Seven year-old Haruno Sakura shuffled behind her best friend, Yamanaka Ino, looking uncertain. "Y-You're…not mad at me, Ino-chan?"
The blonde stiffened, and then tried to laugh. "O-Of course not. I-I mean, it's not like you forced Sir Kakashi to give you the role of the princess."
Her emerald eyes shook. "S-So sorry…Ino-chan…I know how much you wanted to play that part…"
Now Ino looked really stunned. She used a few moments to recover, and then gave her teary-eyed friend a smile—a genuine smile. "Yeah, but I think you'll make a good princess too." She looked down, looking somewhat rueful. "I'm sorry too…Sakura-chan, I do mind that you will play the role I want so much…"
"Ino-chan…"
She quickly held her hand up. "But I would be mad if it would be played by anyone else other than the other half of me in this world." Her eyes twinkled. "If my Sakura-chan will play the princess, then it's like me doing it too. You have my full support."
"I-Ino…chan…" Sakura clapped her hands in delight. "Ino-chan, thank you so much!!!"
The Yamanaka small lady was infected by her happiness. It was impossible to be mad at the cherry blossom for anything. "Let's drop by my room so we can see which hair style should fit you best. Remember, a princess must always be at her best!"
"A princess?! Heh, you guys are fussing over something soooo trivial!" The mage Tenten entered the room, arms crossed over her chest. "If you ask me, being a princess SUCKS!"
"W-Why do you say that?" asked Sakura, eyes wide.
Ino, however, was offended by what she thought was an insult to her highest aspiration. "And who asked your opinion anyway?"
Tenten clicked her tongue. "Unlike you girls, I will not sit around here, waiting dreamily for my prince charming to rescue me from my tower." She took out her staff and played with it using her hands. "I shall not swoon readily for him, and I will certainly NOT melt in his embrace every time."
"But Tenten, if you don't want to be a princess, what do you want to be?" the young Lady Haruno wanted to know.
The mage's eyes sparkled, and she gripped her staff like a lance. "I am going to be my own knight in shining armor!"
"Eh?!" The two looked shocked. In the kingdom of Hidden Leaf, it was strange to hear a girl their age openly detest the thought of living as a princess, let alone despise the idea of a prince charming.
"That's right!" The mage moved around the room, slashing and dicing the air around them with her imaginary spear. "I'm going to slay my own dragons and I will never be the damsel in distress!"
"B-But that's what boys are for, right?" asked Sakura in wonder.
The magician's eyebrow cocked. "Hah! That's crap, Sakura." She ignored the open gapes the girls gave her. She shrugged dismissively—court ladies were far too delicate even for a small slice of profanity anyway. "More often than not, fairy tales corrupt reality. What seems like perfect prince charming may actually be the dragon himself. And I'm not going to jump down in a cliff with both eyes open."
"So you're saying that you don't want to meet your Prince Charming?" asked Ino, puzzled.
"Why should I long to meet someone who exists only in the pages of make-believe?" Tenten drew her magic staff back. "I'm way too sensible for romance." She walked away, unaware of the boy seated quietly in the corner of the neighboring room, listening to her.
………………………..
Chapter Eighteen
This chapter is dedicated to immortalrin, whose name I had not been able to see in the review list for some time already, but I certainly hope that is enjoying the chapters. Misyah! I also like to dedicate this to Sequ3stered as well—I hope you enjoy the scenes with your fave couple!
On the celebrated kanji mark on the Sand soldier's forehead…I did that on purpose. You guys will understand my purpose for that soon enough . Thank you guys for the prompt correction though. At least I know that you guys really read the fic ehehehe…
Message time! -
TenTen Hyuuga = So you feel for poor Shino too? Don't worry, me will take care of little Aburame Shino-chan - [huggles] Hey, what's the surname of Tenten, btw? Don't be coy and say "Hyuuga" he he he. The creator of Naruto is too myopic to see the couple potential -.-
Jiri = Wow! Rabbit! Man, I want one too. Can you hug it the way you hug cats? [looks at the tender squishy body of the usagi, and then sweatdrops]. I want a black rabbit with blue eyes, then I'll call him Sasuke w I hope a rabbit like that exists.
['] = Kaka-adikj yung Go! Pwamis, winawasak ko ang Winamp ko ng puro un tugtog! Get the fire, Bam! Kahit c Drug Lord, este, Dark Lord gusto ung music [watches DL do the Rainier Castillo dance] Madapaking hell...
White Witch = He he. Actually, I was editing the final copy of my alma mater's iskul paper (sideline kong isa pa ;;) kaya mejo nahuli updates. Di bale, lumabas na yung paper, at sana mapadalhan kta ng copy ng hard work ko And yap, ung isa kong kitty, Gaara ang pangalan. Yung kapatid ko, pasaway. Tawag nya kay Gaara, Hero Angeles. [groans]
………………………..
"Yum! Nothing like a good ole bowl of warm ramen for the chilled winter soul!" said Tenten cheerfully as their orders were served. "Hey Neji, do you know that this place is the favorite hang-out of Sir Kakashi?"
The bored eyes of the Earl Hyuuga Neji glanced at the noodle bowl in a half-dismayed, half-grumpy look before casting their gaze at her. "I do not really take notice of other people."
"Yah. Exactly my thoughts on you," she agreed. "But you know, it won't hurt if once in a while, you entertain this one little thing we human beings call social concern. It's not much to ask, eh?"
"I've existed without it for the past thirteen years. I do not seek what I do not know," he said dryly, deciding to lift the chopsticks already.
"Right. You existed, but existing is very different from living, if you must know." She stirred the available condiments on the tray to her ramen bowl.
"Do not babble cliché nonsense, woman," was Neji's quick snide comment. "I'm not like your little Lee who believes you and worships you like a deity."
She groaned. "Hey, I'm just trying to help you out, see? You lead a very boring life…really, REALLY boring."
"Whether I do is not your business anyway, witch." He took his first taste of the noodles, and then paused. As much as he hated to admit it, the ramen was good. Very good.
"Like what you said," she shrugged. "Man, some people just don't understand what altruism is even if it hits them on the face…and kicks their arse…and treats them to ramen houses…"
Neji smirked. "Sensitivity is foreign to me."
"No words could be truer than that." Tenten lifted her bowl and sipped the thick soup with much gusto. The earl though, was far from being annoyed. The witch was so damn artless and unaffected, and yet there was still grace in the way she nipped the contents of the bowl.
His gaze fell on her lips still moist from the noodle soup. He especially liked that part of her body—it was the only thing that could show her softness that she always struggled to hide. It was one of the reasons why he enjoys those stolen kisses—her rage was engaging, especially when her face turns into an angry shade of crimson, her eyes spitting wild fire. Yet her lips and her response were anything but fury. She was malleable in his arms—an incensed metal slowly but surely melted and molded by his fire. Then she would suddenly become soft, pliant, and submissive. And he would be caught in awe, for he witnessed the two sides of the witch in a matter of small eternities trapped in ticking seconds.
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm warning you, Earl Hyuuga Neji. Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like the way the pope would never look at a dog in heat," she said, shaking her head. "You are a good kisser, I give you that, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a jerk, not to mention a major asshole." She placed her chopsticks down at the counter. "And I have no wish to pick up a stone to hit myself with."
"You speak too harshly." But he didn't even look dazed. "If you must know, you respond well to my kisses too. Do you respond that way to Rock Lee too?" He continued with his meal.
Tenten rolled her eyes. "Why do you ask?"
"Why do you ask?" he asked back.
"Forget it," she said, groaning inwardly.
"I will ask you again—do you respond to Rock Lee the same way?" he asked again, his voice hinting the gravity of urgency in his usually controlled voice.
"If it will make you happy, then no, I do not," she said, eyes rolling. How could he ask her that when it was clear as plain daylight that she and Lee were beyond romance? They shared something much more meaningful than that—sibling-like friendship.
"That's all that I need to know," he said, and this time, he looked much more energetic in eating his ramen.
"If I were you, earl Hyuuga Neji, I would examine things first. The way you kiss, even a rooster wearing a skirt will fall in love with you, but you're still a jerk."
"Thank you."
"Conceited beast."
.
.
.
"So where exactly are we going, Sir Kakashi?" asked Naruto as he and the sensei hiked up the mountains just outside the gates of the Hidden Leaf. "Will it be really far?"
"No, actually I am just looking for a good place to start our training…" Kakashi's eye scanned the whole place until he finally found what he was looking for—a frozen pool of water. He smiled. "Right. We already have what we need."
"Er…the grass?"
The Starlet sat down by the tree and relaxedly took out his novel. "This is the perfect spot!"
"Hontou?" asked Naruto excitedly. "How this would help in my training, huh, Sir Kakashi?"
"Actually, it won't," shrugged the Starlet. "I just thought that this would be the right spot for my reading relaxation."
"Eh?!"
"Oh well, I'll give you something to do anyway." He pointed at the clear ice sheet beside them. "I want you to cross that to the other side without falling over."
Naruto looked stumped. "That's all?"
"That's all."
"Hah! Piece of chicken cake sandwich!" said the blond, rolling the sleeves of his shirt up. "Yoroshii! Watch your talented student as he shows you why he is the future Hokage of our kingdom!"
Kakashi idly watched as the boy took one solid step at the ice sheet, and then slipped down the pool with a big splash.
"Oi, Naruto, you better get out of that water quick! We still have more trainings in hand, you know."
Naruto's head bobbed out of the water, sputtering. "Sir Kakashi, why did it break under my weight? A-And how come the water is bubbling underneath if it is frozen?"
"Simple. The ice is not stable." He gestured to the surroundings. "We are standing right above the frozen hot spring of Konoha, so even if it may look like that the water is frozen, beneath it actually is a continuous supply of heat."
The boy heaved himself up, shivering. "Man, if the water is not for walking, then how will I get to that point?"
"Think the answer over, Naruto," said the mentor. "If you feel like giving up already, inform me. For the meantime, I want you to do your best to complete this part of the training alone."
"Oooh…alright." He slumped down the grass, warming himself up as he pondered on the puzzle of the ice sheet and how he would overcome the fact of life that water is meant for swimming in, not walking over.
After a while, he lied down the grass, whining. "Sir Kakashi, you're asking for a miracle!"
"Ah Naruto, I will never ask a miracle from someone who is not a god. I'm only asking for your best independent effort, and I know that you can do it," shrugged the Starlet mentor.
And that vote of confidence was enough to encourage him. He grinned, and then went back to his contemplation.
.
.
.
"Aieeee!!!" The startled scream of Yamanaka Ino reverberated in the hallways of the Hidden leaf palace, immediately catching the attention of everyone, especially of Shikamaru and Choji. The two dashed towards the private sleeping chamber of the Yamanaka court lady, alarmed.
"Ino!" yelled Shika, banging the door open. His mouth dropped open a second later. "What the hell…"
Ino was having a tug-of-war with a small boy donning a long cape behind him and goggles too. "Shika! Choji! Get this brat out of here!" She persistently tugged on a piece of lavender fabric that was clutched stubbornly on by the kid.
Choji arrived behind him, baffled. "Hey…you know, that brat looks familiar."
"What the brat is holding on looks quite familiar too," said Shika dryly as his gaze fell on the light violet lacy baby brassiere the two were tugging on.
The court lady's face turned pink, and she yelled, "IDIOT! Don't look at that article of clothing anymore! GETTHISBRATOUTOFMYROOM!!!"
Choji was about to use his jutsu when Shika stopped him. "Hey, now I know who this kid is. But we can't use our jutsu on him—it's blasphemy on the name of the great Hokage."
"E-Eh?! Y-You mean he is—"
"Stop chatting, you two! Just get rid of him already, will you?" snapped Ino, gritting her teeth when she felt her fingers slowly losing grip on the clothing.
"In this case, we have to use diplomacy." Shikamaru knelt down beside the boy and patted his head. "Listen, young man, what do you want with a girl's bra?"
"None of your business!" yelled the boy.
"Look, a bra is not a toy. And boys like you can't even wear it," rationalized the shadow master. "And it's too small!"
"It will fit Grandpa!" insisted the lad, stomping his feet.
The two butlers sweatdropped while Ino felt her face burn some more. "Ugh! Your Grandpa is a pervert! Why would he want to wear a bra?"
"Because we need that to play!"
"What game?" she asked, even though she was unsure whether she wanted to know the answer.
"Do you promise to give me this if I tell you?" asked the kid, gesturing to her lavender lacy brassiere.
The blonde's face reddened. "You little shrimp—" She was about to punch the boy when she felt her whole body stop.
Shikamaru got up, smiling. Her shadow was manipulated by him. "You have to calm down, Ino. That little guy with a perverted grandpa happens to be Konohamaru. Everyone in town knows him and his grandfather."
"Well, I don't!" cried the court lady. "And I don't care about him, ok? I want my clothes back!"
"I'll return this after Grandpa and I finish playing!" He gave Shikamaru a thumbs-up, and then dashed out of the room, happily tossing in the air his prize.
"SHIKAMARU!!!" screeched Ino. "Damn it, once I free myself from your jutsu, I swear, I'll make you suffer in eternal damnation!"
The shadow master didn't even look fazed. He pointed at his assistant. "Go after Konohamaru. Sir Ebisu is in a meeting with the Starlets and the boy's grandfather, so he might get into trouble."
"Right!" nodded Akimichi, and then dashed after the runaway lad.
Shikamaru sat down on the floor, sighing. "And you, Ino…"
"Ahem!"
"Lady Ino," he amended, rolling his eyes. "We need to talk."
"If you don't call this talking—"
He turned to her, took a deep breath, and then spoke up. "It's about us."
Ino's eyes widened.
.
.
.
Aburame Shino collapsed on the ground, panting. He knew that he was going to face a nightmare once he leaves the Hidden Leaf kingdom, and that there was almost no chance for him to survive, but going through the battles to keep himself alive…
He silently nursed his wounds—thank heavens for his botanical knowledge. As a gardener, he also studied the medicinal values that come along with the plants that he would take care of.
His hand slid into his shorts pockets and took out a small lavender heather. It was slightly crushed, but it was still as delicately lovely as he picked it days ago.
Hinata…
He silently wondered whether she was alright, and if the Sound or Mist had not acted against her yet. He wished that the enemies would still bid him more time. He needed to rest and get his strength back. He could not face them properly if he was in this state.
Shino shut his eyes tight and leaned on the wall, groaning. Unfortunately, he needed more than herbal first-aid to help him—he knew he needed to see a doctor, but where would he find one? The ten kingdoms were either against Leaf or allies of Leaf, and both were his enemies. They were all after his head, because he knew too much.
Was it too much price to pay to make true with his promise to his fallen father that he would give their clan name a place in the Hidden Leaf court someday?
The ostracized clan of the bugs that the Leaf didn't bother to include in the royal wagon.
And as the successor of this bloodline, and as a filial son to his father, he took the pact with the devil serpent so he could make his father's wish come true.
But he was not anywhere near his goal now—all because he allowed himself one weakness.
That he cared for the prey.
Ah, damn him, but he had no regrets.
Save for one.
That he was not able to protect the water lily the way he wanted to.
He was unaware anymore of the two figures that stopped beside him and took his body away effortlessly.
…………….
(I have to cut it here; an announcement just came that the electricity will be cut within 10 minutes; [bows again], I promise, REALLY, tomorrow, I'll update longer. LONGER!!!)
