I'm soooooooooooo sorry I never updated :( I just found my missing flashdrive so here's Chapter 2...
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The ache that had settled amongst my bones was almost inviting when I awoke. It was not unlike a pulsing heartbeat in it's staggering predictability.
After all, I'd grown accustomed to pain as punishment; Sakura often punched me for exclaiming 'stupid' remarks and even Iruka had smacked me on more than one occasion for saying something at an inopportune moment.
And just how oblivious did they think I was to my own mistakes? Was it possible they believed I was actually dumb enough not to grasp how utterly ridiculous I had acted yesterday? Even I could fully recognize I deserved some kind of rebuttlement for such a crime of screwing up seven missions in a row...despite the harshness of their words, it just wasn't adequate. My whole, miserable excuse for an existence had been a giant problem or rather screw-up. But here I was, completely and possibly even eternally closed off from anyone who would do me justice for my crime of being born. How was I to rid of this feeling?
Clambering to a standing position, I noticed the chilliness within the air surrounding me. It gnawed at my exposed flesh, dauntingly flowing around me without ceasing. Freezing would be an understatement as I stood there shivering. Examining the landscape amidst me, I realized the rain from last night had turned to sleet sometime during the night. Shimmering frozen drops hung menacingly above in the upper branches of the tree stretched over me and the meadow, in which the tree rested, was covered with a light yet, intricate layer of frost.
My shinobi survival skills quickly kicked in. I was Surely, the cold would overtake me if I didn't warm up somehow, and that somehow needed to be fast. The shivers I'd simply brushed off before, had grown into constant racing, I jumped up the tree and, with one of my kunai, severed off two medium sized branches. I made quick work of cutting them into smaller pieces and arranged them into a triangle shape. Completing a few choice hand signs, I blew fire towards the timber.I tensed instantly. How stupid was I?! Wet wood doesn't catch flame...
However, frustration did begin to kindle a spark within me. What was I going to do? If I stay here, I'll develop hypothermia. The spark, slowly absorbed the rich wood I kept throwing upon it and began to blaze into an inferno. I'll die out here if I don't get warm somehow! Why wasn't I thinking when I ran out so far into the middle of...? Cold water doused the fire; my mind shutdown as I calmly sank my knees down into the frost-laden ground.
Why hadn't I noticed the peaceful warmth that lay deep within me? Perhaps I'd been to blinded before to it's serene comfort, but not anymore...I completely blocked my rationale of my safety away as I curled up beneath the large tree and closed my eyes to the harsh reality I never wanted to wake up to. It was like the short innocence of my youth, outside of the troubles that befell me yet, I lay at the center of those issues; the very cause of my own hatred. Laying upon the frosted ground, the numbness from the day before ghosted over the hollowness of my body. I felt nothing as my heart beat grew slower nor did I even notice myself losing consciousness.
I chuckled softly when I recalled Sasuke's cold, unforgiving eyes. A bittersweet longing spread throughout my being to somehow, by any means whatsoever, bring some sort of warmth to such a dismal stare. However, the feeling rid of itself much faster than it had even fabricated and I quaintly forgot the dark shadows of his eyes altogether.
Effortlessly, I sank into the awaiting depths of sleep. It seemed that all the flailing and gasping I'd done to keep myself from divulging into its icy calmness was entirely in vain. I should've known there was no hope from the moment I was tossed overboard; for although I'd painstakingly swam so far, the truth was dry land was so far away it could be considered amusing and my limbs had grown stiff and nearly unresponsive from the rough journey. Sinking was peaceful...accepting death was almost too easy...
Realization dawned on me and I peeled apart my cracked lips to congratulate a certain person for all this...
"I do hope you're happy now...Sasuke."
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Okay, so this chapter was written mainly to detail Naruto's, surprisingly quick, deterioration. I purposely made his thoughts somewhat choppy to emphasize how his mind is jumbled and what not. It's kind of a boring one but I tried to throw in some more foreshadowing for you. Also, thank all of you sooooooo much for your reviews :)
