True Self, New Self

Yura: Helloo everybody! I'm back!

Hao: You're an idiot, you know that?

Yura: Hey! Why's that?

Hao: Do you know how long you kept them waiting? *hits her*

Yura: I knoooooooow!! But you know I have a good reason!

Hao: Yeah yeah, your daughter was on the ICU until like 5 days ago and is still in the hospital, but apologize to them anyway!

Yura: I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooowy!!

Hao: Good *smirks* Now start writting!!

Yura: Yes muse-sama!!

Hao: I'll make her answer the reviews on a later date, but for now, I think you're all waiting for the chapter.


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True Self, New Self.

Chapter 22: Tense Celebrations.




[Sasuke’s POV]

I cannot be more thrilled, I have to spend two more months in the village I left five years ago, becoming a nuke-nin, because of the stupid exam. Note the sarcasm?

I don’t particularly like this village, the atmosphere in it almost seemed a little bit too oppressive for my tastes, I cannot exactly describe why I don’t like it, but today something is off…

The atmosphere of Konohagakure has something different in it today, I notice while I walk in the shopping district looking for some training weights for the brats, and ones specially heavy for Mako, that failed the second part of the exam.

Now that I think about it I should thank Kaji for what he did, after the exam the brats came back brooding… nah, I won’t say a thing to him, he did make me a favor but I won’t thank him.

But back with the problem at hand, I wonder what the hell is wrong with this village. At some parts I can feel something like repressed joy, but where the ninjas from the other villages are, and some from Konoha as well, the atmosphere is so tense, dense as well, so that I could use Kusanagi to cut through it.

‘What the fuck is happening…’

“Hi there, what brings you out of the safety of your house?”

“Are you trying to be funny?”

“Trying is the key word. I will ask again, since you prefer seriousness. What brings you to the shopping district? You are not the type to just aimlessly wonder the streets.”

“What do you know about what type of person I am?”

“More than you will ever realize.” He answers mysteriously.

I sigh, this is not getting anywhere. I haven’t know this guy for long, but I do know that when he gives this kind of answers, it is because he doesn’t intend to answer at all. Well, I might as well answer his question.

“I’m looking for training weights for the brats.”

“More than for training you are going to use them for punish them for their performance at the Second Part of the Exams.”

“They are weak, and I won’t have a weak team under my tutelage. They are a disgrace to our village.”

“Of course, how could I forget, you love power, you are a power hungry person. It is obvious that you won’t want a powerless team.”

What is the matter with this person? How can he talk like that, with that impassive face, about almost everything like he was talking about the weather?

Before I could get myself a headache by trying to decipher this guy, something else draws my attention. At a small restaurant, civilians and foreign ninjas are almost at each others throats.
‘What is wrong with this village?’ I ask myself for the tenth time today.

“They have been like that since yesterday night. The ANBU had been busy suppressing the fights that have been starting all over the village.” He says, like he could hear what I have been thinking.

“This village have never been particularly sane, but this is ridiculous. Why are they acting like this?”

“Because of the news.”

“What news?”

“After many months of his demise, the news about Uzumaki Naruto’s death finally arrived to his home village. The civilians were about to start celebrating but it seems that the other ninjas are not so happy about the idea. It seems that the village’s demon made quiet a name for himself while he was traveling with the Toad Hermit and they didn’t take kindly that the villagers where about to start a festival to celebrate.”

I can feel myself getting angry. Why? It is not like I liked him, he was nothing but a dobe, so why…?

[Naruto’s POV.]

I can see Sasuke visibly tense, is funny to see his stoic act fall apart without him noticing, but I find it intriguing that the news of my supposed death get him riled up enough to make him lose his cool.

‘Maybe, just maybe, he cares about me, even if he doesn’t want to admit it to himself.’

‘ ’ Well, we don’t lose anything trying to find out. Perhaps that damned cursed seal hasn’t eaten his mind completely. ’ ’

‘That I hope. Well I’ll test him a little bit and see how he reacts.’

“Why are you angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

“You can’t lie to me, I’m an expert at it. Besides, you clenched your fist so tight that there is blood coming out from it.” I say with an emotionless voice, a voice that I don’t like, that sounds to foreign coming out of my mouth, but needed at this moment.

“Hn.”

“What? You wanted to deal with him yourself? So you could obtain the Mangekyo?”

“What do you know about the Mangekyo?” He snarls, his anger now directed to me.

“Everything. But even if you did kill him, I don’t think it would work anyway. I seriously doubt that you could possibly see him at your best friend still.”

“You know nothing about me or what I think.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“I wouldn’t kill him.”

“Lie. Don’t try to fool yourself you know that you would kill him given the chance. I bet that after the first two years with the Snake all your doubts about killing him went out the window.”

“You are the one being delusional.”

“Am I? Tell me what was him to you? Why are you angry at the villagers for being happy about the dobe’s death? What was him to you? A friend? A brother perhaps?”

“Maybe.”

“Friends don’t try to shove a Chidori at the others chest. Neither do brothers. Even you didn’t have the best of the examples, I thought that you were a genius of this village and will know better than to follow your brothers steps.”

‘ ’ You are being a bit too mean kit… ’ ’

‘He needs it, he needs to think about it.’

[Sasuke’s POV.]

What does he knows?

‘It seems like everything, even what happened at the Valley of the End that day.’

Great, Kabuto warned me about this, I finally snapped, I’m hearing things in my head.

‘Hey I resent that! I’m your inner voice! But anyway, pay attention to that guy, he seems to know a lot!’

How he knows so much?

‘You are asking me? I’m yourself!! I know nothing that you don’t’

How can he talk of such things with such a voice? Like it was nothing? WHO IS HE?!

‘Dunno, and he won’t tell us.’

I hate him, I hate his emotionless face, I hate…

‘You hate that nagging feeling that you should know him? Yeah I do too. And you noticed that the things he knows are mainly things that Naruto should know?’

Now that you mention it… No it is impossible, he is dead.

‘Maybe his spirit remained and possessed Kaji!!’

How I ended with such an immature and stupid inner voice?

‘Hey!! You skipped your childhood with all your “I must avenge my clan! I’m an avenger bwahahahaha!” shit, your brain had to compensate it someway!’

And why are you being a pain in the ass until now?

‘Dunno, but I think that the Kaji guy woke me up.’

That guy… wait, he’s smirking at me?

“Done talking to yourself? Are you going to answer my question or not?”

He’s mocking me?! No one mocks me and lives long enough to enjoy it. I pull Kusanagi out of it’s sheath before he promptly put it back in.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you, even with the alliance, Leaf and Grass don’t get along very well. They suspect them of treason, thing that they are guilty of it seems, because they allowed you and your team to come to the Chuunin Exams as members of their village. But you don’t want to draw attention to them by attacking a Leaf citizen, now do you? You could lose an important ally and the Snake won’t be happy.”

“Why you?!”

“Anyway, I must take my leave now, I left unfinished matters at my house and I already finished my business here. So think about that questions and I’ll see you around later.”

Before I can do anything, he disappears in a swirl of… golden leafs?

[Naruto’s POV.]

‘ ’ That was very stupid and risky kit!! You know that his level sky rocketed after that fight in Iwa, if he really attacked us, this village would be screwed because the force of the fight and you would be the future Hokage of a pile of rubble!! Don’t you never, ever again push his buttons like that again!! You mentioned his brother, the Mangekyo, the fight at the Valley and his power thirst in less than 15 minutes. ’ ’

‘I know that I acted wrongly Kyuu, but at least I confirmed something.’

‘ ‘ And what was so important that you risked the safety of your beloved village to know? ‘ ‘

‘That there still is some of Sasuke there to save and he still isn’t consumed by the snake.’

‘ ‘ Point taken. And kit? ‘ ‘

'Yes?'

' 'The messing with his mind with the inner voice?' '

'Yes?'

' ' I admit that it was clever, but you made it stupid and so non-Uchiha, so if you ever do it again, try to make it more believable. ' '

‘Very well, you are no fun, but I agree. Lets go home now.’

‘ ‘ Hey kit… aren’t those your three friends from Mist? What were their names… Aya, Omi and Yoji? The ones you trained with when you were at their village? ‘ ‘

‘Where?’

‘ ‘There at the front of that shop. ‘ ‘

‘Yes, it is them… wait what are they doing?’

‘ ‘ Wait and listen kit! ‘ ‘

“What did you say stupid villager? I dare you to say it again!!”

“Why are you attacking me for being happy because my little daughter and my wife are no longer in danger because that filthy monster is no longer alive!? You should be happy as well! He was a danger to everybody!”

“How dare you!? Naruto was a good guy! He was caring and loyal, and loved this stupid village with all his being!”

“I wonder how could he, if everyone saw him this way. Today we saw how everyone thought of him. He had even a greater heart than I first thought if he managed to love this place despite everything.”

“That demon spawn having a heart? You must be kidding me! Have you ever met that monster?”

“Yes and they were the best three months of our entire lives! We owe him very much.”

“I bet that he tricked the three of you! See the kind of monster he was?! Cast a genjutsu on such young boys and fooling them so he could corrupt them! I will ask the others to collect some money so when we find the good men that rid this world of such a horrible being’s presence, we can pay them as gratitude a good amount of money.”

“Oh no you won’t, because you won’t be alive to do it!”

‘Kuso, must act quickly!’

I move as fast as I can and catch Aya’s fist before he swung it down and killed the stupid man with his kunai.

“Why are you stopping us! Are you happy about Naruto’s death too?”

“Thank you young man!! This brats were trying to kill me! They should be punished because they attacked a Konoha citizen!”

“Don’t flatter yourself, I stopped them because they were about to do something very stupid, that’s all.”

“What are you talking about! We were about to teach this fool a lesson about respect to their heroes!”

“I know, but think about it for a second. Naruto loved this village and would do anything to protect it, how do you think he would feel if you killed someone of the village he loved so dearly?”

There was a moment of silence while they thought about what I just said.

“He’s right Aya-kun…”

“Now, if you really want to honor his memory, why don’t you go and try to reason with the other shinobis that are attacking the villagers?”

“That we’ll do. Thank you for stopping us, we will leave now.”

“See you later then,” I say waving them off, “Now, lets get you into your shop so I can deal with those bruises.” I say picking from the ground the fallen man and guide him into his shop, that looked very familiar…


‘ ‘Hey, isn’t this that sushi restaurant from that stupid man? ‘ ‘

‘Actually… it is.’

“Excuse me sir, but if I remember correctly, this was a Sushi restaurant not two months ago, what happened?”

“Oh yeah! That! I heard that the previous owner was inside with some people he gathered because he said he had some important information to tell them or something like that, and just before he did he just went out cold with no warning at all! Thankfully, the lady from the next shop told me, Aburame-san and Inuzuka-san where passing by when they heard the commotion, because everyone panicked or so I heard ya know?, and they took him to that nice Haruno girl so he could check him up, it was very nice of them, since she’s the best medic-nin of the village, aside of our Hokage of course, but anyway like I was saying, after she checked him up and discharged him, he grabbed all his things and left the village and went to Suna, and no one had heard a thing from him ever since. I heard that his brother received a package soon after he left, it had the mans ring that had lots of cuts in it, and a bunch of sand in it. That was a while ago… like three weeks before the Exams started I think.”

I listen to everything he had to say while I bandaged him up.

“Well, that was very informative, thank you very much sir. I have tended your wounds to the best of my ability, you should be fine in a day or two. Now I must excuse myself, because I’m supposed to be back home and I’m awfully late.” I say before quickly living the store.

‘It is easy to decipher what truly happened from what the man said. He tried to tell the other villagers that I was back and Shino and Kiba noticed. The fainting thing reeks of kikai bugs. After that they brought him to Sakura and I bet that she and Kiba threatened him out the village, then he went to Suna and someone that knows me caught him, and he tried to warn him about me, who instead of sending a word of warning back to Konoha, pulled a Shukaku and killed him then sent the ring and the sand back. My guess is that it was Temari, because of the cuts on the ring screams wind attack. That means this all happened the day after we were at the Sushi shop.’

‘ ‘ Well, that is the more probable course of things. I bet that your friends didn’t told you because they didn’t want to sadden you. ’ ’

‘Speaking of them, I wonder how they are dealing with this situation. Mmmmm… I just hope than non of them try to do what the foreign shinobis have being trying all day… nah! They wouldn’t!’

I arrive to my house, but there is something off that wasn’t there when I left early this morning, namely the loud noise that is coming from inside it. I open the door and I feel like I’m being attacked by Otonins to force of the noise that is coming from inside almost making me take a step back.

I enter and find all my friends in the living room, singing and dancing around with the music of a huge stereo, that wasn’t there this morning, turned to full volume.

There is a funny smell in the air, a smell that I sense often around baa-chan, and that might explain the ridiculous behavior of my friends. Sake, and looots of it. Most of them are drunk out of their minds.

I manage to spot three persons that look sober sitting in a corner watching with amusement at the others antics. Well, I will be surprised if they were drunk as well, I must admit. I walk over where the three of them are to try to get some explanations. But first…

“Neji, when you got back?”

“About fifteen minutes ago.”

“Please, don’t keep me waiting, how is Gaara?”

“As fine as he could be, he woke up this morning and he was feeling, quote “like a maelstrom had run over him, but better than ever” I guess that his body was hurting because he was such a long time without moving, besides the soreness of your Jutsu. The medic-nins say that is was so strong that any lesser man would be knock down for two more months.”

“That bad?”

“I saw it with my Byakugan Naruto, that scroll that you made literally re-arranged his chakra coils, purged all Shukaku’s chakra from his system, pushed it to where it’s consciousness laid and slammed an enormous and complicated seal around it. Just how long did you work in that scroll?”

“Two months. But I used a bunch of Bunshins to study the information about the seal with Chiyo-sama, she helped me with the medical part as well, and Jiraiya helped me design and perfectionate the scroll. He’s a seal master after all, despise the fact that he’s a pervert, he’s very good at what he does.”

“I see.”

“Anyway is good to have you back, and I bet you enjoyed your time playing Gaara’s plushie.” I say grinning madly when he blushes. Ohh is good to know so much… And be able to make stoic bastards lose their cool.

“You are not going to let me live it down anytime soon are you?”

“Nope, I won’t. Just a little recommendation Neji. The council may not have so much power over the Kage’s actions in Suna like in Konoha, but they still can pressure him to find a bride, so if you really feel something for him, I suggest you to let him know before is too late. You won’t be rejected, believe me I know.”

I turn to look to the other two, leaving Neji to think about what I just told him.

“Hinata, Shino. Mind telling me what in all seven hells is happening here?”

“They are getting drunk.”

“I can see that Shino. The question is why, and how by the way, last time I checked all of us are still underage. Non of us can go and buy all this sake by ourselves.”

“Sakura found Tsunade-sama’s secret stash.”

“Well that answers how. Why?”

“Sakura-san and the others where upset because of the villagers attitude and decided to “drown their anger.” As Kiba-san said.”

‘Well at least they are not attacking the villagers…’ I think while externally sighing.

“Oh well… can’t do anything about it… Will you help me baby-sit them? There is nothing worse than drunken teenagers believe me…”

“Sure Naruto-san, we will help you.”

“IT IS TIME TO SHOW YOU WHAT ME YOUTHFUL TRAINING MADE!! I WILL RUN AROUND KONOHA PROCLAMING NARUTO‘S GREAT YOUTHFULLNESS TO THE WORLD!! IF I FAIL I WILL DO TEN THOUSANDS PUSH UPS!”

‘ ‘ That didn’t made any sense at all… ‘ ‘

‘He’s so drunk that I’m surprised he can talk straight to begin with. It is a little too much to ask that he forms coherent sentences.’

‘ ‘ Good point… ‘ ‘

“Go Lee!! Show them all!!”

“Lee! Come back here! And you Sakura, don’t encourage him!” I say running to stop Lee who’s almost out the door.

“This isssss too… troublesome…”

‘Just how did Shikamaru managed to get drunk as well?’

‘ ‘Probably thought it was too troublesome to stay sober because that would mean that he would had to baby-sit the rest like us. ‘ ‘

I manage to convince Lee to dance with Sakura instead of going out after much persuading. But soon I regret it… lets just say that he’s dancing is like his green spandex suit… horrendous. And exactly is at that moment that Yuki decides to show up.

“Niisan? What is happening here?”

“Yuki welcome back. Don’t ask, you don’t want to know, really. But I think that I’m going to need back up here. Please go to the jounin lounge and bring Kurenai-sensei, Gai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei. Tell them it is urgent.”

“Sure niisan! I’ll be right back.”

I watch Yuki leave, it will take him a while to come back, hopefully things will be less traumatizing for his young eyes by the time he comes back.

“Naruto-kuuuuuuun!!” I hear before being tackled to the ground by Sakura and Ino.

“Yes Sakura? Yes Ino?”

“Me and Ino here were wondering when you found out that you liked guys.”

Well, what harm it could do? They won’t remember later anyway, they are way too drunk.

“Sakura, you remember our fist C-Class mission to Wave Country right?”

“Yesssss… But what does it has to do with anything?”

“Remember Haku?”

“Yes, but what does he has to do with anyth… ohhhh right I remember! That guy was prettier than me…”

“That’s a blasphemy!! No one is prettier that my Sakura-chan!!”

“Shut up Lee!” Tenten yelled at him.

“Now you know, will you let me up now?”

“Sure Naruto-kun!” Sakura chirped.

‘Scaryyyyyyyy!!!’

‘ ‘ I agree with you. ‘ ‘

“Hey forehead girl, who’s that Haku guy?”

“Come on Ino-pig! I told you of him after we came back of that mission years ago!!”

I leave them to their usual bickering and go plop myself into the nearest couch and take a look around.

Kiba and Choji are having a drinking contest. Tenten is chasing Akamaru, claiming that he’s the big bad wolf that ate Little Red Riding Hood?. Ino and Sakura are fighting as usual, but they can’t do it properly because they are way to drunk and start going of the tangent of their argument ever so often. Lee is running laps inside the living room screaming youthful nonsense.

I haven’t been here for ten minutes and I’m already tired and with one hell of a headache. You would think that the atmosphere inside was lively despite all I just said. But that is not true. No matter what happens, the reason of why everybody are here in my house, and most of them are drunk, still is there, hovering above all of them like a black cloud, making them try harder to forget it, but only managing to make it’s presence more obvious.

I sigh yet again, hoping that Yuki manage to get someone to come here quickly. And Inari seems to have taken pity of me because the front door opens and someone comes in, someone that is not Yuki.

“Yo! What’s happening here? I was nearby suppressing a fight when Yuki-kun almost ran into me and told me to come here fast because it was urgent.”

“Kakashi, well as you can see…”

“Is that sake?”

“Yup! It is sensei! Want some?” Sakura chirp. Just why is she chirping anyway? She sounds like a freaking bird!

“Thank you Sakura, this is just what I needed. Things out there are so tense that they managed to make me tense as well. This will help a lot.” He says taking the sake bottle and gulping it down.

“Not you too Kakashi!! Don‘t you have a mission to do or something?”

“Nope, Tsunade-sama is as drunk as this guys here and the only order that Shizune-san gave was to suppress the cat fights all over the village, I was doing that when Yuki came and after he left some guys from Mist managed to calm the people down and I left them in charge of my part.”

I sigh yet again. Somehow, the village managed to shut itself down because of the death of a single person. I’m happy that Orochimaru is no where nearby, because today will be the perfect moment to attack the village. With the Hokage drunk and the village in a complete chaos, Konoha will be easy to take down.

I start rubbing my temples to try to ease a little bit my headache, but this ear slitting music blasting from the amplifiers isn’t helping one bit. Soon after Kakashi, Kurenai and Gai arrive, but instead of helping, they sit with the rest of them and start chatting away, occasionally sipping their sake cups that Sakura provided them the minute they came in. Kurenai because she said she needed a drink, and Gai because he didn’t want to lose to his eternal rival in anything, even if it was to see who could get more drunk in less time.

‘This is useless…’

“Hinata, Shino, I leave you in charge, they can do what they want as long as the house leaves intact. I need to get out of here before my head explodes.”

I receive a nod as an answer. I grab Yuki’s hand and drag him out of the house before he manages to actually get in. I really need to get out of here and escape from reality for a bit.

“Where are we going niisan?”

“Away, to one of my favorite spots.”

I lead Yuki to the top of the Hokage mountain and sit over my fathers head. Down, the village is in chaos, but up here, things are peaceful. And peace and quiet is just what I need right now.

[Sasuke’s POV.]

What he said, I just can’t get it out of my head. Even if I try to block his voice, it comes back every time with a vengeance. Even when I’m sitting at the back, trying to meditate, I just can’t concentrate. To top it all, the brats are listening to music in that blasted stereo. I’m about to stand up and go Katon it to Wind Country when one of the songs make me stop dead in my tracks.

“Stringing together stale words
Even so, all we want to do
Is to share simple thoughts
The tickling wind blowing through today
Is abandoning the ruins of yesterday
Laughing with you, now we're alive.

Even so, that incident torments you doesn't it?
And that is why this is goodbye.

Just like that, leaving nothing behind
Just sharing with you
Soon we will realize that that was everything
The sadness going along the cheeks
Will only become a river of tears
Wavering thoughts will melt into
A strong swirl.

Irritation and just a little solitude
Just what exactly is it to us?
We're not in the middle of a drama, you know
"Hey, how's it?"
That voice.. even if we turn around
Nobody's there, right?
And that is why we will scream in roaring voices.

But even so, our voices won't reach anywhere will they?
And this is why this is goodbye.

And so again time will go by
Sharing it with only you
Soon we will realize that that was everything
The sadness going along the cheeks
Will become an earnest poem
Wavering thoughts will melt into a strong swirl
They'll melt.

The tickling wind blowing through today
Is abandoning the ruins of yesterday. Oh Yeah.

Just like that, leaving nothing behind
Just sharing with you
And so you realized that now is everything
The sadness going along the cheeks
Will only become a river of tears
And so we will become a pale ocean.

Melting together..
Melting together..
Melting together..

Soon we will realize that that was everything
Soon we will remember the sadness going along the cheeks
Soon we will... soon we will...
We will melt together with all of you
Melt together…”

Now I’m really going to Katon it, blasted stereo, making me thing about what he said all over again. And I’m going to double the training waits to teach the brats a lesson. No one mess with my head and go unpunished, even if they did it involuntarily.

[Inari’s POV.]



Later on, the shinobi of every village present, will refer to this day, as a day of Tense Celebrations.

[End of POV.]

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Edit A/N: Oh my freaking god!! Did you see chapter 347? The Oiroke Otoko no Ko Doushi no Jutsu? I screamed so hard when I saw it that I was almost kicked out of the hospital, it is official, Konohamaru is my new idol!!