Nightshift 24: M1-M10 Hallway
Recluse was glad that the Head Doctor didn't waste his time tonight. He held the pepper spray he had acquired last night in his left hand, sharpening steel in his right. He moved purposefully down the dark corridor, keeping silent
( Read more... )
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, switching off her flashlight now that they'd found the group and had more than enough light. Seeing that Zabuza and Haku were not yet present, nor was Iruka-sensei, she assumed she could get in a few, more choice barbs that would probably land Gaara in a world of hurt at some point.
Casualties of war.
However, as soon as Sakura opened her mouth to reply that, no, she hadn't seen Gaara but had wanted to thank him and tell him she was pressing the flower he'd given her in her journal, Rock Lee decided to pipe up about the trials of friendship and love of all things, making her promptly shut it as her eyes went wide, and a pink flush spread across her cheeks.
A pink flush of rage. Certainly not from actual embarrassment. Of course not!
"Honestly, Lee!" Sakura tried to snap, though it came out a forced. She even shifted her hands to rest indignantly on her hips. "As if enough people don't already think I'm his girlfriend now!" And the blush stained her cheeks an even deeper shade of crimson. Dammit! Sakura turned her head to the side, tilting it up and away from Naruto and the group.
"Just where the hell is that big oaf Zabuza, anyway?"
Reply
Lee's greeting made her smile, feeling a bit of hope that at least one of them could focus on the objective...whatever it was. Maybe the two of them could team up to keep the peace - perhaps she could focus on Sakura and Usagi, and Lee could take care of Naruto and this Gaara they've talked about.
Also, his logic was very sound. "We should be working together, not fighting about who likes who." She probably wouldn't get on her roommate's good side with that remark, but Sakura's apparent jealousy of Usagi would only be distracting. Evidence of note, her snappish behavior after Lee's comments.
Reply
With Sakura-blinders properly in place, Naruto turned his head to watch her response carefully, to hear if she had met with Gaara at any point during the day or night.
Sasuke was one thing. Naruto respected and would encourage her love for their old teammate, and had long since outgrown any realistic notion that he might be able to hold the same place in her heart. It was different with Sasuke, for whatever reason, and he had always expected that fixing everything meant fixing Sakura and Sasuke. That was the way things were supposed to be.
When both Lee and Relena spoke, Naruto scratched the back of his head out of a small amount of embarrassment and forced himself to remember their mission. Right. Fuzzy Brows had a talent for this stuff, that was for sure.
"Yeah, we've got to keep focused!" He agreed with a renewed spark of determination and pounded a fist into his palm once. They had to show Usagi and Relena they were worth their weight in ninja. "As soon as the rest show up, we've got to get something done tonight."
But, Sakura was blushing so hard, it was even possible to tell in the dark. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but...
A lightbulb clicked on. But it was so bizarre, he couldn't fully comprehend it at first. Naruto blinked at her three times, the dawning realization not fully jiving with his known version of the truth.
Somewhere among his sheer confusion, a bit of happiness burst in his heart. It spread strange warmth around and he felt a heat rise to his cheeks. So utterly flabbergasted (and surely in the wrong) by interpreting her behavior, he couldn't even gloat or make life harder for her at the moment. Naruto might have muttered her name once in a low voice, but ceased staring out of knowledge of how red in the face he must have been by now.
It had to be wrong.
Reply
She slipped herself next to Naruto and nodded furiously at everything he said. "You're so right Naruto-san!" she nearly shouted, even though the others had said the exact same thing as him. Usagi inched even closer to the ninja and smiled adoringly at him. With one swift motion she grabbed his hand. For a second her heart clenched as she noted the difference between the boy's and Mamoru's hands. He wouldn't approve of her teasing people like this, but it was for a good cause! They all needed a little push.
Usagi punched both of their hands into the air. "We're all going to make a great team!"
Reply
"Sakura-san, I never said that I thought you were Naruto-kun's girlfriend. I was always hoping for that position myself." He laughed. He had to laugh, for the good of the team. Oh, what would Tenten say if she were here? Probably smack him over the head and call him an idiot. He had the sneaking suspcion that she believed his infatuation with Sakura to be completely stupid. The old Neji would say it was fate, and the new Neji would probably simply keep to himself and think them all idiots. Lee was never certain what went through Neji's head, really.
"But even if we were not in this horrible place, is it not most important for friend's to be happy? After all, there is more to love than simply that of romance, but also the great power of the love for friends. No matter how many times I am rejected by others, as long as I have friends, then that will be sufficient." Yes, he would stop there. It was true that he could challenge Naruto or anyone else vying for Sakura, but now was not the time for that foolishness.
He moved away from the others, looking down the hall, and his cold, fighting mask in place. His eyes were sharper, noting movements and sounds.
"Perhaps it would be best to split up, some of us waiting for the others, while some moving ahead." Lee turned to face the others, but he did not remove his mask. "I am willing to move alone to scout the area ahead for enemies, and to take out those that I can. Even if I am captured, if I manage to take out a few, then that shall be less for all of you."
It was a foolish action, but if the others continued to bicker, then he did not want to be around to hear it anymore.
Reply
-when the other girl grabbed Naruto's hand and pumped it into the air triumphantly, all the while gushing over him like some adoring fan.
A vein was probably bulging in the pink-haired girl's forehead now as all logic was lost and a hand shot out instinctively to grab Naruto's other hand and attempt to yank him over to her side. So she didn't have the benefit of Tsunade's signature jutsus here. The training she'd endured under her tutelage had been enough to greatly improve her physical strength regardless. Sakura didn't even stop to think about the repercussions of her actions on Naruto's ego. Nor how silly she was being.
Before she had time to be embarrassed, Lee spoke up again, his words ringing true as they ever did. Sakura's somewhat comically angry expression melted away into a concerned one. How easy it still was to get caught up in the motions of things, fall back into old habits, and unconciously probably cause others a lot of pain. Ashamed, she didn't even realize that she hadn't released Naruto's hand just yet.
"Lee..." Sakura's voice trailed off before she snapped out of it and offered her friend an apologetic smile. "We should really try to get something done tonight, but you shouldn't go off alone." Despite the fact that she'd done it time and again herself. To the rest of the group, grudgingly including Usagi, the kunoichi directed the same smile.
"I'm sorry, everybody. We should really be focused on getting something done, with or without Zabuza and Haku," she said, though the Demon of the Mist would certainly get a punch to the face if he gloated that they were all too scared to show up or something later. Or maybe she was just being exceptionally inclined to violence in her current state.
When her eyes fell on Naruto, Sakura felt them immediately drift to the hand she held, gently now, in her own. The flush returned immediately, and the girl released the hand like she'd been gripping a hot coal and just realized it. She looked away, bashfully casting her gaze at the floor.
"Ah- Sorry, Naruto," she stammered quietly.
Reply
She was about to keep Sakura from doing something stupid to Usagi when Lee had spoken up. Maybe that was for the best, as she fairly sure if she wasn't strong enough to hold her roommate back from killing the first friendly face Relena had seen in this place.
Thankfully, Sakura was able to pull it together on her own and focus back on the night's plans. Whatever they were. "Who else are we expecting, and what will we be doing tonight?"
Reply
Naruto had no idea what to make of Usagi's sudden closeness in proximity. Some part of him still expected people to keep a wide berth between themselves and the nine-tails, having grown up that way. He gave her a bit of an unsure grin and leaned an inch to the side unconsciously. Girls, least of all ones as pretty as Usagi, didn't normally hover around him.
And girls definitely never made grabs for his hand. His eyes went very wide and confused when the other blond lifted their hands in the air and expressed her confidence in their team. Naruto, by now, had an sixth sense for Sakura's rage and felt death in the air as soon as it happened.
What happened next might as well have scrambled Naruto's brains even more than they already permanently were. Yanked away from Usagi, he skidded unsteadily on one foot and nearly knocked his head into Sakura's shoulder before he got his footing and stood straight. Sakura had grabbed him and pulled him away-- Sakura-- holding his hand--
For once in his life, he was at a complete loss for words. Coherent thought flew out of his mind as he eyed her hand enclosed around his, his face flushed red. Needless to say, with guys like Sasuke around, this had never happened to Naruto before in his entire life. And he had never expected Sakura to become so possessive over him.
"Sa-Sakura-chan," was all he managed in his shock. And weakly, for how loud his voice usually was. It was Lee who managed to bring him back around to the real world. Naruto lifted his gaze and watched him carefully, brows furrowing the moment he spoke of going on alone.
"No!" Finding strength for his voice, he protested much less gently than Sakura. "Nobody's going ahead alone. My first night here, I didn't even get to go very far, and--" well, he didn't want to think about what might have happened to Gaara if he hadn't insisted on accompanying him. "No way, I won't let anybody do it. And they'll be here, they will," Naruto assured, with no doubt that Zabuza would bring Haku - no doubts in his mind at all about that, Solitary Confinement or not.
Apparently also forgetting about his grip on Sakura's hand, which had tightened a bit since he started speaking. When she let go his attention was brought back to her. He shook his head at her small apology, somewhat dazedly. He wasn't any less baffled, and it showed clearly on his face. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears.
Later-- in private-- talk-- something. Mission now. Focus. Naruto strode ahead suddenly and stopped at Lee's side, features hardening as he became equally serious. He took up answering Relena's questions: "We've been waiting for two other ninja, but since they haven't shown up yet," he paused with a good-natured smirk directed at Lee, watching him from the corners of his eyes.
"Since we have such a big group, it's not such a bad idea to send a scouting team ahead while we wait. To take out potential obstacles and wait for the rest to catch up at the Files Room. What do you think, Lee? Two strong shinobi should be enough for this dump."
Reply
As Lee spoke and reminded them of the danger at hand Usagi felt slightly embarrassed for her actions, but the momentary distraction had also been stopping her from turning into a ball of nerves. Landel's was still an unknown place to Usagi, and the stories she heard about night that were pushed away by the excitement of learning about these strange new people were creeping back to haunt her.
"Is that such a good idea?" she asked fearfully. What if something happened to the two boys while the rest were waiting, it wasn't like they had access to communicators or anything like that.
Reply
Yes, it was a dangerous move to make, he knew, moving ahead with a smaller party. Two shinobi against whatever this hell-filled place contained could be asking for trouble. On the other hand, it would be better to keep the group small to see what was going on ahead. It was quicker that way, and apparently would be less confusion without all the love...whatever the shape was meant to be at this moment.
"It is probably the best choice at this moment," said Lee softly. "I do not know fully well how you fight, Usagi-san, or you, Relena-san, but Sakura-san is a good fighter and leader. You three shall be strong together..."
He wanted to add, 'if two of you would stop fighting,' but decided against that.
"If we realize that we are outnumbered, it will be best to regroup..."
He took a breath and looked at everyone. With a momentary flash of emotion, he turned away and began to swiftly, but carefully movedown the hallway. Once more, he was running off into who knows where, yet for some reason, he was not afraid at all. Good bye, Sakura-san...no matter what occurs, I will always be your friend...
To Here
Reply
"Don't worry at all, Usagi-chan," Naruto chirped with total confidence and lifted his arms mechanically to tighten the back of his hitai-ate - ah, shit. No more hitai-ate. Instead, he plucked his flashlight from the waistband of his pants and checked on his fork, knife, and pens.
They seriously needed to find better weapons.
"If anyone, thing, gets in our way, we'll just kick its ass. And it'll be safer for you guys to travel that path after us. We'll meet you all at the Files Room, so let Zabuza and Haku know when they get here."
"Sakura-chan." He smiled at her, softly and genuinely for approximately three seconds before it turned into his usual, sloppy, big grin. "Take care of them! I trust you!"
With a quick wave to the group, he sprinted after Lee.
[ Tagging along over here ]
Reply
"Naruto! Lee!" she called after them, knowing all the while that it was futile to even try. It was just their nature, and she could only have faith that they had enough sense not to get themselves killed. She was always getting left behind... It had been two years, and nothing had changed. Sakura had half a mind to go charging after them, to show them just how much she'd changed. But she looked back to Usagi and Relena and knew that she couldn't abandon them. Even if they were capable fighters, and you could never judge a book by its cover, Zabuza and Haku would not recognize them and simply assume that she and Naruto had chosen to stand them up for the night. They were rogue ninjas back home, but here they were allies, capable ones at that.
"Boys!" she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to seem unconcerned and simply annoyed. "Always running off thinking they can take on the world without our help."
Reply
Saying those words brought back memories of the last battles in the Eve Wars - watching Heero and the other pilots leave her for battle, the fighting, the death...Heero nearly sacrificing himself for the good of everyone.... Her heart had dropped down into her stomach when that happened, a feeling she hoped she would never feel again.
Relena shook off those feelings and smiled for Sakura. "Anyway, they probably wanted you to stay here to meet the other people." That was the only thing that made sense, considering she and Usagi were new to this place. The pair of blonds would likely be ignored if they were the only ones here, if not outright mocked for just standing around out here.
Reply
[Kaze]
Reply
A noise made Usagi turn her attention back down the hall. There had been people making sounds earlier, but this wasn't footsteps... it was buzzing. Something smacked into her face and scratched dangerously near her eye, giving her the impression of a large bug. Usagi was not a fond of bugs.
"EEWWW!!" the girl shrieked, violently swatting at her own face and jumping backwards.
Reply
It was then that Sakura heard the faint sound of buzzing as well and whirled around as soon as she noticed Usagi start to panic. Bugs. Dragonflies, to be precise, if they could even be called that anymore. Her eyes widened, and the kunoichi froze in place for a moment before the adrenaline kicked in and she sprung into action.
"Into one of the rooms! Hurry!" she barked to her companions, not following her own advice just yet as she readied herself to swat and strike as many of the fist-sized creatures as she could. Hopefully, Sakura could provide a decent distraction. She hadn't tested the limits of her disrupted chakra, but so long as she had some, she'd certainly be making use of a log trick right now.
Reply
Leave a comment