Author's Note:
Hello! This is my 6th story for the Naruto fandom. I co-wrote the series, which I'm not sure is finished just yet, "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" and "Oh, The Summertime" with MarMar17. I also wrote two KibaHina oneshots (one of my new favorite couples ( :), called "We Were Once Dreamers" and "You Make Me Smile, Kiba-kun." I've also written a few other stories for Fruits Basket, InuYasha, Grey's Anatomy, and other things...but my two main fandoms at the moment are Fruits Basket and Naruto.
This story came to me when I was thinking about the series of books that Jougen was based off of, the Stephanie Meyer series, Twilight. It's not gonna be exactly like the series, but I'm giving you a major hint...Bella is supposed to be Sakura. Obviously, this is an AU, and the personalities are gonna be slightly bent. I'm an update whore as most of you who have read my stories before know, so just read this, and if you like it, story alert it.
So sit back and relax, because it's time for Jougen! I have some sequels in mind, if this story gets recieved well! By the way, 'Jougen' means first quarter of the moon, or at least this online dictionary says. XD
Dedication:
Marley, the first chapter goes to the best friend, always.
Inspiration:
Stephanie Meyer, Jesse McCartney songs, the library, Halloween, Youmacon, excitement, love.
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto. Unfortunately.
"You don't have to do this, Sakura."
I turned around from standing at the foot of my bed, a suitcase full of clothing that was supposed to last me until I came home from my father's house was sprawled out in front of me. I swallowed, pushing a lock of my hair behind my ear. I wouldn't respond, we had had this discussion before. I did have to go. My mother was a newlywed, she needed some time to have the chance to do what she missed out on with my father.
"It's fine, Mom," I replied in a monotone voice, zipping the suitcase shut. I had been just an infant when the divorce went through, and the cause of it hadn't been because my father had thrown a vase at my mother's head, or because my mother was in love with another man at the time. They were young, foolish, stupid, in other words—in love. They didn't make a big deal about it, but obviously I needed my mother. "It's not a big deal." I said with a shrug.
"Well, do you need Hachi to help you with your bags?" My mother asked, swallowing back tears. I felt my muscles tense, she wasn't going to cry, was she? Oh great, when my mother went on a crying jag, there was no telling when it would end. And I didn't have time to console her, I had a plane to catch.
I shook my head at her question. "It's not that heavy." Were the lies just spilling out today or what?
I walked past her, hauling down the bag that I had. I had packed light, not expecting to be bored. Besides, if I hauled five thousand pounds of CDs, movies, books and whatever else, would it make my father feel bad? Probably. Or maybe if I did, then it would look like I really was staying for a while. Great, there I go, over thinking things again.
I loaded my bag into the back of the car, and slid into the front seat before my mother could protest anymore. The way she looked over at me when she slid into the car with her car keys jingling, hanging from her hand, I knew she was about an inch away from chaining me to the house from leaving. I didn't want to break her heart, but I didn't want to stay here either, I'd just be getting in the way.
My mother started up the car, and slowly the engine purred back to life. We began driving towards the airport in silence. I felt my whole body wait on stand by, waiting for her to rebel. But, as surprising as it was to me, she didn't pull over to the gas station and try to coax me out of the car, to come home. The only sound in the air was the compilation of Whitney Houston, Madonna, and the occasional old J-Pop, that seemed to always be playing. Usually the sound nauseated me, but I was thankful for it right now.
I wasn't sure whether to feel a wave of relief when the airport started to come into site, or whether to feel nervous. I didn't remember my dad's house, all I remember is cold and rain, nothing like sunny, warm, which was the climate that I not only favored, but the climate I lived in.
My mom didn't have to tell me we were there, because we were pulling into the busy parking lot. I never really did like airports, honestly. Not that I had been too many places that needed air transportation, really. Whenever I thought of airplanes, I thought of leaving. And leaving anything was a fear of mine.
The car seemed to navigate itself towards a parking spot. This is it, this is the beginning of my leave. The thin lines of worry on my mother's face were trying not to be there, but I saw them, quite apparent as I stepped out of the car. I opened the trunk and got my bag, patting the pocket of my jeans. Good, boarding pass and ticket, still there.
I pulled out my boarding pass as we walked towards the entrance. Gate 4. Well, that made no sense to me. That's what I get for not being a heavy duty traveler. Thanks, mom. Really. I laughed out loud awkwardly at my joke, and thank god it was too busy inside the airport for my mom to hear me and decide that it was better for me to go to a nut house rather than my dad's.
"Want a coffee, or some ramen?" She offered. I inwardly wrinkled my nose. That was like offering someone some vodka or sugar cookies, or beer and scones. It just didn't match. Yuck. My stomach was rumbling, but I'd rather eat the peanuts on the plane when the combination left my mind rather than eat now.
I shook my head in response. "No thank you."
"Where's your gate?" She inquired after she had left me to go buy herself a mug of coffee.
"Gate four." I repeated.
We walked along in silence, but I could feel my mother's worry. What was wrong with her? She obviously trusted my father, because she had been grilling me for years to take one of my school vacations to see my father. Apparently at the time she had just been filling her quota of divorced mother, but now that that was a reality, she was really…nervous?
Well, not that that was a surprise. My mother was the type of mother that always freaked out when I was home five minutes past curfew. She didn't let me out in the sun for too long with out slathering me in sunscreen and being adorned in a baseball cap and then another slathering session of sun screen.
"Well, here we are," We had been walking so aimlessly, that I hadn't even realized that we were right in front of the gate to the airplane that would transport me to my new home, away. I swallowed, reminding myself that this is what I wanted. I wanted my mom to get the chance to be a newlywed and oogle over food processors and pot handlers, and not have to worry about the angsty teen daughter in the background.
I nodded, smiling weakly. I was exhausted from the packing spree, and I was starting to have second thoughts. If some kind of suicide bomber or pack of crazy wild hounds or a group of crazy vampires came in and attacked, then I knew that my step-dad would help my mother. I smiled, leaning in and giving her a hug, a real hug. I hadn't given her a hug like that since I was seven years old, and I could tell I was out of practice.
I'm not much of a feel-y type of person, if you can tell.
I looked at my only carry-on item, a tote bag with a winter coat, a few books that Kouhei, or my father, had told me were on the reading list for school, even though I had read at least all of them three times. Oh, and a package of gum. I hated when my ears popped.
My mother tried to hide her misty eyes, and since she wanted to over look it, I decided I would too. "Bye, mom," I smiled. "Hachi will take good care of you, I promise."
She smiled and waved and I began to walk off. It felt weird, I had never been away from my mother for long. Maybe a weekend for a school trip to the beach or something at the end of the year, but never this long. Oh well, it's not like I wouldn't be supervised. And I'd get to know Kouhei—I mean, Dad—a little bit better when we're not distracted by Easter eggs or Christmas lights.
This wouldn't be so bad, I decided. At least, it won't seem so bad once the stewardess hands out the peanuts.