Should I do a disclaimer on every chapter?
Please excuse mistakes...I'm only human.
Chapter 10: This Bloody Autumn Dance
Leaves float.
I cry salty tears of selfishness...
I am alive
They dwell in the bushes.
They chant their song of death.
Go for the ankles.
----
"Hm..." Naruto mused, turning the scroll over and over in his hands, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought; the others sat around him on logs of assorted sizes, while some used their backpacks. Either way, Sakura and Sasuke were struggling to act interested in their mail; quick glances and dirty glares, but they never met eyes.
"I wonder if it's important–HEY!" Naruto scowled as Shikamaru snatched it out of his hands and now observed it, actually intrigued.
"There's only one way to find out," Ino said maddeningly, eyes sparkling at the prospect of news.
"How?" Naruto asked seriously, and Ino slapped her forehead in exasperation; she snatched it from Shikamaru's hands and with a sharp nail slit the sticker holding it in it's shape; it unfurled and she handed it immediately to Sakura, who took it and as every time she read, her eyes traveled quickly down the parchment.
Sasuke was struggling not to look at her. It did not look strange; the rest of them were watching her, waiting, eager for the news, but it was so different to him. He caught himself smiling at the way she furrowed her little pink eyebrows in concentration and puzzlement as she read and reread, determined to understand and outwit, but shook his head slightly and replaced it with his usual scowl.
"Take a hike!" she burst out, raising her eyes to stare at Naruto. He expression was of puzzlement as he pointed at himself.
"Me? Sakura, I didn't do anything this time!"
"NO!" she retorted, crumpling the note within her dangerous, powerful grasp as if crushing a bug within her fingers. "All it says is 'take a hike'."
Like eager teenagers ready for gossip they crowded, but there was nothing to argue; there in plain black letters were the words, a mocking reminder of how little they knew about what they were doing.
"UGH!" Sakura groaned, getting to her feet and throwing the crumpled ball at Naruto's face and stomping off.
"What did I do?" he asked, tossing the crumpled paper to Shikamaru, who slowly opened it as the blonde got to his feet and hurried after Sakura, determined to talk to her; Sasuke watched his friend go, his piercing gaze stabbing every living, breathing thing within his line of sight, Lee included, although he really did not have anybody to be mad at but himself.
"Come on, Sakura, look, I talked to Sasuke and he explained to me how he felt and-"
"I don't care how he feels. He's an insecure, stubborn insensitive jerk that can go burn in hell and have a goddamn cup of tea with the devil for all I care. I don't care."
"Can you just listen to me?" Naruto pleaded, jogging to keep up with her fast-paced walk that she now adopted as she set her jaw, pink hair flowing behind her.
I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I will never care-
But those memories she'd repressed came up and slapped her ruthlessly in the face. With a gasp she stopped in her tracks.
I don't care...I really don't care...I helped him once and I should never have...
But he almost died, said a tiny frightened voice in her mind, hiding in a little dark corner that she never visited anymore. She saw him lying on the ground in front of her, pathetic as he'd ever been, just a 15 year old boy that had never done a thing for her, but all he'd been was purple and red. The bruises and the blood. A painful reminder of what he had chosen to live for...the revenge that coursed through his veins and would never leave. He'd made a mistake, he'd said, trying to escape. There was some normality within him, but as soon as he could breathe on his own, he stumbled across the room and out the window and back to the people that had hurt him so badly, the people who made torture and pain a game.
"Can you just stop and–SAKURA!" Naruto yelled as he ran into her, the back of her head colliding with his sternum; wincing, he stared down at the top of her head and continued. "Are you finally going to stop and-"
But luckily he abandoned what he had wanted to say, and refined reflexes caught her as her knees gave way and he let her hit the ground more slowly than the memories had. Her back still to him she was shaking so badly, and if he could have seen her eyes, they were doing nothing but staring. Seeing nothing.
"You know..." Sakura started, her voice barely above a whisper and raspy, the sound of something rubbed on sandpaper. "I still...even after these years...nightmares...I see him crawling on his ungrateful bruised knees back here...when everything was too much...and I healed his pathetic self and sent him on his way with not so much as a hello...yet I cry for him at night, because it hurt me so badly to see him that way...he doesn't deserve one goddamn shred of my sympathy...but I gave it to him anyway...I saved his life and he left before the sun rose and now I'm still here, still crying, still a pathetic little girl inside that I force myself to hide because I cannot let him see me this way."
Her knuckle found it's way to her mouth and she bit down, hard, one shaking arm struggling to steady herself as she leaned forward and looked down at the dirt, eyes still searching within herself for answers she would never find. Naruto put a hand on her shoulder, tugging slightly...her best friend silently asked her to turn around...she was not the only poor soul to have suffered at the hands of their teammate. Sasuke was his best friend...but the animosity was always going to be there.
"Sakura," he said firmly, grasping both of her shoulders, pushing...turn around...
She half-turned, her wide-eyed gaze looking at him and finally focusing through her blurry curtain of tears.
"You do care. We do care. No matter how much we tell ourselves we shouldn't...we do. No matter what we tell ourselves...after all he's done...we have to care."
Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but seemed to think better of it. Instead she hugged him, this boy she had used to torment in primary school, now the man that would give up his life for anybody and had a heart of gold...and hopefully...would reach his dreams.
"I do care." Grip tightened out of sympathy; Naruto shook his head sadly and swept a tear off his friend's cheek and continued to shake his head.
Go for the ankles.
And the bell chimed.
"Let's begin," Iruka's voice said genially, as his foot slid back into the classroom and the door shut. The excited babble of little eager children swelled as their high voices rose to an earsplitting din that was only to be expected of the fresh class of young to-be ninja that Iruka had the pleasure of attempting to teach. Down the hallways this action repeated; teachers quelled the babble with their own methods and doors were heard as they were closed, and the only one remaining in the hallway was Kurenai, who was not teaching at that moment. Lately it had been difficult to keep children in line, much less a fresh team of hyperactive Genin, and the recent...incidents that had befallen her own, well, she could not bear to deal with that over again, particularly because she only had one left. Simply wandering, she leaned against the wall and stared down at the floor, listening to the sounds of little children ready for the dangerous lifestyle they were being born into. If only they knew...
"Okay, let's begin," Iruka repeated, smiling amiably at the new group before him; ah, autumn always brought fresh new ninja into the mix, and he could admit they were hilarious to watch and enjoyable to watch them come and go. Definitely, he had become attached to this particular age group and enjoyed watching them come and go, but the latter was definitely a bit less gratifying. Over 25 pairs of shining eyes stared at him from their raised seats around the classroom; there was a stereotype to fit all desires: A couple shy girls sat primly, hands folded and head slightly bent, while a few other girls were obnoxiously outtalking the boys or flirting with them; one boy was already asleep, probably a very bright child that Iruka knew would take work.
One boy seemed exceptional; thin yet muscular stature, even for his young age, ruffled black hair, that kind that you weren't sure to comb it or not, falling down over his bright blue eyes andthat kind of smile that made an unsuspecting girls' heart melt to the floor wide on his handsome features. He was laughing and leaned on his elbow on the bare table, turning away from his seemingly many admirers; he took to staring out the window.
"Let's begin with names," Iruka began, curious like a child himself about the new students. From the top of the roll call he began, pronouncing (or mispronouncing) familiar (or unfamiliar) names and he gathered what he could from their responses. "Present", "Here", "Eh", "Charmed", etc. When he came to the end of the list, however, it was clear that he had not heard the handsome boy's name. Iruka frowned down at his paper and thought...this boy did have a name? Surely? He was sure he had called everyone else...a quick count of heads, that were not even turned to his attention anymore and the names proved that this boy had somehow been missed.
"Well then...why don't you tell us your name?" Iruka asked the boy kindly. All he received to his hospitable suggestionwas another half-hearted shrug.
"I do not have one," he said quietly, staring fiercely at his instructor with a fiery gleam in his eye, daring him to contradict and continue the interrogation.
"Excuse-"
"He don't have one!" a girl piped up loudly, her syllables harsh and piercing and tumbling from her lips like a pile of pebbles. Compared to his calm tone and impeccable grammar, she defended him with powerful loyalty. "He don't have one...his mom dint love him and dint give 'im one. And we don' ever ask 'cause it upsets him-"
The boy widened his eyes at the girl who had so quickly defended him and her eyes filled with tears and he made a strange jerk at this sight; she blinked them away and folded her hands as if her outburst was nothing, now a quiet girl who would never speak again.
"It is nothing...I just prefer not to discuss the matters of my...lack of title...you may choose a suitable title for me if you wish," the boy spoke to Iruka, upstanding and clear. While he smiled his good-natured smile at his teacher, he immediately shot an intense glare at the fiery blonde that had so willingly defended him; she cleared her throat and did not speak.
"If that is...your wish," Iruka said, perplexed; still standing in front of his class he asked, "What sort of name would you like to be called?"
"I do not know..." the boy replied slowly, looking around the room with a smile as though the answer would be hanging on a wall for him to see. And it was; his eyes lit up as he saw a picture within many others in the row; it was Naruto, 8 years old and his blue eyes flashing, his rambunctious self waving at the camera. "Who's that?"
"Ah," Iruka said, smiling good-naturedly; the class watched curiously as their teacher walked to the wall and stood by the picture."That is Naruto Uzumaki."
A murmur went through the class to the effect of a ripple; many had most likely heard of him.
"The one taken over by the foxie?" asked a girl, her eyes wide.
"He's a Chuunin now, right?"
"Yeah, with Team 7-"
"The pretty girl who helps Tsunade!"
"And that dark kid...the one whose family got killed-"
"Yeah, that traitor-"
"Didn't they used to own the military police force or something?"
"They're the ones who are in the contest!"
Now the children whispered excitedly amongst themselves, gossip and rumors and some things true; Iruka wondered vaguely how they knew so much, but then realized that their parents must have brought news home to them, and naturally, whether purposely or not, the little kids would form opinions. But one had mentioned the contest...that triggered a thought...he was due for a talk with Kakashi, or at least somebody who knew what was going on. While he tried to follow the events closely, he had other important things to worry about; Kohona and it's well-being and the supposed ties they were supposed to have with those around them.
"I like that name...I have heard much about him...he is a very talented ninja. He and Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha...they were Team 7, led by Kakashi..." The handsome young boy's eyes lit up in a way so reminiscent of Naruto that Iruka chuckled, and the other students seemed to hang on his every word; who was he related to? He possessed a goldmine of information that seemed deeper than he let on.
"Yes, they were...I have not seen them in a while," Iruka mused, slowly walking down the steps, down the rows, and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. A long silence fell as the students allowed him about a minute's reminiscence before their curiosity got the better of them and they began to babble once again.
"Kakashi is so cool, with his one eye and everything!"
"That contest, what is that for?"
"Well my parents told me that it was like the exams, to prove who was strongest-"
"I heard that they could die in it 'cause it was made for only the best and it's set in that weird compound...the one with birds always circling it-"
"Area 13," one shy girl hissed, shaking a long strand of hair, black as the heart of the forest, out of her vision; with one shockingly pink eye flashing from within the curtain of locks, she continued, while some looked wary from the sound of her voice. "The birds circle because there's always bloodshed. It used to be a requirement for ninja wanting to pass the Chuunin exams a very long time ago. It was the first version of the Forest of Death stage, but it was too violent and few made it out alive, therefore cutting the numbers drastically in the military and there were not enough people, so they had to revise it. Created by legendary, powerful ninja long ago...the creators have been long deceased, and the complexity of the jutsus used on the compound made it extremely difficult to tear down, so now it's just listed as 'forbidden' status, and some of the military and ANBU officers were assigned to lessen the severity of the jutsu's placed on it."
A few girls looked stricken, Iruka was surprised at her boldness and curious of the nature of her sources, and a few of the young boys mouthed 'Wow' in silent disbelief.
"It's the ultimate test," she added, a small grin on her face, half hidden in the dark shadow that seemed to hover around her ominously. "But they can handle it. That will be only a pretest, compared to what-"
"Interested as you all are, I'm sure," Iruka interjected, giving the girl an apologetic look, "I have to stop you there; I cannot discuss these matters with my students, at least, not in the classroom during school. I apologize, Kami," he finished, and the girl nodded in acknowledgment of her name.
"I understand," she replied quietly, the bright shine in her pink eyes fading; she let her hair fall back over her face, her curtain of solitude and confinement that protected her from the world.
"Anyway, moving on to our topic for today, the-"
"IRUUUKA SENSEEEEI!"
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.
Instinctively Iruka and every student's head swivelled in the direction of the sliding door, when a young teenager burst through it, eyes sparkling, headband lopsided on his messy hair and a toothpick hanging out of the corner of his mouth. Talking around it, his gaze swept quickly over the little children, who were all staring at his abrupt coming in a mixture of amusement, awe, and slight fear.
"I'm not your teacher, Konohamaru."
Konohamaru, now 14 and a Chuunin (which he had been for a couple years now), straightened and grinned his obnoxious grin that he still bore after these past long years. Bounding in, his eyes again roved over the small children, most of whom seemed utterly terrified except for the dark-haired boy, who observed him with interest. Striking a pose in front of his crowd, he pushed the toothpick with his tongue into the corner of his mouth and said, "That's okay. Ebisu gets angry when I still refer to him as my teacher, but he's just an angry person. Besides, you'll be able to answer the question that I have for you, since Ebisu wouldn't tell me anything!" Resting weight on his hip he folded his arms and raised his eyebrows. "So here's my question-"
"If it has anything to do with the contest," Iruka interrupted, "I can't talk about it now."
"But they gotta know!" Konohamaru burst out, spitting out his toothpick and pulling a new one from his pocket.
"Sorry-"
"OI! MOEGI!" he yelled at the top of his lungs and half turned in the direction of the doorway. Scowling, he yelled louder, "OI, MOEGI!"
Iruka winced as the underlying buzzing that had been penetrating the walls from other classrooms fell to a silent hush.
"For the last time-"
"WHAT, KONOHAMARU?" A high-pitched voice was floating in from outside the sliding door, and the sound of running footsteps brought forth an orange-haired girl, her hair done up in elaborate pigtailswith permanently blush-stained cheeksrounded from her smile. Slamming the door open completely, she bounded in and in one fluid motion jumped on Konohamaru's back and laughed, her arms around his neck. "Didja ask him, didja?" Iruka stared, and Kurenai appeared in the doorway, one eyebrow raised and her eyes questioning the teacher, who shrugged.
"I didn't invite them in here...I was trying to teach."
"UUUUDON!" Moegi shrieked, and the young children's gazes were now dumbstruck, and again footsteps were heard; appearing now, short enough to walk in under Kurenai's arm that was against the frame, was Udon, headband askew as well as glasses; out of breath he took his glasses off and began to clean them on his shirt.
"Why hello," Udon greeted, momentarily distracted by the pretty Jounin now looking down at him with a strange look on her face, but Moegi slid off Konohamaru's back and dragged him over. Now a new team of Chuunin stood before the confused Jounin and the dumbstruck teacher.
"What's going on?" Kurenai asked, gesturing to the ninja assembled at the front of the classroom.
"I don't know,"Iruka hissed through gritted teeth, his temple pulsing.
"They want to ask you questions about the tasks that Team 7, Hinata, and the members from Team 10 are undergoing," the dark-haired boy said quietly, seeming to come out of reverie.
"And I have said this how many times now, I can't discuss it with my students!"
"But we're not your students," Konohamaru reminded cheekily, moving the toothpick with his tongue to the other side of his big mouth. Iruka slapped his forehead in exasperation, and Kurenai suddenly realized that this boy was related to...
The bell rung again, signaling a short recess for the young, energetic students, who created nothing short of a vicious stampede as they all poured out to join the masses heading out to the playground, running at hip-level; Iruka stumbled slightly, and the last children running out were the loyal blonde and the dark-haired boy.
"You have a lot of kids this year," Konohamaru remarked, and grinned at Iruka, who rolled his eyes and began to walk out, the team of Chuunin following, Kurenai bringing up the rear.
Naruto and Sakura emerged back into the clearing, expressions blank; everybody looked up at their arrival and they all looked disgruntled, telling them that there was no luck in deciphering their mail. Sasuke was leaning against a tree apart from the rest of the group, arms folded and typical arrogant air weighing heavily upon him, while Lee was against a different tree, unusually quiet, his eyes round yet blank. Both boys were thinking.
"Well...we talked and we've decided that we should just do as it says...you know, walk and see where it gets us," Ino said, Shikamaru nodding beside her. Hinata also nodded in assent.
"Well that's a plan," Sasuke snorted quietly, and Lee snapped out of his reverie and stood up a bit straighter.
"Keep your mouth shut, no one asked you-"
"Both you shut up!" Sakura snapped fiercely, and both Lee and Sasuke's mouths were frozen in an 'o' of surprise. "It's the best thing we've got."
Both were so shocked they did not reply, instead took to glaring at each other. Sasuke recovered his poise instantly.
"Really, Lee, keep your mouth shut," Sasuke murmured, the ghost of a mocking grin on his face. Sakura pointed at him and spoke:
"I said shut the hell up, that means you too, you arrogant excuse for a-"
"Sakura," Naruto warned in an effort to curb her vicious tongue, and for once Sakura noticeably bit her tongue but did not finish her insult. Instead she looked at Tenten, who had not spoken once, not even to berate Lee, much like the way Sakura did to Sasuke. Tenten was staring off into space, sitting behind a nearby log away from the others and had her arms wrapped around her knees. It was so strange to see...normally she was so levelheaded and tried her best to curb the arguments and quell the fights. Now she was quiet and introverted, acting more like Hinata than herself.
"But if we are venturing out, we really should take precautions and at least dress accordingly and bring the proper weapons," Sakura said firmly, assuming her position as the leader and head medic, as if she knew what was best. "So let's say we leave in 10 minutes tops. The tents should be packed up, at the very least, fire completely out, nothing left out in the open. Alright?"
No one contradicted or argued; reluctantly Sasuke and Lee left their brooding positions and Sakura kneeled down at Tenten's height; the latter jerked and smiled immediately, her wide brown eyes bright. "Hi!"
"Are you alright, Tenten?" Sakura asked seriously, and the girl nodded her head vigorously and too quickly to not be lying. Sakura narrowed her eyes at this.
"Just...I didn't sleep well last night, is all."
"Why?"
Tenten frowned. "You're being a bit nosy."
"I just want to make sure there's nothing wrong...we've been here for what, a day, and already some weird shit has been going on...and when you got upset last night, well, it was so unlike you."
They sat in silence for a few seconds; while Tenten was grateful someone was concerned, too much information would make her seem as though she had doubts about her own choices...and that would not suit her.
"Just...I..."
"You miss Neji, don't you?"
Tenten gasped...his name had not been spoken for weeks except when she whispered it to herself in the confines of her sleeping bag, where no one could hear. Biting her lip, she swallowed. "Yeah."
"You know...I don't want to get your hopes up but...I really don't think he's dead, you know."
Tenten sighed. "I don't know what to think."
Sakura patted her shoulder and got to her feet, stretching and smiling. "It'll be okay," she lied; it did no good to have everyone upset and mournful. The fights between her and Sasuke and Lee were trying enough. "A good hike might do you some good, get your mind off it, you know?"
Sakura walked away and immediately began taking down a tent, getting right to work as her teammates around her did the same.
Tenten got to her feet and pulled a needle out of her pocket, twirling it in her practiced fingers and running her fingertips over the smooth, sharp metal, it was calming. She walked slowly toward the others, lost in thought once again as she had been so much lately.
She could not tell anyone the real reason she was spacing out, the real reason she could not sleep, the reason she had lost her temper on Ino the night before and felt like murdering anyone who dared test her normally patient manner. Spacing out...she could not stop reliving memories...Insomnia...because all she could think about when lying in the dark was all that blood, all of his panicked screams that she never thought the Neji Hyuga could ever scream. Losing her temper so quickly...anything that reminded her of those painful interrogations that she'd dealt with about his death, the accusations she had faced and still did because no one believed her. They had a reason not to. While she knew she was not the only one facing these problems, the fact remained that when Ino had told her off for constantly feeling sorry for herself, it made her blood boil in a way that almost hurt. She knew Ino was having a bit of reputation bashing herself, what with the recent unexplained death of her former Sensei, but still...at least Ino knew she was innocent...Tenten did not know what to think of herself anymore. Was she the murderer that Ibiki had accused her of being? Should she have disobeyed Neji's final wish, despite his pleads?
Her finger slipped; her finger never slipped before; she whined a bit as she sucked on the end of her finger and went to rejoin the group, plastering her smile on.
There was not much left to do; Sakura had packed most of the tents, and was now walking off toward a large clump of bushes with her clothes in her hand, presumably to change. Sasuke was still loitering against a tree and Lee was eyeing Sakura carefully as she walked off. Ino was shoving things into her bag looking, for some reason, somber, and Shikamaru was talking to her in a low voice; Tenten wondered curiously where Ino's normal perky (yet sometimes bitchy) attitude had gone, but shrugged it off. Hinata and Naruto were conversing while making sure the fire was put out, smiling shyly at each other.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sasuke abandoned his brooding fest and hitched his bag a bit higher on his shoulder before stalking off in the direction the medic had left, and Lee watched him with narrowed eyes. Tenten watched and waited, counting down the seconds.
3...2...1...and there goes Lee, she said to herself as Lee also followed toward the large clumps of bushes. She shook her head and sighed...she just couldn't go babysit him right then, while she didn't want to let him cause trouble for Sakura. Oh well...maybe Sakura can just incapacitate them both.
A particularly thick clump of bushes served as Sakura's dressing room; she was brushing her teeth first, though, since she could not go the day without brushing her teeth. When she was finished with that she inspected her surroundings; a high branch was used to hang the clothes. The bushes were thick enough and high enough to the point that all you could see while she was changing was her neck and up.
Not too far away, Sasuke's feet had somehow carried him to a different bush; and there in plain sight was Sakura, pulling her camisole over her head; Sasuke coughed and ducked low; he really hadn't meant to-
Heh, sure.
Ah...shit...she catches me and she'll probably kill me on the spot.
Damn her...it's sure entrancing...
Sakura obviously did not notice him staring like an open-mouthed idiot at her while she changed, and he probably would have gotten away unscathed had someone not tackled him to the ground at his knees.
"GOD DAMN IT!" he swore, now face down in the dirt, lashing out and kicking whoever had his knees.
"You sick pervert," Lee hissed, and when Sasuke heard his voice he kneed Lee in the jaw and wormed free of his grasp.
"I was just changing!"
"In a bush barely two feet away from-"
"What are you doing here, then?"
"Making sure you don't try any funny stuff," Lee accused, raising himself up on his knees and glaring down at Sasuke. Sasuke raised himself to his knees, which was an impressive move because of his towering height and faced Lee, square on.
"I bet you wanted to get a look at her," Sasuke retorted, realizing how childish he sounded. Why the hell am I fighting over her anyway? "In which case means that I'm going to fucking kill you."
But instead of a brawl worthy of boast over their egos, both simply got into a equally matched wrestling fight, which would be something a real ninja would call a slapfight. And that's where Sakura found them, her other shirts in her clenched hand, meaning only her undershirt was on; she stared down at them in disbelief, probably not realizing how much her chest was visible as she leaned over the brush and said, "What the hell are you doing? You look like two little girl scouts in a slapfight," she said.
Both boys stopped at her presence and presumably the sight of her chest and immediately stood up, brushing themselves off and not looking at each other.
"Changing," they muttered in unison.
"In the same bush?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well then, I'll leave you two girls alone," she finished, walking back to her own private clump of brush.
"Yeah, get out of my bush," Sasuke snapped, promptly shoving Lee out with one arm.
"And stop fighting over bushes...you know how immature you sound?" Sakura called, and Sasuke snorted and turned away from her.
"Bleh, stop fighting over bushes, you know immature you-"
"I can hear you!" Sakura yelled, cutting across his cruel but accurate impression of her nagging.
Sasuke wanted so badly to retort but his pride stung from being labeled 'immature', so he huffed and changed, actually keeping himself from looking over at all. His finishing touch was his long sleeved dark green shirt that he preferred over the green vest; he now sat on the ground struggling with his bandages, and huffed again as the bandage somehow became stuck to his nose. He yanked it off painfully and it then attached to a lock of his precious hair; seething, he ripped that off too, cursing loudly as it ripped out a few strands of hair and now it attached to his arm, and since he had been wrapping his leg this proved to be a problem.
"Son of a-"
"Need some help?" Sakura asked, her face peering down at him from over the bushes; Sasuke only further embarrassed himself when the bandage effectively bound his right arm to his left leg and he was forced to lay on his side like an absurd turtle. He growled and shook his head no and snapped like a vicious animal, and now the bandages were in his teeth. Sakura burst out laughing.
"You're embarrassing," she said, and hopped over the bush to help the poor retarded soul.
Nimbly, she slit the tape, unbinding his arm and leg, then took the material out of his mouth gently; he glared at her in thanks. Slowly she took his left leg into her lap and began to bind it tightly with the customary bandages; he did not look at her from beneath his curtain of locks. Gently setting his leg aside as though he were compiled of glass, she took his right one and bound it tightly; all was silent until she reached his knee; he gritted his teeth and jerked away from her. She raised her eyes from her work and locked her gaze on his, while he struggled to remain expressionless.
"You haven't been taking care of your knee."
"Maybe you should have healed it better," Sasuke muttered in reply, looking away from her.
"I'm not a miracle worker," she snapped, dragging his knee closer and giving him a reproachful glare. She bound it tightly and stood up, indicating that he do the same and he complied, purposely letting his weight fall onto his dominant side to prove he was fine.
"You're pathetic," she said, sighing and pushing through the bush, and he followed.
As she walked he observed her outfit; it had been a while since she had been out of her medic uniform and in her field clothes...
Wow...and does she look great in those field clothes...
Shut up.
Sakura's hair was in a low but sturdy ponytail with long pink strands left out on both sides of her round face, the ends brushing her neck where the ever-obvious bruise stood out on her skin. In addition to her undershirt, she wore two more, a black and a red, the latter on top and short sleeved, the black mesh visible due to the V-neck of the red shirt. These were of average length and just barely overlapped the top of her tight green shorts, her weapons pockets strapped on each of her hips and her leaf village headband resting comfortably on her waist, belonging.
"Be careful," Sasuke said abruptly. Sakura turned to look at him, questioningly.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"I honestly didn't think you cared," Sakura said, putting her hands behind her head and walking a bit faster so he was forced to watch her strut away. "But I don't need you to protect me...I'm stronger than you think."
Sasuke breathed through his nose, letting it in quick and out slow with a strange whistling sound; he did not reply.
They reached the clearing and the others were assembled in a semi-circle, bags ready and everybody changed. Sakura grinned.
"Let's go!"
As they play innocent games they crumple...
Go for the ankles.
Disquiet...
The dark-haired child noticed but did not speak. Iruka, Kurenai, and the team of Chuunin stood in a circle, Iruka and Kurenai occasionally telling the children not to pull weapons on each other as Kohohamaru excitedly began.
"So you've heard, right? Where they went, what they're doing, what it's for?"
"If you're talking about the contest, then yes, I have," Iruka replied, casting a wary glance at the sky from the corner of his eye. "Although I did not press people for the details..."
"Well I pestered the old man enough and he told me everything," Konohamaru said proudly, puffing out his chest, while Moegi nodded in agreement and Udon nodded once in confirmation. Kurenai folded her arms and stared out at the sky, red eyes surveying the equally bloody clouds...a strange color for the morning, even for a storm...
"Alright then, tell us everything you know," Iruka said, putting on a mock curious face and folding his arms as well.
Konohamaru grinned and ruffled his hair a bit, pushed the toothpick to the other side of his mouth, and took a deep breath. "Well see, after past observances, files, and teacher recommendation, certain people were chosen to take this test. The old man said this wasn't planned until recently 'cause, well, the ties between the villages are being tested and strained, and after the return of Sasuke it's been getting worse. He didn't tell me all the reasons that he's worried, but if it's upsetting him it's probably bad."
"Naturally, Naruto, being as strong as he was along with excellent recommendations from the old man and Kakashi, given his performances on missions and whatnot he was one of the first candidates. Sasuke was taken too despite his disloyalty, and Sakura was taken because Tsunade insisted. Ino was taken but I don't know why, as well as Shikamaru, who the old man said displayed excellent leadership and blah blah, when he was captain of a team for a while, and all members of Team 10 would have been recommended if...well...they could only take two."
"Why?" Iruka asked, a little embarrassed that he was not up to date with all of the news. "Who didn't they take?"
"Neji Hyuga," Moegi said quietly, her head bent.
"He never came back from that overnight mission to the little village that sprung up past Black Castle," explained Kurenai quietly, remembering that fateful night all too well.
Iruka was silent.
"So they took Rock Lee and Tenten, and then Kakashi recommended, and pushed, for Hinata Hyuga to take part as well."
"You let Hinata do this? From what I heard this wasn't a walk in the park," Iruka said to Kurenai, who looked away.
"Anyway," Konohamaru said impatiently, waving that away, "These recent failed missions and murders...well...apparently this is all connected somehow. Naruto and the other 7 ninja are going to be sent on a special mission, and the old man wanted them to complete this task first, saying that if they could do this, they should be able to do anything."
"Could you quit calling him 'old man'?" Iruka asked. Konohamaru ignored him.
"And it's supposed to be extremely dangerous...but there's quite a few things to take care of before they send them off anyway, and that compound, well...it can drive a person crazy. At least that's what the old man said."
"I never thought they'd actually put ninja through that anymore," Kurenai said quietly, staring out at the quickly darkening sky; a distant rumble of thunder sounded ominously as though it were right behind the treetops, but the sun still shone brightly from one direction. "Kakashi said it was rough, that compound."
"An extended version of the Forest of Death stage in the Chuunin exams," Udon added. Iruka turned to the playground and his eyes scanned it quickly, making sure no one was pulling a kunai on anyone else and his eyes found the pink-eyed, black-haired girl that had so quickly and confidently rattled off the finer details of Forbidden Area 13. High in a tree she sat, one leg dangling over the branch and she was watching the clouds billow frighteningly in the distance.
"Looks like a storm," Moegi commented unnecessarily, and she leaned her head on Konohamaru's shoulder; they turned to watch it come in all it's majestic glory, the clouds billowing like smoke from a fast growing fire, the thunder now coming more frequently and the sun slowly becoming obscured, while the children continued to play.
"Normally it smells like rain, though," Udon commented, his mind working furiously as his eyes seemed to calculate the distance that the clouds and thunder were moving. "And it's moving awfully fast...faster than any storm I've ever seen."
The girl with the pink eyes, Kami, carefully let herself slide down the trunk and walked up to the dark-haired boy with no name, and they struck up a quick conversation, and the blonde warmed up to the other girl immediately, which was fairly strange. Others were playing kickball, tag, shove random kids around into walls, pick apart sticks and chuck them at each other, and other assorted childhood games. Girls pushed each other on the swings, and there was one left; the blonde gestured to it and ran up and sat, and the dark-haired boy offered to push her; the dark-haired girl waited for her turn patiently and watched him push her.
Iruka sat watching this lazily...it was strange to watch children interact with each other. They were so young...Kurenai stared at the sky, her eyes wider than normal as a vibrant branch of lightening flashed against the black clouds and thunder rumbled once again. The puffy blackness was painted with red veins that snaked across the sky and were catching the attention of some of the children.
"We should take them in," Kurenai told Iruka, her eyes still round and fearful.
"Are you okay?" he asked, peering at her. "Not a fan of storms?"
"It's just...that's no ordinary storm," she replied, uncomfortable. Moegi must have felt the same, for she left Konohamaru's side and quelled a frightened whimper; she turned on her heel and sprinted toward the door without warning, and Konohamaru ran after her, confused.
Kurenai looked concerned, and Iruka cast her a worried glance and looked out at the sky; blood-red veins still decorated the clouds and the most recent clap of thunder sounded very close. He heard the door slam after Moegi and Konohamaru, and Kurenai was now watching Kami and the blonde and the dark-haired boy on the swings.
Force yourself to watch the innocent children fall.
They are who we are fighting for...
"Push me higher!" the fair girl giggled, pumping her legs as to gain as much height as she could.
"If you insist," the boy replied, and scurried backwards to keep from being smacked by the swing; he was strong for his age and when the swing came back to meet him he braced himself, planted his feet and grasped the metal hook where it met the seat; with a loud laugh he ran forward and the girl giggled and she was off, flying as far as she could, nearly higher than the branch the tree was attached to. Indeed it did seem as though she were flying, her height never seemed to be enough...higher...Kami stood up in awe, her fair pink eyes watched the blonde's progress on the swing, and time seemed to slow down...
And as they play innocent games
They crumple.
Caught in the fire.
But power could only take the swing so far, and as it reached it's peak height her laughs were drowned by a sickeningly close clap of thunder and the swing began to fall; Kami watched in delight and called out, "I am going next!"
But she was not.
The tiniest movement came from the bushes as black clouds swept over so quickly, obliterating the sun and casting a deadly hush over the playground; other children stared up fearfully at the sky as forked lightening lit up the surroundings bright as daytime, and even Kami tore her eyes away from her friends to stare, openmouthed, at the terrible sight above them; other teachers were calling their kids off the equipment and swings, searching for them up in trees. Frightened, some began to cry, and Kurenai grabbed Iruka's arm and pointed at the little blonde, still on the swing. As she came down her expression of delight was changing to confusion, and then she screamed out in pain–
As gravity pulled the swing down the girl latched onto the chains on the side, but she could not hold herself on and her legs went completely limp; something pierced her ankle and she shrieked hysterically and let go as the swing came up again...Kami ran toward her, falling into the terrible slow motion that seemed to occur as the blonde landed in a heap on the dusty ground, still shrieking like a dying bird, writhing and twisting–
Kami was almost to her friend when she cried out and seemed to sway...her legs crumpled beneath her and her ankles seemed to turn in grotesquely as she fell flat on her face...another little girl was trying to keep themselves on the swing, but they could only drag their limp legs on the ground in the dirt to stop and they fell too. Children running across the dirt in panic, finding friends or wedging themselves into tight corners out of fear.
"GET THEM INSIDE!" Kurenai screamed, and other teachers across the yard called their classes, shepherding children inside, scooping the fallen off the ground. The thunder was a blanket that effectively covered them, echoing in their ears ruthlessly as an alarm clock, and the lightening painted morbid pictures across the black sky, the red glow still cast around the entire area. Udon rushed to hold open the door as the children who had not fallen created a thick mob, bunching at the door and scattering as they made it in; Iruka and Kurenai went for the children now on the ground, and it was terrifying to watch as more ran and were shot down like soldiers...they cried out in pain and their ankles and legs always gave way as they twisted and danced, struggling to keep the little balance they possessed as children before falling and doing the only thing they understood when faced with this...scream...
But children are the target because
It's a soft spot to us all...
"It hurts," Kami gasped, dragging herself with her arms to make it to her friend, who was still crying hysterically and clutching her right ankle, blood bubbling through her little dexterous fingers and staining the dirt. Iruka scooped Kami in one arm and the blonde in the other and ran toward the door, setting them gently on the ground before going back out to help the rest. He remembered the boy with no name and his eyes searched the playground frantically...the dark-haired boy was still under the tree, his back to the academy and staring out at the sheets of rain that were now growing into torrents; puddles grew in seconds and the thunder roared in their ears...Iruka ran to the tree and grabbed the boy's shoulders and began to tug.
"Let's go, come on-"
"AUGH!" the boy cried out and Iruka now held all his weight; he'd been hit too, and his legs folded beneath him and the boy tried to speak but could not in his blind shock.
Iruka picked him up and ran blindly through the torrential downpour toward the faint light that was from the door...Udon was waving his arm in the darkness and it was amazing how difficult it was to make it from the tree to the school...as though in the pitch-blackness during a snowstorm...and it had come so quickly...
Iruka reached the door and handed the boy to Udon, who handed him to someone else and continued to hold the door open, and Iruka remembered Kurenai; she was far across the playground, half-dragging half-carrying a girl and a boy who did not look hurt but extremely shaken; they stumbled and fell and she could only go as fast as them and she urged them on; she was soaked and her head swivelled in fear as the thunder roared again.
"Come on!" she yelled, and the children struggled to run faster but could not...they were slipping on the now muddy ground, and Iruka hung in the doorway and yelled to her:
"Was that the last of them?"
"I think so," she said breathlessly, only a couple feet away from the door, and she almost made it–
Foot caught...all she knew was that she was falling and she could not fall...she shoved both of the children forward into Iruka and he pulled them inside and that was the last thing she saw before falling completely into the mud...she felt her ankle twist and snap and her entire body turned a different direction which was painful enough.
I don't...want to die...not now...it's just my ankle...
She'd fallen hard, and someone was saying her name but she remained on her side, gasping and trying to raise herself up on her arms but that someone stopped speaking and simply picked her up instead and carried her over the threshold and set her down on the ground...she struggled to clear her vision of the mud and the roaring was quieter now...Udon must have shut the door, and now the shrieking, the hysteria of the children was echoing in her ears, painfully...
"Ugh," Kurenai groaned, using her sleeve to wipe the filth off her face and was met with a disturbing sight...the floor covered in blood from all those kids...stumbling around, injured, while some seemed unhurt but sobbing hysterically, crying for parents and siblings, the floor was slippery and little feet and big alike squeaked.
She turned around and saw Iruka, who was locking the door and telling Udon to run and get Tsunade, who agreed and hurried off, and said "Thanks, for that."
Iruka gazed at her in puzzlement and slowly shook his head. "I didn't get there in time," she told her, smiling ever-so-slightly. Confused, she turned and leaned her head against the wall and wondered who had just helped her...
But the question was answered when a shadow fell over her.
"Can you stand?" he asked, and put out a hand for her; Kurenai took it gratefully and awkwardly got to her feet, using his tall frame for most of the support.
"Well enough," she replied, but her knuckles were white as they gripped his arm. Kakashi glanced at her and then out over the room...the disturbing scene that lay before them...the children still screaming for people that were not there...clutching ankles, wedged into corners and under desks as small as they could...
"What...could have happened?" Kurenai said quietly, swallowing to keep her lip from trembling or shaking. She looked at Kakashi as though he must have an answer...his sense of humor was present even at a time like this, but it was bitter sarcasm that sprinkled his words.
"I just know that it's going to be a lot of paperwork..."
For when autumn comes...
They dance as they crumple...
Their weak little ankles.
Confused?
Good.
Ha.