Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge a brief note; I will attempt to update as swiftly as I can, though in preparation for my last year of school, I will keep updates to strictly Saturdays, Australian time. Thank you for the understanding. - Thursday, 21/11/2019

• CHAPTER FOUR •

Yaruka had grown used to waking alone, though the aching silence deafened him further, until his only wish had been to be surrounded by the occupants of the bus once more. He had half expected to be awake from his dreams, furthering his own life as an adult, though he wasn't surprised of the fear remaining a reality. He had woken and left the comforts of the hotel building by the crack of dawn, his inability to sleep becoming tiresome, thus he left to seek the comforts of a trustworthy presence.

He found himself returning to the river bank he had witnessed meeting Naruto and the toad sage the day before, as if the event had occurred during the previous weeks, a sudden nostalgia eating at his mind. A speckled forest surrounded the large body of water, vegetation decorating each acre of grass, which Yaruka had admitted to admiring. The greenery emphasised the peacefulness, as proven by the large white haired figure hunched within the shade. The boy only trudged toward him, a realisation of the man being asleep, before he sat beside the sage, a sleepiness to his own eyes.

"Master Jiraiya," he whispered, his attempt to capture the mans attention a failure, but more or less a success. His head leant backward, until it met with the rough bark of the tree, his posture imitating the sages own. He had half expected to be ignored, his gaze stretching toward the running of the nearby waterfall, in which he recalled the scenes where girls in swimwear often visited. Pervert, his muttered in his mind.

"Mm?" Came a low reply, a simple hum, as the older male hadn't forced an attempt to blink his woken confirmation.

"Sorry, didn't think you were awake." Yaruka closed his eyes, a disguise to his embarrassment. "I have something to confess, about how I ended up in those clothes." He paused, a deep inhalation to his breath. "But I'm scared of altering the future." Only a snore answered to his worries, the boy sighing at his stupidity, before the tiredness of the night before had caught up with him. His head tilted to meet the sages beside, his mind shutting off to force upon an outdated dream.

Though, he hadn't dreamt, his rest unable to reach the stage of rapid eye movement, as his body experienced the extreme relaxation only. He had lost track of time, his breathing slowing to a gentle rhythm, as he hadn't noticed himself lean into the figure, his snores pressed blissfully into the sages sleeve. Though, the older man had woken after a brief half an hour, a pang of somewhat nostalgia as he peered at the boy poked into his side.

"Kid?" The sage stretched his arms over his head, blinking his lazed eyelids awake, stifling a thick yawn. He nudged the smaller boy with a gentle prod of his elbow, who grumbled in response. The boys eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, staring up at the large comfort, before stumbling backwards, choking on the lump of embarrassment from within his throat.

"Please accept my apology, Master Jiraiya!" He scratched at his bottom lip. "I didn't mean to, you just looked so peaceful." The sage only nodded, sleep still visible in his eyes.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?" Jiraiya yawned. "Did you find a hotel?"

"I did, I just couldn't sleep." Yaruka dug his hands through the back pockets of Naruto's shorts, which he had still worn, it becoming both his pyjamas and casual wear for the meantime. The pouch Jiraiya had given him previous rested in the palm of his childish hands, though a majority of the contents had depleted. "Here's the change, by the way. I wasn't as hungry as I thought I was, so I guess I didn't need the rest."

"First Naruto, then you." Jiraiya hadn't moved to collect the money, though only hung his head in desired slumber, and a deepening thought.

"Pardon?"

"At least you're mature, unlike that other brat." The sage held a large hand underneath the child's, curling the much smaller fingers over the fabric of the pouch. "Keep the rest of the money."

"Well, I'm not really a child." Yaruka laughed, forcing a stupid mistake to discover the consequences of his carelessness, and he fixed a stare down at the given money, resting the pouch onto his lap.

"I wouldn't believe an adult can make themselves look that young."

"Tsunade does it," Yaruka teased, a smile to his lips, "but I don't have any chakra whatsoever, I don't know how to alter my appearance." Jiraiya's expression only numbed his shock at the mention of the womans name.

"No chakra?"

"I'm from another world. In my world, I live in Michigan, and there no such things as ninja training of the sort, unless it's in stories, like the world you live in. I know you from a book, which is also a show, Naruto is the main character, and I know how he lives, how you die, and when the next-" A large chunk of acid and stomach contents emptied to the grass below. "I'm scared, I'm not a character, I'm not supposed to be here."

"Kid," the sage sighed, a hesitant hand placed upon the boys back, "I don't think you-"

"Is it too late to tell you it was a dream?" Yaruka forced a laugh as he interrupted the man, his index finger to his lower lip. Jiraiya only shot him a glance. "No, you're right, I know what you're implying. Pretend it was a dream, my best option right now is to live how I should in this world, as a child, I'll wake up eventually." He plastered a childish grin to his lips, lazily hoisting himself onto unsteady feet. "Now to find Guy, have fun peaking on girls, Master Jiraiya!"

•••

Yamanaka Flower's had been proven to be more beautiful in person than in both the manga and the anime combined, and, as he would hate to admit, Yaruka couldn't help but pause at every new batch, and smell each individual fragrance depending on the flowers type, admiring the growth worked into each one. His hunt for Guy had stopped short once he encountered a familiar building, placing his personal mission on standby, as he began to grow giddy at the thought of possibly meeting another known character.

His first step had been introduced by a bell, in which a young voice had responded by ensuring her assistance in a short while, as she is preoccupied with something else. Yaruka didn't mind, of course, and decided he might as well enjoy the presence of nature that had stretched out before him. A few brief minutes had ticked by, the boy becoming somewhat immersed into botany, that he had grown blind to the young girl standing right behind him.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

"Oh!" He jumped at the strangers voice, as the girl only giggled in response. "Yes, very. I've never been interested in flowers until now." He admitted with a shy hum, lowering his head. Yaruka had immediately recognised the girl as Ino, a lengthy section of her light hair falling over one eye, and he soon harboured an apologetic pit within his stomach. He had reminded himself of the girl's childhood experience with Sakura, and felt it unfair the pink haired girl had ended things so swiftly, over one boy. As pretty as he saw her, he developed a strained like over the team seven girl, unsure whether to support her acts viewed as weak, or not.

"So, what's the occasion?" She tilted her pale face.

"Ah, well, there's two, actually." Yaruka pressed a finger to his bottom lip, as Ino nodded. "The first one is for someone in the hospital. His injuries were extreme, and I want him to know he'll definitely become a fine shinobi." A nod of familiarity rested over the girl's face, and Yaruka recoiled at the accidental reveal. "And the other is to give to someone I really want to be friends with, but I'm unsure how to tell her."

"Well, for your friend in the hospital, a chrysanthemum will do just lovely." The blonde girl before him smiled. "They're used to represent optimism and joy, which is what you hope to project onto him. And, as for the second one," she spoke with a lively tone to her voice, as she hopped toward a bed of white flowers, which hung overside, though with a lovely demeanour, "maybe the white orchid is suitable for the situation."

"Do you like white orchids?"

"I suppose so, but I like all the flowers. They're each unique, and I like that I get to help people discover their meaning, and share the love." The boy agreed with an appreciative smile, a sweet gesture over his worried demeanour, as he soon relaxed into her words. As they neared the counter, they spoke of the cost, as well as small facts about flowers Ino had gained knowledge of, and though Yaruka hadn't a clue on what she said, he still nodded to indicate he was listening, the words of his mother echoing through his mind: always be nice to pretty girls.

"Good luck with the girl, by way. I'm sure she'd love to be your friend."

"Do you have any idea how I should approach her?"

"It won't hurt to walk up to her, and say: hello, nice to meet you, let's be friends!"

"Thank you." He gestured the white orchid outward, his arm outstretched, as he gifted her the flower with a reassuring smile, as if he understood all her worries. "Hello, nice to meet you, let's be friends. My name is Yaruka Hidemichi."

She stood almost as if shock had consumed her, her empty yet stratifying blue eyes frozen in place, as she stared at the flower with her hand stroking the delicate petals, as if a new meaning had come to it. Her voice appeared to have gotten lost during her brief seconds of silence, before he eyes softened, and she smiled.

"Ino Yamanaka."

"Well, I should be off. Nice meeting you, Ino." He reached over from behind the counter, and fixed the stem of the held flower into the tightened strands of hair behind the blondes ear. He waved an energetic exit, as he withdrew himself from the building, a small puffy flower left in hand. Once out of view of the shop, he slowed his pace to a halt, releasing a brisk puff of air from between his lips. He had begun to grow nauseous during the interaction with the girl, and allowed another puddle of stomach contents to escape his body, the liquid burning his throat. Being a child is tiring.

He gazed upward from where he stood, searching for a rather tall white building, almost desperate to visit Rock Lee, the quest for Guy long disappearing from his thoughts. His steps grew lost as he ventured through the village, the flower twirling between the grip of his fingers, staring thoughtfully at the vibrant colours. He wondered if Lee would appreciate the gesture, and allow him to be his friend, though at the same time he considered running away all together, forgetting his helpful gestures of pity. That's it, he hummed in his mind, forget Lee, I'll run away and pretend I have never existed in the first place.

•••

"I'm here to see Rock Lee?"

"Of course, right this way."

Dammit, how did I end up here?