Naruto frowned.
Naruto sighed.
As he looked at his sister's uncomfortable expression, he knew she was having a nightmare but he didn't — couldn't — wake her up. He tried numerous times already but she just wouldn't wake up. No matter what he tried, she was locked away in her nightmare.
He didn't know what she was seeing right now. What she was experiencing but he knew that it was something horrible. Something terrible enough to scare his beloved twin. Was she remembering the time she was kidnapped or when they argued? God, please tell him it's not that.
Naruto felt awful just thinking about it. His sister always putsherself in danger because. Of. Him. Why wouldn't he feel awful? It's because of him why she's in pain, why this was happening, right? It's because of him why she's suffering.
The Uzumaki clenched his fist. No, don't think that way. If she was, then wouldn't she tell him? Naruto can't lose sight of his path. Of his goals. He will protect his sister, his friends and this village. How can he be Hokage if he can't even help his sister?
"Nee-san, I'll promise you that you never have to suffer because of me. I'll grow stronger and make you see that I'm the greatest ninja alive, dattebayo! And then, when I become Hokage, you'll be my right-hand woman and we'll be the strongest duo! So... So get better soon, Nee-san." He said, even though he knew it will fall on deaf ears.
He plopped back down to his seat and devoured the ramen he brought. His sister has always been there for him, always supporting him, she is always by his side. She is a constant in his life. He slurped up the last of his ramen and wiped the sauce off of his face with his sleeve.
"I bet you're hungry, ttebayo! I bought you dango so you better wake up soon! I might eat it all up, kay, nee-san?" He was answered by her even breathing. The grin on his face curved down as he slumped over his seat. "I wish that you're awake." It has been a week since she fell into this comatose state.
The door creaked open and Naruto raised his head in an instant. "Ah, Pervy Sage, what are you doing here?!" Jiraiya sweat dropped. Why couldn't he get used to with his new nickname? "Yo, kid. How's your sister doing?" And then, the slightest light in Naruto's eyes dimmed as he, once again, slumped over his seat.
Jiraiya's eyes soften at this. He really cares about his sister, just like he is to her.He plopped down something on the small table nearNaruto. The loud sound caught the blonde's attention as he peeked at whatever it is.
"I know ya just ate ramen but I think you need more. You only ate twobowl since this morning." His eyes caught sight of two empty bowls. He expected a grin, heexpected the blonde to jump around in joy. He didn't expect to see him more dejected than earlier. "I dun wanna eat anymore without nee-san, ttebayo."
The sage rubbed his nape, wondering how he was going to cheer the blonde up. He had never handled such a dejected kid before, not even his former students were like this one. "Listen kid, I know you're super worried about your sister. That doesn't mean you can't eat. If you don't eat, what will your sister do?"
The blonde felt a shiver ran down his spine. Jiraiya smirked at the reaction he got from Naruto. "Now eat, you brat." The Uzumaki pouted but complied to his demand anyways. Halfway through the first bowl, both occupants froze when they heard a groan.
Naruto quickly set his bowl down and went right to Shira's side. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and Naruto looked absolutely ecstatic. "Nee-san, are you alright?" She gave him a small smile, making the blonde boy relax. He was glad. "How long... was I out?"
"You've been out for a week, brat." Jiraiya saw her look at him —hereyeslookedsodeadsolifelesswhatdidsheseewhathappenedwheresthatspitfireofagirlhemetcantnarutoseeherlifelesseyesohgod — and he grinned. "Hungry?" Her stomach growled as she nodded. Naruto helped her sit down as Jiraiya handed her a bowl of ramen.
She was silent for a few minutes as she ate ramen before setting her chopsticks down, catching her visitor's attention. "Naru-naru, can I talk to Jiraiya-sama alone?" He was about to protest when she looked at him pleading eyes. "Please?" Naruto closed his mouth.
What did she want to talk about with the Pervy Sage? Hesitantly, he nodded. "Okay, nee-san." With his pouting expression, he suddenly felt something poking his cheeks. "Don't look so sad. It'll be fast, promise." She sent him a small smile and he happily left the room, not knowing of what's about to come.
Then, Naruto's thoughts wandered back to his sister's expression when she woke up. Her once vibrant eyes looks so dead, like those creepy dolls he sees in stores. He didn't like that expression permanently fixed onto her face. He absolutely hates it.
It doesn't suite his sister.
Not at all.
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The next few days were spent at the park. Team Seven took a week's leave after their last mission and Kakashi forced Tsunade to keep him in the village within that time. Shira has been unresponsive for the most part. Team Seven has been threading on thin ice around her.
She looked so fragile. Haku didn't have time. He was now an active Shinobiof the leaf but he would drop by time to time to check up on his friends. He was worried. All of them were. Shira felt so distant ever since their last mission, Sakura noted. Though, she thought that their relationship would still remain the same, if not for that Genjutsu attack.
Sasuke has been irritable and would snap at the simplest of things.
Kakashi is always in the shadow.
Naruto's smile seemed force these past few days and he wasn't as cheerful as he usually is.
Sakura... Sakura felt that their team is slowly falling apart. Because of this undesirable occurrences that keeps happening, everyone was so distant. The pinkette didn't know what to do. She has always been content with their relationship, content that knowing they will never drift apart like most.
She was wrong on that aspect. If she knew something like this would happen to them, she would have planned out sooner how to fix this.
A hawk circled above them, making them look up. They heard soft thuds and found Shira landing on the ground from the branch. "I'm being summoned. I'll be back as soon as I can." No one spoke as she flashed away.
The female Uzumaki seemed so far.
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Team Seven gathered at their usual training ground the following day. They were waiting on Kakashi, and surprisingly, Shira. "Hey, Naruto, where's Shira-kun?" The pinkette asked. Naruto frowned and said, "She wasn't in her room earlier, ttebayo so I thought she was already here."
"She's obviously not, dobe." The Uchiha snapped and glared at the blonde. "What did you say, teme?!" Sakura fidgeted in her spot. "Hn." Sasuke's response made Naruto irritated further. The Uzumaki leaped towards Sasuke so suddenly that it took the Uchiha off guard as he fell to the ground.
The pinkette stared at them with fearful eyes as they started fighting. They weren't supposed to fight! They were supposed to worry together, help each other and not fight one another! Sakura felt her eyes water. Why is her team falling apart?
Her eyes never strayed away from the intense fury painting Naruto's and Sasuke's features. As if they were trying to kill each other! However, her heart momentarily stopped when they both crouched down facing each other about a couple of feetaway.
Sakura sensed chakra being concentrated in their hand and she knew then thatthey really were trying to kill each other. She quickly thought up a plan as she performed the necessary hand seals for her jutsu. Her eyes never straying away from her teammates.
The charged at each other at the same time with Chidori and Rasengan in their hand. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" They were only about a few centimeters away from each other, hands stretched out with their most powerful jutsu.
Sakura hoped she made it in time. A loud explosion erupted and dirt dust clouded her vision. Sakura hoped and hoped that they didn't kill each other. Once the smokescreen subsided, she found Sasuke and Naruto sprawled on their backs with her Earth Wall destroyed.
Sakura let out a sigh of relief. She did make it in time.Thank goodness, she thought in relief. Not long after, Kakashi appeared. His eyes widened from the destruction this training field suffered.
His gaze landed on his students. Sakura was panting but unharmed whereas his other two students were sprawled on their backs, cuts and bruises littering their body. When he saw no scorched marks in the area and saw no disturbance in the grass near him, he knew what jutsu they used.
And he was absolutely livid.
"Naruto... Sasuke... are you two trying to kill each other by aimingRasengan and Chidori to your ally?" His voice remained lazy sounding but underneath, they knew he was furious. The two young teens looked away. Kakashi sighed, at leastnone of them were heavily injured.
"Sasuke, I created the Chidori not to use against comrades but to help them." Sasuke heard him but didn't reply. "Naruto, that Rasengan must never be pointed at your friends. The Fourth Hokage didn't invent that for that kind of usage." He knew he was being a jerk by mentioning the Yondaime but he knew he has to say it.
"Did you two hear me?" Naruto meekly nodded while Sasuke grumbled. Meanwhile, Sakura looked absolutely relieved. "Um, sensei, where's... where's Shira-kun?" The innocent question filled the air. Once again, Kakashi sighed. "I was going to inform you earlier but I got lost on the path of life."
The jounin sweat dropped when he received glares. Maybe it's not the right time to joke. "Shira-chan is being assigned to do missions with fellow Chuunin as her skills are needed. She'll be busy and she won't be joining us for some time. When the leaf manages to go back on the track before the invasion, only then will she come back."
The news didn't sit well with them, Kakashi knew because even he was disturbed when he was informed.
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When Naruto woke up the next day and went to the kitchen, he saw his sister, who he hadn't seen since yesterday. "Nee-san, good morning!" He greeted with a grin. He received a small smile in return and he noticed the dark rings around her eyes.
"Where are you going so early, ttebayo?"
"Sorry, Naru. I have a mission to get to." He frowned at the news. "Can't you stay a little bit longer?" He felt lonely. He fell asleeplate last night while waiting for his sister to come home. "I'm sorry, little brother. I can't do that."
"Then... when you come home... can you join us for training?" Shira gently smiled at him and motioned for him to approached her. Confused, he followed but winced when his twin poked his cheek. "Maybe next time. I have back-to-back missions and I only have a few hours to rest."
"Oh."
"Don't worry. I promise I will train with you guys when I get a break." With that, she flashed away, leaving Naruto alone in their strangely cold apartment.
"But... when you promised last time... when you promised it won't take long... it was a lie."
His sister suddenly felt so... detached.
