Sunday, September 22nd, 2013.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHIKAMARU!
Yup, it's his birthday. My third fave character's b-day, as well as the guy I'd want to date if he was real and if I didn't ship him with anybody. For those who read the manga, you probably noticed the irony, huh? Great present this week, Kishimoto. That last chapter was great. Actually, the chapter wasn't that bad, and I liked it because of Naruto's "I don't want to regret what I wasn't able to do here" thing, but I hated it b/c... you know.
Tomorrow's Ino's birthday. Cool, right? They're a day apart. It would've been perfect if Chouji's was yesterday or tomorrow. But Chouji's is in May. Way to break the chain, Kishimoto.
Fun Fact/News: I'm taking karate now. (I'm pretty sure it's karate...) Twice a week during the weekdays with my sister. Started this past week. And there's this palm-heel thing, too... I always think of Neji vs. Hinata, or just Neji and Hinata whenever we do it. It's so cool. I'm such a geek.
I also have a little less time to write and stuff because of it, but I'll try to update regularly. Two weeks is long enough torture for you guys. Or one week if you read both ReWind and DoOver.
Other news: I just learned "Sasori" meant "scorpion" in Japanese yesterday while watching the first InuYasha movie. I feel stupid. I didn't know! Just because his representative animal means scorpion doesn't mean that's what his name means! Kisame - wait, "same" means shark. Ooh! Tsunade doesn't mean slug! I'm pretty sure Jiraiya doesn't mean "toad"! I doubt it means anything, actually. But yeah. See my point? But I still feel stupid. Ugh.
Review Replies for those without Accounts:
Chloe: Thank you, and I will. :) I'm glad you like it. :)
BTW guys, this has just over 90 favorites and almost 90 follows. :) I love you guys. X3 Just so you don't forget.
Rec.: Real long chappy today, and I'm tired. Sorry.
Dedication: You all. TehNicksterBoi. xxxLizzie-chanxxx. Jasmine-.-Momo-chan. sora girlfriend. White Tiger of Onyx Star.
Disclaimer: Shikamaru b/c it's his birthday today and what happened in the last chapter, as well as Ino b/c it's tomorrow.
Both: EOC doesn't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, McDonalds, Burger King, or Starbucks. If she did, she'd put a whole new meaning to "filthy rich".
Ino: Feel privileged, Shika! This isn't something everybody gets to do sometimes.
Shikamaru: I'm a favorite of EOC's - she could have me do it anytime.
Ino: But she doesn't, does she?
Shikamaru: Because we're both lazy, that's why. And I can't hog all the spotlight.
Ino: Oh, shut up, you.
Shikamaru: *falls asleep*
Ino: I didn't mean for you to fall asleep!
Me: No, don't sleep, Shika! Not the light, not the light! Don't see the light!
Ino: It'll be okay, don't worry.
Me: It better be okay. I'm pretty pissed.
AotW: Two words: Science. Fair. Effing hate it. I see why it's done and why it's helpful and all, but I fucking hate doing it. I really do. With a passion. It's just not my thing.
Alrighty. Like, 4.2k of the actual chapter. About 1k more of A/N.
Mostly SasuSaku, some KibaTsuki, and then a surprise at the end.
The next couples I need to work on are NaruHina and ShikaTema... I have so little of them.
Enjoy!
Chapter 37: Unexpected Arrival(s?)
Sasuke POV
"Just like that…" Sakura said softly, as she watched me slice (or try to) blades of grass with chakra.
I was sweating from exertion and my extreme focus. How does Sakura do this so easily? Healing's a lot more difficult than I thought, too… I can't even bring a fish back to life. Which is apparently the medic-nin test.
After morning team training was over, I asked Sakura to teach me a little bit about medical ninjutsu. Not that I want to become a medic ninja - just because it would be useful one day.
After teaching me first aid, she explained to me about the difficult chakra control in medical ninjutsu and how some people are simply incapable of doing it; how others can but can't do very much with it; and how it results in so few true medical ninja compared to combat ninja.
She leaned closer to me, looking over my shoulder as I finally cut the damn blade of grass. If I failed just a few more times… I would've just burned this fucking. Meadow.
"You did it!" She gave me a quick hug. Like, really quick. You're supposed to hate physical closeness, remember? Don't be so disappointed.
I'm not.
Of course you're not. *snort*
"That was harder than it looked, wasn't it?" She raised a brow, remembering my prevoius confidence at being able to do it.
I sighed, and nodded. "More than I expected."
She giggled. "Do you want to practice more healing?"
I thought for a moment. "We've been doing this for hours. Let's get a lunch break first." Team training was from 8am-12noon, (we were scheduled for 7 today, but no one wanted to be up by then and Kakashi's always late anyway, so no one bothered to come on time) and we had a brunch/lunch-thing then. Right after, I asked Sakura for the medical training.
It was now 4:09. We haven't eaten for 4 hours.
Sakura nodded. "Okay. Where to? You pay, since you offered."
I rolled my eyes, standing up from the ground and pulling her up with me. "Like I'd let you pay, anyway."
"So what do you want?" I asked her as we left the small meadow we were in, heading back into the more urban parts of the village.
She put a finger to her chin, tilting her head to the left in thought. "Um… I'm feeling American. So… Burger King?"
"And let me guess, some kind of drink from McDonald's or Starbucks?"
"You know me so well," she laughed.
"You've been getting something from either almost daily. It's pretty hard not to notice." I said flatly.
"Maybe I was hoping somebody would notice and treat me?" She replied.
"Or maybe you were too caught up in your drinks to think up a plan as ridiculous like that."
"Hey!" She cried. "It's a legitimate plan!" she protested, with a pout. How cute.
"Sure it is…" I started.
She brightened.
"… For a six-year-old." I finished.
"Sasuke-kun!"
"What do you want?" I asked, our bag of food from Burger King in my hand. "Get something hot. It's ridiculous to have cold drinks in the winter."
Here we were, in a line inside one of the many Starbucks in Konoha.
"Of course I will." Sakura said. "But, um… Sasuke-kun?" She asked almost sheepishly.
"Hn?" I looked over at her.
"I promised Karin I'd treat her to something the next time I was at Starbucks, so…"
"You want me to let you get something extra for her?" I inferred. "Sure. I don't really care.
"Thanks, Sasuke-kun!" She cheered, a bright smile on her face. "I'll pay you back!"
"Whether you promise to or not doesn't change the fact that I won't accept the money."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, Sasuke-kun… it's great that you were raised as a gentleman and all, but let me pay you back or pay for something myself once in a while."
"Let's see you try." I said closing the subject until she brought it up again the next time I treated her. "And let me guess, you just told Karin you'd get her something, didn't you? I can't really see her asking for something from Starbucks of all places. This place isn't exactly cheap."
Sakura nodded, laughing sheepishly. "Yeah… She's been working hard and stuff, so I thought she deserved a reward."
I nodded in understanding. Sounds like something she'd do.
"What would you like?" the barista asked us, once it was our turn. I looked at Sakura.
"Um, a small Caramel Macchiato, a small Caffè Mocha, and a small um… decaf house blend, please.(1) Black with just a pinch of steamed milk." I rose my brow at the third order, but she ignored me.
"Would you like to try any of our Christmas specials?" the barista asked, entering the other orders.
Sakura thought for a quick moment, then shook her head. "No, thank you. That's all."
"Alright, that'll be…" as I paid the barista and as she prepared our orders, I thought about the third one.
She hates bitter things. So who's the black decaf coffee for? She already got something for Karin.
I dunno. Ours?
Probably…
"Here you go." The barista said, handing us the drinks just seconds after I snapped back to reality. Damn, she's fast.
And this is one reason why Starbucks is so popular. Their employees are quick. No such thing as slow service here.
Shortly after we left the coffeehouse and as we headed to her apartment, Sakura spoke. "Here you go, Sasuke-kun," she said, handing me the black coffee, trading with the Macchiato I had in my hand.
So it was mine…
"Why?" I asked.
"As thanks, even though you paid for it anyway. And it's good, try it," she instructed, taking a sip from one of the drinks now in her hand.
I took a sip. It is good.
My eyes widened slightly and I took a longer sip. "Not bad."
She laughed. "I told you."
We continued walking.
"The Mocha's for Karin." Sakura explained. "The Macchiato's mine. Let's hurry up before they cold."
We leaped to her apartment building.
"Karin?" Sakura called, knocking on said girl's door, as I held her drink so she could do so.
"Come in!" Karin called from the inside. "It's not locked!"
Sakura opened the door and we walked in, finding the girl sitting on her couch while sorting out pictures on her coffee, Yoru and Shira curled up together asleep beside her on the couch. They look like the yin and yang symbol like that.
Yeah.
"Here's a Caffé Mocha for you!" Sakura said, as I handed Karin the drink.
"You don't have to do this, you know." She sniffed it, then sipped it. "But it's nice. Thanks."
I nodded.
"I want to do it." Sakura said. "And you're welcome!"
Sakura picked up her kitten from the couch. "Thanks for watching him today. He hasn't been giving you trouble, has he?"
Karin shook her head. "Not really. He played with Shira for almost the entire time that you were gone. Though I had to chase them both around so they'd eat, he was surprisingly obedient otherwise. They fell asleep about half an hour ago."
Sakura stroked her sleeping kitten, looking over at the pictures on the table.
They were of Konoha's landscape – flower, trees, buildings, the hokage tower, the mountain heads. Many of them covered with snow.
"These are really good," I complimented. And they were. Like I'd say that if they weren't.
"Thanks." Karin said flatly.
I never truly understood why, but Karin was always very distant and tense with me, like she was holding back from doing something to me. From what, I'm not sure. Whatever it is, it's not good.
I often found her glaring at me.
Naruto asked her about it once, but her answer didn't make me feel better.
FLASHBACK
"Remember when I said I was kidnapped by Orochimaru when I was like, 9, and went rouge with some other guys from the hideout later on?"
Naruto and I nodded, remembering the brief explanation she had given us about how she had known Orochimaru.
"Is this about your teammates?" I asked.
She nodded. "I was… very infatuated with the guy that rounded me and two other guys to escape the hideout with him. I'd been so for a while before that actually…" She shook her head to shake out of the train of thought she got lost in.
"Anyway, he was chosen by Orochimaru the same reason Sasuke was – a special bloodline. He was a favorite of the creep's." She shivered for a moment. "Anyway, he accepted simply because he needed to get stronger for his revenge."
My eyes narrowed. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Shut up.
"So when he felt Orochimaru couldn't do anything for him anymore, he rounded us up to assist him in finding and killing his cousin, who had murdered the rest of their family in cold blood."
Naruto's eyes widened at the story that hit so close to home.
"After he had killed his cousin, he learned that it wasn't really his fault and it was under someone else's orders. He already was losing his sanity, and he was getting closer to snapping." She took a shaky breath. "Heartbroken, he headed for the man that had enacted the order. It was then that he finally lost his hold on sanity and he didn't care, all he wanted was revenge and he'd risk anything to fulfill it. When the other guy used me as a shield, my teammate, or Leader as I'll refer to him as, didn't hesitate in attacking in the least and pierced me through my chest, heavily injuring his enemy in the process. Right when I thought we were friends… he almost kills me. We were separated from our other teammates, but I doubt that would've made a difference." Karin put a shaky hand to her chest.
That must be where her scar is...
"I was in his way of revenge, and he'd destroy anything in his way. That's why he didn't stop. And why, once his target was dead, Leader turned to my injured body on the ground to finish me off, but was interrupted by someone from his old village. She was trying to trick him into lowering his guard, to accept her and then kill him when she got the chance. He knew her plan from the start, and ordered her to kill me to 'test her loyalty'. That wasn't the boy I cared about at all - that was nothing but a mass of hatred and anger and hurt and an undying thirst for revenge."
My eyes widened as she progressed in her story. That sounds like one of my dreams…
"The girl pretended to... look like she was about to, but quickly turned to stab him with a poisoned kunai. But he was expecting it. And he would've killed her if it wasn't for another of his old teammates showing up in time. Later, he escaped and I was left there, and arrested by the authorities of the country we were in. Shortly after that, I was returned to Grass and that's where the story ended."
She turned to me. "Sasuke is just like Leader used to be. That's why I act the way I do around you. You remind me of him."
"But Sasuke's not like that guy at all!" Naruto protested. "Sasuke would never end up like that guy!"
"Or would he?" Karin said, turning to walk away. "You'll be surprised at how people change for the sake of revenge." She called, getting farther and farther away.
"Wait!" Naruto called before she got too far away.
"What?" Karin said.
"Do you… still have feelings for that guy?"
We were expecting her to say something like, "Of course not!" adamantly. But her face darkened instead.
"Part of me-… part of me does, and part of me doesn't. But the part of me still does… it's more of an obsession than anything." And she was gone.
The conversation left an uneasy feeling in my gut and a sour taste in my mouth. Is she connected to the dreams?
Maybe, but I'm not concerned about that at the moment…
Oh. I know what it is. *sigh* Relax, dude, seriously. We won't be like that leader guy, come on.
I don't know… I just-.. I have a bad feeling.
Well, let's focus on the now for the moment.
Alright…
My nightmares that night were of almost killing an older Sakura, and breaking a younger one's heart.
I awoke the next morning screaming.
END OF FLASHBACK
We were about to leave the apartment when Sakura and I heard a crash from where the Karin sat on the couch.
We turned around, prepared for some kind of sneak attack from ninja that snuck into the apartment but instead found a tense, standing, Karin and an overturned table with pictures scattered all over. Her kitten was arousing from the sudden noise.
She must have stood suddenly and knocked the table over in the process, I thought, looking at the angle of the table and where Karin now stood. But what spooked her like that?
Karin made a clone and picked up her kitten and gently took Sakura's from her hands.
"Gather everybody at the gates. No, at your guys' training grounds. Number three." Karin said, as her clone hurried out the door, without proper winter outerwear. She must be dropping them off at Jenti's and dispersing it there. She wasn't planning on having the clone for long.
Karin quickly pulled on her boots and winter coat, and we hurried out so she can lock the door.
"What's going on, Karin?" Sakura asked frantically.
She looked grim, taking a quick gulp from her mocha. "We've got a visitor. A few actually. Gather everyone you can. Especially Tsunade-sama."
"Who? You can sense that far?"
"Can't tell you and yes. Now hurry! I'll get anyone at the eastern side of town, you get the west and the Hokage tower!" She leaped away.
Sakura and I shared a look.
"Let's go." I said, and we headed in search of the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi properties, which were closest from here.
But before we got there, Sakura stopped at an alley between two shelters.
"Sakura, what are you-"
She was bending down in front of some young, dirty-looking kids, with our bag of food from Burger King that we never got the chance to eat.
"… sorry it's cold and it's not very healthy, but share it, okay?" she was saying to the children. "No fighting. Now I have to go."
Sakura…
Wow…
The children thanked her as she walked back to me.
As we ran over buildings again, Sakura spoke. "Sorry for the delay, but we weren't going to eat it anyway. I'll pay you back later."
I shook my head. "No, those kids needed it more than we did. That was... great of you."
From the corner of my eye, I saw her blush. A half-smirk made its way across my face.
"Thanks," she said meekly.
I nodded.
As we finally reached it, we dropped in front of the Yamanaka manor and headed straight for Ino's room. (Sakura had texted her friend earlier to make sure she was there.)
What could be waiting for us at the training ground?
I don't know.
The sinking feeling in my gut and the seriousness of the situation placed a very grim and sober expression on my face. This isn't going to turn out well at all.
A bit earlier
Mitsuki POV
"Hey, cutie, wanna hang out with us?" I turned my head to the direction where the voice came from, frowning.
Two guys, a bit older than me, in their late-teens/early-twenties were heading my way, grinning cockily. Why does this always happen to me?
"No. I'm waiting for someone." I turned my head away from them. "Leave me alone."
"Aw, come on. A couple minutes wouldn't hurt, right?" It was a different voice, but it came from the same place. It must have been the other guy.
"No. Leave."
A large shadow fell over me and I looked up to see the two guys frowning above me.
"No, we won't." The leader-like one grabbed both of my wrists and pulled me up from the bench I was sitting on. "Look, you're either gonna come with us and like it, or we're gonna make you like it. Got it, bitch?" He said, hissing into my ear by the end of his tirade.
"Ouch!" His grip was tight as he pulled me away, both my small wrists trapped by his larger hand.
The other pushed me from behind.
The farther they moved me away from the bench to God-knows-where, the farther south the second guy's hand drifted on my back.
Desperate for them to let go, I brought my head to the hand holding mine together and bit it as hard as I could. At the same time, I rose one of my legs quickly behind me to kick the man behind me where every man alive was vulnerable.
The first guy let go, holding his now slightly bleeding hand while and the other guy collapsed to the ground, holding his aching organ.
"Why you little-!" The first guy shouted furiously, raising his fist.
I raised my arms to shield my face, quivering, my eyes shut tightly. I froze in fear. Somebody… please!
But the punch never came and was replaced with a bark and a familiar voice saying, "Don't touch her, you bastards!"
I put my arms down and opened my eyes to find Akamaru removing his mouth from Jerk #1's (leader-guy's) fist. He must have bitten it because the fist was bleeding quite a bit. Much more than I ever could have managed to do, though comparing human teeth to a dog's is hardly fair. Akamaru must've been really angry.
Kiba was standing with a foot on the chest of the struggling-to-break-free Jerk #1, turning to me with a grin on his face. "We'll take care of these guys, don't worry. Sorry we're late."
"Oh, no. It's alright…" I was still kind of overwhelmed by this turn of events.
Akamaru barked something to Kiba and he nodded, crouching slightly. "Sure, bud. The other guy's all yours."
Akamaru jumped on Kiba's bent-over back, and Kiba made a seal. "Human Beast Clone!" He shouted.
There was a cloud of smoke, and when it was gone, where Akamaru used to be was a clone of Kiba.
It was the first time I'd seen something like this. This must be a jutsu of theirs…
"Woof!" the clone barked, and he jumped off to tackle the guy who was trying to crawl away silently, Jerk #2.
A couple moments later, the Jerks #1 and #2 were tied with chakra strings to a tree, beaten up and unconscious.
"A job well done, Akamaru." Kiba said, dusting off his hands, his dog back to his normal form.
The two headed over to where I was, sitting back on the bench. "Sorry about that. If I came earlier those guys wouldn't have…"
He looks cute when he looks all apologetic and sad like that, I thought.
I patted his cheek, smiling up at him. "It's alright."
I stood. "You guys are my heroes. You saved me."
Kiba blushed, scratching the back of his head. "Nah…"
"Yes, you are!" I picked Akamaru up with one hand and grabbed Kiba's with my other, pushing my blush down. "How about I treat you guys to a little something to eat before we start shopping?"
Kiba and I agreed to meet up and go Christmas shopping today, promising to meeting up today at the wooden park bench where we first got to know each other.
"Alrighty, then. Lead the way!" Kiba said cheerfully. "But I'm paying despite your offer. I'm too much of a gentleman to let the pretty lady pay. In the most polite way possible, of course."(2)
"We'll see about that." I responded.
He laughed, giving me a large, warm, grin that made my heart flutter.
"Let's go," I said, pulling him along into the main shopping district of Konoha. As I thought about which cafe I'd like to take him to, I covered the lower half of my face with my scarf, using the hand that was made free by Akamaru jumping on Kiba's head, sitting comfortably on his hair.
Surprisingly, Kiba had his hood down, despite that it was most definitely winter now.
The scarf I was wearing was a gift from my brother's better-be-dating-soon friend, Tokumaya Eri.
He first met Eri a couple weeks ago, when she first came to the bakery he worked part-time at.
She had quickly become a regular, and it was obvious (especially to me) that she came so often because not only was she crazy about the treats there, she she was crazier about my brother. She almost always came during his shift.
My brother has taken quite the liking to her as well.
She was tall and lithe, also a ninja, albeit a chunin rather than a jounin like him, and about year younger than my brother.
She had her orange hair in a short haircut, with the hair straight and longer in the front, getting shorter and shorter the closer the hair was to the back of her neck. It was a cute style that I had always liked. (3)
She had fair, though almost pale, skin with freckles and with vivid, kelly green(4) eyes. They reminded me of Sakura's soft, peridot ones.
I wish Nii-san would ask her out already.
I also wish Kiba would ask me out soon as well.
As if everybody didn't already know, I liked Kiba. A lot.
We may have only known each other for a month, but I think I might be even evolving past just liking him… At the rate this is going, it's possible I will soon…
Anyway, I know Kiba likes me back, but why hasn't he asked me out yet? I'm not going to ask him out first, either. No way. And Kiba's usually the type to take charge himself. So what's holding him back?
Well, the Girl's Night Out thing (GNO) is tomorrow, so maybe I can ask the girls for advice then…
I grabbed Kiba's hand, blushing slightly and feeling proud as I saw his own blush.
I winked at Akamaru, as he chuckled as quietly as a dog could. "So, where do we start Kiba-kun?"
"W-well, u-uh, I was thinking that we would start at the eastern side of the mall and make our way to-"
Suddenly, Kiba tensed and stepped back slightly, pulling me with him.
Just then, Karin dropped in front of us. "Third Training Ground. Emergency. Now." And with that, she left.
We stood frozen for a moment. "What was that?"
Kiba's eyes furrowed. "There's something big at one of the training grounds."
He turned to me. "Sorry, but we'll have to continue the shopping later. I'll drop you off at your place and-"
"No!" I interrupted. His eyes widened. "I'm coming with you."
"But what if it's dangerous?"
"Then you're there to protect me." He stared at me for a moment, then sighed.
"I don't have time to argue with you, and you can be pretty stubborn anyway."
He crouched down. "Let's go."
"Huh?" Piggy-pack?
He took another look at me. "Oh, you're wearing a skirt. It might rip on piggy-back…" I wasn't thinking of that at all, to be honest…
He scooped me up with a hand behind my knees and another behind my back. "Keep your legs closed tightly together. We don't want to accidentally flash anyone... and be careful about your arms - keep them close. We're gonna be goin' fast."
Akamaru settled himself inside the front of Kiba's jacket, giving my face a lick.
"What-" But then a scream was ripped out of my throat as he leaped onto a building and started jumping across more.
"Kiba-kun!" I shrieked, wrapping my arms around his neck and buried my head in the side of it. I inhaled his scent. It was musky and well… manly, which make sense because he's a guy. I can't really describe it… something woodsy and smokey… and meaty? I am making no sense. Something tarty, too… pomegranate? Grapefruit? No… ugh... I'm leaning towards woodsy and smokey for now...
Whatever it was, it calmed me down and adjusted to the heights Kiba was traveling at. "Don't worry, Mitsu-chan. I've got you." Kiba whispered soothingly.
"Mm…" I said, calm and closing my eyes to the feeling of flying, his scent, and the feeling of Akamaru's fur against my cheek.
All too soon, I ripped my eyes open the moment I felt we had landed and when Kiba called my name. He set me down gently.
"We're here." Kiba sniffed the air, and stiffened when he caught a certain scent.
He osculated his head, looking for where the scent originated, a harsh expression and glare taking over his features.
"Kiba-kun…?" I said softly, worried for him.
Kiba moved through the small crowd of other ninja that had gathered around the training ground, and I struggled to follow.
"Kiba-kun!" It's like he couldn't hear me.
I was panting by the time I caught up to him at the front of the crowd.
I saw many of the others (as in Konoha 12 and the sensei and the Sand Sibs) around us, but I paid no attention to them. They were not my concern right now.
"Kiba… -kun?" I huffed. "Who is it?"
Again, he didn't hear me. I found him crouched on the ground and growling viciously. He looked much more beast-like, and it was almost scary.
Akamaru growled as well, beside his owner.
I looked ahead, wanting to know who could have solicited such hatred from them. The only person I could think of is…
My eyes widened. Is that-…?!
Present
Sasuke POV
After rounding up everyone we found and finishing over half of my coffee in the process, we finally made it to our team's usual training ground.
What I saw there made my blood freeze, and then quickly boil.
The world disappeared from around me, and I barely felt the hot coffee after I crushed its cup in my hand.
I growled in pure anger, feeling my curse mark make its way around my body. "Itachi!"
(1): If you didn't know, those are actual items on the menu. I spent actual time too look this stuff up, choosing between McDonalds and Starbucks hot drinks.
(2): Meaning in a totally not-sexist way.
(3): () . Replace the () with ". c o m".
(4): That's an actual color. Seriously. Look it up.
Kudos to anyone who figures out why (s?) is in the chapter title.
STILL ACCEPTING CHRISTMAS PRESENT IDEAS! I NEED THOSE!
QotW: Any favorite song at the moment? Or one you really like right now?
Love,
Cherry.
PS: Don't forget to drop a review! 3
