I apologise for not updating very much lately. I'm in year 12 (last year of school) and I've been extremely caught up in school work and my job at McDonalds, I don't have much spare time at all, so I've been unable to write. However, please do not abandon hope! This doesn't mean I have quit writing completely, it just means I have no time for writing.
I intend to finish my story "The Lotus" no matter how long it takes me. I might be able to have some time during the Autumn break coming up over Easter, otherwise you may have to wait a little longer. But I promise you I will publish more chapters whenever I can.

If you have any other inquiries about anything, please don't be shy to email me at AshleyKazekage . I will respond somewhat quickly. Thank you for your time reading this, and I hope to publish new chapters in the coming few weeks.

Chapter 69

"Setsuki? Setsuki?" Sakura's curious voice followed me around as I walked alone, headed home again. I turned my eyes in her direction without moving my head. "What's with that grin of yours? I'm curious!"
"Yeah! Me too! Your cheeks are red!" Tenten added from the other side me. They both gasped.
"Setsuki did Lee-"
"I just witnessed the most amazing thing ever." I replied to them. They blinked.
"What?!"
"I can't tell you. Daisuke-kun said not to say anything about it to anyone." I said.
"Setsuki~ You can tell us! We're your best friends, remember!" Tenten mentioned, elbowing my arm in a nudge. I shook my head.
"Nope. I promised Daisuke-kun I-"
"Oh! Do you hear that, Sakura?" Tenten butted in.
I went to continue my sentence. "I pro-"
"Yes! Sounds like Setsuki-chan doesn't consider us best friends anymore!" Sakura said in a hurtful tone. My lower lip quivered.
"B-but I promise-"
"Nope! Setsuki-chan , it's over." Sakura grumbled, the two linked arms and walked ahead. My lower lip quivered even more, I was pouting like a 5 year old. I watched the pair walk on ahead, without me. I stood there, my eyes wide. Should I tell them? I mean, they are my friends after all.. surely there wouldn't be any harm in telling them.
"O-OKAY I'LL TELL YOU, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" I cried. Both of them stopped with big smirks and instantly stood in front of me.
"Yes, Setsuki-chan?" They said in sync.
"Um... W-well.. Daisuke-kun... and... Lee-san.."
"Yeeesss?"
"K...kissed.."
Their eyes widened, they started gagging and choking. "UGH! THE THOUGHT OF THAT! EW!" Sakura gushed.
"LEE?! DAISUKE!?" Tenten looked like she was going to throw up. I couldn't understand what their problem was.
"Yes... Lee-san and Daisuke-kun.." I replied. They stood up straight, disgusted faces.
"And you say that was the best thing you've ever witnessed!?" Tenten questioned. I gave a single nod.
"That's seriously gross!" Sakura gushed.
"Well, gotta go~ Bye!" I chimed, skipping along down the path.

My next destination? Hm. I'm hungry, but I have no money. So, home it is! On my way I noticed a peculiar box in the middle of the path. I looked around, no one else was around. As I got closer to it, I noticed a piece of paper attached to it roughly with tape. In big bold letters it read "Open Me." I thought I should, so I lifted the lid carefully off the box, there was more writing beneath the lid. "You just took orders from a box.". I blinked.
"Wow.. I actually did.. huh..." I mentally laughed at the thought. This was someone's idea of a prank, wasn't it. My immediate assumption was Naruto, but then I remembered that he's off training with that Jiraiya. Perhaps it was Konohamaru?
I looked back at the box, there was something wrapped roughly in brown paper, so I lifted it out of the box and examined it. Again, I look around the area, still no one. I tore the brown paper, until I had unwrapped it completely. It was a small metal orb of some sort. It looked completely smooth and flawless, but then I noticed a small portion of it looked like it could be pressed. So I pressed it with my thumb, and suddenly it exploded. I screamed and felt chains against my body. When the small puff of smoke vanished, I realised I was trapped in a net made of chains.
"... Dammit." I huffed. I heard a cackling in a nearby bush, I stared in that direction, as if waiting for someone to jump out. Not a person, but a dog. I recognised it straight away as Akamaru. Then another dog jumped out, a white one. I don't think I know that one. Then two people stepped out. One was Kiba, the other was a red-haired Inuzuka girl. I know her! What was her name?
"I can't believe you fell for that!" Kiba scoffed.
"I know she was gullible, but not that gullible!" The girl laughed.
"Guys! Get me out of this net! Someone left this trap here!" I whined. Kiba folded his arms.
"Why should we?" Kiba grinned.
"Because I asked you to!"
"What if we don't wanna?"
"Then.. then I'll.. uh.." My speech faded out because Akamaru approached me, sniffing my arm. The other dog came over and tried to rip my shoe off.
"Bahaha! Good job Shiro!" The female laughed.
"It's gonna put a hole in my shoe!" I cried, trying to pull my foot back.
"Hey, Akakaze, lets go." Kiba said. The girl faced him. That's her name! Akakaze!
"But Shiro looks like she's having fun."
"Then just take Setsuki's shoe with us!"
"What!? No! It's my shoe! Not a dog toy!" I cried.
"You've got a point." Akakaze grinned then turned to me.
"Don't!"
She stepped towards me, and crouched down, reaching for my ankle. I moved my foot around, as much as I could, the dog didn't let go, so it was hanging off my foot in the air. She grabbed my ankle, and I tried to pull my foot back. Unsuccessfully.
Akakaze took my shoe off my foot, and pulled it through the net, then stood up. Shiro jumped up on her, it sat on her shoulder almost like a bird, and gnawed on my shoe.
"Hey! Give it back!"
"No, it keeps Shiro happy."
"But it's mine!" I whined.
"Finders keepers, loser." Akakaze chuckled, she turned to Kiba, and the two of them left. Akamaru raised his hind leg near my head, and my eyes widened. I quickly pushed my fist through the netting, punching Akamaru away. He whined, then bit my hand. I almost wailed in pain.
"Akamaru! Come on!" Kiba called. Akamaru growled at me, before chasing after his master.
I was left there, laying on the ground, tangled in this net.
I tried pulling the chains apart, that didn't work. I tried slicing through them with a kunai, but I broke the handle off it, accidentally. I sighed.

After almost half an hour, I was beginning to feel lonely, and the sky was orange – sunset. That means I'm going to be late for dinner if I don't hurry and get out of this net.
I thought if I rolled deeper into the village, someone might notice me and help me. So, I began rolling. A few people saw me, gave confused expressions, and kept walking. Some community support this village has! I rolled down the main road, people were returning home, but still, they ignored me. Ino just walked straight past me! She didn't even glance in my direction or anything!
There had to be someone that could help me. That's when I saw a familiar green figure approaching slowly. Now, was it Daisuke-kun, Lee-san, or Gai-sensei? I waited until he got closer, and I finally realised it was Gai-sensei, walking on his hands.
When he lifted his head, he saw me, and gave a questioning expression. I smiled nervously.
"Setsuki! What happened?"
"Kiba and... uh.. his friend, trapped me and stole my shoe!" I held my bare foot up, my toes twinkling.
"What?! Why would anyone do something so outrageous?!" He roared, puffing his chest out.
"You'll help me, right Gai-sensei!?" I was smiling, believing that he would.
"You got it!" Gai-sensei lifted one hand, and did his little nice guy pose. "A friend in need, of which I cannot just ignore! I must let my raging fires of youth power me up, and I will see justice prevail!"
I had a huge grin on my face, expecting him to pry the chains apart with his inhuman strength. But, he just rushed away, leaving behind a trail of dust of which I choked on. I looked in the direction he ran away in. "GAI-SENSEI!" I screamed. But it was pointless, he was already gone, my shouting probably wouldn't reach him now. Again, I was stuck. When I turned my attention to the sky, I realised that it was very cloudy, and it was getting darker by the minute. A storm? I panicked. "I DON'T WANNA BE STUCK OUT HERE IN A STORM!" I cried to no one in particular. No one around seemed to care either.
As soon as a drop of water hit my nose, I just thought of the best plan to escape. I used the water substitution jutsu, and dripped through the chains, and waited for my body to regenerate then I ran home before it started to rain heavily.

That night, when I was in bed, the wind was howling against the window, and I was freaking out, I kept having thoughts that there was monsters outside that were trying to get in.
Takashi came in to say goodnight, and told me there was nothing to be scared about. I calmed down and believed him. I closed my eyes, then jumped at a clap of thunder. Takashi had only made it to the door by then, and he sighed.
"Come on, go sleep on the couch, you wont be near a window there." He said. "Bring your blankets with you too."
I did as he said, and took my bedding into the living room and laid on the couch. I stared at the front door, a little paranoid... okay, very paranoid. Takashi's voice echoed through my mind, 'There is nothing to be scared about.. there is NOTHING to be scared about. NOTHING.'
I closed my eyes, feeling a little better, and more confident that there is nothing. Suddenly a cloud bang on the door, made me jump, and I screamed. The door burst open, a huge cloaked silhouette pulled something out of his pocket and held it into the air, I couldn't tell what it was, and it was too dark to see who it was. I was cowering, every hair on my body stood upright, and my eyes were wide. I wanted to scream as loud as I could, my whole body trembled.