Title- Story of My Life
Chapter 14- Strange Happenings
AN- Okay! -sweatdrop- I know that the last chapter was short, and I apologize...Sorry, Kyuubi-kun...also, I screwed up and made Sasuke call Naruto by his real name...THANK YOU DIE KIKYO DIE for pointing that out to me. Alright! For the rest of it...I thank ALL my reviewers that say that I'm outlandish! I like that! I started this fic hoping that it was one-of-a-kind, and I'm glad that it is (because all you fellow fanfic authors out there know how easily a Mary-Sue or Mary-Sue situation appears in our fics, right? They just pop up!) And also, I apologize even more greatly for the sudden lack of humor. I TRIED! I really did...I've also got a pretty good angst brain (never goes far, always one-shotters) so it keeps popping out! I do tell you, though, that there will be a big angsty drop, and then it'll fly right back up to humor! This is only one part of the story, folks...there's plenty more to come!
On another, more random note. I. Hate. SATs. I abhor them. I despise them. I loath them. Aren't those great hate words? Note to self: use those words in fic.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU TELL ME! It influences the way and style of my writing. Sometimes I just need a quick jolt to remember what type of fic I'm writing. There hasn't been much romance, and the comedy is ebbing away. -grumble grumble- I can't even remember my own genre...
Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
Naruto ain't mine
So Please Don't Sue
Our sins are more easily remembered than our good deeds.
-Democritus
The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.
-Oscar Wilde
Naruto opened his eyes wearily. It's so hot. Why is it so hot? Looking around, he attempted to smile at the familiar sight of a clean, plain, starch-white room. Oh yeah. It's August. The orphanage always gets really hot during fall. Laughter of small children giggling and playing rang in his ears from the open window as a cool breeze swept through the room. A stronger, strange breeze came, but from the opposite direction. The blonde turned his head towards the door to see who had entered.
"Hey, how ya doin', Shukaku?"
The redhead stood silent by Naruto's bedside, before leaning over the sick boy. Gaara;s hand stretched outward, reaching closer and closer to Naruto's unprotected neck...
And then reached further up and felt his forehead.
"I think you get these fevers on purpose," he quipped.
Naruto grinned. "Heh, only when Sister Clarice goes all ape on me for not doing my homework. Say, whatcha doin' in the orphanage?"
"I came to visit you," Gaara answered smoothly. "Why else?"
"Well, I dunno...you seem to really like Sister Mary Anne's cupcakes, and it is almost my birthday..."
"I have a couple of questions for you," Gaara said swiftly. "About your birthday."
"Shoot!" Naruto grinned, and tried to sit up using his elbows, but failed, his face pale and sweaty. "Hey Shu-kun, is it really hot in here or is it just me?"
"That birthday." Gaara's face was unreadable in shadows that suddenly appeared.
"W-what are you talkin' about?" The blonde finally gave up and flopped back down on the bed. He kicked off the covers uncomfortably. "Shukaku, it's reeeeally hot in here," he whined, his glassy eyes pleading.
Gaara sat down on the bed and placed an ice-cold hand to the blonde's forehead. "You know what I'm talking about," he whispered. "I need to know who was there."
Naruto relaxed under the coolness, then jolted up, his blue, glassy eyes wide and afraid. "No, no, I don't know what you're talking about..."
"You do know. Was he there, Naruto? Was he?"
"Let go of me! I don't know!" Naruto was in a panic now, his voice cracking with fear and misery. "No, no, go away!"
"Please, Naruto..." the redhead's voice became softer. "I need to know."
"NO!" Naruto sat straight up, eyes clenched closed, his fists pounding his forehead. "NOOOO!"
The children's screams of laughter turned into screams of pain and terror, the sun shining outside the room became a clear, star-filled night sky. A man chuckled evilly outside his door.
"You were with them," Naruto whispered, his voice filled with terror. "TRAITOR!"
"Naruto!" Gaara tried to grab the blonde's clenched fists, but was pushed away. A cold dread he never thought he would ever feel flooded his veins as a growling, half-demonic voice hissed at him.
"I trusted you."
"Listen to me, Naruto, I just need to know who-"
Naruto began to scream, covering his head and rocking back and forth. Tears streamed down his face, and words poured meaninglessly out of his mouth.
"Promiseneverdidn'tmeanyourfaultevilhowcouldyouwhynostoplemmegodon'tpleasestopstopthey'rehurtingwhystopnononotSisterPennynonothey'remyfriendsIhavefriendsyesfriendsno,nomorefriendswhydon'twannagolemmealonenono,stopitstopitstopitSTOPIT!"
"Gaara, you sonufabitch, what do you think you're doing!" a high-pitched voice screeched. Slowly turning around, the Sand Kamikaze found himself face-to-face to an extremely pissed-off, murderous-looking, pink-haired demon. Literally. "Get the fuck away from him, bastard!"
"Faerie."
"Why you little-" she growled through clenched teeth, taking a step forward to pummel the much-taller redheaded male.
"Sakura, take care of Naruto," Haku said sharply, running through the door behind her. "And you." He glared coldly at Gaara. "Get out of here. Now."
Gaara watched him. His eyes had lost any softness that they had previously held, and the daring gaze in his stone green eyes declared, 'make me'.
"Get. Out."
The Kamikaze's eyes darted over to the black-haired man standing behind Haku. His fists were clenched slightly. 'Where have I- oh yes. Naruto's cell mate.' Gaara's mind flashed back to the emotionless man drawing steadily as Naruto had glared at the redhead.
"Oy, what's- what the fuck, what'dya do to the Kid!" exclaimed Kiba. Lee and Shikamaru stopped dead in their tracks, and as soon as Neji saw Naruto he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Gaara sighed- this was much more complicated than he would have liked. Silently, he shot Haku a deadly stare, smirked at the man known as Sasuke, and left.
"What'd- where did-" Kiba gave up trying to find out what had happened. "Hey, is the Kid alright?"
Sasuke remembered the reason why he had came to the doctor's office, and turned to look at the blonde. He was pale, sweating, shaking, and still rocking slowly back and forth. Sakura had gently and slowly placed her arms around him and held him gently, stroking his hair softly to comfort him as best as she could.
"Shhh, it's alright, it's okay, I'm here, we're here." she cooed, attempting to soothe him.
"Neverokayithurtswhynotmyfaultithurtsithurts..."
"I know, Naruto, I know, it's alright, I'm here."
"Didn'twannanevermeanttowhyithurtstoohottoohottoohotFae-chanit'stoohot..."
"You five, back to the dining hall," a commanding female voice said. Sasuke wrenched his eyes away from the heart-breaking scene before him to glare at the tall, vivacious blonde woman before him. Behind her were about four or five guards.
The five inmates made no moves, other than to inch a bit closer to Naruto's bedside.
"I said, Prisoners #11112, #1497, #1563, #2406, #3458, and #5412, go back to the dining hall."
Confused gazes met her demands.
She sighed heavily. "Nara, Rock, Inuzuki, Haku, Uchiha, and Sakura." The woman turned around and glared at Shizune, who stood behind her. "Why the hell do we give them numbers if we never use them?"
"I don't know, Tsunade-sama. I believe the law requires us to."
"Law, shmaw, no one uses those damn things anyway!" Tsunade turned and put her hands on her hips. "Well?"
Having a feeling they wouldn't want to mess with this strange woman, the men quickly left, albeit a bit angry (Sasuke), confused (Kiba and Lee), headache-y (Shikamaru) and worried (Haku). Sakura, however, just met Tsunade's gaze evenly and tightened her grip on Naruto.
"I'm not leaving him."
The older woman's gaze softened, and she told Sakura gently, "We aren't going to hurt him. We just need to know what's wrong." Ino, whom Sakura had became friends with early on from her arrival, stepped to the other side of the bed and placed her hands on his temples.
NARUTO P.O.V
It hurts. Too hot.
I'm sorry, little one.
Go away.
chuckle You know, it's not your fault it happened.
But why?
They wanted your power. Our power.
Why?
I don't know.
pause It's so dark. Too dark.
I know.
It's your fault, too.
They were controlling me.
You didn't stop.
I couldn't stop, little one.
Not little. Not anymore.
I know.
They won't like you.
No one likes me.
pause It wasn't your fault?
No.
Then I like you.
I know.
Do you know everything?
chuckle No.
They know.
Yes.
But they don't know.
Yes.
You're gonna tell them.
Yes.
Why?
They must know.
silence
Child?
It's too hot.
I'm sorry.
It hurts, it hurts so badly.
I know.
Why do I have to remember?
No one must be forgotten.
No one? No one at all?
No one but me, little one.
But I won't forget you.
I know.
It's easier to forget. Pretend like it was a dream. That it's not reality.
Yes, it is.
I did that for a long time, didn't I?
Yes, you did.
Until I met him.
Yes.
Do they know about it?
silence
Kyuubi?
hiss Intruder...
NORMAL P.O.V.
Ino screamed in pain and quickly withdrew her hands, as if they had touched fire. Three angry, red scratches appeared across her right hand. "Ts-ts-tsunade-sama," she stuttered, cradling her hand. "How? It was so hot...how could...how did...how can..." Her voice went higher and higher in panic until it cracked.
"You need to leave, now," Tsunade ordered Sakura as she gently examined Ino's hand.
The pink-haired inmate was about to retort when Naruto's eyes snapped open. His arms left his knees to snake around Sakura protectively, and he muttered one word in a harsh voice.
"No!"
Tsunade stared into swirling orbs of purple, dashes of red and sparkles of blue bubbling up from its depths. "You're-" She cut off her sentence as Naruto blinked once, then opened his eyes again. There they were, deep blue eyes. No purple. No red. No longer glassy from fever. But she knew that it had been there. And now she knew what was going to happen.
"I'm feeling better now."
Shizune hesitated to come across the room, flinching slightly as Naruto shifted in his bed, then placed a tentative hand on his forehead. Startled, she drew back just as fast as Ino had. "I can't believe it!"
"His temperature has returned to its normal level," Tsunade added, sighing and rubbing her head. "Just what I need."
"How- how did you...?"
Tsunade groaned. "He knows, Shizune. So does she," the blonde indicated Sakura with her head. "Take the others and go. I have to have a little chat with these two."
"H-hai, ma'am!"
After the guards had left, Ino still clutching her hand and avoiding eye contact with Naruto, Tsunade placed her hands on her hips.
"Alright, brat, spill it!"
"I can't believe you did this to so many of us!" Sakura blurted, glaring at the older women. "Do they know? Do any of them know! Are they all just hiding from each other, thinking that they'll be shunned like they are in public!"
"Yeah, yeah they are." Naruto snarled, adding his hateful look at Tsunade. "And thanks to that, I have a certian guarantee that Kyuubi's gonna try to take me over to kindly explain to the inmates all about it!"
"Just what we need," Sakura groaned, rubbing her temples. "Remember the last time you accidentally let him out? It took forever to get him to switch you again, plus lots of persuasion by Haku and promises of tons of ramen."
"Kyuubi? You mean, you're-" Tsunade cut herself off. "Of course. We only know of two people that can do what you do, and both of them are here. Gaara's under enough-"
"DON'T YOU SAY HIS NAME!" Naruto yelled.
Tsunade looked up, startled. "Why shouldn't I?" she questioned him. "Have you two met before?"
"Gaara-" Sakura spat, "used to be apart of the Demons. Not to mention that he and Naruto practically grew up together."
TBC
AN- Mwuahahahahaha! I left you at a cliff-hanger! I haven't done that in ages...I feel like such a bad person...heh heh...probably because I am a bad person. But I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible.
I know this is a very awkward thing to ask, but if any of you are Christians, (or even if you're not), please pray for the Snells. They're a family that goes to my church, and their 18-year-old-daughter (and one of my friends), just died in a tragic car accident. It hasn't really hit me until now. The funeral was today, and there was an open viewing. I didn't really know it was her, so when I saw her I totally broke down. They need all the prayer they can get. Thank you.
