Soul Mission

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naaaaruto or Justin Timberlake lyrics, but I do own Justin, he’s in my basement right now.

Author’s Note: Wow, I hit a snag here. XD My fault really. I got so engrossed in the new story, I couldn’t even think about this one. But some lovely reviews and the uberness that is Sai eventually got things going again.

I hope this chapter is ok.

Next up is the one of few anime/manga characters that have managed to confuse me as to whether they were a boy or a girl. XD That list includes Deidara and Kazuki (from Get Backers).

Did that sentence actually make sense? Hey, I didn’t sleep much last night! Er… onto the story!


Soul Mission


If for a tranquil mind you seek,
These things observe with care:
Of whom you speak, to whom you speak
And how, and when, and where,

-Anon., A Rule of Conduct


Chapter Four: Sai


Fifty dollars! Fifty whole dollars! Naruto was feeling ridiculously happy with money in his pocket. Jiraiya had been generous after receiving the cash from Hinata. When Naruto had come home after the Neji job and slept for ten hours straight, the old man had figured that would be the end of. But Hinata had turned up only an hour after Naruto had fallen asleep, handing over quite the pile of cash. Needless to say Jiraiya had been surprised, Naruto usually never asked for a fee.

Now here was Naruto with money in his pocket and the widest grin you could ever imagine, ready for one wild night. The karaoke king was back!

--

“Don't be so quick to walk away
Dance with me

One drink!

I wanna rocka your body, please stay
Dance with me

Five drinks!

You dun gonna have to admit you, wanna-waaaanna play-ay
Dance with me yeah

Ten drinks!

Jus’ let meeeee rock you, 'til the break of day
Dance with me, I’m bringin’ sexy back, baaaby yeah, woah!”

How many drinks have I had?

--

At approximately 3am Naruto stumbled (or rather was pushed out by an annoyed owner) out of karaoke bar, feeling light headed and filled to the brim with alcohol. He’d had one heck of a night and was now going to attempt to walk home. Naruto began meandering along, making very slow process.

This wasn’t exactly a familiar area, that complete with one too many drinks meant that his went down a couple of very wrong streets and then up them again only to turn and walk down them once more. Halfway down another unknown street, one that he had already walked down five times already, he stopped walking in order to wait for his head to stop swimming. During this moment of regaining his composure he took a quick look around and something quickly caught his attention.

There in an alley, on the left wall that was connected to a bakery, was a painting. The light from the streetlamp only revealed a small part of it, but that small part was absolutely captivating. A ferocious red beast was lunging froward at a hidden foe, nine bushy tails curling with its movement. The jaws were open to give an impressive display of fangs. Ferocious golden eyes taunted the enemy.

The artist was very talented indeed.

“Woaaaah.”

“You like it?”

The voice from nearby nearly made Naruto fall on his face. Spinning around, which made his head go strangely foggy for a good few minutes, he located the voices owner. There was a man standing opposite in the painting, mostly hidden by shadows.

“I sure do!” Naruto eventually said, giving an enthusiastic wave of his arm.

“That’s funny, you don’t look like the kind of person who could appreciate good art.”

The insult was lost on Naruto completely, who just stared at the other man with a funny look on his face. “Wassat mean?” He eventually asked, slowly working the words through his brain. There was a click somewhere at the back of his mind. “Heeeeey!

The other man shrugged. When he spoke again he sounded amused. “I was only saying, you do look rather pathetic. Not someone who knows anything about art. I’m sure in your current state you would find a child’s painting amazing.”

“You-“

“How much you been drinking? It’s pretty pathetic to get so drunk and then walk home in the dark. You’re just asking for trouble. Who knows whom you could run into? Bit thick headed.”

“I-“

“You’re lucky it’s so late. There aren’t too many people around at this time, in this area anyway. If there were any cars out you’d get run over in a second with the way you were weaving all over the place.”

“He-“

“You’re mouth is hanging open. Trying to catch flies?”

“Gyaaaaah! Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet!” Naruto stamped his foot while glaring at his tormentor. He hadn’t been able to get one word in, this damn guy just kept cutting him off and being so darn rude! “You’re such an asshole!”

The guy didn’t answer right away just stared past Naruto. “I painted that you know.”

“That’s it! Ima… Ima goin’ home you… you idiot face!” Words somewhat slurred he gave the other man one last glower before stumbling away.

--

Naruto returned the next day during the afternoon. He was pleasantly surprised he was able to find the way back despite being filled to brim with alcohol the other night and now with one hell of a hangover. When he arrived at the alley he found that the wall the picture had been on had been covered over with white paint. Such a shame.

“Aww, it’s gone.”

“Damn right it’s gone!” A very angry old man shuffled over, fixing his beady black eyes on Naruto. “Some punk brat keeps coming back and putting his graffiti on my wall! No matter how many times I paint over it! I called the police once and I even sat out all night waiting for the bastard to arrive, but nobody turned up. Yet the painting is there again. ALWAYS!”

As the old man ranted, punctuating the air viciously with a finger or the wave of his walking stick whenever he finished a sentence, Naruto slowly backed away. When the old man realized nobody was listening, especially not a cowardly Uzumaki currently hiding behind a nearby bin, he wandered off into his bakery while muttering under his breath.

“That old fool never gives up.” The same voice as last night spoke, sounding very jovial.

Naruto turned quickly, managed to trip over his own feet and fell sprawling across the pavement.

“That was smooth. You’re not still drunk are you? You must have no life whatsoever.”

“Shut up!” Naruto yelled while picking himself up off the ground.

The man from last night was watching him with an odd smile. “I’m surprised you came back. A glutton for punishment then?”

Finally Naruto had a chance to get a good look at him. Then man seemed to like black. His brunette hair was silky, shoulder length. His eyes were dark and had an endless quality. Dressed in skin-tight leather, the top barely covering his chest, he looked like he could easily belong to one of the areas gangs. The tattoos on his bare stomach and arms completed the appearance.

“Had a good enough look?”

“Tch. I’m here to kick your ass.” Naruto glared, yet somehow managed to look about as threatening as a white bunny. “I might have been kinda drunk last night but I still remember every… well, most… of what you said. Now I’m here to teach you a lesson!”

“I hear short people and guys with small dicks have real fire cracker personalities. Since I’m sure you qualify in both categories it explains the attitude.”

“Damn you!” This guy was just so darn rude!

“All bluster and no bite.”

Naruto opened his mouth to yell something and then shut it, shoulders slumping as he his anger abruptly deflated. “Yeah. I know. I shouldn’t pick fights when I have a hangover.” He gave a comical sniffle. “My head hurts.”

“Okay son, let’s move along now.” Naruto jumped as a firm hand clamped down on his shoulder. A grim looking policeman gave him a gentle push. “Go on with you. Let’s not worry these nice people anymore.”

For the first time Naruto noticed the crowd that had gathered. Some were watching with worried faces and others looked close to bursting out into hysterical laughter.

“Eh?” Giving a confused and inarticulate response, Naruto allowed himself to be steered away down the street.

--

When Naruto returned later, under the cover of darkness, he had come to a startling conclusion.

The leather-clad artist was waiting for him, leaning casually against the wall. When Naruto glared he quirked an eyebrow in a ‘what did I do?’ sort of way.

“You’re dead.” Naruto said accusingly, pointing a finger for emphasis.

The ghost gave a mock sigh. “Finally caught on? Well done genius.” He chuckled. “I’m Sai by the way.”

Naruto continued to glare for a little while longer before he gave a ‘huff’ sound and crossed his arms over his chest, pouting like a petulant child. “I don’t like you, but I’m obliged to help you.”

“Help me do what?”

“Help you move on… to the other side.”

Now Sai looked confused. He stared at Naruto as if he had gone crazy. “What would I want to do that for?”

Naruto attempted to elaborate. “Ugh… because you’re trapped on this earthly plane, unable to move on because of unfinished business.”

“That doesn’t sound like me.” Sai gave small shrug. “I’m quite happy here. Now stop being a pest so I can get to painting.”

“No, wait, wait!” After standing for a second or two in complete confusion Naruto hurried over to Sai and latched onto the older mans arm. “This isn’t right. Tell me a few things. How did you die?”

“That’s a little personal.” Sai freed his arm and then slung it around the blonde’s shoulders. “And I don’t even know your name.”

“It’s Naruto.”

“Okay then. I was beaten to death. With fists and feet mostly, but I think there was a lead pipe in there somewhere.”

Naruto grinned; as if this was the greatest news he had ever heard. “So, should I find the guys who did it and get them back for you?” That such a thing probably wasn’t possible wasn’t worth thinking about, Naruto’s mind was just trying to find some ground to stand on.

“Nah. I already know who did it.” Sai was smiling, as if his rather painful death was one big joke. “I deserved it anyway. Called this guy a cocksucking weasel that …”

When Sai finally stopped talking Naruto couldn’t help but be impressed. The guy certainly was inventive with his words. Still… Naruto crouched down on the ground in despair and annoyance. “So I’m just wasting my time.” He looked up at the grinning face. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help you? ‘Cause it’s kinda what I do.”

“Not at the moment. I’ll let you know when I start getting bored. Maybe you can help me then.”

“No family I can say bye to for you?” Naruto was clutching at straws now.

Sai crouched down beside him. “My family have probably forgotten I exist. I was an artist living in a run down apartment, doing drugs every weekend, hanging with the wrong people and having sex with anything that moved.” He placed a hand against the white wall of the alley, fingers splayed. “Being dead is much more enjoyable.”

“Well, all right then. I guess if you’re happy.” Naruto sat back, lacing his hands together around his knees. “Hey, in that painting from the other day…what was the big dog thing fighting?”

“It was a fox and it was fighting a snake.”

“… who wins?”

“The fox of course.”

“Heh. I thought so.” There wasn’t any animosity anymore. Sure Naruto still found the guy annoying and he hadn’t quite forgotten some of those insults, but it was hard to be angry with someone who was dead. It just didn’t work.

“You know, that old guy really doesn’t like you painting on his wall.”

“It’s not his wall, and I couldn’t give a fuck if he likes it or not.” Sai chuckled. “Actually, I think we work well together. He gives me a fresh white wall to paint on each night and in return he gets extra patrons buying bagels in the morning who want to see my art before it gets covered up. It’s a win/win situation. It’s not my fault he can’t see the positives.”

Well, he had a point. “So… what will you paint next?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“Um… what exactly do you paint with?”

At that Sai only laughed and clapped Naruto on the shoulder. Naruto decided to file that question under ‘unanswerable ghostly things’.

“Heeey Naruto.”

“Mm?”

“Would you like to try having sex with a ghost?”

…. Wait a second…. What?

Naruto stared at Sai; just letting those words sink in. The other man had a smirk on his face. He was obviously completely sincere with his offer from that lusty look in his eyes.

“Nooo… I don’t think so. I don’t… sleep with my clients.”

“Technically I’m not a client.”

“Just no then.”

Sai scooted closer. A little too close for comfort.

“Ya know, I’ve gotta go now.” With a nervous sort of laugh Naruto shot to his feet. There were some lines you really just didn’t cross.

“Aww, so soon.” Sai actually seemed rather sad as Naruto began walking backwards out of the alley. “Promise you’ll come visit.”

It was in that moment, as the ghost stared up at him hopefully, that Naruto suddenly realized that Sai was lonely. “Yeah, I’ll come visit.” He knew what that feeling was like.

“Come tomorrow at seven am.”

“That early? Oh, alright.”

--

When Naruto arrived that next morning Sai was nowhere to be seen. Lucky, since ghost or not, as soon as Naruto saw that bastard he would be going for the throat.

He stared up at the new painting, a blush spreading across his face and his mouth hanging open.

The painting smiled back at him. The nearly naked Naruto leaned forward, eyes bright and face flushed. Golden hair had finally been tamed, a few locks sticky to sweaty skin. Pink lips were parted in invitation. Clearly the painted Naruto had been or was about to do some seriously hot stuff.

“It was you!” The old man from the bakery had arrived, as he looked livid. “YOU!”

“No, I swear it wasn’t me!” Naruto’s protestations fell on deaf ears and he eventually gave up in order to focus on defending himself against the deadly strikes of a walking stick.

Sai was laughing somewhere nearby and Naruto made a mental note to kill that bastard… if he survived this.