IT IS FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"People seldom remember what you did or said but in the end remember you for how you made them feel."
-K-chan's Pre-cal teacher!
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Chapter 5 : The big party.
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"How..................How long would you guess............under your observations that Iruka has left to get the reverse jutsu?" Kakashi closed his eyes cursing himself again; he did not want the answer.
Hiashi sighed.
"A week at most."
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"Kakashi are you okay?" Iruka tightened his grip on Kakashi's hand as they walked to his apartment.
"Hn?" Kakashi looked down at the smaller ninja. What Hiashi told him kept repeating itself through his head. How was he going to tell Iruka?
"I asked if you were okay?" Iruka couldn't help but worry about what Kakashi was thinking about; whatever Hiashi had told Kakashi had upset him in a large way.
"Yeah I am fine just tired. What about you? Tired? Feel different anywhere?" Kakashi glanced over Iruka's body to make sure any deformities hadn't grown.
"No I am just tired, it was nice of Hiashi to give us some ramen while we were over at his house." Iruka tried his best to cheer up the tired jonin.
Kakashi sighed as they turned onto Iruka's street. He really needed to think.
Iruka looked down at the ground. Was he really this much of a hassle for Kakashi?
"You go on to bed I will be right back. I think I left my bag at my house." Kakashi smiled as Iruka walked into the house and nodded.
Iruka sighed as he shut the door, he kicked Kakashi's bag that was beside the door. "Left your bag, heh." Iruka began to walk across his house to his room.
"What was that about?" Iruka couldn't help but feel like he was being too troublesome for the jonin so he left.
He looked over at the bed that seemed to be calling his name.
"Goodnight." Iruka sighed as he climbed into the bed not bothering to change cloths, he didn't feel like he had enough energy to do anything right then.
He felt lost and miserable. But who could he tell? He had intruded on Kakashi's time too much already and everyone else were too busy helping him already. Why did he have to be this way? Why did he have to be so weak?
Sleep finally made its way to Iruka as a tear fell down over his cheek.
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Bothersome.
Inconvenient.
Troublesome.
Difficult.
Annoying.
Tiresome.
Aggravating.
All these words describe you Iruka.
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Iruka sat up sweating and breathing heavily. He looked back down at his hands, those dreams.....................the dreams, they were getting worse. The strange green eyed child, speaking only words of truth.
But who was that child and how did it get in his dreams? It wasn't him....................or was it? Iruka shook his head; this was getting too confusing. He just wanted to leave, but he had never wanted to leave before.
What was going on?
He needed to think.
Iruka quickly crawled out of his bed and ran into the kitchen to see Kakashi. The jonin was sleeping in a chair lying on his arms that were on the table.
Iruka looked at the sleeping jonin and then over at the door. He knew somewhere in the back of his head that he should stay with the jonin but another part of his mind was yelling for him to leave.
He quickly grabbed his shoes as he silently left the house.
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"Oi! Akuri-kun is that you?" Iruka stopped before he ran into a larger form. He quickly looked up to see Ino grinning beside two boys.
"Uh............." Iruka looked at all of them, yeah he recognized the blonde girl as Ino, the boy with a pony tail looked familiar................it was that boy that slept through all of his classes.................what was his name? Shikamaru? And the other boy with the bag of chips had to be that one kid................Shikamaru's best friend...............Chouji................was it?
"Oh Akuri I should apologize for the other day! The girls couldn't help themselves!" Ino laughed cheerfully. Iruka glared at her, oh yeah it was her fault that all of those girls were chasing him and it was her fault that Sasuke kissed him in the first place!
"Ino stop bothering him!" Shikamaru sighed and looked up at his now shocked friend.
"You mean that he is a guy? I thought he was a chick for a second." Choji laughed for a second before he realized that Shikamaru was glaring at him.
Iruka shook his head, how could he think if he was going to be surrounded by people like them! He needed to get away.
"Hey Akuri-kun are you coming to my party? It is tonight!" Ino grinned mischievously as she bent down so her face would be right in front of his.
"Uh.................maybe Ino-chan...............I uhhhh.............got to um go now." Iruka did a small bow and looked up to see some confused faces. "Uh see you later Shikamaru-kun and Chouji-kun!" And with that he left running as fast as he could toward the woods.
"Did we introduce ourselves to him?" Shikamaru looked up lazily to see his friend shake his head with a confused expression.
"Oh I bet the big forehead girl just went on and on about how my team was so much better so he just guessed that you guys were part of it." Ino laughed before continuing their walk, being followed by some very reluctant boys.
Iruka ran to the woods not really knowing where he was going but it had to be somewhere, anywhere.
He stopped as he came to a clearing with a small shrine. It seemed so familiar but he couldn't place why, had he been here before? His mind kept telling him that he had spent many visits here...........but he still could not recognize it.
He quickly ran up to the small marker and noticed that there were names written on it. He quickly scanned over it realizing some of the names sounded extremely familiar but only two of them stuck out in his mind.
Umino Kingyo
Umino Sashimi
"What?" Iruka backed up from the sign....................they......................those names........................his parents?
Did he have parents? Why are their names on this sign?
/see if I was here I would have been able to protect them Iruka./
Iruka quickly shock his head, he was missing something here! Why cant he remember anything?
/you got that scar across our face trying to protect them but you were too weak./
"Shut up!" Iruka yelled at the voice. What was going on? His parents died because of him? Why? What couldn't he do?
/go away Iruka. Let me take over and you will never have to worry again./
"No! Stop it!" Iruka grabbed his head as pain began to rush through it again.
"Hey are you okay?" Iruka looked up to see a boy with his dog standing a few feet away from his with a girl who had milky eyes and another boy with sunglasses.
Iruka looked back and forth at them, why cant he recognize anyone? This is so confusing?
"Agh!." Iruka felt another jab of pain hit his side as he clenched it and fell on his knees.
"Hey Chick!" The boy with the dog ran over and grabbed Iruka as his dog stopped short and started growling at Iruka.
"Akamaru what is your problem? Hinata go get Kurenai-sensei! Shino go get some water or something!" With that command from Kiba the two ninjas were off as Akamaru stopped growling.
"Hey chick! What is wrong?" Kiba forced Iruka to lay on his back.
"I............I.............am a boy.............." Iruka became surrounded by darkness as his eyes shut.
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"Iruka.................Iruka..................." Iruka quickly opened his eyes and sat up. He quickly looked around to see Kurenai sitting beside him releasing a small sigh of relief.
"Where am I?" Iruka glanced over at the curly haired jonin.
"You are at my house.......................what happened Iruka?" Kurenai patted for the boy to lay back down as she held a damp cloth to his head.
"I-I don't...................remember.............." Iruka tired to think but his mind kept going blank or it wasn't making any sense. It was like he was missing a part of him but he couldn't remember what.
"Shhhhh............it is okay Iruka............." Kurenai put the cloth on his head and he looked over at her puzzled. Was she always this nice before?
"I can't find Hiashi and Gai went to get Kakashi..............." Asuma walked into the room to see that Iruka was awake. "You alive? There are three genins out there wondering who the heck you are...................." Asuma sighed as he took a puff of his cigarette. "I told them you were a visiting relative of mine."
"Did you tell Gai everything about the situation?" Kurenai turned her red eyes over toward Asuma who grunted in confirmation.
"Yeah it was really hard too, apparently he had already met 'Akuri' and they didn't get along to well." Asuma watched as Iruka's face became confused.
"I am sorry if this seems rude................" Iruka looked over at Asuma confused as he tried to think very hard, "but...............have we met before?"
Immediately Kurenai and Asuma exchanged shocked glances.
"I am Asuma....................." The bearded man stated in hesitation trying to see if Iruka would remember his name.
"Iruka!" Kakashi busted through the door followed quickly by Gai.
"Kakashi?" Iruka sat up quickly to be pulled into a tight embrace by the panting silver haired jonin.
"Iruka I have been given the news of your predicament! I do not blame you for your actions the other day!" Gai spoke shaking his fist in the air. "I shall let you know that I will be here for you!"
"What happened? Are you okay?" Kakashi released the embrace but quickly glanced over the smaller body.
"I-I..............." Iruka looked around at everyone.
"Why on earth did you leave the house? What in your right mind told you to go! What if something worse happened to you! What if you were attacked? What would you do then? You don't have any chakra Iruka!" Kakashi glared at the smaller boy with his one eye.
He needed answers...............he wanted answers and he wanted them now.
"We will be out in the hall..............." Asuma muttered pulling a reluctant Kurenai and Gai with him.
"Iruka I want you to tell me everything! And be honest I mean everything!" Kakashi's head was spinning. Out of nowhere Gai pops up and tells him that Iruka had blacked out and that Kurenai had taken the smaller boy to her house. What bothered them the most was the fact that Iruka had blacked out at the memorial tablet.
Why was he there to begin with?
"I left because someone keeps telling me to." Iruka looked up at Kakashi with tears in his eyes. He couldn't help it, he made Kakashi angry at him.
"Who?" Kakashi loosened his grip on the young chunin's arms.
"This child." Iruka looked back down, "It is right though, I should leave, I hurt and ruin everyone around me, I ruin their lives."
"Who is this child? Why do you think that Iruka?" Kakashi closed his eyes, he needed to calm himself down.
"The child is me but isn't or something like that...........He is confusing and..............his green eyes are.....................evil." Iruka began to tremble remembering the child in his head and everything it said.
"What do you mean Iruka? Is this part of the jutsu?" Kakashi looked over at Iruka confused as the young chunin began to shake his head.
"I................I................I don't know anymore! It is like it has always been there! Like it really is a part of me." Iruka's head began to hurt; everything was just too confusing! Was this really happening? Could it be some kind of dream?
"Iruka calm down. Think. Have you seen this child? Did this kid show you the jutsu or perform it on you?" Kakashi grabbed Iruka's hands; this child had to be a part of the jutsu. He needed to get Hiashi and tell him.
"No nothing like that." Iruka shook his head trying to think, but a strange image ran through his head. "You."
"Me? I what? What is it Iruka?" Kakashi began to let the worry take over his thoughts. He couldn't lose Iruka, not after everything that they have been through.
"You showed me the jutsu. It was a dream I think. But you told me to do it so I did." Iruka closed his eyes as he remembered the dream; "You told me to reach for the stars."
"What?" Kakashi got up. Iruka learned the jutsu in a dream through him? What did he do to Iruka before hand? Was there something he was missing?
"I-I don't know Kakashi! It is really confusing! I don't know anymore..................." Iruka furrowed his eyebrows, as he got frustrated at himself. He wasn't helping anyone by not knowing the facts.
"It is okay Iruka." Kakashi pulled the confused boy into a tight embrace as he looked around.
He needed to find Hiashi and find him quick.
"I will be right back okay?" Kakashi looked at the smaller form nodded. He needed to get Hiashi but taking Iruka with him might strain the boy's body.
Kakashi quickly went to the hallway to see Kurenai, Gai, and Asuma waiting for him.
"Well? He tell you anything?" Kurenai sighed; she was obviously tired.
"He doesn't remember anything about today but......................" Kakashi glanced over at all of them. "He seems to be experiencing strange hallucinations in his mind and they are affecting him greatly.............I am going to find Hiashi now."
"You might also want to tell him that Iruka has a temporary case of amnesia including me in it." Asuma sighed not realizing how deep his words hit Kakashi.
"What do you mean?" Kakashi stalled for a moment.
"I just meant he doesn't know what happened to him nor does he recognize me." Asuma sighed taking another puff of his cigarette.
"He didn't recognize you? What about you Kurenai?" Kakashi glanced back at the tied woman.
"He seemed to know me just fine maybe it is just a temporary side effect." Kurenai mumbled before yawning. She really was worried about Iruka but for some reason she couldn't control the fact that she needed sleep.
"Okay." Kakashi nodded quickly adding to the list of things he had to tell Hiashi immediately.
With that the jonin disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Hn." Asuma hummed to himself as he opened the door to Kurenai's room to see a sleeping boy on top of all the blankets.
"I have a bad feeling Asuma." Kurenai mumbled to her lover.
"You think this is all part of the jutsu?" Gai asked growing uncharacteristically worried.
"I can probably guess but only Kakashi and Hiashi know." Asuma mumbled sitting in the chair beside Iruka's bed.
"Call me when he wakes up, I am going to talk to my team." Kurenai waited until both men nodded before she left.
"You want to play shogi?" Asuma glanced over at Gai.
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"HIASHI!" Kakashi yelled as he invited himself into the Hyuga house.
"HIASHI!" He tried to sense if anyone was home......................no one.
"Dang it." He cursed himself as he ran out of the window. He needed to find Hiashi.
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"Hn?" Iruka opened his eyes. Where was he? And when did he leave his bed?
"Check mate." Asuma sighed as he won for the umpteenth time.
"Darn you Asuma! Your youth has made you a worthy opponent in such a game as shogi!" Gai shook his fist as Asuma began to set up the game again.
"Hey you know it is impolite to smoke in people's houses?" Iruka quickly covered his mouth as Asuma and Gai glanced at him.
Why did he just say that! He obviously wasn't even in his own house and didn't know the spiky black-haired man so what right did he have to lecture him.
"You recognize me yet?" Asuma raised an eyebrow at the younger form.
"Oh Iruka! You are up and healthy!" Gai shouted happily.
"Umm.............no I don't know you, sorry. But you are obviously a friend of Gai." Iruka smiled childishly as Asuma sighed.
"Kurenai-sensei! I am leaving to set up the party now!" All the guys looked at the door as they heard Hinata yell and then leave.
"Hai Hai." Kurenai sighed as she walked into the room and saw Iruka sitting up. "You two were supposed to call me when he woke up!"
"Oh this is your house?" Iruka looked around the room, no wonder he didn't recognize anything he had never been here before.
"Iruka you have been here over twenty times................." Kurenai glanced at the boy confused.
"No...........I think I would remember this place if I had." Iruka nodded to himself as he took in the strange decorations. Kurenai had a knack for torture devices it seemed.
"Hey is Hinata-chan going to the same party as Lee-kun?" Gai looked enthused.
"Yeah she is helping set it up and I swear you call Hinata 'chan' one more time I will................"
"The party!" Iruka interrupted Kurenai's threat as he thought about how he was invited with Naruto. "Oh! It hasn't started yet has it?"
"No it doesn't start until sunset..............about an hour." Kurenai looked at Iruka confused. "What? Are you going?"
"Yeah! Ino-chan invited Naruto-kun and me! They said it would be really fun!" Iruka now looked like a little boy about to receive a present.
"I don't think you can go........" Asuma faded off. "You are um.........sick remember?"
"No I feel great! Please! Can I go?" Iruka gave them the best puppy eyes he could come up with; he really wanted to go!
Though something in the back of his mind was nagging him to not go and wait for someone to return but he couldn't remember whom exactly.
"I think we should wait for............."
"Ah! The exuberance of youth! He is feeling fine and healthy! Maybe even hanging out with the small students could help his memory!" Gai smiled at the small boy.
"If someone interrupts me one more time I'll................."
"I see a point to that Gai. Maybe if Iruka sees his old students it could help with his memory." Asuma nodded not noticing the glare coming from Kurenai.
"Iruka I must know what it feels to be the epitome of adolescence once more after experiencing the adult life!" Gai got on his knees in front of Iruka like an expectant student.
"Huh?" Iruka had no idea what Gai was talking about...............he was...........he was...........then it hit Iruka.
He was a twenty three year old man sent back to his childhood body experiencing strange dreams and harsh pains with in his body. He wasn't normal anymore. How could he have so easily forgot everything that has happened to him in the past few days? Was there something else wrong? Was there something he was missing?
Asuma noticed the confused facial features appear on Iruka before he got up and wapped Gai on the head.
"You can ask him after they find a cure you idiot." Asuma then looked at the smaller boy, "....and they will find one Iruka."
Iruka smiled over at the smoking man, who ever he was he was right. He had to have full faith in the Hokage and Rei. They would find a cure.
"Sorry I forgot my bag in here-uh!" Hinata opened the door and stopped when she noticed everyone was still in Kurenai's room. "Oh sorry!"
"No it's okay Hinata." Kurenai smiled as Hinata bowed apologetically and grabbed her bed before she noticed the little boy on the bed was sitting up.
"Oh! You are awake!" She smiled and did a small bow towards Iruka, "Are you feeling better?"
"Hai, thank you!" Iruka smiled as Hinata blushed as the cute sight before her. This had to be the cutest boy she had ever seen.
"Ah-ah gomen! I am Hinata." She smiled as she looked over at Asuma and Gai who were laughing to themselves.
"Nice to meet you I am Akuri." Iruka smiled, he liked how he could be friends like this with his old students.
"Hinata why don't you take Akuri with you to the party right now, he was going to go with Naruto but since he is here with.........."
"Naruto!" Hinata blushed and looked back at Iruka, oh how fate is nice. Two hot guys with her at the party................
"Hinata.............Hinata...............Hinata!" Kurenai then bopped the drooling teen on the head. "Snap out of it!"
"Oh! Gomen Sensei! Come on Akuri-kun I am already late!" Hinata blushed before she left the room.
"Awww How come Iruka gets the cute young girls?" Asuma joked before Kurenai hit him on the head.
"I should have you know I used to be there sensei you pervert!" Iruka glared at the bearded man, how crude!
"Iruka be very careful and if you feel sick or if anything happens leave okay." Kurenai stated more like a threat than a worry.
"Hia! I promise!" And with that Iruka ran out of the room to catch up with Hinata.
"I keep forgetting he doesn't remember me." Asuma sighed and then looked over at Gai who was smiling.
"Lee shall be the life of that party!" He stated in his 'good guy' pose.
"Baka." Kurenai sighed at the two idiots she was left with.
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"He and the Hokage are returning tonight?" Kakashi glared at the chunin in the front desk.
Dang it! Hiashi had left right after they saw each other in the morning. He wouldn't be back for a few hours and he would be returning with the Hokage and Rei....................wait! Did that mean that they found a cure? Had they really found one and so they were returning?
"Kakashi stop bothering people......" Kakashi's thoughts were quickly interrupted as Gemna walked up to him.
"Shut up Gemna." Kakashi grinned under his mask as Gemna glared at him.
"Is that anyway to treat the person who is supposed to get you?" Gemna pouted with the straw in his mouth.
"Get me?" Kakashi sighed; this wasn't the time for a game or assignment he wanted to get back to Iruka.
"Hai, Hokage wants you to meet them so they can talk to you as they come back to the village." Gemna didn't notice how Kakashi paused for a moment.
"Hokage?" Kakashi was surprised, was this good or bad?
He had a bad feeling.
"Immediately." As Gemna spoke he left being quickly followed by the silver haired jonin.
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"Akuri-kun! I knew you would come!" Ino shouted as she saw Hinata and Iruka walk up.
"Oh! Ino I didn't know you knew Asuma-sensei's cousin!" Hinata smiled as both Ino and Sakura glanced at her confused.
"No Sakura told me that Kakashi said that he was his nephew or something..........." Ino stopped and looked over at Iruka who wasn't even paying attention to them but to the decorations for the party.
"Maybe Asuma and Kakashi are related somehow?" Sakura tried to guess.
"This is sooo cool!" Iruka laughed causing the girls to forget what they were doing and look at him.
This was the first real kid's party Iruka had ever been to. Sure when he was a kid he was invited to a party every once in a while but he wasn't that popular and he would never go. It was amazing to him how the decorations made Ino's back yard look more like an dance club than a yard. The decorations were definitely better than any of the 'boring grown up' parties he had ever been to.
It looked exciting.
"Akuri you are too cute." Ino laughed.
"Hey would you mind helping us out?" Sakura smiled brightly.
"Yeah sure, what do you got?" Iruka walked with Sakura as she brought him to a table.
"Will you organize our snack table?" Sakura pointed to a small table piled with bags of candy and junk food. Hey there weren't going to be any parents there so why would they have to be healthy?
Iruka saw the candy on the table.
"Sure!" He smiled and started to organize it every once in a while eating a piece of candy.
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"Oi! Akuri you could have told me you would be here already!" Naruto waved as Shikamaru and Chouji followed him.
"Sorry Naruto-kun! I-uh..............ran into Hinata-chan so I came early!" Iruka smiled as Naruto laughed.
"Yo, Akuri-kun." Choji laughed as he watched the smaller boy shove a few pieces of candy in his mouth. "You like candy?"
Iruka smiled as he felt like he was eternal bliss. All of the flavors mixing in his mouth made him forget any problems going on around him.
"Kyah! Sasuke you came!" Iruka quickly glanced around to see Sasuke walking into the back yard.
Ino, Sakura, and Tenten were immediately at his side talking.
"Hmph." Naruto snorted as he noticed the pool that Sasuke was now walking by. And the pool was full of water.............and Sasuke wouldn't have any room to move because of the girls latched onto him.............
Naruto grinned evilly before he vanished.
"Great what is he up to?" Shikamaru sighed and then looked at the new guy. "So Akuri, right?"
"Hai." Iruka smiled as he put in another piece of candy.
"What are you doing here in Kona..................."
"ACK!!!!"
*splash*
"Dobe."
The guys turned to see Sasuke standing over the pool and glaring at a now soaking wet and swimming Naruto.
"Jerk!" Naruto shouted glaring at the Uchiha.
"Next time try to be a little more quiet." Sasuke smirked at the soaked blonde. "Unless that is actually all of the stealth you have, then I would suggest that you train."
"Leave Sasuke alone Naruto!" Sakura yelled at the now mumbling blonde as he got out of the pool.
"Sasuke you are so cool!" Ino had hearts in her eyes as she began to follow Sasuke again.
Iruka glared, he thought that maybe there was something going on between the two teens.............but if so then why................
"HINATA-CHAN!!!" Everyone watched as Kiba and Shino landed into the backyard.
"You guys made it!" Hinata blushed as she ran over to be with her team.
"Yeah we went over to Kurenai-sensei's house to see if that dude was still...............Hey! You!! Are you okay?" Kiba finally saw Iruka standing in between Choji and Shikamaru both gave Kiba a bored glare.
"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru sighed as the other three began to walk over to him.
"I wasn't talking to you! I was talking to um............him." Kiba smiled as he pointed at Iruka who was taking some more candy out of one of the bags.
"His name is Akuri-kun! Kiba........." Hinata blushed.
"Well you feeling better Akuri?" Kiba smiled really big as a dog jumped out of his jacket.
"Yes thank you, but I have no idea what you are talking about." Iruka smiled, what should he be feeling bad about? That the kids knew about anyway?
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
Everyone looked down to see Akamaru growling at Iruka.
"Dang it Akamaru what is wrong now?" Kiba growled back at his dog who barked.
"What do you mean? This is Akuri! A friend!" Kiba argued back.
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."
"Well I don't know why he forgot either maybe he hit his head!" Kiba growled back as everyone looked at each other confused. Was he really talking to Akamaru or with himself?
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
"Well if you are going to act that way go sit by the fence for the rest of the party." Kiba pointed to the fence as Akamaru still growled and walked over to it.
Everyone stared at him surprised, they didn't know whether to laugh because Kiba was talking to his dog again or to be in awe that Kiba actually punished Akamaru.
"Heh. Sorry he has been acting funny today." Kiba smiled until he noticed that Iruka wasn't in front of him anymore.
"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"
Everyone turned to see the boy jump off of a tree branch and into the pool causing a large splash.
"Akuri!" All the girls shouted as they ran over to the pool.
"Was that Akuri?" Naruto looked out from the bottom of a towel he was using to dry off.
"Hahahahaha." Iruka laughed as he swam in the water, his cheeks were rosy showing he was now officially hyper.
"Ugh." Everyone turned to see Neji standing on the other side of the pool, soaking wet. He was too close to the pool when Iruka jumped in.
"Neji-niisan!" Hinata stammered at the sight of her wet cousin.
"Come on in the water is fine!" Iruka laughed, he had never had so much fun before.
"Akuri! You need to get out of the pool! You could get sick!" Ino yelled at the younger boy.
"You got Neji wet!" Naruto laughed as the milky-eyed boy glared him at.
"Here let me help you." Sakura offered and Iruka quickly grabbed her hand with a smirk.
"Akuri no!" Ino glared at him.
*splash*
"Hahahaha" Iruka laughed as Sakura swam up.
"Ugh!" She glared at the boy. "Akuri this is my favorite dress! Why did you do that?"
Iruka stopped and looked at the glaring pink-haired girl.
"What?"
"Akuri! You little brat you are going to ruin the party!" Ino shouted as he began to back up to a side of the pool.
"You should apologize to Neji and Sakura!" Tenten yelled.
"He is just having fun guys." Naruto yelled at the girls.
"This is supposed to be a party not baby sitting." Ino muttered.
"So troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as Iruka pulled himself out of the pool panting, something wasn't right.
"Just go home Akuri!" Ino yelled from across the yard.
"I can't believe you." Sakura glared as she got out of the pool.
"He was just playing guys." Naruto defended Iruka.
"Well tell him to play somewhere else!" Tenten yelled.
Iruka put his hand over his heart. Something wasn't right. Something was wrong, wrong with him.
He looked around and noticed that everyone was yelling now. Was it his fault? What was going on? He couldn't hear anything.
Look at all the pain you are causing.
All your fault.
Too bad.........
Maybe if you left..........
Yeah if you would leave............
Then they would all be happy. They wouldn't fight or argue............
If you were me...............
Leave Iruka!
Leave!
Iruka gasped as he fell over. He looked around he was in the woods now, he didn't know where but he was definitely in the woods now.
He jumped back up and began to run again tears filling his eyes. He was going to leave.
Leave so everyone would be happy..................
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"Kakashi." The Hokage nodded as he saw the jonin come running and join in their pace of going back to the village.
"What is it?" Kakashi wanted to get straight to the point.
"I think Rei would be better at explaining this." With that Rei and Hokage quickly switched spots.
"We may have found something.............." Rei looked over at Kakashi.
"But?" Kakashi watched her.
"What has he been experiencing?" Rei glanced away from the silver haired jonin.
"Why? What is it?" Kakashi growled at her; he wanted to know.
"Depending on what he has experienced..........and other things.........there is a slight chance that it won't work.................." Rei said solemnly.
"And?" Kakashi started to hate the fact that he would sense if a person was finished or not.
"And this was the only cure." Rei looked in his eyes sadly.
There wasn't much hope left..............
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Akuri?" Hinata looked around for the small boy causing everyone to stop.
"What?" They all began to look around and noticed that he was gone.
"That is weird I didn't even sense him leave?" Sasuke glared around.
"Akamaru! Did you see him leave?" Kiba called his dog to him but it shook his head.
"I don't even sense him near here........" Shino mumbled quietly as everyone began to worry.
"This is your fault Ino! You yelled at him!" Naruto glared at the girls who looked upset.
"Enough fighting! Split into teams of two and find him, we will raise our chakra if we find him." Shikamaru sighed, once again making everyone realize why he is the only chunin in the bunch.
And they were off.
"Kiba you go that way with Akamaru I will go this way." Neji shouted as he leapt form tree branch to tree branch. He and Kiba decided to search the woods.
"Akamaru do you smell him yet?" Kiba followed his puppy companion closely as the dog sniffed the air.
"Byakugen!" Neji shouted as he looked around through all of the trees.
He saw Kiba and Akamaru running quickly in the left area of the forest. He tightened his glare to look deeper and saw something strange. It was a small chakra flow but it was stopped.............something was strange.
Neji's whole body filled with shivers as he quickly went to the odd form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Argh!" Iruka fell again grasping his head. His whole body hurt. Something was happening.
He quickly opened his eyes and tried to move but the pain was unbearable. He began to crawl as a figure landed behind him.
"Akuri?" Neji watched to smaller form stop and then look at him. It looked like he was crying and that something was wrong.
Iruka began to crawl backwards.
But what Neji wanted to know was where was his chakra? And how could he have gotten this deep in the forest without using chakra? He had to have a special skill but that still didn't explain...................
"Where is your chakra? What are you? Better yet who are you and why have you come to our village?" Neji glared down at Iruka who was now backed up into a tree.
"Uhhhh.................." Iruka looked around; the forest surrounded them. Why did he run in so deep? No one will be able to find them for a few hours.
"Are you a ninja? Your skills are beyond even mine yet you have no chakra." Neji pulled another kunai out of his holster, he was going to find out why this intruder was here. The boys stealth was amazing unless that had to deal with the fact of his chakra.
"Neji!!!!!!!! Have you found Akuri yet?!!!!! We need to get back to the party!!!!!" Iruka looked to his left, Kiba was in the woods too. This was his chance.
"Kib!!!!!!" A hand interrupted Iruka's shout and a kunai at his throat.
"Now tell me...............what are you doing here." Neji let the cold steel of his kunai slowly touch Iruka's throat.
"Mph!" Iruka shut his eyes as he began to tremble again. The pain was coming back.
Neji pulled his hand away from the boy's mouth as he noticed he was crying again. What was going on? The air around them was now very cold..................like.................like something was definitely wrong.
"Please go away!" Iruka clench his chest with his hands and the pain began to consume him again.
Neji took a step back. Something was definitely wrong.
"Argh!" Iruka screamed as a burst of chakra was sent out of his body throwing Neji backwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Iruka opened his eyes.
Darkness
"Iruka why do you try and fight me?"
He turned around to face the green-eyed child.
"But-but............"
The child smiled and placed his finger on Iruka's trembling lips.
"You are not wanted Iruka you can see that cant you?" The child grinned evilly as Iruka nodded; tears in his eyes.
"Are you going to leave now?" The child pulled his finger away with a knowing grin.
"Y-yes." Iruka sighed as the child began to laugh evilly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Neji pulled himself up and looked at the trembling body that was now over twenty yards away from him.
"Akuri!" Neji yelled, as the form seemed to stop all of its movements.
"Neji was that you!" Kiba came running up to his friend. "What is wrong? Why did you release so much chakra?"
"It........wasn't.............me............" Neji gasped out, he definitely had to have some broken ribs now.
Kiba's eyes went wide as he looked at the lifeless from across from them.
"Guys!" Naruto appeared followed quickly by several more of the genins.
"Help Akuri!" Kiba yelled as everyone noticed the small from.
"No! Get away!" Neji ran up and stopped all of them.
"Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Everyone jumped as the small form screamed and this time released a larger amount of chakra knocking everyone away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"There is was again! Speed up!" The Hokage ordered his team as they were now at top notch running into the village of Konoha. They could feel the strange disturbance in chakra from fifty miles away.
"Find that source now!" Saidaime ordered as everyone immediately disappeared.
He had a very bad feeling about this..............
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^TBC
OMG!!!!!! I am sooooooooooo sorry!!!! It is two days late!!!! I am a horrible person!!!! But was it worth the wait? Maybe? Well I was going to post it Sunday but it was my birthday and well............I am seventeen lol thanks for all you wished me and my twin a happy one! And then I was going to post it yesterday but I had two teeth pulled and I wouldn't stop bleeding and I got sick so my mom wouldn't let me leave my bed.............*sigh* I really was!
K-chan: *sighs* I am such a horrible person!
P-sama: do you start all your author notes like that?
K-chan: oh wait no you are worse!
P-sama: Why?
K-chan: Anyone who read your last chapter will agree! (you know!)
P-sama: Yeah whatever! So what if I killed a character off....................not my problem. *smirks*
K-chan: so please read and review! This was the hardest chapter in the world to write! And it was really long so I had to shorten it too!!! But tell me how you liked it please!
(ps: did you guys like that jokes ff? I know I am a bit corny but it was my inspiration while I wrote this chapter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"People seldom remember what you did or said but in the end remember you for how you made them feel."
-K-chan's Pre-cal teacher!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Chapter 5 : The big party.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"How..................How long would you guess............under your observations that Iruka has left to get the reverse jutsu?" Kakashi closed his eyes cursing himself again; he did not want the answer.
Hiashi sighed.
"A week at most."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Kakashi are you okay?" Iruka tightened his grip on Kakashi's hand as they walked to his apartment.
"Hn?" Kakashi looked down at the smaller ninja. What Hiashi told him kept repeating itself through his head. How was he going to tell Iruka?
"I asked if you were okay?" Iruka couldn't help but worry about what Kakashi was thinking about; whatever Hiashi had told Kakashi had upset him in a large way.
"Yeah I am fine just tired. What about you? Tired? Feel different anywhere?" Kakashi glanced over Iruka's body to make sure any deformities hadn't grown.
"No I am just tired, it was nice of Hiashi to give us some ramen while we were over at his house." Iruka tried his best to cheer up the tired jonin.
Kakashi sighed as they turned onto Iruka's street. He really needed to think.
Iruka looked down at the ground. Was he really this much of a hassle for Kakashi?
"You go on to bed I will be right back. I think I left my bag at my house." Kakashi smiled as Iruka walked into the house and nodded.
Iruka sighed as he shut the door, he kicked Kakashi's bag that was beside the door. "Left your bag, heh." Iruka began to walk across his house to his room.
"What was that about?" Iruka couldn't help but feel like he was being too troublesome for the jonin so he left.
He looked over at the bed that seemed to be calling his name.
"Goodnight." Iruka sighed as he climbed into the bed not bothering to change cloths, he didn't feel like he had enough energy to do anything right then.
He felt lost and miserable. But who could he tell? He had intruded on Kakashi's time too much already and everyone else were too busy helping him already. Why did he have to be this way? Why did he have to be so weak?
Sleep finally made its way to Iruka as a tear fell down over his cheek.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Bothersome.
Inconvenient.
Troublesome.
Difficult.
Annoying.
Tiresome.
Aggravating.
All these words describe you Iruka.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Iruka sat up sweating and breathing heavily. He looked back down at his hands, those dreams.....................the dreams, they were getting worse. The strange green eyed child, speaking only words of truth.
But who was that child and how did it get in his dreams? It wasn't him....................or was it? Iruka shook his head; this was getting too confusing. He just wanted to leave, but he had never wanted to leave before.
What was going on?
He needed to think.
Iruka quickly crawled out of his bed and ran into the kitchen to see Kakashi. The jonin was sleeping in a chair lying on his arms that were on the table.
Iruka looked at the sleeping jonin and then over at the door. He knew somewhere in the back of his head that he should stay with the jonin but another part of his mind was yelling for him to leave.
He quickly grabbed his shoes as he silently left the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Oi! Akuri-kun is that you?" Iruka stopped before he ran into a larger form. He quickly looked up to see Ino grinning beside two boys.
"Uh............." Iruka looked at all of them, yeah he recognized the blonde girl as Ino, the boy with a pony tail looked familiar................it was that boy that slept through all of his classes.................what was his name? Shikamaru? And the other boy with the bag of chips had to be that one kid................Shikamaru's best friend...............Chouji................was it?
"Oh Akuri I should apologize for the other day! The girls couldn't help themselves!" Ino laughed cheerfully. Iruka glared at her, oh yeah it was her fault that all of those girls were chasing him and it was her fault that Sasuke kissed him in the first place!
"Ino stop bothering him!" Shikamaru sighed and looked up at his now shocked friend.
"You mean that he is a guy? I thought he was a chick for a second." Choji laughed for a second before he realized that Shikamaru was glaring at him.
Iruka shook his head, how could he think if he was going to be surrounded by people like them! He needed to get away.
"Hey Akuri-kun are you coming to my party? It is tonight!" Ino grinned mischievously as she bent down so her face would be right in front of his.
"Uh.................maybe Ino-chan...............I uhhhh.............got to um go now." Iruka did a small bow and looked up to see some confused faces. "Uh see you later Shikamaru-kun and Chouji-kun!" And with that he left running as fast as he could toward the woods.
"Did we introduce ourselves to him?" Shikamaru looked up lazily to see his friend shake his head with a confused expression.
"Oh I bet the big forehead girl just went on and on about how my team was so much better so he just guessed that you guys were part of it." Ino laughed before continuing their walk, being followed by some very reluctant boys.
Iruka ran to the woods not really knowing where he was going but it had to be somewhere, anywhere.
He stopped as he came to a clearing with a small shrine. It seemed so familiar but he couldn't place why, had he been here before? His mind kept telling him that he had spent many visits here...........but he still could not recognize it.
He quickly ran up to the small marker and noticed that there were names written on it. He quickly scanned over it realizing some of the names sounded extremely familiar but only two of them stuck out in his mind.
Umino Kingyo
Umino Sashimi
"What?" Iruka backed up from the sign....................they......................those names........................his parents?
Did he have parents? Why are their names on this sign?
/see if I was here I would have been able to protect them Iruka./
Iruka quickly shock his head, he was missing something here! Why cant he remember anything?
/you got that scar across our face trying to protect them but you were too weak./
"Shut up!" Iruka yelled at the voice. What was going on? His parents died because of him? Why? What couldn't he do?
/go away Iruka. Let me take over and you will never have to worry again./
"No! Stop it!" Iruka grabbed his head as pain began to rush through it again.
"Hey are you okay?" Iruka looked up to see a boy with his dog standing a few feet away from his with a girl who had milky eyes and another boy with sunglasses.
Iruka looked back and forth at them, why cant he recognize anyone? This is so confusing?
"Agh!." Iruka felt another jab of pain hit his side as he clenched it and fell on his knees.
"Hey Chick!" The boy with the dog ran over and grabbed Iruka as his dog stopped short and started growling at Iruka.
"Akamaru what is your problem? Hinata go get Kurenai-sensei! Shino go get some water or something!" With that command from Kiba the two ninjas were off as Akamaru stopped growling.
"Hey chick! What is wrong?" Kiba forced Iruka to lay on his back.
"I............I.............am a boy.............." Iruka became surrounded by darkness as his eyes shut.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Iruka.................Iruka..................." Iruka quickly opened his eyes and sat up. He quickly looked around to see Kurenai sitting beside him releasing a small sigh of relief.
"Where am I?" Iruka glanced over at the curly haired jonin.
"You are at my house.......................what happened Iruka?" Kurenai patted for the boy to lay back down as she held a damp cloth to his head.
"I-I don't...................remember.............." Iruka tired to think but his mind kept going blank or it wasn't making any sense. It was like he was missing a part of him but he couldn't remember what.
"Shhhhh............it is okay Iruka............." Kurenai put the cloth on his head and he looked over at her puzzled. Was she always this nice before?
"I can't find Hiashi and Gai went to get Kakashi..............." Asuma walked into the room to see that Iruka was awake. "You alive? There are three genins out there wondering who the heck you are...................." Asuma sighed as he took a puff of his cigarette. "I told them you were a visiting relative of mine."
"Did you tell Gai everything about the situation?" Kurenai turned her red eyes over toward Asuma who grunted in confirmation.
"Yeah it was really hard too, apparently he had already met 'Akuri' and they didn't get along to well." Asuma watched as Iruka's face became confused.
"I am sorry if this seems rude................" Iruka looked over at Asuma confused as he tried to think very hard, "but...............have we met before?"
Immediately Kurenai and Asuma exchanged shocked glances.
"I am Asuma....................." The bearded man stated in hesitation trying to see if Iruka would remember his name.
"Iruka!" Kakashi busted through the door followed quickly by Gai.
"Kakashi?" Iruka sat up quickly to be pulled into a tight embrace by the panting silver haired jonin.
"Iruka I have been given the news of your predicament! I do not blame you for your actions the other day!" Gai spoke shaking his fist in the air. "I shall let you know that I will be here for you!"
"What happened? Are you okay?" Kakashi released the embrace but quickly glanced over the smaller body.
"I-I..............." Iruka looked around at everyone.
"Why on earth did you leave the house? What in your right mind told you to go! What if something worse happened to you! What if you were attacked? What would you do then? You don't have any chakra Iruka!" Kakashi glared at the smaller boy with his one eye.
He needed answers...............he wanted answers and he wanted them now.
"We will be out in the hall..............." Asuma muttered pulling a reluctant Kurenai and Gai with him.
"Iruka I want you to tell me everything! And be honest I mean everything!" Kakashi's head was spinning. Out of nowhere Gai pops up and tells him that Iruka had blacked out and that Kurenai had taken the smaller boy to her house. What bothered them the most was the fact that Iruka had blacked out at the memorial tablet.
Why was he there to begin with?
"I left because someone keeps telling me to." Iruka looked up at Kakashi with tears in his eyes. He couldn't help it, he made Kakashi angry at him.
"Who?" Kakashi loosened his grip on the young chunin's arms.
"This child." Iruka looked back down, "It is right though, I should leave, I hurt and ruin everyone around me, I ruin their lives."
"Who is this child? Why do you think that Iruka?" Kakashi closed his eyes, he needed to calm himself down.
"The child is me but isn't or something like that...........He is confusing and..............his green eyes are.....................evil." Iruka began to tremble remembering the child in his head and everything it said.
"What do you mean Iruka? Is this part of the jutsu?" Kakashi looked over at Iruka confused as the young chunin began to shake his head.
"I................I................I don't know anymore! It is like it has always been there! Like it really is a part of me." Iruka's head began to hurt; everything was just too confusing! Was this really happening? Could it be some kind of dream?
"Iruka calm down. Think. Have you seen this child? Did this kid show you the jutsu or perform it on you?" Kakashi grabbed Iruka's hands; this child had to be a part of the jutsu. He needed to get Hiashi and tell him.
"No nothing like that." Iruka shook his head trying to think, but a strange image ran through his head. "You."
"Me? I what? What is it Iruka?" Kakashi began to let the worry take over his thoughts. He couldn't lose Iruka, not after everything that they have been through.
"You showed me the jutsu. It was a dream I think. But you told me to do it so I did." Iruka closed his eyes as he remembered the dream; "You told me to reach for the stars."
"What?" Kakashi got up. Iruka learned the jutsu in a dream through him? What did he do to Iruka before hand? Was there something he was missing?
"I-I don't know Kakashi! It is really confusing! I don't know anymore..................." Iruka furrowed his eyebrows, as he got frustrated at himself. He wasn't helping anyone by not knowing the facts.
"It is okay Iruka." Kakashi pulled the confused boy into a tight embrace as he looked around.
He needed to find Hiashi and find him quick.
"I will be right back okay?" Kakashi looked at the smaller form nodded. He needed to get Hiashi but taking Iruka with him might strain the boy's body.
Kakashi quickly went to the hallway to see Kurenai, Gai, and Asuma waiting for him.
"Well? He tell you anything?" Kurenai sighed; she was obviously tired.
"He doesn't remember anything about today but......................" Kakashi glanced over at all of them. "He seems to be experiencing strange hallucinations in his mind and they are affecting him greatly.............I am going to find Hiashi now."
"You might also want to tell him that Iruka has a temporary case of amnesia including me in it." Asuma sighed not realizing how deep his words hit Kakashi.
"What do you mean?" Kakashi stalled for a moment.
"I just meant he doesn't know what happened to him nor does he recognize me." Asuma sighed taking another puff of his cigarette.
"He didn't recognize you? What about you Kurenai?" Kakashi glanced back at the tied woman.
"He seemed to know me just fine maybe it is just a temporary side effect." Kurenai mumbled before yawning. She really was worried about Iruka but for some reason she couldn't control the fact that she needed sleep.
"Okay." Kakashi nodded quickly adding to the list of things he had to tell Hiashi immediately.
With that the jonin disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Hn." Asuma hummed to himself as he opened the door to Kurenai's room to see a sleeping boy on top of all the blankets.
"I have a bad feeling Asuma." Kurenai mumbled to her lover.
"You think this is all part of the jutsu?" Gai asked growing uncharacteristically worried.
"I can probably guess but only Kakashi and Hiashi know." Asuma mumbled sitting in the chair beside Iruka's bed.
"Call me when he wakes up, I am going to talk to my team." Kurenai waited until both men nodded before she left.
"You want to play shogi?" Asuma glanced over at Gai.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"HIASHI!" Kakashi yelled as he invited himself into the Hyuga house.
"HIASHI!" He tried to sense if anyone was home......................no one.
"Dang it." He cursed himself as he ran out of the window. He needed to find Hiashi.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Hn?" Iruka opened his eyes. Where was he? And when did he leave his bed?
"Check mate." Asuma sighed as he won for the umpteenth time.
"Darn you Asuma! Your youth has made you a worthy opponent in such a game as shogi!" Gai shook his fist as Asuma began to set up the game again.
"Hey you know it is impolite to smoke in people's houses?" Iruka quickly covered his mouth as Asuma and Gai glanced at him.
Why did he just say that! He obviously wasn't even in his own house and didn't know the spiky black-haired man so what right did he have to lecture him.
"You recognize me yet?" Asuma raised an eyebrow at the younger form.
"Oh Iruka! You are up and healthy!" Gai shouted happily.
"Umm.............no I don't know you, sorry. But you are obviously a friend of Gai." Iruka smiled childishly as Asuma sighed.
"Kurenai-sensei! I am leaving to set up the party now!" All the guys looked at the door as they heard Hinata yell and then leave.
"Hai Hai." Kurenai sighed as she walked into the room and saw Iruka sitting up. "You two were supposed to call me when he woke up!"
"Oh this is your house?" Iruka looked around the room, no wonder he didn't recognize anything he had never been here before.
"Iruka you have been here over twenty times................." Kurenai glanced at the boy confused.
"No...........I think I would remember this place if I had." Iruka nodded to himself as he took in the strange decorations. Kurenai had a knack for torture devices it seemed.
"Hey is Hinata-chan going to the same party as Lee-kun?" Gai looked enthused.
"Yeah she is helping set it up and I swear you call Hinata 'chan' one more time I will................"
"The party!" Iruka interrupted Kurenai's threat as he thought about how he was invited with Naruto. "Oh! It hasn't started yet has it?"
"No it doesn't start until sunset..............about an hour." Kurenai looked at Iruka confused. "What? Are you going?"
"Yeah! Ino-chan invited Naruto-kun and me! They said it would be really fun!" Iruka now looked like a little boy about to receive a present.
"I don't think you can go........" Asuma faded off. "You are um.........sick remember?"
"No I feel great! Please! Can I go?" Iruka gave them the best puppy eyes he could come up with; he really wanted to go!
Though something in the back of his mind was nagging him to not go and wait for someone to return but he couldn't remember whom exactly.
"I think we should wait for............."
"Ah! The exuberance of youth! He is feeling fine and healthy! Maybe even hanging out with the small students could help his memory!" Gai smiled at the small boy.
"If someone interrupts me one more time I'll................."
"I see a point to that Gai. Maybe if Iruka sees his old students it could help with his memory." Asuma nodded not noticing the glare coming from Kurenai.
"Iruka I must know what it feels to be the epitome of adolescence once more after experiencing the adult life!" Gai got on his knees in front of Iruka like an expectant student.
"Huh?" Iruka had no idea what Gai was talking about...............he was...........he was...........then it hit Iruka.
He was a twenty three year old man sent back to his childhood body experiencing strange dreams and harsh pains with in his body. He wasn't normal anymore. How could he have so easily forgot everything that has happened to him in the past few days? Was there something else wrong? Was there something he was missing?
Asuma noticed the confused facial features appear on Iruka before he got up and wapped Gai on the head.
"You can ask him after they find a cure you idiot." Asuma then looked at the smaller boy, "....and they will find one Iruka."
Iruka smiled over at the smoking man, who ever he was he was right. He had to have full faith in the Hokage and Rei. They would find a cure.
"Sorry I forgot my bag in here-uh!" Hinata opened the door and stopped when she noticed everyone was still in Kurenai's room. "Oh sorry!"
"No it's okay Hinata." Kurenai smiled as Hinata bowed apologetically and grabbed her bed before she noticed the little boy on the bed was sitting up.
"Oh! You are awake!" She smiled and did a small bow towards Iruka, "Are you feeling better?"
"Hai, thank you!" Iruka smiled as Hinata blushed as the cute sight before her. This had to be the cutest boy she had ever seen.
"Ah-ah gomen! I am Hinata." She smiled as she looked over at Asuma and Gai who were laughing to themselves.
"Nice to meet you I am Akuri." Iruka smiled, he liked how he could be friends like this with his old students.
"Hinata why don't you take Akuri with you to the party right now, he was going to go with Naruto but since he is here with.........."
"Naruto!" Hinata blushed and looked back at Iruka, oh how fate is nice. Two hot guys with her at the party................
"Hinata.............Hinata...............Hinata!" Kurenai then bopped the drooling teen on the head. "Snap out of it!"
"Oh! Gomen Sensei! Come on Akuri-kun I am already late!" Hinata blushed before she left the room.
"Awww How come Iruka gets the cute young girls?" Asuma joked before Kurenai hit him on the head.
"I should have you know I used to be there sensei you pervert!" Iruka glared at the bearded man, how crude!
"Iruka be very careful and if you feel sick or if anything happens leave okay." Kurenai stated more like a threat than a worry.
"Hia! I promise!" And with that Iruka ran out of the room to catch up with Hinata.
"I keep forgetting he doesn't remember me." Asuma sighed and then looked over at Gai who was smiling.
"Lee shall be the life of that party!" He stated in his 'good guy' pose.
"Baka." Kurenai sighed at the two idiots she was left with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"He and the Hokage are returning tonight?" Kakashi glared at the chunin in the front desk.
Dang it! Hiashi had left right after they saw each other in the morning. He wouldn't be back for a few hours and he would be returning with the Hokage and Rei....................wait! Did that mean that they found a cure? Had they really found one and so they were returning?
"Kakashi stop bothering people......" Kakashi's thoughts were quickly interrupted as Gemna walked up to him.
"Shut up Gemna." Kakashi grinned under his mask as Gemna glared at him.
"Is that anyway to treat the person who is supposed to get you?" Gemna pouted with the straw in his mouth.
"Get me?" Kakashi sighed; this wasn't the time for a game or assignment he wanted to get back to Iruka.
"Hai, Hokage wants you to meet them so they can talk to you as they come back to the village." Gemna didn't notice how Kakashi paused for a moment.
"Hokage?" Kakashi was surprised, was this good or bad?
He had a bad feeling.
"Immediately." As Gemna spoke he left being quickly followed by the silver haired jonin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Akuri-kun! I knew you would come!" Ino shouted as she saw Hinata and Iruka walk up.
"Oh! Ino I didn't know you knew Asuma-sensei's cousin!" Hinata smiled as both Ino and Sakura glanced at her confused.
"No Sakura told me that Kakashi said that he was his nephew or something..........." Ino stopped and looked over at Iruka who wasn't even paying attention to them but to the decorations for the party.
"Maybe Asuma and Kakashi are related somehow?" Sakura tried to guess.
"This is sooo cool!" Iruka laughed causing the girls to forget what they were doing and look at him.
This was the first real kid's party Iruka had ever been to. Sure when he was a kid he was invited to a party every once in a while but he wasn't that popular and he would never go. It was amazing to him how the decorations made Ino's back yard look more like an dance club than a yard. The decorations were definitely better than any of the 'boring grown up' parties he had ever been to.
It looked exciting.
"Akuri you are too cute." Ino laughed.
"Hey would you mind helping us out?" Sakura smiled brightly.
"Yeah sure, what do you got?" Iruka walked with Sakura as she brought him to a table.
"Will you organize our snack table?" Sakura pointed to a small table piled with bags of candy and junk food. Hey there weren't going to be any parents there so why would they have to be healthy?
Iruka saw the candy on the table.
"Sure!" He smiled and started to organize it every once in a while eating a piece of candy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Oi! Akuri you could have told me you would be here already!" Naruto waved as Shikamaru and Chouji followed him.
"Sorry Naruto-kun! I-uh..............ran into Hinata-chan so I came early!" Iruka smiled as Naruto laughed.
"Yo, Akuri-kun." Choji laughed as he watched the smaller boy shove a few pieces of candy in his mouth. "You like candy?"
Iruka smiled as he felt like he was eternal bliss. All of the flavors mixing in his mouth made him forget any problems going on around him.
"Kyah! Sasuke you came!" Iruka quickly glanced around to see Sasuke walking into the back yard.
Ino, Sakura, and Tenten were immediately at his side talking.
"Hmph." Naruto snorted as he noticed the pool that Sasuke was now walking by. And the pool was full of water.............and Sasuke wouldn't have any room to move because of the girls latched onto him.............
Naruto grinned evilly before he vanished.
"Great what is he up to?" Shikamaru sighed and then looked at the new guy. "So Akuri, right?"
"Hai." Iruka smiled as he put in another piece of candy.
"What are you doing here in Kona..................."
"ACK!!!!"
*splash*
"Dobe."
The guys turned to see Sasuke standing over the pool and glaring at a now soaking wet and swimming Naruto.
"Jerk!" Naruto shouted glaring at the Uchiha.
"Next time try to be a little more quiet." Sasuke smirked at the soaked blonde. "Unless that is actually all of the stealth you have, then I would suggest that you train."
"Leave Sasuke alone Naruto!" Sakura yelled at the now mumbling blonde as he got out of the pool.
"Sasuke you are so cool!" Ino had hearts in her eyes as she began to follow Sasuke again.
Iruka glared, he thought that maybe there was something going on between the two teens.............but if so then why................
"HINATA-CHAN!!!" Everyone watched as Kiba and Shino landed into the backyard.
"You guys made it!" Hinata blushed as she ran over to be with her team.
"Yeah we went over to Kurenai-sensei's house to see if that dude was still...............Hey! You!! Are you okay?" Kiba finally saw Iruka standing in between Choji and Shikamaru both gave Kiba a bored glare.
"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru sighed as the other three began to walk over to him.
"I wasn't talking to you! I was talking to um............him." Kiba smiled as he pointed at Iruka who was taking some more candy out of one of the bags.
"His name is Akuri-kun! Kiba........." Hinata blushed.
"Well you feeling better Akuri?" Kiba smiled really big as a dog jumped out of his jacket.
"Yes thank you, but I have no idea what you are talking about." Iruka smiled, what should he be feeling bad about? That the kids knew about anyway?
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
Everyone looked down to see Akamaru growling at Iruka.
"Dang it Akamaru what is wrong now?" Kiba growled back at his dog who barked.
"What do you mean? This is Akuri! A friend!" Kiba argued back.
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."
"Well I don't know why he forgot either maybe he hit his head!" Kiba growled back as everyone looked at each other confused. Was he really talking to Akamaru or with himself?
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
"Well if you are going to act that way go sit by the fence for the rest of the party." Kiba pointed to the fence as Akamaru still growled and walked over to it.
Everyone stared at him surprised, they didn't know whether to laugh because Kiba was talking to his dog again or to be in awe that Kiba actually punished Akamaru.
"Heh. Sorry he has been acting funny today." Kiba smiled until he noticed that Iruka wasn't in front of him anymore.
"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"
Everyone turned to see the boy jump off of a tree branch and into the pool causing a large splash.
"Akuri!" All the girls shouted as they ran over to the pool.
"Was that Akuri?" Naruto looked out from the bottom of a towel he was using to dry off.
"Hahahahaha." Iruka laughed as he swam in the water, his cheeks were rosy showing he was now officially hyper.
"Ugh." Everyone turned to see Neji standing on the other side of the pool, soaking wet. He was too close to the pool when Iruka jumped in.
"Neji-niisan!" Hinata stammered at the sight of her wet cousin.
"Come on in the water is fine!" Iruka laughed, he had never had so much fun before.
"Akuri! You need to get out of the pool! You could get sick!" Ino yelled at the younger boy.
"You got Neji wet!" Naruto laughed as the milky-eyed boy glared him at.
"Here let me help you." Sakura offered and Iruka quickly grabbed her hand with a smirk.
"Akuri no!" Ino glared at him.
*splash*
"Hahahaha" Iruka laughed as Sakura swam up.
"Ugh!" She glared at the boy. "Akuri this is my favorite dress! Why did you do that?"
Iruka stopped and looked at the glaring pink-haired girl.
"What?"
"Akuri! You little brat you are going to ruin the party!" Ino shouted as he began to back up to a side of the pool.
"You should apologize to Neji and Sakura!" Tenten yelled.
"He is just having fun guys." Naruto yelled at the girls.
"This is supposed to be a party not baby sitting." Ino muttered.
"So troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as Iruka pulled himself out of the pool panting, something wasn't right.
"Just go home Akuri!" Ino yelled from across the yard.
"I can't believe you." Sakura glared as she got out of the pool.
"He was just playing guys." Naruto defended Iruka.
"Well tell him to play somewhere else!" Tenten yelled.
Iruka put his hand over his heart. Something wasn't right. Something was wrong, wrong with him.
He looked around and noticed that everyone was yelling now. Was it his fault? What was going on? He couldn't hear anything.
Look at all the pain you are causing.
All your fault.
Too bad.........
Maybe if you left..........
Yeah if you would leave............
Then they would all be happy. They wouldn't fight or argue............
If you were me...............
Leave Iruka!
Leave!
Iruka gasped as he fell over. He looked around he was in the woods now, he didn't know where but he was definitely in the woods now.
He jumped back up and began to run again tears filling his eyes. He was going to leave.
Leave so everyone would be happy..................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Kakashi." The Hokage nodded as he saw the jonin come running and join in their pace of going back to the village.
"What is it?" Kakashi wanted to get straight to the point.
"I think Rei would be better at explaining this." With that Rei and Hokage quickly switched spots.
"We may have found something.............." Rei looked over at Kakashi.
"But?" Kakashi watched her.
"What has he been experiencing?" Rei glanced away from the silver haired jonin.
"Why? What is it?" Kakashi growled at her; he wanted to know.
"Depending on what he has experienced..........and other things.........there is a slight chance that it won't work.................." Rei said solemnly.
"And?" Kakashi started to hate the fact that he would sense if a person was finished or not.
"And this was the only cure." Rei looked in his eyes sadly.
There wasn't much hope left..............
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Akuri?" Hinata looked around for the small boy causing everyone to stop.
"What?" They all began to look around and noticed that he was gone.
"That is weird I didn't even sense him leave?" Sasuke glared around.
"Akamaru! Did you see him leave?" Kiba called his dog to him but it shook his head.
"I don't even sense him near here........" Shino mumbled quietly as everyone began to worry.
"This is your fault Ino! You yelled at him!" Naruto glared at the girls who looked upset.
"Enough fighting! Split into teams of two and find him, we will raise our chakra if we find him." Shikamaru sighed, once again making everyone realize why he is the only chunin in the bunch.
And they were off.
"Kiba you go that way with Akamaru I will go this way." Neji shouted as he leapt form tree branch to tree branch. He and Kiba decided to search the woods.
"Akamaru do you smell him yet?" Kiba followed his puppy companion closely as the dog sniffed the air.
"Byakugen!" Neji shouted as he looked around through all of the trees.
He saw Kiba and Akamaru running quickly in the left area of the forest. He tightened his glare to look deeper and saw something strange. It was a small chakra flow but it was stopped.............something was strange.
Neji's whole body filled with shivers as he quickly went to the odd form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"Argh!" Iruka fell again grasping his head. His whole body hurt. Something was happening.
He quickly opened his eyes and tried to move but the pain was unbearable. He began to crawl as a figure landed behind him.
"Akuri?" Neji watched to smaller form stop and then look at him. It looked like he was crying and that something was wrong.
Iruka began to crawl backwards.
But what Neji wanted to know was where was his chakra? And how could he have gotten this deep in the forest without using chakra? He had to have a special skill but that still didn't explain...................
"Where is your chakra? What are you? Better yet who are you and why have you come to our village?" Neji glared down at Iruka who was now backed up into a tree.
"Uhhhh.................." Iruka looked around; the forest surrounded them. Why did he run in so deep? No one will be able to find them for a few hours.
"Are you a ninja? Your skills are beyond even mine yet you have no chakra." Neji pulled another kunai out of his holster, he was going to find out why this intruder was here. The boys stealth was amazing unless that had to deal with the fact of his chakra.
"Neji!!!!!!!! Have you found Akuri yet?!!!!! We need to get back to the party!!!!!" Iruka looked to his left, Kiba was in the woods too. This was his chance.
"Kib!!!!!!" A hand interrupted Iruka's shout and a kunai at his throat.
"Now tell me...............what are you doing here." Neji let the cold steel of his kunai slowly touch Iruka's throat.
"Mph!" Iruka shut his eyes as he began to tremble again. The pain was coming back.
Neji pulled his hand away from the boy's mouth as he noticed he was crying again. What was going on? The air around them was now very cold..................like.................like something was definitely wrong.
"Please go away!" Iruka clench his chest with his hands and the pain began to consume him again.
Neji took a step back. Something was definitely wrong.
"Argh!" Iruka screamed as a burst of chakra was sent out of his body throwing Neji backwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Iruka opened his eyes.
Darkness
"Iruka why do you try and fight me?"
He turned around to face the green-eyed child.
"But-but............"
The child smiled and placed his finger on Iruka's trembling lips.
"You are not wanted Iruka you can see that cant you?" The child grinned evilly as Iruka nodded; tears in his eyes.
"Are you going to leave now?" The child pulled his finger away with a knowing grin.
"Y-yes." Iruka sighed as the child began to laugh evilly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
Neji pulled himself up and looked at the trembling body that was now over twenty yards away from him.
"Akuri!" Neji yelled, as the form seemed to stop all of its movements.
"Neji was that you!" Kiba came running up to his friend. "What is wrong? Why did you release so much chakra?"
"It........wasn't.............me............" Neji gasped out, he definitely had to have some broken ribs now.
Kiba's eyes went wide as he looked at the lifeless from across from them.
"Guys!" Naruto appeared followed quickly by several more of the genins.
"Help Akuri!" Kiba yelled as everyone noticed the small from.
"No! Get away!" Neji ran up and stopped all of them.
"Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Everyone jumped as the small form screamed and this time released a larger amount of chakra knocking everyone away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^
"There is was again! Speed up!" The Hokage ordered his team as they were now at top notch running into the village of Konoha. They could feel the strange disturbance in chakra from fifty miles away.
"Find that source now!" Saidaime ordered as everyone immediately disappeared.
He had a very bad feeling about this..............
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^TBC
OMG!!!!!! I am sooooooooooo sorry!!!! It is two days late!!!! I am a horrible person!!!! But was it worth the wait? Maybe? Well I was going to post it Sunday but it was my birthday and well............I am seventeen lol thanks for all you wished me and my twin a happy one! And then I was going to post it yesterday but I had two teeth pulled and I wouldn't stop bleeding and I got sick so my mom wouldn't let me leave my bed.............*sigh* I really was!
K-chan: *sighs* I am such a horrible person!
P-sama: do you start all your author notes like that?
K-chan: oh wait no you are worse!
P-sama: Why?
K-chan: Anyone who read your last chapter will agree! (you know!)
P-sama: Yeah whatever! So what if I killed a character off....................not my problem. *smirks*
K-chan: so please read and review! This was the hardest chapter in the world to write! And it was really long so I had to shorten it too!!! But tell me how you liked it please!
(ps: did you guys like that jokes ff? I know I am a bit corny but it was my inspiration while I wrote this chapter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^v^