Hey everyone, I finally re-wrote the next chapter and I remembered to spell check it too. Sorry it took so long, but I had a holiday type thing last week and hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait. , ohh, little spoiler in here for those that haven't read up to manga chapter 225.
Review replys:
Mike Pan: Yeah after I re-read the last chapter I noticed the spelling mistakes…. I'm English and I still manage to make more mistakes than non-English people….and I have finally fixed the problem!
Dalcacris: here's the update
Silent Trowa: umm, I didn't understand your review in France very well, but I got the jist of it. I have tried to sort out the thoughts and stuff, and thanks for liking my fic and thinking that the Characters are in character! I think this version is better than the last one as well. Oh and I put in Shikamaru/Temari!
Karen Ocampo/Yuki Aikawa: thanks . You embarrass me…..Emma-chan turns bright red There's no Naru/hin in this chappie but probably in the next one. Wooo update!!!!
Marronedpirate11: Thanks and heres the next update!
And now, on with the chapter!!
Chapter 4
Nara Shikamaru wandered around the festival. As usual all he wanted to do was sit and watch clouds, but Ino and Choji had dragged him around with them. He lagged behind Ino and Choji, going at his own speed, lost in thought; that was until someone bumped into him.
How troublesome, now I'll have to apologise. He thought while rising from the ground.
"Sor-" He began
"My fault" began the other.
Then they looked at each other.
"You!" Said Temari and Shikamaru at the same time, pointing at each other.
"In that case it's all your fault. You bumped into me." Said Temari dusting herself off.
"What exactly are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked, surprised at himself for being bothered.
"Well since me and my brothers saved your butts a while ago, and my father is dead, we've been asked to transfer to Konoha. Aren't you pleased to see me?"
"You're just as annoying as always."
"And you don't care as always. Weakling." She smirked.
"Whatever." Shikamaru said not caring and walking away.
"Wait Shikamaru."
"What?" He said turning back to her.
"Can we talk?" She asked, a little shyly.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, how troublesome.
"Truth is," Temari continued, "I don't really know anyone in the village but you, and my brothers aren't exactly talkative."
Shikamaru didn't quite know what to make of this, and spent a little while deliberating whether or not to talk to her. In the end he agreed and they went to sit in the shade of a clump of trees.
"Thing is, ever since you beat me in the Chuunin exam I couldn't get you out of my head, because you beat me. Not many people have managed that. Then seeing you again when we rescued you from Orochimaru's guys, it's been like....I can't go more than a day without thinking about you." She paused and looked at him. She caught his eye and turned her head away, embarrassed. I can't believe I told him that, she thought.
Shikamaru tilted her chin so Temari's eyes were at the same level as his. Their faces were so close that Shikamaru could see every freckle on Temari's face. Temari gave a half smile as she and Shikamaru closed their eyes and leaned forwards. Their lips touched and Temari put her arms around Shikamaru's neck. They were so involved in each other that Shikamaru didn't notice that someone was calling him.
"Shikamaru! Where are you? It's so rude of you to leave me and Choji." Called Ino loudly. She looked around the street that she and Choji had last seen Shikamaru. She spotted the back of his jacket underneath the trees and made her way over there. "Shikamaru, you are so lazy...." He jaw dropped so far down that it nearly hit the floor when she saw exactly what Shikamaru was up to. She gave a shrill scream that made Choji come running, then fainted. Shikamaru and Temari broke away, realising that they had been caught.
"Meh, how troublesome." Sighed Shikamaru, he turned to his best friend; who was doing his best to try and revive Ino. "Don't tell anyone Choji."
During the afternoon, there were a variety of activities and competitions for the people of Konoha. Tenten had beaten all contestants at the throwing competition, in both the youth and adult competition; she walked away from it grinning, with rather a large amount of money. She left several people she had beaten dumbfounded as to why an eighteen-year-old had managed to beat them, when they had done so much more practice than she had.
The eating competition was won by Choji's father, but Choji had come in a close second. Both had to be carted off to the hospital because they felt very ill after.
There was even a flower arranging event, and surprisingly the Yamanaka family won. Due mainly to them owning the most popular flower shop in Konoha.
It was well past dusk when Sakura made her way home. She was relatively happy, and she did have a good time that day. She wandered down the street towards her house. Sasuke passed her going the opposite way.
Sakura smiled at him, "Hello Sasuke-kun!"
He continued going the other direction, obviously lost in deep thought, not answering Sakura. Sakura frowned. Sasuke had been getting more and more reserved lately. He hardly talked to anyone anymore, but just kept training for, what Sakura supposed, when he would fight his brother. She still liked him, but not as much as she did when she was younger. She still saw him on missions, but not much anywhere else, and it was becoming increasingly hard to be with him. So she was letting him go slowly, and finding it easier than she thought.
She reached her door and unlocked it. "Dad, mum, I'm home." she called
"And where exactly have you been?" asked Rai
"Around town, in the festival." She called as she walked up the stairs, into her room and shut the door. Keeping out any other things her father had to say.
"Ah, I hate this town. I keep getting lost!" Saya mumbled to herself as she walked down yet another street that looked like all the others. She noticed a familiar face pass her by, a dark eyed, black haired youth. "Sasuke-san."
He didn't turn around and continued in the other direction. Saya hurried after him and grabbed his left shoulder, "Sasuke-san!"
He winced and turned around.
"Oh, I'm sorry! That was your bad shoulder." Said Saya taking her hand away.
"Don't worry about it Saya." He rotated his shoulder round, trying to stop the pain that had been plaguing him for some days now, although he wouldn't admit it in front of anyone, to do that would be to show a weakness. The kunai had gone in further than he had expected it to. He had been more concentrated on getting Saya out of danger than being concerned about himself getting hurt. Although he did question why he did it. She could have been anyone, an enemy. But his body just seemed to move on its own. Just like it did when he save Naruto inside Haku's ice mirrors.
"Sasuke-san?" Saya looked at him expectantly. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice that she had been talking to him.
"Sorry?"
"I said, well...if you want me to I could heal your shoulder for you." She cursed herself for saying it; she knew he would blow her off, just like he did to everyone else. All she was trying to do was repay him for helping her, she hated being indebted to someone.
"What?" Said Sasuke raising his eyebrows.
"You're right, stupid idea. Don't know what I was thinking." She said sighing.
"Actually, well." Sasuke couldn't believe this, he was accepting help from a girl. "That would be good."
Saya nodded. She laid her hands on his shoulder gently. Sasuke shuddered inwardly; no-one had touched him like that for a very long time. It reminded him of his mother, when she used to sort out his numerous cuts and scrapes he got from his training. Sasuke noticed Saya's hands glowing a kind of golden colour. He could see the Chakra around her hands. He could feel a strange numbness around his shoulder area; it turned into a warm feeling that spread through out his entire body. He couldn't describe the feeling, but it was definitely a happy one. He could feel his shoulder mending. But all too quickly the feeling stopped, and all the aches, pains and bed feeling returned, hanging over him like an impending doom.
Saya smiled at him, "All done." Her face fell when she saw the look on his face, "What's wrong?"
Sasuke felt a compulsion to tell her, but he didn't. He wasn't ready to let anyone in. Least of all someone he hardly knew. "Nothing." He muttered.
"Okay." She shrugged her shoulders; she wasn't surprised he didn't tell her. Most people wouldn't. "I don't suppose you could show me to Sakura's house. I keep getting lost 'cause I don't know where it is."
He shrugged, "Follow me." He didn't mind showing her the way, it wasn't like he had anything else to do. But it wasn't just that. He didn't mind being in Saya's company. She seemed very like him, and she respected his privacy, unlike a certain blonde haired and pink haired ninja did.
"Sasuke, I know I've asked you before, but are you sure I haven't met you before?" Said Saya as they walked along side by side
"Yes." Was his reply.
"It's just that every time I try and think of my family, I get this face inside my head. It's blurry, but it looks like you, and I can't seem to put my finger on what link that person has to my family and why I keep seeing it. But when I do, I feel like a want to kill-" She stopped, cursing herself for carrying on and blabbing it all out. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug in and drew blood, but she didn't notice. Nor did she notice when Sasuke stopped, so she carried on going and walked right into the back of him.
"Sorry." She muttered.
"This is Sakura's house." He said, indicating the door ahead of them, "See you later." He left without saying another word.
"Thanks Sasuke-san." said Saya waving goodbye to him. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Geez, she thought, He could at least say something, he's so cold.
Sakura's mother opened the door and saw Saya standing on the door step, "Hello Saya, we've been expecting you."
Saya bowed, "Thank you very much for letting me stay here Mrs. Haruno."
"While you're staying in my house please call me Hana." She said stepping out of the way so Saya could come in.
Saya walked timidly into the house as Hana shut the door behind her. "Sakura's upstairs in her room if you want to go and say hello, first door on the left."
"Oh, thank you. Does Sakura know I'm staying?" Asked Saya
"Er, well no, not yet. Why don't you tell her?" Smiled Hana.
"Ok, Hana-san." Saya smiled back as she walked up the stairs. She knocked on the door Hana had told her to.
The door was pulled open aggressively, "what?" Said Sakura angrily, then she calmed down when she saw who it was, "Oh, Saya. Hi. I thought you were my dad. What are you doing here?"
"Well, you know when we saw your mother and father walking down from Tsunade-sensei's office? They went there to offer to let me stay with you while I was in Konoha. Is that alright?"
"No way. That's so cool!" Said Sakura, her eyes lighting up. "I've never really had anyone round to stay before, well except Ino."
"Well I'm glad you're okay with the idea." Smiled Saya.
"Sakura, Saya. Dinner's ready!" Shouted Hana up the stairs.
Both teenagers made their way downstairs and sat at the table. Sakura's father was already there, with a scowl on his face.
"Saya, this is my husband, Rai." Said Hana
"Nice to meet you Rai-san." Said Saya bowing, Rai grunted in reply.
"Rai!" Reprimanded Hana, who was frowning.
"Fine, nice to meet you too." He muttered crossing his arms
After the icy start the Haruno family got on well with Saya at dinner, even Rai managed to force some conversation.
When they had finished and cleared away, Sakura and Saya made their way up to bed because it had become quite late. Downstairs they could hear Hana and Rai arguing again quietly.
"I swear those two never stop arguing!" Said Sakura angrily
"At least you have a father." Whispered Saya sadly
"Huh?" Said Sakura who hadn't heard
Saya waved it off, "it's nothing"
Sakura shrugged her shoulders, "Fine. Here you can use some of my pyjamas to sleep in." She handed Saya a dark blue pair with gold stars on them. Both girls changed, then Sakura got into her own bed and Saya got onto mattress Sakura's mother had put onto the floor. After a little bit of uninteresting girl talk both of them fell asleep relatively quickly.
Saya looked at her watch, she was already really late to her own ceremony, and had consequently been made later when people had stopped her in the street to wish her good luck. The Ichiro adulthood ceremony was not known to be easy to pass. But the power received at the end was worth all the training. She could just imagine her uncle's reaction when she turned up half an hour late. "How can you be late to your own ceremony, especially after how much I sacrificed for you. After letting you into my own home." Or something of the sort but frankly Saya didn't care and never had done. But she knew her mother would be disappointed and she didn't want to be any later for her.
Saya sprinted down the street towards her house, ignoring anyone else that called her. When she got to within ten meters of her house she slowed to a walk and calmed her heart rate before entering the house.
"Mum I'm home! Sorry I'm late, I got sidetracked…." She said as she entered the house. She trailed off when she saw the house was dark and silent. "Mum?" She called a little uncertainly. "Uncle Kaemon? Aunt Kimiko? Anybody?"
She felt a squelch underfoot and looked down. The was a trail of blood leading into the next room. She started to get a little anxious. She put her back against the wall and flattened her self against it as much as she could. She side stepped slowly and inched her head to where the open door was. She peered round, and screamed at what she saw.
Saya screamed and sat up in bed. Sakura in the bed next to her jerked awake.
"What's wrong?!" She asked
Saya calmed down her erratic heart beat and wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead, "Nothing, just a bad dream"
well thats the end of the chapter, i'll try and update soon!
Peace out, Emma-Chan
