Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
XxX Chapter 6 XxX
Time Skip (Ten years later)
Naruto felt alone. This loneliness was eating away at him. First Arashi's death, and now Madara too. He felt powerless to protect those around him. And this feeling seemed to grow over the years after Arashi's death.
He looked over the city, his body crouched and he almost looked like a statue, the way he was eerily still. And he leapt, gliding over the buildings, the people below oblivious to his presence.
'Who would have thought, that I'd return here…to the place where I lost you, Arashi' naruto distantly thought.
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Naruto was searching, searching for that painting. He needed to see it. To find it. He hoped that it was still here in Europe. Or else he feared he'd never find it.
Distinctly he wondered if he should have bought it during his previous visit, ten years ago. But how was he to know that, that time would be last time he, Madara, Kyuubi and Arashi would be together. It seemed things conspired against him. Taking away Arashi and then Madara.
And he cursed Orochimaru, for betraying him and killing Madara. That act could never be atoned for. Thus he swore off turning any more humans into vampires. Never again.
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Sai shivered as he felt eyes bore holes into his back, and he couldn't stop the shiver that went down his spine. It unnerved him and he looked behind him several times.
It seemed his paranoia hadn't lessened over the years, in fact it seemed to have become ever the more prominent.
Sai quickened his pace, and turned into an alley, a shortcut. Though he regretted taking it, in favor of the crowded streets as he was promptly pushed up against the wall.
He carefully cracked open an eye lid, it seemed he had closed his eyes when he was pushed against the wall. There in front of him was the same man he had met, in a gallery ten years ago.
'A kind man' he added.
"Hello Sai." came the melodious voice.
"Hey, yourself." was Sai's reply.
"You've grown, 18 now, I presume"
"Well you haven't aged a bit, from what I remember"
"I age well," Naruto said with a almost nonexistent upward tug of his lips. A half smile if you will.
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'Finally' naruto thought.
He'd been searching for the painting for weeks, and since that was a dead end he choose an alternative way to approach this. Find the painter via Sai. It had taken more time than he had liked, well expected for that matter but, regardless he found him.
He had good instincts naruto mentally commended. Seeing as he kept looking over his shoulder, trying to find who was staring at him.
Luckily he found an opening, Sai was headed past an alleyway, perfect.
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It was rather strange naruto admitted to himself as he followed Sai. Who in their right mind would invite a complete stranger that you haven't seen in 10 years, and said stranger pushes you up against an alley wall.
"You're bizarre" naruto offhandedly commented.
Sai merely shrugged "I've been told that before"
Naruto's eyebrows twitched, strange indeed.
They were walking, getting farther and farther from the more modern cities, getting closer to the mountains.
"Just so you know, I live in a small village" Sai put in, more so for naruto's benefit, seeing his rather searching gaze.
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Naruto's eyebrows knitted together, he couldn't read Sai's mind. Normally people's thoughts were loud and clear. Almost as if they were being broadcasted. But, with Sai….he got nothing. This in itself unsettled him.
But as the foliage of the undergrowth dimmed, naruto could see fair sized homes nestled close by each other. It seemed that this place was alive and well. The people moved to and fro. He could sense a rather hostile vibe, not directed towards him but, sai.
Listening in he could here crude words being snarled.
'Damn him to hell'
'I hope he dies'
'He deserves his punishment'
It went beyond saying that naruto was rather befuddled. Why would they feel this way towards one of their own.
'Disgusting vermin' naruto thought.
He would never understand how some humans worked, mind reading abilities or not. He wouldn't ever understand their complexity.
Sai seemed rather use to these severe stares. And walked with ease. Naruto glared in turn to the people there. He got satisfaction in the look that contorted in their faces, shock and he couldn't help but smile.
"Well here we are" Sai announced.
He eyed the house, carefully. And as Sai opened the door he heard the distinct sound of feet hitting the wooden floor. And then a loud smack.
There stood a woman, she had slapped Sai straight in the face.
"Didn't I tell you to never come back you worthless-!!" she stopped mid shout as she realized that Sai wasn't alone.
"I'm sorry, please come in" she said with a smile.
Naruto nodded and slipped inside. As she turned to leave naruto's eyebrows knitted together ,once again he was confused.
Weren't mother's suppose to protect their children, not hurt them. It seemed humans were still as imprudent as ever. And naruto couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
He wanted to ask Sai what that was all about, but he couldn't seeing as he had no right to ask. He shouldn't pry in private affairs.
"So you wanted to see my painting that badly?" Sai inquired, breaking the silence that had clouded the air with his mother's departure.
"Yes, I need to refresh my memory" he smoothly answered.
They were in his room. The floor littered with blank canvases and paint brushes lying carelessly. Near the edge was a wrapped painting.
"You know many people had offered to buy this painting but I didn't sell it" Sai said conversationally.
Naruto admired it. It was just as he remembered. He could easily identify Arashi and Madara. His fingers carefully touched the smooth surface.
And naruto felt like crying. He had kept his feelings bottled up, Madara's death had occurred 2 months ago, and he ran off almost instantly, that is after he banished Orochimaru.
He idly wondered what Kyuubi, Jiraiya and Tsunade were doing at the moment. Were they looking for him, would they come and drag him back home. He certainly hoped not. Not now….it was too soon. He hadn't closed off his emotions yet. He needed more time.
Tbc…