Sound of Silence

Beta by: Cyrro. Thank you for saving the life of another chapter. You are the best dear. It must be rough to edit so much mistakes along with her own work here. *Bows to her*.

A/N: Yap not dead, if anyone is still reading this then you all are loves and I am very much grateful to you. So sorry for vanishing without notice. In my defense I am 3rd year student now and life is getting harder.

Shizune felt gleefully happy. She hummed to herself as she picked up Tonton, the Lady Tsunade's pet pig, along with the latest batch of paperwork. Tonton himself was also very happy; today was a happy day. Oh, what a beautiful day it was, the sun was shining brightly and the birds were singing. Everything was just perfect.

"Let's go, Tonton, this is the last batch of paperwork for today," Shizune said, looking adoringly at the pig. Tonton oinked at her happily. Yes, everything indeed was perfect.

The two chunins delivering the paperwork looked a bit disturbed.

"Umm...have you ever seen her this happy when we bring paperwork before?" Asked Chunin One to Chunin Two.

"Nope, never," answered Chunin Two.

"It's kinda disturbing, don't you think?" The first one said, with a slight shiver.

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

Both chunin decided it was time to get back to their own posts before the disturbing feeling spread too far.

In another part of the town...

"Iruka sensei, you look way too happy today. It's kinda creepy, sensei," a tied up Konohamaru said, as he eyed Iruka sensei suspiciously.

Iruka sensei gave him a bright smile. "Why?! I am always like this Konohamaru!"

The class filled with wannabe ninja kids looked at their tied up and pouting classmate, and the two worried looking best friends of said classmate, and sweat dropped.

"Yeah right, you are not fooling anyone Sensei!" The class thought collectively, but wisely kept their mouths shut.

But none could figure out why their teacher was so happy.

Near the hot springs...

A beat up Jiraiya was lying in the dirt. A bunch of scarcely clad women were looking down at him furiously.

"He is unconscious, but how the heck does he have that disturbing grin on his face?" Asked one of them.

"I don't know, let's had back to the bath girls," answered another one.

"Yes, but first let's tie him up so that he doesn't peep on us again," proposed another one.

"Yes!" everyone agreed.

Though he was beaten unconscious by a bunch of ladies, Jiraiya continued to grin happily and for the very first time in history, that had nothing to do with the half-naked women he was surrounded by.

At a restaurant called Dango Daisuki

"Troublesome!" Shikamaru muttered as he took in the scene unfolding in front of him.

After a long day of training with the team, (although, on our favourite genius' part, avoiding training), Asuma decided to treat his team. Currently, they were sitting in the dumpling shop Choji selected. But, for the very first time, Choji was not inhaling food. In fact, none of team ten were eating, rather they were watching another team with a range of different expressions on their faces.

As Shikamaru had summarized, the situation indeed looked troublesome. Very, very troublesome.

Team Seven was sitting in the booth next to Team Ten. And, well...

"Do you want more, Naru?"

"Would you like some tea, Naru?"

"What do you think about some BBQ after this Naru?"

"Hey, Duckbutt, do you think she needs some water?"

"I don't know Sai. Naru do you need any?"

"Hey Sai, do you think we should have ordered more?"

"I don't know Duckbutt, we might need more. Naru what do you say?"

"Now, now boys, let her say what she wants to eat. Okay? Don't pressure our Naru here."

"Yes Sensei! Right away Sensei!"

...the whole team was fussing over a very scarlet Naruto Uzumaki.

It was an odd scene. Ino felt a bit jealous looking at the other blond. Naruto was receiving royal treatment from not one, not two, but three hot guys! Granted one of them had like eighty percent of his face covered, but still! Team Seven's sensei was quite easy on the eyes! It was like a dream come true. Ino's team never treated her like that. Life was not fair.

But the question worth a billion and one yen was: why were they being this energetic and fussy?

"I am all right guys. Thank you Sasuke, Sai, Kaka-Sensei," Naruto said, in a small voice.

Team Ten's jaws dropped, including Asuma's. The heck? Naruto was talking? Did they hear correctly?

Before anyone could react, two green blurs approached Team Seven's table.

"My most youthful rival! I see you have your team with you. What say you to a friendly challenge?" Shouted none other than the Blue Beast of the Leaf Village – naturally, at the top of his lungs.

"Gai-sensei, that is the most youthful idea!" Lee, one of Gai's students, joined in. Neji and Tenten shamefully followed behind them. Both looked embarrassed due to their teammates' behaviour. Both the Hyuuga and Tenten were used to the over enthusiasm of their team, but other people were not so much. Especially people with sensitive ears.

"T-they are a b-bit loud," mumbled Naruto, putting her hands over her ears.

Usually, she used to ignore the Blue Beast and his team. But today, somehow, those words slipped out.

Suddenly, Shikamaru felt killing intent and blood lust fill the small shop. The civilians eating there promptly lost consciousness, along with the waitress.

Team Ten felt like they were all in a deadly choke hold, and it was only due to their shinobi training that they were still conscious.

Team Gai was also taken aback with all the killing intent in the room.

"Hey Duckbutt, let's strangle them. They hurt Naru's ears!"

The Uchiha did not reply, rather he activated his sharingan. Kakashi stood up from his spot and blocked his students. It seemed the protective boys were responsible for the blood lust, and the deadly killing intent. Kakashi felt proud, his ducklings were growing up so fast. He was a proud papa!

"Now, now boys! Calm down. I am still here. Let me handle them," Kakashi said.

Naruto was taking in the scene with wide eyes. Her teammates did seem a little off once they found out about her voice, since then she had not been left alone. She facepalmed, this was getting way too out of control. It was a good thing Kakashi was there. The Hatake would not lose his mind.

Sai and Sasuke calmed down and Shikamaru took a breath, the tension was released.

But Shikamaru changed his mind soon enough. The situation just became worse.

"Gai," Kakashi said calmly and walked towards the Blue Beast. Team Ten could feel the chilling fear. The hell?! What was wrong with Team Seven?!

"Let me refresh your table manners, shall I?"

Shikamaru could tell the this was going to be a very, very long day. Why did he bother to get out of bed again? That was it, he was going into quarantine for the next three weeks, and he was going to read manga all day.

Line break...

"I got drunk."

Hayate promptly spit out the water he was going to drink. Bear and Tiger, who were sitting quite calmly at the ANBU refreshment table, looked up with bulging eyes.

"Umm Captain, are you cracking a joke?" Asked Tiger with as much professionalism as he could master.

"No," Sighed Itachi. "I actually got drunk."

"Was this the reason you were absent at training this morning?" Asked Bear.

Itachi nodded and sat down with another heavy sigh.

Hayate, Bear and Tiger exchanged looks. Itachi was the poster ANBU who could handle his liquor quite well. What could have happened to make Itachi Uchiha get drunk?

"Umm Itachi are you ok now?" Hayate inquired.

Itachi shook his head. Diachi, that old man, was a charmer for sure. Once Itachi was drunk enough and stupid enough, not just any sort of stupid, but stupid enough to go and dance naked in front of Orochimaru stupid, Diachi had convinced him to go to Naruto. At that time, it seemed like the best idea ever to go and see her. He desperately wanted to talk to her, and he did. Though Itachi had no clue what he did say to her, he distinctly remembered holding her and, although that felt kinda nice, now he felt like a complete pervert. Itachi had no idea what happened. If the night was not bad enough, Itachi had faced Sasuke in the morning.

When Itachi had woken up, he found himself on Naruto's couch, and she was nowhere in sight. She had left a note saying that she went out to meet with this Iruka guy, (Itachi needed a background check on this Iruka soon). Naruto, being the best girl on earth that she was, had left him with a healthy breakfast and some headache meds. Itachi was too embarrassed to face her now. He could not remember what he said to her. Damn it! But leaving food for him must be a good sign. Right?

But no; his misery had continued. He went home and met a glaring Sasuke.

"Why were you not home last night. I know for a fact that you didn't have a mission yesterday," Sasuke asked, sounding way too much like Mikoto.

"I was..." Itachi fumbled for words. Why on earth was he being glared at? By his little brother, no less.

"I am waiting brother," Sasuke had said coolly, tapping his foot on the ground. Itachi was very, very good at dodging questions, especially from his baby brother. But today Sasuke was on edge himself, being worried about Naruto and all.

"I was at Naruto's," Itachi had confessed.

Sasuke's eyebrow shot up.

"I was worried about her."

The second eyebrow joined the first one.

Sasuke let out a breath, his eyes softening. It seemed he was worried for nothing. "She is gonna be just fine, you know, Itachi."

Itachi nodded. Yes, his Naru was going to be just fine.

Sasuke had left him alone. But before he went to out Sasuke had one last thing to say. "Oh, and Itachi? You stink, so I know you were drunk. Please refrain from going to Naru's place drunk. I don't want you to confess to her when you are drunk. It can't be a good idea."

Then started his long day after a long night. Damn it all! He blamed that no good old man!

Now his ANBU team was looking at him like he grew a second head. He saw no reason to hide from them. ANBU people, believe it or not, tended to be nosier than neighbourhood grannies.

The new recruit, Hayate, was also looking at him with a bit of paleness, if that was even possible. Itachi had no idea why Hayate was chosen to be an ANBU. The Hayate of the current timeline hadn't died. Itachi wondered what else had changed. But, he didn't get enough time to wonder, as Bear from his team was saying something.

"Captain, have you heard the latest news yet?" Bear asked. Itachi knew for sure if he had left, the whole headquarters would gossip about him getting drunk. But, for now, it seemed Bear was trying to change the subject. Bear was always an understanding fellow. God bless his heart!

"No, I haven't. What is it?" Itachi asked, as he pulled out his weapon pouch and started checking the weapon stock he had on him. It was routine for ANBU to check their weapon stock before going for patrol duties.

"Our little Naruto is talking..."

Bear, being the nice guy that he was, had said a lot of lines praising Naruto, but Itachi didn't hear any of it. In fact, we readers don't have to know what he said either.

What we do need to know, my friends, is how Itachi Uchiha, the elder son and heir to the Uchiha clan, one of the last two survivors of said clan and one of the most brilliant shinobi the world had ever seen, cut his own finger with his own weapon and had to receive two stitches in his left thumb.

Itachi refused to heal the scar the cut left on his left thumb, and for years to come, one blue eyed girl would repeatedly ask him about why he refused to heal the mark.

Itachi would give her a heartbeat-skipping-smile and not answer her. He was, after all, good at dodging questions. Besides, for Itachi it would be one of the happiest moments of his life, if a bit embarrassing.

Line break...

"Why are you telling me all this?" Utakata asked. He didn't believe this Sora person. Not at all. His story was suspicious, and Utakata already had enough suspicious people in his life, being a ninja never helped, and now this guy suddenly popped up telling him he is from the future? Yeah right! And Utakata was born yesterday!

Sora, for his part, remained as unreadable as he was from the beginning. "I am going to be erased from this timeline, and the current timeline will mostly likely try to get back to its original course. I changed it a lot, but there is not much time left for me. In a few words: I am dying."

Utakata looked at him for a long time. Sora wasn't very tall. He had a lean build and a natural poker face. Utakata had seen this kind of face before. His master, (a bit painful for Utakata to remember), the guy he trusted and was betrayed by, had the same look on his eyes. There was just something you couldn't put your finger on. Utakata once thought Harusame, his master and mentor, was amazing, but now he knew better. Utakata had absolutely no intentions of trusting this guy with a ridiculous story.

"Give me proof," Utakata said. "I don't believe you, and yet you know I am a Jinchuriki. So, give me a reason why I should believe you, and not kill you right now."

Sora didn't say anything. The tension in the air began to rise. Utakata was getting ready to attack but didn't show it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sora said calmly, stopping Utakata from attacking immediately. For the first time since he tracked down the six tailed Jinchuriki, Sora sighed.

"I don't have any proof. This timeline has changed a lot, but you will die if you continue this path you are on. If you come with me, I can show you something, so that you can believe me. "

Utakata measured his words. Sora was a wanderer like Utakata himself, and Utakata knew he was strong, very strong. But going with Sora seemed like a wild goose chase. On the other hand, Utakata had nowhere important to be, so should he go?

'What do you think? Six tails?'

'Go.'

Utakata was surprised by the short reply. Usually, the Six Tails never talked with him. Not even a single word. Coming from him, the advice to go meant the Tailed Beast was intrigued as well. Seemed that couldn't be helped. The Six Tails had never let him down, surprisingly enough, and what was the worst that could happen?

He took a deep breath. "Let's go."

And they were off.

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