A/N: Okay, so it has been two months since I updated but I'll have more time over the summer… or not…

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and only Yutada Shikamura.

Chapter 10: The Truth Isn't What You Wanted

The pair that's going to settle the finals is Yutada Shikamura and Sasuke Uchiha. Both ninjas appeared from the gym doors with exchanging glares in their eyes. 'It would've been a stand-off between Sasuke and Neji but how…' Yutada was pondering about the results. Sasuke had his sharingan eyes when he came out of the shadows. 'That's it! The only way was to use the sharingan to enhance his awareness,' Yutada got the answer right when she wasn't around for Sasuke's match. Sasuke won the last point of sudden death match by making the birdie fly along Neji's heavenly spin as a blind spot.

"Please go easy on me, Sasuke," Yutada requested fervently.

"As if!" Sasuke shows a disgusted face.

"Now that's the face I want to see…" Yutada whispers under her breath.

The match began with a power serve from Yutada going straight to Sasuke's left corner. "Hah! You think you can out-serve me like that?" Sasuke questions. Bam! "Wha—?" Instantly when Sasuke returned the birdie to his left, the birdie shot into the space between the first and second lines. "Never leave your area wide open," Yutada gave the death glare. A long match came soon enough—passing through 20 minutes of the match with everyone on the tip of their toes. It was a tie between Sasuke and Yutada with cuts and scratches on each of their hands and faces.

"That's it! I've had it! Rrragggh!" Sasuke had caste chidori as the birdie returned to his direction.

"Chidori?! So that's it… he's going to channel the lightning through his racquet and make it his last but desperate move!" Yutada came up with the last thought that would come through her mind.

"Finish it!" THWAK!

"Damn!" Without thought and with pure luck running on, Yutada's right arm holding the racquet caught the electrocuted birdie by the rim. Attempting to swing in backhand swift, Yutada drew off some electricity and returned the birdie over to Sasuke's side. The backhand swing represented a crescent moon but how the birdie moved was entirely unrealistic. Neji caught the movement with his byakugan during the spectating of Yutada and Sasuke's match. Yutada shifted the birdie's position from the rim of the racquet towards the center to get a good hit. Without any hesitation, Sasuke swung but missed by an inch from the racquet. The match was over; Yutada walked off the court as the badminton champion and as a jonin. 'Crap! I can't believe I was this weak… I need more power…get stronger…!' Sasuke thought, as he lay on the gym floor completely numb of all body from head to toe.

"Nice, nice Yutada! Another impressive feat back there."

"What's your point Jiraiya?"

"My point is that you get a special reward as a bonus to your victory of the tournament," Jiraiya smiled happily.

"Really?"

"Absolutely! Just follow me to the school's park deep inside."

'There's no way anything would come good from that guy…except for a "Make-Out Paradise,' Yutada sweat-dropped.

The All Boys' High School owned the park the size of a forest when the girls' school had nothing. When the two stopped on top of a short, red bridge over a low stream, Jiraiya abruptly stopped and turned around. Yutada's brown eyes stretched and widened when Jiraiya opened his mouth.

"Do you want to know what was written in the Fourth Hokage's will?"

"No…"

"What was that Yutada-chan?"

"Don't call me by that name…"

"What's your answer, Yutada-cha—"

"Don't call me that—ever!!"

"Geez, what's up with that temper? Oh… It reminds you of my student, huh?"

"So you still remembered my meddling?"

Days passed by as Arashi and I sparred on a daily basis at the training grounds.

"Okay Yutada, next thing is the fireball jutsu; specialty of the Uchiha clan," Arashi said.

"Great! I've always wanted to breathe fire!" I sounded like an exciting ten-year-old.

"Awww… that's so cute of you, Yutada-chan," Arashi let out a big grin.

"C-cut it out Arashi! You make me sound like a little girl…" I was too embarrassed to let out a playful hit on him.

"Well you are my little girl," Arashi, again, smiled to piss me off.

"Wha—?! I—ugh!" My face heated up and turned bright red.

I had always got along with Arashi and his behavior—in other words, he was a thickheaded, stubborn shinobi but spirited too. Taking tolerance pills was a lot to get used to Jiraiya's pervy ways. The turning point came when Arashi asked me if I want to come with him on a mission. I said "yes" without hesitating but realized my mistake as I laid in my own stains of blood. The mission was about apprehending some bandits that stole the scrolls of forbidden jutsus. We confronted them in the forest near the Village Hidden in the Grass just before the eye view of the entry guards. I was the only girl on Arashi's team besides Rin, his female medical student. Young Kakashi was with us hidden in the branches. It was an eight to four showdown between us for the taking of the scrolls.

At first, I thought the bandits were easy for the taking. I took down two of them, Kakashi chidori-ed one bandit, Rin almost killed one but he was alive, and Arashi defeated three of the bandits by the blink of an eye; very expected from the "Yellow Flash". All there was left was the leader who ran off with the scrolls like a coward.

"Come back here you bastard!" I caught up to him, grabbed the back of his collar, and threw him back into the battle zone.

"Bitch! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a girl!" the bandit said.

"Genjutsu?!" At first, I had a problem with genjutsus… I can nullify them but I couldn't tell if it was genjutsu or not.

It was pitch black and sure enough, it was a genjutsu placed on me. The thought of nullifying the illusion crossed my mind but I wasn't able to carry it out quick enough. The kind of genjutsus setting on darkness takes a little bit longer to break off than something like plant-style genjutsu or sleeping genjutsus. I felt a slice on the left side of my waist but I couldn't feel any pain. "Gaaahhhhh!" When the darkness retreated from its surroundings, blood shot out of pressure and I fell to the dirt. The pain went through my body like electricity to the ends of my nerves as static electricity. I staggered my way to stand up but my head laid low. A thin line of blood flowed from the corner of my mouth with my life breaking away. Yet, why did I have this anger in my eyes? I couldn't figure it out until I went berserk and had cast fire around both of us. The man before me looked startled but I knew that he intends to kill me right where I stand.

"Damn, you look pissed," the bandit was nervous but continued to talk. "But games are games and I won't stick around to play 'hot potato' with you. Instead, how about we play 'hide-and-seek'?" Darkness crawled from all directions, covering the blazing forest and the bandit. Fssssh…

"You honestly think that trick will happen twice?" My eyes grew blank and then I waved my hands. Water flowed from all directions and suppressed the fire to nothing. Then, ice formed into an arena where it's just the bandit and I. Spears of ice sprang from the ground where water lies in the soils. Ice needles shot with intent to kill and I came at him with three kunais.

"Yutada, stop!"

"What the?!" I stopped on command when a figure came out of nowhere to protect the bandit.

"Arashi, are you crazy?" I couldn't believe my eyes when he stood in front of me.

"Pay attention! We're here to retrieve the scrolls, not to go and kill the thieves who stole it! It's not worth it—don't you get it?!" It was the first time when Arashi yelled at me. It was also the first when for some reason my heart hurts from his words. 'I acted out of orders again…didn't I?' I looked at my hand and the kunais penetrated into his right arm 1/3 away from his bones.

"Fools!" The bandit pulled out a dagger from Arashi's blind spot and stabbed it into Arashi's back.

"Ugh—!"

"No, you're the fool!" I shouted and placed my arm on the deep gash and another to the bandit's left leg. "Pain transfer jutsu; Devil's luck!" The gash disappeared from Arashi's back and appeared on the bandit's leg.

"Gaahhh! How did I get this cut?" the bandit was shocked at the sharp pain that came out of nowhere. "Damn you!" Shkkk!

"Aahhh!" I screamed in response to the cut between my neck and shoulder. In retaliation, the bandit took up his dagger and tried to cut my head off. He missed but the cut was still deep when I dodged out of his way. Like a little kid who doesn't know when to give up, I kicked him a few meters away from him. After a few minutes, I began to feel light-headed and passed out. I can still hear his voice ringing through my ears…

"Yutada? Yutada… Oh god… Yutada! Come on—don't die like this on me! C-come on…" Arashi sounded like he was going to cry. 'That's weird… I've never seen Arashi cry at his age…'

I was pretty sure that I was dead; pitch black and everything… until I saw a glimpse of faded light. 'What's that light?' I thought. I reached my arm out to see if I could grab it even though I was dead. 'Wha…?' I was surprised when arms stretched around my shoulders. I couldn't see well of the white room because a yellow bush was shoving in my face.

"Geez… don't scare me like that, Yutada-chan… You almost gave me a heart attack after four days of your sleep."

"A…Arashi?"

"Yes… yes it is…"

"Am I back?"

"Luckily, Rin's healing magic was strong enough to heal your wounds. We were lucky that you didn't bleed to death back there."

"In that case…Arashi?"

"Yeah, Yutada-chan?"

"Let go of me, dammit! I'll suffocate to death if you hold me any longer!"

"Okay, okay… geez, you don't have to get all wrapped up," Arashi freaked out a bit when I let out a fit.

"That's terrible… if you meant that as a pun," I sat up looking at my bandages at my waist and shoulder line.

"Arashi-kun?"

"…! Um, uh yes Yutada?"

"Could you please go outside and wait for me?"

"Why?"

"Clothes plus the need to dress properly equals what?"

"Okay, I'll leave."

'I knew it… it's going to be that way, huh? Guys are all the same when it came to girls…' I thought as I got dressed and walked out to meet Arashi. Even though he's a tough guy and he tries to hide his weaknesses, I can still see some blush on his cheeks.

"Are you sick?"

"What? Oh no! I'm not a sick, perverted person!" Arashi stammered.

"I meant your face; your face is all pink and red," I said with a flat face.

"No, I'm not sick period."

"A-ha-hah!" I laughed for as long as I stood there in the white hallway. "Huh?" Arashi wrapped his arms around my shoulders with his head next to mine.

"Don't make me worry like that alright?" he said.

"Relax, okay? Don't worry about me anymore," I said. 'No really, don't…because I'll be gone anyway…' I looked up at his face and into his blue eyes as he locked his with mine. "Arashi…?" I couldn't move.

Arashi pulled my head gently towards his. A long, slender arm wrapped past my left arm and the other pulling my head closer. I wouldn't think our relationship could go so far even though I felt the same feelings. I closed my eyes slowly and so did he with his eyes. Our lips were about to meet; feeling each other's breath at the same time. It was then that was the last time and chance he would ever hold me like that. A proctor rushed down the hallways and shouted to the Fourth Hokage.

"Lord Hokage! Lord Hokage! This is an extreme emergency; the Nine-Tailed Fox has invaded our village!" the proctor yelled. Both Arashi and me turned around quickly to avoid being seen in that position. At the same time though, there was no one at the time but we're both devastated that the Fox Spirit's invasion.

"What?! At a time like this, too…" Arashi couldn't believe what he just heard.

"No…" I said. 'I'm not trying to sound selfish but… the date set to end for me and Kanashima-sensei would be today. I completely forgot about it after coming back here through time. But if Naruto's spirit is here than that means Arashi's going to sacrifice himself. He'll be gone…dead…never there in my eyes anymore… I can't blame Naruto though; it's not his fault that the Nine-Tailed Fox is sealed inside of him.'

"Yutada-chan…"

"Huh?"

"Yutada, are you alright? What's with that long, sad face?" Arashi stared at my face.

"Nothing, okay? Just sad at how many people's lives are going to be lost right now fighting that thing…" I lied.

"Okay, whatever you say." Arashi came up and hugged me tightly like there's no tomorrow. "I'll come back, okay?"

I wrapped my arms around his waist, closed my eyes, and said," I'll be waiting here then… come back safely…okay?"

"Okay," Arashi said reassuringly and ran off to save the village.

I knew that he wouldn't come back… I knew it wouldn't be safe… I knew that I wouldn't be waiting here in the Hokage's office for him…

Kanashima-sensei looked for me and told me that time is up. I went along with her obediently towards the outskirts of the village. Both of us sprinted into the secluded forest where Kanashima-sensei and I first entered through the time portal. It was the exact spot as the forest area didn't change at all through age. The teacher made hand signs to signify the marks of a time portal but nothing happened. Turns out that the portal doesn't work if a huge source of raw charka interferes the connection. The Fox's charka was the source to the disconnection, and so both of us had to get on top of it to open the portal.

"So… anything memorable during this stay back in time?" Kanashima-sensei asked.

"…"

"No comment, huh? Well I'll just channel the Fox's chakra and convert it into power for the opening." Vsssshhh… "It opened! C'mon, let's go Yutada," Kanashima-sensei said.

I went along with the teacher in dog's obedience and got myself lifted from the ground. It wouldn't be funny at all but it was such a brawl of a coliseum worth of bodies down there. Both of our bodies slowly hovered up to the portal while watching the bloodshed of shinobis. Then I saw the chief toad, Arashi's summoning creature, along with the Fourth Hokage standing on top of it. I couldn't see very clearly but I could tell that he's doing the Reaper Death Seal. As light flashed before our eyes and his, chakra, in the form of blue lightning, began to consume Arashi. The sight was so painful that I almost started to cry. The only strangest thing that occurred was that Arashi noticed me and stared with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth. He wasn't supposed to see me like this but the only thing I gave him was a gentle smile. Tears ran down my cheeks, Arashi looked up unaware of what's happening to him, and I reached out my hand to him. The portal closed and sealed itself when I had my hand stretched out to him at the last second.

"Whistle! I'm pretty sure it was a heck of a load you had on your shoulders," Jiraiya was sounding like he was impressed.

"Yeah, well then what's your point? What about his will then?" Yutada gave in to curiosity.

"Well in his will was…"

"Yes?"

"…Nothing special," Jiraiya gave a shrug.

"Huh?!"

"Except that I placed a piece of paper with his will to be written officially. It was to create the program that switches a group of boys and girls to the opposite genders' school. Pretty funny, huh? Ha-ha-hah!" Jiraiya laughed boastfully.

"You f---ing bastard!" Bam! "It was you who caused us girls and guys to suffer embarrassment and torment?! You're as good as dead!" Yutada was in full rage. Bam! Whack! Crrk!

"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts; stop hitting me now, I beg of you!" Jiraiya begged for mercy.

"Why do you think I'm hitting you? You pervy sannin! Enemy to women and girls alike everywhere!" Yutada shouted.

"Naruto? Is that you, Naruto? Naruto, help me—mmph!" Jiraiya tried to call for help. He crawled from the bushes to reach out for Naruto, but Yutada pulled the end of Jiraiya's shirt back to her. She kept beating Jiraiya and pulling his hair like a child while Jiraiya tried to escape from Yutada to call for Naruto. When Naruto turns around to see if someone called him, there's no one so Naruto thought he was coming down with something. Yutada threw Jiraiya across the ground and stood relieve of all anxiety.

"Owwww… that's no way to respect your elders…" Jiraiya got up from the ground.

"Shut up. You're on my list of people I hate the most now," Yutada glared at Jiraiya.

"Aawww… but there has be something to change your mind," Jiraiya got a bit depressed. "Wait! I have just the thing! Here, for you from Ruruka."

"What's this?"

"It's a photo album from my student's parents. Take a look inside Yutada, you'll be surprised of what you'll find," Jiraiya left with a smile.

"I really don't want to look, but…"

Yutada opened the photo album to look inside what photos it contained. "…!" Yutada's eyes widened as she saw all the photos of the Fourth Hokage… and herself. 'How can this have happened?! I'm pretty sure I did nothing to change the past or his life!' Instead of being happy with the pictures, Yutada's upset that she changed the past. Up until she met the Hokage, Yutada was sociable with anyone even the opposite gender. The only part of her is that she doesn't let herself get close to any guy. Either way, Yutada moved her hand to partly cover her mouth as if she's shocked. There was numerous photos of the two shinobis together in activities: Fishing, sparring, eating, reading, etc. Yutada cried softly when she flipped over a picture of her and Arashi sharing teppanyaki at the back.

'This is the best picture and moment I've ever had…'