Sunday, July 28th, 2013.

Yo's! I''m back from vaca if you didn't know already. But school starts Thursday, August 1st.

Unfortunately. I thought it'd start the week after, but oh, well.

I'll try to keep up with bi-monthly updates when school starts.

I watched the first episode of Sword Art: Online yesterday. But I only watched that one because I got sucked into a new favorite manga series: Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge. I'll put it on the recommendation. I'll try to watch more.

I was going to try and get Inuyasha: Final Act completed before starting SAO, but when I heard SAO was going to start on Toonami, I wanted to watch it and of course, me being weird, had to be ahead of the episodes airing on TV. So yeah.

SAO will be on Toonami from now on, 2am Eastern Time on Sunday mornings. I'd record it if I were you, if you could. For those in the American west, that'd be 11pm on Saturdays. For the rest of you in the States, figure out your time zones.

Toonami is on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, starting at 9pm or 12am depending on where you are. So if you know what channel that's on, check ahead on the TV schedule.

Comcast: Channel 243.
DirectTV: 296 or 297 I think.

Other anime are already playing, too: One Piece (Davy Back Fights Arc right now), Naruto Abridged (Part 1), FMA:B (for the 2nd time, not that I'm complaining), IGPX, InuYasha, Soul Eater, Cowboy Bepop, and a couple more I think.

Remember, all anime on Toonami is in English: anime in Japanese is never streamed on TV. Not that I know of. That's why dubs exist.

Anime/Manga Rec.: Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge. Genre Tags: Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy. The main character is a boy who has an addiction to cutting people's hair (girls, really) as a child and had to suppress it as he got older, that suddenly met a girl with beautiful long hair, only to find that it was cursed and can't be cut anything - except a special kind of scissors that he's had for as long as he could remember that turns out to be a "Killing Good", and was used by his ancestor Norma Grayland to commit his murders. Suddenly, he's thrown into the world of Killing Goods and their Authors, who all aim to kill the "Hair Queen", who happened to be the girl with the uncuttable hair, because they'll get any wish they want granted if they do. Kiri (the boy) decides to protect Iwai (the Hair Queen) from all those that aim to kill her, the two falling in love in the process, and spiral more into the dark history of Killing Goods and the Original Hair Queen.

That was an original summary, btw. All by moi.

Some blood (because it's a bunch of people trying to kill a girl, come on), and a little dark, I warn you. It could use a Horror tag, even though it's not quite horror. Believe me - I can't handle horror.

Oddly enough, the scenes of Kiri cutting Iwai's hair almost seem... steamy, even though he's just cutting the hair. They haven't even kissed! Yet... but yeah. I'm totally obsessed with it now. And it's not for kids, I warn you.

Apparently it had an anime, though only 13 eps. The same thing they did to Kamisama Hajimemashita... they should continue it once the mangas end. And I didn't know about their anime until later, though. I need to watch it soon...

Book Rec.: The anime/manga rec. was long enough.

Disclaimer: No.

Dedication: My friend TehNicksterBoi here on ffn, and my friend yeahthat'sme on TeenInk. Check 'em out!

Hints of nearly every couple in my story. about 3.5k of that. the rest of A/Ns.

FYI: Ffn appears to hate underlines. Seriously.


Chapter 33: Back Home


1 week after Naruto the day left with Jiraiya,

November 22nd


Karin POV,

I scowled at the scroll in my hands.

Of course I'm training!I wrote on the scroll. What is that supposed to mean, jackass?!

I could practically feel him laugh from wherever he was.

Suigetsu: So you're not busy drooling over guys again? I didn't expect that!

Since that morning in the hospital where Suigetsu spontaneously messaged me through Itachi's scroll, we'd kept conversing back and forth between each other.

For "dramatic effect", as he put it, (bullshit, in my humble opinion), he used Itachi's scroll the first few times. After that, he switched to his own.

It felt nice, "writing" to each other like this constantly, with my crush on him and all. Not that I'd tell him that.

But there was no use denying it since I already admitted it to Sakura. I like Suigetsu. A lot.

Am I destined to suffer unrequited love once again?

It hurt to know that the only guys I've had feelings for would never return them. The first guy tried to kill me, too, in a fit of madness or not.

It hurts even more that had I not changed the way I have these past few months, I'd still be a lovesick puppy for Sasuke. My dreams of the future proved that.(1)

They're dreams Suigetsu seems to be having, too, which makes sense because apparently we're in the same place.

Me: No, I'm not. I have better things to do. Even reading boring medical textbooks until eyes rolled over would be better.

Suigetsu: But aren't you still lovey-dovey for Sasuke in the future?

Me: Apparently. But the me here is not. Not in the least.

Sui: Do you like someone else then?

Me: No.

Sui: I don't believe you.

Me: I haven't given you a reason to neither believe me or not. But I assure you, that even if I did like someone, it wouldn't be Sasuke again. I've learned from my mistakes, unlike the me of the future. I won't love someone who can never love me back and only succeeds in hurting me.

And look how well that's going…

Sui: He apologized, though didn't he?

Me: I'm the type to hold grudges. Usually. A sorry from him may have more than satisfied the other me, but this me doesn't accept it.

Sui: So you hate Sasuke then?

Me: The present Sasuke – no. Future – for the most part.

Sui: Interesting…

It's surprising, but somehow, I think Suigetsu and I have become friends.

I never thought that was possible before… he's an ass, but we're still friends; sort of. Comrades, maybe? Companions?

Sui: Is Naruto back yet?

Almost a week ago, Naruto and Jiraiya had left to retrieve Tsunade. Jiraiya said he'd take between 1-2 weeks.

The first one is nearly over with no news from them.

Itachi is waiting with Juugo and Suigetsu, resting 2 days away from Konoha, waiting for Tsunade's arrival and installment as Hokage before they enter.

Me: No.

Sui: And that painter guy?

We haven't heard from Sai either.

Ino's more depressed than usual because Sai's birthday is coming up, on Thanksgiving (though that's an American holiday)(2) of this year – November 25th.(3)

I feel bad for her… she's my friend now, after all, with the other girls.

Me: Nothing.

Sui: Damn… I'm getting anxious. I'm gonna take a nap, so I'll talk to you later. Don't forget to tell me more about Konoha later!

Me: In the middle of the day? Is all you do drink water, complain, and sleep, or what, you lazy bastard?

Sui: You know you love it. Laters.

I sighed. Me: Bye.

I sighed and turned over in my bed in my apartment (I had gotten out of the hospital the same day Naruto left – I couldn't stand it any longer) and lifted my sleeping white and striped kitten, sitting up and placing her in my lap.

"Oh, Shira… I'm so bored…" the kitten simply mewed and purred in her sleep as I pet her fur softly.

Suddenly, the door that intersected not only my and Sakura's bedrooms, but our apartments as well, burst open by Sakura herself. We never locked the thing, even though it locks from both sides.

"Karin…" she huffed, her hair disheveled. She had to have run here… she wasn't in her apartment a minute ago. Her chakra wasn't here.

"What is it?" I asked, standing and getting some ninja supplies, preparing for the worst.

I almost wanted to laugh as Yoru(4), her re-named kitten (she felt too weird calling him Sasu or Sasuke, and in the end changed his name), pawed her legs, trying to climb up her body.

She sighed in and picked him up and set him on her shoulder instead, turning back to me.

"Naruto and Jiraiya are back. With Tsunade-sama." All mirth left my body immediately.

"Are they alright? No injuries?" I asked. Following Sakura into her apartment, ready to leave with her.

"I don't know. I rushed over here when I realized they were here. Could I leave Yoru with Shira in your room?"

I nodded and opened the front door of her apartment ready to leave.

She quickly left to deposit her attention-whore of a kitten and came back.

"Let's go," she said.

We hurried to the gates of the village.


"Naruto!" My pink-haired friend exclaimed as she saw him, slightly injured and bruised, with his master and future Hokage at the entrance of the village.

She held herself from glomping him when she saw the he was already hugging Hinata.

Sakura was probably the biggest shipper of those two, with the other possible candidates being Kurenai and Ino.

Around us, all of our ninja friends (the Konoha 13 and the Sand Siblings who were still here for some reason), our sensei, other ninja, and even some civilians were gathered around, wondering what the spectacle was about.

Soon, Naruto got his hug, fist bump, and ruffle of hair from his present team; Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi respectively.

Due to the loud and constant chatter, we couldn't exactly hear what everyone was saying.

"SHUT UP!" shouted another bruised and slightly injured blonde that was being supported by Jiraiya. Everyone immediately shut their mouths, scared by the strength in the voice.

Perfect timing.

"Let's go to the Hokage Tower. Now." she huffed.

Those who weren't in on the secret mission that the Toad Sannin and his apprentice had left, aside from a couple jounin who were acting as guards of sorts to the tower.

"Tsunade. It's been a while," said a man that appeared in front of our group.

"Ah, Danzo." She smirked. "It has. I believe you know what I'm here for."

He nodded, his face hard. "Didn't the late Third Hokage choose Jiraiya, however? Not some gambler that was wasting her grandfather's money away all over the world?"

Shizune almost approached Danzo at the insult, and it was obvious Tonton wanted to maul him, but Jiraiya spoke up before either could do something stupid. Surprisingly.

"I spoke to him before he passed. If I wasn't to do it, his next successor would be Tsunade. I have documents and everything. Step aside, Danzo."

He glared. "We shall talk in the Tower."

Tsunade nodded. "Yes, we shall."

She turned to the rest of us as Danzo went on ahead. "Who are you brats? Get out of here!"

Jiriaya spoke again before any of the other idiots could do something else stupid, angry at being called "brats".

It seems he was taking the initiative in being the mediator. Must be because he knows the pain of Tsunade's wrath better than anyone else and is trying to keep us from that fate. I'm not sure if that's noble or not...

"We'll talk later, guys. That means you, too, Naruto."

He turned to Sakura, Ino (who was beside Sakura), Hinata, and I. "Girls? Think you could heal Naruto for me? I don't think anyone wants him in the hospital again."

As you may know, Sakura and Ino were training in medical ninjutsu, though Sakura's farther ahead than Ino is. After the Finals, Hinata decided to take it up as well, luckily having an affinity for it when she was tested.(5)

I myself decided to take up traditional medical ninjutsu as well, since Heal Bite left permanent scars on my body and normal medical ninjutsu would be useful.

Sakura nodded. "I think we can."

Ino grinned. "Naruto'll be good practice for Hinata and I. Wouldn't he?" She looked toward said bluenette, who nodded shyly.

"What? I don't want Ino anywhere near me! You'll protect me, right, Hina-chan?" He exclaimed, making a begging expression toward the Hyuuga.

"O-of course, Naruto-k-kun." Her face was reddening.

I smirked in amusement.

Tsunade's head cocked to the side, and she had Jiraiya help her move closer to us.

She expected us four. We bowed. "So you're medics, huh?"

I could tell her eyes softened when looking at us, especially at Sakura. To her, Sakura was the daughter she never had.

Or so I hear.

But both were doing a good job of pretending not to know each other. And Sakura acted as a fan of her, which she was anyway.

Sakura smiled, nodding. "Yes, Tsunade-sama! Karin here and I are the most advanced ones out of us four, though."

"Are you now…" she said. Her gaze turned to me.

This is the first time we've ever met in person…. I thought. When I was brought to Konoha as a prisoner after the Land of Iron, I never had actually met Tsunade. If Tsunade had seen me before, I must have been unconscious.

Well, not counting my dreams. I had recently seen her in them.(6)

She really does look as beautiful as people say. But then again, I've seen what she really looks like...

Suddenly, Tsunade jerked my shirt collar to the side, inspecting my neck. I was surprised, but did not push her away.

She let go soon after. "I see. Heal Bite, huh?"

I nodded, finally understanding what she was doing. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Hm…" she murmured.

Then she turned to Jiraiya. "Let's go. And if you grope my ass again, or grope me anywhere for that matter, I'll put dent in that skull of yours."

The man grinned. "Then who'll carry you?"

She deadpanned. "I'll just walk there. You're only helping me with my balance. It's not like I can't walk. I don't need you."

"Oh, Tsunade~! That hurts!"

"Like I care…" their voices faded as they moved farther and farther away, Shizune and Tonton right behind them.

After a moment of silence, Sasuke spoke. "So that's the final Sannin…"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

I'm sure everyone was thinking, "They're all freaks, aren't they?", or along those lines.

"Isn't she supposed to be like, 50 or something? Why's she so young?" Kiba asked. "Is she younger than the others? She looks kinda hot…"

Naruto grimaced. "She's the same age as Jiraiya. She just uses a jutsu to make herself look younger."

Silence…

"WHAT?!" shouted the majority of us.

Kankuro's face was pale. "Ew… I can't believe I thought-…"

Temari snorted. "Pervert."

"But I have to know, first…" Kiba started. Everyone looked at him.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Is her rack real? They're huge!" The girls deadpanned.

Some guys were hit or slapped.

"Yeah, are they?" said Kankuro.

Some more were hit as well.

"Boys…" Sakura muttered.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and Sasuke scowled, as did Neji and Gaara.

Naruto, however, grinned. "Totes real."(7)

"They look painful to me." Temari said.

"Same here. Can you imagine how heavy those must be?!" Ino said.

Sakura and I gave her an incredulous look, remembering a story Sakura told me about she and Ino trying to find out how she grew those things when she was as flat as board as a Genin.

But she's doing pretty well at pretending she's fine and all...

"I wonder how your beloved 'Mitsu-chan' will feel if I tell her about this…" Hana said, teasing her brother.

Shisui snickered, earning a jab in the ribs from his girlfriend. Whoever she is, Shisui must be know who she is, too...

I didn't even notice they were here until now. Well, I noticed their chakra but never actually saw them.

Kiba jumped. "Gah! Sis! Where'd you come from?!"

"I was here the whole time. Nearly every jounin and ANBU was here. Didn't you notice?" That explains Shisui's presence. He probably brought Mura along.

I've actually talked with Mura a lot since she let me borrow her camera at the Finals. She likes photography and videotaping, and I like photography as well. She gives me tips sometimes.

"Like I said, I wonder how Mitsuki, or 'Mitsu-chan' as you call her, will react when she realizes how much of a perv you are."

"Who's Mitsuki?" the others muttered.

"H-how do you know who she is?" Kiba asked.

"I think I'd know if my brother had a girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?!" Naruto exclaimed. "How'd you get one before me?"

"I'm sure all of us could get one before you." Neji commented.(8)

"I can't believe Kiba was the first of us to get a girlfriend…" Sasuke muttered, with a hilarious puzzled look on his face.

"She's not my girlfriend, idiots!"

"Anyway, I smelled a girly scent all over you, saw you with a girl in town, and you absent-mindedly space out and mutter her name sometimes. Mom was ecstatic, but she and I were wondering…" Hana continued.

"Wondering what?"

"What a girl that cute would see in you?"

Everyone laughed.

"Sh-shut up!" Kiba exclaimed, his face red with embarrassment.

"Relax, Lil' bro! We're just teasing you." Hana said, after she caught her breath.

"So you aren't serious about telling her?" Kiba asked, scratching his cheek.

"I'm not gonna do it. I'm sure she's figured out you're a pervert already, and Mom and I don't want to ruin this. I want cute nieces and nephews one day, so I'll be careful."

"Sis!"

The rest of us snickered at his expense. Kiba's got a crush, huh?

Now that I think about it…

I looked around the lot of us, and about the romance that has entangled us. Not something I normally thought about, but whatever.

Hana was in love with Itachi. I don't know anything about his feelings though…

Kiba's got that girl he likes. We already went over that.

Shikamaru and Temari seem to have something going on, but denial appears to be in the way of whatever it is.

Naruto seems to be growing a crush on Hinata, and we all know she's loved him forever. About freaking time.

Neji and Tenten appear to have requited feelings for each other, but aren't together yet. I don't really know. For all we know, they could secretly be dating or something like that.(9)

Kakashi is spending a lot of time with that pretty lady. Hanare, I think her name was. (10) Sakura told me a bit about her.

Kurenai and Asuma have been going out for a while now.

Matsuri obviously loves Gaara, but I'm not sure about the boy himself. He seems to have some sort of feelings for her.

Lee liked Sakura, though Sakura has told him to move past her more than once. But I'm not sure if it's working. He isn't trying to woo her over anymore, as far as I know, so maybe it is…

Chouji, Shino, Gai, Kankuro, and Akamaru are the only ones who seem to have no interest in anyone. But then again, Temari has mentioned a girl back in Suna that Kankuro calls and texts and appears to be into…(11)

Sakura loves Sasuke and he seems to have some sort of feelings for her back, I think. Good. At least she has a chance at being with him now, without everything being one-sided… and despite what's happened, part of me's glad he likes her (I think) and that he can be happy with her. If he decides to do that.

My face hardened at that thought. What'll he do next? Itachi should be here in a few days, once Tsunade's officially Kage, and bring Juugo and Suigetsu. But what'll Sasuke do then?

"Karin?" Sakura tapped my shoulder, frowning at the expression on my face. "Something wrong?"

I shook my head. "I'm going back now."

"Okay. Wanna have dinner together?" Sakura and I have made a habit of doing that around once a week.

We're next door neighbors. Why not?

"I dunno. Your team may want to have dinner with you instead, with Naruto back and all."

"Then join us." Naruto interjected.

I looked in surprise at him. "B-but-… I'm not-… I'm not part of Team 7!"

"You're our friend though. Isn't that enough?" Kakashi said, the team gathering around us.

"Hn." I assumed Sasuke was agreeing with what was being said, and it was shocking to hear. This Sasuke is different than the one I knew, but close to the one I fell for(12)… I'm so glad I'm over him. I don't want to go through that nonsense ever again!

"Well?" Sakura said, hopeful.

I blushed at the attention and turned away from them. "I'll be in your place at 6." This'll be the first time I'll have dinner with so many people…

I was always alone in Grass, and Sakura was my first real friend. I was friends with Team Taka once, like I told Sakura, but that period of time was short and broken quickly.

"Maybe we can ask Tsubasa-san to cook us something, too?" Sakura suggested. Her teammates looked confused. She must not have told them about him.

Moriyama Tsubasa (last-first name) was the neighbor on Sakura's other side. He's a recently-turned-23-year-old, shy but kind librarian that Sakura met in (guess where?) the library one day. He can cook pretty damn well, too.

His cornbread, a Western food as he told us, is the food of the gods, I swear.

He has soft, light-chestnut hair with hazel brown-green eyes, light freckles, black glasses, with a tall and lithe frame. His girlfriend of 3 years, 22-year-old Matsunaga Kagari, may move in with him soon. As we hope. They're hopelessly in love with each other.

Sakura can't want until they get married. Her girlier side comes out for romance of her friends. Like Naruto and Hinata for instance.

Kagari-san has long, slightly wavy black hair that almost reaches the small of her back and has a slightly tanned complexion (between Tenten and Mura's tones) and warm brown eyes. She's fierce, headstrong, and confident, complimenting Tsubasa's humble personality perfectly. I think she's going to go into business once she finishes all she years in college (she and Tsubasa are civillians, Tsubasa having graduated last year but trying to get a Master's in literature and education) or something. It'd fit...

Sometimes, Tsubasa cooks us something, so I hope he'll agree this time.

"Yeah, I'll ask him when I go back if he's home," I replied.

At "him" and "he's", her team's eyes narrowed, being the protective morons they were.

Sasuke seemed more annoyed, though that may have been harder for others to notice. I was his teammate and watched him creepily like a hawk a lot, so I got to know his mannerisms pretty well. Someone's jealous…

Pleased at seeing Sasuke's jealousy while my inner girly-girl squealed at the "SasuSaku-ness" (as Ino called the couple) of it all, I turned and headed back to my apartment, hearing Sakura call back to me. "See you there!"

I waved back over my shoulder.

Then, I heard her say to her team. "She's just shy, is all."

"I heard that!" I called back.

She laughed.

I smile made its way across my face.

I can't wait for tonight…


(1): More recent chappies of the manga.
(2):
I know this is the Naruto world, but I kinda combine it with Japan, sorta. Thanksgiving is an American holiday. But why'd I bother mentioning it? Pay attention for the future, peeps!~
(3):
I know this takes place in 2012, and Thankgiving wasn't on the 25th that year, but I changed that for plot convenience so it was on Sai's b-day.
(4):
I changed his name. I felt a little too juvenile calling him Sasuke, and that was mostly my Inner cheese coming out. It was cute naming him Sasuke, but I felt I should change it, so I did. "Yoru"=Night. Kinda-sorta inspired by Yoru from Shugo Chara, mostly because Ikuto's a sexy beast. One of the sexiest guys in anime ever... and he's from a younger-audience-aimed shoujo. XD
(5):
Remember - not just anyone could use it. Tenten tried and couldn't in canon (or was it filler? But she adores Tsunade anyway and would've wanted to so it still makes sense) so that's proof. I always thought Hinata would've had a knack for it.
(6):
Again, some recent-ish chappies of the manga.
(7):
Yup. I used "total". Pure American teen slang, there, huh? If you don't know what it means, it means "totally".
(8):
Oh, the irony... you're already one step ahead in making that happen, buddy!
(9):
Again, the irony... I crack myself up... I'm pathetic... and need a life... nah.
(10):
You guys forgot about her, huh? I did too, for a second there, so don't feel bad. This is a KakaHanare. (I don't want to write KakaHana because people will mix her up with Hana Inuzuka)
(11):
An OC. I may briefly introduce her later. BTW, if you're wondering, I pair Sari up with Ittetsu from the Sand.
(12):
She said when Sasuke almost killed her, that the one above her was not the Sasuke she fell in love with in Oreo's hideouts and that she gives up on him. Thanks for remembering that, Kishi. *sarcasm*