Disclaimers: no. and no.
My Ramblings: i am sososo sorry, guys. i totally meant to get this out on friday, but i didn't.. due to me being an idiot and staying up uber late (basically all night) and then sleeping most of the day and then forgetting about putting up chapter twenty-five. waaah! i feel bad. =c
BUT ON A HAPPIER NOTE… six more reviews until 200. (asdfjkl. why do you people still read this fanfic? i love youuu! …legit. you guys totally make my life with your reviews.) ;] AND THEN WE CAN PARTY, YESS? oh, btw… CLAY HEARTS HAS OVER 10,000 HITS! omaiomai.
(lol, i've had an outline for chapter 24 to chapter 27… and lately, most of these chapters aren't going along with it. although, most of it is better than what I had originally planned. thus far.)
pwease review. cookies and ramen all around! ^_^''
p.s. i listened to "Watch Me Bleed" by Scary Kids Scaring Kids (number one song that makes me cry) while writing the talk between Naruto and Jiraiya. Then I listened to "Holding On" by them as well during Jiraiya's little speech. *siiigh* sorry if Naruto (and Jiraiya) seemed OOC.
p.p.s. i like this chapter. =3 and sorry for barely any Sakura or Deidara-ness!
Clay Hearts
Chapter Twenty-Five:
Veracity
"Naruto, I have a mission for you."
Just at those simple seven words, the whiskered-boy's eyes brightened up. "What is it? What is it?" he said, bouncing back and forth, trying to look at the papers in Shizune's hands.
Said woman sighed a bit, "Now," she began, "I know it may not be of the ranking you'd prefer. And, uhm," Shizune mentally slapped herself for babbling so much, "We're short on ninja lately, you see," Shizune stumbled along. She really hated to be the one to give Naruto his missions—especially if they weren't "at least A-ranked" or up.
Naruto still was oblivious to the obvious hints being dropped that it wasn't going to be something he'd quite enjoy. "What is it? What is it?" he asked.
"Well," she drawled, wishing time would just stop, "It's a D-Ranked mission." Naruto's face immediately fell. Before he could protest or interrupt her, she continued, "You have to clean the lake by the old Uchiha district."
The whiskered-boy's face twitched at the mention of "Uchiha" but then he sighed dramatically. "Shizune-saaan. That mission sucks!"
Shizune kept a tight smile on her face and shrugged. The apprehension of what this kid might do is almost as bad as what Tsunade-sama would do. "You are to start as soon as possible."
"But that lake is big! And-And, uhm, don't I get any help?"
"Naruto, as I stated before, we're limited on ninja at the moment."
Another sigh—but this time it was because the "limited on ninja" comment made him think of Kakashi-sensei. "Alright, alright."
Ten minutes after that—when Naruto was out of the Hokage Tower and arriving at the lake he's to clean—the boy screamed, "What the crap, Shizune? You're as bad as Granny-Tsunade!" As he stared at the lake's surface, he blanched at the sight of it. It was completely dark and algae filled—and WTF is that a stuffed llama floating in there? Poor Mr. Llama…
-x-x-x-
Around this time, the four-man team (consisting of Sasori, Tobi, Deidara and myself) were leaving Tanigakure. We had stayed for an extra day—due to Sasori and his puppet love—but now we were going.
Right now, I was packing some of the new supplies we bought into my pack. Some of the stuff we didn't even need, thus I figured that Tobi had bought them. Although, I was secretly glad that he had bought some pocky.
As soon as I was heaving the pack over my shoulders, a man passed by. He kept walking, but then he did a double take. At first I thought it was just because of my hair—that happened often—but then I realized that I had changed the color.
"You! Are you Sakura Haruno?" he questioned rather loudly.
Oh. Crap. "No," I replied.
"But she has pink hair and you…"
Oh. Double crap. I quickly pulled down a strand of hair that was part of my bangs and I swore. I had forgotten to change my hair color back to the blonde color from before! I had changed it back to pink when we ended up staying the night (I blame Sasori and Tobi) in some inn—the same frigging inn I stayed in from before (and the beds were still too firm—and now I was caught. My hair pink.
"Oi, Princess! What are you doing that's taking so long?" Deidara shouted over the crowd.
I whipped my—pink—head around to see Deidara. I tried my best to convey through my eyes that someone has found me out. He didn't seem to get it. He didn't really notice my hair was a different shade from what it was supposed to be—or maybe he did like the pink better and was just used to it.
"Sasori and Tobi are waiting by the gates for us, hmm."
Glancing at the man that recognized me, I saw the look in his eye. He was going to tell. (Gah. Sounds like Academy Days all over again. But whatever!) Or he was going to start up some rally to try and catch me.
"You are Sakura Haruno," he said, stating the obvious.
I gave out some nervous laughter before dashing away and dragging Deidara by the hand with me. "You stupid, stupid, idiot!" I whisper-yelled at him. "That guy has found out the truth of who I am."
"You don't call me—W-Wait, what? Oh. Oh, dang." But then the blonde shrugged, "It always worst the first time, hmm."
Now it was my turn to stutter and question. "What?"
"For being recognized the first time, you know," he emitted nervous laughter himself as he noticed what the double meaning for her words could be. "Yeah, uhm…"
"Let'sjusthurry," I rushed in front of him—so he wouldn't see the pink creeping up my face. Stupid blonde for saying something like that!
Just proves that you're pervert. My Inner was wiping away random, happy anime tears, I'm so happy that I finally got to you!
Oh, shut up. I'm still better than you.
You are—
I'm the one who actually walks the earth, stupid-face.
I technically do. (And you just called yourself a stupid-face.)
In my head. As some freaky alter-ego thing.
Well, our forehead can fit two personalities, I believe.
You just insulted yourself, you know.
And you, she grinned.
Before I knew it (idiot Inner-self), Deidara and I were in front of Tobi and Sasori. Or, more like, the orange-masked man crushed us in a hug spouting things about how he missed "Sakura-chaaaan" and "Deidara-senpaaiii." Alright. I gave him two seconds to get off. One… Two. I punched his face and he started screaming about his nose, albeit he was off of Deidara and me. (Yay!)
"What are you two doing?" Sasori questioned slowly, glancing at our clasped hands.
I immediately jerked my hand away at the same time as Deidara did, a light blush on my face that I tried to make disappear. Before I could say anything, Deidara spoke for me.
"Sakura's been found out, hmm."
Sasori only had to look at me and my hair to see why. "That was moronic of you."
"Shut up, you-you… ragamuffin," I quipped as we passed the gates, starting our true mission once again.
The redhead's eyebrows raised in what seemed to be amusement. "Ragamuffin?"
I nodded as I changed my hair color again to a dark brown that complimented my eyes. "You know it," I mumbled. "Be offended."
Deidara chuckled beside me, as we now were jumping from tree branch to tree branch. He tossed me my black and red cloak. That reminded me that I was lucky not to have been seen wearing the cloak. Nor did any of the other members wear their Akatsuki cloak during our little adventure in the Tani thankfully.
I nodded my thanks (I almost forgot the article of clothing), but did not put it on yet because I didn't feel like stopping to do so, plus, none of the others had their own on. I shoved it in my messenger bag easily enough—since it was well-folded surprisingly—without too much trouble.
My green eyes glanced over at Deidara again, admiring him almost as he ran along. Without his long, dark cloak on, I could see his muscles and physique much better. I felt my face get warmer at the thought. He really is cute, I thought absentmindedly.
Finally! Inner-Me shouted with glee, Something we agree on.
Wha-What are you talking about? I stuttered stupidly—in my freaking thoughts.
You think he's pretty~
Yeah… so? A lot of guys are pretty and handsome and… stuff.
He's different and you know it, she threw at me.
No, he isn't…
My alter-ego simpered, Keep the lies up, darling.
I ignored her as I continued to look at the blue-eyed man via peripheral vision. He looked so casual, even if he knew that he was on a mission to go capture a demon. I still couldn't exactly comprehend it—because of Naruto.
Naruto… Oh, no. I can't think of him now! If I do… then I can't complete this mission. And I have to. It's to gain the Akatsuki's trust. (Right?) I could almost smell the ramen in the air and the air constricting hugs that the Jinchuuriki gave me. I missed him.
"So where to now, hmm?" Deidara asked, breaking me out of my reveries.
Sasori glanced over at the blonde and then looked forward, "Takigakure."
-x-x-x-
Jiraiya, one of the three Sannins, the great Toad Sage, and the self-proclaimed Super Pervert, was walking along a trail that led past the old Uchiha housing when he saw Naruto looking rather down walking. Even though it was dark out—and he was getting old, dangit! (not that he'd ever admit it)—he could tell that the fox-boy was upset about something.
"Oi!" he shouted. "Naruto! Come here."
Aforementioned boy looked up and eyes slightly brightened when he saw his favorite old man pervert. (Kakashi ranked up there, too. ["Naruto Uzumaki, I am not old." "Sure, sure. Whatever you say Kakashi-sensei. …You old pervert." "Naruto!"]) "Ero-sennin!" he whooped, running towards the man.
The Sannin gave the young man a scrutinizing look. Behind Naruto's smiling face and eyes, he could see the dullness of the blue orbs and how the smile looked more stretched—more fake—across his face.
Jiraiya threw a smile on his own face and inquired, "Want some ramen, boy?"
His face cheered up a bit, "Do I?" Naruto asked, about incredulous. "Yesyesyesyesyes!" the blonde exclaimed, mashing his words together.
Soon enough, they both found their way to Ichiraku's. Naruto, of course, shoveled down ramen as Jiraiya's wallet—sooner than later—began to empty. The latter decided that it was about time to ask Naruto what was wrong as they were eating.
"So, Naruto…" he began, seeing that the owners of the ramen stand were now in the back, unhearing and unseeing.
Said man looked up at his teacher with noodles hanging from his mouth and eyes wide, "Yesh, Erwo-Sehneen?" He swallowed deeply, "What's it?"
The white-haired man was going to come at the situation slowly, but then he realized that it was Naruto Uzumaki he was talking to. He didn't need to do such a thing. "Why are you upset, Naruto?"
He let out a short, breathy laugh, "Well, Shizune-san gave me a stupid D-Rank mission. I had to clean the whole Uchiha," he paused a little without realizing it, thinking about a man that he claimed to be his best friend that held that surname, "lake. By myself! And it was disgusting and green!" He mock-vomited.
The Sannin thought to himself that that couldn't be the only thing getting the poor boy down. Yes, that sounded like a horrendous mission for just one shinobi… but Naruto wasn't just any shinobi. He was the ninja that would never give up in any situation—even in situations so much worse than that. To him, that would be nothing, except a disgusting and boring mission. There was proof that he doesn't give up.
He never gave up on Sasuke—even after all of these years. He hasn't given up on Sakura; he still believes in her.
And at the moment, Jiraiya deemed that Naruto was probably the only one that hasn't given up on those two. Some people, like Shizune and himself, still have hope for Sakura that maybe she didn't—it just wasn't like the pink-haired medic. But did they believe her all the way? (Did they have hope in Sasuke?) No. No one did…
Except Naruto.
"But," his face suddenly sobered up, seemingly to be in his own world, "I don't know… Nevermind." He gave out a nervous, almost sad laugh.
"Naruto, you can tell me," Jiraiya stated truthfully. He watched as the someday-Hokage's eyes began to glisten over with tears.
He spoke quietly, almost a whisper. "I miss her, Ero-sennin…"
Jiraiya then put his large hand on Naruto's back, as to comfort him. "I know," he sighed.
"I just want Team Seven to be like it was in the beginning. Everyone's gone now except for me!" his voice rose, then lowered to a whisper again as he said, "Everyone's gone." A pause. "I've only truly wanted two things in my life. To become Hokage… and to have a family."
"Naruto…" the Toad Sage murmured. He felt as if he was watching his student bleed.
The young man spoke as if he didn't hear Jiraiya. "And then I got a chance at one! A family: me! Team Seven," he smiled sadly. "Everything was perfect. I had a dad, a sister, and a brother.
"Then Sasuke left. But I thought, 'Hey! Everything'll be all right as long as Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, and I stick together!' But then Sakura," the blonde unknowingly put his hand to his heart, "she left, too. I was going to get her back, with Kakashi's help, and then things would maybe be back to normal. But then Kakashi-sensei… He…"
A tear rolled down his cheek, surprising him a bit, as he gritted his teeth. "I-I…" Naruto struggled with his words, trying to say more things. More things that would only hurt more when spoken outloud. Because when you actually say those things, it's like a huge realization hitting you, hurting you. "I—"
"Naruto!" Jiraiya did not shout, but said firmly, as he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. He didn't know what to say really. Therefore, he just opened his mouth and let words flow. "It'll be okay, I… promise. The world was never perfect and it never will be. But we just have to try our best to get through this life of wrong." He took a moment to breathe and lower his voice, "Sasuke may never come back and Sakura might actually be a criminal, but you can't let that get to you. I'm not saying ninjas do not have emotion. Of course they do! Have you ever seen any of the Hokages? They sure as hell have some emotion.
"But Sasuke might come home. And Sakura could be telling the truth and come home, too. And… we can't bring people back to life, Naruto. Kakashi… Well, he's in a better place now, alright? Don't let go of that hope—keep holding on."
Naruto rubbed a hand over his face, wiping away tears and a runny nose. He attacked Jiraiya in a hug as he mumbled, "Thanks, Ero-sennin." Jiraiya patted the boy's back, albeit awkwardly, and didn't say anything. He didn't feel as if he needed to say anything more.
But all of the sudden, his heightened chakra senses took note of a powerful chakra moving by (Naruto's was right beside him so he knew it wasn't him—plus it wasn't as potent as the Jinchuuriki's.) It wasn't familiar and it seemed deadly.
"Ero-sennin?" Naruto questioned, noticing how Jiraiya seemed tense now, backing away from him.
"Sorry, Naruto," Jiraiya threw on a smile, "I have to be somewhere. Here," he tossed him his wallet that had enough for a few more bowls.
Blue eyes widened as he yelled his thanks. Jiraiya grinned at the sight of the boy bellowing, "Alright! Three more bowls of ramen, please!" as he pulled money from his teacher's wallet.
However, his grin soon turned into a determined frown. He needed to tell Shizune about the chakra signature he sensed. Something seemed off about it, although familiar. And that's what worried him the most.
-x-x-x-
Meanwhile, the council of Tanigakure got together and started speaking about what a certain villager had told them.
"He told us that she had pink hair—it has to be that Haruno woman."
"Didn't someone report seeing someone who has pink hair a month or two ago?" someone asked as he looked at his notes.
"That was before we were told that she was wanted missing-nin."
One council member spoke quietly, as if to himself more, "The villager said she was with some blonde who said something about a Sasori and a Tobi, didn't she?" He tapped his pencil on the table thoughtfully, "I swear I've heard those names before," he mumbled.
Someone inquired: "What should we do? If it really was her…?"
There was a silence around the room that wasn't broken for a minute or so. Everyone just stared idly at their own notes or at walls.
Finally, a woman from the council broke the thick quiet. "She's from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, yes?" Most nodded and she soon continued, "Send a messenger bird to Konoha and tell them what the citizen told us. She's from Konoha, so let them deal with her."
They all nodded rapidly once again and someone went off to annex a bird to fly to aforesaid village.
"What will happen then?" a council member questioned.
No one answered him because no one really knew.
A/N: alrighty. don't forget to vote on my poll! you only have a week or two left until i make my final-final decision! ;D
Review! (gosh, I've realized how desperate it makes me/us sound when i/we beg for reviews all the time. [i put it in italics! IfreakingTALICS. gaaasp.] *shrugs* they make me/us so amazingly happy and proud. =3 ) lessthanthree.
and guess who belongs to this potent chakra around/in Konoha? ;] it's not that hard.