Colors of Life and Death series
Truth in Dreams
by Songbird21

Chapter 16

I think you guys are really gonna like this chapter. Lots of happy stuff. :)

Ten days later Naruto carefully pulled his brush downward to make the final stroke on the words he was writing. He held it out a bit, smiled in satisfaction, and handed it to Hinata.

Hinata looked over the hiragana and smiled. "It looks wonderful, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto smiled widely.

Hinata blushed. "A-And thank you." The words on the paper read 'Hina-chan is the prettiest sensei ever'.

Naruto smiled and looked at the small analog clock on Hinata's wall. "I better go. I wanna see if Tomoyo-chan is up for some training before it gets too dark." He leaned over, gave Hinata a short kiss and stood up.

Hinata nodded and smiled. "Okay. Good luck."

"Thanks." Naruto gave her a foxy grin and left.

Sasuke had a scowl on his face as he strolled along the Konoha streets. He absolutely hated being off the mission list. The only thing that kept his from going completely stir crazy was sparring with his friends.

He noticed Naruto coming out of sweets shop called The Sugar Rice Ball with at least ten sticks of dango in his right hand. "Damn, he eats a lot." He changed his direction toward his brother. "Oi, Naruto."

Naruto smiled. "Hey, Sasuke." He held out a dango stick. "Want one?"

Sasuke made a face. "Hell no. That sugary crap is for girls."

Naruto's face scrunched into a frown. "You callin' me a girl?!"

Sasuke smirked. "Don't look at me. I didn't make you eat those."

Naruto's frown deepened. He shoved his dango back into his shopping bag. "Alright. Now it's on!"

"Ha! Like you can catch me," Sasuke taunted before bolting off in the direction of the training fields.

"Come back here you asshole!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke as he took off after him.

Sakura looked casually around the weapons shop that TenTen had dragged her to. It wasn't that she didn't like weapons, but drooling over what she did not have the money nor the intention to purchase felt pointless to her.

TenTen grabbed Sakura by the arm and pulled her over to a case of glimmering short swords. "Aren't they beautiful?!" she swooned.

Sakura looked over the swords, her gaze finally falling on the price tags which made her choke a little. "Yeah, but there's no way I'd ever afford them. Besides, I'm more hand to hand than weapons."

TenTen looked shocked. "How can you not drool over these?!"

Sakura was about to respond when a shrill squeal made her cover her ears.

TenTen was staring at a pair of white swords. "They have them! They actually have them!" She squeaked again. "Look at the craftsmanship!--the ceramic blades, the silver-plated handles, the ruby dragon hand guards!"

The clerk walked over to TenTen. "Aren't they gorgeous? We just got them in today," she said with a smile.

"I've wanted them ever since I saw them in the Cutting Edge catalog!" A dejected expression made its way onto TenTen's face. "I wish they weren't so expensive."

Suddenly TenTen noticed Sasuke and Naruto blow past the shop. "What the...?"

Sakura looked out the window but she had already missed them. "What is it?"

Tenten frowned. "Not again." With that, she bolted out the door.

Sakura had no idea what was going on but she followed anyway.

Tenten and Sakura skidded to a halt when they caught sight of their quarry. They had wound up on the edge of the training ground Kakashi had taken team seven to when they had first become gennin.

Naruto took a running leap into Sasuke's back. Sasuke fell forward, hit the ground and skidded for several feet. Naruto looked triumphant for a second before 'Sasuke' turned into a log. "Shit!" he cursed right before a fist entered his peripheral vision and connected with his face.

Sasuke smirked. "Heh. Even with your fancy new chakra you suck," he taunted smugly.

Tenten sighed in relief.

Sakura gave her a look. "So are you going to tell me why we chased after those two idiots?"

"I thought it was the same thing as the whole Itachi mess ten days ago," Tenten explained as Naruto and Sasuke threw several volleys of punches and kicks at each other.

Sakura chuckled. "Oh." Her eyes widened as over one hundred Narutos suddenly surrounded her former crush. "No matter how many times I see that, it's still amazing," she said in awe. "Not that I'd ever tell him that," she added quickly.

Tenten watch as Sasuke destroyed several bunshins. She looked back at Sakura. "Why not?"

Sakura looked a little stunned. "Because his ego is already ridiculous," she said with a laugh.

Tenten laughed as well. "You wanna join 'em?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. It's almost time for dinner. My mom will be mad if I'm late."

"Suit yourself," Tenten replied with a shrug.

"Bye," Sakura said she walked away.

"Later." Once Sakura was out of sight TenTen ran towards the boys.

Naruto flipped sideways over Sasuke's head and hit him in the chest with a spin kick. Sasuke threw a back-fisted punch at Naruto's head but he dodged it and punched at Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke blocked the punch with his forearm and jumped backwards. He was getting extremely frustrated. Naruto's taijutsu was now nearly as good as his. He was even starting to wonder if he would win this round simply because he knew his brother was such a stamina freak. "Okay, time to show him who the genius is," he thought smugly. "Sharingan!"

Naruto smirked. "So that's how you wanna play it, huh?" He directed chakra to his eyes. "Tamagan!"

Tenten stopped short in her run. Now that they were using doujutsu she didn't have a chance in hell of managing to hold her own. In defeat, she sat down and watched the fight.

Out of the corner of his eye Sasuke noticed Tenten sitting on the far edge of the field. For some reason he couldn't place he really didn't want to lose in front of her. He jumped in the air and dove for Naruto with his fist outstretched.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's fist and prepared to toss him aside but Sasuke used the leverage offered by Naruto's hand as a push off point and kicked him in the stomach with both feet.

Rolling quickly to one side, Naruto barely managed to avoid Sasuke's fist—which collided with the dirt—and pulled off a short heel kick to Sasuke's shin—bringing him down. Both boys leapt back to their feet and slide into their stances. Just then a voice called out from the road.

"Oi! Naruto!" Tomoyo called with her arms folded and a look of irritation on her face. "I thought you were just gonna get a snack?!"

Naruto pointed at Sasuke. "Don't look at me! This teme started it!"

"I didn't force you to come after me," Sasuke retorted with a smirk.

Tomoyo sighed. "Are you gonna train tonight or what?"

Naruto gave his cousin a sheepish grin. "Hai." He turned to Sasuke. "You're lucky she came along. I definitely would've won," he taunted.

"In your dreams, dobe," Sasuke retorted.

Naruto laughed. "Ja."

"Ja," Sasuke replied with a smirk.

Naruto walked away and Tenten trotted over to Sasuke. "Nice moves," she said cheerfully. She could have sworn she saw a tinge of pink on the Uchiha's cheeks but it was gone so fast that she chalked it up to her imagination running away with her.

"Thanks," Sasuke replied. He walked over to the river and sat down on the bank. Tenten followed suit.

After a moment of silence Tenten spoke. "Do you ever think about your future after you kill Itachi?"

Sasuke looked at her in surprise and then stared up into the sky. "Not really. I mean, assuming I manage to kill him without killing myself my only other goal is to revive my clan."

"Hmm." Tenten looked at the sky also. "Which is more important to you?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, although he didn't look at her. "I never really thought about it."

Tenten frowned. "Well, how are you gonna revive your clan if you're dead?"

Sasuke snorted. "I can't, obviously."

Tenten put her arms behind her head allowed her body to fall backwards onto the soft dirt. "Well...I hope you don't die."

Sasuke's eyes fluttered in surprise before his expression fell into a smile. "Thanks." He laid on the ground and the two stared up at the sky together.

Naruto and Tomoyo sat, once again, in the middle of the Namikaze training field, which was now bordered on three sides by walls made from the trees Tomoyo had taken down earlier.

Tomoyo handed Naruto a brush and a scroll. "Okay kiddo," she said with a grin, "Let's see what you got."

Naruto took the writing implements and set about the task at hand. When he was done painting the symbols—which took much less time than before—he placed the rock in the center of the sealing circle. "Fuuin no jutsu!" When the smoke cleared the rock was gone. Naruto's eyes lit up like stars. "Yatta!"

Tomoyo grinned. "Yes!" she exclaimed, accentuating it by clenching her fist in front of her. "Great job, Naruto. I knew you could do it." She took another blank scroll from her bag. "Okay. Now why don't we try sealing a weapon or two for you to use on the field."

Naruto took the scroll and stared at it for a moment before his smile widened. "Nah. I got a better idea."

Takaifuujin, Kazekage of Suna, looked over the letter he had just completed writing. It had been difficult to put those words on paper, but he knew it had been the right thing to do. He folded the letter, put it in a small leather pouch and tied it to the leg of the falcon waiting on his desk—then he stood, walked over to the window and released the raptor. "Quick speed, my friend. Fly to the boy...I have wronged."
Tsunade looked up curiously when she heard a tapping on her window and was surprised to see a messenger bird from Suna. She opened the window, took the small pouch off its leg and gave the bird a bit of fish. As the bird flew away she took the letter out—unfolding it as she sat in her chair. Her eyebrows raised as she read the contents and her expression fell into a satisfied smile. "Shikamaru," she called out.

The boy in question opened the door to the office. "Hai, Tsunade-sama?"

"Find Naruto for me please," Tsunade asked pleasantly.

Shikamaru nodded. "Hai, Tsunade-sama."

Naruto was walking home when he noticed Shikamaru coming towards him. "Yo, Shikamaru," he said cheerfully.

"There you are." Shikamaru jogged over to his target. "Tsunade-sama wants to talk to you," he said plainly.

"About what?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "She didn't say."

Naruto frowned at the lack of forthcoming information. "Hmm. Okay, let's go."

A knock sounded on Tsunade's door. "Yes?"

Shikamaru's head appeared once again. "Naruto's here."

Tsunade nodded in appreciation. "Send him on in."

Shikamaru nodded and left.

Naruto walked through the door and plopped himself down in the chair opposite his mother. "What's up?"

Tsunade picked up the letter off her desk and handed it to her son. "This," she replied with a knowing smile.

Naruto's face crinkled into a questioning look as he took the letter. "Who's it from?"

"The Kazekage."

A nervous lump instantly solidified itself in Naruto's throat. What could he possibly want? He lifted the letter to his eyes and began to read.

Dear Naruto,

This is not easy to say, but I made a serious error while you were here. I let you believe you were responsible for my daughter's death. Naruto's expression became confused. Yes, you accidentally delivered the final blow, but the bulk of the blame is solely on my shoulders.

I loved my daughter very much, but I was not a good father. After her mother died I spent very little time with her and when I did our conversations consisted mainly of her duties as the daughter of a Kazekage.

One day a boy around her age came to Suna. He and Katsura began to spend a lot of time together and I did not approve. I forbade her to see him...and that was my final mistake as her father, for she was gone the next morning. I had failed to see that her spirit was withering here. That boy offered her an escape and she took it.

So, you see, her death is my fault, not yours. I was so grief stricken when I learned what happened in Ganshou that my mind needed someone to blame other than myself. You, who were innocent of the crime I had committed, were unfortunately the easiest one to criminalize. I have made a grievous error and for this transgression I deeply apologize.

I may, however, have a chance to make it up to you. I have, in my possession, something that belongs to your family. It is a scroll that was stolen from Konoha some time ago. I knew you were a Namikaze from the moment I saw you, but decided against saying so lest it bring about uncomfortable questions. I am sending Gaara, Temari and Kankuro to deliver the scroll to you.

I hope that one day you can forgive me for my mistakes.

Sincerely,

Takaifuujin, Kazekage of Suna

Naruto's face was a mixture of relief, understanding and happiness.

Tsunade broke the silence. "Feel better?" she asked kindly.

Naruto nodded and very quickly began to feel excitement growing in his chest. He grinned widely. "Yeah...and I can't wait for them to get here!"

...TO BE CONTINUED

((Dives into RPR)) Dunno if I need it but better safe than sorry. Lol. This story is really getting away from me ((Glares at Morgan)). Morgan: What? I'm just doing my job?

Hmmm—what could be in that scroll? And no, I will not tell anyone, so don't ask. You're welcome to guess though. :)

Tenten and Sasuke are progressing nicely I think. Although anyone expecting anything major to happen with those two will be waiting for quite a while. This is relationship that must be taken extremely slowly in order for it to work.

Crakbaby pointed out that I should've had some stuff about patrols going out to look for Itachi after his attempt to hurt Naruto but I thought you guys would just assume that they did. What do you guys think? Should I mention it somewhere or is it not important?

I've changed the name of Naruto's doujutsu. Sugikongan just didn't flow well when spoken out loud. So it is now called "Tamagan" Which just means "Soul Eyes".

I apologize for how short this chapter is but it's the unfortunate trade-off of keeping up a weekly release schedule. Sometimes the ideas just don't come easy. And on that note—please stop complaining that they're too short. They average 3000 words or more (With the occasional exception) and that's one per week. Please try and understand that I have a family and also have other projects and things that need to get done besides this fic. The only thing you succeed in doing when you complain about the chapter length is making me feel underappreciated.

As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your wonderful reviews. They make me very happy. See you next week:)

Ja na,

Song