Brighten up people! Last two chapters before the end of Sacrifices! I'm really excited, but also saddened too... This was my first major fanfiction that I ever finished, and I loved every part of it x3 Thank god we're continuing with Happuden... XD
On another note, happy birthday Orochimaru! You are quite a hard character to write, but this story was probably not gonna be conceived if it wasn't for you and your experiments XD
Disclaimer: As you all know by now... I don't own Boruto/Naruto or the original characters :)
...
Standing by the window of his room and peeking discreetly outside, Mitsuki had two things on his mind: one... he wanted to get out of the hospital and two... he had no idea how he was going to do that.
It wasn't a matter of permission. He was given the go by both Sakura-san as his lead physician and a council of medics who finally deemed his test results were good enough for house rest.
No, it was because the entrance to the hospital was packed with people... and it wasn't people who came to the hospital because they needed to be checked out or anything like that...
They were there because of him.
The thought sized the blue haired boy up, turning his barely calmed nerves into a turbulence again. Both lord seventh and the pink haired medic had warned him that this would be coming but still... he wasn't prepared. He had been sincere about his words, he didn't want fame or attention.
How was he ever gonna get through these people...?
Before he could even finish the thought, his door pretty much banged open, causing Mitsuki to jump a few feet into the air before turning to the entrance.
Only to see his best friend unceremoniously entering the room.
"Alright," Uzumaki Boruto said, with a full-on grin. "Let's get you busted out of here."
The blue haired boy didn't even have a chance to reply, because more of his friends had just followed the blond in. Sarada... and Team Moegi too.
Chocho sighed grandly as she made her entrance. "That's such a big crowd out there... but I should know this would happen!"
The Uchiha girl glanced at her best friend incredulously. "You should?! How?"
"Because I'm here, you know! They must have followed me around or something!"
There was a big silence that followed the Akimichi's words... and Mitsuki had the distinct impression that the others were trying their hardest not to face palm.
Finally, Inojin gave his teammate an exasperated look. "They aren't here because of you... chubs."
The dark skinned girl flushed slightly at his words. "Hey, just because you have the popularity of a broccoli, it doesn't have to be the same for all of us!"
"What... are you guys doing here...?" Mitsuki asked, finally finding his voice through the strange ordeal.
"Didn't you hear him?" Shikadai asked with a smirk, holding up a scroll, ready to open it. "We are here to escort you through your fans."
"I can't believe you actually got the blueprints of the hospital..." Boruto began.
"And the village plans," Sarada said, sounding immensely proud of herself, making her blond teammate to shake his head.
"Sometimes I just can't believe you guys."
"Second that..." Mitsuki mumbled, also shaking his head... but his anxiety had considerably lifted from his heart. He looked at each of the faces, feeling... excited, really. "So... why don't you fill me in on the plan?"
...
It turned out to be an easy one.
Once Mitsuki agreed to it, Inojin and Sarada brought their hands to form necessary hand-seals. In a minute, Inojin had transformed himself into Mitsuki, and Sarada had also made a clone that now looked like her teammate.
The boy had initially thought that Chocho was there mainly for... "moral support", but she had another idea in mind.
"I'll go distract them with my infallible attraction," she explained with what was probably meant to be a casual flick of her hair, earning herself a head shake from Inojin.
"And in case they don't get too distracted, I'll be the backup." The Nara looked at Boruto and Sarada. "So you can go ahead, you will be good in about five minutes."
"Thanks, guys," Boruto said, grabbing a hold of Mitsuki's arm and leading him outside.
"I can walk," the blue haired boy felt the need to point out.
"Actually, I've been thinking..." Sarada said in a thoughtful tone. "Maybe it could work too if we snuck Mitsuki out in a wheelchair."
"Wouldn't that only slow us down?" The Uzumaki sounded doubtful.
"Look at it this way," the Uchiha continued in a rare show of patience. "They won't expect us to move slowly, they have to know that we would avoid them like the plague. Plus if they don't know we're actually escorting Mitsuki, they won't follow us."
Seeing that his best friend was actually beginning to consider it, Mitsuki was quick to intervene. "Umm, guys... thanks but no?" He didn't tell this to them, but he wasn't particularly fond of the idea of being immobilized while someone drove him around.
At first Sarada looked like she might have more to say, but one look at his face, and she seemed to decide not to push the matter.
So they took off, using a side road that she had picked out earlier. True to her words and no doubt thanks to their friends, they came across no one.
At least not until they reached right in front of his apartment blocks.
Mitsuki did remember the young boy who was playing with his friends in front of the blocks. Shinro... that was his name. The boy who tried to defend him when the harassments first started.
The boy raised his head momentarily, caught sight of them approaching... and promptly came to a stop, causing one of his friends to bump into him.
"Mitsuki-san!" he exclaimed gleefully, and suddenly, no less than half a dozen pair of eyes turned to them.
"Uh-oh," Sarada mumbled, coming to a sudden halt, sweat dropping by the side of her cheek. "This wasn't part of the plan..."
"Well, you are the Chuunin," Boruto said, nervous. "Think of something?"
The most disorienting thing wasn't even the number of all of these children. The blue haired boy, for some reason... remembered with crystal clarity what had happened until the attack that resulted in his coma... which, by extension, meant that he remembered all those who harassed him. True, these were just children... they were naive, easily manipulated into action by their parents or superiors.
And while Mitsuki didn't exactly hold grudges... it still didn't make him feel any less uncomfortable, the way they looked at him now, like he was worthy of worship. How can an opinion seemingly so strong change like it was nothing?
Before any member of Team Konohamaru could say anything else, another voice joined the fray.
"Hey, she is not the only chuunin around here."
Seemingly out of nowhere... the one person that baffled Mitsuki the most hurried to stand in front of them.
Sarutobi Ichiro turned to offer one of his smirks. "You get him inside, I will handle these critters."
"Where did you even come from?" The Uzumaki grumbled, but Mitsuki couldn't be sure if there was contempt in his tone or just... annoyance?
"I was around, thought you might need some help." The older boy gave Mitsuki a quick once over, and Mitsuki was appalled to see there was no animosity in that gaze. "So go ahead already, idiots."
Boruto and Sarada really didn't need to be told twice as they both took Mitsuki by his arms and lead him back to the building. They heard Ichiro say, "Alright kids, get in line here, we don't have all day."
As they made their way to his flat, Mitsuki was still speechless. "That was..."
"Sarutobi Ichiro. Yeah, we know." Boruto said, and now the blue haired boy detected the tone. Exasperation... not irritation, not anger.
"He was the one you fought with before..." he couldn't finish the sentence, not wanting to remind them, just taking it in good faith that his meaning was clear.
"Yeah, he is..." Sarada sighed, picking up the words carefully. "Things changed a lot around here Mitsuki... all of us went through changes."
"And... what is his standing here?"
Boruto and Sarada looked at each other, before the girl finally answered. "Well... he became Konohamaru-sensei's student."
"Oh." was all Mitsuki could say, because they had reached his door right then. He tried not to let it show how awkward this whole thing was for him.
Sarada had his keys, and she opened the door to him with a big, warm smile. "Welcome back..." she mused softly.
The flat was understandably dark, and the boy really didn't want to change that just yet, not feeling himself quite ready to face his home after such a long time. He stepped further in with his friends, just taking everything in in a leisurely pace.
It wasn't until his friends came to a halt and Boruto took an almost protective step towards him that he noticed that they weren't alone.
Not that it should surprise him, he supposed... Lord Seventh had told him he was still in Konoha after all.
"Boruto..." Sarada said, after a moment of silence. "I... think it'd be best if we leave."
The blond didn't budge at first, but then nodded, taking a quick glance at Mitsuki. "We will be close by if you need us."
Mitsuki barely had the time to acknowledge that with a nod of his own before his friends walked out...
Leaving him alone with his father.
Mitsuki felt more and more at a loss for words as they just stared at each other, for what seemed like ages. Many times as he laid in his hospital room... he had imagined how this scene would play out, what he would tell him, ask him... but all was dead on his lips now.
"Father..." he said as he finally dredged up some courage.
No reply.
Although his superior eyesight had no trouble at all with the dim setting, the boy suddenly felt like he needed the light. There seemed to be an almost... sinister feel about the way they were shrouded in darkness. So he approached the windows and pulled the curtains a bit more open.
He was aware that he needed to say something... but he also wanted his father to take that first step. But that was not happening... and Mitsuki couldn't take the silence any longer.
"So you really were here after all..."
He didn't mean it to sound so bitter, but there was no helping. He had waited for days... endless number of minutes for him to come, and he didn't. Was he...?
He gulped, shoving his feelings down under.
"Did... did I disappoint you...?" He murmured, his tone still low as he didn't meet his father's eyes. Orochimaru, on his part, was still watching his child carefully without saying a word.
"I know you may think that it was reckless of me to fight them but I had to do something." The boy turned to face his father once he thought his eyes weren't giving away his emotions. "I have these scars forever imprinted on my chest to remind me of my decision but I don't regret it...!"
His father's look was almost piercing his soul but nothing was more piercing than that silence...
"Say...say something... please..."
On his side... the sannin didn't know what to feel, to put it mildly.
Of course, this didn't go without saying that he wasn't relieved, he wasn't glad that his child was whole and alive, standing in front of him. No - he was more than glad. He knew there would be no living for him if Mitsuki had not survived...
On the other hand... in the back of his mind, for all this time, he had readied himself. He, in his own way, had his own closure with his son...
He didn't have any idea how he was supposed to welcome him back, as much as he really wanted to, when he had let him go...
And for that reason, he kept his silence... and couldn't bring himself to visit the hospital, not when Mitsuki was sleeping, nor when he was awake...
That silence though... was killing Mitsuki inside out... His mouth hung open for a moment before closing in a firm line filled with sadness and... anger...
"I guess I really am a disappointment... you're not even... saying anything..." he murmured before giving his father a look filled with nothing but...anger. That surprised Orochimaru for a moment, he had never seen such look in his child's eyes, especially directed to him. "Do you even know how it feels...?"
How what feels...? Orochimaru wanted to ask, he needed to know, but yet, words didn't form. For some reason, his argument with that woman from a couple of days ago rang back to him. "If you should be thankful to someone, it's your sons."
He won't concentrate on her now, though. He had eyes and ears only for his son now.
"I keep fighting it ever since I woke up! Being unwanted, not needed, a disappointment, even from my own father!" The boy's voice had grown loud, so much so that it rang for a moment in the room. The sannin almost did a double take when he saw tears filling into his son's eyes.
It never changed... He still didn't know what to do when his boy was crying.
And still... it didn't look like Mitsuki was letting it all out. He looked like he was trying his hardest to hold it back... which made Orochimaru feel a pang of guilt...
"Well, I guess here goes another disappointment right? I'm showing weakness!" the blue haired boy continued through gritted teeth, his breath becoming a little heavier. "But guess what? I'm sorry that I'm such a disappointment to you, but I'm just a kid!"
The first tear finally fell, but in his anger the boy just swatted at it. "I... I almost gave up back then..." he continued in a low, tight voice. "I thought as long as everyone was safe, I wasn't needed here... Do... do you have any idea how hard it was to come back? Do you know how easy it would have been if I didn't want to be back? Or do you even care?" He felt like he was on the edge of hyperventilating and there was no way the stress was not gonna take its toll on him but Mitsuki didn't care just then... He had kept so much hidden, for so long...
The sannin wanted to speak... but the words were not forming. His mind was extraordinarily in overdrive, urging him to say something... to comfort his child... none of the Taka were here this time to do it for him but he had never been good at comforting words...
He wanted to say yes, yes he cared about him, but then why was it being so hard to say them?! He opened his mouth but no words came out so he closed it again...
For the briefest of moments his mind wandered to his older son... remembering his outbursts... remembering how he was always more rebellious than Mitsuki... this would be something he would expect from Log, not Mitsuki.
Mitsuki wasn't looking at him. The silence he constantly got from his father was breaking him apart, bit by bit, minute by minute... he squeezed his eyes shut, one of his hands grabbing his clothes over his heart, which started to ache so much... "You know what..." he sobbed as he raised his head, the... anger seemed to have intensified in his eyes. "I don't care anymore... your silence says it all. You never cared about me, I was and am just another one of your successful experiments that you like to brag about but don't care for even a little bit...!"
Whatever Orochimaru might have thought of saying got stuck in his throat with Mitsuki's words. The silence felt so heavy, so dense that it felt like it was tangible. It was pressing down on them, heavy as lead, almost preventing the sannin to breath in it... as he watched the angry fire in his son's eyes dimmed down, until it was nothing but a cold, empty void.
"Stay as long as you want, or do whatever you want. I really don't care." the blue haired boy said in an almost emotionless voice, so unlike him. He started walking towards his bedroom.
"Maybe..." he whispered, and came to a halt. "maybe it would've been better if you did abandon me in the orphanage to begin with. Then I probably would've had an actual family who cared about me, that would've visited me after I woke up from a coma."
That was what it took.
He didn't even know Mitsuki had learned about that one fight - or when he heard about it. For all he knew, it was something between himself and Log, when Mitsuki was a newborn nonetheless. He didn't have much of a time to elaborate on it though, because all thought just vanished from his mind a second later. All but one.
Just as he was about to take another step, Mitsuki was surprised to see his father right in front of him.
"Don't... don't you ever say that..." the sannin said in a voice filled with emotions, which... was another big shock for the boy, and his eyes went wide as he watched his father kneeling in front of him.
Orochimaru was quick in his moves as with one hand he grabbed the back of Mitsuki's head and pulled him towards his shoulder, allowing the blue haired boy's face to rest right there, just like he had done once, after Mitsuki had given his first cry into the world.
"I made a lot of things to achieve what I wanted but..." He thought his next words carefully, he didn't want the child in his arms to misunderstand them and be even more hurt than he already was. "...but if it meant to have you right here with me, then... I would do it all over again..." He found himself caressing his boy's soft hair. "You mean more to me than you might think, Mitsuki... and I'm sorry that I ever made you feel the opposite..."
Sorry... that had never been a word in his vocabulary, mainly because he never before thought about justifying his actions to anyone. He always believed firmly on whatever he was doing, even when the world told him otherwise. He had his own set of agenda, own scale of black and white on morals.
But here his son was, baring his heart out to him in what was the very first time ever, allowing him to take a look at just what he had been doing so terribly wrong over all those years... Since when did Mitsuki harbor so many dark feelings...? Since when did he wish that he was not brought up by his family, his father, when Orochimaru never before had reasons to doubt his loyalty, respect, and well... love?
No, an inner voice whispered in his ear, which was another novelty to him. The reasons were there all the time... You just didn't see them...
He had never thought that he was actually hurting his child... He had always seen such admiration and happiness in Mitsuki's eyes... he hadn't looked deeper into them... He had never become the father figure he had imposed on his sons to achieve what he wanted...
Was it already too late to take matters into his own hands...? Maybe... maybe he really didn't deserve them...
Mitsuki's eyes widened even more as his father's words resounded in his mind, clear and reassuring... He didn't know why, maybe he didn't even need a reason, but the sincerity... it was clear. Maybe because he never heard his father say these kinds of things to him, he didn't know...
Did... did he... care...?
His eyes squinted a little, more tears freely falling as he recalled Hiruzen's words, that he... somehow... managed to change his father for the better, and that he would himself understand that when the right time came.
So this was the right time...
His hands unconsciously grabbed his father's clothing, and he found himself snuggling a little closer to the sannin as sobs finally started to escape him.
"Dad... I..." he whispered, but his words got lost as he didn't know what else to say.
The words never came out and Orochimaru didn't force him to say them, it seemed like deep down he knew what Mitsuki wanted to say, so he just kept caressing the child's head and allowed him to cry his heart out, to let out everything he had been holding back for all these years.
...
He had promised himself that he wasn't coming back to this place while the sannin was still here... that he wouldn't face him again... but he just knew he wouldn't stay at ease without making sure that Orochimaru wasn't going to hurt his brother any more than he already did.
Log almost busted through the window of Mitsuki's bedroom until he saw his creator finally making his move to hug the child, comforting him... so he just relaxed against the wall, making sure that he wasn't seen. He would hear it from the sannin if Orochimaru felt his presence here... but that was never going to happen again.
...
Shikamaru leaned a little forward to look over Naruto's shoulder to the documents in front of the Hokage. He raised an eyebrow.
"Mission rankings?"
"Yup." was the short answer he received. So Shikamaru waited for a bit for him to elaborate.
"You are ranking what happened to Mitsuki as A." his tone was a statement, not a question, like he thought Naruto was doing some kind of a mistake... which he actually kind of believed in.
"I'm aware of that." The blond set down his pen for a moment to look up at his advisor. "And I know what you're thinking. It's not like I sent Mitsuki on that mission but..." he looked back at the papers, grabbing them a little tighter. "How can I do anything less with the kind of devotion he has...?"
The Nara didn't have anything to say to that. A smirk crossed his face a minute later. "Huh... a genin with an A rank mission in his book. That's a first."
"Here is to hope that it will be the last." Naruto said with the ghost of a smile as he signed the paper and put it aside. Just then, a knock was heard on the door. "Enter."
A chuunin entered the room, and neither of the man missed the appalled look on his face. "Lord seventh..." he began, and even his voice sounded unsure. "There's someone here who wants to speak with you."
The Hokage himself wasn't expecting anyone right then, but he failed to comprehend just why the chuunin looked so bewildered. "Let them in." he said crisply, curious.
He had to give it to the man. When he saw the visitor, even Shikamaru, who was a pragmatic genius by default, appeared to have no words to offer.
Of course, Sasuke had given him a heads up ages ago. And knowing the kind of person the sannin is, Naruto knew what he witnessed right now is not actually surprising. And yet... as experiences proved over and over, knowing about something was never the same as seeing it with one's own eyes.
The young man who walked in was a perfect copy of Mitsuki - although he supposed technically, it was the other way around. The things that distinguished the... older brother were few but easily noticeable. Some were physical things, like that scar on his face... and then there were deeper things like the hardened, wise look in his eyes...
He also seemed to feel a little out of place, making Naruto wonder whether this was something he had experienced before.
"I will be damned..." Shikamaru mumbled under his breath, so that only the Hokage heard him.
It was eventually the young man who broke the silence again. "Lord Hokage..." he began in a formal tone.
Knowing that he had to take matters in his own hands, the blond put on a more relaxed expression. "You must be Log." He indicated the seat in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat."
Log crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, decidedly keeping his distance from them. "I'm gonna keep this short. I came here to ask for a..." the words were apparently hard for him to get out as he paused for a moment. "...favor."
Naruto's eyes widened a little in surprise, caught totally unprepared. Shikamaru, who had apparently got through his initial shock, beat him to his words.
"Is it on behalf of Orochimaru?" he asked, and although his tone was a little wary, the Hokage admired his friend for keeping a perfect poker face.
A frown appeared on the young man's face as he turned his gaze to the Nara. "No. I defected Orochimaru, I'm not going back with them to the hideout."
Sasuke had also mentioned that this boy seemed to have a bit of a rebellious streak, so this statement wasn't that big of a surprise either. "You ask permission to move in with your brother." he guessed.
Log looked taken aback for just one moment, then shook his head. "No. I don't plan to stay anywhere for too long. I will fend for my own." That determination returned to his eyes. "I'm here for Mitsuki. I would like you to take him under your custody."
That effectively rendered the two men speechless. Log took the opportunity to continue.
"I have been to that house and even with company, it's a miracle how he manages not to go crazy." The wording might not have been appropriate, but then he never cared much about formalities. "I'd feel much better if I knew he is not returning there ever again. He is also best friends with your son, so I think he will be better suited at your home. Otherwise I wouldn't ask."
A soft expression slowly appeared on Naruto's face as he progressed Log's words. If he noticed the physical similarities before, here were the inner ones. The older brother might be acting cold and calculating in front of them, but it was clear that he cared deeply about his brother.
And well... he would be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking about Mitsuki's situation during these past month and a half. A lot.
"Well, I can certainly arrange that. To be frank, as much as Boruto had been like a brother to him... I came to regard Mitsuki as a second son myself." There was pure sincerity in his tone, he meant every single one of his words. He paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "But allow me to sneak in one more chip to this bargain. Something concerning you."
The look in the young man's eyes turned wary again. "I told you I'm not interested in staying in the village."
"I will leave that to your own judgement since I can't force you to stay. However..." This time the pause was almost for dramatic effect. "I can offer you a position."
"A position? As in... one of your ranks?"
He had to do some fast-talking here. It was only too clear that Log was looking for a way out - this was too much than what he came to bargain for. But just as he wouldn't feel easy with leaving his brother alone in his current house, Naruto couldn't let this young man go off all alone on his own.
"Yes and no. You will still work on the outside and answer to only one person other than me. So I daresay you will have your privacy and own space, only under the legal supervision of a village."
"Which is just as well for you, really," his advisor cut in, having no troubles catching up to him. "Going off on your own aimlessly is not how you do things in the ninja world. Even with the peaceful atmosphere, no village will feel good about letting a stranger enter their territory." Well... actually with the attack on Konoha, it was more than likely that the other villages were becoming even more cautious. "Not to mention you will stay closer to Mitsuki."
There really was no logical argument Log could come up with and both the older men knew it. Still, there was a look in his eyes - almost like something that the blond would expect to see in a cornered animal.
He never thought that far, Naruto realized. His thoughts were concentrated solely on his younger brother, not extending to provide some safe outcome for himself.
And he wanted to change that.
"What do you say?" he asked, his tone gentle.
It took another couple of minutes before the young man spoke again. "And who am I gonna answer to beside you?"
Ah. The tricky part. An almost sheepish smile came over the Hokage's features. "Well... I believe you already met him. His name is Uchiha Sasuke."
"Uchiha Sasuke?" If nothing, this could probably undo the deal. Log wasn't sure if he wanted to listen to more.
"He works in the shadows, protecting this village and also doing an extensive research on threats still surrounding the ninja world. This is actually what I want you to do too - to help him in his research and in protecting us."
And still, Log didn't answer right away. His mind was reeling, turning this idea over and over as he tried to decide. What did he really want...? He had never thought about that before... as long as he had a purpose, he was fine. Until now, it had been to make sure Mitsuki was safe and happy. Were they offering him anything less now...?
He closed his eyes for a minute, making his decision, and opened them to meet their gaze once again. "If I am to take this post..." he began. "There is something you should know about my and Mitsuki's origins... but mainly my own." He sighed. "About who my mother was."
...
Uchiha Sasuke had a lot on his mind, even though he supposedly took a break out of Konoha. But of course as the Shadow Hokage, the recent developments were quite alarming. With the attack on Konoha, it was now two attempts against two kage's lives. Sasuke had not forgotten about the chaos and conspiracy against Chojuro in Kirigakure, one that was ironically brought out to them by the son of the man who was tried to be framed in the Konoha attack. The way the events played out for him now, it seemed likely that Orochimaru and his minions had considerable intel about... two villages, if anything, intel that made them dangerous... against who he couldn't tell for now, but if there was one thing he didn't believe in this world, it was coincidences.
Suddenly something hit his senses.
He was not alone.
Turning abruptly to the source of the chakra he drew his sword. Only, with a clung, his sword met someone else's. The Uchiha squinted as he regarded the younger man in front of him.
"Not wise to attack me out here," he said coldly.
"Funny, you were the one to draw your sword first," came his reply, just as cold.
"Maybe you shouldn't be sneaking around then. What does Orochimaru want from me now?"
Log felt close to exasperation, with the way everyone seemed to relate his presence to his creator, like he couldn't do things on his own, like some kind of mindless puppet. Biding his moment, he pushed the man a couple of steps back and jumped a little far from him. Sasuke was ready to attack again, but the young man first lowered his sword and then sheathed it, earning himself a suspicious glare.
"I'm not working for him anymore." He took out a scroll from his pocket and flipped it towards the man.
Sasuke caught it expertly, and after one more glance towards him, looked at the scroll in his hand. It was sealed with the Konoha symbol as well as Naruto's seal, which came as a surprise. It was also a coded message, which wasn't at all surprising. Activating his Rinnegan, he had no trouble decoding the context.
"I, Uzumaki Naruto, Seventh Hokage of Konohagakure, hereby declare Log as one of my village's trusted ninja."
Before the Uchiha could even proceed this information, he noticed there was another, smaller scroll in the holders. Opening the top of it, he let it out, a frown already settling on his face.
"I'm supposed to be answering to you from now on." Log said, although he didn't sound at all pleased with it. That made two of them. Choosing not to comment on that, the black haired man once again lowered his gaze to the scroll.
"Sasuke,
I know this was sudden and without a warning. But I believe you will find this young man to be quite helpful to your research in many ways. He is well trained, but I daresay there are still a lot of things he could learn from you. And just as much you can learn from him.
Naruto.
P.S.: No, he's not Orochimaru's spy or trump card. He told us he defected him, and I believe him.
P.P.S.: Please, I know you're probably not too happy with this arrangement but don't set your hawk on me again! I still have the scars from the last time he was here in a rage! That bird is a meanie, I'm tellin' ya!"
By the time he ended it, his eye was twitching. Really? Naruto thought he could make it up to him in a goofy note like this?
He closed his eyes with a sigh, opening them again to look at his... new "accomplice", so it would seem. Maybe he really should send his hawk to Naruto.
'What did you get me into this time, usuratonkachi...?'
...
All done! :3
You guys might notice, but we added a tiny bit of change in this chapter too After a lot of debate, we decided that we're gonna make Sarada and Shikadai Chuunins after the exams in Konoha! We thought it was a logical choice first of all and we have backup plans and characters to fill in their places in our fanon Chuunin exams in Suna that will happen in Happuden... yep, that's actually gonna happen people XD
As always, comments and feedback are more than welcome, thanks for the support x3
