"So Hinata-san is ok now?" asked Lee, smiling. When he, Lady Haruno, and Kiba arrived in the palace, the first person they looked for was the maid. Tenten wryly explained that Naruto had arrived in the palace and saved the day for her. Upon hearing this, Sakura's next question was of course, Sasuke. To this, the sorceress shrugged. Immediately, the court lady went to the prince's room. On the other hand, the grumbling Kiba opted to return to his duties in the royal stable.
"Yeah. She just needed a warm cup of lovin'," shrugged the mage, her eyes all lit up.
"Er…Onee'san, you look…different," said the taijutsu master nervously.
"Different? How come?"
"You look…happy…"
"I'm always happy!" When she received a dry look from him, she laughed. "OK, OK, I'll tell you." She grinned. "Neji just asked me to be his girl."
Silence.
"Neji-san…NO WAY!!!" Lee's eyes bulged.
"That was the same reaction I had…" she narrated to him excitedly what happened next.
"NO WAY!!!" she exclaimed. "You're kidding!"
Neji blinked, and then let her go. "I will not kid about something like that. Not when it comes to you." He started towards the door. "I usually dislike being shamed twice, but I'll take my chance."
She paused.
"I'll ask you again tonight." He turned to her, his eyes promising something. "Properly."
Lee waved his hand. "Wait, wait. This is all too sudden!"
"I know, I know!" She clasped her hands together. "What am I going to do? What am I going to say?" She looked down at herself. "And geez, what am I going to WEAR?!"
"Onee-san, don't you think that the potion you made had something to do with it?" asked the boy, making her stop her nervous babbling.
Her eyes widened. "P-Pardon me?"
"The love potion," whispered Lee. "Remember?"
"Love po—SHIT!" Like a flash of lightning, she rushed into her magic laboratory, behind her the earl rushing too. She opened the dog-eared book of spells and frantically searched the pages for the potion she made. "Found it!"
Lee peered over her shoulder. "Hmm…yeah, that's it. The one with the strand of hair thingie…" He read some more, and then gasped. "Oh no!"
"L-Lee?"
"When did you make the potion?"
"B-Barely a month and a half ago, why?" she asked, starting to get anxious too.
"It's a gibbous moon tonight, right?" When she nodded, his face fell. "Onee-san, the potion will wear off tonight."
……………………….
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Not in the best mood today, gomen. Not much plot development…just…realizations.
No messages for today too. Sorry.
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"S-Sasuke…" The colors on Sakura's face drained when she saw the sleeping figure on the royal silk-laden bed.
Kakashi and the other Starlets were seated around him, looking grim. Anko was the one most upset, especially when her eyes move on the fang scar on the prince's neck. She paced back and forth the room restlessly.
"It is the devil serpent, indeed," she spoke at last. "So Orochimaru had succeeded in finding the forbidden branch of Ninjutsu."
"Sir Iruka's body had been found in the hallway. It seemed like he was just a puppet or something," reported Kurenai, fists clenched.
"Those spies scored one over us…a very crucial score at that." The senior female starlet looked at Kakashi. "And he gave us two nights to prepare for his arrival, huh?"
"Not too generous, but it's better than nothing," admitted the Copy Ninja. His gaze went to Sakura, who was seated on the prince's bed, smoothing her beloved's hair. "Lady Haruno, I'm sorry. Had I arrived earlier…"
"He went out looking for me, and for that, he nearly died." Sakura's fists tightened into a ball. "And Kabuto-sensei is not here anymore. Who would treat him now?"
Silence.
"At the prince's incapability to deliver his duties, who would be the steward of the kingdom?" she asked, her voice starting to get serious.
"That would be me," said Anko. "Why do you ask?"
She turned to her. "Order Tsunade-sama to be escorted back here. As a citizen of Leaf kingdom, she had been sworn to the duty of serving the kingdom's best interests. She would become our medical specialist again."
The Starlet looked stunned, but she nodded. "Of course, Lady Haruno."
"Sir Asuma, mobilize the confirmed spies posing as soldiers towards the other side of the kingdom gates. Make them believe that we are already starting to move. This might confuse the other kingdoms, and at the same time, minimize the leaks of our kingdom's military plans."
The Starlet nodded. "Right."
"Sir Gai and Miss Kurenai, gather all our best fighters in the kingdom and have them prepare for the coming battle."
The two nodded at the same time.
She faced Kakashi. "And Sir Kakashi, as soon as Naruto gets back in the palace, continue your training with him. Hasten and intensify his exercises. We're going to need his help a lot."
"Sure thing." He smiled at her gently. "If Sasuke was in the same situation, he would say the same thing too."
She smiled slowly. "You don't know how much that vote of confidence counts. Thank you, Sir Kakashi."
This kingdom is my kingdom too. This is my home, and this is where Sasuke-kun and I would build our family. I'll protect that dream with my life…with all of me.
.
.
.
"Ino, open the door, honey. Let's talk!" came Lady Yamanaka's voice from the other side of the door. "Honey, why are you crying?"
But she chose to ignore them. She concentrated on gathering her chakra, using this activity as an outlet for her anger.
"Damn you, Shikamaru…I hope something really, really awful happens to you today…like…like…breaking a nail…or something," she hissed. "No matter, I'll think of that something soon, and once I do, I'd pray for that to happen every single day! I promise, on every letter of my Yamanaka clan name!" And my family name is pretty long…
"Ino, please don't do this. Choji said you went to Shikamaru's house—"
"I DID NOT!" she screamed.
"O-OK, you passed by his house—"
"I DID NOT EITHER!" she screamed again. It was already hell enough for her pride to know that she was refused by Shika, THE Shika who in one word, would move heaven and hell and everything in between if she wishes. No, she couldn't allow other people to know how much she was distressed by what he did. Never!
"Did he do something to you?" her mother asked.
"NOTHING!" And that was what irked her most. He did nothing when before, she was his number one always. ALWAYS.
"Honey, please come out! We'll talk…I-I think Prince Sasuke had returned to the palace already. He would need some TLC—"
"He wouldn't even know I'm there, Mother!" she groaned. She had enough rejections for one day. Besides, she knew Sakura would be there.
Of course, Sakura. How many times had she forced herself to act blind and do her best not to see how the prince treats the pink-haired girl? Sure, he yelled at her, he would get mad at her, and he would humiliate her so every time.
But he did so with emotions.
Only Haruno Sakura had the privilege to elicit feelings worth more than boredom out of the ice prince.
She looked away, willing her tears to go away. She couldn't afford to feel self-pity now. She, Yamanaka Ino, had no right to wallow in one. Every girl in the Leaf kingdom wanted to be like her: beautiful, refined, elegant, smart, and skilled in ninja combats. What should she feel depressed about?
The answer hit her just as quickly. Just as she was about to acknowledge that Nara Shikamaru was more than a hopeless slacker who was almost a freeloader in the palace if not for his brain, he suddenly went away.
"Mother, I'm fine! I-I'm just…letting off some steam," she decided to say so her mother would stop worrying.
"Oh Ino…"
"I'll be fine, you'll see!" And I had to be, because I'm not Yamanaka Ino for nothing.
"Damn, Ino, how could you worry your mother just like that?"
Her heartbeat froze.
.
.
.
"Welcome, welcome," said an eerie woman's voice upon the entrance of Naruto and Hinata in the tent.
The boy looked amazed by the mysterious and almost astrological feel of the booth, with dark velvet curtains surrounding the place, and a few lighted scented candles giving an ambience of supernatural power in the place.
Hinata nearly jumped when she bumped to a warm body. When she looked up, it was a woman donning scarf and gems on her headdress, and a long black wizard coat. Her mouth was covered with a thin, gauzy black fabric.
"Hi! I'm Naruto, and this is Hinata. We came here to—" began the lad, but he was immediately cut off by the woman.
"You came here to have your fortunes told. I know."
Instantly, Naruto's eyes widened. "Woooow! How did you know?" Beside him, Hinata giggled softly. It didn't take her Byakugan to know that this woman was a fraud, but still, it was fun seeing him look astounded by the fortuneteller's 'clairvoyance'.
"I can see the future and the past. What more for the present?" The woman directed them to their seats, and Naruto eagerly took his. "Who would want their fortunes told first?"
"Me! ME!!!" said the lad excitedly.
"Give me your hand then." Upon receiving his, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Hinata thought she could hear the woman mumbling something incomprehensible, but when she glanced at Naruto, she knew he was all for it. Nevertheless, she was still curious as to what the woman would tell the boy.
"You dwell in the Leaf Kingdom…"
"Hell yeah!"
"And this morning, you brushed your teeth after you ate…"
"That's TRUE!!!" Now Naruto looked even more excited.
"Ah…you are a Shinobi, huh?"
"Woooow! That's correct!"
Hinata smiled. Anyone could tell someone was a ninja from his hand that was calloused from too much shuriken training.
"You like food…"
"Oh boy, oh boy!"
The woman's voice rose higher, encouraged by his enthusiastic response. "You LOVE food…"
"OH BOY!"
"That's why you should marry someone who knows how to cook!"
Hinata nearly fell down from her seat. Of course, that was logical thinking at work.
"Marry someone who knows how to cook…check!" Naruto kept that in mind. "What else? You think I can become the Hokage?"
The woman inspected his palm solemnly. "Yes…if you work hard enough…"
"I'LL WORK HARD ENOUGH!" He was now on the edge of his seat, eyes lit up. "What else, what else, huh?"
"You must be careful in your battles, or you might get hurt…"
"I'll do that!"
"And expect good news regarding your…uh…your life in general."
"When will it come?"
"Ah…when it arrives."
"OK!"
The woman scratched her cheek. "Ah…what else…"
Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and showed it to the woman. "After me, maybe you can tell her fortune too?"
Hinata, surprised by his touch, felt her cheeks burn "A-Ah…N-Naruto…kun…"
The mystic's eyes lit up as an idea formed in her mind. "Yes, but let me tell you something first though…about your love life."
"M-My…love life?" he asked, blinking.
"You may not notice it, but someone loves you from afar, with such intense extent that had there been two or three of you in this world and she only had one heart, she will still give the entirety of her heart all to you." The woman was intending to exaggerate some more when she saw the girl beside the boy freeze. She then realized the situation between the two. She smiled. "She could not find the voice of her heart yet, but when she does, listen well. When the heart speaks, it's always the truth…the truth in its most beautiful form."
"When she speaks…it's the truth…" Naruto whispered slowly, nodding.
"Seek out and find who she is, before it's too late. A love like hers, in its unconditional and pure fashion, is hard to find. In our life, there is only 'one great love' that no other love in the world could surpass. Do you know that is the reason why we have soulmates?" The woman nodded. "That's right. We search for that 'one great love' in several lifetimes, and if we don't, we get born again and again until we meet. So if I were you, don't lose your sight on her. Don't wait for any more lifetimes. Go get her."
"D-Don't I have any clue or something?" asked Naruto frantically. Someone who loved him…god, how many times in his life had he longed for someone to love him and shower him with affection? No, if this person exists in this lifetime already, he wouldn't lose his chance. He would find her, come hell or high water!
"You do not need any clues. You would just feel it. The instant connection, the feeling that only she could touch your depths intimately, and the feeling that you see yourself in her." Now the fortuneteller had started to sound like a love counselor.
"OK, I'll remember that." He turned to Hinata, who was seated, somewhat dazed. "Hinata? It's your turn now."
She blinked, and then blushed, shaking her head. "I-Iie. Thanks, b-but no thanks. I would rather wait in anticipation for what future holds…"
"OK…" Naruto faced the fortuneteller. "How much is your charge?"
The woman smiled. "I won't charge anything, but you have to promise me that you would let me know if you found your soulmate already, clear?"
The boy slowly smiled. "No problem! I know I would find her! And once I do, I would never, EVER let her go!" He grinned.
Hinata looked down, eyes shaking. Her Naruto-kun hadn't found his soulmate yet, but it seemed he was so in love with it already. Where would that leave her?
"But if you want, you could buy my scented candles…they're great for relaxation after your shinobi trainings! Thirty ryo each!" The soothsayer was back in business.
Naruto bought three pieces and then cheerfully left the booth. Hinata was about to follow him when the woman stopped her.
"Have patience," said the psychic woman softly. "He'll find you. He may be naïve, but eventually, he'll find his way to you."
"A-Ah…" Her mouth dropped open.
"How can destiny not let it happen, when you two are the key to each other's happiness? Fate is not unkind to unsullied hearts that wait, remember that."
.
.
.
Shikamaru entered her room through her open bedroom window. He jumped down, and then dusted his clothes off.
Ino got up slowly, and then her temper exploded. "NARA SHIKAMARU, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!"
"Standing." The shadow master stretched, and then straightened. "Ino, listen—"
"Ahem!"
"LADY Ino," he said, rolling his eyes. "I know it's none of my damn business—"
"It's good that you are aware of it," she said, feigning anger. Inwardly though, she was thrilled to hear him say her name again.
"—but you're in danger," he finished. "The Sound kingdom will start its attack on your family—"
Upon hearing the name of the kingdom and remembering the blatant flirting of that wretched Sound nin, her pleasure vanished. "Shut up!!!"
"Ino, stop your childish stubbornness—"
"Me, childish and stubborn? Hah! You have some guts to say that to me, ME, the future queen of the Leaf kingdom!"
She saw raw pain slice in his eyes, and she immediately regretted what she said. He already spoke however. "If you still want to live long enough to make that dream come true, then listen to me, will you?" he snapped, as if at the edge of his patience already.
She felt herself clam up. This was one of the very rare times that she had tried his patience. She didn't want to know what a man whose rope of patience broke could do to a talkative girl like her.
"The assault will start on your family, so be careful." His voice mellowed. "Please, Ino."
This, somehow, made her anger melt. This was the concern she had longed to see for so long from him. Looking at him, she felt like she was transported back to the time when things were still perfect and unruffled for them…when he hadn't confessed yet and she hadn't broke his heart.
"I realized I had lost my job already…as well as my right to protect you when I refused to come with Choji." He looked away. "But I respected your need to be alone. It was so damn hard…I wanted to see you…even mere glances would do, but I know you might just feel guilty for what you did." He sighed. "But when I learned the plan of the Sound kingdom, I had to see you. I had to make sure you were safe. Even at the expense of your father and your anger at me too."
"Spies are everywhere, Shika," she heard herself say softly. "If they learn that you've been here, your wish to not get anymore involved in this war would lose meaning." When she received his puzzled look, she nodded. "Yes, I was there. I heard what you and that bitch— I-I mean, improper woman said."
"So that's why she brought your name up awhile ago. She knew." He scratched the back of his head, blushing faintly. Despite herself, she had to laugh. Nara Shikamaru, embarrassed? It was too damn precious, knowing how troublesome it was for him to face complicated things such as this.
"I don't really mind," he said after a while. "Whether I want it or not, I had to be involved, because it's about you. YOU." He turned his back on her. "You mean a lot to me…I know I had told you that before."
She ignored her palpitating heart. "Y-Yeah…"
"If you don't want to see me, then I can promise you that I'll keep my distance. Don't worry, I won't mention anything more about us after this. And after I make sure the war is over and that you're really safe… I'll go. And you'll never see me again."
Silence.
"S-Shika…you'd do anything I want, right?"
"I just stated so."
"S-Sure?"
"Even if the whole world stops moving, you know I would still breathe…if you say so." Just for you.
"Then stay." She felt the lump in her throat again, threatening tears, but she felt much better, lighter, HAPPIER. She had finally shoved her pride long enough to tell him that he meant so much to her too.
He turned around, eyes wide in disbelief.
"W-Well?" She disguised her trembling self with an air of bravado. "Are you man enough to stand up for your words?"
He blinked, and then grinned, scratching the back of his head. "I believe I am."
From the other side of the door, Lord Yamanaka grinned at his wife. "Now do you believe me when I said that Nara Shikamaru is the only boy who has the balls to stand up to our daughter's worst enemy, a.k.a. herself?" He squeezed her hand fondly. "Now I can be at peace. She's in good hands. He loves her so."
……………………
to be continued
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You guys can stop reading from here. This is for crimsonbutterfly09, who I wasn't able to email back because Y! Mail didn't like its web mail host or something.
My response:
Crimson-san,
I appreciate that you read the fic until this point, but I must be honest: I was upset by what you told me in that email. Here is my side on your opinions:
On me using the fic as a message board to gain 400 reviewsI admit that my Message Time A/N takes up a lot of space in my fics, but that's because I like chatting with the readers. But that being the reason for my reviews…that's pretty mean. Does that mean my style of writing doesn't deserve it? I write those messages because it's the way I can get in touch with them and learn about them, because I love them. When my fic got plagiarized, it was them who stood up for me. When I get home from my various odd jobs and work, it's their cheerful, heartwarming reviews that ease my weariness and fatigue. In a way, they care for me, even if they only know me as the incurable romantic and wacky syao-chan.
Compared to that 400 figure you're making such a big deal about, my readers who had also been my friends are far more invaluable than that.
On me using a language that most readers don't understandI thought the readers understood already that one-fourth of the TFTP readers are my fellow Filipinos, thus I use that language liberally when talking to them. It's our way of identifying ourselves as birds of the same flock in the otherwise thousands of anonymous faces in I provide warning on the omakes that I write when they're in Tagalog…I even write some translations! Heck, this is my way of showing my pride for my race. And I think I did an adequate job of balancing it with my efforts to bring Filipinos closer to the hearts of other nationalities…for instance, with the excerpt of the NejiTen scene from Chicharong Flower.
This pride was the reason why shut down my account for one whole week, but does that stop me from trying? No, because before being syaoran no hime, the author, I am Sheila Miranda, a Filipino.
On me drowning the story with unnecessary mush and fluffI can't help it if that is your opinion. When I started to write for the public, I immediately understood that I cannot please everybody. Do bear in mind though that my specialty genre is romance, thus, I need to be mushy and fluffy. I am an escapist' paradise. I refuse to write gloom and doom because I write to cheer people up. Anyway, has a wide variety of other genre and other fics that may cater to your taste. You don't have to read all twenty-six chapters of TFTP.
In regards to your complaint about the maltreatment of Hyuuga Neji in this story, where he was transformed into a maudlin, overly sentimental asshole that even Yuu Watase [Fushigi Yuugi creator btw] would cringe at, I only have one thing to point out: in my summary, I stated CLEARLY that this is an AU. I have the right to do what I want with the characters. If you don't agree with my character sketches, then you could leave TFTP alone.
On me sounding like a hypocrite and a self-righteous bitchYou cited my lines from The Heart of the Gardener, when Shino's father was talking about the precious things in life. If you don't agree with me because I sound like a priest delivering a homily, then I'm sorry. You may have a different opinion on life and how it works, but this is what I believe in. I said those lines not because it's the right and moral thing to say, but it's because it's my philosophy. Pretty far-fetched, some may think, especially those who get to chat with me. However, I assure you that I still do my best to live with that principle, and I said those self-righteous lines in good faith.
[sighs] There! I feel much better! Crimson-san, if I offended you in any way, gomen. I wrote this while I wasn't calm yet. I have received harsh criticisms and irrational flames from almost all fandoms I write for, but this was the only one that made me this upset. Mostly because of that review figure you talked about. Maybe two days later, I'll be much more rational and laugh at some of my too-emotional rants. Right now, I'm just glad that I let off some steam.
