Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Some people asked me if this could be considered an "AU" or "what if" fic. I say, why not? Whatever floats your boat...
And the chapter title is supposed to be spelled like that. It's not a real word, but it sounds so...interesting.
Puppet in Pink
12. Intentia
I have given thee words
Of vision and wisdom
More secret than
Hidden mysteries.
Ponder them in the silence
Of thy soul...
-The Bhagavad Gita
6:30 a.m.
Sasuke glanced at the battered digital watch strapped to his wrist. One of those cheap, cereal-box-giveaway things, not built to last but too ugly to break. He glared at the angular black strokes that formed the numbers, watching as they shifted.
6:31 a.m.
Kakashi was nowhere in sight. That wasn't really a surprise, though.
The training grounds were unusually silent. Even Naruto, the loudmouth, was quiet for once. He cast his eyes over the clearing, shuddering involuntarily when he saw the pink-haired girl that stood some distance away.
First she goes and accepts the mission, even when we all make it clear that she's not wanted or needed...and then she makes so bold as to threaten me, the Uchiha, with pitiful, weak illusions! he thought obstinately. Whatever short triumph the girl had managed to hold over him was nothing but a fluke. Yes, that was it. The next time he confronted her, he would really teach her a lesson.
=...you should be more careful about what you say...and what you think...=
Maybe you should be more careful about her from now on. That friggin' voice again. Sasuke glared it into temporary silence.
I'm the Uchiha heir. I'm a ninja genius! I'm strong, smart, capable...and strong! And I DON'T tiptoe around danger. I face it. He snarled at his conscience, or whatever the little voice was.
But she's not "danger". She's your teammate. And besides...how do you think you would feel if someone treated you the way you treat her?
Damn it, that voice was just like Naruto. It never learned to shut up. What was worse...it was making sense.
Sakura's...different, OK? She's fair game. Sasuke was getting more frustrated by the second, though it didn't show. Nobody cares what her "feelings" are. She's...she's our punching bag, OK? Just think of her as a punching bag. Punching bags don't have feelings; you just hit 'em whenever you feel like it and they never complain. Right? RIGHT???
She's obviously weak; it doesn't matter what you say to her! In the real world, she wouldn't survive for a minute! Really! With these words, he knocked the voice into submission. But now it was a matter of convincing himself...
Voices in his head...was he schizophrenic now?
Naruto looked at his two teammates eagerly. Finally, a mission! Not only was it a break from normal routine, but...maybe it would cheer up his Sakura-chan, too. He didn't expect her to be always smiling the way she used to; that was impossible. With your two most precious people dead, who would even want to think about smiling? But...that aura...that gloomy, looming aura...maybe a nice easy mission would drive some of it away...
Well, he could hope, couldn't he?
He glanced from Sakura to Sasuke again, a little nervously now. Why did neither of them speak? The silence that oppressed the atmosphere was crushing him, bit by bit. Naruto wondered how they could take it, how they could keep from being driven insane by the quiet. He twitched his fingers anxiously, not wanting to be the one to break the spell ...the curse... of soundlessness...
"Hey, guys, so sorry that I'm late. Well, actually, I'm earlier than usual, so never mind about tha-"
Naruto breathed an inward sigh of relief at the arrival of the silver-haired teacher, and then quickly hid it with his patented display of rowdiness, grateful for the excuse to speak.
"Who cares if you're 'earlier than usual'?! YOU'RE STILL LATE!!!!!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger in his sensei's face.
Kakashi chuckled quietly at Naruto's noisemaking and scratched the back of his head innocently. Some things just never change...he thought cheerfully. ...Unlike other things...another part of him added. He told that part to shut up. That wasn't the way to start out a mission...
"So...if everybody's all ready, let's go," he announced, outwardly ignoring Naruto's accusations of lateness.
Sakura shouldered a tattered schoolbag and followed her teammates as they walked away from the training grounds. She was last again, she noted with displeasure. Always last.
But, hey, they didn't know any better. They didn't know that she deserved any better...
Eek...I can't believe how busy I've been lately. I normally like to update every other day...but my schedule's just flown right out the window, what with school starting and all. And so I find myself sitting at the computer at...what, 10:00 p.m. already? And my eyes are aching (I'm wearing sunglasses!)...but I know I won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't type this up! (I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about...) x.x So any mistakes in my spelling, grammar, etc. are probably because of that.
Thanks to all the people who continue reviewing with constructive criticism and ideas. As you can tell, it does help. Even if I screw most of it up...yeah, it helps a lot. So keep it up!