******
Rushing through the calm, barely disturbed streets, Naruto sped back and
forth frantically. 'Dammit! Where did she go?' Was all Naruto could think
about. He thought that it would be easy to catch up to Hinata, but it
wasn't. He didn't know where to look.
"What are you doing Naruto?" Tsunade raised a funny brow watching Naruto
twitch at the slightest sound and then take off and then return.
"Did you see Hinata?" He gasped desperately.
"What...happened?" Tenten blinked slowly.
"Hinata thinks it's all her fault and she just took of! Just like that!"
Naruto waved his arms frenetically.
"What's all her fault?" Ino mumbled, not really expecting to be answered.
"I'll try to find her." Neji put his fingertips to his forehead and
concentrated as hard as he could. Images started to form in his mind,
"She's. at the place. where you practice your Rasagen. I don't know what
she's doing. but it seems as though she's traveling past on from there. I
think she's trying to leave the leaf!" A glace from everyone cast upon
Naruto. He nodded slowly and took off, knowing where he had to go. Was she
insane? Why was she overreacting so strongly?
****** "Hinata!" Naruto called after the slowly walking Hinata. As soon as he saw her, he collapsed to his knees outstretching an arm out limply, "Just listen for a moment!" There was a pause and Hinata slowly turned around, she tilted her head slightly letting her perfectly cut bangs fall into her eyes. Sweat ran down Naruto's heated skin, his breath coming out in heavy pants. "Why are you doing this Hinata?" No reply came from the tender girl's mouth. Instead, she just shivered and closed her eyes. It wasn't that she was angry or she didn't know what to say... She was. more afraid of saying anything. "Hinata. you don't cause trouble for anyone. please! Don't think you're a burden. Why would Kiba and. I like you so much in the first place?" As Naruto spurt out words, he shook nervously himself. It was hard for him to speak those words, but just knowing how much she needed to hear them.well that was important. It was strange. Usually he was so open with his emotions, but this time. this time it was different. harder.. He looked up at her with one of the most earnest looks you could ever get from Naruto, "I'm not very good at this stuff. but I know one thing Hinata. and that is that I like you. a lot too. you gave me a chance. a chance to be noticed. not as the fox... I'm not here to take advantage of you! At first I thought you were kinda strange. but I can't possibly imagine any other emotion right now." She gave a slight gasp and flushed, bowing her head to face the ground, slitting her eyes slightly so that what she saw almost became blurry. She saw the pained Naruto, and neared him timidly. Standing for a few seconds, she knelt down and coyly wrapped her arms around him. She realized just how lucky she was. The silence of daybreak was calming, the crisp wind usually made her shiver, but now it made her feel extremely warm. "I guess you move on pretty quickly, dontcha Naruto?" Naruto stumbled back, out from Hinata's arms. They stopped to look up. Both mouths agape, staring into the blackened mystery of Sasuke's eyes. Even though he was badly wounded and weakened, he still managed to carry an air of power, a power of superiority. The one that Naruto despised. "Sasuke!" Naruto gasped and then looked around back and forth. he then gave a piercing gaze, "Where's Sakura?" "Why should I tell you?" Sasuke coolly glared at Naruto. This was not his first pick of where to be. He didn't care what affair was occurring between Naruto and Hinata. he knew that there were two things that were much more important to be taken care of, and the only person he knew who could handle it was. "Where's Tsunade?" "Why should I tell you?" Naruto spat back at him, enraged at the unexplainable disappearance of Sakura. He would've wanted to slice Sasuke into two at this point. However, this was neither the time nor place. With no reply, Sasuke turned around nimbly, as though the wounds were fake, but as he started to walk, you could notice a slight limp. When he disappeared into the cluster of trees, Naruto murmured to himself, "That damn bastard is back."
***** "Are you okay Sasuke?" The blazing lights hurt his eyes, opening them weakly still filled with the need of even more unnecessary sleep. As his eyes regained focus, he noticed Tsunade peering over him. He gave a cranky yawn. Definitely, Sasuke's best time was NOT the morning. "Ugh." He reached his arm up to cover the lights, "How long have I been asleep?" He asked groggily. "About 3 days now." Her voice was calm and efficient. The total opposite of her gambling days. "3 days?!" Sasuke jumped upwards from his bed. He peered around him and then saw Apollo standing a bit behind Tsunade. He recognized the hair, the eyes. but maybe he was just imagining things. "Sasuke. this is Apollo. my new healing apprentice." Tsunade's hand glided to her side as Apollo nodded her head softly, "Yoroshiku." Apollo added with a gentle smile. It was her! The voice was less hollow, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was her. "You!" Sasuke's eyes widened as he pointed a finger at her, "Where did you put Sakura!?" It wasn't like him. Of all people, Sasuke was getting into a rage. "I. I don't know what you're talking about." Apollo looked away nervously, folding her hands together. She was taken aback at first, that Sasuke still recognized her, even in this state. "You don't know what you're talking about!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!" "It must be the medicine I made for him... it's pretty rough on the body, and it can bring out over emotional reactions to the slightest things." "Apollo. you know very well as much as I do that you're lying. I know every ingredient you used in his medication. you shouldn't lie to me. I'm not someone who lacks knowledge or one that could be taken as naïve." Tsunade fiercely looked into Apollo's eyes, "But I believe she's telling the truth about Sakura." She turned her head back to Sasuke, "Get some more rest if you want." "Why won't you believe me?" Sasuke hissed as he climbed out of the bed. Tsunade handed him a Yukata and then nodded slowly ignoring his questioning, "We will leave now. but put this on for the festival. I know you don't like wearing it. but it's a celebration. remember this is the exact date of Orochimaru's defeat as well.We felt this celebration should take place annually now, in celebration of times of happiness and renewal returning again.especially after a lot of dreary things occurring." In a couple of moments of silence, Apollo and Tsunade escorted themselves out of the hospital room. Sasuke stood blankly, the anger overpowering any other functions his body controlled. 'What is that girl doing here? Why doesn't anyone believe me? Is that girl supposed to take Sakura's place? Am I supposed to restart my life as this, and just get used to it? Will I learn to forget Sakura? How can I.she has grown so much apart of me. it's weird.' Sasuke silently thought to himself. He unfolded the Yukata with a sigh. Partly happy to take off his bandages and other infirmary outfits, he slipped the lightly scented robe and tied it just loose enough to breathe. He gazed blankly, reviewing over all the things that happened only three days ago. When chimes began to ring outside the window, he got up softly to look outside. It was still day and the festival was starting. For a bit, Sasuke leaned his head on the windowsill, gazing out at the blossoming trees. A small petal fluttered down and landed in Sasuke's head. Pulling it out of his hair, he recognized it as a sakura blossom. 'What is this doing here?' He wondered silently to himself. True. There were many trees in full bloom, but there were no sakura trees except for the private garden off to the side of the town. With an unsure look, he decided. He decided what he was going to do as his purpose in the festival.
********* Chapter 16 End To be continued..
****** "Hinata!" Naruto called after the slowly walking Hinata. As soon as he saw her, he collapsed to his knees outstretching an arm out limply, "Just listen for a moment!" There was a pause and Hinata slowly turned around, she tilted her head slightly letting her perfectly cut bangs fall into her eyes. Sweat ran down Naruto's heated skin, his breath coming out in heavy pants. "Why are you doing this Hinata?" No reply came from the tender girl's mouth. Instead, she just shivered and closed her eyes. It wasn't that she was angry or she didn't know what to say... She was. more afraid of saying anything. "Hinata. you don't cause trouble for anyone. please! Don't think you're a burden. Why would Kiba and. I like you so much in the first place?" As Naruto spurt out words, he shook nervously himself. It was hard for him to speak those words, but just knowing how much she needed to hear them.well that was important. It was strange. Usually he was so open with his emotions, but this time. this time it was different. harder.. He looked up at her with one of the most earnest looks you could ever get from Naruto, "I'm not very good at this stuff. but I know one thing Hinata. and that is that I like you. a lot too. you gave me a chance. a chance to be noticed. not as the fox... I'm not here to take advantage of you! At first I thought you were kinda strange. but I can't possibly imagine any other emotion right now." She gave a slight gasp and flushed, bowing her head to face the ground, slitting her eyes slightly so that what she saw almost became blurry. She saw the pained Naruto, and neared him timidly. Standing for a few seconds, she knelt down and coyly wrapped her arms around him. She realized just how lucky she was. The silence of daybreak was calming, the crisp wind usually made her shiver, but now it made her feel extremely warm. "I guess you move on pretty quickly, dontcha Naruto?" Naruto stumbled back, out from Hinata's arms. They stopped to look up. Both mouths agape, staring into the blackened mystery of Sasuke's eyes. Even though he was badly wounded and weakened, he still managed to carry an air of power, a power of superiority. The one that Naruto despised. "Sasuke!" Naruto gasped and then looked around back and forth. he then gave a piercing gaze, "Where's Sakura?" "Why should I tell you?" Sasuke coolly glared at Naruto. This was not his first pick of where to be. He didn't care what affair was occurring between Naruto and Hinata. he knew that there were two things that were much more important to be taken care of, and the only person he knew who could handle it was. "Where's Tsunade?" "Why should I tell you?" Naruto spat back at him, enraged at the unexplainable disappearance of Sakura. He would've wanted to slice Sasuke into two at this point. However, this was neither the time nor place. With no reply, Sasuke turned around nimbly, as though the wounds were fake, but as he started to walk, you could notice a slight limp. When he disappeared into the cluster of trees, Naruto murmured to himself, "That damn bastard is back."
***** "Are you okay Sasuke?" The blazing lights hurt his eyes, opening them weakly still filled with the need of even more unnecessary sleep. As his eyes regained focus, he noticed Tsunade peering over him. He gave a cranky yawn. Definitely, Sasuke's best time was NOT the morning. "Ugh." He reached his arm up to cover the lights, "How long have I been asleep?" He asked groggily. "About 3 days now." Her voice was calm and efficient. The total opposite of her gambling days. "3 days?!" Sasuke jumped upwards from his bed. He peered around him and then saw Apollo standing a bit behind Tsunade. He recognized the hair, the eyes. but maybe he was just imagining things. "Sasuke. this is Apollo. my new healing apprentice." Tsunade's hand glided to her side as Apollo nodded her head softly, "Yoroshiku." Apollo added with a gentle smile. It was her! The voice was less hollow, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was her. "You!" Sasuke's eyes widened as he pointed a finger at her, "Where did you put Sakura!?" It wasn't like him. Of all people, Sasuke was getting into a rage. "I. I don't know what you're talking about." Apollo looked away nervously, folding her hands together. She was taken aback at first, that Sasuke still recognized her, even in this state. "You don't know what you're talking about!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!" "It must be the medicine I made for him... it's pretty rough on the body, and it can bring out over emotional reactions to the slightest things." "Apollo. you know very well as much as I do that you're lying. I know every ingredient you used in his medication. you shouldn't lie to me. I'm not someone who lacks knowledge or one that could be taken as naïve." Tsunade fiercely looked into Apollo's eyes, "But I believe she's telling the truth about Sakura." She turned her head back to Sasuke, "Get some more rest if you want." "Why won't you believe me?" Sasuke hissed as he climbed out of the bed. Tsunade handed him a Yukata and then nodded slowly ignoring his questioning, "We will leave now. but put this on for the festival. I know you don't like wearing it. but it's a celebration. remember this is the exact date of Orochimaru's defeat as well.We felt this celebration should take place annually now, in celebration of times of happiness and renewal returning again.especially after a lot of dreary things occurring." In a couple of moments of silence, Apollo and Tsunade escorted themselves out of the hospital room. Sasuke stood blankly, the anger overpowering any other functions his body controlled. 'What is that girl doing here? Why doesn't anyone believe me? Is that girl supposed to take Sakura's place? Am I supposed to restart my life as this, and just get used to it? Will I learn to forget Sakura? How can I.she has grown so much apart of me. it's weird.' Sasuke silently thought to himself. He unfolded the Yukata with a sigh. Partly happy to take off his bandages and other infirmary outfits, he slipped the lightly scented robe and tied it just loose enough to breathe. He gazed blankly, reviewing over all the things that happened only three days ago. When chimes began to ring outside the window, he got up softly to look outside. It was still day and the festival was starting. For a bit, Sasuke leaned his head on the windowsill, gazing out at the blossoming trees. A small petal fluttered down and landed in Sasuke's head. Pulling it out of his hair, he recognized it as a sakura blossom. 'What is this doing here?' He wondered silently to himself. True. There were many trees in full bloom, but there were no sakura trees except for the private garden off to the side of the town. With an unsure look, he decided. He decided what he was going to do as his purpose in the festival.
********* Chapter 16 End To be continued..
