Car drives are such a drag...I'm very very tired and at my cousin's house, but hey, I updated on Friday like I always do! Just a little later...XD Thanks for the reviews everyone! I love you all!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
"This is ludicrous," Kakashi said as he became back-to-back with Gai. "There are more coming."
"Hey, it's good exercise, Kakashi!" Gai said, kicking a man aside. "Don't tell me you're tired already!"
Kakashi rolled his eyes as he took out several others.
Suddenly, a mass of at least twenty ninja appeared at once, circling the two jounin deviously.
"Looks like we're surrounded, my eternal rival!" Gai remarked. "What're we gonna do now?"
Before Kakashi could answer, something rammed through more than half of the enemies. As the silver-haired jounin looked closer, he realized it was an average-sized ferret. "Ah. So you've finally showed up, Marieke."
Marieke came quickly after the ferret and said, "Sorry, I'm late. I was 'lost down the road of life'."
"Hmph," Kakashi smirked under his mask. "Aren't we all?"
---
"Naruto's not doing so hot out there," Nami said worriedly as she stared up at the two large demons taking up more than half the entire space the forest had to offer a distance away. "But we can't do anything to help at all! This sucks!"
"I know what I can do…" Kyoko said seriously.
"What?"
"I can help Naruto wake Gaara up."
"…How?" A tint of curiosity showcased in Nami's voice.
"I'll just get to Gaara and…"
"And?"
"Kiss him."
WHACK!
"OW! What was that for?!"
"Get real, Kyoko!" Nami said, annoyed that she had gotten worked up over nothing.
WHACK!
The girls averted their attention back to Naruto who had suddenly given Gaara a clean punch, thus waking him up.
"Aw…my plan…"
"Shut up. All right, you did it, Ototo!" Nami cheered, punching the air with her fist. She and Kyoko took off in the direction where they saw Naruto and Gaara drop after they collided with each other. The girls found the two jinchuuriki lying on the ground a few feet from each other. Naruto was attempting to get to Gaara determinedly with his chin dragging his whole body alone while Gaara was vulnerable.
"D-Don't come any closer!" Gaara commanded shakily.
"The pain of being alone...it's not an easy one to bear...Your feeling...why is it...That I can understand your pain?" Naruto said quietly.
Gaara's eyes widened.
"But...I already have many people who are important to me now. I won't let you hurt those people important to me..." Tears streaked Naruto's face as he moved surprisingly faster. "Even if you try to kill them…I will stop you." He glared at the sand genin hatefully.
"Why?" Gaara whispered. "Why do you go so far for other peoples' sake?!"
"They saved me from the hell of being alone...they acknowledged my existence...That's why they're all important to me."
"Love…" That's why he's so strong.
"Gaara!"
"Ototo!"
The girls started running toward them. Nami kneeled down and said, "You okay, Ototo?"
Naruto sighed as he gave up on both protesting about being called Nami's 'little brother' and trying moving with his beaten body. "…Yeah…neechan."
Nami smiled softly.
Sasuke landed momentarily next to Nami and looked down at Naruto. "That's enough, Naruto…Sakura's fine now." He looked toward Gaara and said, "This guy is most likely out of chakra...the sand holding Sakura has completely collapsed."
"I see," Naruto muttered.
"Gaara…are you okay?" Kyoko asked, dropping to her knees and daringly putting a hand on his chest.
"Why do you care?" Gaara said, though his voice didn't seem as cold as he usually would've said it.
Kyoko lowered her sight and was silent for a moment. "Because…well…" her face flushed crimson. "I…You…um…" Then, Kyoko's expression softened as she realized what she truly wanted to tell him."Gaara…you—"
"Gaara!"
Kyoko almost fell over when she heard the voices of Gaara's siblings. Temari and Kankuro dropped down in front of Gaara.
"What's going on?!" Kankuro demanded as he glared at Kyoko. "What are you doing?!"
"And why do you keep showing up everywhere we turn?!" Temari added. It's really creepy…
"W-Wha?!" Kyoko stuttered.
"Temari. Kankuro. That's enough…it's over."
The two siblings whirled around in surprise at their little brother's sudden statement.
Kankuro silently nodded and put Gaara's arm around his shoulder so he could support him. As they started to leave, Kyoko shouted, "Wait!"
The three turned around, a bit irritable but curious.
"What is it?" Temari asked.
"You…You guys can stay with us if you want!" Kyoko said with more volume than she had meant.
Nami slapped her forehead. That idiot!
This girl…is on something, Kankuro thought with a sweat drop.
What's with her? Temari thought.
After a few seconds passed, the Suna team turned and disappeared.
Nami snuck over to Kyoko and grinned sardonically with her arms linked behind her back. "So…you just made a complete fool of yourself in front of your beloved Gaara…and how does that make you feel?"
Kyoko angrily turned to her teammate. "Like killing someone with the initials K and N."
Nami inched away from the angry Kyoko chanting in a whispery voice, "Gaara and Kyoko, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G."
Kyoko crossed her arms and pointed her nose in the air as if she didn't care for the little elementary school rhyme.
"Poor, poor Gaara." Nami added to herself.
Kyoko shot her fist at Nami who quickly dodged. "NAMI!"
Sasuke sweat dropped as he watched this scene. These girls are completely
One day I will also know it, Gaara thought. …Love…
---Later that Night---
Midori yawned tiredly from her room. She had stayed up late to study a bit more on medical ninjutsu when she heard a knock on the apartment door. Sleepy and curious, she trudged to the door. Who would be visiting us this late? Heck, who would be visiting us ever
She opened the door and screamed.
Kyoko and Nami seemed to hear since they immediately shot out of their rooms, weapons in hand. Well…actually…Kyoko had a teddy bear and Nami had her pillow but that was beside the point.
"What is it, Midori?!" Nami demanded as she and Kyoko came at Midori's side.
"I didn't take you to be the loud type," said a female voice.
"Eh? Temari?" Kyoko recognized the sand kunoichi immediately. She looked over at her friend who was patting her chest rapidly and breathing sighs of relief.
"Oh…forgive me," Midori said nervously. "I thought you were…someone else."
That's the last time I take Midori to a scary movie, Nami thought. She looked in the doorway to notice that not only Temari was there but Kankuro was there as well. Gaara stood in front of the two and it was raining outside. Temari had her fan held high above all of their heads though they were still slightly wet. A lightning bolt flashed and Nami could see why she had been so freaked out.
"You guys are all wet!" Kyoko exclaimed as she stood aside, gesturing for her teammates to do the same. "Come in!"
Midori had gotten them towels and they all sat in the living room, the sand siblings taking the couch and Nami claiming the only other chair, leaving Midori and Kyoko to stand.
"I resent that," Midori mumbled to Nami as she leaned against the chair's arm.
Nami made the victory sign.
"So what are you guys doing here?" Kyoko asked.
"You offered to have us stay, right?" Kankuro said. He glanced at Gaara with an annoyed expression. Apparently Gaara's dumb enough to take that seriously.
The thought processed for a second and then Kyoko's expression brightened. "Oh yeah! You guys wanna take me up on that offer?"
"Hold on," Midori said with disbelief. "You offered them to stay?" She turned towards the siblings and bowed speedily. "Meaning no disrespect, but Kyoko doesn't usually think too much about what she says sometimes and—"
"HEY!"
"—we really don't have enough room for so many people," Midori finished. "I'm sorry."
"She said we were allowed to stay," Gaara said, pointing to Kyoko.
"Yes but—"
"It's three days from here to Suna."
"But—"
"Baki has already left."
Midori didn't really want to argue with Gaara anymore since he kind of scared her a little bit so she just said, "…Okay…"
"Thank you."
Midori was a bit confused about Gaara's thanks but just smiled nervously and said, "No problem. So um…who wants to stay in what room?"
Kyoko was about to say something when Temari said, "We can just take this living room."
"Are you sure?" Midori asked.
"Yeah," Temari nodded. "We don't want to be burdens."
"All right then."
Nami yawned. "Well, it's really late now. I think I'll hit the hay…again. 'Night everyone."
Once she left, Midori said, "How long are you all planning on staying?"
Kankuro and Temari shrugged, though Kankuro leaned toward her and whispered, "Probably as long as Gaara wants. It was his idea."
Midori nodded in understanding. "I think I'll go to sleep too. If any of you three need anything, then just call, okay?"
Now Kyoko was the only one left. She looked towards the three and asked the question that had been on her mind. "Why did you guys choose to come here anyway?"
"We simply needed a place to stay," Temari shrugged. And Gaara wanted to.
"There is no reason to rush back to Suna so quickly," Gaara said without emotion.
"Oh well, I'm glad you decided to stay," Kyoko smiled genially. "Well, g'night." She walked away.
"Kankuro, get off the couch," Temari commanded.
"WHY?" Kankuro said in disbelief.
"I want to sleep."
"Where am I gonna sleep?"
"On the floor."
"What?!"
"Be a man."
Kankuro grumbled something then moved to the floor as Gaara claimed the armchair.
As night drew on, Gaara sat with his arms crossed, thinking things over. We will stay here for the time being for a few days. That way I will be able to analyze this Uzumaki Naruto and the way he lives. After going through the same process as I, he still ended up happy. And love…I want to know where I can find it and how. And also… He looked towards the short hallway where the girls' rooms were. Why that Kyoko girl seems to unconditionally care so much…for me.
---
The day was grim as ninja and civilians trailed towards one place and one place only. This place had a sizeable coffin and a white-clothed table in front of it. On that table was a picture of the beloved Sandaime.
As people started to show up, so did their expressions. No one was happy, and several were crying.
The three kunoichi of Team 12 were standing behind Naruto and his team with gloomy faces. When it was their turn to pay their respects with a white rose representing eternal love, they each had mixed feelings.
Kyoko placed her rose in the vast pile of roses and bowed. Jiisan…
Flashback
Kyoko groaned in despair as she frantically searched through her wallet. "Aw man! Where's my money?"
"No money, Kyoko-kun?" Teuchi said with a frown. "I can't afford for you to get off with another free bowl…that'd be three this week! You're gonna have to pay it off again."
"I know, I know," Kyoko said sadly as she held her hand out. "Bring on the apron…"
Then something was placed in her hand. However, it wasn't an apron.
"This should suffice, right, Kyoko?"
Kyoko stared at the money then at the person who had generously given it to her. "Hokage-jiisan!"
"Oh, Hokage-sama! How generous of you," Teuchi said, taking the money from Kyoko's hand.
The Sandaime smiled good-naturedly and turned to Kyoko. "We can't have you paying off debt when there's so much time you could spend doing something else, right, Kyoko?"
Kyoko smiled and nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes!"
"Tell me, Kyoko. Do you think you'll be able to get stronger?"
"Of course! No question!" Kyoko said confidently. "I'll train as hard as I can so I can become a great kunoichi! And…Nami's not going to beat me." She added the last part in a quieter tone.
"Well, then you'd better get to it or Nami will surpass you," the Hokage joked.
"That's not gonna happen," Kyoko crossed her arms stubbornly. Then she smiled and started to run off. Waving behind her, she called, "Thanks again, Hokage-jiisan!"
End Flashback
Kyoko lowered her head and left the table. Hokage-jiisan…I'll be strong for not only myself…but for you too. Your death won't be in vain.
After Kyoko left, Midori placed her rose in the mass as well and bowed for quite some time. Midori felt her eyes burning with the desire to set free her tears as she remembered the great Sandaime Hokage.
Flashback
Why am I always the one who has to cook and get food? Midori thought as she walked blindly with several paper bags piled in her hands. A few plastic bags hung on her arms and one was strung around her neck. Kyoko and Nami need to learn how to spend their mission money more wisely. That or…they're too stingy and want me to spend money instead. As she pondered whether or not her friends were piggy-backing off of her too much or not, she noticed Neji passing by. Almost dropping everything she had bought, she stopped to watch him for a moment and then continued once he was out of sight. (A/N: This is before Neji has his revelation)
Midori sighed. At this rate…I don't think Neji will ever notice me. Of course, she couldn't blame him for that. She pretty much tried to keep a low profile on…well, almost everything.
"I see you have your eyes on that Hyuuga boy, hm?"
Midori jumped and one of her bags toppled towards the ground. "Naaaa!"
"Oops, carefully there."
The Hokage had caught the bag expertly and took some of Midori's other bags. "Why don't I help you there?"
"D-Domo Arigato, Hokage-sama!" Midori said, attempting to bow sheepishly.
"I believe his name is Hyuuga Neji."
It took about two seconds before Midori realized what he was talking about. She lowered her head as they walked and said, "H-Hai."
The Hokage smiled kindly.
Midori couldn't really tell what he was thinking, but for some reason she blushed. She loathed that the Hokage had taken most of her bags so she couldn't hide behind the former stack. "I don't think he likes me very much." What possessed me to say something like THIS? Midori thought, mentally kicking herself.
"When you get to my age, you realize the most important things in life are love and friendship. Just give him a chance to warm up to you."
"Are you…sure?" That "give him a chance to warm up to you" thing seemed awfully fairy-tale to Midori.
"Take it from someone who's been there."
Midori giggled at the thought of the Hokage to be a ladies' man. Of course, Konohamaru existed so obviously he had had a daughter or son along with a wife. "Hokage-sama…what was your wife like?" She didn't know why she had asked that and was about to dub it a stupid question that would probably put the Hokage in a glum mood when he spoke.
"My wife, hm?" The Hokage stared at the sky thoughtfully. "She was as beautiful as she was strong and strong as she was kind. She was a bit stubborn, however, but loyal. Yes…it was her willful ways that caused her honorable death. She died when she helped protect the village alongside the Yondaime against the Kyuubi years ago."
"Oh…I'm sorry."
"Why?" the Hokage smiled. "Her memory is enough to keep a smile on my face. Thank you, Midori."
End Flashback
Tears rolled down Midori's cheeks and yet she tried to smile. Hokage-sama. I promise to remember you with a smile on my face.
Last but not least was Nami. She set her rose down with a straight face and bowed.
Flashback
Nami rolled her eyes as Iruka scolded her. Everything he said seemed to go through one ear and out the other.
"Nami, are you listening?!" Iruka shouted.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Nami lied.
"I know you're lying!"
Nami smiled sweetly and innocently. Actually, it was pretty hard to smile since Iruka was dressed in honey and yellow feathers.
"Iruka, what is the meaning of this yelling?"
"Jiican!" Nami looking towards the doorway and waving, "Can ya help me out here?"
The Hokage took one look at Iruka and started laughing behind his hand. "Ah…Iruka…what…happened?" he choked.
Iruka stared at the Hokage in disbelief. "Nami thought it would be funny to make a chicken out of me."
"Okay, there are two things wrong with your statement, sensei," Nami protested. "First of all I didn't know you would be the one to open the door and second of all you're supposed to be a duck not chicken. Chickens are overused. See the yellow—"
"Whatever type of bird you wanted me to be, it's still a childish and stupid prank!" Iruka exploded. "And for that you can clean the whole academy, top to bottom!"
"Come now, Iruka," the Hokage said, amused. "She's just enjoying her youth. Let her off with a warning, I'm sure this was the first time."
"Not counting the paintball incident…" Iruka mumbled.
"I'm innocent until proven guilty!" Nami declared.
"All right," Iruka sighed. "You're lucky, Nami. If this happens again…"
"Aw, don't worry, Iruka-sensei!" Nami said, making for the door. "I won't play this prank ever again!" Of course, that doesn't stop me from playing any other pranks, Nami thought deviously.
The Hokage followed Nami out and said, "You were lucky Iruka was in a good mood, Nami."
Nami grinned. "Thanks for the save back there too, jiichan. But why were you hangin' around the academy anyway?"
"I usually take a stroll around Konoha every once in a while. A Hokage's got to keep up with the new generations, you know."
"Where else do you go?"
"Well sometimes I visit the memorial, training grounds, bath house…"
Silence fell between them.
"…"
"…"
"Jiichan…you're…a PERVERT!" Nami pointed a finger at the Hokage accusingly.
The Hokage sighed.
He's probably thinking that he's doomed since I found out his secret! Nami thought. Now I can blackmail the Hokage! This is my lucky day!
End Flashback
Nami felt a twinge of guilt. I never would have black-mailed you, jiichan. I'm sorry. She stood straight from her bow and walked away so the next person could come. As she came back, she noticed Midori wiping away tears. Nami looked up into the morose gray sky, she thought, Even though we didn't know him all that well…he was still apart of us. All of us.
---
In a dark, uncharted area, a man groaned. He was sitting on a chair, shaking slightly and cursing. "Damn that old man!" he cursed. "What he did to my arms…"
"If it's any consolation, Orochimaru-sama, not everyone can take down a Hokage."
"Silence, Kabuto!" Orochimaru hissed. "I'm in no mood for your kissing-up."
Kabuto was silent, but only for a second. "Orochimaru-sama, I just recently found out that what Dosu said…"
"About the girls who could predict the future?" Orochimaru scoffed.
"Yes. It may be true," Kabuto said. "I think they would make an excellent addition to our prisoners. They would come in handy. And we wouldn't need all three, just one."
Orochimaru was silent for a while.
Kabuto was about to speak up when Orochimaru said, "I want you to investigate these girls for a little while. I'm confident you can get that done."
Kabuto nodded and bowed. "When shall I leave?"
"Once it is convenient."
"Hai." Kabuto walked towards the door and with one look at his master, disappeared. This is gonna be fun…
Sorry if the Gaara vs. Naruto thing was a little sketchy but I didn't really have the energy to look through anime and/or manga for it...So tired...
Anyway, I'd like to recommend a little story for anyone who loves OCs and making them as much as I do, a story with much potential, Bloody Angel X's Blades of Grass. (I hope you don't mind me mentioning it without permission, BAX) So R&R BAX's story too! That is, AFTER you leave me one! XD Until next time!
-HM