Snow days! What a wonderful thing! But Semester Exams bite all the fun in the world out of two days of my life! XP By the way, just like all of my other Naruto/SM stories, Makoto is 16 as well as the Naruto cast but it is still the first plot of Naruto. So you have to pretend that they became Genin when they were 16 and not 12. Oh yeah and everyone better love me because this is BY FAR the longest chapter I have ever wrote in my life! 19 ½ pages people! That shows how much a love all you loyal reviewers! And I should be updating Desert Rose this weekend!
Disclaimer- I don't own Sailor Moon or Naruto
Written In The Stars
Chapter Three- Gone But Not Forgotten
-:- About Three Weeks Ago-:-
Naruto's enchanting hue eyes opened silently as he sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes and scanned the room for anyone else around. He sighed and looked down at the blanket he was covered with.
"I…I failed… I failed Sakura-Chan even after I swore to her that I'd bring Sasuke back and I couldn't even come close to doing that for her…" Naruto thought suddenly feeling something soft tied to his left arm.
He looked down to see a green piece of cloth tied in a bow. His expression changed to a confused stare as he lifted his hands and rubbed the material between his index finger and thumb. His mind was taken off of his unsuccessful mission, as he thought back to a little brown haired, green eyed misfit, who was the best friend he ever had.
-:- Memory-:-
Naruto was at the playground and even though he had no friends to play with he told himself he would make the best out of having all this time to himself.
"I mean what's so bad about this!? I've got the playground all to myself! I can do anything I want to without any adults telling me I can't… Besides… No one's parents let them come this late…" Naruto said sadly trying to find the light in this situation.
He growled with frustration then threw the ball that was in his hands unbelievably hard at the ground so it went flying off somewhere else. A few seconds after it had left his hands he heard a shout of pain and looked over at where the voice had come from and his eyes widened. He was particularly astonished to find a girl that looked exactly his age on the ground picking herself up, as his ball rolled away.
He quickly ran over to her as he heard words of pain escape from her rose petal like lips.
-:- Mako's POV of the memory-:-
She decided she would walk to the playground and see what she could do there since her father was off on another mission. Not that he really wanted to be she knew that, but since her mother was now gone he was so busy trying to keep the two of them together as best as he could. Although with all these long missions he had been getting, it wasn't exactly helping Mako cope with the sudden murder of her dear mother.
Her father loved her dearly and any second he had of spare time he would spend it with his six year old daughter, no matter what. But times like these Mako-Chan wished her clan was no longer nonexistent or she at least had friends to talk to and keep her company when she was feeling like the way she was at this moment.
She sighed and looked up at the stars in sadness.
"Will you ever give me friends to share my life with?... Did I do something wrong and don't deserve them like other kids?" Makoto asked towards the heavens almost expecting an answer, but knowing she wouldn't receive one.
Just as she looked back in front of her, her eyes widened as she felt something slip under her foot causing gravity to take it's affect on her small form. And the feeling that makes your stomach slosh like waves in the ocean over took her emotions as she crashed not so gracefully into the cement.
She moaned starting to pick herself back up and knew her elbows and knees were skidded up. But what was really making her wonder was where the ball had come from because she knew for a fact no one else's parents allowed them out after sunset.
"Oh man! I'm so sorry! Are you okay!?" An unfamiliar voice shouted from behind her.
She turned and saw a blonde haired, blue eyed boy running towards her with a concerned look on his face. She watched him until he got down on his knees next her.
"Are you okay?" He asked again more calmly. She was getting ready to shake her head 'yes' but he gasped.
"Oh man! You're bleeding! Here I'll be right back!" The boy yelled taking off again.
Within a very short amount of time the boy returned, with something in his hands, before Makoto could really think about what was going on. He smiled and kneeled down.
"Let me see your elbow." He commanded calmly as she obeyed. He then began to swab away the blood when she realized what he had done. To confirm her thoughts she looked down and saw the hem of his shirt was ripped.
"Your shirt!" She said still flustered by this abnormal attention.
"It's okay. This was my fault anyway." He smiled and grabbed her other elbow.
Just because his ball accidentally tripped her, this boy ripped his shirt, ran to the water fountain, got it wet and was now dressing her wounds.
"You don't need to do that you know…" She asked the boy.
"I know but that's okay." He smiled at her again. To be honest he was surprised that she hadn't run away from him, like everyone else, when she had the chance.
She blushed staring into his pleasing blue eyes. (Yep, that's our Mako, lol)
"Arigato… By the way, I'm Kino Makoto." She smiled as he helped her up.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna become the next Hokage someday!" He grinned with confidence as she laughed.
"You know what Naruto-Kun?" She asked putting her two index fingers together as she glanced at his questioning expression, while blushing.
"You're one of the first people to really talk to me… And that was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me… I don't have any friends…. S-So d-do you wanna be my friend?" She asked afraid of rejection.
It took Naruto a second to realize that he had actually made a friend… A really nice and pretty friend. She was someone like him, someone without the knowledge of friendship. He smiled and blushed at the girl scratching the back on his head.
"Sure Mako-Chan! I think we'd make great friends!" He smiled even wider upon seeing her eyes light up with pure delight.
"Arigato, Naruto-Kun! I think we'll make good friends too!" She squealed hugging him, as Naruto froze because he had never felt this feeling physically or emotionally before. Once his shock wore off he hugged her back smiling himself.
She quickly pulled him out of the hug with a broad smile and grabbed his hand.
"Come on! Let's go play!" She smiled as she pulled him over to the playground, both laughing gleefully.
Unknown to either child, two pairs of pleased eyes watched in happiness at the two frolicking misfits.
"It's an odd friendship isn't it Hokage-Sama?" A man with spiky hair and a scar over his nose, asked as his eyes softening as he watched the boy and girl.
"Yes… Yes it is Iruka… She is safe with him, despite what the villagers think of him… Their relationship will be frowned upon by others but neither child will care, and that's the way it should be." The Hokage smiled and watched the girls every emotion holding on to each change of expression for dear life, not wanting to forget any of them.
"She looks just like her doesn't she Iruka? Every emotion, it is just like hers…" The Hokage said eyes still not leaveing her face.
Iruka looked back at the two children and smiled.
"Yes she looks like her and Kenta-San as well… But yes more so Natsuko than him." Iruka replied as the Hokage finally pulled his gaze away from her and turned to walk away.
"That is precisely what worries me, Iruka…" The Fourth replied as he walked away knowing there was nothing to fear, at least for the moment.
Iruka sighed catching the hint of depression in his voice and turned away, but not without looking at the two one more time, then followed the Hokage.
-:-End of memory-:-
-:- Present time-:-
Long blonde haired billowed behind a woman who was undeniably stuck in the musings of her own mind as she walked to her destination on a type of auto-pilot. Her amber eyes searched for the door and stopped right in front of it flipping through her clipboard, she found what she was looking for, as she slowly pushed the door open. She sighed then smiled at what saw.
"Lee…" She whispered kindly at the sleeping boy who hardly ever left the room.
"He hasn't left her side for more than and hour…" She whispered staring at his sleeping form.
She thought back to a few weeks ago when she overheard Gai freaking out because Lee had refused to train with Gai and his teammates, then wouldn't tell him why…
Tsunade then looked at the source of the problem, which happened to be lying asleep on the bed. Her chestnut hair flowed over her shoulders and her eyes were shut with a peaceful look gracing her angel like features. No one came to visit her except Lee and he wouldn't allow anyone to take care of her except for Tsunade herself. What worried Tsunade the most was when he wouldn't let even his beloved Sakura simply check in on her.
"He claims he knows nothing about her, but she saved him and Gaara both and he wants to be the first to see her when she wakes up… Gaara did agree and he wouldn't be one to merely lie to me on behalf of Lee… So maybe she really did do something for them…" Tsunade thought as she looked at the girl smiling one of her rare, un-drunken, Cheshire Cat smiles.
She walked towards our sleeping heroine and smiled pushed a few stands of her bangs away to reveal her face.
"Natsuko… She looks just like Natsuko… I miss you so much sometimes my good friend… If only I could have been there to help, you, Kenta, and poor Mako-Chan…But now you're all gone…" Tsunade thought as silent and also rare tears glazed over her disheartened eyes.
Suddenly her expression changed at literally the snap of a finger as she realized she was being watched from outside the window. Her right eye began to twitch as she looked up to see a shocked then blushing Jiraiya standing outside the window. He was scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment and fear of being eaten alive at by chance catching her, the Tsunade, crying over a young girl's bedside.
"Jiraiya!!" She shrieked but quiet enough not to awaken the sleeping teens.
He gulped and slowly pulled the window open and walked inside, as Tsunade stomped over to him one track mind, filled with only 'kill'.
Jiraiya put his hands up in defense,
"Before you start jumping to conclusions I wasn't watching you again, but I heard Naruto was still in the hospital after trying to retrieve Sasuke and I wanted to see him." He smiled happy that he thought of something that quick.
Tsunade sneered anger flaring.
"Dip-shit! You brought him back you already knew he was going to be in here for a while AND you knew where his room was in the first place!" She screamed pulling him closer by his shirt collar, as her eyes looked like pure and intense fire.
Jiraiya looked away then back at her, this time she could tell he was serious.
"You see her too." He stated feeling the pain of loss ripping at his heart.
"What are you talking about?! See who!?" Tsunade asked getting tired of his childish game.
"Natsu-Chan… She looks just like her and Kenta… I think it's-"
"Get out." Tsunade demanded venom dripping from every word and he knew if he stayed any second longer she would kill him, but he took the chance.
"Tsunade! What if it is Mak-"
"Get out!!" She screamed throwing him into the hallway, tears falling from her face, walked out of the room, and slammed the door behind her no longer caring if she woke up either teen from their slumber.
-:-Several Hours after Tsunades' Departure-:-
Makoto awoke at the sound of gentle beeping, while her eyes blinked open in curiosity. Suddenly the aroma of iodine and sterilizer invaded her senses.
"Wh-Where am I?" She asked looking around her
"Where's Usa-Chan and the others, and why am I-" Makoto stopped talking to herself in mid sentence and gasped.
"Naruto!" She screamed and sat up quickly preparing to jump out of bed but doubled over in pain before she could even swing her legs over the side of the bed. Her hand subconsciously went to her shoulder in pain and she pulled her hand back seeing no blood on her. She realized she must obviously be in a hospital, because her shoulder was wrapped in a type of cloth, probably to help her wound heal quicker.
"How did I get here?... Did Naruto wake up and bring me back?" She asked but then she remembered something, or more precisely someone.
-:-
A man with spiky silver hair and a Konoha headband over his left eye and a cloth over his mouth, came to her and Naruto's rescue. She tried to ask him to help her but she didn't even need to finish her sentence and he picked her up and she was looking down at Naruto, who was still sleeping.
She looked up as he picked up Naruto and took off. She could hear him talking to her and someone but she couldn't reply she was too tired. She could feel herself starting to loose consciousness again and she rested her chin on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck to try to keep from falling as they jumped from branch to branch.
Her eyes shot open at the feeling of another power near by them. The man had her hoisted over his shoulder a bit so she was unable to see what was in front of them; which at the moment was a good thing because behind them were two people who emerged from the bushes and watched them leave. They were dressed in an unusual attire; black coats that had crimson clouds all over them, and there was something strange about the way they looked, but Makoto was unsure of her vision because of her exhaustion.
Makoto tried to move, she desperately wished she could just yell at her rescuer to simply look back but all she could do was stare at them until her eyes couldn't stay open any longer.
-:-
"That man… I should remember who he was… But I-" Makoto's out loud thoughts were demolished by the sound of someone moaning then snoring softly. She acquired a confused expression and looked over to where she heard the noise come from and was surprised by what she saw.
There in a stiff chair slept Lee, snoring with a snot bubble coming out of his nose. Makoto couldn't help but giggle at the caring boy.
"Lee-Kun…" She said still giggling and then looking at the clock.
"Lee it's seven thirty in the morning…" She mumbled then looked back at him.
"He stayed here all night…" She said to herself, obviously not knowing that it was more like every night for almost three weeks straight. Tears then welled in her eyes, and then rolled over trying as best as she could not to let her shoulder make contact with the bed knowing it would hurt like Hell.
She then tapped the boy hoping he would awaken easily.
Nothing…
"Lee-Kun…" She nudged him gently.
Still nothing….
"Rock Lee!!!!" She screamed in his ear, unfortunately for Lee the only response he gave her was an incoherent mumble. She sighed and did the only thing left that she could do: kick over his chair.
She swung her leg over easily and knocked his chair, including him, onto the floor with a crash. The next thing she knew he jumped up ready to attack.
"What!? What happened!? Who attacked me!? Come out and fi-" Lee stopped upon hearing someone giggle at his groggily voice and half awake face. He looked down and saw Makoto smiling up at him.
"Haha, morning Sunshine!" She laughed at him giving him her traditional 100-watt smile.
Her laughing stopped when she felt his arms wrap around her body, and his tender voice penetrate her happiness.
"Mako-Chan! I am so happy you are okay! I-I was worried you were not going to awaken!" Lee shouted as Makoto pulled away and looked at his teary eyes with concern.
"L-Lee-Kun?... What are you talking about… Haven't I only been here for a day?" She asked.
"Mako you have been in here for almost three weeks… They were afraid you were in a coma…" Lee stated.
"N-Naruto! Naruto-Kun… Is he okay!?... Does he know I'm here!?" Makoto asked as Lee smiled.
"Naruto-Kun is unharmed and neither he nor Sakura-San know you are here… You are lucky too because Sakura works here at the hospital… It was very hard keeping her out though and-" Lee was stopped by Makoto hugging him.
"Thank you Lee… You knew I'd want to tell them I was back…" She smiled as she pulled away from the blushing boy, but then his expression became serious.
"Mako-Chan… While you were asleep… Naruto-Kun and Sakura-San… They went on a retrieval mission to bring Sasuke-Kun back… They did not succeed… Sakura was harmed and went through great deal and Naruto-Kun… He was in severe condition… But not as bad as when you came back with him… I am sorry Mako-Chan.." Lee said sadly as he saw Makoto with tears in her eyes as she stared blankly at the ground.
Her expression was dull and emotionless but he knew on the inside her heart was being ripped out and sewn back in over and over again.
"Lee, is Naruto-Kun still in here… In the hospital?" Makoto asked looking up at him as he smiled kindly and grabbed her hand gently.
"Come, I will take you to him." He beamed pulling her out the door.
From outside the window yet again a man smirked.
"Oh my God! It really is her!!... I gotta see this!" Jiraiya shouted and disappeared with a puff of smoke, obviously going to outside of Naruto's window awaiting the Thunder Senshi and the Konoha Beast's arrival.
-:-
"He is right in here, I will go in first then I will tell you when to come in okay?" Lee asked looking at her as she looked up smiling.
"Hai, Lee-Kun…" She whispered then looked down.
He looked down to see her eyes glistening with tears as she wavered at the door.
"Do not worry Makoto; Naruto-kun could never be mad at someone like you… I do not think anyone could be." Lee's soft and quiet voice reassured her as he put his hand on her shoulder.
"It's not Naruto-Kun who worries me… It's Sakura-Chan… Y-You know how short tempered she can be…. What if she hates me now or she-" Lee yet again stopped his younger friend.
"I know Sakura-San, and I know she would never hate you, or hold any grudge against you. You two were very close friends, were you not?" Lee asked as she shook her head yes.
"Then she could never hold anything against you, she will be undeniably happy just to know you are alive and well, Mako-Chan." Lee finished with his unforgettable thumbs-up and then stepped inside the door closing it behind him.
"Arigato Lee-Kun…" She whispered then heard Naruto's voice making her heart race even though he wasn't even talking to her.
"Good morning Fuzzy-Eyebrows!" She heard the blonde haired reble shout as Lee walked in, and laughed.
"Fuzzy-Eyebrows?... I should have expected something like that from him…" Makoto whispered with a small smiled gracing her lips, while tears began to fall as she thought of her long lost friend she was about to be reunited with after nearly a decade.
Her mind began to spin with so many thoughts about how Naruto might be upset with her and not talk to her she almost made herself sick.
-:-
"Gai-Sensei! If Lee doesn't want to train obviously there's something wrong and maybe he should deal with this without you breathing down his neck! It's not like he's in horrible shape anyway… And I think he needs as much rest as he can get after that encounter with Kimimaru." A girl with oak brown hair up in two buns spoke to her Sensei as she and her other quiet teammate, who uttered no words as they walked down the halls of Konoha Hospital.
The man walking spoke kindly as he looked at his pupil.
"Ten-Ten, Lee has something he's hiding and I want to know what it is that's so special about this girl!" Gai then walked even faster towards Makoto's room.
"Maybe he likes her… But he's still madly in love with Sakura… God men are so confusing!" Ten-Ten yelled crossing her arms under her chest as she walked in stride with the other two men she was with.
Neji spoke nothing the whole time. He couldn't agree with Ten-Ten because he too wanted to know what it was that kept Lee with this girl. For as long as he could remember, Lee never dared nor wanted to miss training and now all of the sudden he refuses to leave a simple, average, woman. Oh if only he knew how wrong he was about his last comment.
They rounded the corner where, you guessed it, Naruto's room was located. They stopped upon seeing the girl they had all been fussing over not two minutes ago.
"I-Isn't that her?" Ten-Ten asked looking at her as tears fell from her eyes while she looked at the ground her fingers tangling in one another, never stopping. They could see her whole body shaking.
"Yeah… But what is she doing outside of Naruto's room?" Neji asked speaking his first words yet.
Before anyone could do or say anything else Naruto's door opened as she looked up sniffing, took a deep breath, and then walked inside as they could hear Lee's voice but not exactly what he was saying.
They all looked at one another as Ten-Ten and Gai dashed towards the now closed door, leaving Neji to walk calmly as he sighed at the idiots he was stuck with.
-:-
Makoto's unhappy and rejected thoughts were diminished by Lee's voice as he opened the door.
"Naruto-Kun… I have someone here I think you will like to see… Again.." Lee said opening the door with a smile.
"Nani? Fuzzy-Eyebrows… What's going on?" Naruto asked sitting up trying to get a better look at the person who was supposed to be entering his room.
"Do not worry…" Naruto heard him tell someone. The door opened wider and the person entered. Naruto knew for a fact that his heart had stopped for at the least three seconds as the person completely stepped into the room.
-:-
"Move over Gai-Sensei!! I can't see over your fat head!!" Ten-Ten demanded harshly looking through the small window she was trying to share with her overbearing Sensei.
"Shush, Ten-Ten!! You'll make us look suspicious!" Gai commanded his subordinate, pulling his finger to his lips telling her to quiet down.
"Like you don't look suspicious already? Two people plastering their faces to a hospital window, yeah, that'll never get anyone's attention from down the hall while you're shouting!!" A female voice squealed from behind them as Ten-Ten and Gai's faces turned blue and slowly turned around to see Sakura with a clipboard and pen in hand.
"Neji!? Why didn't you tell us she was coming!?" Ten-Ten screamed knocking him over the head leaving him unharmed but with a pissed off expression.
"Sakura-San!? Hehe, Ten-Ten and I were just trying to talk to Lee… But he is talking to Naruto and a young lady." Gai spoke putting his hands up in defense, as Sakura gave him an accusing look.
"Young lady?... You mean you haven't seen this girl before?" Sakura asked them as she moved her way towards the door and opened it without even looking in the small window.
-:-
Makoto walked inside and her eyes immediately connected with trembling cerulean ones.
Her eyes still watered as she looked at him and smiled sniffing, while trying not to let her tears fall.
"Na-Naruto-Kun?" She asked stepping forward as Lee smiled.
"Naruto-Kun, do you remember-" Naruto stopped Lee by jumping out of his bed eyes never leaving Makoto's.
"Mako-Chan?..." Naruto asked watched her nervous expression change to pure reassurance.
She closed her eyes tightly causing two tears to fall down her flushed cheeks, and nodded her head, and as soon as she opened her eyes they widened to their full extent. She felt two arms wrap around her small frame as her chin rested on his shoulder. After realizing what was happening she wrapped her arms around him and cried in the crook of his neck.
"N-Naruto! I'm so happy you're okay!... I'm so s-sorry I couldn't some b-back here sooner I wa-" Naruto stopped her sobbing by speaking.
"Mako-Chan I thought you were dead… You being back right now is the best thing that could ever happen to me.." Naruto looked at her, which made her want to cry even more by seeing his eyes overflowing with tears of joy as well.
Makoto pulled away wiping the tears from her face then looked up at him, both beaming at one another.
"Look at you, you baka… You're all grown up and taller than me… And look you're a ninja now." Makoto laughed blushing looking at her first friend she ever made.
"Mako-Chan where have you been?! Everyone said that you were killed by-" Naruto was stopped by the door opening behind them.
"Okay Naruto! You know you're not supposed to be out of bed and running around!" An all too familiar voice shouted as Makoto froze upon hearing the voice.
Naruto perked up and looked behind Makoto. He smiled and wiped the tears from his eyes and jumped up and down.
"Sakura-Chan! Sakura-Chan!! Look! Look! It's Mako-Chan! Mako-Chan's alive, standing right here!!" He shouted feeling like his heart would burst with joy.
Sakura's head snapped in his direction then to Makoto's tear stained face, as she looked at her with overjoyed eyes.
Her mouth fell open and the clipboard in her hand fell to the ground with a crash. Her eyes began to fill with tears as the memory of when she first met Makoto flashed into her mind.
-:- Memory-:-
A seven year old Sakura had been sitting on the park bench by herself when suddenly three girls from the Academy had shown up and started picking on her. They called her 'Forehead Girl' and made fun of her for liking Sasuke.
"You know, you'd never have a chance with Sasuke-Kun! He likes pretty girls, not ones with big ugly foreheads that mope around because she has no friends that will play with her… Oh wait I'm sorry that came out all wrong! I didn't mean it!" The girl said the last part sincerely and covered her mouth, knowing she had said something bad. Sakura looked up her tear filled eyes full of hope that she was going to apologize.
"Y-You really mean it?" Sakura asked wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Oh yes! Of course I do that was horrible of me to say!" The girl said as kindly as she possibly could.
Although as Sakura looked down at the ground, the girl smiled maliciously at her three friends.
While still looking down Sakura asked.
"So, will you be my fri-" The girl cut her off by putting her finger under Sakura's chin to make her look up at her, as she smiled viciously down upon the cherry blossom, and spoke,
"What I meant to say was; an ugly girl who mopes around because she has no friends at all!" The girl laughed as did her friends seeing Sakura's mouth fall open into a frown as she looked down and put her head in her hands and cried.
"Hey!!" They heard an irate voice scream behind them making all three girls and Sakura look up.
"Are you talking to us!?" The girl who was obviously the leader of the little 'gang' spoke out rudely towards the girl.
"Yeah, I'm talking to you, you little stuck-up, snot-nosed brats!!" The brown haired girl seethed venomously.
"Well!? What do you want!?" She shouted with a sneer, putting her hand on her hip.
"Shut up, Karin! That's the girl whose best friends with Sasuke-Kun! He could be anywhere around here right now!..." One of the girls hissed to the girl named Karin.
"Yeah! And I don't want to get her or Sasuke-Kun angry! Plus she's You-Know-Whose granddaughter!" The other girl shouted.
"Leave this to me." Karin told the two girls.
"Hey, Makoto, right? What's wrong? I mean you're not friends with this girl are you? Then why are you so angry that we're just having a little fun with her? I mean what would Sasuke-Kun think if he knew you were getting all upset over something so stupid like this?" Karin asked as Makoto put her guard down looking over at the terrified Sakura, and smiled fiercely.
"You know what I think you've got a point! I mean, I'm not her friend, so maybe I'll do something about that!" Makoto sneered as she walked over in Sakura's direction as Karin and her friends smiled.
"Great! Now that we've got Kino on our side, Sasuke's mine for sure!" Karin whispered to her friends as Makoto passed.
Makoto was looking directly at Sakura then quickly spun around on her heal.
"You know what I think? I think Sasuke-Kun would want me to do this." Makoto smiled then grabbed Karin by her shirt collar and slugged her right in the jaw, her fist also connecting with her nose. Karin staggered back and fell over, blood splurging out her nostrils like water coming from a faucet.
Sakura's mouth fell open again but this time out of shock and happiness.
Makoto picked her up by her collar and brought her face to face with her.
"Oh yeah! And if I see you ever call Sasuke and thing other than 'Uchiha', or if you think about ever speaking to him, I'll personally make sure Itachi-Kun hears about this little ordeal. Got it, little miss Sugar Plum Fairy!?" Makoto screamed at the girl and her quaking friends.
Karin nodded and Makoto let her go and they took off running as fast as they could then she heard Karin shout back.
"Wait until I tell my daddy!"
"Yeah mine will eat yours alive BAKA!!!" (Mako's a bit of a spit-fire isn't she? lol) Makoto shouted then sighed while she turned around to see Sakura sitting on the bench her face blank of emotions.
"Hey?... Are you okay? They didn't hurt you did they?" Makoto asked as she got down on her knees to see Sakura's face. Sakura's moistened eyes connected with hers, as Makoto smiled at her.
"No they didn't hurt me… Physically…" Sakura said sadly looking back down at the ground.
Makoto's brows furrowed as she took a seat next to her on the bench.
"Well… Do you wanna talk about it?" Makoto asked kindly, as Sakura's head snapped up, to see Makoto's smiling face.
Sakura gave a small smile then told her all that they had done.
Makoto looked down then back up at her again.
"Wow… I should have hit that prick harder." Makoto spoke softly with a smile and heard Sakura giggle.
"And if it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're ugly, actually I think you'd look really pretty if you didn't try to hide your face." Makoto smiled and Sakura looked at her, and studied her face for a long time just to Makoto sure she wasn't lying.
"Y-You really mean that!!?" Sakura asked tears filling up her eyes again.
"Of course! Why would I lie about something like that!?" Makoto grinned at her, as Sakura looked away blushing.
"Arigato… "
"You're welcome; by the way, I'm Kino Makoto." Mako smiled extending her hand.
Sakura took it and replied.
"I'm Haruno Sakura… Hey Makoto… Will you be my friend?" Sakura asked sheepishly.
Makoto smiled broadly.
"Sure!...You know what Sakura-Chan?"
"Hum?" Sakura asked studying her new found friends gaze.
"You're the first girl friend that I've made… Only have two friends and they're guys… But I think you're going to be really fun too!" Makoto giggled as she pulled Sakura off the park bench.
"Come on! Lets go play on the swings!" Makoto laughed as Sakura smiled in agreement.
"Hehe! Last one there looses Mako-Chan!!" She smiled and took off as she spoke.
"He-Hey! No Fair!!" Mako laughed and sped after her new bubblegum haired friend.
-:- Present Time-:-
Sakura stared at Makoto's now aged and matured face, seeing the same smiling seven year old she had nine years ago.
"M-Mako-Chan?... Y-You're not dead!" Sakura cried as she jumped at her old friend each wrapping their arms around one another.
"S-Sakura-Chan… Y-You're not angry at me for being gone?" Makoto asked as Sakura pulled away tears streaming down her face.
"N-No you baka! I'm just so happy you're alive!... Everyone thought you had been murdered!... B-But that doesn't matter now 'cause you're okay!" Sakura cried as Makoto hugged her feeling as if everything was complete right now, all except, Sasuke-Kun.
Naruto smiled at the two embracing girls.
"Mako-Chan… I've really missed you…" Naruto thought watching the two.
Suddenly all happy moments were wrecked by the sound of loud sobbing coming from the door.
Sakura and Makoto looked at one another then turned towards the door with questioning looks, and sweat-dropped.
"Oh Lee! What a wonderful thing you have done for these three companions! I'm so sorry I ever doubted you! Can you forgive me!?" Gai asked Lee, a water fountain of tears flowing down their faces as Gai clasped his hands around Lees'.
"Of course, Gai-Sensei! I could never be mad at you!" Lee shouted and hugged Gai.
"Oh Lee!"
"Gai-Sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-Sensei"
"Lee!"
"Gai-Sensei!"
Makoto turns towards Sakura and Naruto, with a huge sweat-drop on her head.
"Do they always do this?" Makoto asked the two still going on behind them.
"Yeah pretty much." Both Naruto and Sakura replied as Mako face-vaulted.
Suddenly Makoto was tapped on the shoulder and as she turned around she was greeted by an older man smiling broadly.
"My, my, look how little Mako-Chan has grown! You look just like you're mother! Why don't you give Uncle Jiraiya a bug hug for old- humph"
"EEEEECCCCHHHHIIIII!!!" Makoto screamed and slugged him in the gut sending him flying into the closed window.
"Ero-Sennin!?" Naruto screamed at the fallen and now unconscious Jiraiya.
"Baka…" Sakura said putting her hand to her forehead.
"Oh God… I think I killed him!" Makoto said poking him, as his eyes swirled.
"Naa! He'll be fine in a minute or two…" Naruto replied.
"Wait… Ji-Jiraiya!?... I know him!... Opps…" Makoto said looking down at the sleeping man.
"Y-You do?" Sakura asked as Makoto shook her head yes.
"Yeah! His Sensei was my grandpa, and my mom said she used to hang out with his team all the time!... She said Tsunade-Chan was her best friend!... Speaking of which, where is grandpa? I can't wait to see the look on his face when he see's his favorite granddaughter's back in town!" Makoto smiled at the two and now the room was silent including Gai and Lee who had stopped crying to listen. Even Ten-Ten and Neji stepped into the room.
"Wh-What? Why's everyone so quiet?" Makoto asked looking around catching the eyes of the new arrivals and gave them questioning looks.
Before she could ask anything a shout was heard from outside the room.
"Sakura! What's going on!? People are complaining about the noise and Gai what the Hell are you and Lee… Wait… Lee! Where's that girl! I need to speak wit-"
The woman stopped herself when she walked into the room seeing Makoto standing there wide-eyed.
"Ts-Tsunade-Chan?" Makoto asked unsure because the woman in front of her looked the same age or younger than what she remembered nine years ago.
"Oh my God… You really are Makoto." Tsunade said covering her mouth.
"Ts-Tsunade… W-Why are you wearing Grandpas' Hokage outfit?" Makoto asked no one else in the room but the woman she considered close enough to be her Aunt.
They all watched Tsunade walk towards her not even trying to conceal the tears about to fall from her eyes.
"Makoto… Mako-Chan…" Tsunade spoke and wrapped her arms around her.
Suddenly the words of Setsuna came to her as she spoke them aloud.
"The main people you were associated with are all alive… That's all I can tell you but don't expect to go back and find no one precious to you dead because there will be at least one for e-each of-f you…No…S-Setsuna?... SETSUNA!!??" Makoto cried forcefully pulling out of Tsunade's embrace and grabbing her communicator out of her pocket, and then flipped it open receiving nothing but static.
"S-Setsuna!? Answer me!! I know you can hear me right now!! Pick up the damn communicator!!..." Makoto pleaded as everyone in the room looked at her in pity and confusion.
Tears poured out of her eyes, she still couldn't believe she was able to cry after all the weeping she had done already.
"G-God, I'm such a weakling…" She mentally berated herself
Her knees gave in as she fell to the floor.
"S-Setsuna… Setsuna, change it, change it back! Fix time!!!!...Please?... He's all I h-had left…"
"Mako-Chan?... What are you talking about?" Sakura asked tears brimmed her own eyes as she spoke.
Makoto didn't reply nor did she look up to acknowledge her friend, everything was happening too fast.
"Please?... Come here… I need to talk to you, Suna…You're my family too!"
Those must have been the right words to speak because suddenly the rooms' atmosphere felt so thick that you could hardly breath and in a cloud of purple; The Senshi of Time appeared.
As soon as her staff hit the ground Makoto was in her arms crying.
"Setsuna!... Why didn't you just tell me!!?" Makoto cried in her arms as she sighed looking at the young girl sobbing uncontrollably.
"Forgive me Mako-Chan… But it would have changed time so that many other people important to this world would have perished… I have gone back on my word to Selenity enough lately don't you think?… She wouldn't forgive me if I did something like that." Setsuna replied falling to her knees and hugged the weeping Makoto.
Setsuna looked up from comforting her at the people staring at her in utter shock and unbelievablity.
"Mako-Chan, come on now…. It looks like you have yet to tell your friends everything, ne?" Setsuna looked down at her as she still cried.
Setsuna smiled and wiped a tear from her eye.
"Come on, do this for Usagi-Hime… Be strong for her and your grandfather… They're still counting on you to save Crystal Tokyo." Setsuna reassured the The Senshi of Lightening as she nodded and stood up.
Setsuna pointed her staff at Jiraiya and his eyes blinked open. Suddenly they turned into hearts upon seeing her in her fuku, but she smacked him a crossed the face with her staff before he could even say anything.
Makoto almost smiled upon seeing Setsuna with a blush on her face.
"Jiraiya… One of the Three Legendary Sannins… A pervert… I should have guessed…" Pluto sighed glaring at the man holding his cheek in pain.
"Damn woman!!" He shouted as she turned and paid no attention to him.
"Now, I believe we have plenty to discuss." Setsuna said grabbing Makoto's hand as they sat on the bed, getting many confused stares.
-:-
Yes I know a bad place to leave off, but I'm tired and want to stop typing for today… But I think Set's will stay for the next chapter a bit longer than what I thought and I think I'll have her paired with Kakashi… Well whenever I have her show up, she'll be near him by 'accident', lol. Well the move reviews I get the more motivated I am to write, so please review! Lot's-O-Love, -Kat