Hey I'm back (I know, amazing isn't it) Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this next installment as much as I enjoyed reading your comments. Thankyou for the people who reviewed (too many names :P). Well, on with it...
Note: I almost named my pet hermit crab Naruto, but other then that I do not own Naruto.
flashbacks
"thinking"
"talking"
Chapter 5 - love's reevaluation
by Zynthos
A young woman of 16 years old sat under the shade of an oak tree. The tears that dripped down her face fell on the scroll in her lap, smearing the words on the page. Today had been the most emotional day of her life. To be caught up in love and then heartbroken within a minute is not good for the soul. It certainly effected Hinata's emotions. She opened her eyes to see hundreds of images created by the prisms of her tears. The opened scroll, now ruined, was covered in tearstains. "Oh well," She thought to herself. "Besides, I can't concentrate on reading anyways".
Her thoughts traveled back to the events after Naruto revealed his secrets.
Flashback:
"Hina-chan?" Naruto finally prodded. Without warning chakra shot out of Hinata. Naruto held his hand up to his face in order to look at the Hyuga who was now enveloped in a white colored aura. Hinata turned around to face the blond. Tears were running down her face.
"THE MAN I LOVE IS NOT A DEMON!!!" With that, a blinding flash of light shot away from Hinata causing Naruto to quickly close his eyes. For some reason, the result of the flash did not only affect his eyes, Naruto fell to the ground grabbing his stomach. He vomited before the blackness surrounded him. When Hinata realized what had happened to the blond haired boy she froze. Part of her wanted to run up to him and help, but the other part of her wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. Faced with this impossible choice Hinata tried to run away from the decision, effectively choosing the later option.
End Flashback:
Now that she thought back to it, Hinata couldn't believe that ran away. She couldn't believe that she could abandon her love like that, if he still was her love. She also didn't know what the chakra could have been. The thing that shot out her body was completely unexpected. It had never happened before. It was all so confusing. Hinata repositioned her back on the oak tree and attempted to wade through the muck in her head.
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The other two members of team 8 sat at a small café talking about battle positions and other such nonsense. They ate lunch together on a weekly basis. It began as a "get to know your teammate better" scheme, but became a weekly get-together where they could share thoughts with one another. Now Shino was one of the most observant ninja in all of Konoha so it didn't surprise him when Kiba brought Hinata into the conversation. Well, He wasn't surprised because of his observant nature and the fact that Kiba brought her up in their conversations for at least the last few months.
"Shino, I don't like it how Naruto and Hinata are getting all close like. It might jeopardize my chances. I have to make a move soon." Shino sighed.
"Kiba, I have analyzed the situation I believe that-"
"That we aren't compatible, that things wouldn't work out. I know what you want to tell me" Kiba tried to finish for Shino.
"No." Shino replied. "She doesn't like you". Nothing came out of Kiba's mouth even though it was opening and closing as if he wanted to say something. Did Shino have to be so blunt? Kiba voiced his opinion.
"Shino, that's a bit harsh isn't it? You mean to say, 'she doesn't like you, but she could grow to like you don't you,' didn't you?"
"No I don't. She doesn't like you. Why would I use a long sentence when a short one will suffice?"
"Still Shino, you could be wrong…"
"Kiba, I am a bug user, not a human specialist, but what my bugs have taught me is to look at things in a more direct fashion. All bugs know are how to eat and reproduce. Humans, however, have emotions. You cannot treat them as a prize to be won. I believe that the relationship will become worse if you push this any farther."
"Nah," was Kiba's reply. "You know that I'm not trying to win her like a prize. All I have to do is help her realize her affection for me. Thanks for your help, Shino. I think I'm going to talk to her now." With that, Kiba paid for the food and walked out the front door. An annoyed sigh escaped out of the usually emotionless Shino.
"Stubborn dog…"
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Back and forth, back and forth, Naruto sat on his old depleted mattress, slowly rocking back and forth, taking comfort in the squeaking sound it produced. His hand grasped a crumpled piece of paper, one that had once held a note. That note was no more as it had long since been washed away by the tears of the unbelieving reader.
Flashback:
Naruto found himself in the middle of a training field. The smell of vomit filled his nostrils which nearly made him add to the pile. He pushed himself up from the ground, away from the pool of vomit, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and started the weary trek home. As he neared his house, he could make out of the silhouette of a person in front of his door. Shizune was just about to leave a written message on the front porch, but when she saw Naruto and handed it to him, flashing him a sad smile. Naruto opened the door and sat on his bed before reading the letter. 'Dear Naruto' it started, 'I am sorry to inform you that Iruka is in the hospital. Currently, he is in critical condition. The doctors request that no visitors are allowed. I'm sorry. – Tsunade'. Naruto couldn't swallow what he just read. The day that 'couldn't get worse' just did.
End Flashback
He couldn't take it anymore. He was alone once again! Even though Naruto never gave up, ending his life didn't sound like such a bad idea; in fact, in fact, it sounded pretty good. "All the pressures in life would be gone in a flash" He said to himself. Nearly convinced to go the whole nine yards, a second thought came into his mind What if Sakura, his teammate and Iruka, his father figure got better? What if they find Teuchi, the kind man from the ramen bar? What if Hinata… the woman he loved, still loves him? Hope.
His mind lingered on Hinata. The time he first felt the spark rushed back into his mind. Ironically, it was all because of his flirting with Sakura a couple years ago…
Flashback:
"Sakura-chan! Let's have lunch together!" Naruto stood in front of the pink haired Kunoichi, practically on his knees begging Sakura.
"Naruto, you are so annoying!"
"Sakura-chan!"
"No, baka. I'd much rather wait for Sasuke than date you."
"Aww! Come on!"
"NO!" Naruto crashed into to wall by the side of the street, thanks to Sakura's fist. Unnoticed by the two, a pale-eyed girl watched the transaction from the safety of the street corner. Oh how she wanted to be in Sakura's shoes. But, sadly, it was not to be. Hinata began to walk back to her home when a voice called out to her.
"Hinata, what's up, you look sad" The mentioned girl looked up to find a blonde teen with a strange affinity for orange staring back.
"N-No Naruto-kun. I-It's n-nothing." Hinata replied. Her face blushed up like a cherry tomato.
"Come on Hinata, I want to help"
"ano… w-well… I s-sort of-f… l-like this-s… g-guy…"
"Oh? This guy is really lucky"
Hinata couldn't believe what Naruto had just said. She had already risked fainting by telling him her deepest secret, and now Naruto had said that the guy she liked was lucky… because of her!
"You-u see… He sort-t of… ano… l-likes… l-likes s-someone els-se"
"oh."
"yeah…"
"Well, you should tell him anyways, I mean, if it was me, I would want to know."
"r-really?"
"yeah"
"B-but what-t ab-bout him-m?" Naruto laughed.
"Hinata, you are too caring…" Hinata's face brightened like a lighthouse on a stormy day.
"Arigatou gozaimasu Naruto-kun!" Spirits lifted, Hinata hurried away lest she make a fool of herself in front of her crush.
"You know," Naruto thought to himself, "I wouldn't mind liking her. She's such a caring person. I should really get to know her better."
End Flashback
Naruto allowed a small smile after the warm memory. Ever since that day, little by little, they grew closer to each other. It wasn't love at first sight, it was definitely love at much passed first sight, but Naruto didn't care.; it had happened hadn't it? Naruto didn't know the exact moment he began to really "like" Hinata, but then again, at this point it didn't really matter. "No," He decided, "I won't throw my life away. There's too much to live for, too much to work towards".
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Hinata stopped crying after her long spell. Ever since she ran away, questions kept running through her mind. "Do I really still like Naruto? Did I really ever like him?" The answer to the second question was obvious. Of course she had liked him; her affection for him was unmistakable, at least before. The real question was the first one. Thus she sat under her tree for hours trying to find the answer.
"Well…" She tried to reason with herself, "I ran away from him on the field… does that mean I don't like him anymore? But now I feel guilty, does that mean I do? Arg! This is so confusing! It's all been so quick. I need more time to think this through. My head tells me that I should stay away from a demon, but yet my heart won't allow me to leave him. I've heard the expression 'listen to your heart', but my heart has been wrong on many occasions. Besides is Naruto really a demon? I mean, he cares for people and is such a good friend. Would a demon act that way?" She thought about it some more when another question popped into her head; one that summed up everything in her mind "Is a demon worth giving up the man I love? The question lingered in her mind. "Is it?"
Her emotions flared up again when she noticed Kiba walking up the street. She was not in the mood for this.
"Hi Hinata! Um… how was your day?" Hinata gave a slight grunt trying to tell Kiba that she did not want to talk to anyone.
"Um… ok. Look, I just want to… um… well basically… What's happening between you and Naruto?" Hinata's head snapped up.
"Don't talk about Naruto-kun." Kiba ignored his better judgment and continued to pry,
"Why do you like him so much, Hinata?"
"Why do you like me so much?" she shot back. Kiba thought about how to answer the question before giving his response.
"Well, for one you're beautiful-"
"Liar." She cut him off. "If you really wanted beauty you would have fallen in love with Sakura, Ino, or Ten-Ten… Anyone but me…" Kiba was speechless so Hinata continued, "He told me he loved me, but told me to forget about him…" Kiba was shocked at the comment. "I'm sorry Naruto… I'm sorry… but I… just… can't!" "Maybe this is too early to make a decision, but my heart tells me I do love you Naruto. Maybe my heart is wrong again, but I don't care. I won't let a stupid demon get in between Naruto and me." Kiba realized the gravity of the situation; the closeness of Naruto and Hinata. In a last ditch effort the dog user pulled out the "L" word.
"Hinata, I l-"
"Love you?" Hinata finished for him. "Well you know what? I hate you Kiba, I hate you. Now get out of my face." Kiba felt the sting like that of a hard slap. How could sweet, innocent Hinata have a bite worse then Akamaru? All Kiba could do was sulk away in shock, muttering "stupid ramen eater, stupid bug boy…"
Hinata sat in disgust, "The nerve of that boy" She thought to herself. Hinata felt a hand on her shoulder. She thought Kiba left, apparently not.
"What do you want n-"
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Naruto looked out over the stone faced hokages down at the village below. The view always meant something to the young ninja, and always gave him a spot of refuge for recuperating. For some reason, however, the lookout did nothing for him today. Yes, he decided to keep his life. Nevertheless, his load remained heavy, perhaps even more so with the knowledge of his requirement to go through whatever Kami-sama threw at him. He felt crushed in the middle of something much greater him.
After one last look over the mountain, Naruto started the long journey home but was stopped by a very annoyed voice.
"If you're planning on jumping off the hokage monument go right ahead. Don't worry I'll be joining you shortly." Naruto turned around to face a smirking Kiba.
"What's biting you?" Naruto tried to comment in a nonchalant way.
"Oh shut up baka!"
"What?!"
"You're the reason stupid!"
"…"
"I thought you were my friend."
"Wait, what is that supposed to mean?" Kiba let out a small growl, then a sigh.
"Just let me warn you. She's not as kind and pleasant as you might think."
"What do you mean?"
"No time!" A running Ino huffed out. "We have big trouble" handing Naruto a note. "I found it attached to a kunai thrown into the shop during work. Naruto read it aloud.
"Give this note to Naruto. I have Hinata. She is not harmed… for now. If you want her back, meet me at the edge of the old abandoned district of the city. Do not tell anyone unless you want her dead. We have ways of finding out."
Naruto was speechless. Could this day get any worse?
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Hinata woke up on a cold hard surface. She tried to get up but found that she could not. Metal chains bound her wrist and ankles forcing her into a spread eagle position. Hinata's face flushed red when she realized the compromising situation she was in. luckily only her jacket was missing, leaving her in a dark blue tee-shirt and Capri pants of the same color. Her long hair spayed out over the stone platform she laid on. She heard footsteps and turned her head to see a woman with flowing dark green hair. Deep purple lip-gloss graced her lips, and heavy eye-shadow adorned her complexion. Her loose fitting kimono, revealing more then is should, looked like it was about to fall of her slender, tall figure. What made Hinata most afraid was the glint in her eyes, like the one you see in a cat's eyes when it plays with a doomed mouse.
"W-Where am-m I" Hinata asked, nervousness very evident in her voice.
"It's ok" replied the mystery woman in a deep sultry voice, "We just need something from you",
"W-We?"
"Now don't you worry your little head deary, just be patient. He may have something planned for you too." A wicked smirk appeared on the woman's face; one that caused Hinata's skin to crawl.
"Now be a sweetheart and let me inject this serum into you. There will be some tension, and a little 'kuchunk' but don't worry, I'll take good care of you." Hinata panicked as she felt the tip of a needle pierce her skin. Needless to say, she was scared stiff. If she had been a little younger, or if her muscles had not contracted, she surely would have lost bowel control and pee her pants. She, however, lost the privilege as darkness claimed her consciousness.
To be continued…
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AN- I am sorry for taking this long. As with the majority of fanfiction authors life catches up with them (life stinks!). Anyway, for those who want to know, the information that I got from Califoria was that the surgery performed on Lydia was a success and she should make a full recovery. :D I hope that you as the reader did not forget what happen in the previous chapters and thus lose the fluidity of the story. Thank you Krissy-chan for editing for me once again. hopefully I can get the next chapter out before Thursday when I leave for New Mexico. If not, I sorry for making you wait... again. That's it.