Sorry this chapter took so long... .=. Lots of things happened at home. I have a cough, often get the feeling of wanting to throw up, and my head spins. When I write it's like I don't know what I'm doing...
I was watching the new Naruto anime and for once listened to the ending song and it was really beautiful. There were tiny Sasuke and Nartuo, and Sasuke was chasing him :D I personally found anyone chibi-lized really adorable. Uh-huh.
The part reference with the blue feathers doesn't have anything to do with China. I was just listening to the song Blue Bird at the time and started writing naturally.
Terms to know:
Fuqin: formal way address father
Hulu: gourd. Do not be shocked that China has various arts and legends about gourds. In fact there are many meth stories based on it and if you ever have the interest you can search up and see one. The art made gourds are often decorations or just for fun and varies in sizes.
Huang Jia: Huang basically represents the symbol of the emperor. Jia could mean home but in this case, meaning family or clan. So basically this is the term for anyone related to the emperor family.
Luanyou: I do not know the official term for this, but it means a trip when the emperor would go to the normal peasants' villages for visits, to check on the things going on but mostly for entertainment and relaxation.
A blue bird soaring through the clear sky flew over the busy streets packed with people's warmth and smiles and dismay, past the guards at the main gates and soon reach the little wood house not afar from the view. The green fields of grass and wild flower was not a sight like the grand palace of the emperor, which was indeed breathtaking and anyone would feel overwhelmed by such lavish and gigantic building, but it gave the sense of soothing and ease, perhaps the only exact opposite. The blue bird made twirls in the air, fluttering it's wings gently . A blue feather fell, carried by the light warm summer breeze to the the one it belong to. Whoever may be the one to be the owner of such feather of luck and love, he would soon be granted with the meaning of a sky blue feather.
The breeze danced carrying flower's scents and petals, reaching and reaching, for the person it meant to be for --
And the blonde boy walking through the field smiling and whistling caught a blue feather on his nose.
"Whoa!"
Apparently surprised by something that dropped out of the mid air, Naruto Uzamaki jumped a little and the feather was falling. As in attempt to save it he waves his hand around and stumbles backwards, falling into the field of grass and flowers that reached up his knees. His head hit the soft grass, tickling his skin, and the soft feather fall into his palm. He smiles widely as he examined the little thing. Blue feathers were meant to be the symbol of love, he always knew that. He feel the feather's fluffiness and his eyes brighten up, like a little kid he is, though the boy is taller and stronger then before, at the age of 16. He holds the feather gently in his palm, feeling the warmth and he can almost see a soft glow to the feather. With a wider grin now, he kept on running towards the wooden house not far away.
His home.
"Iruka-niang, I'm home!" He yells before he even reaches the door, because announcing it to the world that he's home would be the most epic thing he can think of. Home. Home does not mean a house; home is where love, home is where family is, and it means the whole life to him. It doesn't matter if it's a grand palace like the Huang Tai Zi lives in or a shabby wood house that's small enough to fit no more then two people. Naruto rather live here than anywhere else on earth.
He pushes open the door, expecting to see Iruka-niang cooking lunch, though he said since he's going to see Sakura he might eat lunch there. He can't wait to tell him that he tried beef today --- the most expensive meat there is in market! Neji was nice enough to order him the dish, and man it tastes really, really good. Meat was a treat, though Iruka-niang always tries to bring some chicken on the table. It's been hard when he was 13, growing few centimeters a day and eating more then three bowls of rice. He knew those days Iruka-niang would sometimes go with an empty stomach, felt horrible about it, but he couldn't constrict himself to stop. He's still growing, but the process is slowing down now. He was healthy though they're poor. Kakashi would often bring home things, and teaches them about nutrition.
And speak of that pervert, look who's sitting at their dinner table right now.
"Hello there." Kakashi gave his usual smile. "You grow taller everytime I see you, Naruto-chan."
"Hey! I thought you went down south to do some negotiating crap?" Naruto ran inside talking without the manners.
"Negotiating is an very important job, Naruto. Doing so we can stop misunderstandings which provokes war and such---" Kakashi's smile was the look of patience and innocence, but who knows what's under it. Only now can you see his full face, which is usually always kept away by a tight face mask because the role of negotiators is an very dangerous yet important job. The organization of the negotiators are the skilled and intelligent who are usually the one that stop wars, and are quite mysterious people. By chance Iruka knew Kakashi, and what Kakashi called the fate to meet. As long as Naruto can remember Kakashi always have been together with Iruka. He gave the sense of fuqin to the blond boy since youth.
"Alright cut the lectures. Did you bring those really big hulu from the country of the Earth? I swore to Kiba that I will have one bigger than his!"
"Now I can't bring something so big on journey, it will be difficult to travel through the desert. After all country of Earth is a rather dry place...."
"Everyone knows that!" Naruto whined. "Besides you promised you would bring me a huge hulu"
"Well Naruto, you see--"
"No excuses!" He stuck out his tongue, making the full bleh sound. He hated it when Kakashi doesn't keep his promises. No. Kakashi always breaks his promises. Yet it's only one thing he never forgets, is that he would always come to Naruto's home. The little wooden house that the man helped Iruka build. Whether it's months or weeks or days, Kakashi would always show up by the door with his casual smile, and it is the only time he will ever be seen without his mask covering half of his face. As much as Naruto hate to say it, Kakashi's features were very handsome. Though he did say the prettiest man he did ever seen was not Kakashi.
"Naruto," Iruka started. "Quit the childish acts. Kakashi is very busy and has not time for such useless matters! You're 16, Naruto. Grow up!"
"Whatever." Naruto pouted, unpleased. As much as he loved Iruka-niang he hated the lectures and the almost paranoid worries.
"Iruka, he's still a little turd. Just 16." Kakashi waved it off smiling. Iruka shook his head in disapproval and kept on working on the meal. He turned around once again and stared with intensity at Naruto.
"Was he here today?"
The blond boy rolls his eyes. There it goes again. Anytime he goes to find Sakura and comes back, it's same question waiting for him.
"Yes he is." Naruto slouched on the table, resting his head on his elbow. "He's been coming more and more often now... Why the hell doesn't he just marry her already?" As he says this he knows the one thing he wouldn't be able to handle, as thick-skin as he is, was if he can never be allowed to see Sakura again.
"Nonsense. The Huang Tai Zi of Huo would never marry a prostitute." Iruka continued. "Even though the Emperor may favor the elder son Itachi more, he still adores Huang Tai Zi Sasuke just as much."
Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke. Everything is about Sasuke.
If there's one person Naruto despises, it's Uchia Sasuke.
Sasuke the main source of all the nagging from Iruka-niang. Sasuke is the one reason he can't see Sakura. Sasuke is the Huang Tai Zi Sasuke is the one. Sasuke is intelligent Sasuke is handsome. Sasuke is this Sasuke is that. Sasuke Uchia is all Naruto Uzamaki is not.
"Don't call her that!" Naruto argued. He hated the word "prostitute". It was consider dirty. Low. Sakura is not like that.
"It is what she is. I accept it. She is a kind girl, still." Iruka said right back; he was waiting for the answer from Naruto. "Did you see him?"
"No. Of course not." The boy looked to the window outside. The butterflies are mating. "Wouldn't be sitting here right now, if I did, would I?"
9 years ago he met Uchia Sasuke once. It was quite an adventure for a 7 year old and all. He told every details to Iruka-niang, including how he jumped into the room with Tsunade, ripped his sleeves for the Huang Tai Zi's cut, asked to be forgiven, and ran off calling his name. Naruto at the time was sure Iruka-niang would be very proud of him, and bragged it off big time to Kiba and Choji, who dropped their chin to the ground instantly.
It was not much glory, to be truthful. Iruka-niang literally pulled him the whole way and ran home after Naruto told his little meeting, turning paler by the moment. Naruto remembers his hand being snatched crudely and running through the crowd. He was scared then because he did not know what he did, and the look of fear at Iruka-niang's face also made his chest tighten up too. As soon as get him, he was smacked on the head couple times, and started crying loudly.
"What did I do!?" He complained. He yelled. His voice is shrieking and croaked, big droplets of tears coming out of the huge blue eyes.
"Never, ever," Iruka-niang's finger was shaking when he talked. "Never talk to the Huang jia in such rude manner, you hear me!? Do you understand!?"
He's never seen Iruka-niang this mad. Not when he broke the ceramics pot when he was running to bed and it smashed to pieces on the hard mud ground. Not when he got lost that day in the market and Sakura jiejie walked him back home. Not when he stole Choji's food because he was so tempted and never tasted sweets before. Not even when he almost ruined the whole plantation Iruka-niang was working on, which if was really ruined, they would go hungry for the whole winter. Iruka-niang's pupils was tiny, his face was red, breathing fast. The boy's tears stopped abruptly by the sudden outlet from his closest one. He was asked if he understands. He doesn't understand. He doesn't understand what's so bad about calling out the Huang Tai Zi's name. He doesn't think Uchia Sasuke hated that, he thought they might be even friends.
But however naive he was and how much Iruka tried to protect his innocence, he later learned from Kakashi that in Iruka's youth there was boy whom was his friend, and said to be outspoken and rather courageous. One day the emperor visit the small village as a Luanyou, the boy met the Huang Tai Zi and called out the Huang Tai Zi's full name. The day after the boy was hanged in front the whole village, said to be disrespectful to the royal family. It was a horrid time back then. Anyone with power looked down at anyone that didn't. The royal family was no difference. The peasants to them was much like dirt to walk upon on.
Naruto felt a chill up his spine that day. If he were to see the Huang Tai Zi again, would he be hanged too? Would the boy's name that he called out kill him mercilessly, with his black pupils unmoved by the sight of his death?
It was a thought at the age of 7 he would be rather turned away to.
Forbidden to go out for 3 months, he pleaded Iruka-niang everyday to go see Sakura jiejie. He knew he probably shouldn't, and knew Iruka-niang was doing it for his own good. Without a hard hit, Naruto Uzmaki's head was never too clear. He had disbeliefs, of course. The nice older brother will probably save him or something like that. It was a while ago back then with the boy that got hanged. Though he made sure he will call the Huang Tai Zi Uchia Sasuke in his head, just never out loud, so you can say the lesson sinked in halfway. He never stopped begging to go, and the day he was finally allowed again by the negotiation of Kakashi to Iruka(sometimes Naruto actually think Kakashi is doing his job right), he was like a bird freed from its cage.
Remembered being overjoyed that day skipping along to Faeries' Landing, he was looking forward to even see the big breast hot tempered lady Tsuande. He squeezed his way through the crowd, and saw the bushybrow guy talking to the person that almost punched him with that serious look, and the girl that turns red at everything he does. He didn't know why those two were there, but it didn't matter much.
"Bushybrows!" He yells out loud. "Hey! It's me!"
Lee wasn't too happy by the name at all, but his expression was still a grin. "Heya little squirt! Haven't see you in a while now! Where you been?"
Same goes for Naruto not to happy by the title. He gave a face and smiled to the girl, who seemed surprised by his appearance and mostly by his smile. She ran behind Neji. He's overly confused. Why is she always doing that?
"How dare you alert Lady Hinata!" That guy's temper rises by the slightest of switch. "Get on your knees and apologize, low life!"
"Who are you calling low life?!"
The argument went on for a bit, though Naruto was careful this time not to say Neji's name, but boy did he say a lot of profane words that almost made Neji called guards. Lee and Hinata soothed down the tempers, and it end up being Naruto grumbling sitting by the door step, Neji crossed his arms around kept on cursing, Hinata by his side trying to calm him down, and Lee give Naruto couple knuckles of the head.
"Don't be disrespectful with Neji," Lee whispered. "I met him some time ago, but boy you can't get your politeness out anywhere around him! If you upset him enough, he will--" Lee give the gesture of his hand across his neck.
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"You get your head chopped off." Lee stated it simply then.
"Really!?" Naruto gaped. He didn't know anyone could get their head chopped off. "But how are they going to do that?"
"You stupid or something? They get a knife and cut it off!"
"Like when Iruka-niang cut the chicken's head off?"
Lee thought about it for a moment, getting the momentary picture, though the person cutting it off, Iruka-niang, was a blank hole.
"Yeah, something like that."
Naruto gulped. He's not going to get hanged, his head is going to cut off like the chicken's.
"Uh... Na-Na, Naruto-kun..." A small soft voice came behind them, Hinata walked towards, her red sundress in a bright and dazzling shade. "Umm...." She stuttered on her words. "I... I'm sorry..."
"You have nothing to apologize to this inferior, lady Hinata!" Neji yelled across.
"But Neji-gege..." Hinata did the thing with twirling the hair again.
"Nah, it's okay." Naruto waved it off like sometimes he did seen adults do. "Must been hard to keep up with such quick temper, huh?" He whispered and shined a smile. Hinata turned redder than her dress.
"NARUTO!" Neji screamed.
It went on like this most of times, and when they settled down it was Naruto explaining his absence.
".... And so I had to stay home for 3 months, can't even go out and play with Choji and Kiba! It really sucked being inside all the time with no sunlight and all. But now that I'm free, I gotta go see Sakura-jiejie!" Naruto jumped up as a second ago he was sitting on the floor talking. "Where is she right now?"
Lee was silent. Hinata didn't look to his eyes.
"You can't go see her." Neji said impatiently, his eyebrows rising up his forehead, hand at his chin; every aristocracies' movements are born to be graceful.
"Why not?" Naruto pouted. What's this guy doing, always meddling in his business anyways!?
"From what you said, your guardians obviously does not want you to see the Huang Tai Zi dianxia." Neji stood straight as he was leaning against the wall a second ago. "He is here. Been here a lot these days. We were said be accompanying, but I couldn't let Lady Hinata stay in that vanity filled room---" He stopped talking abruptly, and it was him who turned red this time. Hinata was oblivious to what was being said, except watching Naruto's happiness fading away, the redness that spread his face and neck disappearing. Lee scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
"He is here?" Naruto breathed. His voice barely audible.
"Yes. Been here a lot lately. If you don't want to get seen, don't even come here anymore." Neji's words stung Naruto as he spoke.
"But... That means I can't see Sakura jiejie anymore..." His voice drift off. He didn't want to see the Huang Tai Zi, though he was really really pretty, and probably mean and going to kill him. Iruka-niang already forbid him to. It's not fair.
"Be glad we gave you a warning." Neji stood straight, patting the wrinkles in his robe.
"Now now Naruto, you don't have to be too upset over it. The Huang Tai Zi comes often, but not everyday. There is no apparent patterns or anything, but most of the times I stand guard here, so I can always warn you..." Lee tries to work out something.
"But... Lee-kun, what about the days you're gone...?" Hinata asked. The question was vital, as if Naruto came in on the wrong day, things could go wrong.
"Well... I do have some other work to do some other days... " Lee stopped and think. He had no other ideas. "Someone from the palace could always inform Naruto if the Huang Tai Zi comes..."
Naruto looked to Hinata. She was from the Hyuuga family, one of the few ones to be privileged to be living within the boundaries of the grand royal palace walls. It is though called the palace, more likely to say a community of many beautiful buildings, including the houses that the higher Dachen lived in, the ones of the emperor himself, countless gardens, little rivers washing through, libraries and many others. One could simply get lost in such living, needless to say servants that wander around too far and never found their way out again. Hyuuga was one of the few upper class families to be able to enjoy such environment. If they wanted, any movements of the Huang Jia would be heard by them. Hinata felt the gaze upon her and couldn't avoid the eyes. Sky blue, clear, beautiful color.
Belong to someone she loved.
There was no way she would have said no, and there was no way Neji was going to be happy with the plan that each time with the visit of the Huang Tai Zi they must arrive too. But he was never being able to argue with Hinata, being the older sibling, though not the head of the family for the causes of the Main branches that only appears in the Hyuugas. Though Hinata was rather quiet and passive to the decisions made for her, if she were to be stubborn, she would hold in her position till the end. A factor needed for a woman to handle the Hyuugas in the future, though however the rights of females were looked down at during that time, and many were unpleased with the decision that a woman will be the head of the Hyuuga family. Neji was a few protective ones to stand by Lady Hinata's side. Though at his early youths he had denied and disliked the idea, later on his opinion was changed.
Naruto's memories blurred as to what happened next. It's either he went home that day or he ran around with Kiba's dogs, which was a fun exercise. Looking back now, he knew he had fear yet a small of desire of a face to face to the Huang Tai Zi. There were times when he was in the brothel running around and Sasuke was there. Once he almost came to seen him, if only the Huang Tai Zi turned another corner, he would find a scared little blond boy. Naruto didn't know how Sasuke feel towards him. Is it despise, disgust, or perhaps even affections?
Such question though was quickly thrown as he grew up. Who was the Huang Tai Zi, and who was he? Uchia Sasuke was surrounded by glories and luxuries, beautiful women, fine environment and education. Separated by social class and the high red walls of the grand palace, what is a little peasant like Naruto to the refined Huang Tai Zi? He was probably long forgotten, and if remember, probably as a rude inferior and obnoxious.
Naruto tried to block out the sound of Iruka's nagging, watching a pair of butterflies outside, dancing through the flowers, fragile and delicate wings and graceful movements. Mating seasons was always his favorite time to watch butterflies. Like human lovers wavering and reuniting, though their life was ephemeral, fleeting moments of beauty. He felt the tickles of the blue feather in his hands. His love is unrequited and one-sided. He shouldn't be hoping, but he is. He wish Sakura would look at him more than a little brother. How ever much he wishes for, anything is futile. What woman could resist the temptation of the Huang Tai Zi, let alone even a man like him was once gasping by Uchia Sasuke's beauty? And let alone now the dark hair boy is probably grown and more charming than ever.
Foolish, foolish.
Yet he opened his palm and see the feather, almost if alive, cringing by his warmth. He smiled quietly to himself. There is no way he will be down forever. Uzamaki Naruto may have no looks or money or power, but he has his thick skin and can yell and scream and just -- be happy.
"Iruka-niang, Kakashi!! Look at the feather I found!" He held it up high in the mid air, feeling every weight falling off. He can go see her tomorrow.
What's the gloom when a smile is on its way?
So here goes the set up. Main storyline starts in the next chapters .-. As you can see I kind of have the pairing Kakashi and Iruka going on. It's not my favorite but I see it as an okay pairing, fitting for the roles of parenting in Naruto. I guess in Naruto's mind he sees them somewhere between the line of good friends and lovers, but can never picture them that way. He just don't know what kind he like yet.. Hehehe.
Please patiently wait for next chapters to come. Sasuke is appearing sooon.