Promptly after arriving, Ino leads Sakura up to her bedroom, and laid her down. Ino also laid down beside her, and big spooned her. Neither of them had spoken on their entire way back, allowing Sakura's thoughts to run more deeper.
Laying there, Sakura couldn't help herself from reminiscing on all the times Naruto had been there for her.
" Ino, he was always there. Naruto was always there " said Sakura softly.
Ino decided to listen, and give her own opinion when Sakura was ready to listen.
" When we were genins, he was there. When Sasuke left the village, he was by my side, I was alone when Naruto left as well for two and half years, but I had you and I had my training. But he returned and became the center of my universe again, I secretly feared he would have changed after seeing him again back then "
Sakura smiled fondly at the memories.
" However, he didn't change. And I took all that for granted, watching him grow into the hero he now is today. But even though I watched him, all I fixated on was our pursuit of bringing Sasuke back. And when we finally had him back, I became glad and ungrateful, forgetting Naruto's feelings for me, and cooking up an idea in my head that it was all the rivalry he had with Sasuke.
" I made a mockery of his emotions, and pushed him into the arms of Hinata. Let down his feelings, " Ino could not keep listening to Sakura's rambling, she'd forced herself to stay quiet but she no longer could.
" Sakura, Naruto no longer has any of those feelings you denied- " " I know, but neither does he have any of the ones I thought he did for Hinata either ".
Ino found herself perplexed, by the length her friend would go through in her mind to make herself feel better, it made her pity her. Ino withdrew and sat up.
" You know. That's some real bullshit Sakura, really. You're going to stoop this low? Get a grip ", Sakura sits up as well and turns her fiery gaze to Ino.
" You don't believe me? Well that makes two of us! I don't believe me either. Cause I didn't want to notice it, I looked away whenever I caught a glimpse of it " she said, " a glimpse of what Sakura " Ino retorts.
" His sorrow Ino. This past year, Naruto has been walking around with a heavy burden, a burden I placed on him. And I know him, once Naruto has been tasked with something, he will hold on to it like that is his reason for living " said Sakura with conviction.
" You're saying Naruto's been treating his relationship with Hinata, like a task? " Ino questioned, trying to make sense of it in her head.
" Last year, when we went to the moon. We had to go through this pool of unnatural water, which briefly placed everyone under a genjutsu of sort. Eleven months ago, Naruto feeling affable told me that he had a dream while in that pool about his past with Hinata, and that was when he began to realize his feelings for her.
" I was happy for him, but ten months later, he stopped mentioning anything about his relationship with Hinata. And barely comes around, it was around nine months ago I began to notice that wearied determination he had when pursuing Sasuke " Sakura explained.
" But Sakura, you can't always be happy when in a relationship- " " how many times have you felt burdened since dating Sai? ".
Ino searched but she could not find a counterattack, yet she believed she couldn't let Sakura off: fearing what she would do.
" No one should feel that sad, when you're with someone you truly love " said Sakura, " and you? What about your relationship, didn't you feel like it was collapsing "
Sakura looks down at the bed sheet, for several seconds, then lifts her head to meet Ino's gaze with a melancholic smile.
" I love Sasuke, and I don't think I can ever stop loving him, but. I don't think I can do it anymore, I don't want to be in a relationship and feel like that is my punishment for loving him " said Sakura.
Ino pulls her friend into a hug, and stayed like that indefinitely until they heard a tapping sound,
" Huh? " Sakura utters,
Both girls came apart, and Ino turned her gaze to where the sound was coming from. Which was beyond the window, a ink bird belonging to Sai was tapping the window with it's beak. Ino glanced back at Sakura for a moment before getting off the bed, and walking over to the window.
Ino opens the window, and the bird opens it's mouth, projecting a small scroll forward. Ino extracts the scroll, and the bird immediately dissolves. Ino closes the window, and opens up the scroll to read it's content.
Two and a half minutes later, Ino closes the scroll and turns towards Sakura.
" What is it, that was from Sai right? ", " Sai is leaving for the Hidden mist with Kiba today in less than two hours, " Ino informs.
" Oh he didn't even tell me, and he's just telling you now? It must have been impromptu " Sakura said, " that's not all ", " Huh? What else "
" Naruto is going with them as well ", " Oh... " Sakura looks down again.
After a few seconds, Sakura looks back up with a bright smile.
" I have more time to sort things out now don't I, plus won't you go see Sai before he leaves? ", Ino seeing Sakura's reaction chuckles.
" Meh, he won't be gone long. I'll just try not to miss him too much, as for you I'm stuck with " she said and both girls laughed...
Naruto sitting with his back against the door, mused over Kurama's question. However when he felt he was done musing, he sighs.
" I do not know the answer to that question, and I know that upsets you, because it is plain to you. Which is why I refuse to accept the conclusions I might reach, should I endeavour to look into my emotional sanctum, " He said.
" Then, what will you do. Feign ignorance to your own emotions, and suffer? ". " No. I do not plan to suffer, if I cannot acquire the answer from within me. I will find it another way. "
" Do you have a place you may look for it in, or are you just going to wait for some clarity. You brat, what is your goal? " asked the fox.
" To get better, and now I'm hoping I would be by the time I return. I still want to make Hinata happy. " Naruto said.
Naruto rose back up unto his feet, ' I need to inform Sasuke about my assessment of Sakura's fingers. With that I will set off with my one goal in mind '.
Naruto left for his study. In his study, he went and sat behind his desk, turning on his laptop. After a little while, he began to type his message to Sasuke, saying
[ " You should go with the size you've already chosen. It will fit perfectly, I'm very certain Sakura will love it. And also I'm leaving for the Hidden mist in a few hours, when I return I wish to hear more about your adventures. " ]
With that Naruto sends, and when it had delivered Naruto turns off the device and closes it, on his seat he turned to look at one corner of the study, where a huge scroll of sealing stood. He got up and approached the scroll...
Naruto after having all the clothes and items he'll need, including his weighted bands stored in the scroll, he went to the living room and spawns a shadow clone.
" I need you to scout ahead of me, check if either Sai or Kiba have arrived at the rendezvous, if not wait till they do. Then dispel, that I may know ", " alright! " replied the clone.
Naruto's clone departed through the door, when the clone was gone, Naruto went and laid himself down on the couch with his forearm resting on his forehead.
" Are you going to continue your cultivation when you reach the mist village? ", " I will have to see how things are over there, plus my cultivation might be a cause for alarm with sensors around. Nonetheless, I have to assess the new terrain to know if it's suitable for gathering Natural energy ".
Naruto closes his eyes briefly, and he was soon swept off into the realm of slumber, in which he woke from after a while through the mental stimulation of the memories acquired by his clone, notifying him it was time to leave. . .
" Doesn't it look like Naruto's going to be late? " Kiba said looking in the direction of Konoha's opened gate.
Sai was seated on the ground, his back against the trunk of a tree drawing, Kiba however stood, impatiently waiting for Naruto's arrival, with Akamaru: his dog friend at his side.
" You should sit, Naruto will come here eventually, even if it takes him all day to arrive, " " hey that's not funny! I'm not going to sit around here, waiting for him to arrive. If he doesn't arrive in the next twenty minutes, I'm going to- ", " beat me up? ".
Kiba's head snapped towards the direction of the voice, which belonged to Uzumaki Naruto whom was standing three feet from him. Kiba was startled, and thus he staggered back till he fell.
" N- Naruto, how did you get here so fast ", " really. I thought you said he was running late " Sai commented.
Kiba looks at Sai and glares. ' You bastard ' He thought.
" Come on, we shouldn't waste time, " Naruto said extending a arm forward.
Kiba looks back, and his eyes goes down to the hand stretching out to him, Kiba grunts. He turns away and gets up on his own, he dusts the back of his pants. Naruto for a moment was stunned by Kiba's refusal to take his hand, but then he smiles.
' He hasn't changed ' Naruto thought fondly.
Naruto bends down and ruffles Akamaru's fur, then he stood back up.
" Alright boys, let's not dally. We should reach the Hidden mist by night fall if we go now " Sai said getting up, and setting down his super beast scroll.
Kiba took a long glance at Naruto, since he hadn't really seen him for a year, just mere glimpses of him.
Which led him to notice Naruto's hair; which had grown out again, but it wasn't in the mop like version it used to be. Kiba also noticed, Naruto now had a regal like aura about him.
' Is it because of how he's dressed, ' He thought in regards to the whole get up Naruto had on earlier, as well as the huge scroll of sealing which the blond had hanging horizontally behind him.
" Come on get on " Sai said having produced three large Ink Hawks.
Naruto pats Kiba on the back with a smile, and proceeds forward: the blond jumps and lands, sitting down on the bird. Kiba watched from behind feeling somewhat stunned, by how strong and warm Naruto's palm just felt against his clothed back.
' is this still the same Naruto I know? I can't even try to pick on him, maybe that bastard Sasuke is rubbing off on him '.
Kiba sighed realizing it was somewhat frustrating, to be thinking about Naruto. Kiba picks Akamaru up, and walks over, then jumps unto his bird as well
" Sai, I heard you've been to the hidden mist once after the war. What do you think, are there many pretty girls there? " Kiba asked with a grin.
Sai looks at Kiba, then smiles.
" Why should you know, it's not like you can get any, " said Sai, " what did you say! " Kiba roared.
Naruto chuckles, then he pats his bird and fly's off ahead of them. . .
Mei Terumi sat up from her chair, within her office. She walks over to the door, and opens it, she takes a peek down the broad passageway, and there was not a single soul in sight. The Mizukage smiled at how fortunate she was, Mei withdraws closing the door and locking it.
Mei performs the Ninja art of hand seals, at this, water manifests at her side and morphs into a duplicate of herself. Mei turns towards her clone.
" Take charge in my stead, okay? ", the clone nods.
Mei Terumi walks over to the gray square shaped wall on her left. She places her hand on a section of the wall, then her palm pushes in a brick shaped indentation, thus a portion of the wall opens up; revealing a snow-white ankle length cloak hung on a metal pole, and a white full face mask hanging down from a section of the inner wall.
Mei picks out the cloak, and covers her head with the hood, she also takes the mask and withdrew, placing her palm once again unto the indentation, (which was pressed in) releasing it and thus sealing up the inner wall.
Mei covers her face with the mask, and ties it behind her head to keep it on. Mei walks over to the window, pushed it open and leaps out: once she was gone, the Mizukage's clone brings the window to a close, then turns around to sit down upon the chair of the original.
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