The Backside of the Rose
Chapter 8
Written by GoldenStrike
Hey guys, hope you're enjoying the quick updates! I started this around two days after chapter 7 was published. So you betta be happy XD
Just a note about this chapter; it takes the course of one day, so if you see me write 10:00 PM, then 10:00 AM, I'm just shifting scenes.
Anyway, any questions, comments, concerns, (more importantly, reviews) please post in the review section, or email me at Make a useful message title so it doesn't get stuck in my spam folder, too
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It was a Tuesday morning, nearly 4 days after the conclusion of the team's personal training. Sasuke awoke from his slumber back in the Uchiha Manor. His eyes hurt, but that'd happened every day since he'd awoken. He quickly rose and walked out of his room to the family garden, plucking some necessary herbs to make a pain medication.
Around fifteen minutes later, he bumped into Itachi, muttering a 'Sorry'. He received no reply back, other than a glance from Itachi. Sasuke turned back, and grabbed his brother's shoulder.
"Hey! What was that for anyway?" Sasuke asked, angered.
"…" Itachi's eyes narrowed, and his left fist shot out to Sasuke's neck, as he slammed him against the wall, choking him.
"Go about your business, and do not bother me, younger brother." Itachi said with a venomous tone. He took Sasuke and threw him off, and walked back to what he was doing.
'Fuck's wrong with him? Some nerve he's got. Sasuke thought to himself. Sasuke walked off, and grabbed his breakfast.
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Meanwhile, Itachi left the Uchiha Manor, and happen to see Naruto walking towards his apartment, talking with another boy, who had a mushroom-haircut and black hair, along with a green spandex suit. His headband was wrapped around his waist, and he had some sort of fuzzy warmers on his lower legs. Itachi walked off, going back to his destination. Just as he turned, he heard the boy's voice.
"Hey! Sasuke!" Naruto said.
Itachi turned, and faced Naruto, who was looking at him. Just how could he not tell this wasn't his brother?
"I'm not Uchiha Sasuke. My name is Itachi." Itachi replied, with little emotion, and a slight smile.
'Wow, good work, Baka. 'Shows your smarts' The Kyuubi poked.
'Shut up, fox. They look a lot alike.' Naruto thought to himself.
"O-oh! I'm sorry." Naruto giggled, and rubbed his head. "Do you know Sasuke? You really look like him."
"I'm his older brother."
Itachi left the scene, as Naruto apologized, and entered his apartment. His thoughts traveled to his next mission at hand. The Hokage had made this mission just for him, and it was not something that happened often for a 17 year old ninja, still on a team of his own.
Itachi turned the corner, with Hokage Tower in sight. He jammed his hands in his pockets, and looked around the town he loved so much. With a smirk, continued walking, and as he entered the building, went up the stairs into Sandaime's office.
He knocked on the door, and after a "Come in" from the Hokage. Itachi opened the door, and greeted the elderly man. Sandaime motioned for him to sit down.
"Itachi-kun, I have a very important mission for you." He said very seriously.
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10:00 P.M.
Itachi exited Hokage Tower after thanking the Hokage for his time. As he exited, he noticed it was raining. The teenager looked up in the sky, and tears streamed down his face.
"Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun, Mother, Father…All of you, please forgive me." He croaked, and wiped his face.
Itachi walked back home and immediately went to bed. He had several nightmares that night.
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10:00 A.M.
Meanwhile, the sun shone down on Sakura and Ino as they sparred together. They had just begun, and the two friends were already going at it.
"You cheater! No ninjutsu in a spar, you Pig!" Sakura shouted at her as Ino cancelled her Mind-Control Jutsu.
"Shut up Billboard Brow! You couldn't beat me even if I didn't use any ninjutsu!" Ino fired back.
"Yeah, sure." Sakura commented back. In a flash, Ino was right behind her, with her kunai right behind her, ready to slice her throat.
"Yeah sure what?" Ino came back. "We both know I'm not fat, so calling me a Pig won't do you any good."
Sakura grunted, and then flicked off her weights, disappearing from Ino's sight. Sakura reappeared many feet from Ino, with a kunai in her hand.
"If I can't call you that, then what else do I call you?" Sakura threw back.
Sakura then stepped back, and charged at Ino with great speed, she and Ino clashed with their kunais, Sakura kept slashing back, and Ino did as well. The battle continued for around a minute, and the clank of metal could be heard quite far away, until Sakura connected with a left-hook to Ino's face.
"Sakura, that's enough. I'm tired. Let's just talk." Ino breathed out. Sakura sat down next to her, and the two looked at each other for a moment.
"So, how're Naruto and Sasuke?" Ino began.
"Sasuke's good! I'm so happy to be on his team." Sakura smiled sadly. "I don't get to see him much; we've only met once as a team. But I don't have to be around Naruto much either, so that's nice. He's so weird." Sakura sighed.
"Yeah, Chouji and Shikamaru are alright. Chouji's a better ninja than I'd given him credit for. And Shikamaru…" Ino stopped. "I don't want to give away our secrets, but I'll tell you; He's a great shinobi." She smiled. "We all work really well together, I guess."
Sakura chuckled. "That's good. How's being the only girl?"
"Are you serious? It's terrible! The boys are so stubborn and wear the same clothes every day!" Ino said, very excited.
Sakura laughed again, and then stood up, offering her hand to Ino.
"Hey. Do you um…want to go get some lunch with me?" She asked.
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10:05 P.M.
Kakashi entered the Hokage's office after being called in immediately. He did not wish to be late for something so urgent.
"Sit down Kakashi; I need to talk with you." Sarutobi commanded. Kakashi took a seat and opened his ears to what the Hokage would say.
"I've assigned a mission for Uchiha Itachi. It's an S-class mission, and maybe the riskiest mission we've sent anyone on from Konohagakure." He said sadly.
Kakashi's brow rose, and began to speak. "If I may ask, what is the mission?"
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6:00 P.M.
As the golden sky showered its rays on a young boy, with the sun's color applied to his hair, one Uchiha frowned as he looked over to him.
"Naruto"
Naruto was on the ground, and hearing his name, he rose, and turned to face the voice, which he immediately recognized.
"Sasuke" the blond boy responded, with a hand in a pocket, and a cocked knee. He leaned on his left knee. "What's up?"
"Want to spar?" the dark-haired asked at last. Sasuke's stare cracked as he smirked
Naruto grinned, and complied quickly. "Are there any restrictions?"
"How about no jutsu of any type, only taijutsu, actually." Sasuke replied.
"Alright then, Teme. Let's dance." Naruto grinned.
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Meanwhile, not too far from where Sasuke and Naruto began their spar, a man infiltrated Konoha, and was on the move.
"Master, we're almost there. Please prepare yourself… The graveyard approaches." said a man with spiky hair, and at least a ring or two dangling from his face.
"Ah, the time comes at last…I can truly live, and then we can start our goals." said a voice that was not tangible, but a spirit flying freely next to Spiky-hair.
But, these two infiltrators were not roaming undetected. A certain silver-haired sannin cussed inward as he saw Spiky-hair, and how they were dressed. He had no idea what he was here for, and there was no way anyone in this town in this present day could match him; He was stronger than anyone Jiraiya had ever seen. He himself was on no level to fight this man.
"Sandaime-san, get Itachi as far away from here as possible, they cannot meet now, it could botch everything… Hokage-sama, I think this man is one of them, and if that's true, then they're here. And we CANNOT hold him off… Best to let them do as they please, for it's only wasted lives and effort to attack him." Jiraiya scribbled down on a sheet of paper. He thus summoned a frog, to carry the message to the Fire Shadow, obviously.
He imagined this man as part of a food chain, for an obscure reason… There were the genin here, the insects, and then the chuunin, the frogs, the jounin, the snakes, the sanin, the eagles, the Hokage, the Lion, and this guy… He must be a human with a musket…
And with no limit to his ammo.
Jiraiya gulped, and quickly poofed out of his location before the man noticed him.
"Hey, listen up. You're also not to kill anyone lest they confront you, I feel the need to remind you." The spirit added as Spiky-hair simply nodded his hand. Spiky-hair let out a loud cackle that could make you shiver from a mile away.
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"Oi!" Kakashi called as he arrived at the meeting spot of Team 7. Today, he felt the need to be on time.
"What the hell?" Sakura replied as she blinked with Naruto and Sasuke. "You're on time!"
It'd been 4 months since Team 7 was formed, and they were a very capable cell. Kakashi came to reward them today.
"Yes, but it's not something you guys need to get used to. This is business only." Kakashi said firmly. "Well, I'm here to suggest that you three enter the Chunnin exams. How do you guys feel about that?"
Naruto and Sasuke quickly pounded fists with each other, each with a smirk. Sakura simply smiled, she choose to hide her excitement.
"You better believe we're entering, sensei." Sasuke answered.
"Good, then you need to enter the academy in fifteen minutes. I forgot to ask you earlier, you know how busy I am?" Kakashi said.
"You're the worst, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura called as she and her two friends ran off to the academy, setting out on their first adventure alone.
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As team 7 popped open the academy doors, they each exchanged glances to assure each other they knew the game plan.
'"Alright guys, we're keeping the lowest profile we can. Naruto, you've got the bulk of this task; acting like you did back in the academy. Any skirmishes you take part of need to be fought at your lowest level, lest you're going to kill your opponent. Otherwise, try to act like an idiot, though that shouldn't be hard for you." Sasuke finished, earning a shove from his blond teammate. "Sakura, your job is the middle ground, but still easy. Just lower your confidence level a little bit around everyone, that way people suspect you haven't changed." Sakura nodded. "And" Sasuke added, "I brought your old clothes from when we graduated, we can change along the way, it's another way to cast off attention."
"I'm only in this if you act more conceited than usual, bastard." Naruto replied with a laugh.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and nodded'
"Well, look what the cat dragged in! Team same old 7." Kiba roared with laughter. "What are you doing here Naruto? You're not strong enough to be here!"
"You better believe I am, dog-bastard. I'm ready to kick some ass as always." Naruto shot back.
"Kiba, get over here." Naruto recognized Aburame Shino's voice, which was filled with annoyance for his teammate. "Sorry to bother you guys."
"I-it's okay!" Sakura placed her hand behind her back, and waved.
Hyuuga Hinata hid behind Shino, hands up to her mouth, and her eyes on Blond-boy.
"You know Hinata" Sasuke walked up to her, lowering his voice so only Shino and Hinata could hear. "He'd really like it if you were straight with him. He'd like to know the truth, I bet." Sasuke said. He walked back to Naruto, and snapped in his face to get his attention away from his argument with Kiba. Naruto waved away his hand, and followed the raven-haired boy. Sakura was soon to follow.
"Naruto's never going to make any real friends that way." Akamichi Chouji laughed, and poked his friend and teammate Yamanaka Ino. They stood above on the railing leading to the main room, leaning on the rail.
"He's borderline retarded, what do you expect?" Ino laughed too. Nara Shikamaru, in between these two just shook his head. Everyone was so damn troublesome, after not seeing each other for months.
Team 7 walked past these three, the four boys ignoring each other, and the girls staring at each other.
As Team 7 entered the main room, Iruka sensei waved them over to his desk, and checked them in. He and Naruto talked for a little while, while Sasuke thought he noticed his brother, Itachi as a proctor. Though, he only caught a glimpse of him, as he was running at such fast speeds, only a Sharingan and a trained eye could see him. He saw him in a black cloak with cute red clouds, and a ring on his finger.
What's he up to? Sasuke cocked his head.
Sasuke looked around, and saw lots of people he didn't recognize. He'd say around 140 people, actually. One man stood in the middle, with a gong in hand. He rang the gong, and there was silence. Every eye was on him, for this man was Morino Ibiki.
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Alright! I'm sorry for the update lags… I've been busy. But, here's chapter. Anyway, this took a lot of time to think out, so just know I put a lot of effort forth here.
As always, reviews are received well, and loved by me. Anything you've gotta say.
GS