Agh! I am soooooooooo sorry that it took so long to update! Gomen!
gets on knees puts index fingers together and on the floor bowing with forehead touching my hands
I AM SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!
Okay so I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: (b/c apparently I am supposed to put these on every chapter?) I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!
v
"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."
-Francis of Assissi
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Forbidden Jutsu chapter six: Green Eyes
v
Kakashi cursed himself as he ran as fast as he could through the forest in the direction of the large blast. He had a bad feeling.
Iruka.................
"What happened here!" Kakashi stopped as he came to a large clearing, no not a clearing but an area where all the trees had been pushed with so much pressure that they were lying on the ground.
"Hokage-sama it might not be safe yet!" An ANBU bowed as the Hokage landed being followed by an armed Hiashi and Rei.
"What do you think has happened here?" Hokage narrowed his eyes as the ANBU that bowed again apologetically.
"There are a group of kids in the middle, several genin, a chunin, and someone we haven't been able to identify yet." The ANBU looked up to the see Hokage was gone and heading towards the middle of the area.
"Was it an attack?" He asked the nearest ANBU squad leader.
"No, it doesn't seem to have been.......but..........."
"But?" The Hokage rose and eyebrow as he looked over at the silver-haired jonin who was now running over to the kids lying on the ground.
Kakashi passed by all the parents who were looking over their unconscious children. He quickly glanced around noticing a small figure a good twenty feet away.
Iruka........
"All we know is apparently the kids were supposed to be having a party but none of the parents know why the kids are out here in the woods......." An ANBU with a hawk mask watched as Kakashi began to check Iruka's body for wounds or anything. "Do you know who that child is?"
"Yes." Was the Hokage's only reply, as he appeared right beside Kakashi.
"What happened?"
"I don't know..............but.........." Kakashi ran his hand through the small boy's hair. Something about Iruka wasn't right........it didn't feel right.
"He has changed." The Hokage noted grimly before turning around to see Hinata begin to sit up with Hiashi's help.
"D-domo." Hinata tried opening her eyes as she held her head.
"Hinata do you know what happened here?" Hiashi watched as her daughter looked up at him and then looked around confused before she noticed Akuri's body near Kakashi.
"I-it was him." She looked around at all of the commotion confused.
"Did he attack you?" Hiashi watched as Rei walked over and began to inspect Iruka.
"Iie....no he....he......was hurting." Hinata looked at the ground glancing over at her friends.
"Hurting? In what way?" Hokage was beside her now causing Hinata to get bit more uncomfortable as she stared at the ground. But she had to tell them the answers....they wanted to know.
"I-I don't know.....he ran away from the party so we searched for him and then.......Neji found him so we came over here and......" Hinata's eyes quickly shot up as she looked over at Neji in front of her.
"Neji nii-san!" She quickly crawled over to his passed out form. Neji had blocked most of the burst from hitting her. "H-he protected me from the blast......" Hinata smiled as she brushed Neji's hair out of his face.
"Where did the blast come from?" Hiashi watched as Hinata started to look over Neji's body.
"H-he....Akuri-san.....was upset and then it just came out......" Hinata looked down as if trying to remember. "He was in pain....."
"Hinata I am going to need to talk to you later....don't share any information with anyone else okay?" Hokage sighed as she nodded. This did not look good. "EVERYONE! TAKE THESE CHILDREN TO THE HOSPITAL!" He shouted before looking over at Kakashi.
"Bring Iruka with you to my office." With that he vanished into a cloud of smoke.
"Hinata go to the hospital with everyone else." Hiashi stood up as she nodded quietly.
"Kakashi-san we need to take Iruka now." Rei helped Kakashi pick the small form up into his arms before they both vanished.
v
"His chakra is flowing smoothly now............but" Hiashi turned to the elder man who was pacing at the front of his desk.
"It is the level of the chakra that is bothering you." Hokage nodded with his statement. It had been bothering him since he got to the scene..............it was too large.......even for the chunin sensei.
"Can you still change him back?" Kakashi finally spoke up; he decided to let the two elder men inspect the form before he asked.
"Well............we don't know." Rei decided to answer the question as she ran her hands through Iruka's hair. "The problem is we didn't get too much information but...............I just don't know..........."
"Wait? But didn't you find the scroll?" Kakashi looked over the three people in the room.......it was uncomfortably silent.
"Yes and no Kakashi." Hokage pulled out his pipe. "We did find the scroll and we did go through it with the permission of the village leader, but the only surviving material of the scroll was only one way to turn Iruka back........the rest was ripped out."
"Ripped out?" Kakashi stared over at the shorter old man puzzled.
"It turned out that not too long ago the village was attacked by some ninjas, no one could tell what village they were from but that they took a lot of the forbidden scrolls and that one had been fought over. The village only managed to save that part......."
"Well one is really all we need.........isn't it?" Kakashi noticed how Rei tensed up.
"We ran into the guy who did this............."
"What?" Kakashi stood up as Rei mumbled.
"We ran into the rogue nin who did this.........this was done to Iruka........the technique we found was to undo the jutsu if it was done to yourself not to you by someone else......." Rei looked over at Hokage who was now looking at the ground.
"Who was he? Why didn't you ask him? Torture it out of him? Why....."
"He was paid to do it by one of our many enemies Kakashi................all we could get out of him before he killed himself was that it back fired." Hokage spat out causing the silver-haired jonin to look at him surprised.
"Backfired?"
"Iruka wasn't the only target............the man was targeting the whole village........."
"But then why only Iruka?" Kakashi looked over to Hiashi who was watching the door.
"He apparently had to be in the center of the village............." Hokage waited for it to register in Kakashi's mind.
Iruka's apartment was the closest thing to the center of the village that wouldn't have ninja's crawling all over it.
"He was interrupted by something or someone before he could spread the jutsu's limits. So the farthest it got was Iruka." Hokage let out a breath of smoke as he looked up at Kakashi.
"Can we still try with just the one?" Kakashi felt hopeless and angry...........not only did this happen to Iruka but it was some sort of an accident? By an enemy ninja.
"We don't know what would happen or even what the side effects would be.......we need to wait for Iruka to wake up..................and see.............." Hokage sat down in his chair as Rei rubbed the tears out of her eyes.
She couldn't help but feel that she didn't try hard enough..........she should have tried harder............investigated the nin a lot more. She couldn't even rescue the one nin that was closest to being a brother to her.................she couldn't even rescue him for his lover's sake.
But she could try.
"Wait? What if it is too late! What if he has fully changed by then?" Kakashi glared over at the older man. He expected him to wait? Wait!
"Kakashi-san that is a chance you are going to have to take. If we did it while he was unconscious there is a chance we could kick the real Iruka out of reality forever........." Rei looked over at the angry jonin. "And that is something that I would hate myself forever for."
"Hn." Kakashi relaxed a little as Rei spoke. She was right, why take the chance of losing him permanently. Though that is was a chance either way..........
"Has Iruka ever mentioned anything about another him? Maybe a voice in his head or an illusion that he sees?" Hiashi spoke up after a few minutes of silence.
"True! Part of the scroll mentioned some of the side effects people had before they lost themselves.........." Rei mumbled off as Kakashi stood up.
"Yes he did..........." Kakashi couldn't help but get a bad feeling. "This child that was confusing him............all I know is that he had evil green eyes or something like that............."
"I see." Hokage let out a puff of smoke before he looked at the smaller form. "You said he was confusing Iruka............how?"
Kakashi thought for a moment, "I think that the child told Iruka that he was ruining everyone's lives, Iruka kept leaving me because he thought that he was bothering me...............he cried........" Kakashi looked over at the smaller boy, "No matter what I told Iruka even as an adult he always believed he was holding people back..........keeping them from accomplishing things............"
"Hm...........that does sound like him." Hokage nodded sadly. "He had..........has no self esteem even after you two began to court. I always hoped it would change."
"If Iruka felt that way before hand then............." Hiashi paused not knowing if to continue or not. "..............wouldn't it be easier for this 'child' to take control?"
"No............I have faith in Iruka..........." Kakashi looked down at the motionless form. "He wouldn't leave me or Naruto behind."
v
"And then he just ran away?" Hokage was in the middle of questioning all of the children that were at the party.................minus Neji who was still out cold, not only did he block most of the blast from hitting Hinata, he was also too close to Iruka when it shot out. And he had already earned injuries from the first blast.
It had been two days.
"Yeah, he ran away after all of the girls started to yell at him." Naruto stated as most of the girls sighed. They felt really bad..........they didn't mean to get him hurt.
"I see............." Hokage scratched his head as the genin and Shikamaru (chunin) began to talk among themselves.
"Hokage-sama!" He turned to his side as an Anbu appeared beside him.
"Hai?"
"Hyuga Neji has woken up." The Anbu bowed and then disappeared as Hokage nodded.
"Neji is awake!" Lee grinned as Tenten sighed in relief.
"Yes but I would like to ask him some questions before you all visited him if you don't mind." Hokage smirked as all the kids smiled and nodded.
They were and would always be the kids, the future of Konoha, in Hokage's mind.
v
"How are you feeling Neji?" The elder man smiled at the young man in the bed.
"I feel well enough." Neji looked over at the Hokage, "I would like to leave now."
"That is not my decision but the nurses." Hokage laughed, "I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me."
"About Akuri right?" Neji looked over to the window as some birds flew by. (lol couldn't help myself)
"Hai."
v
"He is very perceptive isn't he Hiashi." Hokage glared out of the window as he watched some rain clouds come in.
"He is just like his father." Hiashi whispered silently looking down on Iruka's motionless form on the bed.
"He told me that he tried to interrogate Iruka because he thought he was a spy. He mentioned that it took him a while to see that he was looking at Iruka with his Byukugan because he had no chakra." Hokage smiled as a bird flew by his window and it began to thunder. "He wants to see 'Akuri' when he is allowed out of the hospital."
"Why?" Hiashi looked up at the grinning old man.
"Because he intrigues him."
"Hey where is Kakashi-san? I thought it would be impossible to make him leave Iruka's side." Rei walked into the room followed by Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai.
"I made him take a walk." Hokage smiled as he turned around and greeted the three jonin. "I believe Rei told you why I have called you three."
"Yes but shouldn't we wait for Kaka............." Gai stopped as he watched the small boy in the bed sit up holding on to his head.
"Ugh.........." Akuri tried to sit up but it hurt too much.
"Iruka you are awake!" Kurenai smiled until Akuri looked up at her confused.
His green eyes looking over the room ending on a now shocked Hokage.
"His eyes..........." Rei gasped as the small form looked over at Hiashi.
"Um...............hello." The small boy tried to wave but stop when pain shot through his arm. "Ow!"
"Iruka you shouldn't move! Your body's chakra is flowing again and we don't know if you got injured from the blast." Rei walked over and tried to make the boy lay back down.
"Iruka? Chakra? Blast? What are you talking about miss?" Akuri sat up and pushed her away as he hissed in pain.
"I see." Hokage looked over at the shocked and confused expressions over the three jonin sensei's faces. "I am afraid that............."
"Hokage-sama I was wondering..............." Neji stopped as he looked around the office. What was with everyone's faces? Why was Gai sensei there? Why was Hiashi-sama there? Why was Akuri smiling at him? And did he always have green eyes?
"Neji-kun!" Akuri smiled when he saw a familiar face but then he stopped. How did he know Neji? Why was he familiar? He shook his head and looked back up to see everyone looked even more surprised now.
"What is your name?" Hokage stopped and looked over at the small boy. If he could still remember Neji maybe there was a chance.
"Akuri." The boy answered quickly before scratching his head. That was his name right? But then why didn't he have any other names? No last name?
"How old are you?" Hokage couldn't help but get nervous.
"I don't know." Akuri looked down and then back at Neji. "Do you know?" Maybe the boy with milky eyes knew. He seemed familiar enough maybe he knew him.
"Uh........" Neji looked over at Gai to see if he should answer but Gai's face was more serious than Neji had ever seen before. He didn't know what to say.
"How do you know Neji?" Hokage wanted to see what the boy knew.
"I don't know.......h-he seemed familiar..........and when I saw him the first thing I thought of was Neji." Akuri watched as Neji looked around confused.
"I see........does anyone else in here seem familiar?" Hokage pointed over at everyone motioning for the small boy to look at them.
"............" Akuri looked at them, something seemed to be bothering the older people and he didn't know what it was. "No."
"What about the names Naruto or Kakashi?" Hokage surely thought that the boy wouldn't have forgotten two of the most important people in Iruka's lives..........but then that wouldn't explain why he remembered Neji.
"No." Akuri shook his head after he had thought about it. Should he have known those names?
v
Kakashi sighed as it began to rain. He sat in front of the memorial tablet filled with names of man people even some he had known.
"Obito what if he wakes up and doesn't remember? What if he doesn't wake up at all?" Kakashi sat there staring at the stone not getting a reply.
"Maybe if I had gotten to him earlier that day none of this would have happened." Kakashi began to trace some of the names. "I have to help him..............I need him."
His fingers stopped when they reached Iruka's parents names. He couldn't help but wonder what they may have been like to have such a great son.............even though they weren't there..................doesn't the apple not fall far from the tree?
"Thank you for bringing Iruka into this world................." The silver haired jonin stood up as the rain began to get heavier. "I promise to make sure he doesn't leave it just yet."
v
Iruka opened his eyes.
Darkness.
He slowly sat up and looked at his body. He was still in his child form.
"I am still alive?" He placed his hands against his head.
"Why? Why didn't I just die?" Iruka felt tears come down from his eyes.
"What have I done?" He began to tremble as he pulled his legs up against his chest.
"Kakashi........."
v
"Do you two mind if we leave the room for a moment?" Hokage smiled as the two boys shook their heads and he walked out with the adults.
"Are we too late?" Kurenai finally asked the question that was screaming in her mind.
"I don't know.........." Hokage shook his head, he needed to think before they came to conclusions.
"I wish that we had found out more." Rei sighed as she leaned against the wall in the hallway.
"But he still remembers Neji-kun right? Cant that be an advantage?" Gai watched as the Hokage looked up at him.
"That's true.........."
"But maybe Neji was the last person that Iruka or Akuri saw before he passed out and that is why he remembers........." Asuma sighed; he didn't like being the pessimist.
"Neji was the closest one to Iruka at the time." Hiashi added to the facts, they couldn't get ahead of themselves.
"Maybe but I think that there is a chance that him remembering Neji shows that Iruka is still in there. Even if it is the most unlikely person for him to remember......" Hokage looked down the hall to see a drenched Kakashi walk around the corner.
"What's going on? Did Iruka wake up yet?" Kakashi curved his one eye until the heavy atmosphere hit him.
"Kakashi will you wait out here with me?" The Hokage tried to smile as Kakashi tensed up. "You may all go back to the room now."
Kakashi's breath stopped for a moment before he tried to calm himself down. Maybe there was nothing wrong and he was just over thinking...............if only he could stay as optimistic as Iruka was. Something was wrong.
"Kakashi he woke up but.................."
"Hokage-sama they are gone!" Rei ran out of the room to Hokage.
"What?" Hokage immediately ran into the room as Kakashi followed quickly to see no one in their but themselves.
"Everyone else is searching.........." Rei stopped when she noticed Kakashi had left.
"Rei this might be hard for you but I need you to stop Kakashi............I will help the others look for Iruka." Hokage nodded as they both vanished.
v
"I said stop following me!" Neji turned around for the fifth time to yell at the small boy behind him.
"But........but........." Akuri glanced around and then smiled at Neji.
"But what?" Neji tried to hold down the blush as the younger boy looked up to him.
"I don't know where we are and it's raining outside." Akuri smiled again as he pointed to the doors they were going to go out of.
"We are in the same building! Just go back up the stairs to Hokage-sama's office! And I know it's raining what does that have to do with anything?" Neji sighed as he was about to walk out but a small hand grabbed his shirt.
"What now?"
"I want to stay with you." The smaller boy huffed causing his hair to fall in his face.
That was when Neji noticed that Akuri was still wearing a bandage over his nose.
"Please?" Akuri looked up to the milky-eyed boy. If there was anything he knew it was that he felt safer around the older boy.
Neji sighed after a while and looked back outside. He isn't supposed to be babysitting strange little kids or is he supposed to be taking them from Hokage-sama's office.
"No, now go back." Neji huffed and left the building before the smaller boy could react.
"Uh....but....." Akuri looked around, he didn't like this place at all. It was dark and scary and now he is all alone.
"Wait for me!" He ran out into the rain in the direction he thought he saw Neji go.
v
Iruka shuddered as his body began to feel cold and wet. He quickly stood up looking around in the darkness.
What was this?
He spun around again as his cloths became damp and his hair wet...............but there was no rain no water.
Then what was he feeling?
His body began to tremble in the wet cold as he saw his breath. Why was he so tired now? He was just fine a minute ago? What was this?
He fell onto his knees as his tears began to fall off his dampened skin.
Was this how he was supposed to live? He didn't want this.........He didn't want any of this to happen!
Why him?
This cold was too harsh he could feel his body going numb.
A smirk crossed his lips. This is what he deserved. He left without a fight. He lost a battle that never really started to begin with. He wasn't strong he knew that............but when it came to life?
Where was he there?
He had to live! Live for Konoha! Live for his students! Naruto!
Kakashi.............
He couldn't give up now...........he may have given in but he still had a chance right? He could try.......right?
It wasn't too late..............right?
Suddenly something warm enveloped him.
Iruka gasped quietly.............it was so warm........so soft..............
He had to get back................he had to apologize for ruining peoples lives! He could try to make it right! He had to make it right!
Someway............somehow.......
He would fix things.............
Or at least try............
It was his nindo.
v
Hokage and Hiashi watched quietly as Neji carried a passed out Akuri through the rain towards his apartment.
"This will be okay.........for now." The Hokage looked over at Hiashi who nodded quietly.
"Hokage-sama! Come quick! Kakashi and Gai are fighting!" Rei jumped up and waited for the men to follow her.
v
"Gai I need to go!" Kakashi yelled through the storm at his long time rival.
"No Kakashi you are not going anywhere." Gai watched his friend closely. This was too much for Kakashi and Gai knew that...........he didn't want his friend doing something stupid.
"You better leave me alone or I wont let down Gai." Kakashi threatened as he got into a battling stance.
"I wouldn't have it any other way Kakashi, besides your still wining I believe." Gai smirked as he waited for Kakashi to come.
"I don't have time for your stupid games!" Kakashi left starting a long awaited battle that should never have to happen.
Iruka was awake.
But something was wrong.
Kakashi knew it.
Something was wrong and Iruka was gone again.
Why couldn't he ever do anything to help the situation!
Kakashi quickly dodged all of the attacks thrown at him from his rival. It was like a pattern in their spars.
He started.
Gai kicked.
He blocked and punched.
Gai dodged and kicked again.
And the routine went on.
"Kakashi I may not know how you are feeling because I have not found my special someone but I do know that the way you are handling everything is wrong." Gai landed a punch into the silver-haired jonin's stomach.
"And what would you know Gai." Kakashi trembled as he stood up preparing to fight again.
"I know that you fighting and blaming yourself will not help Iruka.........."
"Kakashi! Gai! That's enough." Hokage appeared between them as he watched Gai relax and Kakashi stare at the ground.
Kakashi took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Since when did Gai give him advice? And good advice at that?
"We are going to get out of this rain now." Hokage ordered more than he stated as he watched Kakashi.
"Where is Iruka?"
"He is being taken care of."
v
Neji sighed as he walked through his apartment door carrying the small boy on his back. Not only were they both drenched but the weather decided to freeze them also.
Why did he have to stay and watch the kid run through the rain?
Neji shut his door and walked through his small apartment to see two 'get well soon' cards on his table............of course from Lee and Tenten. But they never expected him to give them one when they were sick or injured.
Neji gasped as he felt Akuri snuggle into his back sending shivers throughout his body. If he didn't do something soon they would both end up sick. He would just have to tell the Hokage that Akuri was with him tomorrow. Of course there was the fact that the old geezer probably already knew.
Neji was brought back into reality as the smaller boy began to move again so he quickly went to his room and laid the boy onto his bed. He had to take off the wet cloths so maybe Akuri wouldn't mind wearing his cloths for the night, Neji thought as he pulled the boy's shirt off and began working with the other cloths.
Why did he get stuck with the kid anyway?
The Hyuga finally covered up the boy in his bed; he would just sleep on the couch tonight. He looked over the sleeping form; there was something different about this kid. What had happened at the party? Why didn't he have any chakra but does now?
Neji shook his head, he still needed to get out of his cloths.
He looked back down and noticed that the bandage that was on the boy's face earlier was soaked and falling off. Why did he wear a bandage anyway? Neji slowly reached up and gently took it off if the sleeping boy's face to reveal a scar across the bridge of his nose.
Strange. Neji thought to himself. Why hide something as simple as that.............unless you are trying to forget something...........another life perhaps?
Hyuga Neji.................perceptive.
v
"You cannot do that Hokage-sama!" Kakashi yelled through clenched teeth.
Hokage just announced that Kakashi was to stay away from Iruka for the time being.
"I can and you will Kakashi. I will be placing an Anbu team to watch you also." The elder stated as he took off his soaked robe and hat.
"But Hokage-sama!"
"No Kakashi. You will not go near Iruka right now and I don't care how far I have to go to make sure of it." Hokage spun around sending a glare in the jonin's direction.
Kakashi clenched his fist as he stood there. Why? Why was he doing this? He could help Iruka! He didn't know how but there had to be a chance!
"I will speak with Neji in the morning. Iruka is to stay with him at all times and I will declare it as a mission so that we may not spill out what is happening." Hokage looked at all of the people in his room.
"Get a good night's sleep and come to my office immediately in the morning. We will discuss things then." Hokage turned toward Kakashi, "I will still need your help but you don't have to come if so fits."
With that the old man left into his chambers.
Kakashi stood there. Of course he would come! He had to help Iruka no matter what. He wasn't going to lose. He wasn't going to leave.
"Kakashi lets go home." Gai patted his shoulder before vanishing with everyone else.
v
Neji slowly woke up to fill something warm and heavy on top of him..............breathing slowly............
He looked down to see that sometime during the night the kid had decided to join him on the couch. Akuri was laying curled up to Neji's chest burying his head into the Hyuga's neck as the blanket covered them both.
Neji stared for a moment registering what was going on. He didn't know whether to blush because of someone being so close or to be angry with himself for allowing someone to get so close and not wake up.
Of course the latter made more sense and the boy on him was anything but normal.
He watched as the sunlight slowly engulfed the room showing that it was going to be a clear day after that storm last night. Weather was funny like that. One day it would be a horrible storm destroying the nature of the area and the next it would be a clear sunny day allowing the beauty of nature shine.
Weather was like life. You never knew what would happen.............but fate had a funny way of running things too.
"Hmpha...........ma............" Neji looked down as the boy under the sheets started to squirm and adjust, he decided to take advantage of this and sit up causing the smaller form to lie in his lap.
"Hey wake up." Neji frowned as he poked the little boy. He knew that he shouldn't like the contact he was getting but something about the small kid just made him feel comfortable.
It was unnerving to think that he didn't know why.
"Tenten lets see if Neji is home yet!" Neji sighed as he heard Lee running up the stairs to his apartment.
"He might still be in the hospital Lee! He was really close to that kid!" He could hear Tenten sigh but she still followed the green clad Lee.
"You need to wake up." Neji shook the kid this time to no avail. The little boy just wouldn't wake up.
"Mmmmmm..........five more minutes.........." The smaller form sighed in its sleep as it tried to snuggle back into Neji's lap.
"Whatever......." Neji sighed slowly getting up and replacing himself with a nearby cushion.
He couldn't let Lee or Tenten see him like that.
"HEY NEJI ARE YOU HOME YET?" Lee shouted as he knocked on the door energetically consequently waking up the sleeping child from his slumber.
"Lee be quiet! Not everyone has to wake up early for training you idiot!" Neji sighed as he opened the door just in time to see Tenten hit Lee a few times.
"Neji! How are you feeling?" Tenten blushed as she saw Neji standing at the door.
"Are you going to train with us today?" Lee grinned as he rubbed the part of his head that Tenten had pounded.
Neji looked at them and then thought about the kid on his couch. He didn't just want to leave the child in his apartment and he really didn't feel like bothering himself with Tenten or Lee today. But training sounded like a good thing to do.............so maybe he could just take the kid back to Hokage and go anyway.
Why was he babysitting again?
"I guess but I need to go by Hokage-sama's office first." Neji sighed as he opened the door allowing his teammates to come inside.
"Really? Did you forget to turn in our last mission report?" Tenten asked as she walked inside being quickly followed by Lee.
"No I..............."
"Neji-sama where is the bathroom?" All three of them turned to see the small boy still rubbing his eyes from sleep standing in the middle of the bathroom. The shirt he was wearing was hanging off of his shoulders and went down to his knees and the boxers looked more like long shorts.
"Uh..........its that door right there." Neji pointed as the kid went into the room.
"Um.............." Tenten looked over at Neji surprised.
"Hey Neji what is Akuri-kun doing here? And why is he wearing your cloths?" Lee popped out of nowhere asking the questions on Tenten's mind.
"It's a long story." Neji sighed, he didn't have to explain himself if he didn't want to . "But we need to take him back to the Hokage's"
"Okay then we will do that first!" Tenten blushed as Neji nodded and then went to his room to get on his training cloths.
"Hey Tenten is it just me or does he seem different?" Lee sat down on the kitchen table as Tenten looked over at he teammate confused.
"How is that Lee?"
"He seemed a little more............." The boy in green thought for a moment trying to think of the perfect word. "Peaceful."
"Hello." Both of the genins turned to see the cute little boy smiling at them.
"Ohayo Akuri-kun! Are you feeling better also?" Lee smiled down at the boy before he noticed the confused look he was getting.
"Do you know me?" The boy asked innocently causing both of the genin to go blank.
"Yeah! Its me Lee-kun! Remember we met a few days ago..............and then you went crazy and almost killed........mmmph.!" Lee was interrupted by Tenten's hand; as she just smiled.
"Lee I think he is suffering from amnesia!" Tenten hissed in his ear, "maybe we shouldn't talk about the party okay?"
"I don't know what you are talking about but you sure are funny looking." Akuri laughed as Tenten snickered over at Lee.
"Okay lets go." Neji stopped when he got to the kitchen and saw Akuri and Tenten laughing as Lee cried in a corner.
"Wait Neji he just can't walk out in that outfit! Where are his other cloths?" Tenten looked over at Neji who sighed.
"They are still wet from the storm last night. He......uh......we got caught in it."
"Well okay but lets go on the roofs so everyone doesn't think we are mistreating him by making him walk around in boxers." Tenten pointed out as Lee nodded.
"Walk on roofs! You can do that!" Akuri gasped, "How do you get up there with out falling?"
"Well you're a ninja too aren't you?" Tenten looked at the boy confused before she remembered. "Oh yeah you got amnesia!"
"Amnesia?" Neji spat out confused. What on earth was going on in that woman's mind anyway?
Maybe he didn't want to know.
"Can Neji-sama carry me?" Akuri smiled brightly over at Neji who frowned as Tenten giggled.
"Hey why do you call Neji-kun 'sama'?" Lee jumped out from his corner.
"Because that is what the other people called the old guy yesterday in that weird building." Akuri pointed out.
"Yeah but you shouldn't so too much respect to him............he gets pig headed." Lee smirked as he whispered into Akuri's ear causing the boy to turn and look at Neji surprised.
"You can have a pig's head!" The little boy shouted causing everyone to fall as they were caught off guard.
"Oi how old are you? You act like a four year old but you look like a twelve year old." Tenten sighed as she stood up.
"Hey remember he has anemia!" Lee looked over at Tenten who frowned at him.
"Amnesia Lee."
"Come on." Neji bent down and let the little boy climb on his back before he left the apartment not noticing the grins he was earning from his teammates behind him.
v
And that's the end of that chapter!
K-chan:looks worriedly around at readers Was it okay? I made it longer than the original chapter because I though you all would like it better!
cries Its not my fault that it was erased and I could remember exactly how I had everything! I was stressed!
smiles But that is all over now! And it is summer time! And I will update this story quickly! Because well.......I have made you guys wait long enough! HAHAHAHA!
I will be better! does cool Gai pose I shall live out the exuberance of my youthfull summers making sure not to take longer than two weeks to update any more!
Okay..........so anyways......how was it? You like it? REVIEW please! If you are confused feel free to ask questions! If a part sucked you can flame!
(but please don't be too harsh gets teary eyed I am fragile!)
I hope some of you are reading my other story that I have started
See no Evil!
Its going to part of this thing I am doing! There are two other stories called Speak no Evil and Hear no Evil which revolve around other characters but don't worry! I wont start on those until I am done with theses stories! HAHA!
Well please Review! Onegai!
(btw) the whole bird thing is because of Neji's whole fate conspiracy! Lol in the anime and manga there has to be a bird scene or birds in a neji scene its funny!
v Replies to Reviews!
Amy: lol it was may first! Now it is June 6, 2004! Haha lol I know I am a horrible person but I hope that the wait was semi worth it and I hope you are still reading my stories! I promise to be quicker!
cdkobasiuk: really? Suspenseful! Sweet! I think I might be doing something right! does a chibi dance and thank you! I hope that you will read my other stories also!
SsjAndromeda: I am sorry about your whole fate thing lol I guess you can talk to Neji about it later lol Again I am so sorry for the wait! Agh! And I hope you enjoy the ending!
KabutoWhore: I hope I answered some questions! If not feel free to flame me for being an idiot okay! And a bad updater! Lol I hope I can explain things well..............they just pop up in my head and make sense but its not so easy to get it out! Lol you know what I mean?
Sonha: I agree my sister is a horrible person! Just yesterday she was laughing at me and my lack of reviews compared to her story! Its sad! cries lol Angst in the same day? Haha yeah I guess we do try to update at the same time (when I have typed my chapter lol if not she just goes ahead) Thankyou and I hope you continue reading our stories! lol even though my new story in SasuNaru I do have a lot of KakaIru stories to put out on fanfiction lol even P-sama7 I think is going to do a lot more KakaIru other than he SasuNaru (that she hasn't posted yet but is good you should yell at her and make her post it lol) Thankyou for your review!
KakashiLvr : I am sorry I have probably failed considering you wanted a quick update! Lol but it wasn't my fault! It was my comps! I swear! Well I hope you are still interested in the story!
DanceDanceKakashi: I have updated..............but like three months after you wanted it..........hahaha laughs nervously GOMEN NASAI!
Better: lol I am sorry about the wait but I hope you think it was worth it again! Haha I promise you wont have to wait this long again! (unless I mysteriously get to go to japan for like ten months then I will be like "FORGET FF.NET YAY JAPAN!" but that isn't going to happen anytime soon sighs so thankyou!
Sausweet: Yes when you reviewed this last your name was Sausweet and not Moonsweet.............woah....................lol well just so you know the kid with green eyes isn't Gaara! (if you haven't gotten that already lol) I hope you still like this story and (btwn you and me...and anyone that reads this....there are only like two chapters left....but don't worry! They will be good.................i hope)
gets on knees puts index fingers together and on the floor bowing with forehead touching my hands
I AM SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!
Okay so I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: (b/c apparently I am supposed to put these on every chapter?) I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!
v
"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."
-Francis of Assissi
v
Forbidden Jutsu chapter six: Green Eyes
v
Kakashi cursed himself as he ran as fast as he could through the forest in the direction of the large blast. He had a bad feeling.
Iruka.................
"What happened here!" Kakashi stopped as he came to a large clearing, no not a clearing but an area where all the trees had been pushed with so much pressure that they were lying on the ground.
"Hokage-sama it might not be safe yet!" An ANBU bowed as the Hokage landed being followed by an armed Hiashi and Rei.
"What do you think has happened here?" Hokage narrowed his eyes as the ANBU that bowed again apologetically.
"There are a group of kids in the middle, several genin, a chunin, and someone we haven't been able to identify yet." The ANBU looked up to the see Hokage was gone and heading towards the middle of the area.
"Was it an attack?" He asked the nearest ANBU squad leader.
"No, it doesn't seem to have been.......but..........."
"But?" The Hokage rose and eyebrow as he looked over at the silver-haired jonin who was now running over to the kids lying on the ground.
Kakashi passed by all the parents who were looking over their unconscious children. He quickly glanced around noticing a small figure a good twenty feet away.
Iruka........
"All we know is apparently the kids were supposed to be having a party but none of the parents know why the kids are out here in the woods......." An ANBU with a hawk mask watched as Kakashi began to check Iruka's body for wounds or anything. "Do you know who that child is?"
"Yes." Was the Hokage's only reply, as he appeared right beside Kakashi.
"What happened?"
"I don't know..............but.........." Kakashi ran his hand through the small boy's hair. Something about Iruka wasn't right........it didn't feel right.
"He has changed." The Hokage noted grimly before turning around to see Hinata begin to sit up with Hiashi's help.
"D-domo." Hinata tried opening her eyes as she held her head.
"Hinata do you know what happened here?" Hiashi watched as her daughter looked up at him and then looked around confused before she noticed Akuri's body near Kakashi.
"I-it was him." She looked around at all of the commotion confused.
"Did he attack you?" Hiashi watched as Rei walked over and began to inspect Iruka.
"Iie....no he....he......was hurting." Hinata looked at the ground glancing over at her friends.
"Hurting? In what way?" Hokage was beside her now causing Hinata to get bit more uncomfortable as she stared at the ground. But she had to tell them the answers....they wanted to know.
"I-I don't know.....he ran away from the party so we searched for him and then.......Neji found him so we came over here and......" Hinata's eyes quickly shot up as she looked over at Neji in front of her.
"Neji nii-san!" She quickly crawled over to his passed out form. Neji had blocked most of the burst from hitting her. "H-he protected me from the blast......" Hinata smiled as she brushed Neji's hair out of his face.
"Where did the blast come from?" Hiashi watched as Hinata started to look over Neji's body.
"H-he....Akuri-san.....was upset and then it just came out......" Hinata looked down as if trying to remember. "He was in pain....."
"Hinata I am going to need to talk to you later....don't share any information with anyone else okay?" Hokage sighed as she nodded. This did not look good. "EVERYONE! TAKE THESE CHILDREN TO THE HOSPITAL!" He shouted before looking over at Kakashi.
"Bring Iruka with you to my office." With that he vanished into a cloud of smoke.
"Hinata go to the hospital with everyone else." Hiashi stood up as she nodded quietly.
"Kakashi-san we need to take Iruka now." Rei helped Kakashi pick the small form up into his arms before they both vanished.
v
"His chakra is flowing smoothly now............but" Hiashi turned to the elder man who was pacing at the front of his desk.
"It is the level of the chakra that is bothering you." Hokage nodded with his statement. It had been bothering him since he got to the scene..............it was too large.......even for the chunin sensei.
"Can you still change him back?" Kakashi finally spoke up; he decided to let the two elder men inspect the form before he asked.
"Well............we don't know." Rei decided to answer the question as she ran her hands through Iruka's hair. "The problem is we didn't get too much information but...............I just don't know..........."
"Wait? But didn't you find the scroll?" Kakashi looked over the three people in the room.......it was uncomfortably silent.
"Yes and no Kakashi." Hokage pulled out his pipe. "We did find the scroll and we did go through it with the permission of the village leader, but the only surviving material of the scroll was only one way to turn Iruka back........the rest was ripped out."
"Ripped out?" Kakashi stared over at the shorter old man puzzled.
"It turned out that not too long ago the village was attacked by some ninjas, no one could tell what village they were from but that they took a lot of the forbidden scrolls and that one had been fought over. The village only managed to save that part......."
"Well one is really all we need.........isn't it?" Kakashi noticed how Rei tensed up.
"We ran into the guy who did this............."
"What?" Kakashi stood up as Rei mumbled.
"We ran into the rogue nin who did this.........this was done to Iruka........the technique we found was to undo the jutsu if it was done to yourself not to you by someone else......." Rei looked over at Hokage who was now looking at the ground.
"Who was he? Why didn't you ask him? Torture it out of him? Why....."
"He was paid to do it by one of our many enemies Kakashi................all we could get out of him before he killed himself was that it back fired." Hokage spat out causing the silver-haired jonin to look at him surprised.
"Backfired?"
"Iruka wasn't the only target............the man was targeting the whole village........."
"But then why only Iruka?" Kakashi looked over to Hiashi who was watching the door.
"He apparently had to be in the center of the village............." Hokage waited for it to register in Kakashi's mind.
Iruka's apartment was the closest thing to the center of the village that wouldn't have ninja's crawling all over it.
"He was interrupted by something or someone before he could spread the jutsu's limits. So the farthest it got was Iruka." Hokage let out a breath of smoke as he looked up at Kakashi.
"Can we still try with just the one?" Kakashi felt hopeless and angry...........not only did this happen to Iruka but it was some sort of an accident? By an enemy ninja.
"We don't know what would happen or even what the side effects would be.......we need to wait for Iruka to wake up..................and see.............." Hokage sat down in his chair as Rei rubbed the tears out of her eyes.
She couldn't help but feel that she didn't try hard enough..........she should have tried harder............investigated the nin a lot more. She couldn't even rescue the one nin that was closest to being a brother to her.................she couldn't even rescue him for his lover's sake.
But she could try.
"Wait? What if it is too late! What if he has fully changed by then?" Kakashi glared over at the older man. He expected him to wait? Wait!
"Kakashi-san that is a chance you are going to have to take. If we did it while he was unconscious there is a chance we could kick the real Iruka out of reality forever........." Rei looked over at the angry jonin. "And that is something that I would hate myself forever for."
"Hn." Kakashi relaxed a little as Rei spoke. She was right, why take the chance of losing him permanently. Though that is was a chance either way..........
"Has Iruka ever mentioned anything about another him? Maybe a voice in his head or an illusion that he sees?" Hiashi spoke up after a few minutes of silence.
"True! Part of the scroll mentioned some of the side effects people had before they lost themselves.........." Rei mumbled off as Kakashi stood up.
"Yes he did..........." Kakashi couldn't help but get a bad feeling. "This child that was confusing him............all I know is that he had evil green eyes or something like that............."
"I see." Hokage let out a puff of smoke before he looked at the smaller form. "You said he was confusing Iruka............how?"
Kakashi thought for a moment, "I think that the child told Iruka that he was ruining everyone's lives, Iruka kept leaving me because he thought that he was bothering me...............he cried........" Kakashi looked over at the smaller boy, "No matter what I told Iruka even as an adult he always believed he was holding people back..........keeping them from accomplishing things............"
"Hm...........that does sound like him." Hokage nodded sadly. "He had..........has no self esteem even after you two began to court. I always hoped it would change."
"If Iruka felt that way before hand then............." Hiashi paused not knowing if to continue or not. "..............wouldn't it be easier for this 'child' to take control?"
"No............I have faith in Iruka..........." Kakashi looked down at the motionless form. "He wouldn't leave me or Naruto behind."
v
"And then he just ran away?" Hokage was in the middle of questioning all of the children that were at the party.................minus Neji who was still out cold, not only did he block most of the blast from hitting Hinata, he was also too close to Iruka when it shot out. And he had already earned injuries from the first blast.
It had been two days.
"Yeah, he ran away after all of the girls started to yell at him." Naruto stated as most of the girls sighed. They felt really bad..........they didn't mean to get him hurt.
"I see............." Hokage scratched his head as the genin and Shikamaru (chunin) began to talk among themselves.
"Hokage-sama!" He turned to his side as an Anbu appeared beside him.
"Hai?"
"Hyuga Neji has woken up." The Anbu bowed and then disappeared as Hokage nodded.
"Neji is awake!" Lee grinned as Tenten sighed in relief.
"Yes but I would like to ask him some questions before you all visited him if you don't mind." Hokage smirked as all the kids smiled and nodded.
They were and would always be the kids, the future of Konoha, in Hokage's mind.
v
"How are you feeling Neji?" The elder man smiled at the young man in the bed.
"I feel well enough." Neji looked over at the Hokage, "I would like to leave now."
"That is not my decision but the nurses." Hokage laughed, "I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me."
"About Akuri right?" Neji looked over to the window as some birds flew by. (lol couldn't help myself)
"Hai."
v
"He is very perceptive isn't he Hiashi." Hokage glared out of the window as he watched some rain clouds come in.
"He is just like his father." Hiashi whispered silently looking down on Iruka's motionless form on the bed.
"He told me that he tried to interrogate Iruka because he thought he was a spy. He mentioned that it took him a while to see that he was looking at Iruka with his Byukugan because he had no chakra." Hokage smiled as a bird flew by his window and it began to thunder. "He wants to see 'Akuri' when he is allowed out of the hospital."
"Why?" Hiashi looked up at the grinning old man.
"Because he intrigues him."
"Hey where is Kakashi-san? I thought it would be impossible to make him leave Iruka's side." Rei walked into the room followed by Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai.
"I made him take a walk." Hokage smiled as he turned around and greeted the three jonin. "I believe Rei told you why I have called you three."
"Yes but shouldn't we wait for Kaka............." Gai stopped as he watched the small boy in the bed sit up holding on to his head.
"Ugh.........." Akuri tried to sit up but it hurt too much.
"Iruka you are awake!" Kurenai smiled until Akuri looked up at her confused.
His green eyes looking over the room ending on a now shocked Hokage.
"His eyes..........." Rei gasped as the small form looked over at Hiashi.
"Um...............hello." The small boy tried to wave but stop when pain shot through his arm. "Ow!"
"Iruka you shouldn't move! Your body's chakra is flowing again and we don't know if you got injured from the blast." Rei walked over and tried to make the boy lay back down.
"Iruka? Chakra? Blast? What are you talking about miss?" Akuri sat up and pushed her away as he hissed in pain.
"I see." Hokage looked over at the shocked and confused expressions over the three jonin sensei's faces. "I am afraid that............."
"Hokage-sama I was wondering..............." Neji stopped as he looked around the office. What was with everyone's faces? Why was Gai sensei there? Why was Hiashi-sama there? Why was Akuri smiling at him? And did he always have green eyes?
"Neji-kun!" Akuri smiled when he saw a familiar face but then he stopped. How did he know Neji? Why was he familiar? He shook his head and looked back up to see everyone looked even more surprised now.
"What is your name?" Hokage stopped and looked over at the small boy. If he could still remember Neji maybe there was a chance.
"Akuri." The boy answered quickly before scratching his head. That was his name right? But then why didn't he have any other names? No last name?
"How old are you?" Hokage couldn't help but get nervous.
"I don't know." Akuri looked down and then back at Neji. "Do you know?" Maybe the boy with milky eyes knew. He seemed familiar enough maybe he knew him.
"Uh........" Neji looked over at Gai to see if he should answer but Gai's face was more serious than Neji had ever seen before. He didn't know what to say.
"How do you know Neji?" Hokage wanted to see what the boy knew.
"I don't know.......h-he seemed familiar..........and when I saw him the first thing I thought of was Neji." Akuri watched as Neji looked around confused.
"I see........does anyone else in here seem familiar?" Hokage pointed over at everyone motioning for the small boy to look at them.
"............" Akuri looked at them, something seemed to be bothering the older people and he didn't know what it was. "No."
"What about the names Naruto or Kakashi?" Hokage surely thought that the boy wouldn't have forgotten two of the most important people in Iruka's lives..........but then that wouldn't explain why he remembered Neji.
"No." Akuri shook his head after he had thought about it. Should he have known those names?
v
Kakashi sighed as it began to rain. He sat in front of the memorial tablet filled with names of man people even some he had known.
"Obito what if he wakes up and doesn't remember? What if he doesn't wake up at all?" Kakashi sat there staring at the stone not getting a reply.
"Maybe if I had gotten to him earlier that day none of this would have happened." Kakashi began to trace some of the names. "I have to help him..............I need him."
His fingers stopped when they reached Iruka's parents names. He couldn't help but wonder what they may have been like to have such a great son.............even though they weren't there..................doesn't the apple not fall far from the tree?
"Thank you for bringing Iruka into this world................." The silver haired jonin stood up as the rain began to get heavier. "I promise to make sure he doesn't leave it just yet."
v
Iruka opened his eyes.
Darkness.
He slowly sat up and looked at his body. He was still in his child form.
"I am still alive?" He placed his hands against his head.
"Why? Why didn't I just die?" Iruka felt tears come down from his eyes.
"What have I done?" He began to tremble as he pulled his legs up against his chest.
"Kakashi........."
v
"Do you two mind if we leave the room for a moment?" Hokage smiled as the two boys shook their heads and he walked out with the adults.
"Are we too late?" Kurenai finally asked the question that was screaming in her mind.
"I don't know.........." Hokage shook his head, he needed to think before they came to conclusions.
"I wish that we had found out more." Rei sighed as she leaned against the wall in the hallway.
"But he still remembers Neji-kun right? Cant that be an advantage?" Gai watched as the Hokage looked up at him.
"That's true.........."
"But maybe Neji was the last person that Iruka or Akuri saw before he passed out and that is why he remembers........." Asuma sighed; he didn't like being the pessimist.
"Neji was the closest one to Iruka at the time." Hiashi added to the facts, they couldn't get ahead of themselves.
"Maybe but I think that there is a chance that him remembering Neji shows that Iruka is still in there. Even if it is the most unlikely person for him to remember......" Hokage looked down the hall to see a drenched Kakashi walk around the corner.
"What's going on? Did Iruka wake up yet?" Kakashi curved his one eye until the heavy atmosphere hit him.
"Kakashi will you wait out here with me?" The Hokage tried to smile as Kakashi tensed up. "You may all go back to the room now."
Kakashi's breath stopped for a moment before he tried to calm himself down. Maybe there was nothing wrong and he was just over thinking...............if only he could stay as optimistic as Iruka was. Something was wrong.
"Kakashi he woke up but.................."
"Hokage-sama they are gone!" Rei ran out of the room to Hokage.
"What?" Hokage immediately ran into the room as Kakashi followed quickly to see no one in their but themselves.
"Everyone else is searching.........." Rei stopped when she noticed Kakashi had left.
"Rei this might be hard for you but I need you to stop Kakashi............I will help the others look for Iruka." Hokage nodded as they both vanished.
v
"I said stop following me!" Neji turned around for the fifth time to yell at the small boy behind him.
"But........but........." Akuri glanced around and then smiled at Neji.
"But what?" Neji tried to hold down the blush as the younger boy looked up to him.
"I don't know where we are and it's raining outside." Akuri smiled again as he pointed to the doors they were going to go out of.
"We are in the same building! Just go back up the stairs to Hokage-sama's office! And I know it's raining what does that have to do with anything?" Neji sighed as he was about to walk out but a small hand grabbed his shirt.
"What now?"
"I want to stay with you." The smaller boy huffed causing his hair to fall in his face.
That was when Neji noticed that Akuri was still wearing a bandage over his nose.
"Please?" Akuri looked up to the milky-eyed boy. If there was anything he knew it was that he felt safer around the older boy.
Neji sighed after a while and looked back outside. He isn't supposed to be babysitting strange little kids or is he supposed to be taking them from Hokage-sama's office.
"No, now go back." Neji huffed and left the building before the smaller boy could react.
"Uh....but....." Akuri looked around, he didn't like this place at all. It was dark and scary and now he is all alone.
"Wait for me!" He ran out into the rain in the direction he thought he saw Neji go.
v
Iruka shuddered as his body began to feel cold and wet. He quickly stood up looking around in the darkness.
What was this?
He spun around again as his cloths became damp and his hair wet...............but there was no rain no water.
Then what was he feeling?
His body began to tremble in the wet cold as he saw his breath. Why was he so tired now? He was just fine a minute ago? What was this?
He fell onto his knees as his tears began to fall off his dampened skin.
Was this how he was supposed to live? He didn't want this.........He didn't want any of this to happen!
Why him?
This cold was too harsh he could feel his body going numb.
A smirk crossed his lips. This is what he deserved. He left without a fight. He lost a battle that never really started to begin with. He wasn't strong he knew that............but when it came to life?
Where was he there?
He had to live! Live for Konoha! Live for his students! Naruto!
Kakashi.............
He couldn't give up now...........he may have given in but he still had a chance right? He could try.......right?
It wasn't too late..............right?
Suddenly something warm enveloped him.
Iruka gasped quietly.............it was so warm........so soft..............
He had to get back................he had to apologize for ruining peoples lives! He could try to make it right! He had to make it right!
Someway............somehow.......
He would fix things.............
Or at least try............
It was his nindo.
v
Hokage and Hiashi watched quietly as Neji carried a passed out Akuri through the rain towards his apartment.
"This will be okay.........for now." The Hokage looked over at Hiashi who nodded quietly.
"Hokage-sama! Come quick! Kakashi and Gai are fighting!" Rei jumped up and waited for the men to follow her.
v
"Gai I need to go!" Kakashi yelled through the storm at his long time rival.
"No Kakashi you are not going anywhere." Gai watched his friend closely. This was too much for Kakashi and Gai knew that...........he didn't want his friend doing something stupid.
"You better leave me alone or I wont let down Gai." Kakashi threatened as he got into a battling stance.
"I wouldn't have it any other way Kakashi, besides your still wining I believe." Gai smirked as he waited for Kakashi to come.
"I don't have time for your stupid games!" Kakashi left starting a long awaited battle that should never have to happen.
Iruka was awake.
But something was wrong.
Kakashi knew it.
Something was wrong and Iruka was gone again.
Why couldn't he ever do anything to help the situation!
Kakashi quickly dodged all of the attacks thrown at him from his rival. It was like a pattern in their spars.
He started.
Gai kicked.
He blocked and punched.
Gai dodged and kicked again.
And the routine went on.
"Kakashi I may not know how you are feeling because I have not found my special someone but I do know that the way you are handling everything is wrong." Gai landed a punch into the silver-haired jonin's stomach.
"And what would you know Gai." Kakashi trembled as he stood up preparing to fight again.
"I know that you fighting and blaming yourself will not help Iruka.........."
"Kakashi! Gai! That's enough." Hokage appeared between them as he watched Gai relax and Kakashi stare at the ground.
Kakashi took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Since when did Gai give him advice? And good advice at that?
"We are going to get out of this rain now." Hokage ordered more than he stated as he watched Kakashi.
"Where is Iruka?"
"He is being taken care of."
v
Neji sighed as he walked through his apartment door carrying the small boy on his back. Not only were they both drenched but the weather decided to freeze them also.
Why did he have to stay and watch the kid run through the rain?
Neji shut his door and walked through his small apartment to see two 'get well soon' cards on his table............of course from Lee and Tenten. But they never expected him to give them one when they were sick or injured.
Neji gasped as he felt Akuri snuggle into his back sending shivers throughout his body. If he didn't do something soon they would both end up sick. He would just have to tell the Hokage that Akuri was with him tomorrow. Of course there was the fact that the old geezer probably already knew.
Neji was brought back into reality as the smaller boy began to move again so he quickly went to his room and laid the boy onto his bed. He had to take off the wet cloths so maybe Akuri wouldn't mind wearing his cloths for the night, Neji thought as he pulled the boy's shirt off and began working with the other cloths.
Why did he get stuck with the kid anyway?
The Hyuga finally covered up the boy in his bed; he would just sleep on the couch tonight. He looked over the sleeping form; there was something different about this kid. What had happened at the party? Why didn't he have any chakra but does now?
Neji shook his head, he still needed to get out of his cloths.
He looked back down and noticed that the bandage that was on the boy's face earlier was soaked and falling off. Why did he wear a bandage anyway? Neji slowly reached up and gently took it off if the sleeping boy's face to reveal a scar across the bridge of his nose.
Strange. Neji thought to himself. Why hide something as simple as that.............unless you are trying to forget something...........another life perhaps?
Hyuga Neji.................perceptive.
v
"You cannot do that Hokage-sama!" Kakashi yelled through clenched teeth.
Hokage just announced that Kakashi was to stay away from Iruka for the time being.
"I can and you will Kakashi. I will be placing an Anbu team to watch you also." The elder stated as he took off his soaked robe and hat.
"But Hokage-sama!"
"No Kakashi. You will not go near Iruka right now and I don't care how far I have to go to make sure of it." Hokage spun around sending a glare in the jonin's direction.
Kakashi clenched his fist as he stood there. Why? Why was he doing this? He could help Iruka! He didn't know how but there had to be a chance!
"I will speak with Neji in the morning. Iruka is to stay with him at all times and I will declare it as a mission so that we may not spill out what is happening." Hokage looked at all of the people in his room.
"Get a good night's sleep and come to my office immediately in the morning. We will discuss things then." Hokage turned toward Kakashi, "I will still need your help but you don't have to come if so fits."
With that the old man left into his chambers.
Kakashi stood there. Of course he would come! He had to help Iruka no matter what. He wasn't going to lose. He wasn't going to leave.
"Kakashi lets go home." Gai patted his shoulder before vanishing with everyone else.
v
Neji slowly woke up to fill something warm and heavy on top of him..............breathing slowly............
He looked down to see that sometime during the night the kid had decided to join him on the couch. Akuri was laying curled up to Neji's chest burying his head into the Hyuga's neck as the blanket covered them both.
Neji stared for a moment registering what was going on. He didn't know whether to blush because of someone being so close or to be angry with himself for allowing someone to get so close and not wake up.
Of course the latter made more sense and the boy on him was anything but normal.
He watched as the sunlight slowly engulfed the room showing that it was going to be a clear day after that storm last night. Weather was funny like that. One day it would be a horrible storm destroying the nature of the area and the next it would be a clear sunny day allowing the beauty of nature shine.
Weather was like life. You never knew what would happen.............but fate had a funny way of running things too.
"Hmpha...........ma............" Neji looked down as the boy under the sheets started to squirm and adjust, he decided to take advantage of this and sit up causing the smaller form to lie in his lap.
"Hey wake up." Neji frowned as he poked the little boy. He knew that he shouldn't like the contact he was getting but something about the small kid just made him feel comfortable.
It was unnerving to think that he didn't know why.
"Tenten lets see if Neji is home yet!" Neji sighed as he heard Lee running up the stairs to his apartment.
"He might still be in the hospital Lee! He was really close to that kid!" He could hear Tenten sigh but she still followed the green clad Lee.
"You need to wake up." Neji shook the kid this time to no avail. The little boy just wouldn't wake up.
"Mmmmmm..........five more minutes.........." The smaller form sighed in its sleep as it tried to snuggle back into Neji's lap.
"Whatever......." Neji sighed slowly getting up and replacing himself with a nearby cushion.
He couldn't let Lee or Tenten see him like that.
"HEY NEJI ARE YOU HOME YET?" Lee shouted as he knocked on the door energetically consequently waking up the sleeping child from his slumber.
"Lee be quiet! Not everyone has to wake up early for training you idiot!" Neji sighed as he opened the door just in time to see Tenten hit Lee a few times.
"Neji! How are you feeling?" Tenten blushed as she saw Neji standing at the door.
"Are you going to train with us today?" Lee grinned as he rubbed the part of his head that Tenten had pounded.
Neji looked at them and then thought about the kid on his couch. He didn't just want to leave the child in his apartment and he really didn't feel like bothering himself with Tenten or Lee today. But training sounded like a good thing to do.............so maybe he could just take the kid back to Hokage and go anyway.
Why was he babysitting again?
"I guess but I need to go by Hokage-sama's office first." Neji sighed as he opened the door allowing his teammates to come inside.
"Really? Did you forget to turn in our last mission report?" Tenten asked as she walked inside being quickly followed by Lee.
"No I..............."
"Neji-sama where is the bathroom?" All three of them turned to see the small boy still rubbing his eyes from sleep standing in the middle of the bathroom. The shirt he was wearing was hanging off of his shoulders and went down to his knees and the boxers looked more like long shorts.
"Uh..........its that door right there." Neji pointed as the kid went into the room.
"Um.............." Tenten looked over at Neji surprised.
"Hey Neji what is Akuri-kun doing here? And why is he wearing your cloths?" Lee popped out of nowhere asking the questions on Tenten's mind.
"It's a long story." Neji sighed, he didn't have to explain himself if he didn't want to . "But we need to take him back to the Hokage's"
"Okay then we will do that first!" Tenten blushed as Neji nodded and then went to his room to get on his training cloths.
"Hey Tenten is it just me or does he seem different?" Lee sat down on the kitchen table as Tenten looked over at he teammate confused.
"How is that Lee?"
"He seemed a little more............." The boy in green thought for a moment trying to think of the perfect word. "Peaceful."
"Hello." Both of the genins turned to see the cute little boy smiling at them.
"Ohayo Akuri-kun! Are you feeling better also?" Lee smiled down at the boy before he noticed the confused look he was getting.
"Do you know me?" The boy asked innocently causing both of the genin to go blank.
"Yeah! Its me Lee-kun! Remember we met a few days ago..............and then you went crazy and almost killed........mmmph.!" Lee was interrupted by Tenten's hand; as she just smiled.
"Lee I think he is suffering from amnesia!" Tenten hissed in his ear, "maybe we shouldn't talk about the party okay?"
"I don't know what you are talking about but you sure are funny looking." Akuri laughed as Tenten snickered over at Lee.
"Okay lets go." Neji stopped when he got to the kitchen and saw Akuri and Tenten laughing as Lee cried in a corner.
"Wait Neji he just can't walk out in that outfit! Where are his other cloths?" Tenten looked over at Neji who sighed.
"They are still wet from the storm last night. He......uh......we got caught in it."
"Well okay but lets go on the roofs so everyone doesn't think we are mistreating him by making him walk around in boxers." Tenten pointed out as Lee nodded.
"Walk on roofs! You can do that!" Akuri gasped, "How do you get up there with out falling?"
"Well you're a ninja too aren't you?" Tenten looked at the boy confused before she remembered. "Oh yeah you got amnesia!"
"Amnesia?" Neji spat out confused. What on earth was going on in that woman's mind anyway?
Maybe he didn't want to know.
"Can Neji-sama carry me?" Akuri smiled brightly over at Neji who frowned as Tenten giggled.
"Hey why do you call Neji-kun 'sama'?" Lee jumped out from his corner.
"Because that is what the other people called the old guy yesterday in that weird building." Akuri pointed out.
"Yeah but you shouldn't so too much respect to him............he gets pig headed." Lee smirked as he whispered into Akuri's ear causing the boy to turn and look at Neji surprised.
"You can have a pig's head!" The little boy shouted causing everyone to fall as they were caught off guard.
"Oi how old are you? You act like a four year old but you look like a twelve year old." Tenten sighed as she stood up.
"Hey remember he has anemia!" Lee looked over at Tenten who frowned at him.
"Amnesia Lee."
"Come on." Neji bent down and let the little boy climb on his back before he left the apartment not noticing the grins he was earning from his teammates behind him.
v
And that's the end of that chapter!
K-chan:looks worriedly around at readers Was it okay? I made it longer than the original chapter because I though you all would like it better!
cries Its not my fault that it was erased and I could remember exactly how I had everything! I was stressed!
smiles But that is all over now! And it is summer time! And I will update this story quickly! Because well.......I have made you guys wait long enough! HAHAHAHA!
I will be better! does cool Gai pose I shall live out the exuberance of my youthfull summers making sure not to take longer than two weeks to update any more!
Okay..........so anyways......how was it? You like it? REVIEW please! If you are confused feel free to ask questions! If a part sucked you can flame!
(but please don't be too harsh gets teary eyed I am fragile!)
I hope some of you are reading my other story that I have started
See no Evil!
Its going to part of this thing I am doing! There are two other stories called Speak no Evil and Hear no Evil which revolve around other characters but don't worry! I wont start on those until I am done with theses stories! HAHA!
Well please Review! Onegai!
(btw) the whole bird thing is because of Neji's whole fate conspiracy! Lol in the anime and manga there has to be a bird scene or birds in a neji scene its funny!
v Replies to Reviews!
Amy: lol it was may first! Now it is June 6, 2004! Haha lol I know I am a horrible person but I hope that the wait was semi worth it and I hope you are still reading my stories! I promise to be quicker!
cdkobasiuk: really? Suspenseful! Sweet! I think I might be doing something right! does a chibi dance and thank you! I hope that you will read my other stories also!
SsjAndromeda: I am sorry about your whole fate thing lol I guess you can talk to Neji about it later lol Again I am so sorry for the wait! Agh! And I hope you enjoy the ending!
KabutoWhore: I hope I answered some questions! If not feel free to flame me for being an idiot okay! And a bad updater! Lol I hope I can explain things well..............they just pop up in my head and make sense but its not so easy to get it out! Lol you know what I mean?
Sonha: I agree my sister is a horrible person! Just yesterday she was laughing at me and my lack of reviews compared to her story! Its sad! cries lol Angst in the same day? Haha yeah I guess we do try to update at the same time (when I have typed my chapter lol if not she just goes ahead) Thankyou and I hope you continue reading our stories! lol even though my new story in SasuNaru I do have a lot of KakaIru stories to put out on fanfiction lol even P-sama7 I think is going to do a lot more KakaIru other than he SasuNaru (that she hasn't posted yet but is good you should yell at her and make her post it lol) Thankyou for your review!
KakashiLvr : I am sorry I have probably failed considering you wanted a quick update! Lol but it wasn't my fault! It was my comps! I swear! Well I hope you are still interested in the story!
DanceDanceKakashi: I have updated..............but like three months after you wanted it..........hahaha laughs nervously GOMEN NASAI!
Better: lol I am sorry about the wait but I hope you think it was worth it again! Haha I promise you wont have to wait this long again! (unless I mysteriously get to go to japan for like ten months then I will be like "FORGET FF.NET YAY JAPAN!" but that isn't going to happen anytime soon sighs so thankyou!
Sausweet: Yes when you reviewed this last your name was Sausweet and not Moonsweet.............woah....................lol well just so you know the kid with green eyes isn't Gaara! (if you haven't gotten that already lol) I hope you still like this story and (btwn you and me...and anyone that reads this....there are only like two chapters left....but don't worry! They will be good.................i hope)