Hey Readers, it's Phantom-of-Fantasy here, bringing you another chapter of my new Naruto fanfiction! This one takes place in the post-original/pre-Shippuden time period that gets ignored in the manga and anime. Just a short story, most likely 4-5 chapters long to help keep my "author juices" flowing! Please feel free to check out my profile, other stories on Fanfiction or Fictionpress (Kissing 101, A Complicated Situation, Shikamaru Nara Must Die, Flat, or The Aerials and my many poems), or my (still in progress of uploading pictures) DeviantArt page, also under this pen name! Read, review, and as always enjoy! Happy Fanfictioning! XD
Tsunade was back to business with the microphone onstage. "Alright, give it up for Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba, singing their rendition of 'I Meant You No Harm'…?" Her voice was questioning, but she ushered Shino onstage. Kiba was nowhere to be found. Shino's dark glasses glinted as the lights swung across stage to focus on him.
I meant you no harm
I never meant to make you cry
You were the only one I've ever loved in my life
And though its hard for me to show it
I have to let you know it
'Cause darling I love you more each day
But the words got in my way
Shino crooned. His deep mysterious voice worked wonders for the song; the audience seemed hypnotized.
Oh I meant you no harm
And I would die
If you ever said goodbye
I love you…
I love you!
But I meant you no harm
I never, never meant to make you cry
You are the only one I'll ever love in my life…
He stopped short. "Hold it, hold it, hold it. I can't do it, I can't sing no more sad songs." Kiba jumped from his perch near the ceiling to crash onstage. Akamaru barked his approval.
One, two, three, hit me!
Bop be bop, bop be bop be deed bop
Bop be bop, bop yeah
Bass man, huh, come on up
One, two, three, hit me!
Uh, sound good, yeah!
Saxophone on the floor,
One, two, three, hit it!
Yeah, ow, uh, come on
Horns hit it, uh, yeah!
Hey girl, let's rock with Jimmy Early
Got a home in the hills, Mercedes Benz,
Hot swimming pool, got lots of friends
Got clothes by the acre, credit to spare,
I could wake up tomorrow and find nobody there
But Jimmy want more, Jimmy want more,
Jimmy want, Jimmy want, Jimmy want more!
Kiba got the whole band really into the song, everyone in the audience was laughing and clapping along to the beat. Tsunade frowned disapprovingly but it was Shino onstage who crossed his arms and pouted as Kiba took all the glory…and took off his shirt.
Sooner or later
The time comes around
For a man to be a man, to take back his sound
I gotta do something to shake things up
I like Johnny Mathis, but I cant do that stuff
Cuz Jimmy got soul, Jimmy got soul,
Jimmy got S-O-U-L, soul!
I can't do rock
I can't do roll, what I can do, baby, is show my soul,
Cuz Jimmy got, Jimmy got, Jimmy got SOUL!
With the last word of the song, Kiba ripped off his pants. Clad only in his boxers, he paraded around the stage amid the cheers and whistles. He grinned at Shino, who blushed with mortification. Tsunade ran onstage before the judges could speak.
"Disqualification! For partial nudity and poor conduct," she gasped into the microphone. Kiba lowered his arms to his sides, sad for the first time. Shino dug his foot into the ground.
"I'm sorry Shino," Kurenai said softly as the pair walked offstage. Shino slapped Kiba upside the head once they were out of the spotlight.
Outside of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto and Jiraiya were on the move again. Jiraiya was walking at a brisk pace, determined to get to the nearest village soon and conduct more "research". Naruto strolled along the road at a leisurely pace and soon his perverted teacher was out of sight. The blonde boy hummed under his breath but soon began murmuring words.
Look at me, Look at me
I am changing
Trying every way I can
I am changing
I'll be better than I am
I'm trying to find a way to understand
But I need you, I need you
I need a hand
I am changing
Seeing everything so clear
I am changing
I'm gonna start right now, right here
I'm hoping to work it out
And I know that I can
But I need you, I need a hand…
Naruto's voice was building in volume. He actually wasn't a bad singer – his voice grew huskier as he sang the words.
All of my life I've been a fool
Who said I can do it all alone?
How many good friends have I already lost?
How many dark nights have I known?
Walking down that wrong road
There was nothing I could find
All those years of darkness
Could make a person blind
But now I can see
I am changing
Trying every way I can
I am changing
I'll be better than I am
But I need a friend
To help me start all over again,
That would be just fine
I know it's gonna work out this time
'Cause this time I am
This time I am
I am changing
I'll get my life together now
I am changing
Yes I know how
I'm gonna start again
I'm gonna leave my past behind
I'll change my life
I'll make a vow and
Nothings gonna stop…me…now!
The blue-eyed boy stopped short because he nearly crashed into Jiraiya. The white-haired sage had a strange look on his face – like he had had an epiphany.
"I know the perfect way for us to make some money so I can do more in-depth research! Let's go find a karaoke bar with good monetary prizes!" He grabbed Naruto's arm and yanked him down the road. The blonde boy rolled his eyes but allowed himself to be pulled along.
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Tsunade had just gotten control of the sudience and was preparing to introduce the next act. "Here is Hyuga Neji, with his song 'When I First Saw You.' Let's hear some applause!" Neji stepped coolly onstage in a black tux and a blood-red tie. His hair was loose, but his masculine charm overwhelmed any of his feminie attributes.
"This is…for you. I wish you knew how special you are,' he murmured into the microphone before beginning.
When I first saw you
I said "Oh My", I said "Oh My"
That's a dream
That's my dream
I needed a dream
When it all seemed to go bad
Then I found you
And I have had the most beautiful dreams any mans ever had
When I first saw you
I said "Oh My", "Oh My"
That's my dream
That's my dream
I needed a dream
To make me strong
You were the only reason I had to go on
You were my dream
All the things I never knew
You were my dream
Who could believe they could ever come true
And who would believe
The world would believe
In my dreams too
When I first saw you
I said "Oh My", "Oh My"
That's…my…dream…
Neji's pale gaze searched the crowd as they burst into applause. Tenten's brown eyes were bright as she and Lee stood up to clap for their teammate. Her eyes found Neji's; the moment they met, Neji's face broke out into a huge smile, the most genuine one she had ever seen. He was a man transformed on that stage and somehow Tenten knew that HE knew her song was for him. She blushed and lifted a hand to wave – he grinned even wider.
"That was fantastic, Neji! Whoever that was dedicated to is a lucky person," Kurenai said sweetly.
"Very nice, you've definitely taken time to perfect this piece," Asuma smiled.
"As usual, you've surpassed expectations; well done!" Iruka exclaimed.
Kakashi smirked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you and your teammates chose these songs to play off each other. Not bad, Hyuga…"
Gai had burst into tears yet again. "Oh, my students…" he sobbed wordlessly. Neji handed the microphone off to Tsunade as he glanced towards Tenten yet again. He began to make his way over to her through the crowd.
YAY for a little taste of NejixTen-ness! More in the next (possibly final) chapter!
Review and I may be tempted to write more...
Phantom