Hello my fellow Naruto fans! I am so very glad that you all liked the first chapter. I am also glad that you all answered my request! I also heard that Arashi was or is (what ever the case may be) his name. So I guess I'll use that. I appreciate all the reviews. And for those who like TentenXNeji parings, you can go to my profile and check out my wacked out dream I had about them. But I warn all of you, that that fic is not all that good. That's how come I am proud of this fic. Well, don't own Naruto and I might never will, so I hope you enjoy this chapter!
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"Naruto."
"……mwat…."(what)
"Naruto, wake up. You'll be late."
"…mut nesei wallwais nate…"(but sensei's always late)
"Really? He comes two and half-hours late?"
"WHAT!?!?!?!" Naruto jumped out of bed and grabbed his clothes from the closet. "What happened to my alarm clock? More importantly, WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME?!?!?!"
"Oh, the alarm clock did go off. But you turned it off in your sleep." The man said in a sort of happy tone. He was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand reading an article in the newspaper. Naruto gave the man a glare. "Ok then…WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP?!?!"
The man stared up at Naruto from his newspaper and gave an emotionless expression. "I believe that you are more than capable of waking yourself up. But if next time, if you want, I will." Right after that he gave him a smile, took a sip of his coffee, and gave his attention back to the newspaper. Naruto gazed at the man and his calmness. For Naruto, it seemed hard to believe that someone would agree with him so easily. There must be a catch…or maybe he's being nice to me because I gave him a place to stay…but then he would have woken me up if he was doing that.
"Well, if you keep standing there, I don't think time will go backwards." The man said still looking at the newspaper. Naruto jumped up and grabbed his shoes and packed his shurikens and kunais in his pouch. After getting his headband and tying it around his head, he went to the door.
"Don't forget what I told you. Keep it cool, don't lose it." The blonde man said. Naruto turned around and gave him a nod then went back to the door.
"Have a good day, Naruto." The man said after him calmly. Naruto paused at this. He then thought about the times he heard children leave their homes for school then how their parents would always call out to them, telling them to have a good day and to be careful. It had always caused Naruto pain to listen to it. He was an orphan. And just like any other orphan, he wanted parents.
Naruto turned to look at the man and gave him a grin and a 'thumbs up'. Then dashed off, jumping from roof top to roof top.
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"What the heck, Naruto?!?" Sakura yelled at him as soon as he got there. Naruto gave her a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head.
"Dunce." Replied Sasuke. Naruto turned to look at him.
Keep it cool, don't lose it.
The words echoed in his head. Naruto then grinned at Sasuke and turned back to Sakura. "Sorry, Sakura. I turned off my alarm clock and went back to sleep. It won't happen again. Believe it."
Sakura, Sasuke, and even Kakashi stared speechless at the blonde kid. "Naruto? Are you ok? Do we have to have another history lesson?" Naruto then exclaimed, "No, no ,no! I want a mission. I feel fine. Better then fine! I feel great!!" Naruto said, feeling triumphant because of the face on Sasuke.
"Well…if you say so." Kakashi answered unsurely. Sakura stared at Naruto the whole time when they walked to go receive their mission. Something's totally up with Naruto. Its either he planning something or he…is actually trying to… change…
Sakura shook her head. Nah, that's not like Naruto. He wouldn't change. He would still be an immature kid who has a big mouth. He just responded differently today. She concluded.
"Ooooooo, look the ramen shop! Can I have a bowl? Please??? I didn't have breakfast today." Naruto asked while jumping up and down. Sakura smiled in relief. You see? Same old Naruto…
"Idiot, its your fault for waking up late. And if you're cool with it you would accept it the consequences." Sasuke said as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. He waited for a shout or a yell in disagreement. But it never came. He opened his eyes to a grinning blonde standing in front of him.
"Ok, fine. But you'll buy for me, 'kay?" Naruto said smiling with his hands behind his head. Kakashi and Sakura stared amazed at this scene. Alright, this is NOT Naruto.
Sasuke stared at Naruto with a frown. "What makes you think that I am going to buy you a bowl of ramen?" Naruto smile went away into thought. He placed a finger on his chin and started to tap it. "Well…its either I pay for my own bowl now…or, you pay a bowl for me later."
Sasauke stared at Naruto confusingly. Is he saying that as a threat?
"Now, listen you two, don't get into a fight. I didn't say that we can have ramen. Right now we have to and get our mission." Kakashi said trying to calm the two down.
"Alright, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said smiling a tiny bit, then turned around and started walking. Kakashi definitely thought that Naruto was acting strange but followed him anyways, then Sakura and Sasuke.
Something is up with Naruto, I don't think he is planning anything, but he is trying to accomplish something. Is it a new tactic to beat Sasuke at something? Sakura pondered over the possibilities.
He now thinks he's better than me. He thinks he can control me. Well, that's not going to happen. The Uchiha thought.
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Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi were now at someone's backyard, picking out all the weeds.
Something is defiantly not right here. Though Sakura as she tried to pull out a weed. She then grabbed it with two hands and tugged as hard as she could. It still wouldn't budge. Then she leaned with all her weight, and in a matter of seconds landed on her butt with the weed in her hands.
"You okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked pulling out a weed with ease, and with one hand. He had a whole bunch in his other arm. Sakura stared at Naruto going crazy. Yanking every weed he could get his hands on, easily with one hand.
Not right at all…Sakura sweat-dropped. He didn't complain at all when we received this mission.
-Flash back-
"Alright then, team 7. I need you to help pull out some weeds out of Mr. Asakura's garden, alright?" said the hokage.
"Alright! Let's go!" exclaimed Naruto as he grabbed the paper from his hands and ran towards the door, but then paused and turned around, "What? Aren't you guys gonna come?" The reaction he got were stares from Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, even Iruka, and the Hokage himself.
"What?" Naruto asked impatiently. "Do I have something on me or something? Did someone tape a paper saying 'kick me' on my back?" Naruto asked checking his back. He only got more stares.
-end flash back-
He didn't argue or anything! Something is up with him. Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't cause problems. Thought Sakura, trying again to pull out a weed.
I have a feeling that this isn't Naruto. Sasuke thought. He pulled out with a weed just as easily. Whoever it is, I'm keeping my guard up.
As Naruto was pulling out a weed, which was really stuck in the ground that he had to use both hands and also use his weight, he fell backwards and bumped into Sasuke. Sasuke immediately reacted and pinned him down, holding both his arms on his back. Naruto tried to break free, but couldn't. "What the hell is wrong with you?!?!?" Naruto yelled. Kakashi and Sakura rushed to them.
"Who are you?" Sasuke asked. His eyes narrowed. Naruto turned his head around as far as he could and said in disbelief, "What do you mean 'who are you?' Its me! Who else?"
Sasuke chose to ignore this. "I asked you a question, now answer it!"
"Naruto Uzamaki! There happy??? Now let me go!" Naruto squirmed under Sasuke's grip. Sasuke frowned. He didn't get why he just didn't do an escape jutsu?
"Sasuke stop. Let go of him." Kakashi said. Sasuke turned to his sensei and frowned. "Sasuke, just look at him, how can it be anybody else?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and stared down at Naruto, who was glaring back at him at the corners of his eyes. Sasuke activated his sharigan and stared more closely at him and his charka patterns. There were the same. Sasuke quickly let go of Naruto without an expression oh his face. Only a glare.
"Now, Naruto, don't get angry at Sasuke. I think you need to tell us what's been going on." Kakashi said to Naruto. Naruto got up from the ground and brushed the dirt off him, then narrowed his eyes into a glare at Sasuke. Then looked up at Kakashi with his frown and bottom lip curled up. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Kakashi gave a sigh, "Alright then. Sasuke. Sakura. Continue on the weeds. I will talk with Naruto." Sasuke and Sakura hesitated with Kakashi's orders but followed them anyways. Kakashi then took Naruto a bit far from them and talked.
"You've been acting strangely, Naruto. What's going on?" asked Kakashi. Naruto stared up at his sensei with a confused look. When Kakashi saw this he sighed once more. "There's Sasuke, you usually snap back at him when he says his rude remarks. Then you didn't complain at all when we received this mission, in fact, you were delighted to receive it, why is this?" Kakashi asked calmly.
Sasuke and Sakura were hiding in the branches of the trees above them, listening to their conversation.
Naruto was silent. For some reason he didn't want to tell Kakashi that he let a stranger stay at his house. He had a feeling that Kakashi was going to tell him to tell the stranger to leave. Naruto didn't want him to leave at all. He thought that the man was kind and gave good advice. But apparently it was advice that wasn't his character. Sasuke and Sakura would probably think he would be an idiot if they found out. But Naruto really didn't care that much of what they would think, just as long as the man could stay with him. Until the stranger himself found a place to stay.
"Well?" Kakashi asked again, "Has something really upset you, Naruto?" Naruto remained silent.
"Listen, it affects the team when stuff like this happens. They probably would leave something to you, without knowing that its actually hurting you." Kakashi said. "You might think that nobody cares about you Naruto, because of who you are, but now you have at least a couple of friends, and it's a good start too. But because you have friends now, you can tell them what's causing you pain."
Naruto gloomily looked down at the ground. He didn't want his eyes to meet those of his sensei.
Up in the trees, Sakura looked down at them sadly, What's bothering him so much?
Kakashi gave a sigh when he noticed that Naruto was giving him the silent treatment. Then sighed heavier when he felt the presence of the two who were eavesdropping. "Did you finish with the weeds? Sasuke? Sakura?" The two twitched as their names were called, but they came down anyways.
"Well? What happened to the weeds? It's a mission to get rid of them. Why aren't you doing your mission?" Kakashi asked the two.
Sasuke answered back, "Well, it seemed that you didn't noticed that when you left, that there was only like…three weeds left!" Sasuke sounded annoyed. Sakura nodded nervously. Kakashi sighed once more, it seems like I can't get rid of them. He turned back to Naruto, who was hoping that they would argue more. "Well, Naruto? Is anything bugging you?"
Naruto was starting to get annoyed with them and their questions. "No." he simply stated.
"Really?" Kakshi questioned, while at the same time Sasuke said, "Liar." And Sakura asked "Are you sure?"
This got Naruto on his nerves, "Listen I just want to be respected ok?!?! Is that too much to ask for?!?! And as to why I was so happy on receiving our mission, I want to be hokage!! I want to be the best there ever is!! But I figured out that I have to care about this so much that I will being to do the small AND the big missions!! To be the best hokage there ever is I have to think about the village before anything! Even if the village HATES ME!!!" Naruto started to take deep breathes in after exclaiming all this.
He had thought about all this last night when he fell asleep. It was the stranger who told him about being Hokage. The stranger never said that he himself was a hokage, but he pointed out the key points to becoming one.
-flashback-
"I want to be the best!!! Better than any of the rest! Much better that the fourth!!" Naruto exclaimed.
The man smiled faintly, "If you really want to be better than the past hokages then you must practically love this village."
"Huh?"
"What I mean is this; if you want to be the best, then you have to care about the village. It is not smart to become hokage if all you want is respect. You have to take care of the village like if it was the most precious thing to you. With becoming hokage, you will encounter problems with other villages. Even big enough problems that cause wars. That's the whole point to becoming hokage. Hokages care about their villages so much that they would sacrifice their own lives in battle to protect it and lead it. They are the representative of the village basically." Explained the blonde man.
"Hmmm…" Naruto had never thought of it that way. He had only thought of it a way of getting respect.
-end flashback-
Naruto chest kept rising up and down with each breathe he took. He was frustrated and annoyed about all the people of the village. He hated that they would just think he was a monster. Just like the man said; it wasn't his fault. What had he done to deserved it?
Nothing!! Nothing at all!!! Naruto yelled inside his head.
His team stared at him with confusion.
When…did he…get mature? I thought he just wanted to be hokage so that the village would just have to bow to him. But…I think…he actually cares about this village…Sakura thought.
Sasuke stared at Naruto hard. I guess…the dope really has changed.
Kakashi also stared at Naruto, only he had an emotionless face. I wonder what…or…who made Naruto realized this. "Well our mission is complete and the sun will set in about 2 hours, so... how about that ramen?" Kakashi smiled inside his mask.
The three Genins stared at Kakashi's random question. But Naruto thought it was the best random question ever.
"YEAH!!" Naruto jumped. Sasuke and Sakura sweat dropped at the sudden attitude change.
"Well then, shall we?" Kakashi said ashe started to head for the shop.
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"This is your treat, right, sensei?" asked Sakura breaking apart her chopsticks. Kakashi only smiled as he broke apart his.
"You are still going to pay for mine right?" Naruto poked Sasuke with his chopsticks.
"I said it before: WHY the hell should I pay for YOU?!?" Sasuke growled. Naruto pouted, "Fine. But you owe me!"
"I owe you shit." Sasuke said coolly as he picked up some noodles.
"Now, now. No fighting while we eat." Kakashi pleaded.
As they all ate their ramen, Naruto thought about what happened earlier.
"EVEN IF THE VILLAGE HATES ME!!"
Oh, damn it, I lost it, didn't I? Naruto thought after remembering what the man told him. Then he froze.
"What happened, Naruto? Is your ramen bad?" Sakura asked, since she was the first to notice this. Naruto slammed his fist against the counter. Which caused Sakura to jump a little.
"Damn it! I totally forgot!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Forgot what?" Sakura and Kakashi asked in unison.
"Idiot." Sasuke said as he took a sip from the soup. He was assuming that he forgot something stupid.
"None of your business!" Naruto exclaimed as he pointed at him, then asked to the three of them, "What type of name would you give someone you have just met?!?!"
"It thought you said it wasn't my busi-" Sasuke started.
"Shut up and answer the question!" shouted Naruto.
"Calm down, Naruto. We don't understand what you're talking about." Sakura said trying to calm him down.
"Arghhh!!! You guys don't help!" Naruto exclaimed, running off.
"Naruto! Wait!" Sakura called after him.
"He might care about the village but he won't be on top of things if this keeps up." Kakashi stated, eating some noodles.
"Hmp…"Sasuke took another sip of his soup.
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"Ahh…sorry!" Naruto came busting through his house door. Only to find that no one was there. Naruto paused as he noticed this. "Hello?"
Naruto walked around the apartment. It was much cleaner than before. Books were placed back on the small bookshelf. All the dishes were washed. Movies were back in their place. The windows looked a bit shinier. Even everything inside the refrigerator was organized, instead of a big mess.
Naruto stopped in the middle of the room. He was sad. He didn't find any of the man's belongings. No trace of the man was left, except the cleaning. Naruto frowned at himself. It was probably an apology for not waking him up in time. Now Naruto regretted yelling at him for it. Even if he only knew him for even less than a day, he felt like he belonged there.
Naruto went and sat in the corner, looking out the window as it began to rain.
Stupid rain…trying to make it tragic.
As Naruto sat there, he began to think of the names he could have named the man with. What would be a good name though? I hardly know him. Yet…at the same time…I felt like I've met him before. Arghhh, he could have at least left a note saying that he found a place! Naruto slammed the wall with his fist. Damn him.
"Whoa…what has the wall ever done to you?"
Naruto looked up to see the stranger. The man smiled at him. "Can you talk to walls or something?" Naruto jumped up and yelled, "What the hell?!?! Where were you?!?! I thought you left!!"
The man had a nervous smile, scared that Naruto would kick him out, "Calm down Naruto, I would have at least left a note saying that I would have gone."
Naruto glared at him, but it didn't last long. "Then where were you? And where are your stuff?"
The man gave a puzzled look, "My stuff? Their under the table. Didn't you see them?"
Naruto looked behind the man and saw his belongings there…under the table. A small blush from embarrassment came upon Naruto cheeks. "Oh, hahaha." Naruto chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. Then man chuckled also.
"So how was your day? Did it go alright?" The stranger sounded excited to hear what had go on that day. Naruto grinned, "It was great!! It got a bit shaky towards the end, but don't worry. Kakashi-sensei made it better by buying us ramen!" Naruto gave the man a thumbs up.
"Is that so." The man seemed unsure if buying them ramen was a good thing or a bad thing, considering that it wasn't the healthiest food in the world.
"Oh, and about naming you, I can't think of anything. I mean, like, I don't know you well enough." Naruto said.
"Hmmmm," the blonde man began to think, "well, how 'bout after you get to know me a bit more, then you can name."
"But what am I supposed to call you NOW?" Naruto asked.
"Whatever. As long as it's not rude." The man said.
"You're just making it harder for me." Pouted Naruto.
The man chuckled again, "So, today went well, then?"
"Yea, and?" Naruto asked with a frown on his face.
"What about this Sasuke Uchiha? Did you get in a fight?"
"Well, with the advice you gave me, the fights were a lot shorter." Replied Naruto.
"Good, what about the Sakura Haruno girl? You said you liked her didn't you?" the man questioned.
Naruto cheeks became pink again, "Yea…what about her?"
"Well, I was wondering today if she liked you back, or if she already liked someone else." Said the man.
"……she……she likes Sasuke, but I don't think that he likes her back." Naruto said a bit annoyed.
"Hmmm….thought so…" The man tapped a finger on his chin, "Do you know anyone who likes you?"
"WHAT?!?" Naruto exclaimed, "Did you forget who I am!?!? Nobody likes me!"
"Good, tomorrow starts off the weekend so, how about we go pay that person a visit?" the man stated.
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fumikomu ze akuseru kakehiki wa nai sa sou dayo yoru wo nukeru! Sorry, I was just listening to one of the theme songs from Naruto called Haruka Kanata. Anyways, what in the world is this man planning? And who is this person who loves Naruto? If you don't know, then you're obliviously blind. Or stupid. Either one is fine. But I hope it's the blind one. Well I'll see you next chapter! Oh and check out my profile for live updates and stuff! I will be asking a question that will affect this story. See ya next time!