A/N- Yay! With this chapter, I officially break the 40,000 word barriar! P Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter, you make me feel loved!
Now, a look at how I produce a chapter! I usually wake up at around 11:00 am or so, go pee off the previous night's half-gallon of tea I drank, then I take over the duty of taking are of my grandma, which involves me laying around, listening to whatever Weird Al CD happens to have been close at hand while I watch T.V. and disjointed thoughts run around aimlessly in my head, occasionally bumping into each other. After a couple of hours of this, I tend to get up and put in something hard, like Rammstein, Pantera, or some other metal band and I make lunch for grandma. After lunch, I may scratch my butt as I wander aimlessly around the house, still listening to metal as more disjointed thought run through my head, images of what cool battles may eventually take place in my story, or just random stuff that will never see the light of day outside of my mind. After a while of this, I actually plop down in front of the cumpter and turn it on, opening Notepad. I then may just stay there, staring at the sreen, or I may actually write an overview of the upcoming chapter (I've done this for about half of them, can you tell which ones? P). After that, I get bak up and go make dinner, then do the dishes. Then I change my bandage (I had to have a surgery not too long ago), then I go plop down in front of my computer again, putting on some random music depending on what type of scene I'm writing,and I let myself go, letting my creative side take over, only directing it occasionally. The actual writing process lasts from around 9 pm or so to usually anywhere from 2-6 am (While I'm also reading manga, btw), where I finally put it onto FFDN and pretty it up a bit, and post it, then I go to sleep, knowing that the next day I'll be doing pretty much the same thing.
And such is a day in the life of Van. XD though, once I'm finished healing, I'm gonna start training again, so watch for me to appear in the UFC!! (I'll be the big ugly dude XD).
On another note, after reading this chapter, you should all go to
Chapter 10, Where the Heart is.
Having been kicked out of Tsunade's office, Naruto and Sakura walked through Konoha in comfortable silence, enjoying each others company, neither wanting to break the quiet ease that existed between them, even though they both had things that they wanted to say to the other.
As they walked, Naruto noticed that people kept staring at him. That in itself wasn't unusual, he'd been glared at his entire life, and even now he was still getting a few cold looks from people who were too set in their ways, never willing to see him as anything but the Kyuubi incarnate. No, those stares he'd grown used too years ago, and they didn't bother him at all. The prolem was, most of the people were not looking at him like that, and it was frankly disturbing the boy. Most of the people were giving him looks of respet that were only held for ninja, the people who risked their lives to protect them, and they were counting him among that number, another ninja who would keep them safe. If that wasn't odd enough, there were even a number of people who were looking at Naruto with praise in their eyes, as if they were proud to have him as a member of their village.
"Hey, Sakura-chan? Whay is every one acting so weird?" Naruto asked nervously, noticing a small group of people that had gathered, talking among each other in whispers, occasionally looking his way.
Sakura looked at Naruto in surprize, before it dawned on her, he didn't even know yet! "Didn't I tell you Naruto-kun? Ever since the citizens and the ninja who went with them returned, practically everyone who had stayed for the battle and saw you fight told them what happened. Most of them didn't believe it at first, but all of the ninja who were here confirmed it in a huge town meeting. You're practically a hero now Naruto-kun! You've apparently even got your own fan club forming!" Sakura couldn't help but giggle at the look of shock on Naruto's face.
Naruto crossed his arms, squinting at Sakura. "So that's what you and Baa-chan were going on about? Psh, yeah right Sakura-chan, except for Hinata, there ain't a woman in Konoha that wants me!" He exlaimed, his bottom lip sticking out in an exaggerated pout.
Sakura giggled again. "Is that so Naruto-kun? Then what's that?" She asked, pointing.
Naruto looked in the diretion Sakura pointed. There, in a store window, he could see the refletion of a small gaggle of girls who were giggling, hiding around the side of a building, occasionally peeping out around the corner to look at him and shoot heated glares at Sakura. "ACK! Sakura-chan, let's run!" The whiskered blond said in a panicy voice, grabbing Sakura's hand and taking off, pulling her along with him.
"NARU-KUN, WAIT FOR US!" The girls screamed, taking off after the frightened boy and laughing Sakura.
Several hours and one long chase later, Naruto was panting as he and Sakura sunk down into the soft grass of their old training ground, trying to catch their breath. "Man, who knew that fan girls could be so persistant? Or scary?" Naruto asked, flopping onto his back. "Actually, I should've known already, I have known you since the academy days, when all you did was chase Sasuke-teme." He grinned, earning a half-hearted slap from Sakura.
"Baka! I wasn't ever that bad!" Sakura pouted, laying down beside Naruto, only for the blond to chuckle in response, earning him another half-hearted slap on the arm. Sighing, the two teammates lay there for over an hour, watching the clouds roll by. After a while, Sakura rolled onto her side, facing her friend. "Naruto?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah?" Naruto asked, rolling over as well, their heads only inches apart as they stared into each others eyes. Slowly, deliberatly, Sakura inched closer, her eyes closing and her lips brushing softly against Naruto's as she ran her fingers through his hair and he draped one arm loosely over her waist. The kiss only lasted for a moment or two, and it never deepend beyond their lips pressing, but it didn't need to.
Finally, Sakura pulled back, her eyes opening as she stared half-liddedly into Naruto's blue ones. "Well, it looks like I was right Naruto, I love you, but it's more of a sibling kind of love than a romantic one. I didn't feel any spark, the one that they say exists between two people who want to be together." She said quietly, biting her lower lip.
Naruto stared, stunned a little by what had just happened. Thinking hard for a few seconds, he finally nodded. "Yeah, your right. I didn't feel anything either. Definitly not like the kiss Hinata-chan gave me." He replied.
Sakura giggled, entwining her left hand with Naruto's right. "Hinata kissed you?! When?!" She asked.
Naruto shrugged. "Right after I came back and killed all those demons. Hinata was laying there, fainted, and I helped her up after killing a demon that was about to do something horrible to another girl I met named Yumi. Anyway, Hinata got up, kissed me, and ran off! Can you believe it?! Just like that! I always thought Hinata-chan was a shy girl." He said, his eyes slanting into their trademark squint.
Sakura looked at Naruto. "So that's how you met Yumi? You saved her from being raped? Thank Kami you showed up when you did Naruto, or who knows how things would have turned out, for all of us..." She said quietly, remembering some of the lewd promises that demons sneered at her as they attempted to subdue her. "Anyway, just so you know, Yumi wants to date you Naruto. You might wanna be careful, both she and Hinata seemed determined to get you, and I don't think either will stop at anything to get what they want." She warned.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I see what ya mean. It'll almost be like you and Ino all over again!" He teased, earning yet another smack on the arm.
"So, what are you going to do? It's obvious that they both want you." Sakura stated.
Naruto shrugged. "I really dunno Sakura. Despite the fact that we were in the same class for a long time, I hardly know anything about Hinata-chan, and even less about Yumi-chan! I devoted so much time to chasing you that I never really bothered to try and get dates with any other girls, not that they would have gone out with me anyway..." Naruto sighed, looking back up at the clouds. "I dunno... I guess I'll just have ta get ta know them both." He said.
Sakura nodded. "Just be gentle, ok? Or someone may wind up getting badly hurt." She warned.
Naruto sighed again, not knowing what to do, being so unfamiliar with such situations.
Sitting up, Sakura gave Naruto's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Just don't worry about it for now, ok? I'm sure that when the time comes, you'll make the right choice." She smiled. "Now c'mon! Your having dinner with me and my folks tonight. After all, if your gonna be my bro, you've gotta know my folks!" She exlaimed.
Naruto stood up, his eyes wide as he brushed himself off with his free hand. "You really want me to come over for supper?" He asked.
Sakura nodded, tugging his hand. "Yeah! I won't deny that my parents never held you in high regard, but with everything that happened, I'm sure their minds will change, especially when they meet you! Naruto-kun, I want you in my life, just as much as I want my parents, and I want you all to get along. That'll never happen as long as they just know about you from second-hand stories, so they've gotta see the real you! Everything will be fine, I promise." She vowed, smiling.
Naruto slowly nodded as he and Sakura started walking towards her house, hand-in-hand. "Hey Sakura-chan, you love me like a brother, right?" Naruto asked, a small smirk playing across his lips.
"Yeah." Sakura smiled as she looked up at the darkening sky.
Naruto's smirk grew. "so, does that mean that your some kinda creepy pervert that likes making out with her family? You did kiss me on the mouth after all!" He guffawed.
"NARUTO-BAKA!" Sakura's scream echoed across the training fields, followed by a loud thunk as she bopped him on the head.
During that time, Hinata and Yumi were wandering through Konoha, side-by-side, as they'd been for most of the day. Both girls were wary of the other, shooting off the same insults that they'd been using earlier. They both wanted to go off on their own to look for their Naru-kun, but neither would dare leave the other, lest she be the one to find Naruto, and thusly gain some feared upper-hand. "You know, I greatly dislike you." Hinata said flatly as they walked.
"Ditto." Yumi snapped back. Looking forward, both girls spotted another group of girls who seemed to be looking around desperately. "Hey! Somethin' wrong girls?" Yumi called out as she and Hinata walked over to them.
One of the girls, who looked to be maybe thirteen years old and was probably a rookie genin, nodded tearfully. "Yeah, we can't find Naru-kun anywhere!" She exlaimed, sniffling.
"Naru-kun?" Hinata and Yumi asked at the same time, their voices becoming cold.
The girl, who was apparently the leader off the group, nodded vigorously. "Yeah! We're the Naru-kun fan club, believe it!" She exlaimed as all of the girls struck a pose, two girls in the back unfurling a giant orange banner that had 'NARUTO, THE NEXT HOKAGE!' in big, bright letters, what looked to be an explosion in the background, as if throwing the title in the face of anyone who saw it.
"A fan club, huh?" Yumi growled, cracking her knuckles as a sudden miazma of anger swirling around her and Hinata.
"Hm, I do not believe that I gave anyone permission to create a Naru-kun fanclub. Did you, Yumi-san?" Hinata asked, her tone, while sounding sweet, carriedan undertone that promised pain.
Yumi shook her head slowly grinning evilly at the now-frightened girls before them. "Nope." She said. If, for only a brief moment, Yumi and Hinata acted together as they redirected all of the negative feelings for each other onto the girls who were daring to encroach on what they considered their territory. After 'instructing' the girls, both Hinata and Yumi set off, still searching for Naruto.
Naruto and Sakura made it to her house without any incident. Going through the front door first, Sakura removed her shoes. "I'm home, and I've brought Naruto!" She called out.
In short order, two people walked into the small entryway, stopping just in front of the two. Sakura's father, while not a tall man, was stoutly built, his arms almost as thick as Naruto's head, which he had crossed over his massive, barrel-like chest. He was deeply tanned, so Naruto guessed that he worked outdoors constantly. His eyes were the same green as Sakura's were, and they were currently hard-set as he stared Naruto in the eye. he had pale-blond hair that was cut short, an even lighter shade than Naruto's, as well as a bushy moustache that partially covered his upper lip.
Sakura's mother, on the other hand, was almost her husband's opposite in every way. Where her husband was fairly short, standing at only 5'7, Mrs. Hanuro was at least six feet tall, if not a bit taller, with a nice figure that not even her housedress and apron could fully conceal. She was a lot paler than her husband, but even she had a good it of color to her complexion. Her eyes were a dark, warm amber color, and her hair was dark red, cascading down her back n long, lushious curls.
"Thank you for having me in your home, Hanuro-san." Naruto said, bowing. He may have had to grow up on his own, but that didn't mean that Naruto wasn't able to pick up on some manners from watching others interact over the years.
Mr. Hanuro grunted and looked away while Mrs. Hanuro swooped down, pulling Sakura into a hug. "Welcome home sweety!" She said happily, kissing her daughter on the forehead. Turning to Naruto, one hand resting on Sakura's shoulder, Mrs. Hanuro bowed her head slightly. "Welcome to our home, Naruto-san. Please make yourself comfortable while we finish preparing dinner." She said, her tone still warm, turning and going back towards the kitchen.
Unsure of what to do with himself, Naruto stood there in the uncomfortable silence, Sakura mouthing sorry as the followed her mother. After a moment, Mr. Hanuro cleared his throat briskly. "Well, it wouldn't do for me to be rude to a guest. Please follow me Naruto-san, I've some things I wish to talk to you about." He said, walking off, Naruto following close behind after he removed his shoes.
Naruto looked around as they walked through the house, seeing plenty of family pictures hanging on the walls, making Naruto sigh wistfully, wishing to have had something similar. Soon enough, the two men came to a small den, two large easy chairs sitting in front of a fireplace that had many small trinkets adorning the mantle. Walking over to a bar set against the far wall Mr. Hanuro pulled a bottle of Sake. "Drink?" He offered.
Naruto shook his head. "No thank you Hanuro-san, I like to keep a clear head, 'cuz you never know when something might happen when your a ninja. You've got a very nice home, it feels cozy." He replied.
"Hn, I can respect that. Thank you for the compliment." Mr. Hanuro replied, knocking back a glass and pouring another, walking over to the easy chairs, he plopped down with a sigh. "Sit." He ordered, motioning to the other seat.
Naruto complied, sitting down, though looking as if he were ready to shoot back up and split if the situation called for it. "You said you wanted to talk to me aout things?" He questioned.
Mr. Hanuro nodded, taking a sip of his Sake. "Yeah, that's right. I won't mince words Naruto-san, I don't like you. I've never liked you, and I was always against you being on my daughter's team, but who am I to question the Hokage, eh? I never was inclined to you, considering what you are, and your reputation over the years definitly hasn't helped out." He grunted.
Naruto was silent, listening. Seeing that Sakura's father had finished, Naruto decided to say his peace. "Mr. Hanuro, we're both men here men who know that I was chosen as the jinkuuri for the Kyuubi when it attacked, on the day of my birth. I can't honestly say that I'm surprized that you hate me, I've been hated my entire life for something beyond my control. I do wanna correct you on one thing though, you referred to me as being the demon, but have I ever done anything to prove that? You judge me on because of the demon that I kept at bay, thinking of me as the demon itself, but in reality, I have been it's jailor for the past fifteen years, keeping it from doing the very thing that you and every other person who hated me because of my burden was afraid of, totall ahnialation by the Kyuubi. You judge me on the words of others, and my reputation as a prankster? Tell me, Hanuro-san, how else was I supposed to get attention as a kid, huh? No one loved me, no one wanted to be my friend, hell, no one even wanted to aknowlege my existence! Do you know how painful it is to be treated like that, well? Don't lay the cloak of blame around my shoulders, Hanuro-san, because of the past." He said, his voice charged with passion, yet never rising above a polite level.
Mr. Hanuro looked down into his Sake glass, swishing it around before taking another sip. "... What you say, may be true, Naruto-san, but I can't let go of the past so easily. Every time I look at'cha, I see the faces of my father and my older brother, who died fighting that monstrosity. That may be what drives so many so dislike ya kid, because when we see ya, the only thing we can see is the pain of everything we lost in that attack. I do owe ya thanks though, for bein' there for my daughter, even if I never liked it, and protecting her. Sakura's my baby girl, and losing her would kill me and her momma." He got up and went back to the bar, pouring hiself another cup of Sake. "I know what my little baby wants, but I'm afraid I can't ever accept ya as a friend Naruto-san. A friendly aquaintence maybe but not a friend. Sorry kid." He said.
Naruto nodded solemnly. "I understand, Hanuro-san. That is better than I coulda hoped for actually.' He replied.
Mr. Hanuro snorted "Please kid, don't get all sappy on me or nothin'. Your like the brother my baby girl never had, and if it means her happiness, I think I can stomach ya. Besides, my wife isn't as nearly as hard on ya as I've been. She's a bit more open-minded, and has tried to live up to the Fourth's request, even though she lost most of her family to the Kyuubi. Heh, if I decided ta be bull-headed, she'd probably crack me over the head with her rollin' pin or somethin', and that blasted thing hurts!" He chuckled.
Naruto was about to reply when Sakura poked her head in. "Dinner's ready!" She chirped happily before disappearing again.
"Hey, why is it that Sakura has pink hair, if you've got blond and your wife has red?" Naruto asked suddenly.
Mr. Hanuro shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me kid. Must have been that both our hair colors were dominant genes, and Sakura's color is what came of it. It's the only thing we could come up with." He admitted, draining his cup and setting it down as he and Naruto headed for the dining room.
Naruto nodded, no really getting it. "So, what do you do for a living, Hanuro-san?" He asked as they left the den.
Mr. Hanuro chuckled again. "I run an open-air iron forge actually. It's a hard job, but a good one, very fufilling. And please Nauto, call me Mitsuo." He replied, smackng his guest on the back as they went into the dining room, where Sakura and her mother were setting out many dishes.
A few hours later found Naruto and Sakura casualy walking through Konoha towrds the temporary shelter that had been set up for those who lost their homes, which Naruto had. The dinner had been great, with lots of lively conversation and stories being passed around. After dinner, Naruto thanked the Hanuro's for their hospitality and said his goodbyes, preparing to leave. Mr. Hanuro had nodded, and Mrs. Hanuro said Naruto could come back any time that he pleased. As he was walking out the door, Sakura had rushed after him, offering to walk with him for a bit. "Ne, thanks Sakura-chan, I had a great time tonight." He said, grinning at hs teammate.
Sakura giggled, pushng Naruto. "It's not a problem Naruto-kun. Dad mght be a bit rough, but mom likes you." She said, leaning against him.
Off on a side street, Hinata and Yumi, who had not yet given up on finding their Naru-kun, had spotted him and Sakura walking close together and had decided to follow, sneaking behind them 'That hussy!' They thought at the same time, seeing Sakura lean her shoulder against Naruto's.
"Hey, does it feel like someone is followin' us?" Naruto asked, squinting as he looked around.
Sakura giggled, having long ago sensed that Hinata and Yumi were following them. "Nope, nothing. Is this where your staying at Naruto-kun?" She asked as they came up to a large, hastily made barracks.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, at least until I can find another apartment. Anyway, thanks again Sakura-chan, I really enjoyed meetin' your folks." He said.
'He's already meeting her parents and eating at her house?!' Yumi and Hinata both thought, looks of horror on their faces.
Sakura smiled. "Night, Naruto-kun." She said quietly, hugging the whiskered blond, giving him a peck on his cheek.
Naruto grinned as he returned the hug. "Goodnight Sakura-chan!" He exlaimed, letting go and going into the barracks for a decent night's rest.
Her smile fading as soon as Naruto enterd the building, Sakura turned to where she felt the two people. "Alright, you can stop hiding now." She said, an edge to her voice.
Stepping from the shadows, Hinata and Yumi looked at the pinkette before glaring back at one another. Oh, it was SO on!
-End-
A/N- Well, there's the new chapter! In the next one, Hinata, Sakura, and Yumi are facing off against each other in the street! What will happen? Who will come out on top? Tune in for the next exciting chapter of 'Destiny' to find out!