Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Reflections ❯ A Bit of Help ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: siberianknight 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mystery | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 03.12.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mystery | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 03.12.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Completed
Author's Notes: Not much happens in this chapter ... but there will be some interesting stuff in the next one! ^_^
And remember that if you're curious, please head over to the nsn_roundrobin community on LiveJournal to see the other version of this story written by myself as well as three other authors.
Warnings: None Chapter Status: COMPLETE
-----
Naruto laid back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. What was Sasuke’s problem? Honestly, didn’t he even stop and think before he molested him!? He sighed and rolled into a ball on his side facing the large windows. It was odd though, he didn’t feel dirty the way he would expect to feel after finding out that he had been taken advantage of. No, he felt ... lonely. He really couldn’t explain the feeling, but it was definitely loneliness. Naruto shut his eyes and tried to force himself to fall asleep, but it would have been easier for him to perform a jutsu than to sleep at that moment. All he wanted was to erase what had happened. He wanted to go home to his Sasuke. He didn’t like this one.
Sasuke gingerly placed the ice pack on his now swollen nose. “Damn. Naruto, you always did know how to react to things.” With a heavy sigh, he plopped down onto the futon and stared at the black television screen. Why had he allowed himself to touch Naruto in that way? He knew that hadn’t been his lover, he had known that. So why? Why did he break the trust which had been so hard to create between the two of them? “The hell if I know.” He clicked on the television and settled back against the cushioning of the futon.
-----
Tsunade’s head was slumped down onto her desk which was littered with various medical scrolls and tomes. “Yo.” Kakashi’s deep voice sounding without warning caused Tsunade to jump out of her seat and swing her arm with vicious intent toward his face. “Sorry, Hokage-sama. I didn’t know you were sleeping. My apologies.” Tsunade sighed impatiently as he bowed deeply.
“It’s fine. I’ve been up all night trying to figure out what to do about Sasuke’s eyes. There’s nothing I can find ... nothing. If I knew exactly how he lost his eyes, then maybe. But I don’t -- so we’re stuck.” Kakashi picked up one of the scrolls which had rolled onto the floor. He skimmed over it noting that it mentioned something about an old legend. Tsunade glanced up at Kakashi and grinned. “You’re wondering why I was even bothering with that?”
“Well ... it does seem a bit of a stretch. A curse placed on a lover ... Hokage-sama, you can’t really believe this, can you?”
Tsunade took the scroll from Kakashi’s outstretched hand and laid it before her. “At this point, I think I would believe almost anything. There’s no trace of Naruto ... not one. Kakashi, Sasuke’s eyes have been taken from him, but he doesn’t remember that happening. There’s something strange going on, and I have no idea where to start -- other than the forest. I have men out there now looking, but what if something happens to them as well?” She leaned back in her seat and began to rub her temples as a strong headache took root in her head. “I told the men to make sure that they were always with someone else at all times ... but that doesn’t really protect them. Jiraiya said that as soon as Sasuke is feeling a bit better the two of them will head out to the woods and look. So we sit and wait until then.”
“Hmm ... waiting is one of the hardest things to do. I think I’ll give Sasuke a visit.” Kakashi casually walked out of the hokage’s office and made his way to Sasuke’s small apartment.
Sasuke lay on his back, wishing that he still had his eyes. If he had his eyes, then it would be easy for him to go and find Naruto, but because he didn’t have them, he was stuck in his bed. He hated being waited on, but there was no way for him to do anything for himself yet. He may possess ninja skills, but that didn’t help when you were already a poor cook. Sasuke sighed. He missed Naruto, he missed his happiness and the way he could always cheer him up. “I wish I had told you how I felt ...”
“How do you feel?” Sasuke screamed and fell out of his bed at the sound of Kakashi’s voice. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you hear me come in?”
“What do you think!?” Sasuke stumbled a bit until he found the edge of the bed, he then lifted himself up. “What do you want?” Why was Kakashi-sensei there? That was probably the last person, no Jiraiya was the last person he wanted to see. That didn’t excuse his instructor from being sneaky and scaring him senseless.
“You could sound a bit nicer to your guest.”
“A guest is someone who is invited ... I don’t recall asking you in.”
“Grumpy as always.” Kakashi sat on the edge of the bed, and watched as Sasuke clumsily navigated his way over to the faucet to get a drink of water. “I can train you ... to do things without your sight.”
Sasuke stood with the glass under the running faucet for a few moments. Kakashi could help him. He knew that. There was no one else who understood him as well as his old instructor. “When do we start?”
The fabric across Kakashi’s face moved slightly as a bright smile formed. “How about tomorrow morning? I’ll come for you bright and early.” Sasuke could feel the happiness spreading throughout his body. He was going to be able to help Naruto. This was going to work.
-----
By the time the weekend arrived, Naruto’s anger had eased just a bit; however, he still was not talking to Sasuke. Breakfast was eaten in silence, and on their bus ride to an old friend of Sakura’s mother neither one spoke a word. Sasuke hoped that she could help them, since she was a seer of sorts. Possibly she could figure out why all of this had happened in the first place, and just where his Naruto had gone to.
Satou Akari’s home was a traditional Japanese style house crammed between two high-rise buildings. Naruto didn’t see how some woman who was a, whatever it was that Sasuke had called her, could help him. He scooted his feet as he followed Sasuke into the house. They were greeted kindly and led into a room which had a small platform in the center of it. The platform itself was covered with tatami mats and there was a tea service already laid out in the center of the platform. “I made you boys tea. I thought it might ease your troubles a bit.”
Naruto peered at Akari through narrowed eyes. There was something familiar about her, but he wasn’t sure what it was. “So, Akari-baa-san, we don’t mean to be a bother, but may we ask for your advice or your help if we are so humble as to receive it?[1]”
Akari chuckled deep within her throat. She was well into her eighties, but her skin was still smooth with only a few tight wrinkles around her sparkling deep brown eyes. “No need to be so formal, Sasuke-kun. I want to help you ... when Sakura-chan’s mother called me, I knew that I would at least be able to figure out a few things for the both of you ...”
“You told Sakura-chan!? After you told me not to say anything to her?!” Naruto glared at Sasuke, who shrugged.
“I had to ... earlier it was more for the sake of the party which we were going to -- not her. And I honestly don’t understand your obsession with her. Are you in love with her?” Naruto stared into Sasuke’s black eyes. He had never been asked point blank about how he felt for Sakura, and now all he could was open and shut his mouth like a fish. “Akari-baa-san, please ... can you tell me what happened? This is not the Naruto I grew up with, nor the one I fell in love with either.”
“Hmm ... I see.” Akari held out a boney hand to Naruto. “Please, place your hand in mine. I will see what you know.”
Naruto stared down at the hand. What did she mean by that? There was no real way she could read his mind, was there? He sighed and after a sharp elbow from Sasuke, put his much larger hand in the old woman’s. “I don’t see--”
“Shh ...” Akari closed her eyes and her breathing slowed greatly. In fact, it almost seemed as if she were dead. She sat like that for several minutes, the only sign that she was still living was the occasional twitching behind her eyelids. Finally she slowly opened her eyes and focused them on Naruto. “Hmm ... I see. This is very complicated, it appears that he is from another reality entirely. This is not where he should be.”
“Gee ... I could have told you that.” Naruto yanked his hand away and rolled his eyes. Why were they there if all she was going to do was repeat what he had been telling Sasuke the entire time?
“Naruto ...” Sasuke whispered angrily. He knew that Naruto could be rude, but this was just ridiculous.
Akari laughed lightly. “It’s alright ... don’t worry. My nephew has a similar attitude. Here, hand me your hand, Sasuke-kun.” Sasuke eagerly placed his hand into that of the old lady’s. He wasn’t certain why she needed to read his mind as well, it wasn’t as if he had forgotten anything. After a few moments, Akari yanked her hand away and screamed.
“Akari-baa-san?”
“Baa-chan?&r dquo; Both Naruto and Sasuke inched closer to Akari who was clutching her head in both hands, and still screaming. “Are you alright?” Her response was a shake of her head. She suddenly stopped screaming at the sound of Naruto’s voice, but she began shaking all over. “Sasuke, what --”
“I’m not sure.” Sasuke gazed down at the hand which he had lent her. There wasn’t anything that he could remember that would have caused her to react in such a manner. So did that mean there was something which he had forgotten?
“Baa-chan!?” Naruto was shaking Akari trying to get her to focus. She finally laid glazed eyes upon him and began to cry. She raised her quivering hands up to his face and touched him tenderly.
“You poor dear ... that which you carry is a heavy burden. I do not envy your journey.”
“Huh?” Naruto stared back at the old lady wondering what she was talking about. A journey? To where? Home, to Konoha? He began to hope that was what she was talking about.
“Sasuke-kun ... the two of you must journey to Hokkaido. Just outside of Sapporo, you will find my son. He will be able to aid you.” Sasuke nodded in agreement as Naruto continued to stare at the old lady.
“Come on Naruto.” Sasuke helped his friend up and the two of them bowed in thanks and left Akari. “So, we have to head north.” He glanced over at Naruto who was staring down at his hands. “What’s wrong?”
Naruto turned large innocent eyes to Sasuke. “Why did she do that? What did she see when she read your memories?”
“I -- I honestly don’t know. It puzzled me as well. Maybe her son can help us.” Sasuke wanted so badly to wrap his arms around Naruto, but restrained himself. After what had happened earlier that week, he didn’t want a repeat performance of the punch.
-----
“Come on, Sasuke-kun ... I know you can do better than that!” Kakashi tossed another ball aimed at Sasuke’s chest. He tried to dodge, but it hit him anyway. It had been this way all morning long. He had tried so hard to be able to dodge what was being thrown, but he failed every time, by small and large margins. Sasuke heard Kakashi’s loud sigh and his footfalls as he approached him. “Look, if you can’t dodge these rubber balls, how are you going to survive alone? Tsunade-sama has said that she can’t find a cure for you eyes. You have to think that you will be like this for at least an extended length of time. I want to know that you will be able to take care of yourself ... so please, stop relying so much on your eyes. You’re a ninja. I know you can do this!”
“I can’t help it! I’ve tried concentrating, but it’s as if I relied so much on my sharingan that there’s no way I can do this without it.” Sasuke tilted his head down and if he had use of his eyes he would have glared at the dirt beneath his feet. He felt Kakashi’s strong hand rest on his shoulder.
“Look, if Naruto were here ... and doing better than you, what would you do?”
Sasuke’s head slowly rose back up to an even level, and he smirked. “I’d beat him no matter what.”
“Then imagine that -- you have to be able to do this. For yourself and for Naruto.” The practice of sensing objects continued well into the evening. Finally after hours of practice, Sasuke was able to dodge almost every ball which was thrown at him. He was only getting hit with one out of every ten throws, which to Kakashi was a marked improvement upon being hit with every one of the balls. Sasuke was growing closer to being able to look for Naruto. That was his goal, and he would try his best to not forget it while he was training. That thought was what had finally forced him to concentrate enough to be able to sense the small objects.
Sasuke lay in his bed that night, clutching the last thing which Naruto had given him. It was a stuffed animal which he had won at a festival. He hadn’t wanted it, so Sasuke said that he could take it off of his hands. Sakura had snickered at him and Naruto had been confused, but he had still taken the toy with a grumpy ‘thank you.’ It was funny how he had felt as if he had all the time in the world with Naruto, that it would be alright for him to delay saying those words to him. Of course things didn’t turn out that way. Sasuke regretted deeply that he hadn’t told Naruto that he loved him. He rolled over and punched his pillow. “I’ll bring you back home, Naruto ... and then -- I’ll tell you how I feel. I promise.”
-----
“J iraiya ... anything?” Tsunade sat behind her desk and gazed with worried eyes at her old teammate who was leaning against the edge of the desk.
“No. It’s as if Naruto vanished into thin air. And we can’t find any trace of that girl which Sasuke claims to have seen. I don’t know what more we can do.” Jiraiya sighed and began to pick at his fingernails. He had exhausted every source of information he had, but there was no trace of Naruto.
“Maybe I need to go to that forest. Tomorrow at first light we leave. Meet me here then.” Jiraiya stood and bowed. Tsunade watched as he left, she sincerely hoped that maybe a pair of fresh eyes would be able to catch something that no one had been able to yet.
-----
“Sapporo&rsqu o;s kind of far from Tokyo by train. I think we should fly there.” Naruto’s eyes grew large as Sasuke made his suggestion.
“F-f-f-fly? Sasuke ... we’re not birds! How the hell do we fly?!” Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle at Naruto’s reaction. He gently took Naruto’s hand and led him down to the bus stop. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to show you what I’m talking about. Plus this way we can buy our tickets.” The two boarded the bus the road in silence to the airport. Sasuke escorted Naruto to the observation deck and watched in extreme amusement as Naruto’s jaw dropped.
“T-t-those? That’s what you fly in!? NO! Absolutely not -- you will never get me to ride in one of those! The bus was one thing ... that is a completely different story! I will not ever!” Naruto continued on until everyone on the observation deck was looking at the two boys. Sasuke got a little embarrassed and dragged Naruto away from the crowd.
“It’s the only way.”
“No!” Naruto crossed his arms and stuck his chin into the air in a defiant stance. Sasuke rolled his eyes. It was no surprise to Naruto when he found himself quivering in the seat of the plane the next day. “You tricked me!” He hissed after Sasuke had settled himself.
“I did not.”
“Yes you did! You said you were going to the bathroom when you were going to buy the tickets ... weren’t you!?” Naruto was glaring at Sasuke, who was just smiling.
“Maybe ... but I did not trick you to get onto the plane. I told you we were leaving, and you just assumed that we were taking the train.”
“I hate you.” Sasuke couldn’t help but laugh. This was going to be very interesting.
----------------- [1] I just wanted to point out because some don't know, but calling someone that you don't know "Obaa-san/chan" is not rude in Japan (just don't say it to anyone under 45 ... or you'll find yourself with a slap to the face). It's the equivalent of Ma'am in English (even though it literally means Grandmother). Also, if Sasuke were speaking in Japanese he would be using the honorific form, which is extremely polite and humble, it's usually reserved for your boss or your elders. -- which explains the phrase of humility ... note that Sasuke in the series speaks very informally and at some times rudely. ^_^ (and if that's not a hint to everyone ... I don't know what is XD)
Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi, TV-Tokyo, & Shounen Jump
geovisit();
And remember that if you're curious, please head over to the nsn_roundrobin community on LiveJournal to see the other version of this story written by myself as well as three other authors.
Warnings: None Chapter Status: COMPLETE
Naruto laid back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. What was Sasuke’s problem? Honestly, didn’t he even stop and think before he molested him!? He sighed and rolled into a ball on his side facing the large windows. It was odd though, he didn’t feel dirty the way he would expect to feel after finding out that he had been taken advantage of. No, he felt ... lonely. He really couldn’t explain the feeling, but it was definitely loneliness. Naruto shut his eyes and tried to force himself to fall asleep, but it would have been easier for him to perform a jutsu than to sleep at that moment. All he wanted was to erase what had happened. He wanted to go home to his Sasuke. He didn’t like this one.
Sasuke gingerly placed the ice pack on his now swollen nose. “Damn. Naruto, you always did know how to react to things.” With a heavy sigh, he plopped down onto the futon and stared at the black television screen. Why had he allowed himself to touch Naruto in that way? He knew that hadn’t been his lover, he had known that. So why? Why did he break the trust which had been so hard to create between the two of them? “The hell if I know.” He clicked on the television and settled back against the cushioning of the futon.
Tsunade’s head was slumped down onto her desk which was littered with various medical scrolls and tomes. “Yo.” Kakashi’s deep voice sounding without warning caused Tsunade to jump out of her seat and swing her arm with vicious intent toward his face. “Sorry, Hokage-sama. I didn’t know you were sleeping. My apologies.” Tsunade sighed impatiently as he bowed deeply.
“It’s fine. I’ve been up all night trying to figure out what to do about Sasuke’s eyes. There’s nothing I can find ... nothing. If I knew exactly how he lost his eyes, then maybe. But I don’t -- so we’re stuck.” Kakashi picked up one of the scrolls which had rolled onto the floor. He skimmed over it noting that it mentioned something about an old legend. Tsunade glanced up at Kakashi and grinned. “You’re wondering why I was even bothering with that?”
“Well ... it does seem a bit of a stretch. A curse placed on a lover ... Hokage-sama, you can’t really believe this, can you?”
Tsunade took the scroll from Kakashi’s outstretched hand and laid it before her. “At this point, I think I would believe almost anything. There’s no trace of Naruto ... not one. Kakashi, Sasuke’s eyes have been taken from him, but he doesn’t remember that happening. There’s something strange going on, and I have no idea where to start -- other than the forest. I have men out there now looking, but what if something happens to them as well?” She leaned back in her seat and began to rub her temples as a strong headache took root in her head. “I told the men to make sure that they were always with someone else at all times ... but that doesn’t really protect them. Jiraiya said that as soon as Sasuke is feeling a bit better the two of them will head out to the woods and look. So we sit and wait until then.”
“Hmm ... waiting is one of the hardest things to do. I think I’ll give Sasuke a visit.” Kakashi casually walked out of the hokage’s office and made his way to Sasuke’s small apartment.
Sasuke lay on his back, wishing that he still had his eyes. If he had his eyes, then it would be easy for him to go and find Naruto, but because he didn’t have them, he was stuck in his bed. He hated being waited on, but there was no way for him to do anything for himself yet. He may possess ninja skills, but that didn’t help when you were already a poor cook. Sasuke sighed. He missed Naruto, he missed his happiness and the way he could always cheer him up. “I wish I had told you how I felt ...”
“How do you feel?” Sasuke screamed and fell out of his bed at the sound of Kakashi’s voice. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you hear me come in?”
“What do you think!?” Sasuke stumbled a bit until he found the edge of the bed, he then lifted himself up. “What do you want?” Why was Kakashi-sensei there? That was probably the last person, no Jiraiya was the last person he wanted to see. That didn’t excuse his instructor from being sneaky and scaring him senseless.
“You could sound a bit nicer to your guest.”
“A guest is someone who is invited ... I don’t recall asking you in.”
“Grumpy as always.” Kakashi sat on the edge of the bed, and watched as Sasuke clumsily navigated his way over to the faucet to get a drink of water. “I can train you ... to do things without your sight.”
Sasuke stood with the glass under the running faucet for a few moments. Kakashi could help him. He knew that. There was no one else who understood him as well as his old instructor. “When do we start?”
The fabric across Kakashi’s face moved slightly as a bright smile formed. “How about tomorrow morning? I’ll come for you bright and early.” Sasuke could feel the happiness spreading throughout his body. He was going to be able to help Naruto. This was going to work.
By the time the weekend arrived, Naruto’s anger had eased just a bit; however, he still was not talking to Sasuke. Breakfast was eaten in silence, and on their bus ride to an old friend of Sakura’s mother neither one spoke a word. Sasuke hoped that she could help them, since she was a seer of sorts. Possibly she could figure out why all of this had happened in the first place, and just where his Naruto had gone to.
Satou Akari’s home was a traditional Japanese style house crammed between two high-rise buildings. Naruto didn’t see how some woman who was a, whatever it was that Sasuke had called her, could help him. He scooted his feet as he followed Sasuke into the house. They were greeted kindly and led into a room which had a small platform in the center of it. The platform itself was covered with tatami mats and there was a tea service already laid out in the center of the platform. “I made you boys tea. I thought it might ease your troubles a bit.”
Naruto peered at Akari through narrowed eyes. There was something familiar about her, but he wasn’t sure what it was. “So, Akari-baa-san, we don’t mean to be a bother, but may we ask for your advice or your help if we are so humble as to receive it?[1]”
Akari chuckled deep within her throat. She was well into her eighties, but her skin was still smooth with only a few tight wrinkles around her sparkling deep brown eyes. “No need to be so formal, Sasuke-kun. I want to help you ... when Sakura-chan’s mother called me, I knew that I would at least be able to figure out a few things for the both of you ...”
“You told Sakura-chan!? After you told me not to say anything to her?!” Naruto glared at Sasuke, who shrugged.
“I had to ... earlier it was more for the sake of the party which we were going to -- not her. And I honestly don’t understand your obsession with her. Are you in love with her?” Naruto stared into Sasuke’s black eyes. He had never been asked point blank about how he felt for Sakura, and now all he could was open and shut his mouth like a fish. “Akari-baa-san, please ... can you tell me what happened? This is not the Naruto I grew up with, nor the one I fell in love with either.”
“Hmm ... I see.” Akari held out a boney hand to Naruto. “Please, place your hand in mine. I will see what you know.”
Naruto stared down at the hand. What did she mean by that? There was no real way she could read his mind, was there? He sighed and after a sharp elbow from Sasuke, put his much larger hand in the old woman’s. “I don’t see--”
“Shh ...” Akari closed her eyes and her breathing slowed greatly. In fact, it almost seemed as if she were dead. She sat like that for several minutes, the only sign that she was still living was the occasional twitching behind her eyelids. Finally she slowly opened her eyes and focused them on Naruto. “Hmm ... I see. This is very complicated, it appears that he is from another reality entirely. This is not where he should be.”
“Gee ... I could have told you that.” Naruto yanked his hand away and rolled his eyes. Why were they there if all she was going to do was repeat what he had been telling Sasuke the entire time?
“Naruto ...” Sasuke whispered angrily. He knew that Naruto could be rude, but this was just ridiculous.
Akari laughed lightly. “It’s alright ... don’t worry. My nephew has a similar attitude. Here, hand me your hand, Sasuke-kun.” Sasuke eagerly placed his hand into that of the old lady’s. He wasn’t certain why she needed to read his mind as well, it wasn’t as if he had forgotten anything. After a few moments, Akari yanked her hand away and screamed.
“Akari-baa-san?”
“Baa-chan?&r dquo; Both Naruto and Sasuke inched closer to Akari who was clutching her head in both hands, and still screaming. “Are you alright?” Her response was a shake of her head. She suddenly stopped screaming at the sound of Naruto’s voice, but she began shaking all over. “Sasuke, what --”
“I’m not sure.” Sasuke gazed down at the hand which he had lent her. There wasn’t anything that he could remember that would have caused her to react in such a manner. So did that mean there was something which he had forgotten?
“Baa-chan!?” Naruto was shaking Akari trying to get her to focus. She finally laid glazed eyes upon him and began to cry. She raised her quivering hands up to his face and touched him tenderly.
“You poor dear ... that which you carry is a heavy burden. I do not envy your journey.”
“Huh?” Naruto stared back at the old lady wondering what she was talking about. A journey? To where? Home, to Konoha? He began to hope that was what she was talking about.
“Sasuke-kun ... the two of you must journey to Hokkaido. Just outside of Sapporo, you will find my son. He will be able to aid you.” Sasuke nodded in agreement as Naruto continued to stare at the old lady.
“Come on Naruto.” Sasuke helped his friend up and the two of them bowed in thanks and left Akari. “So, we have to head north.” He glanced over at Naruto who was staring down at his hands. “What’s wrong?”
Naruto turned large innocent eyes to Sasuke. “Why did she do that? What did she see when she read your memories?”
“I -- I honestly don’t know. It puzzled me as well. Maybe her son can help us.” Sasuke wanted so badly to wrap his arms around Naruto, but restrained himself. After what had happened earlier that week, he didn’t want a repeat performance of the punch.
“Come on, Sasuke-kun ... I know you can do better than that!” Kakashi tossed another ball aimed at Sasuke’s chest. He tried to dodge, but it hit him anyway. It had been this way all morning long. He had tried so hard to be able to dodge what was being thrown, but he failed every time, by small and large margins. Sasuke heard Kakashi’s loud sigh and his footfalls as he approached him. “Look, if you can’t dodge these rubber balls, how are you going to survive alone? Tsunade-sama has said that she can’t find a cure for you eyes. You have to think that you will be like this for at least an extended length of time. I want to know that you will be able to take care of yourself ... so please, stop relying so much on your eyes. You’re a ninja. I know you can do this!”
“I can’t help it! I’ve tried concentrating, but it’s as if I relied so much on my sharingan that there’s no way I can do this without it.” Sasuke tilted his head down and if he had use of his eyes he would have glared at the dirt beneath his feet. He felt Kakashi’s strong hand rest on his shoulder.
“Look, if Naruto were here ... and doing better than you, what would you do?”
Sasuke’s head slowly rose back up to an even level, and he smirked. “I’d beat him no matter what.”
“Then imagine that -- you have to be able to do this. For yourself and for Naruto.” The practice of sensing objects continued well into the evening. Finally after hours of practice, Sasuke was able to dodge almost every ball which was thrown at him. He was only getting hit with one out of every ten throws, which to Kakashi was a marked improvement upon being hit with every one of the balls. Sasuke was growing closer to being able to look for Naruto. That was his goal, and he would try his best to not forget it while he was training. That thought was what had finally forced him to concentrate enough to be able to sense the small objects.
Sasuke lay in his bed that night, clutching the last thing which Naruto had given him. It was a stuffed animal which he had won at a festival. He hadn’t wanted it, so Sasuke said that he could take it off of his hands. Sakura had snickered at him and Naruto had been confused, but he had still taken the toy with a grumpy ‘thank you.’ It was funny how he had felt as if he had all the time in the world with Naruto, that it would be alright for him to delay saying those words to him. Of course things didn’t turn out that way. Sasuke regretted deeply that he hadn’t told Naruto that he loved him. He rolled over and punched his pillow. “I’ll bring you back home, Naruto ... and then -- I’ll tell you how I feel. I promise.”
“J iraiya ... anything?” Tsunade sat behind her desk and gazed with worried eyes at her old teammate who was leaning against the edge of the desk.
“No. It’s as if Naruto vanished into thin air. And we can’t find any trace of that girl which Sasuke claims to have seen. I don’t know what more we can do.” Jiraiya sighed and began to pick at his fingernails. He had exhausted every source of information he had, but there was no trace of Naruto.
“Maybe I need to go to that forest. Tomorrow at first light we leave. Meet me here then.” Jiraiya stood and bowed. Tsunade watched as he left, she sincerely hoped that maybe a pair of fresh eyes would be able to catch something that no one had been able to yet.
“Sapporo&rsqu o;s kind of far from Tokyo by train. I think we should fly there.” Naruto’s eyes grew large as Sasuke made his suggestion.
“F-f-f-fly? Sasuke ... we’re not birds! How the hell do we fly?!” Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle at Naruto’s reaction. He gently took Naruto’s hand and led him down to the bus stop. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to show you what I’m talking about. Plus this way we can buy our tickets.” The two boarded the bus the road in silence to the airport. Sasuke escorted Naruto to the observation deck and watched in extreme amusement as Naruto’s jaw dropped.
“T-t-those? That’s what you fly in!? NO! Absolutely not -- you will never get me to ride in one of those! The bus was one thing ... that is a completely different story! I will not ever!” Naruto continued on until everyone on the observation deck was looking at the two boys. Sasuke got a little embarrassed and dragged Naruto away from the crowd.
“It’s the only way.”
“No!” Naruto crossed his arms and stuck his chin into the air in a defiant stance. Sasuke rolled his eyes. It was no surprise to Naruto when he found himself quivering in the seat of the plane the next day. “You tricked me!” He hissed after Sasuke had settled himself.
“I did not.”
“Yes you did! You said you were going to the bathroom when you were going to buy the tickets ... weren’t you!?” Naruto was glaring at Sasuke, who was just smiling.
“Maybe ... but I did not trick you to get onto the plane. I told you we were leaving, and you just assumed that we were taking the train.”
“I hate you.” Sasuke couldn’t help but laugh. This was going to be very interesting.
----------------- [1] I just wanted to point out because some don't know, but calling someone that you don't know "Obaa-san/chan" is not rude in Japan (just don't say it to anyone under 45 ... or you'll find yourself with a slap to the face). It's the equivalent of Ma'am in English (even though it literally means Grandmother). Also, if Sasuke were speaking in Japanese he would be using the honorific form, which is extremely polite and humble, it's usually reserved for your boss or your elders. -- which explains the phrase of humility ... note that Sasuke in the series speaks very informally and at some times rudely. ^_^ (and if that's not a hint to everyone ... I don't know what is XD)
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