Disclaimer: I would be extremely lucky to own any part of the talent coming from Carlos Santana, Masashi Kishimoto, Chad Kroeger, Chris Cornell, or Amy Lee. I would even settle for a date with Amy, but alas I own none of it nor am any way close to a date with the singer. bows head to hide a stray tear
Rice Country
If one looked out amongst the new village in the more rural area of Rice Country, it would seem as if it was a basic village – nondescript defensive walls with a gate in each cardinal direction. Simple shops, cafés, and parks. Everyone around seemed basic and simple even in their everyday workings.
That was the way Orochimaru wanted it. He originally came to the area looking to find a quiet place to conduct his experiments without prying eyes. It took a year before he started to branch out. Now with his networks of underground labs, outposts, and training facilities, he was ready for his ultimate goal.
Ever since he was bypassed by his sensei and the council for the position of Yondaime, given instead it to that brat Namikaze Minato, he grew restless and annoyed at the small-mindedness of Konoha. He got sloppy with one of his experiments and had to flee, lest he be struck down by the ANBU and his former sensei, the Professor Sarutobi.
So it would be no surprise that he would want to level Konoha whilst plundering it of the two treasures it held: the Forbidden Scroll and the Sharingan. It was here in one of his throne rooms that he awaited his first prize.
The room was dark, barely lit by candles. A single throne was in the back of the room along with a table set to the left that was littered with jars and files for his various experiments. The walls, floor and ceiling were simple stone and mortar. No one really knew where this throne room was located except the Snake Sannin's most trusted assistants. No one would really make out the entrance to be anything more than a mine shaft or an underground grain bin, and that was the beauty of it.
There he sat on his throne as Kimimaro appeared kneeling before him. A low hissing grunt came from Orochimaru's throat as he noticed his most trusted servant was alone and empty handed.
"It seems that our plans did not go accordingly, did they Kimimaro?" the Sannin asked in a sickly sweet voice.
"No, my lord. The traitor seemed to be unreliable and was captured. It also seems that the container was not captured by Danzo's men," he reported simply.
"I guess that is why it always pays to have a secondary plan. It is unfortunate that we couldn't use his legacy in our plans, but there is always a second option." Orochimaru stated wickedly as he stood from his throne.
"Should I prepare for our trip to Suna then?"
"Precisely, my loyal Kimimaro. We will need to be there in four days time. Please send word to Kabuto to be there as well."
"Right away, my lord." The Kayuga responded as he leaped away to carry out his preparations.
The Snake Sannin chuckled as he thought about his new plan. If he couldn't get one jinchuuriki to heel, then he would get another. The Kazekage did rather well in making a perfect tool out of his son, even if he was a little crazy. If he couldn't burn Konoha with the fury of the fox, he will bury it under sand. The mere image of it made the Otokage smile venomously.
Uzumaki Compound - Kitchen
Chronos may not have been a jinchuuriki like Naruto, but he had already gone through the Shinkeisen. This allowed him to have the capacity to summon the various clones he had running through the house. In a minor stroke of genius or insanity, he had each clone henge into different persons so not to confuse whoever may peer into the kitchen area. It was five minutes after the ceremony ended that three figures entered the kitchen, following their noses for one reason or another.
Anko was the first to enter. One to never follow the rules, she didn't dress as casually as the host wanted. Instead, she opted for one of the outfits she acquired from her many missions and travels. Her outfit started with a purple cotton a-style undershirt. A black leather top in a similar style was worn over top of it. The top was tied in the back and had a purple viper hand-etched along the left side. A set of black gloves was neatly tucked under a silver studded belt slung low on her hips. The belt was set over a pair of black denim shorts that stopped at mid-thigh and were so tight they seemed painted on. As much as she knew Chronos would love seeing her glorious behind in such a casing, she decided to leave something to the imagination. In that respect, she adorned a leather half-skirt that was latched above the belt, covering her backside from waist to knee. The outfit was topped off with a pair of black boots that came to mid-calf and had a medium heel to it. All she was hoping for by sneaking in was to find a tray of her sweet addiction; dango.
Asuma was right behind her. After the last time he was there, Chronos helped him with a couple dishes to treat Kurenai to so the Uzumaki could make it up to him for flirting with someone he wanted as his girlfriend. He was dressed in hopes to impress the red-eyed Genjutsu Mistress. He wore a pair of gray slacks and polished black dress shoes. His shirt was a dark blue button down silk short sleeve shirt with gray smoke-like tendrils etched from the sleeve along the shoulder to the collar.
The last person searching for snacks was Chouji, dressed in his most common attire. He actually didn't care what he found, but every time he was here the food was worth remembering. He burst into the kitchen to see the two Jounin standing slack-jawed and bewildered.
He followed their gaze and noticed a pair of individuals standing in front of the center island minding a saucepot and a couple of pans. One was a portly, dark-haired man dressed in a white chef's outfit. Every couple of minutes, he would reach for some spice and say 'Bam' while tossing a pinch or two in the pot or pan with great flourish.
To the back was something that looked like a man made from fabric. He had a tall white chef hat and a red mustache. His bushy eyebrows adorned continually closed eyes. Whatever this thing was, it acted mostly human. It was taking fabric skinned hands and merrily chopping up carrots, celery, and other items for what appeared to be a salad. With every motion, all you would hear was his voice calling out some weird language. At one point, they heard him say, "And now we chop up the lettuce, bindy borndi boudi!" At that moment, the lettuce was chopped finely, but not without some of it flying around freely.
If that didn't make everyone watching slowly go insane, a woman wearing what only could be described as white bandages covering only the areas that were vital to be hidden came in with a pair of orange oven mitts on her hands which matched her orange hair. She pulled open the oven and pulled out several Cornish hens. She set each bird down on an open counter space as she kept saying 'Multi-pass'.
After the tenth avian food source was set down, the main chef must have lost it. "Lelu, will you knock it off and act normal? It is not a damn multi-pass. You aren't really Lelu in the first place. Why did Master decide on these forms for the chefs??" The red-head turned to the door and pointed at the three guests. The main chef spotted the trio staring at them like they were a three-headed mongoose.
"I guess that produced the desired effect," he said with a smile and a Cajun accent. The bizarre chefs dropped their henges, revealing themselves as Kage Bunshins of Chronos. "Master knew you would be looking for dango, Anko. He figured this would confuse you greatly and make for a good visual. Now if you three would like to help, take those trays out to the main table. We will bring out the main courses in a few minutes." He informed them pointing toward a set of trays off on the last open counter space. There were trays full of chips, dango, deviled eggs, rice balls, and various fruits.
Growling, Anko grabbed a tray and forcibly placed it into Asuma's hands. She then strutted over to the clone and stood as close to its back without touching as possible. Leaning over, she whispered into the clone's ear. "Tell your Master to watch his back tonight." The snake mistress spoke in a sultry voice.
As soon as Anko left the kitchen, the clone smiled and dispelled itself letting the remaining clones finish preparing the main dishes. Upstairs, Chronos was finally dressed and ready to go downstairs when he squinted. After a few seconds, he took on a playful and sinfully wicked look from the memories of the clone filtered into his brain.
Ballroom
For the last thirty minutes, both guests and hosts alike were milling around eating appetizers and drinking while discussing various topics. Off in one corner, the Jounin senseis of the Rookie Nine were holding polite conversation over the new teams and how their tests had been.
Each of the Jounin spouted off about their various Genin and their strengths or weaknesses. Asuma especially tried to prove a point about the new generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and how he would make them surpass their predecessors. Kurenai, not one to be shown up even by a potential suitor, was extolling on the virtues of her team and how they would be the best tracking and intelligence gathering team ever created. The men vocalized their concerns about the heir to the Hyuuga clan and her confidence issue as well as Kiba's well-known over-exuberance which made Kurenai's task more daunting than separating Anko from a plate of dango. In turn, the group looked to the buffet table to see Anko grabbing another three skewers full of the sweet dumplings. After a hearty laugh at her expense, Kakashi took some initiative.
"I have a little wager to make if you are so confident in your teams." Kakashi shrewdly laid out.
"What do you have in mind, Kakashi?" Kurenai asked curiously.
"I am so confident in my team's ability and teamwork that I am sure one of them will make Chuunin at the next exam." He replied with a smile only shown by the upturned closed eyelid.
"That is a bold statement, but I am more confident in my team. What are you willing to put on the line if that doesn't happen?" Asuma prodded.
Pulling out his orange book from behind his back, he responded confidently. "I will let you lock away my collection of books for one month."
The rest of the group looked on in shock at that statement. Risking his prized possession like that was nothing to sneeze at. Asuma was the first to shake off the moment to counter the Copy-Nin's proclamation.
"There is no way anyone on your team will make Chuunin before someone from mine. I'll take that bet and place my smoking on the line for the same period of time."
Kurenai looked at the younger Sarutobi and was at a loss. Smoking was a symbol of a Sarutobi's life, as much as Kakashi's mask or the Yamanaka's blonde hair. She was wondering what she could wager, especially since she already proclaimed her team's potential just mere moments ago. She really didn't have much of any vices that she could give up like Kakashi's porn or Asuma's smoking. The Genjutsu Mistress couldn't figure what she could offer until the idea came to mind. There was one other title she held dear.
"I will take one of you on a date if one of your Genin becomes a Chuunin and none of mine do." The Ice Queen of Konoha stated. Both of the male Jounin stood in a daze as they soaked that morsel in.
Asuma was shouting to the heavens in his mind, but managed to keep his reserve. He steeled his voice so to mask his excitement for having a chance at a date with her. "Is everyone agreeable to the terms?" Both Jounin nodded and the bet was on.
\\\\\
In another part of the ballroom, Anko was happily devouring her dango and drinking sake while watching the doors from a seat at one of the tables. She had not observed or even sensed her intended target since the end of the ceremony, which was annoying her to no end. The wickedly seductive Jounin was in a mood to play with her prey tonight, especially after that stunt in the kitchen.
'That runt made me gawk at the stunt he pulled. Anko doesn't gawk at anything. He may have been so delicious in that outfit of his, but the runt can't get away with that.' She grumbled to herself.
During her internal contemplation over the demise of a certain Marine, she noticed the two new Genin coming in through the ballroom doors. She was not the only one who noticed since the other young Genin present flocked over to them, pestering them with questions about the clan uniform and everything else under the moon. It was at that moment that she felt a hand touch her bare left arm and a chin rest on her left shoulder.
"And here I thought I was the one who needed to watch my back." A male voice said softly breathing lightly on her neck. "Unfortunately, I would prefer to be watching your back or maybe things further down than that."
Internally, she felt a shiver start to work up her spine and her breath started to quicken under the sensations his breath was making. Irritated that her body was betraying her, she calmed herself and spun around in her seat.
"Listen up runt. You…" Anko tried to verbally retaliate but found that her target had disappeared. It didn't help matters that the people near the table were looking at her strangely. Growling in annoyance, she quickly finished her sweet dumplings and stomped off looking for her opponent. As soon as she walked into the kitchen, the air shimmered near her chair as Chronos dropped his Kamereon Gaitou. All of a sudden, he felt a slight headache as memories flooded back into his brain. Especially painful was the experience of having one of his clones dispatched by a snake biting a very private area. Wincing, he hobbled over to the kitchen and saw Anko smirking as she leaned against the center island.
"I see the pansy-assed runt came running. What are you looking for, someone to kiss your boo-boo and make it all better??" the plum-haired temptress asked tauntingly.
"You would like that wouldn't you Anko?" He fired back.
"Don't get your hopes up, Romeo. We haven't gotten that far yet." She scoffed crossing her arms defiantly.
"You did say we had our first date a couple months ago." He responded raising his eyebrows. "I must have made an impression."
Anko laughed in his face. This guy must have a set of brass in order to keep trying this game with her. She thought it was best to start deflating his ego a bit, even though he did feel good a moment ago.
"Ever since we met, all you have done is gotten under my skin, nothing more. It may be fun playing around with you, but don't think that there is more than that." She answered, calming herself down to a serious tone.
Chronos kept a straight face but inside was wondering if her actions were being misinterpreted. 'Did the playing around, the teasing, and even that kiss mean anything? Was I just seeing too much?' The newest Jounin figured he would find out later, but maybe not tonight like he may have hoped. Anko couldn't help to see a twinge of disappointment creep into Chronos's face when he finally spoke.
"I see. Then perhaps I may have overstepped my bounds. Either way, I guess it is time to eat." He said as he made a few Kage Bunshins to round up the finished meal. "I hope you will still enjoy yourself tonight. Time to eat." With those words, he walked out the door leaving her contemplating what happened.
\\\\\
Everything seemed normal during the meal. Leaders were chatting politely with each other over affairs of state. The young Genin were having a good time simply enjoying a good meal and rambling about anything that came to mind. Even in this setting, the hidden tension was unmistakable, and it was not centered alone on the Snake Mistress and the Marine leader.
Hinata was even more quiet that usual. She knew that her time was approaching and she was not sure she could go through with it. Many concerns played out inside her mind.
'Am I ready for this? Will everyone like my singing? Will Naruto-kun like it? Can I even do this? Maybe I shouldn't go though with. Maybe I am not ready.'
While these thoughts were roaming in her head, a certain spiky-haired blond was merrily eating and talking with anyone who would feel like holding a conversation. Even during the conversations, he could see his friend across the table just picking at her food. Initially he thought she was not hungry or the food wasn't to her liking. He studied her for a few moments and finally picked up on what was happening. She was nervous and having her doubts and with each nervous twitch or fidget, he felt more and more compelled to comfort her. Noticing his plate was already cleaned off, he got out of his seat to take his plate into the kitchen. Hinata saw him and kept her gaze on him as he walked away. About halfway to his destination, he turned to look at her. With her complete attention, he motioned with his head to follow him. Seeing the confused look on her face, he repeated the action and finally she nodded and stood to follow, grabbing her plate.
Chronos and Sasuke were in a middle of a conversation regarding the young Uchiha's training when they noticed the Hyuuga heiress following Naruto into the kitchen. A simple knowing smirk crossed the parent's face and the two nodded with the same thought crossing their minds.
'Good luck Naruto.'
Kitchen
When Hinata walked through the door, she saw Naruto prepping the sink to wash his plate. Seeing the trash can in the corner of the room, she scraped off the food on her plate and sat the dirty dish next to his. He pointed to a cabinet.
"Would you mind grabbing a towel out of there? You could help me dry." He said with a smile.
With that smile of his, she knew he could convince her to do almost anything. It was so warm to her most times, even when it was one of his fake smiles she knew so well. She silently went and plucked a towel out of the cabinet while thinking about those smiles. The secret was the eyes. When it was a fake smile, those eyes seemed to dull into lifelessness. On those rare occasions when it was genuine, his eyes would brighten into two brilliant pools of water. How she longed to see those eyes all the time. The mere thought of it brought a slight blush to her face as she dried the first plate he washed.
"Feeling better?" Naruto asked, startling her badly enough for her to almost drop the plate. Seeing it unsteady in her grasp, he shot his hand out to support it, their fingertips barely touching. In an instant, her slight blush turned into a full-on mind-numbing sensation that made the pale-eyed kunoichi freeze.
'Calm down, Hinata. Breathe and relax. He wants an answer. Breathe. Breathe.'
"I… I'm fine Naruto-kun." She spoke in a near whisper.
Taking the dried plate, he walked over to another cabinet to put it away. "Good, but I don't see why you are so nervous for. I should be more nervous than you."
"Wh-why do you say that?" the heiress wondered gazing at her blonde idol. She never thought the person that always exuded such confidence and determination would admit to being nervous at anything.
"I've got two performances tonight. One is easy enough, but the other I recently decided on…" Naruto replied as he took up the other plate to scrub clean.
She was shocked to hear he was performing tonight as she was. She never knew he did anything in the performance arts. "Are you serious, Naruto-kun? What are you doing?"
"Originally, I was helping Otousan with playing an instrument." He smiled thinking of what was to come tonight. Remembering Hinata's nervousness and disappointment from the team selections and her kindness in the last few months reaffirmed the need to do something nice for her. "Something came up and I decided I wanted to sing a special song."
"I am singing tonight as well." She blurted out quickly.
"Well then, I have something to look forward to." He replied with a sweet smile that calmed her down. "Was your singing what had you so nervous??"
She could only nod as he'd already figured that part out. Her mind raced along as her gaze drifted to the floor. She didn't know what to do if he already figured out that the song was for him. Suddenly, she felt a warm damp hand gently lift her chin up. It was Naruto's and he lifted her eyes to his. He was giving the biggest grin that beamed confidence straight into her soul like the first rays on sunlight from the morning sun.
"I guess I will have to go first, that way you will see there is nothing to be nervous about." He stated with a bit of cheer. "Now how about we finish these dishes up?"
She barely squeaked out a confirmation before he removed his hand from her chin to go back to the soapy water in the sink. Taking a couple breaths to calm herself, she helped Naruto finish the dishes in silence. All the while, Hinata was replaying the scene in her mind, relishing the sensation from his touch and smile. Maybe if things went right, she would feel that caring warmth one more time very soon.
Ballroom
It was about an hour later before dinner and some brief mingling over tea was completed. A few Kage Bunshins from Naruto and Chronos cleaned up the tables while the original elder Uzumaki said goodbyes to the elders and Hokage. With everything back to the original weekend crowd, he took to the stage and the microphone.
"Now that we got all of the old timers gone, it is time to get this party going. A little bit back, a few of us thought my singing was rather good. I figured if I was going to sing, everyone was, so welcome to karaoke night."
Kakashi put his book back in his pouch with Asuma, Kurenai, and Anko looking up from their small side conversation to peer at the Jounin. Most of the young Genin were excited, knowing his singing was quite good. One young Hyuuga was still nervous but caught Naruto's smile and nod as she looked at him.
"I have set a group of songs and their lyrics on my laptop, so if anyone feels like singing..." Chronos asked.
Naruto's hand shot up first before Sakura and Ino could get their hands in the air. Both girls growled as their moment was postponed. The blonde Uzumaki strode up to the stage confidently while most of the group was shocked or laughing openly.
"You got to be kidding me. There is no way you can sing, fox-boy." Kiba taunted.
Naruto spun quickly to respond. "Watch and learn, dog-breath." Turning back on his heel, he quickly whispered in his Otousan's ear. Laughing playfully, Chronos selected the song and set the timer, then walked off stage.
Talking a calming breath, he looked out to the crowd and locked eyes with the girl he wanted to sing for. 'This should help her confidence.'
"This song I thought of for a friend and for how I strive to be."
Hinata gasped when he spoke those words. 'Could this song be for me??'
At that moment, the metal guitar started and the simple drum beat set the tone of a mellow tune.
"Someone falls to pieces Yeah, and to be yourself is all that you can do
Sleeping all alone
Someone kills the pain
Spinning in the silence
To finally drift away
Someone gets excited
In a chapel yard
Catches a bouquet
Another lays a dozen
White roses on a grave
Hey, to be yourself is all that you can do"
As Naruto sang the first verse, some of the onlookers' eyes grew wide in amazement and surprise. None of the group ever heard him do anything but pranks and be a mere loud annoyance. After a few weeks with Chronos, he seemed to temper his mood but no way could anyone translate this to the strong but soothing vocals he wove. The beat picked up as Naruto flung himself into the next verse.
"Someone finds salvation in everyone And To be yourself is all that you can do, yeah
And another only pain
Someone tries to hide themself
Down inside himself he prays
Someone swears his true love
Until the end of time
Another runs away
Separate or united
Healthy or insane?
To be yourself is all that you can do all that you can do...
To be yourself is all that you can do all that you can do
Hey, to be yourself is all that you can do"
Kakashi grinned under his mask, learning once again that his pupil was really the most unpredictable person in the village. Ino and Sakura were shocked that the blonde baka could do anything this wonderful. They watched in wonder at the boy they thought they knew. Sasuke and Chronos sat to the side and watched the reaction of one person in particular.
Hinata was practically swooning. She swore his voice was not only powerful but warm. Hearing the words he sang, she instantly recalled his words from a few hours ago.
'"Ever since I met Chronos and started living with Sasuke, I actually had more real smiles. There is a reason why. I can be myself. Maybe that is all you need to do as well." Naruto stated as he started to hum a simple wavy tune. Hinata took a step back to look at him fully as he turned to her stopping the melody. "I actually can be myself around you too. I should thank you for that more than the flowers."'
"Even when you've paid enough But to be yourself is all that you can do, yeah
Been pulled apart
Or been held up
Every single memory of the good or bad
Faces of Luck
Don't lose any sleep tonight
I'm sure everything will end up alright
You may win or lose
To be yourself is all that you can do
Oh, To be yourself is all that you can do all that you can do
Hey, to be yourself is all that you can do all that you can do...
To be yourself is all that you can
Be yourself is all that you can
Be yourself is all that you can do"
As he finished the song, she realized this was what he planned on doing all along, ever since the day teams were assigned.
"Hey Hinata, have I ever thanked you for your help with my plants??" Naruto asked slyly.
Hinata broke out of her doldrums to look at her crush. She looked through her memories and failed to recall a moment, so she shook her head in the negative.
"Well then Hinata, at the party…" he said looking at her intently. Hinata held her breath slightly.
"I guess I will." Naruto finished with a warm smile. Hinata melted inside as she soaked in the warmth from his smile. She never broke from her daze until a red-eyed woman shook her slightly.
"Wake up, Hinata. It is time to go." Kurenai stated.
With the final word and note sung, she looked longingly into his eyes relishing in the previous memory. She knew every bit of that song was meant for her, to thank her by helping her. Neither of them could hear the applause from the rest of the crowd. All she noticed was him mouthing 'Arigato' to her. All he saw was the smile and blush from her while she poked her index fingers together in a move he thought was cute.
Sasuke and Chronos caught that exchange between the two of them and merely shook their heads.
"And here I thought it would take a while for Naruto to get to this point. I bet he could get a kiss from her if he wanted." Sasuke whispered with a knowing smirk.
"Good thing too. I didn't want to end up pushing him into something." Chronos replied quietly as he walked back to the stage. He was about to take the microphone from Naruto's hand when a small hand beat him to it.
"I think it would be best for me to go next, right Chronos-san?" Hinata asked, not once removing her eyes from Naruto.
'I guess that worked.' Naruto thought. 'It looks like she got her confidence up and is ready to go, but why all of a sudden is it getting harder to breathe?'
Noticing the bold confidence from his one-time pupil and the sudden nervousness in his son, he could only nod and drag Naruto off stage. "This way, lover boy. Let the young lady have the spotlight."
As the crowd settled back down and the couple Kage Bunshins dressed like waiters passed out drinks, Hinata took a breath and selected the song she wanted to sing. One she wanted to sing. Then the piano started and she focused on the words to sing. As soon as the bass guitar and the cymbals hit, she was ready to sing and looked directly at Naruto, ready to pour everything she had into the lyrics.
"You don't remember me but I remember you
I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you
But who can decide what they dream
And dream I do...
I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you
To live to breathe
You're taking over me"
The crowd was blown away by the hauntingly beautiful voice that the seemingly frail girl had. No one could manage to keep their jaws from slamming into the floor. Two people in particular were shocked by the display as she continued with the song.
"Have you forgotten all I know and all we had
You saw me mourning my love for you and touched my hand
I knew you loved me then
I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you
To live to breathe
You're taking over me"
Kurenai noticed that every word seemed to gain strength and feeling and even though she played the crowd, she always came back to look at her blond crush.
'I never thought Hinata would show this much confidence or open emotion toward Naruto.' She mused as her vision turned to the Uzumaki. 'Just looking at him, it seems he is waking up to her feelings.'
Naruto was lost in the moment, gaping at the beauty in front of him singing her heart out. He was stunned from the first note but proud at the same time. He was hoping to lift her spirits and give her some confidence in herself. What he got was so much more. Not only could he see the emotions she had, he could feel them. All it did was confuse him more until she finished the song staring directly at him as if he was the only one in the room.
"I look in the mirror and see your face
If I look deep enough
So many things inside that are just like you are taking over
I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you
To live to breathe
You're taking over me
I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you
To live to breathe
You're taking over me
Taking over me
Your Taking Over Me
Taking over me
Taking over me"
As the song ended, only one word stood out in Naruto's mind. It kept repeating itself over and over even as he applauded her glorious performance along with everyone else present. The word uttered in his consciousness was heightened when she bowed to the crowed and walked off-stage towards him, blushing the whole way.
'Beautiful.'
He couldn't think of anything else but how stunning she looked while singing, how her voice seemed to just warm his heart, and how every other idea of what beauty was seemed diminished next to Hinata. So distracted he was that he did not notice a tapping on his shoulder.
Slightly perturbed at the daze Naruto was trapped, Sasuke spun him around and shoved a pair of bongos in his hands. "It's time knucklehead. One last performance to go."
Waking out of his thoughts, Naruto quickly strapped the percussion instruments to his chest and gave Sasuke a thumbs-up.
"Ano Naruto-kun. What did you think?" Hinata asked as she watched Sasuke and Chronos take the stage with their guitars.
His smile seemed not only to be genuine but the largest one ever seen in Konoha history. "By Kami, that was so amazing Hinata. You got to do that again sometime!" the blond gleefully replied. "I would want to say more, but it is show time and I'd rather not keep sour-puss waiting." Naruto finished pointing at his aniue.
She watched him bound up to the stage basking in the praise he gave her. 'He thought I was amazing? He actually wanted to hear me sing again?' She ran over again and again in her mind as her heart raced to heights she never felt before. Taking a few breaths to calm herself, she settled in for the next song.
Chronos got to the mike and scanned the room. Finally spotting his targeted audience of one, he smiled knowingly at Anko. She noticed Chronos was staring at her as if she was the purpose for the next song and her curiosity rose.
"This next song will be done completely on our own. I had a yearning at one time to become a Mariachi, which is a singing guitarist. Hopefully everyone likes this song. Don't be afraid to clap along or even dance to this song."
Sasuke and Chronos took a couple tentative plucks on their acoustic guitars before starting with the song. Chronos started with the guitar in a simple set of chords with Sasuke filling the gaps with a lighter set of chords. After the first exchange, Naruto picked up a quick beat with the bongos cuing Chronos to start singing.
"Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell.
It was love from above, that could save me from hell.
She had fire in her soul it was easy to see,
How the devil himself could be pulled out of me.
There were drums in the air as she started to dance,
Every soul in the room keeping time with there hands.
And we sang…"
With the chorus coming Sasuke joined in with singing as Naruto started to dance in time with the beat he provided. Just the display seemed to move people, including the lazy Shikamaru, to sway and move in their seats.
"Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices rang like the angels sing,
And singing…
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night,
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night."
At that part, something seemed to stir in the women in the room. Every one of them, except for Anko, got out of their seats and started to dance. Kurenai grabbed Asuma and took him on a whirlwind dance through the ballroom, leaving the chain smoker dazed and confused. Ino and Sakura approached the front of the stage and started to dance in front of Sasuke while Hinata timidly stood in awe in front of Naruto.
"Like a piece to the puzzle that falls into place,
You could tell how we felt from the look on our faces.
We was spinning in circles with the moon in our eyes,
No room left to move in between you and I.
We forgot where we were and we lost track of time,
And we sang to the wind as we danced through the night.
And we sang…
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices rang like the angels sing,
And singing…
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night.
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night."
Suddenly Sasuke started in a furious solo with his guitar, the chords filling the air with a playful melody that the two fan-girls of his adored. Naruto joined in with his bongos while sitting at the edge of the stage. With a motion of his head, he beckoned the heiress to sit next to him. Initially, she was unsure of herself, but a gentle nudge for Kurenai as she danced by brought her to Naruto's side.
Chronos was starting to feel like his efforts were not going to be rewarded, until he felt a firm but warm and silky hand pull him down to the dance floor. Anko started to do a more seductive and flirty dance around him, ensuring her half-skirt flared with every kick and twirl. He could feel the heat generated from her motions and almost missed the end of the solo. Recovering, he started a rapid clap that even those that weren't dancing picked up, except for Kakashi and Shikamaru, who couldn't put forth that sort of effort. With nothing but the clapping, the song continued with Anko savoring Chronos's vocals once again.
"Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell.
It was love from above, that could save me from hell.
She had fire in her soul it was easy to see,
How the devil himself could be pulled out of me.
There were drums in the air as she started to dance,
Every soul in the room keeping time with there hands.
And we sang…"
In a ending flourish the guitars and bongos picked up again. Anko seemed to take this as a cue to try to dance as close as she could to Chronos. She spun behind him and pressed her back and hips into him, letting the guitar player soak in her warmth. Hinata herself swayed in time with the blond percussionist. Both of the men seemed empowered by their companions, which fueled the music. Coming to the end of the song, all three of budding musicians were singing.
"Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices rang like the angels sing.
And singing…
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night.
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night, (And the voices rang like the angels sing).
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night."
Suddenly, the guitars and bongos stopped as the trio looked into the women's eyes that were dancing or sitting near them. Sasuke seemed a bit indifferent but pleased at the performance, while Chronos and Naruto relished every bit of it. Finally, the trio finished the song with one last chorus.
"Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
(Ay oh ay oh),
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
(Ay oh ay oh),
Singing ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
(Ay oh ay oh),
And we danced on into the night…"
Sakura and Ino shrieked and started jumping for joy, mumbling incoherent statements about Sasuke-kun's prowess as a musician, much to Sasuke's dismay. Hinata seemed a bit light-headed when she finally realized how close she was to Naruto and what she just did. Luckily for her, her crush caught her as she fainted. By this time, he was well versed in how to take care of a fainting girl.
Anko on the other hand was not as flustered but a bit more heated than the Hyuuga. It had been a long time since she actually danced and she enjoyed it immensely. It didn't help matters that when she was so close to Chronos, she could feel how finely built he was in many ways, not just in regular muscle. Recalling those moments brought a warm tingling sensation to her midsection and left her slightly flustered. Chronos saw this and realized she was as stimulated as he was from the intoxicating smell coming from her perfume and shampoo, as well as the memory of her touch.
Looking into her eyes, there was only one response that fit the moment for him.
"So Anko, was it good for you too?"
(A/N): As I promised, business is going to pick up in the next few chapters. Also, there is only two more spots that I will incorporate songs into the story, and I have those specifically planned. Get ready because things you thought you knew will not be the same here.
Finally, I truly appreciate all those who have read, reviewed, and even selected me as a favorite author. It truly is a blessing when an artist's first real work is received in such a welcoming fashion. I don't think 8700 hits, 90 reviews, and 30 alerts can be bad.
(2nd A/N): Due to popular request, here is the songs that I used for this story.
Taking Over Me by Evanescence
Into the Night by Carlos Santana and Chad Kroeger
Be Yourself by Audioslave