Ohayo Minna-san. I'll be brief cause I know ya'll want to get reading so here it is. The entire third chapter. I'm sorry for all the problems its caused but I even added some extra bits on the end for you guys. Thanks to everyone who reviewed—ya'll rock! And so without further ado, Ogenki Desu Ka? Pt. 3! (btw: Sorry for various typos and mis-spellings...I don't usually notice the errors until its pointed out...)
Disclaimer: Do not own-if I did, Naruto wouldn't have been dubbed.
"I hate my life," Naruto grumbled, as he surveyed his homework. "Well, it's your fault," Sasuke remarked, dryly on the car ride home, "you're the idiot who kept groaning that you didn't understand."
Next to Naruto, Gaara read his book, silently-looking over the edge everyone in awhile, surveying the group silently. Shikamaru slouched as he yawned loudly; reminding every one he was still there. Neji's gaze was glued out the window. The silence and tension n the car was deafening and thick like an ominous fog.
"Didja give that note to Hinata?" Shikamaru questioned lazily, as he adjusted to Neji's taking up more room, "Kiba wants to know."
"Hinata? Hmm," Naruto paused as he thought it over; his bright blue eyes sparkled as he recalled, excitedly: "Yeah! She's really nice! I thought- I mean, think it's stupid she just can't meet Kiba in person. It shouldn't matter how rich someone is-as long as they love each other."
All attention was immediately on Naruto.
Shikamaru nodded, pleased at his answer: "There's hope for you yet-Uzumaki."
"You two are fools- Hinata-sama is acting like a brat," Neji's blank gaze was immediately transformed to glare of bitterness and loathing, "she shouldn't waste her time and our family's money on her whims."
Shikamaru's mellow gaze became less tranquil as he snapped: "Hinata's not so full of herself-just because she got lucky and was born in the main family-don't presume to know her so well."
Neji's eyes narrowed.
"If she wants to run with the Inuzuka mutt-fine. But she should quit acting like she's a damsel in distress and stop fighting the fact that she's head of our family's line. She's not taking into account how others are affected! All she wants to do is rebel-"
"-shut up." Naruto's fangs shined as he preached: "Shikamaru ' right –you don't know Hinata. I've only known her for a day and even I know she would never act like that-"
"-urusai dobe," Sasuke cut in, clamping his hand over the other's screaming mouth, "just be quiet-don't get involved. It has nothing to do with us."
Naruto swung around as much as he could to stare at Sasuke incredulously.
"There are things you can do right Uchiha," Neji muttered in mock wonder, returning his attention to the window, but he seemed caught angry and a bit hurt.
"It's Naruto's opinion, you two don't like it tough, let go of his mouth Uchiha-he'll get a STD. "Gaara coolly inputted, not looking up from his book.
He continued to read, as if not bothered by the fact he had just brutally insulted one of the most powerful people in the school.
Even Naruto just blinked-but more from the fact Gaara was being mean.
"Listen lovechild-"
Gaara didn't even flinch, "I'm here because I have to continue my family-unlike some people. I'm not a dirty secret."
Gaara placed his book down and with a cool exterior-his eyes said anything but, he responded: "How is your brother by the way?"
Sasuke blanched, unintentionally pulling Naruto closer. The silence-resumed until-
"What the fu-"
"-you wouldn't let go, I needed to breathe," Naruto reasoned then flashed a smile, which soon changed to a look of confusion, "why're you blushing? I just licked it…."
Everybody except Gaara had unintentionally blushed, at what could be implied.
"What? Did I say something wrong?
Ooo0ooO
The limo pulled up to a stop before any of them could respond and the situation could get worse. Everyone rushed outside, all glad to be out, Gaara and Naruto left in the fray.
"They're so weird," Naruto remarked, still unaware of what he had said could have been implied for, then turned to Gaara, "what was that about?"
Gaara didn't respond, he simply placed his book in his bag then offered his hand:
"Hurry up."
Naruto accepted his hand with a smile: "Ah, sank you-Gaara."
As he unbounded from the side, he tilted his head as he peered over Gaara's shoulder- a group of people talking with Shikamaru.
"Who're they?"
Gaara turned and with a blank expression informed:
"They're from Elric Brothers' Academy. They're friends of Shikamaru."
A blond haired girl who had been violently and excitedly conversing with Shikamaru looked up and began to point and whisper. Naruto's fox ears twitched and Gaara set his gaze at them.
"they're not saying anything bad about me but its' still a bit sad…" Naruto murmured more to himself than to hid red haired companion, "I was always so noticeable because in the Pet Shop I was half human, and now it's the opposite, its cause I'm half demon."
Gaara didn't respond.
"I wonder, what's it like to be full human or a full demon, " Naruto continued on, tails swaying, "the only other half demon I know is in the pet store-"
A slim boy with swirls on his cheeks was pigging out on potato chips and casually waved to Naruto, Shikamaru next to him motioned for Naruto and Gaara to join their huddle, Naruto glanced at Gaara who shrugged and allowed himself to lead….
It turns out the blond girl and chip-eating boy were childhood friends of Shikamaru's:
Ino, the girl, was obsessed with Sasuke it seemed and wanted to see the new 'pet' of his-hence the pointing.
Choji, was an 'ex-fat tub of lard' (Ino's words-not his) and best friend of Shikamaru. He too, had been interested in Naruto but for a different reason: he'd heard the rumors of a half-demon with unusual ideals.
And lastly, a boy with fierce eyes and a white puppy sticking out of his blazer, olive skin that seemed to be attributed to all but Ino (she insisted that it had to do with her 'being pure and delicate') was rough and unrefined as if her spent all his time in Nature, canines roguishly flashing as he smirked- The infamous Inuzuka Kiba and his companion Akamaru.
"Thanks for handing Hinata the letter" is what he meant when he slapped his hand on his back was what he (Kiba) meant when he slapped Naruto good naturedly on the back but the action almost caused him (Naruto) to fall over.
"Sorry, don't know my own strength" Kiba explained, and helped him shakily back up on his feet. Naruto shrugged.
"It's ok, I was just startled," Naruto responded, ears flickering, "do you all go to Elric Brothers?"
Shikamaru nodded, yawning: "It's unfortunate but yes-my life would be so much easier without them though."
"You wish! You'd be an old boring man with nothing to do with us around!" Ino argued, as if he should be grateful she was letting him three feet near her.
Shikamaru frowned when he pointed out: "That wouldn't be so bad." Ino let out a 'hmph' and refuted with a quick and painful sounding thump on his head:
"ITAII! YOU CRAZY SHE-MAN!"
"She-man!" Ino's shrill screech made Naruto wince, "no way! Why else would Sasuke fall for my charms?"
To prove her point, Ino tried to flip her hair in the epitome of 'cool' but the wind caught it and whipped it into her face.
"Oh wow Ino, we're so in love with you now- we aren't worthy of your 'sexiness'," Kiba remarked, rolling his eyes as she tried to quickly get her golden locks to stay out of her mouth.
Choji continued eating his chips, Shikamaru sighed and to Naruto groaned: "See what I mean by life would be easier?"
Naruto for his part, laughed while responding with a soft smile: "I'm jealous."
"NANI!"
Kiba, Ino, and Shikamaru interrogated a once-not caring they all were speaking in unison.
"You all are such good friends," Naruto observed " I can only hope to be so lucky-ne, Gaara?"
The later shrugged then stated:
"Someone's in my room-"
and excused himself.
Naruto pouted .
"What's with him?"
"You do know that's Gaara, right?" Kiba marveled, "I thought he couldn't talk-how did you end up hanging out with him?"
"Why? He's nice, sure he doesn't talk but that doesn't matter," Naruto defended, oblivious, "he's just quiet- that's all."
Ino's eyes bugged as she tried to comprehend such a bizarre statement. "You're kidding, right?" she demanded, "Listen, I go to school with his sibs and they are totally, like, crazy! And Gaara's-"
Naruto's flashed a confident smirk, his canines shaper than Kiba's and Akamaru's ever could hope to be, "so what? I'm crazy too!"
Ooo0ooO
Gaara walked up solely to his room, ignoring Neji and Sasuke as he treaded past. Neji was reclining somewhat stiffly on the couch, looking preoccupied, while Sasuke had closed the door to his room and was obviously talking to his 'family lawyer'-
"KAKASHI-QUIT LAUGHING! IF YOU DON'T I SWEAR, I DON'T CARE HOW TALENTED YOU ARE IN THE COURT-I'LL FIRE YOU HERE RIGHT NO-what?" the barely concealed threats died down to something akin to dismay, "no…she didn't…she couldn't…."
Non-chalantly he swung his door open and effortlessly closed it behind him.
"I know you two are here-quit with the theatrics-they get annoying." Gaara commanded, placing his bag on the floor with about the same care one gives to a rotting pile of bug guts- he tapped his foot, "well?"
"Gaara, you look well," a light soprano voice stated, as his elder half sister Temari stepped from the shadows of his closet, "Kankuro get out from under the bed."
"Why do you two continually have to hide from me?" he questioned idly, checking for invisible lint under his finger nails, "some twisted version of sibling respect I suppose." He sighed as though his family wasn't just hiding from as if he was the plague and they haven't bathed in ages.
"Gaara, its about mom," Temari said slowly, as if testing the waters, "she's getting worse-"
Gaara's eyebrow less brow twitched. Oh, it was one of those requests, was it? He could care less in all actuality-he had no real obligation to that woman, she wasn't even is real mother anyway…he could never figure out why everyone always seemed to think he felt anything for her.
"-She wants you to visit," Kankuro finished quickly making sure there was ample space between him and his little brother.
"…"
Gaara cast a bored glance toward the window, noting that Naruto and the others were still outside, even though the clouds were seemingly darker.
"It's gonna rain a lot tonight," he murmured softly as if to himself, "when are we leaving?"
Temari let out a mental sigh of relief, at least he wasn't putting up much of a fight: "Tonight, father called and told us-" she abruptly stopped when she felt she'd chosen the wrong way to describe the situation, the term 'father-son' bonding immediately disappeared from her mind.
"Hnh, whatever, " her youngest brother stepped away from the window and with a blank countace, holding up his fingers: "5….4…3…2-"
As if by a spell, lightning crackled and thunder boomed, suddenly it was pouring buckets. "He really should've noticed," Gaara remarked to himself, ignoring his two siblings in his musings.
Ok, now Temari was curious. Gaara was acting almost…amused. First, he blew off the fact he had just been charged to visit the woman who royally screwed him up (ok, she didn't deserve all the credit, various others participated in that, but she seemed to lead it)---their mother (hers and Kankuro's)-and now, he hadn't snapped up at the mention of their father ( to all of them).
Usually the windows would rattle, the furniture would quake, and his roommates would then dash in to prevent him from hurting himself or his siblings, at even the slightest hint at their so loved 'father' but now, Gaara seemed unperturbed-
"I'll go as long as he doesn't come or show up."
...Ok, never mind, the loathing was still growing strong.
"O-of course! Temari will even call him to tell him, ne, Temari? Temari!" She looked up at the urgency of her brother's voice, and noticed the faint malice glittering in his emerald orbs.
"H-hai! I'll do it now!" and true to her words, she grabbed her cell phone and fled the room, ignoring the panicked expression on Kankuro's face…
Naruto and the others immediately looked up at the sky as soon as the lightening and thunder started: "Uh-" it was as if someone upstairs had hit a cosmic button upstairs that said 'instant flood', "-oh."
"Ahh Shikamaru! My uniform!" Ino shrieked and tired to sue afore mentioned lazy bishonen as an umbrella.
"Oi! Oi! Quit it!" Shikamaru tried to shake free of Ino's death grip, "look-lets just get inside!"
The moment he uttered those words, everyone rushed for cover, a stampede that almost caused various bruises as the supposed 'good friends' tried to beat each other to warm and dry house before them.
And so, the group finally migrated indoors dripping on the hard wood floors and trying to messily fix their appearance just incase 'Sasuke-kun saw them and instantly swore them off because they were wet and dirty' (Ino's choice of words that caused Shikamaru to grimace greatly), with Naruto all the while beaming and emitting pure rays of joy and friendship all the while.
"I've never done that before! Let's do it again!" Even Neji (who had been reclining on the couch easily) and Sasuke just raised a brow at the absurdity of this statement as he walked in from the kitchen).
"You've never been caught in the rain?" Kiba clarified, making sure his puppy was ok as he placed Akamaru on the ground. He promptly shook his fur and got Neji (And the very pricey beige suede couch from Sasuke's lawyer Kakashi) wet…this action caused Neji and Sasuke to grimace at the same time (Sasuke deciding to hide near the stair well's shadow to observe his new pet's actions). Naruto shrugged.
"Was it ever raining outside? It only rains inside the store, when Sakura-chan first brought me here, it seemed a bit cloudy but I thought that was the worse it ever got!" He smiled a bit at the memory of when he first arrived.
"Wait, rain in a store? Are you sure that it was rain and not something else?" Kiba interrogated with a frown and disbelieving countace.
"Yeah, exactly like the kind out there, why?" Naruto began to go to pout mode, "what is it?"
"Naruto !" The party and Neji all turned to see Sasuke emerge suddenly. "I'm going out to meet up with Sakura." He ignored the pointed attempted of Ino to get his attention and the glare of Neji when he softly parted Naru-chan's hair," I'll be back after dinner."
Instinctively he felt the hairs on the back of his neck prick up. Ahh, so Gaara and his siblings were watching too?
"Alright, stop treating me like I'm a kid," Naruto pouted, and then noted with a muffled ringing sound, " phone's ringing-I'll get it!" His ears twitched as he pinpointed the location of the elusive device—only to have it handed to him by a fellow blonde (this time a girl)-prompting an anti-climactic ending as she appeared behind him.
"Ah! Arigato- ehto….who are you?" Naruto blinked in confusion, trying to rake his brain to remember.
"-She's Temari, Gaara's sister," Shikamaru finished, joining them in a few easy strides, "although, she doesn't reply to phone calls very well…"
"-Hey Nara, how the hell am I supposed to if you hang up after one ring? Its like you're too lazy to wait!" Temari accused back, "you owe me still y'know-"
"I know, tch…you're so-"
"-Troublesome, yeah I know. So are you…"
Naruto looked up in time to see Ino fuming a bit, not even caring that Sasuke was about to walk past-only when she caught Naruto's look did she suddenly lapse into obsession: "Oh! Sasuke-kun! Chotto!" and followed as if without her she would suddenly collapse and die.
It then occurred to Naruto that the phone was till ringing and walking away from the living room chaos to the kitchen, he readily addressed the caller:
"Moshi-Moshi, can I help you"
"Is Uchiha Sasuke there?" an oddly mesmerizing bass tenor voice questioned , "its someone very important to him."
"Oh gomen-demo, you just missed him, he went to go see Sakura-chan," Naruto obediently answered, "I can get him to call you back if you'd like."
There was a pause.
"On second thought, could you tell me your name?" The speaker questioned innocently enough.
"Erm…Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, doshite?"
Naruto was beginning to fell uneasy for some odd reason, like there was something dangerous about what he was doing.
"Naruto? Hmm, the world is such a small thing after all; never mind about Sasuke—in fact, just forget this entire conversation." The speaker sounded amused beyond belief which added to Naruto's already growing confusion, "It was nice meeting you. We'll see each other in person soon enough…"
There was a –click- and Naruto was left looking at the receiver…
Uchiha Itachi let the smirk on his lips grow. How interesting. Little brother had what he's been searching for all along. The rain continued to drench him as he exited the pay phone booth but with a eerie cheer, he almost embraced it as he walked toward the parked pick-up truck and the owner inside.
Opening the door, his smirk gone—but his good mood still apparent as he informed: "I found him, that stupid pet store owner couldn't hide him for long. He's with my darling little brother in that puffed-up-pansy-private school of his."
"Really now? It's not fair Itachi-sama, everything works in your favor, " the driver mused, bring the engine to life eager to get to their destination-now more than ever…
Deep in D's pet shop, a figure adjusted his things. As he strained to look at into the patterns of the mirror in the water, he frowned as his predictions proved correct once more-shit. This was not good.
Still not believing his readings, he turned to his one and true knack for predictions. He gently took out the mirror from the bowl of water, and reaching into his pockets pulled out a match.
Turning from his previous work station, he struck the match and lit three tall candles that were resting on the huge metal alter-like shelf before him. He concentrated slowly as the smoke began to rise from all three—twisting and turning as voices began to fill his head at their definitions. None of them were in the least bit good. The flames glinted of his glasses as he hastily blew them all out. He crossed his arms, frown growing deeper by the second. He sighed once more and rushed out to deliver the news to the store owner.
All the while he blamed himself.
How could he have ever let Naru-fu go into the outside world without him?
-ooOoo-
Ok :sighs and holds up hands: due to the many requests and complaints I have decided to stay here for awhile longer. The site just wasn't working out and it turns out not many people had LJs to see it and respond. :Shrugs: I added extra tidbits as an apology to all those who tried valiantly to go through and couldn't make it. :Bows: Sumimasen! It was too stupid of me to try and experiment with one of my most popular fics. As far as updates go, I'm typing up the fourth chapter. It's a very rowdy one so watch out. Oh by the way, the hanyou doing fortune telling (I'm not saying who it is, but will delvuge that he is one of my favorite characters in the series) is doing two obscure types:
Enoptromancy- A diving method that requires the utmost of patience, it requires one to get a shiny object, such as in this case, a hand mirror with a long handle and allowing only the handle to touch the water. Then one tries to gaze at the reflection of the shiny surface of the water in the mirror. It's usually used to see if someone will recover from illness.
2) Libanomancy- Divination through the watching and interpreting the smoke from Incense. Although in this case, he used candles. This comes from capnomanacy-which is the divination of interpreting patterns made by smoke, by burning various objects. Some people use this as a way to ask spirits for guidance. I don't know bout ya'll but I really wouldn't like to light a candle and find a ghost in the smoke….:Shivers at the thought:
Well, that should be it for explanations. If anyone has anymore questions please feel free to email or pm me or respond to my LJ. I'm a very lonely/bored fan girl so any conversation would be nice. Till next time, newest chapter should be out soon so :coughs to get really bad Engrish accent: D-own mish it!
Somewhere the Japanese voice actress for Chris form Sonic X is sneezing…hope full not at work though!