A/N: SORRY! I haven't uploaded for a while I've just been stuck with some serious writer block... Also whenever I did come up with an idea on what to write it just didn't sound right so I had to keep start over the chapter every time.
June's POV
I was in my room the next morning, trying to sleep my problems away. Of course, that completely backfired when the doorbell rang. My cats looked up at me expecting me to get up and answer the door.
I waited for the person to walk away from my house. I was really hoping they would think I wasn't home. All I wanted was to be left alone. I just wanted to void the world and my problems.
But I can't keep running from my father's death. I'm going to have to face the world and the fact he never coming back, I thought to myself.
I quickly got out of bed and walked down the staircase and towards the front.
I guess I should see who ringing my doorbell, I thought to myself annoyed.
I yanked the door opened annoyed. I was surprised to see Shikamaru standing there with his hands in his pockets.
"June, " He greeted.
"Shikamaru, " I greeted. "Hey. What are you doing here?"
"We're decoding the message Lord Jiraiya left, " He explained. "We need your help."
Why does he need my help? Why does he think I will be able to decode the message. Also, what does he mean by we nobody else is with him, I thought to myself.
It was then that Naruto emerged from behind Shikamaru and said, "Hey."
I felt like the world was out to punish me. First I had another nightmare of my father's death and now I have to see Naruto again after he asked me out yesterday. I stared at Naruto for a while, completely silent. The way he stared back made me sure that things were going to be awkward between us. Which I didn't want to deal with right now I just wanted to get more sleep since I didn't really get any last night thanks to my nightmare.
Shikamaru looked in between us, "Um.. is there something going with you two?"
"No," I answered quickly, at the same time Naruto answered, "Yes."
I gave Naruto an annoyed look, then looked back at Shikamaru. "It's nothing."
"So what happened was nothing?" Naruto asked.
"That not what I meant," I replied.
"Then why did you say it was nothing?" He inquired.
"Why are you being sun a pain?" I snapped, scowling at him.
"Why can't you just answer the question?" He shot back, and I felt like I was going to explode from anger and annoyance.
Shikamaru was now utterly confused.
"Um... Huh?"
"Don't ask," I said quickly. "Just let me go get my jacket."
"All right," Shikamaru said.
I grabbed my jacket from my bedroom and slipped it on quickly, heading back downstairs to the door running. Instead of slowing down I accidentally slammed into Naruto's chest. I immediately put my hands up, keeping some distance between us.
I quickly moved back and murmured a quick sorry. and walked forward after closing the door to my house. Shikamaru was at my side instantly.
"Did you guys kiss or something?" He asked.
"No!" I snapped, and he put his hands up.
This is going to be a stressful day. I just hope it doesn't take long fo decode this message, I thought to myself.
"Okay. okay no need to lose your cool," He surrendered. "But you tow are best friends. Today things are really... awkward and you seem so angry and you directing it mostly and Naruto."
"I know but it nothing just woke up in a bad mood," I groaned, and he lapsed into silence, leading us to wherever the heck we were going.
~*~
"Why are you here?" I asked entering the Cipher Corps building. I spotted Naga one of the messager snakes laying on a table in a room filled with books.
"Yeah I was sent to deliver a message, Naga started, "But I didn't want to wake you. You looked like you had a long night."
Naruto snorted, and I shot him a look. Naga gave a confused look at the gesture, but I focused on Naruto.
"What?" He asked.
"Are you really going to keep doing this?" I asked him, rolling my eyes.
"You keep acting like you don't care," He pointed out. "Why can't I do the same?"
I really don't want to deal with this right now. I just want to go back to bed and forget about all my problems.
My golden snake eyes bore into his blue ones, and we stared at each other for the longest time.
"Um," Naga hissed, confused.
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, this code. What're we supposed to be deciphering?"
"This," Shikamaru said, sliding the picture small toad's back onto the table so Naruto and I could view it. "Lady Hokage and Kakashi-sensei had no idea of what it could mean. You were both Lord Jiraiya students, so I figured you'd be able to decode it."
"While you do that I will be in Hokage office waiting for you Lady June," Naga said, and I nodded before Naga poof away.
"it's just a bunch of numbers," Naruto said flatly not even glancing at the picture.
"You haven't even looked at it," I said scowling at him. "How do you expect to figure out what it means?"
"Maybe I don't want to know what it means, June," He said.
"well you should, Naruto," I said.
"And you're gonna make me?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow. the whole, we were stepping closer to each other, and now, we were directly in front of each other, glaring at each other intently.
"Guy!" Shiho shouted. "We're supposed to be deciphering a code which we can't do if you two keep building up such thick tension!"
"I'm not sure we can decipher it," naruto said. "June not one to take time and look into what someone means. She doesn't even bother."
The fact he is constantly bringing that up so many times is really getting on my nerves. I'm already in a bad mood about my nightmare last night and he just making things worse.
"Can you just let that go for 5 minutes?' I snapped, glaring at him.
"Why should I?" He shot back.
"Okay!" Shikamaru interrupted. "What the heck is going on with you two?"
"I told her that I'm in love with her," Naruto answered, his eyes never leaving mine.
Their reactions were priceless. I, on the other hand, wanted to just wish my father was here to give me advice.
"and now things are really awkward," Naruto finished.
Not really in the mood to deal with this. I looked away from Naruto silently wishing I could go home.
"Enough!" I said annoyed. "I'm already in a bad mood and standing her making it worse..." I brought the picture to the center of the table. "We should get started figuring out this code."
"She's right, Shiho said, trying to keep me from losing any more of my cool. "We should get to work."
I suddenly felt a familiar presence behind me.
"I'll start checking to see if this code corresponds with any of the ones in Konoha," I said quickly, walking towards the bookshelf on the other side of the room. Just as expected, Naga appears on my shoulder.
"What... What happened last night?" She asked.
"I guess you either heard my temper and voice rasing or you sense my angry and were hiding and listening," I said.
"I sense it so I came to check on you," She replied.
"He told me the truth," I replied. "And now he's being a jerk."
"So he told you that he was in love with you?" I nodded. "And you didn't say anything back to him?"
"What was I supposed to say, Naga?"
"Oh, I don't know.. Maybe that you're in love with him, too?"
"That's the thing, Naga, I'm not," I insisted.
"I don't want to be in love with him." I looked around me. "He probably doesn't know I almost dry to kill Sauske who he been trying to bring back. You really think he's going to love me after he finds out?" I asked. "Also I just broke up with Kiba a week ago because I didn't want risk the pain I felt with my brother abandoning me or worse the risk of losing someone I love to death door. My heart can't bare to feel that pain again it hurts too much," I said trying not to cry.
Naga stopped speaking then. She just stared at me and shook her head. "You really don't get it, do you? Also are you really your father's daughter?"
"What're you talking about?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"You think the love Naruto has for you just built up overnight?" She asked. "He's your best friend June. He's seen you at your lowest and weakest points, seen all your faults, yet he still admitted that he loves you. The type of love he has may seem irrational to you, but I know for a fact that kind of love never dies. he will love you, June, and he going to love you for the rest of your life."
I opened my mouth to speak, but she shook her head.
"Also your father no matter how tough thing got he kept on fighting. He may have ended down a dark path of suffering from lots of pain but even so, he never stopped fighting he kept going. When times got lonely and rough he wanted to quit at times yet he never stopped for want he belive in because he knew there was a reason to keep fight that reason came eventually and when it did he one he couldn't lose hope. You were his reason to keep going now don't let his death and your brother leaving stop you from being happy he wouldn't want you to do that."
"So just think about it," She said. "You might find the love and happiness you been looking for has been right in front of you this whole time," She gave a small smile if a snake can even smile before leaving me alone.
I pressed my head against the bookshelf and groaned, hating my life and all the pointless complications. Even with Naga's advice I still don't know what to do. It like nothing makes sense since to me anymore since my father's death.
"June?" Shikamaru's voice called, and I looked up to see my familiar friend with hair that made me think of pineapple. "What're you doing?"
"Thinking about the past," I said annoyed.
"Okay don't know what brought that up," He muttered. "Anyway, I need you to follow me."
I nodded, although I really wasn't in the mood to be here any longer. If I have to stay any longer I'm going to scream super loud.
I paused, however, when I saw the same teenage girl with circular glasses and a long jacket standing by the table. The girl who told us to be quiet earlier.
Who is she I never seen her before in the village?
"June, this is Shiho," Shikamaru introduced. "She works for the Cipher Corps. She'll be helping us decipher the code. Shiho, this is June."
I waved at her smally. "Hey."
She smiled, waving back. "Have you guys come up with anything?"
"No," He replied. "As I said earlier I asked Lady fifth and Kakashi-sensei if they had any idea what it meant, but they didn't know. The only ones left that can possibly figure this out are these two," He gestured to Naruto and I. "Of course, that was before..."
"Before... All the tension they were creating?" Shiho asked remembering Naruto and I argument.
"It nothing to worry about!" I snapped giving Naruto a look making sure he didn't bring it up again. "Can we just do whatever we're supposed to do now?"
"All right, Shikamaru said. He looked at Naruto. "I need you and June to look at the photo." He slid it towards us. "Does anything stand out to you? Anything at all?"
I stared at the picture for a long while, but it was hard to focus with memories of my father popping up in my head after everything Naga said. Then another memory popped in my head but this time helping me notice something in this picture.
"Well, this," Naruto and I said at the same time, and we both reached for the picture at the same time. our hands touched, and we both looked at each other. Our eyes met for a few moments before we both looked away, pulling our hands back to our sides.
"Sorry," I murmured, looking down and massaging my head.
"For which part?" He asked, and I sighed.
"Don't start this again," I begged.
"It was never finished, June," He said, staring me right in the eyes.
"Well, it should be," I said without thinking, and he stared at me as if I'd just smacked him in the face.
"Wait, Naruto, I didn't mean-"
"Yeah, you did," He cut me off. "I get it. Everything I said just really became a problem for you."
"That's not true," I said.
"Then what's true, June? Because I just don't get it anymore!"
"You're just confused so let's just forget about it."
"I'm not confused, June. I know what I said, and I meant it."
"Naruto..."
"What? I love you. Why can't you just accept that?"
"Because that will just lead to pain! And I can't stand to deal with that!"
"What that supposed to mean?
"It doesn't matter forget I said that," I said quickly embarrass that I almost told him the real reason I'm avoiding loving him.
"That it!" Shikamaru exclaimed, slamming his palm onto the table. "I have no idea what"s going on with you two right now, but whatever it is need to be pushed aside! Normally I would try to help you with your problems, but this is just ridiculous! Your sensei dead. He wrote this message for you two to understand, he did this to help us! And yet here you are, arguing like there's no tomorrow."
"You guys want to hate each other? Cool. Do it after we take care of this message. Then, you can argue and yell. But we need to get this code deciphered. It's your duty, not just as shinobi, but as students of Lord Jiraiya," He finished seriously.
Naruto and I stared at him for a long while before sighing.
"The katakana letter is out of place," Naruto muttered.
"Huh?" He asked, surprised.
"There's no katakana letter," Shiho stated. "There are only numbers."
"Yeah, there is," Naruto said. "It's right there." He pointed to the nine.
I glanced at the number and realized that it actually was a katakana letter, only written differently.
"A penmanship quirk," I muttered, remembering in my mind how father always told me had he used to review Jiryia writing and how his katakana for ta looks like a 9. "It's really the character for ta."
"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "When Pervy Sage and I were traveling, he made me review his works, since he was a writer, after all. It was totally boring, but I remember seeing him write his ta like this."
"It makes sense!" Shiho decided. She pulled out a piece of paper and began to write. "Instead of making the first stroke stronger, he curved it, making it look like a number nine. Naruto is the only one who could've realized it from his books.
"There's got to be more answers in his writing," Shikamaru stated.
"Page numbers?" I guessed.
"Sounds most likely," Shikamaru said. "We'll have to check all of the books."
"And only one of the books will hel-" My voice was suddenly cut off.
Suddenly, before I could continue, we heard someone say, "This one."
I turned around to see Kakashi-sensei leaning in the doorway, holding a book titled "Make-Out Tactics."
"Woah. Make-Out Tactics?" I shook my head. "You, sir, need a real girlfriend. And a hobby."
"Make-Out Tactics..." Shikamaru murmured. "Ta for Tactics?"
Shiho nodded in confirmation.
"Wait, how'd you find us, sensei?" Naruto inquired.
"The whole deciphering thing has been on my mind lately, so I dropped in when I heard your voices," Kakashi-sensei said. "I heard pretty much all of it."
I groaned under my breath, wanting so desperately to bang my head against a bookcase. Now, Kakashi-sensei knew about Naruto and me, too. Wonderful. He also probably knows how I almost my fear of the pain of losing someone I love again.
"I remember that book," I said aloud, staring at the book in Kakashi's hands. "Even though my father and Jiriya won't good friends anymore he had my father edit his books for him. I remembering him editing it one time when I was bored and wanted to see how long I could get on his nerves before he looked like he would blow up. I also remember how there was a fake name written under edit by. So they never know it was edit by a rogue ninja especially one who most people think he was an alien being he doesn't find makeout books entertaining," I said trying not to laugh at how much my father hated those books.
"You were right, Shikamaru," Shiho said. "Only June and Naruto would've been able to figure this out."
"Lord Jiraiya had to have passed on the key to the two of you," Shikamaru stated, looking at us.
"So... Where do we go from here?" I asked, looking to Shiho for an answer. She was, after all, from the Cipher Corps.
"Just as you said, we'll look at these page numbers," She said, gesturing to the photo. "We'll take the first word on each page and string it together to see what we come up with. If not, we go deeper and use the first letter."
"So then the first page we'll go to is page 31," Shiho said.
"All right," Kakashi-sensei said. He flipped to page 31. "Now what?"
"Read the first sentence out loud," I said, smiling a little.
"Wait, what!?" A blush crossed over his face. "I thought we only had to read the first word!"
"We need to make sure we don't miss anything. I'll write everything down," Shiho said.
"That, and I just love to embarrass you," I said giggling.
"What's the big deal, anyway?" Shikamaru asked, confused. "What's wrong with the book?"
I shook my head. "Trust me... You don't want to know." I looked at Kakashi-sensei. "You'd better start reading."
"You're an evil student, you know that?" Kakashi-sensei inquired.
"I know been told that every day when training with my father. He had to live in the same roof with me every day no way to escape my evil. Now read."
Watching Kakashi-sensei's expressions while he read aloud from Make-Out Tactics was one of the most hilarious things I had ever witnessed. It took all I had not to start dying of laughter on the floor.
"I can't believe you made me do that," Kakashi-sensei said flatly, sweatdropping
"I can't believe I lasted this long without laughing!" I exclaimed, wiping an imaginary tear from my eye.
Anyway, when put together, the message is hon-mono-wa-i-na-i, which translates to... 'The real one's not among them." Shiho said and stared at the paper for a few more moments. "And... Yeah. I have no idea what that means."
The real one's not among them? What does that me I heard about pain before from reading my father's journal maybe if I read his journal since I still have it plus we ever he talked about Pain it always seem like he was hiding something from me, I thought to myself trying to think of the times I asked dad about the Akatsuki.
" Me neither," Naruto said.
"Make that three," Shikamaru said.
"Either way, we should report this to Lady Hokage, "Shikamaru advised. "She'll summon Lord Fukasaku. He should be able to tell us more about this message since he fought alongside Jiraiya."
We all nodded, and together, we made our way to the Hokage Building.
~*~
We were all anxious as we watched Fukasaku read the message in the Hokage's office. We really needed him to be able to figure out what the message meant. If not, the whole decoding process would've been for nothing.
"Does it make any sense?" Shikamaru asked gently, yet seriously at the same time.
"Not really. The message is unclear," Fukasaku said.
"And you don't have any other ideas?" Shikamaru asked.
"I told you all I know about Pain. He seems to be able to come back from the dead... So there's no way of telling whether or not what I say is true," the toad said. "We need to uncover more of his secrets. It's too risky, now."
"And what about the other investigations? The autopsy and the interrogation?" Kakashi-sensei asked.
"Honestly... I have no idea," Sakura said sadly.
"Say what!?" Naruto exclaimed. "We're running short on time here!"
"Medical Ninjutsu isn't magic, Naruto," Sakura stated flatly. "A full autopsy requires a detailed examination of every single one of the cells and tissues in the body. It takes time! And as for the interrogation... That's a whole other matter in itself. Plus, that's Ibiki's department, not mine."
"At the least... It'll take about a week," Lady Hokage finished.
"That long?" Naruto asked, sulking. "And what the heck are we supposed to do until then!?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe sit down and shut up for once?" I suggested. Naruto glared at me, but I just shrugged my shoulders.
"That actually wouldn't be a bad idea," Lady Hokage agreed. "Listen, Naruto, these things take time. Shizune's leading the autopsy, which should make the process faster, but it'll still take some time. You'll just have to be patient."
"I will avenge Pervy Sage!" Naruto promised. "I can't just sit here and do nothing!"
"And you won't," She assured. "Neither will you, June."
"Huh?" Naruto asked and glance at me.
She probably going to have him doing some training. Also, that probably why Naga here for me.
"At your current level, neither you nor June our ready to take Pain on, and believe me, you will have to do so one day," Lady Hokage said. "Therefore, you must be trained properly.
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Naruto asked.
"Easy," Lord Fukasaku spoke up. "I'll take you to Mount Myoboku and teach you Sage Jutsu, same as I did with Jiraiya-boy."
"Will that let me beat Pain?" Naruto inquired.
"There's no way of telling for sure, but right now, you have no chance of beating him," the toad answered. "I spoke to the Hokage. She said you can start training right away. Sage Jutsu will take you to a whole other level. It'll be tough, but it'll be worth it."
"Then I'll do it!" Naruto decided. "I'll give it my best shot, just like Pervy Sage did. I'm in!"
"What about me?" I asked.
"That what your snake friend came to see you for. She will explain," Lady Hokage said.
"Lady June," Naga spoke up. "I'll be taking you to Rychi cave and take you to meet the great white snake sage. She and master Ryuu have decided that it was to teach you snake sage mode just your father. Ryuu also would like to work on your visual Jutsu some more also.
"The great white snake sage taught my father?" I asked confused never hearing the name white snake sage before.
"Yes, but the training will be difficult and pain full. it is very risking compare to toad sage training. There are a serious risk with this training but we believe you can do it and surpass your father," Naga said with a serious look.
"Alright, I said. "I will come with you to train with the white snake sage."
"Perfect, Naga will take you there," Lady Hokage said.
"Okay... but one thing what do you mean by there our risk. I'm still confused about that?" I asked Naga.
"The white snake has to bite you to give you her sage charka. If your body can't handle the pain it could lead to death. But I know you can do it because your not weak and if your father could handle it then you can," Naga said very confident.
"All right if you say it nothing to fear, then let's go and train," I said determined to surpass my father.
"Then it's settled," Lady Hokage spoke up. "Naruto will leave with Lord Fukasaku early in the morning tomorrow, June will leave with Naga tonight since she said Ryuu would like to work on you visual Jutsu. So you will go tonight to get in that training before training with the white snake sage."
💟💟💟
Hey lovely readers 💚💚💚
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Don't hesitate to let me know what you think about this chapter.
Q: What was your favorite part of the chapter?
Q: How do you think June training will go?
Q: What do you hope to see throughout the Pain arc?
Q: Will June date Kiba or Naruto when she not afraid to feel the pain of losing a loved one again?
Thank you for reading 💚💚💚