Fighting Dreamers
Last Days at Konoha School of Art
By: MysticFireBlood
I own nothing as always.
Lotus Blossom was in her room packing her things. "This is it," she though as she put the last unnecessary item into a box. "In one week, I will no longer be a student here, but an alumni just like my mother and father," she added as she stood up and stretched. All that was left was a weeks worth of clothes, her cap and gown and her laptop and cell phone. She took one more look around the room that she shared with TenTen. It was hard to believe that this was the last week of a very long six years, and so much had happened during those six years.
During their first year there TenTen woke up in the middle of the night screaming her head off when she though someone had hurt her, it took them less than five minutes to figure out, she had just gotten her first period.
Their second year; Sasuke announced he was gay, to at first get the girls to quit bothering him, which it failed, but then he started to realize how he was truly gay. That wasn't odd concerting who his 'father' was and the fact that said father was the second biggest perv on campus, right behind the headmaster.
The next year was a tough year for a lot of the students, with war out east, more and more of the men was leaving their village to go help Japan and it's allies fight in the war.
The year after that was even worst, when all those men who went off to war, didn't return.
Then not much happened between then and this year, with of course all the horrible things that happened and most to Lotus Blossom. She was still in somewhat a state of shock that Shikamaru was still in love with her. It made her smile every time she thought about it.
"OH CRAP! I AM GOING TO BE LATE!" she yelled at random as she looked at the clock on the wall. She still had to take a shower and dress for the dinner the staff was holding in honor of the top students, including her and the members of the band. She got her things and quickly ran down the hall to the bathroom, where she found she was alone. "Good…" she thought as she layer her things out and then started to undress and get into the shower.
After she was done, she fixed her hair by pulling the sides back and decided to let it dry on it's own to show off her curls. She then put on a light purple sun dress with matching Mary Jane's and a gold necklace with an open heart-shaped pendent from it. It was a gift that Shikamaru got her at random. She put on some light-color make-up and then some clean lipstick for a final touch. She then packed her matching purse and looked at her white and yellow gold watch and saw she had 10 minutes to get to the main hall.
"Whew, I won't be late after all," she said to herself as she walked out of the room. When she approached the main room she saw Shikamaru sitting on the couch, smiling, he was holding a single red rose in his hand.
He too had dressed for tonight and was wearing a white long sleeve shirt, black tie with matching black pants, belt and shoes. His hair was down, but the side where pulled back.
"Hello Lotus-koi," he said as he stood up to give her a kiss.
"Mmmm, Shika-koi, you look wonderful," then she smelled him, "and smell wonderful too."
"Thank my love, so do you." He replied as he pulled back and handed her the rose. She started to smell it when she noticed something shine from the middle of the rose. She looked at it again and then reached and pulled it out. It was a diamond ring, no not just any diamond ring, an engagement ring. Once she realized what was about to happen, Shikamaru was down on one knee, her hand was in his and he looked up into her eyes and said, "Will you marry me?"
She couldn't believe it; all of her dreams were coming true, all at once. Before she knew it, she said yes and he was up kissing her and camera flashes was going off and he had placed the ring on her finger.
When they finally pulled away, she saw that her suitemates and other friends, including their sensei and her father had cleverly hidden themselves throughout the room. She was leaning against Shikamaru as she looked around and saw her father was crying.
"Papa-san, why are you crying?" she asked.
"My beautiful baby girl just became a woman and my youth just went out the door."
Lotus let go of Shikamaru and walked over to her father and hugged him.
"Oh papa, I am always going to be your little girl and you are still young to me."
"Tell that to your godfather," he replied holding her close.
She looked up and saw Kakashi sitting in the window, with his nose behind that book, "Kaka-nii-san, are you picking on papa?"
"Maybe a little," Kakashi replied. He didn't want to admit, at least not out loud or to anyone, although he knew Iruka knew that he didn't want to see Lotus grow up anymore than Guy.
Lotus walked over and saw to him and took a seat in front of him. He didn't bother to look up, but she could tell something was bothing him.
"Aren't you happy for me and Shikamaru-kun?" she asked in a sweet voice.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" he replied, not meeting her eyes.
"Because you haven't looked at me nor have you changed the page. What's on you mind nii-san?"
Kakashi gave up, he never could win when it came to her or Iruka. He looked up, closed the book and let the tear that he was trying to hold back, to fall. Guy tried to look away, but he found he couldn't. After all this man were his daughter's godfather and his best friend.
"I've known you all of your life. That's 18 years Lotus-nee-chan. I have watched your grown from a fumbling toddler to a beautiful, young woman. One would think I would be ready for a day like today, but frankly, I am not. I know it may seem silly to some for me to act this way, because you are just my goddaughter, but to me it more than that. When my sister told me she was getting married, I broke down and cried, especially when I found out it was my best friend. Then less than a year later she told me she was going to have a child, I nearly lost my mind, but when I held you in my arms for the first time, I knew right then and there that I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. You mean everything to me, just like my own son, and when I saw that ring go on your finger, I realized that there wasn't room for me in your life anymore."
Once Kakashi was done, Lotus started to cry and then flung herself around Kakashi's neck, causing the book to fall.
"Oh nii-san, there is always room in my life and my heart for you. Why would you think such a thing?"
He hugged her back and held her close, "Because my little one, you mother barley said a paragraph to me from the time she married until the day she died and I thought that you would do the same."
"Silly Kaka, I would never do that to you. Outside of papa and Shikamaru, you are the one who I love the most and I don't want to ever lose that."
"Thank you Lotus Blossom, that means everything to me."
After a few moments, Jiraiya spoke up, "We do have a dinner to go to."
"Yes Jiraiya-sama," replied both Lotus and Kakashi.
Once they all arrived at the hall, the lights went on and everyone saw the room was done in purples and blues and each table had place holdings for everyone. Once everyone found their place, Sasuke noticed that there was place for his older brother Itachi.
"Um, headmaster, there's a place here for my brother, but he was killed years ago in action while working undercover," said Sasuke.
"That is what they wanted you to think little brother," replied Uchiha Itachi.
Sasuke turned around and saw his brother, whom he had not seen since he was seven, just before the Yakuza killed his family.
"Big Brother?" he spoke barley loud enough for whole hall to hear.
"Yes Sasuke-nii-chan?" replied Itachi.
Sasuke had no words, he just simply ran to his brother and hugged him.
"I thought that I lost,"
It took a moment and calm coxing from Kakashi before Itachi hugged him back.
"I know, but I had to do what I had to do and now mother and father can rest in peace."
"Thank you big brother," Sasuke replied back. He started to cry. Naruto was smiling, because all Sasuke ever talked about when they where alone in bed most nights was his big brother and how much he loved him and which that he was there.
Dinner finally got under way about 10 minutes later and everyone was sitting around talking. Sasuke was catching his brother up on the years he had lost, and Itachi told him, as much as he could about what he'd been up too and even told him about his life partner Hoshigaki Kisame, and how they was talking about having Sasuke live with them in Tokyo after he was done in school. Sasuke smiled the whole time he was talking with his brother, however his brother felt a death glare coming from Kakashi and excused himself to go to the restroom, followed in short by Kakashi.
Once he was finished, he stepped out to wash his hands, "You think I am going to make empty promises, don't you?" he asked Kakashi, not meeting his eyes.
"I think I have that right. After all I am the one who took care of him."
"I know and I am grateful for that, however, I meant what I said, I want him to come and live with me and Kisame."
"Why didn't you come back before now?"
"I couldn't."
"Why?"
"Kakashi you were once in Special Forces, you have seen what I saw, fought what I fought. You were lucky to get out when you did. The Akatsuki Yakuza are the worst kind of people out there. I am just thankful to be alive. Besides that, we also have a surprise for Sasuke."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
Itatchi lowered his head, but had a smile on his face, "Yes, we've adopted a young baby boy and named him Tobi."
Kakashi started to laugh, "Oh I see, the great Itachi does have a soft heart."
Itachi shot his head up, "Kakashi!"
"I was joking. God you are sensitive. Alright, I believe it. Now, come on before Sasuke and Iruka start to worry."
Itachi left, soon followed by Kakashi.
XXX
Gradation day finally came. Lotus woke up around 6am and couldn't fall back to sleep, so she got dressed and went into the main room for the suite and sat on the couch to watch television when their as a knock on her door.
She got up and walked over to the door and answered it, only to see Shikamaru standing there, with a dozen roes and dressed in a plan black teeshirt, blue jeans, and his hair was pulled back.
He also had on his house slippers, "May I come in?" he asked.
She kissed him and let him enter. He took the flowers and stuck them in a vase and then sat them on the counter top and took a seat beside of Lotus, who curled right up to him.
"I see you couldn't sleep either," she finally said after about 3 minutes.
"Na, too much on my mind, including you," he replied, looking down at her and smiling.
"Same here. I am just so excited, and yet, so scared too. I still haven't figured out what I want to do. There is just so much out there, and I know that going here helped a great deal, but I just can't pick."
"Worry about it later. Right now, just worry about today," Shikamaru replied, holding her close.
A few moments later she said, "Maybe I will go to a school in the states. Oh I don't know."
"I have a few letters from there but also have some from here in Japan," Shikamaru.
"Maybe we could continue in the field of the arts and go to the same school as our father's did," Lotus suggested.
"That's something to think about," Shikamaru replied.
"Want breakfast?" she asked.
"Yeah who should make it?" Shikamaru asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I can. I have always felt that we have a 50/50 relationship. We can take turns doing stuff for each other," Lotus replied.
"I have thought the same thing too. Alright, dinner's on me tonight," replied Shikamaru.
Lotus then got up and kissed him, then walked around and started to make breakfast. She cooked up a small stack of pancakes, scrambled eggs and hash browns. She made fresh squeezed orange juice and buttered toast and sat two plates on the table and then turned to Shikamaru and said, "It's ready!"
Shikamaru smiled, "That's a lot."
"Yeah, well this is a special day," Lotus smiled back.
Shikamaru kissed her and then sat down to the lovely breakfast.
Afterwards, he promised to return after he went to his room to change.
She kissed him when he left and then went to clean up and dress as well.
When Shikamaru returned, he smiled and said, "What would you like to do today before practice?"
"Want to go to my house and watch a movie or something?" Lotus suggested.
"Sounds cool, alright, let's go," then he took her hand. She grabbed here keys, cell and locked the door.
He asked, "Would you like for me to put those in my pocket?"
"Sure," and she handed them to him and he placed them in his pocket.
They walked down the street to her father's apartment. They didn't say a world, but she did place her head on his shoulder.
When they walked into the house, she saw he father in the kitchen making breakfast and she called to him, "Hey papa-san, what's..." but she couldn't finish her thought, because sitting in the kitchen with a female teacher.
"Anko-sensei?" Lotus asked, trying not to get angry.
"Yes Lotus-chan?" asked Anko.
Lotus just ran out and Shikamaru followed her. Finally he was able to catch up with her in the court yard.
"I am sorry koi. I didn't know," Shikamaru replied as he came up behind her.
"It's not your fault Shikamaru, I just wish he would have said something to me."
Shikamaru hugged her from behind and placed a kiss on her neck. "Come, let's go to my house."
She shook her head and he led her to his parent's home, just outside of the school grounds.
When they got there, he opened the door and his father turned and looked at him, "What's wrong with Lotus-chan?" Shikaku asked.
"She saw Anko-sensei with her father," Shikamaru replied as he lead his girlfriend to the couch.
"Oh, poor dear," replied his mother as she sat down and put an arm around her. Lotus lean in and started to cry.
"How could he do this to mama?" she finally asked.
"I don't know sweetheart," she Shikamaru's mother.
"Why don't we go and find out," Shikaku replied looking at his son.
"Yeah," Shikamaru said as he kissed Lotus and left her phone with her before he left with his father.
When they got there, they saw Anko leaving Guy's home, but she didn't say anything to them.
Shikaku knocked on the door and Guy answered. He moved aside and let the Nara men in and then closed the door.
They sat down and Guy asked, "How upset is she?" he asked.
"Very. Guy, you should have known that if you didn't talk to her and she found out, she was going to be upset."
"Yes, well she won't be back. I was drunk last night and that was a huge mistake. The breakfast was to break it off. I am such an idiot."
Shikaku smiled, "We all are from time to time, however, you need to say sorry and make it up to Lotus. She is thinking you betrayed her mother in some way."
Guy nearly yelled, "I would never betray Kurenai. She meant the world to me and you know that!"
"I am not saying you did Guy-baka, your daughter is just saying that. You may want to tell her you daughter."
"Yeah. I will. Let me get dressed," Guy replied in a sad tone.
TBC...
This is the next to last chapter, I hope. I hope to wrap this series up soon. Please review.