"..." Normal chat.
ABC. Thought.
Chapter 20
There's an explosion, following it is an area-wide Genjutsu that puts everyone into deep sleep. And the next thing I know, Gaara's already in progress of transforming into Shukaku on the battle ring. While Sandaime's being held hostage by Orochimaru inside a barrier at the rooftop.
Everything's a mess, and I'm utterly confused. Having no idea what part I'm going to play in this crucial moment.
What now? Should I wait for orders or start planning for my next move?
Taking a quick scan on the surroundings, I count at least ten armed enemies. Thankfully none of them has yet paid attention to my presence.
First thing first, I need to calm down.
Up till now my hands and legs are still trembling. Palms are sweating out of nervousness.
I've faced several complex situations before, but none has come to this extend. Not to mention that there's always Ryu or Momiji to be by my side and guide me through difficulties. Telling me where to go and how to act in accurate orders.
However this time, I am alone.
The air is too intense that it's hard to breathe. Thoughts of getting killed keep running wild in my mind. To remind myself to stay focus, I bite my lips. Hard.
If I stand up now, some of them will come to get me.
On the battle ring, Sasuke's confused as much as the people from up here. After talking to Hayate, he glances around then up to the audience area, stopping at my seat. Our eyes meet briefly before he turns away and jumps over the tall wall up ahead.
"Nina-chan! What's going on?!"
Next thing I know, Sakura's already right by my side. The girl isn't surprise to find me being unaffected by the enemy's Genjutsu.
"I'm not sure. But it's not safe right now."
After hearing my answer, Sakura gets up from her chair to gain some info about the surroundings. Once figure out Orochimaru's the one behind all this, she tries to look for Sasuke but he's nowhere to be found.
"Sasuke-kun! Did you see where he'd gone to?"
She turns to ask me, knowing full well that I've been watching everything from the start.
"I think Sasuke's chasing after Gaara."
Her eyes trace from my finger toward to the tall wall not too far away, without noticing that there are already two figures swiftly making their way to her spot.
Cannot stand staying passive forever, I drag her down with me by pulling the corner of her shirt. Sakura's shocked by the sudden force from behind and let out a yelp. As Kakashi finishes the shinobi before us in one hit.
"You okay?"
I ask her while trying to get up. And Sakura nods to me, still holding her head with both hands in secure. Before being able to stand straight, Sakura pushes me to the ground in full speed.
"Watch out!"
Turns out there's one more right behind my back and she's just in time to see him. Luckily Might Guy's there to take the shinobi out before his kunai's blade can reach to us.
Damn, this war's pressure is messing my senses up.
To not even realize an enemy up close to my neck, I groan at my amateurishness. After wiping the blood off my cheek, I tries to get up again. Much more carefully than before.
Come on, Nina. Focus!
Once standing firm on our feet, finally, we're told to watch each other's back while the Jounin off killing more sound shinobi to balance the numbers. Since Kakashi cannot leave his current duty of protection, he then demands us to form a small team of four member in order to help Sasuke.
"This guy, Pakkun. will be able to track Sasuke down by his scent."
As instructed, Sakura approaches Naruto to release him from Genjutsu, while I look for Shikamaru, who's trying to sleep through the attack nearby, to wake him up.
"Bah! Who cares about Sasuke."
Shikamaru refuses to help us right off the bat, also being bitten by Pakkun for pinching his cheeks without permission.
"Alright, this should be enough."
When everyone's come to, Sakura begin counting who's coming along. However Kakashi stops her right before my name's put on the list.
"Nina's staying."
Needless to say the other three are surprised.
"Why not letting her go? You have your whole team right here already!"
Shikamaru wishes not to be involved with troublesome missions. Therefore Kakashi has to explain that the team needs an advisor, and Shikamaru fits the role well.
Also, this is an order and he won't take no for an answer.
"I will be here to help the others keeping the villagers safe."
It can't be helped, since I'm currently in Kakashi's top suspect list and need to be keep in watch. To avoid future troubles, I have to do as he says.
"Alright, be careful."
Both Naruto and Sakura agree that it will be better for me to stick close to the Jounin during the mayhem. As they cannot risk facing another powerful enemies during this important A rank mission, when being lacking of manpower and suitable abilities.
For Shikamaru, well, let's just say that he cannot escape his fate no matter how much he tries.
Soon everyone dispatches through the hole on the wall that Might Guy makes. And I pull out the Kunai from my pocket to get ready for any ambush. It would be unwise for me to use my twins dagger or activate that power here. The less attention, the better.
I can't leave, or hide. So the only thing left is to fight.
The clock goes on ticking as waves of shinobi keeps on coming. It's tough to both attack the enemy and protect the villagers at the same time. But thanks to the other Jounin, who are also here to defend the area, keeping me on track and preventing me from messing anything up.
Fortunately, Kakashi notices my efforts during the troubles and loosen the chain up a little. Giving me more freedom in my actions.
The battle goes on until only two remaining invaders left. After Kabuto reveals himself before us, those two retreat. Not wasting more time, the Jounin begin their search for Sandaime and I quickly tag along.
Soon we gather upon the resting spot of our Hokage's body. He's smiling peacefully, while utter sorrow and regret cover others faces.
Therefore being a Genin, I'm sent home first while the Jounin remains to resolve of the unfinished matters. When everything's somewhat settled down, I come to the hospital in the afternoon on that same day to visit Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. There, I'm told that they're all suffering from injuries, some light and heavy, but not life-threatening.
Once arriving to the room, everyone's soundly asleep on their beds except for one, Uchiha Sasuke, who's staying nearest to the window. He recognizes me through my footsteps but doesn't turn his gaze away from the sunset view before him.
After checking on both Naruto and Sakura to make sure that they're alright, I approach Sasuke's bed. Seem to have expected this, he doesn't respond to the slight movement I make when sitting on a chair nearby.
Sasuke's also covered in bandages like the others, but most on his left arm. And judging from his cold attitude, I figure that he doesn't even want to see me right now.
However since I'm already here, may as well try to endure it for a few minutes before leaving him alone to rest.
"..."
Dead silence gradually swallows us whole, and because Sasuke has been keeping his face away from me. I can't see his expression and unable to find out what's running inside his mind.
Is he sad because of Sandaime's death? Or fuming with jealousy after witnessing Naruto releasing his hidden power? Perhaps both and even more?
Surely something in him has changed in a negative way. While Sasuke doesn't want to speak, I can't find any proper word to say to him. We've been so awkward to each other after that incident and this horrible event only making it worse.
Has our friendship been ruined beyond repair?
Lots of time is going to be needed for our damaged relationship to heal up, by going one step at a time. Sadly, I won't be blessed with such fancy, when Itachi's about to arrive to Konoha to hunt for Naruto and turns everything upside down.
A minute soon feels like an hour. Bored, I turn to watch the slowly moving cloud up ahead. Only to have the drowsiness kicks in even faster and I decide that it's time to leave.
"Get well soon, okay?"
Those were the last words I told him before heading home.
From then on, I had some free time on my own. And instead of wandering around the village like always, I decided to stay at home to rest. Washing my dirty clothes from the last forceful journey, also cleaning up the room since it's too dusty after being abandoned for almost a month straight.
One day later, I was informed that team 7 had discharged from the hospital and continued recovering at their places. Since there's no shop available due to the damages cause by the invasion, I came to Sakura's house to borrow her black attire to attend Sandaime's funeral.
There, Sakura told me about Gaara, who turned into a monster and almost had them killed. However she fainted after trying to defend Sasuke from Gaara's hit, missing most of the fight and believed that Sasuke had saved her from the sand.
Later on I visited Naruto, who was still sulking from Sandaime's death to speak. Figured that he needed some time alone to recover from the shock, I left after helping him cleaned up his room, not forgetting to remind him that I would be waiting for him downstairs the day after.
The next morning.
Sakura, Naruto and I waited for Sasuke to arrive so that we could all depart together. It started raining soon after everyone gathered at the destination. One by one, we lined up to offering flower to his grave. Some cried, some didn't.
Once everyone had their talks and the sky cleared up, we separated and went our way.
Not wanting to return home just yet, I walked toward to the river bank and sat there alone. Hoping to find some peace of mind from the artistic scenery. However when starting to doze off, I heard Sasuke's voice calling for my name.
"Nina..."
At first I thought it's a misheard, or some sort of illusion and didn't respond. Until Sasuke approached me from behind and called my name one more.
"Nina."
That's when I snap out of fantasy and turn around to check. Standing right in front of me is the usual aloof Sasuke. His voice's strangely soothing.
"Sasuke?!"
My mouth is hanging open and I almost choke on my own breath, watching him sits down next to me like nothing bad has happened between us.
Seriously, after what happened between us, I didn't expect for him to come to find me so willingly.
"Your injures... How are they now?"
Once having calm down, I initiate the talk.
"Only minors so they healed up fast."
It takes another while for him to finally open up about their battle against Gaara two days ago. And how shocked he is after witnessing Naruto summoning thousand of his clones and Gamabunta, with the aid of Kurama's immerse chakra, to withstand Shukaku's attacks.
Of course Sasuke doesn't know that last, most crucial part, and been wondering what he has been missing all this time.
"Even with the cursed seal. I couldn't do anything."
Sasuke states bitterly, hands clench into fists. Hating the fact that he's being powerless against Gaara despite having tried his hardest.
"I'm sure you will get stronger, Sasuke. There's still a lot of time and opportunities for you to improve your abilities. Also, we're always here to help."
"Too slow, it's not enough."
His voice was little more than a murmur. Despite not admitting everything to me, I already know that he's comparing his progress to Naruto's and starting to feel inferior. Torturing himself day after day by repeating such act.
"Say... You don't hate Naruto for his power, do you?"
After thinking about it thoroughly, I decide to ask how he feels about his best friend. Mostly because of what happens the other day. Praying that his hatred toward Naruto isn't worse than in the original work.
"I don't hate him."
Sasuke looks at me for a moment before replying with such positive answer that I thought this has been a dream. However through his expression I can see that he's really not lying.
"Alright? Then why was you so fed up whenever we talked about Naruto back then?"
"Because you mentioned him for almost every single day. And it's starting to get really annoying."
Well, that one is true. But then again Naruto's only a fragment among several topics of our conversation, and to be honest I wouldn't think doing that would irritate him to such degree. I mean, we discuss about his daily training, Kakashi and Sakura way much more...
"I-Is that so. My bad then."
Not that it matters anymore, as long as misunderstanding is cleared. "So what are you going to do from now, continue training like no tomorrow?"
"Obviously."
Then we remain for a little chit chat till it hits noon, Sasuke leaves for his training routine and I walk back home to seek for some rest after a stressful day.
The next day.
While making my way toward to the training area for some practice, I notice Sasuke walking alone on the street near my house. Despite not liking sweet himself, he's carrying a Dango-ya's medium sized sweet box in his hand.
Does that mean Sasuke's on his way back after seeing Kakashi? Then today must be the day Sasuke faces his brother, Itachi.
Soon after we meet, Sasuke hands me the box. While I'm still being dumbfounded by the sudden event, he explains.
"I heard you liked sweets."
Sasuke recalls to my first introduction before the whole squad on the day of my bell test. Surprising me even more.
"To be honest, I didn't think you would remember any of that."
Opening the box to look inside, I count around six pieces of Dango neatly arranged next to each other. Needless to say the sight of delicious dessert cheers me up greatly.
"Thank you so much."
For some reasons Sasuke's in a good mood today, as I notice he's also smiling like I do. However he turns away the moment I close the box to look at him.
"Right. See you later."
Sasuke coughs into his fist to stay cool and attempts to leave for his Chidori training.
That's right. After that, he will be heading toward to Kakashi's house and...
"Hey, Sasuke?"
Sasuke halts and I cover my mouth immediately, but it's too late since those words have already gotten out of my grip.
No. Don't answer me, don't turn around. Please, keeps moving.
For a moment I lost control of my emotions and tried holding him back. Even though this conversation should have ended the moment he walked away.
But... If Sasuke arrives after that Jounin and doesn't hear about Itachi, maybe... Stop!
My teeth cringe as I try to hold back the urge to slap myself out of stupidity. Without a doubt that the story cannot be altered, and Sasuke has to suffer hardships in order to grow stronger.
That's why I have no rights to stop him, no matter how much it hurts. This is only for the best for all of them.
"What is it?"
In the end, Sasuke doesn't ignore my call.
"I-It's nothing. I'll see you later."
Trying to stay calm, I bid him farewell. Praying that he will be the one to leave first because my feet have been glued to the ground.
"If there's something you want to say to me then say it."
Yet, Sasuke stubbornly remains.
"Huh? No... Why are you asking that?"
"Then why are you looking so dejected?"
That question instantly hits me hard. What kind of face I was making just now, I wonder. But for Sasuke to point it out like that. It must be horrible.
"Well I..."
Usually I would simply fake a smile and cover it with a dumb excuse to get away. Yet this time, it feels almost impossible to do so, when knowing exactly what kind of things he's going to go through within a few hours.
But if I don't say something, Sasuke will definitely get suspicious and won't let it go until figuring out what it's all about.
"That's because I have stomachache."
Holding tight the box in my arms, I say. Gaining what left of courage inside to look him in the eyes to make it sound more convincing. Fortunately, Sasuke believes that white lie of mine and we part our ways.
Later on, I receive the news that both Sasuke and Kakashi are in comatose at the result of fighting the outsiders.
Immediately I rush to the hospital to find them. Once there, I see Sakura standing outside of Sasuke's room. Trembling in anxiety while waiting for the doctor to finish examining him. And the moment Sakura sees me, she bursts into tears.
"Nina-chan...! Sasuke-kun is..."
