Hey everyone The story will be diverging soon after the chunin exams. Lie's POV will be on my page and Shizukos POV will be on my co-writer Tsukiangel's page. Please let us know what you think and enjoy.

Chapter 11

A week later

It has been a week since we left the bridge builder and his town. Only a week and a lot of things changed in such a short time. The town actually came up with a name for the bridge, they're calling it the Naruto Uzumaki Bridge. Naruto was so ecstatic he was bragging for days about it to Sasuke, how he saved him and was the hero.

Naruto and Sasuke rivalry got worse when we got back, Naruto is still trying to be "cooler" than Sasuke. Both always trying to one up the other in the small missions we've been getting. Most of it ending with Naruto getting hurt and looking bad.

Lie…. Lie hasn't even looked at me much and I can feel her walls coming back up as she struggles. She won't open up to me, often just taking dinners to her room and shutting the door. She's shut everyone out, refusing to even rise to the bait of Sasuke making fun of her. I don't know how to help her. A part of me is afraid, I've been told our mission in life was to destroy the darkness and the demons. But, she's my best friend and not just a demon.

I started noticing Naruto more. I don't know what's wrong with me. He would start talking about Sakura and asking her out. Every time I could feel my stomach drop and I would get nauseous at the thought of them together. I don't like the feeling, it feels wrong. So, I just smile and always tell Naruto next time, even though a part of me wants to run from the feeling and him.

After the bridge fight I've been feeling so weak, so ashamed, how could I have ever expected to be a Knight of Angelus if I could not fight. In the cover of darkness, I've been leaving the house to practice my Villages hidden Justus, what I could remember since I didn't have the book on me. In the back of my mind I flashed back to the darkness of Lie when I practice and I shuddered when I think about what I may have to do one day if the demon takes over and Lie isn't Lie anymore.

Lie's POV

I'm sick of Shizuko's motherly tendencies. I almost killed her. She'd bring food into my room and sit it on my desk always with a happy, "You should eat it'll make you feel better."

I can't bear to look at her though. I'm the thing I've been hiding from. The darkest side of me. My demon.

The only smart one is Naruto. He avoids me if we're ever close, be it alone or in a group. He doesn't bother trying to include me in his happy nonsense anymore. He feels what I am now. He saw it even if he didn't quite understand it. Danger.

Sasuke has been attempting to rattle me even. Though I'm trying to keep them all at a distance. It's been so long since my demon came out. This time I even wanted it. I wanted release and I wanted revenge. I wanted blood and death and it gave it to me. If felt amazing and dark and powerful. It tried to hurt my friend. A friend who I never asked for. A friend that I intentionally grew to care for. That had been my first mistake. My second, my second was Sasuke. Why I let the thought of his death do these awful things to me?

Kakashi was no doubt avoiding me until he and the hokage decided exactly how dangerous I really was. I took the note out of my pocket again, "My beautiful dark lily. I've finally found you."

Akumu…. maybe it's finally time I stopped trying to be who I'm not. Maybe I just need to embrace the dark person who I was meant to be as you have instead of chasing a light out of my reach. I crumbled up the paper and laid down, still contemplating my next move.

Shizuko's POV

It was a normal day of going to the clearing to meet Kakashi before the sun even rose. I don't know why we all show up so early when Kakashi is going to be late every day. I'm at the bridge with just Naruto who is sleeping standing up with light snores coming from his open mouth and Sasuke leaning against the tree. Lie is nowhere in sight, she hasn't been home recently. However, I can sense her dark energy, she's in the tree above Sasuke.

I wanted to say something to her, but a part of me was angry, she was being irrational.

"Sorry I got lost on the path of life." Sensei appeared out of nowhere a few hours later like always. I just sighed as Naruto started to yell at him.

Doesn't he ever get tired. I couldn't help but think meanly. The strain of Lie and staying up late was affecting me.

"I have signed the four of you up for the chunin exams which will be held in 2 days from now."

"what's the chunin exams?" Naruto asked. I slapped my hand on my forehead and sighed heavily.

"you idiot. The chunin exams is where every ninja village sends their genin here to test their skill to be promoted to chunin. What Iruka is, in simple terms for you." Lie scoffed as she jumped down from the tree next to Sasuke.

"Lie, that wasn't very nice." I admonished her, as Naruto pouted, but she just looked at me before turning to Kakashi. There was an empty feeling in my chest as she so blatantly ignored me.

"Each one of you has to come to a decision if you would like to take part in the exam. Meet at the Konoha Academy three days from now. Oh, there is a five village festival of unity being held tonight. You're all required to go. Don't make me look bad." With that warning he poofed out leaving us all looking at the spot in surprise.

"whatever, I'll see you losers later." Lie had begun to walk off hands folded behind her head.

"Lie! You want to go kimono shopping together?!" I ran after her, excitement in my voice.

"When are you going to understand, I want nothing to do with you," her cold tone stopped me in my tracks, all I could do was stare at her back as each word pierced my heart. "You should just drop out, what exactly did you do on the bridge mission…. nothing, you are weak."

"I-I-I…" I wrapped my arms around myself digging my arms into my red sleeves. She walked away without even looking at me once. Her words staying in her wake.

I started walking towards the village market in a daze. Weak echoed in my mind.

With my thoughts occupied my feet walked me aimlessly towards the kimono store, Hanamura. Naruto showed me the shop when he showed me around the village this week. Slapping my cheeks lightly I paint a smile on my face. I can't let her get me down!

Over the next few hours I browse all the pretty Yukatas, but none of them stick out to me, all the other girls are grabbing them and I want to be different. I'm from the Village of Angels I need to represent my people.

At the back of the store I see some plain Yukatas hanging up. There is a red, green, and white Yukata that steals my attention. In the front of it is a giant red bow with a green rope sash around the waist and two small green ties on the top (Pinterest for picture). This reminded me of the Yukata that was worn at the last Araqiel Festival. The Maiden of honor had to wear a yukata like this, though in pure white with golden rope, I saw the pictures a few years ago. The last festival was held eight years ago, I was five years old when it happened, so I didn't remember much. I would beg my mom to ask the Chief to hold another one so I could join all the fun. I grabbed the Yukata with a smile and paid for it.

As I hummed a tune on the street to back home I saw Naruto come out of the male yukata store, he carried something orange in his hands.

"Oh, hey Shizuko!" he yelled waving his arm around frantically. The people stopped and sent us glares of annoyance, my cheeks heated as I grabbed his hand when I got closer.

"Naruto, you are causing a scene." I hissed, but he just kept grinning.

"I can't help it, I'm so excited for the festival." We had begun to walk to my house. "I still need to ask Sakura out!" My steps paused as my heart stuttered.

"Oh…. I didn't realize you were still going to go after her," I frowned and stared at the ground as we walked along. "Wh-Why do you like her?"

"I never really thought about it…. Hmm, well she's really pretty with her long hair, and she's confident. I think we'd be great together if she would just give me the chance."

"I see, so you like pretty, confident girls…." Naruto nodded while grinning, probably thinking about Sakura. I just nodded as he talked about how he is going to ask out Sakura and what they are going to do on their date.

"What about you, are you going to ask anyone?" Naruto asked his arms folded behind his head. I just shake my head and stared at the ground, flashing through my mind I wanted to ask him. But, I'm not as pretty as Sakura, so there is no way. I think of my child-like brown hair in pigtails and my plain brown eyes. I don't like the ugly feeling I get when I think of them together.

"I'm home!" I yelled into the darkened house hoping she was home. I wanted to clear the bad blood between us. But, no answer came. With a sigh I brought out my scrolls again to practice.