Author's note – This is like the chapter "Rose" I made it up for fun. I hope you like it. On the 29th of this month I'm going to Las Vegas to see some family, I wanted to get this chapter up before I left. Thanks for reviewing :D I will always give my thanks for those. While I'm in LV I will be working on the next chapter :0 so hopefully when I get back (on July 10th) or around that time I can post that chapter. So enjoy!
-
"Of course their both late again," Naruto sighed as he and his two teammates waited on a bridge.
"Naxa is becoming more like Kakashi it seems," Sakura whined.
"No," Naruto and Sakura looked at their quiet teammate. "She's always like that," he said to them without opening his eyes.
Surprised by Sasuke's comment they shrugged it off and looked off into their own direction. It's been about a week since Naxa woke up and everything is back to the way they were; well almost. Kakashi had given Naxa her headband, while she was asleep for those days he had regretted not giving it to her sooner. She would be allowed to help team 7 but now what she came here for was done she wasn't completely part of team 7, well she wouldn't be on the paper at least.
"Good morning."
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura all looked up to see their sensei standing on a pole.
"You mean good afternoon," Naruto and Sakura groaned.
"You all set for today?" he asked and jumped down.
They nodded but Sasuke added. "Naxa not with you today?"
Sasuke's other teammates noticed the absence of their friend and looked to Kakashi.
"Not today, she's not here yet?" he asked confused.
"Did someone say Naxa?"
Team 7 looked behind them to see who had said that. It was a boy who seemed a few years older then them. He was tall for his age and had a nice build. He wore ragged clothes with a torn cape and a sword was strapped under his cloak. He had short spiky golden hair with hazel eyes. Sakura blushed at the sight of the teen stranger.
"Who wants to know?" Sasuke replied fully turned to him.
"Well-," the stranger began but stopped looking passed the people on the bridge. "Naxa?" he smiled and walked past team 7. They watched the stranger walk past them and saw Naxa standing there confused at the stranger she seemed to not know or recognize.
"Yes?" she tilted her head.
"It's me Glenn," he began. "You don't remember me?"
Naxa cocked her eyebrow and stayed silent which answered his question.
"Remember when you were washed up on my village's beach…" the boy named Glenn stopped noticing her discomfort on the subject. He frowned but kept going. "I know my village was wrong but I wasn't, I'm the boy who was always with the doctor," his frown faded when her discomfort left.
"You're…the doctor's grandson?" she said trying to remember.
He smiled at her answer and brought her into a hug. "I'm glad you remembered!" he yelled as Naxa blushed.
"Who is this guy?" Sasuke mumbled to himself.
Glenn let Naxa go but kept his hands on her shoulders. "I can't believe on my travels I ran into you!"
Naxa finally grasping reality said. "Uhh, yeah I'm surprised you even remembered me let alone be happy to see me," she was surprised by his frown at her comment.
"What's going on?" Naruto pushed Glenn away to get some answers.
Glenn sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I am sorry for my village's actions…" he trailed off and looked to the ground.
Naxa folded her arms and looked to the ground as well. "I could understand why they did it…"
Sasuke walked up and pushed Naruto out of the way making him fall to the ground. "What did his village do to you?" Sasuke glared at Glenn.
Glenn sighed. "It was a long time ago…" he began. "About seven years ago to be exact and I was seven years old. I was always with my grandpa at his work; he was a doctor. One morning behind our small hospital on the beach was a girl washed ashore. My Grandfather brought her -,"
"I was the girl and the village kicked me out, end of story," Naxa finished for him and walked off.
It was silent for a moment. No one knew what do say.
"Can any of you tell me where the Hokage is?" Glenn broke the silence.
Kakashi pointed to a building to the distance, Glenn nodded for thanks.
"We never knew…" Naruto whispered.
Glenn stopped before he reached the end of the bridge and turned to team 7.
"Did you ever ask?" he said and walked on.
-
Kakashi's team couldn't have anymore days off for a while. Even though their last teammate was not with them they had to do their jobs. They finished when the sun was setting and were on their way home. Sasuke though made a little trip before going home to find her.
He searched Memories of Konoha and where they watched the sun a few times but she wasn't there. He shrugged it off and decided to just go home for the night; he knew she was alright.
-
"You would like to take revenge on that village wouldn't you…Naxa?"
Naxa woke up gasping. Whenever she heard Orochimaru's voice in her dreams she couldn't stand to sleep any longer. Even though no one had asked where she came from she didn't mind. She would liked to have kept it that way.
"Glenn…" she whispered to herself.
Why is he here?
Naxa looked at the clock and it said one-thirty in the morning. She had slept late and went to bed early; she wasn't tired now. She sighed and went out of her window for a walk.
-
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura walked up to the bridge to meet their sensei. Sasuke was in his own world as usual but when he looked up he snapped out of it. He stopped, Naruto and Sakura stopped to see what was wrong.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke ignored Naruto and began to walk towards the bridge again. Sakura and Naruto looked over to the bridge to see Naxa already there.
"Wow," Sakura said.
"That's a first no wonder Sasuke was surprised," Naruto began walking again.
"Naxa what are you doing here?" Sasuke asked walking up.
Naxa was looking over the bridge into the water. "Not tired," she answered without looking up.
"Hm," Sasuke replied and leaned against the rail with his eyes closed. A few hours went by in silence then finally he showed up.
"Hey guys sorry I'm late. A cute girl stopped me on the way, so I danced," Kakashi told his students.
"You liar," Naruto sighed.
"You've used that excuse before Kakashi," Naxa said still looking at the water.
Kakashi looked her way; surprised. "Naxa? It's nice for you to get here before every now and then," he laughed. "Anyway Naxa, Sasuke come here for a minute I need to talk to you two," Kakashi waved for them to follow him as he walked off. "Sakura, Naruto don't follow!" he said before disappearing behind the corner.
Naxa and Sasuke glanced at each other then followed Kakashi around the corner.
"I have a mission you two," he began and pulled an envelope out of his pocket. "Here take this to the village just beyond the lodging town," he handed it to Naxa.
"Just us?" Naxa asked puzzled.
"Just you two," Kakashi waved and disappeared.
"I don't get him," Sasuke shrugged. "Let's go then," he began to walk.
"Wait don't you think it's weird that he's just sending us?" '
"I don't care what is in his mind. I would rather not know. Are you coming?" Sasuke stopped and looked at Naxa.
Naxa nodded and started to follow her comrade.
-
Kakashi went back to his other students and one more.
"Hm?" Kakashi looked up. "I didn't know you were still here," he walked up to Glenn.
"Ah yea, where's Naxa?" he asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Kakashi challenged.
"Hmph, I just want to talk to her," he snapped and walked off.
"What is he up to?" Kakashi thought as the boy walked off.
-
"I wonder what this message says," Naxa said breaking the silence as her and Sasuke walked down the road.
"I don't know, he didn't tell us if it was important or not," Sasuke quickly ended the conversation.
Naxa sighed but kept walking.
"Is this the first home you've ever had?" Sasuke blurted.
Naxa looked at him surprised by the sudden interest in her past. She looked back to the road and gave a small smile.
"Yea, I have traveled most of my life but I've had a lot of help on the way. I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for that help…" Naxa trailed off. "Some of it I will admit was from Orochimaru but it still doesn't change how I feel about it now," she finished.
"How come he bit you twice?" Sasuke blurted once more.
"I can't answer that one," Naxa replied sadly.
Sasuke glanced at Naxa as they walked. No more questions were asked and they were getting close to the Lodging town.
"Hey I'll be right back," Sasuke said and walked into the woods on the left side.
Naxa nodded and waited in the middle of the road. "Is that a stream I hear? I am thirsty…" Naxa looked to her right and went into the woods to follow the sound of the stream. She didn't get to deep into the forest before she reached the small body of water. Naxa put her hands in the water and lifted them up for a drink. Before it reached her mouth she let the water slip as she heard someone from behind walking to her.
-
Sasuke walked back onto the road to find nothing. Naxa wasn't there; he sighed. "What is she doing?"he mumbled to himself. Sasuke turned to the forest in front of him when he heard bushes rustling. Soon he saw Naxa walk into the opening. "What were you doing?" he asked.
"Sasuke," she replied coldly.
-
Naxa jumped around to see Sasuke standing there. She sighed, "You scared me," she laughed. "You ready to go?"
"Naxa," he said coldly.
"Hm…?"
-
"Hm…?" Sasuke looked at Naxa cautiously.
Behind Naxa dirt was suddenly in the air. An explosion of some sort, Naxa smiled coldly and instantly was in front of Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes widened and he barely dodged her punch.
"You're not Naxa," Sasuke became angry.
The impersonator laughed. "No I'm not!" he came forward to attack Sasuke again. Sasuke dodged and kicked the impersonator down then ran towards where he knows Naxa is.
-
Naxa coughed and pushed some of the rocks off of her. She stood and wiped her cheek. "You're not Sasuke," she clenched her fists.
"No but it doesn't matter now!" the stranger came forward to attack Naxa once more. She dodged the first few but then she got punched in the stomach. The stranger took out a kunai and came for her neck but she jumped back in time.
"Naxa!"
Naxa looked away from her attacker and saw Sasuke coming from the left.
"Sasuke!"
"Watch out!" he yelled still coming to her.
Naxa looked back and the attacker was coming for her again. She barely dodged his kunai leaving a cut on her cheek.
Before Sasuke could get to Naxa to help her he was attacked by Naxa's impersonator. He came from Sasuke's right and punched him into a tree. Sasuke got up quickly and did hand signs. "Phoenix flower jutsu!" he put up his fingers to make fireballs come out to the enemy.The enemy dodged them but that made him get farther from Sasuke.
Naxa jumped forward to attack Sasuke's impersonator but he dodged. She put her hands to the ground quickly and dripped the enemy with her foot. While he was still in the air she kicked him in the stomach sending him farther away from her.
Sasuke jumped next to Naxa and pulled her arm. "This way," he said and she followed.
They ran through the forest but they knew their enemies were close behind. "Sasuke, why are we running?" Naxa asked confused.
"I want to get an opening," Sasuke replied.
They eventually came to a river and to their right was a giant waterfall. They jumped on the other side of the river and watched their followers appear.
"What do you want?" Sasuke asked.
"Nothing special, it's just our lucky day to find some kids on the road," The one impersonating Naxa said.
"Bastard," Naxa snarled.
They both smiled evilly and came for Sasuke and Naxa again. Right before Naxa's impersonator was going to hit her he disappeared and went after Sasuke.
"Sasuke watch out!" Naxa yelled seeing both going for him.
"Shit," he muttered.
Sasuke managed to dodge the first few punches of the attackers but soon they became faster making him unable to dodge. They tried to kick him over the water fall but luckily he stopped just before he went over the edge.
Sasuke's impersonator walked up and did some hand signs. "Water prison jutsu!"
Under Sasuke's feet water began to arise but just before it was going to engulf him Naxa pushed him out of the way getting engulfed herself.
"Naxa!" Sasuke stood and was about to touch the water.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Sasuke stopped and looked at his impersonator.
"You want to save her? If you touch the water you will join her in that prison," he smiled.
Sasuke looked at Naxa who was holding her mouth. She couldn't hold her breath forever. He became angry and charged for his impersonator but Naxa's came in front of him. Sasuke did his hand signs and put his fingers to his mouth. He blew and a giant fire flame came out.
Naxa's impersonator did his hand signs as well. "Water wall jutsu," a giant water wall appeared and Sasuke's flame wasn't powerful enough to go through the wall.
"Shit," he looked back to Naxa and his eyes widened. Her hands were to her neck and they began to fall.
"Naxa!" Sasuke yelled and ran toward her.
The enemies laughed.
"Time to end this," Sasuke's impersonator let her out of the water prison but did a jutsu for water to make her fall over the waterfall.
Sasuke ran after her and jumped over the waterfall as well. He took out a kunai and tied a rope quickly to it and threw it into a rock. He tied the end to him and began to fall to grab Naxa's hand.
"Almost," he said just a few inches from Naxa's hand.
Sasuke grabbed Naxa's hand and relief came over him. He did it too soon. When the rope stopped letting him fall Naxa's hand slipped through his and she kept falling.
"No!" Sasuke yelled. He took another kunai out and cut the rope letting him fall.
Sasuke pulled Naxa out of the water and laid her down on the grass. She had her eyes closed so he put his finger underneath her nose to see if she was breathing. She wasn't. Sasuke put his hands on her stomach and pressed up and down to try to get water out of her. She didn't move.
His face turned bright red when he realized what he had to do to save her.
"She's my friend I have to do this!" he began to lean down then came back up. "Why am I freaking out!? She's my friend I have to save her…" Sasuke came back when he looked at her. He took a deep breath and began to lean down again. He came back up seeing her eye lids twitch. Once again he put his hands on her stomach to try to get the water out. Naxa turned her head away from Sasuke and coughed the water out.
"Naxa, are you alright?" Sasuke asked.
Naxa's eyes fluttered open and looked at Sasuke. Instantly Sasuke put his hand over his face. He knew he was turning red again and he didn't want Naxa to see.
"Yeah, I am," Naxa sat up and looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke, are YOU alright?" she asked seeing his odd discomfort.
Sasuke stood and walked to the water. He splashed water in his face and turned around with his face no longer red. "Yea let's go," he changed the subject quickly. "Before they come after us again, strange though that they still haven't come…" Sasuke trailed off and looked at the top of the waterfall. No one was there.
Naxa still confused at Sasuke's behavior stood up and they began to run to the Lodging town this time. Naxa started to fall behind so Sasuke told her to stop for a minute.
"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.
Naxa bent over to breath. "Well I really hadn't caught my breath when I became conscious again." she snapped.
"Oh," Sasuke replied.
A few seconds went by and Naxa stood up again. She glared at Sasuke coldly. He noticed the glare and cocked an eyebrow.
"Apology accepted," Naxa smiled then began to run to town again.
"I didn't apologize!" Sasuke ran after her.
Finally they reached the Lodging town before sunset. They stopped at the entrance for a small break.
"Why haven't those guys come back for us?" Naxa asked confused.
"Maybe they had their fun or maybe their waiting for us to separate again," Sasuke replied.
They shrugged it off for now and went through the gates of the town. Sasuke frowned at the town. Last time he was here Itachi came and took Naxa. He clenched his fists when he thought about it. Just Itachi himself pissed Sasuke off.
"Hey…is that Kotetsu and Izumo?" Naxa pointed to the stairs.
Sasuke looked up and sure enough they were standing there.
"Sasuke, Naxa over here!" Izumo waved to them.
Sasuke and Naxa walked over to the leaf villages elites and they had big grins on their faces.
"What are you guys doing here?" Naxa asked.
"Do you have the message Kakashi gave you?" Kotetsu asked.
"Uhh, yeah here," Naxa pulled it from her pocket. "Why do you ask?"
Kotetsu grabbed the envelope from Naxa's hand and they both laughed.
"What's so funny? Sasuke became annoyed.
"You passed," they said at the same time.
"What?" Sasuke snapped.
"We were the ones that attacked you earlier," they both smiled.
"What?!" Naxa yelled.
"Kakashi sent us to attack you then go to the Lodging town for your arrival," Kotetsu began.
"Once you got here we would take the envelope and open it," Izumo finished.
"Naxa could have died!" Sasuke blurted loudly.
"No we watched you save her," Izumo grinned.
Sasuke clenched his fist as he face began to redden again.
"What?" Naxa asked confused.
"Nothing!" Sasuke snapped.
Izumo and Kotetsu laughed. "Anyway here's what's inside the envelope," Kotetsu opened it and pulled out to be what looked like two tickets.
"What are those for?" Naxa snatched the tickets and looked over them.
"Kakashi won those tickets a few weeks ago. It's for a festival that's coming to the Lodging town in a week. He asked us to do a favor for him and it was to attack you guys. He wanted you two to earn these tickets," Kotetsu explained.
"That bastard," Sasuke mumbled holding his hand over his face.
"Wow that's cool," Naxa smiled.
"Well we're going back to the village you guys come back whenever you want," Kotetsu and Izumo walked past them.
"Oh and you guys have fun," Izumo patted Sasuke on the shoulder and smiled.
"I'll kill them," Sasuke mumbled.
They disappeared and Naxa looked at Sasuke.
"Sasuke-,"
"No."
"But I didn't even say anything," Naxa protested.
"You want me to go to that festival, I'm not going," Sasuke started walking back toward the leaf village.
Naxa frowned. "Fine," she began and walked past Sasuke who stopped; shocked at her response. "I'll just take Naruto or maybe even Glenn."
"You're not serious?" Sasuke questioned.
"You don't want to go so I will take someone who wants to go with me," Naxa kept walking.
Sasuke ran up to walk next to her and it was silent for a while. They reached the village and walked to their rooms. Naxa was about to enter her room but Sasuke spoke.
"Hey." Sasuke stopped Naxa.
Naxa stopped. "Yeah?"
He sighed. "I'll think about it," then walked inside his room.
Naxa smiled and went inside for the night.
-
The next morning Naxa was there before Kakashi showed up, he didn't realize what he was in for. Naruto and Sakura wanted to know what happened but Sasuke refused to tell or let Naxa tell them what happened.
"Morning everyone!" Kakashi walked up.
Sasuke instantly walked up to Kakashi and glared at him.
"What?" Kakashi asked innocently.
Sasuke sighed. "Never mind I don't want to know what's in your head."
"What happened to Glenn?" Naxa asked out of the blue.
"Actually I don't know he was looking for you the other day…" Naruto trailed off.
Naxa shrugged it off for the time being. Kakashi told them what they were doing for the day and they began to walk off. Naxa remained on the bridge not realizing they were leaving.
"Naxa!" Sasuke called.
Naxa snapped out of it and ran to her friends. She was wondering what Glenn wanted with her. If she will ever see him again, little did she know Glenn was watching her from afar
