Title: Twisted Fairytale
Author: Kisu
Pairings: SasuNaru, ShikaIno,
A/N: Yay! Another chapter! I love this fic! Replies to reviews at the end of the chapter! XD
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.
Chapter 2: Of Warm Spring Breezes
The blonde beauty glanced around and he suddenly realized that he had guests. So his blue eyes widened and he smiled brightly. "Hi! Who are you?" He peered into Sasuke's flushed face.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke managed in his ice-cold prince tone. Oblivious to the degree of his voice, Naruto beamed.
"Yes, yes." Iruka beamed as gently placed a hand on his arm. "They're visiting from the neighboring kingdoms. This is the first princess of the Hyuugan territory, Hinata and her cousin, Neji. Then, we have the second prince to the Uchiha throne, Sasuke and his caretaker, Hatake Kakashi."
"Damn Itachi." Sasuke muttered as he bristled at his title. Second prince? He'll show them a thing or two!
"Nice to meet you." The girl said, as she dipped into a graceful curtsy. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
"Isn't Naruto a boy's name?" Hinata asked shyly.
"Is it?" Naruto asked, cocking his lovely head to the side. Hinata blushed under his scrutiny and shuffled her feet.
"Well, let's stop standing here." The perverted man yelled loudly. "Let's all go inside to get some drinks." Neji stared at the large man and narrowed his eyes.
"You're drunk." He commented, as he unconsciously moved in front of Hinata.
"This lazy good for nothing guardian of mine was drinking while I was trying to get Ramen out of the tree." Naruto pouted as he angrily kicked the man's shin.
"Princess!" Iruka gasped at the sight of unladylike behavior. The man with white hair swooped the boy off his feet and over his shoulder. His kimono rode up to reveal creamy white thighs.
"Jiraiya! You idiot! Let me down!" The princess screamed in anger. Jiraiya laughed and slapped his rump playfully.
"Stop struggling, Naru-chan." He hiccupped. Kakashi caught sight of this and dropped to a dead faint onto the ground. Sasuke stepped over his caretaker with annoyance and crossed his arms.
"I demand you release the princess at once." He said, gallantly.
"Where's the cat?" Neji asked no one in particular.
"Damn perverted man! Let me down!" The princess wailed as crocodile tears welled up at the corners of her beautiful blue eyes.
"Jiraiya, I must say--." Iruka began, nervously.
"I hate old men who molest girls." Sasuke said, coldly.
"Who are you calling old, brat?" Jiraiya yelled.
"Let me down!" Naruto screamed. Then in an afterthought, he asked with a scowl, "Who is a girl?"
"Maybe you should help her, Neji?" Hinata asked, softly.
"Hm. The cat is named Ramen?"
"What the hell is going on here?" The new voice interrupted their chaotic conversations and they all turned to stare at the newcomer.
Naruto glanced over his shoulder at his savior and his eyes grew large. "Shikamaru! Save me!"
The man on the gallant white stallion sighed heavily and got down onto a ground. A cloud of dust erupted from his boots as they hit the ground and he walked slowly toward them. "How troublesome." Shikamaru said, as he arched an eyebrow. "Jiraiya, I don't feel like facing Ino's wrath."
Ino.
That name struck fear in Jiraiya's heart. Last time, Shikamaru had visited he had gone back home with a bunch of stories. But that only made Ino mad and she came to visit a week later. All hell had broken loose.
"Did she come with you?" Naruto asked, hopefully. He loved his cousin to death and Ino was way protective of him.
"Not this time." Shikamaru said. Naruto pouted and banged on Jiraiya's head.
"If you don't let me down, I'm going to tell her." Naruto declared. Jiraiya set the princess on his feet, grumbling about ungrateful offspring.
"Well…let's get all of you to your rooms." Iruka smiled, widely. Naruto looked around in panic.
"Where's Ramen?"
---
After they had been shown to the quarters they were to stay in, Neji, Hinata, and Sasuke wandered around the large castle. Of course the castle was considered small when compared to the Hyuuga Castle and the Uchiha Castle. But it was very interesting; there were halls with portraits of previous rulers and extended family. One of them portrayed a young man with sharp cyan colored eyes and platinum blonde hair.
Then, they found the library. It started from the floor to the cavernous ceiling with large shelves containing books upon books. A large telescope near the window, drew Neji's attention. So, curiously he peered into it and his jaw dropped open.
"Hey." He said reaching out to Sasuke who was looking at a map.
"What?" Sasuke frowned as Neji pulled him over by the collar of his shirt.
"Look." Neji said, pushing Sasuke over to the telescope.
"Damn cousins. Think they can order me around or something." Sasuke muttered as he peered through the telescope. His jaw, like Neji's dropped open and it worked like a fish out of water. "There are perverts everywhere!" He raged. Neji nodded solemnly and Hinata drifted closer with a puzzled look on her face.
"What's wrong?" She asked. They both gestured to the telescope and she looked in.
The princess was currently waist deep in a lake with her back toward them. She was nude and Shikamaru was peeping in through the bushes at her.
"I knew he was up to no good!" Sasuke yelled, angrily. "I will kill him!" With that, he ran out of the library. Neji and Hinata followed him quickly.
---
"These aren't bushes. These are cattails." Shikamaru said as he stood up. With a heavy sigh, he turned around and stared at the two boys glaring at him. "What?"
"You!" Sasuke spluttered, angrily. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.
"How inconsiderate of you to peep in on the princess's bath." Neji said.
"Bah?" Shikamaru blinked, completely clueless on what was happening.
"I will kick your ass." Sasuke proclaimed with an all-mighty princely air. Just then, Hinata screamed and the three of them dove through the cattails, (not bushes). Immediately, Sasuke and Neji turned around when they saw Hinata facing them with a dark blush on her face and hands over her eyes. Shikamaru arched an eyebrow and they stared at him.
"Have you no pride?" Neji yelled. "Turn around!"
"What for?" Shikamaru frowned.
"You idiot!" Sasuke snarled. "It's the princess! She'll have your head!"
"No." Hinata's weak comment made them turn around, with hands over their eyes. "The princess is a boy!"
"What?!" Sasuke and Neji removed their hands and stared at Hinata, then to the figure that stood on the edge of the lake.
"Oh well, it seems like the fox is out of the bag." Naruto said, with a mysterious smile. His blue eyes darkened and Shikamaru sighed as he picked up Naruto's robe and draped it around his shoulders.
"You're a boy?" Sasuke squeaked as Neji just blinked in horror. Naruto turned around to tie his robe properly and turned back around. "Why are you a princess?"
"Secret." Naruto whispered, placing a finger on his lips. "Isn't that right, Shika?" He laughed as he latched on to Shikamaru's arm.
"Eh." Shikamaru shrugged.
"This is getting interesting." Neji said, softly.
---
When they returned to the castle in time for lunch, a new guest had arrived and was sitting at the dining table. He had crimson red hair and jade green eyes. He was also the third oldest son of the Desert Emperor.
His name was Gaara.
Gaara was fond of liver and to his delight, they were serving goose pate with warm bread today.
The sullen boy paid no heed to them as they filed in and sat down around the table. Naruto sat down at the end of the table with Gaara at his right and Shikamaru to his left. He curiously placed a hand over his chin and watched the boy tuck in a large amount of goose liver spread.
Finally the boy, looked up. His green eyes met his and Naruto blinked.
"Princess." He spoke up. "My mother wants me to marry you." Hinata coughed, Sasuke choked on a grape, and Neji managed to drop his fork with a loud clatter onto his plate. Naruto's eyes softened and he smiled softly.
"Gaara, I'm flattered but--." He began.
"I heard that!" Jiraiya bellowed as he ran in, breathing heavily. "Whoever wants to take Naru-chan away from me, must engage in a fight to the death!"
Gaara wiped his mouth delicately with a napkin before standing up.
"I have never lost." He said, calmly. A chill resonated throughout the room at his words.
"You brat!" Jiraiya roared, shaking a massive fist.
"How wonderful. He's fighting for me." Naruto swooned.
"Shouldn't you stop them?" Hinata asked, worriedly.
"Why?" Naruto laughed. "It's so dramatic. I feel so loved. Besides they won't hurt each other."
"Are you sure about that?" Shikamaru frowned. "Blood being spilled on the lunch table isn't very appetizing."
"…Blood." Gaara repeated with a soft scary smile. Jiraiya twitched.
"Gaara, let's finish our lunch and later you can tell me how Temari and Kankoru is doing." Naruto said, grabbing his arm. Gaara turned to stare at him before plopping down on his seat. Naruto beamed. Gaara was just so lovable.
Sasuke glared at them and clenched his spoon tightly. What was this burning feeling in his chest? Was it love? No.
Love was the feeling where you float on air with feathers on your feet. Sasuke felt like he had swallowed burning coals. What was this feeling?
His eyes widened and he shot up out of his seat.
It was jealousy!
"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Hinata asked in concern as Neji continued to eat his grapes. It was purple and he loved purple.
"I found a way to beat Itachi." Sasuke smiled. Yes, this jealousy was good to fuel him like adrenaline. "Bwaha."
---
"This coming month, we will hold a summer ball." Iruka said as he sat down next to Naruto. "All the eligible bachelors can come to seek your hand in marriage." His eyes got teary and he stifled a sob. "Naruto, you've grown into a beautiful young lady!"
"…" Naruto responded. He didn't want to get married and wasn't he a boy? So wasn't he supposed to marry a girl? "I don't want to get married."
"It's for the good of the kingdom." Iruka said. "Like you are the princess. You must protect your kingdom." Iruka gave in to his tears and glomped the poor boy and sobbed into his fine golden hair. "I'll make sure he will be a great man, or else!"
"I will kill anyone who takes Naru-chan away from me." Jiraiya said, downing mug after mug of black coffee.
"Me too." Gaara added as he bit of the heads of his animal crackers and left the bodies in a pile on a plate.
"Burning." Sasuke whispered, still indulging this new feeling of "jealousy".
"I will choose who I want to marry." Naruto announced as he got up, angrily. Then with quick footsteps, he walked out of the room with Shikamaru following behind him.
"He's too young!" Iruka wailed. Jiraiya's hands shook so much from being intoxicated from caffeine, that the coffee in his mug spilled everywhere. Neji stood up.
"Let's get out of here." He frowned as Hinata got up quickly. Sasuke followed them and the trio left the room.
"Does anyone remember I'm here?" Kakashi asked as he stepped out of the shadows.
---
"Naruto are you okay?" Shikamaru asked. His lover, the hime with sharp cyan eyes and platinum blonde hair had ordered him to make sure Naruto was happy. But right now, the blonde was clearly unhappy. Because he was sitting underneath a tree, crying his eyes out. Shikamaru crouched down next to him. It was scary seeing him cry, because he cried perfectly. That means it made him vulnerable and even more beautiful.
And this kingdom had many perverts, such as Jiraiya himself.
Shikamaru sighed and took out a handkerchief, handing the silk square to Naruto. Naruto sniffled and accepted it gladly.
"I don't want to be princess anymore." Naruto said as he dabbed his eyes. Then, he stared at the square and the initialed "I", at the corner. "Is this Ino's?" Shikamaru flushed and he frowned.
"Yes."
"Shika! You dog!" Naruto exclaimed. "Well, tell me! Have you gotten to third base?"
"Third base?" Shikamaru repeated, scratching his head. "Don't you have bases in…baseball?"
"What is baseball?" Naruto blinked.
"I don't know." Shikamaru responded as he sat down next to Naruto. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree. "You have to continue to be princess. Orochimaru hasn't found you yet. Everyone still thinks Ino is the vessel of the Kyuubi."
"If they find out. Won't they hate me?" Naruto asked, softly.
"They won't hate you, because they love you." Shikamaru retorted.
"They won't after they discover I'm the vessel." Naruto replied, quietly. Shikamaru plucked a piece of grass from the ground and tucked it in the corner of his lips.
"Don't think like that." Shikamaru said. "We've given up so much to protect you. Ino, at the most."
"I know." Naruto said. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Shikamaru admonished. "We all love you, especially Ino. That is why she is assuming the role as the vessel." Naruto dropped into silence and he buried his face into his arms. "I have to run some errands. So are you all right, now?" Naruto nodded and Shikamaru stood up, patting him on the head.
"Serious things will hurt your pretty head, princess." Shikamaru teased. "I'll see you in a little bit."
---
When Shikamaru left, Naruto got up to walk down to the lake. Someone else was there and was currently skipping stones, but having no success.
"You're using too much power." He said, softly.
The person turned, a soft breeze ruffled dark strands of silky hair over a handsome face. Naruto blinked in shock as Uchiha Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. He smiled at him and Naruto walked closer to him. Without a word, he gently picked up a flat stone, placed it in the dark prince's hand.
"Try that one." Naruto said. Sasuke shrugged and threw it, softer this time. It sliced through the air and bounced across the lake to the other side.
"Thanks." Sasuke said, while running a hand through his hair again. Naruto breath caught in his throat.
Sasuke frowned, inwardly. Where was this damn wind coming from? It kept getting his hair in his eyes.
"Can I see your knife?" Naruto asked, pointed at his sheath dagger. Sasuke took it out and handed to him. Naruto stared at it and smiled at his reflection. Then he grabbed a bunch of his hair and slid it through it. Sasuke stared at strands of golden hair flew from Naruto's fingers and over the lake, dancing like dandelions' seeds would.
"Why did you…" Sasuke began but stopped as he stared at Naruto. He had the brightest smile he had ever seen on his face, and the soft breeze swayed his short golden hair in the breeze. The sun bathed his figure in an ethereal light, casting a warm glow onto smooth creamy white flesh that had darkened over the days into a soft golden color.
"I'm turning over a new leaf." Naruto replied, quietly. Sasuke picked up a daisy from the ground and walked over to tuck it behind his ear.
"And you look beautiful." Sasuke smiled.
Naruto's blue eyes softened and he flung himself at Sasuke, with tears in his eyes. "Thanks."
---
A/N: I hope that clarified things a little. Thanks to my reviewers!
SukiAme: They didn't know that Naruto was a boy at first, because Kiba never told them. TeeHee! But they do know now!
DanInverse: Kabuto eh? What an interesting suggestion! I'll keep it in mind!
Espi: Yes…a very nice…nose-bleed moment.
Chibichidori16, peanut, anonymous, sally, ws.blue, jenniyah, and hihi: thanks for reading! I appreciate your feedback!