Artes animi.
Disclaimer :I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 27
He sat there with his eyes closed , the warm cup in his hands as he enjoyed the fragrance of the drink.
Seating around the table were four of his family members, talking between themselves.
"It's good to be home" he muttered, bringing the cup to his mouth before sipping lightly.
"It's good to have you home Sakurai" his aunt Tomoyo said, flashing him a smile.
He opened his eyes, looking at them, a small smile dancing around in his eyes.
"I don't want to hold you up anymore, I am sure all of you have loads of things to do" he said, getting up.
Inoichi nodded "Indeed, did you finalize your report to the hokage?"
Sakurai nodded "Only orally, he will still be awaiting my written one...I guess I should do that right now".
Shikaku smiled at him "You do that kid, when you'll have time come by my house.. Let's play Shogi"
Flashing the younger man a smile, the patriarch of the Nara clan left the house.
Shortly after him the three others left as well.
"I'll see you in the evening" Inoichi's hand landed on his shoulder "After you will finish you might wish to see Miyuki, she returned just the last week".
Saying that, the older man left the room.
The moment the older man left the smile disappeared from Sakurai's face.
Deciding to hid the advice, the younger man didn't linger much, leaving a few minutes after.
As he walked through the familiar streets his eyes wondered around, catching the children running around.
There was something peaceful in this scene, and unconsciously Sakurai found himself comparing it to the place he spent a whole year in.
A small pang of anger woke up in his mind, and surprisingly it was aimed at his own village.
Shaking his head he tried to forcefully change his thoughts.
"I was away for far too long" he muttered.
He walked among the stalls, paying attention to the various merchandise and the merchants selling them, and instead of the serenity of peace he expected to feel he instead felt resentment surfacing up.
Those people had no appreciation for their safety and as someone who had to struggle for his life for a whole year he found it hard to accept the peaceful atmosphere around him.
He would've continued this path of thoughts if he wouldn't have found himself standing in front of the hospital.
Opening the door, he walked in, and found himself standing in front of the receptionist who looked him up and down.
"Can I help you?" the woman asked, her hand moving to move a strand of hair from her face.
"Is Yamanaka Miyuki around?" he asked, enjoying the surprised look in her brown eyes at the mention of his cousin.
"Lady Miyuki is currently here" the woman confirmed "Should I call her out?"
He nodded "Please let her know that Sakurai is here to see her".
She returned a few moments later, with another person in taw.
Sakurai assessed his cousin's appearance , a face as light as it had always been, his hand moved unconsciously to touch the long scar along his eye .
She walked slowly, her eyes as lively as they were when he last seen her.
When she saw him, a small bright smile appeared on her face, her eyes litting up.
"Sakurai" she said, her voice soft "It's good to see you again".
He smiled at her, feeling something warm spreading in his chest.
"Miyu" he muttered as he approached her "Glad to see you're still the same " his gray eyes soft .
"Can't say the same about you" she muttered as she closed the distance between the two of them, hugging him
He returned the hug back, but even as he did he felt nothing.. As if there was some rift between them.
He couldn't explain it exactly, but after the first butterflies in his stomach vanished after his first night home.. He felt oddly detached from anything around him.
It didn't help that the small voice in the corner of his mind woke up yet again, cautioning him from anything and anyone.
She broke the hug, assessing him from head to tow.
"You really did change".
He said nothing.
She was about to tell him something when somone called her.
"Doctor! We have a critical!"
She sighed, smiling at him.
"Sorry Rai" she said apologetically "Let's catch up later, gotta run" she said turning around and quickly running away though not before she waved at him.
He stayed there, watching her go, his misty eyes cold.
"Yeah" he muttered "I guess we will" he said before turning around and leaving the hospital behind.
He continued to walking outside, his eyes seeing and not seeing anything around him.
He felt empty.. As if some invisible chasm appeared between him and everything around him.
He continued walking until he arrived at the edge of civilian area, and where the training grounds were located.
Since he was here he decided to train, his body moving on sheer reflex, his mind empty.
There was nothing of the anger he felt when he was betrayed, nor any of the excitement when he was about to return home.. Even the anger he felt earlier was superficial at best.
After a while he stopped his actions, and slowly seating himself on ground he let his consciousness wonder around.
The voices of thoughts came to his mind from around him.
There was someone angry, cursing somone else in his mind.
Sakurai felt the anger as if it was his own, in a way he never felt before. The feeling was as if he was that angry person.
Sahking his head he returned to his senses.
He had no business getting inside the heads of the people around him, it was as pointless as it was rude.
Closing his eyes he let himself fall on the grass, the rays of light shining on his face, caressing his features lightly.
It wasn't long until he fell asleep, his mind empty of dreams.
In the coming days Sakurai felt something he barely ever felt before.
He was bored.
The books bored him , the people didn't excite him.
He felt lethargic and slept a lot, though even when he slept his mind was empty and his dreams mundane at best.
His uncle said nothing, deciding to let him get over whatever it was, at least for a while.
But he was bored by everything and everyone, and not even spending times with Miyuki or Katsuki or any of his friends help to alleviate it.
It was by this point that the memory of the angry man from a few days ago returned to his mind.
At first he tried to shake the thought from his head, it was unethical, not to mention dangerous should he be caught.
But after another few hours he couldn't take the boredom anymore.
He left the house and walked back to the training ground where he once again taken up the training.
A shinobi was walking not far from him, a chunin if he wasn't mistaken.
The man looked happy about something, if his huge smile was any indication.
He tried to stop himself, he realy did.. But after loosing the internal battle he decided to do it.
He felt bad about it, but it wasn't anything big right? Just a single glimpse.
Yes, he nodded internally.. Just a single glimpse.
He spread his consciousness once again, letting it touch the man's mind.
The happy thoughts rushed into his own mind, carrying with them not only the letters of the thoughts but the very emotions the man was feeling with them.
He didn't know how he was doing this, he never heard about anything like that before, but right now he didn't care.. He felt happy.
He closed his eyes, a smile spreading on his own face, enjoying the emotion from the man, surprisingly enough even the voice in his mind was keeping silent.
When he opened his eyes he was back into his own feeling of emptiness.
And yet.. There was something still in there.. As if an echo of the emotion the chunin was experiencing.
Satisfied, the Yamanaka left the area heading back home.
He felt alive again.
He was alive again.
Inoichi was walking in his office, worry apparent in his aqua eyes.
Ever since he returned the boy was acting distanced, cold.
No, he shook his head.. That wasn't true.. The kid was acting empty.
It wasn't that he didn't know, or at least speculate the reason for this, it was a syndrome that many spies had experienced, as well as many retired shinobi.
The constant rush of adrenaline as they put their lives in risk, and their need to deatch themselves while on mission.. When they lost that they found themselves lifeless.
He shook his head, he will let the boy a few more days to see if he can get back on track.. Only if he didn't will he take any action.
Yes, that would be best.
Reaching a decision caused his worry to subside if not completely to vanish.
Without another word he returned to his work, there was still a lot he needed to do.
The boy was strong, he will do just fine.
On the next day Sakurai and was laying on his bed, just as empty as before.
"It appears that I can't hold this echo forever" he muttered.
A small smile appeared on his face, he knew what he was going to do.
All his reservations vanished after the previous day, after all its not like he took anything from the other person and since it helps him to be productive.. It was a win win situation.
He got up, the smile still on his face.
He looked through the window, taking in the dancing sun.
"It's going to be a good day" he muttered as he walked to the door and opened it, leaving the room.
End of chapter 27.
I am back.. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.