The Night after Heavy Rain
Chapter 10: The Fortunetelling
Akatsuki's base; in the next morning...
"Good morning…," Naruto greeted while yawning and walking in the kitchen.
"Good morning, Naruto-kun," Deidara-who was still cooking- greeted him back, followed by Kisame and Sasori-who sat in front of the table.
"Are, Itachi-san wa (eh, where is Itachi-san)?" Naruto asked while pulling one of the chairs, and then he sat there. He looked around to find Itachi, but he didn't see him.
"Itachi-san has gone with Gaara," Kisame answered while Deidara was lifting his pan; and then he put the fried eggs on the plate. He walked to the table and served them in front of Naruto's party.
"Eh…he wants to erase Gaara's memories today, doesn't he?" Naruto said while turn up his bowl and filled it with rice.
"Yeah, I don't know how he persuaded Gaara to go with him," Sasori said while sweat dropping. He took a fried egg with his chopsticks and put them in his bowl.
"So, what will we do with Gaara after we erase his memories today?" Deidara asked while throwing his apron to the back of chair, and then he sat on that chair.
"I will make sleeping drugs for him," Sasori said.
"So we will make him sleep until tomorrow?" Kisame asked. Sasori nodded while munching his rice and egg. "What about his Shukaku?" Kisame asked again.
"My drugs will make him sleep too," Sasori answered.
"Then…Naruto-kun, how do we return him to Suna?" Deidara asked while taking his own meals.
"Hmm…I have thought some ways, but I think return him directly to Temari or Kankuro will be the best choice," Naruto answered while eating his meals.
"Well, if that's so then…we have to sneak inside Suna Hidden Village again. It will be not easy to get away from there. Suna's Shinobis are more persistent than Konoha anyway," Deidara sighed, a little minded about that.
"Konoha?" Naruto asked in wonder. "Gaara has ever mentioned about that village. Is it strong village?" he continued curiously.
"Eh, no, it's nothing, Naruto-kun! You don't have to think about that; it's not important anyway!" Deidara said while laughing sheepishly and rather in panicky.
"Baka…," Sasori commented Deidara while hiding his face behind his cup of tea.
"Be careful with your tongue, Deidara," Kisame critiqued him.
"Urusai (noisy)! Shut your mouth up!!" Deidara yelled in flushed face. Naruto didn't understand what they were talking about, but he decided not to ask them yet. He lifted his shoulders.
Sometimes I feel that they are hiding something from me, but…why am I not interested to ask them?
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Sasuke woke up in the morning, and then he washed his face at the river near his camp. He decided to observe the forest today and finished the task to find Akatsuki's main base. He wanted to attack the base as soon as possible.
Sasuke crossed the forest fast. In half a day he arrived at the borderline of Wind Country and Fire Country.
Odd, the base should be around here, but…what the hell with this overly-deep valley?
Sasuke thought in wonder. He gazed in the valley. Hell, he couldn't see the bottom. If he fell from that place he would soon be sent to the other world. Sasuke began to track the line of the valley while trying to find something like building or whatever he can consider as a clue. However, in the end he didn't find anything.
"Shit!! It should have been around here anyway!! What…!? It can't be…that bastard Orochimaru, did he trick me!? I'd not let him get away if he lied to me!!" Sasuke cursed angrily at no one in particular. Then he realized that the sun began to set just now. "Ck, it will be night soon. It can't be helped then…I have to delay my attack to Akatsuki's main base. I will rest in an inn at Wind Country," Sasuke sighed. Then he crossed the bridge over the valley-which was five meters wide-, and entered Wind Country in relaxed face. He planed to stay at the inn that night and arranged strategy to attack Akatsuki's base if he found it tomorrow.
When Sasuke walked in Suna-the first hidden village he entered if he visited Wind Country-(A/N: I made it my self, so don't bother to look at Naruto World's Map ;), he met a strange fortuneteller.
"Oniisan (young man)," the fortuneteller called. At the beginning, Sasuke didn't realize that he was the one whom was called by her, or…actually he realized, he's just not bothered to respond her. "Hey, raven-haired oniisan, yes, you, could you please coming here?" she asked politely.
Sasuke looked around. From all of the people-who were wandering-, there was only him whom could be called a young man (oniisan). He stared at the fortuneteller for awhile, and then without a doubt, he came near her. He watched the fortuneteller straightly.
A woman, she maybe is twenty years old. Her face is covered with thin-red cloth. She wears a really strange outfit. What is she? A gypsy or something? Her hair is long, pitch-black in color, and it's wavy. Her eyes are pitch-black too. Strange…she is like an Uchiha….
Sasuke stood in front of the desk which the fortuneteller sat. "Do you call me, Obasan (Auntie)?" Sasuke asked coldly.
"Yes, I do. Your aura interests me," she answered, "-and…could you please not calling me 'obasan'? I'm still twenty three years old, you know," she added while smiling. When their gaze met each other, Sasuke became aware that she was blind.
"Obasan, you can't see can you?" he asked while shaking his right hand in front of her eyes.
"Eh…well, kind of like that," she answered again. "-and, didn't I tell you not to call me obasan?" she added again.
"How did you know that I am still young?" Sasuke asked in wonder and he looked at her curiously. "My voice is also low and deep," he added.
"I felt your aura, boy. The aura produced by the body, its different each other from the other people's aura. The strong one, the weak one, the bright one, or the dark one, it's different. The strong aura usually is owned by the youngster, like you. However…it's the first time I 'see' a very dark aura like yours," she explained. "Sasuke snapped in surprise. "Oniisan, you're in a very difficult situation, ne…." The fortuneteller said while holding Sasuke's hand. She closed her eyes slowly. "The death of the families, the betrayal from the brother, the very deep sadness…because you're trapped in your complex past," she said slowly in blank expression.
Sasuke shoved her hand and pulled his hurriedly in panicky. "How…how do you…!?" Sasuke couldn't say anything. He was too shocked to ask. He looked at her in disbelieve. The fortuneteller could guess Sasuke's past perfectly.
The fortuneteller smiled. "I 'see' them in my head," she said. "You are a very handsome young man and your friends really admire you, but…you leave them for seeking power. You even…leave the one you cherish the most in your life." She continued while gazing at Sasuke frightened eyes. Although she couldn't see, her gaze was sharp. It seemed she looked directly in Sasuke's head.
Sasuke took his kunai and pushed it at her neck slowly before she could say anything further. "Shut your mouth up…or I'll kill you!" he warned her with dangerous low voice. He didn't even expect that he would force his power to a 'mere' woman like her, but somehow…her ability to 'see' frightened Sasuke and made him uncomfortable.
The fortuneteller was in shock for a moment, but then she smiled again. "Are you scared?" she asked in low soft voice. Sasuke glared angrily at her, but he didn't say anything. "Your future would be so cloudy if you didn't want to think about the wrong and the right of your acts," she added, giving him a judicious.
"What I do is not your business," Sasuke said, beginning to regain his self control. He loosened his kunai from her neck and kept it again in his pouch. He turned his body to leave the fortuneteller, but he stopped right away when he heard the last words of her.
"How sad…," she spoke slowly, like whispering. "Your revenge will cost a life of someone close to you," she continued. "Soon…you will lose the most important person in your life…."
Sasuke snapped in surprise and turned his body again to face the fortuneteller, but when he looked at the shop-which she should be there-'s direction, she and her shop were gone without sign. "Wha-…!?" Sasuke was in shock. He couldn't take what was going on exactly. He looked around again but it seemed no one noticed what happened. He stood there in wonder and in complete confusion for a long time.
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"The preparation is completed," Itachi said. "Then…how do we return him?" he asked while turning his face to Naruto.
"We will put Gaara's body near the gate of Suna Hidden Village. Then we will put the kekkai (barrier) around him. The kekkai must be the one-which can be passed by his family only or who has the same blood as him-. With that Gaara will be safe until Temari or Kankuro finds him," Naruto explained while smiling in confident.
"Good idea," Itachi responded.
They headed toward Suna Hidden Village. Only Naruto and Itachi-who carried Gaara to there-because Deidara was busy to contact the other members of Akatsuki about the plan Naruto decided as he liked. Meanwhile, Sasori was continuing his research with Kisame-who helped him.
They stopped for awhile when they had been near the village for watching the situation.
"Don't you think the guard is rather…easy?" Naruto commented. "Not really, actually, might be this was a kind of trap for intruders," he answered his own question while nodding, taking the reason by himself. He tried not to be easy on them. Ninja always moved from the shadow anyway.
"For safety reason, how about we put him under the tree-which is across the road?" Itachi suggested.
"I think it will be fine. They will find him easily if we put him there." Naruto agreed.
Itachi laid Gaara's body on the grass. He was still asleep. Sasori's sleeping drugs was perfect. There's no sign for him or Shukaku to wake up. Naruto put the kekkai around Gaara, and then for the last time, Naruto kissed Gaara's cheek softly while closing his eyes for a good bye greeting. "Sayonara, Gaara-chan…!" he said while smiling warmly and gazed at the boy. After that, he came closer to Itachi again.
"You don't have to kiss him, you know," Itachi said a bit annoyed with that.
"Eh…, Itachi-san, it can't be that…you are jealous?" Naruto asked hesitantly.
"Of course I am! You know too that I actually…!" Itachi didn't continue his words and blushed lightly. "Forget that…!" he turned away his face from Naruto.
"Sorry," Naruto said while giggling. He sweat dropped when he saw Itachi's flushed face.
Indeed, he's so cute if he's blushing like that.
Naruto admitted that. Then he wanted to tease him even more. "Let's go home, Itachi-san," he said while holding Itachi's hand and smiling so lovely to him.
Itachi blushed even more when he did that. He covered his face in embarrassment. "Hold yourself, Itachi…," he whispered to his own self not to nosebleed while Naruto smiling like that to him.
They walked together until they arrived again at the borderline. When they want to get out of there, they met a fortuneteller-whom was met by Sasuke before-.
"Hey there, oniisan (young man)!" she called when Naruto and Itachi was passing her shop. Naruto stopped his step and looked at her.
"What's wrong?" Itachi asked at Naruto.
"It seems that covered-lower-face woman is calling me," Naruto answered while pointing his forefinger at the fortuneteller. He tried to seek around to find someone else, but he didn't find anyone except them there. "Is it me?" Naruto asked at her from afar by pointing himself.
"Yes, it's you, blonde-haired oniisan!" she answered while smiling. "Would you mind coming here for awhile?" she called again and asking him politely. Naruto nodded and came closer to her alone. Itachi didn't follow him. He knew he was not called anyway.
"Obasan, do you have any business with me?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, I want to see you more. Your bright aura attracts me a lot," she answered happily, "-and please don't call me 'obasan', I'm still twenty three years old, you know?" she added a bit annoyed.
"Eh? Ah, I'm sorry, Oneechan (elder sister)! Sorry for my rudeness," he said while sweat dropping guiltily. When he watched her face more, Naruto realized that she was blind. "Oneechan…your eyes…?"
"Yeah, I can't see, indeed," she answered before Naruto asked anything.
"Eh, but…, how could you guess me as a 'young man' if you couldn't even see?" Naruto asked in wonder. "You even guess my hair color perfectly."
The fortuneteller giggled when she heard the question and the confusion in Naruto's voice. "What's so funny?" Naruto asked again more confused now.
"N-no, sorry, it's just…well you asked the same question with someone I greeted yesterday," she answered when she was still trying to stop her giggle. "Actually, I have the power to 'feel' people auras, and by feeling heir auras, I can 'see' the forms of them perfectly in my head," she explained after stopped giggling.
"Wow, that's awesome!" Naruto complimented in admiration and interested voice.
"Thank you," she said happily. "Oh yeah…, if you don't mind, may I hold your hand for awhile?" she asked friendly.
"Sure, hold it as you like!" Naruto said in spirit and in happy mode. The fortuneteller smiled at him, and then she took his hand on her. She began to read all about Naruto, but then she frowned. Naruto was wondering when she did that. "What's wrong?" Naruto asked.
"You…you're not your true self now," she said in sad face.
"Eh?" Naruto asked, not getting it.
At that time, Itachi decided to come over because Naruto was too long in the fortuneteller's shop. He became to worry him. Then he heard the statement and snapped in shock.
"For now…you lose something really important in yourself. Something is hiding your true determination and your real-life purpose," she said again.
"Ah, anoo…what does that mean?" Naruto asked more confused because he didn't understand at all what she said. He was sweat dropping now.
"-and then…because you can't release your true self, you will be a victim of someone's hatred," she said while frowned deeply in regret.
"Huh?" Naruto lifted his eyebrows.
"Soon…you'll die…." she said.
"Eh?" Naruto was in shock when he heard that.
"Wait, what the hell do you think you're saying!?" Itachi snapped and hurriedly shoved her hand from Naruto's and pulled him away from her. "Don't babble as you like, old hag!" He yelled at her angrily.
"How rude!! You're older than me!!" she stood right away, grabbed Itachi's collar, and yelled back at him angrier. "I need to warn this boy, you know! It's my job! He will surely die if he can't find his true self!!" she shouted loudly, making Itachi's and Naruto's jaws drop in shock.
She…she yells back at Itachi-san…! She even grabs Itachi-san's collar…!
Naruto looked at her in disbelieve.
She dared to yell back at me…! She looks like my mother…!
Itachi looked at her in terrified face.
"-and you…long-black haired man…if you don't say anything to 'him' about your true reason for killing your entire clan, and if you don't tell him about your true feelings towards him…he will kill you for sure," the fortuneteller also warned Itachi in very serious face while loosing her grip on Itachi's collar. Itachi widened his eyes in surprise.
"H-how do you…!?" Itachi looked at her in frightened face. "What the hell are you!?" he yelled again in disbelieve.
"I am just a fortuneteller whom was given a power from The Creator of The World to see in the hearts of humans; and my job is…to warn them not to chose the wrong path which will take them to disaster," she said proudly in mystical seriousness. It made her more beautiful and mysterious.
"Bullshit!" Itachi snapped in disbelieve. "Let's go, Naruto-kun! Don't hear this crazy woman!!" Itachi pulled Naruto away from the shop in complete anger.
"Wait!" Naruto objected.
"Naruto-kun!!"
"Calm down, Itachi-san…you don't have to be so mad like that if it is not true, do you?" Naruto asked while smiling.
Itachi froze. Naruto was right. It's because they're all excellently true, that's why Itachi was so angry. He scowled and let Naruto continue his conversation with her.
"Ne, Oneechan. How do I die?" Naruto asked innocently with really calm face. He even smiled warmly at her, making her lift her eyebrows in wonder.
"Why don't you ask how to prevent your death instead of the reason of your death?" she asked Naruto.
"It's useless to prevent it. Everything which has a life, will die no matter what someday, it's a destiny. Something I desire is not an eternity like that. More…I don't want to die for nothing. For I can enjoy my life perfectly, so when I die, I will not regret it," Naruto said certainty. "Ne, please tell me, will you?" Naruto asked.
The fortuneteller sighed, but she smiled too in the kind of sad way. She felt Naruto's determination in his voice that time. "Even if you're not in your true self, you're still shining like a sun and loved by everyone. I wish the mist which covers your true light will be gone soon, so you can shine even more…," she said while closing her eyes and smiled warmly. "All right, I'll tell you how you die…." She inhaled deeply before saying, "You'll die for protecting the most important person in your life."
Naruto smiled, satisfied with her words. "Thank God…dying for the person I cherish the most is the greatest stage for me to succeed in my whole life…." Naruto felt relieved. Then he smiled at Itachi. "Let's go home, Itachi-san," Naruto asked him and held his hand once more. "Oh yeah-," Naruto looked at the fortuneteller again "-thank you very much, Oneechan!" Naruto said and grinned at her while waving his hand cheerily.
The fortuneteller shook her head to see Naruto's cheery face. Then she sighed and smiled while watching Naruto's and Itachi's backs. "I hope…your future…will not end in the death…." She whispered so softly; and then her body…slowly but certainly…began to disappear; and then…she was gone from everyone's sight.
At that time, Naruto turned his face again at the shop because her presence was gone. Naruto stopped and widened his eyes in surprise. "Itachi-san…," Naruto called Itachi while still staring at that spot.
"What is it?" Itachi turned his face at Naruto.
"She…has gone," Naruto said still in disbelieve.
"Eh!?" Itachi was surprised as well. He looked at the spot of the shop, but indeed, there's no shop there. The woman was also gone. "It's impossible!!" Itachi tried to find her and her shop, but he couldn't find anything there. "How can it be!? Seconds before she was still there, wasn't she!?" he yelled in disbelieve and terrified face.
"Eh…what a strange woman, she is…," Naruto commented while smiling amusedly. "Who is she…actually?" Naruto asked in wonder at no one in particular.
Well, something will be more interesting if it's left as a mystery anyway….
End of Chapter 10
Tbc…
A/N: Done…it's done…pant-pant. Bwa ha ha ha!! I did it only in two days! Chapter 10 now up! Not, I mean it's done! The mystery is…who the fortuneteller is!? I will not tell you now . She will appear again in my next project, and I will explain about her in detail there. Ha ha, I'm nasty, aren't I? Well, you will never understand my next project if you don't read this story, because my next project will be linked in this project . Ok, enough with the promotion. Ah yeah, don't forget about the critique-compliment and review me!! Bye, guys! See you in the next chapter. Thank you and I love you all!!
With Love,
Lunaryu
