Chapter 5:

Mariposa

Note: yes, I have highlighted that word, Mariposa. Sorry po kung matagal mag-update kasi um…nanganak ung pusa namin sa loob ng pc kaya.. uh… hindi ko nagamit!

Kakashi: what a lame excuse is that?

Musk-mallow: nagsalita ung magaling… I so love Jiraiya!

….000….

Naruto woke up late. As always… but much more later than the usual. It was all because of Gaara. Naruto tried to blame him as he wearily entered his room at around 2:00 in the morning. He tried to reason with himself that it was ALL Gaara's fault but he was the one who have gotten himself on that place, anyway, his conscience retorted.

This blonde kid is carefree and do not bother much about problems in life. Just like a 5 year old child who easily forgets he has problems to be solved. Sigh… wonder how Gaara absorbed all those last night.

Oh, well… life goes on no matter what happens. It doesn't and won't wait for you to cope up. After that night…. One week had passed. The scene is now focused on Naruto as he excitedly made his way on the bridge, where he would meet the rest of team 7.

As usual, Kakashi is very late. Smashing up his current record of 5 hours and 20 minutes…. He did 6 hours and 2 minutes! Wow! Sakura literally exploded on him like a nuclear warhead… (War forehead?) Sasuke merely raised his head and stared at the scene while Naruto hovered around the two like some confused madman.

Honestly, Naruto have forgotten his soon-to-be friend, Gaara and their misunderstanding.

" oo tama yang narinig nyo…walang misyon ngayon basta ihanda nyo lang ang inyong sarili mamayang gabi sa festival" and with that their sensei left with a bunch a smoke.

Meanwhile, sa kabilang dako ng mundo, Gaara is seen disturbed and furious. He was being forced to wear a traditional cloth to represent peace from their country. It was colored pink…. For all the color god had created why this, he kept thinking.

" come on Gaara, even Kankuro and other ninjas are wearing that! What's wrong with pink?" Temari insisted.

"nothing is wrong … but the humiliation of this color that I fear would bring me is quite bothersome." , the red haired ninja replied with calmness.

" it looks cute on you… it mixes well with your hair", she said. As if Gaara would believe that easily, Temari instantly grabbed a pin and stuck the cloth on him. " There! Perfect!" she declared.

Two hours later, everyone is roaming around the streets to buy food and have fun with the others. Every villager is eager to meet with foreigners from other countries especially people from Suna, including Naruto. He had somehow remembered Gaara, amidst all of his excitement for the day.

"galit pa kaya yun? Hindi naman siguro…" while he was talking to himself, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the market.

"Nandyan na yung mga taga-Suna!" the ramen vendor said.

"ang cute naman nung isang bata!" one of Sasuke's fan girls said.

"mga taksil talaga, oo" Naruto murmured to himself. He then realized that the cute kid they were referring to was Gaara. He didn't wear his usual clothes but a pink one with lots of designs. Naruto started to panic for the reasons that he didn't know what to say to the other boy. he jumped to the back of a huge bush behind him and began formulating ideas. Good thing though, he had with him his notebook. it was one week ago, but still Naruto wore the same clothes. Eeeiiiwww…. He, I'm afraid, haven't change since.

Silently and unnoticeably, Gaara was searching for Naruto. He wanted to talk to him about the incident and wants to make things clear. But the hyperactive ninja is nowhere in sight.

"ok, tapos na 'to… eto rin… oo… hay…" he scanned the notebook and lazily marks each one that he had tried. He let out a sigh… he realized that almost all of the rational suggestions were tried but he still failed. Suddenly, a ray of light shone on him. He was now staring at a page on his notebook that he thinks might really make Gaara smile and forgive him for his deeds. The only suggestion left…. Jiraiya's suggestion that made him flush in crimson.

"oh yes!" Naruto remembered Jiraiya saying it after he have shared his thoughts. 'it might work', he thought positively. He arranged his things afterwards and walked towards a certain place. Everyone, who usually gets drunk with many girls, knows this place.

He grinned devilishly and entered the place. The label says:

MARIPOSA and KTV BAR

Tambay wan: seryoso ba sya?

Tambay tu: mukha…

A lady appeared as soon as Naruto's hand pushed the door open. She smiled sweetly and scented herself with strong apples. 'parang amoy patay..' the young ninja commented. Well… look who's talking? He was the one who didn't change clothes for a week. Tell me now who stinks!

The lady again smiled and offered her an album. Naruto's eyes widened as he flick each page. After some more time, he called the woman and pointed on his pick.

"ang ganda ng napili nyo sir!" the lady grinned and gave him a thumb up. 'naalala ko si Sir Gai… baka kambal sila?', as these thoughts flooded the boy's mind and added to the lady before leaving, " miss, pakidala na lang po sa may likod ng mga puno…"

"sure!" the lady smiled. Frankly, I didn't understand myself with the 'likod ng mga puno' place. There are many 'likod ng mga puno's in Konoha, right?

Naruto pushed his feet from excitement towards Gaara's place. Wahahahahaha! Naruto laughed to himself. He over and over again congratulated himself for asking Jiraiya about it. He also attributed the success of this mission to his honorable efforts to make this boy smile! Naruto smiled happily as his stride grew longer in each step. He soon spotted Gaara among the people who tried their luck in fish catching. 'aba, mahilig pala si Gaara sa mga isda' he said while adding this information in his mind. 'magustuhan nya kaya ung mga un?... bakit ba ko nagaalala! Perfect un eh!' he assured himself and eliminated any doubt in his mind.

He approached the Sand ninja and greeted him.

"Naruto…" Gaara replied, quite surprised

"Gaara, galit ka pa ba?" Naruto said, his eyes pleading to all gods.

"hn…." the sand ninja really didn't want to be speechless but he couldn't say anything. The boy in front of him is pitiful as a stray dog.

"Naman! Wag ka na magalit!" Naruto felt severe frustration crawling on him and tickling his hair.

"I'm not angry, Naruto, calm down…" Gaara said seeing Naruto jump with total worry in his eyes.

"….. huh?... yey!" it didn't hit Naruto that fast but after 30 seconds of processing… he realized Gaara is not kidding about it! He felt angels singing for him and he would gladly come with them at that moment but then, he remembered his order in the Mariposa and KTV bar.

"halika! May pupuntahan tayong espesyal!" he said excitedly.

Behind them, Jiraiya, probably drunk, was screaming after a group of teenagers.

"mga miss! Hintayin nyo ko!"

"eeeeee!"

Naruto noticed him and would somehow say that his plan might work nd congratulate him as well but the situation didn't allow him. Jiraiya was busy running after women.

The last thing Naruto heard from him was "I'm coming pretty behbeh!" and then a squeal and scream.

The boy winced at the sight. Sigh… that guy will never change huh? Anyway, they proceeded towards " likod ng mga puno" and waited for the something.

Gaara didn't have a clue on why are they there and what are they waiting for? His questions were soon answered by a truck with the label Mariposa Company. Naruto couldn't stop his grinning and soon Gaara realized that Naruto is still on his mission. Even before the red ninja saw what is inside the truck, he asked something to the other boy.

"Naruto, I know this is your mission, you can let it go now… I'm not here to bring chaos anymore" Gaara said with sadness. He thought Naruto was only doing it for the sake of the leaf country and for his mission.

"ha?" obviously, Naruto is not a good translator. He didn't understand the meaning of chaos. Gaara sensed another misunderstanding is going to happen so he tried to explain further but failing hard. Finally, Naruto felt his head would explode from ignorance so he stopped Gaara and shouted:

"ah basta! Gusto kong maging kaibigan ka, in any way possible! Hindi lang to para sa misyon ko… para kasing special ka na para sa kin! Alam un ung parang mga telenovela… naramdaman ko yun! So.. napagdesisyunan kong hindi ako titigil hanggat hindi kita napapangiti at maging kaibigan!" he tried to speak some English line but couldn't get the hang of it.

He was surprised by all of Naruto's squishy speech. He was glad and it actually made him calm and comfortable. He felt happy that someone thinks he is special in a good way, not in a way that he can be used as a killing machine. He somehow wanted to smile to him and tell him that he was glad to make Naruto as a friend.

The truck driver, unknowingly continued to the place and stopped. He carried the huge cages and dropped it on the ground. "hoy! Kayo dyan… ito na order nyo!" the man seated on his seat and drove off.

"ito nga pala!" Naruto, after his speech, didn't looked at Gaara because he was shameful about his emotional speech and walked towards the cages. He opened the first and out came beautiful orange butterflies.

Yes, folks, just butterflies. Mariposa and KTV bar, for the reasons that Konoha is quite experiencing proverty, decided to open a store selling beautiful packages of butteflies. It was the same thing Naruto was looking in the album, the kinds of butterflies and it's color.

So as the butterflies flew freely into the air, Naruto slowly stared at Gaara, he was smiling. Naruto's mind was really at the butterflies. The scene didn't register clearly on Naruto, he double-checked it. He stared at Gaara again and smile is still there. "Nananaginip ba ko?", he wondered and voicing it aloud at the same time. "OMG! The butterfly scheme is gumagana! OMG!"

Actually, it wasn't the butterflies who made him smile. It was the speech. He was smiling even before the cages were opened. He remained smiling and Naruto is now starting to jump up and down, flying with the butterflies, quite literally.

Spongebob narrator: 12 hours later….

The two stopped. Thank heavens. They are now sitting on a tree, (sadly, there is no oak tree nearby), talking about their whole experience for the day. Well… for this matter, Naruto was talking about his day while Gaara, dutifully, listens to him.

As the night ends and the morning begins… a new friendship is born. A friendship that would carry memories no one could ever forget. The two people with demons inside, together faces a welcoming world that they know would be much happier than before.

Tambay wan: bakit doughnut?

Tambay tu: malay… wala siguro maisip na matinong title…. Kawawa naman…

Tambay wan: oo nga… wag na naten asarin

Have you seen a muffin? Compare it with a doughnut. Yes, there are both bread but not that. Gaara was once a muffin. Plain and lonely. He is now a doughnut. (sounds stupid huh?) Naruto made him one.

How? When the Sand ninja was just a muffin, Naruto dug a hole inside him, filling him with happiness and peace, sprinkling him with laughter and interest. That's also another thing with friends… they bring happiness, light, and make you feel special.

….000….

sorry po kung masyadong mushy ang ending… well.. pinag-isipan ko yan noh! Salamat po sa pagbasa ng unang fanfic ko! Sana nagustuhan nyo! Email nyo na lang po ako pag may errors kasi… as usual hindi ko nanaman po ito inedit for mistakes. :P I wouldn't be a sloth for no reason! Wahahah!