Disclaimer: I do not own "Naruto" or anything related to the series
Chapter Thirty-four
The quiet could penetrate through a brick wall. Although the birds were singing and the sun was shining, the dreary atmosphere around Karibi and Naruto was proof enough that they did not see the same, sunny day as others did.
She had told him everything. From the day she met Minato and Kushina down to the very minute they met. She explained her past, the truth of her own parents and how Naruto's parents had taken her in as their own.
The hardest thing for her to tell him was the night she had visited the hospital.
After that, Naruto face had gone pale.
He had let her speak in full. Whatever questions he had, she had answered with her anecdotal story, though it didn't seem to ease the chaos in the boy's mind. Even when all had been said and done, the blond remained silent.
The whole night after had been spent in silence.
"...Naruto?" Karibi eyed the boy, his stare averted to the dirt and his legs drawn up to his chest. His face was hidden behind his knees, though the gleam in his eyes told the woman enough; his heart was aching.
She had been expecting an explosion of anger. She had been waiting for Naruto to give her a raging outburst—some sort of cursing, even. But his complete shutdown frightened her more. Her skin was crawling, and the longer that he said nothing, the antsier she became; a reaction would have been far better than nothing.
"...Naruto, what are you—"
"Do...Do you still hate me?" Karibi's eyes widened.
"I...I never said I hated you."
"You don't need to say it." Naruto shrunk into himself.
The young woman clenched her jaw shut, trying to find the right words to say. The conversation itself had been tiring enough; this was far worse. "...I was very naive when I was younger, Naruto. I had a lot to learn. I didn't—I couldn't understand—"
"Why won't you answer me?" For the first time, Naruto lifted his head and looked up at Karibi.
Her heart stalled when tears began to form in his eyes.
"Na—Naruto—"
"You always do this!" Naruto wasn't a fool. He was young, reckless, maybe stupid at times, but a fool, he was not. "Why can't you ever just give me a straight answer?!" By this time, he was up on his feet, pointing an accusatory finger at Karibi. The 22-year-old gapped, leaning back from his hand as if it were a kunai being held to her face.
"...Of course, I don't hate you, Naruto." That was the honest truth.
"How the hell am I supposed to believe that?! You're always running away from me—you always push me away! You tried to..." The tears began to pour out of his blue eyes. "I thought you were different! I thought that you actually cared about me!"
"I do!"
"No! You don't! You're just like everyone else! No! You're worse! Because at least everyone else was honest about hating me! You—You just pretended to care! It was never because you loved me!" Karibi was quick to stumble to her feet, shaking her head earnestly.
"That's not true. Naruto, I swear—"
"Save it!" Pivoting on his heels, the boy began sprinting away from his guardian; his brain and heart were running on low and were being overloaded with too much information and too much emotion.
"Shit—Naruto—" Before the jonin could dart after the boy, a firm hand grabbed her wrist.
"Don't." Amethyst eyes widened like saucers, Jiraiya's unnoticed presence finally revealed.
"What—"
"He needs a second. You need to give it to him." And he was right.
Grimacing, Karibi relented, looking back towards Naruto; he was nothing but a shadow from where she was standing. Her brows furrowed inward before the woman sighed, shaking her head and running her fingers through her hair.
"Fuck."
*Two Weeks Later*
He wouldn't talk to her, but whenever she came for him he would comply; Karibi was grateful for that.
It was late, again. Most days he spent trying to break the rubber ball, and he wouldn't stop until well into the night. Karibi wasn't sure if it was because he was truly that dedicated or if it was because he was avoiding her; they hadn't spoken in what felt like years. The woman didn't pry, wanting Naruto to come around when he was ready. She knew she had unloaded a lot of painful information onto the boy, and she knew that he already had a lot on his mind. But she also knew that she couldn't hold back anymore. The path that Naruto led meant many things. He would face many obstacles and dangers, and that meant he needed to be prepared; she wanted to make sure that she did her job as his guardian.
The crunch of leaves under feet filled the night air, the full moon guiding the Uzumaki's as they made their way back to the hotel. Karibi led the way, using all of her self-control to keep her eyes on the road. All the while, Naruto's head hung low, his arms aching and his heart aching just as much.
"...Why'd you decide to tell me?" Karibi nearly jumped; she had adapted to the silence between them quickly.
"What do you mean?" The blond shrugged.
"You didn't have to tell me...You didn't have to tell me everything. But you did anyways." Naruto stopped in his tracks to meet Karibi's gaze. "Why?"
With a deep inhale, Karibi looked up to the sky and smiled softly. "Do you remember that day you found out about the Kyuubi inside of you?" Naruto slowly nodded. "Mizuki had told you everything about the Nine-tails, and it should have been me." She still scolded herself for that from time-to-time.
"I wanted to tell you everything so you would know the depth of your circumstances. With everything suddenly playing out the way it has, you deserve to know the truth—and the full truth. And I wanted you to hear it from me...because you deserve that too." The blond's gaze softened, though the stale expression on his face didn't fade; Karibi would still take this moment as progress.
The redhead watched as Naruto began marching past her with his head high but his eyes ahead. Her smile fell, but the spark in her eyes remained; she followed after the boy in silence.
*Two Days Later*
He was doing his best to hold tightly to the anger he felt. He deserved to be irate with Karibi. After what he had learned, if he never talked to her again—that would still not be enough. But Naruto had never been good with holding grudges. It wasn't in his nature to hate. And in truth, the loneliness that he had nearly forgotten about was a far stronger sensation than anything else.
Carrying a plastic bag of food in his hand, the genin trudged his way back to his training site with a long face. For a brief second, his mind flickered back to the father and son he had seen in town, and the loneliness that had been spreading in his heart hurt just a bit more.
"There you are." Looking up at the deep voice, Naruto found Jiraiya perched on a boulder, waiting patiently for his food. The genin didn't answer immediately, his eyes unconsciously wandering the clearing for a second; Karibi hadn't come to check on in him a while.
"...Oi, Pervy Sage." Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "You think you could stick around for a little today?" Naruto did well not to instantly react to the man's refusal.
"I have to keep gathering information. And anyways, unless you learn to figure things out for yourself, that jutsu will never work." Naruto's eyes fell to the ground.
That wasn't what this was about.
*Two Days Later*
"Still the same condition..." Karibi's eyes traced over the note she had received two more times before she let out a tired huff and leaned back in her chair.
Guy had been doing well with keeping his friend informed. They had been exchanging updates with one another since they had parted ways at the outpost village. With the bleakness of her life, as of late, Karibi had been crossing her fingers for some kind of improvement back in Konoha However, it seemed Kakashi and Sasuke—even Lee, were all still stuck in a stalled recovery.
The jonin's eyes flickered up from the message, her gaze drifting to the door of the hotel room. After a few seconds, the door flew open; Jiraiya strolled in with a grim look on his face. The stale expression stirred confusion inside of Karibi, the woman sitting up in her seat and watching as the sanin strode into the room.
"...Struck out with one of the ladies?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I never strike out." Karibi smirked.
"What's wrong then?" the redhead inquired curiously, watching as the older ninja sat down on his futon.
"...Have you seen Naruto lately?" That surprised Karibi.
"...I saw him a few nights ago. Why? Is something—"
"No need to panic. It was just a question." Successfully, Jiraiya had calmed the woman down.
"How is his progress?"
"Just as it was yesterday and the day before." The man paused. "...You should go see him." Karibi's brows furrowed with confusion.
"...I wanted to give him some space. I don't think me constantly hovering over him will help him move on from what happened," she stated thoughtfully, eyeing the 50-year-old; he shrugged to her reply.
"It was nothing more than a suggestion."
"...I doubt he would want to see me, anyways." The guardian was standing from her chair now.
"You, of all people, should know that just because you're angry at someone, doesn't mean you stop caring about or loving them."
§
She tried not to panic when she found Naruto on the ground.
Jiraiya had awakened a curiosity in the woman. And when he had decided to go out and complete actual investigating, she had taken the time to think about his words.
She had to admit she was lonely. And it wasn't as if she was unfamiliar with the feeling. Loneliness had been her friend for a greater part of her childhood—a greater part of her life. But she had realized that meeting Naruto—it had opened a floodgate; his spirit had brought her a sense of peace. The last few weeks of silence between them was taking a toll on her, but she wanted to be respectful. She had spent a great majority of her time with Naruto tossing him around and placing his needs in second to hers. And so, she wanted to show him that he was first. Above everything else, he was now her number-one priority. Even though it had taken her too much time to figure it out, she wanted to show him she was being sincere. So, she gave him more space, and she gave him more time and didn't push anything.
Still, taking a peek during his training wouldn't hurt.
"...Naruto?" She had watched him for a few seconds, at first. He had been sprawled out on the ground, his chest rising and falling heavily. There was a quake in his body, though Karibi had easily concluded it was from using too much chakra; his hands, especially, were weak. She gave the boy a few seconds to recuperate, but when he did not rise back up to his feet, she frowned.
After another few seconds, she stepped out of her hiding place.
"Naruto?" she called out, again. A heaviness settled in her chest as she cautiously approached the unmoving genin. And when she was finally hovering over him, her eyes widened.
"Shit!" He was in a coma-like state. His eyes were cracked open and glazed over, and his breathing was shallow. She tried not to think about how long he had been in this state for, scooping him into her arms and rushing back to the hotel.
"This is exactly why I told you not to overdo it!" she barked; her voice echoed in the boy's ears. "You should learn to listen to you elders, Naruto!"
"...Ri—Ribi-chan." That almost made the jonin falter.
Looking down with wild eyes, said kunoichi met Naruto's tired gaze. He could hardly move, but the small smile on his lips was enough to make her vision blur. "Yeah, it's me, Short-stuff." Gracefully, the woman jumped up on to a building rooftop.
"...Did you...Did I make you worry?" His voice was raspy and haggard, barely louder than a whisper. Karibi shook her head before she began to chuckle, looking up as she leapt onto another rooftop.
"Of course, you did, idiot." Karibi smiled down at Naruto. "You're my family."
§
It was like a blur—as if he had fast-forwarded through the night. He recalled falling to the ground—he even remembered trying to sit up but failing. After five minutes, he promised himself he would get back to his feet and continue.
After that, it was hard to say exactly what happened.
He did remember Karibi's warm smile.
He could have sworn he saw her tears, as well.
With a loud groan, the boy pushed himself up, rising from his futon. He blinked, the muscles in his arms feeling a little less tight and a bit more relaxed than the night before. And when he found damp towels wrapped around his forearms, he realized that the pain had been eased away.
Looking around the hotel room, he found it empty.
§
"You've been going to the same places I've already checked?!"
"It was an easy mistake! Anyone could have done it!"
"This is unbelievable! This is why I told you to take the damn map with you!"
"Karibi, don't be so loud so early!"
"You bast—"
"Ribi-chan." Karibi and Jiraiya paused, their bickering placed on hold as Naruto's voice cut between them. The young woman swiftly turned to look back while the Sage remained quiet; his expression was blank, but his eyes were warm.
"Naruto! You're up!" Karibi smiled. "Sit and eat before you go." She carefully kept her words short but welcoming.
"Wait!" The redhead paused. Naruto's lips were pursed while he looked anywhere but at his guardian. The two adults raised their brows at one another but said nothing, letting the blond continue. "...Thanks." He didn't say anything else.
And he didn't need to.
It had been a long time since Karibi felt such relief. So, she relished this moment; his appreciation was genuine. "...Come on, Short-stuff. Eat so you can master this second step." With a pat on the boy's head, the woman stood and headed to get him a tray.
Naruto smiled.
Hi guys! I'm baaaack! I'm sorry for the unintended cruelty I've been tossing at you readers with coming in and out randomly! Life is unpredictable, as well as writer's block...but as I've always said, this story is not one I'll ever leave behind or drop, so there is always that :)
So, there is clear discord between Naruto and Karibi. Up until now, the two of them have been able to get along and get over their humps, so writing this conflict between them has been different and almost a little difficult. It's hard having to express being angry at someone you care about, as it s in real life when you are personally upset at a person that you consider a friend or that is family to you. So, writing this between them was interesting, to say the least! As we see what unfolds and how things happen with Tsunade and Orochimaru, we'll see how Naruto and Karibi's relationship shifts and is impacted!
I really am grateful to everyone that is still here! This story has been around for so long, and it's been a work-in-progress for so many years, so the fact that there are readers that have been around since i first posted really touch my heart! I promise to whoever is reading, I will continue updating (although I can't say how consistently I'll be uploading) and I will continue this journey with Karibi!
Enjoy!
Reviews:
Guest: Hi there! Yes, I'm here again! This is a story that I'll always find my way back to, so don't you worry LOL Things are going to being unraveling, as we all know (at least, I'm sure we all know) what comes next in this arc of the show. I'm really excited about how Karibi will impact the story as we continue on through the arc! I don't try and dip away from main plot points from the show, but with Karibi present, I think there will definitely be slight shifts with my story and what happens! Thank you for reading, and I'm grateful to you sticking around!
Guest: Never give up hope! I promise, I will come back to this story no matter what! I have everything envisioned in my head as far as where this goes until the end of the series, it's just a matter of getting it all written down/typed out...so please just bear with me! Thank you for you kind words! I've worked hard on this story and Karibi as a character, so to hear you say this is a story you really like makes me feel so good :D As far as Karibi and Naruto go and their current situation, I appreciate that you understand where I'm coming! It just doesn't make sense at this point of the series for Karibi to keep secrets or for her to not speak up. As we continue on, there will be more moments between Naruto and Karibi and I think there will be times for Karibi to reconcile with her past. I hope you enjoy this next chapter and future chapters to come :)
10868letsgo: Hello! Yes, I will try and add as many chapters as I can! This story (and Kakashi LOL) has a special place in my heart, so I really do have confidence that this will not be a story that I ever drop. Yes, you may or may not see periods of time where I disappear, but I'll always be back! Thank you for your patience and thank you for taking the time to read and review!
Guest: I know! I'm sorry for teasing! And I'm sorry if I tease again! But I swear, I'll keep updating this story until the end! Things have been crazy, however, I think life in general is crazy for everyone, and we can only do what we can, so I am grateful for your understanding! I'll continue to update, so I hope you continue to read and enjoy! Thank you so much :D
paulavara140: Hello! The next chapter is here! There isn't a ton that has happened, but it's all very relevant to the plot and what happens with Naruto and Karibi and the series, itself. I'll hopefully update soon, and when I do, I only hope that you'll continue to enjoy as you have been! Thank you for your time and for reading!
