Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Breaking Point ❯ Domino Effect ( Chapter 7 )

Breaking Point

 

 

All right, flashes of the past are done for the moment, and it's time to get on with the main story. And I have come to a final decision about pairings. To all of you that wanted a het pairing, I'm sorry. I've thought about it and I've come to the conclusion that I just can't put Naruto with a girl. I'm sorry if this will cost my fic readers, but the only female that I could honestly put with Naruto is Temari. And that won't work because I already have plans set into motion for her.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: You know, I know, and everyone else knows, that I don't own Naruto.

 

 

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Sitting on top of the Hokage Monument, I decided to read my father's scroll again. As I read the night air, dried the tears that had dripped from my now wet eyes. Staring down at the scroll, I finally absorbed the enormity of its contents. When I'd read it a few days ago, the only thing that stayed in my mind was that, I finally knew who my father was. After that, I'd snapped because I didn't know how else to deal with the information.

 

Since then, I really haven't had the chance to stop and think about it a bit more. And to be honest, why would I want to? My father was Yondaime. My entire life I'd done nothing but idolize the man, even after I'd found out about Kyuubi. Although, I'd never let myself acknowledge that it was his decision to seal Kyuubi in me. Now that I know the man was my father, I guess I kinda have to sort through my feeling about it all. Am I supposed to hate him for what he did? Or do I just accept—

 

“Naruto? What are you doing up here?”

 

Tilting my head up, I saw Shikamaru looking down at me. Lying down, with my back pressed against the cold stone, I answered him.

 

“Hey Shika. I just came up here to think.”

 

“Che, how troublesome. Do you realize that you were supposed to meet us an hour ago at Sasuke's place?”

 

Hearing Shika lay down next to me, I cringed as I remembered about the meeting that we were supposed to have tonight. I'd managed to forget about it. Tucking my arms underneath my head, I stared up at the clear, night sky.

 

“Hey, Shika?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Why do you think my father did, what he did?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Sitting up again, I brought up one of my legs and rested my chin on my knee. Struggling to find the words I needed, I looked out over Konoha. Running a hand through my shoulder-length hair, I turned to look at Shika, as the words came to me.

 

“I mean, why did my father choose to seal Kyuubi in me? Why not someone else? And…and why did he leave me alone?”

 

As my voice trailed off into a whisper at those last words, I was left shocked. It hadn't occurred to me that I might be upset with him for dying. Sighing heavily, I furiously blinked back the tears that were welling up in my blue eyes. His eyes that I'd ended up with, thanks to that lovely little thing called genetics. Hearing Shika's voice, I pulled myself from my thoughts to listen.

 

“You told us a while back that you understood what it meant to be Hokage. If you understand that, then what's the problem?”

 

Standing up, I walked to the edge of the monument. Staring down at the faces carved into the stone below me, I asked myself the same question. Why are things different now? Why can't I understand my father's reasons? My eyes widened slightly as I recalled my last thought.

 

“It's not the Hokage's decision that I have a problem understanding. It's my father's.”

 

Continuing to stare down at the stone faces that stood guard over the city, I was surprised when I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders. It's not often that Shika will actually touch someone, I think he has some issues with that because of Ino. Smiling softly at his action, I leaned my head against his shoulder, as I listened to talk.

 

“Growing up you had both Sandaime's and Kakashi's protection, because of the fact that you were his son. Any other kid, and there's a chance that they wouldn't have been able to see past the seal on their stomach. He died so that you'd have a chance at living. While his name gave you the shelter you needed to continue living.”

 

Shifting my head off of his shoulder, I began to walk away slowly. I didn't need to turn around to know that he was there with me. His words had made everything clear for me. My dad did what he had to do so that Konoha would survive, and at the same time he also made sure that I would too. He did the only thing that he could, that would allow him to be both father and Hokage.

A small chuckle escaped my lips, and pretty soon I was stopped in the middle of the path with full-blown laughter. I don't know why I really started laughing, it just…it just felt right. Like maybe the laughter was getting the last of the depressing thoughts out of me. It's funny you know? For years the only people that I trusted were Sandaime, Kakashi and Iruka-sensei. And now, well now I have the best friends that I could ever ask for. They don't laugh at my dreams, they fight beside and for me, and they also listen to me.

 

It's amazing how things are led by a domino effect. Once my thoughts about my dad wear cleared up, everything else came into sharper focus as well. As my laughter calmed, I saw Shika just standing there shaking his head at me. My random outbursts of laughter don't even faze them; they just accept it as something that's uniquely me. Or maybe it's just a sign of mental illness.

 

As we made our way through town to the Uchiha district, I couldn't get rid of this nagging feeling. I just knew that I'd forgotten about something else. Something really important that `baa-san had told me about.

As we reached Sasuke's house, we stood outside the door as I finally remembered what it was that I'd forgotten.

 

“Um, Shika?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I just remembered that `baa-san told me that Gaara was coming for a visit a few weeks ago.”

 

“And?”

 

“They were supposed to get here today.”

 

Glancing over at Shika, I noticed that his face had completely drained of color. If it weren't so serious I would probably tease him about it. But as it is…

 

“They?” His voice came out rather shaky. Nodding my head, I turned anxious eyes towards the now opening front door. Illuminated by the light, she managed to seem even scarier than usual. Glancing over at Shika I raised an eyebrow in question. Turning as one we both calmly proceeded to leave the area. Well, we tried to anyway.

 

“Naruto! Shikamaru!”

 

Sharing a look of complete and abject terror, we slowly turned around to face Temari.

 

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Chapter Seven is now done. I'm going to be concentrating on getting chapter six finished for HT. Until then, new chapters of this story will be delayed temporarily.