Broken Faith Chapter 29
Tears
Disclaimer : Don't own anything.
18 reviews. Wow. Just… wow. Though, that's probably because the Negima manga ended huh? Not much interest here anymore. Anyway, this is a short chapter.
I'm damn sure you'll find out why. I can already hear the screams of despair as people rage at me.
Ah. Joy.
Soundtrack List
Genesis of Aquarion – Pride – Nageki no Tabi
Play Utada Hikaru – First Love
****Broken Faith****
"Three…. Two…. One, aaahh."
"Ah…. Ayaka-san… I can feed myself." Negi muttered dejectedly, unfortunately for him, his argument was completely ignored.
Akako simply grinned happily and opened her mouth as Ayaka fed her a croquette, complete with a sparkling, motherly aura and stars in her eyes as she drifted away into her own world. Everyone sweat dropped at how happy she looked just being allowed to baby the small kitsune and her classroom teacher. Akako had absolutely no problem in letting the newest member of her family do so. Meanwhile her uncle who was seated on Ayaka's other side looked absolutely mournful as the blonde girl insisted on feeding both him and the small red haired girl.
On the other side of the table, a blonde man looked around for something, "Pass the soya sauce please."
"Here. Ah, we're nearly out." Chachamaru muttered as she passed Naruto the small bottle.
Naruto waved his hand, "I'll get it later when I go out for a walk."
"Papa~ I want to come too!"
"Don't forget to bring the list with you. We're running out of mayonnaise for Akako as well."
In between Naruto and Chachamaru, a tick started running along Evangeline's jaw as she began with a deceptively calm voice, "Naruto."
"Mmmf?"
"Why do we have another freeloader here? Actually why the heck are all of of you acting like a normal family having dinner!?"
The blonde immediately focused on his food again, careful not to meet Chachamaru's eyes, "I uh… tried to protest but… they apparently came to an agreement of which I have no idea what the details are."
"What…?"
He pointed to the person seated on Evangeline's other side.
Evangeline slowly looked up into Chachamaru's ominous visage, complete with glinting steely eyes, "Is there a problem Master? Naruto?"
The small vampire immediately winced and mimicked Naruto by instantly focusing on her plate, trying to swallow the lump in her throat that had absolutely nothing to do with the delicious croquettes, "Ah… nothing... nothing…" under her breath, she mumbled lowly so that only her adopted brother could hear her, "She's scary."
Equally as quiet so that the others at the dining table didn't hear him, Naruto commiserated, "I know."
"This is all somehow your fault, corrupting my servant like that," Evangeline replied and kicked him under the table.
Naruto cried crocodile tears, "I know. I know."
A small weight climbed on to his lap, and a precocious Akako patted his cheeks with her tiny hands, "Papa, why are you crying?"
"These croquettes are too delicious that's why." Naruto blatantly lied.
"Un!" She shoved one into his mouth, "Ayaka-kaa chan made them!"
On the other side of the table, the aforementioned blonde girl was positively started swooning much to Negi's despair.
It usually meant she would try to baby him and Akako even more. Or worse, try to bath him.
Again.
"Wasn't the wedding called off? I thought you told them it was too fast?" Evangeline hissed at the blonde beside her with an elbow nudge.
"Oh he did." Ayaka interrupted them with a sweet smile that dripped with menace, "People who propose to a pure innocent maiden like me without Chachamaru's go ahead, then trying to get out of it, don't have a right to talk like a human being. Neh, Chachamaru? Namikaze-san? Don't grow up to be like that trash, ok Negi-sensei?"
"Absolutely." The gynoid who was dressed in her usual elegant yukata replied with a smirk and a cup of hot tea in her hands.
"Gurk… Yes dear…"
"Hai…"
"Geez, grow some balls." the resident vampire muttered at the ninja that currently looked like a textbook example of a henpecked husband.
"Oh my, I'm sorry, but did I hear you say something Evangeline-san?" The loli vampire swallowed the lump in her throat at the calm yet murderous aura coming from the supposedly harmless 14 year old girl and frantically shook her head.
"How do they do that? It's freaking scary." She muttered under her breath.
"I know." The blonde replied while he was crying a river of tears.
****Broken Faith****
Naruto sympathetically patted a thoroughly traumatized Negi on the back as they sat in a small cove on the beach inside Evangeline's resort, having gone looking for a place to rest, or hide depending on who you asked, while the women started cleaning up the dishes after dinner.
"Sniff sniff, I'm a child that needs to be fed and bathed anymore…"
"Uh… well…. just endure it?"
"Endure it? Iincho is getting worse and worse! She's going to be carrying milk bottles around with her soon!" Negi asked incredulously.
Naruto grinned stupidly, suppressing the urge to laugh causing Negi to deadpan dryly, "You're not helping Nii-san. Besides what about you? From what I've seen today, I'm starting to think married life is gonna suck. And this is just the first time we're having a family dinner."
"Maa…." Naruto scratched his chin thoughtfully, "I never really had a family before this, so watching Chachamaru, Ayaka and Akako be so happy, somehow feels worth it, even if we know that this is nothing but a mere pretence in reality. Rather than having to defy them, this warm fluffy feeling, I want to protect it. And it's not like they are serious, it's just their way of punishing me for being so indecisive and compulsive I guess. When the time comes, I know I can always count on them."
Negi made a complicated face, "I wonder if my parents were like that…"
Naruto grinned and patted his head, "From what I saw of your dad, I'll bet they were a really loving couple."
Unknown to the Springfield brothers, two certain individuals in Magicus Mundus began sneezing their heads off.
"Yooo! This is where you guys were eh?" a holler from the stairs caught the brothers' attention.
Negi instantly brightened up, "Kotarou! What are you doing here? Did you need me for something?"
"Nah, not you." Kotarou came to a stop in front of Naruto and stood at attention with pride, "I want Naruto-nii san to give me some training!"
Naruto quirked one eyebrow while Negi's jaw dropped, "I thought Kaede was helping you."
"How did you know about that?" Kotarou asked curiously, before shaking it off like a dog would to water, "Nevermind that, Kaede-nee san's busy doing all that boring bookish stuff with that stupid exam coming up soon. So she told me to ask you and consider it as a favor to her."
"You do realize you have that same exam soon right?" Naruto replied wryly, "You are so going to fail."
"As if you're one to talk. I have yet to see you stay awake in a single class." Negi muttered under his breath.
"Meh, not important. Anyway, I can't train you until I know what Kaede has taught you so far."
"Ehhh…. How can I do that?"
Naruto grinned as he noticed someone toddling her way down the stairs towards them, "Easily. A spar of course. Use everything you've learnt so far."
Kotarou grinned excitedly and got in to a ready position with his claws out and arms hanging loosely, "What? That's easy; I'll beat you up with everything I've learnt!"
He burst forward with a spurt of incredible speed only to be brought to an abrupt stop by Naruto's fist, "Ouch... ouch… what was that for!?"
"Don't be so impatient, you idiot. I didn't say I would be your opponent." Naruto calmly retorted.
"Then who? Negi?"
The blonde ninja just pointed to a point behind Kotarou.
"Eh? Who?" Kotarou spun around, only to find a timid looking flame haired girl that he recognized as the small quiet Kitsune youkai that was always around the blonde for some reason, "You? Neh, are you sure Naruto-nii san? I don't wanna hurt her by accident."
As kotarou spoke, he realized that Negi, who was slightly behind Naruto had begun to frantically shake his head and motion at something with his fingers.
"Oh don't worry. If you don't take this seriously, someone will definitely get hurt." He paused to shoot the wolf boy a strange smile, "And it won't be her."
"What do you mea…." Kotarou immediately stopped speaking with a stunned stupid look on his face and gulped as he felt cold steel touch his Adam's apple, drawing a trickle of blood.
A tiny weight plopped itself onto his shoulders.
Fast… he hadn't noticed her slip under his guard at all until she had literally climbed into his shoulders and put a knife to his neck.
"First blood goes to Akako." Naruto casually said as he pulled out a scrolls and a pair of glasses, "By the way, don't kill him Akako. Or at least make sure we can put him back together without too much trouble afterwards."
"Hai, papa!" a cheery voice chirped in response next to Kotarou's canine ears.
"I object," Kotarou said weakly, "Small girls shouldn't be played with knives and I don't hit girls."
Judging by the way the girl yanked on his dog ears, she obviously wasn't pleased.
"Oh crap. Negggiiii…. Haaalp!"
The teacher in question had pulled out his own book and plopped himself next to Naruto, studiously ignoring the fact that his adopted niece was repeatedly trying to disembowel his friend with a ridiculously sharp butter knife that she had pulled out of nowhere, when he realized something with a start, "Kotarou!"
"What is it Negi!?"
"Some friendly advice; that's not the only sharp thing she has."
"What?" Kotarou asked stupidly and spun around in time to see the small fox girl suddenly holding a lot more knives than one, "GAHHHH! My TAIL! What the heck! Where did all those come from!?"
"You really should start trying to stop her from spending so much time with Chachazero." Negi observed blandly.
His brother gave him a pointed look, "You want to try telling her that yourself? I'll even bring the sellotape for you to reattach whatever limb she decided to cut off you."
"Good point."
They both went back to their reading, disturbed only by the occasional sounds of flesh squelching and Kotarou screaming like a girl.
"Ne-neh… nii-san…"
Naruto looked up lazily and squinted at his self proclaimed little brother, "What is it? Why do you look so nervous?"
"I… I talked to Asuna-san yesterday."
Negi winced as Naruto's expression immediately went as flat as stone, already realizing that there was going to be a problem between the red head and the blonde, "I told her that I wanted to go to Mundus Magicus, and asked her to come with me as well." He made a complicated expression, "I thought you would come as well, but you are just going to avoid her aren't you?"
Naruto grimaced but stayed calm, "I am not going to do that."
"Then what are you going to do?"
A small weight suddenly crawled itself onto his lap, causing Naruto to jerk in surprise. Looking downwards, he realized a pouting Akako who had just lost her match after her entire arsenal of knives had been taken away from her, had curled up into a sulking ball on his lap.
A panting, tired, scratched, sliced and cut up Kotarou slowly walked up to them, "I beat Akako, Naruto-nii san! What next?"
Naruto smiled softly as he stroked the small girl's hair, her sulky pout was so irresistibly adorable, "Go break something."
Kotarou stared at him unblinkingly and replied with a flat, "What?"
The blonde waved his hand vaguely in the direction of some rocks, "Break that boulder, no KI, just your own muscle strength. And by break, I mean shatter it into nothing but dust with one hit."
"Wha-?"
"Shoo, shoo. Let me know when you're done." He turned back to Negi as a grumbling Kotarou walked away. He stroked a sulking Akako's hair introspectively, "At any rate, I… have a summer job in Mundus Magicus. So I will at least be somewhere around."
"Summer job? Wait, before that, don't avoid the question, what are you going to do about Asuna-san!? You can just leave this like that."
Naruto's lips slanted into a helpless growl, "It's not a good time Negi, rushing in to talk to her now is will only make things worse, besides I need to talk with Ayaka first. I'm pretty sure Chachamaru and Konoka don't care either way. In fact, they'll probably be happy."
"With the way Ayaka is acting, she won't care WHAT you say, to her, you and her all but legally married anyway." Negi muttered lowly before glaring at him, "Still…. Are you going to keep running away? You were the one that told me a man shouldn't keep stringing a woman along, and tell her everything straight out."
"I'm not running. I'm waiting for something." He retorted calmly.
"Naruto! I did it!"
The blonde distractedly pointed in a random direction; coincidentally at a boulder triple the size of the one Kotarou had just broken, "Break that one now."
"GYAAH!"
On Naruto's lap, the kitsune girl grinned and stuck her tongue out at the wolf boy.
"Tsk." Negi closed his book with finality and slowly stood up, "I never thought you were such a coward, or such a selfish person. Why do you keep thinking only of having Asuna-san as a couple if you cannot show her the kind of love she deserves? And you even already have Chachamaru, Konoka and Ayaka-san don't you? That's even more unfair isn't it?"
The scroll in Naruto's hand creaked under the pressure as he watched his brother stride away with a frown. Feeling incredibly conflicted, especially after having his ten year old brother chew him out about his love life. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly, "Why are you suddenly so wise only when it comes to me?" he muttered tiredly to himself, "You idiot. Take care of your own problems before you try to lecture me."
"Naruto-nii san! I DID IT!"
Pushing his troubled feelings aside, he looked at the boulder, "What are you talking about? It's still there."
"Huh?"
He pointed at the shattered boulder, "I'm not talking about that," he moved his finger, "I'm talking about THAT."
Kotarou followed where he was pointing until he saw a rocky cliff that continued to stretch up into the sky.
"EEEH!? That's not a boulder! That's a frigging MOUNTAIN!"
"Yeah, break it. As in shatter it to dust with one hit."
****Broken Faith****
"As…."
"As…na…"
"Asuna-san!"
The red headed girl immediately started and looked around 3-A's classroom in a daze, "I... I'm sorry. What were you saying?"
Negi watched her with concern, "Are you alright? I just told you that Naruto proposed to Ayaka and won't be coming with us to Mundus Magicus then you went all weird."
The fact that her overly serious homeroom teacher neglected to add the customary Nii-san to Naruto's name did not fail to grab Asuna's attention, she tried to smile, but only succeeded to create a weak one, "You.. You don't have to fight with him over me you know. I'm alright, he is a free man after all, he can do what he wants. Choosing Ayaka over me is normal after all."
The smile wavered slightly.
"NO! Naruto is at fault here, I don't care what either of you say, he didn't even have the courtesy to come and tell it to you in person."
A true smile lit Asuna's face up at Negi's obstinacy, and she impulsively pulled the smaller boy into a hug, partly so that the boy wouldn't let see that she was close to crying, "And I already knew. Ayaka told me yesterday. I'm alright, it's just… I was just hoping that I could at least hear it from his own mouth." She swallowed all her conflicting feelings and tried to ignore the disgusting anger burning in her stomach.
Instead of struggling out of her grip like usual, Negi just nodded into her shoulder, "Nii-san is an idiot…"
"That is something we can both agree on." She shook her head, trying to push all the unrelated doubts aside, "Besides, romance problems are part and parcel of being a teenager isn't it?" She smiled brightly, "So I'll be alright. Anyway, we still need to talk to Evangeline and gather some other members for the club." She wearily stood up, feeling extremely stiff, "Come on Negi."
As the girl left the room with a bright smile, Negi frowned sadly, "You don't have to act so brave Asuna-san... Nii-san no baka…. Make sure everyone is happy my foot. You hypocrite."
****Broken Faith****
"Hah? You want me to be the Hononary Advisor of this weird ass club? Forget it." Evangeline decided without even thinking about it.
"Eeeeh... c'mon, Eva-chi, we're going to Mundus Magicus to find Negi's dad after all," Asuna smiled a little too sweetly, causing Evangeline to turn wary, "Any information we find will only benefit you in the long run~"
The short vampire pursed her lips in thought, causing Asuna to internally jump in joy as the vampire took the bait, "Fine. But on only one condition."
"Bring it on," Asuna declared confidently.
"You have to pass two tests. If you can succeed, I will agree."
"What? Why?" the red headed girl spluttered.
"Heeeh… are you going back on your word? Looks like I don't have to be the Advisor for your retarded club after all." Evangeline gloated as she turned the challenge back on the red head.
"Grrr…. I'll do it! What test is it!?"
"Eehh… uhm… didn't we come here to get permission to use Evangeline-sensei's resort? How did it turn out this way?" Negi quietly mourned to himself.
"Follow me."
Together, the trio trooped into Evangeline's resort, stepping into the portal corresponding with a snowy white orb with what looked like a miniature blizzard raging in it.
"C-co-coold!"
The vampire pierced the red haired girl with a fierce look, "Your goal is to survive in here for seven days." Right after saying that, the vampire phased away and reappeared behind the girl, "Without your pactio."
"Wha-what?! That's impossible! I can't use Kanka without my Pactio!"
"Then give up." Evangeline bluntly countered, "Without conviction, you will really die in here. Think, is going to Magicus Mundus for a summer vacation truly worth your life? You can always go ahead without me as your Advisor."
Asuna silently stood there, hair obscuring her eyes before looking up with a firm resolve glinting in her mismatched eyes. "I'll do it."
Negi and Evangeline watched the girl punch a wall hard enough to create the beginnings of a cave in the icy wall.
"Evangeline-sensei, you can't let her do this! She can't do this."
The vampire turned to look at her apprentice with an indecipherable expression on her face, "Don't you have faith in her? She will survive. It's only a matter of whether she realizes it or not."
****Broken Faith****
Play Genesis of Aquarion – Pride – Nageki no Tabi
A figure enshrouded in a black trenchcoat slowly trudged through the deep snow, making his way into a tiny handmade cave. At the very back of the shallow cave, he could see a small figure, darker then the darkness of the cave, shivering violently under a thin rag. Moving so quietly through the snow as if he truly were a ghost, the figure slid his way towards the trembling red haired girl and placed his hand upon her back, channeling his chakra into her, gently warming up her body.
Slowly the frost that had gathered around her melted and the girl released a gentle moan before she stopped shivering entirely. Her breathing slowed into a deep and soft rhythm. Satisfied that she would be alright, the figure ghosted his way back out of the cave. Once outside, he leapt up onto an icy cliff and agilely climbed his way to where another figure, this one dressed in nothing but black, Lolita style clothing, was watching him.
"You didn't have to be so harsh on her." A deep voice, obscured by the plain white mask came out strong and clear despite the violently raging winds around them.
His companion snorted, "And you are doing nothing but babying her, helping her out like this. What is the point then if she cannot handle the burden later on?"
"You speak as if you know they will face a challenge." The man in the trenchcoat calmly replied.
Resolutely, the loli vampire stared at him, "They will. Make no mistake. You don't know Magicus Mundus like I do."
An unspoken challenge hung in the air between them, heedless of the icy winds.
Crystal blue eyes penetrated turquoise ones, "Then I will be there to protect them."
"You cannot be everywhere at once. And if you do, then the challenges they will face will be overcome, not by their strength, but yours. It will only hurt them in the long run."
Naruto smiled under his mask, "And yet, here you are, watching over her everyday so that she doesn't die. Is it so hard to show that you care?"
"Be quiet brother, they came to me for guidance, not you. So I will do this my way. And I am not as soft as you."
The blonde could tell, the vampire was agitated and embarrassed by his claim judging by the slight English accent that pervaded her words.
"Nonetheless, why the dramatics? Skulking around to watch over her from the shadows. Is it not better if you just confronted her, and told her of your resolution? You are only prolonging her suffering." Evangeline tried to change the topic of her kindness with another challenge.
"I will. It's just not time yet."
The pale, blonde haired girl snorted lightly, "It hasn't arrived yet? Do not expect me to help you again when the wounds you inflicted on her fester. Unlike Chachamaru, I have no particular investment in this one."
As Naruto made to silently leave, Evangeline shouted over her shoulder, "You have three days left. Make it count."
****Broken Faith****
The vampire, dressed in an elegant white gothic styled dress nodded with a sour frown as a confident Asuna summoned her sword and twirled it expertly.
"I passed your first test. Staying in this god forsaken place for seven days! What's your next test!?"
"You will be fighting with Negi." She stepped up beside Negi, "Don't go easy on her boy. I'll kill you if you do."
"Ha-Hai!"
As Asuna and Negi took their starting positions on opposite ends of the icy cliff, Asuna called out to Negi, "Don't take it easy on me; I'll be angry if you do."
Grimacing, the red haired youth only nodded before bending his knees and stretching his hands out in a classic kenpo position.
Asuna on the other hand took a deep breath to clear her mind, focusing only on the match in front of her, "Kanka!"
A golden glow immediately surrounded her as she swished her Harisen, "Hehehe, I've been practicing. Here I come, Negi!"
Negi disappeared and her world sudden spun on its axis.
"Huh?"
[BAM!]
"Wha-what?"
Mismatched eyes stared up into the artificial clouds in shock, partially obscured by an apologetic looking Negi, from her position on her back.
Evangeline smirked, "You give up?"
Asuna scrambled back to her feet, "No way! I-I just wasn't ready!"
"Very well. Beat her up Negi." Evangeline curtly ordered with a smug smirk.
****3 hours later****
A beaten and defeated Asuna lay on the ground, drawing ragged breaths and trying not to move her bruised body too much.
"Leave us boy."
"Bu-but…"
Evangeline glared at him, putting as much Killing Intent behind it as was safe, causing the boy to gulp and nod before leaving in a dejected pose.
Turning back to the beaten girl, Evangeline frowned softly, "You understand now don't you? The reason you want to go with Negi, because you want to protect him, is nothing but rubbish. Negi Springfield's ability has far surpassed yours. If you go with him, you will be nothing but a burden. Even if you survived in the Blizzard Plains, your conviction is still weak, treating this as nothing but a game to play between classmates."
Her heart quivered, "Tha-that's not true! I really want to help Negi."
The vampire snorted, "That's not exactly true is it? You are afraid of being left behind. Negi is moving on, becoming more and more powerful. Many of our classmates have pactios now, instead of just you, and Naruto has proposed to your best friend."
Evangeline shot her a menacing smile and an ominous pressure enveloped Asuna's body, causing her to shake uncontrollably on the snow, "You are just afraid of being empty. An unneeded shell."
She turned around and began to leave, "Grow up Asuna. This is no place for a normal person. Move on like normal people do, graduating from middle school and loosing contact with them is only normal. Take it from me, doing it now, instead of later will only save you from pain."
A thrown snowball hit the back of Evangeline's head.
She could feel her muscles screaming as she forced them to move, forcing herself to stand strong against the vampire's ridiculously ominous presence.
It was painful, but she had been hurt far worse. It couldn't compare to the pain and uncertainty she felt when she heard that Naruto had proposed to Ayaka, or when she was first came to Mahora. She didn't want to feel that way ever again. She had spent seven days in this stupid place, with nothing but thoughts, emotions and fears.
"Don't talk like you know me, you stupid loli." Asuna gritted out, "Yeah, I'm just a normal human, I can't use magic like Negi or Konoka, I can't fight like Naruto or Ku Fei, I can't fly like you, so what?! So what if I was empty, what is important now, is that I have bonds."
Shakily she stood up, and a golden aura started to surround her, even without being consciously activate, causing the vampire to quirk an interested eyebrow, "Friendship, rejection, love or hate, etched in my memories and my spirit, they have all defined this person named Asuna Kagurazaka, even if we grow up and separate, I am not empty anymore. I DARE you to say any different! "
She charged at the vampire; the golden aura around her slowly growing larger and larger until it overcame Evangeline's own pressure, "That's what being human means! So what if I don't know why I'm truly doing this yet, but I'll find out, and when I do, I'll come back and shove it in your face!"
Asuna ducked under a retaliatory clawed hand before halting suddenly, the fierce expression on her face changing into a warm smile, stunning the vampire.
Lifting one hand, Asuna ruffled Evangeline's hair with a soft smile, causing the vampire to gape at the taller girl, "Right now, even if you don't think it's important, just keeping up with you guys, having fun with you, Negi, Konoka and everybody else in 3-A is more than good enough of a reason for me. Maybe I will find something truly worth fighting for later, but for now, that reason is more than enough."
She leaned down and gently hugged the vampire, "Thank you… for watching over me for seven days, even if you had to pretend to be harsh."
Evangeline spluttered in embarrassment, "Wha-what? How did you know?"
"Even if the idiot is an idiot, he still taught me a few things, especially to sense for energy signatures."
"Tch, even indirectly, he keeps screwing up my plans. Whatever," Evangeline elbowed Asuna in the gut, and wriggled out of her grasp, leaving the red headed girl to breathlessly groan on the ground.
"Wa-wait! You're just leaving me here? Alone? What happened to the second test?!"
"You passed, the objective was never to defeat Negi. It was to see if your conviction was strong enough." the Shinso casually threw her hair back, "And you're not alone either. I wasn't the only one watching you."
"He?"
"The idiot, as you so kindly called me." A voice from behind Asuna caused her to immediately freeze on the ground, more out of dread, rather than shock.
"Wha-what are you doing here? And why couldn't I sense you?" Asuna coolly asked without turning back.
"Considering I was the one that taught you how to sense, is really that much of a surprise that I can hide from you?"
"Tsk. Only you would do something sneaky like that."
She stiffened at the sound of his boots crunching through the crisp snow, and rustling cloth as he took a seat behind her.
Back to back, the two of them sat there silently, awkwardly.
****Under the World Tree****
Play Utada Hikaru – First Love
It was a beautiful day. Clear and sunny, sun light filtered down between the gaps in the thick leafy branches above a tall blonde. Beside him a green haired girl dressed in a lavender yukata and a small girl, dressed in a pink one stood serenely.
"Do you remember this place?"
Chachamaru nodded silently, a funny feeling fluttering around in her chest. A strange feeling of expectation that she did not understand hung in the air, "This was the place where you first said you loved me."
Her grip on Akako's tiny hand tightened slightly, as the gears in her chest started vibrating faster and faster.
"It's been a while since we last came here isn't it? After that night, you practically forced me to move into your Master's cabin."
Chachamaru smirked primly, "I did not. I simply asked you to come; you just didn't have any other answer other than yes." She watched as Akako let go of her hand to inspect a clump of bright red flowers near the base of the massive trunk.
Naruto stood beside her and gently took one of her hand as they watched the small girl start chasing a butterfly, "Do you remember what I said that night?" he whispered quietly.
Chachamaru found her throat blocked by something she did not recognize, so she could only nod mutely.
Her free hand shot up to her mouth to cover a gasp, as the blonde fluidly bent to one knee in front of her, and looked up at her adoringly, holding something in his hand.
His spoke softly, lovingly, "It must have been painful for you. Not receiving a proper proposal like I should have done before I stupidly did it for Ayaka first. It wasn't fair to you."
Chachamaru only shook her head, trying to deny his words but her body seemed to have frozen up, "It's not fair to you either, that you have to put up with my selfishness."
He paused and took a deep breath, "Chachamaru Karakuri, I love you, will you marry me?"
He opened the box to reveal a small silver ring, inlaid with a deep emerald gem that gave off an aura of strength and solidness, like the massive tree behind her. The band was plain, undecorated, simple and yet managed to convey the depth of his feelings.
Silver tears began to leak as the speechless Chachamaru disbelievingly touched the gem withg one jointed finger.
****Mahora North Terrace****
Two blondes slowly climbed up the stairs, one dressed in a white gown that reached her knees, the other was wearing a casual black jacket and brown slacks.
One delicate eyebrow rose as she smiled softly, "We haven't been here in a while." She slowly walked over to the balustrade and gently ran a finger along the weathered marble. Her blonde companion smiled as he leaned against the exact same pillar that he had, unknowingly mimicking the positions they had on the night of the Mahora Festival.
The blonde girl began humming a familiar song as she began to dance alone, twirling, heedless of whether anyone might see her or not.
Naruto simply felt a strange warmth fill his chest as he watched her dance with a child like happiness in her eyes. The fierce, driven Iincho of 3-A disappeared, replaced by Ayaka Yukihiro as she danced with a childlike innocence, gentleness and passion. Every time he saw this facet of her, the woman in front of him held far more attractiveness when she let go of her burdens, he couldn't help but want to hold her and never let her go.
She opened her hands to him, and he slowly walked over to her, silently accepting the invitation. The two of them silently began dancing, a strange, tuneless formal dance, her head resting in the crook of her neck, enjoying the warm weather as a gentle breeze blew around them.
Breathlessly, they came to a stop and Ayaka sat on the balustrade, looking out on the magnificent view of Mahora City, spread out below them and stretching for as far as they could see. Strength filled her heart, as she felt refreshed and cleansed for some reason.
"What was the special occasion?"
When she didn't receive an answer she turned around curiously, "Naruto?"
Only to draw a deep shocked breath as she realized Naruto had gotten to one knee, something clasped tightly in his hand.
"Na…Naruto?" she breathed out shakily.
"Someone like you doesn't deserve such a haphazard life, you deserve a beautiful life, where your chosen partner can always be with you, giving you every single bit of his attention and love. You didn't deserve to be nearly kidnapped that night, and given a half assed proposal, but I want to correct that." The blonde drew a deep breath, "I may not have the kind of future prospects that your father would respect, I can't provide you a lavish life, I can't even say I will love only you because I am a selfish coward, but yet I still want to try, I want to do everything this selfish person can to make you happy."
He carefully opened the box to reveal a small silver ring, inlaid with a clear sapphire gem that shone like the sky. The band was plain, undecorated, simple and yet managed to convey the depth of his feelings.
"Ayaka Yukihiro, will you marry me?"
Clear tears leaked out of turquoise orbs, as Ayaka slowly touched the ring, feeling its every facet as if trying to embed the feeling into her memory.
****Blizzard Plains****
"Right now, at this very moment, I am currently proposing to three people. Both Ayaka and Chachamaru have probably already received their rings, I don't know whether they will accept me or not."
Biting her lips so hard that she could taste blood, the red haired girl buried her face in her knees to try and stifle the choked sob.
Why was he telling her this? Right now, after painfully enduring a stupid cold, frozen tundra for seven days. She didn't think she could take it.
Yet, her newly gained resolve helped to steel her spine and she practically forced her tongue to move once again, "Con-congrat-ulations. I hope you, Chachamaru, Ayaka and Konoka will be happy."
"I'm not proposing to Konoka."
"Huh? But you said three?"
Strong arms wound around her waist, and lifted her up almost effortlessly onto his lap, "I'm proposing to you."
Her brain immediately stopped functioning.
"….What…? Wait WHAT?!"
Naruto winced since Asuna had shouted directly into his ear, "Calm down idiot."
"Wha-what are you saying!? Calm down!? How can ANYONE CAL-"
Her brain immediately stopped functioning. Again. As Naruto kissed her deeply.
Almost unwillingly, despite her brain screaming at her body to reject him, her arms wound around his neck tightly and she kissed back. His arms, strong and solid pulled her body close together. The warmth of his body felt… incredible, after being so cold for so long, encouraging the fire in her chest to flare up even bigger.
Their lips separated breathlessly and Asuna couldn't help but giggle as their foreheads connected, mismatched eyes peering into deep blue ones.
He whispered breathlessly, "I know it's not fair to you, that you didn't have the time to think this through properly unlike Chachamaru and Ayaka. I'm sorry that you have to put up with my selfishness, but despite that, I WILL make you happy, even though I also love Ayaka and Chachamaru. That's not a promise, not a statement. It's a fact."
Common sense and logic was swept away, as were her doubts.
"Asuna Kagurazaka, I love you. Will you marry me?"
He opened a small box to reveal a small silver ring, inlaid with a deep ruby gem that seemed to burn with an inner fire. The band was plain, undecorated, simple and yet managed to convey the depth of his feelings.
Asuna slapped him.
And ran off in tears, but not before grabbing the ring and hugging it desperately to her chest, leaving an utterly shocked blonde behind.
Despite her tears, a brilliant smile lit her face.
****Broken Faith****
:)