the sacrifice
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto concept and the original characters... I do own the plot in this fiction and a make-believe character of mine named Rekka.
Simple Note: I've finally overcome my writer's block! Yay! So here's what I wrote…
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Chapter 7: DECISIONS
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Nine o'clock came that day.
Shikamaru, who was keeping the one and only pair ticket they could buy, led the pack to the basement storeroom. He had been thinking all day what they could do to choose who was the two deserving people among their group. /If only any of the sensei could help and tell them who should come to the party!/ Shikamaru thought glumly, realizing how important a sensei in times of decision-making… /Oh well…/ He opened the door and was dumb-founded for a moment…
"SENSEI-KAKASHI!" Naruto yelled excitedly. He was grinning from ear to ear, went running towards half-opened-eyes-Kakashi, pushing Shikamaru on the way. This was the very first time Naruto realized how much he missed the ways of his perverted sensei-Kakashi.
Kakashi wasn't the only sensei in there. The chuunin-examiner sensei-Anko and other jounin-teachers Asuma, Gai, and Kurenai were also there. After a few chats and inevitable questions and answers, the teachers decided to tell them why there were there.
"We are here to help you," Kakashi said. "Now by all means, how many tickets have you bought?"
"One," Shikamaru answered. He got the ticket, a long one, (which would be purposely divided by the couple who would attend the party) and proudly showed it to the teachers.
The sensei exchanged glances. "Just one?" Anko asked in a disbelieving tone.
"And who would own the ticket and attend the party?" Kurenai asked.
No one answered.
Kakashi sighed. /I knew this will happen…/ he thought as his bored eyes observed the teens—all waiting for the teachers to help them. /Well, at least they had a good memory of earning it… I hope…/
"So you haven't decided, huh? Well, let's see…" Anko said as she folded her arms in front of her. She looked at each of her colleagues and when each had nodded at her, she continued to say, "Listen carefully and think twice before you all make a move, okay?"
The teens' brows furrowed, wondering what Anko meant.
"I have a good news and bad news for you," Gai said. "What do you want to hear first?"
"The good news first," Rekka said at the same time Sasuke said, "The bad one." She looked at Sasuke, thinking he's such a pessimistic baka who dwells on negativities and all that crap. "The good news first, please?" she requested, ignoring Sasuke's seriousness all together.
"Well, then…" Gai began. "The good news is all of you will be attending the party…"
Naruto's jaw dropped. "YAHOO!" he jumped joyfully and started to dance in circles. "Yes! Yes! I'll go to the party! Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Sasuke has this look in him that obviously shows how low and stupid Naruto could act/be most of the times. He let out a sigh of dismay with his teammate.
"Sensei Gai," Rock Lee raised his hand, and Gai acknowledged him. "But, the tickets come in pairs… And we're fifteen all together, with five girls and ten boys to be accurate… How can we all go to the party?"
Naruto stopped rejoicing and frowned at the new problem… He thought of any possible answer, and all he could think of was that—some of the guys would disguise as a girl for a while. /Wow… That's weird and freaky…/ He thought as he imagined himself wearing make-ups and having fake boobs and all…
"Well, you will know the answer after Kakashi tells you what to do now," said sensei-Gai.
Still holding his favorite read in front of his face, sensei-Kakashi said not-so-loudly yet clearly, "Choose for yourself a partner from the opposite sex, now." He closed the book and it disappeared in a smoke. He added in a more serious manner, "But remember, think first before you approach or say something to someone." His sleepy eye wandered among the eyes of the students. "Each one of you is only entitled to approach only one person and of course, ask her or him… In addition to the rules, obviously, if you are approached by many persons, then you can only answer 'yes' to someone once… The decided pairs—please stand at my left, with Kurenai. While the remaining people will stay at the right with Gai."
TBC
(Note: Joke! Anyway since I've made an interruption now, I just want to say that the students were fifteen altogether, Rock Lee was right… Just count: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Tenten, Neji, Lee… They're twelve right? Well, count Rekka in, plus her two other classmates in Lotus Academe of Ninjas, namely Motoochi Asiwari and Kinobi Wagiko… They were introduced in Chapter 3: Surprises Part 2, when Naruto asked Hinata how her new teammates were doing in Hinata's team… You might be wondering why there were only three students (from Lotus Academe) left to continue the Inter-School Summer Training Workshop and where did the others go… The answer is—when this new mission began, the Third Hokage gave the new students options – whether to stay with the Konoha Team or go home to their country… Apparently, these two guys chose to stay… Why? You'll find out in the next chapters… And with Rekka's case, Kakashi told her about it when she woke up (last chapter)… And yep, she decided to stay… Why? Well, it implied last chapter that she doesn't want to go home… Why? All I can say is that she has family issues… She confessed that to me… Anyway, Asiwari and Wagiko weren't Rekka's original teammate… In case, you're thinking they all belong to the same team… No they don't. sigh Whew! This is a long explanation… Sorry if I just decided to insert these info at the middle of an important decision-making… Oh yeah! I guess the characters had more than enough time to think before acting… So let's go back to the story now…)
Naruto need not think any further. He has come up with a decision, with one girl in his mind. So among the immobile bodies of the genins, he proudly marched towards the pink-haired girl, namely Sakura… He pasted his big, goofy smile that made his eyes close (know what I mean?), and he said, "Sakura! Will you be my partner for tomorro—…" Naruto slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see Sakura's gushing face…
Unfortunately…
Sakura walked past Naruto, ignoring him all the while. /Oh my god! This is my chance to date Sasuke-kun! Just a few steps away…/ Sakura thought as she gathered all the courage she had in her… /Almost there… Just a couple of steps and I'll be there—/ But someone caught her hand. Sakura turned around, ready to strike a punch at whoever interfered with her… And she found herself staring at Naruto's sincerest pair of blue eyes.
Sakura calmed herself. She didn't dare punch her teammate…
"Sakura," Naruto began, "I… uh… What are we talking about anyway?" Naruto sheepishly asked, scratching his head.
The Inner Sakura was really mad now. /Come on, just kick him… You should be telling Sasuke-kun now…/ Sakura's eyes rested on Sasuke and Ino talking at the corner… The Inner Sakura's temper exploded, showing clouds of smoke coming out from her head…
"Sakura? I want to be your date tomorrow… Will you be—?"
"No," Sakura interrupted. "Naruto, thanks for the attention and all, but I just see you as my friend… And not someone else…" Her voice faltered as she looked down at the floor. She couldn't believe she was busting Naruto! Then a few seconds later, she felt Naruto's touch on her hand disappear…
Naruto let go of Sakura's hand.
"Sorry, Naruto…" Then, Sakura turned around once again to walk towards Sasuke.
=====
Sasuke heaved a low sigh of dismay when he heard what Kakashi told them to do. He believed this was the bad news sensei-Gai was talking about. It was when Ino had come up to him when he totally concluded it was the bad news indeed.
Sasuke was not paying any attention to what Ino was saying to him. He was currently watching everyone else: Shikamaru, Neji, Rock Lee, and Shino who were still standing where they were as if they were waiting for a miracle to happen to them; Chouji whose head was turning from one side to the other as if he's really deciding who his perfect date could be; Kiba, with Akamaru on his head (barking), who was walking towards…
/Hinata?/ Sasuke asked himself, as he watched Kiba buckling up a bit as he walked to the shy girl standing near the wall. Sasuke smirked at this. /At least, he has some courage… Yet, there's nothing to loose to ask the Hyuuga girl…/ Sasuke told himself as he thought Hinata wouldn't dare say "no" to anyone even if she doesn't like the person… /It would be a miracle if Hinata would turn down Kiba, just to ask his real crush…/ Sasuke subtly watched Naruto who looking at the floor and standing where Sakura had left him.
/Naruto could have tried harder to show his real feelings towards Sakura…/ Sasuke frowned. /So that she will not be here, annoying me, with Ino…/ Sasuke sighed and asked himself when these girls would stop fighting because their constant bickering in front of him was really irritating him. He knew they were just being honest, but really, they should have a clue that he's not interested in anyone…
/Oh really?/ Sasuke's inner voice sarcastically asked. /You aren't interested in anyone, huh? Then, why are you still figuring what Rekka will do…?/
At the corner of his eye, Sasuke was watching Rekka being approached by her two classmates. He kind of knew this would happen—that Rekka would probably go out with any of the two…
/Or not?/ Sasuke thought, his forehead slightly wrinkled, as he saw the two guys back away even before they were near enough to Rekka to ask her out. He was wondering what happened that made them changed their decisions… Then he saw the answer—Rekka disappeared suddenly at their sight. /I guess, they got the message…/ Sasuke scoffed, thinking that at least they weren't directly busted like Naruto. /Well, at least they still have the one chance to ask someone else… Since they didn't really exactly ask Rekka out… They were just about to, when that wicked witch disappeared…/
And so, Sasuke found himself searching subtly searching the room for Rekka…
"Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke snapped back to his own small world—which somehow includes Sakura and Ino…
"Get off Sasuke-kun!" Ino yelled at Sakura for Sakura has just got on Sasuke's back to get his attention.
Sasuke shot an annoyed look at Sakura. /Can they be any more childish?/ He asked himself disbelievingly. He couldn't take them anymore. He had given them plenty of obvious hints that he's not interested in them. He just saw them as teammate (in Sakura's case) and classmate (in Ino's case)… He couldn't even say they were friends…
As far as Sasuke's comprehension of friends, the only example of friendship (between a guy and a girl) he could think of was that of… His mind went racing to all the events he had witnessed between any guy and a girl… And he couldn't decide if that kind of relationship was of platonic friendship and not something else…
And the only thing he could associate to friendship is his childhood days with little Rekka…
/Oh well, what do I know about that friendship crap? I don't need it anymore! Or any type of relationship with someone… I can live on my own… And I'd like it more if I'll be left alone…/
Sasuke knew from the bottom of his heart-slowly-tuned-to-stone: he was lying.
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Hinata was looking at the floor, thinking of any simple and discreet way to approach Naruto and ask him to be her partner in the party. She had heard everything Sakura had said, and felt really sorry for Naruto. She wanted to console him, but her feet would not listen to what her heart was shouting. Her mind kept on instructing her not to bother Naruto, like she wasn't super worried about him…
"Hi Hinata!" Kiba greeted as he neared her. Akamaru barked as a sign of its greeting…
Hinata looked up to him.
"Uh…" Kiba muttered, feeling suddenly the urge to run away from Hinata. He had never felt this nervous before. And come to think of it, he had never thought asking Hinata would be a drag and difficult to do…
"Kiba?" Hinata was figuring out what Kiba was doing in front of her… Then something struck her. /He wouldn't be asking me to the party, would he?/ Hinata asked herself, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. She blushed at the thought and looked down once again…
Kiba sensed Hinata's uneasiness. "Hinata," Kiba began softly as he clenched his fists at his sides, "I was wondering if…" Kiba gulped. He couldn't say the words… He was also blushing himself just as a picture of him and Hinata together at the party occurred to his mind.
Akamaru barked simultaneously, trying to continue what his master was trying to say to Hinata.
"Sheesh, Akamaru!" Kiba slightly scolded his pet. "Sorry about that, Hinata…"
"It's okay," Hinata replied, giving Kiba a cute little smile.
Kiba grinned in return, thinking that Hinata's smile was a good sign for him. "Uh- As I was saying," Kiba started once again, plucking some courage within him, "I was wondering if we can be… uh- partners…? Partners for the party…?"
"P-Partners?"
"Uh- yeah," Kiba replied while Akamaru barked eagerly twice. "That is, only if you like… Know what I mean?" He gulped. He was afraid to look at Hinata's reaction… He was afraid to be rejected…
"Yes," Hinata softly mumbled which was almost a whisper.
Kiba thought he imagined he heard it… Yet his ears were pinning to hear that one word from Hinata… "I beg you pardon…?" he asked.
"I… uh-… I would l-like to go to the p-party with you, Kiba."
Kiba would have jumped for joy if it hadn't been for the many people in the room. His heart calmed down and started to beat normally again… He was smiling and was looking really relieved. It seemed to him that a heavy weight on his shoulder was gone… He felt light and refreshed! Hinata hadn't busted him!
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Behind his dark shades, Shino was watching his teammates Hinata and Kiba.
As soon as Shino had heard the command to them, he had one girl in mind to ask: Hinata, who else? Like Kiba, Shino knew very well that Hinata would be the easiest girl to ask since she was the kindest and sweetest girl among the rest who wouldn't think of hurting anyone's feelings and who wouldn't let anyone's request down.
But still, Shino was figuring silently how to ask her without making him look uncool... And as he watched what was happening to Kiba and Hinata, he just concluded that there's no way a guy could ask a girl (even the shiest girl in the whole world) without looking like a fool...
And when he saw Kiba's smile and heard Akamaru's bark after sometime, Shino knew his chances with Hinata were null and void, empty set, zero--whatever you want to call it.
Shino sighed and began to search for other available girl, if there's still one... He just hoped he could at least see Hinata in a cute dress or something in the party...
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Shikamaru and Rock Lee were waiting for Ino and Sakura, respectively, to be rejected by Sasuke-the-jerk.
They knew Sasuke would say "no" to their pleads... He always had and this moment wouldn't be any different... And when that happened, Shikamaru would ask subtly Ino to go to the party with him instead of Sasuke... On the other hand, Rock Lee would be asking Sakura...
And both guys were 99 percent sure that the girls wouldn't decline their offer... Why would they? Ino and Sakura wanted badly to be included in the party, and since there would be no other guy who could take them to the party, then both girls have no choice but them.
Shikamaru and Lee almost smiled when they saw Sasuke disappeared in front of (the war-freaks-for-Sasuke) Sakura and Ino and instantly appeared in front of sensei-Gai at the right--the side of the people without any partner.
Shikamaru and Lee decided that it was now time to make their moves. Each went over to their depressed target-girl, ready to ask her out.
"Sakura-chan? Can I say something to you?" Rock Lee asked Sakura when he was within her hearing area...
Sakura didn't look up to him.
"I just wanted to say..." Lee continued in a sincere voice, "You deserve better..."
Silence.
"...You deserve better, better than Uchiha Sasuke, that is," Lee said. "I am not saying that I'm actually better than him and thus you should go out with me... All I'm trying to say is..." Rock Lee's voice faltered... His eyes were shining in its own way... And he continued, "All I'm trying to say is that you are a beautiful girl, no matter what. And I am always here for you, whenever you need me..."
With that, Rock Lee started to walk away from Sakura, thinking how stupid and lame and desperate he sounded. /Now Sakura will not ever talk to me again... What have I done?!/ Lee's eyes were starting to water...
"Lee?"
It was like a whisper, Rock Lee almost didn't hear it... Did he imagined it? Or did he really hear it? Rock Lee stopped his tracks and waited... He waited for anything to happen... Whatever it would be...
"Lee, are you asking me to be your partner? 'Cause if were, aren't you interested to hear my answer?"
Rock Lee slowly turned around to face Sakura.
Sakura really felt not-that-sad anymore after what had Lee had told her. She was thankful he was always there for her, even though most of the times, she tried very hard to avoid him... And she thought it was time for her to change her evil ways toward the determined Lee... She would give him a chance...
"Come on, Lee... I want to be the first girl with a partner to go to the left side of sensei-Kakashi..." And with that, Sakura dragged the surprised yet happy Lee toward the left side.
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If Rock Lee was successful with the scheme he had thought of, Nara Shikamaru wasn't. When he approached Ino and logically told her only option (him apparently), Ino was outraged.
"I still wouldn't go out with you if you're the last guy on earth!" Ino declared angrily.
Shikamaru just shook his head and thought he wouldn't also go out with that crazy Ino even if she was the last girl in the whole world. He just open-mindedly accepted defeat and started to join Sasuke on the right side. To Shikamaru, the right side was implied to be the losers side because it was either the guys were busted (like him and Naruto) or the guys were too coward to ask someone out (like Sasuke and Shino?)...
/Oh, well! At least I tried.../ Shikamaru thought. He started to wonder what would happen to him and others in the right side.
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Neji has been the most quiet of the guys. He hasn't approached any girl and was currently debating within himself who should his partner be... He had two girls in mind...
The first option was his teammate Tenten. Neji thought that since Rock Lee wasn't planning to ask Tenten, then he has the chance to ask Tenten to be his partner. He thought that it wouldn't be a big deal to anyone if he ask Tenten (since they're teammates)...
/Unlike if I walk to and ask someone else.../ Neji thought as his eyes rested on a certain girl with long black hair.
Yes. Neji's second choice was Rekka. Ever since the fight he and Rekka put up with an unknown man, Neji had been curious with Rekka. He admitted that at first, he didn't care who she was. But something tells Neji that she was something... /Was it just her outspoken and brave character... or something else?/ Neji wondered.
Besides the curiosity of the real her, Neji thought Rekka looks were not bad at all… /And her eyes are nice to stare at…/ Neji observed. Then he remembered the incident that happened to them earlier this day…
Neji had been walking along the corridor… And Rekka was trailing behind him, just a few steps behind. He thought it was kind of weird for Rekka to be walking behind him all the time wherever he went… And so when he was pretty sure that Rekka was stalking him, he turned around and asked her irritatingly, "Are you following me?"
Neji remembered that Rekka gave him an incredulous look, and asked him in return, "Are you following me?" He couldn't believe she has the nerve to ask the question he asked her first! He was outwitted by a girl for the first time in his life!
But he's not mad at her… Actually for Neji, it made her more interesting.
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Rekka was walking towards the right side (the loser's side, according to Shikamaru)—not to ask Sasuke out, but to give the jerk a good kick he greatly deserves for letting down Sakura and Ino's offer. /I wonder if he just doesn't like girls, or if he likes something else… I mean, Sasuke cannot be a gay, can he?/ Rekka asked herself.
Rekka shook the impossible idea out of her head and concentrated on Sasuke's fault. She was about to confront Sasuke when someone said her name…
"Hey Rekka," Neji said in his usual tone of voice.
As Rekka turned around to face Neji, she rolled her eyes at him. /Sasuke was about to receive his kick! And you interrupt me?! This better be good, or else I will never ever treat your wounds…/ Rekka thought.
"What is it?" Rekka asked impatiently.
"Can I have a word with you?" Neji asked. Then he walked some distance away from the general crowd while Rekka followed him. And when Rekka has caught up on him and they had settled on a corner of the room, Neji decided it was time. "Would you go with me to the party?" Neji asked. He has still the same expressionless face…
"What?!" Rekka uttered in astonishment. She tried to read his eyes, but she couldn't get anything from them.
"Would you go with me to the party?" Neji repeated, hoping she heard everything right so that he wouldn't be repeating the same question…
"You're kidding!"
"Hey, I am doing this not because I want to date you or something…" Neji explained. "I just want to go to the party without doing anything stupid…"
"What do you mean?" Rekka asked, not getting what Neji meant with his last sentence.
"Well," Neji began, looking serious at Rekka, "I think the sensei will tell the remaining five—the guys on the right—to do a certain job on the party to be able to pay for the tickets they got for the five pairs…"
"I see… So you don't like working, huh?"
"I don't like menial tasks like being a waiter or a bell boy," Neji corrected her. "I want more difficult duties…"
"Yeah right," Rekka mocked. "That's why you're asking me out to the party…" She smiled at Neji's weird thinking.
"Yeah, going to the party with you is more difficult than being a waiter," Neji said dryly.
"Good thing you knew being with me is such a drag…"
"I want challenge…"
"Granted," Rekka replied.
"Thank you very much. It's a pleasure having business with you…"
Rekka turned around and didn't bother to say anything further.
"And before I forget," Neji added. "Don't expect me to dance with you in the party, okay?"
Rekka rolled her eyes on him. "Whatever!" she told him and showed him a 'W' using her fingers. /Let's see… I will make you regret you told me that!/ She thought.
TBC
Note: The TBC is for real this time… And I want to extend my sincerest thanks to the people who reviewed what I posted last time. You really helped me figure out what to write, especially duochang97… And to the rest, well, thanks—to Death Knight, hikariko, Drekko, and rikkufan, and the rest of the people who reads this story. I do hope you all have a wonderful day ahead of you!
Another Note: Ok. Here's the list of pairings who decided to attend the party—Rekka/Neji, Hinata/Kiba, Sakura/Lee, Ino/Chouji (Yep, Ino said "yes" to Chouji when he asked her nicely after Shikamaru had asked her), and Tenten/Motoochi Asiwari (one of the new guys from Lotus Academe). And from the right side, there stood—Sasuke, Naruto, Shino, Shikamaru, and Kinobi Wagiko (the other new guy from Lotus Academe). Neji's guess is partly right (that these five guys will do something as payment for the tickets the five pairs are going to use) and partly wrong because they weren't really going to be waiters in the party… So the question now is—how will they attend the party if they don't have partners? You'll find it out next chapter.
Bye! Smile always!
Poprice
11:29pm
23 May 2004