Ok, reviews.
Angelic101: Sakura and Sasuke train in different places since Sakura has already set herself near the pinnacle of the fighting in the local tournament. The rest must be revealed as the story goes on since I don't want to give too many spoilers.
Halocreamdevil: Ok, need to add scenery, got it. I'm planning on lowering Sasuke's 'bad-ass level' but not so much. At the beginning of the series Sasuke was always better than Naruto. So even if Naruto wants to help someone, and in this case he'd be dead before anything began, it'd be better to send someone who won't die immediately. Don't try to understand what I just wrote, I don't get it my self.
I know it's been over a month (I think.) but I'll keep my excuses to myself. Basically I've been downright lazy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters from it. I don't own any of the music used in this fanfiction. They all belong to their respective owners. I gain nothing from this fanfiction (except reviews :]). I do, however, own the story that this fanfiction follows and any originally characters. 'Stacked Actors' belongs to Foo Fighters and 'Shout 2000' belongs to Tears for Fears (Though I'm going to use the disturbed cover.).
Chapter 6: Moving On
The bar was dim-lit, only a few neon lights in pink and yellow gave enough light for the tables between the stage and the bar. The place was brimming with murmurs, laughing and loud shouting. Blue stage lights turned on to reveal the four. The drummer checked he had everything in place and that he had spare sticks in case he broke any. The singer was adjusting the microphone stand and testing the sound. Naruto was tuning the borrowed guitar and Sasuke's eye was twitching. The lights didn't disturb him much as they flashed in his face, but having learnt a song within a day and now standing on a stage in a bar with a lot of drunks and no chicken wire to keep the bottles away just made him feel a little uneasy. He shook it off and checked everything was in order with the fine bass guitar in his hands. He couldn't recognise the make but the wood on the handle was smooth and dark, giving it a proper low sound. He saw Naruto bring out a plectrum.
The crowd turned their divided attention towards the stage as they heard the short sounds of ringing strings and an abrupt drum beat take course.
"Ok people, we're going to cover a song called 'Stacked Actors' we hope you enjoy it." The singer said cheerfully before making his voice soft as the music quietened down slightly.
"Oh mirror mirror
"Your coming in clear
"I'm finally somewhere in between
"I'm impressed what a beautiful chest" The singer was holding onto the microphone stand and leaning forward looking at a beautiful woman in the front row.
"I never meant to make a big scene." The singer sang softly as the music stayed calm.
"Will you resign to the latest design" He leaned to the side to see a trendy set of clothes, adorning an older teen.
"You look so messy when you dress up in dreams
"One more for hire" He leaned to one side.
"Or a wonderful liar " He leaned to the other.
"I think it's time we all should come clean." The music started to become louder and faster with each note and the singer's soft voice followed suit.
"Stacked dead actors
"Stacked to the rafters
"Line up the bastards all I want is the truth
"Hey, hey now, can you fake it?" He leaned back and sung into the mic.
"Can you make it look like we want?
"Hey Hey now can you take it?
"And we cry when they all die blonde." He held the final note as he sung and the music quietened down.
"God bless, what a sensitive mess" He looked towards a table riddled with beer glasses.
"Yeah but things aren't what they seem.
"Your teary wise your famous disguise
"Never knowing who to believe."
"See through
"Yeah but what do you do?
"When your just another ageing drag queen?" The music began to pick up again.
"Stacked dead actors
"Staked to the rafters
"Line up the bastards
"All I want is the truth."
"Hey hey now can you fake it?
"Can you make it look like we want?
"Hey Hey now can you take it?
"And we cry when they all die blonde." He leaned back and held the microphone stand up high. Holding the notes strong and long.
"Stacked dead actors
"Stacked to the rafters
"Line up all the bastards
"And we cry when they all die blonde." The singer paused for a couple of moments as the drums and guitar sped up during a solo. Naruto walking in front leaning backwards slightly to show off the guitar in the light. The singer screamed into singing.
"Hey hey now can you fake it?
"Can you make it look like we want?
"Hey Hey now can you take it?
"And we cry when they all die blonde." They all joined in.
"Stacked dead actors
"Stacked to the rafters
"Line up all the bastards
"All I want is the truth
"Stacked dead actors
"Stacked to the rafters
"Line up the bastards." The music stopped and the singer went solo.
"And we cry when they all die blonde." Then the calm tune repeated itself until the end.
Cheers could be heard from the crowd and the band members waved their hands in the air. Naruto was about to lift the new guitar with it's crisp honey-brown look above his head. Sasuke caught his arm before he did.
"No." He said firmly.
"But I-"
"No" Naruto then treated the guitar nicely and grumbled to himself as they started to head off of the stage. Naruto instantly cheered up as he gave the guitar to Savage and headed over towards the bar with Sasuke and the two band members. The bar had a couple of hanging lights that illuminated the long row that nearly stretched the width of the room. The wall behind it was covered in shelves and alcohols of different kinds. The counter was dark, waxed and well-looked after. The stools were tall and strong. The bartender was big, gruff and had a pointy moustache that stood out black against his tanned skin.
"What'll it be? I'll need an ID if you want alcohol." Naruto stared up at the man, eyes squinting. The man leered back. Naruto stared at him some more. He kept staring back. Naruto lifted his right hand and pointed at the man who looked at it indifferently.
"How much gel do you use to get your moustache to stick up like that?" Sasuke slammed Naruto's head into the counter and the bartender slammed his mighty fist into the back of Naruto's head.
"Sorry about him. I'll take some lemonade." That bartender looked at Sasuke in his indifferent manner.
"We ran out of lemonade a couple of days ago. We should be receiving a new shipment by the end of the week. Anything else you'd like to order?" Sasuke thought for a moment. He wouldn't have minded a good refreshing sour drink. Alas, he would have to try for something else.
"I'll have some juice then."
"We'll have a couple of beers." The two band members showed their Ids confirming their age. The bartender turned his head to look down at Naruto who had just lifted his hand up.
"And for the deceased?" He asked. His voice low.
"Miso soup." Sasuke and the bartender paused and just looked at Naruto.
"He Naruto?" The bartender asked Sasuke. Sasuke nodded. "Good, he gets a special treat on the house." Naruto absorbed all his blood like a sponge and stood up, hands on the counter, with a face of happiness and energy.
"Really?!" He asked.
"Tsunade's orders." He said. Sasuke looked at the barkeeper.
"I don't like how this is going. There's no treat for me is there?" The barkeep shook his head slowly.
"Nah, just him. Give me a minute I'll fix it up, it's my speciality." The barkeep had a glint in his eye.
"Thank Kami-sama." The bartender gave Sasuke his tomato juice and pulled out a bunch of bottles, grey from dust, and boxes with bent nails in them. Naruto never looked more excited. The barkeep pulled out a crowbar from his sleeve and started opening the boxes. Dusty flew and spiders and insects fled. He pulled out the various bottles, and jars and placed a large glass on the counter in front of him. Sasuke and the two looked at the bartender in awe and at his drink in disgust at the same time as he started adding red, green and yellow liquids with grey and black dusts. They marveled at how he made the colour of the glasses content s change again and again until it landed on brown.
"No one's stupid enough to drink that." The drummer said. Then he, Sasuke and the singer turned to look at the giddy Naruto jumping about, eagerly awaiting his drink.
"... He's going to die isn't he?" The drummer asked Sasuke.
"Oh yeah." Finally, the bartender was about to add a drop of the clear liquid. He put on a mask of metal and two very thick gloves. He picked up the petit glass with a pair of extended pliers and carefully pulled the cork loose. People near-by let out whimpers and jumped behind the counter. People ducted under tables and security leaned back against doors. Sasuke and the two looked about dumb-founded but nonetheless, they hid behind the counter. Naruto was still smiling and jumping on his seat. He was the only one, besides an obviously oblivious and drunk man whose lighter wasn't working, that had their head above the counter.
"I can't get the damn." Was all the man muttered as he went unnoticed.
The bartender turned the pliers slightly and a drop of the clear liquid left the side and fell down to the brown liquid. The room tensed. The drop landed. Nothing happened. Then Naruto clasped the glass. He lifted it. It blew up in his face. Naruto's face was black, his clothes drenched in the liquid and the man had his cigarette lit.
"Cheers mate." He said before taking a few puffs.
"What the hell was in that?" Sasuke yelled.
"A few of my own inventions and mixtures with some gun power and the secret ingredient – nitroglycerine." He said proudly.
"Secret? You don't say, no one would ever figure that out." Sasuke's voice was smeared with sarcasm.
"Yes, truly brilliant isn't it." The singer looked at the barkeep over the counter.
"Dude, are you allowed to do that?"
"Of course, I studied chemistry and was in the explosives division in this continent's army before the truce."
"Could this place have anybody more insane." Sasuke muttered to himself.
"You say something?" The bartender said, leaning over towards Sasuke.
"Uh, no" He held his arms up defensively.
"That was cool!" Naruto said. "Could you make another one?" Everyone stopped talking and looked, dead-panned, at Naruto. Some were twitching.
"Hmm." The bartender thought. "Tsunade only told me to serve one. I suppose I could though."
"Hey guys." Sasuke and the singer turned around to see the drummer. "I just talked to the guys who were on next, apparently a couple of them got hit by the" He waved over to the shattered glass that was sprawled across the counter. "you know. We can take their spot and keep Naruto away from the nitro-booze."
"Hey Naruto" Sasuke turned to look at him and then at the glass that was sprawled across the other side of the counter. "Where's the glass?" He asked, forgetting his last question.
"Huh?" Naruto looked down to see that he had no glass in his torso, a miracle, and then looked at his hand. "Ouch." He showed the trio his hand which had blasted glass embedded into the flesh, oozing blood.
"How did you not notice until now?" Sasuke spoke faster than he thought he could.
"Hmm." Naruto thought. "Dunno."
'Wow, he really is stupid." The trio thought.
"Well he can't play then." The singer stated.
"One minute." Naruto said. The trio weren't listening and they turned to each other as Naruto started to pick the glass out of his hand with a tooth pick.
"What are we going to do?" The drummer asked in a hushed voice.
"We can't keep him from ordering it if he's here." Sasuke said.
"Well we can't tell the barkeep to stop giving it to him, that guy's insane!" The singer whispered.
"Hmm, did you want something." The barkeep loomed behind them with his arms crossed. The all straightened stiffly.
"Nothing!" They chorused.
"Hey guys!" Naruto said. They looked at him to see that he had all of the glass out of his hand and that he was patching it out with first aid that the bartender gave him. "I can play one more tune." Sasuke sighed, the singer slapped himself on the forehead and the drummer looked like he was trying to stop himself from puking. The singer ran his fingers through his over-sized pink afro.
"Time to go." They all walked around the room to the stage. Naruto and Sasuke once again took up the instruments that they had left with Savage.
"What song are we doing?" Sasuke asked as he checked the bass and plugged it in.
"'Shout 2000'. Do you know it?" Sasuke shook his head. "Well just go with the flow."
"OK, so then I play this chord." Sasuke turned to see the drummer telling Naruto the chords. Sasuke was relieved that Naruto was a freakishly fast learner. Naruto then walked over to him.
"You know, I wonder where Hinata went." Sasuke paused for a second and then turned to look at Naruto. He was right, where had Hinata gone.
"Hey Savage, where's Hinata?" Savage turned to the stage.
"She got called to head office. Don't worry she's fine, I took her there myself and there's a bunch of bodyguards. If anything happens she'll be OK. I've got to take you after your next song." Sasuke was puzzled, he had the feeling that their stay here was going to be short-lived.
"What for?" Savage shrugged.
"Head office tells me nothing of details." The singer put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
"Come on man, one song." Sasuke took his place on the stage, flanking the singer from the opposite side of Naruto.
"OK people!" The singer yelled into the microphone. "We're going to do a covered version of 'Shout 2000'. Let's ROCK!" The music began strong.
"Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without, come on.
"I'm talking to you, come on." He pointed into the air as he screamed the lyrics.
"Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without
"Come on, I'm talking to you, come on." He pointed up to the ceiling and screamed into the microphone as he leaned into a pose at the front to the stage.
"In violent times, you shouldn't have to sell your soul
"In black and white, they really ought to know
"Those one track minds that took you for a working whore
"Kiss them goodbye, you shouldn't have to jump for joy
"You shouldn't have to shout for joy. Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump."
"You shouldn't have to shout for joy.
"Shout! Shout! Let it all out
"These are the things I can do without, come on
"I'm talking to you so come on."
"They give you life...
"And in return you give them hell.
"As cold as ice, I hope we live to tell the tale
"I hope we live to tell the tale
"I hope we live to" Naruto shouted: "Shout" "the tale." The singer continued.
"Let it all out, these are the things I can do without
"Come on, I'm talking to you so come on."
"Will you never shout? HUH
"I feel as though you're never gonna let it all out
"Will you never shout? HUH
"I feel as though I know you're never gonna let it all out, will you never shout?
"HUH, I feel as though I know you're never gonna let it out
"And when you've taken down your guard...
"If I could change your mind...
"I'd really love to break your heart."
"Break, break, break, break, break." Naruto yelled.
"I'd really love to" "Shout" "your heart" "Shout" The two chorused.
"Let it all out
"These are the things I can do without, come on
"I'm talking to you so come on.
"I'd really love to"
"Shout, shout"
"Let it all out
"These are the things I can do without, come on
"I'm talking to you so come on.
"Come on let me shout shout let me
"Come on let me shout shout
"Come on let me shout shout let me
"Come on let me shout shout" The music stopped.
The crowd cheered. The four waved.
"Thank you, continent 52!" The singer shouted into the microphone, earning more screams of joy. He waved with both arms. Naruto and Sasuke handed the instruments back to Savage. Naruto turned to the two.
"At least stay for a couple of beers." The singer said sadly.
"Sorry, we've got to go find our friend." Naruto said with a smile and scratching his head. The drummer cupped his chin for a minute.
"Oh" He snaped his fingers and then moved his hands to outline a voluptuous figure. "You mean the cute girl with the nice body." Naruto and Sasuke sent neatly-wrapped death glares towards him. "Eh, sorry."
"Well, goodbye, it was nice playing with you guys, we should meet up for those beers sometime soon." The singer held out his hand and Naruto shook it. Sasuke shook hands with the drummer.
"Let's." Naruto said. "Bye for now." They waved as they left to follow savage back to Tsunade's office. "What were your names?" Naruto asked as he was about to pass through the door.
"Eh? Will and Alistair." The singer,better known as William, shouted back.
"Good to know." Naruto shouted down the hall way.
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"So we've got to leave?" Sasuke stated simply.
"Of course, I'm not going to risk as much trouble as their prepared to bring. It wouldn't be beneficial to begin with." Tsunade said. Her office had two bodyguards outside keeping a look out. In Tsunade's office their were another four standing in the corners. Sakura was standing next to Tsunade. Hinata stood in between Naruto and Sasuke a couple of feet away from Tsunade's desk. Hinata looked a little shaken from the news of an infiltrator. On this harsh side of a world where social standing is decided on who you know, strength, money and tact. Continent 52 was not the place to have someone with a dagger pointed to your back staying close behind you. Naruto and Sasuke didn't know what exactly Hinata had done besides run away but they knew that she'd end up in very bad shape if she was caught.
"When do we leave?" Naruto asked.
"Before dawn, so" She check her small silver watch. "Two hours. Be in the car park by then."
"Y-your go-going to help us e-escape?" Hinata asked, shakily.
"Of course. I keep my word." Tsunade paused for a minute, lost in the past. "Your not going alone though."
"Eh?" Naruto grunted.
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"How did it turn out like this." Sasuke questioned himself. He was wearing a plain dark navy-blue t-shirt, a pair of black jeans, a pair of black trainers and a dark blue jumper with the zip undone. He looked at the 'amazing crew' that had been assembled. There was Naruto in his overly-loud orange hoody, a white, long-sleeve t-shirt, blue jeans and a pair of white and orange trainers. Hinata with her 'mended' yellow hat, a dark blue t-shirt, a teal-purple flease, baggy dark-shaded trousers and a pair of simple slip-on shoes. Sasuke predicted those two, but the next two made him shudder. There was Savage, Jim Savage with his usual dark set and his 'shades of fear' as he called them, and then there was Sakura who wore a pale pink t-shirt, a darker pink, unzipped jumper, much like Sasuke's, a pair of plain, light trousers and a pair of white running shoes.
"Tell me why she's here." Sasuke said with obvious resentment. They hadn't spoken since his little 'crime'.
"She would be the best for looking after Hinata" Tsunade began. "She also took a liking to the piano a few years back." Tsunade finished with a grin.
"Tsunade-sama!" She retorted.
"Oh so that's where you've been, I thought you were beating people up for trying to vent some unexplained anger from the disappearance or loss of your parents at a young age and then being isolated and set aside for not having the family most others around you did." Everyone looked at Naruto.
"What did he just say." Tsunade said, her eye twitching. "Does he normally do that?"
"It's more random than not" Sasuke answered. "but he's usually gotten the right info somehow."
"All right you lot, it's time to go." Savage rounded them up into the car, their luggage in the back. Sasuke decided to go shot gun, Sakura behind him, Naruto sat behind Savage and Hinata right in between the two. A guard input a code and the cage door within the car park started to reel open.
Savage turned on the car, front lights blaring, and revved the engine up. They drove up the concrete tunnel to the surface. After this, they would be headed north, through into the country.
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There's a nice big over-sized chapter for you. OK if you want the excuses here they are:
Moved.
Video Games.
New school.
Lazy.
I've also realised all the mistakes I've made in the previous chapters, I'm going to have to revise those.
Here's a little something I wrote spontaneously, if you put it in your profile then give me the credit.
The dinner of the diner,
Could not be any finer.
The chips are greasy and the burgers too.
They deep-fry the vegetables,
And there are no collectables,
Except forks and spoons.
The 70s and 80s,
Or so they say matey,
Were the times of the 'dos'.
'Dos' as in hair-do. A.K.A Afro & etc.
Next chapter: Chapter 7: Hard work is good work.