Caranril: My best bud is coming back home for a week, so I doubt I'll get around to posting a new chappie on the weekend. This is me thinking ahead.
disCLAIMER: While I do not own Naruto nor any affiliated subjects therein, Kishimoto-sama does and therefore he owns my soul.
Chapter 10: Visitors and Vexations
There was only pain. That was all he could remember: the pain. They asked him questions, forced him to say something, and he would say anything. He may have told them his entire life's story, but he couldn't remember anything but the pain. But he deserved it. He'd hurt everyone he'd come to care for and those he didn't give a damn about. Betrayal was painful inside, but now the physical punishment was coming to a head.
Animal masks swam about him, as well as a busty blond. It was that point when the pain ended. But the nightmares didn't. They said they were done. But then he sauntered in. He promised pain. He promised hatred. But most of all he promised that he would never be defeated. And the nightmares altered into bizarre realities with red moons and crosses. And pain. So much pain. So different from seeing hundreds of people slaughtered. He was made to hear their pain.
Now he felt his pain and heard theirs. Two terrible forms meshing together to create monstrous creatures that plagued his dreams. They weren't particular about when they'd show...or when they'd leave. He'd always been a creature of the night, but now he feared the terrors it brought to his dreams. Screaming terrors that splayed fluorescent blood every time a katana sliced a throat or a shuriken bore gaping holes in soft flesh.
There was always one left standing. His black hair stuck up in the back like a rooster's tail. He wearily looked up, only to be violently run through with three different katanas, each of them leading to three different hands. Three different bodies. Three different Itachis...
Sasuke didn't bolt awake like he would have preferred. He fought back, begging to be freed from the pain, only thrashing uselessly. As he slid into consciousness, he wrenched himself from the couch and onto the floor, desperate to escape his own murder. He lay there panting, clutching his wrist, which he had smashed against the coffee table in his descent. The room was dark, and Itachi's face lingered in his vision as bleached light.
He groaned as he heaved himself back onto the couch. He was sore, but movement wasn't painful nor nauseating anymore. Thank goodness, because he wanted to puke after those nightmares. Damn that Itachi. If he hadn't managed to use Tsukuyomi before...damn him. It figured he'd leave a lasting impression not only of what he'd done, but also of what he wished to do. Too many times Sasuke had seen his own death, and too many times was it shocking.
The clock read 10:31. So he'd managed a few hours of undisturbed sleep before the nightmares began. He had been more tired than he initially thought. Sasuke stood and began pacing the living room. His stomach burned with hunger, but he resisted a snack. He had a tasty bowl of ramen to look forward to. He never thought to admit it while Naruto was crazy about the dish, but Ichiraku Ramen was indeed the best ramen shop in the Fire Country.
Pad pad pad pad. Pivot. Pad pad pad pad. Pivot. Pad pad. Examine clock. Pad pad. Pivot.
A knock on the door made him jump despite his expectations. The clock now said it was eleven. Which meant Kaori had gotten back in a hurry. He strode towards the door and casually opened it. A pink head glanced up and green eyes met his. Sasuke leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to speak first.
"Hum, hello, Sasuke-kun," she said shyly. "I wanted to know...how are you feeling?"
Sasuke shrugged. "I'll live."
"Ho, well, um. That's good." Sakura shifted her weight on her feet. She pulled out a small basket and held it out to him. "I brought you some fruit. Mostly apples. To help you get better and to keep you from getting sick again."
Sasuke took the basket and examined the apples, then looked back at her. She was fidgeting and staring at the fruit.
"Thanks." Sasuke allowed one corner of his mouth to lift. Sakura lifted her head in surprise and saw his almost-smile. She smiled back.
"Get better soon. We need you for missions, you know."
"Right." Sasuke closed the door.
Sakura stared at the door for a moment before turning to leave. He'd been abrupt and stand-off-ish as usual, but he managed to say thanks. One step closer to Sasuke returning to his normal, cranky self.
He didn't usually talk to her at all. Now he'd said...Sakura counted...four words to her in one night. Definitely an improvement.
Her step was considerably lighter as she headed home, ready for a hot shower and a good book. The hardest part of the mission had been dealing with a hyper-active Naruto who couldn't keep his mouth shut. He was so excited about his date with Hinata that, despite her inital happiness at focusing Naruto's attentions elsewhere, Sakura was beginning to regret the setup. By now there was no doubt the entire country knew Naruto had been on a date.
Kaori passed by carrying a take-home order of ramen. She was still wearing her blue apron and white hat. Sakura waved. Kaori saw her, flushed guiltily, and dashed away before any conversation could be struck. Naruto had mentioned something was up with Kaori, but he wasn't too specific. Sakura wondered if something had gone wrong for her test. Instead of heading home, Sakura made a detour to visit Iruka's house. He was bound to clear things up.
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Relief was overwhelming as Kaori entered Sasuke's apartment building. She wasn't ready to tell Sakura about her epic failure. She'd ruined her test, Iruka's classroom, and Hinata's dress. Which was still at Naruto's apartment. If Sakura was back, Naruto was bound to be. She still wanted to talk to him. Mostly about his date with Hinata. Perhaps the dress could still be rescued. Of course, it depended how much longer Sasuke would want her to stick around and be his "servant". She had to admit he hadn't been so demanding as she would have if someone offered their services for the day. She'd have had the whole apartment cleaned. Most likely the pain in his groin kept him from thinking clearly. Which could explain why he told her so much of himself while his closest friends complained about his silence.
Sasuke opened the door tentatively, as if expecting someone to jump him. Kaori held up the box of ramen proudly.
"I made it myself," she promised. "It's really good. I invented a new mix and tried it earlier. Lucky you, get to be the first person to try it."
Sasuke lifted a brow and let her in.
"Don't look at me like that. Else I'll just pay Naruto a visit with this hot, tasty bowl of ramen."
Kaori set the carry-out on the coffee table and hunted down pair of chopsticks. She noticed that the room had been straightened up and everything seemed to be in order. Apparently the invalid was feeling much better. He sat on the couch and held the bowl under his chin, touching some noodles on the chopsticks to the tip of his tongue. Satisfied that they were cool enough to eat, Sasuke wolfed the ramen down. Kaori stared at him in awe, seeing much of Naruto's ramen manners in the event.
Sasuke stopped. "Wurt?" he muttered through soup and noodles.
Kaori shook her head. "Sorry. You just eat like Naruto."
Sasuke swallowed his mouthful and smirked. "I do not eat like Naruto. I'm just very hungry. Haven't had a real meal in days."
"Then it must be good." Kaori returned his smirk. Sasuke only rolled his eyes and continued eating, this time more slowly. Kaori pace around the apartment, snooping through the books and scrolls across the room, peeking into the bedroom and bathroom. Even if Sasuke had wanted her to clean everything, there was nothing to do. His apartment was immaculate. Sheesh. She sauntered back to the couch as Sasuke drained the rest of his ramen. His smacked his lips silently and leaned into the couch. He looked very satisfied. Kaori took the bowl and threw it and the wooden chopsticks away. She returned to the couch and clasped her hands behind her back expectantly.
"So how'd I do today?"
"Hm?" Sasuke opened one eye.
"I mean, are you satisfied?"
His eye closed. "Hm."
Kaori's nose twitched. "Perhaps you should sleep in bed tonight?"
"Mrm."
Fine. Kaori heaved one of his arms around her shoulder and practically dragged him into his bedroom. She had a distinct feeling that he was acting lethargic on purpose, but he hadn't dismissed her just yet. So the servitude continued. Somehow she managed to heave him onto the bed and yank some covers over him. At that point he opened his eyes and considered her.
"I don't know what it is, but..."
"Eh, what?" Kaori stopped adjusting the covers.
"Good job, rookie," he said instead. "I think you're done."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Go home and sleep."
"Thank kami-sama!" Kaori stood abruptly. "I thought this night would never end! Next time we meet don't even think I'll be so accommodating. I'm never this civil to people, much less assholes. Have a good night, Sasuke-temee."
As Kaori stormed out and slammed the door, Sasuke felt his blood boil. The nerve she had...What a bitch! Yet he couldn't help smiling slightly. She'd had him going to the entire day. As the sleepiness returned, Sasuke couldn't help thinking that the rude ones seemed to become his closest friends...
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Kaori was even more nervous returning to school than she had been on her first day. The weather was dreary, which meant lessons would definitely take place indoors. Probably in a different room considering Iruka's classroom was scorched and soaked. Naruto hadn't been home last night, so Hinata's wretched dress was still dying in his apartment. She would have to pay full price for the damages. Unfortunately, her last couple of paychecks had gone to necessities, like food and the water bill. She knew once she was a Genin she would earn wages doing missions, but she couldn't help hoping that maybe she could juggle the missions and her job at Ichiraku. Apparently, being a Shinobi was a career, so unless she wanted all her hard work (and Naruto's and Iruka's) to go to waste, she'd better stick with the lesson plan.
Her heart felt heavy as she padded down the halls of the Academy. She was back in her own clothes, but since she had yet to see Naruto, she still wore his sandals. They gave her so much more freedom of movement than her boots. He probably wouldn't even miss them.
Unsure of where to go, Kaori entered Iruka's classroom. She froze in the doorway at the sight. One would never know that two days ago the room had been on fire and consecutively doused with water. Even the hole in the wall made by Naruto's kunai during his birthday party had been repaired. And the room was immaculate. Except for the large desk in front. It was always covered with papers. Kaori tip-toed in, wary of the emptiness of the room. The room was cold, like it had been unoccupied for a couple of days. She sidled up to the desk and shuffled through the papers. They weren't Iruka's usual paperwork.
"We've just redone the classroom so it doesn't have that icky smell you guys were always complaining about!" came a voice outside the door. A large man with eyeglasses froze when he saw Kaori, several children dashing into the room from behind him.
"May I help you?"
Kaori eyed the children, who took their seats at the tables. One snot-faced kid took the seat she'd come to be familiar with.
"I was looking for Iruka. Have you seen him?"
"Not for a couple of days. He no longer works here."
That sent a pang through Kaori's gut. "He...what?"
The man drew her aside to avoid the ears of the kids. "I have a class to teach, so I really can't help you out. If you go down the hall you can see Iwashi at the end of the hall. He'll be able to help, I'm sure. For now..." He ushered her out the door. "Sorry."
Kaori stared at the closed door for a moment, still stunned by "no longer works here". Like the pang that had suddenly hit her gut, a weight akin to a fist hit her too. It was her fault that Iruka had been fired from his teaching position. Of course he was still a Shinobi, but he would no longer train the future generations of ninja. And all because of her god-forsaken clumsiness and perpetual failure. Along with Iruka's career sinking into the depths were her hopes to one day join Naruto and Sakura as a ninja. He was without a doubt the only capable person who was willing to take a her in and teach her more than he normally taught any student. Now what was he supposed to do? Kaori could just imagine Iruka in his apartment, drinking cheap sake, overweight and roiling in an armchair while he stared at the television in a stupor, finding no spark in life.
No. That wasn't how things were going to be. She still had a chance to get Iruka his job back, even if it meant she wasn't going become a ninja. She could always go back to the Inazuma. Iruka didn't have something to go back to.
Instead of heading for Iwashi's office, Kaori left the Academy and headed for Tsunade's office. She stormed up the stairs, furious that there had to be so many, and flew past Tsuande's assistants, who were laughing hysterically at some comic in the paper.
"Did you see...?" Izumo started.
"Naw." Kotetsu assured. And they went back to reading.
Kaori rapped on the door. Tsunade ordered her to enter, and she burst in.
"Tsunade-sama, I wish to speak with you." Kaori bowed swiftly.
"Why else would you be here? Continue."
"I've been told that Iruka doesn't teach at the Academy anymore. Is it true?"
"Yes. It was my order."
Kaori gripped the back of a chair so tightly her knuckles turned white. "How could you do such a thing? His favourite things in the world were his students! His meaning of life was to give them meanings in life, and you took that away from him. Now what meaning does his life have? That's be like taking pollen from bees, or water from fish. Bad things will happen if-"
"That's enough!" Tsunade interrupted harshly. "I have no business explaining myself to you. And you ought to have been taught by now to hold your tongue."
"I...hang out with Naruto a lot," Kaori admitted.
"Ai..." Tsunade folded her hands in front of her face and rested her chin against her fists. "Iruka will return to his job at the Academy. I only released him from his burdens until he finishes with your training."
"...Oh."
"I felt he wasn't doing his students nor you justice by dividing his focus. Now that he doesn't have to choose between you, I believe you will truly benefit from this training."
This information slowly sank in. "So...him not teaching anymore...that has nothing to do with the, uh, test I recently failed?"
Tsunade chuckled. "If anything, it was a confirmation of a long-overdue decision. I'd been debating this for a while now. Iruka feels it's the best course of action as well."
"I'm sorry I couldn't give you all my focus before, Kaori."
Kaori jumped and turned to see Iruka sitting in a chair behind the door. She had completely missed him when she barged in to see the Hokage. She stared a moment before practically leaping on him with a hug.
"I'm so glad you're not fired," she said sincerely, squeezing her arms around his neck. Then she pulled away and cleared her throat, aware of the sudden display of affection. Iruka's cheeks were pink.
"So, uh, I still have a chance to be a ninja?"
Tsunade snorted. "Of course you have a chance. You probably won't be sent on any undercover missions is all. Unless you learn etiquette elsewhere. I wouldn't worry about it."
Kaori couldn't have heard better news. Her nervousness and fear during the past few days had been unnecessary, which made the relief all the grander. Iruka patted her shoulder.
"Shall we begin? Hokage-sama's set aside an area where we can learn and train at the same time."
Kaori bowed again to Tsunade. "Thank you Tsunade-sama. Thank you very much." She turned and left the office in front of Iruka's gesturing hand. When the door closed, Tsunade sat back with a sigh.
"Maybe if Naruto's bluntness has rubbed off on her, some of her politeness will rub off on him. Even a sailor has better manners than he does."
Shizune nodded. "He's gotten better, Tsunade-sama."
"Right. Even so, he's not ready to be Hokage. I'm waiting for the right time."
"Do you know when it might happen?"
Tsunade shook her head. "I still have many decisions to make. Several of them will depend on Kakashi's reaction to Kaori's training. In a couple months, we shall see."