MOON SAYS: Okay guys, here is chapter 3! Hopefully I can finish this story really quickly. I want to start on a few others. Well...really I want to do Love's Resilience. But oh well.

6 pages; 4090 words; ENJOY

Masks

Chapter 3: Free

I watched Tina put on a scowl that actually seemed genuine. I could feel it. This amazed me. I mean, I never expected of all people in the world that let their emotions get the better of them to be her. She taught me that masks are essential to life—I would have never pulled off my part without it. You tell me, if you are the total opposite of the character you play, how could you do it without masks? To some masks are essential, to others they are troublesome. Back to Tina: I have never seen or felt emotions that make themselves known unless she didn't want them to be seen.

To Tina showing and feeling emotions is a sign of weakness that many of your enemies will not hesitate to use against you. Orochimaru was one of those enemies. He actually proved many of her lessons to me.

The only way Tina would show emotion was to manipulate someone. She looked all innocent and lured them into a false sense of security—most of the time. Then she would strike. To be honest, it helped that she looked like a cute little girl.

But that scowl…

She wasn't manipulating anyone—well as far as I could tell. She wasn't using it to strike fear into them and make them submissive either.

It was her real feelings. There were just a handful of times—I could probably count on my fingers and still have many of them left over—she ever showed her real emotions and she couldn't control showing them. Those times…as I thought about those times I began to show fear—real fear. She usually ended up doing damage that could never be reversed when she couldn't control her mask.

I was afraid as I saw her show that scowl. I wanted to get back there and stop her. But something deep inside of me wanted to see her get revenge for me. I knew how it would feel too…satisfying.

I threw those thoughts out of my heard. I didn't need to accidently encourage her. That would just be my luck, she picked up on those emotions and she acted on them.

I did flinch when I saw that scowl turn into a smirk. I was more afraid of that little smirk then the scowl.

She laughed, that made everyone once again pay attention to her. She had their undivided attention once more.

"Do you love your Yodamaine?"

They gave a cheer. It seemed they forgot about that curse…I mean Jutsu she put on them. Then it dawned on me what she just said…I knew what she was going to do now. She just gave me my revenge.

"Would you do anything for him?"

Again cheer erupted from the crowd. They were really idiots. I knew there were a few that would figure out what was going on. Shika I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt knew. And this just confirmed it for him.

"Do you remember that he wanted you to treat Naruto as a hero? I was under the impression that 'a piece of shit' isn't 'hero.' Think about it: if it wasn't for Naruto, the Kyuubi would have killed you all." And I would have watched and laughed while my foxy did it too, Tina thought as she said those words.

A few murmurs were heard. They could see the truth in her words. Half were ashamed when she pointed it out to them. I knew that there were some that just thought that what they were doing was right, so it didn't matter what she said. Some didn't care…like a certain cloud watching, lazy ass ninja.

"Did you know Naru is the child of your precious Fourth Hokage?"

She dropped the bombshell. Pandemonium broke out. I again avoided my…no not my—Naruto's friends. Would I ever get that right? I instead focused on Tina. She was grinning from ear to ear.

I wish I knew how she did it. Just a little sound of her voice and everyone was quiet. "Now what would the man you worshiped think if he found out that you insulted, abused, and almost killed countless times, his child?"

More chaos broke out, people cursing others, putting the blame on their neighbors, and some died when her Jutsu took effect. Some noticed, but most were more preoccupied with something else. With one last grin she disappeared. Along with a few others, but no one noticed them.

I waved my hand and the breezes as well as my charka dissipated. Seconds before she came into view, but I felt her, before I saw her. My eyes softened and a smile graced my lips. For the first time in a decade I let myself feel—not fake or pretending, but real—happiness. That and joy were at the full front of my mind. Betrayal, anger, hurt, nervousness, all those emotions I always keep near me to reminded myself of certain things; had no place hear Tina. So they disappeared, going to the place where I usually kept my positive emotions.

I ran forward—not paying attention to my surroundings—into Tina's arms. She laughed at me. "I'm not leaving you—not yet anyway." Then I could feel her grow serious. She tensed and tightened her arms around me. "Now pull yourself together. You had your breakdown." I flinched and knew she felt it. "Now get it together. You are not weak, so don't act like it. I know I trained you better than this."

I heard a sigh from behind Tina, and I couldn't see that person with my eyes closed and my face against her chest. "Give her a break Tina. She is a girl; she needs to let it all out once in a while. You did train her after all; you know you can't keep emotions in like that. And on top of that, she has hidden everything for years; can't she be herself for once?"

I backed up, my mask returned in all its glory. I focused on the person who just talked. I tensed, ready to attack if need be. But once I realized that if Tina hadn't then I shouldn't. Once I thought that I was in clear view of seeing who the stranger was. It was Gaara. I gave him a small smile.

He gave Tina a glare. "See? Look what you just did, damn it Tina! Sometimes I think someone just needs to smack you good. You know that your theory with masks exactly doesn't work." He shook his head and walked to me.

I kept the confusion off my face as he hugged me. "Hey Naru-chan." He pulled back and smiled, it was different from the other smiles he used to give me. It wasn't sad, how did he get so happy?

He felt the confusion I stuffed down. He didn't see it though, so that was good. But since we both are both Tina's Guardians we were connected—just like we were with Tina. We were constantly in each other's mind. Teasing most of the time, but when we had a fight it was pretty hard. We had to go with instinct. Since one of us could read the other's mind.

He chuckled. "I never told you how I knew you were a girl? Did you always wonder when I dropped those hints? Or gave you a curious look?"

I nodded, I gave Tina a look. "I thought it was supposed to be a secret, why tell him?"

Tina had the audacity to look innocent. "I didn't tell him anything. Why do you always accuse me?" she pouted.

Gaara and I shared a look, and she growled at us. "I didn't tell him, his…girl—ha-ha that's a good joke—told him."

I glared at Gaara. Yet more people keeping things from me, though I had no right to talk. "What's this about a girl?"

He sighed; he closed his eyes as he rubbed his temples. "I think you call her…Onee-chan."

I just blinked, that was all I could do short of dropping my jaw. That shows weakness…and Gaara would make fun of me. "You're telling me, you and Onee-chan?"

He nodded, and I snapped. I couldn't contain the laughter. Now it was his turn to be confused. "What? I thought you knew…I told you. I remembered it too. I told you after—what?"

When I laughed; he didn't seem to like that. "You're laughing at me, when you're the one who can't remember stuff.

Tina gave me an amused look. "Are you copying me little Naru?"

I waved them both off. If he was going to make fun of me for not remembering stuff then I was going to get him.

"You don't seem to be improving Gaara." I faked my lecturing voice. "You got the sand out of your pants, and then you put something else back into them? That isn't improving, you're backtracking."

He choked. Tina tried to not laugh, but in the process she started her laugh-cough. Once he stopped his choking, he glared at me. I just smirked back; we all knew that was mine.

"Won't you ever let that drop?"

I shook my head. "Nope, just like you won't let…that other thing drop."

He thought about what it was that he never let go of. Then he smirked. "Oh I remember. Are you still starting your period in the middle of a battle? Or is it just the sight of you fighting and staring at your opponents' body that makes you bleed? Does it still make you feel hot and turned on? I remember during the Chuunin Exams whenever one of your friends were fighting you would tense up…you did push Shika into fight his. Did you want to touch him that bad?"

I didn't think before I yelled at him. "That wasn't my period! That was blood from someone I cut with my kunai! God help me, Gaara….it didn't help that I half knew you knew I was girl. And it really didn't help that Kiba and Shika were there. You just had to say that when I was on my period didn't?"

Tina was on the ground holding her sides in for that one. Me on the other hand….well let's just say that Gaara was begging Tina to stop laughing. I didn't even have to lift a finger. All I had to do was going into his mind and start playing certain…images and scenes. I shivered as I played them over and over, these gave me nightmares, but it serves him right!

It took a few minutes before she did stop laughing, but then she started again when she saw what I was torturing him with now. It got the point where she was still laughing and it wasn't funny anymore. I was about to slap her when I realized something, lots of something's to be exact. Why were they here?

"Alright you two, I love you two to death, but what's going on?"

Tina sighed, "You know I hate being serious. But if you want to know…I guess I could tell you." She gave Gaara a look which he just rolled his eyes at.

"And that means that I end up being the one who has to tell you why. I am the Kazekage, so why shouldn't I be here for the induction of the Rokudaime? She," sticking his thumb toward the woman who just narrowed her eyes at him…again, "is here because she didn't like the emotions coming off of you. Yes she was concerned, but she wanted to see how you were doing. Why wouldn't she be here when your dream came true?"

I nodded, it made sense. Seeing Gaara here made me think of something else…the last thing we talked about. Why was it now, after all that fun—I love teasing—that I remember important stuff?

"Gaara what have you heard anything new about Akatsuki?"

I saw Tina freeze, but otherwise did nothing. I didn't want to point it out. If it was important then she would say it, if not why should I bring it up?

Gaara's face grew grimmer. It made me sad, jus seconds before it was all happy. "Yes, and they are coming after you. They think they have the eight so far but," we all smirked. "We know that isn't true. Once we merge you and Kyuubi together, we can rest. Though," he said thoughtfully, "depending on how long it takes them to come, we could just wait for you to merge with him naturally. But that takes too long, from what we heard they will be coming for you within the next two months—maybe if we aren't lucky sooner, which is just our luck."

During those two years that I trained with Ero-Sennin we met up with Gaara and merged him with Shukaku. That was the only way. We knew Tina wouldn't survive another death of someone she loved. I was scared how she would handle the news of both Orochimaru and Jiraiya's death. But if Shukaku was taken we knew that was a blow that we couldn't let hit her.

Those three had been together since the beginning. Tina (actually Kika), Shukaku and Kyuubi had been together since she was born. They were her favorite playmates of all the demons when she was little—which technically was a very long time ago. I sometimes forgot that she was born—the first time—over a thousand years ago.

Gaara seemed to follow my thoughts. "This is what we thought of to do now. Tina is here—another reason not the main one—to help with this. We both of us here, nothing could go wrong."

I nodded and that was the end of conversation. We would do it within a few days, if nothing came up. I already knew what was going to happen. I didn't have any questions. I mean really, I thought of this whole thing five years ago. So why would someone who thought it all up, have questions?

I focused on Tina and Gaara again. It had been a long time since I had just hung out and had fun. Not to mention be myself—the girl, not the idiot boy. Yes, it felt good to tease Gaara about Tasia (Onee-chan.) I will admit that it was fun to be teased by Gaara. It wasn't like we got time together like this often. Sasuke and I used to be like this, teasing the hell out of the other, insulting, and fighting.

I stopped thinking…Gaara and Tasia…that reminded me of something else.

I blinked twice before I looked at Tina. She looked right back at me. She had been following me thoughts ever since I nodded and we stopped talking about Akatsuki and Kyuubi. She was curious, what had I just thought?

I gave Tina a sly look, she narrowed her eyes. I could tell she wanted to back up, but didn't because that would show her as weak. It made me want to hit her, if she couldn't be her true self, couldn't show her emotions with us—those she trusted with her life and her heart—then who?

"What?"

"Gaara has Tasia, and you didn't say anything. That has to mean that you have someone."

Gaara high fived me, we then both ganged up on her…so to speak. From the look he gave me, he was waiting for me to say something. I laughed and then she chose to back up, "Why do you want to know?"

"Come on girly, we have been wanting to know for years. And yet you still haven't told us. I can just as her." Gaara pointed out. He had logic on his side, though Tina was known to thrown logic out the window with her own when it suited her purpose.

She sighed, she knew she just lost. When Gaara asked Tasia anything, she told him what he wanted. No matter what it was? That led to Tina ignoring him from when Sasuke left till after he almost died in his brush with the Akatsuki. But the only thing she didn't tell him was who her sister was involved with.

"I give up. After I came back and met you Naru I remembered something Sasuke's dad said, before I jumped back. Something about the Hyuga's, it was something like he knew they were going downhill, curse seals, etc. So when I came back I wanted to meet these Hyugas. I remember them from my time as Kika and Katrina of course. But what I found…how could they put the curse seal on a child? Not that I condone the use of the curse seal in the first place of course.

Neji, I thought as I watched Tina's eyes glaze over with rage. But she quickly shook it off.

"So I met them, started being friends with Neji. I then split my time between training Naru, watching over and playing with Sasuke and Itachi, and of course working with Neji to be something more than just a branch member."

I laughed inside my head.I was so right, she is in love with Neji bastard Hyuga. I wonder how she put up with all his fate shit.

She raised an eyebrow at my thoughts, but didn't say anything. "I only knew him for three years, but it seems it was enough for him to care for me. So when I left and didn't tell him, that was when he started all of that—what do you call it Naru?—fate shit?" She grinned, as I rolled my eyes at her.

But I stopped halfway through when I realized something. My eyes slowly became clouded with betrayal. "So for ten years you don't see me, but you see him?"

Tina met my glaze calmly. "I saw him after you defeated him at the Chuunin Exams. He needed me, then after you let Sasuke defeat your ass at the Valley of the End. I saw him after that, he almost died. Unlike you, he doesn't have the training or the demon to help him fight his battles. I helped Tsunade—when she wasn't looking—heal Neji."

Gaara didn't know where he fit into this conversation so he touched my shoulder and left.

But I was angry on top of feeling betrayed. Sasuke betraying was enough, but her? She was the only person, her and Tasia; I thought would never betray me. Guess I was wrong.

Her eyes hardened as she heard my thoughts. "Don't you darethink I betrayed you. I trained you; I knew you could handle yourself. You let yourself be beat by Sasuke." Her eyes never left mine as she scolded me. "I trained you well enough Naru that I knew that I didn't need to run off to help fight your battles. I trusted you not to get yourself killed as you played your part. You didn't need me—"

I cut her off. "Didn't need you? Didn't need you my ass, after what you saw today do you think I still don't need you?"

She laughed; it was a bitter hard one. I hated hearing it, it reminded me of Kika. As much as I loved Tina, Kika scared me. She was too untamed, ancient, and most of all too powerful.

"Yes, I saw you acting like someone who is weak. I know you're not weak. I thought when I asked if you wanted to play the part you were ready for such a part. But you just keep proving to me you aren't." she paused as she considered something. "But you are ready for it. And it's time that you stop."

She came to me and ruffled my hair. "You did great Naru, I'm…proud of you. Gaara's right, you are a girl and you need to get your emotions out. Look at what happened to Sasuke. He never let his emotions go past his mask unless he could help it. And look at what happened to him." She looked sad for a second before she saw the question form in my mind. "No I didn't teach him that. But Naru…I am sorry, I should have talked to you, or at least let you see me. I did see you though. I healed you after both battles and left before you woke up."

I gave her a small smile. After all this time I didn't show my emotions, maybe both Tina and Gaara were right. To play the part I had to live the mask, but now that my part has ended I didn't need to be so lifeless. She was right; I didn't need to be jealous. She had trusted me, believed in me. I just prayed I could live up to it.

I looked to the sky as the wind few past Tina and me. I slowly closed my eyes. I was finally free. My mask could fall, my part in this little play of mine was done. And I was free, free to act like who I really was. Naruto didn't exist in the past, and he will not exist now. Naru would come out. Naru was finally free.

I thought I could drop my Mask, but I soon found out that my part hadn't stopped yet. Naruto's charactor's part was done. But Naru's? Naru's had barely even begun. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I wasn't as free as I though.

To Be Continued...

Well there you have it folks, chapter 3. Only three more chapters to go! I combined a few. Heehee. Maybe I will combine more in the future. The sooner I get this done the better. I have actually started writing chapter 4, I had wanted to put it in this chapter, but then decided against it.

Chapter 4: Sasuke's chapter 4 and 5! But Tina and Team Hawk are in there too. Why is Sasuke coming to Konoha? (and as a note, on the previous chapter, I did NOT know that Team Hawk had gotten the Eight Tails. That was luck)

TTFN--

Moon (Panda-chan)