Chapter 24 Romance
Sakura moved as fast as she could without running as she followed Naruto though the corridors of the beach house. Naruto seemed to pick up speed to just stay to stay ahead of her, she felt like a cat chasing a mouse which didn't want to be caught. She channeled Chakra into her feet allowing her to pick up speed as she finally caught up to Naruto.
"Naruto-kun stop." ordered Sakura as she placed her hand on his shoulder only to have him disappear in a puff of smoke. Sakura stopped dead in her tracks as she looked at were Naruto should have been.
"He used a shadow clone to give us the slip." said Inner Sakura
"Where are you Naruto-kun?" asked Sakura to the empty hallway.
While Sakura looked at where Naruto used to be Katara was walking around the compound lost in thought, Toph's words rang in her head as she thought about what her heart was telling her. Did she really love the Fire Prince or did her heart belong to her friend Aang. Aang had always been kind to her but there wasn't any spark there as she remembered the words of her grandma.
Flashback
The winds blew across the cold snow covered ice sheets as the eight year old Katara moved walked into her the igloo which she called home. After the death of her mother during the fire nation attack two years ago her grandma had moved in to care for her and her brother. Their father had gone off to fight the war which now seamed far off. She entered the small igloo to see her grandma cutting apart a fish which would be their supper tonight.
"Well your home early Katara?" asked Gran Gran "You normally play with the other children after your lessons."
"Well I didn't feel like playing today." said Katara as she moved toward her part of the home.
"That doesn't sound like you is something wrong?" asked Gran Gran as Katara looked down at the snow covered ground. "What is going on? Did someone pick on you?"
"No it isn't that Gran Gran." said Katara with a blush "Gran Gran how do you know when you like someone?'
"Oh I understand now." said Gran Gran with a smile as she sat down across from her granddaughter. "I was wondering when this happen, see Katara a woman can love many people in many different ways but throughout the course of life there is only a handful which are truly special. Most of those special loves are friends and family but there is one that means more than any of the others. When you come across that love you will call him your husband."
"How will I know when that happens?" asked Katara
"Well that is the tricky part." said Gran Gran "You will know because when you think about him your heart will move and you can't help but smile at his name. When that happens my granddaughter you will know you're in love."
End flashback
Katara closed her eyes and let her mind winder almost instantly her mind's eyes filled with the images of the fire nation prince. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered his face the few times she had seen him truly smile, she had to admit he had a tediously to drive her up the wall but still she had to smile.
"I think I may love Zuko." admitted Katara to herself before she lowered her head as she remembered the fact that Zuko was a prince she was a peasant, he was fire nation were water tribe members were seen by most as almost less than human, she was from the water tribe were fire nation members were hated as murders and monsters. "It would never work besides he probably doesn't see me like that."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that young one." stated Fukasaku as he seemly appeared out of nowhere.
"You heard that?" asked Katara with a blush across her face
"Yes and like I said I wouldn't be so sure about that." stated Fukasaku "See when I first arrived I needed to know about you all so I entered each one of your dreams."
"You did what?" asked Katara
"I entered our dreams and I learned a lot, like the fact that you were dreaming about making out with a shirtless Zuko in a moon light pool." stated Fukasaku as Katara's blush became a deeper shade of red as the memories of that dream came flooding back. "It also allowed me to see into Zuko's mind?"
"Was he dreaming about me?" asked Katara afraid of the answer.
"In a way, he was dreaming about both you and another girl named Mai." stated Fukasaku as Katara's fist tighten "He was trying to decide who to choice, in his dream he picked you."
"I see so he may like me as well?" asked Katara
"Possible." stated Fukasaku
"Still it wouldn't work the fire nation prince with a water tribe peasant." stated Katara as she shook her head "Besides when we beat the fire lord and Azula, Zuko will be fire lord making it even worst."
"Or even better because if you two truly love each other then it will be a sign to this world that things in the fire nation had changed." explained Fukasaku as Katara looked at him she hadn't thought about that if she did end up with Zuko, she could become Fire Lady, a water bender as the Queen of the Fire Nation was unthinkable.
While Katara was thinking the unthinkable Princess Azula was also thinking about something that a few weeks ago she would have thought impossible however what she and the water bender woman were thinking about were two different unthinkable. While Katara was thinking about the fact if she did end up with Zuko she would be fire lady, Azula was just thinking about the fact that she actually cared about someone other than herself. Unable to sleep Azula started walking back and forth in her private cabin before she finally gave up and decided to take a walk around the airship. The guards were stunned to see the fire nation princess walking around so late at night; Azula said nothing as she walked up to the upper attack deck. She took a deep breath as she felt the warm summer night's air enter her lungs at the same time it blew though her pure black hair.
"I see you couldn't sleep as well." stated a voice as Azula twitched ever so slightly before she turned her almost fifteen year old golden eyes turned to see the sixteen year old black eyes of Sasuke Uchiha. Azula couldn't hid her smile as Sasuke moved to stand beside her, a smile on his face as well as the two of them stood by the railing watching the clouds pass by them and looking down at the sleeping Fire Nation below them. For the longest time neither one of them said anything as they enjoyed each other company.
"You know someday you could rule this world with me." stated Azula as Sasuke nodded his head.
"I know, but first I must kill Naruto and Madara." stated Sasuke
"Well we know where Naruto will be in a couple of days." stated Azula
"And once I find out how they got to this world by breaking the pink weakling spirit I will return to my old world and kill Madara." stated Sasuke as Azula lowered her head suddenly she felt her hand move. She looked to see that Sasuke had taken her hand within his. "Then after he is dead, I will return to you."
Azula smiled at those words as Sasuke kissed her hand.
"Now get some sleep my Princess." stated Sasuke with tenderness and love in his voice "You have to deal with your father in the morning."
"Of course my warrior." resounded Azula with the same amount tenderness and love in her voice
The sound of crashing waves filled the air as Naruto looked down at the sea below; his mind was still trying to process what he had just learned. He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't notice her arrival until the tree branch moved down a little under the weight. He turned to see Sakura sitting in the tree beside him; the tree was the tallest on the land the beach house was on it was also located near the edge of a cliff.
"Please don't try the shadow clone thing again." stated Sakura as she looked out to sea.
"How did you find me?" asked Naruto
"Because I know you." answered Sakura "Whenever you are troubled you find the highest point you can and you think."
"I should be happy, I know who my parents are Minato Namikaze the 4th Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki." stated Naruto "However I can't help but feel angry. The old lady, the pervert and the old toad they all knew who my parents were and they never told me. How did you figure it out anyhow?"
"It just came to me." stated Sakura as Naruto simply looked at her as she took a deep breath "Have you ever lost something and have no idea where you put it. Then hours later you remember where you put it."
"Yes, I have done that before when I couldn't remember where I put the remote control." answered Naruto
"I must have done the same thing." answered Sakura "As for Lady Tsunade and the old pervert while I disagree with what they did, I can understand it."
"They knew who my parents were and didn't tell me." stated Naruto as his fist tightened "When I was a kid I cried countless nights because I wondered who my parents were they could have ended that."
"I am not saying what they did was right but remember why they did it." stated Sakura "If word had gotten out about whom you where, there are a tons of people around the world who would love to do things to you because of your parents. Some would want you dead and others would want you to spawn them strong ninjas. They were trying to protect you."
"Still they should have told me." stated Naruto "I would have kept my mouth shut."
Sakura simply looked at him; her look said it all as Naruto lowered his head a bit.
"Alright maybe I wouldn't have kept my mouth shut when I was a kid but still." said Naruto
"What is in the past is in the past there is nothing that can be done to fix it, we can only look forward." Stated Sakura "Instead look on the brighter side, you are the son of possibly the two best ninjas ever to come from the Leaf village the 4th Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki."
"That is pretty cool." laughed Naruto
"My mom and her friends always said that the 4th Hokage was very handsome." said Sakura as Naruto looked at her "And judging from how your looking, they were not lying."
Naruto was taken aback as he looked at his long time crush was who was simply looking out to sea. Naruto looked down to see that the girl who he had longed for since he was six years old had her hand on top of his.
"You called me Naruto-kun when you were chasing my clone." said Naruto
"I know." said Sakura
"Was it an accident?" asked Naruto "Did you add kun to my name by accident?"
"Yes." answered Sakura as Naruto lowered his head only to suddenly feel it being pulled back up. His eyes widened as he saw that Sakura had moved in so close that he could feel her breath on his lips. "It was an accident that I told you too soon."
Naruto's eyes became as wide as dinner plates as Sakura smiled.
"This however isn't an accident." stated Sakura as she closed the distance and softly pressed her lips against his. Instantly she felt a jolt of electricity run from her lips though every part of her body, for a moment she was in haven and nothing could change that as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. Naruto's eyes were not closed, he was too stunned to even think or move.
"Kiss her back you idiot." ordered the Kyuubi's voice in his head as Naruto followed the order and started returning the kiss. The end of air forced their hand as slowly the two of them pulled apart but remained close.
"What about Sasuke? I thought you loved him." asked Naruto as Sakura simply looked at him
"The past is in the past and the future is what is before us." answered Sakura as she pulled him into a second kiss, this time Naruto didn't need to be told by the Kyuubi to kiss her back.
Hours later the sun was just rising over the Fire Nation Capital as the Royal Airship came in for a landing. Waiting for the airship was a small party of Royal group including the Fire Lord himself. The airship came to a stop as the ramp came down allowing Azula, Sasuke, Ty Lee and Mia to step off. They walked toward the delegation which had the fire Lord Ozai in the lead.
"Welcome home Daughter." stated the Fire Lord before turning toward Sasuke
"It seems like you didn't honor our deal and while having the Northern Water Tribe Capital is great the deal was the Avatar." stated Ozai "And you didn't honor that."
"But I did." stated Sasuke as Ozai eyes widened a bit "When the comet comes the Avatar along with one of the two people I have to kill will come here to stop your attack on the Earth Kingdom."
"How would they know that?" asked a General
"Because I told them." stated Sasuke
"You told them?" yelled the general
"Yes, because when they come to stop you and they will come we will be ready for them and we will kill them." stated Sasuke
"Father wouldn't it better to defeat the Avatar in front of everyone." stated Azula as Ozai grinned at the idea.
"Very good idea daughter." stated Ozai before turning toward Sasuke "Use anything you need to prepare for them."
I would like to say that I am so sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter, I have had a lot of problems first coming down with the flue, then hitting a writing block, then came thanksgiving and then finally when I know what to say in my story my computer's power core decides it wants to break so I don't have power to write until a new one came. Well now that you know I hope you can forgive me now until next time please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75