MOON SAYS: This chapter didn't take long to write, because I focused on it. I had typed up some of it when I wrote the last chapter. But when I got the the part I wanted to end the chapter--Sasuke fixing to go into Konoha--I realized that it would be better to let him have his own chapter. The Prologue-Chapter 3 were centered around Naru, so why not have a chapter where you can see into Sasuke's head? Of course, it isn't enitrely about Sasuke, after the point where I was going to end last chapter I let Naru have some time, but it isn't in first person so....be warned. Tina plays a big part in this chapter, little in the next few.
ANOTHER NOTE: SASUKE CENTERED, maybe i should have done this from Sasuke first person....Naru has some time, but not first person.
12 pages; 7668 words; Enjoy!
Masks
Chapter 4: Love is Confusing
Sasuke and Team Hawk were getting closer and closer to Konoha. And the closer they got to Konoha the more Sasuke remembered of the past. It was getting on his damn nerves. Everywhere he went he saw a place that involved his old team…but the memories he saw the most—almost all of them—were of Naruto.
Why after seven fucking years of being away from this Village and I being more reminded of it? And why after three of not seeing Naruto I see him everywhere?
Sasuke grunted, what was this? The way he kept seeing Naruto everywhere it was like he was coming back from a mission to see his lover. And Naruto sure as hell wasn't his lover. I'm not gay.
As he pasted one a tree he noticed two marks. It looked like holes made by a shrunken. Sasuke smirked, my shrunken. It seems after six years this tree still remembers me. Ha, take that Naruto.
Of course his triumph over Naruto couldn't last long when he remembered about that bridge in Wave Country being named after the dobe. Sasuke knew that if he didn't stop thinking about Naruto he was going to go crazy, but he couldn't help it. Sasuke remembered defeating those missing cloud ninja's, but he also remembered something else.
He stopped, and looked around. He wasn't sure as to what he was looking for…till he found it. A darkened spot a little away from the tree, he didn't know whether it was the poison that kept the blood from washing away or it was Naruto's blood that stained the grass. It could be both when they were mixed together, but he didn't know which. If he wanted to know, he didn't have the equipment to find out, so he just left that alone.
The raven looked thoughtful for a second. He just had an epiphany. Sasuke knew now why he kept thinking of Naruto. He was coming to take Naruto back to the Akatsuki, and then they would take the Kyuubi out of him. And in the process kill him. So his kidnapping would lead to the death of the dobe.
Was he mourning the dobe? Or was it something else? He growled and turned around ignoring the memories that threatened to consume him. He jumped back to the trees and headed toward Konoha. Ignoring yet again the stares and whispers his team was giving him.
You didn't kill Naruto when you fought him at the Valley of the End. Neither did you kill him when you found out Sai was helping Naruto keep his 'bonds.' So why would you kill him now? I think you care for him more then you let on. It laughed. I bet you love him, oh that would be cute. The little raven loves the little ball of sunshine.
Sasuke cursed that stupid voice in his head. It always sprang up when he didn't want it too. This time that voice went too far. Accusing him of being gay, what nerve! He would destroy that voice. He had never done it before for one reason. The raven wanted entertainment and most of the time—when it wasn't being annoying on purpose—it did its job.
Don't lie to yourself, the only reason you kept me is because I remind you of Naruto and how he used to tease you. And what the hell are you thinking: you're going to kill me? You can't! HA! Take that bastard! No matter what you want, you can never get rid of me. Not even in your thoughts. I win!
Sasuke cursed at it again, and shoved it into the back of his mind. Sometimes Naruto was too much to handle…even in his head.
Sasuke was jolted out of his thoughts when someone spoke to him.
"Sasuke-kun, were close now."
The missing ninja turned toward the voice: it was Karin. The red headed bitch that was in love with him...if he didn't need her he would have killed her already. I didn't leave Konoha to find another fan girl. Damn it fate! You stick me with Sakura—and Ino by proxy—and then give me Karin when I am finally free of them? Maybe Neji was right,, we can't escape fate.
"Hn."
Sasuke ignore the charka sensing fan-girl as he focused more on his surroundings. Yes, they were closer to Konoha. They were far enough away not to be sensed, but close enough to hear the whole town in an uproar.
Sasuke with his duck butt hair and all its glory paused before the great gates of Konoha. He saw some people on top of the Hokage Tower. He knew this was the perfect time to get in and out without being noticed.
(-o-)
Tina paused as she watched Naru come to terms with what was happening. She followed Naru's thoughts as well. Free….huh? That is one thing my little one that I wish everyone was. But unfortunately, none of us willever be free. It's the sad truth of this world of ours. If we are free of one thing, we shall be caged by another.
Tina didn't have time to think on 'what ifs' or 'what could bes.' No, she had to focus on the present. And as much as Tina hated that Naru had come to rely on people…she had to address the situation at hand…or will be at hand. Naru had to confront her friends. She had survived only with her friends, and if those friends were no longer there…Tina didn't want to think of what would happen to Naru if her friends no longer stood by the little blonde.
Tina touched Naru's shoulder lightly, and waited till she came back to the real world and out of her thoughts. Once Naru came back and her eyes looked to Tina, she dropped another bomb. No one could ever say that Tina pussy footed around. "You have to see them."
Naru turned around away from her old friend so fast, that Tina swore she heard something pop. "I can't."
Tina growled, "You have to, and I won't accept no for an answer either. Do we need to go into ways I can make this happen?"
Naru whirled back around so now she was facing the older blonde and glared. "Didn't you always tell me not to rely on other people? To not invest in them? To not let them in? And what is this? You're telling me to go see these people and invest more into them. What the hell have you done with my Tina?" Naru demanded as she glared up a storm.
Tina laughed. It calmed Naru down a little and took away just a little bit of the anger and confusion that clouded Naru's mind. Tina grabbed Naru's arm and started walking off as she explained. Unfortunately Naru had no choice, it was to either come or be dragged.
"Listen my little one; you are the one who made them elemental to your mental stability, not me. So don't get mad at me for making you do this. I warned you not to do this, but you did it anyway. What did I say about facing your actions? This is a consequence for investing in them. This is a consequence for relying on them to keep you anchored." Tina stopped when she caught Naru's pale face. It seemed she didn't get what she had done. "Your heart has been cracked three times. I am ashamed to admit that I was the first crack—or a crack at all. Then Sasuke left…that was another crack. Then add to that my Frogy's death?"
Tina shook her head. "I know all about cracks, seeing as my heart and soul has been cracked as well." The older blonde let go of the younger blonde's arm. But she didn't let go of Naru completely. Tina used the arm that had dragged Naru moments before and wrapped it around the shorter blonde's waist. She pulled her closer to her.
"Each time our hearts or souls get cracked we hold onto something. We go deeper into that something. Whether it is into masks—something to hide the pain—or friendship—something to distract you from the pain that left the crack on you. When I left you, you dove into your part; you made it mean everything to you. Then when Sasuke left you dove into those friendships' and friends that you knew wouldn't leave you."
Tina looked sad all of a sudden. "I dove into my training. Thinking maybe, just maybe that if I distracted myself, focused on the pain that came with said training, then I could forget what made me hurt. I thought I could forget the deaths, the past, and the parts I had played in both lives. I still can't get over most of the stuff that has happened to me. Whether the events happened as Kika, or as Katrina, I am not sure I can ever get over them. Slowly, but surely with the help of Neji I am getting there." The mask broke as Tina's eyes bore into Naru's. "We both know the pain of letting someone in…and yet we do it. Are we masochist's?"
Tina sighed as she came to a full stop. "We have made mistakes that hurt others and ourselves. We hurt ourselves by attaching said selves to others. Over and over we learn our lessons and yet…we still go back and do it all over. And in the process we set ourselves up for more pain. Why do we do it, you want to ask? The answer is so easy. We do it because we crave the companionship, love, and the acceptance of others. No matter what masks we have on, we still want it."
"This is so troublesome. Why are you making me confront her? I don't want to; I already knew she was a girl."
Naru tensed up as she moved to face the person who spoke, she turned around before they could blink. They did blink though. She blinked instead of showing any emotion on her face, "Shika?"
Shika would have glared at her, but it was too troublesome. Ino though, had no trouble glaring or yelling at her apparently. "What the hell Uzumaki?"
Kiba elbowed the loudmouth blonde. "It's Namikaze, you blonde idiot." Kiba then paused and looked sheepish as he gave a weak smile to Tina and Naru. "I didn't mean you too, just this one." He stabbed his thumb toward Ino.
Ino went to punch him but couldn't get past Akimaru. Which made Kiba smirk. That dog's good for something I guess, Tina thought as she grinned at the scene before.
Naru sighed, "You guys are troublesome."
"I told you that how many times?"
Naru rolled her eyes at the lazy genius, "Too many Shika, too many. Do you have to threaten her Kiba? She's yelling because she wasn't smart enough to figure it out. Guess you can't really take the fan girl out of the girl."
Ino then put two and two together, and successfully ignoring Naru's insults. She gave Kiba a glare that sent him backing up away from her. "You knew and you never told us? I expected Shika, since he is all smart and all. But you?" The blonde yelled, but stopped as she wrinkled her nose. "Dog…"
That last word caused Kiba to growl at Ino and then they started fighting. Hinata and Choji tried to get their fiancé's to calm down, but it didn't work. Shika was just standing there watching while muttering, "Troublesome' every few seconds. Lee and Tenten were making bets with each other on who would win. Neji was nowhere in sight, neither was Sakura.
But Naru didn't care about that last one; it was more of a blessing. After today, she just had it up to here with that idiotic thing. Naru had to call her a thing, because all the other words were too good of an insult. She turned to Tina, who was looking amused, "Where's Neji?"
Tina blinked, before the amused grin left her face. She then chose to ignore Naru and break up the fight. Hopefully she won't guess my plan if I distract her.
Tina sighed as she snapped her fingers. The wind tore Ino and Kiba apart and into Hinata and Choji's arms respectively. Everyone stared at her. "I love a good fight as much as the next person…but I'm getting bored."
Lee nodded as he grinned at Tenten. He did his pose and shouted, "I win our bet Tenten! Oh look at how my Youth shows!"
"You cheated Lee!"
"Of course I didn't, I just knew that she would interfere. And youth prevails once again! Yosh!" Lee grinned at his girlfriend. And said girlfriend's reply was a grumble.
Tina smiled at the scene; just watching Lee interact with others always brought a smile to her face. Just watching him make a fool of himself and Gai and the reaction of others were a laugh. "Good job Lee! Now back to the point." She nudged Naru, "Don't you have something to say?"
"I don't have to tell them anything," Naru replied as she slipped back into her mask, her voice became calm and cold. "It's none of their business."
Ino hit Naru on the head before Naru could pull her guard fully up. She also didn't expect Ino to hit her. Damn it Tina, why do you always make me lower my guard?
Tina noticed as she ignored that thought, that Naru didn't even suspect that she let Ino hit her because she was still used to be Naruto. Tina sighed inwardly, we are going to have to break her out of this habit soon, the sooner the better.
It wasn't enough that Ino actually hit her, but Ino chose to scold Naru as well. "You are such a dumbass! Of course it's our business, we are your friends." Ino stated it like it was obvious.
Naru backed up and glared at Ino. "No you're not," she snorted. "Your Naruto's friends, not mine."
Hinata spoke up next. "You are Naruto, so why wouldn't we be your friends?" Hinata said smoothly, as if she was afraid Naru was going to attack someone. After Hinata and Kiba started going out, she lost the stuttering.
Lucky for Naru she didn't have to tell her, Kiba did. "Naru is totally different from Naruto. Think of Naru as the exact opposite of Naruto."
Choji munched on his chips as he thought about it. "Like Naruto and Sasuke?"
Naru didn't flinch because her mask was up. Shika shook his head. "Not exactly, she is more powerful for starters. So that means for those of you who are too stupid to put two and two together, she wouldn't run off for some stupid revenge shit to become more powerful. But she is quiet, and can match Naruto's stamina and focus. She isn't some loudmouth, idiot either. She's actually pretty smart."
Naru would have warned Shika to watch his mouth, but Tina got ahead of her. Said blonde's hair started having black streaks to it showing off her power. It didn't help that as she stepped toward Shika, some of her chakra was coming off her. Being the genius that Shika was known for, he stepped back. "That revenge was not shit, for your information. And here is some advice smartass, don't talk about something you don't know anything about."
Naru put a hand on her arm. "Leave him alone, he doesn't get it. And that isn't the point." She turned toward Naruto's friends. "Yes, I am the total opposite of Naruto." She paused before she continued, "Naruto never really existed. He was…a mask I wore to protect myself."
A few gasps, a few shocked stares, and a few glares were among the friends as she revealed those tiny little secrets.
Naru suddenly felt the need to explain more. "Tell me something, you are the Kyuubi vessel and you're a boy. They aren't going to do much more then beat you. But what if you're a girl? What do you think they're going to do?"
More shocked stares, no glares, but there were a lot of gasps this time.
After a few minutes of Naru's words sinking in, Ino had a question. "That doesn't explain why you acted all…hyper, loud and stupid. Wouldn't they leave you alone if you were quiet?" Ino said as she contemplated everything Naru said. It seemed she wasn't the only one who thought along those lines. Naru saw a few nodding heads and there were a few whose eyes just lit up as if they didn't think about that.
Naru shook her head. "And see me so powerful? They really would want me dead then. So I had to play the idiotic loudmouth, hyper dumbass."
Tina chose this time to leave. She had someone to meet. Naru didn't even notice that Tina left it wasn't for the quiet goodbye she whispered in her mind.
She appeared on a building not too far away. She reached her hand out and touched something solid, but nothing could be seen there. Not even a second after a blade moved toward her neck.
She chuckled, "If you don't want to be seen, hide better." She moved before the blade even touched her. But to the one who pressed it to her neck it looked like she was still there. He let his Jutsu drop as he turned around to face her. The figure of her that the blade had gone through was gone.
She smiled at him. "Hello Sasuke."
He took her in before he let himself think. She wasn't exactly tall, but at least over five foot four. She was blonde; her hair flowed down her back and toward her feet, but not touching the ground. It stopped at her ankles. She had long black pants, with matching boots. Her shirt was black as well, but it was tight, close to her body. He knew instantly without thinking about it, that it was tight because she was fighting a lot, and didn't want a shirt too big get into the way of her arms. She was very beautiful, curves in all the right places with the purplish eyes he had ever seen. He knew they were originally green, but because she wanted purple, they were.
Finally after Sasuke took her in he let his mask drop for the first time in years as he step forward to hug her. She wrapped her arms around him as he did the same. "I missed you my little Sasu."
It was his turn to chuckle. "I missed you too little Tina."
When they broke apart she gave him a glare, but it was dulled down by the happiness in her eyes. But the little happiness that she got from seeing and being with him after a decade didn't mean he wasn't going to get it. He sighed as he pushed down the urge to rub the back of his head like a certain blonde he knew. "You're going to chew me out for killing Itachi aren't you?"
The pale headed woman sighed at the dark raven man. "You stupid duck butt!" Sasuke couldn't tell whether he cringed more at the name or the way she said those words.
"Did you figure out why he killed your Clan?"
Sasuke's face formed a grimace. Tina took that as yes. "I am just going to assume I don't need to chew you out now."
The pale embraced the dark when she felt the emotions coming off of him. "Go find Neji. He will tell you what happened before you came and what is going on now." She whispered in his ear. He shivered, but when he registered her words he backed up and looked furious. "Are you betraying me?"
She tilted her head at him, and spoke as if she were addressing a child. "It's not like were engaged Sasuke."
His face grew hot as his mask showed his fury. "Itachi is now dead, that makes us engaged."
Tina tilted her head the other way now, but still spoke him as if he were her child and accusing her of not loving him. "And you realize that your parents had agreed to an engaged to someone else before you were born? Four months after your mother found out she was pregnant they found out that the Fourth Hokage had gotten his wife pregnant a month prior. And to keep the peace with your clan—you know what I'm talking about—they decided that the two of you would marry. Your parents backed out of that when they thought the girl was dead."
Sasuke's mouth closed with a smack. "When did she die?"
"She didn't. Your parents thought she died during childbirth with her mother. But the mother was the only one who had the chance to die. It didn't help that she was in the part of the hospital that caved in either."
"When was that?"
"Four months after you were born…October tenth," Tina told him, hoping he would see the connection. And he did.
"Isn't that Naruto's birthday?" Sasuke visibly paled as he spoke those words.
Tina gave an exasperated sigh as she thought; he does look cute when he pales. But here is no way he can get as pale as me, ha-ha. "Weren't you just watching your old friends moments before I came up here? Did you see Naruto?"
Sasuke looked back at them; yes he had been watching them. But he had become puzzled, before Tina showed up. He didn't see Naruto, but he did see girl with long blonde hair. When he made the connection he froze, Tina nodded to him.
"Yes, Naruto is a girl. And the real one you are engaged to."
Sasuke pulled his mask back up, he didn't know what he was thinking, but thought that the best thing to do was have the mask up. He totally forgot that she didn't need look past the mask to read him, she was in his mind. "But I love you."
Tina's eyes softened, "As a sister, just like how I loved Itachi. No matter what you think, I never agreed to the engagement. Tasia did, but not me."
"But Itachi is dead." Sasuke stated yet again, as if he just come to terms with what he did. He had killed Itachi, the man Tasia—the girl he was crushing on when he was a child—loved.
Tina shook her head in response to his thoughts. "No, she just cared for Itachi—a lot. He reminded her of someone she used to love." She paused as she was searching something in her memories. "Someone Kiki loved."
Sasuke paused for a second, separating Kika and Kiki. Kiki was the sister, and Kika was Katrina who was now Tina.
"Think back Sasuke, you love Naruto. You realized that at the Valley of the End when you fought against each other. You left because of her. You left to protect her. You thought Orochimaru was going to come after her if he ever realized that you loved her. You feared him finding out and thinking that she was the reason that you wouldn't go to him. It was the truth so you figured the only way to save her was to kill him. You did just that didn't you, little Sasuke?"
Sasuke flinched when her words went home. "I'm sorry. I know you loved him."
Tina took a deep breath and then let it out. She wasn't sure if she could take anymore. How many times was she going to end up thinking about all the things that made her want to go kill herself? To finally end everything so she couldn't think about the pain she had endured or would endure. She threw those thoughts out, if anything people still needed her. Didn't Naru just prove that today when she had her breakdown? Or when she clung to her? What about Sasuke then? They both needed her. And if she could help them heal then so be it.
Tina cleared her mind as she focused once more on Sasuke and his words. "Katrina loved him just as much as she loved the rest of her Guardians…maybe not as much as him but enough. As Tina, I loved him like a brother. Someone I who was there when I needed him, who also knew what pain, was. And he helped me deal with everything after the massacres."
He pulled her to him again and kissed her forehead, "I'm still sorry. I know how it feels to lose someone you care for. I lost my brother that day when Itachi killed my clan. Even though I know now what really happened, I still resent him some. But I understand, I know how it feels."
She nodded and hugged him back. "I know." She then broke the hug and slapped his ass. "Go doggy go!"
All he could do was laugh and then he disappeared. He still had to come to terms with what she said. It made sense, and most of it was true, the other parts…he had to think upon. Did he really love Naruto and not Tina? Was what he considered his first and only love a lie? And was Naruto really a girl?
After he left Tina turned to the three who were watching what had happened between them. She jumped and landed right in front of them. The red head was stuttering, something about not being about to sense her. Tina raised an eyebrow at her.
"What's up girly?"
Tina turned to the boy with a sword on his back. She gave him an amused glance. "So you got Zabuza's sword?"
He nodded, "I even got to fight…um what was it you call him? Fish guy?"
"Shark man," she corrected.
The red head girl had stopped, and now was adjusting her glasses. "So you know this idiot, but how do you know Sasuke-kun? Why were you all over him? And how dare you touch him?! You dare to slap Sasuke-kun's ass?"
Tina cocked her head to the side as she looked Karin over. "And who are you, not that it really matters. And I think I can slap that ass if he doesn't care…"she looked thoughtful for a second before she shrugged. "Even if he did care I would still do it to annoy him."
"Karin and who are you?" the red head said as she tried to keep her emotions from her voice. It wasn't working. Karin didn't want kill her if she mattered to Sasuke, but if she didn't know the name of this bitch then she would kill her. How dare she touch Sasuke-kun? How dare she even speak to him? How dare her!
"Libitina, I used to be Sasuke's fiancé…or so he thought. Does that answer your question?"
Karin didn't like that, "He dumped your ass didn't he?" Karin had the nerve to laugh at Tina. "He must have thought you were a slut. Of course you are, going around slapping different guys asses."
Suigetsu backed up and took Jugo with him. Tina's eyes narrowed, "You would do well not to insult me. And why are you calling me a slut? When all you do is hang all of my Sasuke?" Tina scoffed at her, "Can't you take a hint? Or you too stupid to get when Sasuke is telling you he isn't interested." Tina looked her up and down. "I can see why too."
Suigetsu busted out laughing, "Good one girly, I couldn't have said it any better."
Karin's face reflected her anger. It looked like her face was about to pop too. "Your Sasuke? YOUR SASUKE? HOW DARE YOU BITCH?" She took out a kunai and ran forward to attack Tina. Before she took three steps she was sliced to pieces, big pieces. The pieces were big enough to identify her if need be. Karin's head rolled to the right as it disconnected from her body.
Jugo and Suigetsu just watched it roll. And then started at it for a minute when it stopped. Tina heard a laugh, it was Suigetsu, and he looked up at her and gave her a grin. "Thanks, I was going to do that any day now."
Tina shared his grin, "Your welcome Sword Boy. I' more surprised that you haven't done it yet, if she talks that way all the time."
Said Sword Boy then changed the subject, he didn't like Karin and wanted to talk about her less. "So what were you doing with Sasuke?"
"What are you doing here?" Tina countered.
"Touché, were here to get the Nine-Tails kid." Suigetsu paused as he considered asking his next question. "When Pein asked us to get him, Sasuke went pale. Does he know him?"
Tina thought for a moment. "They were on the same Gennin Squad together. Naruto…" Tina chose her next words carefully, "was Sasuke's best friend. It was because of him that he left Konoha."
Jugo stopped. "Naruto Uzumaki?"
Tina raised an eyebrow, she took in Jugo. "I know you…last time I saw you, you were with the bone guy...weren't you?"
"Kimimaro," Hugo told her, he didn't want to insult her because after he saw what she did to Karin...he was kind of scared of her.
Tina nodded, and turned back to Suigetsu. She really wasn't interested in him. He looked at her questioning, as if that look would get her to explain. "I knew Orochimaru personally. Don't think that! I used to be Katrina." She watched as it dawned on him, she rolled her eyes. "Now, since you told me what you're doing here, I will tell you what I was doing."
Suigetsu clapped. Again she rolled her eyes at him; he's such a child sometimes. How did those guys deal with him? Knowing them like I do, I would have figured they would have killed him before now. "I was telling Sasuke that we weren't engaged anymore. I also told him he needed to see someone. Then I slapped his ass hoping to annoy him. But sadly he just laughed at him and went off to go met that old friend of his. You guys came just at the end of the ceremony, just so you know."
"What ceremony?"
"The ceremony that introduces the next Hokage to the Village, it was really good. Too bad you missed it." Tina replied.
"Who is it?" this time it was Hugo that asked.
"Naruto Uzumaki."
Tina would have laughed if this had been a joke. The looks on their faces were priceless. I guess it is funny, I mean they did come to kidnap the Hokage. And what's more is their kidnapping would lead to his death. And that would lead to not just be hated by their original Village, but another one. Then add to that the hatred of this Village's allies.
"It seems you realize what will happen now. By being a missing ninja, a member of Akatsuki, and kidnapping/killing a Hokage you just landed yourself enemies of every Village out there. Well, ones that are allied with Konoha. Those that aren't and hate Konoha…well I guess you would be their allies." Tina shrugged; it was simple, yet complicated at the same time.
Suddenly a hawk passed over the Village and toward the Hokage Tower. Tina's eyes narrowed at it. Without looking at the two she told them they needed to leave. "You guys need to go to whatever rendezvous point you established before you came here. Sasuke will meet you back there once he gets though talking with that someone I made him go see." She gave Suigetsu a look before she smirked. "Oh and one more thing…."
(-o-)
It didn't take Sasuke long to find Neji. Or should he say it didn't take long for Neji to find him. Since both of them were Tina's Guardian's they could find the other. It was always easy to find out where Tina or the other Guardians were at all times.
"What the fuck is going on?" Sasuke bluntly asked. He wanted this done and over with. He didn't like Neji before and he still didn't like him. The sooner this was over, the better.
Neji chuckled; you can't say that Sasuke danced around the point. He was always a 'to the point' kind of guy.
"Depends on what you're talking about. Many things are 'going on' as you put it. Naru just got appointed Hokage. All the Ninja in the Village have a deadly Jutsu put on them by our dear lovely Tina. And the whole Village just found out that Naru was and is a girl. I believe there are many other things 'going on' but you have to be specific about those." Neji replied with amusement filling his voice.
Sasuke scowled at him, both for being amused and making him curious. "What Jutsu did she put on them?" he couldn't take out the curiosity that ran through his voice.
Neji's eyebrow went up. So he ignores everything about Naru, but goes straight to Tina?
"She made the law the Third had on place concerning the Kyuubi into a Jutsu. Also adding in there if they thought of killing, betraying, or insulted their Hokage the Jutsu would kill them. Don't you want to know about Naru?"
Sasuke snorted, "Me, want to know about the dobe? Please, if they named him Hokage then that's a problem you have to deal with. I believe I said it more than once not to name that idiot Hokage."
Sasuke completely forgot about his mission to kidnap said dobe. After he said those words he realized something. "Why are you calling the dobe Naru? His name is Naruto." The duck butt raven smirked. "Did the dobe finally admit he was gay and made you give him a fitting nickname?"
Neji sighed, he wanted to rub his temples at how all this was making his head hurt. But he didn't because he didn't want to give Sasuke the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to him. "I thought Tina explained this to you. Naru isn't a guy, Naru is a girl."
Sasuke blinked, if Naruto is Naru and he is a girl it kind of all makes sense. Why didn't I connect everything when Tina told me?
It's because you're a dumbass when it comes to Naruto…Naru. You didn't want anything to change. If you did love Naru, how could you do your mission? But if you loved Tina and were engaged to her everything would be alright. You didn't want anything to be complicated. You wanted those bonds to be severed, but if you love Naru…then they will never be.
Sasuke wanted to throw something at that voice. But it was right; now that everything was complicated he didn't know what to do.
Sasuke looked at Neji, and shrugged. "She told me, but I didn't want to believe it." Why am I being honest with him? I should hate him, I should want to kill him, and he took Tina away from me.
Neji heard those last thoughts and knew if he voiced them out loud and countered them it would annoy Sasuke.
"I didn't take anything away from you Sasuke. She would have to be yours in the first place." Neji said trying to provoke Sasuke. It would make his day if he could fight Sasuke and then kick his ass. "Can't you understand Sasuke? She never loved you like that. I am amazed that she loves you at all, given the way you betrayed the one person who kept her together after she jumped back."
Sasuke wanted to attack Neji; he was being a bastard just like he was before he left Konoha. He didn't come back for this. He came back to fulfill his mission. But if he did love Naru…then he couldn't bring her in. He couldn't turn her over to Pein. Because then she would die. And how could he forgive himself if he killed her?
Without another word Sasuke left. Neji looked annoyed, so it was worth it.
The missing ninja went to the point he told Hawk to meet him when they got separated. It was near Team Seven's old training grounds. The exact spot was where Kakashi put him underground. He could laugh about it now, the part where Sakura fainted after she saw him. Not the part where he was pulled and sealed below the ground.
When he got there he only saw two of his team: Suigetsu and Hugo. Where was that stupid fan girl Karin? If he was lucky and God loved him and she's dead. But why should he get his hopes up? It wasn't like that was going to happen.
"Yo, Sasuke. We met this blonde chick and she kind of killed Karin." Suigetsu told him happily.
Of course he would be happy she was dead. To be honest I am glad too. Wait…blonde chick?
"Did this blonde chick give you a name?" Sasuke asked. He already suspected who it was, but he wanted to make sure before he went and did his happy dance. If it was Tina he would have to thank her later.
Hugo nodded, "She said her name was Libitina." He paused for second then added, "Is it true she knew Orochimaru personally?"
Sasuke took a mental step back. She said that? It makes it sound like she was sleeping with him.
Sasuke gave a half nod, "I don't know how or why but they were friends. No, Suigetsu they weren't sleeping together. Not that I am complaining, but why did she kill Karin?"
Suigetsu gave him a smirk. "That stupid red headed bitch couldn't keep her fucking mouth shut. She started going off how you were hers, and wanted to know what girly was doing with you. She didn't like that girly was slapping your ass, or insulting her. And I think she even called her a slut."
Sasuke growled. He didn't like that. For one thing, he wasn't Karin, and never would be. If Karin wasn't dead, he would have killed her personally…on second though she probably would have gotten off on that. It seemed that God did love him. "Did she say anything else?"
"She told me to tell you something."
Sasuke waited before he gave the white haired guy in his group a deadly glare. If only glares could kill.
Said white haired guy just grinned. "She told me to tell you two things. One was 'good boy, you didn't hurt him!' The other was 'Put some clothes on, you're not only embarrassing me, but countless fan girls are going to die from getting turned on...or they and I will die because they had orgasms because you can't seem to wear clothes.' But I have to say something in your defense." He gave Sasuke a eat shit grin. "You do look very sexy half naked."
Sasuke was used to this, for the past few years Suigetsu found that Karin got really annoyed when someone other than her said things like that to Sasuke. Especially if it was someone—guy or every girl—she hated. Sasuke shook his head. He didn't put on any more clothes, because if the fan girls died…well that was a good thing wasn't it? But Tina dying wasn't…
Sasuke turned toward the stumps; he could see them thru the trees. He wanted to go up there and touch it. He focused on the middle one. He had jumped and been thrown over it. He also used it to throw himself back. As he walked up to it, he saw countless nicks in it. This was yet another place that memories of Naruto…Naru crept to the front of his mind. He was just a step away from it, in a second he could touch it and feel all the nicks kunai and shuriken had made in it.
Why did everything have to be so confusing? One minute he knew he loved Tina and was going to marry her and the next he was in love with Naru and was engaged to her. Which one do I really love?
Sasuke stopped that step away from it as he felt someone coming closer. The charka felt familiar…very familiar, but different at the same time. He didn't have time to hide, or conceal his charka or himself before the person appeared in front of him. Who the fuck knows a Teleportation Jutsu? Oh shit.
To Be Continued
ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT! NOW REVIEW!
PREVIEW: Start, Naru got away from the group meets Neji talks a little, then goes to think. Guess who she meets? A big fight (hope I can write it) and what powers as Hokage will Naru mis-use?
TTFN--
MOON (Panda-chan)