Author Notes: I hope you're all enjoying the story and if you have any questions or think I've forgotten something just enclose it in a review and I'll try to take care of it for you. I do check my reviews several times a day. (How can I improve if I don't. Haha) I have included another music session in this chapter. The song is the same one he sings in the cave so if you don't like reading words to songs feel free to skip it. Since I usually don't copy other artist work I will try to make sure that if I included a poem or a song in one of my stories that it is an original and relevant to the character who is performing it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto but I do own Watarimono and her daughters. They're mine. All mine... Rahhhhhhhhahaha
Chapter Sixteen
Well Laid Plans
The next morning while Iruka headed off to the academy to teach the children, Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto headed for the commercial district of Konoha. Sasuke led the way to his preferred store. They entered separately and browsed through different racks. Kakashi was looking for basics like socks and underclothes while Sasuke browsed for random things he thought might interest Naruto. Naruto just tried to stay out of sight of the counter while looking for anything that might cover his person well enough to meet the terms of that contract.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "Come check this out." He indicated a shirt he was looking at and Sasuke came over to see. "I think this would look pretty good on you." The shirt was black and white with purple trim but it wasn't garish . The purple was a thin rope-like string that separated the black body of the shirt from the white trim and accentuated the design. It had small purple buttons and mid length sleeves.
"Hn." Sasuke had to admit it was a nice shirt but he was satisfied with his usual attire of blue Uchiha shirt and white shorts. He really didn't think too much about his clothes so long as they were clean and fit well.
"You need a new look Sasuke. You've been wearing that same set of clothes since we were in the academy. Try this with some different pants. Besides, how is wearing white pants when trying to blend in with your surroundings any better than wearing neon orange?"
Kakashi's eye opened wide as the question was asked. He'd never really thought about that before but Naruto did have a point. Sasuke must have thought so too since he started looking at a rack that held pants.
"Try to find some brown or maybe black ones. This shirt would look better with black since it's black and white and purple pants would be just as bad as white ones," said Naruto. The clerk at the counter was looking their way and Naruto vanished over to a stack of shelves that held plain ordinary T-shirts in a variety of colors. He pulled out a butter yellow for wearing around the village, a moss green and a sky blue one that he liked. Then he grabbed four more of various earth tones and added them to the pile of socks Kakashi was holding.
Sasuke had found a pair of black pants he thought would work well for missions and was making his way to the dressing room at the back of the store. "Pick out a back-up outfit Sasuke and try them both on at the same time," interrupted Kakashi. "You'll need at least two outfits for out of town missions you know."
Sasuke turned and headed back to the racks with a scowl on his face. The clerk, recognizing him, came rushing over to try and assist but when he saw Naruto in the store ran back the way he'd come, disappearing behind the curtain that blocked the storeroom from customer view. "Uh-oh. Here we go guys," Naruto said. "Looks like it's show time." Kakashi and Sasuke just looked in the direction the clerk had gone. Both wore grim expressions but neither said a word, knowing he was probably right.
A minute later the owner came out and started yelling at Naruto. "You. Get out of my store. What made you think you could come in here and manhandle my goods? I don't service your kind. Get your hands off my merchandise. My customers won't appreciate your filth all over the clothes they wish to purchase. Get out. Out." He pushed past Kakashi and made to forcibly remove Naruto from the premises. Naruto didn't object. He just turned and walked away.
While this was going on Kakashi sauntered to the counter to pay, grabbing a pair of cords that looked like they'd fit himon his way. Sasuke walked back to the rack he'd gotten the outfit he was holding and lay both pants and shirt over the top. "I will not buy any merchandise from this place again. You have insulted my teammate and thereby insulted me."
The store's owner gushed all over him, "Please Mr. Uchiha. This store would be honored to fulfill your clothing needs. What may I interest you in today? Perhaps a new shirt? Or a pair of nice pants?" he asked, ignoring what Sasuke said.
"You have nothing I am interested in." Sasuke turned away and headed for the door.
"But Mr. Uchiha. You always buy your clothes here. What has caused this change of heart? I will change it."
"You refused to service the needs of my best friend and teammate. You said you don't service his kind but since he is exactly like me that means you do not service me either." Sasuke turned his face away and refused to look at the owner again.
"Oh no Mr. Uchiha. That . . .thing is nothing like you. You are honorable and from a good family. That you call it a teammate shows how good and noble you are. It is a benefit to your nature and more than it deserves but never should you think of yourself as being the same as it is. And you have much more worthy friends than that thing will ever be. I do wish you didn't have to suffer being in it's company so often but though I have voiced my disapproval the council has not yet seen fit to free you from it's presence." The store owner did not know what to think when Kakashi brushed by him and escorted Sasuke out of the store, both of them radiating so much killer intent it was threatening to stop his heartbeat without either of them lifting a finger towards him.
Naruto was waiting for them on the street where the villagers were staring, wondering just what had brought him into the area. "Let's go get my groceries. I've had just about all the hate I can take for one day," he said making it clear that he'd heard every word.
Together they headed for the open air stands that sold fresh produce. The vendors saw them coming and didn't know what to do. They weren't sure who needed their goods so they debated about changing their price signs. For the Uchiha they usually lowered their prices but for the Demon Child they raised them. Some vendors even went to far as to hold back their best produce for the Uchiha while holding garbage for the Demon. These vendors had bags ready for either orphan should they choose to shop their stand.
Sasuke walked to a stand that offered tomatoes for purchase and started to pick some out, while Kakashi paid attention to the produce Naruto looked at. Naruto kept his hands in his pockets and simply let Kakashi purchase his vegetables for him. They got lettuce and cabbage as well as beans, carrots, onions and peppers. Sasuke added some tomatoes, peas and corn to his purchases and smirked as the vendors gnashed their teeth together at seeing the ryu come out of Naruto's pocket.
Next they went to a fruit vendor where they got apples, watermelon, desert pears and star fruit. From the meat vendor they purchased sliced beef, chicken and some pork bits suitable for stews or stir fry. Then they stopped by the dry goods stand and got noodles, potatoes and rice. None of the vendors dared to change their prices even though they now knew who was buying the goods. With both the Uchiha and the Copy-Cat Nin accompaning him it was too dangerous to change them. Kakashi was feeling very much like a pack mule by the time they finished with their purchasing and they tuned towards the residential area of town.
They were almost safe when Sakura stepped into view. "I told you I'd find you," she yelled. Kakashi and Sasuke shared a glance as Naruto just sighed. Sakura started walking towards the three with her eyes locked on Naruto. In an unspoken agreement the guys set their bags down next to the building they were passing and watched her approach. When she was close enough she muttered, "Now you will pay for your actions Baka," she said. She pulled her fist back and came running intending to send Naruto flying but he sidestepped her blow and she face planted into the sidewalk. She picked herself up and with an angry growl turned to swing again. Her taijutsu was pretty good under normal circumstances but she wasn't thinking straight right now.
For a few minutes nothing could be heard except her angry growls as Naruto kept out of her way. He didn't raise a hand against her just stepping aside every time she came near but they were drawing a crowd and the crowd was getting angry. They wanted to see Naruto get the beating he deserved for tricking the vendors but it wasn't happening.
Sasuke and Kakashi had taken up a position guarding the bags of goods they'd bought to keep the angry crowd from destroying them and now they warily watched the fight and the crowd. Kakashi quietly said, "We need to get out of here. It's too crowded."
"Hn."
"Only one problem with that Sensei," said Naruto, never taking his eyes off Sakura who at that moment resembled a Wild Shikome from ancient mythology more than a normal human girl. Her rage was palatable and so long as she was determined to hurt him he needed all his concentration just to stay ahead of her. Even though together they were Team Seven at this moment Sakura was too blinded by her sense of injustice to realize where she was or what was going on. She didn't realize that Naruto was shopping with both Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke helping him.
So Kakashi and Sasuke picked up his bags and handed a few over to him as soon as he was close enough. Then they each took hold of an arm and teleported them all to his apartment. Once they were safely inside Naruto chuckled and said, "We should have done that as soon as we saw her."
"Hn"
"What's her deal anyway? Why is she so dead set on beating me up this time? She can't be thinking that I insulted you again since I didn't." he said directing the last comment to Sasuke.
"She's angry because both Tsunade-sama and I made it clear we didn't like what she did to your home," explained Kakashi.
"What did you do? She said something about being tied up. And what did she do exactly?"
"Umm. Yeah. Remember the posts at the training field? Well I tied her to one and forgot about untying her. She ended up tied there all night the day your houseguest sent out the chakra pulse." He rubbed a hand over his head. "She was pretty steamed about it when she found me in your hospital room the next morning and got punched by Tsunade-sama for yelling in a patients room. That's when Tsunade-sama let her know of her own displeasure with her behavior and banned her from being near your apartment."
Sasuke added, "It took all of us most of two days to repair the damage to this place. We had to fix the hole she left in your bedroom wall where she threw the bed through it and get new doors to hang for you. But because she tore all the doors off and left them down the villagers got in here and finished the job of trashing the place for her."
Kakashi finished the story. "Everyone is pretty upset with her over it. We don't even do this to our enemies. So Tsunade-sama let her know how she felt about it all."
"So she really isn't allowed to come here any more? No more having her come barging into my bedroom or bathroom like she owns the place?" Naruto asked wide eyed.
Kakashi shook his head and said, "Well, at least not unless you invite her. She shouldn't be going into your room or bathroom without an invite anyway but now she can't come here unless she is specifically invited and accompanied by a superior, who will be supervising her behavior."
"Never stopped her before," Naruto muttered. The three of them put away Naruto's food and then sat around talking until Naruto noticed the time. He groaned and said, "Time for my daily torture session, I guess."
They left the apartment and said good-bye to go their separate ways. They agreed to meet up later for their ramen-fest picnic.
Kakashi headed for the tower to inform Tsunade-sama of Sakura's visit to Naruto's last night and her attempt to pick a fight in the market district. Though he was still angry over the way she and Watari had manipulated Naruto he knew she needed to know Sakura was not obeying the injunction.
Sasuke headed for the Uchiha district. He still had to hide that journal in a better location and he wanted to make sure no one had found the rest of Naruto's things he'd left in the cubby. Plus the plant boxes needed tending.
Naruto, meanwhile, made his way to the bench Watarimono had told him she would see him at. He had no intention of telling her anything or allowing her to access his mind again without consequences. Her actions, with the contract she'd forced on him, made her an enemy as far as he was concerned. He found her sitting on the bench with Ino waiting for him and stood awkwardly staring at them.
"Well, I see you decided to come after all," said Watarimono. Ino looked at him in sympathy. She knew why he'd shown up and wasn't comfortable with the position she found herself in. At first she had really liked her new Sensei and thought she had something of benefit to teach her but these days she wasn't so sure. It seemed like her sensei was just about as big a spoilt princess as Sakura was acting like.
"I don't break my word," Naruto said shortly.
"Hmm. So you said but everyone breaks their word sometimes. And especially when giving their word, against their will, is the only way they can get something they want."
"Not Naruto," said Ino softly. How insulting, she thought.
"I don't break my word," he repeated.
"Never?"
"Never."
"Interesting but untrue I'm sure. Well, let's get started. Have a seat." She patted the place next to her on the bench but Naruto sat down on the grass. He was familiar enough with Ino's jutsu to know she didn't need physical contact for it but he was ready for either of them or both of them to try forcing their way into his mind.
"Well, ok I guess you can sit there if it makes you more comfortable. Now just relax. I'm going to enter your mind and talk with the Kyuubi to make sure everything is alright."
"No, you aren't. My mind is private territory. You want to talk to me you use your voice. You want to talk to Kyuubi I'll check to see if he wants to talk with you. But you will not enter my mind like Sakura does my apartment."
He saw the small smile of pleasure Ino hid by turning away and it made him feel better to know she didn't care for this any more than he did. From that smile he knew she wouldn't try to do anything sneaky so he concentrated on the woman instead.
"We had a deal. Kyuubi makes sure you keep your end of the agreement and informs me when you don't. That means that I have to communicate with him daily. Now I am going into your mind and I am going to have a conversation with him and him alone. You will comply or I will inform Tsu that you have violated your contract." Watarimono said forcefully.
"No. That was not in the contract and if you try to forcefully enter my mind against my will I can and will forcefully remove you. What damage that causes to you will be your own fault." He smirked. "Next time think things through more thoroughly. Now. I have met with you today so I will be on my way." He stood up and turned to walk away. He looked back over his shoulder at the stunned woman. "You never specified what if anything had to be accomplished in these sessions or a length of time for them to take place in. So long as I see you once every twenty-four hours even if it is only for a minute I have not violated that stupid contract." He strode away to the tinkling sound of Ino laughing.
On the bench, Watarimono was in shock. How the hell? They thought they'd blocked every avenue of escape but he'd found two ways out and there wasn't a blasted thing she could do about it. She just realized that she was as much a prisoner of that contract as she'd tried to make him and her sense of humor got the better of her. She started laughing and Ino looked at her puzzled.
Finally gaining control of herself she said, "No wonder Tsu loves that boy. He is smart and quick. And I just realized that the way I worded that contract we made him sign he can show up at my door in the middle of the night; say hi and bye and it would count as a visit. Damn." She began laughing again. She stood up pulling Ino up with her. "Come on. We have to tell Tsu how he got around it."
"Ok," said Ino. Privately she was amazed that Watarimono-sensei seemed pleased by this but she said nothing about how glad she herself was. She really didn't like what she'd seen in that contract but she'd seen no way out of it until Naruto had spoken.
A few minutes later they were standing in front of Tsunade's desk explaining to her how Naruto had managed to spoke their wheels and Tsunade couldn't stop a grin. "I told you he's special," she said.
"Yes you did. That was pretty clever. Most people wouldn't have looked past the actual words to find a way out of the contract but since he says he never breaks his word, he looked and found two. Well, two that he told me about. I wonder how many others he found that we don't know about." She looked at Tsunade. "Do you think this will really work, Tsu? I get the feeling that he is keeping to the letter of the contract but not the intent."
Tsunade sighed and her expression turned somber. "I would imagine that he has found a way around every stipulation in there. But he has no choice but to turn over his journal and he has to perform during the music contest in two more days. Those two things are ironclad and we gave him no way out that I can think of."
Kakashi spoke from the couch. "You're not getting the journal. Sasuke lost it. He had to re-hide it from Jiraiya and now he can't remember where he put it so he can't give it to Naruto to turn over." He never raised his eye from his orange book but ducked instinctively as a heavy book flew over his head to bounce off the wall behind him.
"Shush you," Tsunade growled. "Why'd Sasuke have his journal anyway? Why didn't you keep it while he was in the hospital."
"Because Naruto trusts Sasuke a lot more than he does me." Kakashi shrugged, reluctantly closing his book and tucking it away in his side pouch. He looked over to find both Watari and Tsunade-sama staring at him. "I'm more interested in what you plan to do about Sakura than I am in how Naruto gets around what you've already done to him."
"I'll deal with her in person but I want that journal found. You will go tell Sasuke to find it today. I want it on my desk before the day is over and you will see to it that it is."
"No, actually I won't. What a person writes in their private journal is no one's business but their own. You have no right to see it if Naruto doesn't wish you to." He paused and fixed both women with a cold stare. "And he doesn't want you to no matter what he promised in that forced agreement." He stood up and headed for the door.
"You will tell Sasuke to find it and give it to Naruto then so that he can keep his word. Naruto agreed and he never breaks his word no matter the circumstances it was given under. If that scroll isn't in my hands, or Wata's, by the end of the day, I will consider it a breech of his word."
"He doesn't have it to give to you so technically he isn't breaking his word at all but I will pass the message onto Sasuke when I see him. Of course, since training was called off today I'm not sure when that will be." Tsunade growled as he left her office and vanished to meet Iruka at the academy entrance.
"I think we just got beat at our own game Tsu," remarked Watarimono, looking at the door where her lover had just vanished.
Tsunade nodded and then sighed. "It seems Naruto has more real friends than we thought he did. I wonder just how many he really has."
For the first time since coming into the office Ino spoke up. "Naruto has always had good friends. We don't care that he acts like a fool most of the time because we know we can trust him with our lives. If acting the fool has a purpose other than making us laugh, than I am glad of it."
"Of course you are but you aren't helping him by allowing him to continue being false around you," answered Watarimono. "Friends should never be false around friends."
Ino raised an eyebrow. "Like Tsunade-sama appearing to be in her thirties when she's around you, isn't being false? Or you appearing to be happy and care-free being a single parent when you're around Kakashi-senpai?" She snorted. "Like it or not even you have a mask. No one is totally honest with anyone and most of us aren't even that honest with the face in the mirror."
Tsunade cleared her throat and mumbled, "Why is everyone being mean to me today?" Outloud she said, "Ok let's drop it for now. We're not getting anywhere and I still need an idea for how to get Sakura to back off and leave him alone."
"I told you when I first got to town to get that girl under control."
"I know and I should have listened then but let's go find her." They left the office and went to find Tsunade's pink-haired assistant.
Kakashi had met up with Sasuke, Hinata and Iruka outside the academy where they all headed off for the ramen stand to buy Naruto his dinner. Since the shopping expedition was done that morning he didn't need to appear in a public place so they took the ramen back to his apartment where they all sat around eating and enjoying the food. Sasuke made himself a tomato sandwich while Iruka fried up some rice with chopped up vegetables for himself, Hinata and Kakashi with Hinata coaching him. They stashed the extra ramen in the refrigerator, making Naruto promise to tell them when he ran out so they could do it again. As they ate, Hinata asked Naruto about the music contest. "What will you sing Naruto?"
He shrugged and said, "I've been trying not to think about that. I really don't want to do it."
"I think you should sing that song you sang the other day at the waterfall," she said shyly.
"What song?" asked Iruka, his curiosity peaked.
Naruto shrugged. "Kyuubi really doesn't like the villagers. He hates this place more now than he did when he attacked all those years ago. So when I have problems with the townspeople he gets very upset and music is the only way I know of to calm him back down. Normally I just play but sometimes I add words. Usually it's not a real song. It's just whatever pops into my head at the time."
"That was a song Naruto-kun." She held out a scroll and Iruka grabbed it. "I didn't know what it was called so I didn't put a name on it but I did copy it for you because it was beautiful.
Iruka's eyes widen and he whistled. He showed the scroll to Sasuke and Kakashi who were sitting together on the couch. Naruto didn't have enough chairs for them all to eat at the kitchen table so they were sitting around his living room with their plates on their laps. "Play it," he demanded.
"Yeah. Get that funny looking box out and play the song, Kit."
"Shut up, Furball," Naruto said to the Fox. "And it's call a guitar."
"Yeah whatever. Just play for me."
Naruto could sense that the Fox was upset by everything that had been happening recently. Though he wasn't upset enough to try and get Naruto angry yet, he was getting close. And he was angry enough for Naruto to have some very vivid nightmares if he didn't calm him down before he went to sleep. So playing for awhile did seem to be a good idea.
Naruto went into his bedroom and came back out in a few seconds with his guitar. He sat down and cradled it on his lap as everyone made themselves comfortable. He strummed the opening notes and began to sing the song he'd created that day in the cave.
Verse one
They say the greatest hero is someone you never know until they're gone.
No matter that you've known their name for years
Their sacrifice you'll never see until they're gone
and it's too late to say thank-you
And I guess that's true
cause I never knew you at all
and yet your sacrifice is something I see
all too clearly
cause your sacrifice was me His thoughts drifted away as he sang and he forgot about the guests that were sitting around him. The Fox purred inside his head. Even though the song was about that human who'd trapped him here, it was also about his kit and the village that was blind. He liked the peaceful flow of the music so he relaxed and let it carry him off to more pleasant memories.
chorus
You sacrificed me
and it made you a hero
to all of them
cause in doing that
you gave your life A small break where he just strummed the guitar let him remember the second verse and what he'd been thinking and feeling when he'd put the words together.
verse two
You are my greatest hero, someone I never knew thanks to the path you chose
But your name is one I've always known
and your sacrifice is my burden to carry
until I too shall pass away
I'm not a hero
cause I never had the choice
to make this sacrifice everyone can see
including me
But what did you leave for me.
Chorus
You sacrificed me
and it made you a hero
to all of them
cause in doing that
you gave your life The final verse was coming up and he found that he really didn't need to think about what he'd sang before. He always had those words running around in his head in one form or another.
verse three
The path that you chose left me alone without a hope and only lonely tears
to try and live my life as you would wish
carrying this burden you handed to me
until I can finally find peace.
I'll never be the hero
but I can't say that I mind.
One sacrifice in a lifetime is enough to bear
Too bad they can't see
The prize you left for me.
Chorus
You sacrificed me
and it made you a hero
to all of them
cause in doing that
you gave your life.
And mine too. . .
Mine too. . .
He let the music dwindle away and slowly came back to himself surprised to find his guests sitting in stunned silence. Hinata looked at him with a wide smile and said softly, "Thank-you Naruto-kun. That was just as beautiful as I remembered."
The guys looked at him as if they'd never seen him before. Kakashi was wondering if there was anything he really knew about his student while Iruka was merely surprised that he'd actually gone ahead and sang the song and done so without using the scroll. Obviously he'd sang those same words more than once to have been able to play it all the way through without making a mistake. Sasuke was just stunned in general. It was Sasuke who spoke first.
"So what is the name of that song Naruto? And don't tell me you don't know. No one creates a song they don't have a name for."
"I honestly haven't thought about it. I just play it because it makes both me and the Fox feel better."
"Well, I think you should sing this one for the contest. It would fit all the requirements and please the audience," said Iruka.
Naruto shook his head. "This song would get me lynched and thanks but I'd like to keep my head. Kyuubi can't fix it if they take my head off."
"Why do you think it'd get you in trouble?" asked Kakashi.
Naruto looked at him in silence and disbelief. "Weren't you listening to the words Sensei?"
"It draws a link between him and the Fourth," said Sasuke. "More of a link than just the Fourth using him to contain the beast."
"It does indeed but you're wrong Naruto. You are a hero already. You may not have made the choice to be the vessel when the Kyuubi was sealed in you but you make that choice every day that you keep the seal intact," added Hinata. "So I think the name should reflect that."
"Eh." he shrugged again and changed the subject.
No one in the apartment was aware of two people slipping quietly away where they had just been preparing to knock on the door. Tsunade had stopped Watarimono before her hand could fall on the door when the music had started and although the sound was faint it was still clear enough to understand through the thin walls and door. Together they had listened as the deep mellow voice sang the words full of heart and meaning. When the song had ended they had shamelessly listened to the conversation and weren't surprised to find they'd been listening to Naruto. Now they slipped away from the building as quietly as they could. Once they were clear, Tsunade said, "You know I think to understand him all you really have to do is listen to him sing. That was amazing."
"Yes he has a good voice and a way with words. That song came straight from his heart. There wasn't any falseness in it. He really believes every word of it. Now the question is how can we get him to sing it for the village music contest."
"We can't. He was right about that song being his death if they hear it."
"What?"
"The village doesn't want to believe there is any kind of connection between Naruto and their hero so they would see that song as sacrilege and his life would be forfeit for performing it for them. Besides it implies that the Yondaime took the easy way out by dying while Naruto has the harder job of living."
"Oh." Watarimono paused. "Well, that's just stupid. Of course there's a connection. The Fourth did the sealing for Kami's Sake."
The two women separated and each walked to her own residence still thinking about Naruto's song. Neither knew they were thinking the same thing but both were hoping for another opportunity to hear it again.
Author Note: Ok just a quick note to let you know for this chapter I had to do a little research. I looked up Japanese mythology to find a female character from their myths that would resemble the way I have Sakura behaving. They have a tale of a character named Izanami who takes control of the Underworld and creates Wild Shikome to chase Izanagi when he tries to escape the underworld and her. You can read about them on the Wikipedia Japanese mythology website. Enjoy