A/N: 'eyy! –holds up pot lid to shield herself from flying vegetables- I'm a bit late for my update aren't I? XP Sorry, sorry :/ But HOLY FLYING COWS! You guys still gave me more reviews!!! Even after that really really weirded chapter I wrote :P Aww –sniffles- I can't believe that chapter even got reviews! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: Own not I Naruto :3 and speaking of disclaimers, I probably should add this:
Apology: Typos and confusion most likely infest this fic :( sorry for any funny typed words and sentences XP
Warning: Yaoi and swearing! If it makes you squeamish then you should leave :(
"..." normal speech
'...' thoughts
Dobe = dead last
Baka = idiot
Futon = Japanese bed made of straw
Bolded text – setting
Italics – emphasized thoughts or words
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Chapter 4 – As the Pendulum Swings
Konoha – Hokage's Office, Meeting
"Meeting is now over. You may leave."
As everyone silently got up and left the tense atmosphere in the room, Kakashi got up from his kneeling position and slowly made his way to Tsunade.
The said woman was busy shuffling paper, apparently in deep thought. She didn't notice Kakashi approach her.
"Hokage-sama?"
Tsunade looked up with a glaze over her brown eyes.
"Yes, Kakashi?"
Kakashi then explained the kidnap of Naruto. During the long minutes of giving her the details, Tsunade's expression did not waver or change in the least. When Kakashi was done, Tsunade looked up with a dreamy expression.
"Yes...I knew this was going to happen soon," she said with an exasperated sigh.
Kakashi was struck. He expected the short-tempered and hasty Hokage to rise in a vengeful rage, ordering every Jounin to search for Naruto. Tsunade had been on less than friendly terms with Naruto, but the hyperactive blonde had grown on her after some time.
"Listen, Kakashi. You must keep Sasuke in check. If he starts a rampage in this village, then it will just mean disaster. I would like you to get Sasuke right now, actually." Tsunade continued as she made eye contact with him.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama, but I don't understa-"
"When you meet up with Sasuke, you'll understand. Now go."
Still with a million questions running through his head, Kakashi bowed and disappeared in a cloud of smoke without another word.
Konoha – Forest
'Why would there be sand in the middle Konoha's Forest?'
The only sound in the worn clearing was the sound of Sasuke's feet shuffling as he got up. With a smirk on his face, he knew what kind of ninja or person had taken Naruto.
'I'm coming for you Naruto. You just wait.'
Sasuke turned around, his back towards the waning moon, and prepared to jump towards Konoha's borders: towards the Sand Village.
But he was stopped by a shady figure kneeling in a tree in front of him.
"Oy, Sasuke. Where are you off to?"
It took half a second for Sasuke to recognize the blasé tone of his sensei. "I know who took Naruto! It was Sand-nins! You have to help me get him back!" Sasuke yelled once he saw the silver hair that reflected the moon's mournful tendrils of light.
"Sand isn't enough to prove your theory, Sasuke. You know that. I hope you weren't thinking of running off to the Sand Village just now all by yourself."
Sasuke made no reply, but deep inside he knew that Kakashi had guessed right. Sasuke was not about to let the older man know though. After a few moments silence, Kakashi straightened up and broke the gathering silence.
"Anyway, Tsunade wants to see you in her office right now."
When Sasuke lifted up his once bent head, Kakashi saw the dread in his student's heart. His face was masked and the expression on his face was standard, but secretly, Kakashi was in turmoil as well. He had just received the news of Naruto's disappearance late that afternoon, but a hole was slowly eating his heart inside out. Was he ever to see Naruto's smile again? Or witness the seemingly dim-witted blonde's rapid growth? Was tomorrow to be the day that his oath to protect his students be shattered?
Jumping down in the clearing, Kakashi towered over Sasuke, who was still staring intensely at a tree.
"Don't do anything stupid or rash, Sasuke. It'll only hurt Naruto more. You're not the only one worried about him."
With a simple nod of his head, Sasuke started his way to the Hokage's Office, Kakashi following his footsteps not too far behind.
Konoha – Apartment
With a contented yawn, Naruto sat up and stretched. His vision was still slightly fuzzy from his nap, but it wouldn't make a difference anyway; Gaara's room was still pitch black.
"Morning," Naruto greeted cheerfully when he felt icy green eyes looking at him.
'He likes to stare doesn't he?' a little voice sounded at the back of his mind, which was promptly brushed off by Naruto.
"It is dark," Gaara replied in his lowered and quiet voice. Gaara didn't move a muscle, but one of his senses told him that there was a slight problem.
"...Take a shower."
"Huh? Show-er?" Naruto asked as he tilted his head slightly. He pronounced the word slowly in his head over and over again, trying to remember what...or who it was.
Gaara only stared. But he was close to shaking his head in frustration. Of course, he had been expecting many other necessities that Naruto had forgotten, but a shower was the last thing he needed to teach Naruto.
Naruto stared intensely at his tattered orange jumpsuit that was emanating a foul stench. The feeling of being refreshed after being immersed in warm water with the drowsy fragrance of something soapy in the air gave Naruto a hint of what Gaara was talking about.
"Oh! I remember now!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. He had finally remembered something of his past life. Naruto still had on his trademark fox-like grin when Gaara silently stood up and started making his way towards the bathroom.
Naruto sat clueless for a second when it finally registered in his mind. "Hey! Wait for me!"
Naruto ran out the dark hall just in time to see Gaara's sash disappear in a doorway. He ran in the now brightly lit bathroom, and he had to shield his eyes for a second. After being shut so long in the inky darkness Gaara's room, his eyes hadn't grown accustomed to the light.
"Don't take long. Be quiet, Temari and Kankuro are sleeping." Gaara said, his eyes staring right into Naruto's blue ones. It was very unlike Gaara to give concern for another one's well being, but the strange feeling of taking care of someone other than himself made it seem almost...natural.
'What are you doing to me, Uzumaki Naruto?'
Gaara walked around Naruto and out the door, shutting it behind him. He leaned against the wall right in front of the door and closed his eyes with his arms crossed. He was far from sleeping, however. The crimson-haired sand-nin waited in the familiar dark hallway, with only the sliver of light coming from the gap at the bottom of the door as his company.
The pitter-patter of droplets of water began. But it was frequently interrupted by Naruto's yelps when he found that the water's temperature was too hot or too cold. Gaara opened his eyes and stared at the door. For a long while this continued, but Naruto eventually figured temperature and his cries stopped.
Once Gaara was sure Naruto was all right by himself, he let his eyelids fall once again.
Minutes passed. The ticking of the clock in the kitchen did a steady crescendo. Then, the sound of feet slapping onto the floor was accompanied with it, before the door was opened fully in front of Gaara. Light rained out, making Gaara open his eyes, only to be met with the stark-naked form of Naruto.
"Gah...!"
Gaara turned away immediately, eyes shut tight and his arms covering his face.
"Sorry, is the light too bright for you? I would turn it down if I could remember how..." Naruto said, slightly ruffled by Gaara's reaction to the light. "Anyways, am I supposed to only clean with...with...water...?" he continued as he pointed at shower. It took a while for Naruto to find the right word for the clear, tasteless liquid that was still running in the background.
When Gaara remained turned with his eyes shut and his arms shielded in front of him, Naruto then decided something was wrong.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Put on some clothes..." was the reply. Gaara's voice still remained emotionless, but Naruto could sense it was slightly shaken from its usual solid tone.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto asked, his head tilted in confusion again, "Come to think of it...I don't think I got any clothes to change into. Unless I'm supposed to wear my orange thing again...but it smells kinda weird."
Gaara sighed in frustration, his first sign of emotion ever since he arrived in Konoha.
"Wrap a towel around your waist," he explained. He really wasn't cut out for this. He, Gaara of the Sand, feared by countless ninjas in his own village, was teaching a leaf-nin how to shower and dress correctly.
Once Naruto had reassured Gaara that he had wrapped a towel around his waist, Gaara opened one eye slowly and cautiously to make sure before opening both of them completely.
Gaara walked in to explain what shampoo, conditioner, soap and the like was for. It was the most awkward situation he had ever been in. When he was done, Naruto looked up at him and smiled.
"That's the most I've ever seen you talk at once. Thanks."
Gaara nodded and left the room again, shutting the door behind him and resuming his previous position. If anyone were to see him in the pitch black hallway that night, they would not have seen the smirk – or even smile – of amusement that was tugging at the corners of his lips.
Konoha – Hokage's Office
"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama?"
"Yes, Sasuke. I'm pretty sure you're aware that Naruto is missing." Tsunade said calmly, her back turned to them as she looked out the window.
"I found sand in the clearing where Naruto disappeared. You have to help me find him." Sasuke burst out, emphasizing every word. How could she be so calm at a time like this? He knew that Tsunade and Naruto have had their fights and arguments, but he knew that the two were still close nonetheless.
Tsunade sighed, and turned around to face him. "Sasuke, I'm going to get straight to the point. You are not to go searching for Naruto. This is a Chuunin's or Jounin's mission, not yours."
Sasuke stared intensely at the Hokage. His insides went icy-cold. His fingers itched to wring someone's neck in half. His own throat tightened disbelievingly. His mind screamed for justice, echoing through every corner of his being.
"...Why?" he said after he managed to find his voice once again. His fists were clenched tightly, and they were slowly digging into his hand and breaking the skin.
"It's very late, Sasuke. We should all be home safe in our beds and asleep. We will find Naruto and you will be the first to know of his return." Tsunade replied as she towered over him. After a moment's hesitation, Tsunade added as an afterthought, "Look, if it makes you feel any better, Naruto is most likely in our village."
She examined Sasuke's expression and decided that all his clashing emotions were going to get the better of his judgement.
'Where is the emotionless and cold Uchiha we all know?'
"I will be sending a Chuunin to come by your door every now and then to see if you're still there. That includes mornings and nights. I don't want you out that door unless the Chuunin I send sees it fit for you to leave. You may go," she explained.
Sasuke's fists started to leak blood, which fell to the floor with a dull splat. Leaving no words behind, Sasuke turned around and trudged out the door, much to the surprise of the other adults in the room.
"Isn't that a bit much, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi said as they both watched Sasuke disappear.
Sasuke's footsteps faded away.
"If he finds out there are Sand-nins in this village-"
Kakashi turned to her, his visible eyelid raised in surprise. Tsunade sighed at his surprised expression and began again.
"If he finds out there are Sand-nins staying at this village, he will go seek them out and try to destroy them. Judging from the nature of Sasuke and the Sand, blood will be spilled. It will only provoke another war between our village and theirs. A war we can't fight."
Kakashi nodded in understanding as he looked out the window.
"I'm assigning you and a small team of Chuunins to look for Naruto. This has to be done as discrete and calmly as possible. Report back to my office at 10 AM tomorrow morning for details." Tsunade continued in the voice she used in missions. Her calm façade didn't last long as it broke after she thought about the mission ahead of them.
"Please bring back Naruto safely," she said, her eyes creased in worry. There was no point concealing her worry for the kitsune.
Kakashi nodded and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Back in the office, Tsunade was left alone again with only the ticking of the clock to confide in.
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IMPORANT NOTE: The author (who is me :D -confetti flies everywhere-) is going on vacation for 12 days, starting from July 1, 2004 . Obviously, there will be no updates during that time because she can't get her hands on a computer to type up chapters in Europe :P That is all =] Wow I feel so old and formal :P
A/N: GAH! That's the most boring chapter so far! But the next chapter I promise there's gonna be some action! I'm finally past my writer's block and I have an idea of what's gonna happen next! BUT! Now I really mean it when I say this chapter was boring, pointless, and unbearably long :P But I'm putting up the next chapter up real soon! Oh, and I've noticed that some of my Review Responses may have some "typos", but it's just cuz I'm trying to make my oh-so-cute computer faces :P But FF.Net likes to eat their eyes and stuffs -.-"poor poor asterisks and shift-6's :'( So anyway, THANK YOU ALL FOR REVIEWING MY LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review Reponses:
tracy-kin: shh...I'm secretly jealous of Sasuke cuz he has the coolest theme song ever :P Don't breathe a word to anyone! O.O I don't read the manga, but it don't really surprise me that Sasuke's a bitch :P he acts like one normally anywho :D I'm evil for making Naruto forget all his cool jutsus aren't I? The sexy-no-jutsu is gone too ;/ I'm gonna miss that one in this fic :P Yay! A few former-gunbounder :P I quit cuz I sucked too much meself :D and because everyone all of a sudden developed a seething hate for the oh-so-adorable bigfoot bot :P and trust me, when it comes to pwning people in gunbound, I am THE WORST possible candidate for that XP 3 weeks and I'm still at chicken level :P I just blame it on my talent for always ending up on the losing team =]
burningshadow: aww thanks! I'm glad someone liked the chopstick part :P I was growing rather fond of it meself :3 it's nice to know that one person likes what you're doing with a fic, ya know? :D can't believe that chapter last chapter didn't make you fall asleep :P and if you made it through this chapter, then WOW :D everything is falling apart in the logic here in my opinion ;/ it's especially sloppy in this chapter, but I hope to clean it up in later chapters! I hope you can bear with me while I get that rusty brain of mine working :P School's over and my IQ has taken an incredible drop methinks ;/ your statement about only a few lucky people having brains made me fall off my chair in laughter :P thanks for that one! It really made my day :D well, your review made my day, but the joke was just ingenious! :D I'm not really sure if I'm off the wall or not ;/ but is the naked naruto thing in this chapter a sign? -looks around nervously- thank you so much for your reassurance! I really needed it :D
Dark Mimiru-Chan: I'm starting to feel kinda sorry for Gaara myself :P must've been when I watched that episode with Gaara as an adorable little kid again :P Curse those cute panda eyes! XP How could someone wanna kill something so cute like Gaara as a kid!? BAH :P but Gaara's taking good care of Naruto isn't he? :3 I can't torture Naruto for too long :( I start feeling sorry for him too if I do :P
Shigure's lover: Goodness gracious me! (pardon the tea-party language ;/) THANK YOU! I never thought my story was all that special, but you do! That means so much to me! This update was a little late, you can throw vegetables at me if you'd like :( And after reading this long, boring, and definitely disappointing chapter, you can come up and hit me with a baseball bat :( or whatever item that suits you XP I deserve it for writing something abominable like this chapter ;--;
Cookie6: -throws Sasuke over a bridge- I hate Sasuke so much :P But I think he's being dumber than usual because his Naruto is gone :( Maybe it's cuz of a "All training and no Naruto make Sasuke go crazy" kinda thing? :P Thanks for thinking the last chapter was great :P I was close to tears when I revised it :P But after this one, I'm not sure what other evil, bad chapters I'm capable of writing O.O
Kamikakushi: hehe XP I dunno why my story's funny either :P it could be just me and my melted brain again though ;/ I'm delightfully surprised that the last chapter was fun to read :D Now let us never speak of chapter 3 again cuz I'm scared of it now :P I wrote it so long and bad XP This triangle thing I'm still so unsure of! Gaara and Naruto or Sasuke and Naruto? Decisions, decisions ;/ Hopefully some more blood is gonna make an appearance :P we'll just see where my poor melted brain decides to stick it in when I write later chapters XP I hope this chapter wasn't so boring :P to be honest, I think it's worse than the last one o.O Thank you so much for your review! It gave me the chuckles :P
Iceheart19: Wahh I'm really really sorry XP my story probably isn't making much sense right now is it? I admit that I didn't really explain it well in that chapter, but hopefully I explained it enough in this one! But I shall do more explaining because it's my job as the author to not confuddle her wonderful readers :D Tsunade and Kakashi are worried about Naruto, but Tsunade already knows that mostly likely Gaara has him at his apartment, so she wouldn't be too worried about the Kyuubi. She's assuming that the Kyuubi hasn't started a massacre yet cuz the over half the village is still alive and no huge raccoons or foxes have been stomping on buildings like Godzilla :P And you guessed right when you said Kakashi was just hiding his worry for poor Naruto :P I'm just guessing that it's a ninja requirement thing to not show worry or panic in a situation like that :P and he's gotta be strong for stupid sasuke too XP Did I miss anything? I probably did, but I can't help the –knocks head and a solid sound echoes loudly- thing you know? :P Gah, me and my lack of logic / If there's anything else that doesn't make sense, you can point it out in an e-mail or a review if you like :D anywhos! Even with all those plot-holes and stuff you still reviewed! THANK YOU!
Mariemaia1: Hehe XP I know I haven't been putting up too much SasuNaru in these chapters :/ In fact, I don't there is any...except for the part where they pummel each other into cookie dough ;/ but there's SasuNaru in the next chapter or so! I can promise you that :P I'm surprised you didn't lose interest on that last chapter XP But this one, this chapter was just...- involuntarily shudders- THANK YOU for reviewing nonetheless!!!
Cristy123: Yay! Thanks for thinking my story's funny :D I'm glad it ain't all uptight and stuffs :D This update was a little late :P But hopefully it didn't make you fall asleep! I could hardly get the words down! I'm really, really, really sorry XP Hope the long wait was even half worth it :/ If that makes any sense :D
Kaelas: hee, Naruto is cute isn't he? Him and his adorable blue eyes! They're more effective than puppy-dog eyes :P at least in my opinion they are :P Sasuke's gonna find Naruto soon...if I'm in the mood :P I'm not too sure though...I'm kinda enjoying having Sasuke run around like a crazy chicken :D To be honest, Gaara's always freaked me out in the anime o.O especially when he was fighting lee :( But Gaara's panda eyes are Naruto's eyes' rivals! O.O I'm probably making absolutely no sense right now XP So I'll jus shadap and hope this update wasn't too crappy XP
mistune: mitsune, I have a confession to make! I don't know any Japanese! –hides behind pot lid- But whatever you said, I'm really sure it was nice :D But even reviewing is enough! WOW :D THANK YOU! I can't believe someone loves my fic! It's absolutely confuddling to think that someone's waiting for my next update! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I hope this update wasn't too disappointing, since you had to wait so long :P
Hn: Heheh, my pairing thing in my summary probably wasn't too clear XP At first, I really intended this to be a Naruto/Gaara or a Sasuke/Naruto but I think it would somehow work if I made this into a threesome :D Of course, that would mean way more plot twists and weird stuff happening :D But the idea of a threesome sounds really interesting :D But to be honest, I have no clue what the pairings are going to be, so I'm sorry if this doesn't really answer your question! I haven't seen a Gaara/Naruto/Sasuke threesome on FF.Net myself, so the idea sounds really interesting :D But being the lazy and last-minute author I am, I think my brain's gonna decide to come back when I hit the end of this fic cuz I'm planning to decide a pairing(s) then :P
Ria Sakazaki: Aw shucks! You don't need to thank! As an author (even if I am a relatively horrible one) it's my duty to let my reviewers know that they're appreciated! –does the Gai pose and scares off some little kids- Reading and loving my story is just something that I could only dream of! I hope this chapter wasn't too boring XP I needed coffee after I wrote it :P It made me drowsy :P Says something about me doesn't it? Or rather, it says something about this chapter XP But I promise the next few chapter are hopefully gonna make up for the utter horrible-ness (I made a word! :D) of the last 2! :D
panatlantic: hee, thank you! I don't think my fic can compare with the others I've read though! THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING! And I see FF.Net hasn't eaten for shift-6's :( It keeps eating mine :P
Little Leila: It's a miracle that Sasuke finally got enough common sense to go look for evidence :P But the damage has been done :] well, at least in this chapter it has XP Gah, those...puppy-dog eyes...people always get me with the puppy dog eyes XP Maybe we'll have a Gaa/Naru story then :D But it depends on my mood when I decide once an' fer all :P Unless that mood is lazy, that is ;/ Your challenge is something new :D Once I finish this one, I'm gonna do some thinking on it :D I'll let you know once I get the basic events down! :D And I know how you feel about work :( My boss is the absolute evil XD When I take over the world, he's gonna be the first to go =]
Once again, I must do what I do every chapter, and that is the prominent label of THANK YOU SO BLOODY MUCH FOR REVIEWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! because every single reviews just makes me wanna bounce off all the walls! Getting the amount of reviews I did for the last chapter was something I could never even dream of!!!! So again, THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR READING AND REVIEWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tsuki