine, "shunshin…?" He could barely see where he was, just that there were trees, and the building was probably too far to be seen. But before he could turn around, from behind he was harshly pushed on the ground. Now he knew he had to react fast, because it looked like he was in trouble, he narrowed his eyes and started to push himself up from the ground. The kick in the stomach sent him farther rolling in the dirt. It hurt, there was force behind it. For a several seconds he lost ability to breathe, though the pain was not as troubling as fear. Then he coughed again and again, feeling the salty and metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He gulped, he knew that his attacker will see him reaching for a kunai on his calve, or trying to make hand seals for a jutsu, what to do? He decided to look behind to at least see this person, only to be grabbed by the neck from behind and thrown forcefully at the base of the tree. It hurt too… damn, why's it so dark. He regretted not wearing more than a mesh shirt and regular shirt… "remember to change that soon…" he thought to himself as he grimaced. He opened his eyes and at the same time the attacker's hand was around his neck, pushing him back to the tree's base. His reflexes caused him to raise his hands to his neck but he stopped when he saw the face of a person. In front of him, with a madness and almost hatred, the jounin gazed into his face. And though he was surprised, and even shocked, he realized that he should have known. It didn't happen out of nowhere, it had its reason, reason he didn't know, yet. The scowling face of the one eyed jounin leaned closer to his.
-"Well, speak."-The voice strangely didn't appear to match the mood of the ninja, as it almost sang. Or maybe it was part of madness… where after or before killing the victim, a person laughs hysterically?
The boy gulped and frowned. For a full minute they stared at each other, waiting. The jounin let go, he took his hand away but didn't take a step back. He observed as a genin breathed heavily and stared at him without understanding, but there was also determination. There was a promise of not turning back whatever happens, even if there also was fear.
-"I don't like your relationship with Naruto-sama."-The jounin said, as if he explained his behavior.
"Now that… makes sense somewhat. Asuma-sensei didn't like it too, but he kept it to himself, while Kakashi is not the person to just stand and watch… he's overly protective. And if he thinks I make trouble for his charge… I am dead? Not a good start… The question is not how am I supposed to react to this, but how am I supposed to explain myself so that he leaves me be. Come on, Nara, think!"-Thought the boy as he coughed again.
-"Didn't know about your personal likes and dislikes, Kakashi-san."-The boy started.-"If… if you don't mind me asking… what was the reason for your reaction to that relationship?"
The jounin narrowed his eyes.
-"Carefully playing around, Shikamaru? There are things you don't need to know; just stay away from him and everything will be fine."
Feeling that he's done, the jounin put his hands in pockets, and made a step aside.
-"No it will not."-Was a reply.-"I'm not refusing what I'm given."-The boy spit to his left, turning away from the jounin. The man stopped and glared at the kid.
-"Oh, and what were you given?"-Asked the man in the mocking tone.
-"The chance, for trust, for truth and knowledge."-He replied and wiped his mouth with the back of his left hand.
-"And what if you won't use it correctly?"-The jounin turned to him tiredly and sighed.
-"Never."
-"Never say 'never'."
Shikamaru took a deep breath and looked away.
-"I always try to make right decisions, without regrets."
-"We all do."-Hatake looked down on the ground in thought.-"I'll… give you a chance."-He raised his hand when the boy looked up.-"But, only one. There is no second, or anything else, you got that?"
The boy nodded.
-"Good."
The man strode away, with Shikamaru following him back to the shrine, with only darkness, winds and the sound of their steps accompanying them.
Up in the blue sky flew the white fluffy clouds, and the universe seemed peaceful. And under the sky was the green grassy field, that could be described as paradise, here and there the bushes with flowers created the picture full of colors, and it was even more beautiful when animals started to appear. Bunnies, deer, birds, butterflies…
-"You!"
"Where this shout came from? I turn around."
-"Train me!"-Was a demand made by a boy in black shirt and black shorts, his eyes were red, as he unceremoniously waited for something he was sure he will get.
-"Huh?"
-"I need POWER! To kill my brother and anything else that stands on my way! Train me!"
"I look down on him and raise a brow. Does he even know who I am to ask that? What a brat! I cross my arms."
-"No, Sasuke. You already have a teacher, you don't need another one, and I don't need a student at all."
-"You think it will stop me? I won't stop! I will get POWER!"
The upper body rose from the bed and Chiriku opened his eyes to see it was the sunrise.
-"I swear, children these days…"
End of chapter 7
Thank you for reading!