A/N: Greetings =] Oh, and I noticed that my last chapter's format got really messed up :S Sorry 'bout that folks! I'll make sure I'll do it right this time! :P Well, on the advice of one of my wonderful reviewers, I've decided to keep A/N's shorter =] But I'll cut to the chase: THANK YOU FOR THE UNBELIEVABLE NUMBER OF REVIEWS FOR THE LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: (Insert standard disclaimer and my rant about the slow progress of my world domination plan)
!WARNING!: It's come to my attention that people out there are dumber than I initially thought. So I decided to make the warning a little more prominent to help their slow, sad minds. There's Yaoi (THAT MEANS GAY RELATIONSHIPS) and swearing (WHICH MEANS THERE'S PROFANITY) and if you have any problems, then LEAVE...my faith in humanity has just dropped down a notch.
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"..." normal speech
'...' thoughts
Dobe = dead last
Baka = idiot
Futon = Japanese bed made of straw
Ohayo = Good Morning (said before 10 AM)
Nani = What
Gomen = Sorry
Sensei = Teacher
Bolded text – setting
Italics – emphasized thoughts or words, can also be flashbacks
Italics: underlined – emphasized thoughts or words underlined for added emphasis
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Chapter 8 – Hear your Voice of Treason
Konoha – Hospital
Naruto felt Sasuke's fingernails dig deeper into his shoulder blades as he continued to stare him down. His grip was strong, but Naruto wouldn't let the boy in front of him have any satisfaction by showing his pain.
Sasuke, on the other hand, had just been about to punch Naruto in the face. He had thankfully stopped himself at the last minute. He didn't know what his motive was. But as he gazed deeper into Naruto's eyes, narrowed in defiance, a scene vaguely replayed itself in the back of his mind...
Flashback - Konoha, Chuunin Exams: Forest of Death
"Take it," Sasuke said, in a tone that only admitted defeat. His eyes widened as an orange blur shot past and took the scroll just as it was about to land in the enemy's hand. Anger and hate pulsed through Sasuke's veins. Naruto rebounded off a tree and landed beside him. Sasuke was taken aback at Naruto's utter stupidity.
"You...! Don't butt in!" Sasuke yelled. 'Baka! Is he trying to get us killed!?'
Sasuke has tolerated Naruto's treason for only too long. It's a wonder he had gotten this far at all without going insane...
A swift punch from Naruto brought his dark thoughts to a screeching halt. As he felt his feet leave the ground, his mouth was engulfed in a rusty taste.
Sasuke managed to regain his senses, and not a moment too soon, and he landed swiftly on a branch across the blonde.
"What do you think you're doing!?" Sasuke bellowed disbelievingly. His mind raged and reaped havoc as it only thirsted for revenge and punishment for Naruto's idiocy.
"You're a fake Sasuke aren't you?" was his answer. Sasuke was struck dumb for a second at Naruto's irrational reasoning. 'What the hell does that dobe think he's saying!?"
"You idiot! I'm the real one!" Sasuke roared, on the verge of knocking some sense Naruto himself.
"Liar...the idiot and coward I see in front of me right now can't be the Sasuke I know," Naruto growled, his frame still heaving in exhaustion.
Sasuke felt his eyes widen. For the second time in that short amount of time, Naruto had rendered him speechless...
(End Flashback)
Konoha - Hospital
Sasuke continued to stare at Naruto, who hadn't even blinked once. He was aware of the unusually long time they stayed in that position, immobile and insolent. But as Sasuke lived through that moment in the Chuunin exams at what felt like so very long ago, he knew his impulse was drawn from Naruto's reasoning that day.
'The idiot and weakling I see in front of me right now can't be the Naruto I know...'
Tsunade, who had been forgotten for a few moments, reached an exasperated over and forced Sasuke to step back. Although the Uchiha did not resist, Sasuke laid an angry, scrutinizing stare on the blonde the whole time.
"There will be no fighting or violence of any sort in here," Tsunade stated quietly and firmly, "This is a hospital we're in, in case you've forgotten."
Sasuke gave Naruto a final indignant look, and took a seat himself beside the bed. Tsunade gave him a glance before turning to the amnesiac, whose eyes kept darting back sceptically towards Sasuke.
"We're not lying, Naruto," Tsunade let out gently, "It's been Gaara who has been lying to you the whole time."
Naruto shook his head. 'Mind games...that's all they're doing...messing around with your head by using mind games and lies...'
"No, he couldn't have," Naruto answered, his voice gaining a raspy quality very similar to Gaara's, "he told me that I lived with him, an- and that we were here for only a little while..."
Naruto stopped talking rapidly as Tsunade shook her head sadly. The blonde, unable to accept the fact that he had been living a lie, continued in a more panicked tone, "We were going to leave soon and go to the Sand Village where he's going to help me remember everything, and...Will you stop shaking your head at me!?"
Tsunade looked up at Naruto's sudden outburst. Her eyes smarted a little, signalling the imminent wave of tears. She opened her mouth to say something, but the silent Uchiha beat her to the chase. "Naruto, you only have his word to depend on," he explained with a daunting calm.
Naruto turned his gaze towards the Uchiha, his eyes narrowing in an expression of purest loathing, "Don't talk to me like that, Sasuke. Until you can prove to me that I knew you in the past, then I'm just going to keep assuming you're a liar and nothing more."
"That is enough," Tsunade stated firmly, her voice rising with each word.
The two Genins in the room, however, decided to ignore her command.
"You want the truth!? Then I'll give you the truth, Naruto!" Sasuke yelled angrily. Naruto, even Tsunade, was surprised at Sasuke's sudden turn of emotions.
They both watched in faint shock as Sasuke whipped out his wallet and withdrew a small card. Sasuke stared at it for a second, reminiscently and painfully for a second before shoving front of Naruto's face.
"There's your proof, Uzumaki," Sasuke spat, returning the glare given to him by the blonde.
Naruto stared at the picture in front of him, his world crashing down in ruins around him. There, sitting in front of his face, solid and definite, was a picture of him and Sasuke. He reached a lightly tanned hand and grasped it delicately to bring it closer to his face.
His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape. The Naruto in the picture had an arm thrown around Sasuke's shoulders, giving a thumbs up complete with a wink. Sasuke, on the other hand, had a faint scowl on his face, his hands loosely at his sides.
"It...it was your favourite picture," Sasuke said quietly, his narrowed eyes gazing down at the floor.
Naruto looked up at the pale, onyx-haired boy in front of him. The certainty that Gaara had slowly enraptured his heart in, so patiently woven, had been unravelled by a mere piece of paper. The one person who he was sure cared about him the most, had done the worst thing he had to encounter since his short, and renewed life: make him live a lie.
Naruto felt artificial, meaningless. To think, only this morning he had been happily brushing his teeth, Gaara waiting patiently for him on the other side of the door.
But as hard as Naruto tried, he couldn't bring himself to loathe the crimson-haired sand-nin. As dark as Gaara is himself, he was the only nightlight Naruto had when he lay alone in his dark room of solitude. But now, that light had been extinguished, smothered and suffocated by harsh reality Sasuke had shown him.
So here he lay in the late hours of the afternoon, lost and alone once again in the sickening, sterilized prison of his hospital room.
"Gomen..." Naruto whispered, so softly and delicately that the Uchiha would've missed it if the room weren't completely silent.
Tsunade, staring at the blonde remorsefully, decided it was time to leave.
"I should get going now. Lots of things to do back at the office," Tsunade said, trying to lighten the damp atmosphere a little. As she opened the door, she turned back to the two Genins and gave them a glare before saying, "And no fighting." as an afterthought.
When the door clicked shut, both boys were left in an uncomfortable silence. Without Tsunade around to have an excuse for being silent, both of them didn't know what to say to each other.
After a while, Naruto turned to Sasuke, who was still brooding and glaring darkly at the floor.
"Is she always like that?" Naruto asked with mild genuine curiosity. Sasuke looked at Naruto, surprised for a second, before giving the faintest traces of a smile before nodding.
'Welcome back, dobe...'
Konoha – Hokage's Office, waiting room
Kankuro shifted restlessly in his seat. They had been waiting for well over 4 hours now, sitting in the same spot and forbidden to take a step out the door.
'If I have to wait another minute inside this room with Gaara, I'm going to save him the trouble and kill myself,' Kankuro thought to himself acrimoniously.
Temari gave Gaara a nervous glance as she saw Kankuro move. To her relief, Gaara was still leaning against the wall, lost in the darkest depths of his mind.
He had been, to say the least, in the most sensitive and virulent mood she had ever seen him in for a long time. Being shown up by the Uchiha twice really didn't work well with the insomniac.
When Kankuro had given a long sigh of impatience, Gaara roared "Shut up!" with ferocious feral before sending a sharp pinnacle of sand to impale him. But thankfully, Baki had been able to save the puppeteer from certain death at the last minute when he parried the attack. No one so much as moved a muscle or breathed loud since.
As Temari involuntarily shuddered at the memory, the door opened and a Leaf Jounin walked in.
"Tsunade-sama requests that you see her now," he said before disappearing.
Baki got up first and began to follow the Jounin walking down the hallway silently. The 3 Genins followed suit immediately after.
When all four Sand-nins had walked in the dimly lit room, the door shut behind them ominously.
Tsunade sat at her desk in front of them, eyes closed with her hands neatly crossed in front of her.
"I'll skip the details and get to the point. You are to leave this Village tomorrow morning," Tsunade explained formally without opening her eyes to see their reactions. When no one replied, she decided to continue.
"I'm sure you know the reason for my request already. I've sent a note to the Kazekage already to inform him of your return. You have already caused enough damage for one stay. But, as great as that damage is, I've decided to let you go without pressing any charges. I do not wish to call off the peace treaty between our Villages and provoke another war. I'm sure both of us want to keep our Villages safely intact," she continued with a voice of nonchalance, but somehow it held a firm warning behind it.
"I understand," Baki answered emotionlessly.
"But you are forbidden to place a foot within this village until I see it fit for you to do so," Tsunade explained slightly louder as she opened her eyes to cast her wrathful gaze upon them.
Gaara stiffened considerably. A bead of sweat trickled slowly down the side of Temari's face.
"How long do you think we will be banned, Tsunade-sama?" Baki asked politely, although he had addressed Tsunade with a faint distaste.
Considering her answer for a second, Tsunade answered, "Whatever time it takes for Uzumaki to regain his memory."
Gaara's eyes opened, wide and bloodshot as he gave a growl before sending a wave of sand crashing down upon Tsunade.
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A/N: The end...of this chapter =] Anyways, this was an angst chapter, even though I wasn't really feeling poetic at the time. Did I get all the characterization right? :P
Review Responses:
ayame0: Yea, I kinda felt sorry for Sasuke too! But I just couldn't get the angst down good enough XP But at least Naruto and Sasuke are happy now, ne? =] Not much happening in this chapter though :P But I hope you like! :D
kashisenshey: woah! O.O Don't worry, I would've done the same thing if my friend offered me that kind of money! Think of all the things you could buy! –sighs dreamily- Anywhos, good luck on your bet =] Must take awesome skills to do that kind of thing :D I hope you like coffee :P cuz it sounds like you're gonna need a lot of it!
Kamikakushi: Yay for angst! But I'm very sorry, cuz I know I'm not the greatest angst writer :P That poetic side just doesn't wanna cooperate nowadays =] But I'll be sure to squeeze some more angst in the later chapters, even though Sasuke and Naruto are happy again :P –claps hands- BRAVO Kamikakushi! :D That's a beautiful angst-torture-line for Sasuke right there! Blah, but my fic ain't that great :D I still got lots to learn! It's my first one XP But here's the update! All angst written with you in mind :D A little off schedule now :P But my motivation has been so low lately ;/ And I'll be sure to read your fic soon! My computer's being taken away for a while so no chapters for a couple days methinks :( Just trying to squeeze in a last chapter before I kiss my computer goodbye for a while ;--; Can't answer your last question there o.O Editors have supernatural powers methinks :D Oh, the power that be...
Dark Mimiru-Chan: Yep! Poor Sasuke –evil cackle- and the funny thing is, Naruto still doesn't remember him! Yay! :D More Sasuke-torturing =] But I guess I have to give the guy a break...they're all happy now, don't worry :P
Super (Sarcastic) Squirrel: You know, I tried reading through your short review with an open mind, but I couldn't get past the first sentence without thinking how much of a dumbass you really are. If it's in your mental capacity to do so, I suggest you go to the Naruto section and look at the pairings of each fic. Notice something, asshole? Sweet Mother of Cthulhu! Is that NaruSasu I see? I mean, you don't even have to though 1/57 of the pages dedicated to Naruto fan fiction to find a good number of SasuNaru pairings!
I'm not sure if you can see it, but if you just catch that last bit at the end of my story's summary, maybe you'll be able to spot my warning there...not to mention all the appropriately labelled warning section I put at the beginning of each chapter that looks something like this:
"Warning: Yaoi and potty-mouth swearing =] Evacuate now if you gots problems ;/" (Chapter 7)
Do you see the words I have conveniently bolded, italicized, and underlined to save you from killing yourself trying to find it? I believe it says "Warning: Yaoi..." Well, in case it hasn't penetrated your ignorance yet, that warning is there to warn (or ward off) homophobes like you; since, judging from your delightful review, you seem to be a little problematic when it comes to gay relationships. So next time, try drawing your own conclusions for once, because not everyone will be as nice as me and actually tell you what that warning is for.
Anyways, aside from the fact I have yaoi warnings in my summary (which also states the main pairing) and every chapter I have written, lets just humour your idiocy for a moment just to make you feel better. You indirectly state that Sasuke and Naruto have no good reason to be together, and because I have them in a relationship in my fic, I am thusly a horrible, narrow- minded author. Did I get everything down right "Super (Sarcastic) Squirrel"? Because your cleverly constructed name (constructed by an equally clever reviewer) gave me doubts. Anyway, I've decided to help you through your little dilemma. Since a fair amount of Naruto fan fiction on this site have yaoi, and a good amount of yaoi Naruto fics feature SasukexNaruto, that just leaves you a lot of choices to pick from! Do you see what I'm getting at? No? Well, I'll explain it further for your sad mind. You can occupy yourself while you go read some of them (or try to at least) and pick your favourite reason why SasuNaru makes sense! Isn't that just the damnedest thing? I'm sure there's a fic out there written expressively, thoroughly, creatively, and most importantly, simply enough to satisfy your expectations. Oh, and by the way, I do in fact think that everyone in the world has a rival who they have fallen in love with. That's what makes the world go 'round.
As much as I'd like to, I can't really blame you for sending such a review. I mean, since your life is a place, I'm assuming you don't have much of one, so I can't blame you for trying to look cool on the internet. Your "life" obviously doesn't go beyond the walls of your room (where you like to sit and draw self-fulfillment by sending people mediocre remarks), which kind of makes me wonder what the hell you were thinking when you expressed your obvious distaste of the NaruSasu pairing. Someone with a life like yours (which is sitting at your computer all day inside your room since your life is a place) should know the Naruto section quite well. Well, what are you waiting for? I think I see a lot of yaoi authors (NaruSasu ones from the looks of them!) on the loose! I'm very sure they'll be excited when they receive your invaluable opinion.
But, if your life really doesn't suit your taste (or your self-esteem, whichever you prefer), and this fic makes it seem better, then I'll continue writing by all means. That way, I get props for making someone's life better while you get to raise your confidence whilst I continue! It's a "win-win" situation, don't you think? Who knows, with a lot of help, maybe this fic will knock some sense (or at least a clue about what your writing means) into your head. But I wouldn't count on it though; it's too far up your ass to stand a chance.
Did you manage to catch the sarcastic parts right? I was kind of worried that you wouldn't be able to understand because I was using too many complicated words for you. Well, I hope that enlightened your dim mind further. God knows you need it. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Kisu: I decided it was time for some SasuNaru! As much as I like the GaaNaru pairing, I think Sasuke needs to find Naruto before he went crazy =] Seems like Gaara's having some problems of his own, ne? I'm not sure about saving Naruto from the evil clutches of Sasuke though :P He seems to be having problems with Tsunade right now :D
Kutsu: Ah, the evil powers of dramatic irony =] But, can't help but torture the characters with what they don't know! It's one of the greatest things you get to do! Anywhos, I'm glad there are lots of new surprises every now and then :D Sometimes I think there just seems to be too many empty, boring spots XP
Kyuubi-chan: Couldn't help it, Kyuubi-chan! That wasn't much of a cliffie, but I just got so lazy at that point =] and don't worry, I'm gonna continue writing this fic. I got new inspiration :D But sadly I'm off schedule! Ack XP
Polka Dot: Don't worry, I can never ever possibly cut Gaara from this fic! Since Sasuke hasn't been in much of the earlier chapters, I'm just thinking that maybe it's Sasuke's turn to get the "attention" :P –glances nervously around for Sasuke fangirls- If I cut Gaara from this fic, then I give you permission to stab me with a spoon and burn my body over a grill :P Or any other murder method you like =] I'm not picky about those things :D I know the part at the end was small, but I think I'll be able to give him some parts in later chappies :D izumi: poor Naruto indeedy :( I mean, Sasuke is one thing, but Naruto's too cute to torture :P GaaNaruSasu triangles are among my personal favourite pairings/triangles! But, since Gaara is Gaara, he doesn't know using lies is wrong :P Poor guy :(
RuByMoOn17: Fankies! This fic took a long time to think about, but when it comes to writing it, it takes longer than I'd like to! But it's nice to know that someone appreciates your work!
Iceheart19: Yep! It took them a while, but they finally got back their kitsune! :D But awkwardness makes it all the more fun XD But I agree with you on the GaaNaru thing! Who's gonna help Gaara not be all evil all the time? :( Most of this chappie is angst, which I'm horrible at writing (stupid poetic side! –bashes it-), but I tried my best! XP
Demon Eyes Naomi: Aw shucks! The plot took a while to think up, but I finally did it! And I'm relieved it's not boring :D Cuz interesting is the opposite of boring, and since interesting is the opposite of boring, I'm happy! –stops speaking gibberish-
Cat: Ah, thank you! Naruto's raking in all the pity here :D Stupid Sasuke doesn't need any :] But at least Naruto knows the truth now, ne? No more sad Naruto :P This chappie was mostly long, long angst but I hope I did okay :S
Ramen-sama: Ah! –faints from happiness- THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I'm so happy that my characterization is going well! Characterization is by far one of the hardest things to do! At least for me it is :D But I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for your feedback! It means a lot to me and it really does help! I've decided to take your advice, but I'm not gonna stop the review responses :P Gotta respond to all my reviewers! They mean a lot to this fic =] But I'll make sure to keep notes short and sweet! But I'm very sorry for the long review response that took up a lot of room :P The owner didn't leave an e-mail address :P I hope this chapter still kept the characters true to themselves :S Cuz all this angst was kinda meant for plot and character development XP THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
Ria Sakazaki: And continue I shall! There's so much left to write, and so little time :P But I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Angst really don't work well with my poetic side...if I got one :/
Little Leila: Yea! Sasuke better watch his back! :D Not that Sasuke can even touch Gaara at all that is =] Supreme ruler of the Universe is only one of the titles I'm deciding on! When I take over, there's so many titles I could use! The Almighty One, Your Majesty, The Great Powers that Be, You- Know-Who (:P), etc. etc. etc. =] Unfortunately, modesty isn't on the list of taking-over-the-world virtues, so I scrapped that a long time ago XP But I don't think I'll be able to resist destroying my German teacher once and for all! –evil cackle- it's just all those weirded projects he gives us, and the homework! Will somebody please think of the homework!? And he doesn't exactly teach anything useful like swearing :P Yep, he deserves to be eliminated :] And I swear math classes aren't any better! They never give me a break, even though I work so hard trying to stay awake when they teach :( But here's the last chapter I'm writing before I kiss my computer goodbye so it can get repaired :P I guess kicking it doesn't fix it :S And not to mention that extra vacation day I'm going to the only amusement park in several provinces -.-"We're going to ride the parabolas! :D But I hope this review was speedy enough! Very slow, angst chapter methinks :S But until this thing –knocks head and it makes a hollow sound- decides to work, there won't be a chapter for the next couple days ;/
Tipsy-Dragon: Can't help but feel sorry for stupid Sasuke XP But I agree with you when you say Gaara needs Naruto more! Poor panda guy :( All he needs is a nice hug =] But Gaara and Naruto do make such a cute couple =] They're both short while Sasuke's tall-ish? I'm not so sure about Sasuke, but all I know about that guy is that he, unlike Gaara, needs a smack upside the head :D But I really think I should make this a GaaNaru...it makes so much sense :D But I guess I'll have to see...brain's not working all that well nowadays :D But here's the update you've been waiting for! So am I saved from your wrath? :D
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A/N: WOW! That was a lot of wonderful reviews! I enjoyed every single one of them! But there were a lot of reviews for the last chapter! Nearly had a heart attack I did o.O Anywhos, THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(One delightfully surprised) Tsuki