Reunion
Sunlight slowly enters the room. It shines upon the sleeping beauties face causing her to turn in her sleep. Though, that didn't stop her alarm to go off. Ino opened her eyes and sat up. She reached her alarm and stopped it. She stares at the mirror in front of her bed. Her hair was a disaster and her face had drool coming down her mouth.
She got up and started to get ready for the new day which she isn't too excited for since her talk with Naruto. It left her feeling odd in a bad way. The things he said hurt her even though it was her fault for making him say that. It was confusing for her and wish it never happened but she was just so angry seeing that lipstick on his cheek. It enraged her to the point where she forgot what he did for her.
She sighs heavily and makes her way to the bathroom and starts making herself look presentable. She quickly did her hair and got dressed. She grabs her bag and left her room. When she got outside, it was chilly. If she remembers correctly, it was going to rain today. The clouds were grey and scattered in the sky. She brought her umbrella so she is safe. The time it takes her to get too school isn't long but she did have to take the bus. A crowded bus but a quiet one.
Once, she came to her stop, she walks out and makes her way in the school. Normally, she would see Sakura at the entrance waiting for her which she was. Then Neji and Sai would be somewhere in the building. The two would go look for them or stay somewhere close to their classroom.
"Good Morning Ino" Sakura said with a smile.
"Morning.." Ino replies smiling back. "But seeing how the weather is, its not a good morning"
"You might be right" Sakura said gripping onto her own umbrella.
"I guess you seen the weather too" Ino said noticing the umbrella.
"Ya, the last time I was without it...caused someone trouble" Sakura said lowering her head. "I don't want that to happen again"
"Caused someone trouble?" Ino asked tilting her head. "Who?"
"hmm..Naruto" Sakura said walking inside.
"N-Naruto" Ino repeats surprised. "When!?"
"Uh, I didn't tell you?" Sakura asked.
"No.." Ino said shaking her head. "Wait...was it when he got sick and didn't come to school"
"Yup..I was too focus on the test and forgot to check the weather...when school was over I was waiting for the rain to stop but...Naruto...who was a stranger before just gave me his umbrella...I didn't want it but...he ran in the rain"
"...oh...he did that" Ino said softly staring at the floor.
"I never suspected he would be...nice…" Sakura said smiling then giggling.
"What's so funny?" Ino ask raising an eyebrow.
"Well you know how I had to give him his homework-" Sakura said remembering how she was stuck inside his apartment.
"He made you slide the work under his door" Ino said being told that by him.
"uh?...No, I gave it to him directly" Sakura replies wondering where she got that idea. "I entered his apartment-"
Sakura felt that Ino had stopped walking next to her. She turns around and saw her frozen in her spot looking lost. There was something wrong with her. She can feel it. This could also be her moment to ask her about something that was bothering her. A secret she is hiding from her. Before she could ask, Neji and Sai came to them.
"Morning girls" Neji said in a cheerful tone.
"Hmm...is Ino ok?" Sai asked seeing her expression isn't like her normal one.
"Uh...ah?" Sakura replies not sure what to say to that.
"Ino" Neji said looking at her while placing his hand on her shoulder. "Are you in there-?"
A cool breeze entered the building. Everyone felt the chill, especially Ino. The breeze slid down her back. It snapped her out of her frozen state. She turned around and saw Naruto walking in. Instantly, she wanted to call him but she stopped her mouth midway when she notice something different with him. He had his hair covering his eyes and his head was lowered. His back was arch forward a bit. It looked like he was sad. Sakura notice it too.
Naruto quietly, walked past the group who was watching him.
"Whats wrong with him?" Sai asked.
"..I don't have the faintest idea" Sakura responds.
"Did he lose something" Neji states. "He looks very depressed"
"I don't understand" Sai said. "His club was successful...I hear it's voted to be in the next festival"
Sakura makes her first step as well as Ino. They both looked at each other, surprised that they were in sync. Neji and Sai were wondering what was wrong with the two.
"I'm going to class now" Ino said slowly.
"Same" Sakura replies.
They both looked away from each other and started heading over to class, leaving the boys confused.
OOO
Sakura made it in class first, followed by Ino. They both looked at the same direction where Naruto was sitting. He had half his body on his desk. Neji's comment was right, Naruto was depressed. Sakura was curious what made him like this but before she can go up to him, Ino started walking to her desk.
"...talk to you later" Ino said looking over her shoulder at Sakura, giving one eye to her.
"...y-ya" Sakura said taking her seat, feeling a chill.
Ino took her seat and stared at her desk. She was angry, she notice that about herself. She can feel the urge to hit something after hearing what Sakura told her. "He lied to me….he lied" she thought. When she came to Naruto's apartment, he told her something that was untrue. He invited Sakura in and who knows what else they did. It seem like there was more from how happy she was acting talking about it. She just had the door slam to her face.
She shifts her eyes to Naruto who had his head turned to the window. This wasn't changing her mood. He's not going to make her apologize to him. She looked away angrily. Minutes went by and she started to tap her desk. She glances at Naruto and each time, he hasn't moved.
Class started and Iruka was drawing some examples on the board. During his lesson, Ino continues to look at her left, getting a little worried. There was no movement from him at all and he hasn't said or did anything. He could have fallen asleep but he was acting weird from this morning.
"Naruto" she whispers trying to get a response from him.
That didn't work, she then went and used the tip of her pencil and stabbed his leg softly. There was no reaction. The idea of stabbing his head came to her mind but it will draw to much attention. The only thing she can hope is that at lunch, he wakes up. "Whats wrong with you" she thought.
It finally reached the time. The noise of chairs being moved on the floor, echoes in Naruto's ear, waking him up. He opened his eyes and slid his chair back while keeping his eyes down. He gets up and starts walking to the second exit, yawning.
"Hang on a second-" Ino said quickly turning and reach for his hand.
However, Naruto's hand stretched dodging her hand. He made it out the door. Ino clenched her teeth at her missing and stood up but was met with Sakura in front of her.
"Hey...what's up with Naruto?" Sakura asked Ino.
"W-what do you mean?" Ino asked looking over her shoulder to Naruto.
"He was dead in class..it isn't like him" Sakura states.
"...how would you know that?" Ino asked changing her vision to Sakura, raising her eyebrow. "Your sitting far from him….how do you know how he acts in class"
"...uh...t-there are times where I stretch my neck...and I glance behind me sometimes" Sakura said blushing slightly.
"Stretching your neck?" Ino said not believing her. "Heh….nevermind...he's fine too me"
Ino started walking out of the classroom with her eyes trying to find Naruto through the crowd of people in the hallway. Sakura wasn't convinced and plus, it was clear to her that Ino wasn't acting herself. She walked next to her and started looking for Naruto too.
"You haven't been telling me the truth" Sakura said softly.
"What?" Ino replies.
"I'm observant you know" Sakura states searching for a blond haired teen. "I notice something off about you….for one thing….you and Naruto"
"What about me and Naruto?" Ino asked.
"...when were you two...friends?" Sakura asked. "I never see you two together before expect in class and the one time I did...it's when you were talking to him about your pencil you dropped"
"W-well...he sits next to me...its hard to ignore him-" Ino exclaims walking through the crowd of people.
"How can he….he hardly showed any attention to you or does anything to draw attention" Sakura states following her. "And the only thing I know that Naruto would interact with anyone would be….the club he is in"
Ino speeds up her pace trying to get away from Sakura. She needed to find Naruto not talk to her. She felt frustrated being around Sakura. The things Sakura was saying to her was behind her main thoughts but she listened.
"Ya and?" Ino replies.
"Where are you going?" Sakura asked seeing Ino stop at the steps.
"..Im going-" Ino said.
"Your going to see Naruto" Sakura states narrowing her eyes on her.
"...this doesn't concern you-" Ino said walking up the stairs.
"Yes it does" Sakura said reaching for Ino's hand and grabs it. "Because...he's a friend too...and maybe-"
Ino turns her head to Sakura with a surprised expression. She could imagine what she was going to say next. Ino didn't want to hear it from her. Ino opens her mouth but someone ran to them.
"Ino!" Sara shouts breathing heavily.
"S-sara?...what's wrong-?" Ino asked noticing her face looking pale like she hadn't slept.
"W-where's Naruto...where is he!?" Sara asked raising her voice looking panic.
"I-i'm not sure" Ino replies getting worried.
"Your a member of his club" Sakura spoke shocked to see her disoriented and remembering her from the festival.
"Need to find Naruto" Sara said running up the stairs.
"Why...what's wrong Sara!" Ino said chasing after her.
Sakura saw the two running together. There was a click in her head. She started following them.
OOO
"...what a episode" Naruto said leaning against the wall, staring up at the sky. "You just had to be that...emotional...sniffle"
Naruto had a tear sliding down his eye. He wiped his nose with a tissue. He was heartbroken and shouldn't have come to school. He didn't pay attention in class, he just laid there looking through the window. He was dead inside from what he watched. His favorite anime who would have thought such a thing would have happened.
"Damn it" Naruto said softly angry. "What does this mean"
Ever since the first episode, Naruto was relating himself with the anime but mainly the main character, like most people. The main character was the hero, the star, the most important person in the show. There was more to this character for Naruto that helped him, recover from losing his friends and himself. He's been afraid but when he watched the rogue hero, it just goes away. Yusei made it go away seeing how his life had many trials, challenges, traitors and heartbreak. He was broken to just like Naruto. Though, he was getting better.
However, what happened last night, well that just shattered the character. Everything Yusei did was like it never happened. It makes Naruto think, if that were to happen to him. Will he lose himself again. The sudden door slam right next to him shocked him up. He saw three girls coming out.
"...uh?...what are you three-" Naruto said until Sara stepped forward and handed Naruto a letter.
Naruto saw the letter addressed to him. He blinked at it seeing Sara with her head down. Sakura and Ino were stunned by it. Ino saw something familiar on the letter. "The lipstick….it can't be" Ino thought clenching her hands tightly feeling her nail dig into her skin. "A love letter?" Sakura thought frowning. Naruto takes the letter slowly also thinking the same as the other two. Naruto slowly opens the letter.
"...I'm sorry I didn't tell you this….but-" Sara said biting her lower lip and raised her head. "...something went wrong…."
Naruto eyes slowly widen reading the contents.
"Its Sasuke…..he's in trouble" Sara said in a worried tone.
OOO
It was like a battlefield. The floor was covered by unconscious students. The person who did it was none other than Sasuke but how he did it was Kabuto's doing. There was a special gadget in the works he wanted to have the players use during their card game. It was bracelets that were linked together. They are special bracelets that makes the game more, electrifying. Whenever the player had to flip one of the cards on the side and isn't able to put any cards down, they get shocked. It's not an intense shock but they do feel pain.
Before Sasuke could even get to Kabuto or even the three who stands in between him and Kabuto, there was other members he needed to take care of. This was unfair because it took Sasuke all night just to defeat them as well as Kankuro and Temari. He only had Gaara left.
However, without rest and taking multiple shocks, Sasuke felt himself get slower and his vision was beginning to blurr. He was going to pass out but he can't let them win. No matter what pain he had to endure, he needed to win. He told Itachi he was sleeping over Naruto's house so he wouldn't worry. Sara was with Sasuke the whole time watching in horror and even tried stopping him but he didn't listen. Sara stayed the night but when she saw Sasuke falling to one knee, she had to do something.
Kabuto did let her go but for one purpose. He was sitting, watching his show with amusement. From his point of view, it was a matter of minutes until Sasuke falls. Kabuto didn't plan to reunite with them this early but Temari had to get attracted to Naruto. Kabuto smiles and starts shuffling his cards.
"Why not give up" Gaara spoke staring at his cards. "It will stop your suffering"
"Shut up" Sasuke said coldly.
He analyzed Temari's and Kankuro's playing style, it was a surprised to find how similar they were to Ino and himself. Temari's had the memory and Kankuro the speed. Lastly, Gaara was a mystery. From the start, he was careful, not to fast or slow. He was able to put down more than two cards each round.
There was more that Sasuke found out, which was their cheating style. Temari's was just trying to inflict damage with her nails and Kankuro was sneaking a card underneath another. Though, they don't hide it well. That's why Sasuke beat them except for Gaara. He might have taken to much electric shocks to really focus. He chuckled softly realizing if he did win, he wouldn't have the strength to face Kabuto.
Sasuke placed a card down and heard all five of Gaara's cards hit his. Gaara picked up his last three cards. Sasuke still had a few more.
"Quit" Gaara said softly.
Sasuke won't listen to him. Not when he is his Kabuto. He needed to win, for Naruto's sake.
OOO
"I'm right….always right...right?...or could it be that...everything I've done so far...was for nothing... maybe...no, it's exactly right….from the start of my journey...I've always been in the dark...lost and alone…mainly because I didn't have my memories and when I did…..a storm of emotions just come rushing to me…"
OOO
The instant Sara told Naruto what she and Sasuke did, he began running. He jumped from stairs to stairs and ran straight out the door. His hair was shadowing his eyes and his heart was beating fast. He wasn't alone, Sakura, Ino and Sara was chasing behind him.
Though, Naruto wasn't going to slow down for them. Not when Sasuke was with Kabuto.
OOO
"Memories are an interesting thing….it's pieces of history of someone's past...some are good or bad...and some can't be forgotten...mainly because you also have to remember the feelings from that memory...its worse when your already feeling down..hurt"
OOO
Naruto makes it on school grounds and saw a door open. He ran inside without hesitating. He wasn't thinking, it was pure anger that was leading him. That was driving him to see him. The person that changed his perspective. The person that made him lost. He started to remember how he felt when Kabuto bet his friends over a game of speeds. How he cheated during their game and how Naruto felt after that.
OOO
"It can make a person go insane...like me...I let it consume me...I thought everything I did was right...that I had the strength to take on anything in my path...I thought I was clever...but in the end…...it was an illusion...who I am...who I was.."
OOO
"Speed" Gaara said placing his last card down.
"Argh" Sasuke said falling to his knees and letting go of his cards.
Right after his defeat, the door slammed open. It made the room quiet than it was already. Temari and Kankuro were woken up and laying against the wall. They were surprised to see more guest arrived at their club. Kabuto was most pleased with a big grin on his face.
Naruto's eyes were widen from the shock he was in seeing the scene in front of him. There was cards on the floor as well as Sasuke who looked over his shoulder to him. They both shared a glance.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke said with an angry expression.
"Welcome Naruto" Kabuto said standing up. "It's glad to meet you again when your looking healthy"
Naruto shifts his eyes to Kabuto. His expression slowly began to change. The girls soon showed up, looking exhausted from all that running.
Once, Ino caught her breath she had the same shock reaction seeing this place. She was also surprised to see one of her childhood friends here who was staring intently at Naruto like he knew him. As for Naruto, he looked angry.
"W-what's going on-" Ino said until getting interrupted.
"Well it seems like everyone is here today" Kabuto said with a smile. "Isn't this quite….a reunion"
"Reunion?" Ino said softly not understanding what Kabuto means.
Kabuto soon shows the king of clubs that belongs to Naruto.
"You should have his card still….right...Ino?" Kabuto asked slowly.
"W-whose card?" Ino stutters.
"Naruto Uzumaki's" Kabuto answers.
"Reunion" Ino thought and looked at Naruto. That couldn't be true, he doesn't act like the goofy boy she met. Her attention draws to Sasuke who didn't look surprise. "He knew too...wait how could I even" she thought trying to take everything in. She started to get the image of the young Naruto in her head and the one standing next to her.
Sakura was standing there confused at what was going on but it looked like Kabuto and Ino knew each other.
"Kabuto" Naruto spoke stepping forward. "What did you do….to SASUKE!"
Naruto was filled with anger to really listen. His thoughts were clouded with rage he was holding in. How can he not feel angry when seeing his friend on the ground looking half dead. He clenched his fist.
"hmm...I see your angry at me...I bet you even want to throw in a punch" Kabuto said pointing at his cheek. "But I have a better idea"
Kabuto reach down to his back pocket and pulled out another deck of cards. He threw the deck to Naruto who caught it in one hand without looking away from Kabuto.
"Let's play a game"